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.

The Art of Relaxation

Relaxation is a valuable self-care tool. It is a NECESSITY if we want to maintain or return to optimal well-being.

Whatever is happening in the world you can create and maintain stability in your little world – room or home, and in your inner world – your body, mind and emotions.

✔Create a routine with little activities or breaks to look forward to.
✔Draw, paint or buy pictures, photos, or ornaments that evoke stability and/or joy
✔Focus on something positive – resume or take up a new hobby
✔Grow plants or vegetables
✔Reduce screen time and choose positive content.

These will reduce anxiety levels and help the nervous system settle into relaxation.

Here is a simple process to help relaxation response become active, homeostasis to return and create a sense of well-being.

  • Lie with legs bent or sit
  • Notice how your body feels, get really curious – your body holds much wisdom, what comes into your awareness
  • Watch your breathing, is it fast, slow, steady, erratic, etc
  • Focus on your exhale
  • Gradually increase the length of the exhale while maintaining a comfortable inhale remains (up to twice the length of the inhale)
  • It is natural for the mind to wander, when you notice this use loving awareness to return your focus to the exhale
  • Avoid judgement, criticism or blaming a trigger person or event
  • Check in with your body regularly inviting any tense areas to relax
  • Stay for 5 minutes, longer if you have time especially if feeling anxious/agitated.
  • Make regular time in your schedule for this practice and take mini 3 breath practices as often as possible during the day.

Online relaxation connection community

5 Ways to help you stay calm, sane and connected!

1. Routine
Create a daily routine, plan times to start and finish activities. This will give you some predictability, control/power and help keep you grounded in the present rather than with thoughts of what might, should, or should not happen. New habits can take a while to become established and you may benefit from the support of a friend to help create your time table and keep you on track, celebrate success, and support you through any challenges.

2. Connection
Connection is especially important if you live alone. Plan time every day to speak with a colleague, friend, family member or support group. Online communication with visual as well as audio gives a deeper connection than phoning, Facetime, Whatsapp, Skype, Zoom etc are all free and pretty good. I have been having a monthly online lunch date with a friend for a couple of years and it’s great! Join me at one of the tea break or tea & chat sessions (see above).

3. Nature
Where possible spend some time daily in nature. Walking barefoot is a my favourite. If you can’t get out at all or as often as you would like, bring nature into your home with flowers, plants, perhaps try sprouting, planting a container or window box. Open windows and doors to clear the air regularly.

4. Exercise and diet
Exercise regularly, daily if possible, anything to move your body, feel the strength you have. Walk, dance or your guessed it do some yoga :). My Yoga classes are now online and the new term starts 20th April. If you would like to book and/or to receive a short yoga practice to do on your own email me.

Eat nutritious food, as fresh and unprocessed as possible. Treats are fine, too much sugar and starchy foods may feel good initially but are followed by an energy dip and put extra strain on the body to process and digest, so be as moderate as you can. If you deviate from the plan be kind to yourself and get back on track as soon as you can.

5. Create a Sanctuary
You may need you to get creative, but it is possible to create a harmonious space to connect with yourself, your calm centre and intuition. Be realistic, how much space do you have? For most of us a dedicated room is not realistic but if you have one great. If not how about a temporary space where you can place a chair, mat or blanket when you use it.?

If you are living in a busy household, choose times to visit your sanctuary when you are least likely to be disturbed. Negotiate quiet time with others or consider headphones with white noise.

Make an intention for this space to be your sanctuary – when you set it up and every time go there. The energy will build and you will associate it with positive qualities.

Choose an object to evoke a the quality of sacred, whatever that means for you – a photo of a deity, or teacher – a crystal -something from nature – anything of special significance. These may need to be portable and put in place every time you use the space or you may have a shelf, window ledge, a small table etc.

I have something to represent the elements, water, fire/candle, air/feather and earth/crystal. You may like to focus on the senses and play gentle music, use aromas, a soft cushion. Be guided by what you have and your intuition.

I would love to see a picture of your sanctuary, please post it on my Facebook page or email me.

Yoga Healing Aylesbury

Yoga – a Path to Peace & Self-awareness

YOGA 2 no website

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.

From Overwhelm to Calm in 5 Minutes

  • Stop feelings of overwhelm, irritation and powerlessness
  • Activate your rest and digest system
  • See clearly
  • Become empowered

Try this 5 minute breathing practice (5 minutes and 22 seconds)

Why?
Focused breathing is powerfully transformative.  It allows the nervous system to settle, the mind and body to calm and harmony to be restored.

When?
Daily – there are 1440 minutes in a day.  If you don’t manage daily do as often as possible.  In an emergency take 3 conscious deep breaths wherever you are.

What people say

“When I am stuck in traffic I use the breathing practice and the stress vanishes”. Lynne

“Dear Suzan   Just to say many thanks for the breathing programme.  My blood pressure readings are down, so no visits to the doctor for 3 months and no increase in medication.  I also feel a lot calmer and don’t get those feelings of panic which were very unpleasant.
yours with many thanks”. Betty E

“I was progressing with my Scuba diver training last weekend was struggling to maintain a level easy breath and as a result using far too much air. So 40 feet below the surface the following day I was thinking about concentrating on my yoga breath whilst trying to master the skills of diving, it worked!” Guy K

“I wanted to let you know I enjoyed the classes and used the breathing techniques throughout the pregnancy and during labour which was a huge help, so thank you” Clare P

If you would like to work deeper with breath and movement I have a range of online yoga groups and private sessions to support your specific needs and availability.  Email me.

Focused breathing will support you whatever is going on in your life – stress, the blues, living with change and uncertainty. Give yourself the gift of 5 minutes a day for a month and let me know the results.  I would love to hear from you.

Please email me  with any feedback or questions.

lungs-breathe

In an emergency just 3 conscious breaths will change the way you feel.

Five Ways To Reduce Stress

On a level of 1 to 10 where 10 is highest, how stressed are you right now? Make a note and check in over the next week to monitor your stress level.

Most of us experience stress from time to time and it is a normal event which has its places. But what about the long term effects?

The fight or flight response is designed for short term emergencies. It hasn’t evolved since the days we needed to run away from wild animals! It doesn’t even distinguish between real and perceived events! When the stress response is constantly in active due to high levels of stress, we become familiar with stress hormones and body chemistry preparing us to fight, flight or flee. It becomes our normal. And the familiarity may mean we are more likely to subconsciously search for stressful situations and drama, when life begins to be calm.

Long term activation of the stress response can cause health problems including disrupted sleep, raised blood pressure, obesity, suppressed immune system, and increased risk of heart attack, stroke, anxiety and depression.

Here are 5 simple ways to reduce stress:

lungs-breathe

Focus on your breath – as few as 3 conscious breaths can completely change the way you feel.

fresh-air

Connect with nature.  Open a window, go for a walk, have plants in your work space and home.

lady-side-stretch-pink

Yoga helps reduce stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol and stimulates the production of endorphins, the feel good chemicals in the brain.

meditation

Let meditation wipe away the day’s stress, just 5 minutes can bring inner peace.

its-ok-not-to-be-ok

We think the causes of stress are outside our control.  What if we decide that it’s okay not to be okay?  This leaves us free to focus on making positive changes.

 

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.

Keep Calm and Enjoy Christmas

4 Tips 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.

yoga healing sharing circle sound meditation therapy addiction parent addict

Please share your experiences and any tips you have via email.

My Yoga Journey

I discovered yoga in my 20’s and life got in the way. Fast forward 20 years I realised I was at breaking point. I had put diesel in my petrol car. I was a single mum living in the intense stress as my son entered his teenage years. I joined the local gym and I discovered yoga.

Yoga is so much more than tying yourself in knots or getting into a perfect posture. It has tools to support well-being on all levels. The texts give a path for moving out of suffering.

Yoga means to unite the various aspects of ourselves, physical, emotional etc. as well as the wounded child, inner warrior etc. Healing means wholeness. I see yoga as one of the oldest healing modalities. It’s sister ayurveda gives a wealth of knowledge on diet and lifestyle.

I trained with the Yoga for Health Foundation in Group Classes and Remedial Yoga and followed this with Viniyoga teacher training in group classes and yoga therapy.  My training included in depth study of yoga texts, psychology and philosophy of yoga.  I hold a British Wheel of Yoga accredited certificate and have trained extensively with cutting edge yoga teachers in the UK and at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India.

My specialty is working with the health and well being of the whole person.  An issue in the body will most likely have an emotional connection. There may also be ancestral links which are impacting the client. I use ancient techniques of hatha yoga and cutting edge teachings to restore balance and harmony.

I firmly believe in the power of yoga to transform at all levels.  It has a tremendous amount of wisdom to offer whether we are mainly interested in the physical aspect or using yoga as a spiritual journey.

This is a holistic approach. It is not a substitute for a 12-step program and not intended as, or a substitute for, medical or psychiatric advice. Nor is it intended to diagnose, describe, treat, or cure any disease – physical or mental.