Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. The Bhagavad Gita During your yoga journey you may experience a deepening discovery and understanding of yourself. In yogic philosophy there are two 'selves' within us. These are the 'self' and 'Self', known as our lower 'self 'and higher 'Self'. Our lower 'self' is that

Which ones have you tried? Do you know your Vinyasa from your Hatha? Yoga has many different practices, yet at the heart of all of them is ahimsa (kindness) and the uniting of your mind, body and soul through Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breathwork) and Meditation techniques. Whatever it is you need, yoga can gift that to you. Here are a few that you may like to try. Whichever one is for you, remember to hydrate well. HATHA 'Ha' meaning Sun and 'Tha' meaning Moon A g

'Inhale relaxation, exhale the stress' - Anonymous Stress, how do you cope with it? Do you recognise the signs of being stressed? symptoms that may be felt, physically, mentally or emotionally? There is no escaping it, inevitably we will all suffer personal challenges in our lives. Yet, we are very proficient at hiding stress from others, and sadly, from ourselves. We may feel we are failing, letting others, and ourselves down, shame can be a powerful and negative feeling t

“Patanjali, declares that the true secret of evolution is the manifestation of the perfection which is already in every being; that this perfection has been barred and the infinite tide behind is struggling to express itself. These struggles and competitions are but the result of our ignorance, because we do not know the proper way to unlock the gate and let the water in. This infinite tide behind must express itself; it is the cause of all manifestations.” - Swami Vivekanan

“Our core beliefs are at the very centre of who we are, what we believe about ourselves, what we think of others and how we feel about life as a whole” – Aletheia Luna Your core helps to build a solid foundation for your yoga practice, providing balance and mobility through all three planes of motion. It is made up of different layers that wrap around you like a corset. When fired up it is your engine, as these layers of muscles work as a singular, harmonious powerhouse suppo

A regular yoga practice can lead you to explore your layers and get to know yourself through your strengths and vulnerabilities, this can beautifully awaken your truth within. Powerful questions that arise could include: What direction is your life going in? What do you consider important in life? What brings you happiness? How can you continue to explore possibility? Can you take that leap of faith? The essence of grounding down in yoga and connecting to your inner world, y

True forgiveness is when you can say, “Thank you for that experience” – Oprah Winfrey There are many different reasons we may find ourselves wanting to forgive someone in our life and the journey to forgiveness is unique and individual to each of us, but we all deserve to feel peace within. The process of forgiveness is complex, it is strength and gentleness, a rainbow of emotions shining through the dark clouds. It takes courage, understanding and your own self-love to hold

Get comfortable with being alone, it will empower you – Jonathan Tropper Alone, not lonely. Similar words, but most definitely different worlds apart. Life is a journey full of ebbs and flows. Most of us at some point in our lives will experience loneliness. It comes in many complex layers such as, for example situational, social isolation or emotional. From experiences such as a new job, staying in a hotel by yourself, to needing help to complete a task to more intense mom

Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day – Dalai Lama Motivation, I’m completely fascinated by it. It is one word that has immense power to it. It’s the driving force for everything you do. It is the very essence for your actions, it gets you out of bed in the morning and takes you on life’s journey. What individually motivates people to move their body day after day, year after year, even overcoming setbacks continually physically challenging

Yoga is the study of balance, and balance is the aim of all living creatures: it is our home – Rolf Gates The very word ‘balance’ to many of us evokes a sense of challenge ahead. It is such a precious equilibrium that many of us are striving for in our lives. It is a tricky customer, one that some on the surface, make look effortless, they seem to have everything worked out. In reality, finding balance in your life to stay in optimum health and happiness to enable you to supp

Yoga is a powerful vehicle for change. As you build strength you start to believe in your own potential ~ Tiffany Cruikshank Firstly, safety is paramount and there are various medical reasons why inversions may not be safe for everyone. It is always best to seek your Doctor's advice in advance. Due to their physical stage of development, children aged seven years and under should NOT perform headstands. If you have assurance it is safe for you, then turning your world upside

Flexibility isn’t showing off how far your leg can stretch. It’s showing how far your perseverance can stretch – Chane vdW We use our flexibility every day, tying our shoelaces or picking up an item from the floor. We may not think about it day to day, but for many reasons, it is an important life skill to maintain as we get older, and flexibility training should always be part of any balanced fitness routine. A regular yoga practice will help you become more flexible. Flexib

Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness - Brene Brown For some of us, practicing yoga is about physical progression, getting stronger and more flexible, moving with intention, mind, body and breath as one. It might be about sweating on the mat through challenging asanas, or about finding stress relief through meditation practice. We are all different and yoga is intuitive to your individua

Hope you have had a good week and Happy Mother's Day to all those Mums out there. Being back at work with earlier mornings, less time, and a big change generally to my routine, got me thinking. When life picks up pace, it's easy to become wrapped up in the the pressures placed upon us. The main reason for most of our negative habits can be a lack of time. On the yoga mat, time is the one thing you are gifting to yourself. That's why it has such a positive effect mentally. You

Just because a person carries it well doesn't mean it's not heavy. We all carry something within us that is heavy. We can all be quick to judge others. I have done it myself. Being presumptuous is ungracious. We do not know the struggles another carries on their shoulders. Treating everyone with kindness, is something that we all try to do everyday. This starts with showing kindness to yourself. During this pandemic, I'm sure I'm not alone, when I say I have felt a rollercoa

Taking time to set up a special area for your yoga practice is a really enjoyable thing to do. It sets an intention and commitment to yourself, to embark on a regular practice. Whatever your level of ability, having a designated space to flow, will enable you to roll out your mat, in an environment that you find practical, peaceful and pleasurable. A place to arrive, and be able to connect to your mind, body and soul. It doesn't have to be a whole room, (although lucky you

What an amazingly positive way to start the year and needed more than ever right now, during these times of Lockdown. Yoganuary at www.mysoulsanctuary.co with Cat Meffan is an online yoga retreat for members. Some yogis join just for the month of January to participate in the event. For 31 days you gift yourself the time to flow, breathe, meditate and journal through a journey of self discovery. #Catmeffanyoga is an ex gymnast, dancer and lover of all movement & now multifac