Anxiety or back pain getting you down? You need to read this!
“Yoga has a sly, clever way of short circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety. “ - Baxter Bell.
Did you know that practicing yoga postures gives the brain a really good workout and can actually rewire the brain?!
New circuits are formed allowing you to better control and direct your thought patterns towards the positive rather than the negative. This explains why yoga appears to curtail anxiety and depression.
If we 'exercise' our brain as we do when we practice yoga, we create better connections within the logical brain. These stronger connections help to curtail the emotional brain from going into overdrive which is important as the emotional brain is responsible for triggering our stress response. And so not only does a regular yoga practice help with anxiety and depression but it also has an important role to play in reducing stress.
And why is it so important that we reduce stress? Well apart from the fact that neuro imaging has shown that stress actually shrinks the brain, a new biology called Epigenetics has shown that contrary to what we had previously thought, only 10% of illness is related to our genes and 90% is related to stress, which is essentially the mind over-working.
So if you needed any more convincing to start your yoga journey then there it is! Book now for Autumn Term then look forward to a healthier, happier version of you!
Remember that if you have to miss a class you can make it up by attending any other class during that same term.
Autumn Class Schedule:
Sundays 11am Harrow Arts Centre, 6 weeks (£60) - 22nd Oct
Sundays 12.15pm (Intermediate) Harrow Arts Centre, 6 weeks (£60) - 22nd Oct
Tuesdays 7.30pm Whitmore School, 7 weeks (£70) - 31st Oct
Wednesdays 10.30am Harrow Arts Centre, 5 weeks (£50) - 18th Oct
Fridays 10.30am YMCA Harrow, 5 weeks (£50) - 20th Oct
Most classes are reaching full capacity so don't delay and book now for Autumn Term.
Pose of the Month - Supine Spinal Twist
In my book, this pose is right up there in the top 3 for easing back pain. Supine spinal twist or Supta Jathara Parivatanasana not only feels amazing but is an effective, gentle, passive pose for opening up the spine and flooding each of the intervertebral disks with fresh oxygenated blood.
Science has shown that yoga can help the counteract the deterioration of the disks or watery cushions that lie between the vertebrae, allowing them to move smoothly. The belief is that the flexing and bending and repeated tensing and compression of the disks, allows nutrients to absorb into the disks which can limit the aging of the spine.
We practice this pose safely in every class and it's one that I encourage my students to take away with them and practice every day at home too, especially if they suffer with back pain.
Come along to class and I will work with you to gradually build your confidence in the postures that work for your body, with the aim of equipping you with your own home yoga practice, so that yoga can become a part of your everyday life!
Autumn Equinox Restorative Yoga - Saturday 23rd September
Autumn equinox is a time for new beginnings, a punctuation point between seasons and a call for self-care. Come and join us for this gorgeous restorative, floor based, yin-style workshop where together we will move consciously from one season to the next, clearing away any mental and physical blockages and setting a new intention for the next chapter of the year. Perfect for complete beginners, improvers and athletes alike, this unique, one-off class is designed to centre you for the Autumn season to come. An opportunity to pause and reset your rhythm, get back in sync with nature and to rebalance.
This practice is designed to restore the nervous system and help release deeply held tensions from the body and mind. We'll use props to support the postures, while gently stretching and strengthening the body. Book here.
If you haven't yet made it to a class and are still not convinced that yoga is for you then be sure to take a look at the reviews!
I look forward to seeing you on the yoga mat soon.
- Namaste -
Isabelle
Respira Yoga London
http://www.respirayoga.co.uk Mob: 07990 820112
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