7 Fascinating Yoga Facts!

In these times of increasing change I smile and remember that yoga says the only certainty is change! Yoga has a vast arrays of tools and potential to support us as we navigate life, health and change.

Did you know?

  1. Ancient Yoga texts 4 list paths to yoga: –
    Karma – the yoga of action
    Bhakti – the yoga of devotion
    Gyana/jnana – the yoga of knowledge/wisdom
    Raja – the royal path – an eight-step path to Self-realisation – Patanjali Yoga.
  2. Asana – Sanskrit for posture – means a comfortable seated position.
  3. Patanjali’s Yoga does not include any postures – it states postures should be both steady and comfortable.
  4. Yoga was taught 1 to 1 to men only.
  5. Indra Devi was the first western woman to be taught yoga in the early 1900’s (by Krishnamacharya of the viniyoga tradition).
  6. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a much later text which describes 15 postures, breathing techniques, mudras & bandhas.
  7. Yoga means unity – joining all parts of self with soul and the oneness.

Are you surprised?

Want to know more? Email me to find out how yoga can support you.

It’s Invisible, Magic & Can Change your Life

You are so much more than a body or mind. X-rays, kirlan photography etc. reveal an electric/electromagnetic energy field – prana, chi or life force energy. Everything including the earth have their own individual field which is part of the oneness/collective consciousness.

YOU CAN CHANGE IT POSITIVELY AND/OR NEGATIVELY

  • Each interaction whether in-person, online or tv has an impact on your energy.
  • Every thought and belief are imprinted in your energy field.
  • An automatic hug, rubbing a child’s grazed knee are ways you use energy for healing.

Energy follows your thoughts, discover more with yogaDeveloping your awareness with energy brings potential to positively upgrade your life.

Energy is invisible for most – some see a shimmer or colours, others feel, sense, know or intuit. No way is better or more advanced.

Connect with energy with:

  • Yoga – asana/postures, breathing and meditation.
  • Sound therapy
  • Healing

Join our online energy/healing circle to get started

I Might Not Have Made It…

It could have been very different. I may not have made it this far. The pull of addiction beckoned but even in the depths of my confusion, despair, and darkness I knew deep down it was not for me – not this time anyway… I didn’t have the understanding or later the words to express it but there was something keeping me going.

Beneath my wounding, conditioning and unhelpful habits resides a part of me with great wisdom, my Wise Woman. Untarnished by the ups and downs of life she is a quiet, calm, knowing guide. When I listen to her things go well. I had forgotten this part of me existed but every now and again she would try and make herself known. For decades my mind overrode her. She didn’t give up.

I found her through my yoga practice, walking in nature, in the pauses between thinking, planning, judging, and zoning out. She led me well and here I am sharing with you. Never in a million years did I think this would happen!

You came from nothing into physical form helpless and reliant on others. To navigate life, you developed strategies and behaviours to ensure that you survive, are fed, loved, or shielded from painful feelings and memories. This is when you start of the disconnect from your inner wisdom.

These parts or programmes which are vital to you as a child haven’t been updated. They get in the way of you living life fully as an adult. Next time you get upset or triggered notice your reaction, what age comes to mind? Perhaps you struggle for words or there are no words – possibly linked to preverbal events.

You may have no conscious memory as to why your programmes developed. There may be a transgenerational link. Yet everything is stored within your body. It holds your pain and the answers you are seeking.

“Trauma comes back as a reaction, not a memory”
Bessel Van Der Kokk

Your body is designed to heal and return to homeostasis. Pain, both physical and emotional, signals something is wrong. Life continues to bring you opportunities to process unfinished business. Events may seem unlinked, unfortunate, coincidental or there may be patterns – ongoing issues with romantic relationships, money, self-worth etc. All are opportunities to heal and be authentically you – not a punishment. The body is signalling it is time to change course. It is exhausting holding onto your wounding and story. I know, I tried extremely hard. Each release felt like it created a new me, lighter, brighter, and happier.

If I can do it you can too! 

Yoga in its fullest sense was my way out of these unhelpful repeating events. Every time I came onto my mat I was guided to connect with my body, then my breath and notice – I discovered my Wise Woman. She is my guide. Our relationship continued to deepen as I expanded my practice with healing and development tools. My trust built. I now trust her above everything. It is my joy and honour to guide you, and others, to connect with your inner wisdom.

Here’s how

Start with one step, something that is manageable and celebrate starting. Before you were oblivious. Now you are aware AND have taken a step towards your goal. It takes as long as it takes. There is no set route or technique. You can take the scenic route or go directly, navigating obstacles, getting stuck in dead ends – it doesn’t matter. I have done all and eventually moved on. Sometimes I would charge ahead, think I was complete only to find something else to consider. All the while I feel better, more alive and my relationships are easier. My sense is that this is a life-long practice, and it feels good. This is my life purpose. To find me and live authentically.

I will guide and support you.

What is your next step? Would group or private sessions best help you? 

Email me to get started.

With love and acknowledgement for all you have experienced, your challenges and potential.

Suzan

Removing the Fear from Freedom

As restrictions ease here in the UK there is a desire for things to ‘go back to normal’. But what if you go a step further and create the normal that is best for you? What activities, spending and habits are no longer needed or supportive? How does you new daily/weekly/yearly life look and feel now? (Feel free to borrow my magic wand and share your vision:).)

However positive the future may be, a legacy remains. Relationships and jobs have changed or ended, finances have been impacted, sometimes with devastating effects. I know some of you have had a really tough time, others have been feeling sadness, fear and grief which is in the collective consciousness. Even if you are an introvert and lock-in was the best possible experience, everyone is in the same energy field/morphogenic field and impacted by these energies. What you are feeling may be yours or it may be from this field or perhaps a bit of both. It may be childhood and transgenerational issues coming up to be cleared and released.

It is vital that we get to know our fears and feelings. We are intricately connected with one another and with nature. Just as we care for and protect the environment (belatedly I hear some of you cry), it is important to care for one another. Living in fear of, judging, reporting one another evokes memories rooted in the horrors of genocide and wars. It is unthinkable. But it doesn’t have to be this way we can heal.

But how? Just as with all healing. With you, step by step at your own pace, without pressure. By changing you, your world will change.

Take time now to observe and reflect on the past and the future. Notice patterns and repeating behaviours. Perhaps you also notice them in a family member. What is your instinctive response? (If you are experiencing mental health challenges, wait until things have settled). This will help you cope when situations arise. How do you feel about mixing with others? What scenarios would be supportive and/or triggering? Are you mildly, moderately or extremely anxious, stressed and fearful? All of these are normal and if you are feeling fine* now, when the time comes your emotions may be different! It is okay if you are feeling stirred up. Everything is has the potential to help you grow and embody more of your true self.

My sense is that everyone is experiencing a degree of trauma simply by having lived through 2020! 

You have tools – the practices from our work together – use them when needed. Something as simple as a long, conscious exhale can make a difference. You can add counting back from 5 as you exhale.

You have connection and community – in all the groups.

You are not alone. I am in the Zoom sanctuary 15 minutes before start time and you are welcome to come along to connect or chat.

We can do this together.

Continue to prioritise well-being physical, emotional/mental and spiritual. The energy forecasts say that things may get a bit bumpy. The good news is that it gives an opportunity to transform quickly. It’s easier than ever before to clear old patterns, programs and behaviours. Simply being aware and giving space to these energies is transformative.

Keep coming to groups or private sessions, join our Signal group and use it for support. Share how you are feeling with others who understand. All sessions are stress, trauma and recovery sensitive and remain in our online yoga sanctuary. Perhaps you would benefit from 2 sessions a week or a private session to develop a home practice. NEW COURSES START 12TH APRIL. Together we will navigate what comes up. Here is a summary:

✨True peace is found on the other side of our challenges. Explore and heal what is holding you back in a safe, loving space in our Connection & Healing Circle for WomenTuesday – Zoom 8.00-9.00pm Numbers are limited to 7.

✨Reset your nervous system for calm and a deep sense of well-being with YOGA PLUS – beyond the posturesA gentle, nurturing session to retune and align to harmony and peace. Includes sound bath, relaxation, energy balancing and healing. Wednesday 8.00-9.00pm

✨Find and free patterns and emotions held in your body. Ground your healing. A wonderful, holistic experience blending yoga, sharing and energy healing in Yoga for RecoveryWednesday – 6.00-7.30pm

MINDFUL YOGA CLASSES

Mindful Yoga THERAPY & Relaxation Monday – 6.00-7.15pm
Mostly lying, gentle, therapeutic, and restorative, with time for connections and sharing.

Mindful Yoga & Relaxation, Mixed ability Monday 7.45-9.00 pm
From standing to lying, poses for strength, stretching and releasing physical and emotional tension. Relax, unwind, reconnect with yourself and the group

Chair YogaTuesday – 10.30-11.30am
Gentle, safe, and fun – no lying or kneeling

Finding FreedomTuesday 6.00-7.15pm
Supporting parents of addicts with connection and gentle practices to reset and relax.

Regular practice and spending time in positive energy develops resources and resilience. This helps you relax and see beyond conditioning and patterns as you are guided by your inner wisdom. This is the place of freedom. It is beyond fear.

Email me to book your place or discuss which is best for you.

*FINE = f***d up, insecure and emotional 🙂

6 steps to stay positive

NOW is the time to see the opportunities that 2020 has brought. Yes the evenings are darker and the media is full of doom. I could go on… But we have a choice to focus on the challenges or potential. Proactive actions, thoughts and people lift our spirit and positivity.

Here are some simple steps which will help create good vibes. Aim for success, Choose something that you can do without too much effort. Add, or change as needed.

1.  MAINTAIN/BOOST YOUR MOOD

  • Use a lamp that imitates natural sunlight.
  • Take regular exercise, walk daily, practice yoga/qigong
  • Eat healthily with natural foods*
  • Create a routine – it gives a sense of control

2.  FOCUS ON WHAT’S GOING WELL

  • Every morning and every night take a few minutes to focus on 5 things that you have in your life right now. Food? water? A job/income? A home? Friends? Etc.
  • Each day share with a partner, friend, colleague at least one positive thing about your day.
  • Minimise exposure to negative input, tv, social media etc. choose feel-good programs and connections
  • When you focus on positive events and gratitude you will notice more positive events, people and ideas and your energy will become lighter.

3.  MAKE YOUR HOME A SANCTUARY

You can’t control what’s going on in the world, you can control how your home looks and feels.(children, partners, parents permitting LOL!). Find a space that works for you, perhaps a mobile one is the best option, simply roll out a mat. There are no rules.

  • Clear clutter
  • Rearrange, ornaments, pictures, cushions, furniture as appropriate. Experiment to create a feel-good energy
  • Place positive images and photos where you spend most time
  • Add colours that evoke joy, happiness and positivity for you. This could be with cushions, decor, plants.
  • Open the windows every day to bring in fresh air and energy

4.  PHONE A FRIEND

  • Reach out to a friend, by phone, online, over the fence. Depending how you are feeling, you may choose a positive friend where the conversation is likely to include laughter or someone who is alone and may need support. Receiving support is mood enhancing. Asking how someone else is will take you away from your own suffering for a while.

5.  STOP BEING HARD ON YOURSELF

You are doing the best you can with what you’ve got. Watch out for negative self-talk and judgement. It’s ok to feel however you feel. Accepting this is the first step to change.

6.  MAKE YOUR WELL-BEING A PRIORITY

Invest in yourself. This was a challenge for me in the early days. Now I realise that it must be my highest priority. The purpose of life is to unravel my history and story, bringing me to a place of equilibrium and wholeness. And the best possible way to be of service to others is by sorting myself out! It is a lifelong commitment.

NEXT STEPS 
If you would like support in groups or 1 to 1 sessions, I am here to help. Together things become achievable, change happens. I have come through dark  days and you can too.

Here are 5 key insights I have learned over the years.

☯  Everything that has happened is ok.
☯  We all have our own life path.
☯  Life isn’t meant to be a Disney movie.
☯  Challenges are here to catalyse positive change.
☯  There is no right way or only way.

yoga, healing, soul wisdom, online, sound, voice, meditation, relaxation - calm relax well-being

✨✨ JOIN ME ONLINE FOR SUPPORT OF BODY, MIND & SOUL ✨✨

LIVE, IN-PERSON WEEKLY ONLINE GROUPS
MONDAY EVENINGS YOGA
TUESDAY MORNING CHAIR YOGA
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS 
MEDITATION/HEALING/SOUND/RELAXATION

1 TO 1 sessions week days/occasional weekends.

If you have any questions please email me or call 07795 517157.

Love Suzan

*You may want to invest in personalised advice with a BANT therapist, such as Jo, who you may know from yoga. consult your GP if you experience SAD, Seasonal affective disorder, chronic depression/anxiety

**If you will benefit from the classes, are committed to attend regularly and have a genuine financial issue please donate what you can – this will be confidential. Please respect this policy and keep for those who really need it.

From Suffering to Bliss – a yoga journey for self-healing

When I notice I am suffering or struggling, I check in to see what is happening, what I am not getting or what wants to change.

How are you with change and uncertainly?

For many years I resisted and resented undesired change. It was painful and not something I had planned. I did all I could to avoid it! I would get busy, grumpy, or resentful. So many more important things to do!  Or times there were long periods in inertia, resentment and feeling trapped. All completely subconscious.

Finding yoga and spiritual development gave me the tools to reflect and broaden my understanding. I came to understand that there was something bigger at play. My ego is not in control. The pain drove me to change. The result exactly what I needed.  The pain led to change. I was being guided to a better place.

The act of regularly showing up on the mat is a huge opportunity to be present with what is, to feel those things that are so easy to avoid. I found yoga postures a way into reflective practices. They also gave me time to get to know my body, and feel! Some tightness wouldn’t shift no matter how many classes I did. It was in healing and personal development that they moved. I was then able to explore and access deeper wisdom in the yoga classes.

I studied a whole lot and understood at a cognitive level. Over time I was really able to understand. This was when I felt the knowing and understanding physically and at a more subtle, energetic level.

Now I feel and know with my physical body and beyond that change and the suffering it often brings are the one certainty in life! It is not wrong or a punishment, rather a catalyst to take us to a new, more evolved place. The idea is to move through the suffering rather than get stuck. Now it’s not easy or quick but the reality of life.

Life continues to bring me opportunities to leap forward and I find the support and connection of my practice means the process is easier and quicker. And I still notice sub-conscious activities taking me the scenic route! Ultimately it will take as long as is needed.

Yoga for change and reducing suffering

Are you ready for change? Looking for support navigating change? Trying to understand and make sense of uncertainty.

Email me to book a free 20 minute consultation to see how working together can support you.

Yoga – a Path to Peace & Self-awareness

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Yoga is a path to self-discovery, the ancient wisdom of sages including Patanjali are as relevant today as thousands of years ago. Yoga offers a wealth of philosophy and psychology which dates back thousands of years. Postures as we know them today are a very recent addition. Yoga was taught individually, to men only. It was a way of life. The student would have to work hard to be accepted by his teacher. Training would involve living with the teacher, often for many years.

Krishnamacharya started teaching yoga to women. In 1937 Indra Devi became known as “The First Lady of Yoga.” when she was admitted into his school. Now yoga is often associated with complex acrobatic postures, often with young, very bendy and attractive women. However the postures are only one of many tools to journey to a state of yoga. They can in fact become a distraction when that is our only focus. It is important to maintain strength in the body, especially the spine and a flexibility. From a yoga perspective this is to support our meditation practice.

A mindful yoga practice supports the body and creates a space to become aware of what really going on. Underneath the busy mind, and aches and pains there is often an emotional issue. Awareness can be enough to start or complete moving this energy from your system.

Y – YOU – the only person who you can change is yourself – you are responsible only for your reaction.

O – OBSERVE – your thoughts, actions, and reactions – are there patterns you have outgrown or are not serving you? Are you ready for change?

G – GRATITUDE – spend time focusing on all you are grateful for, the more you do this the more you will find and the more positive and calm you will feel.

A – ACCEPTANCE – allow whatever is happening to be okay and remember that change is the only certainty. Much angst and energy is spent on things over which we have not control.

Is it time for you to take the next step? Please email me if you would like support or guidance.

Kick-Starting Your Healing

I am doing so well then all of a sudden a wave of overwhelm envelops me. Does that happen to you? or are ready to start making changes?

After all the years of healing, I can still get buffeted by the winds of life, and the ego starts digging in her heels to keep me small and what she considers safe! It gets easier and the wobbles less high and yet out of the blue something off the scale happens! Who would have imagined a pandemic, some believe will wipe out huge numbers and others that virus’s don’t exist! There is also the alien theory :). Life has changed as we know it and we no longer have rights that were assumed set in stone.

It is so easy for us to forget our learning and our innate healing abilities.

Here are six simple steps which can rapidly improve how you see yourself and your world:

  1. Willingness to Change
    Many experience fear of change as an insurmountable obstacle. It is not necessary to leap off the cliff. One step at a time is sufficient—one step can change your focus and direction. Just be willing to change.
  2. Self-Awareness
    Self-awareness is developing awareness of thoughts, feelings, emotions, and behaviors behind your actions and reactions. It is receiving and noticing input both—external and internal—from body, mind, and senses. The process is ongoing.
  3. Acceptance
    The next step is accepting and owning all parts of you, including those that are hidden, disliked, or ignored.
    Acceptance is simple and free; it can be done anytime and anywhere. It is allowing whatever is happening to unfold in its own time, irrespective of whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, convenient or inconvenient. It does not mean that you agree, disagree, want, or reject anything. Rather, you simply observe and let it be okay.
    Rememberacceptance does not apply in a situation where your safety and security are at risk.

    The act of acceptance removes the need for a situation to be other than it is in the present moment. Resisting what is happening or holding on to something that happened in the past, is the cause of a huge amount of pain and anxiety. This release allows and facilitates the flow of energy and movement, taking you to another, more comfortable, place.
    However challenging or beyond comprehension it may appear, everything happens to help you grow and evolve into the best possible version of yourself.
  4. Forgiveness
    Forgiveness for self and others, whether victim or perpetrator, cuts ties to the past, freeing oppressive energy. The result is new possibilities for health and well-being. Again, it doesn’t imply agreement with or validation of a behavior or event. Many find forgiveness frees them to move forward with life.
  5. Gratitude
    Gratitude focuses on everything in a thankful way. Understanding and accepting that all experience is for our growth makes gratitude much easier. It may be helpful to start with something small: I am grateful for the air I breathe, food to eat, etc. The more you practice, the more there is to be grateful for, and the more refined gratitude becomes. Every event has been part of shaping you into the person you are, even the less positive experiences. A deepening appreciation increases your sense of well-being and peace of mind.
    There are many ways to practice gratitude—meditation, prayer, ritual, verbal expression, and written expression (gratitude diary or journal). Experiment to find the most effective method for you.
  6. Love
    Love is honoring and appreciating all that you are, your uniqueness, your gifts, and your challenges—past and present. This is the place of real peace. It is only when we accept and truly love all aspects of the self (warts and all) that we can see clearly, and truly love another. The more we focus on self-love, the higher our vibration becomes, and we start to radiate this energy of love. It ripples out into home, family, workplace, etc., drawing to us more of the same (Law of Attraction).

Please note: It is not possible to change others; however, by changing ourselves, the world around us changes. It will be for your best interest, which may not be apparent immediately but become so with hindsight.

“Self-love is the key to transforming your personal world and the world at large”.

Taken from Searching… A Peek into the Invisible World of Energy and Healing by Donna Linn & Suzan J Wells.

Searching…

Are you looking for something new? Do you feel that there is more to life? Is the way you have been living no longer working for you? 

You are not alone—many are feeling a need for change, a deeper understanding and/or sense of purpose. Behind the desire for change is usually a catalyst. You may have experienced a gentle or not-so-gentle nudge—what was previously comfortable is no longer so. Perhaps you have had challenges, health issues, unforeseen changes, or endings in relationships and/or jobs. These upheavals instigate changes, which in turn create space for something new to manifest.

What if … there is a world as yet unknown, of unlimited potential, free from the restrictions of the past? A world of possibility, potential, and power, where you can access answers, knowing, and understanding, a place where positive and lasting changes can be made. It is an innate part of you, perhaps forgotten or overlooked, yet it is still there. This is the invisible world of energy and healing.

 Understanding How Energy Works

… Everything, seen and unseen, is energy and has an impact on each of us. All thoughts, feelings, and emotions are linked to an energetic vibration. The body vibrates at a frequency that reflects your current state. This is known as resonance.

When feeling unhappy or unwell, your vibration will be at a lower rate than if you are happy or in love. Trauma, negative events, and emotions have a lower frequency and vibration. These denser energies can cause dis-ease. By freeing the energy and restoring flow, your body can become at ease. This is the realm of energy healing.

Have you ever noticed that when you are with an unhappy person, or someone with many worries and anxieties, you start to feel the same? Even though you were feeling absolutely fine earlier, you now feel heavy, grumpy, sluggish, or negative.

Similarly, if you are with very happy people, you feel much lighter and more positive. Even the thought of being with them may increase your vibration. This is the Law of Attraction at work—like attracts like.

There is a whole world of invisible energy with which we continually, albeit unconsciously, interact.

Your energies are continuously interacting with the energies of people and places, which have positive or negative effects. Knowledge of this energy gives possibilities for its conscious use. It is one way to create positive, life-enhancing change.

Taken from Searching… A Peek into the Invisible World of Energy and Healing by Donna Linn & Suzan J Wells.

Staying Grounded – 3 tips to keep you centred

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Getting back to nature and following the seasons as in days of old really helps us stay connected, grounded present and aware.  Our routine and diet should reflect the season

Ayurveda is considered a sister science to yoga.  It is one of the world’s oldest healing systems, originating around 3000 years ago in India; it was used alongside yoga to support the body.

It says that our constitution and stage of life, the seasons and time of day comprise one or a mixture of dosa:- vata, pitta and kapha – the tridosa.

In autumn vata predominates.  Vata is linked to the elements of air and ether; it is light, subtle, dry, mobile, rough and cold.  If vata is predominant in the body autumn will aggravate it further.  You may feel off balance or ungrounded.

Suggestions to help ground and balance include:

1.  Eat foods that are warm and moist (soups, stews, steamed vegetables) to reduce and calm vata.

2.  A warm oil massage

3.  A slow, steady, grounding, consistent yoga asana practice.