Christmas is coming...

It's the season to be jolly and I have been blessed with not one but 5 festive celebrations this week...plus a carol singing session in my son's school playground and his Christmas school play at a local church...friends, family, the joy of sharing space & time with those we love and hopefully remembering to give what we can to support those who will not have those luxuries - deep midwinter used to be all about survival they say, and for some it still is, so spare a thought for those will no family to share in the festivities, or those who cannot afford the pile of glittering presents and the shiny baubled tree, think of those that are unwell or alone and if you cannot afford anything else, offer your thanks that you live in such rich abundance and promise yourself you will look for yourself in others at this time of year ~ it really helps avoid those family rows ;D  ~ and share a smile if nothing more: peace & goodwill...they go a long way

Heart wide open, mind wide open

I accept that life will always present challenges.  I accept that I must hold compassion above all else and respect the deep & heartfelt faiths & beliefs of others if I expect the same respect.  What I cannot understand is why religion has to argue over semantics.  Ultimately if a faith or a philosophy has at its core a fundamental belief in one God, why does it matter what we call God or how we arrive at God?  In fact, what if you are pagan and God is not a part of your philosophy?  Surely the essence of having any faith is a recognition that we are all God's children or all children of the earth, that we are all part of a divine creation and that we should strive to be the best human beings we can be and love one & other unconditionally?  Perhaps I am naive but I cannot help but feel that when any organisation claims to be right and other ways of viewing the world as being wrong or against their faith, it is not then about God but about men and women wanting to be in power over others.  Why can't we all celebrate together - Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Wiccan...I believe that faith  should be about creating community and living compassionately, not insisting your view is right above all else.  I believe in God and I choose to express my spirituality through my Yoga practice.  I don't mind whether you believe in God or not, and if you do have faith, I don't mind how you express your beliefs.  I hope that one day we can all join hands in celebration for festivals in any tradition and simply enjoy an all pervading sense of love, perhaps then we will all know what it means to know God.

Eyes wide open...heart wide open

Fresh from yesterday's trip to the Yoga Show and my experience of being instructed by Yogi Ashokananda in a workshop on Sukshyam vyayam, the subtle energy body yoga exercise, an ancient and lost traditional yoga practice from the Himalayas that he has now brought to the West, I am all fired up ready for next Saturday's mini morning retreat, Spinning in Stillness.  Firmly reminded at all times to keep our eyes wide open, we worked with drishti throughout the session - from nasagrai at the tip of the nose, naitrayohmadya (also called Broomadhya) drishti at ajna chakra in the brow centre and into bindu at the back of the head, as well as gazing at the wrist in a version of hastagrai.  Never have I worked so strongly with drishti but what a way to focus the mind on your practice...watch out as this will be something I bring to my own teaching more often now!  This was not a practice for the faint hearted, but it was worth every drop of sweat to feel that sweetest of deep relaxation at the close, and then moving into a wonderful meditation on the chakras & sushumna, visualising an open mouthed cobra...this too I intend to bring into my classes!


After a short break to take in more of the glorious colours and sumptuous scents of the yoga goods on offer, I made my way to the open class being offered by the KYTA  to open the heart.  More hard work, every second worth it.  And you know what, I thought I would hate being on view as I practised, but once I put my heart into the practice I really did forget that we were being watched by so many of the show attendees.  Kundalini challenges me in so many ways and is always so thoroughly rewarding as a practice, it humbles me every time as it presents me with my limitations and personal demons, but it gives so much in terms of drawing out my courage and tenacity! 


As a teacher, there is always something new to learn, from another teacher, from a student in one of your classes, from your children, you only have to open your eyes & open your heart.  I am grateful that I had such a potent lesson in both yesterday & hope that I can share all I experienced with those I teach & share my practice with.  Om shanti, shanti, shanti.

Alu Loma Viloma Kriya

I thought I would share this beautiful way to deep relaxation...

Begin by lying in Savasana or Matsya Kridasana.  Keeping your face relaxed and soft, close your eyes.  Watch your breath for a few moments: note the rhythm and nature of your natural breathing without trying to change it in any way.  If your mind wanders, bring it back to your breath.  Staying mindful of your breathing and without any stress or strain, begin to gently deepen and slow your breathing until the inhalation and exhalation are as deep and slow as they can comfortably be.  For beginners, you are aiming for a wavelike, rhythmic feeling to your breathing.  If you are familiar with pranayama, you can work with savitri pranayama at a ratio of 8in:4hold:8out:4hold throughout the practice.   (If you are pregnant, or think you might be, please do not work with any retention of the breath, simply breathe rhythmically, as slowly & deeply as possible).  As you inhale be aware of drawing in prana, life energy, to nourish and nurture your body, bringing with it new strength, fresh energy and healing.  With your exhalation, feel a release, allow your body to soften, as you surrender to gravity, sinking into your mat, the earth beneath you embracing and supporting you.  Let the outward breath cleanse you.  Breathe out and let go. 

Once you feel you have begun to relax, you can start to visualise an oval of light surrounding your body, reaching above the crown of your head and below the souls of your feet.  Imagine the oval is split into two halves down the centre line.  Light flows upwards through the right side and down through the left side.  As you breathe, begin to flow your breath in sync with the light, so that your inhalation flows up the right side and your exhalation flows down the left side.

Now work with 9 complete breaths (or rounds of savitri pranayama) visualising this oval that extends around your whole body.  Let the oval of light wrap you in protection so that you feel that the negative attitudes and emotions of others cannot penetrate the light around you.  Feel safe and secure.

When you are ready, bring the oval of light to touch the crown of your head and soles of your feet.  With the next 9 breaths (or rounds) feel that you are self-contained, self-reliant and able to take good care of yourself.  As you breathe feel a deepening sense of well-being.

Once you feel that you have established your feeling of well-being, you can bring the oval of light in to touch the centre of your brain and the root of your spine and with the next 9 breaths (or rounds) settle into deep relaxation.

You can stay here, simply breathing into deeper relaxation for as long as you wish, or you may like to bring the oval of light back out to surround your body and work your way back in again. 

When you are ready to close the practice, gently release the visualisation of the light, remaining mindful of your breathing as you allow it to settle back to its own natural rhythm ~ here you may like to notice whether your natural breathing has changed in any way since the outset of your relaxation.  When you feel ready, roll onto one side for a moment and bend your knees up towards your chest, then making small movement before you push slowly back up to sitting, using a deep breath in to avoid feeling light headed as you rise.

FOR PREGNANCY

Before you close the practice, you might like to bring the oval of light to your baby and as you breathe you can surround your baby with protection, gifting well-being and relaxation to your little one, knowing that as you nourish and nurture yourself, so you nourish and nurture your baby with every breath.

Lucy Barlow. 2011.

The more you connect with your breath...

THIS IS A HANDOUT I GIVE TO MOTHERS AT MY YOGA CLASSES FOR PREGNANCY.  YOU CAN USE THESE IDEAS EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT PREGNANT, OR NOT A MOTHER.  THE PRACTICES SHOULD BE SAFE FOR EVERYONE BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT ME OR ANOTHER QUALIFIED YOGA TEACHER BEFORE WORKING WITH THE TECHNIQUES.  

The more you connect with your Breath, the calmer you will feel.

The calmer you feel, the calmer your baby will feel. With each inhalation, remind yourself that every breath nourishes & nurtures you and your baby.  These practices are safe for you during pregnancy and also ideal once you have your babe in arms.

£  Mindful breathing: sit with a tall spine, lifting your crown to the sky and sending a root from the base of your spine into the Earth.  Rest your hands palms up on your legs or rest your left palm face up in your right palm.  You may prefer to work with your hands cradling your baby bump or in a mudra of your choice. 

Bring your focus to your breath: witness your natural breathing rhythm as you become mindful of your inhalation and your exhalation.  Without any attempt to control or change your breathing pattern, become aware of the small pauses between the inhale and the exhale, and the pause at the end of your outbreath before your breath returns to your body.

As you breathe, visualise your breath travelling up your spine on the inhalation, from tailbone to crown, and watch it flow back down with your exhalation.

As you inhale welcome your breath, and new prana (life energy) bringing new stamina, strength and healing.  As you exhale, release any tension, stress or strain, discharging any negativity into the Earth through the root at the base of your spine.

You may like to spend more time watching your breath, visualising its journey: through your spine, into every blood vessel and nerve channel in your body, as though spreading through the trunk and branches of a tree.  You can also visualise the flow of your breath through your placenta, like the roots of a second tree, the trunk your beautiful baby’s amazing umbilical cord, carrying the breath to echo its journey through your body in your little one’s body.

If you want to work with a more formal breathing technique:

£  Nadi Sodhana Pranayama: for this simple alternate nostril breath, you can work using the fingers to open & close the nose or you can work more subtly by visualising the flow of the breath.  Sit comfortably with a tall spine.  Spend a moment tuning into your breath by watching its natural rhythm.  When you are ready begin breathing to the pattern:

Inhale left ~ Exhale right ~ Inhale right ~ Exhale left

This is one round.  Try to work this way for at least 3-6 rounds.  You can continue for up to 12 rounds if you feel comfortable with the practice.

Nadi Sodhana balances the flow of the breath in the body and balances your body’s energies, as well as your hormones.  It is a very calming, restorative breath and ideal before meditation, sleep or when you, or your baby, are feeling anxious or fretful.

It is essential that you take care of yourself as a mother:

£  Caring Breath: resting your hands palms up on your knees, inhale and raise the right hand to shoulder level; exhale and move your right hand to your left shoulder pressing firmly but gently into the upper arm and turning to look at your shoulder at the end of your out breath.  As the breath returns move the hand back across the body at shoulder level, exhale and return your right hand to your right knee and turn your back to face centre. Repeat with the left hand.  Both sides is one round.  Work with 3-6 rounds.  Feel your breath nurturing you and acknowledge your needs as a mother, taking this time for yourself to replenish your energy and listen to your self so that you understand and can meet your own needs.

Lucy Barlow. Yoga for Joyful Motherhood. 2011©                

Oh Glory!

I had the pleasure of attending a workshop run by David Winslade & Sharon Greentree yesterday.  Iyengar yoga with David and mindful meditation with Sharon. It was so wonderful to have 4 hours in the company of these lovely teachers and the other local yogis who attended, all around good people and positive energies.  It was just what I needed - grounding, affirming and yoga just challenging enough to be a meditation in its own right.  

Janu Sirsasana has always been a favourite of mine and yesterday I got my head back to my knee on both sides for the first time in some months after various pelvis/hip/lower back issues.  Perhaps it was David's urging us to be humble as we moved our bodies, to breathe into the pose and move more slowly into the asanas than we ever had before. So I surrendered to the yoga, let my breath lead me in.  And into my mind popped "Oh Glory" and it was so glorious - there is a space in some yoga poses that just opens up and invites you in, they will be different for each of us, but when you find the one that speaks to you that day, that moment, ananda, it is pure bliss!

And then Loving Kindness meditation - not to be undertaken lightly but one that I come back to time and again; it always has a resonance that lasts beyond the practice.  Now to make it my daily habit...Thank you Sharon for reminding us that words, actions, habits, character, all lead to our destiny. 

Thank you both, and just as Sharon closed the day - Om Tat Sat.

YOGA WORKSHOPS

quiet Saturday morning retreats

explore & deepen your practice and knowledge

or begin your yoga journey

Moving into Stillness

6 August

A restorative practice designed to relax and rejuvenate.

Breathing into Stillness

3 September

Explore using your breath to guide you & connect you to your practice.

Stillness in Motion

1 October

Discover the meditative qualities of movement in short flows to open the heart & quiet the mind.

Spinning in Stillness

5 November

Bring your chakras into balance with asanas & pranayama to support & harmonise your natural energy flow.

£12 per session

discount when booking 2 or more together

please contact Lucy via www.portsmouthyoga.co.uk or facebook for more details and bookings

Bringing Yoga to Portsmouth Guildhall Boutique Market

I'm feeling nervous & excited about bringing yoga to the market this Sunday 11-3 at the Guildhall...It will be lots of fun, be sure to come & say hello and pick up some tips on breathing yourself into a calm space even in the midst of a bustling boutique shopathon!

Southsea Boutique Market

Ethical, local, beautiful and stylish...if it is then it will be there! Southsea Boutique Market is the wonderful creation of my beautiful friend Abigail and the next one is this Saturday, sadly I can't make it but if you need to buy gorgeous gifts or treat yourself, this is the place to be.  Wishing everyone who attends a glorious time and wishing I could join in - loved the first one and can't wait to be involved again.  Bravo Abi for creating a marvellous community event!

You can check out the dates for forthcoming markets here

http://www.southsea.me/wordpress/forthcoming-events-in-southsea/new-advert-for-southsea-directory/#comment-41

...and you might also find something in my links!

Breathe into Stillness

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have to postpone the morning retreat planned for tomorrow.  Instead  "Breathe into Stillness" will be offered on Saturday 18 June 2011 -10am-1pm.  I will be offering a morning retreat of quiet, gentle yoga designed to explore and harmonise the five vayus - we will work with breath, the very essence of yoga, to balance the flow of prana and cultivate stillness and peace of mind.  Please contact me if you would like to book, you can also find me via the facebook link or www.portsmouthyoga.co.uk

Children's Yoga

The first of the regular children's sessions will be Monday 9 May, 10.30-12.00, just next week.  The yoga is aimed at toddlers & pre-schoolers (mum & baby yoga coming soon!) and parents & carers are actively encouraged to join in too! The morning will include the yoga, a craft activity and refreshments too - all for £3.  Please spread the word and come along with your little ones.


At the taster session, we had some stunning yoga trees from the likes of Eleanor & Louisa, and even the little ones like Gryffen got stuck in.  There were smiles all round and some beautiful scented sweet dream pouches were created.  


Joe & I look forward to seeing you next Monday!

Moving into Silence

The morning retreat today was beautiful, many thanks to all who attended and shared their gorgeous energies - what a sound we created with those OMs, that mandala dome can really hold a chant! It was simply a pleasure to hold a space for people to explore being present in softly held asanas, I am immensely grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to share yoga and let it speak for itself.  My biggest challenge was to cut my chatter, and I hope that I gave you the space and the silence intended. Om shanti.

Moving into Silence

I am really looking forward to offering tomorrow's morning retreat "Moving into Silence". The room for the retreat has a beautiful white domed ceiling with a bold blue design, almost a mandala in itself. With yin inspired yoga, silent meditation and a deep relaxation, it promises to be a blissful morning.

Back to the present moment, today is offering gorgeous sunshine and some very happy hours in the park with my adorable boys...

NEW! Children's Yoga

At long last I am taking the plunge and starting a yoga class for children. There will be a taster session on Monday 4 April, 10.30-12 at the Havelock Community Centre in Fawcett Road, Southsea. It will cost just £1.50 for the taster session for 1 adult & up to 2 children (extra children 50p each). The cost includes a session of yoga, a yoga inspired craft activity and there will also be free play available and refreshments...what a bargain. The class will start to run weekly during term time from Monday 9 May 2011. I'm so excited! And Joe is looking forward to meeting lots of other yogeenies too. We hope you'll come & join us! We will also have the honour of being in on the first day of opening for the newly revamped Havelock Centre...it really is lovely inside with fresh light walls and a strangely attractive turquoise carpet! Right, I'm off, too sunny to stay in, got to get back to the veg patch with my boys. Shanti.

gorgeous sunny southsea

So I don't plan to blog daily because really, I can't imagine why anyone would want me to! But it is a gorgeous sunny day and I am feeling blessed to live in Southsea...why not celebrate the spring sunshine with a half salutation to the sun - it's easy & you can even do it as a break from your pc at work ~

Stand tall, try to lengthen your spine upward lifting your crown to the sky, inhale deeply & sweep your arms up over your head to bring your palms together & gaze upward, as if lifting your face to the sun...Exhale and sweeping your arms out wide, do a sort of swan dive to bring your hands to your knees/shins/ankles/floor...Inhale and lift your chest, looking forwards...Exhale and fold back into the forward bend...If you are dynamic and have a strong back use the deep inhale to lift up, back to standing, arms raised with hands in prayer position then exhale them to your heart centre...to protect your lower back, switch to inhaling slow & deep, knees bent and roll up with your chin tucked to your chest , stacking your vertebrae on top of each other as you unfurl, lift your arms as in the dynamic version....

NB Please check out any concerns about your health for practicing yoga with your GP before trying things on the blog, you must take responsibility for your own body & yoga and remember I don't know if these ideas are suitable for you & your body right now - please feel free to ask questions if you think you may or know that you need a modified practice. Om shanti.

there is a community of the spirit

so if you know your Rumi from your Tagore, you'll have spotted the blog address is in his honour, and the blog title is a nod to Ehrman's Desiderata. i'm no poetry connoisseur but i know what i like. the full Rumi poem can be found here:

http://www.poetseers.org/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/contemp/rumibarks/1/

this is all new so bear with me whilst i get the hang of blogging!