Retreat! Retreat!

10 Reasons To Go On A Yoga Retreat

By Gigi Yogini via Mindbodygreen

Going on my first yoga retreat five years ago was a major turning point in my life. So much so that now I lead yoga adventures for others around the world in places like Joshua Tree, Costa Rica and Bali. These are truly transformative experiences and I believe that anyone who enjoys a lifestyle of health and wellness can greatly benefit from a yoga retreat. 

Here Are 10 Reasons to Go on a Yoga Retreat:

1. You'll take your yoga to the next level. 

Practicing yoga regularly can be challenging if you have a busy schedule. But when you’re on a retreat, chances are you’ll have 2 classes offered a day, which will ensure your progress and you will see the positive effects more quickly.

2. You'll get a new perspective. 

Going to a new place creates an opportunity to see the world, and yourself, in a new light. Experiencing the unknown is an accelerated way to grow and learn. 

3. You'll *actually* meditate. 

When you have extended free time, it’s a lot easier to meditate. No cell phone buzzing or boss reminding you about deadlines. On retreats, it feels a lot more natural to breathe deeply and be present in the moment.

4. You'll detox digitally. 

One of my favorite things about a retreat is shutting off my technology. While lots of resorts have wifi, you don’t feel the need to constantly tweet, text, update facebook or call friends. It feels good to unplug.

5. You'll relax and de-stress. 

Sometimes we have to be far from home to give ourselves the permission to truly relax. Being on a retreat allows you to listen to your body, rest when you need it, and be free from stress.

6. You'll eat well without having to do all the work. 

If your retreat is all inclusive, you get three healthy and delicious meals a day without the need to find recipes, go grocery shopping, prepare the food, or clean up. Getting the nutrition you need has never been easier. All the work is done for you.

7. You'll replace old habits. 

The best way to break a bad habit is to replace it with a new healthy one. When you get out of your regular routine for a week, you can replace unhealthy habits with conscious new behaviors that support you in being your best self.

8. You'll make new friends. 

Undeniably, you will meet individuals with similar interests. Even if you go alone (which I did my first time), you have a chance to make friends with people from around the world who you might know for the rest of your life. 

9. You'll appreciate home. 

While a week in paradise is always nice, we often come home with a refreshed appreciation for life. You feel happier, healthier, and re-energized to jump back into your routine with new vigor. Heck, it might even feel fun. 

10. Because you deserve it! 

Thoreau said: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” While this quote might be on your refrigerator, chances are you make excuses about why you can’t YET. Often times the excuses are about money, time or circumstances but guess what, you deserve a break. You work hard for a reason and you can always find reasons why you should or should not do something. The key to happiness is deciding what you really want and making it happen. No excuses. You deserve to invest in yourself.

Last Week I've Been Visiting... Tilton House, nr Lewes, East Sussex

Having just returned from my own yoga retreat, I can wholeheartedly agree with the above article. 14 wonderful yogis joined me for a weekend of yoga, delicious vegetarian food, fresh air and time to relax. Tilton House in East Sussex is a Georgian house on the Charleston estate which hosts yoga retreats throughout the year. The yoga takes place in a yurt - a big Mongolian circular tent - in the beautiful garden, and the accommodation is in shared rooms in the house. Old friends were reunited and new friendships forged as we practiced our yoga, ate together in the lovely big kitchen, basked in the sunshine, walked up the hill behind the house to see the sea and had lots of time to just sit and chat. Bliss!

If you feel like a yoga retreat would be just the way to spend a weekend, or even a week, take a look at the holidays these websites have to offer:

www.freespirityoga.co.uk

www.yogaonashoestring.com

Dates for my next two weekend retreats at Tilton House in 2015 will be posted in September, so maybe you could join me next year?

The front of the house

The back of the house

Inside the Yurt

Take Your Mat Outside

If a yoga retreat just isn't a possibility in the near future, you can give yourself, and your yoga, a new perspective by practicing outside. Unrolling your mat in the garden will bring you a few new challenges - an uneven surface beneath your feet, the sounds of your community might distract you and the odd insect buzzing by - but it will offer rewards too.  You'll feel the sun on your skin (an extra dose of Vitamin D), really take notice of blades of grass and daisies in the lawn as you do your Cobra pose, hear the birds singing and, during your Savasana, you'll take the time to lie on your back, connected to the earth, looking at the clouds in the sky like you did when you were a child. 

This Week I'm Making... Space in my Inbox!

My Inbox reached critical mass this week with the grand total of 2119 emails!!! Many of them, from companies from which I had once bought something, had not even been opened but most had been read and dealt with but not deleted or filed.  It was a task that I knew I had to deal with but had been putting off because it would take a few hours - hours which I'd rather spend elsewhere!

I'm aware that this is the antithesis of my yoga weekend, but maintenance tasks need to be done so that life flows as smoothly as possible and doesn't degenerate into chaos. So, with a real effort to stay focused and not get distracted, I spent 3 hours clearing my Inbox down to just 15 emails!!  

Rather than just leaving it to fill straight back up again, I spent a bit more time doing something I never usually find the time to do - unsubscribing from all those unwanted communications from companies trying to sell me something.  

I don't think I realised just how much it was niggling me, just under the surface of my awareness, knowing all those emails were waiting for me to do something with them. Now that feeling is gone and I feel clearer, satisfied that I have taken action, and with good intentions to not let my Inbox get quite so full again!

This Week I'm Picking... my first bunch of flowers from the garden

Sweet Peas, Lavender, Scabious and Lychnis

Growing Through Yoga and Mowing The Grass

When you have been practicing with a yoga teacher for a while it can be useful to take a class with another teacher. You'll hear instructions explained in a different way and may find that hearing these new cues leads to a new understanding of a pose. This article, from the Triyoga yoga studio blog, shares some alignment tips for common problems encountered in yoga. I hope you find it insightful and that's it helps you become more mindful of your body during your practice.

Anatomy in Motion: 5 problems in practice
When practicing, especially within certain postures, we become aware of different niggles and aches within the body. Through breathing and adjustment we can ease these sensations, but it's important to be aware of the potential long-term damage that can be caused if we do not address them properly. Osteopath and Naturopath Tim Goullet discusses the top 5 body problems encountered during yoga practice; from tight ham strings to reining in hyper-mobility, Tim shows us how small adjustments can make a big difference.

Stiff Hamstrings

Some people are born with stiff hamstrings and some people create them with their exercise and lifestyle. Walking more, sitting less in chairs and more on the floor is a good start to helping matters.

Our hamstring muscles (the ones at the back of the thigh) actually function as a physiological break to uncontrolled forward bending (so we don't drop our head onto our shins!) and are primary muscles to bring us back up again - their evolutionary claim to fame along with the help of the powerful gluteal muscles!

What's important is that, if your hamstrings are particularly stiff, you don't transfer stress to the lower back when forward bending. A standing forward bend performed by hanging forward with a rounded back and locked (sometimes hyperextended) knees with hands nowhere near the floor is a common problem. This position held in the hope that "one day" the hamstrings will magically lengthen another 50% actually places stress on the lower back structures. It over stretches the ligaments actually weakens the back muscles and most importantly, places strain on the intervertebral discs.

The alternative? BEGIN the forward bend with bent knees and seek to create contact between the lower ribs and thighs. This position is protective for the lower back. When hands can reach the floor, again there is less stress on the lower back. From this safe position, a gradual squeezing of the front thigh muscles (keeping the ribs in contact) will begin to challenge the hamstrings to lengthen in a position which is safe. The hamstrings are more likely to respond to a stretching stimulus in this position as they are not working to support the body weight. In a way, the nervous system is informing the hamstrings that they can relax. When the body is suspended as in the first example, the direction from the nervous system is completely the opposite - "don't let go!"

Hyper-mobility of the Pelvic Joints and Ankles

Hyper mobility can be addressed very well by intelligently changing the way you practice:

- Don't stretch to your maximum - 70-80% will prevent you making matters worse.
- Slow down your movements so your muscles need to work harder, thereby building "useable strength" - strength specific to the movements you are doing.
- Hold postures for longer. For hyper mobile ankles, one legged standing balances are great.

For pelvic joints, standing postures where the hips are open are excellent, for example warrior 2

Pain in the Lower Back

Pain in the lower back has many causes. In yoga practitioners, it is often caused through excessive and repetitive back bending of a specific area of the lumbar spine - in other words, doing most of the pivoting from a single vertebral segment. This is most common in the "small" of the back around L2/3 which is the apex of the lumbar curve in most people. How can you help this problem?
Firstly, reduce the extent of the whole movement and go back to basics.
Secondly, draw the tailbone downwards to lengthen the lumbar curve and the pubic bone upwards to engage the rectus abdominus.
Thirdly, try to integrate the thoracic curve into the back bend so it looks more like a globalised smooth arc than a local hinge.

Knee Pain

Knee problems can really take the pleasure away from a yoga practice. Better prevention than cure!

If you feel ANY sensation in your knees while practising, it is best to back off. Go and see a qualified professional and have the problem assessed, preferably by someone who is familiar with yoga. Timing is important and may stop a minor problem becoming a major one.
Usually knee problems have their origin in the hips, especially with yoga practitioners. If you have a hip that is much stiffer than the other side (or 2 stiff ones if you're unlucky!), be very careful in hip opening postures like baddha konasana, janu sirsasana and padmasana. Take things slowly and always back away from unusual sensations in the knee. The cartilage inside - the meniscus - does not like being twisted and can tear. Working towards these postures carefully and patiently will keep the surgeon away!

Recurrent Twinges in the Hip and Groin Area

Intermittent, recurrent pains in and around the hip usually has a direct relationship to your spine. If your spine leans slightly to one side, that hip will get stiffer over time as its taking more weight. Good treatment will almost certainly help. From a technique point of view - check your squat in a mirror. If you tend to shift off to one side, you need treatment to balance the spine and hips.
If your knees tend to collapse inwards, you may find this is also happening in the classical lunge type asanas such as the front leg in warrior 1 and 2. This can be a source of groin pain. It is made worse the deeper the angle at the body and hip.

Some tips to avoid this issue:

- Rising up a bit in postures helps.
- Pressing down the little toe helps to activate the lateral muscles of the hip and leg to restore good alignment.
- Golden rule: knees over toes! 

This Week I've Been Making...Peppers in Balsamic Vinegar

I've been reading Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes (you may have heard of it - apparently it was made into a film with Diane Lane). It's the tale of a couple who restore an old stone farmhouse in Tuscany. I've enjoyed the descriptions of the simple pleasures Frances Mayes took in her new surroundings - shopping daily at markets, the smell of ripe peaches in a bowl on the kitchen counter and the slower pace of life the locals lead. She is a cook too and shares some of her recipes in the centre of the book. I was inspired to try the Peppers in Balsamic Vinegar, partly because I'm always looking for things to add to a salad and partly by the fact that this recipe has just 3 ingredients!

You'll need: a quarter of a cup of Balsamic Vinegar, a little olive oil, and 3 peppers - red, green and yellow 

Here's how to do it: 

De-seed and slice the peppers. Put a little olive oil in a pan on a low heat and add the peppers. Stir and add the Balsamic Vinegar. Leave on a very low heat for about an hour. The peppers should be almost "melting" (Frances Mayes' description). If the mixture is looking dry at any time add a little more oil and vinegar. That's it - couldn't be easier! And very good when added to my mixed salad and cous-cous.

This Week I've Been Visiting... Tibits, Heddon Place, off Regent Street, London W1B 4DA http://www.tibits.ch/en/restaurants.html 

I just discovered this little gem of a restaurant thanks to a recommendation from one of my students.  Tucked away in a little enclave just off Regent Street, I've probably walked past it many times but never noticed it. The fresh, home-cooked vegetarian food is served at a buffet table, where you choose a spoonful of this and a spoonful of that and a little of what takes your fancy. As a long-time vegetarian it's an absolute pleasure to have such a choice of delicious vegetarian food - salads, hot dishes and soups as well as juices and creative desserts. You load up your plate and take it to the till where you are charged by the weight of your food! This yummy plateful cost me £7.90.

Inside the restaurant

This Week I've Been Growing...Grass

I love, love, love summer. The long evenings, warm air, blue sky and sunshine lift my soul. But the lovely warmth and all the rain we've had means the grass is growing at an alarming rate. I don't mind mowing the grass though, it's like a walking meditation giving me time to think. I enjoy the simple rhythm of the task and I love the smell too. If I'm ever feeling a little unsatisfied or niggly with things I find that cutting the grass gives a me great sense of satisfaction. If there is time to cut the edges of the lawn too it gives a neat finish which adds to the feeling of a job well done. I recommend thinking about mowing not as a chore, but more as therapy - you feel better and the garden looks better too.

Late Nights and Early Mornings

I'm tired. I've had a week of late nights and early mornings and it really doesn't agree with me. I should know better. After all, the yogic path promotes self-compassion and non-harming (Ahimsa) and I'm always reminding my students to take care of themselves. But somehow life just took over and before I knew it I'd committed myself to following through on a project and said yes to one too many social engagements. I was busy at both ends of the day and just not getting enough sleep. 

Although the remedy of going to bed earlier is simple, it's not always easy to implement. However, having read the following articles I've already made some adjustments to my bedtime and morning routines and have set some intentions for better self-care this week. 

If you're burning the candle at both ends maybe these practical tips will help you make sleep a higher priority in your life too.

7 Ways to Get to Bed Earlier

via Huffington Post

We know that there are many health benefits of getting enough shuteye, and that the negative impacts of sleep deprivation can be severe. When it comes to turning off the TV or iPad, setting aside our work, and tucking in at 10 p.m., though, many of us have a tough time actually making it happen.

But when the morning alarm clock time is finite, shifting your night time routine to head to bed earlier can benefit your overall health and well-being by improving sleep quality and ensuring you get the recommended seven to eight hours you need. It could also have implications for your heart health: A 2009 Japanese study found that male workers who consistently went to bed before midnight had healthier coronary arteries than those who went to be after midnight, according to an ABC News report. Although the exact reasons are not yet exactly understood, sleep specialist Michael Breus, Ph.D., tells the Huffington Post that an earlier-to-bed schedule could be healthier.

"We do know that people who are night owls and shift workers do have more medical and mental health problems, but we do not know if this is just the genetic makeup of night owls or that those who stay up late have these issues," Breus says. "One reason that works for everyone is early risers get more sunlight and that helps for Vitamin D, and resetting the biological clock."

1. Set An Electronic Curfew

A National Sleep Foundation poll found that 95 percent of Americans use electronic devices within an hour of going to sleep at least a few nights a week -- and their sleep may be suffering because of it. Make a rule to keep technology out of your bed, and turn off all devices at least an hour before bedtime, Breus suggests. Exposure to bright artificial lighting can make it more difficult to fall asleep, and you may spend more time on the devices than you intended, thereby pushing back your bedtime. "Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour, making it more difficult to fall asleep," Charles Czeisler, Ph.D., M.D., told Reuters in 2011. "Light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep." 

2. Keep a Worry Journal 

Many of us lie in bed tossing and turning because our minds are still very much awake, tallying all the things we still need to do. Set aside time during the evening to create a to-do list, fill in your calendar with upcoming events, or write down any thoughts that are causing you worry, Breus suggests. Clearing your mind of clutter before bed can help you ease into sleep. "I call this technique a worry journal," Breus says. "It is very effective."

3. Set An Alarm -- At Night

Bedtimes aren't just for kids! Decide on and stick to a regular bedtime -- one that will allow you as much sleep as you need to feel your best. If it helps, set an alarm clock in your bedroom or an alert on your phone to remind you 15 minutes prior to your tuck-in time. "Setting an alarm to remind you when to go to bed is very helpful," says Dr. Breus.

  

4. Leave Work At The Office

Unsurprisingly, the use of communication technology before bedtime can lead to inadequate sleep during the week, according to a National Sleep Foundation survey. With the growth of 24/7 connectivity, increasing numbers of American workers are working into their evenings and weekends, completing unfinished projects and sending emails from their smartphones. According to a survey by Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow, 90 percent of managers put in 50 or more hours of work per week, and 62 percent check their smartphone before going to bed. Set a time in the evening to power off -- and leave your email for the next morning. You may even find that it boosts your productivity.

5. Exercise Earlier In The Day

Exercise and sleep are two pillars of health that go hand-in-hand. According to a National Sleep Foundation poll, exercisers report better sleep than non-exercisers. And those who exercise early in the day rather than at night may enjoy the best quality sleep -- and find it easier to shift their bedtime and waking times earlier. Working out at least four hours before you hit the hay can help you to feel naturally tired at the end of the day, and to fall asleep faster. Moving your workout to the morning or afternoon, instead of after work or dinner, will also free up time in the evening.

6. Start A Routine

Getting ready for bed earlier in the evening -- washing up, putting on pajamas, and unwinding with restful activities -- could help put the body into a state of calm. "It is amazing to me how many parents will have set patterns for their children (e.g. bath, pajamas, three picture books, a quick back scratch and then lights out/parents exit), but none for themselves," Chris Winter, M.D., medical director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center, told HuffPost. Setting up a routine and sticking to it every night will train your body to anticipate sleep at that time.

7. Go To Bed When You're Tired

Pushing yourself to stay up later when the body feels tired might result in a temporary energy boost, but you won't feel so good the next day if you wait for a late-night burst of energy. "Go to bed when you are tired," Breus says. "Do not push through and catch your second wind -- it will keep you up for three hours."

Creating a Lovely Morning

by Leo Babauta from zenhabits.net 

‘When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.’ ~Marcus Aurelius

When I wake in the morning, my mind slowly gathers, and I begin to move, the early morning light just starting to seep in. I have a glass of water, start the coffee, then meditate. Then I enjoy the coffee, a good book, and the quiet before the dust and din and steam of the day begins. Then I write. This is my Lovely Morning, and I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from it.

It wasn’t always this way: I used to wake later, rush through a grumpy routine before diving into email and work and errands and meetings. It was frenetic and dreadful, but that was my life, and I didn’t think it would change. I was wrong. I’ve changed my mornings for the better, with a few simple ideas. I’ll share them with you here, and if you begin to enjoy the peace of your mornings more, send a smile my in my general direction.

1. Wake a little earlier. If your mornings are rushed, the simple solution is to get up a bit earlier. This means going to bed a bit earlier too. Do it gradually, just 10 minutes earlier a week, and you’ll barely notice the change.

2. Keep things simple. One of my early mistakes was trying to fit too much into the mornings — I wanted to meditate and work out and read and write and journal, and it turns out I couldn’t do all those things. It felt too rigid, too packed. What’s helped me is having a couple things I do early on but not having a lot on my morning agenda, so that I can have space and flexibility. That makes the time much more peaceful and enjoyable. So the meditation and reading and writing are the only things that I do almost every morning, but I let myself be flexible with those too.

3. Have something to look forward to. Don’t pack your mornings full of things you need to do … but do have something you can’t wait to get up and do. For me, that’s reading and writing. For others, morning yoga or painting or reading the paper with coffee might be better. Don’t just have things you think you should do but don’t really want to do.

4. Practice mindfulness. I like to start with meditation (though I do miss some days), because it sets the tone for my morning — one of mindfulness. I then drink my coffee and write and do everything else with a more mindful attitude, noticing when I start to rush and feel stressed, noticing small things that I might miss if I were distracted.

5. Don’t dive into email or little things. Consider this early morning time your sacred space — don’t fill it with junk. Junk includes TV, news, email, social media, apps, etc. Instead, put meaningful things in this sacred space, things that you won’t have time for later. You can always dive into email after an hour (or more) of lovely morning peace.

6. Enjoy the spaces, and pace yourself. This time isn’t just something you fill with things to do … it’s open space. That means the space itself is something to be treasured, not just what you put in it. For example, if you do yoga and read, the morning isn’t just valuable because of the yoga and reading … the space around those two things is also wonderful. The time you’re putting your yoga mat away, getting a cup of coffee, walking to where your book is, sitting and staring at the morning light … these little spaces are just as amazing as anything else. Pace yourself so that you’re not rushing from one thing to the next, but enjoying the spaces.

A Lovely Morning isn’t something that just falls into your lap — it’s created consciously. You don’t have to implement all these ideas at once, but try one or two out and see if your mornings improve. I think you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.

‘Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh


This Week I am Making...a Simple Green Smoothie

Looks weird but tastes great - and it's an easy way to eat an extra portion of oh-so-healthy leafy greens which are so good for the immune system.  

Green smoothies are the latest big thing in the US and the website Simple Green Smoothies tells you everything you need to know about the health benefits, which ingredients work best for smoothies and how to make them.

I've been making green smoothies for a while now and find them nice and filling (they've usually got a banana in them which makes the consistency thicker and differentiates them from a juice). I often have one for breakfast and am now getting quite experimental with my ingredients.  The one I made today was spinach, banana, mango and strawberry. 

Take a look at the website www.simplegreensmoothies.com and then give a green smoothie a try -  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

From this....

...to this!

This Week I'm Visiting... My Local Garden Centre and This Week I'm Growing... My Half-hardy Annuals in the Garden

The time has finally come to plant out my half-hardy plants! Hooray! The danger of frost has passed (at least here in the south-east of the UK) so all the plants which originate from warmer climes and would die if they got frosted can now go into the garden.

This means a trip to the garden centre to buy many bags of potting compost and many trays of half-hardy annuals to make my garden colourful this summer.

I might have got a little carried away...

These half-hardy annuals are brilliant for filling pots and hanging baskets which, if you water them every day and feed them once a week, will reward you with flowers right through to November. Even one pot by your front door (where you're much less likely to forget to water it) will brighten up your garden and make it feel summery.

I'm going to be really disciplined this year and get these babies into the ground within a week! There! I'm committed now I've told you! I have been known, on many occasions, to go mad at the garden centre and then not get round to planting everything for ages. This poor time management leads to anxiety about knowing you really should be out there planting, extra watering because the little pots dry out really quickly and less flowers as the plants can't put down their roots and grow into sturdy, healthy plants if they're stuck in little pots. So for my peace of mind and the plants' wellbeing I'll be spending a lot of time in the garden this week getting them planted out.

The dahlias that I planted as tubers are ready to go into the ground now too. If you have grown a tall variety they will need some support in the form of a stout stake pushed into the ground next to them. You can then tie the dahlia to the stake with twine to prevent it flopping over if it rains heavily or we have strong winds. 

The chillies that I sowed back in March are ready to go into the garden now too. They'll need a sunny, warm, protected spot and lots of water to give the best crop of chillies at the end of the summer.

There's lots to do at this time of the year, but it's very rewarding. Even if you only have one little pot in your garden this year, it can bring you simple pleasures as you look at the different shapes and textures of the flowers, enjoy their scent and watch the insects using your garden as a welcome source of nectar.