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Thursday, December 8th, 2011
This week in our yoga classes in Earlsfield we have been practicing the 5 Tibetans. These are a series of 5 exercises said to be the secret to youth, health and vitality, as the permeate our energy system and stimulate the chakras. For more information on the benefits and stories behind the practice read the book ‘The Five Tibetans’ by Christopher Kilham. This blog will explain the exercises for those who attend Anoushka’s Yoga. If you are new to the practice for more detailed instruction please read the book.
Each exercise or rite is repeated 21 times. It takes about 20 minutes to do the full 21 repetitions. It is suggested to start with 3-5 repetitions and increase by 2 repetitions every week. If you are starting a daily practice take a photo of yourself on week one and then again after 3 months to see the differences.
Before starting the practice spend a few minutes settling into breathing and taking deep breaths into the belly. Between each exercise stand up, place your hands on your hips and take 3 deep breaths, exhaling through the mouth. As you do the exercises, breath through the nose, unless congested. Try to follow your breath.
Rite 1: Spinning
Take arms out at shoulder height, fingers together. Spin slowly in a clockwise direction up to 21 times. It is normal to feel dizzy.
Rite 2: Leg lift
Lie down with arms down by your sides. Inhale and lift both legs up to the air and your chin into you chest. Exhale and lower legs and head to the ground.
Rite 3: Camel
Kneel on the floor. Exhale and drop the chin to the chest. Place hands on lower back or thighs. Inhale and bring the head and neck back and open the chest. Exhale to original position.
Rite 4: Table
Sit on the floor with your legs out. Place hands alongside your hips/upper thighs. Drop the chin to the chest. Inhale and lift the hips so that the knees bend and you are in a table position. Drop the head back if comfortable. Exhale use the arms to go back to the starting position dropping the chin to the chest.
Rite 5: Updog/downdog
Come into downward facing dog but lift the heels right up into the air. Bring chin into the chest. Inhale and move the shoulders forward over the hands so that the chest comes forward inbetween the arms and you are arching the back with your thighs just above the ground (updog). Look up. Exhale back to down dog, heels lifted, chin to chest.
RELAX either lying down (Shavasana) or sitting and watching the breath.
Please note that these exercises should be practiced on an empty stomach. If you should feel nauseous or dizzy please move slowly or stop completely and relax. Remember to listen to your body.
The 5 Tibetans are a very invigorating practice and a strong detox. They
- Stimulate energy flow through the chakras
- Enliven corresponding nerves, organs and glands
- Tone and strengthen major muscle groups for a strong physique
Should you have any questions please visit Anoushka’s Yoga in Earlsfield and let Tish know in class. Enjoy!
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Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
Do you feel your body is holding you back? Would you like to move more efficiently? Are you having problems with back pain, foot, knee, hip problems. Tish from Anoushka’s Yoga is training with AiM (Anatomy in Motion) using revolutionary techniques to ease or completely eliminate movement problems quickly and efficiently. The technique is a new form of gait therapy (how you move when you walk) using 3d movement to subconsciously change the way your body moves and break through any physical barriers.
We all have various imbalances in the body. Left to grow, these can cause injury and pain. Through AiM techniques we bring the body back to centre by correcting poor gait habits. You literally walk out of the session with improved movement and improved function across the whole body.
What happens in a session?
Tish will assess how you walk in bare feet and do a series of static and dynamic tests to see the imbalances in the body. This in itself is enlightening as it gives you a much greater awareness of how you move. You may now understand why your shoes have burnt out on one side.
You will then be taken through a series of 3d exercises to correct these imbalances, taking the body back to it’s natural state of fluid, pain free movement. Effectively we correct how you walk. You will walk out of the session, with your body having naturally taken these changes on board.
The session may include some hard work but you will have the knowledge you have improved performance throughout your whole body. It may also include a thai foot massage, assessing movement through the foot.
For more information, please call Tish on 07887850882 or email: info@anoushkasyoga.com.
Tish is working with Anatomy in Motion at Level 3.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
What are you chakras and why do we go on about them in yoga?
Yoga is an energy practice, just like accupunture, tai chi, qi gong and others. We are made and sustained by energy. Yoga is a system of healthcare to maintain the energy field or ‘astral body’. The ‘chakras’ are best described as spinning wheels or energy centres through which vital energy (’prana’, ‘chi’, ‘qi’) flows. Yoga is the integration of body, mind and spirit, and the state of your ‘chakras’ play a vital role in your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. A yoga practice usually focuses on 7 chakras in the central energy pathway. These are the root chakra (red); sacral chakra (orange); naval chakra (yellow); heart chakra (green); throat chakra (turquoise); third eye chakra (indigo blue); crown chakra (violet or white). A chakra is said to be ‘balanced’ or ‘unbalanced’ according to how the energy flows, and this affects us on all levels.
The 2* course is currently running through each of the chakras so to learn more drop in to Anoushka’s Yoga.
There is a huge range of information out there about the chakras. Start with a quiz from http://www.eclecticenergies.com/chakras/chakratest.php to see which of your chakras are in balance. But please note this is not conclusive information, although in my case it seems fairly accurate!
For more information there are the following fantastic resources:-
‘The ABC’s of Chakra Therapy: A workbook’ – Deedre Diemer. This includes a more conclusive chakra quiz.
‘Theories of the chakras’ – Dr. Motoyama’
‘Chakra meditation’ – Swami Saradananda
And why do we consider the chakra system so important in a Hatha yoga practice?
Understanding the chakras helps to get to know yourself on all levels and takes us on a journey to live a life of health and happiness. As is the beauty of yoga, you can only discover through your practice whether the chakras are real or just ‘yoga talk’.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
We are now listed on the best of wandsworth. Let people know what you feel about Anoushka’s Yoga. The world would be a great place if we all did yoga! Please leave a testimonial at http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/wandsworth/business-guide/yoga.
Thank you for your support and enjoy your yoga journey.
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Saturday, May 8th, 2010
 Why do a yoga retreat?
A yoga retreat can be a life changing experience, where you can really take some time out from a busy life for reflection and transformation.
With yoga in the morning sun, either on the beach or the outdoor yoga space at former hotel, Astrikas. Then time to relax around the pool, at the beach, or exploring the wondeful environment of Crete. Finish with peaceful evening yoga to wind down or to explore yoga postures or philosphy to take you deeper in your practice.
A yoga retreat is the time to infiltrate yoga into your life and feel the incredible effects to make you a happier, healthier person. You can’t get that same effect from one or two yoga classes a week. This is doing yoga twice a day for a week. It not only brings a transformation to your practice but a complete transformation for you.
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Saturday, May 8th, 2010
Drop in for £14 or sign up for regular classes at £12.50.
1* classes are for beginners. Although bear in mind that a course started 12th April so students have now done 3 classes and are not complete beginners. If you would like to drop in please contact Tish.
2* classes are for intermediate or advanced students. We run through a theme during each class. The current course theme is ‘understanding the chakras’. Each week we will run through a different chakra explaining the effects of this energetic centre and how you can balance the energies.
Classes on a Thursday 8:30pm and Saturday are mixed ability classes. Any level are welcome. Asanas (postures) are explained in detail for beginners and variations are offered for those who wish to go deeper in their practice.
P is for pregnancy classes. You can join at any time and you don’t have to have done yoga before.
MB is for Mum & Baba yoga – a fabulous class of joy for you and your baby with teacher and Doulas, Lon Gibbons and Indira Lopez.
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Thursday, July 30th, 2009
So, we get a few guys coming to our yoga classes now, some dragged along by girlfriends and terrified that they will be the ‘only guy in the class’, but they soon realise that yoga is not always about lying in Savasana (corpse pose) and relaxing. An article in GQ magazine titled ‘Real men do yoga’ recently reminded us that Genghis Khan’s warriors did 1,000 sun salutations. And, trust me, that is a lot! Most guys are starting to puff out after 5, especially when they include chaturanga (classic push up as in the photo) and updog – all great for the upper body strength. And guys suffer from back pain just as much as us ladies.
 So if Andy Murray is into Bikram yoga to bulk up, perhaps you should consider coming along, before you dismiss it as your girlfriend’s hobby. We don’t do yoga in 105 degrees at Anoushka’s Yoga but you will soon build up plenty of internal heat. From the start, even simple breathing exercises will help improve lung capacity and performance in other sports such as running or football, and then when we come to hamstring stretches, most guys quickly realise how tight they are in that area, and how even a little bit of loosening can really increase mobility.
So come and try it out. If you are scared you are going to be the only guy in the class….well rise up to the challenge and enjoy or check out yoga buddies united on facebook!
Oh, and we did have one guy in the class the other day shout out in ’crow’ - ”I’m doing it”……us ladies all applauded!! (you know who you are!!!!!)
Tags: yoga
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