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7 Stress Busters – Feel Zen Again

Enjoy a little read of my published article in the OM Yoga Magazine

7 Stress Busters – Feel Zen Again

Seven ways to manage your stress levels and feel zen again! By Eva Kristlova

  1. Spend time in nature
    Discover the healing power of nature; all the greens, blues and golden colours will give you an instant lift and will soothe all your senses. A little walk daily will do wonders for your nervous system. Head to your local park or forest, or take a trip to the beach.
  2. Move your body
    Get moving and shift that stale and stagnant energy that sits low in your body. Get your circulation going, whether it is at your local yoga studio or any other fitness class. Start today! You’ll feel so much better for it. There are yoga classes everywhere and you are likely to meet a bunch of new friends too; it’s a win win!
  3. Enjoy the present moment
    Our minds constantly wander and fluctuate, moving from the past into the future at the speed of light. When we spend most of our time in the past we can feel depleted, depressed and regretful. When we live in the future we experience worry, anxiety and fear. Try to live in the present moment, in the here and now. Know that everything changes, nothing stays the same. Let’s enjoy and be grateful for what we are experiencing today and appreciate the small things in life.
  4. Don’t forget to breathe
    How often do we catch ourselves holding our breath or breathing shallow breaths? Notice the flow of your breath. Make your breath longer and deeper! Fill your lungs up and start to feel more energised and positive. Observe your breath as often as you can and start to implement various breathing practices. To start with, breathe in and slowly count to four. At the end of your inhale hold your breath for two, then exhale for the count of four and again hold for two. Repeat several times and establish a nice slow rhythm.
  5. Reconnect with yourself
    Keep coming back to yourself: what is it that you enjoy, what are your dreams and aspirations? What brings you joy? Ask yourself what you need more of in your life — and can you set time aside to achieve it? What do you need less of in your life and ready to let go of? Don’t say yes to things that don’t work for you and overwhelm you. Say a big yes to things that put a smile on your face. What will you say yes to today? And what are you ready to wave goodbye to?
  6. Limit social media
    The constant presence of social media can affect our mental health. Limit your screen time and remember that not everything you see online is how it really is. You are you — a unique and beautiful individual, without any need for a filter! Can you switch off for a day? That’s your challenge — are you ready to accept it?
  7. Animal therapy
    The healing power of our animal friends and the unconditional love we receive from our pets is one of the best therapies. If you don’t have your own fur baby you can look into helping your neighbour or visit a local farm or stables. Animals give so much, so let’s give something back to them too.

Eva Kristlova is a senior yoga teacher at Yoga Life Studio. Connect at @evakristlova

7 Self Care Tips for you to try

Importance of Self Care – 7 tips to try in a week – as published in the OM YOGA MAGAZINE

 

In todays world of business, drama and overwhelm it is not unusual to feel low, stressed or depressed.  We often need to be reminded of the importance of self care, slowing down, and taking a good care of ourselves.   I bring you 7 tips for the week ahead, on how you can nurture yourself and feel better!

 

  1. Spend time in nature

Take yourself for a walk in nature, breathe the fresh air, and instead of looking at your phone look up and see the tree tops and the sky!  Try a little digital detox and maybe even leave your phone at home.  Look around you and notice all the amazing wonders of nature.  Have you seen a sunrise or sunset lately? Why not visit your local beauty spot and let the show unfold!

Your challenge:  Go for a walk in your local nature area and keep your phone switched off

 

  1. Move your body

It is known that when we don’t move we start to feel low, sluggish and uninspired.  Let’s shake it up and take yourself to a yoga class or simply put some good music on and dance in your kitchen!  Awaken your energy that has been asleep and I guarantee you will feel hundred times better!

Your challenge:  Try a new class

 

  1. Connect with your local community

As humans, we all want to be a part of something.  In this time and age when the world is spinning faster and faster it is actually quite common to feel lonely and lack real connections.  Why not find a group of likely minded people in your local area – a yoga studio is a good start, or connect with a walking group, dance group, find a book club, become a swimming enthusiast – so many different communities that will welcome you with open arms.

Your challenge: Make a connection (perhaps an old friend that you lost a connection with)

 

  1. Eat healthy and nutritious food

Unhealthy and processed food makes us feel tired, bloated and not good!  Buy yourself some fresh fruit and veg and create a delicious meal!  Prepare your food with love and gratitude and you will really taste the difference!

Your challenge:  Try a new healthy recipe and create a nutritious and nurturing dinner

 

  1. Explore

Try to get out more and expand your horizons.  For a change put yourself first and ask yourself – where do I want to go, what do I want to do?  Even simply visiting a nearby place of interest, art gallery or a beauty spot will inspire you and you will feel better.  Alone or with a friend, go and see what is out there!

Your challenge:  Go somewhere where you haven’t been before

 

  1. Practice Balance

Slow down, pause and take a few breaths.  The life is fast, it is time to bring a little balance into your day.  There needs to be a balance between activity and rest, Yin and Yang.  What do you need more of in your life to feel more balanced? If we don’t rest we will burn out!

Your challenge: Give yourself a permission to have a little break several times a day to practice mindfulness and slow down your breathing

 

  1. Remember what you loved doing when you were little

Imagine yourself as a little child… Do you remember what you loved doing, what your dreams were and what you were passionate about?  At some point most of us stopped doing it..

Your challenge:  Do something that brings you joy and that you loved doing as a child!

 

I wish you a wonderful week of self care! Repeat as often as possible!

 

With love,

Eva xxx

 

Shine Your Light

Thank you to OM YOGA Magazine for publishing this article in the September 2022 issue 🙂

Being a yoga teacher might seem to others that we are always perfectly calm, peaceful and balanced.  But it doesn’t mean that we have everything sorted!  As everyone else, we also have to juggle the daily appointments and schedules, organise our family lives, pay the rent and yes, we get stressed too.  But through practising yoga and meditation, studying and following yogic principles we gained some of that magical knowledge that helps us navigate our days and live our lives as best as we can.

 

We all can for sure gain lots of knowledge and wisdom from the ancient yogic scriptures and modern books on yoga and all things related, these are invaluable, especially Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Upanishads, to name just a few.  It is however our own life experiences, that will make us relate to these deep yogic texts, whatever happens in our lives and how we respond to it.  Life is a forever evolving journey; it is not always easy and straight forward.  Yoga teaches us that every experience has something to offer to us, everyone we meet has a message for us and we too have messages for those around us.  Trust that you are on the right path, that you are exactly where you are meant to be right now.

 

Eva shares: In my yoga classes I often draw on my personal experiences, obstacles that I have overcome, hardships I experienced and also the joys and highs that are making my heart full to the brim.  I try to make my classes relevant to my student’s everyday lives and what is happening in the world around us, so everyone can find comfort and inspiration there and take whatever they need away with them.  Sometimes a little quote, breathing technique, certain yoga posture or simply time to relax can provide that a-ha moment that will change the story of the day.. I love working with different themes that will provide just that and here I will share a couple that are close to my heart.

 

  1. Heart

 

Close your eyes and place your hand on your heart.  Slow down your breath and settle your mind.. Now listen, listen to the whispers of your beautiful heart. Most of the time we use our logical, analytical mind and ignore the calls of our heart, even though the electromagnetic field of the heart is so much stronger than that of our brain. When we don’t listen to the messages of our heart we will experience increased tension, pressure and stress.  So today I invite you to really connect with your precious heart and listen to what it needs to say.  Ask yourself: ‘What does bring my heart joy?’, ‘What does my heart need me to know?’, ‘I follow my heart’.

 

‘The best and the most beautiful things in the world can not be seen or even touched.  They must be felt in our hearts.’

 

To clear tension from your heart centre I invite you to chant this mantra associated with the Anahata Chakra (Heart Chakra) – YAM

 

  1. Overcoming of Obstacles

 

On our life journey we are all met with series of obstacles, sometimes we feel that we are stuck, we can’t move from a certain place, everything is blocking us and we can’t see the way out.  Yoga teaches us that everything is temporary, everything changes, no situation stays the same.  We can change our lives, make different decisions, put ourselves first and be in charge of our destiny. What are your dreams, aspirations and goals?  Find yourself a quiet place to reflect on your life and ask yourself ‘Where do I want to go in my life?’ and ‘What is in my way?’.  Often we find that the person that is in our way is in fact us. Through fears, worries, conditioning and feelings of being small, not enough, not important, we forget that we are in fact more powerful that we think, we forget that the only person in charge of our destiny is us. And that it is up to us to create a life that we want.  Every decision that we make shapes our future and invites in new opportunities and possibilities.  Let’s visualise our dreams and aspirations and imagine that we are already doing it.  Speak to a friend about it and start to change your life today.

 

Use these affirmations: ‘I am in charge of my life’, ‘Where focus goes, energy flows’.

 

  1. Speak your Truth

 

Have you ever experienced that you can’t get your words out, your throat is tight and you are unable to express yourself and communicate clearly? Often our hearts know what we need to say but somewhere between our hearts and throats and throats and the lips the words get lost. We feel we are unable to say what we need to say, we worry that our words might be misunderstood, that we might hurt someone with our truth or that we get hurt in return.  However it is really important to be able to speak our truth and speak from our heart.  This can be all done with kindness and good intention.  When we suppress our truth we become small and lose our true self.  So lets practice expressing ourselves more clearly, speaking our truth with love and kindness.

 

Some useful affirmations here are: ‘I am free to speak from my heart’, ‘I am free to speak my truth’,

 

Postures to practice are: Cobra, Fish, Camel, Shoulder Stand, Lion Breath

 

To clear tension from your throat centre I invite you to chant this mantra associated with the Vishuddha Chakra (Throat Chakra) – HAM

 

 

  1. Lotus Flower

 

The lotus flower grows in muddy waters and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty.  Rooted in the mud it rises towards the sun.  Many of us live in that ‘murky water’ but like a lotus, we too have ability to rise from the mud, bloom out of the darkness, open our petals and radiate into the world.

I love this theme as it shows that we all sometimes go through challenging times, we all need to have certain experiences.  As we move through these life challenges we find our strength, and determination and eventually come to the surface and shine. In short – no mud no lotus!

 

Some affirmations to use here: ‘Keep shining your light’, ‘The world needs your light’, ‘Be like a lotus, let the beauty of your heart speak’.

 

 

 

 

Yoga Nidra and how it works

What is Yoga Nidra and how it works? – By Eva Kristlova of Yoga Life Studio

 

Yoga Nidra is a form of guided meditation also known as “yogic sleep” or “effortless relaxation”. It is practiced in a comfortable position lying down in Savasana, with a teacher guiding the session. The practice draws our attention inwards, where we move between the states of wakefulness and sleep, where our body finds its natural state of equilibrium.  The breath softens, balances and becomes more rhythmical; the mind becomes quieter, and we fall into an innate state of deep, blissful awareness and relaxation.

 

Yoga Nidra takes us effortlessly into a state of harmonious, restful being. From here, we can heal, restore and connect with our true self. This deeply nourishing practice is becoming increasingly popular and ongoing research continues to prove its effectiveness.

 

When you start Yoga Nidra, your brain is generally in an active state of beta waves, a natural transitional experience as you start to slow down and press pause on your day. The meditative practice then takes you into an alpha state, the brain wave frequency that links conscious thought with the subconscious mind.

 

So what is going on in your brain while you are practicing Yoga Nidra and why it leaves you so refreshed, like you had the best nap of your life?

During yoga nidra practice you are prompted to feel your body and your breath using a specific technique that takes you out of “fight and flight” state and triggers the relaxation response.

The parasympathetic nervous system is activated and this shift to restful mode aligns the activity of your right and left brain hemispheres.

In the process, your brain shifts from beta brain waves (state of awakening with lots of brain activity), to alpha brain waves (a more relaxed state which is associated with sitting in a relaxed position with eyes closed)

In alpha, the mood-enhancing hormone serotonin gets released, and brings about a feeling of calm.  As you move into alpha-state, you are slowing down the brain activity and beginning to shift into a state of rest.

From alpha, you continue to transition into a deep alpha and theta brain-wave state, which is also referred to as “the dream state”, or REM state. Your thoughts slow down even more. This is a state where we process our emotions, and release the ones that no longer serve us.

After theta, you dive into blissful delta brain wave state. Your thoughts continue to slow down. This is the most restorative and restful state, in which your organs regenerate and the body metabolises cortisol – the stress hormone, and moves it out of your system.

Very few of us get enough delta-quality rest on a regular basis, which is why adding Yoga Nidra to your self-care practice is so important.

I have been delivering delicious Yoga Nidra classes in Eastbourne and online and the feedback is always incredible, with everyone reporting many benefits such as  improved sleep, pain relief, total rejuvenation, clarity of mind, relaxation of the nervous and muscular system to name just a few.

 

Here is a little Yoga Nidra practice for you to try (it is best if someone reads it to you in a slow, soft voice):

Make yourself comfortable, lying on your back with the knees slightly bent and supported. Make sure that you are warm enough and make any adjustments to find a comfortable position. If possible, remain still during Yoga Nidra so that both your body and brain have a chance to fully relax. Allow your eyes to gently close. The practice of yoga nidra is a practice of yogic sleep, a state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleeping.

Become aware of your body gently sinking into your mat or any other surface underneath you. Allow your body to become heavy and fully supported, knowing that you are giving yourself time to reset and restore, there is nothing else you need to do. This is your time to pause and relax.

Become aware of your natural breath, the breath that moves in and out of your nose without any effort. Notice the feeling of the breath as it comes in and out of your nostrils. There is a sense of coolness as you inhale the breath. And there is a sense of warmth as you exhale the breath. Feel this warmth on your upper lip as you breathe out. Allow your breath to become longer and slower. Take a long slow inhalation, followed by a longer slower exhalation. Make your exhale even slower – notice the slight pause after the exhale. Slow inhale, even slower exhale, and pause. slow inhale, longer slower exhale, and then pause where the body is neither breathing in nor out. Continue to breathe in this way for a few more rounds. Now go back to the natural easy breath, releasing any control over the inhale or exhale.

 

We will now begin a systematic journey of sensory awareness throughout the body. You will move your awareness to different parts of your body as soon as you hear them named. The practice begins on the right side. Right hand thumb … 2nd finger … 3rd finger … 4th finger … 5th finger … palm of the hand … back of the hand … wrist … forearm … elbow … upper arm … shoulder … armpit … waist … hip … thigh … knee … calf … ankle … heel … sole of the foot … top of the foot … right big toe … 2nd toe … 3rd toe … 4th toe … 5th toe. Left hand thumb … 2nd finger … 3rd finger … 4th finger … 5th finger … palm of the hand … back of the hand … wrist … forearm … elbow … upper arm … shoulder … armpit … waist … hip … thigh … knee … calf … ankle … heel … sole of the foot … top of the foot … left big toe … 2nd toe … 3rd toe … 4th toe … 5th toe.

Now go to the back of the body … right heel … left heel … right calf … left calf … right thigh … left thigh … right buttock … left buttock … lower back … middle back … upper back … the entire spine … right shoulder blade … left shoulder blade … back of the neck … back of the head. Top of the head … forehead … right temple … left temple … right ear … left ear … right eyebrow … left eyebrow … middle of the eyebrows … right eye … left eye … right nostril … left nostril … right cheek … left cheek … upper lip … lower lip … both lip together … chin … jaw … throat … right collarbone … left collarbone … right side of the chest … left side of the chest … upper abdomen … navel … lower abdomen … right hip … left hip … the pelvis. The whole right leg … whole left leg … whole right arm … whole left arm … the whole face … the whole head … the whole torso … the whole body … the whole body … the whole body.

 

Now imagine your body becoming heavy. Feel the heaviness in all parts of the body, each part is becoming heavier and heavier and heavier. The head is heavy, the limbs are heavy, the torso is heavy, the whole body is heavy. So heavy that it is sinking down into the floor.  Heavy and relaxed.

Now imagine the whole body becoming light. As though your body could float away from the floor and toward the ceiling. The head is light and weightless, the limbs are light and weightless, the torso is light and weightless, the whole body light and weightless. You are rising higher and higher away from the floor. You are completely relaxed.

Now, I will list a few objects and as I name each one, try to visualise them in your mind.  Let the images come to you as you focus on the space between your eyebrows.

Pink rose, waves on the ocean, blue sky in the evening, dark night, tiny shining stars, high mountain with a snow-capped peak, a ship sailing on the sea, white sandy beach, a dove, a wild horse, full moon, big garden of blooming flowers, rising sun.

Large lake of lotus flowers, beautiful sunset, calm and quiet evening in a moonlit valley, mountain stream, white fluffy clouds in the sky, fog all around you, pink rose, sunflower, tall pine tree, symbol of OM, sound of a bell ringing, lotus on a lake, moonlit valley.

 

Slowly come back to your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils. Maintain your awareness of breath and at the same time develop your awareness of your physical body. Your body is relaxed and lying on the floor. Notice the heaviness of your body as it rests on the floor and take your awareness into all the points that are touching the floor; the back of your heels, thighs, buttocks, shoulder blades, arms, hands and head. Do not open your eyes yet but visualize the surrounding room. Imagine where you are in the room and the other objects that are around you. Lie quietly until you feel ready to move. Start by slowly moving your hands and feet, take your time, there is no hurry. When you are sure that you are fully awake, gently open your eyes. Please roll over to your right side and stay there for a moment.  When you are ready to come slowly make your way into sitting. The practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Eva Kristlova runs Yoga Nidra classes in the Yoga Life Studio in Eastbourne and online every Thursday at 4pm.

 

 

Beat Stress with Yoga

I would love to share with you my recent article published in the December 2021 issue of the OM Yoga Magazine

Stress is now ever present in our day to day lives, the world seems to be spinning faster with never ending demands, pressures, and business.  No wonder that so many of us feel anxious and overwhelmed.  Especially now after we experienced several lockdowns, when our lives had to slow down and we took some needed time out, being back in the ‘real world’ shows us that actually we need to prioritise our wellbeing and mental health and reduce our daily stress more than ever.

Fortunately, we have yoga, which is proven to help reduce stress and anxiety and has many wonderful health benefits. Whether you are at home, yoga studio, work or somewhere in between, yoga is always here to help you relax and de-stress. Connecting with your yoga practice in nature is always extra special, once you slow down, look around you and take a few deep breaths, the pressure starts to fade away and the stress falls off your shoulders.

The physical postures (asana), breathing techniques (pranayama), relaxation, meditation and mindfulness help us release stress that we have been storing in our bodies – muscles, joints, bones and all of our body layers and energy channels. Yoga practice is proven to release mental and emotional tension, too.  There is so much that happens on the yoga mat.  We create a safe space, a sanctuary, so we can let go of the outside world and all that is happening around us – news, family situations, relationship troubles, work and money worries and so on. On our yoga mat, or simply when we dedicate some ‘me time’ to ourselves, we become present, connect with our breath and slow it down; we connect with our bodies and feel our strength that we perhaps forgot we have, we feel our softness, we realise our uniqueness and inner beauty; we shed the layers of stress and worry and begin to feel more like ourselves again.

Many studies have found that practising yoga (even a really short practice whenever we can) can minimize stress and increase productivity. It is believed that yoga is so effective for stress relief because, aside from the physical benefits that yoga brings, it encourages a good mood, an increase in mindfulness, and a healthy dose of self-compassion. Yoga eases symptoms of anxiety and stress through direct benefits to both the body and mind. On a physical level, yoga helps induce a relaxation response and reduce heart rate; on a psychological level, mindfulness promotes a focus on the present moment, guiding thoughts away from anxiety or worry about past and future events.

My advice is – Don’t wait until you are stressed to start yoga! Start now and the stress of your day to day life will be magnificently reduced.

 

Eva xxx

Me and my Yoga Mat

Article that I wrote for the OM YOGA Magazine, enjoy 🙂

For those who never stepped on a yoga mat this might be hard to believe, but once you unroll your mat and accept the invitation to enter a magic happens.

 

I see it happening over and over again in my classes when beginner yogis come in and experience that magical moment for the first time.  Initially they might be a bit nervous and unsure of what experience awaits them.  But how amazing to be able to facilitate and witness this beautiful beginning of a very special journey on their own magic carpet, taking them on an exploration of their inner world.

 

When you answer the calling and transport yourself into the fascinating world of yoga there is no turning back.  As you lie back in Savasana and let all your worries melt away you feel as if you were entering your own personal sanctuary, your sacred place where you can be exactly who you are. Nobody needs anything from you as you almost create a bubble of protection around you and your mat.  Time spent on your mat is time to reconnect with yourself, slow down, breathe, settle your busy mind, contemplate and reflect – simply be.

 

When I first found yoga I was a busy mum to a new-born baby, struggling and feeling overwhelmed.  I found a local mummy and baby class with an amazing teacher Wenche Beard and although the classes could sometimes be a challenge to get to due to my son’s sleeping patterns and life demands, I knew that time spent on my mat in the studio, with my baby by my side was absolutely essential and unmissable part of my self care, mental, physical and emotional.

 

Since then I have been taking my yoga mat around the world, encouraging everyone to take that first step and unroll their own magic carpet.  The mat will carry you through the storms of life, it will give you solace, comfort and peace.  On the yoga mat we can unravel whatever is hiding underneath the surface. Sometimes our own ocean of emotions can be disturbed and rocky and at other times calm and still.  Whatever comes up for you on your mat, acknowledge it, allow yourself to feel it, move through it. It comes up for a reason, those are the messages that we need to hear.

 

I have been very lucky to be able to deliver yoga classes in Egypt amongst other locations.  Every time our group of yogis leaves the desert camp, we leave a yoga mat behind, for the next time. Now there are lots of yoga mats there waiting for us to return to our home away from home.  In the meantime the mats are used by our local friends who found many benefits of yoga practice through us.

 

Recently I could not believe the kindness of a local yoga mat company (Stridefit UK) who kitted our yoga studio (Yoga Life Studio) with incredible brand new yoga mats! They wanted to help yoga studios coming back from being closed due to the pandemic and what an amazing help that was! My faith in humanity was restored and the yoga mats are providing a safe haven to many yogis who come to practice at our studio.

 

My yoga mat goes everywhere with me and my favourite saying is ‘Never underestimate a woman with a yoga mat!’ (and of course that goes for anyone).

 

One of my beach yogis, Jeanne-Michelle Lowe wrote this poem:

 

Magic Carpet

 

I have a magic carpet,

It’s called a yoga mat

I hop on board and take a ride

To find out where I’m at.

For sometimes I am happy

And other times I’m not,

But when I’m on the yoga mat

My cares are all forgot.

Each posture tests my muscles

The teacher shows me how

With breath control we learn the art

Of being ‘in the now’.

I’ll keep up with my practice

It seems to suit me well,

The benefits are manyfold

As far as I can tell!

CHECK OUT THE OM YOGA MAGAZINE ARTICLE HERE

 

 

 

 

 

Meditation and all you need to know

Please read my article about Meditation for the OM Yoga Magazine 

Before I knew what meditation was, I was really intrigued and could not wait for my teacher training course to cover this topic. I always thought of a meditation as something mysterious and complicated.  I was surprised by what I learnt! That in fact meditation can be very simple.

To put it in everyday language, meditation is stilling or quietening our mind. It can be that simple.  Although as many of us know, making our mind calm, quiet and free from thoughts and distractions can be quite challenging.  With our busy lives and all that is happening in the world we are constantly stimulated and our minds are working overtime.

Here are a couple of tips and techniques that help me to take a little time out and meditate.

Traditionally we practice meditation seated with our spine straight and eyes closed.

Meditating on Breath

First step towards stilling our mind is directing our attention away from the outside world and to our breath.  We start noticing our inhalations and exhalations and the pauses between the breath.  Then we can start noticing everything else associated with our breathing.  The length and depth of the breath, the sound and even the temperature of the air that flows in and out of the nose.  We feel the rise and fall of our chest and belly as we breathe in and out.  When we focus on one thing (breath in this instance) our mind has no space to worry about anything else.  We bring our busy mind into a single point of focus. We meditate!

It is completely normal for our minds to get busy throughout the meditation practice. We live in a very busy world and there is a lot going on all the time.  Please don’t be put off by the constant movement of your thoughts.  When you notice that your mind is travelling in time try to bring yourself back to now, to this very present moment and to your breath.

Meditating on the breath is one of the most used techniques.  All you need to do is to observe your breath.  We can meditate on so many other things.

Meditating on an Object

We can meditate on a special object and fully immerse ourselves in that which we meditate on, and become one with it.  We can meditate on a flower – notice the type, colour, scent, texture, size, meditate on where it came from and how it ended up in front of you.  We can meditate on a pebble – hold it in our hand, feel its smoothness, connect with its energy, know the timelessness of it.  We can meditate on a picture of someone who inspires and uplifts us.  Focus fully on the object of your meditation and receive its qualities and energy.

Meditating on Sound

Chanting or listening to it brings about a meditative state as the vibration of the sound resonates with the frequency of the nature and universe.  The ancient mantra OM is traditionally chanted at the beginning and/or end of yoga practice and there are many amazing mantras and chants that you can use.  Crystal bowls, Tibetan bowls and gongs are also widely used.

 

Meditating in Nature

Clearing our head whilst walking in the forest or on the beach is priceless! It is one of the best ways to get ‘out of our head’ and into the present moment. We are all part of the nature.  When you are out, put your phone on silent and become one with all that is around you.  Notice the birds singing, feel the sun on your face, the breeze playing with your hair, see the vibrant colours around you. Feel your feet touching the ground. It is amazing what you see when you look up. When was the last time you tilted your head back and lost yourself in the trees above you rather than reading messages on your phone?  Being in nature is the true medicine. Go out often and know that you are an essential part of the nature too.

 

Moving Meditation

As we move and connect our body and breath together, we enter a meditative state.  During our yoga practice we link the asana together and create a moving meditation.  It is not just yoga practice but any movement that is mindful and focused, for example diving, snorkelling, swimming, running, cycling or paddle boarding.  When you are balancing on the paddle board you need to calm your mind, slow down your breath, be in the present moment and focus on where you are going. If you lose your awareness you will get wet!

 

Benefits of Meditation

Reduced stress levels

Reduced anxiety and depression

Emotional balance

Increased focus and memory

Increased creativity

Enhanced self awareness

Improved sleep and overall health and wellbeing

 

 

Interesting fact!

The aim of yoga practice is to make our body able to sit for longer periods of time in order to meditate! (so no, it is not a hand stand!)

 

 

 

Restorative Yoga – What is it all about?

As some of you know I love delivering (and receiving) a slow, restorative yoga practice. What is it all about you ask? Here is my article I wrote for the OM Yoga Magazine (May 2021 issue) .

 

“Restorative yoga is a restful yoga for stressful times.  This is a nourishing and soothing style of practice that creates inner peace and harmony and leaves you feeling recharged, reset and restored.  You will find deep peace in your yoga practice that can carry you through the tides of your life.

 

The soothing and well supported poses offer us the opportunity to linger quietly for a few moments and savour the simple sweetness of life.  Restorative practice guarantees to leave us nourished and well rested. The poses are held for several minutes at a time and are deeply supported by bolsters, blankets, pillows and blocks.  Restorative yoga practice is like an internal retreat.  Deeply nourishing and healing.  You feel as if you received the biggest and most beautiful hug.

 

There is a bigger need than ever now to slow down, pause and reset. The business of our everyday life, the constant stream of news, social media updates and stress resulting from the world situation can be very overwhelming.  The slower yoga practice that creates a feeling of peace and deep release is now more popular than ever before.  The restorative style of yoga is an absolute

must in this day and age.   Eva can confirm this from her own experience as her slow and mindful classes are in high demand and very popular.

 

To start the restorative practice, take time to get comfortable on your props and make any necessary adjustments. The comfort is important as we hold these postures for longer than in your regular yoga class. Use your inner wisdom to guide you toward greater comfort, making any modifications you need.  The bolsters and blocks support the body to release muscular tension.  As the body is fully supported, we can relax into the shape of the pose and ‘receive’ rather than ‘do’ the pose.

 

Although the restorative poses might look easy and peaceful, they can be challenging especially for a beginner yogi. Be patient and give your body time to settle and release any built-up tension. Give yourself time.. In the restorative practice you create time to let go off your everyday stresses and truly let go

of any business and worries.  You will be awarded with the ability to drop with ease into a place of deep contentment.  Your body will relax, the mind will quieten, and you will rest quietly in the present moment and see clearly the peace that resides within you.

 

Main objective of this practice is to relax and restore.  Let gravity do the work, connect with the breath.  If your body gives you signals that you need to come out of these postures, please do.   Focus is on the breath and calming our body and nervous system.

Restorative poses help relieve the effects of chronic stress with the help of props that provide a supportive environment for total relaxation.   The restorative classes are designed to move the spine in all directions as healthy spine enhances our wellbeing. Some restorative poses are backbends, some are forward bends, side bends, spinal twists and supported inversions.

 

Supported inversions such as Legs up the wall reverse the effects of gravity.  As we sit or stand most of the day, blood and lymph fluid accumulate in the lower extremities and by changing the relationship of the legs to gravity, the fluids are returned to the upper body and heart function is enhanced.

 

During the restorative practice the heart rate slows down and our organs and nervous system is soothed.  Restorative yoga balances energies and hormones in our body.

The benefits of the restorative practice also include becoming more patient, improving concentration, feel more grounded, sharpen intuition.

 

Some of my favourite restorative poses are:

 

Supported Savasana with a bolster under the knees, pillow supporting the head and an eye pillow across the eyes.  Practice at the beginning and the end of your class. This soothing pose gives you a time to arrive, check in, slow down your breathing and activity of your mind. The support under the knees releases tension from the lower back

 

Reclined Cobbler where we lean a bolster on a stack of blankets or blocks and then lay back on it, with a block under each thigh, feet bound together by a strap.  This pose provides opening to the hips and chest and invites time to focus on breathing and/or heart opening meditation.

 

Supported Bridge pose with a bolster under the lower back, knees bent, feet on the ground.  This pose releases tension in the hips, abdominal muscles and chest. With the head lower than the heart we deepen the relaxation response.

 

Supported Childs pose with a bolster between the knees.  Fold forward over the bolster and rest your head on it. Blanket may be placed either under the hips or on the lower back.  This pose releases tension in the back and hips.  The bolster provides a feeling of comfort and security.

 

Legs up the Wall – rest your legs on the wall and enjoy the soothing effect this posture has on your nervous system. Alternatively support your hips by a bolster or folded blanket and raise your legs up in the air. Excellent for your circulation and redirecting the blood flow to your heart and brain.

 

Soften, Relax, Release. It is impossible to have a peaceful mind in a tense body. It is impossible to have a relaxed body inside a cascading mind.  To feel good you need peace.  Calm your thoughts to calm your being. Relax your muscles to release distracting thoughts.  The body remembers everything. Let go so you can feel good.  Outside and In.

 

You are only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry.  Don’t worry.  And be sure to smell the flowers along the way. (Walter Hagen)

 

To sum up:

Props uses in the restorative yoga –

Bolsters

Blocks

Cushions

Blankets

Straps

Eye pillows

 

Pace of the class –

Very slow, the postures are held for anything between 3-10 minutes (even 15 if time allows)

 

Benefits –

Release of muscular tension

Calming the nervous system

Sense of contentment and peace

Ability to let go of daily worries and stress

Improving patience and self-awareness

Balancing energies and hormones in our body

Connecting with breath

Giving yourself that much needed ‘me time’ to reset and recharge

 

Eva Kristlova is a professional yoga teacher living in East Sussex.  Eva teaches online and in person and runs a beautiful yoga space, the Yoga Life Studio in Eastbourne.  Eva’s passion is bringing a slow, mindful and restorative practice into today’s fast paced world and helping her clients to reduce stress, anxiety and physical, mental and emotional tension.  Eva’s restorative classes will leave you feeling completely nurtured, stress free and relaxed.

Eva would like to share a free Restorative class with you, all you need to do is e-mail her on info@yoga-life.co.uk

www.yoga-life.co.uk

www.yogawitheva.co.uk

@evakristlova

All photos by @sarahcarmodyphotographyuk

Coming out of Yoga hibernation

With the lockdown rules in the UK now relaxing it was with a great excitement and anticipation to learn that we are now once again able to run yoga classes outside, and with up to 30 people including the teacher!

 

Our group of Eastbourne beach yogis, who have been meeting weekly for a morning beach yoga for quite a few years, has gone into hibernation during the lockdown and with the spring coming the group messages started to float amongst the yogis, sharing the positive news of the beach yoga restarting again as soon as end of March.  It was a sign of hope, joy and new beginnings.  With a great pleasure I called my yogis out of their winter yogic sleep.

 

It was actually quite a strange feeling for me as a teacher, as I got used to teaching from the comfort of my empty yoga studio and my home with all of my students being on the other side of the screen. And now suddenly I had up to 30 real people coming to my beach class! From zero to 30 can be quite overwhelming! I was almost nervous…

 

As I parked my car on the beach and grabbed my yoga mat, the sun was shining and I could hear the gentle waves in the distance, a big smile appeared on my face.  I took a leisurely walk towards our meeting place where several yogis were already waiting and chatting amongst themselves.  The sounds of joy, laughter, excited greetings and happy chatter spread across the beach as more and more yogis kept arriving.  It was literally like coming out of hibernation and someone even commented that we were like worms coming out of woodwork!

 

We all settled on our rocky beach and nobody seemed to mind the slight discomfort of stones and pebbles underneath our yoga mats.  After a little pause when the class took time to arrive and take the reality of being in a proper face to face class in, we were ready to begin, moving through our yoga practice as one. Breathing as one.  Being together once again united in yoga. I think I speak for everybody when I say how special the class was and that constant smiles were plastered all over our faces from the beginning till the end. Half way through the class I had a sudden realisation – we are not on ZOOM! I had to have a little laugh and shared that with my students – guess what we are not online!  All I can say, the class was super magical… seeing the happy faces of the yogis, hungry for connection, togetherness and community spirit was really heart-warming.

 

It is our tradition to dip our feet in the sea after the class. How wonderful to experience this again, hear the happy cries as the water is still pretty cold in March and feel the sand between our toes.  This was the perfect end to a very special yoga reunion!

 

Being in the yoga hibernation made us appreciate what we have even more.  What we took for granted in past we now treasure tenfold.  It almost felt like a pause button was released and we are in the ‘play’ mode again.  Playing, connecting and practising together once more.  And if we have to go into hibernation again, we know that our yoga spirit and connection will carry us through the rough seas and bring us to a calm and peaceful beach once again.

 

From the Eastbourne beach

Eva xxx

 

 

 

Make it happen in your business

I am super thrilled to share with you my article for the OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine!  I was asked to provide 7 tips on how to run a yoga business in the current climate, which to be honest is not always easy! You might know that I run a beautiful yoga space, the Yoga Life Studio in Eastbourne and despite many setbacks of 2020 and 2021 we are still here and going strong, teaching online and connecting our beautiful community.

Please check out my 7 hacks and read the article here: https://www.ommagazine.com/make-it-happen-in-your-yoga-business/

Feel free to connect with me to chat about your yoga business

Eva xxx

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