INSIDE: INVERSION PREP - 7 POSES TO GET READY FOR LIFT OFF

FEBRUARY 2020 - £3.99

he
sacral
chakra
enhance your Clavicle Up!
creativity One simple tip for
perfect posture

SPECIAL REPORT
YOGA FOR
THE SENSES
sensual healing

4 Yoga
A meditation Career
for Hacks
embracing FROM 4
AMAZING
TEACHERS
CHANGE

• OM Meets – Frances McKee

• Give a little love – Valentine’s treats
• Yoga & technology – The Halo effect
• SAS mindset – Meditation & mindfulness
 Welcome
OM Magazine
Issue 105, February 2020
Published by: Prime Impact, Park House,
The Business Centre
Earls Colne Business Park
Earls Colne, Colchester Welcome to the February issue of Britain’s
Essex. CO6 2NS best-selling yoga monthly, OM Yoga &
Tel: 44 (0) 1787 224040
info@primeimpact.co.uk
Lifestyle magazine.
ommagazine.com We’ve got everything you need inside to
keep your practice fresh and fabulous this
Chief Editor: Martin D. Clark month, no matter what level you’re at.
martin@ommagazine.com And for all you beginners out there, we
hope that we can inspire you as you start out
Designer: Cat Morton
on your amazing yoga journey.
Art Director: Emily Saunders Inside, you’ll find lots of practical yoga tips,
meditations, healthy recipes and simple life hacks to help you live
Advertising Manager: Sara Stant 44 (0) 1787 220646
sara@ommagazine.com
your best life. It’s all about keeping it real and getting the most out of
every day: staying active, living mindfully, prioritising self-love and
Marketing Jane Lambert kindness along the way.
Remember, 2020 is a leap year, so this month we have a whole extra
Photography & Videography: Alana Martin
day (29th February) to do whatever we want. It falls on a Saturday too
Food Creative Team: Shaun Warner (hurrah!), so let’s make the most of it!
Your yoga teacher would tell you to live with purpose and hit the
Subscriptions & Back Issues: Hannah Allen 44 (0) 1787 224040
hannah.allen@primeimpact.co.uk
mat each and every day. That’s what we aim to do in a perfect world
but sometimes we forget or get distracted, so let’s use the 29th to get
Publishing Director: Keith Coomber our lives pointing in the right direction once more.
Think of what you could do with a whole, free, extra day: book up
Managing Director: Julie Saunders
a yoga class (especially if it’s your first one!), scribble your hopes and
Licensing: Bruce Sawford 44 (0) 1280 860185 dreams into a journal, take a long hike through the countryside, or eat
Bruce@BruceSawfordLicensing.com only fresh, wholesome food that’s doing good things to your body on
Accounts: Yolande Arnold the inside.
Be kind to yourself and be kind to others. There’s so much you can
The Publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and fit into 24 hours. Let’s do it everybody!
the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not neccessarily represent the views of the Have a brilliant month and hope to see you on the mat real soon.
Publisher. The Publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the later appearance or non publica-
tion of any advertisement. Information about products and services featured within the editorial content
does not imply an endorsement by OM Magazine. OM Magazine is not intended to replace the professional
medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified therapist, nutritionist or dietician. Always
consult your doctor before undertaking any exercise programme.

Every efort is made to ensure that all advertising is derived from reputable sources. OM Magazine cannot,
however, accept responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers.
facebook.com/ommagazine

Instagram.com/
omyogamagazine

COVER: Model, Desi Barlett

Wardrobe: Manduka
Photgraphed by Natiya Guin

3
 OM in 30 seconds
Great posture helps us breathe
deeply and efficiently, which can
extend our life span. Having our
bones and joints in proper
alignment allows the breath
to travel effortlessly and fill our
entire diaphragm, which draws
us into a deeper state
of relaxation.
Clavicle Up!, Page 46
Yoga makes you feel good!
One reason is because
it gets you back in touch
with your delicious senses,
those innate human
abilities to experience the
world in all its glory, beauty
and colour.
Yoga & The Senses, Page 58
“Ask yourself: do you want to be a
good teacher or a popular one? I
do believe you can achieve both,
but I want to make sure I am a good
and happy teacher.” Kathryn Budig
shares her yoga teaching wisdom.
4 Yoga Career Hacks, Page 98
Don’t miss...
Subscription
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WORT
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4
Contributors
Andy Vantrease
Andy is a writer, traveler and storyteller. A self-proclaimed
‘student of life,’ she considers each experience and
relationship a worthwhile teacher and finds joy in
supporting others on the never-ending journey of self-
discovery. In the past decade, her work has taken her
around the globe, from remote villages in the Himalayas
to energy vortexes in the American Southwest, emerging
with stories that marry art with adventure and aim to
explore the intersection between human behaviour,
culture and the complex landscape of our inner worlds.
Find her at: andyvantrease.com
David Holzer
David is a dedicated yogi and professional writer who is
the author and ghost writer of more than 20 books on
a wide variety of subjects and two novels. He has been
practicing yoga for over 10 years, drawing elements
from the styles he most appreciates. David is especially
interested in the connection between yoga and creativity,
particularly writing. He developed and tutored probably
the first ever online yoga and writing course. His online
writers’ course at dailyom.com is called The Secret
Writing Mantra. Find out more at: yogawriters.org
Claudia Brown
Claudia is a yoga teacher based in Stafford but is a
proud Cumbrian. She has worked extensively with West
Bromwich Albion Football Club first team and has a Yoga
for Athletes and Sport accreditation with leading Sports
Yoga teacher Sarah Ramsden. She has also trained with
Anne Marie Newland at Sun Power Yoga, is a Total Yoga
Nidra Teacher after studying with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli, has
studied Yin Yoga with Norman Blair and has spent time at
Oxford University studying mindfulness. Claudia writes
our regular My Yoga Biz column (yogabyclaudia.com).
Regular contributors:
Claudia Brown, Paula Hines, Meg Jackson, Victoria Jackson,
Jenny Baker, Kirstie Bird, Jill Lawson, Kiki Morriss, Julia White
Words of wisdom
“When we love, we always strive to become
better than we are. When we strive to become
better than we are, everything around us
becomes better too.”
Paulo Coelho
5
 February 2020

Contents
OM Regulars Cover
Story 42 Yoga & Technology: The Halo Effect
Cover
3 Editor’s Letter Story 46 Clavicle Up: Simple Posture Tip
4 Contributors 48 Accessible Ashtanga: Yoga In The Sun
8 My Secret Place
10 Letters OM FM
12 Yoga Changed My Life Cover
Story 52 SAS Mindset: Meditation & Mindfulness
14 Blanket herapy 56 Man On he Mat: Eight Angle Pose
15 Mantra Of he Month
Cover
Story SPECIAL Yoga & he Senses
16 Yoga With Strings Attached
60 he Art Of Tantric Massage
17 Yoga & Aromatherapy:
Rose Geranium Oil 62 Temple Of Incense
18 Amazing Spaces 64 Aroma herapy
20 OM Loves: Beautiful Things 66 Herbal Hugs
For Beautiful People 68 Love At First Spike
22 Fashion: Yoga Will Save The World
26 Planet Yoga OM Mind
Cover
103 OM Books: Good Reads Story 72 Meditation Now: The Butterfly Effect
104 Yoga Is For Every Body: 74 OM Yoga Show: Manchester Preview
Your Photos. Your Community

114 OM Lite: Hair Dilemmas OM Spirit

Cover
Story 76 Enhance Creativity hrough
OM Body he Sacral Chakra
30 Yoga At Home: Inversion Prep 78 Feel he Wonder: Look Within
Cover
Story 34 OM Meets: Frances McKee
38 360º Yoga: Hero Pose OM Living
40 he Body Positivity Blog 80 Eat Drink Yoga: Healthy Eating Goodies

6
114 Cover
Story 82
86
Give A Little Love: Valentine’s Treats
Nutrition Zone: Healthy People, Healthy Planet

OM Family
88 Sleeping Beauties: Good Sleep Guide
90 he Peaceful Parent: Finding Zen

OM Actions
92 Ashram Reunion: Friends Reunited

82 OM Teacher Zone
97 My Yoga Biz: Tips From The Experts
Cover
Story 98 4 Yoga Career Hacks: From The Fab Four
101 Sensory Integration
102 Teachers’ Tales: Sharing The Wisdom

OM Travel
106 Travel News: Inspiring Ideas For Yoga Explorers
108 Escape To he Algarve: Wellness Retreat Options

YOGA & THE SENSES SPECIAL

58
30
98

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My secret place
Yogi: Jasmine Sara
Photographer: Tui Anandi
Location: Urubamba, Sacred Valley, Peru

Jasmine Sara is a yoga teacher and writer travelling the world,

working on wellness retreats, organic farms and online projects. This
spot in the mountains in Peru is a special place for her to practice
yoga. “I feel like the mountains called me here to The Sacred Valley,”
she tells OM. “Their presence is protective. With the altitude it’s
not an easy place to adapt to — hiking is harder than usual and
everything feels different — so this mountain represents resilience to
me, the ability to adapt whilst being held in a safe container provided
by nature.” The Sacred Valley is also an incredibly healing place, she
adds. “It has played a very special role in my own wellness journey.
I come to this mountain to breathe, to remind myself how strong I am
and to appreciate the beauty of where I am in the world.”

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INSIDE: HARD HABITS - BREAKING FREE FROM ADDICTIONS

INSIDE: INVERSION PREP - 7 POSES TO GET READY FOR LIFT OFF

JANUARY 2020 - £4.99

N@maste
FEBRUARY 2020 - £4.99
Yogafor

he
beginners
our guide to
sacral starting out
chakra
enhance your Clavicle Up! SANITARY WEAR
creativity One simple tip for PLANET-
perfect posture Do the twist FRIENDLY
standing twist sequence
SPECIAL REPORT PERIODS
YOGA FOR
THE SENSES SPECIAL REPORT
sensual healing
Yoga
A meditation
4 Yoga
Career Nidra 9
Love OM magazine and want to tell for
embracing
CHANGE
Hacks
FROM 4
AMAZING
TEACHERS
the art of relaxation

Also in this issue...

health food
trends for 2020

the world? Here’s your chance

• OM Meets – Sarah Highfield
• Ibiza retreats – a detox for life
• Yoga’s outliers – Men & yoga
• Complete vegan – Healthy recipes

• OM Meets – Frances Mckee

• Give a little love – Valentine’s treats
• Yoga & technology – The Halo effect
• SAS mindset – Meditation & mindfulness

Year to remember Yogi bears

It’s been fun planning my year out with
the OM 2020 calendar, which came with
my January issue. A whole year of yoga inspiration
— thank you OM! Now I just need to book a lovely
summer holiday yoga retreat and write it in very large
letters so I can start counting the days!
Jemma, by email
Editor’s note: OM will be publishing a special report
on yoga travel in April showcasing dozens of the best
retreats from all over the world. Be sure you include it
in your research!
I am a therapeutic play practitioner at a primary school in Scotland
(near Glasgow). I read your magazine each month and love it. I run an
after-school club in mindfulness, yoga and reflexology. Your magazine has helped
me greatly and I particularly loved the yoga for children feature in September’s
issue and then the teacher zone ‘Get Sketching’ article in November and then the
article on the yoga bear in December’s issue. This inspired me to have a Kevin the
Koala bear who is a kindness bear and on his yoga headband and t-shirt he gives
the children mindful messages like ‘Be Kind’ which really engages the children. So
again thank you as your magazine helps me enrich my club for the children. I feel
there should be more clubs like this in primary schools as we really should help
children’s health and wellbeing as early as possible.
Madeline, by email

Keep in touch
OM Letters, Prime Impact Events & Media,
Park House, The Business Centre, Earls
Colne Business Park, Colchester CO6 2NS
editor@ommagazine.com
facebook.com/ommagazine
twitter.com/OMYogaMagazine
instagram.com/omyogamagazine
Yoga
Nidra
Great to see the
feature on Yoga Nidra in
your January issue. Despite
the huge rise in popularity
in all things yoga in recent
years, I still believe that
many people remain largely
unaware of Yoga Nidra
and its incredible power.
Taking just 20 minutes for
a Yoga Nidra each day can
have such a transformative
effect on your life and
overall health.
It definitely works for me!
Mo, by email

10
CNM
Training Successful Health Coaches

Health Coach
Do Something Life-Changing
 Improve Your Health
 Change Career
 Help others

01342 410 505 thehealthcoach.com

11
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YOGA
changed my life
Yoga gave Meghan Hutcheon a new
direction in life ater traumatic family times
Why did you start yoga
When I found out I was pregnant three years ago with my first baby
girl, Mila, I wanted to find a workout that was gentler than I was used
to. My previous pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, so I was a little
anxious about that. I went along to a pregnancy yoga class, so I could
keep healthy for my baby, and to meet other mums-to-be in my area.
Asanas got me on the mat in the beginning, but I quickly discovered
how much clearer my mind was after practicing pranayama and
meditation. I’ve never looked back since.
How has yoga changed your life
This year I lost my brother at the age of 22, after an 18-month ordeal
with sarcoma cancer, and I am so grateful I discovered yoga when
I did. I honestly feel like it came in to my life when it did for a reason.
Alex was diagnosed
around the time I fell
pregnant with my second
daughter — and the time
when yoga really started to
become a huge part of my
daily life. I feel my practice
allowed me to support
my family with a clear
head and to be present
in life and make beautiful
memories with my girls
and their uncle before he
passed away. One of his
proudest moments was
when my daughter, Gia
Alex, was born and we told
him she was named after
the bravest man in her life.
He died the month before
I began my 200hr yoga
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NAME: Meghan Hutcheon (Yoga Megs)
AGE: 28
OCCUPATION: Yoga Teacher
YOGA YEARS: 3+
teacher training and I feel that it has enabled me to apply my studies
and my practice to my real life. The reason I decided to start my
training is to hopefully share what I have experienced and learnt
through yoga to allow other people to find peace when faced with
life’s challenges. After all, pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.
Favourite yoga haunts
I am fortunate enough to grow up and live on the coast, so I love to
practice with a view of the beach. Every time I hear waves or water
it makes me feel calm and positively nostalgic, so this is definitely
the sound I choose to meditate to the most. Every time I walk along
the beach I have to stop on a bench for a moment of calm. Feeling
the sunshine on my face is a bonus but living up in the north-east of
Scotland, this is a rare occasion so it makes me appreciate it even more!
Best yoga moment
I completed my kids, teens and pre/postnatal yoga teacher training
this year and will finish my 200hr course in January 2020, so I’m
grateful to have had the time to do this while my babies are so little,
and I get to share this lifestyle with them from the start. I got such a
buzz teaching my first class to a group of lovely teens this summer.
It made me realise I have found my calling and hearing them tell me
how it has helped with struggles, such as confidence and anxiety, only
lights my fire for sharing yoga more and more.
Anything else
Coming from a marketing background, I spent my working days
before having my girls sitting in an office watching the clock. I knew
after having my girls, I wanted to give them the best version of me
and fill my house with positive energy, so I made the decision then
that I wouldn’t ever wish my life away again. Yoga has changed my
life in more ways than I ever thought possible after going along to the
pregnancy class three years ago. I have experienced the toughest and
most magical times in those short years, but yoga has been my anchor
and light throughout.
BREATHE BETTER
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Blanket therapy
Soothing, weighted snuggle blankets might just be the answer to the long,
cold British winter, as well as the everyday stresses of life
Y
ogis love a warm, cosy blanket to snuggle into after
class; it’s an amazing feeling, like receiving a hug from
an old friend.
Weighted blankets — the ultimate comfort blanket
— have been around for a while, loved by their owners
for a host of good reasons: they are said to encourage better sleep
and soothe away your stress, among other benefits.
For decades, they have also been well regarded in the medical
community as a natural solution for dealing with stress, anxiety
and other mental health conditions. Historically, occupational
therapists prescribed them to children living with autism as a way
to help them fall asleep at night.
For adults, there are also plenty of reasons why using a weighted
comfort blanket might be a good thing too, and not just in the
deep, dark winter.
One weighted blanket pioneer is Therapy, an Australian firm
that sells to the UK market and around the world. Its weighted
blanket is designed to
help people suffering from
stress, anxiety, depression,
ADHD, PTSD and sensory
processing disorders.
Engineered to be
approximately 10%
of your body weight,
it uses ‘deep touch
14
pressure’ stimulation — this improves mood and relaxation by
naturally promoting the release of endorphins (the body’s happy
hormones) while also decreasing stress and anxiety.
Inside, there’s a whole lot of science going on as well. The
blanket’s micro-pocket weight distribution includes 10cm x 10cm
square pockets to contain glass microbeads (the things that
actually weight the blanket!).
As the square pockets are smaller, they keep the weight evenly
distributed throughout the blanket. That means you’ll always get a
nice, warm hug when you need it the most.
And guess what: they’re cheaper than actual therapy!
Yoga & the Senses: Be sure to check out our special report inside this
issue to find other ways to nurture your senses, starting on page 58.
THERAPY BLANKETS
Therapy’s weighted blankets are antimicrobial and
hypoallergenic, and come in two colours and a range of
different weights. Includes an inner weighted blanket and a
separate blanket cover made from 100% micro plush on one
side (snuggly for winter), and bamboo lyocell fabric on the
other side (great for summer, as it’s cooling and breathable).
£169 (5kg); £179 (7kg); £189 (9kg)
therapyblanket.com.au
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Mantra of the month

S
ometimes in our hectic, busy lives we lose sight of our
own self-worth and turn to self-criticism and doubt.
Whatever path you are on, keep going and know that
you are enough. Don’t let others make you doubt
yourself: remind yourself that you have what it takes
and that you are beautiful inside and out. Meditate on this
mantra whenever you need a self-love boost.

Try this pose...

Tree Pose
(Vrksasana)
This pose is perfect to
accompany your mantra.
Grounded and strong.
Standing firm and
strong in Mountain pose
(Tadasana) root down
and find your centre point
of gravity and inner line
energy. Palms together
at heart centre in Anjali
mudra. Shift your weight
onto your right foot.
Keeping a long spine,
and grounding down
into your right foot, place the sole of the left foot on the inside of
your right leg either below or above your knee. Lengthen your
tailbone toward the floor to stand tall and bring your Drishti or
gaze to a point that’s not moving out in front of you. Keep it soft
and stay with your breath. Square both hips to the front of the
room, keeping your left knee moving out to the left in an effort
to maintain your midline. Zip your belly in and your lower ribs
together. Lift the chest and bring the shoulder blades down. Stand
tall and strong! Take 5-10 deep breaths, finding length on each
inhale and rooting down with each exhale.
Exhale and release the left leg back to Tadasana. Repeat on the
other side.
Kirstie Bird is a London-based yoga teacher and modern
calligrapher (inkandflow.com)
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Yoga with
strings
attached
New live string quartet
and yoga experience in
London’s only surviving
Elizabethan church

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Y
oga lovers will already be well versed in the ancient
practice’s wellness benefits; less well known,
however, are the health pluses that live classical Catch the ‘Yoga Ab Alto — Yoga with Strings Attached’ experience
music can bring to it. A recent study has shown for yourself this month at The Old Church. Check online for
that listening to classical music can help alleviate more dates:
symptoms of everything from anxiety and high blood pressure
to insomnia. Sunday February 23, 2020
With this in mind, Ann Pidcock, a London-based yoga instructor
and Estilo String Quartet have collaborated to bring ‘Yoga Ab Alto Tickets available via: yogaabalto.com
— Yoga with Strings Attached’, a new wellness experience to the
magical and historical venue of The Old Church in London’s Stoke
Newington, the city’s only surviving Elizabethan church. The name
Ab Alto ‘From Above’ is taken from the motto above the door to
the church.
The experience incorporates yoga teaching with a live set from
Estilo String Quartet playing chamber-pop tracks to relax, inspire
and stimulate the senses and complement the class. The first event
took place last year with more planned for 2020.
“This experience is open to yoga lovers of all abilities and
experience,” Robert Simmons, a partner with the Estilo String
Quartet tells OM. The quartet are based in East London and have
released two albums.
“After the main 90-minute yoga event draws to a close with
a long Savasana, all are welcome to stay a while relaxing and
chatting with a warming hot chocolate in the atmospheric church,”
adds Simmons.

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Yoga & Aromatherapy

Rose Geranium (Pelargonium
Graveolens. Var Roseum)

F
ebruary comes from the Latin ‘februum’, or to purify; it used to be a month
for cleansing and purifying the mind, soul and heart. The perfect oil to help
us do this is rose geranium (pelargonium graveolens. var roseum). Made
from the leaves and stem of the rose geranium plant, this lovely oil is far
superior to regular geranium oil because of its sweet floral and rosy aroma
that help to promote feelings of ease and grace.
It’s a good essential oil to help balance emotions. Place a couple of drops on a tissue
and inhale deeply, and the rose geranium will work at helping to pick you up when your
energy is low whilst calming and strengthening your life force and vital energy.
It also makes a lovely massage oil as it helps detoxify and reduce any inflammation.
Place a couple of drops in some jojoba oil and massage well into the skin and allow the
essential oil to help with the healing. Using it as a massage treatment will also allow
you to open up to the beautiful aromas and feelings of relaxation and pleasure that
rose geranium helps encourage. You can also add a couple of drops to some rosehip oil
for a rich skin facial oil that will help balance the hormones whilst also boosting and
rejuvenating the skin.
Try using some rose geranium oil this month to help purify mind, body
and soul and raise your vibration.
Generally, a safe and non-toxic oil.

Julia White is a yoga teacher and

aromatherapist (jwhitelondon.com)
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Amazing spaces
Mayura Yoga
196 Eastern Esplanade
Thorpe Bay
Southend on Sea
SS1 3AA

mayurayoga.co.uk

It is hard not to feel welcome and relaxed as you walk into

award-winning Mayura Yoga Centre’s ambiently-lit reception
area. Situated on the coast in Southend-on-Sea, overlooking the
Thames estuary, it is a struggle to imagine a more idyllic location
for a relaxing yoga experience. As the doors close behind you, the
underfloor heating swiftly combats the cool British sea breeze.
Help yourself to a tea, coffee or coconut water before heading
into the state-of-the-art yoga studio with neutral colours and
hardwood floors, the perfect backdrop for relaxation. But the pièce has to date successfully trained nearly 100 teachers - an established
de résistance is, undoubtedly, the panoramic view of the ocean. At training centre registered with Yoga Alliance that’s been running
Mayura Yoga Centre, the main focus is on ensuring wellness for the for 12 years. The course is quite unique, leading trainee teachers
mind, body and soul. It does this by providing not just yoga, Pilates through the journey of the Eight Limbs of Yoga to include a full
and Tai Chi classes but also a list of holistic therapies and mindful spectrum of yoga experiences. It is a very personal journey for each
practices to offer to visitors of all ages and abilities. As well as a full student and the groups are guided and supported continuously
and varied class timetable it offers regular workshops at weekends, throughout by a highly-trained team. Just one hour from London
some of which qualify as CPD training days for teachers and other and you could be walking along the beach outside Mayura enjoying
professionals. It is especially proud of its Training Academy which space and fresh air before stepping into the tranquil studio.

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loves
Beautiful things for beautiful people

Spritz Wellness Yoga Mat Spray

Wipe the sweat away with this yoga mat spray from Spritz
Wellness. Designed to clean and restore both mats and props,
it’s formulated with the antiseptic and antiviral properties of tea
tree and lavender. Incorporate aromatherapy into your practice.
£12 (50ml) / £12 (100ml)
spritzwellness.com
The Eye Of Horus Necklace
Considered one of the most powerful amulets in
ancient Egypt, representing the third eye, the entrance
to the dimension of higher consciousness and psychic
abilities.This protective symbol is known to ward off Ubiety Lip Balm
negative energies. This delicate necklace features Red Mandarin & Lavender
smoky quartz with 22 carat gold-plated brass. Moisturising Lip Balm from
£15 Ubiety. Unique daikon oil-
kleem.co.uk rich formulation combines
sweet mandarin, lavender
and samphire, to make for a
moreishly moisturising lip
balm. 100% natural derived
andvegan-friendly.
£7
findubeity.com

Winter Defence Kit

See off the rest of the winter with this ‘all in one’ kit to
boost your immune system, fight symptoms of colds,
flu and coughs and keep you in optimal health through
the dark, cold months. Includes: 50g immunity herbal
tea; 100ml cold & flu tincture; 100ml cough tincture;
and 30g herbal chest rub.
£43.50 + p&p
luciebradley.co.uk

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Raised Spirit organic

CBD Massage Oil
Hemp company Raised Spirit have recently added
a second product to their organic and vegan-
friendly beauty range. This luxurious CBD Massage
Oil uses only 100% organic ingredients and is
lovingly hand blended in Oxfordshire, beautifully
scented with lavender and patchouli. Designed to
soothe your body, relax your mind and nourish your
skin, it’s time to get more hands-on and deepen
your chill! 100ml
£44.99
raisedspirit.com
Period Care,
Reinvented
Good for you.
Good for the planet.

Iggy Box Artisanal Candles

Candles are a great mood enhancer for your yoga practice. Iggy Box partners with
a different UK-based artisan candle maker each month (the team tests each candle
and brand before they make the final cut). They only work with brands and candle
makers who use natural ingredients and with eco-friendly credentials. They offer
two subscription package sizes starting from £12.95 per month, and also offer a
gifting service where you can gift a subscription of either three, six or 12 months
with a one-off payment.
From £12.95 per month
iggybox.co.uk

Organic Hand Made

Eye Pillows
Not all eye pillows are made
equally. These ones from
Yoga Studio are handmade in
the UK, using organic French
lavender and linseed. The
beautiful scent and weight of
the pillows gives a soothing
and calming feeling during your
post-class relaxation.
£6.95
yogastudio.co.uk

www.nuflo.uk
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Yoga will save the world Introducing GNGR Bees: yoga activewear
made of plastic and upcycled materials
to empower real women to save the
world…and look great on the mat

Louisa Sports Bra, £48

gngrbees.com

Sally Sports Bra, £42.50

gngrbees.com

Louisa Leggings, £75

gngrbees.com

Sally Leggings, £68

gngrbees.com
Yogis: Amanda Wass & Jenna Samji
Photographer Vickie Licková

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Val Sports Bra, £45
gngrbees.com

Emilia Sports Bra, £45

gngrbees.com

Louisa Leggings, £75

gngrbees.com

Louisa Sports Bra, £48

gngrbees.com
Yogis: Amanda Wass & Jenna Samji
Photographer Vickie Licková

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Louisa Sports Bra, £48

gngrbees.com

Val Leggings, £65.50

gngrbees.com

Sally Sports Bra, £42.50

gngrbees.com

Louisa Sports Bra, £48

gngrbees.com

Louisa Leggings, £75

Yogis: Amanda Wass & Jenna Samji

gngrbees.com
Photographer Vickie Licková

Sally Leggings, £68

gngrbees.com

24
 trained and guided in a sacred way to connect with Tao
Oneness,” he says. When Master Sha writes Tao Calligraphy,
the Source pours its essence (message, energy and matter)
into the Tao Calligraphy, which then radiates a field of the
pure, positive qualities of Tao Source, such as unconditional
love, forgiveness, harmony, flourishing and more.
In this field, people can more easily release what blocks
them from greater health, happiness and success and reach
new heights spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Anyone can learn the simple techniques and practices to
receive benefits and blessings from the Tao Calligraphy Field.
“After tracing the Tao Calligraphy, I feel that everything is going
to come to me in the right way at the perfect time.” —Dave
Meltzer, CEO of Sports 1 Marketing
“It’s truly remarkable how much I seem to have changed on a
fundamental level.” —R.K. on healing depression and anxiety

Events in March
Experience the power of the Tao Calligraphy Field yourself. Be
with Master Sha. Receive gifts of Tao Calligraphy Light Ball
transmissions for your healing on March 6 – 9 and in the
Healing session March 7.

Experience Transformation in the Enjoy the Tao Calligraphy Field and More at
Tao Calligraphy Field the London Centre

with Master Sha

T
housands around the world are enjoying the bene-
fits of the new, breakthrough healing art of Tao
Calligraphy. Those seeking cutting-edge tools for
healing and transformation can meet and learn
from its creator, Dr. and Master Zhi Gang Sha – world
renowned spiritual healer, Tao grandmaster, bestselling
author, and founder of the Tao Calligraphy Field, this March,
in London.
Master Sha will feature the Tao Calligraphy Field and a blend
of ancient and new wisdom and practices that anyone can
Visit the Master Sha Tao Centre and attend free sessions on
easily apply to help themselves feel better and create
Wednesday evenings, from 7:00pm to 8:45pm.
positive life changes.
With love, care and compassion, we offer resources, events,
It’s New. It’s Unique. It’s Powerful. guidance and services focused on health, wellness, spiritual
growth, financial success and more to help you overcome
Master Sha’s Tao Calligraphy is rooted in a rare and beautiful challenges and enjoy a happy, productive life.
form of Oneness writing that is empowered by Master Sha’s
profound connection with Tao (the Source and Creator). “I was Visit: MasterShaTaoCentre.co.uk.

MASTER SHA TAO CALLIGRAPHY FIELD EVENTS IN MARCH

MARCH 6–9 MARCH 7
HEALING DAYS WITH MASTER SHA MASTER SHA TAO CALLIGRAPHY FIELD SESSIONS
1–3 pm & 4–8 pm Demonstration: 4:30–6:30 pm • Healing: 7–8 pm
Friends House, London & via Webcast London & via Webcast

Full Event List: DrSha.com/london2020

Master Sha Tao Centre

14 Turnham Green Terrace Mews, Chiswick, W4 1QU • 02038905774 • MasterShaTaoCentre.co.uk
 om beginnings

Planet yogaStories from around the weird

and wonderful world of yoga

USA: Brain booster

Yoga is good for your body and for your brain, according to a
recent review of scientific literature on the subject. The new paper,
Yoga Effects on Brain Health: A Systematic Review of the Current
Literature, undertaken by the University of Illinois, highlights some
of yoga’s brain-boosting attributes. It notes: “Collectively, the studies
demonstrate a positive effect of yoga practice on the structure
and/or function of the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex,
cingulate cortex and brain networks including the default mode
network.” The findings offer “early evidence” that yoga may hold
promise to mitigate age-related and neurodegenerative declines.

USA: Hollywood hunk

Scottish actor Gerard Butler — the star of blockbuster
action movies such as 300 and Olympus Has Fallen — was
spotted in West Hollywood recently on his way to a yoga
studio. The 49-year-old star was sporting a baseball cap
and yoga mat under his arm to complete the look. Butler
joins a long line of Hollywood A-listers, male and female,
to take up yoga in order to stay fit and well. They include
the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, mother
and daughter duo Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson, and
Thor action hero Chris Hemsworth.

26
 om beginnings

UK: The Davina mat

TV host Davina McCall is a big
fan of alignments mats. The
keen yogini posted a photo of
herself on Instagram recently
on some brightly-coloured mats
showing poses and alignment
cues. It turns out they’re a part of
her expanding fitness products
range. She told her Insta crowd:
“Namaste!! My yoga mats have
printed guides at the edges and
centre to let u know of your
positioning on the mat… clever
eh?! Helping u nail those all important yoga poses and streeeetches...and if you
forget the difference between a downward dog and a chair pose don’t worry!!!
Key poses are printed along with the mat if they slip your mind…”

VENEZUELA:
Worker benetfits
It may be in the news for
all the wrong reasons lately
but not everything is awry
in Venezuela. Workers at the
state oil company Petroleos de
Venezuela SA are still enjoying
complimentary yoga, guitar
and dance lessons through
the firm’s cultural arm. The
oil giant posted a number of
images on its Instagram account, showing yoga at its La Estancia estate, a plush
18th-century coffee plantation. The troubled South American country is currently
facing a humanitarian disaster, the result of a combination of price controls,
expropriations, mismanagement and corruption.

GERMANY: H&M yoga

Popular high street retailer H&M has opened a new experiential store in a trendy
district of Berlin, which includes a space for yoga classes and a cafe. The Swedish
budget fashion chain is looking to entice more shoppers through its doors in a bid
to revive sales. The company has already piloted the more upmarket store concept
in its native Stockholm, but is now rolling out the concept in Germany, Europe’s
biggest market - home to about a tenth of all H&M stores worldwide. The new store
also features a selection of yoga wear to buy, plus vegan-friendly cosmetics.
 om body

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29
 om body

Inversion prep
– get ready for
lit of YOGA @ HOME

This short flow for all levels is rooted in traditional yoga methods and will help you get
acquainted with the body mechanics needed to practice Headstand. By Jospeh Armstrong
sing the Sun Salutation as the starting point, can tap more strength and hold the torso stiff as a board. You

U this practice will light a fire in the deep core and

introduce specific patterns of movement that will
be helpful in your inversion work. Some key points
of awareness are in the shoulders, abdominals
and hips. Remember to modify where it’s helpful for you. In your
Plank poses you might drop your knees to the floor so that you
might also use a block in any of the postures. If you squeeze the
block between your knees in Dolphin Plank, you might feel more
engagement. You could use a chair to help out in standing balances
or practice the Headstand against a wall. As the challenge mounts,
keep the breath deep and the mind calmly focused so that you
might drop deeper into the inner experience of yoga.

1
Move through a Sun Salutation and pause
when you approach High Plank position.
Tap into the strength and stability of the
core by holding Plank for 5, 10 or even more
breaths. Keep awareness on the front of
the body, drawing the belly button inward.
Complete the Sun Salute and come to
Samasthitih, standing position at the front
of the mat.

30
 om body

2 3
Get acquainted with seeing the world upside down! Step out to the Turn to face the right side and bend the knee. Take a lunge position
side with roughly a legs width between your two feet. Fold forward with the arms outstretched in line with the shoulders. Move into
and place the hands on the floor in line with the shoulders. Make warrior 3 by leaning the body weight into the right foot and lifting
sure the belly is drawing in the whole time! On an exhale drop the the left leg into the air. Cultivate an awareness of where the hips
crown of the head towards the ground. Draw the shoulders away are in space and how to stack the joints for increased balance. Go
from the ears. Hold the gazing point steady as you take 5 deep through the same movements on the other side and then return
breaths. Use an inhale to rise. to Samasthitih.

4 5
Make your way to Boat pose. Balancing on the sit bones, extend the Now let’s put it all together and get upside down. Set up your base
legs at a 45-degree angle relative to the floor. Keep the legs straight for Headstand by interlacing your fingers and aligning the elbows
if possible and strongly reach the arms out, parallel to the floor. If with shoulders. Place the crown of the head on the floor, tuck the
you need to modify then bend the knees or even lightly touch the toes and lift the knees. Try to maintain a sensation of suctioning
fingertips to the floor. Hold for 5, 10 or more breaths. For increased the belly in. Make sure the shoulders are firmly drawing away from
difficulty, you might alternate few times between high Boat pose the ears. Walk the feet as close to the face as possible, maybe even
and low. holding on the tip toes, as you take 5-10 deep breaths.

Continue sequence >

31
 om body

6
Begin to play with lifting one leg into the air.
Try to keep the grounded foot close to the
face while you simultaneously fully extend the
lifted leg upward. Keep the core engaged and
shoulders pulling away from the ears. Hold for
5, 10 or more breaths. Make sure you try both
sides and don’t forget to breathe!

7
Now let’s try lifting both legs. Extend one
leg straight up as before. Bend the opposite
knee and try bringing the thigh into the
chest. Pull the heel towards the glute and
point the toe. Check-in with the core and
shoulder engagement. If you feel steady
then slowly extend the bent knee upwards,
coming into full Headstand. Squeeze the
legs tightly and strongly point the toes. Keep
the breath free and deep and let the mind be
calm and focused.

Our digital app version

includes a video tutorial
in partnership with
Omstars (omstars.com),
download it today

32
59
 om body

OM meets...

Frances McKee
34

David Holzer catches up with Iyengar teacher Frances McKee, owner of The Yoga Extension
studio in Glasgow, and occasional vocalist of the band, The Vaselines
t started when I spotted a photograph
I of Frances McKee of Scottish band The
Vaselines taking a yoga class on the
Boaty Weekender, a cruise organised
by the band Belle and Sebastian in August
of last year.
The Vaselines were and are Frances McKee
and Eugene Kelly. First time round, they
existed from when McKee was 18 to 21. After
that, she formed the band Painkillers who
became Suckle and released an album called
Against Nurture on Chemikal Underground
Records in 2000. She released a solo album,
Sunny Moon on Analogue Catalogue Records
in 2006. The Vaselines reformed again
in 2008 and have performed around the
world sporadically since then. In 2014, they
released the album V for Vaselines.
Kurt Cobain of Nirvana was a huge
fan. He described them as his “favourite
songwriters in the whole world”. Nirvana
covered their songs ‘Molly’s Lips’ and ‘Son
of a Gun’ on their album Insecticide and
‘Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam’ on MTV
Unplugged in New York which has sold
almost 10 million copies to date. Breaking
up in 1989 after the release of their first
album Dum-Dum, The Vaselines briefly
reformed in October 1990 to support
Nirvana in Edinburgh before breaking
up again.
After The Vaselines split for the first time,
McKee trained as a school teacher. She
discovered yoga, decided the education
system wasn’t for her and, starting in 1995,
began Iyengar teacher training. Qualifying
at introductory level in 1997, she went
to Pune, India that year to study directly
with the Iyengar family. Today, she holds a
senior level one certificate in Iyengar Yoga.
In 2006, McKee founded The Yoga
Extension, her own studio in Glasgow.
Reading about her on the studio’s website,
you’d never know she had another life
in music.
I caught up with her by phone when she
was between classes. She comes across as
friendly, utterly down to earth, not remotely
rock and roll and still somewhat bemused
by her fame, such as it is. Her opening line,
when I asked my first question about her
musical life was “You know that feeling, the
past coming back to haunt you?”
That girl in that band
“After Kurt Cobain died in 1994,” McKee
told me, “people started getting a lot more
By David Holzer
interested in our music. I’d write songs, but
I spent much more time practicing yoga.
I found it beneficial on so many levels.”
Music was never really a career for
McKee. “It’s not a career trajectory I’d wish
on anyone,” she said. “But I like the way
I can dip in and out. Now I think unless
you’re Beyonce or someone like that, it’s
not an industry in which you’re going to do
well, financially or otherwise. I’m glad I’ve
got a perspective on it, three children and
my yoga. We’ve just finished a wee run of
shows and have no plans for a new album
or to tour. But never say never.”
Do the worlds of yoga and music overlap
for McKee? “Students and teachers
occasionally realise that I’m that girl in that
band and then the cat’s out of the bag.
I have taught musicians, including Bobby
Kildea, Stevie Jackson and Chris Geddes
from Belle and Sebastian. When we went
back on the road and did our first tour,
I taught our road manager yoga. He was
very good.”
The number of well-known musicians
who do yoga is growing all the time. Does
she ever come across closet yogis or yoginis
in the music world? “Oh lots, but the only
one I can think of right now is Mark Arm,
singer in Mudhoney, the grunge band from
Seattle. From watching how he moved
onstage, I knew he did yoga.”
And how has yoga helped McKee handle
her occasional other job in music. “When
I was younger, I got stage fright. It was
so bad I was glad when the band folded.
I don’t get it anymore and I think that’s
because of yoga. I feel like I’m fully in
command of my own body now. You see
om body
that with people who do yoga. When they
go on stage, they can hold themselves. For
me, as a singer, having that connection
with the breath really helps me. Now, if I go
on tour, I practice every day. That’s what
got me through touring after we reformed.
I don’t know how people do all that wild
partying stuff. Once I’ve played the show
I want to go home because I want to
practice the next day.”
What about the creative process? “Yoga
helps with song writing, yes. It gets the
ideas flowing. My ideal day when I was
writing my solo album Sunny Moon — this is
BC, before children — was to get up, practice,
write and then practice guitar. I always do
my practice first and my creative process is
definitely heightened afterwards.”
Yoga and the
endless search
McKee teaches five days a week and there
are three other teachers at The Yoga
Extension. I was curious to find out what
she thought about the business of running
a yoga studio. “Students come and go,”
she explained. “I can’t ever predict traffic,
although numbers do begin to go up
around the autumn equinox. All of which
makes it hard to plan a business.”
Has she considered offering online
courses, as so many studios are doing now?
“Without any disrespect to online courses,
yoga is a practical subject. I have a teacher
I practice with physically because I want
them to see how I practice and help me.
I need to connect with a guru or teacher or
have someone I respect to oversee what
35
 om body
I do. If I don’t have a teacher, I feel like I’m
saying I know it all which I don’t. One of the
fascinating things about yoga for me is that
it’s open-ended. There’s always something
else to learn. A good teacher will constantly
move you out of your comfort zone and
make you question things. I’m always
asking questions and getting more answers
from classes and workshops.”
What questions does she ask herself?
“Why do I find some things so simple and
others so complicated? That’s a big one.
I know our bodies are all different and
I can see that students respond to my
instructions differently but that doesn’t
quite explain it.”
McKee started with Iyengar, a style of
yoga that emphasises precision, back in
the mid-90s and has stuck with it. Why was
that? “It’s the first practice I came across
when I was in my 20s and I fell in love with
it, although I did dabble in Ashtanga when
I was younger. It was fast and exhilarating
but you have to be fit to be able to do it.
When I was pregnant, I couldn’t sustain
practicing Ashtanga, so I went back to
Iyengar. It’s a clever system that pays such
close attention to detail and alignment.
Also, you can go fast or slow, which means
you can practice Iyengar whatever your age,
ability and health. And because there’s no
set sequence, you can really be creative and
finetune a practice to get specific results.
Iyengar embodies everything for me.”
Mentioning Ashtanga made me wonder
what McKee, who’d swum with the sharks
of the notoriously sexist music industry,
thought of the MeToo movement in
relation to yoga. “First of all, we’re all
36
human and make mistakes. It’s up to all of
us and our conscience to know the right
way to behave. I’ve never felt threatened
in any field I’ve worked in,” she said. “If
something bothers me, I say it at the time.
But I am glad women are speaking out
about inappropriate behaviour, that they
have a voice, because I feel that things are
messed up. In yoga, there are power hungry
people just as there are everywhere. Being
a teacher puts us in a position of power that
we might feel tempted to abuse. MeToo
has made me think about my position
as a teacher. People who come to yoga
classes can be very vulnerable and now I’m
much more likely to ask myself if I’ve said
something hurtful or negative to someone
accidentally. Having said that, I am sad that
my male colleagues have become wary of
hands-on correction, which Iyengar calls
for a lot. Some even say they don’t want to
do that anymore.”
It was time to ask a couple of lighter
questions. First of all, I wanted to know
what McKee’s go-to yoga pose was (my
equivalent of what’s your favourite colour?).
“I have so many. It just depends on what
mood I’m in. When I was younger, it would
have been back arch, Urdhva Dhanurasana.
But then I realised everything I knew about
this pose was wrong, had to unlearn it and
begin all over. I’ve started to make friends
with it again. Now, especially when I’m
travelling and life is frenzied and chaotic,
I go for standing poses that ground and
earth me.”
Last question, and I can’t not ask it.
What was Kurt Cobain like? “For some
reason, when we supported Nirvana back in
1990, we only had one rehearsal in my living
room. I knew I hadn’t rehearsed enough
and got very nervous, so I did the obvious
thing and got really drunk. We spoke after
the show. He was really sweet but very shy,
as I was. He and I were also drunk. Had
I been the person I am now I would have
spoken to him before the show.”
Courtney Love, Cobain’s former girlfriend
and also a rock and roller is a keen yogini
too. Did McKee think yoga would have
helped Cobain overcome his addictions?
“I can’t say whether it would have helped
him or not. I would say that you do get pretty
much the same effect from doing yoga as
taking drugs, only it doesn’t blow your mind.
The yoga high is powerful but it’s calm. All
I know is yoga is my best friend and it guides
me through all the madness.”
Find out more about The Yoga Extension,
Glasgow, at: theyogaextension.com.
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 om body

A 360º overview of...

Hero Pose (Virasana)
With Dr Kiki Morriss

Hero Pose, or Virasana, is a great way to stretch, relax and refresh your legs

irasana is a wonderful pose in which to

V relax and refresh your legs when they

are feeling tired. You can also use it for
seated meditation, as you ground your
body and calm your mind.

The benefits of this pose:

MOVING INTO THE POSE
l Start by sitting upright on your heels, with your knees facing forwards
and your feet together.
l Move your feet apart and sit on the inside edges of your heels.
l Momentarily lift your buttocks and use your fingers to gently ease your
outer calf muscles away from your knees and to the sides.
l Move your feet further apart and sit between them.
l Relaxes and refreshes tired legs.
l Stretches thighs, knees and ankles.
l Improves posture and strengthens back muscles.
FOCUS YOUR GAZE
l Your dristi (focal point) is at a point straight ahead of you. Gaze softly
l Improves digestion.
or, alternatively, close your eyes and draw your focus inwards.
l Focuses the mind and relieves anxiety.
STRAIGHTEN YOUR HEAD
l Keep your head straight and your chin parallel to the floor.
Cautions & modifications: l Lift upwards through the crown of your head.
l If you have a knee or ankle injury, avoid Virasana
or practice carefully under the guidance of an ALIGN YOUR LEGS
experienced yoga instructor. l Keep your knees together.
l If your feet and ankles are uncomfortable, l Revolve your thighs and knees outwards, so the front of your thighs are
try kneeling with your shins resting on 2-3 folded facing the sky and your shins are facing the ground.
blankets and with your feet hanging over the edge.
l Try sitting on folded blankets to raise your lower
back and to make your legs feel more comfortable.
l Place a small, thinly folded blanket behind your
knees, between the back of your thighs and
your calves.

Variations:
l Bring your arms on either side of your head and
soften your shoulders down and away from your
ears. Move your shoulder blades down your back.
Link your fingers and turn your palms towards
the sky. Lift your arms and torso upwards. Gently
move your arms backwards, keeping them
straight. Breathe slowly for 10-15 seconds.
l Move your knees apart and bend forwards
between them. Lengthen forwards with your
arms and chest. Rest your palms on the ground
as you reach your arms forwards. Rest your
forehead on the ground or on a block. Keep your
shoulders soft. Breathe slowly for 10-15 seconds.
l Lie back on a bolster or, if comfortable, lie back
on the ground whilst keeping your knees together
and down.

38
 om body

HOLDING THE POSE

l If you are comfortable in the pose, stay for up to 5 minutes.
l Lift your diaphragm and observe each breath in and out.
Feel where your body moves as you breathe.

COMING OUT OF THE POSE

l Press your hands on the ground and lift your
buttocks up.
l Cross your ankles underneath your buttocks and
sit back over your feet and onto the floor.
l Stretch your legs out in front of you. Gently bend
and straighten your knees a few times.

FOCUS ON YOUR ARMS AND HANDS

l Externally rotate your shoulders and open your chest.
l Rest your hands on your feet with your fingers on your
toes and pointing backwards.
l Press your hands on your feet.

LIFT YOUR UPPER BODY

l Draw your shoulders back and keep them aligned
over your hips.
l Lift upwards through your abdomen, chest and spine.
l Lengthen the sides of your body.

FEEL GROUNDED
l Keep your sitting bones down and move your lumbar
spine inwards.

Our digital app version Doctor Kiki Morriss is a medical doctor, yoga
includes a video tutorial and teacher, yoga therapist and founder of
Primrose Hill Yoga, where she teaches adults,
extra content not included in children and families. Visit: primrosehillyoga.com
this print version. Get it today or instagram.com/kikimorriss

app is
available on... ommagazine.com

39
 om body
The Body Positivi+y Blog
Let’s talk about retreats
Yoga is great, but a yoga retreat can be even better! Jane Lambert talks to Kimberley Dark
about her inclusive retreats that cater for every body. By Jane Lambert
I
’m lucky enough to have been on a couple of yoga retreats. It’s
always been a positive experience; days devoted to yoga and
general wellbeing in beautiful surroundings, providing a much-
needed chance to relax and replenish. And, as winter drags on,
my thoughts turn increasingly to holidays; imagining myself in
sunnier climes is sometimes the only way to get through the grey
British days.
If you’ve never been on a yoga retreat, you might wonder how you’d
fare if you are still in the early days of your body confidence journey. As
I’ve highlighted on these pages in previous months, just turning up to
a regular yoga class can be difficult if you are still learning to love your
body. So, heading along to a whole weekend (or longer) of yoga practice
might be unthinkable for some people.
It’s important to realise that, as with your regular, everyday practice,
what you get out of a yoga retreat will be so much more important than
any worries you have. And some retreats are specifically designed to
help you with your relationship with your body.
Kimberly Dark, a writer and sociologist, runs two Yoga is for Every
Body retreats in Hawaii each year. I spoke to her about what she offers:
“I’ve been offering this retreat for the past eight years. We’re using yoga,
nature and personal writing to help discover the stories we carry in our
bodies. This is not a yoga boot camp type retreat. We’re exploring the
practice between 2-4 hours per day, among other activities. We’re held
by the Hawaiian rainforest and I offer activities and prompts to help us
understand our bodies in the context of culture. It’s powerful to honour
the resilience of the body and the mind and have the time to reflect on
the next steps each person wants to take.”
She believes that retreats like the ones she offers are important. “We
spend a lot of time doing and pursuing what seem like super important
aims and often, not enough time in reflection and community. Yoga is a
tool for physical and mental wellbeing and when we practice in a diverse
community, so many complex gifts come to us. We remember that
40
everyone’s body and life is precious and more specifically that we are
precious and deserving of peace.”
As she remembers a time when ‘fat’ people were not so much part
of the yoga community, her retreat is very specifically for everyone: of
all sizes, abilities and ages, and the photos on her website show people
of different body types enjoying the retreat. “I feel like there is a now
a community of fat yoga teachers and students where once there was
none. I’ve been practicing for 30 years, teaching for nearly 20. I’m often
still the fattest person in the room when I travel and just drop into a yoga
class. The internet has helped, and groups like the Yoga and Body Image
Coalition (of which I was a founding leadership team member).”
Describing the importance of a retreat like Yoga is for Every Body, she
says: “Regardless of one’s strength, abilities, size or body type, we all live
with cultural messages about the body. [On this retreat] you’ll practice
the benefits of yoga: strength balance and flexibility — and learn how to
take those concepts into a life full of self-love.”
Kimberly Dark came to teach in the way that many people do: she
wanted to deepen her own practice. “I also wanted to model difference
in an activity that had so few folks who looked like me. When I was
younger, I had a very powerful practice and many people had never
seen that before. They just didn’t believe fat people could be strong or
capable at all. I’m older now and arthritic. My body is changing and
I think that’s valuable too — seeing how bodies and people change in
a lifelong practice.”
A lot of what we get out of yoga comes from what we put in. As we
know, yoga can be such a valuable tool in journey of self-love and
acceptance. Retreats like Kimberly Dark’s, far from being intimidating,
are actually working to unpack the stories that we take on about our
bodies, helping us to heal.
Kimberly Dark is the author of Fat, Pretty and Soon to be Old.
Find out more: kimberlydark.com .
 om body - Yoga & Technology

The Halo
Effect
When yoga goes tech: biohacking your way
to a better practice. By David Holzer

YOGA & TECHNOLOGY

Photo credit: John Segesta

42

T
ake away the ancient religious
and spiritual goals of yoga
and what you have is a tool to
enable biohacking. That is, a
way of improving physical and
mental health using exercise and lifestyle. As
yoga changes and fewer people identify with
the spiritual dimension — no judgement
— technology that enables biohacking is
gradually making inroads.
I first heard about Halo Neuroscience
from Lia Ditton, the remarkable athlete and
adventurer training to be the first woman
to row solo across the North Pacific Ocean.
When I interviewed her for this magazine
some time ago, she told me how intrigued
she was by Halo Sport, the company’s first
product. Here’s how Halo Neuroscience
describes its baby: ‘Designed to integrate
seamlessly into a workout, Halo Sport
stimulates the brain’s motor cortex during
training to accelerate improvements in
strength, skill and explosiveness.’
This process of stimulation is called
Neuropriming and it builds a stronger,
more effective connection between the
brain and muscles. It also puts the brain
into a condition of hyper-learning or
‘hyperplasticity’, enabling us to train
more effectively.
Founded in 2013, Halo Sport has been sold
to the general public since 2016. In that time,
according to chief marketing officer, Mark
Malastir, “We’ve sold more than 30,000 of the
Photo credit: John Segesta
Yoga & Technology - om body
original product and Halo Sport 2 and done
well over 450,000 Neuropriming sessions. We
sell a lot of products to lifelong athletes who
work out four to six times a week. They might
be weight lifters, power lifters, crossfit athletes
or runners as well as yogis. The US military is
one of our biggest customers as well as navy
special ops and pilots. Musicians are about
20% of our audience, people who want to play
an instrument faster and more precisely.”
It’s all about transcranial
current stimulation
Unlike most wearable devices, Halo Sport
doesn’t just measure brain activity. It
delivers energy via a beautifully-designed
set of headphones. Electrodes positioned in
the device transmit a small electrical current
to your motor cortex, the area of the brain
which sends commands to your muscles, via
rubber primers. This is called transcranial
current stimulation (tDCS).
Your motor cortex is conveniently located
below where the band of the headphones
crosses your skull.
To get started, you wet the rubber primers
so they conduct properly, position the Halo
Sport tight to your head and select the larger muscle groups or Hands & Fingers for
Neuropriming programme you’d like using fine motor skills. It’s also possible to increase
the associated smartphone app. This is amplitude which, I guess, makes tDCS more
connected to the device via Bluetooth, which powerful. Each Neuropriming session lasts
means you can also listen to music. You can 20 minutes and sets up your brain for an
choose between Legs, Core & Arms for the hour of enhanced neuroplasticity.
Users like doctors or musicians are
recommended to use Hands & Fingers and
can choose which hand to work with. Us
yogis should use Legs, Core & Arms.
Why is Halo Neuroscience
targeting yoga?
I asked Halo’s partnerships manager Danny
Holzman why yoga?
“Think of Halo Sport as a movement
learning tool,” he said. “Yoga is partly
about learning how to move in certain
ways, right? Like any other form of training.
The applications for yogis tend to be with
strengthening the core, arms and legs for
power and balance. Research shows that
tDCS helps with balance. That’s because
balance has a lot to do with being able to
stabilise your muscles in the right way.
Balance is learnt.”
Halo Sport has been selling at a little
under $800. The newer, enhanced model,
Halo Sport 2, retails at $299. That’s
quite expensive for a training aid. How
did Holzman see the market for Halo
Sport in yoga? “It could be something a
studio or teacher could invest in to offer
their students. For example, we have a
partnership with Equinox, voted best gym
in America by Fitness magazine. Some
instructors offer clients Halo Sport.”
43
 om body - Yoga & Technology
What about spirituality?
One of the great debates in yoga, especially
now it’s increasingly recognised by many as
an ‘industry’, is where the spiritual tradition
fits in. For some of us, using tech is at odds
with unifying consciousness and body to
connect to the universal. How would
Holzman address this?
“The important thing is to not see Halo as
intrusive. Also, you’re not getting anything
for free. You still have to put in the work. So, if
you practice deeply, you’ll see more benefits
using this technology. If you don’t, you
won’t. There’s also the fact that many people
are intimidated by learning new activities,
whether it’s yoga or playing guitar. If we can
help someone learn yoga, it’s good for them
and the rest of us because we all know the
world would be a better place if more people
did yoga. Don’t forget, we’ve thought a lot
about the ethical side of what we’re doing.
There’s nothing sensationalist about our
technology. We’re all about using tech in a
sensible, healthy way.”
Personally, I know my enjoyment of my
practice and the effect it has on me are
definitely enhanced by muscle strength,
balance and coordination. I’m open to
44
anything that helps me develop these. But, to
find out if Halo Sport really did work for yogis,
I needed to talk to one who’d been using it for
a while. Halo introduced me to San Francisco
Bay Area yogi Shauna Harrison.
Shauna Harrison: nerd,
hip-hop head, jock
and yogi
This is how Harrison is described on her
website. It adds: ‘Through her unique style
and authenticity that blends her love for
hip-hop, wellness, yoga and knowledge of
public health, Shauna has created a brand
of her own.’
In practice, Harrison told me, she “took
a bunch of things and combined them.
I wanted to create a yoga class I thought
might bring in people who were put off by
yoga for various reasons.”
Harrison’s sports and fitness background
made her receptive to working with Halo. As
a PhD, she also has an affinity for research.
“I was drawn to how research-driven Halo
is. I also grew up in the Bay Area, so I’ve
been surrounded by tech my whole life. But
I like to test things out for myself too.”
Photo credit: John Segesta
What results did Harrison get from using
Halo Sport in her yoga practice? “First off,
I have to say I’ve never been purely about
yoga. I train in a multitude of different
ways. I started to use Halo for strength
and conditioning. In general, it helps me
focus and learn things quicker. The focus
side applies to yoga, for sure. I’d say Halo
helps prepare muscles to fire for power
and balance. It also enhances muscle
memory, essential for learning a new
asana or any kind of movement.”
How about balance? “Definitely. I had
a full hamstring avulsion injury on my left
side. It’s why I do so much strength and
conditioning. I use Halo Sport to equalise
my balance. I’ve noticed it’s much easier
to get everything to work together.”
That sounds like Harrison is consciously
directing her focus. How about setting
an intention while using the device?
“I think it helps even more when you’re
super-intentional like in yoga. When I was
wearing it hill-running I was determined
to run the first hill as quick as I could. Halo
helped me get faster.”
Harrison has no doubt that it works.
What about tech and yoga philosophy?
 Yoga & Technology - om body
“I respect all aspects of yoga and have studied them through my
certifications. I just don’t speak to yoga philosophy the way most
people do. I think there’s a time and place to use tech in yoga. It might
not be appropriate for specific forms of yoga or something like a silent
meditation retreat. But if tech is going to offer a way in to someone or
enhance their practice, without taking them out of the whole scheme
of what yoga is, I really don’t see any problem. If you have the means
to use it and you’re curious about the brain and body, which most
yogis are, I’d recommend trying Halo Sport.”

Me and my Halo
Halo Neuroscience very kindly gave me a device to test. It was
simple to set up and the app is nicely designed. I experienced a not
unpleasant tingling in my scalp when the Neuropriming started but
soon forgot about it. The only drawback for me was that I couldn’t
practice forward bends or inversions of any kind without the device
making a pinging noise to tell me the primers weren’t properly
connected to my skull.
I’ve been using my Halo Sport for the past couple of months and
I’ve noticed that I sometimes feel more energised when I start my
yoga practice. I wish I could say I’ve seen a marked improvement in
my balance, but I still fall over when I close my eyes in Tree pose.
Reading around, I came across plenty of support for Halo
Neuroscience. Its most vocal champions include lifestyle guru and
founder of Bulletproof Nutrition Dan Asprey. Ben Greenfield, self-
described ‘relentless self-experimented biohacker’ and one of the
most influential people in health and fitness, is also a fan.
I’m not quite a fan, yet. I think I need to find a more rigorous way
to measure my progress using the device. There’s also the question
of whether the ritual of wetting the rubber soft-toothed primers,
clapping on the device and connecting to the app is priming me to
believe my Halo Sport works so it does. That’s no bad thing.
As to the bigger question about the place of tech in yoga, I would
agree that it can be useful for home practice (such as smart mats to
improve alignment). But I’d find it rather alienating to be in a class
where yogis wore headphones or Nadi X smart yoga pants or
followed the instructions of a teacher via an intractive mirror
device or a hologram.

Find out more about Halo Sport at haloneuro.com

David Holzer is a writer and passionate about music and yoga.
He runs a popular yoga for writers course: yogawriters.org
Do you have a story to tell about yoga and technology?
Get in touch: editor@ommagazine.com
 om body

Clavicle
up!
Want to know one simple tip to
improve your posture right away?
Lit your clavicle! We turned to
celebrity yoga instructor Kirschen
Katz for some advice

46
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 om body
Accessible Ashtanga
Connect with your solar power this winter! An Ashtanga sequence in the sunshine
by Emma Conally-Barklem
T
his sequence is based on the Ashtanga Yoga
Primary series or Yoga Chikitsa which means
‘yoga therapy’. Far from being an elite gymnastic
boot camp, as it is sometimes perceived and
taught in the Western world, this style of yoga
1. Sukhasana with Anjali Mudra
Begin in a comfortable seated position. If this posture bothers your
knees you can stretch your legs out or sit on some support. You
could start with some seated Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar A
and B) which is a great way to warm up your system and assess the
situation for today’s practice. You could move to high kneeling or
standing as you begin to warm up.
3. Utthita Parshvakonasana modified
Inhale and step out to the right and turn the feet in the same
direction. Exhale and bring your forearm to your thigh as you
swing the other arm through creating opposing forces as you
ground through the back heel, reach through the fingertips. Glide
your gaze to look down. Repeat to the other side.
48
is a healing tool to promote good health through the generation
of Prana (life force energy) and self-acceptance whatever body or
circumstance you are in. If you stay connected to the principle of
Ahimsa, treating your body with kindness and respect, then you
can’t go far wrong in this practice.
2. Padahastasana
Come to standing. Take the feet to hip distance apart and bring
your hands firmly to the waist. Exhale to fold. Slide the hands
under the feet or come to ‘cave man’ hands with the knees bent.
Photos: Dr Zuzana Bajuszova
4. Parivritta Parshvakonasana modified
Inhale up and change direction again. This time lean forward and
bring the hands to Anjali mudra at the heart space. Lift the chest
towards the thumbs as you broaden across the collarbones.
Inhale lift up then repeat to the other side.

5. Virabhadrasana B
Inhale step out to the right and take the arms to shoulder height.
Relax around the shoulders and lift the heart space as you gaze
down the longest finger and beyond. Inhale lift up and exhale to
repeat to the other side.
7. Marichyasana C modification
Sit tall and extend the left leg out. Bend in the right knee. Take the
right hand behind you for support and hook the crook of your left
elbow around the right knee. Use a ‘scoop through’ action as if
drawing the right knee forward with the inner elbow and this will
take you gradually in to rotation on your right side. Gently roll the
right shoulder back on the exhale and see where you can soften in
to the twist. Inhale to come to centre, exhale. Change sides.
om body
6. Janu Sirsana C preparation
Sit tall out of the sitting bones and lift through the crown of the
head and the heart space forward. Extend the left leg out with
active toes. Bend the right leg and thread the right arm under and
over the leg taking hold of the foot or the ankle. You can support
the left knee in the left hand. Repeat to the other side.
8. Kukkutasana modification
From seated, cross at the ankles then see if you can lift the feet
away from the floor and bring the hands flat to the mat under the
feet. Engaging the bandhas begin to rock back and forth until you
may be able to lift on to the hands and look forwards. It can take
a while to get this but it is fun to practice and accessible for those
who want to try a fun posture without the demands of a full lotus
position. Optional ‘cock-a-doodle-do!’ if you achieve lift-off!
Continue sequence > 49
 om body
9. Uppavishta Konasana A modified
From seated, extend the legs out as wide as you can comfortably
sustain and keep the toes active. Sit tall, inhale and lift the heart
space forward, bring the fingertips down and roll the shoulders
10. Urdhva Dhanurasana preparation
Come to laying on the back and actively relax the shoulders
on the exhale. Have the feet hip distance apart and the feet a
little forward of the knees. Press firmly in to the heels and tilt
the pelvis towards you as you peel the lower back away from
the mat maybe higher. Feel the shoulders heavy, the back
of the neck long and keep the inner thighs parallel. If it feels
appropriate for you, continue to lift the heart space skywards
and roll the shoulders underneath the back, clasping the hands.
Breathe deeply then come down mindfully bead by bead of the
spine. Repeat a maximum of three times. This is an excellent
preparation for an eventual full wheel or maybe you will stay
happy with this modification building strength and flexibility
gradually over time.
Emma Conally-Barklem offers free YouTube classes at:
EmmaLiveYoga or to discover more visit: emmaliveyoga.com
50
back. As you run in to the hamstrings soften around the knees and
repeat the mantra: ‘Inhale to lengthen and exhale to let go’ . This
helps cultivate patience and acceptance of where you are and also
for the mind to let go of the suffering of striving.
11. Halasana modification
As you feel the welcome draw of gravity in this supine position,
you may lift your pelvic floor and catch your hips in your hands.
Feel the weight distribution through your shoulders and ‘squeeze
your walnuts!’ Imagine a walnut between your shoulder blades
and squeeze; this helps to keep your neck away from the mat. Find
the rhythm of your breath and lower the legs in the direction of the
face. You can always stay grounded and make a similar shape with
the legs in space but bending at the knees for comfort.
To close your practice, come to a well deserved Savasana or rest
position of choice. Take three deep breaths or sighs out of the
mouth. Allow the body and mind to drift towards stillness so the
healing Prana can travel to wherever it is needed the most.
Roll to one side, come to seated and enjoy your day.
OMFM
OM FOR MEN
Inside:
Page 52: SAS Mindset
Page 56: Man On he Mat

51
 OMFM

Ollie Ollerton (left) and Jason Fox (right)

SAS mindset
Meditation and mindfulness are not things ordinarily associated with the
military…but Ollie Ollerton and Jason Fox, both former Special Forces
soldiers, are no ordinary men

Y
ou may have seen Matthew
‘Ollie’ Ollerton and Jason Fox,
or ‘Foxy’, on your TV screens in
recent years.
Both former Special Forces
operatives, the pair are best-known as
Directing Staff on Channel 4’s popular SAS:
Who Dares Wins show, now in its
fifth season.
The hit show, which subjects civilian
‘recruits’ to a gruelling series of tasks in
extreme environments, is notorious for
testing physical and psychological resilience
in line with Special Forces selection.
Since then, Ollerton has gone on to tour
the country as a public speaker sharing his
experiences and insight on topics such as
mental toughness, as well as releasing a
best-selling book.
He’s also nurtured his successful Break
Point business, which offers training and
events to help ordinary people achieve
extraordinary things using Special Forces
skills and life hacks. It’s all underpinned by
the belief that the general public deserve
to know that they too can be stronger,
fitter, healthier and more capable than
they ever thought possible.
Foxy meanwhile has returned to our
screens with another successful show of
his own, Inside the Real Narcos, now on
Netflix, which explores Latin America’s
shadowy drugs industry. He’s also had
his own best-selling book, Battle Scars, in
which he chronicles his fight with PTSD,
and has just been commissioned for a new
Channel 4 show, Return To Afghanistan
With Jason Fox.
This will see him undertake a deeply
personal journey back to a country where
he once fought on the front line as an
elite soldier.

52
 OMFM
Mental fitness right intention if you’re to achieve your already embedded in some of Ollerton’s
So what’s all this got to do with yoga? goals. “Our subconscious is a goal-driving workout routines.
In their books, Fox and Ollerton, both machine: you will get what you think
good friends, open up about a whole range about. So, if you think about the negative,
of subjects that link into the world of you’ll get the negative; if you think about Mindfulness
wellness, including good mental health. the positive, you’ll get the positive.” Mindfulness is another area that comes up
During his PTSD healing, for instance, He also shares a keen interest in frequently, especially for Foxy. In his book,
Foxy credits mindfulness and simple walks exploring other alternative techniques Battle Scars, he goes into some detail
through the woods and being out in nature and therapies, recently attending an about his recovery journey from PTSD
as key to his recovery. ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica with and how mindfulness played its part. This
Deep breathing is another tool used by veterans suffering from PTSD. “I just feel included regular walks through the forest,
the elite military to still the mind in times that as humans we should really invest in alongside a therapist, to appreciate the
of utter chaos. ourselves; and the people that don’t, I feel natural surroundings and find a greater
Ollerton is a firm believer in meditation sorry for them.” sense of peace and calm.
and visualisation too, things that he now That includes an ongoing interest in Here’s one extract from the book: “As we
practices each and every day. yoga, something that he is keen to explore walked, I definitely felt calmer; I became
The two men are currently working more in the future. Many yoga moves are immersed in a sense of stillness. I heard
together on a new mind-body fitness app,
Battle Ready 360, launched in January,
which aims to provide users with access to
their elite training and military mindset.
As well as workouts and nutrition to
boost overall fitness, it includes a strong
focus on improving the mind to boost
resilience and instil greater self-belief.
All users complete a detailed online
behavioural profile, called Prism, to get a
better insight into who they are and how
they think. Through this understanding,
it’s possible to take steps to think and
perform better and upgrade the mind as
well as the body.
“The stigma of mental health and the
ability to open up and talk about it is slowly
being addressed but there is still work to be
done,” says Foxy. “In the Special Forces we
learned our limits and how to work around
them, and a lot of that comes from the
mind. But it’s not a simple task to face your
weaknesses, which is why Battle Ready
360 is designed to be an all-encompassing
solution programme that caters to the
needs of each individual user. Health and
wellness are, after all, deeply personal.”

Meditation
When OM caught up with Ollerton, he was
more than happy to chat about the power
of meditation. His typical day starts at 5am
each morning for a 20-minute visualisation
that’s designed to keep him focused on his
goals. “It was self-taught from a number of
things that I’d seen people doing,” he says.
About five years ago, in an attempt to
get his life back on track after leaving the
military and fighting alcohol and other
addictions, he used meditation to steer his
way to a better future.
“Meditation for me is more a focused
attention, so basically a way of clearing
everything else in my head to gain some
clarity of thought and to focus on the
things I want in life.”
He believes it’s important to set the

53
 OMFM
the rustling leaves and branches above,
the tweeting birds perched in the tree- Battle Ready 360: the new app
tops. A dog barked somewhere along Battle Ready 360 is the new all-encompassing health and wellness fitness
the trail, and every now and then my programme from Ollerton and Fox. Supported by an elite team of experts, who have
thoughts were punctuated by the sound of a passion to live life better and help others do the same, the app gives users access
quickening footsteps somewhere behind to Ollie and Foxy’s elite training and military mindset.
us, a runner panting their apologies for Training plans and videos delivered by the pair are complemented by meal plans,
disturbing our tranquil mood as they recipes, blog content and motivational snippets, tailored to individual users’ goals. The
swept past — but the interruptions didn’t app is available to download on iPhone and Android and offers a free seven-day trial.
matter. It felt good to live in the now. I felt Ollerton says it gives people the tools to be the best version of themselves.
good. A brief sense of peace descended “Whatever the goal — or struggle, battle or fight — it is only by channelling the
upon me for the first time in ages. I felt power of the mind that we’re able to hit our physical peak. This passion to live
connected to myself in the woods.” better lives has fuelled this platform and we are confident that by empowering our
members with the tools that we have learned in our years of service, that we can
help people grow and change their lives for the better, whatever that entails for
Deep breathing the individual.”
Breathing is another topic that crops up,
featuring in Ollerton’s public speaking
tour. It’s a key trick used in the military
also to soothe frayed nerves during times
of high tension.
“Breathing is such an important factor
with everything we do; even in the Special
Forces they teach breathing now,” says
Ollerton. That includes the popular Box
Breathing technique. “So when you’re
in a highly-pressured situation, your
breathing becomes erratic and then
cortisol increases, and that’s why people
become confused. The way to deal with
that — and I’ve actually used this in a
combat situation — is to ensure you’ve got
that regular breathing pattern that lowers
cortisol, that allows clarity of thought to
make the right decisions.”
You can’t rely on emotion during
high-stress events, he adds, which is why
deep breathing can be such a vital tool
to restore a cool head. “Breathing allows
you to recalibrate, to lower those cortisol
levels, that means getting rid of all the
stuff that doesn’t matter, and to focus on
the stuff that does, and then once you’ve
got the clarity of thought, you then deliver
the action.”

will also be on the snooze button. So it’s really important for

Attack the day me to take myself to the day in a positive sense. When we wake
Despite all they’ve been through, not only
up in the morning our brains are flooded with negativity. We don’t
in dealing with combat stress, but also in
want to get out of bed, so negative thoughts start flowing very
facing depression and crippling anxiety,
quickly, and if you choose to align with that you get more of the
both Foxy and Ollerton are positive, self-
same; it sets you up for a crap day. So it’s really important that
motivating individuals as you’d expect
as soon as you get out of bed, as soon as you stand up, you start
from former elite soldiers. They’re now
thinking positively.”
keen to encourage these traits in the
people they work with, people from all
walks of life.
For Ollerton, that means an early start
in the morning, in order to set a positive
direction for the day ahead. After getting BEST-SELLERS
up at 5am, he heads downstairs for a Break Point by Ollie Ollerton
20-minute guided meditation to focus on Blink Publishing, 2019
what he wants, not just for that day, but in
life in general. Battle Scars: A Story Of War
“I take myself to the day,” he says. “If And All That Follows by Jason Fox
you live your life on the snooze button, Bantam Press, 2018
your life and the decisions you make in life

54
 MARIO AUSTIN IS THE MAN ON THE MAT
Eight Angle Pose (Astavrakasana)
Benefits
n Allows you to display energising balance
n Develops upper body strength and solid arms
n Builds flexibility in hip flexors and legs
n Tones your inner thighs and core muscles
Common Mistakes
Hand and elbow positioning are instrumental for building
Astavrakasana’s solid foundation. If practitioners find themselves
misplacing weight into these areas, Chatarunga Dandasana is a
valuable prep pose to build upper body strength and alignment.
Tips
n If Astavrakasana is an ongoing challenge for you, begin
experimenting with variations of the key preparatory pose
Eka Hasta Bhujasana (Elephant Trunk Pose).
Photo Credit: Luke Andahazy
56
n Lifting off the floor can be a roadblock but using blocks
under your palms provides a great assist for core
engagement to drive the action of lifting.
Awareness
Astavrakasana is one of the many balancing poses of
the arm balance family. Like other similar asanas, this pose
is a great way to build confidence in your yoga practice.
As you continue to dive deeper into poses like this, you can
eventually build on many unique and energising transitions
during flows.
Mario Austin is a yoga teacher from Washington, D.C.
and teaches at Equinox, VIDA Fitness, and throughout
the Washington Metropolitan area. Find out more at:
mariomyoga.com
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www.ecoyoga.uk
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 Special report: Yoga & the senses

Sensual healing
Humans have five basic senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
And guess what? Yoga can enhance every single one of them

xxx

58

Y
oga makes you feel good!
One reason is because it
gets you in touch with your
delicious senses, those
innate human abilities
to experience the world in all its glory,
beauty and colour. From the uptempo
sound of music to the deeply relaxing
touch of massage, yoga and other related
wellbeing therapies cater to our senses in
each and every single way.
There are many people who believe we
are so much more than the five senses
(sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch).
As well as the well-known sixth sense, a
kind of extra-sensory awareness, there
are dozens of others chronicled through
the years by sages and scientists alike.
Some of these might already be familiar
to seasoned yogis. Such as the notion of
a muscle stretch sense; quite literally, we
can feel in our body the stretching of deep
muscle tissue inside, as we reach out on
the mat.
It’s a fascinating topic. What we do
know is that our senses collectively
provide instant, moment-by-moment
feedback and awareness of our current
environment. And yet so many of us
today are guilty of zoning out, losing this
incredible power to the hustle and bustle
of modern, everyday life.
To keep it simple, we’re focusing here
on the five senses we all know about. With
these five amazing tools we can capture
Special report: Yoga & the senses
so much information and elevate our
total experience of life… if only we allow
it. That’s where yoga comes in. Ever felt
that post-yoga buzz or euphoria after
a class? That’s more than just a warm,
fuzzy workout glow. It’s allowing yourself
the time and space to decompress,
to unwind; to allow yourself the
opportunity to indulge your senses for
a brief period away from the worries of
work. Namaste to that!
Feast for the senses
SEE:
This is the sense that many of us over-
indulge in, staring blankly at our screens
and phones. But how much are we
really seeing or missing? Our brains are
programmed to filter out non-essential
information, so it’s important to take
a step back. Yoga and mindfulness can
help us realise what’s important, to
pay attention to the things that really
matter. Here, a nice, clean studio space
can be just the answer to all the visual
data overload.
SMELL:
This is a big one too, with certain
smells instantly whisking us far away
into bygone memories. For yogis, it is
an equally powerful sense. Setting the
right atmosphere for a class, whether at
home or in a studio, is easy with incense
sticks or candles. Create the perfect
environment for your mood, with an
uplifting or a deeply relaxing fragrance.
TASTE:
Anyone who’s ever completed the
famed raisin meditation (where you
mindfully contemplate, then eat, a
raisin for 10 minutes — yes, it can be
done!) probably knows how much
we’ve disconnected from our sense of
taste. But once you’ve rediscovered it,
raisins will never taste so fine again!
TOUCH:
When we’re in the flow, a reassuring
hands-on assist in class can bring
us instantly back into the room,
connecting with the teacher. Outside
the class, massage and other hands-
on therapies can provide a powerful
healing experience that do wonders for
our soul in conjunction with a
yoga practice.
HEAR:
This can be another great way to set
the vibe for a class, whether you’re
after a dynamic workout (get those
Ibiza beats on the decks!) or a super-
chilled sesh (mantra music or even
classical will do). Hearing is another
of our senses that may have been
overused since you got those Beats
headphones but it’s a great way to get
more out of your yoga experience.
Turn over for more
59
 Special report: Yoga & the senses

The art of
Tantric massage
The power of touch is a wonderful thing:
Ben Carver outlines the healing efects of Tantric massage

N
othing can compare to the
blissful and healing experience
of Tantric massage, both
as giver and a receiver. The
massage leaves both in a
profound state of happiness, fulfilment and
sensuality, and it is also an amazingly effective
method for regeneration, rejuvenation,
healing and spiritual awakening.
Here are some of the beautiful benefits of
Tantric massage:
Present Moment
All our limitations and problems exist solely
in the mind and are entirely based upon past
events or future concerns. If, however, we
have an overwhelmingly intense experience
of the present moment, the mind is lulled
into silence and this becomes increasingly
ecstatic as we are freed from everything that
ever held us back. Moments of great beauty
in nature, intense love for a dear one, or
overwhelming pleasure can each have this
effect and Tantric massage will eventually
awaken all of them.
Senses
One of the easiest ways to stay in the
present moment is to focus upon the
senses. In massage the main medium is of
course touch and throughout the massage
the receiver is encouraged to focus their
attention on the pleasurable physical
sensations as the skin over their whole
body is awakened with sensual and flowing
touches. The beauty of this conscious
touch deepens the anchoring in the present
moment, and it can be felt how this beauty
is actually nourishing the soul.
Soul
The senses are more than just navigation
tools, they are channels for nourishing the
soul, which is awakened by beauty in all
forms. The more we become aware of the
soul through such experiences, the more
we are freed from the tyranny of the mind
struggling to maintain its dominance over
us. As we awaken the soul, the more alive
and vivid all the senses become, making
all life more beautiful because we are
increasingly able to give it our
full attention.
Spiritual Practice
Tantric massage is a wonderful
opportunity to train awareness during a
richly sensorial experience. This implies
that we simultaneously have a state of
deep relaxation together with an alert
lucidity — an essential attitude of the
Tantric path. Training relaxed awareness
greatly enhances yoga and meditation
practice, allowing us to access the
deeper layers of our being. Even more
than this, it gradually helps us to be
able to effortlessly interact with every
moment of life, so that we are able to
become truly free, spontaneous and
happy in all life situations.
Ben Carver is a Tantra and Tantric
Massage teacher at Tara Yoga Centre
(tarayogacentre.co.uk)

“Every touch brought me into an ecstatic contemplation of the

present moment and led me deep into my soul. I never felt so
nourished, cared for and sensual.”

60
Special report: Yoga & the senses

61
 Special report: Yoga & the senses
Temple of Incense
Bring the temple to your home or studio space with beautful incense. By Simi Aydee
A
ncient civilisations including
India, Egypt and China, have
used incense for thousands
of years, not only for health
reasons, but also for spiritual
enhancement. For many people, yoga and
meditation are about inner exploration,
finding connection to oneself or to a Divine,
higher being.
Incense was originally created as an
offering to please the Divine. So it is widely
considered that burning incense in times of
prayer or meditation pleases the gods and
helps us attain ‘mukti’. That’s why it’s often
used in places considered holy like temples
and churches.
We don’t all have access to beautiful temples
or perfect meditation rooms and yoga studios,
so filling your home with sacred scent can
transport us into a beautiful space, ready to
step into a journey with clarity, even if it is just
for a simple 15 minutes of mindfulness.
The sense of smell is a powerful thing. When
62
you burn incense during your practice, it
opens up a world of deeper meditations. It
heightens our senses spiritually and makes
us more aware of ourselves during our
practice which can certainly help when our
minds begin to wander towards the
usual chatter.
Incense like White Sage, Dragon’s Blood
or Palo Santo is traditionally known to
dispel negative energy around you and
draw in the positive, allowing a protected
safe space to meditate in.
4 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR USING
INCENSE DURING YOGA AND
MEDITATION
1. Use good quality incense. There is no
benefit to be had from cheap, unloved,
chemical-filled incense.
2. Respect the ritual. Notice how lighting
your incense feels like the beginning of
something? It is, so set your intention
when lighting your incense.
3. Light your incense stick in the space that
you’re about to use in advance but put it out
before you start. Good incense will linger
delicately afterwards. This way your focus will
be with your practice, the scent of incense
deepening your attention spiritually,
not distracting.
4. Pick a scent you love. Experiment until
something powerfully resonates with you.
It’s out there!
4 GREAT INCENSE STICKS
FOR MEDITATION:
Sandalwood: the scent that’s known to fill
the heavens.
Oudh: grounding, euphoric and opens the
third eye.
Lotus Flower: be ready for transformation.
Frankincense: uplifting, helps dispel feelings
of anxiety.
Written by Simi Aydee of Temple of Incense
(templeofincense.com)
Special report: Yoga & the senses

63
 Special report: Yoga & the senses
Aroma Therapy
Something smells sweet: Elizabeth Burchill describes
the healing powers of aromatherapy for your yoga and
meditation practice
A
romatherapy, yoga and
meditation are ancient
healing traditions that go
hand in hand beautifully.
All practices focus on mind,
body and spirit. Movement or stillness and
aroma combined can stimulate the senses
and balance chakras. Essential oils can benefit
both yoga and meditation as they purify the
room or studio and can attune the energies
in groups.
Aromatherapy candles are wonderful to use
in your yoga and meditation practice at home
or you can diffuse oils to create the correct
ambience for your intentions. Oils such as
vetiver and patchouli are particularly good
for grounding energy. Patchouli is uplifting
without being stimulating. Vetiver is extremely
calming and with the oil coming from the
rootlets of the plant, it is centring. Both oils
blend well with florals and citrus oils.
Sandalwood and frankincense are both
very spiritual oils with a long history of use in
rituals. Sandalwood has a strong association
with meditation and is said to link the base
and the crown chakras. Frankincense is a
wondrous oil for many reasons and can
alleviate anxiety and stress-related issues.
It is a useful respiratory oil and it deepens
64
breathing so it helps one to still the mind
and focus. It works well with the crown
chakra. Both oils complement citrus, other
woods and florals and both tame the
monkey mind.
Mandarin is a calming, joyful oil which
brings a bit of playfulness to your practice.
Bergamot, neroli and ylang ylang are
calming, uplifting and relaxing and perfect
for stress and anxiety. A combination of
some of the woody, earthy oils with a floral
or citrus would create a very peaceful
blend. This could be used during a Yin or
Restorative class.
If you are looking for more invigorating
oils to complement a morning class or
a power class, then lemongrass or
rosemary would work. Lemongrass is
zesty, refreshing and uplifting and helpful for
increasing energy states; it relieves stress and
exhaustion. Rosemary is stimulating, cleansing
and has been proven to help people focus.
Lemongrass and rosemary blend well together.
Note: rosemary must be avoided during
pregnancy and for people with epilepsy.
Pulse point oils are also very handy to whip
out whenever you feel the need. You could also
use a pulse point oil just before you begin your
practice. Choose a blend that resonates with
you. Set your intentions, apply the rollerball to
your wrists, temples and inhale.
Elizabeth Burchill is a Clinical Aromatherapist
who offers aromatherapy treatments, runs
workshops with yogis and meditation teachers
and has a brand of natural, cruelty free
aromatherapy products.
blovedcandles.com
 Special report: Yoga & the senses

Herbal hugs
How herbal medicine can enhance your time on the yoga mat.
By Lucie Bradley

W
hen smell is detected
the olfactory neurones
generate an impulse
that’s passed to
the brain via the
olfactory nerve. Information is processed by
the olfactory bulb in the brain. Additional
information is then passed to what’s
collectively known as the limbic system.
This plays a major role in mood, memory,
behaviour and emotion. It is regarded as
an ancient part of the brain, unchanged
since primitive times. The limbic system
was present in the brains of the very first
mammals, helping us understand why smell
plays such an important part in survival.
Memory is significantly linked with smell,
more than any other sense. We’ve all had that
experience when we’ve smelt something,
and it triggered a deep, forgotten childhood
memory. It’s because of the connection
between the sense of smell and its links to
the limbic system.
Sensory experience
Using herbal medicine is a sensory
experience. In fact, becoming a herbalist
incorporated smelling, tasting, touching
and feeling (via my body) what hundreds of
different plants were like. The knowledge
became embodied. I learnt through my
senses. This style of teaching, learning,
practicing and prescribing herbal medicines
honours the fact that our ancestral brain,
the limbic system, retains and stores
information going back to the time humans
were co-evolving with plants. Within
our senses, information about plants
and healing is retained, and thus can be
released. We all store information about
medicinal plants in our senses, notably
smell. All medicinal plants have an aroma
when prepared as an infusion, and even
as a tincture (liquid alcohol medicine).
Engaging in the smell of plants enhances
their healing capacity.
down, pulling our noses into the bloom.
Our eyes close at the same time as we
draw our breath deeply inwards, seeking
to soak in all that the rose offers. Our chest
expands, the brain receives the message
through the olfactory nerve and the limbic
system is flooded with information. As we
stand upright, with breath full, we notice a
change in how our body feels. The breath
moves outwards, tension is released.
A warm smile moves across our face, the
brain thinks ‘happy’ thoughts, our heart
opens; we feel a great sense of warmth
and security. A literal herbal hug. This is
the healing power of herbs through all
the senses.
Healing herbs
Incorporating medicinal plants and herbs
into our daily life magnifies our capacity
to heal present issues and past traumas.
Next time you practice yoga or meditation,
stop a moment. Close your eyes, feel into
your body and notice every smell coming
into your nostrils. Pay attention. Maybe
next time you can consider just how
much medicinal plants may improve your
practice, and your capacity to heal.
Lucie Bradley is a professionally trained,
registered medical herbalist and
clinical practitioner based in Glasgow
(luciebradley.co.uk)

The rose
Take for example smelling a rose. Our
eyes see the beauty of the rose. Our
nervous system begins responding. We
spontaneously want connection and reach
out to feel its velvety petals, then lean

66
Special report: Yoga & the senses

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67
 Special report: Yoga & the senses
Love at first spike
A revolution in pain relief and sleep induction
A
cupressure is an ancient
method of massage,
practiced throughout Asia
and now across the world.
When pressure is applied
to the muscles, endorphins, neuro-
chemicals that act as the body’s natural
pain inhibitors, are released while the stress
hormone, cortisol, is reduced. The effect of
an increase in circulation results in muscle
relaxation, thus reducing pain and stiffness
in the body.
Induction of deep sleep
Relaxing just before sleep is key to achieve
deeper sleep. Deeper sleep is also essential
for the release of the beneficial growth
68
hormone. Benefits of adequate growth
hormone in adults are both physiologically
and psychologically essential for creating a
vibrant energy level and strength.
“Using an acupressure mat helps to
increase your parasympathetic nervous
system and get you into deep relaxation
before sleep.” — New York Times best-
selling author MD Mark Hyman ‘Eat Fat, Get
Thin’, published February 2016.
Natural pain relief
Today 1.5 billion people suffer from chronic
pain. Acupressure massage mats are on the
rise among practitioners of integrative and
functional medicine as an effective solution
to this epidemic.
“The little spikes stimulate your body’s
pressure points, releasing endorphins and
reducing stress.”— Dr. Oz in episode ‘The
Best Advice Ever’ 2012
Enhance your yoga and
meditation practice
An acupressure mat is an amazing tool
for your yoga practice. Laying on the
mat for 5-10 minutes before the start of
your practice can reset your attention to
mindfulness mode increasing concentration
and a balanced state of mind. Ending with
Savasana or Corpse pose on the acupressure
massage mat deepens relaxation and the
flow of energy throughout the body.
69
 Special report: Yoga & the senses
I feel fine
Bringing sound, music, chanting and yoga together at the OM & Bass Festival
T
he healing power of music,
sound and chanting have
been integral to yoga
practices for centuries.
Everything is vibration: music,
the body, our thoughts, our feelings, the
universe and so on.
The chakras are energy wheels or
vortexes which align beautifully with the
nerve plexus and glands (i.e. they have
a physical home as well as a powerful
‘subtle’ existence). They also have a unique
frequency, which can be used as a tool in
practices to heal, cleanse and balance the
energies, each of which relates to various
aspects of our physical, mental, emotional
and spiritual wellbeing.
So, how does modern music fit into this
ancient practice?
Om & Bass thinks it has an answer: one
70
Jason Jones photography
where unpretentious fun meets
authentic spirituality.
Om & Bass is a chakra yoga flow which
is accompanied by chakra dance, using
carefully selected music to enhance
each chakra practice, igniting the soul,
lifting the spirits and offering a deep
yet accessible practice for all ages and
abilities. The practitioner is lovingly
guided through chakra focused asana,
visualisation, breath and meditation
practices to suit all levels: beginner to
experienced teacher.
Typically, the practice is by candlelight,
90-120 minutes long and has an epic live
DJ and afterparty. Lighting, smell, taste
and music are delicately used to enhance
the experience, taking participants deep
into each chakra practice. A better sober
night out cannot be found, they say.
 Special report: Yoga & the senses

B Loved is a natural, cruelty free, vegan

friendly brand of aromatherapy products
made in the UK.

B Loved candles are made with soy wax,

pure essential oils and a cotton wick. They
have many beautiful blends designed to
uplift, calm, ground, balance and sharpen
your senses.

B Loved also has a gorgeous bath & body

range. The body lotion and body scrub are
called ‘Shattered’ and will perk you up
during your morning routine. The
‘Hormonal’ bath and body oil will soothe
your senses and soften your skin. It’s a lovely
blend for an evening ritual.

www.blovedcandles.com
Jason Jones photography

The bass music, the soulful climax through dub, reggae, world
music and jungle rhythms, takes you on an ecstatic experiential
journey through the chakras. Om chanting is an important part of
opening and sealing the practice since it is the primordial sound
of the universe and acts on all of the chakras. Sometimes sound
healing is also offered at the end of the event.
Om & Bass call it the most down-to-earth musical yoga experience
on offer — and the workshops are all over the UK and worldwide.

Get the vibe

Om & Bass Festival, Oxfordshire takes place: July 10-12, 2020 (early
bird tickets £120; late bird tickets £220; kids go free). Event includes 150
workshops in dance, yoga, meditation, sound healing, martial arts,
crafts and kids stuff. Use discount code OMYOGA to get £15 off. Also,
online teacher trainings worldwide: join the OM & Bass international
family. Check out events, workshops, retreats, festivals and online
teacher training at: omandbass.co.uk

71
 : meditation now

72

The buterfly
effect
A meditation for accepting and embracing change.
By Jill Lawson
C
hange can be terrifying.
It is fear that keeps most
people stuck in situations
that no longer serve them.
When what is familiar
becomes uninspiring, we know it’s time
to make a change, but many won’t
do it. Life transformations give us a
chance to spread our wings and see the
world from a renewed perspective, but
transformation takes courage, patience,
and faith in the unknown.
If you have a calling that requires you
to unbundle yourself from your safety net
and make a change in life, the following
meditation is for you.
Do it now
First, set your intention to follow through
with the desired changes you’d like to have
happen for yourself. Visualise taking your
journey to completion; crawling through
the challenges you face today, spending
some necessary time in retreat, and then
taking your flight into the unknown.
Breathe deeply, get comfortable, and let
this imaginary practice guide you through
a successful transformation.
Now, take a few moments to ponder
the life of a butterfly. We know it starts its
life as a caterpillar. To be able to go from
a crawl to flight and become the beautiful
butterfly it is, it has to reinvent itself. To do
meditation now:
so, it retreats from the world inside a safe
cocoon. This is where many of us get stuck;
we prefer the comfort of our safe haven
over the fear of the unknown.
Inside the cocoon, the caterpillar begins
to transform its cellular organisation
by eating itself from the inside out and
becoming a gooey mess of cells called
imaginal cells. These cells have the
capacity to change into anything. After
some time in a cocoon, the goo births
wings that allow it to break out of its cozy
home. Now, it no longer crawls, but flutters
freely across a big blue sky, gaining a lofty
perspective. That’s amazing!
If we wish to make a change, we
certainly don’t need to eat ourselves alive.
But we must have the courage to retreat
and let the magic of transformation take
place, then be brave enough to step
outside of our comfort zone.
Like the caterpillar, let your old self
melt. Spend some time in quiet reflection
as you rebuild yourself inside the safe
harbour of your mental cocoon. Allow
the cells of your imagination to transform
your thoughts, attitudes, and outlook on
life. Go from a crawl to a flutter and enjoy
the flight!
Jill Lawson is a writer and yoga teacher
enjoying life on the island of Maui in Hawaii
(jilllawson.net)
 Yogaom beginners
foryoga show manchester preview

Get the Manchester vibe

When: 24th, 25th & 26th April 2020

Friday: 11am - 6pm Saturday: 10am - 6pm
Sunday: 10am - 5pm
EventCity, Manchester M17 8AS (sat nav)
omyogashow.com

Home to all the cool bands and music,

Manchester is also the place to be for
yoga this April — and you’re invited!
The OM Yoga Show is now a regular fixture on the
Manchester yoga scene. It’s the place where the whole
community gathers, not just from the city itself, but
from across much of the north and the rest of the
country. Expect lots of amazing yoga: free classes,
workshops, talks, meditations, and plenty of fun along
the way too. There’s also a large exhibition area for
you to stock up on all your yoga goodies, if you’re on
the lookout for a new mat or a trendy pair of leggings,
and healthy food available for when you get hungry.
This extravaganza takes place at EventCity, just Myga Yoga Balance Board Class
minutes from Manchester city centre, and next to one with Claudia Sauer
of the UK’s largest shopping centres, intu Trafford A fun challenging way to find a new level of strength, balance and
Centre. The venue is well served by all forms of public coordination in your yoga routine while practising yoga on a wobbly
transport. Here’s just a taste of what to expect. surfboard-shaped wooden plank.
Intermediates and Advanced
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74
 om yoga show manchester preview

Silent Disco
Strala Yoga
with NOJAM
Yoga — James
and Nozomi
So you’ve heard of Silent Disco
right? Well, this is Silent Disco Yoga!
Be guided through a Strala Yoga
class using wireless headphones,
using energetic music matches with
Strala flow waves. Strala is a way
of being, moving and healing, that
helps people connect with how
they feel.
All Levels
FREE

Workshops Singing Bowl Meditation to

Balance Your Seven Chakras
Here are just some of the workshops that will with Dipesh Munakarmi
be running over this epic yoga weekend: Have you ever experienced the power of singing bowls? After
an introduction on what is a singing bowl, find which chakras
PSOAS RELEASE FOR ANXIETY RELIEF you need to work on and learn how singing bowls are used for
Connect and deepen your relationship with the psoas to meditation and therapy.
alleviate anxiety. Learn how easy it is to release the psoas All Levels
muscle and how this major muscle has such a strong FREE
relationship to anxiety. With Janie Larmour. All Levels. £8

YOGA & INJURY WORKSHOP

A brief look at the most common yoga injuries and how to
practice and teach to avoid them. Come with your questions
and experiences! For yogis and teachers who thrive on
questioning and doing it better! With Sarah Ramsden.
All Levels. £7

OM & BASS CHAKRA YOGA RAVE

The most fun workshop you will ever do! Combining work on
the chakras with dance and moving meditation, culminating in
a soulful drum and bass rave. From the creators of the popular
Om & Bass Yoga Festival in Oxford. Rachel Cox.
All Levels. £9

SPACIOUS BACKBENDS
Does your lower back pinch during back bends? If so, this is
the class for you! Join Ann Marie Mainprize to deepen your
backbends by connecting to your core and releasing deep-
rooted postural tension. Through intelligent sequencing and
switching on functional muscles, you’ll be surprised how
much more space you can create within your body to bend
backwards safely to alleviate any feelings of compression
within the lower back.
Ann Marie Mainprize All Levels £8
Danielle Collins’ Face Yoga
Join Danielle Collins, world-leading Face Yoga expert, to learn
firming facial exercises, soothing face massage and calming
face relaxation for glowing skin. A signed copy of Danielle’s
new book will be available to purchase at the class.
All Levels
FREE

To book your tickets, a FREE showguide and to see all of MANCHEST

ER

our incredible workshops and free open classes visit

omyogashow.com 24 th, 25 th &
EventCity
26 th Apri
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75
 Yogaom beginners
forspirit

Enhance your creativity

through the sacral chakra
Jenny Baker leads an exploration of the chakras, the body’s subtle spinning energy wheels.
Part two of a seven-part series
76
 om spirit

magine that you’re standing in front of a blank

I canvas with a paint brush. You have a colour pallet

in one hand and a paint brush in the other. Let your
imagination flow freely through every bristle. Each
stroke of the brush and every colour that you choose,
work together simultaneously to form a unique image. As
you let your brush run to the outer reaches of the canvas, you
are diving into one of the greatest components of the human
experience: creativity.

The sacral chakra

The sacral chakra, represented by the element water,
manifests itself through your sense of creativity. Think about
how water ebbs and flows through rivers and streams in
nature. Creativity moves fluidly through our human bodies
in the same way waiting to be expressed.

Reveal your creativity

Whether you enjoy music, the arts or another type of creative
platform, you can easily express yourself and enhance your
sacral chakra on a daily basis.
Just dance: Turn up the music, move your feet and let
your body flow in the way you want. The sacral chakra loves
movement, especially when it comes to moving your hips.
Treat yourself to a warm bath: Did you know that baths can
balance your sacral chakra? There’s something so relaxing
and comforting about a bath after a long day. Add sea or
Himalayan salts to your bath for added detoxifying benefits
and rejuvenate your sacral chakra.

How yoga can help you enhance

the sacral chakra
Learn how to open your sacral chakra with these few yoga poses:
yogabliss.co.uk
Get into Butterfly Pose, or Baddha Konasana by sitting
up straight on your mat. With an exhalation of breath, bend
your knees and bring the soles of your feet together to touch.
Bring your heels as close to your pelvis as you can without
feeling discomfort. Wrap your hands around your feet or
ankles while keeping your spine lengthened. You’ll feel a nice
stretch in the inner thighs and knees.
Balance your sacral chakra in One-Legged King Pigeon
Pose. You can practice this pose by beginning on all fours
with your knees positioned directly below your hips and your
hands slightly above your shoulders. Start to slide your right
knee forward towards the back of your right wrist. Angle your
right shin under your torso and move your right foot to the
front of your left knee. At this point, your right shin should
rest on the floor. Slide your left leg back, straighten your knee
and compress the front of your thigh to the floor. Lower the
outside of your right hip to the floor and let your right heel
rest just in front of the left hip.
These two simple poses will help you unlock your sacral
chakra to embrace your creative genius and live your life with
more passion and joy than you ever imagined!

Jenny Baker is the content marketing specialist for Asheville

Yoga Centre (youryoga.com) in the USA and found her passion
for health and wellness early on in life. Aside from writing, she
enjoys travelling the world, working on her yoga practice and
being physically active.

77
 om spirit
Feel the wonder
Looking within to uncover the wonder that’s inside us all. By Leo Babauta
I
know it’s fashionable to say that it’s wonderful to
be cool with being alone, but for many people, it’s
a depressing thing. We can run to junk food and
mindless distractions and sometimes even destructive
behaviours, just to comfort ourselves and hide from the
fear of being alone.
We run from the feeling of loneliness and try to fill the
emptiness with comfort, and that’s a very human thing to
do. We want comfort, and we don’t want to confront the
distressing feelings we might have.
But it can be something worth exploring. Try turning toward
these bad feelings. There’s a lot to be learned there. Opening
yourself up to the feeling of loneliness, allowing yourself to
really feel it and see it, this is where growth can happen. This
is where you can learn about yourself, and what it’s like to feel
pain, and how to cope with it.
Turn inward and feel the pain. Where is it in your body? What
kind of sensation is it? What is the quality of this sensation, the
78
intensity of it, and does it change? Be curious about it. I’ve found
that it isn’t as bad as I think, once I allow myself to look at it.
Turn inward and see what else is there: a sense of curiosity, a
sense of wanting intimacy, a desire to be a good person, a better
person, a sense of being flawed. See everything that’s there,
really look.
And what you see is the divine. You are filled with wonder.
This cannot be seen when we are with others and our lives are
filled with busy-ness and noise and distraction. This can only be
seen when we are alone, and there is space to notice, and we
allow ourselves to look.
Once you learn to appreciate the wonder inside of you, and
find that you are enough (as you are), and that there is happiness
right where you are, then you can be okay with being alone. And
be much more content alone, or with others.
Once you find this, then find people in a yoga class or a
meditation group, and be interested in them. Because this
wonder is inside of them too, if you allow yourself to look.
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 om lifestyle

eat drink yoga

Healthy eating goodies

hydration+ from Rejuvenation Water

Introducing hydration+ from Rejuvenation Water: an all-
natural, low calorie sparkling water with plant-based
protein/amino acids and electrolytes for extra hydration and
functional health benefits. Three flavours to pick from: Cherry
& Cranberry; Tropical; Lime & Lemon — all available in fully
recyclable 250ml slimline cans. The drinks are all natural,
low calorie (50 kcal or less), low sugar and vegan.
£1.39
RejuvenationWater.co.uk

Mountain Blood
The superfood you’ve never heard of! Mountain Blood*
shilajit is a natural, vegan and highly bioavailable source of
fulvic acid, minerals and other key nutrients. This ayurvedic
superfood is shown in studies to improve energy and
stamina, regenerate skeletal muscles and holds hormone
balancing properties. A great all-round supplement
to support you on and off the mat. (*Don’t worry, it’s
completely Vegan-friendly!)
£43
natureprovides.com

Wholesums Veg Popped Chips

The Green One Kimchi Wholesums whole veg popped chips,
Immune-boosting, detoxifying made from carrots, peas and potatoes,
and rich in gut-friendly enzymes plus a little seasoning. They use every
and probiotics to feed the gut’s last bit of the vegetable so there’s no
microbiome, The Green One is the food waste at all! Super delicious and
latest kimchi to join Bottlebrush available in four great flavours: Salt of
Ferments’ range of raw fermented the Earth, Whole Lot of Smokey BBQ,
foods. Invigorating, refreshing and Softly Sweet Chilli and Splash of Salt
versatile, it can improve the health & Vinegar. Available from selected
profile of any dish at any time of Sainsbury’s Local stores.
day. Available from Whole Foods 95p
Market, Planet Organic and online. wholesums.co.uk
£6-£6.50 (250g)
bottlebrushferments.com

80
MOTHER NATURE.
WEAR IT. SHARE IT. BREATHE IT.

81
 om lifestyle

Give A Little
LOVE
Enjoy these delicious meal ideas with your
loved one this Valentine’s day

82
 om lifestyle

Beetroot,
Walnut and
Sunflower Pâté
with Apple
Chutney
SERVES 2

The perfect dish to kick-start your

Valentine’s dinner; the pâté and chutney
can be made in advance, meaning less
time in the kitchen and more with your
Caramelised Onion Tarte Tatin
loved one. Serve with slices of toasted
sourdough, for a truly sublime starter.
with Mediterranean Potato Salad
SERVES 2
For the chutney
• ½ onion, diced
This savoury twist on the French classic gives the perfect balance of sweet and
• 2 apples, peeled and diced
savoury, and pairs well alongside the fresh flavours of the Mediterranean potato
• 2tbsp sultanas
salad. This dish is great served with salad or vegetables.
• 3 tsp mixed spice
• 50g (¼ cup) caster sugar
For the tarte tatin
• 80ml (⅓ cup) cider vinegar
• 1 large red onion
•
• 1 tbsp dairy-free butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
For the pâté
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp dairy-free butter
• 1 sheet vegan ready-rolled puff pastry
• 2 cloves garlic, puréed
• 1 onion, finely diced
For the Mediterranean potato salad
• 200g (7oz) cooked beetroot, diced
• 150g (5oz) new potatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 60ml (¼ cup) red wine
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 50g (⅓ cup) sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp olives, sliced
• 50g (½ cup) walnuts
• 1 tbsp capers
•
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1. To make the chutney, put the
• ½ tbsp maple syrup
onions, apples, sultanas, mixed
• 6 cherry tomatoes, diced
spice, sugar and vinegar in a
• Handful chopped parsley
pan and simmer for 1 hour until
ingredients have cooked down,
1. For the potato salad, place the potatoes in a pan of water, bring to the boil and
then leave to cool.
leave to cook for 15-20 minutes. Then strain the potatoes and leave them to cool.
2. For the pâté, heat the oil and butter
Once cool, slice the potatoes.
in a frying pan over a medium heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. For the tarte tatin, cut off the top and tail
Add the garlic, onion, beetroot and
of the onion and then slice in half, so the rings stay intact.
thyme and sauté for 3-4 minutes
3. To a frying pan (suitable for the oven), over a medium heat, add the butter, sugar,
until onions start to soften. Then
thyme and cider vinegar. Once butter has melted, add the 2 onion halves and
add the red wine and leave to cook
cook for 6-7 minutes on each side until onions start to soften and caramelise.
until all the wine is absorbed.
4. Using a round pastry cutter, slightly larger than the onion, cut two circles of
3. Add the contents of the pan to a
pastry and place them over the onions, pinch them tightly around the onions and
food processor,
transfer the pan to the oven, to cook for 20 minutes.
along with the sunflower seeds and
5. Whilst the tarte tatins are cooking, finish the potato salad by placing a large pan
walnuts, and blend until smooth.
over a medium heat. Add to this the oil, red onion, potatoes, olives and capers,
Season with salt and pepper to
and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the tomato purée, balsamic vinegar, maple
taste, and place in a ramekin in the
syrup and tomatoes and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
fridge until ready to serve.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and finish with the chopped parsley.
Take the tarte tatins out of the oven and carefully turn them over to serve.

83
 om lifestyle

Chocolate Caramel Fondue with

Honeycomb and Marshmallows
SERVES 2
1. To make the honeycomb, in a large pan over a
The perfect ending to a Valentines meal – this dish is great medium heat add the sugar and golden syrup
for sharing and is super indulgent! The honeycomb has and mix until the sugar has dissolved. Then turn
a delicious crunch, while the marshmallows are soft and up the heat and boil the mixture until caramelised
creamy, offering a contrast of textures. Fresh fruits, such as and golden.
strawberries, would make a great addition to this dish. 2. Add the bicarbonate of soda to the pan and stir until
mixture becomes foamy; quickly and carefully scrape
For the honeycomb: the mixture onto a lined tray. Allow the honeycomb
• 100g (scant ½ cup) sugar to cool and set for 1 hour. Once set break into pieces.
• 2 tbsp golden syrup 3. For the marshmallows, to a pan over a medium heat,
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda add the water, sugar, agar, agave syrup and vanilla
extract; bring to the boil and cook until the liquid
For the marshmallows: is syrupy.
• 100ml (scant ½ cup) water 4. Using an electric whisk, mix together the aquafaba
• 125g (generous ½ cup) granulated sugar and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Then,
• 1 tsp agar powder whilst still whisking, slowly pour in the sugar syrup.
• 1½ tbsp agave syrup Once the mixture is fully incorporated, transfer to a
• 1 tsp vanilla extract lined baking tray and place in the fridge to set.
• 3 tbsp aquafaba 5. In a tray, mix together the icing sugar and cornflour.
• ⅛ tsp cream of tartar Remove the marshmallow from the fridge and cut
• 2 tbsp cornflour into cubes, then roll in the cornflour mixture.
• 2 tbsp icing sugar 6. Finally, to make the fondue, to a large saucepan
over a medium-high heat, add the sugar, water and
For the chocolate caramel fondue: butter and bring to the boil. Once the mixture starts
• 120g (½ cup) granulated sugar to caramelise and turn a golden brown, add the
• 2 tbsp water coconut milk and whisk (careful as mixture will spit).
• 3 tbsp dairy-free butter Once fully incorporated, add the dark chocolate and
• ½ x 400ml (13.5 fl oz) tin coconut milk mix until melted. Serve all three elements together,
• 50g (½ cup) dark chocolate along with your favourite fruit.

84
 om lifestyle:nutrition zone
Healthy people,
healthy planet
Our food choices are starting to reflect an interest not only in our
own health and wellbeing, but that of the planet too
C
onsideration for both
people and planet are likely
to dictate our food choices
in the decade ahead. US
nutrition education experts,
Natural Grocers (naturalgrocers.com),
recently outlined various trends that
we can expect to see in the coming year
that reflect this vital switch. Here, Shelby
Miller, manager of scientific affairs and
nutrition education, highlights some
86
of the most anticipated trends that will
bring interest in our own health and
wellbeing into alignment with the rest of
the planet.
Begin to address our
single-use plastic problem
Single-use plastics require vast quantities
of fossil fuels and water, which contribute
to climate change and pollution. Plastic
bags, bottles, utensils, straws, and food
packaging are used briefly, but live on
in the environment for generations. The
good news? The demand for plastic-
free alternatives is higher than ever and
because of this growing consumer focus,
the industry is responding. The more we
reduce the demand for single-use plastics
and instead purchase reusable bottles,
bags, straws and utensils, the better it is
for our health and the environment.

Responsible
plant-based choices
Climate change is the single most
important challenge facing us today.
The plant-based diet is a popular
habit many are adopting with hopes
of reducing their carbon footprint and
protecting Mother Earth. However,
some of the mainstream, plant-
based products on offer aren’t as
earth-friendly as we might think.
Plant-based meat substitutions
that rely on conventionally-grown
primary ingredients are the opposite
of good for the environment. If GMOs,
fertilisers, pesticides, and other
industrial farming practices were
utilised to make your soy burger, it’s
more detrimental to the environment.
If plant-based is the route for you, try
to shift to truly sustainable plant-
based food choices. Support organic
farming methods that foster soil health
and can reverse climate change by
essentially sucking the carbon out of
the atmosphere and depositing it into
the ground, where it belongs.
om lifestyle: nutrition zone
Regenerative agriculture
to fight climate change
There is nothing more important than our
food choices when it comes to our own
health and to the health of the planet.
Climate change is a daunting challenge
that is facing all of us and we can all make
a difference by choosing food grown using
regenerative agriculture. Organic produce,
biodynamic olive oil and wines are foods
that not only support our overall health
and wellbeing but have the potential,
when done right, to help reverse climate
change. Regenerative agriculture is
defined as farming and grazing practices
that, among other things, reverse climate
change by rebuilding soil organic matter
and restoring degraded nutrients,
resulting in soil that can sequester CO2
from the atmosphere and improve the
water cycle. At Natural Grocers, we
strongly believe that our food choices
can affect real change and one of the
most measurable ways to support the
health of the planet is to support farmers
and ranchers practicing regenerative
land management.
 om family
Sleeping beauties
Sleep is one of the most important building blocks to good health,
so make sure your youngsters are getting enough
A 6
nyone with experience of a
new-born baby might scoff at
an article on children and sleep.
All parents will remember those
debilitating sleepless nights!
But, believe it or not, it doesn’t take long
before the little cherubs start to enjoy their
nighttime sleep (at least some of them!).
But good sleep routines are essential for
all ages, not just the tiny ones. The darker
nights offer a great opportunity to create an
improved sleep routine for your child. The
key is to plan ahead and to encourage and
support good sleep hygiene for the whole
family, not just children on their own.
Sleep expert Dave Gibson of Warren
Evans bed makers (whose online magazine,
Sleep Tips is full of practical advice and
helpful tips), and founder of thesleepsite.
co.uk, shares his top tips on creating good
sleep routines below.
1 Work out how much sleep your child
needs, especially during the school
term: on average, 3 to 5-year-olds need
between 10 to 13 hours sleep, 6 to 13-year-
olds need 9 to 11 hours, and teenagers 8
to 10 hours. These are general guidelines
and will vary from child to child so base
the total hours on your experience and
parental insight — you know your child
best. Theoretically, as your child gets older,
they would expect to go to bed later. For
example, a 6-year-old who went bed at
7.30pm would expect to go to bed a lot
later by the time they left primary school.
Typically, if your child had 10 hours and 45
minutes of sleep as a 6-year-old, you would
expect to reduce this by 15 minutes a year.
This means that by the time they get to 13
they will be having 9 hours sleep a night.
2 Discuss and mutually agree an
acceptable bedtime — especially
with teenagers! Then start to wean
your child off any late nights (for example,
88
during the holiday season) and onto the
new bedtime and wake time. Calculate
how far off your child is from their
designated school bedtime and adjust
it by 15 minutes earlier every day for
both their bedtime and wake time. So, if
your child is going to bed at 10pm in the
holiday season and the school bedtime is
8pm, it will take you eight days to make
the adjustment. The idea is to get your
child adjusted to their new routine the
day before school starts, this will give
them the right amount of sleep for their
age group and personal needs.
3 Make sure that this new bedtime
works. If your child finds it hard
to wake up in the morning and is
groggy rather than alert during breakfast,
you will need to adjust their bedtime to
an earlier time.
4 Re-establish good sleep hygiene.
This generally means having a
wind-down routine, which starts
about an hour before bed. Computer
games, homework, and social media are
all stopped an hour before bedtime. A bath
or bedtime story could be used for younger
school kids and reading for older. Packing
books, laying out clothes for the next day,
brushing teeth (without a bright bathroom
light on) and putting on pyjamas, all form
part of a good sleep habit. For younger
children, Lumie’s Bedbug with sleep-
optimised lighting is ideal for encouraging
calm bedtimes. If you do the same thing
each night before bed, the routine will
start becoming a cue to the brain that it’s
almost time for sleep.
5 Keep to the routine even at weekends.
Our brains and body clocks like habits
and a consistent sleep routine seven
days a week makes it easier for your child to
get to sleep in the week.
Encourage your child to have a
healthy lifestyle. Eliminate all
caffeine such as coffee-based drinks,
energy drinks, and dark chocolate. Get
them to exercise regularly, which will also
help them sleep better.
7 Ideally, all technology should be kept
out of the bedroom, but with the
modern teenager’s use of social media,
this is increasingly more difficult to enforce.
Equally, schoolchildren tend to prefer
studying on computers in their bedroom.
In all cases, technology that emits blue
light should be stopped at least 60 minutes
before bed. Ideally, nighttime modes
and screen dimmers should be used
throughout the evening.
8 Keep phones out of the bedroom
overnight. This should be a family
rule rather than just for your children,
as it makes the boundary easier to enforce
and accept. Use a traditional alarm to wake
up or preferably, a dawn simulator.
9
Get your child interested in sleep and
the bedroom. Educate them about
why sleep is important in terms of
brain development and how consistent
and regular routines work. Encourage
them to make their bedroom a perfect
place to sleep; cool, dark, and quiet. If their
mattress or pillow is uncomfortable or old,
get a new one and allow older children
to have a budget to buy it. Get them to
try it in-store so it becomes their special
mattress or pillow.
10 Set a good example. One
rule for all the family is a good
place to start. Make sure you
keep the same seven-day schedules too,
no coffee and a similar sleep routine
with a one-hour break from technology
before bed.
om family

89
 om family
The peaceful parent
10 tips for finding zen in the mayhem. By Leo Babauta
T
here is no such thing as stress-free
parenting. Parents will always
have stress: we not only have to
deal with tantrums and scraped
knees and children refusing to
eat anything we cook, but we worry about
potential accidents, whether we are ruining
our kids, whether they will find happiness as
adults and be able to provide for themselves
and find love. That said, I’ve learned that we
can find peace. Peace isn’t a place with no
stress, but a place where you take the stress
as it comes, in stride, and don’t let it rule you.
You let it flow through you, and then smile,
and breathe, and give your child a hug. This
the way of the peaceful parent. Here’s how to
get started:
1 Greet your child each morning with a
smile, a hug, a loving Good Morning!
This is how we would all like to be
greeted each day.
2 Teach your child to make his/her
own breakfast. This starts for most
children at around the age of 3 or 4.
Teach them progressively to brush their
90
teeth, bathe themselves, clean up their
rooms, put away clothes, wash their dishes,
make lunch, wash their own clothes, sweep
and clean, etc.
3 Older children can help younger
children: it’s good for them to learn
responsibility, it helps the youngsters
learn from the older ones, and it takes some
of the stress off you.
4 When your child asks for your
attention, grant it. Unconditionally.
5 Model the behaviour you want your
child to learn. Be calm, smile, be kind,
go outdoors and be active.
6 Know that when you screw up as a parent,
everything will be fine. Forgive yourself.
Apologise. Learn from that screw up. In
other words, model the behaviour you’d like
your child to learn whenever he/she screws up.
7 When a stressful time arises (and it
will!), learn to deal with it with a smile.
Make a joke, turn it into a game, laugh:
you’ll teach your child not to take things
so seriously, and that life is to be enjoyed.
Breathe, walk away if you’ve lost your
temper, and come back when you
can smile.
8 Parents need alone time. Set
certain traditions so that you’ll
have time to work on your own,
or have mummy and daddy time in the
evening, when your child can do things
on their own.
9 Kiss your child goodnight. And give
thanks for another amazing day with
your beautiful, unique, crazy child.
10 Remember that your child is a
gift. He or she won’t be a child
for long, and so your time with
them is fleeting. Every moment you can
spend together is a miracle. Enjoy it to the
fullest, and be grateful for that moment.
Leo Babauta is the founder of Zen Habits
(zenhabits.net)
BALA N C E & FR EED OM FOR T HE
MI N D, B ODY & SOUL
Wild & Free Adventures was born from
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 om actions

Ashram reunion
Friends celebrate the life-long journey of self-discovery and union
By Andy Vantrease

Sai Baba Reunion, Feathered Pipe Ranch, Montana, USA

“Sai Baba infused us with love and gave us a place to realise the
goodness in ourselves, so we can bring that out into the world”

T
he guests trickle in, an eclectic group of doctors,
psychologists, painters, designers, travellers and
business owners in their 60s and 70s, many with short
white-grey hair, glasses and smiles ear-to-ear as they
squeal in excitement at the sight of old friends. They
embrace in long hugs, inhaling and exhaling several times in each
other’s arms, then lean back to make close eye contact and squeeze
their companions’ shoulder bones, as if to confirm that the human
flesh in front of them isn’t a figment of imagination.
These people are no strangers to arduous journeys, each one
having made the pilgrimage to India over land and sea decades
earlier, in search of community and a place to belong when their
home countries became too harsh for their young, idealist souls.
They were the hippies of their time, leaving home after high
school — or halfway through college - with a few backpacking
essentials and a dream of finding a peaceful existence,
enlightenment and adventure.
Now, they were meeting again, visiting from all over the world
— Germany, Tasmania, the UK and the USA — for a long overdue
reunion at the Feathered Pipe Ranch in Helena, Montana. Their
shared connection? A deep and lasting love for their teacher and
guru, Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi, India.
Sathya Sai Baba was — and is — God to millions of people,
believed by many to be a reincarnation of the beloved Indian Saint
Sai Baba. His powerful teachings focused on loving and serving
all, and he was known for materialising necklaces, rings, watches,

92

Gene Massey
Sisters India and VJ in Puttaparthi, India
vibhuti (holy ash) and other small gifts
for his devotees. In the early days — 1965
to 1975 — his darshans attracted 300-400
people (growing to millions near the end
of his life), mostly locals from Puttaparthi
and surrounding villages, with a handful of
westerners mixed in. Among the westerners
were the late founder of Feathered Pipe
Ranch India Supera, her sister VJ, Michele
Kaplowitz, Heidi King, Howard Levin and
Gael Malloy, all of whom were present for
the reunion.
Shortly after the group arrived — as with
any proper reunion - the stories began.
Zane Wiliams Photography
Feathered Pipe Ranch, Montana, USA
Friends reunited
India Supera, who passed in late 2019,
grew up in Orange County, California and
embarked on her spiritual journey at a young
age. “I had trouble relating to my peers
because I was just so serious about finding
enlightenment,” she says. “I wanted to be
around intelligent people who had visions
and questioned the world the way I did.
I couldn’t bear sock hops and shopping, so
I went looking for more.”
At 20, Supera and her sister set off to
Europe and travelled overland through
France, Greece, Turkey, eventually reaching
Pakistan on the trail to India. Along the
way, she met Howard Levin, a Jewish boy
from New York with long dark hair and a
matching moustache, and he joined the
entourage, which eventually landed at Sai
Baba’s ashram in Whitefield, India.
“I had been travelling for years, escaping
the harassment of America in those days,
and I really liked India because the people
were so kind and welcoming,” Levin admits.
“I wasn’t particularly searching for a guru like
the others were, but a string of serendipitous
events led me to Swami’s ashram. The
moment I walked in, I had this overwhelming
feeling that I had arrived home.”
Levin’s story is mirrored by similar tales of
longing for guidance and a sense of safety
— a collective consciousness of the times
that seemed to culminate in India. Famous
actors, artists, musicians and politicians
were flocking to the country in the
counterculture era, and it quickly became
known as a hot spot for those looking to
reach a deeper understanding of the world,
humanity and themselves.
om actions
Travel tales
Gene Massey, a Los Angeles-based
videographer and devotee sets up his
camera to record shared memories, each
person recounting how they heard of Sathya
Sai Baba — through pictures, books, records
or friends — followed by their journeys to
meet him for the first time. They name exact
dates and days of the week that they entered
the ashram, what they were wearing, who
they were with and where they had travelled
from. They cry as they remember, and the
others hold the sacred space, their feet
swirling silently in circles underneath chairs
as they listened.
After all, it’s not every day that you get to
tell people how you met God.
“Perhaps the seeking stemmed from the
generation, a collection of souls all born at the
same time to change the world,” says Michele
Kaplowitz, as she whispers song lyrics from
the popular Beatles tune, Revolution: “We all
want to change the world…”
“I was curious about the mystical at a very
young age in New York, and in my twenties,
I got into meditation because I wanted to find a
way to reach revelations without doing LSD or
marijuana,” she says. “When a girlfriend of mine
returned from two years in India and told me
she had met God there, I knew I had to go find
out for myself.”
Kaplowitz, now 75, was married at the
ashram and lived there for over 13 years, raising
her two daughters in India before returning to
the States. “It was tough, living at the ashram
while my girls were in boarding school,”
Kaplowitz says. “But I believed that this is how
I was meant to be spending my time, devoted
to the greater good.”
Gene Massey
Sai Baba and Heidi King
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Sai Baba Park at Feathered Pipe Ranch
Brothers Michael and Brian Steely travelled
from Oregon to India to meet Sai Baba after
feeling inspired by George Harrison and the
Beatles. “I was curious enough to accompany
Michael on the trip, but I had plans to take the
train to Kashmir soon after because I had a
healthy dose of skepticism about it all,” says
Brian. “When I first saw Swami materialise
something during darshan, I thought he must
Gene Massey
Hundreds gather to see Sai Baba during darshan
94
have a tube up his sleeve. Then he came over,
rolled up his sleeve and materialised vibhuti
for the person sitting right next to me - all the
while looking at me, as if to say, “Believe me
now?” Of course, I stayed after that and got
to know his teachings. He’s been my teacher
ever since.”
The others laugh and nod their heads
knowingly at the story of Sai Baba’s intuition
Zane Williams Photography
and humour, looking down at the wooden
floor as they individually float off into their
own memories.
Life lessons
Later in the week, six guests sit in a circle
on the clover-covered lawn, a few in chairs
and others perched on the edge of the deck,
cupping their hands over their foreheads to
block the blazing sun. They tell stories of Sai
Baba’s “tests,” a teaching tactic that each
devotee remembers and appears equally
entertained by.
“Swami always pointed us back to
ourselves as the teacher, showing us
that we held all of the answers inside
— and yet, I couldn’t get enough of him,”
says Michael Steely, tossing his hands in
the air in light-hearted bewilderment.
“Maybe that’s the human condition,
always wanting more than we’re given...
questioning the answers, seeking more
understanding. Maybe we can’t help but
go back to the external well, even when
we’re being told we have our own wells to
drink from.”
Kaplowitz chimes in: “The journey
back to the self is ongoing — and it’s
the longest journey you’ll ever take,”
she says. “I am God; You are God: Swami
was there to remind us of that, over and
over again.”
Gene Massey om actions

Sai Baba on the ashram terrace

Zane Williams Photography

Zane Williams Photography

Feathered Pipe Native Statue

Feathered Pipe Ranch Peace

Acceptance
For these 25 devotees, their reunion flew by, as they
spent their days chanting, singing, praying, laughing,
eating and telling stories, closing out each night
with a slide show of old pictures from Whitefield and
Puttaparthi. They listened to cassette tapes of recorded
bhajans and left with full hearts, Sai Baba’s teachings
confirmed after all these years: “There’s only one caste:
The caste of humanity. One language: The language of
the heart. One religion: The religion of love. And one God,
who is omnipresent.”
“Sai Baba infused us with love and gave us a place
to realise the goodness in ourselves, so we can bring
that out into the world,” says Levin, who has travelled
to Russia and Australia to give talks about his personal
experience with Sai Baba. “Living at the ashram was
blissful, but he would tell us to go home, get jobs and
live our lives in service to others. Looking back, it wasn’t
so different than what my parents were telling me, but
he accepted me in a whole-hearted way and gave me
time to figure out how I wanted that to play out in
my life.”
Andy Vantrease is a freelance writer based in the USA Prasanthi Nilayam, Sai Baba ashram
(andyvantrease.com)

95
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Teacher zone
A deeper
understanding of
yoga... for teachers,
by teachers

Inside:
Page 97: My Yoga Biz
Page 98: 4 Yoga Career Hacks
Page 101: Sensory Integration
Page 102: Sharing he Wisdom

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MyYogaBiz
Tips from the experts to help you grow the yoga business of your dreams

This month’s mentor: Lucy Holtom, 41 of Living

Your Yoga, Kenilworth & Stratford-Upon-Avon,
Warwickshire (livingyouryoga.co.uk)

TEACHER TRAINING
I believe teacher training is designed to assist in deepening a
yoga practice, and guides methods to share knowledge and
wisdom from one’s own experiences of yoga, and how best to
support others in theirs. Running a yoga ‘business’ requires a
completely different set of skills. I have support from friends that
are filmmakers, photographers and social media gurus; a brilliant
administrator and accountant. There’s a lot behind the scenes
in running a yoga business. Teaching, research and practice are
my favourite parts, but I love collaborating with others that are
passionate about these other essential roles too.

BUSINESS PLAN
I haven’t made a business plan as such. I have a creative free-
thinking style, rather than a constructive and organised one.
I research courses that can assist in my teachings to further my
knowledge. I stay open to opportunities that always lead to
inspiring experiences and people. From this, I scribble ideas of
where I’d like to take my yoga next, be it to a festival, on a retreat, or
writing a column or book. I put my ideas out there and tend to meet
people and collaborate. I share ideas rather than fixate on a plan.
However, I always plan when there’s a definite agreement in place.

YOUR INSPIRATION WHAT’S YOUR SECRET

I’ve trained with David Sye numerous times. He brings his life
experience to a session. He’s raw, kind and funny. Along with an
upbeat practice that’s playful and vibrant (with great music), he
balances this with amazingly deep and profound meditation and
pranayama practices. I once emailed him asking for information on
a practice I was sharing with my students. To my surprise we had a
phone call the following morning. He shared with me everything he
knew and had experienced about this particular practice himself.
He’s a brilliant example of an honest and authentic yoga teacher.
I admire these qualities.
Keep it simple. Originally my business began in a friend’s kitchen,
then became popular so I hired a community space. Word
spread so I added another class, then another venue. It’s grown
organically. Along with teaching and building relationships with my
clients, I keep up to date with training which I feel is vital, as in any
line of work, by listening to my clients’ needs. My business connects
with others in the community, whether they are doctors, or holistic
practitioners; we all have a shared interest in health and healing,
recommending one another should a client have a particular need.
Serving the community is the purpose of running a yoga business,
taking an interest in people and supporting them.

BUSINESS COACH
I am lucky enough to have an amazing yoga teacher that I see at
least once a week. I’ve known him for 15 years. He’s been teaching
for over 30 and practicing for over 40. We talk regularly about
everything yoga, from asana and psychology to chants and great
teachers. He reminds me that I need to be aware of what I’m taking
on: to remember to take care of myself. He’s a kind and humble
teacher and also my yoga mentor. I really appreciate his guidance,
I find it grounding and nurturing and it’s founded from his own
vast experience.

Written and compiled by Claudia Brown (yogabyclaudia.com)

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 Teacher zone

4 yoga career hacks...

from the fab four How do you become a successful yoga instructor?
Kim Sin asked four of her yoga idols how they did it. The answers may surprise you

A
s an instructor myself, there are so many people to
look up to in the yoga community.
I’ve always wondered how different teachers got
to where they are in their career now. Last month,
I finally got the nerve to ask some of my idols out for
a little ‘interview date’ to learn more about their story.
These conversations opened my eyes and my heart to fundamental
truths about finding your dharma, being of service, and finding
your own path. I’ve been fortunate to be able to call some of my
favourite teachers my friends, but even with this close relationship,
I still gained valuable perspective by taking the time to do an
intentional interview.
Here’s just some of what I learned from these amazing teachers
with thriving careers.

98
 Teacher zone
Jason Crandell
Work hard and contextualise your expectations

Jason Crandell is internationally recognised

for his articulate, down-to-earth approach to
Vinyasa Yoga that educates and empowers.
He has been an in-demand teacher at events
around the world for more than a decade.
He got his start with yoga accidentally. As he
was nearing college graduation, he needed
one more credit. The only department to
offer one credit was kinesiology, so he signed
up for yoga. He went to class begrudgingly,
but always felt better afterwards.
He continued his practice after college,
taking Ashtanga classes regularly. One
day his teacher asked him to cover an
intro to Ashtanga class. This led him to the
realisation that you can’t just practice yoga
and be a good teacher, you really need to
hone your teaching skills.
When I asked him about whether he
struggled financially when he became a
full-time teacher he shared that throughout
much of his career he had a secondary
job to help cover the bills. Whether it was
managing the business side of yoga studios
or working various catering gigs, he was
Kathryn Budig
knee deep in the yoga hustle for many years.
“Everyone needs contextualisation around
what it takes to be successful as a yoga
studio classes. Her advice to other teachers teacher. Twenty years ago there wasn’t
Kathryn Budig looking to grow in their career comes from nearly the amount of teaching opportunities,
Utilise your skills and background to pursue
something her teacher used to share. but we also didn’t have to deal with any
your passion for yoga
“You have to ask yourself: do you want internalised pressure people can create for
to be a good teacher or a popular one? I do themselves due to social media.”
Kathryn Budig is a world renowned yoga
believe you can achieve both, but I want to He spoke about how social media can
teacher known for her amazing arm
make sure I am a good and happy teacher.” warp teachers’ expectations: it can make
balancing and playful yet powerful teaching
style. She’s authored two books about
wellness: Aim True and The Women’s
Health Big Book of Yoga. Her own yoga
journey began in college when she fell in
love with Ashtanga classes and continued
in LA where she studied at Yoga Works.
She began her teaching career while also
working as an actress, which qualifies for
what I like to call the ‘yoga hustle’ (teaching
dozens of public classes, private sessions,
and small group classes a week, all the
while working another job).
She married her passion for writing,
yoga expertise, and an English degree by
contributing to a variety of publications,
including working a five-year stint as an
editor at Women’s Health magazine. To
help supplement her teaching income, she
found that hosting workshops allowed her
to share her knowledge and passion about
yoga to a larger group of people in the same
amount of time.
With her in-depth knowledge of health,
along with the ability to convey this
knowledge across different mediums, Jason Crandell
she was able to reach a more substantial
income level than from solely teaching

99
 Teacher zone
Tiffany Cruikshank
success as a yoga teacher look easy and
glamorous, not at all like the hustle it is in
reality. This definitely hit home with me.
He attributes some of his success to
having set very little expectations on what
he could earn and, instead, to focus on
deepening his learning and serving, not
Instagramming.
Tiffany Cruikshank
Find where your passion meets the
needs of your community
Tiffany Cruikshank is an internationally-
known yoga teacher, author, and health and
wellness expert celebrated for her ability
to fuse the worlds of Eastern and Western
medicine while applying it to the practice of
yoga. She is known as a ‘teacher’s teacher’
and has written for and graced the cover of
many prominent publications.
She began practicing yoga when she was
a self-described lost and confused teenager.
Although the athletic aspect of yoga initially
drew her in, it has been everything else that
kept her practicing for the past 24 years.
Her career path has always been about
finding the place where her passions meet
the intersecting needs of her community.
She stresses the importance of finding great
help and not trying to do everything yourself.
As her business initially started to grow,
she hired other teachers to help her out.
When these teachers wanted to pursue their
own teaching careers, she switched gears.
She began to collaborate with individuals
100
with business backgrounds who wanted to
deepen their connection to yoga and helping
others through their work.
“My career has really been about Dharma:
sticking to what I love, doing it out of service,
sharing my expertise freely and honing in
on what the world needs from me. If you’re
patient and persistent, things usually work
out well for all involved.“
Judith Hanson Lasater
This path is about service and deep
intimacy with yourself
Judith Hanson Lasater has a Ph.d. in East-
West Psychology and is a certified physical
therapist. She’s been teaching yoga around
the world since 1971. She’s also a founder of
the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco.
She started teaching yoga in 1971, when
yoga was still a part of the counterculture.
This was the time of The Beatles, the
Maharishi, the anti-war and Black Panther
movements. She was attending graduate
school in Austin and working at the YMCA
part-time.
Ten months after she took her first yoga
class, the YMCA asked her to take over the
programme. At that time, there were no
teacher trainings available, and she found
herself teaching 200 students a week
without any formal training.
Eventually she completed a teacher
training in the Bahamas. There was no
model of being a yoga teacher at that time;
teachers taught in ashrams. Like Jason
Crandell, she never had an expectation
of teaching yoga, she simply did what
she loved.
For her, teaching was successful if she
could help one person each day. After class,
someone would tell her something she said
resonated with them, or that a pain they had
been having felt relieved. This was all she
needed to hear.
She reminded me that our primary job
as yoga teachers is to mirror the inner
goodness and inherent wisdom in each
student. Today other teachers will come up
to her and ask: “How do I become a famous
yoga teacher?”
This is what she told me: “I think
something is missing here. This is the path
of deep internal intimacy with yourself.
Integration and service. I never thought I’d
become well-known, I just wanted enough
students to live reasonably well. I just
wanted to do my teaching.”
After a long, beautiful conversation,
I ended by asking her: Is there anything
you wish you’d known back then that you
know now?
“I have no regrets, everything happens for a
reason. I believe if I tried to change anything,
I wouldn’t be here now talking to you.”
These conversations were inspiring,
precious moments and I want to thank each
of the teachers for taking the time to speak
with me as I embark on the next stage of
my own teaching journey. Do any of these
lessons resonate with you? I’d love to hear
your perspective.
Kim Sin is a San Francisco-based yoga
instructor (kimsinyoga.com)
Judith Hanson Lasater

Sensory
Integration
ave you ever had a day when you
H just felt a little bit ‘off balance’?
Bumping into things, feeling
clumsy and awkward? Or perhaps
you felt overwhelmed and found
yourself strangely stimulated, obsessing over
a task?
We are constantly processing information
from both outside and inside our bodies.
What we touch, hear, see, smell and taste
impacts how we function. The brain
processes multiple sensory inputs and
the nervous system responds accordingly.
Most of us learn how to cope and filter out
multiple stimuli. We are able to make sense
of our situation and surroundings and
therefore self regulate accordingly.
Sensory Processing
Disorder (SPD)
There are many people who live with
a condition called sensory processing
disorder (SPD). It is a condition in which
the brain has difficulty receiving and
responding to the sensory stimuli, resulting
in an unusual or inappropriate response.
Commonly this is found in individuals living
with Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities,
but it can be a symptom of trauma, stress
and anxiety.
Sensory Behaviours
Children and adults with SPD often have
difficulty filtering out the non-essential
information, such as background noises,
and so they begin to manifest certain
behaviours. Anxiety, restlessness,
irregular sleep patterns, agitated states,
excitability, difficulty sitting still or
participating in and completing simple
tasks, make it challenging to integrate
into social settings.
Sensory integration
Sensory integration is the theory and
treatment for individuals experiencing
SPD, and is a growing area of practice for
many occupational therapists. Sensory
integration therapy includes devising
client-specific activities to integrate
all the eight senses: sound, smell,
taste, proprioception, vestibular and
interoception. It is thought to be one
of the most effective interventions for
challenging sensory behaviours.
Teaching yoga as
a sensory
intervention strategy
Yoga is a highly effective sensory intervention
tool. With its roots in parasympathetic
omTeacher
lifestylezone
dominance, body and spatial awareness,
the benefits are endless. In addition, the
use of deep touch pressure (DTP) massage
can assist in sensory processing across
a large area of the body, promoting self-
management and regulation.
The benefits of yoga
 Regulates proprioception, joint and
muscle sensation and vestibular, balance
and eye movements
 Activates calming hormones, such
as serotonin
 The focus on the breath and movement
offers self-regulation
 Use of bilateral movements to create
spatial understanding and balance mood
 Helps to organise and relax the
nervous system
 Builds self-confidence and self-affirmation
For individuals with Sensory Processing
Disorder, yoga can build improved sensory
integration and allow them to better
engage with their surroundings.
By Cathy Underwood, registered
Senior Yoga Teacher and Trainer with
Yoga Alliance Professionals, yoga
therapist at The Priory Hospital, and
founder of Yoga4Mums (yoga4mums.com)
and IMTYOGA
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Sharing the wisdom

We never stop learning. Paula Hines shares her own wisdom
on what it means to pass on knowledge as we grow
y the time you read this I will have been an accredited Sharing this practice with teachers for their own benefit and the

B senior yoga teacher for just over a year. But what does
this mean? Does this make me a yoga expert? My feeling is
that you can practice yoga for a lifetime and still have an
infinite amount to learn (even though you might be called
an expert by others).
Yoga is ultimately a way of being. So, while in certain ways I may
know more now than when I began practicing nearly 20 years ago, an
accreditation does not now mean that I know everything. And I am
mindful of the great teachers in the world who don’t have a piece of
paper to say they are qualified. However, reaching this stage, it does
mark a notable milestone.
For someone who thought they would never be a teacher,
I sometimes find it hard to believe that I am here. One thing being a
senior teacher does mean is that I am now able to offer workshops
and trainings to teachers. In deciding to do this - to pass on what I have
learned so far to other teachers — I feel it is essential that I continue to
work on my own practice and to continue learning.
A big part of my personal practice has, and continues to involve,
Restorative Yoga. Though popularised in the west mainly by Judith
Hanson Lasater (who I studied with), this practice stems from the
therapeutic teachings of BKS Iyengar (Judith Hanson Lasater’s teacher).
benefit of their students is something I have wanted to do for some
time. After a successful initial workshop in late 2019, this February I am
repeating my one-day workshop for teachers who would like to teach
Restorative Yoga. My workshop groups are intentionally small in size
and the setting is friendly. After positive feedback last year, I am also
offering a Part 2 workshop in May 2020 for those interested in further
learning on adapting the practice for pregnancy and for students with
specific injuries.
If you are a yoga teacher who would like an introduction to teaching
Restorative Yoga, I’d love you to join me! You can find details of both
workshops on the events page of my website.
Teaching Restorative Yoga: Fundamentals Part 1 takes place on
Saturday February 22, 2020 and *Teaching Restorative Yoga:
Fundamentals Part 2 (*completion of Part 1 is a pre-requisite)
takes place on Saturday May 23, 2020 – both from 9.30am-5pm
at Mothering Lotus Yoga Studio in West Sussex. For bookings and
information visit: ucanyoga.co.uk.

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 Teacher zone

books
Yoga Of The Mat
Lucy Makin (illustrated by Lesley Foden)
Book Printing UK
£15

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Perfect for anyone who would like to have a go
at yoga, but finds that life’s demands often get in the way. No need for an expensive
mat, soothing music or candles, this book can be taken everywhere with you and can
be used in any everyday situation, by anyone. The author has created a wonderfully-
simple guide to incorporate all the important aspects of yoga into ordinary life. Packed
with lots of illustrated poses and postures, Yoga Off The Mat is an easy-to-follow refer-
ence book that aims to help all of us improve flexibility and health as we go through
our daily routines.

Further reading:

Conscious Leadership Buddha’s Office Meta Human

Reveal Your Potential. Inspire
Excellence.
Neil Seligman
White Lion Publishing
£9.99
Step into your future with clarity and
confidence whilst becoming more centred,
calm and resilient at work. Includes
practical tools to help increase your
leadership capacities from one of the UK’s
leading experts in mindfulness, corporate
wellbeing and professional resilience.
Explore sections on self-knowledge,
self-management, self-maintenance, self-
development and self-realisation giving
you the tools and tips to help lead yourself
and others with purpose and passion.
Accessible and user-friendly, offering bite-
sized learning segments and illustrated to
bring the concepts to life and enliven the
reader experience.
The Ancient Art Of Waking Up
While Working Well
Dan Zigmond
Running Press
£12.99
Can enlightenment be found in the
workplace? This inspirational book
by Zen priest and data scientist Dan
Zigmond shows how the wisdom of
Buddha can apply to our modern lives,
exploring how Buddha’s guidance can
help us navigate the perils of work life.
Simple instructions to apply to your
everyday life in the office or on the job,
you’ll find yourself waking up while
working well. It’s time to wake up and
start working in a more enlightened way.
One that is right for you, right for your
health, right for your sanity, and right for
the world. Easy to read and accessible
to all.
Deepak Chopra
Penguin
£12.99
In this book, drawing from the latest on
brain research, artificial intelligence and
biometrics, renowned author Deepak
Chopra unfolds a path that allows all of us
to realise our infinite potential. A 31-day
guide to help us ‘wake up’ in order to
shed the constraints that underlie anxiety,
tension and ego-driven demands, and
enable us to live a life filled with love and
self-worth. For over 30 years, Chopra
has been one of the world’s pioneers in
personal transformation, writing numerous
New York Times bestsellers along the way.
Meta Human is a highly readable book
that will stimulate readers’ curiosity about
human existence and the nature of reality.

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 Yoga is for every body
Your pictures. Your community

Amber Yallop near Jake, Owen &

Boscastle in Cornwall Noah playing with
yoga blocks

Hillary from Connie McCreath and Genna Magnall

Myanmar Maraget Thomson in North
Berwick, Scotland

Margie Shand and pet goat, Fleck Kate Thackeray

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 Bryony Sexton

Poppy Crowley, Anna Maria Lorna Fisher, Pimlico, London

Island, Florida

We want your photos!

Send us happy shots, fun pics, great asana (or bad asana!), big smiley faces, anything at all — and see them in OM Magazine.
It doesn’t have to be you doing a yoga pose either. We want to see your yoga life: a pre-class group hug, a cup of tea ater
class, what you got up to at the weekend, send them all via email to: jane@primeimpact.co.uk

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Awe-inspiring retreats and ideas for yoga explorers
Yoga & wine tasting
A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN: YOGA, WINE TASTING AND
FABULOUS FRANCE
Take time out for yourself to recharge and unwind with some of
life’s good things. The team at North London Yoga Studio (NLYS) are
organising a retreat this June where the stars of the show will be
yoga, wine…and you!
“Yoga isn’t just about eating kale and drinking herbal tea, it’s all
about balance,” says NLYS founder Indira Das-Gupta.
That’s why she’s leading a retreat to France this summer blending
together yoga and wine tasting. “A little bit of what you love is good
for the soul,” she tells OM. “Given that studies show that red wine
in moderation is good for your heart, combining wine tasting with
yoga is actually a match made in heaven!”
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travel
You’ll stay in Fontalbe, a beautiful property which has just been
completely renovated in the picturesque Dordogne region of
France (nearest airport Bergerac). The twin rooms are luxurious
and spacious and have ensuite bathrooms. The house also has its
own heated pool.
This is wine country so on one of the days you will enjoy a wine
tasting session where all the wines will be locally sourced and
biodynamic, accompanied by delicious tasting dishes. All the food
throughout the stay will also be locally sourced and organic.
Twice daily yoga classes (don’t expect a glass of vino when you
are mid-Downward Dog!) and delicious home-cooked brunch and
dinner served every day, all included in the retreat price.
Retreat takes place June 22-25, 2020. Price: £699 (based on two
people sharing a twin room). Excludes flights, transfers & extra day
trips. For further details visit: nlys.co.uk/retreats-events
 om travel

Balance and snow retreat

FEBRUARY FITNESS AND SKI BREAK AT LEFAY
DOLOMITI IN ITALY

Combine the feeling of flying down the slopes with the restorative
and strengthening of yoga sessions amidst the breath-taking
mountains of The Dolomites, which glow pink at twilight. Copy
the rose glow and experience la dolce vita with treatments
aimed to relax muscular tension, revitalise, tone and help correct
postural alignment. After a day on the slopes, balance and
wind down in the sumptuous spa, restore and re-energise with
nutrient-dense local food and majestic scenery where nature,
luxury and unspoiled beauty harmoniously co-exist.

Health and Fitness Travel (healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers seven

nights at Lefay Dolomiti from £1,785pp or £1,930 for single occupancy.
Includes breakfast, a wellness programme and return transfers.

Thailand training paradise

GET ACTIVE AND KEEP FIT IN THAILAND THIS APRIL

With the warm glow of summer still a speck on the horizon, escape with an invigorating, healing trip to Thailand in the coming months.
This comprehensive health and fitness training retreat is designed to keep you active, re-energise the body and mind, unwind, and reset
through fitness, meditation, yoga, delicious clean eating, island adventures, and massages. All in amazing Thailand!

Health and Fitness Travel (healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers seven nights at Training Paradise from £1,330pp. Price includes full board,
a wellness programme and return transfers.

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Escape to the Algarve
With 300 days of sunshine a year, clean air refreshed by Atlantic breezes, and its proximity to
the UK, the Algarve is always a great choice for a yoga and wellness break
T
hinking of where to go for your next healthy getaway?
Portugal’s sunny south is always a good idea. The Algarve
is the southernmost region in the country framed by a
200-km coastline. Known for its promise of more than 300
days of sun per year, it is home to award-winning beaches,
authentic gastronomy and a range of outdoor activities from surfing to
cycling, walking, and birdwatching that attracts thrill seekers and nature
lovers alike.
It’s also crammed with amazing health and wellness options for the
discerning yoga traveller. Plus you can get some 50% off treatments
at top hotels during Algarve Spa week (there are actually two in 2020,
one each in April and October) if you really want to spoil yourself! You’ll
find everything from brand new farm house retreats, top-of-the-range
wellness hotels, new spa programmes for teens and kids…and lots of
yoga. Here’s a flavour of all things wellness in the sunny Algarve this year.
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@laurenabraham
memmo Baleeira
memmo Baleeira is launching its first wellness retreats in 2020. It has
long been a destination for nature and wellness, with surfing, trekking
and biking at the heart of any experience in Sagres. This year will see
the launch of The Detox Programme, designed to help guests restore,
rejuvenate and recover. The retreat includes specialist detox lunches
with seasonal and healthy ingredients and treatments range from
detoxing facials to lymphatic drainage, with the aim of energising the
body and removing toxins.
The programme includes the use of the hotel’s spa facilities and
members are also encouraged to rejuvenate in the surrounding nature
of the wild Costa Vicentina. Activity is key, so whether it’s trekking the
ancient trails, surfing in the Atlantic, cycling along the cliffs to explore
further afield, yoga classes on the cliff tops, rock climbing or kayaking,
memmo Baleeira can accommodate.

A three-day programme costs £280pp including two night’s
accommodation, half board, a 50-minute treatment, two yoga classes,
daily detox drinks and use of the spa. Visit: memmohotels.com
Villa Monte
Located in Olhao, in the eastern Algarve, Vila Monte is launching
its first in-house series of retreats this year. The retreats will be
led by three facilitators, Janet Shook, a wellness curator for Villa
Monte Farm House, Luisa Peres, specialising in healing through the
elements of nature, and Karim Fadali, a yoga expert and an avid
explorer of astrological charts.
February 18-23: Nurturing your True Self includes Kundalini
Yoga and meditation, dance of the elements, nature hikes and
nature healing nutritional support and guidance. A three-night
programme costs €755pp.
March 17-22: We are Stardust includes guided star-gazing
sessions to get familiarised with the visible constellations and
planets, talks on astrological chart’s fundamental principles,
application of esoteric astrology, yoga and meditation practices
and an exploration of the creation myths of yogic traditions. The
three-night programme costs €850pp.
A special menu has also been developed for these retreats
from locally-sourced products providing vegan and gluten-free
meals with super foods at the in-house A Terra restaurant.
Visit: vilamonte.com
Longevity Health & Wellness
Hotel in Alvor
The 5 star Longevity Health & Wellness Hotel in Alvor only opened
last October. This state-of-the-art wellness centre embraces modern
om travel
integrative and regenerative medicine with the most advanced
wellness and preventative diagnostics, therapies and programmes.
Longevity’s USP is its thorough anti-ageing regime. A fleet of doctors,
nutritionists and fitness trainers are at each guest’s disposal and will
create individually-tailored programmes.
The Detox & Relax wet area circuit could be the place for you:
consisting of an infra-red sauna, hammam, ice fountain, Epsom salt
room, sensations showers, relaxing room, indoor heated Himalayas
salt detox pool and sensation relax pool. Visit: longevityalvor.com/en
Vidamar Resort Hotel
The Vidamar Resort Hotel Algarve has designed a spa programme
especially for families with children aged 6-11.
The Parents & Kids’ SPA programme for one adult and child
includes: one back and leg massage (25 min); one mini-facial
treatment (25 min); unlimited access to the fitness room for
adults, accommodation in double room with one extra bed with
daily buffet breakfast; daily family dinner (drinks not included);
unlimited access to the indoor heated saltwater pool for the adults
and children; and family welcome VIP, in room, upon arrival.
The ‘Parents & Kids’ SPA Programme two-nights stay package
costs from €339 per room for two adults and one child or two nights
stay package from €474 per room for two adults and two children.
Visit: vidamarresorts.com/resort-algarve
Vila Vita Parc Resort & Spa
The prestigious clifftop resort, Vila Vita Parc Resort & Spa,
located in the beautiful central Algarve, has launched a new
concept, ‘VITAL Wellness’ designed in partnership with London-
based health and fitness specialist Harry Jameson, as well as a Teen
Wellness Programme.
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VITAL Wellness encapsulates Vila Vita Parc’s commitment to
supporting and encouraging health, wellness, nutrition and
vitality throughout the hotel’s 11 restaurants, spa, and sporting
activities. That includes a Teen Wellness Programme, designed
to educate young adults aged 13 to 18 years of age.
Yoga at the Vila Vita Parc
110
The Vila Vita Parc is a five-star luxury hotel and resort
with 170 rooms, suites and villas, a Michelin-starred restaurant
and 11 restaurants, bars, a spa, private yacht, wine cellar and a
range diversified sports and leisure activities.
Visit: vilavitaparc.com/en
ALGARVE SPA WEEK
Visitors can enjoy as much as 50%
discount on treatments at participating
hotels during Algarve Spa Week, held
this year in April and October 2020.
Expect amazing prices, exclusive
treatments and top spa facilities.
Visit: algarve-spa-week.com
 pages
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WORKSHOPS AND RETREATS 2020

Yin Yoga Teacher Training Yoga Retreats at

with retreat option at
Samahita, Koh Samui
22–29 February, 2020
Jungleyoga lake retreat
at Praiwan Rafthouse,
Khao Sok, Thailand
7–14 March, 2020
Santillán Retreat, Spain
16–23 May, 4–11 July,
5–12 September, 2020
Yoga Retreats at
Huzur Vadisi, Turkey
13–20 June, 20–27 June, 2020
Can be taken as a one or two-week retreat

RawFitYoga.Life Retreats at Santillán Retreat, Nr Malaga, Spain

25 April – 2 May, 27 June – 4 July, 12–19 September, 21–28 November

www.simonlow.com | yoga@simonlow.com
 yogawithsimonlow  yogasimonlow  yogasimonlow

111

Hire This Venue For
Your Next Retreat
Lavenham, Suffolk
+44 (0)1787 249798
info@InnerGuidance.co.uk
COURSES/TEACHER TRAINING
To advertise here contact Sara
01787 220646
sara@ommagazine.com
112
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COURSES/TEACHER TRAINING
OUR INSPIRATION
Develop, expand and evolve your yoga
practice with the Devon School of Yoga.
Enjoy our full range of courses, retreats
and residentials in beautiful locations
including Devon, Europe and India.
• Foundation Courses
• Teacher Training Courses
• Yoga Festival, Retreats
and Holidays
• Yoga Therapy
“Blissful and
dynamic, the various
tutors provide treasured
knowledge and unique
skills with their
approach to teaching”
Leah, 2018.
FOR FULL LISTINGS OF COURSES, EVENTS & RETREATS:
www.devonyoga.com • info@devonyoga.com The Devon
Telephone: 01392 420573 School
ofYoga
ROLFING® STRUCTURAL
INTEGRATION IN LONDON
 Postural Alignment Sessions available to book in
venues in Central and West
 Fascia Release
 Chronic Tension Release
London including Mayfair, Ealing
and Chiswick.
 Injury Prevention & Recovery
 Athletic Performance
www.rolfinginlondon.com
alain@rolfinginlondon.com
 Wellbeing 07930 333207
PRODUCTS

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 om lite
Hair dilemmas
Victoria Jackson ponders what to do with her long, thick locks during her yoga class
f you know your yoga sutras, you’ll remember that Patanjali
I has a daunting list of ‘obstacles’ that might get in the way of
practice. They are general issues like illness, doubt, laziness,
carelessness. They’re so universal I think we can all identify
with them at one time or another. We might also make
a modern world addendum to this list involving more practical
concerns like childcare, late-running meetings, traffic jams, not
to mention boxed sets and comfy sofas. There are so many things
that can make getting to yoga class more of an effort than it need
be. We do love to complicate things. Perhaps there’s a human need
to create obstacles for ourselves so we can then get the reward of
overcoming them!
Just recently the difficulty I’m having with yoga is even more
trivial than these mundane concerns. It’s my hair! Specifically
my very long, very thick hair. How do I tie it up so it doesn’t get in
the way when I practice? As a braid or ponytail, it is now so heavy
that it literally pulls me off alignment in standing poses — as I move
it’ll suddenly swing past my eye and unbalance me. And the day
I put it up into a neat bun I went to a class was all about headstand
and I had to rethink the topknot idea mid-sequence — or learn to
levitate upside-down.
114
So in the modern way of things, I posted my dilemma on social
media. Short of getting a haircut, what style would keep the hair out
of my eyes and still allow me to do most postures without needing
to fiddle with it? The recommendation was twin braids: they’d hang
down my back, leaving the back and crown of my head free for
headstand and supine postures. Plus the symmetry would be less
unbalancing when I was flowing through standing postures. So for
a while I went to class looking like a rather mature St Trinian’s reject
and, despite the naughty schoolgirl look, I have to admit that it did
solve a lot of the irritation I had been feeling during my yoga practice.
But now I’ve gone for a more radical solution and had it cut
shorter, as I’d always intended once it was long enough for me to
donate a good length of hair for wig-making. This shorter hairdo is
much less distracting during yoga. It also eliminates other related
modern hindrances to practice — I don’t waste time searching for
hairbands and clips and it’s reduced blowdry time so I don’t ever go
to bed with wet hair after late night classes. I like to think Patanjali
would have approved.
Victoria Jackson lives and teaches in Oxford. She is registered with
Yoga Alliance Professionals as a vinyasa yoga teacher
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