With the sunny days here in London, I like to think that spring is almost here. Just a few more weeks to spring where we feel the sun warming our face, our body, and watch nature blossom. We already see some flowers colouring the streets, so it almost started in my mind. It’s a beautiful time of the year when we feel reborn as nature blossoms. After the cold months of winter hibernation, we are ready to come out and play. It brings excitement and some hope knowing that warmer days are around the corner. Especially with this past year's lockdowns and Covid restrictions changing our lifestyle and restricting our contact with other people.
You might have been feeling a little low, lonely, or sad lately. I started to call it the lockdown blues. Many of us have unfortunately experienced it. Even if you are working in the health industry, you meditate, do physical activity and do all the things you need to do to take care of yourself, it can affect you. We are all human beings that long for connection and the sudden lack of it has stirred us all in one way or another. No matter how much your life has been affected, we all need de-stressing and more relaxation into our lives as well as that feeling of connection. I’d like to make a big shout out to all those feeling the lockdown blues! A shout out to all those who haven’t been feeling OK lately but still choose to get up every day and refuse to quit.
I see you,
I hear you,
I feel you.
The good news is that if you are reading this you are probably already choosing to make a change and keep working on feeling better. My wish is that with my yoga classes & community I help bring some of this relaxation and support to your lives by keeping you connected to other students by allowing you to chat during our check-in sessions and book club meetings as well as before each class making sure you know the other people you are practising with. We may not be all physically together but we are in spirit sharing energy, sharing the same practice, sharing the experience as one.
A shout out to you all! Pat yourself on the shoulder! Give yourself credit for being here!
So here we are, welcoming March into our life! In February we focused our yoga practice on mental awareness, physical equilibrium and balance, and the emotional aspect of connection. These fundamental traits are good to keep in mind throughout our yoga practice and we will always continue going back to them. In March I intend to keep the same themes so that we can expand on them and add a fresh twist. Focus all three themes on the breath. Bringing all our awareness to our breath not only when we start in Tadasana, but in every single pose be aware of what the breath is doing: is it slow? Fast? Are you holding it on full or empty lungs? Balance and equilibrium to our breath, working on that steady flow between each inhale and each exhales.
Notice your movements as you inhale or exhale and what it does to the posture. And maybe sometimes experiment and do it the other way - see the difference! And ultimately, really feel the connection with your breath. Feel the oneness as you allow yourself to take in new fresh oxygen and let go of that which does not serve you with each exhale.
So yes, take a deep breath of fresh air for this new start and choose to be present, on your mat and in everyday life!
See you for some yoga!