Archive Yoga Aylesbury

Tips to prepare and support you over the holiday

27/11/2024 by Suzan

As we come towards the winter solstice our natural tendency is to go inwards to reflect on the year gone and plant seeds for the year ahead. The arrival of Christmas with its expectations, commercialism and family gatherings is the exact opposite! Here are some ideas to help you keep calm and enjoy ChristmasTips to prepare and support you over the holiday

Take an active role in planning:

Start a new tradition
Choose what works best for you – an activity, venue, timing, catering etc., start and end time.
Schedule a walk or create space for those who need time out.
Set a positive intention for the event.
Decide to make the best of a less than ideal situation.

Remember:

Nothing is every personal.
It is not compulsory to take part in the drama.
You don’t always have to be right.
Other opinions are allowed!
Its ok to say “that doesn’t work for me”.
Your response or reaction is the only thing that you can control.

Ask yourself:

Are my expectations realistic (life is not idyllic as portrayed in the media)
Will it matter in an hour, a day or a week?

Be kind to yourself:

Avoid too many commitments.
Schedule some me/couple/treat time.
Take a one or two minute break and breathe deeply, inhale love, exhale negative thoughts.
Do things that make you smile/laugh.
Give yourself a hug or pat on the back – sometimes getting up/through the day is a major achievement.
You are the best you in the whole universe.

Simple treats:

Self-massage with warm sesame oil
Sesame oil is widely used in ayurveda and can help ground and calm promoting sleep. It is widely available in independent health food shops and online. Avoid the toasted variety unless you want to smell like a stir fry! Coconut oil or specialist ayurvedic massage oils are also available.
Treat yourself to a good book, or film
Listen to some relaxing or inspirational music
Light scented candles, or vaporiser
Take a candle lit bath.
Book a yoga course and relaxation events 🙂

1:1 Sessions

Yoga therapy
Sound therapy/healing
Personal development/healing with Suzan
Are you at a crossroads? Navigating challenging changes and transitions? Looking for answers and meaning in your life?
Suzan will support, guide & empower you to make lasting, positive change.

Filed Under: Misc, Stress

Awaken your Consciousness

25/10/2024 by Suzan

The sound of your birth name transmits a frequency which begins the game of life! It magnetises situations and experiences to enable you to work through your karma, maximise your talents, fulfil your goals and ultimately your soul’s purpose. Pardon the pun… It’s not as easy as it sounds!! Work is involved… luckily, we have a lifetime, and sound is a great ally.

Sound (frequency) and intention create our reality. It’s a highly effective healing tool which positively impacts all levels from physical, emotional, spiritual. The beauty of the soul channelled through my voice is unlike anything I have previously experienced. I am in awe of its power and beauty.

Sound and the Voice can literally retune at a molecular level.

“In the early ‘80s, Fabien Maman conducted biology experiments at the University of Jussieu in Paris, showing the impacts of acoustic sound on human cells and their energy fields. What he found was that through a series of acoustic sounds, cancer cells would explode and healthy ones would become energized and empowered.”
From Star to Cell: The Way of the Soul — excerpts from article by Terres Unsoeld, Vision Magazine, Feb. 2005

Inspired by the work of French physicist Joel Sternheimer, Maman

“…found that if there was a problem in an organic structure, the molecules of that structure did not vibrate, but if they heard the string of notes they recognized as their tune, they began to vibrate again.”

The College of Sound Healing (where I trained) commissioned Scientific Research into the sound healing method they teach.

Sound for healing and diagnosis is innate and instinctive to us all. We hear how someone is by the tone of their voice, use soothing sounds to settle babies. Ultrasound uses high frequency sound to produce internal images. It’s been used in obstetrics since the mid 1900’s. Sound frequency is used to treat kidney stones by the NHS.

In yoga we use humming (bhramari pranayama) to calm, reset and relax. Sound vibrates the vagus nerve quickly and effectively returning the nervous system to a regulated, rest and digest state. Humming increases Nitric Oxide (NO) production by 15-fold. NO has a strong anti-bacterial and anti-viral effect

Naad Yoga is the science of inner transformation through tone and sound. Sanskrit is one of the ancient languages said to emanate from source. The Mantras use specific sound syllables that create healing vibrations. and give access to different levels of consciousness. Each time we chant a mantra we connect to the accumulated energy of all those who have chanted before.

Chanting or toning OM/AUM connects us with source, the unknowable. There are 4 equal parts – ah, ooo, mmm and silence – representing the beginning, middle, end and the field of potential and possibility. If you are used to a long mmm and no silence experiment with adding this 4^th phase. The silence is the place where integration happens.

Chanting works through the movement of the tongue in the mouth. Here it

Activates 84 meridians! (64 meridians in the hard palate and 20 in the soft palate).

Directs prana to wherever it is needed in the body.

Calms your mind and emotions

Stimulates the secretion of chemical messengers which stimulates signals to the brain –
the hypothalamus, pituitary and pineal gland have the potential to awaken your consciousness.

It’s a great workout for the facial muscles too!

Explore incorporating sound in your day – in the shower, before meditating, with movement. Humming or oming are a great starting point. A simple chant you may be familiar with is

Om shanti, shanti, shanti,
peace and peace and peace.

Peace for self, family/ friends, the world etc.

Imagine we all chant this 3 times every day. The frequency of peace will envelop the globe.

Like any healing it is important to remember to ground and bubble your energy at the end of a session.

If you want to explore further contact Suzan.

Trauma Informed Healing for body, mind and emotions Heart Circle

Filed Under: Yoga

Sleep

25/10/2024 by Suzan

Whatever the challenge nature shows the way. We are part of the earth, inseparable. As we align with her heartbeat of the earth the body sighs from within.

Gaia, Pachamama, Mother Earth, sustains and nourishes. She’s the ultimate mother. Mimicking her rhythm of the light and dark resets our circadian rhythm.

Get out into daylight as early as possible. Even if it is raining you will benefit from a few minutes outside. AND avoid artificial light during the dark hours. Instead use soft light, think firelight, candles. The body regulates its sleep rhythms via sun. Sunlight signals the body to produce melatonin. Sun or artificial light in the evening can delay or reduce melatonin production negatively impacting sleep.
Here are my top 5 tips for optimizing sleep.

Circadian Reset the first step to restoring and maintaining a healthy sleep pattern.

Emotional Cleanse
Process active thoughts and emotions before bed – movement, music, journalling etc.

Conscious gently movement

Breathing techniques focusing on the exhalation

Sensory relaxation

Warm bath, foot massage with sesame oil
Aromas e.g. lavender,
Herbal tea – chamomile/valerian
Hum or listen to music with a slow tempo (60 to 80 beats per minute) without words
Palming the eyes – rub the hands and place palms over eyes resting on the orbit so there’s no pressure on eyes

Avoid for 2 to 3 hours before going to bed

Screens
Eating
Stimulating activities including conversations, books, going over upsetting events.

There’s a lot going on right now, extremes of weather and solar activity, conflict, fear and the unknown. Despite the best sleep hygiene, you may occasionally experience disturbed sleep. Gentle breathing or humming may lull you back to sleep. If you get up in the night keep light low and avoid anything stimulating.

Filed Under: Anxiety, Fatigue, Pain, Stress, Yoga Therapy

Give Yourself the Gift of Presence

06/08/2024 by Suzan

Ever wondered why us yogis keep asking you to notice, share your experience and how you feel? It gives the mind a positive focus and brings you into presence. This is why you feel so good at the end of the class.

Pure presence leads to calm, peace, and deep healing. It can illuminate the unknown and show when healing is complete. As a healer and teacher, I can guide, facilitate and support. The act of Presence is for you alone. In Presence you feel, befriend and integrate all parts of your being.

Presence is the ultimate expression of unconditional love.

It can be fascinating but not always easy or comfortable. I’ve discovered missing pieces of my story, catalysed tears and bathed in lightness of the release. When the time is right and I’m able to hold it, something new arises. This is the highest form of practice.

There is a space in the mandala of life that only you can fill.

Regular practice develops your presence muscle. Start small, where you are with something that works for you. Free flow movement, doodling, are as valid as silent, structured practices. Let it develop as you do. Be gentle and compassionate. There is a reason for your feelings and vulnerabilities, knowing and unknown. You are special, worthy and belong because and in-spite of everything.

We become Whole when in Pure presence of the Self. There is peace and unity.

Om shanti, shanti, shanti.
With unconditional love,
Suzan

Filed Under: Yoga

Feeling anxious, blue or overwhelmed?

04/07/2024 by Suzan

Yoga’s Magic Ingredient

Simple yoga breathing techniques can transformation your emotions very quickly. Soon you will feel grounded, calm and able to think more clearly.

Start by befriending your breath. How is your breath right now? Are you breathing? That’s not as crazy as it may seem :). When a lot of thinking is involved or stressful situations arise, we may hold our breath without realising.
As few as 3 conscious breaths will change your state of mind.Watch/feel/sense your breath. You may notice:

Movement or no movement in your body.
Sounds
Sensations
How would you describe it’s length and quality?

If you can manage 3 breaths or a couple of minutes several times a day you will soon have a powerful tool to support your well-being.

I’ve felt well but my breath had a different opinion! I continued to take things gently until my breath became for stable. Otherwise I may have pushed through extending my recovery time and feeling miserable! Conscious breathing:Calms a busy mind.
Grounds scattered, discombobulated energy
Returns you back to the present.
Supports clear, rational thinking as the nervous system self-regulates.

Simplicity is the key. There’s no need for mudras, techniques, or long holds to feel better. In fact complex techniques, long ratio and holds can overstimulate and exacerbate our dysregulation.

We take time in our online yoga classes to befriend our breath with slow, mindful movement and seated techniques ‘pranayama’. Courses run 9th September-9th December. Email Suzan for details.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/suzanjoywells/Facebook page

Filed Under: Yoga

Spring is in the Air

08/02/2024 by Suzan

I see blue skies, pine trees and the golf course glistening with dew. Two magpies catch my attention. A host of unseen birds chatter loudly. It’s a sign of spring. Winter will not last forever.

Our ancestors lived according to the rhythms of nature. Candlelight and fires were the only light. Inclement weather and reduced daylight signalled the time for sleeping longer, curling up and resting. As a species we retain this connection to nature. We are not designed to run at full speed 24/7 365!

Nature brings times of plenty, scarcity, activity, and rest. Before industrialised agriculture food supplies would dwindle towards the end of winter. Reducing food intake/fasting triggers autophagy – processing old and damaged cells. The resulting reduced energy has least impact during this time of stillness.

Wintering is a form of meditation – being rather than doing – noticing and returning to stillness.

It’s a challenging part of the yogic path, easy to avoid yet ultimately it sets us free.

I am great at thinking of all possibilities, planning and organising but it impedes certainty and action. My successes come from acting on a deep knowing. And so… I’ve been the most still and silent ever this winter. Initially the pull ‘to do’ something, be productive was predominant. At times it was uncomfortable and heavy. As the weeks passed it felt more comfortable and I welcomed times of aloneness.

One day the time was right. The answers came quickly. I knew, beyond doubt, my next step.

My secret? Was to get out of my own way, value my intuition and give it space.

The beginning of February is the time of Imbolc in the Celtic Wheel of the Year – also known as St. Brigid’s Day. The earth feels different. Something is in the air. I have naturally been waking earlier and venturing out for longer but I’m not quite ready to leap into full speed ahead.
ancient ones new a lot!

If you too are ready to start the year now today is a perfect time. Each day, each breath is a new beginning. And just one step in a different direction creates a completely different view.

I’m here if you need support.

Filed Under: Anxiety, Fatigue, Healing, Yoga, Yoga Therapy

From Suffering to Serenity – The Klesha

31/01/2024 by Suzan

The mind is a wonderful tool, we couldn’t do without it, yet it can take us to some dark places.

‘A drunken monkey, bitten by a scorpion’ is my favourite description of the mind.

The mind is designed as a team player – working with the heart brain and gut brain – but it runs amok when in the driving seat!

The mind creates a world view to maintain it’s supremacy. When it feels threatened the mind will bring up every disaster scenario possible! Often in the middle of the night.

How many times have you looked back and thought I knew that was right/wrong and done it anyway? Our gut feeling and instincts are important and valuable yet mind supremacy is deeply embeded.

For thousands of years intuitive and 6th sense gifts have been dismissed, ignored and at times resulted in persecution. It is not surprising that we have lost the connection to our heart and gut knowings. This overreliance on the mind is where the seeds of suffering are planted. which The yogis identify 5 root causes of our suffering – The Klesha

When we view the mind as sovereign we we are not seeing clearly. There is a lack of insight (Avidya).

The Ego rules (Asmita). Forgetting our true nature, we base our happiness on external factors. We confuse our uniqueness as superior and separate from the flow of life rather than interbeing with all life.

“He who sees all beings in the Self, and the Self in all beings, he never turns away from it [the Self]. For he who perceives all beings as the Self, how can there be delusion or grief when he sees this oneness everywhere?” “Isha Upanishad” Yogapedia

Giving our power to external objects is a great tactic of the mind. The relentless need for new possessions, relationships etc. in pursuit of happiness – Raja – brings only fleeting results. Perhaps we learn to avoid instead – Dvesha.

*The Tree of Suffering – source: samanyayoga.co.uk / www.yogitimes.com/*

There is a force, flow, energy in the cosmos that continually changes. Although we are powerful spiritual beings with great potential, we have no control over this energy. Part of us is aware of this changing force even in our deepest separation. As the ultimate change is death with the resulting loss of all things physical. it gives context to why we know from day 1 we will die and yet we (in the West) rarely mention or prepare for it.

Yoga provides many tools to unite all aspects of the Self including mind, body, spirit, gross and subtle. We have time to get to know all our parts in a way that is accessible to us – movement, breathing, mantra, meditation etc. Here we can truly get to know both our separateness and interconnection to all life – the wave and the ocean.

The mind becomes a co-worker with the heart and gut brain. As we embrace all we are we can experience moments of bliss. (The Ananda Maya, the bliss body the final sheath/kosha of our subtle body).

It starts by becoming aware, in this moment, then this moment on and off your mat, in a way that works for you.

Filed Under: Addiction, Anxiety, Fatigue, Healing, Pain, Stress, Yoga, Yoga Therapy

Moon Magic or Mayhem?

31/08/2023 by Suzan

What a summer! Nature is looking stunning from all the rain! Last summer everything looked brown, dried out and dying. No wonder we talk so much about the weather!

We too need water to be vibrant and healthy. A huge percentage of the body is water. Figures vary according to age and body part. I haven’t found a consistent figure. A conservative estimate is a minimum of 50%.

‘According to natural health expert Dr Joseph Mercola, your blood contains 85% water, muscles contain 80%, the brain is 75% and your bones are 25% water’.

Just as the oceans are bodies of water so too are we, and like the waves we are impacted by the moon.

The full moon exerts a strong pull on water. Every 10 or so years there are 2 full moons in a month which is known as a blue moon. A supermoon is when the moon is closest to the earth. Both events increase the intensity – positive or seemingly negative.

The pull of the moon affects us on all levels. Physical issues may show up again. Emotions often run high! I’ve been told that for decades police, hospitals etc. have had extra staff around the full moon. The term ‘lunatic’ relates to moon madness.

Clients have shared dramatic events around full moon – left a toxic relationship; a loved one exploded, they felt engulfed in a tsunami of emotions. Another hadn’t slept for several days.

Life may be challenging for a while. Self-awareness brings opportunities to use these energies to our benefit. It’s a great time to work. The powerful energies can catalyse momentum. We can use them to break through old, heavy energies and heal. The vibration on earth is increasing. There is great potential for deep, swift healing of self, our ancestral line and the collective. Mayhem becomes magic!

This is where our yoga, meditation and healing circles support us.

Is it time to revisit your self-care practices?

My personal practice, keeping well hydrated, nourished and spending time in nature anchor me in stormy times. I am supported by my friends and healing team too.

Water for Well-being

I read an interesting book on hydration called Quench (8 glasses a day is not the way!) by Dana Cohen MD and Gina Bria. It’s based on the relatively new discovery of the 4th state of water, a gel state. My top 3 takeaways are:

1. Add a teaspoon of chia seeds to a glass of water, (leave for at least 30 minutes before drinking). The seeds absorb the water meaning that rather than flushing straight through it is stays in the body for longer.

2. A pinch of good quality salt helps replace electrolytes lost when we sweat, or diluted through excessive liquid consumption etc.

3. Rather than having 2 glasses of water at the same time have an apple and one glass. The fibre in the apple holds the liquid for longer rather than flushing straight through.

The Healing Power of Water

Water is living, it holds an energy which can change as can we. Dr Masaru Emoto’s experiments on water studied the effect of the spoken or written word and music. When positive words, such as peace, love, happiness, and gratitude, were spoken to or written on a container of water, beautiful crystals formed. Similarly, attractive crystals developed with music like “Amazing Grace” and Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. When negative words—“you make me sick,” “anger,” “evil”—or heavy metal music were used, the result was a less attractive, poorly formed crystal. (More info in The Healing Power of Water by Masaru Emoto).

If this resonates you might also like to research structured water. It restores the natural vitality of water that is lost when it is in pipes.

Summer is coming to an end and as we welcome autumn we will soon return to a regular schedule. Routine is grounding and settles vata. Whatever your predominant body type/dosha vata usually becomes disturbed with change of season.

Contact me for details of online classes and circles and monthly IN-PERSON events.

Please DO NOT SUFFER ALONE, reach out and we will arrange an impromptu circle or session.

Filed Under: Anxiety, Healing, Stress, Yoga, Yoga Therapy

Finding Unity in a Fragmented World!

06/07/2023 by Suzan

Such interesting times we have chosen to incarnate. The much-heralded unity Consciousness has not yet arrived. Darkness abounds. Fear and separation take us further from the unity we seek. Yet nothing is new, perhaps more intense, and visible. Yogic Philosophy refers to these times as The Kali Yuga the last of 4 phases in the wheel of time. The old systems disintegrate making way for a new beginning/cycle which starts with the Golden Age. Hooray 😊

Transitions are often tumultuous. Yoga provides tools, support, and structure to navigate challenges, thrive and create unity in YOUR world.

Take a break from trying to figure things out and keep up with twists, turns and possible outcomes. Notice where you spend your energy. How would it be to invest that energy in creating peace and unity in your personal world?

Unity Yoga guides you to a state of freedom and unity with your true nature.

The first 3 steps of are in the outer world – yama, niyama, asana – primarily linked to our physical body and how it interacts with the world.

Tools here are all about the physical/body, individual traits and becoming more aware of relationship to self, others, and environment. Slow, mindful movement supports self-awareness, although you may need to start faster and slow gradually.

The next 2 steps take us towards our inner world – pranayama, pratyahara – they are more subtle aspects of Self – vitality, thoughts/emotions, where we are getting to know our higher self/inner witness. Tools include yogic breathing, moving meditations such as the caring breath, mudras, and palming.

The final 3 steps of the path are qualities of meditation – dharana, dhyana, samadhi –the least tangible aspects of Self. Glimpses of being completely absorbed in the moment; a state of bliss arise.

Tools include ritual, devotion, and meditation. We move into and out of the various stages of meditation. It is not a linear process. Our focus may become distracted. Other times the flow of awareness (to the object of meditation) becomes more constant, and we have moments of complete absorption. You may have experienced this when watching a sunset or listening to classical music.

Every part of us and each step on the path are linked. A large sheet of fascia runs from the feet up the back of the body to the head. Whatever happens in the body affects our vitality/prana and emotions and vice versa. When our witness self sees the world free from conditioning and survival instincts it is reflected in body and breath. Often there is a radiance and look of wellness as if a heavy load has been shifted.

We have created a new reality.

Want to know more?

I support conscious women ready and willing to do whatever it takes to overcome their wounding and trauma to live with purpose and joy. Sessions are on Zoom and include movement, mentoring and mindfulness.

Contact me to find out more.

Filed Under: Addiction, Anxiety, Fatigue, Healing, Stress, Yoga, Yoga Therapy

Yoga for Healing and Grounding

06/07/2023 by Suzan

Yoga is a rich source of ancient knowledge underpinning many common spiritual beliefs.

The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali explains the nature of the mind. It’s 8 steps – astanga yoga – guide us from unconsciousness and suffering to freedom ‘kaivalya’. Here the mind ‘cit’ is no longer in the driving seat. Instead, there is discernment. An awareness of the difference between stories, patterns, mental chitter chatter and the innate wisdom of the soul/spirit. This is the ultimate truth.

What happens in the mind is reflected in both body and breath. Appropriate movement tames the breath calming the mind. Simple breathing techniques stabilise, and ground body which calms the mind. We develop self-awareness, self-acceptance and create the arena for insights and change. This knowing supports all areas of life. We begin to see beyond the suffering and illusions of the human condition.

Filed Under: Healing, Yoga, Yoga Therapy