5 Last Minute Christmas Gifts for a Yogi

Are friends and family still asking you what you'd like for Christmas? If you like the idea of receiving something that will benefit your mind, body and spirit, why not suggest they buy you one of these gifts that any yogi would love to open on Christmas Day?

A New Yoga Mat
I think yoga mats get better with age, but there will come a time sooner or later when you will need to replace yours. If you'd like a good grippy, eco friendly mat take a look at this one on sale at £22 from Ruth White Yoga Products:
http://www.ruthwhiteyoga.com/cgi-bin/rw_product_detail.pl?all|xpmat200|||||

Yoga Clothes
At last there are some interesting yoga clothes arriving on the High Street. After years of black sportswear being the only option, companies such as Reebok and Adidas are starting to produce garments especially for yoga. They are made from modern fabrics that are quick drying, comfortable and colourful. Hooray! Take a look at some of the following links to brighten up your yoga wardrobe in 2015.

http://www.reebok.co.uk/yoga-clothing

http://www.adidas.co.uk/yoga

http://www.johnlewis.com/search/yoga-wear/8000011414-women's+yoga+%26+pilates+wear=department

http://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Yoga+Tops+and+T-Shirts/2361,default,sc.html

A Guide to Yoga
How about a book? It's useful to have a good guidebook to help you with your home practice, but there are so many available it's difficult to know which to choose.  "Yoga for You: A Step By Step Guide For Yoga at Home For Everybody" by Tara Fraser covers the basic postures, pranayama, meditation, diet and a little of the history and philosophy of yoga in a clear and easy-to-read way.  It also offers some sequences for you to follow. It's available on Amazon for £9.74 -  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yoga-Healthy-Living-Step---step/dp/1844835987/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418733233&sr=1-1&keywords=yoga+books#customerReviews

Yoga Extras 
For any little extras to enhance your yoga practice, such as incense sticks, eye pillows, blocks and belts, look no further than Yogamatters. This online company, dedicated to all things yogic, also sells clothing, mats, books and DVDs so you're sure to find something you'd love to receive to enhance your practice here.

Every Body Deserves a Massage
Massage is not only beneficial for your body as it melts away knots of tension, enhances the immune system by stimulating lymph and improves the condition of the skin, but it also sends a clear message to your subconscious that you are taking some time out to care for yourself. We could all do with a little more affirmation that we are worth it and that our wellbeing needs to be top of the priority list.

If you'd like a gift for your body, mind and spirit ask your nearest and dearest to give you a voucher for a massage. Click here for an article from WikiHow about how to choose a massage therapist, but if you live near me in the Leatherhead area of Surrey, I can recommend local therapist Penny Bedford. If you'd like more details, prices or to arrange a voucher before Christmas please contact Penny at penny.bedford@btinternet.com. 

This Week I'm Making... Glittery Tea-light Holders

Go dig out those jam jars that were going out to the recycling bin and give them another purpose. It's really simple and satisfying to make these sparkly tea-light holders to light up your Christmas.

You will need: a jam jar, some glue and/or some double-sided sticky tape, some glitter and a tea-light.

The outside of the small jar on the left was painted all over with a thin film of glue then sprinkled with glitter. When it was dry, I gently dusted off any excess glitter that wasn't stuck down. I wrapped the larger jar with 2 strips of double-sided sticky tape and also cut a little heart shape too. I sprinkled the glitter over the double-sided tape and brushed off the excess and voila!

Oooh! Pretty!

Warning: the jars get very hot, so do stand them on something heat-proof so they don't leave a mark, and, as always, take care when using candles.

This Week I'm Visiting... Organico, Epsom

1 King's Shade Walk, by the Clock Tower, Epsom

This photo's a bit blurry but it gives you
some idea of what the inside looks like

Juices and Smoothies menu

Organico is a health food shop situated by the Clock Tower in Epsom. Although it has been open for 7 months, it is new to me and I had a great time looking at what it has to offer. The shelves were stocked with a wide range of dry goods including the most varied range of nut butters I've ever seen (pumpkin seed butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter and more!). It also sells some fresh organic fruit and vegetables, breads and fresh juices and smoothies too. I filled my basket with coconut yoghurt, maple syrup, almond oil (to use as a body moisturiser), bread, chickpea flour and enjoyed a take-away apple, carrot and ginger juice. If you're in Epsom do pay them a visit and help get your 2015 off to a healthy start.

This Week I'm Growing...Amaryllis 

I buy my mum an Amaryllis (proper name Hippeastrum) for Christmas every year and thought I'd grow one myself too this time. These bulbs are seriously large, i.e. the size of your hand, and are therefore not cheap - I paid £8 each - but they make a fabulous spring display that will last for ages so they're worth it. 

Amaryllis like to be in quite a small pot, with good drainage, and planted with two-thirds of the bulb below the surface of the compost and a third sticking up above it. They like to be kept moist and are happy on a warm, bright windowsill. The stems grow rapidly and so tall that they might need staking with a cane to keep the heavy flower-heads upright.

The bulbs are available in the garden centres now. Plant them as soon as possible and you'll have amazing flowers in time for Easter.

Finally...

In my yoga classes last week we practiced a Gratitude Meditation, A number of people commented on it so I thought I'd share it with you here:

Practicing gratitude is a really useful tool. It can take you from difficult dark places in your life to the light and wonderful moments.

When you are in a stressful situation you can often feel ingratitude, resentment, anger and blame. These negative addictive thoughts activate the chemicals in the body which damage and depress the immune system. If you can become aware of these negative thoughts you can change them. It's not easy as they are a habit. But if you can create a new habit of being grateful you can switch your focus from negative to positive. It won't mean that challenging things won't happen in your life, but it will shift your attitude towards them. 

Remember how you felt when you were in a beautiful place on a beautiful day. Remember being in the company of good friends, remember the feeling of getting into bed after a long and tiring day. Remember when someone made you a cup of tea, when someone in your family gave you a spontaneous hug.

These little things are easy to overlook yet they connect us to the world and make us aware of and appreciate all the many good things in our lives.

Take a moment to bring to mind 3 things you have in your life right now that you are grateful for, then find 3 more tomorrow, and the day after and so on until you create a new habit.