Look Up, Look Down for a Different View of the World - part 2

In my last blog post I wrote about how holidays help us to notice our surroundings more and that the unfamiliar sights such as beautiful views, sunsets and different flora and fauna present us with feelings of awe and wonder that are often missing from our daily routine. 

Although we use the words 'awesome' and 'wonderful' often as we speak, awe and wonder in their truest sense are more rarely experienced. To me the word 'awe' brings to mind things on a grand, majestic scale. Things that make my jaw drop open, things I cannot begin to understand and am content not to even try to, a deep respect for the power of whatever it is I am looking at. So often these things are connected with the natural world - watching a storm, standing at the top of a mountain, seeing pictures of a nebula, super-nova or other cosmic events. 

The word 'wonder' seems to me to be a softer word - there is less jaw-drop and more contented smile, less of the slight frisson of fear of power and more heartfelt warmth. Think holding a newborn baby, seeing baby birds take their first flight or watching a sunset.

Look out for these occurrences of awe and wonder in your life. They are there, alongside the daily routine, if we choose to see them. I'm in awe of the many physical feats of endurance at the Olympics at the moment, and I'm sure I'll experience it again when I watch the determination of the athletes at the Paralympics next month, and I'll experience wonder the very next time I step into my garden and pick some flowers. Where will you find awe and wonder waiting for you?

Continuing my series of doing things I've never done before in my 50th year...

52 @ 50 no. 8 - Whale Watching

I've always wanted to do this! I have an early memory of standing under the skeleton and model of the blue whale in the Natural History museum and wanting to see a real one, and on my recent trip I was able to fulfill this wish.

Monterey in California is the perfect place to see whales. Close to the shore the sea bed drops away to form a canyon deeper than the Grand Canyon. It's nutrient-rich waters are teeming with krill which in turn support many types of whale as they migrate along the coast. 

Our boat trip lasted for two and a half hours and, although the cloudy weather made for a smoother passage, it was really cold despite our extra layers of warm clothes. Our discomfort was worth it when, about half an hour out to sea our guide pointed out our first whale. Initially spotted by it's blow - the spout of air and water vapour that is expelled through the blowhole as the whale reaches the surface - this is shortly followed by a view of the fin as the whale starts to dive down again. Blue whales have a tiny fin and do not lift their tail (fluke) out of the water as they dive. Therefore, you can't actually see much of them above the surface but, when they come close to the boat, you can get a sense of just how enormous they are. The humpback whales lift their tail as they dive back down and although I didn't take many photos I did manage to get this one:

Woo hoo! It was awesome! Really, it was!

52 @ 50 no. 9 - Hiking in Yosemite - Face to Face with Awe and Wonder

I bought a magazine to read on the plane on the way to the US. It's not your usual WHSmith magazine - it's an independent publication that I found in a shop in Covent Garden. Its colourful cover and its name, Flow, caught my eye as I'm attracted to anything to do with the concept of 'flow' - how life travels along, sometimes smoothly and at an even pace and sometimes tumultuously and over the rocks. The first article I read was entitled 24 Hours of Nature and it was about going on a Muir Trek in the Netherlands. Apparently a 'Muir Trek' is a day of wandering through nature, from sunrise to sundown, with no plan, no telephone and no watch.

This paragraph from the article explains its origins:

John Muir (1838-1914) was a Scottish-born American naturalist, writer and environmentalist. He walked alone through the great outdoors, driven by enormous curiosity. He didn't think twice about going into the woods, especially in storms with thunder and lightning, and watching the forces of nature from the top of a tree. Muir also loved small patches of nature, like his backyard, and he was convinced that a person could find peace and inspiration in nature. He was one of the first to actively plead for preservation of the natural areas in the American wilderness. His letters, books and essays about nature are read by an international audience of millions.

He wrote:

"As long as I live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I'll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storms and avalanche. I'll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can."

Synchronicity was in play when we arrived at Yosemite National Park and found that the John Muir Trail (200+ miles of wilderness trek ending at Mt Whitney, the US's highest peak) starts right there. 

Our visit to Yosemite was, indeed, awesome. Huge granite cliffs rise from the valley floor, and waterfalls drop back down again. Lush meadows in the valley and easy trails make a good place to start exploring the area before hiking up the many steeper paths to one of the viewpoints which offer glorious panoramas. From Sentinel Rock, at 2,145m (7,038ft) you have a 360 degree, truly awesome view. It's a great place to do a headstand!!

The excitement of seeing a bobcat calmly trotting past our cabin, and a deer with twin fawns who visited to graze in the morning and the evening, added to the sense of wonder I felt in this place and I would love to return there one day to explore it further.

Upside down on top of the world

Hiking the trail

Evening visitors

Mountain warriors

Tree with a tree

Where in the world are you visiting this summer? If you get a chance when you do your yoga practice on holiday, please take a photo and send it to me to share and inspire others to practice wherever they are. Mat or no mat, yoga kit or no yoga kit, the practice is still the same and so are the benefits to mind, body and spirit. 

Jacqui, steady as a rock in Warrior 2 pose

When we do our yoga we are taking care of ourselves in many ways. But self-care goes further than committing to a regular yoga practice. We all know that our lifestyle choices, such as the food we eat, what we drink, how much sleep we get, etc., play a part in how healthy we are now and will be in the future. At the forefront of new research is the health of the gut, and pro-biotic foods which help to increase the good bacteria in the gut such as saurkraut, kombucha and kefir are becoming more widely available.

This article from the Guardian makes for interesting reading and offers some new views about familiar illnesses and weight gain. It's definitely food for thought....

Is Your Gut Making You Sick?

by Ann Robinson via The Guardian

A gut full of diverse microbes – bacteria, viruses and fungi – is essential for a healthy mind and body. And evidence is growing that our modern diet, overuse of antibiotics and obsession with cleanliness are damaging the diversity of microbes that live in our guts, contributing to a range of conditions including depression, multiple sclerosis, obesity and rheumatoid arthritis.

Microbes live in our guts, bodily fluids, cavities and skin. For every one of our human cells, there’s at least one of them. In an average adult, they weigh in at 1-2kg; similar to our brain. Collectively, they’re called the human microbiota and their genes are the microbiome. Only a few microbes cause disease; most are beneficial and live in peaceful symbiotic coexistence in and on our bodies. We need them and they need us. And if our microbes aren’t healthy, neither are we.

Microbiome and the diet

A healthy microbiome protects against obesity, allergies and diseases as bacteria break down food in the colon, providing energy for themselves and useful byproducts for us. These byproducts are essential components of chemicals that affect mood, appetite, metabolism, inflammation and the immune system. Professor Tim Spector of King’s College London says that variations in the gut microbiome explain, in large part, why our kids are getting fatter and why some individuals gain more weight than others on the same diet. There is no good evidence that we consume more calories or do much less than previous generations, yet people around the world are getting fatter, and Spector says that, while genetics play a part, so does the diversity and types of microbes in the gut.

The gut microbiome is mostly influenced by diet and environment. Babies get their first exposure to bacteria that colonise their guts as they travel down the birth canal. Babies born by caesarean section, as at least a quarter are in the UK, appear to be more prone to obesity. Spector explains that a good diet is a diverse one, with a range of fibre and vegetables including artichokes, leeks, onions and garlic. Polyphenols, found in foods including nuts, seeds, coffee, dark chocolate, red wine, olive oil and berries, are used by microbes as an energy source, with beneficial effects on human immune cells. Foods that nourish the microbiome are called prebiotics, and foods that contain the actual microbes, such as yoghurt and fermented milk called kefir, are called probiotics. Fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi and miso, are combinations of probiotics and prebiotics, known as synbiotics.

Inflammatory arthritis

An international consortium of scientists is studying faecal samples from people with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Bacterial groups that seem to be increased can be isolated and introduced to rodents, triggering the development of arthritis in previously healthy animals. Professor Michael Dustin of the University of Oxford says that the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis is associated with genetic predisposition and environmental factors. “But it’s much easier to modify your microbiota than change your genes,” he says. Tests for rheumatoid arthritis can prove positive several years before symptoms appear, so there’s a window of opportunity to try to stave off the onset of the condition. Using that time to establish a more protective microbiota is one approach being studied. Dustin says that we still don’t know whether dietary changes are enough or whether more radical procedures (such as faecal transplants) are necessary.

Diarrhoea

Changes in the gut microbiome can be very dangerous; people treated with prolonged courses of antibiotics that kill a wide spectrum of bacteria can develop life-threatening diarrhoea due to an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile. Faecal transplants (infusions of donor faeces down a nasal tube or up the rectum into the gut) are used to treat these extremely unwell patients, proving that disruption of the gut microbiome can cause serious illness and restoring it to normal can cure the problem.

Multiple sclerosis

About 100,000 people in the UK live with multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurological condition that can cause problems with vision, balance, sensation and movement. Researchers have found specific changes in the microbiome of people with MS that appear to be linked to changes in their immune function. And drug treatment of MS has also been shown to impact on the gut microbiome. Dr David Schley of the MS Society says: “The link between MS and the bacteria living in our intestines is an exciting area of research. Recent studies in mice have indicated that intestinal microbes could influence symptoms. While this early evidence is intriguing, we need to learn more before we can make recommendations over whether people with MS should make changes to their lifestyle or diet.”

Depression

According to the World Health Organisation, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. So, there is a lot of interest in the role of the gut microbiome in preventing and treating it. Professor John Cryan of University College Cork says: “We now know that good brain health depends on good gut health. The gut microbiome affects every aspect of brain functioning and human behaviour.” Studies have shown that rats with high levels of bifidobacteria in the gut withstand psychological stress better than those with low levels. And it appears that humans do, too; recent human studies from the Cork group in healthy volunteers show increased brain activity (measured by EEG) and reduced levels of stress (measured by rating scales of anxiety and chemicals in the blood, such as cortisol, that rise in response to stress) when people are given demanding tasks to perform.

“We know that the more diverse your microbiome, the less likely you are to be frail or have cognitive impairment. And a diverse diet is what drives a diverse microbiome,” says Cryan. Microbes from the guts of depressed people have been fed to healthy rats, which then develop depression and anxiety-like behaviours. Other healthy rats, fed microbes from the guts of people without depression, remain well.

“It’s an exciting area but we need to find out just how gut bacteria send signals to the brain,” says Cryan. “There’s no downside to recommending a diverse Mediterranean-style diet that includes lots of fibre and cuts down on emulsifiers, processed foods and artificial sweeteners.” Probiotics sold commercially are largely unregulated, are of unknown effectiveness and may not reach the colon alive. “We can’t even be sure a lot of them get past the stomach acid,” he says. But Cryan thinks that within the next five years we will learn a lot more about which specific bacteria are important and we will be able to test our personal microbiota and supplement deficiencies. “It’ll become like getting your cholesterol checked,” he predicts.

This week's recipe... Watercress Soup

This soup (from Jamie Oliver) is so easy and very healthy too - it is rich in Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron and Folic Acid.  It's like a hot green juice! Here's the link to some nutritional information if you'd like to know more about the benefits of watercress.

You will need:

2 potatoes
2 onions
2 cloves of garlic
a little olive oil
400ml stock (I use Marigold Vegetable Bouillon available at most large supermarkets)
3 bunches of watercress

And here's how to make it:

• Peel and chop the potatoes into chunks. 
• Chop the onion and garlic and fry them all gently in the olive oil in a large saucepan until the onions are translucent.
• Add the stock and simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 15 mins).
• Chop the watercress, removing any really large stems. Add to the saucepan and simmer gently for another 3 or 4 minutes.
• When cool enough to do so, blend the soup in a liquidiser ( I use my Nutribullet smoothie-maker which does a brilliant job on blending soups).
• Add back to the saucepan to reheat gently for a couple of minutes.
• Serve with a swirl of Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche.

The recipe says it serves 2-3 but I needed it to feed 4. It makes a thick soup so I diluted it with more water to thin it a little and make it go further - it worked just fine.

And finally....a book recommendation

Uplifted by my time hiking in the mountains, I dug out my copy of Wild by Cheryl Strayed and started reading it again for the second time. Its Cheryl's story about losing everything, and making an impulsive decision to hike 1100 miles through California and Oregon on her own. The book cover says "Strayed's account captures the agonies - both physical and mental - of her incredible journey; how it maddened and terrified her; and how, ultimately, it healed her. Wild is a brutal memoir of survival, grief and redemption - a searing portrayal of life at its lowest ebb and at its highest tide."  If you're looking for something to read this summer I recommend it.

ps. did I mention I loved the sea otters? Here's a cute picture - not one I took but sharing anyway.....

Look Up and Look Down For A Different View of the World - Part 1

Greetings from San Francisco! We've been in California for a week and a half now, driving from Los Angeles up the coast on Highway 1, pausing here for a few days before we travel on to Yosemite National Park. It has been a week of contrasts: from sunshine and blue skies in LA to chilly cloud and fog in San Francisco, and the ocean and beautiful beaches to the left, with sun scorched hills to the right. There's so much to see everywhere I look and many, many things I've never seen before - it's been new experiences all the way.

52 @ 50 no. 7 - Running Over Golden Gate Bridge

Well that was an early morning run with a difference! San Francisco is often cold and cloudy in the mornings and long-sleeved tops were required. Gideon (hubbie) and I ran around the coastal path and then over Golden Gate Bridge into Marin County, pausing at the viewpoint to look across the Bay before crossing back to the City and adding on a few more kilometers in Presidio Park to finish the run.  The towers of the bridge were covered in cloud and looking out to sea there was hardly any visibility at all. The other way, looking inland, was clear and there was a great view of the city. It would have been really easy to stay in bed but I'm so glad I didn't - running across the Golden Gate Bridge was a real experience.

Look Up and Look Down

It's easy to get stuck on "autopilot" in our everyday lives. Through necessity we go through our routines in order to make the most efficient use of our time and get things done. We have rituals in yoga too - clearing a space in our day to practice, clearing a space literally to unroll the mat, the flow of Sun Salutations and pausing at the beginning and the end for centering are all sequences that we repeat regularly. They are soothing and reassuring and help the busy mind to quieten down. But sometimes our routines can feel more like drudgery - the laundry, the commute, work itself - and life can feel a bit dull and uninteresting.

Yoga, meditation and mindfulness remind us to to be present and notice what's around us. To stay curious and interested in life and not to lose the 'joie de vivre'.  It's easy to do this when we are on holiday - there are brand new views, time to sit and relax, and no chores to do - but how to bring this into everyday life? We can do it by paying attention, by looking more closely at familiar things, by looking up at the clouds, the changing light, the stars, and the vastness of the sky above us and by looking down at the earth too, noticing the things that live and grow upon it, noticing the landscapes and how they change with the seasons. In this way we don't take the little things for granted, we appreciate it all. We learn to make a conscious choice of where we place our awareness - on the breath or a mantra in our meditation practice, on the person who is talking to us, on the food we are preparing for our meals, on the natural world outside our front doors,... In this way we become less caught up in the stream of random thoughts that constantly pass through our minds and more deliberate about directing our attention to real life which is unfolding in front of us.

Here are some of my holiday photos so far. There are so many things to look at, so much to take in ....

Looking Up

The moon and a palm tree just after sunset

Los Angeles roof structure

Looking up at an Abutilon flower

My view in Shoulderstand

Interesting architectural design at 

Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art

Look Down

Looking down on Hollywood Boulevard 

Jellyfish at Monterey Aquarium (completely mesmerising and very 

relaxing to watch - this could be a stress relief therapy ...)

Looking down on the very top of a conifer tree 

(I was standing on a flight of stairs)

Looking down into the centre of a flower.

 - it looks like a Protea but I'm not sure... 

 A different view of the world in Handstand 

- by Golden Gate Bridge

So I invite you now to look at your surroundings, wherever you are, a little more closely. What do you see? What do you notice? Look up - what is above you? And look down too and take this moment to change your perspective.

When we are looking up and down, whether on or off the mat, it pays to take care of your neck. It's a delicate structure and the health of it is precious. Here's a great article which explains the muscles of the neck and how to keep it safe as you do your yoga:

Save Your Neck: Practice Wisely to Prevent Pain
By Julie Gudmestad via Yoga Journal

Judging from the complaints of my physical therapy clients, chronic neck tension is a modern American epidemic. Even the more benign consequences—the painful crick in your neck, the dull headache radiating from the back of your skull—can be mighty annoying. The more serious ones, like pinched nerves, arthritis, and damaged discs, can be debilitating.

Fortunately, yoga can do wonders for neck problems while simultaneously teaching safer, healthier posture habits. But some of the poses that can help you, like Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand), can also do harm if performed incorrectly. It’s important to approach them with knowledge of proper alignment.

Let’s take a look at the muscles of the back of the neck. Why do they cause so much trouble, and how can we use yoga to help them function better? The primary muscles of the back of the neck are the levator scapulae, which extend from the cervical (neck) vertebrae to each inner upper scapula (shoulder blade). Lying on top of the levators and also inserting on the shoulder blades are the upper trapezius muscles, which originate on the base of the skull and the neck vertebrae. Together, these muscles lift the scapula and backbend the neck. The levators and trapezius muscles also help to turn the head and sidebend the neck.

The stress of a busy lifestyle with deadlines, difficult people, and lack of sleep certainly tightens neck and jaw muscles. A forward head posture is also a factor for many people. An average head weighs 12 to 15 pounds; when that weight sits forward of the central line of the spine, the muscles on the back of the neck have to work very hard to hold the head up against the pull of gravity.

Whether due to stress or poor head-neck alignment, chronic tightness in the levator scapulae and the upper trapezius can lead to significant neck pain. As the muscles pull down on the base of the skull and upper neck, they also pull up on the scapula. All this adds up to compression on the cervical vertebra. Such tightness and compression can lead to arthritis, cause nerve pressure that makes pain radiate down the arm, and increase the likelihood of neck muscle injuries.

Do No Harm On the Mat

Just as in medicine, a key rule in hatha yoga is “First, do no harm.” It’s crucial to avoid common yoga mistakes that can result in neck injury. If you come to yoga after years of neck tension, the muscles at the back of your neck will probably be quite short and tight, limiting your ability to bring your head toward your chest. Since you need a great deal of this neck flexion to do Shoulderstand, forcing a tight neck into the pose can strain the muscles and ligaments. Even worse, forced flexion can cause cervical vertebrae discs to bulge or herniate, serious injuries that may take many months to heal.

Many people habitually tighten their neck and shoulder muscles when they concentrate, and it’s easy to carry that habit over into yoga. This can be especially true in backbends. Students tend to overcontract the neck, sticking the chin out and up and compressing the back of the neck. This action can result in anunpleasant headache after backbends such as Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Salabhasana (Locust), and Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-Facing Bow). Fortunately, one backbend actually lengthens the back of the neck. Doing Bridge Pose supported on bolsters for a few minutes three or four times a week can help prepare you for Shoulderstand.

Decompress Your Neck

It’s helpful to learn how to relax, lengthen, and decompress your neck before you try to do it in a pose. Here’s a simple exercise to prepare you for keeping your shoulders down and neck relaxed in yoga poses. Hold an object weighing one to two pounds in each hand, letting the weight of the objects pull the shoulder blades down. Make sure that you keep the breastbone lifting up so that the tops of the shoulders don’t pull down and forward, collapsing the chest. Now set the objects down and see if you can find the muscles you need to pull your shoulder blades down just as the weights did.

These muscles are called the lower trapezius. They attach to the vertebrae of the midback and insert on the inner border of the shoulder blades. They are the antagonist muscles to the upper trapezius—in other words, they perform the opposite action—and are very important posture muscles, helping support the spine in the midback. Unfortunately, when the lower traps are too weak to counteract the pull of the stronger and tighter upper traps, the scapulae will tend to ride up, compressing your neck.

Now let’s take these lessons and apply them in an asana. Stand with your legs ready for Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II). Lift your breastbone up and pull the scapula down: This action requires release and lengthening in the upper traps and contraction and firmness in the lower traps. Next, lift your arms out to the sides to shoulder height, turning your palms up. Feel how turning the palms up helps bring the shoulders down and activates the lower traps. Keeping that action and position of the shoulder blades, turn the palms back down; you now have the correct shoulder and arm position for Warrior II and many of the other standing poses.

It is also important to incorporate this action into Headstand, so that you can protect your neck from compression. When you’re upside down, gravity pulls the shoulders toward the ears, so you need extra awareness and strength in the lower traps. While in Headstand, have a helper put a finger on each shoulder blade at the base of the neck and gently draw the fingers away from the floor, lifting your scapulae toward your hips. At first you may get disoriented while upside down, but once you’ve felt the proper direction of lift, you should find it easier to engage your lower traps.

Before you begin working on Headstand, you should probably spend at least several months working on a variety of other poses to strengthen your back and neck muscles and improve the alignment of your spine. It’s also a good idea to be strong in all of the arm and shoulder muscles before trying Headstand. The small cervical vertebrae are designed to support only the weight of the head, but when we do Headstand, they are supporting nearly the full weight of your body. Unless you have developed enough strength in the arm and shoulder muscles to take a little of the weight off your head and to balance the body if it shifts around slightly in Headstand, you can injure your neck. Work often on Downward-Facing Dog and Handstand to build the strength and endurance that will help prepare you for a safer Headstand.

One final thought about Headstand: A normally curved neck will bear the weight of Headstand much more easily and safely than an overly curved or overly flattened neck. To check your own neck curve, stand in front of a mirror. With a normal curve, your chin should be level and you should be looking into your own eyes in the mirror. Put several fingers of one hand across the back of the neck. The tissues there should feel soft, and the neck should curve slightly forward. Now drop your chin and feel how the tissues become hard and the curve flattens. Then lift the chin and feel how the back of the neck compresses.

In Headstand, if your head contacts the floor toward the forehead, your neck curve increases and the back of the neck compresses. If your contact point is toward the back of the head, your neck flattens. When you do Headstand, make sure you are centered on the very middle of your head. Look in a mirror while you’re in Headstand—or have a teacher look at you—and make sure that your eyes look straight ahead, your neck curve is normal, and the back of your neck is soft.

Practicing yoga poses with conscious awareness of your head, neck, and shoulder alignment will help you gradually break the habit of chronic neck tension. The benefits to your health and well-being will be many—and you probably won’t be seeking an appointment with me for a yoga-related neck injury.

Breath-taking Views and Life-Giving Breath

52 @ 50 no. 6 - The Monument

Continuing my series of explorations of things I've never done before, this week I visited The Monument in the City of London. I have been vaguely aware of the Monument all my life, mainly due to there being a tube station on the Circle and District lines of that name, but I didn't know there was public access. 

It was built in 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London and celebrate the rebuilding of the City. The Great Fire began in a baker's house in Pudding Lane on 2nd September 1666 and was finally extinguished 3 days later. Although there was very little loss of life most of the city was destroyed. 

It is 61 metres high (202 feet) which is the exact distance between it and the site in Pudding Lane where the fire began. It has 311 steps and a viewing platform. The view from the top is a little obstructed by tower blocks of offices, but looking out over the river towards Tower Bridge offers a great vista and a new perspective of the City of London.

A Place for Quiet Contemplation in the Middle of London

I love walking around our capital city - there's always something interesting to look at.  I came across Inner Space last week - it's a meditation shop in Covent Garden which sells books on spiritual wellbeing and offers many courses and talks on meditation, relaxation and positive thinking. It has a Quiet Room too, where anyone can go between the hours 10.30am and 6pm to sit for a while in contemplation and tranquility. If you ever visit Covent Garden and need somewhere to take 5 minutes away from all the hustle and bustle do take a look inside.

Inner Space, 36 Shorts Gardens, Covent Garden WC2H 9AB

The Quiet Room (plays nice music too)

This Week's Recipe.... Chickpea and Squash Salad

This is a dish from food blogger Ella Woodward's new recipe book 'Deliciously Ella Every Day'. It serves two as a side dish or one as a main. 

You will need: 

120g butternut squash
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
80g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
Large handful of rocket
40g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

For the dressing: 
1 tablespoon olive oil
half a tablespoon apple cider vinegar
half a teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon honey

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas mark 7. Peel the squash, then cut it into small, bite size pieces. Place on a baking tray, brush with olive oil, coat with the paprika, mixed herbs, and a little salt. Bake for 30 mins until tender.

Place the chickpeas on a separate  baking tray, sprinkle with the chilli powder, toss well to coat and bake for 20 minutes until firm but not too crunchy.

Mix together all the dressing ingredients and season with a little salt and lots of pepper.

Once the chickpeas and squash have cooked and cooled, mix them with the rocket and sun dried tomatoes, then pour on the dressing and toss everything together.

Please note: Adjust the spices according to your taste. I found this dish quite spicy so next time I will do half measures of the chilli and paprika.

Your Questions Answered.... Why Do We Breathe Through The Nose In Yoga?

Although exhaling through the mouth can help to release tension in the shoulders, jaw and tongue, breathing through the nose has many more benefits:

- The nasal cavity is lined with tiny hairs which help to filter dust and allergens from the air.

- The nose is lined with mucous membrane which captures germs, and prevents them from being taken into the body.

- Breathing through the nostrils warms the air before it is taken into the lungs.

- There is increased lung movement when breathing through the nostrils, which creates a gentle resistance and strengthens the lungs and helps them become more elastic.

- The airways in the nose are smaller than the throat which therefore helps to slow the breathing down. Slowing down is good - we're always rushing everywhere and not breathing deeply enough so slow it down as much as you can.

- Nasal breathing increases circulation, and blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. When there is proper oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange, the blood will maintain a balanced pH. If carbon dioxide is lost too quickly, as in mouth breathing, oxygen absorption is decreased.

- Increased airflow through the right nostril is associated with increased left brain activity and enhanced verbal performance, whereas increased airflow through the left nostril is associated with increased right brain activity and enhanced spatial performance.

- I am reading an amusing yoga book at the moment called "The Reluctant Yogi" by Carla Mackay and she adds the following benefit of nasal breathing: 'It stops you looking like the village idiot' ;-)

This Week's Musical Offering.... Karuna by Stellamara

I love this track and play it a lot in class. It's 9 minutes long and has a strong, steady rhythm so it's ideal for slow Sun Salutations or a steady flow.

This Week's Video..... 

is very relevant to us in our yoga practice and in life itself. In class we've been practicing handstands this half-term and everyone has progressed at least one step, often more, to I Will Do It. I've seen bodies, confidence and attitudes get stronger - it's awesome :-)