Yoga Jewellery, Off the Mat and Into the World, and nude yoga calenders!

I just stumbled upon this whilst looking for a present for a friend... not only do Avigna Yoga make jewelery, they have also teamed up with yet another wonderful charity Off the Mat and Into the World
who, through yoga, work to inspire conscious, sustainable activism and to ignite grass roots social change. 

Avigna Yoga have made a calender for 2013 of beautiful nude photos of yoga poses, with 100% of profits from these sales go toward rescuing, rehabilitating and empowering women who have been victims of trafficking and sexual slavery. I love it... they remind me a bit of a Man Ray photo...!!

 

 Street Yoga as Inspiration

 

I'm always keeping an eye on these guys and what they do as it's something that's so close to my heart and to my own work. This month celebrates 10 years of Street Yoga being in service, and I thought it was a good time to give a little nod in their direction. If my little plan comes to fruition I may even take a trip stateside in 2013 to visit them...

 

Street Yoga is a non-profit organization that teaches yoga, mindful breathing, and compassionate communication to youth and families and their caregivers struggling with homelessness, poverty, abuse, addiction, trauma and behavioral challenges so they can grow stronger, heal from past traumas, and create for themselves a life that is inspired, safe, and joyful. Their programs are based on solid evidence that yoga helps with physical well being, depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD. They are an amazing organisation, and one that I wish was more recognised... so please check them out and spread the word! 

I stumbled upon this a few weeks ago whilst wondering around London....

proof that love is everywhere you look, sometimes you just have to open your eyes!!

This is becoming my mantra, at least for today.... 

It seems to me that we often over think things so much when they are actually pretty simple, and become so scared we might get it wrong that we don't even try! I'm not sure this applies to me as I tend to jump into things, even if cautiously, but still.... worth remembering when you're standing on the edge of that hypothetical cliff edge wondering whether to leap or walk away.... JUST LEAP!!! you never know what you're leaping into, but if you walk away... well, you know where you've just come from as you're about to go straight back there!!

the eight limbs

 

Running a Yoga Business

Well, we have been published!! For those of you who haven't seen, there is an article in the December issue of OM Yoga magazine all about this little yoga business, Live Love Yoga. Go out and buy it, and have a read!

The article sums  how to follow your dreams, keep a positive attitude as well as a savvy mind. As a businesswoman, setting up Live Love Yoga has been a hard process, with lots of learning curves! However, finding other companies to help me, such as Cuckoo Vine, have been a great way to get the name out there.

I have chosen to work with a broad range of students, moving away from Gyms from time to time, and embracing the students who wouldn't necessarily join a yoga class, such as those with health problems, disabilities, amputees. I love working with all these different people, and making yoga more accessible so that it moves away from a fitness regime and towards a state of mind.

So, I just thought I should, and would, shout about the article in Om, because it's not every day that my hard work gets noticed!!
enjoy! Nathalie

The path of least resistance

I attended a yoga training last weekend which, as always, has enriched my practice and my teaching. I love to go on training courses - it reminds me that I am always a student, and there is always more to learn. So I wanted to share with you all a few things that have stuck in my mind. 

 During the workshop on back bends we looked at a familiar pose - Crescent Lunge. Whilst it is easy to lean into a back bend in this pose, we are continually reminded to 'save back bends for back bends'. It is so easy for the body to bend in the lumbar spine, thrusting the hips forward and tilting the bum back. Rather than do this, we began by bending our back knee, lengthening the tailbone, drawing the lower ribs towards the hip bones. From here we started to straighten the back leg, lifting the back thigh towards the ceiling and pressing the ball of the back foot into the ground.



I have never come in to a lunge this way - maybe others already have?! I could really feel it stretching across my psoas and illiacus - across my hip and down my thigh. It's a really great way to make sure that your body doesn't take the path of least resistance.

The workshop really reminded me how the body prefers to take this path, choosing the easiest way to bend and move. Often when we are doing yoga we give in to this, bending in to the weak areas such as the lower back. Next time why not give this a go and see how different it feels!