#kidsyoga
#downwarddog
www.soyoga.com.sg
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Flexible Youth
#kidsyoga
#downwarddog
www.soyoga.com.sg
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
5 Ways to Make Every Yoga Class More Restorative and Therapeutic
A beautiful link between Yoga and Mindfulness!
"Daniel Sernicola shares five practices to
help your students get grounded and cultivate mindfulness.
One of yoga’s primary aims is to bring us
squarely into the present moment, which is especially important and especially
difficult for trauma survivors. Present-moment experiences offer trauma
survivors a chance to live “without feeling or behaving according to irrelevant
demands belonging to the past,” according to Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., author
of The Body Keeps the Score. But it’s also more challenging for traumatized
people than non-traumatized people to be present, says David Emerson, author of
Overcoming Trauma Through Yoga. The good news? We can all get better at it with
practice. Here, a few key strategies for helping trauma survivors—and everyone
else—in your yoga classes get grounded and present.
1.
Anchor the mind.
“All practices that strengthen
concentration or mindfulness use an anchor,” Willard says. He recommends
inviting students to rest their attention on something—the body, the breath,
movement, the senses, an image, numbers, a word or phrase—to anchor them to the
present moment.
2.
Cultivate mindfulness from the ground up.
“Start with simple things that can help
students feel grounded and centered,” says yoga teacher Marcia Miller. She
likes to start class by rolling the feet over massage balls to create
heightened sensations in the feet that make it easier to feel grounded. “Then,
I might ask questions like these throughout the class, ‘Can you feel how your
feet are touching the floor? Can you feel the weight of your hips on the chair?
Can you feel the texture of the fabric on your arms? What are the sensations
you are feeling right now because of the pose we just did? Where exactly are
they? Do you enjoy these sensations?’”
3.
Be sure to include breath practice.
We are seldom taught how to breathe and
yet, a number of studies “cite evidence that yogic breathwork may be
efficacious for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress
disorder and for victims of mass disasters,” says Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga
Skills for Therapists: Effective Practices for Mood Management. She suggests
using three-part breath and breath retention among other techniques, adding
that “control of the breath not only enables language but gives us a measure of
control over our mood.” Ancient yogis knew that breath regulation could help
manage and regulate feelings and moods. Studies have shown that breathwork may
be helpful in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress
disorder, and for victims of mass disasters. “Finding and experimenting with
new ways of breathing may be a way for folks to feel better in their bodies,”
Emerson says. Breath practice is an effective tool all students can take home
and use to help with anxiety outside of class. Try the 7-11 Breath, as taught
by Christopher Willard, PSYD. He suggests breathing in for a count of 7 and
breathing out for a count of 11, suggesting that this practice can reset the
breath to “regulate, shift, and stabilize energy and mood.”
4.
Give a nurturing Savasana.
For some, Savasana is the most welcomed
pose of a yoga class. For others, it can be a difficult and uncomfortable
experience. Offer choices for resting by providing suggestions on how to set up
for Savasana or encouraging students to do what feels comfortable for them: sit
up, lie down, use a bolster under their legs, a folded blanket under their
head, a folded blanket over their belly, or a blanket to cover up with.
Encourage students to close their eyes or soften their gaze, knowing some may
only feel comfortable keeping their eyes wide open. Remind students that
Savasana will only last a few minutes and that they can come out whenever they
like.
5.
Take it to the next level with Yoga Nidra.
Yoga Nidra is “a sequence of meditation
practices that help you feel connected to yourself, with others, and to the
world around you,” according to Richard Miller, PhD. Miller has adapted this
practice, calling it Integrated Restoration, or iRest. He describes it as a
guided progressive scan of the body incorporating the tools of intention,
body-sensing, breath-sensing, awareness, and more. Miller has had great success
treating populations suffering from trauma and PTSD with his research-based
method. He says these self-care tools help students “experience self-mastery,
resilience, and well-being.” Don’t be surprised if your students fall asleep,
as their mind is able to release and relax in this deeply grounding
practice. "
By: Daniel Sernicola
Source: http://www.yogajournal.com/teach/5-ways-make-every-yoga-class-restorative-therapeutic/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=story7_image&utm_campaign=myyj_12132016
www.soyoga.com.sg
The 5 Biggest Reasons for a Daily Meditation
A short article, highlighting again main benefits of meditation.
"I am a busy single mom. For the past year I
have been waking up before my son (and often before the sun), dragging myself
out of bed and finding my way to my cushion in front of my alter. I light a
candle and meditate for 30-45 minutes. It has made a tremendous difference in
my life and in my entire being. If I can do it, anyone can.
We all know that countless studies have
proven the benefits of meditation but here are some tangible and embodied reasons
that I have found through my own practice:
1.
Deeper connection to your body
This includes better digestion, improved
posture, and palpable awareness of heightened sensations through rooting down
into your sits bones and rising up on the cushion. Couple this with intentional
breath and there is the opportunity to feel a profound sense of embodiment.
2.
Improved coping skills for living
One gains greater opportunity to respond to
what life throws at you from an embodied and integrated place. With a regular
practice you cultivate the ability to come back to your breath and respond from
that place of ground and empowerment when life throws less-than-desirable
situations at you. My experience is that it simply becomes more natural to do
so, with less effort. You are
essentially re-patterning your entire way of being.
3.
Feel more confident and empowered
Stepping out of the space of allowing the mind
to dictate your life is very empowering. You start to see all of the many, many
choices available to you and are able to discern what is truth and ignore the
deception of the mind; or at least shift how you respond to what it is telling
you.
4.
It becomes a sanctuary from the chaos of life
When I first began it did feel like yet
another obligation that I had to endure, but now, I look forward to it and
crave it. The outer quiet and stillness
allows me to drop into myself in a unique way.
There is something very important about doing so first thing in the
morning rather than in the evening. The
sanctity of the time when the sun is just rising, our minds and bodies are
empty after a nights rest is conducive for a profound time of connection to
self. What my ego named as a chore all those months ago, has become my temple
and the stillness and quiet that I crave before jumping into the chaos of
motherhood and the varying tasks ahead.
5.
Calms the entire system
The technique that I use is that of
focusing on a single point. I use a candle and a simple mantra. I fluctuate
between several including: So Hum (I Am), Sat Nam (I Am Truth), I Am Worthy, I
Am Love, I Am (you fill in the blank as to what serves you). The single pointedness gives my busy eyes
something to focus on and the repetition of the mantra gives my overly active
mind something to grasp onto. It is a win-win."
www.soyoga.com.sg
Sunday, December 11, 2016
So Yoga at Standard Chartered Marathon
#scms
#kidsyoga
www.soyoga.com.sg
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Infused Waters recipes
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Yoga by the Beach
Honoured and Happy to teach yoga to friendly students in these beautiful surroundings.. and even more in December, 28 degrees, bright sun and blue sky!
Breathe & Smile
#tgif #enjoytheweekend #yogaeverywhere #yogabythebeach #eastcoast#yogasg
Breathe & Smile
#tgif #enjoytheweekend #yogaeverywhere #yogabythebeach #eastcoast#yogasg
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Walking Meditation... Try!
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Little Yogis
Who would think that kids love meditation? Freeze in #lotuspose or #littlebuddha. Then you can hear all sorts of outside sounds and noises... maybe incuding butterfly wings clapping?
#kidsyoga
#meditation
#5senses
www.soyoga.com.sg
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
10 Benefits of Restorative Yoga
I used to be more into strong, core or cardio exercising... Naturally, I slow down in my practice now, including in yoga, and pay more attention to myself.. And apparently, for a good reason!
"With the explosion of yoga in the West,
there’s been an influx of yoga styles, each expressing their own blend of
breathing, poses, meditation, chanting, relaxation, and philosophy. Restorative
yoga, a practice that leads the yogi toward a more healing and recuperative
experience, ushers in a host of wonderful benefits that are often overshadowed
by the popularity and visibility of more dynamic yoga styles.
A restorative practice frequently relies
on the use of props and the prolonged holding of a few simple poses to achieve
a deep level of relaxation. “Restorative yoga” can also be an umbrella term
that encompasses several sub-styles of relaxation and healing-based Hatha yoga
practices.
But what exactly makes this style of
yoga unique? Here are some of the benefits a restorative yoga practice has to
offer.
Slows Down the Pace of Life
Restorative yoga is an excellent
opportunity to disconnect from the frenetic activity of daily life and let your
speedometer return to 0 mph. It offers a welcome respite among all the
turbulence of life and helps to prepare the mind and body for the inward stroke
of meditation and deepened awareness. Moving slowly through the poses allows
you to explore your mind and body at a steady and natural tempo.
Soothing to the Nervous System
The slower pace and deep breathing that
you get in a restorative yoga class triggers the parasympathetic nervous system
from the very first pose. This activation helps to mitigate the effects of the
regular fight-or-flight stress response that can be damaging to your physiology
and well-being. The overall calming effect on the nervous system sets a deeply
relaxing tone for the class that comforts your mind and body down to the cellular
level.
Encourages Mindfulness
Restorative yoga could just as easily be
called “mindful yoga” due to the expanded awareness of self and body that comes
through the practice. Slower movements cultivate space for a deeper experience
of the poses and the breath. Awareness of the physical sensations, the thoughts
or emotions that arise, or sounds in the environment, can all take on a much
more profound significance in the depth of the restorative practice. Simply
put, you’re able to notice and feel more of the world through your yoga
experience.
Fosters Transcendence
On the whole, many forms of Hatha yoga
are considered a precursor to extended periods of meditation. Through the
practice, muscles, joints, and subtle energy centers are enlivened to help
facilitate a deeper and more comfortable experience of meditation. However, the
practice of restorative yoga in and of itself often leads to a transcendent
experience of deep oneness with the universal level of consciousness. Each pose
and each breath serves to lead you further up the ladder of expanded awareness.
As the practice expands, the vehicle of yoga carries you from the waking state
of consciousness into the silent space between your thoughts—the space from
where you’re able to glimpse the soul and awaken the divinity within.
Cultivates Heightened Body Awareness
The comfortable pace of restorative yoga
opens the doorway to a deeper understanding of your own body, letting you
actually feel what it means to be a spiritual being having a human experience.
Sadly, many people aren’t intimate with their own bodies. Through a restorative
yoga practice, however, such intimacy can be explored and embraced. Deeper
levels of bodily strengths can be integrated and owned and a more profound
sense of self-love and acceptance can emerge.
Deepens Self-Awareness and Introspection
The subdued quality of a restorative
yoga class often helps you draw attention inward and away from external events
and situations of the world. With your awareness directed within, the practice
becomes a sanctuary for the mind and spirit from which you can take a deeper
look at who you are, what you want, and how you can serve the world.
Restorative yoga opens us up to new levels of self-exploration and
contemplation, allowing your inner being to shine forth.
Creates Deliberateness of Action
Through the mindfulness of the practice,
you become increasingly aware of your actions or karmas, and how they influence
your level of comfort or discomfort. You can see the direct cause and effect
relationship between your poses, breathing, and overall level of well-being. As
this experience continues to deepen, you begin to make more deliberate and
attentive choices, both on and off the mat.
Strengthens Acceptance and Detachment
By its very nature, the restorative yoga
practice is the antithesis of the “no-pain-no-gain” mentality. You receive the
greatest benefits from your practice not through forcing yourself into a pose,
but by releasing and surrendering to it. This mentality helps to cultivate
acceptance of your body and its inherent limitations. Further, it strengthens
your ability to let go of preconceived notions of your body and how you think
it should look or feel, both in and out of a pose. When increased ease and
comfort are the theme of your yoga practice, acceptance and detachment
naturally emerge as a result.
Helps You Feel Safe and Nurtured
In daily life it’s easy to get pulled
into the insecurity that is a byproduct of the modern world. Many people move
through their days haunted by fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. Restorative yoga
provides you with a safe harbor wherein you can reconnect with your true
nature, which is immortal, invincible, pure, and nourishing. Making that
connection through your poses, breathing, and deep relaxation restores the
memory of who you are and helps you to reclaim the fearless nature of your
soul. From this refuge, you emerge feeling secure in the inherent goodness
within your heart and in the world.
Connects You to the Divine and Establishes
You in Pure Being
The ultimate goal of yoga is union with
the divine. Therefore, your practice should be a means to that end. Luckily,
restorative yoga is the perfect vehicle to help you reconnect with the divinity
within. Through the techniques of the practice, you awaken grace, poise,
flexibility, balance, strength, and present moment awareness. This combination
creates a mind and body ideally suited for seamlessly merging into the
non-local field of awareness, or pure being.
As a tool for self-transformation,
restorative yoga facilitates the integration of all the layers of
life—environmental, physical, emotional, psychological, and
spiritual—culminating in the goal of all goals, awakening to your own divine
nature.
The benefits listed here may not be
isolated solely to restorative yoga, but they are some of the most defining
benefits to this type of practice. If you’ve never explored this style of yoga,
this is your open invitation."
Source: http://www.chopra.com/articles/10-benefits-of-restorative-yoga?utm_source=exhale+Newsletter&utm_campaign=d225d92552-Last2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5d3389bb95-d225d92552-319087121&mc_cid=d225d92552&mc_eid=00d3bb55e5
Also www.soyoga.com.sg
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