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Leura
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Blog

Maybe we just need to give life a bit of slack...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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When I was waiting for my students to come to class on Wednesday night, I noticed Tibetan-Prayer-like flags hanging in the Blue Spirit yoga studio…I remembered I had noticed them and read them before but I guess as it is with everything that stays unchanged, both in our outer and inner world, those things are hard to notice/appreciate again and again…only when things suddenly or profoundly change, when something becomes new, when we gain or lose something, we notice it…and I thought what a human predicament that we often see the things we don’t have, instead of appreciating what we already have, what has been there the whole time…and especially in our inner world...

We often strive to become somebody else, and it’s natural to keep wanting to grow and evolve but it is also so important to appreciate who we have become and who we are right now…the truth and beauty of life is we will all be shaped and moulded by the experiences we go through in our lives (by the natural process of life itself) and hopefully we will become beautiful pieces of “life art” if we are open and present and willing to learn…maybe, instead of trying so hard all the time, we just need to give life a bit of slack and trust it will throw our way experiences we need to gain more understanding, compassion and acceptance for ourselves and life in general 🙏🌸💜

Here are some beautiful words to maybe reflect on on a rainy day in the Blue Mountains, from the Tibetan-Prayer-like flags hanging in the Blue Spirit yoga studio 🌸 TRANQUILITY - the peace that comes when energies are in harmony, relationships are in balance. HAPPINESS - when one’s spiritual needs are met by untroubled inner life. Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others. COURAGE - not the absence of fear or despair, but the strength to conquer them. PEACE - to bring peace to the Earth, strive to make your own life peaceful. WISDOM - knowledge, intuition and experience combine to guide us in thought and deed. LOVE - an inspired form of giving, love breathes life into the heart and brings grace to the soul ❤ 

Living life fully...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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“Our journey is about being more deeply involved in life, yet less attached to it.” (by Ram Dass) What a beautiful piece of wisdom… 🙏 I took some time yesterday morning to think what this really meant to me (partly because I love thinking about ideas, explore them and elaborate on them but also partly because those few words resonated with me and reminded me not to rush through life so much as I have been lately)…for me, it’s those moments when we catch ourselves fully absorbed and joyful in what we do…when we are passionate about life, when we are full of playfulness and curiosity…when we feel so much gratefulness for the little wonders of life but at the same time when we are able to let go of what happened yesterday and start each day, or even each moment afresh…when we follow things we are passionate about but also when we are able to let go of whether we reach where we were aiming or whether we don’t…this is for me the meaning of living life fully… 😊being present to it all but also keeping a sense of freedom and peace by accepting life as it is, not attaching ourselves to how things will turn out (not that I would be really good in it, some days maybe better, some days maybe worse but it’s nice to be reminded of it from time to time 💜)...when we live our life being present, being fulfilled doing what we do, we don’t feel that often the urge to constantly keep chasing something else…because already the place where we are is meaningful to us…🌱🍁💚

Writing those few sentences, I caught myself smiling…and I thought, “How cool it is to be a part of this beautiful life!”…being able to keep learning, evolving, growing, exploring and meeting some amazing beautiful creatures on our path to be inspired by and share our experiences together. I hope we can all slow down a bit and find time to tune in and fill our lives with more meaning, joy and love…❤ 

New Vinyasa Yoga Class in Springwood

Veronika Polaskova

 
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Hi beautiful people,

NEW VINYASA YOGA CLASS starting in Springwood next Wednesday the 28th of February…can’t wait 😊💜

I am super excited to start teaching yoga classes at the new Jiu Jitsu place in Springwood (SJJA Jiu Jitsu Academy Blue Mountains, 3/7 Scrivener Ln, Springwood) run by a beautiful friend of mine Doa 😊 It’s a nice quiet space and I am so looking forward to start teaching some beautiful yoga sessions there. I will be starting with one class per week on Wednesday mornings 10-11am with the possibility of opening more classes in the near future if there is enough interest. The cost of the yoga classes is $20 for a casual visit, $170 for a 10 class pass (i.e. $17 per class) and $15 for a membership (paid weekly). I would be thrilled to see you there 🙏…and you never know you may even sign up for a jiu jitsu class 😎 If you know of someone who lives in the area and might be interested, feel free to share this with them, that would be much appreciated. And if you have any questions, please send them my way, I will be happy to answer them. Have the most amazing weekend filled with some special time for yourself and living life to the fullest (whatever it may mean for you) – for me it will be a quiet time among the trees to recharge 🌳💛🌿Much love to you all, Vercha ❤ 

It really comes to how we decide to live this life...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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“The scent of sandalwood, jasmine and rosebay travels only as far as the wind, but the fragrance of virtue rises even to the Gods.” (from The Dammapada – The Way of the Buddha). I love this so much…there’s something really magical about virtue, purity, integrity…just being real…not only wishing to live a life in a conscious way but to really live it that way…to really take time to think about what we do, how we speak, what thoughts we have, what energy we carry, how those things impact the world around us…and maybe even the world further away…we are in no way perfect beings (if we were we probably would not be here living a human life)…“Man is not a being but only a becoming. Man is a process, a growth, a possibility, a potentiality. Man is not yet actual. Man has to be, he has yet to arrive. Man is born not as an essence but only as an existence…a great space where much can happen, or nothing may happen…it all depends on you.” (from the same book) 😊…we are not perfect beings but we have so much capacity to learn…to be more aware and become kinder, gentler, more graceful and more compassionate…it really comes to how we decide to live this life…I hope it’s in a kinder, gentler, more graceful and more loving way 💜

It's up to us to create something magical...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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After one my classes at the gorgeous Union Street Yoga, one of my beautiful students came to me and asked if I had done reiki or if I had some healing abilities…I guess because of the way I sometimes adjust people in Savasana 😊 Not only it was a beautiful compliment but it also reminded me that I wanted to do a reiki course two years ago…but then other things happened and last year was filled with so many beautiful experiences and events that I totally forgot about it.

Just last few days I have been on the lookout for things to make this year a bit special in some way but apart from a volunteering work at an elephant sanctuary 🐘 later this year if everything works out (fingers crossed), I don’t have many plans in terms of retreats, workshops, self-development etc. What a beautiful thing to be reminded about this reiki course…💛

I feel all the people in our lives can be guides to help us to follow a path of growth if we are open and present to the little signals…sometimes it feels like life is a big game and it’s up to us to see the pieces of puzzle to put them together and create something magical…so yeah, today I am grateful for all my beautiful yogi students and all people in my life because they have all guided me to a place where I am now and it’s a pretty special place 🙏 (P.S. this photo was taken at the Union Street Yoga garden 🌿☘, there is something really serene about it, so enjoying spending some time there before teaching classes :-))

Bring Your Whole Self to the Experience

Veronika Polaskova

 
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A few weeks ago I listened to another dharma talk by Jack Kornfield who was joined that day by Frank Ostaseski, an author of an incredible book “The Five Invitations” I am hoping to read this year (thank you for your recommendation Steve 🙏)…a book about life and death and what death can teach us about living fully. One of the invitations he mentioned in the talk was “Bring your whole Self to the experience”. It is something that has resonated with me quite deeply…maybe because it is something I would love to be able to do in each moment but at times it feels safer to hide my vulnerability…and not to embrace it and see the beauty of it.

We often hide our weaknesses in front of other people for different reasons…being scared of being judged, being scared of not being worthy of love…or disappointing someone who loves us for not being who they may think we are. But it is often when we are sincere and open and when we share our whole Self with others that makes us so much more beautiful. If we can cherish our weaknesses, they can become beautiful gifts and create paths for incredible connections with the world around us. I hope this year will be full of being comfortable in our own skin and just loving ourselves for who we are…embracing our weirdness and knowing that we are perfect and whole…and that we bring sunshine into this world as we are 🌱💜

Happy New Year + new class on Wednesday nights :-)

Veronika Polaskova

 
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Hi gorgeous yogis,

Happy New Year! Hope it is a really great one for you, may it be everything you want this year to be :-) And of course lots of yoga too...even 5 minutes of being mindful or selfless is yoga, it doesn't have to be necessarily stepping on your mat and doing your asana practice (physical poses) every morning, though I must say it can very much enhance our ability to be mindful, selfless and loving. And I will always love to see you in class 😊

All the classes are back in full swing since yesterday, with a new class on Wednesday nights 6-7pm in the gorgeous Blue Spirit Yoga studio. See the timetable below for all the classes.

Blue Mountains Classes

Tuesday 8-9am Blue Spirit Yoga Leura
Wednesday 6-7pm Blue Spirit Yoga Leura (NEW)
Friday 9-10am Blue Spirit Yoga Leura
Sunday 8-9am Fairmont Resort Leura

Sydney Classes
All at Union Street Yoga Erskineville

Tuesday 5:45-6:45pm
Wednesday 8-9am
Wednesday 10-11:30am
Thursday 5:45-6:45pm
Thursday 7-8:15pm

Can't wait to see you and to practice and play together 😊🙏💜

Thank you for an amazing year... :-)

Veronika Polaskova

 
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Hi beautiful people,

Here we are, second last day of this amazing year and it wouldn’t be the same if it was without the gorgeous souls hiding behind the smiling faces who come to my classes…YOU 😊 As one of my students said after one of my classes “thank you for turning up” (as a reply to me saying “thank you for coming to practice” 😁), I want to say thank you for turning up too! For being there on those sunny and rainy days, when you felt happy, sad, tired, injured and for always bringing your beautiful energy with you.

I say this probably every year but I feel so incredibly grateful to be able to share this beautiful practice of yoga with you…a big beautiful yogic family, each of us with our own unique story and our way to flow with life but still finding time to come together and share the space full of openness, love and just being and breathing 💜

I can’t wait to see you in a few days, the 7th of January, here we come! :-) …in the meantime enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebrations and may the year 2018 bring along everything you’ve been dreaming of :-) Much much much love…Vercha 🙏

"What is it that you seek?"

Veronika Polaskova

 
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“What is it that you seek? What makes you itch? I’m itchy for more…for more than what meets the eye. What is it that is beyond the physical? It bypasses the shell, the exterior…it’s a feeling, energy, light with no colour. It rejects preference, material, wealth and pieces of gold and silver. It’s my Soul recognising your Soul. An unspoken connection and we’re speaking the same language. It goes beyond the five senses. I seek this connection, not just in you, but in all, in the physical world, the world within and beyond. It’s a moment of clarity, a sense of inner peace and feeling content. Disconnection from the physical world. Time stands still and we are lost in this evolution, the intricate and delicate beauty of our surroundings, of what we call Earth. At one with the Universe and the Love that is so clear and present.” (by Chanelle Elana) 💛

How truly life-changing and beautiful experience it has been...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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Last week I was sitting in the studio at Union Street Yoga, before opening the door for the students to come in, and I felt this huge feeling of amazement and gratefulness…I was thinking how lucky I am that life had taken me on this yoga journey and how truly life-changing and beautiful experience it had been…If someone told me a few years ago that coming to a yoga class would totally change my life and bring so much more understanding, depth and richness into my life, I would probably say, “Really? A few stretches would do that?” ;-)

Often it is hard to fully share a personal experience in a way so that others can relate to it deeply. With many spiritual practices, it is really about trusting that something may unfold after years of practice with maybe a few signs here and there that we are on the right path…as we live in a world where we can often experience many things instantly or at least have a proof that something is working, it may not be always easy to stick to a practice which may not bring us that immediate sense of satisfaction…we may feel good after it but sometimes it may not be enough for us to keep going…

When I think about my own journey, I feel that meeting people along my path who have been practicing yoga and meditating for quite a few years and having the opportunity to talk to them and learn from them have been some of the most inspiring times in my life…the sense of ease, calmness, peace and joy that shines through them, the sincerity of their energy, the welcoming attitude to life, the acceptance of what is…it’s really a blessing to know a few of those people and have yoga and meditation in my life not only as beautiful practices but also as a path to more insight, compassion, wholeness and freedom… 💜☮🙏

"The point is to perfect your love"

Veronika Polaskova

 
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“Because in the end the point is not to perfect yourself, it’s to perfect your love.” ❤ Beautiful words from one of Jack Kornfield’s dharma talks 🙏 I usually love to elaborate on thoughts and share my own perspective on them…but with this one, I feel I want to keep it as it is…for you to resonate with it in a way that is relevant to you 😊🌼

If you ever have some spare time or if you’re looking for some inspiration, direction or clarity in life, these podcasts by this beautiful man are just amazing…full of beautiful experiences, stories, poems, quotes presented with his very soothing voice and presence…so much beautiful wisdom, graciousness and love…I hope you enjoy them as much as I do, I just had to share them 💜

How special it is to witness love...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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I love my Sunday mornings and teaching yoga at the Fairmont Resort…yesterday, I had this beautiful probably 5-year old girl coming to my class with her dad. He mentioned he was very inflexible but that his daughter, on the other hand, was very flexible and very good 😊 (what a good dad). I replied, “there always has to be a balance of some sort, doesn’t it?” and we laughed. At the end of the class, I always encourage people to “take a moment to appreciate all the gorgeous people in their lives”…and those two looked at each other while lying down in Savasana, the girl gave his dad a big smile and raised her thumb up…what a beautiful moment…I couldn’t help myself but to smile…felt such a beautiful feeling within, grateful for being a part of that moment…how special it is to witness love...🙏

"There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way"

Veronika Polaskova

 
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“There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.” (by Christopher Morley) Love this so much! (I think I’m going to steal this to be my mantra for a while ;-))

For most of us, it is usually not that simple to leave everything behind and just walk away and start doing only things that make our heart smile…our lives are interweaved with lives of others and it is important to learn how to live in harmony with other beings and develop qualities like compassion, patience, tolerance and acceptance…at the same time I think it is as important to remember that we are unique beings and what may work for another person may not necessarily work for us…and if it doesn’t work for us, we need to know that WE can change that…we can make the step forward and decide if something brings us enough value to keep it or whether we can do something about it to feel more whole, free and happy…

I find that sometimes we stay in one spot just because it may feel comfortable but it may not necessarily bring us joy…and also it is so hard to let go of the familiar because the fear usually kicks in and tells us that things could be worse and that we actually have a “good life”…it’s been some time ago when I heard something along these lines “whenever you feel fearful, you need to move forward”…for me it has done wonders…as a Sagittarius, I have a huge need to feel free and fear kills the freedom…it is not easy to always move forward and sometimes things may not turn out wonderfully…but I feel no matter how things turn out, if for better or worse (and they usually turn out for better), staying still in a place of comfort but without feeling alive, may be worse than reaching for that change…💜

Growth has to be uncomfortable...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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I am so grateful for all the gorgeous people in my life...and I love my beautiful yoga family so much, so many amazing, unique and generous souls ❤ ...a quote from today from one of my beautiful students (thank you Rob), "Growth has to be uncomfortable…if it isn’t, there's something wrong." 🙏 So true, the only way we can keep growing is to keep stepping out of our comfort zone…and no matter how uncomfortable it may feel at times, and it will, if we keep believing in ourselves, if we persevere, if we put in our heart and keep picking ourselves up when we fall and keep learning, there will come a day when we “spread our wings and we’ll find out we can fly”…that’s definitely a thing worth fighting for…😊

Something good can grow out of it...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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Would life be any different if we were able to approach anything that happens in our lives and all people we meet, with open arms, knowing that no matter how challenging that situation or person may seem, something good can grow out of it…we all create our own future in every moment, in every decision we make, in every interaction we make…maybe it’s really up to us whether we create space for anything that life throws our way to grow into something beautiful or whether we get too stingy in a way and fight for our own reality.

It’s been a learning process for me too…there’s situations I feel super comfortable in but there’s also those ones in which I feel like I wish life didn’t take me there…there’s people I feel very beautiful and grateful to be around but there’s also people who are probably really beautiful beings inside but it takes me more time to see that.

It seems easy to be beautiful, generous and kind beings when life is generous to us as well…when life flows without effort and when we feel happy, contented and whole…but what about those moments when we feel like life is testing us a bit…or maybe quite a lot…can we still react from the place of love within? Would life be any different? I think it would be…it always is when I am able to perceive whatever happens in front of my eyes with more compassion…whenever I can bring a kinder perspective to that moment…to me it always comes back to GIVING…giving to ourselves and giving to others…I do believe that all the goodness comes back in one way or another 💜

BIG NEWS!!! Starting teaching in Sydney :-)

Veronika Polaskova

 
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Hi gorgeous people,

BIG NEWS!!! A lot has been happening behind the scenes of Tree Love Yoga and finally I can share with you the amazing opportunity I have been given to, to start teaching in a new absolutely stunning yoga studio in Sydney. Don’t worry this will not affect any of my classes up here in the mountains, I love all of you guys and I am so super grateful for all the beautiful friendships and love ❤

When this opportunity came, I knew straight away it was something I wanted to be a part of…you know those opportunities that come once in a while and you don’t want to miss them because you have a feeling they will grow into something amazing and beautiful…and I feel really strongly about this one 😊…and not only it is exciting to start something new but I feel also so privileged to be working with my most favourite teacher Steven Harris who is also a super cool guy and a gorgeous person 🙏 (if you ever come to practice to Union Street Yoga, definitely try his class, I promise it will be worth it ;-))

The studio has opening days on Saturday and Sunday the 14th-15th of October and from Monday the 16th we’ll be in full swing with classes running every day…so super exciting 😊 You can check the timetable on the Union Street Yoga facebook page and you can also like the page to stay in the loop regarding any exciting happenings. I hope I will see at least some of you in class, I’ll be there on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays…it will be fabulous 🙏 Much love, Vercha

What a treasure to be found...the silence and peace...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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I’m sitting here in the garden, listening to the sounds of birds, enjoying the beautiful smell of spring and watching my furry kids soaking up some sun…being here and appreciating this “simple” moment makes me realize how life is full of little wonders and that we can find happiness in each moment…and while there may be a million of things to be done, finished, achieved, I am feeling how beautiful it is to stop for a moment and just listen to the silence, occasionally interrupted by birds chirping, breath of my boys or the sound of the leaves rustling in the breeze…what a treasure to be found, the silence and peace, among all the rush, jumping from one thing to another so that life “could go on and not collapse”…it strikes me how much importance we give to things which may not even bring us joy and we take away the precious gift to be present to the beauty around us…even in moments when we can “afford” to stop and enjoy the stillness, we keep moving and chasing the next thing…how big part of our lives do we “have to” keep running so that in the end we can realize that we don’t have to run at all and that we can find happiness here and now?…how big part of our lives do we “have to” keep chasing one thing after another so that in the end we can realize that we can take time to be truly a part of our lives 🙏 (this beautiful photo with the amazing white Kousa Dogwood tree was taken in the gorgeous The Braes garden ❤)

Every day can be full of little and big adventures...

Veronika Polaskova

 
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If there is something I would love to teach our kids (when we have them one day ;-)), apart from love and respect for nature and all living beings, is not to lose their playfulness and zest for life when they “grow up”…life is so much better when we can make fun of ourselves, laugh at our awkwardness and just do things that feel natural to us instead of holding back...there's so much in a good laugh, a little tease, cheekiness…there's so much beauty in letting go and being spontaneous, at least from time to time…every day of our lives can be full of amazing little and big adventures, it’s only up to us how we decide to approach each day...and if we create space for things that make us laugh and leave us feeling alive ❤ 

The World's Biggest Eye Contact Experiment

Veronika Polaskova

What a beautiful video and beautiful project...LOVE ❤

 
124 cities collaborated on the 29th of October to create this inspiring message for the world. Join our next global eye contact event here: http://www.eyecontactexperiment.com Global event hosted by The Liberators International: http://www.theliberators.org Thank you to all the city hosts, videographers, photographers and participants of the following countries and cities!
 

DON'T OVERTENSE, DON'T OVERSTRETCH, DON'T OVERBREATHE (PART I)

Veronika Polaskova

The beauty of yoga asana practice (the physical postures and movements) compared to other physical exercises is that it makes us fitter, stronger and more flexible but if practiced correctly it also works on much deeper level than our visible physical body. It helps to open/unblock energy channels (nadis) and energy centres (chakras) within. These channels carry prana/chi (life force) and if the channels are not congested, they enable prana to freely flow throughout, keeping us at good physical and mental health, helping us to live longer and to be more mindful, contented and peaceful. All these three “don’ts” (don’t overtense, overstretch and overbreathe) are very important in our practice. In this little article, I would like to share with you a little bit more on why not to overtense our bodies and why it is so essential for creating a “yogic” experience. Soon, I will write more about the other two, why not to overstretch and overbreathe.
 
We need two opposing qualities in our practice which are “sthira” (meaning steady, firm) and “sukha” (meaning easy, soft, relaxed). You may have heard me saying in class “see if you can find the balance between effort (firmness) and ease (softness) ” - sthira sukham asanam, often translated as "yoga posture (asana) [should be] stable (sthira) and comfortable (sukha)", as it is mentioned in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (sutra 2.46) (one of the most important yoga texts). In our yoga practice, we are supposed to use only as much sthira to be able to find stability in yoga poses and movements but then create a lot of softness, especially in parts which are not actively involved in keeping us stable (like our face or our throat). The balance between effort and ease will change with every pose, every movement, every practice and every person. As everything in life, apart from our inner light of awareness (purusha, also called the Self, pure consciousness), everything changes constantly. Some days we may feel tired or injured and we will need to use more effort to tense our bodies more to find stability and strength in our practice. Other days we may feel anxious or overwhelmed by everything happening in our lives and we will need to actively find more softness in our bodies. By finding the balance between effort and ease, we find comfort in yoga poses and movements and we feel a sense of lightness and freedom. Tensing our bodies (sthira) should never create pain. If the pain is created, we cannot be at ease and won’t be able to find the balance between sthira and sukha in our asana practice. If we are not at ease, our mind will be distracted and we won’t be able to find a quiet focus and experience meditative aspect of our yoga practice.

How much to tense our bodies and to learn to create the muscle control to only tense what we need takes a bit of learning and time (so stay kind to yourselves when experimenting with it, it gets easier when we practice longer). With some injuries, tensing the muscles around a particular joint may work as a protective bandage for that joint and may keep that joint stable and help to recover. From the physiological point of view, by tensing a particular part of our body, blood and energy will be pushed away from that part. This is totally ok and healthy if we also know how to relax this part when it doesn’t need to be engaged anymore. The blood and energy will be pushed away but after releasing new blood and energy will enter this space and will help circulation and healing. However, often in our practice and through the lifestyle we lead, we keep way too much tension in our bodies for extended periods of time and we actually discourage the flow of blood and energy. Unfortunately, this can eventually manifest in some kind of illness or injury. This is also one of the reasons why I have started to teach to keep our bellies soft throughout the practice as much as we can. Especially our bellies are often overtense and it is so important to have enough blood and energy circulating through this part of our bodies to keep the inner organs nourished.

Through the training I have been doing with Yoga Synergy, I have found out that the reason we have been taught to keep our bellies engaged in all the different fitness areas is because of a study done by a group of physiotherapists in 1970s. They studied two groups of people, one with lower back problems and the other one with healthy backs. They found out that when these people were asked to lift a heavy object, the people from the healthy group would see the object, engage the belly and then reach for it to lift it up. People from the other group with lower back issues would see the object, reach for it and then engage the belly. Since then, the news spread into the world and everyone was instructed to engage their bellies in all sorts of fitness industries to keep their lower backs protected. It was a very well meant advice, however, engaging the belly is quite a vague term in a way. Physiotherapists later realized that different people will engage their bellies differently, some lower belly, some whole belly and sides, some more, some less and it has led to a lot of other health problems. There will be definitely situations in everyday life and in our yoga practice when engaging our belly (maybe with a bit more instructions) would be beneficial. But keeping our belly tense throughout the whole practice seems to be doing more harm then help, by discouraging normal diaphragmatic breathing (I have mentioned the 5 main characteristics of the natural (diaphragmatic) breath in the June/July newsletter, you can find it here (at the bottom of the newsletter).

Why do we want to keep natural diaphragmatic breathing? Natural breathing into our bellies stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which relaxes our bodies, compared to the sympathetic nervous system, also called fight-or-flight, which prepares us for high intensity activities that require a quick response. If you had a chance to come to our movie night last year where we watched “The Connection: Mind Your Body” or you watched it on your own, you may remember that one of the doctors was comparing fight-or-flight response to seeing a tiger. The only thing the body wants to do in that moment is to survive. So only the systems that are necessary for us to fight or flight will be bursting with energy, whereas other ones we don’t need at that moment, like digestion system, immune system and reproductive system will be shut down. The problem is due to our fast lifestyle, being stressed, anxious, our nervous system is overactive and our bodies are in the fight-or-flight state even when the real tiger is not actually there. It is very taxing on our bodies and we often realize when a real damage, manifesting itself as an illness or injury, appears. We really need to learn how to relax our bodies and our yoga practice is a beautiful place where we can do so.

When we learn to find balance between sthira and sukha, we find a lot of comfort in our practice. The practice should be a beautiful experience, leaving us feeling relaxed and energized. See if you can take time over the next few weeks to experiment with the above. Notice how you feel after your practice when you tense your bodies a lot throughout, and notice how you feel after your practice when you create a little bit more softness. Also, as with every new experience, see if you can stay gentle and kind to yourself in your thoughts. Whenever we start creating a new habit, it may take a little bit of time for the body to relearn what it has been doing, for some of us for years. Take it as a beautiful learning experience, learning about your body and what makes you feel good in your practice.