» Listings for 2019

1. yoga and the enrgy body

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 9th Aug 2019

   

   What I love about teaching yoga chakra sequences is that they offer a great opportunity to add focused flavour to the experience. I always like t start with students reclining in savasana and take them through a guided chakra awareness. This involves them becoing aware of the geographical locations of the 7 main chakras in turn starting with the base or root chakra at the base of the trunk known as mooladhara. They are imply looking for any sensations in those areas. 

   It just so hapens that the locations of the chakras happen to be in the same places are there are concentrations of energy and nerve tissue so there is a good chance something will be felt. But it's not guaranteed and some may reveal little or nothing. For a long time I never could feel much in the thrid chakra manipura but yoga helped me to open this chakra over time.

   The second chakra is just inches above the root and in front of the sacrum, then the manipura at the solar plexus behind the navel and on the inside of the spine, thn the heart chakra behind the breast bone, the throat chakra behind the hollow in the throat, thrird eye chakra behind the space just above the eyebrow centre and the crown on the top of the head.

   The asana sequence that follows gradually works through the chakras adopting those postures that help to stimulate and open those areas in turn. Some are chakra specific but the salutaions to the sun can be included as a general overall routine that helps everything.

   I love to use music that relates to the chakras and there is some lovely soothing stuff around and it can be changed discreetly during the sequence to introduce vibrations and even chants that are more appropriate.

   This all adds to the value which is vital to student experience which I value also.

   I have often thought that a yoga teachers spec is to bring as good an experinec as possible to their students and chakra flows give us that great opportunity.

   Barry Todd

2. What's with Past Life Regression?

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 2nd Aug 2019

   There are lots of stories, theories and rock solid beliefs about Past Lives and whether we've lived them or not.  The truth is we simply don't know.  To quote Johnny Nash - "There are more questions than answers and the more we find out the less we know."

   Is it our need to find meaning in our existence?  As with everything where their is a belief without 'proof' then the belief is passionate.  

   When investigated many of the past life stories were found to have  alternative explanations.

   But then most people will remember the case of the twins who had memories of their older siblings that had died in a car crash before they were born.  It seemed like indesputable evidence that they had replaced their siblings and were almost living their lives.

   That seemed to provide the final proof of past lives and it still may do.

   And in those times when children are at their most 'open' and unbiased and receptive.  But this openness often fades and these memories disappear.  Who knows what forgotten thoughts and visions have infiltrated the young mind only to become lost in the sands of time.. 

   However, science, that attempts to look for scientific evidence  without bias and preconceivment, has now proved that some memories of the parent are genetically transferred to the child.

   This finding ties in with Carl Jung and his theory of 'Collective Unconscious'.

   The collective unconscious is a concept refering to the idea that a segment of the deepest unconscious mind is genetically inherited and is not shaped by personal experience.

    According to Jung's teachings, the collective unconscious is common to all human beings and is responsible for a number of deep-seated beliefs and instincts, such as spirituality, sexual behavior, and life and death instincts..

    

   So in the words of Johnny Cash (again) there are more questions than answers and the more we find out the less we know.

    

   One thing is for sure there are mysteries in all of our pasts.

    

   Here is a link to some Stories of Passt Life hypnotic memories and how they panned out.

   https://www.bustle.com/p/are-past-lives-real-these-7-stories-of-alleged-past-life-experiences-from-history-are-chilling-2894272

    

   Have you got a story in your past.?

    

3. 5 Tips for recovering from Cancer

   Posted on 9:35am Monday 20th May 2019

   

    

   5 Tips to Care for Yourself While Recovering from Cancer

    

   Being diagnosed with cancer is one of the most difficult trials a person can experience. The most important thing to know is that you’re not alone. In fact, Cancer Research UK holds that “there are more than 360,000 new cancer cases in the UK every year.”

    

   Though this is likely the most difficult time in your life to focus on yourself, it’s also when it becomes more important than ever. Fostering your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health can improve your quality of life during treatment and aid your recovery. If you’ve recently been given a cancer diagnosis, consider the following five tips to help yourself through the process.

    

   1. Reduce the pain safely

    

   There’s no getting around it — when it comes to cancer and the treatments involved, the pain is real. Obviously, you want to mitigate pain as much as you can, but it’s essential to do so safely. Over-prescription and abuse of pain medications is a severe problem, so be sure to double-check with your doctor about your prescribed amount, never take more than you are prescribed, and stop taking your medications if you ever start to feel uncomfortable or overly sedated.

    

   It’s also worth exploring alternative methods of pain relief. For instance, acupuncture, medicinal plants, and yoga can be helpful in pain management. Hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis have also shown great promise, and might make it easier for you to cope with unpleasant feelings, both physical and emotional. As a supplemental self-therapy, look into CBD oil, which contains cannabinoids to help your body function without causing any psychoactive effects. Research shows that CBD oil can relieve treatment-related symptoms such as anxiety, chronic pain and nausea. The 2019 guide from Remedy Review provides details about some of the top CBD oils on the market.

    

   2. Practice basic self-care

    

   When it comes to self-care, the three most essential factors are diet, exercise and sleep. Treatment will naturally affect how you practice these, but it’s critical that you take care of yourself the best you can during this time because it can help you feel better. Try to eat well by avoiding processed foods, refined sugars and saturated fats. Try to maintain an exercise routine — walking, swimming and yoga are options to consider. Sleep is just as important. Restlessness is common among people with cancer, so try different things for your bedtime routine, and talk to your doctor for additional recommendations.

    

   3. Stay social

    

   Cancer is not something anyone should go through alone. While it can help to have someone with you at treatments, it’s also important to be around people for reasons unrelated to cancer. If you did certain social activities before your diagnosis, try to maintain them as well as you can. Going to movie night or dining out with your friends can help get your mind off cancer and bring a sense of normalcy to your life. Also, going to church functions or taking yoga classes are great ways to foster your spiritual life.

    

   4. Find a hobby

    

   Along with doing activities with other people, it can help to have a hobby that brings you joy. Did you used to enjoy crafts as a kid? Pick it up again and see if your interest is rekindled. Have you always wanted to write but never got around to it? Start a blog and share your story with others. Anything you can do that helps you step away from your daily stresses can be beneficial.

    

   5. Join a support group

    

   Finally, one of the best things you can do for your recovery is to join a support group. These groups can provide a place to share your experiences and get advice for everyday life from people who are either going through the same thing or have been through it before. Many people find that support groups reduce stress and anxiety, as well as improve mood and self-esteem.

    

   If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, it’s important that you give your overall health and well-being some attention. Use pain medication safely and explore alternative treatments. Try to eat well, exercise and sleep, and don’t give up your social life. Lastly, discover a fun hobby to do, and look into support groups. Taking care of yourself will help you maintain a higher quality of life as you navigate this tough time.

    

   Photo Credit: Pixabay

    

    

   Scott Sanders

4. Yoga from Scratch!

   Posted on 12:00pm Sunday 17th Feb 2019

   Yoga from Scratch

   I really enjoy these absolute beginner yoga sesssions as they do what it says on the tin.
   

   The sessions are for absolute beginners! So week one we do a few warm ups, take in some basic yoga breathing and then work gently through some moderate classic yoga poses enabling the students to grown with these essential asanas that can be seen at most yoga classes.

   The instruction is in English! Leaving out the ancient sanskrit (that can come later) and there are alternative or modefied versions of every pose so that no one is left floundering. This makes for greater comfort and allows students to feel confident from the start that yoga meets them at what ever stage they are on the stretchometer.

   There is time for relaxation in the closing 5-10 minutes with guidance on being aware of the passive breath. This helps the budding yogis to get on a new and better footing with their breathing.

   No one is run ragged and everyone's body is allowed to have their old them still in tact while the new them begins to make its early appearance at that all important steady pace.

   Next week will see the simple introduction of the Salutations to the Sun. A neat routine of 12 postures of which only 7 need be learned as 5 are repeated in the closing stages of the flow. This will need to be visited throughout the course (5 weeks) and is a useful well rounded sequence getting to allparts of the body including some toning of the inyternal organs and glands.

   A great way to ease our tense and stiff bodies into something approaching open and flexible.

   Barry Todd (yoga teach)

    

    

   

5. The Roots for Compassion

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 14th Feb 2019

   

   Compassion, tolerance, equality, fair play.  All topics of the moment and called out for by the many.

   But I believe that as with many if not all things missing in our lives, compassion and tolerance begin at home, with your roots.

   Right now I'm not getting all political because that's just too much of a topic to deal with.  I'm talking about something much more basic..  The compassion for fellow human beings, the tolerance of other peoples opinions, no matter how they differ from yours.  Often the people with the big ideas that are so protective of them are the very ones that need to develop more of the tolerance and compassion that they preach  The ones who cry out for tolerance from others are the ones who don't give it out themselves.

   Just imagine what it would be like if all drivers were tolerant and had compassion for their fellow road users!  Much less accidents, much less aggression.  Yet what do we have nowadays more then ever, ducking and diving, crossing lanes pushing in, tail gating, speeding and the rest.  Everyone of those drivers just has no tolerance for the other drivers on the road, no compassion for anyone except their wants and their desires.

   But let's see how this could have become so prevelant . If someone was pretty much ignored as a child but 'bought' with ever more expensive presents and treats then they would learn only to care that they were satisfied and not really care about anyone else. The attidtude of getting to the front of the traffic queue becomes more understandable.  And on a bigger scale the attitude of not  having room for others opinions and ridiculing them would also be to expect everyone to think like you, for  to be different would probably be a little scary for them, as they were programmed into being safe and valued as long as they got what they wanted.

   Therefore if we're expecting compassion and tolerance then we really have to start changing the fundamentals of our lives.  Allowing for people to feel valuable for who they are. Hoping that the people who cannot understand compassion and tolerance might find a way through their blockages.  Starting small and starting in the home.

   And maybe, just maybe there would be less people like the chappie in the picture in need of self worth and a bit of compassion and tolerance.

   The most important thing that anyone can learn in life is to value themselves and as an adult and parent to create self worth in the people you care for.  Unfortunately it is a lucky dip and there are more booby prizes than star prizes.  And the booby prize winners create unrest and havoc or disappear into the nether regions.

   We need some fundamental changes in our society, not to change what we are experiencing now but to change the future quality of life.  And this is just in our small section of the world, our society.

   Let's change from the roots up.  NOW 

   Would appreciate any comments you might have

    

    

6. What is self -hypnosis and what can it help with

   Posted on 9:00am Thursday 17th Jan 2019

   What is hypnosis

   

   There is a lot of mystery and misconception about hypnosis.  So self-hypnosis, if you've listened to the hype, is even more difficult to understand.

   Let me put it simply:

   Imagine a vertical line.  At the top you are wide awake and bursting with energy.  At the bottom yu are in the deepest of your sleep.  Throughout the day and unknowingly we slip up and down that line, mainly around the middle area.  though if we get really excited, stimulated or even fearful we rush up towards the top of the line.  In a similar way we tire and feel ourselves slipping down the line.

   At some point approaching the bottom of that line imagine a place where you are not quite awake and not quite asleep, a place where you can very easily daydream and where sounds and other distractions are less compelling and seem further away than they are.

   You slip quite qickly through this spot when going to sleep and also upon waking.  Some people stay there longer than others and some need more time to 'come round' when the waken.  You could say that place is hypnosis.  It is in that place where you can consciously imagine at your best.  It is almost as though the active side of your mind that is alert and working hard at consciously thinking of anything and everything is quietened.  this leave the other part of your mind, the part that can imagine and daydream more room to take over a little.

   When you are able to access this part of your mind you are also able to recall things that you might think you have forgotten and you may fine that memories or lost thought just pop into your head with the slightest provocation.  Maybe a smell will take your right back to school or a tone of voice, or a random word will be free to conect through those pathways that are normally pushed to the back in the rush of conscious thoughts that are meant to be planning, working out, taking control.  After all isn'r that what we are taught from being very young.?

   What is self-hypnosis?

   Self Hypnosis helps you to devolop a method of entereing into the state of least thought so that you can access your deeper mind.  

   Why would you want to do this? 

   When combined with a few very simple techniques like PMS (Positive Mental Attitude) focusing on outcomes and desires then self-hypnosis can be very beneficial if practised regularly.

   What can it help with?

   Self-hypnosis can help with

   Setting targets, for instance work related or sports related.
   

   Motivation to achieve your targets

   Pain management

   Controlling to some extent unwanted thouoghts

   Self understanding

   Sleep

   and many more things including dealing with illness and discomfort.

   To get the most benefit from self hypnosis you need to develop a knowledge of some useful tools that can ensure you get it right and do not exasperate the condition you are trying to deal with.

   Yu need to ifeally know how to analise yourself a little so that you are developing that understanding that makes the big changes in lifestyles.

   Of course if you just want to use self- hypnosis in its most basic form you can do that too..

   I run self-hypnosis courses reguarly. If youa re interested please contact me and I will let you know when the next one is starting.

   Andrea Lowe, Hypnotherapist/analyst and course tutor