The breath is without a doubt one of the most important essential ingredients of how we stay alive. Our breath tells us so much about our state of mind & our state of being. In yoga, the breath is directly related to Prana (life force)

The breath is quite often taken for granted, most often the breath is forgotten about, we just breathe, it’s there, why think about it, right? As long as we breathe we are alive, that’s all that matters.  Have you ever taken a moment to notice how you breathe? The quality of the breath matters a lot, the length, the inhale, the exhale, deep or shallow. Most people do not take time out to just sit and observe their breath (unless they are yogis or meditate) If you have never listened to your breath perhaps give it a go, take sometime to sit & listen to your breath, really feel your breath, notice are you breathing shallow or deep? Do you feel like you are using all of the breath? Right down into your lungs/belly. Count your breath, how many seconds do you comfortably inhale & exhale? Did you know that there are 4 parts to the breath? There is the inhale, then there is the natural pause after the inhale, the exhale, then the natural pause after the exhale. Perhaps see if you can notice the pauses in your own breath.

Each breath fills the body of clean life giving oxygen (Prana) as we inhale & on the exhale we expel carbon dioxide, stale un- wanted air, along with stress and toxins This is something most people know, but have you really thought about what else the breath does? Hear are some examples that come to mind of what the breath does for the body. Oxygen to the brain & to every single blood cell, oxygen helps to keep the flow of blood throughout the body, the breath purifies the body, calms the central nervous system, regulates our blood pressure & heart, stimulates the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The breath is also linked to our digestive system. Our breath flows through the body in cycles, we don’t always breath the same way. Try this, place the back of your hand under your nose, take a big inhale & gently exhale through the nose only, you should notice that the breath is different on both sides of the nostrils, one side a stronger flow to the other, now if your were to try this again in say 15 to 20 mins you may find the breath is the other way around or not the same. The breath is always changing in some way, many factors can contribute to this, such as the time of the day, the food we eat, external factors like temperature, even our state of mind, as well as whatever is going on in life will effect the breath cycles. The really great thing about the breath is we can control our state of mind or moods & emotional state. We can also use the breath to focuss our mind & create clarity when used with Pranayama or meditation.

The most important part of yoga is the breath. This is why yoga is so dam! Good for us, not only on a physical level but also on a much deeper level. The breath is our connection/link between mind & body. Yoga will bring deep awareness to the breath.

The most important ingredient of any yoga class should be correct full breathing. The correct Asana (postures) are very important, however the breath should come first. With out utilizing the breath in yoga we may not be practicing in a safe way & missing out on the real benefits of yoga. Yoga is a tradition that goes back thousands of years in time & is not just about the physical.

The late yoga master Professor T. Krishnamcharya emphasised a great deal the use of the breath in his teachings. One of the many great things about this particular tradition of yoga is the importance of the breath. Krishnamcharya would say that there is a big difference in being able to do a pose (asana) and then being able to breathe fully and correctly in the asana. The accomplished yogi is not someone that can stand on his head for however long, the person needs to be able to maintain a long even flow of breath while doing the asana, once you start finding it hard to breathe or start rushing the breath this is your body telling you to either come out of the pose or perhaps you are just not ready for that type of asana. This is what real yoga is and where the benefits on a deeper level begin. Try & practice yoga without the need to be attached or getting a result, just enjoy your breath & the body you have been given. Yoga will create wonderful body awareness. There is nothing like that feeling of being connected to the mind, breath & body.

The following is a simple breathing practice (Pranayama) & Meditation, both practices aim for a deeper awareness of the breath, as well as slowing the breath down, making it longer & smother. Both these practices will help to focuss & stabilize the mind, they can be done anytime of the day, however best done in the morning before the mind gets distract with the days activities.

Ujjayi Pranayama: Take a comfortable seated position on the floor, It is very important that the spine feels long & lifted, not hunching over, use a pillow or bolster if this feels better (sitting in a chair is also fine if the floor is to much) lower the chin down, inhale and exhale through both nostrils with a slight constriction of the throat producing a gentle throat sound. Don’t force the breath, it may take a few times to get the idea of it. Start with 5 to 10 breaths, and then maybe move up to 15/20 breaths in time.

Meditation: try this very easy simple meditation. As with Pranayama make sure you are comfortable, rest the hands on the knees with the palms facing up. Use the fingers to count the breath, each full breath (inhale & exhale) is one count, use the thumb to lightly press against the tip of each finger with each full breath, moving all the way along all fingers (both hands) it should be a count of 10 full breaths, once you get to 10, count your breaths back down to zero using the fingers. This is a great meditation to do if you are just beginning yoga or just find it hard to meditate.

Do yourself a favour and take sometime to enjoy your breath. Hear is a thought, if you are only given a certain amount of breaths in your life time, would you want to waste them? Would you take care of every breath? Make each breath count? Perhaps you would think about slowing each breath down, making them longer, which in turn would make your life longer, more healthy and with a lot less stress, just a thought. Happy breathing. Namaste.

Prana is divided into different forms each with its own function and area of the body, these are called Vayus or winds, there are 5 in total.

Below are the 5 Vayu’s and how they apply to the body.

Udana vayu:  Udana vayu relates to the area of the throat. It allows for communication, singing, and making sounds. It is said that udana vayu is the doorway to higher states of consciousness, with the main element being air. People with blockage of this area may find an inability to communicate or sing clearly, and may have trouble reaching higher states of consciousness in meditation; people may also have conditions of the throat such as under active thyroid.

Prana vayu:  Prana vayu is the energy current in the heart, chest and lungs. It is responsible for life force (prana) entering into the body through the inhalation and the movement of the heart and lungs. It is also associated with the upward movement of energy and the overall energy level in the body. Prana vayu element is fire. Imbalance of prana vayu is associated with conditions that affect heart and lung.

Samana vayu:  Samana vayu is centered in the abdominal area and is associated with digestion. The element is water. Blockage in this area can result in a decrease supply of nutrients to the body and imbalance in the digestive organs like the liver, stomach, spleen and pancreas.

Apana vayu:  Apana vayu is in the intestine area and is associated with elimination, its element is earth. It is responsible for downward movement and is heavy in nature. The primary focus is that, that leaves the body, the process of removing waste. Imbalance with apana can cause intestinal disorders and is also related to shortness of breath. The shortness of breath can indicate that you maybe holding onto to much waste in the body. Extending the exhale and twisting asana’s can help with this.

Vyana vayu:  Vyana vayu pervades the whole body and is especially active in the limbs. It is associated with the nervous system, its element is ether. It is very affected by stress and anxiety; regular Pranayama will assist with vyana vayu.

Prana basically means life force or vitality, that, that gives us life or that which enters the body. Prana and the breath is not the same thing. However, prana is facilitated by the inhale and the exhale. Prana has a number of functions. Prana is divided into different forms each with it’s own function and area of the body. These different energy currents are called Vayus or wind/movements; I will explain the Vayus in my next blog. Prana affects our complete state of being.

A healthy person has just the right amount of prana, however, it is not just about how much prana we have, but how we use it. Prana exist on the inside of the body and around the body. To little or to much prana can have a number of effects on the body, for example, say a person has to little prana, the person will appear to be slow and sluggish, have trouble concentrating and maybe even find it hard to get out of bed every day. However a person with to much prana will find it hard to relax, have high levels of stress and may find it difficult to sleep at night.

The following are forms of Prana and how we are able to obtain prana:

Lifestyle
Food
Relationships
Our work
Senses
Knowledge
Exercises
Positive thoughts
Being in the presence of Prana filled people.
Sleep
Rest
An over all balance in life.

In order to maintain Prana in the body we must include the above mentioned, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, rest, we also need to include stuff like yoga, pranayama, and meditation. Prana moves round the body through the breath, that’s why practices like yoga are vital for prana. We also need to be conscious of what our thoughts are, are they positive or negative? If you take sometime to think about your lifestyle, take a step back, observe how you interact with people around you and yourself, try not to be around negative people.  Have a routine, after all we are creature’s habit, however, ask yourself, are these habits good for me? With just a little thought and lots of yoga, you will have the correct amount of prana in no time. You will soon find your quality of life improve and each day will become less effort, you will be looking and feeling great!   Namaste

Blood pressure refers to the pressure of blood in the arteries, it is very important to have the correct amount of blood pressure in the arteries, if your blood pressure becomes to high it is knowen as Hypertension. Hypertension (high blood pressure) can lead to diseases like Stroke, Heart attack, Coronary Artery Disease or Kidney infection. If your blood pressure reachers as high as 140/90, then it is more then likely that hypertension is present. If untreated hypertension can be fatal

There are two types of high blood pressure, Primary Hypertension and Secondary Hypertension. Some of the causes of Hypertension are, stress, heredity, obesity, smoking and alcohol or poor diet. High blood pressure tends to effect adults in their later stages of life, however Hypertension may also affect young adults as well. There is medication available to treat high blood pressure, however for most part there are side effects, most not very pleasant.

Lifestyle choices like Yoga can be very beneficial for Hypertension. When it comes to choosing yoga for Hypertension, think carefully about what type of yoga class you go to, as choosing the wrong class will end up being a very bad experience and could be armful. My personal thoughts for yoga and Hypertension are private classes. Private classes are the safest and most effective way to treat Hypertension in yoga. A lot more individual attention is required with the student. The yoga teacher needs to be able to keep an eye on the student and often check in with how the student is doing and feeling. By doing private, one-on-one yoga classes, the yoga teacher will get to know the student and their lifestyle, in return the yoga instructor is able to plan a practice suited to the students lifestyle and Hypertension. What’s most important when practicing yoga for Hypertension is the breath, a longer more even flow of breath with a focuss on the exhale will help dramatically with Hypertension and it’s effects. Another important thing to remember is, leave out all inversions, inversions can be very dangerous for Hypertension, the head should never go below the hips. Depending on how severe the high blood pressure is, this also means leaving out asana like downward dog (Adho-mukha-svanasana) The following are some asana’s (poses) I have put together when practicing yoga for Hypertension. Please take note that this is a general guide and if you plan to practice yoga regularly then an experienced yoga teacher that has some idea of your condition and your lifestyle must plan your yoga practice.

Asana’s (poses) like Uttanasana (standing forward bend) can be done, however they must be modified, as to not allow the head to go below the waist/hips, a great way to aid with this is, by using a chair, when bending forward just allow the arms to rest on either the back of the chair or on the seat area, this will not allow the head to go below the hips, using a wall can also be great for this Asana. Prasarita-Padottanasana (wide leg forward bend) can also be used in this way. Other Asana’s, such as Janu-Shirshasana (head to knee pose) Paschimatanasana (forward back stretch pose) Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Spinal Twist) Uddhiyana-Marjaryasana (cat pose) Upanasana (Wind Relieving Pose) are also great for Hypertension. Always include a good rest at the end of any practice; give your self a good 5 min rest. Bring a focuss to your breath, and the rise and fall of the belly with each breath, you may even like to count your breath, which will help slow it down. Pranayama (Controlled breathing) is always good to finish with, something like, Anuloma Viloma; Anuloma Viloma is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. In this Breathing Technique,  you create what is called a mudra, you do this by starting with a fist, you then extend the last two fingers and the thumb, block off one side of the nose with the thumb and rest the other two fingers on the other side of the nose, then just Alternate from side to side, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril, only retain the breath for a comfortable period, start small and work your way up, stop if it ever becomes uncomfortable. Just remember to never rush your practice, allow yourself plenty of time. Enjoy, Namaste.

Being a Yoga teacher to me means different things on many levels. I am very grateful to be able to share the special gift of Yoga with others. Teaching Yoga means making a positive impact on the daily life of my students.

If I am able to be part of one person having a better day, feeling great about them self or maybe getting through life just that little easier, then I feel I am doing my bit to do some good for this world, being able to make a difference in people’s lives no mater how big or small is a wonderful feeling. Teaching Yoga feels like it is one of the things in life I am meant to do, it never feels like a Job. I consider my self very blessed to be given/found such a great way of life.

Not long after a started practicing Yoga I realized a couple of interesting facts. I soon realized how Yoga effects people’s minds, more so my own mind, with regular practice I soon found this inner peace, contentment, far less judgment, not materialistic, like I felt I used to be, and the big one being, a more balanced life and sense of self. I have often thought to myself, if only everyone did some form of yoga regularly, we would not nearly have the wars and the suffering that we see all around us from day to day. What a beautiful world it would be to live in! I guess the biggest thing for me is, that by teaching Yoga I am able to give people the opportunity to bring conscious thought/awareness to the way they live their life, how they interact with others and the world around them. Non-violence (Ahimsa, the Yama of non-violence) towards our selves, others and nature.

I consider it an honor to be able to offer the vast teachings of yoga and the many tools yoga has to offer. I know that I am part of something that is pretty special. I know that by continuing on this incredible journey I will always continue to grow. For me the journey of Yoga will never end, every day I learn something new about Yoga and myself.  With a big desirer to learn as much as I can. I truly belive that knowledge is freedom, Ignorance is not bliss. Teaching Yoga gives me the courage to try knew things in life, to face my fear’s (abhinivesah) to open my heart, love everyone around me, not always be thinking of my self, to be the best person I can be. I know that if I start to go off track, Yoga will always bring me back. Through teaching Yoga I am able to play a role in creating some calmness in what seams to be a world where most people are just to busy, always trying to juggle their commitments and responsibilities, taking on more then they need to, always hungry for instant results, “success’ forgetting to enjoy life or just be happy with what they have. People tend not to take enough time out to do something good for them selves. Yoga allows my students to just slow down a little, take stock and look after their health. It is fact that stress is now one of the leading causes of physical and mental health issues; Yoga can offer so many tools to help with stress and a better quality of life. There is nothing more rewarding to me then seeing the positive effects Yoga as on my students. Practicing Yoga is not a quick fix (I have always been one to question quick fixes) it takes time and patience, however the effects a so worth the wait.

Teaching yoga enables me to work/meet with such diverse, sweet caring people of all ages and backgrounds. Yoga brings people together, celebrating people’s differences, personalities, creating a sense of community and non judgment (Asteya) Om shantih.

Hear are some brief thoughts I had on Antarayah (Obstacles)

There will always be Obstacles (Antarayah) in life. There is no Obstacle that we cannot get through or around, however, effort maybe required. Obstacles test our level of commitment, love, passion and patience. Without Obstacles we would never appreciate learn or be grateful. It is how we deal with the Obstacles that make the difference, we can accept the Obstacles, grow, enjoy and learn from the experience, or we can allow the obstacles to control our lives and possibly miss out on amazing life experiences. It can be very easy to allow past negative experiences (Dvesah:Aversion) to stop us from new experiences; each experience is different and will often not have the same out-come as previous experiences, even if it feels or seems like the same experience at the time.  At the end of the day, it’s about enjoying life’s  journey and not getting caught up in what the results may or may not be. Try and accept what life throws at you. Don’t be afraid to take risks! after all, that’s what life is about!  Namaste