“I’d love to do yoga but I’m not flexible enough!” Have you ever heard someone say this? Maybe you’ve even said it yourself! As a yoga teacher every time I hear someone say this it makes me smile and want to tell them they’re missing the whole point of practising yoga! One of the many benefits of practising yoga is...
Continue Reading“Menopause”. There. I’ve said it. It’s a time in life that can be hard to admit, and even harder to accept. A time of change, transition and wisdom. A second Spring. All fine when you feel upbeat and full of energy. But how about the other side of menopause – hot flashes, bloating and weight gain, exhaustion, anxiety and irritability,...
Continue ReadingYoga is accessible to anyone at any age. Despite trendy studio marketing being full of lithe bodies in pretzel-like poses, tanned and adorned in the latest NY yoga gear, the reality is that most yoga classes are comprised of people with different motivation to practice yoga ranging from: “I felt I needed to do something”, and “My doctor said it...
Continue ReadingCould the secret to good health and happiness be linked to your ikigai! Are you living your life’s purpose? The Danish word hygge describes a feeling of coziness. In Sweden lagom means that something is ‘just right’. And have you heard about the popular Japanese concept of ikigai (prounounced ick-ee-guy)? Similar to the French phrase raison d’être meaning ‘a reason...
Continue ReadingWhat is Yin Yoga? Firstly, what are yin and yang? In Chinese philosophy (and traditional Chinese medicine), yin and yang are symbols which are used to describe how seemingly opposite forces may actually be complementary, interconnected and interdependent in the natural world. This concept was developed by observing the environment. ‘Yin’ originally referred to the shady side of a slope,...
Continue ReadingEvery Tuesday morning, the Novara Centre is host to a special gathering of women and their babies who come together to share a yoga practice and much more at their weekly mum & baby class. Passers-by may marvel at the beautiful babies, the cute outfits, the fancy travel systems and colourful slings, but what may not be apparent on the...
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