What is yoga nidra?

Yoga nidra is a systematic method inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. The Sanskrit word “nidra” means sleep. In this sense it means active sleep. During the practice of yoga nidra you appear to be asleep but your consciousness functions on a much deeper level of awareness; it is a threshold state between asleep and wakefulness.

I have never done yoga before. Do I need to be bendy to do this?

No, yoga nidra is not a physical form of yoga. In yoga nidra, you are invited to listen to the class instructor as s/he talks you through a script. During the experience, you will lie or sit still in a quiet and dimly lit room. All you need to to do is: i) remain aware, ii) listen to the voice, and iii) enjoy! 

How does yoga nidra "work"?

Between the states of waking and dreaming lies a distinct band of awareness which has been termed the "hypnagogic state". This transient state is characterised by low frequency alpha brain waves. It is accompanied by deep and progressive relaxation and release of muscular and postural tensions, and by loss of awareness of the external environment. In yoga nidra, the practitioner is guided through a script that encourages entry into the hypnagogic state; the brain is isolated and introverted, while maintaining a degree of external awareness by listening to the verbal instructions.

I like to relax with a coffee or in front of the TV. Is it the same?

Drinking a coffee or slouching in front of your favourite TV show can feel like relaxation but it would be more accurate to describe these activities as sensory diversions. They are a temporary diversion from the muscular, mental or emotional tension you have stored, but they do not release you from tension or anxiety.

Do you have to practice yoga nidra regularly for it to "work"?
No. However, like most things, yoga nidra becomes easier with regular practice. If you are familiar with Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, then you will have heard the term "pratyhara", or sense withdrawal. When practised regularly, yoga nidra dissociates your mind from your sensory channels with greater and greater ease. Sense withdrawal can lead to higher states of concentration and inner bliss!

What will I get out of yoga nidra?
In the state of active sleep, your conscious mind can communicate with your subconscious mind spontaneously. The subconscious mind is over 30,000 times more receptive than the conscious mind as it is not restricted by the intellect, conditioning or rational thinking. During yoga nidra, the practitioner often makes a personal and heart-felt resolve or "sankalpa". Once planted deep within the subconscious, this resolve can lead to emotional and physical healing, changes in negative thoughts, beliefs or destructive behaviours, and even promote love and compassion for oneself and others, amongst other things. Yoga nidra can be performed with or without a sankalpa and still there are countless benefits including increased concentration and vitality, reduced stress, anxiety and depression, improved sleep, lower blood pressure, emotional stability, and more.

Is yoga nidra suitable for children and teenagers?

Yes! Yoga nidra can be tailored to suit anyone. Children, teenagers and young adults can be particularly vulnerable to the fast-paced world we live in. Often stress builds up in young people because it can be difficult to express or articulate feelings to others. This in turn can lead to other physical and mental disturbances, negative thoughts and behaviour patterns.  Yoga nidra can help by bringing balance to both hemispheres of the brain, promoting ease within one's own skin and subsequently the confidence to change negative beliefs or self-destructive behaviours. In particular, teenagers experience stress as a result of the many tests, exams and assessments they receive on their journey towards becoming an independent young adult. Scientists have found that deep relaxation can reduce end-of-year stress levels and help teenagers improve exam results*.

*Rhodes, C.J. et al. (2013). Journal of Instructional Pedagogies.

The early years of a person’s life have a huge impact on modelling the adult they become. During this time, building blocks are being assembled that will support further mental, physical and spiritual growth. Regular yoga practice teaches young children to look after their bodies and minds in a gentle and noncompetitive way. This permits the child to learn the discipline at their own pace, an important factor in developing internal motivation. It also encourages them to develop a strong sense of self by focusing on their own capabilities and listening to their inner thoughts and not those of others. 

Physically, yoga naturally helps the body become strong and flexible; it helps co-ordination and balance, breath control and concentration. Breathing and relaxation techniques teach the child how to be calm and self-controlled. Positive affirmations, mantras and chanting can help a child learn self  love, trust and confidence building upon the important yogic concept of "ahimsa" or "nonviolence to the self and others".  These are invaluable life skills that be carried forward into many other situations and environments throughout their lifetime. 

Toddler yoga differs from adult yoga in use of songs, story-telling and games. It ticks every EYFS box for learning and development in under 5s identified to ignite curiosity and enthusiasm for learning, to form relationships and to help a child thrive. Class themes are fun and varied and support development of communication and language, literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world and self expression. Toddler yoga also offers a fun way for the accompanying caregiver to bond with their child and also for the child to build social skills by interacting with other young children.

The world now moves at a super fast pace. In order to keep up we need to stay in optimal health. More and more parents, healthcare, education and childcare professionals are realising that practising yoga can provide optimal fitness in the bodies, minds and spirits of a child so that they have the ability to cope with this super fast pace.
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Often as a child grows and reaches the teen years, they can drift away from activities  they once loved as young children, but yoga builds such a strong foundation in almost every aspect of a child's being that it is almost impossible to escape it in it's entirity. Personally,  I often find that even in those extremely busy periods when I have very little time to practise the physical postures (asanas), that I use the yogic philosophies as a crutch for support. As a yoga teacher I am very passionate about sharing this with youngsters, their caregivers and the wider community so why not come along to a class and have a try?

Everything is so fast paced. We rush from here to there. We eat fast food. The World Wide Web gives us an answer to almost any query within milliseconds. We demand instant credit and instant gratification. Yet stress-related health conditions are rife. In 2013, a study by leading UK psychiatrists found that more than 8 million men, women and children suffer from anxiety disorders at a cost of almost £10 billion a year!

Once we have started to move at this incredible pace, it seems almost impossible to slow down for fear of losing touch.  In this scenario, there is so little time to just simply be; to truly see, smell, hear, touch or taste.  When we practice yoga, we give ourselves permission to slow down, even if it just for a short fraction of the day.

Yoga is a mindful practice; in each Yoga Northenden class students are encouraged to practise each posture paying attention to breath and alignment and go within to build concentration. Each class also includes a deep relaxation (yoga nidra) and breath work (pranayama).

The benefits of pranayama breath control may not be immediately obvious, but the mind and body are intimately connected to the breath. Our breathing is influenced by our thoughts, and our thoughts and physiology can be influenced by our breath. Learning to breathe consciously can have immense benefits in restoring balance in the mind and body. It can reduce stress and anxiety, lower or stabilise blood pressure, increase energy levels, induce muscle relaxation and decrease feelings of stress.

When you experience stressful thoughts, your sympathetic nervous system triggers the body’s fight or flight response, giving you a burst of energy to respond to the perceived threat. Your breathing becomes shallow and fast, breathing from the upper part of the lungs. This can make you feel short of breath, anxious or frustrated. Simultaneously, your body produces adrenaline and cortisol (stress hormones) that can increase blood pressure, heart rate and put you in a state of high alert.

Deep breathing can almost instantly reverse the symptoms of the fight or flight response and create a sense of calm. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system via the vagus nerve, which slows the heart rate, lowers the blood pressure and calms the mind and body. It also engages the abdominal muscles and diaphragm rather than the muscles of the upper chest and neck. This conditioning of the respiratory muscles results in extra oxygen being drawn into the lower parts of the lungs where oxygen exchange is more efficient meaning more oxygen reaches the body’s cells and tissues.

As well as reversing the physical stress response in the body, deep breathing can help calm and slow down the emotional turbulence in the mind. I like to say that it “stills the monkey mind”! Conscious control of the breath can have an immediate effect on diffusing emotional energy so there is less reactivity to our emotions too.
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Evidence shows that many people are not even aware that they are experiencing the fight or flight response. This is because stress can gradually build and we become habituated to it, not noticing its insidious effects. So I guess what I am saying here is that you have permission to slow down, to reclaim balance in your life, to put down your mobile phone or put off that shopping trip. Prioritise some quiet time for you and your family, go on put it on your mission statement.  After all, “doing nothing is the new doing something”!

Why not join us at Yoga Northenden? We currently run a mixed ability adult class, but next year sees the introduction of toddler yoga (1-5 years), kids' yoga (5-12 years) and a new adult vinyasa class (intermediate level+).

I have been aware of the cult barefoot shoe following for many years but it wasn't until I had my son that my interest was peaked.  I could see that his tiny little feet were not the same as mine in structure or shape. His little feet were mostly cartilage rather than bone, and I have since learned that it isn't until the age of 18 that all the constituent parts of the foot are fully developed (26 bones, 19 muscles, 107 ligaments plus an array of delicate blood vessels, nerves and tissue fibres).

Ill fitting and rigid shoes can not only permanently alter the shape of a child's foot but also their gait, spinal alignment and ability to balance. I soon came to the realisation they weren't that great for me either! Come to any Yoga Northenden class and I will insist you complete the class barefoot "to improve propioception (spatial awareness of your body parts), posture alignment and correct weight distribution". But why do this in a class and not all the time?! Why do these exercises to improve flexibility and strength in your feet and then wear a thick rigid sole which takes it away?! 

The picture below shows a barefoot child, engrossed in play, managing to balance perfectly well on a log. Here, by allowing the toes to perform their natural gripping action, his feet are naturally developing strength and coordination. Had the child been wearing shoes, this natural development would have been compromised, meaning he would have had to adjust his bodily alignment to compensate, putting undue pressure on his spine and other major bone groups. 

Whether you yoga, box, walk, run or dance: movement should be fun, free and a joyous experience. However, many people get injured every year (e.g. around 80% of runners) because of incorrect equipment and inadequate skill and strength. The key for a long life of efficient movement involves reconnecting your brain and reconditioning your body. This is achieved by relearning the skill of locomotion by perfecting simple motor skill milestones and simultaneously, and gradually, building up adequate strength.

The definition of a barefoot shoe is flat, flexible, no heel, no structured arch support and a wide toe box with enough room to allow the toes to wiggle. Measure your foot and allow 0.5-1.5 cm extra to get your size right. Each brand has a measurement unique to a given size. Do not assume you are the same size in every different brand and measure your foot during the day as your foot can expand upto 20% from waking! 

Vivobarefoot, Vibram, Merrell and Ecco are a few brands that do stylish barefoot shoes for adults. For kids there are Bobux, See Kai Run, Pediped, Livie and Luca, and Jack and Lily to name but a few (notably not Clarks). And there are barefoot friendly shoes also, such as Converse and Hunters for Toddlers and most plimsoles; the shoes need not cost the earth.

And so my personal barefoot adventure has begun, replacing one rigid soled shoe at a time. Will my flat arch be less painful? Will my toes straighten or feet widen?  Watch this space for updates on how I get on.

Running is a very popular way to keep fit and we all see runners out in all conditions. It seems to hold some addictive power. I know I can honestly say I have ignored niggling health issues to go for a jog in the past. Some runners even ignore more serious issues to get that “buzz” a jog brings.  So, I ponder why.

When you run we ask more of our lungs as our muscles urgently demand more oxygen. In response, we have to consciously control our breath. With so much focus upon breathing, our minds tend to quiet; the internal chit chat is dampened and we become immersed in the present moment. Our senses tend to become heightened and we often feel a certain amount of liberation.

In yoga we try to connect the physical postures (asanas) with our breath for exactly this reason. Being mindful, or living in the present releases us from many of our stresses and responsibilities. Mindfulness offers a way of becoming an observer of experiences, rather than having to be involved in every story. It is a way of controlling your mind so it becomes your best friend rather than your enemy. 

This is a question I was posed by a Box-Fit lady today. After a little research to confirm my suspicion,  it seems that the answer to this is yes! I have found out that various hand moves (known as mudra) used in the nata dances (see the natarajasana pose in previous post) have been incorporated into several martial arts. The seminal text on yoga, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali also describes meditating single mindedly on points located within one's own body. This has also been used in martial arts. There are many more examples too! 

Yoga seems to be everywhere! Discovering where it is going to pop up next makes the journey quite thrilling.  Please comment with any examples where you have found yoga unexpectedly in your life. It's great to share!

I'm back from a wonderful holiday in France. I have always managed a to sneak in a bit of keep fit somewhere on my travels. This year though it was particularly difficult. Fitting in any "me time" is always difficult with a teething two-year-old clinging to your side. So I did what I could and didn't punish myself for not doing more. I remembered the yogic concept of ahimsa or nonviolence to the self (or others) through thoughts or actions. However, I did manage to get some yoga done despite it being a lot less peaceful than usual! 

So holiday season is here and you have worked hard to get fit to look good. But one thing you didn't expect along the way was that you would really enjoy how good it feels. So you have decided to stay fit on your break away.

The hardest part of any form of exercise is simply just starting it. One way to make it easier is to lock in a time of the day and stick to it. So find whether your resort has a gym or some classes, or go check out where there is a nice, safe jogging route and just do it. 

I like to work out early morning, when my motivation and energy levels are high. For yoga practices, the hour before dawn (known as ojas) is a very spiritual time when it is believed the atmosphere is charged with powerful electromagnetic vibrations. This can make for a very uplifting experience.

When the word yoga is mentioned, most people immediately think of some physical stretching and posing. This is just one aspect of yoga. Physical yoga, or hatha yoga was primarily designed to help the real practice of yoga namely, the understanding and complete mastery over the mind. The true meaning of yoga is the science of the mind. 

Today I may not have time to perform my physical practice, but I will always try to incorporate yoga in some fashion. It may be that I my stop my small son squashing the bug in the garden or picking the beautiful flower from it's stem, or I may decide to avoid a negative train of thought. This is what the great yogic avatar Patanjali described as "Ahimsa" or nonviolence to all living beings (including yourself). 

So I may not have contorted my body into an unusal shape or performed five sun salutations (which is still great fun), but yoga is still part of my busy day. This makes me feel happy.