Meditation in just 2 minutes!

Do you Meditate? Or as I like to call it “sit quietly”? 

I meditate because I use to be controlled by my mind it would have me in a constant state of anxiety and negativity, have me making up scenarios and conversations in my head about things in the future, it would have me trying to figure people out all the time, have me dwelling on the past and going over conversations that I should have had. Judging people, talking me out of my true desires, and it would love me to lay awake all night tossing and turning because it went into overdrive and sometimes even giving my a panic attack. Yes, the power of our thoughts and the mind can be absolutely draining.

So we can either choose to live by our mind and its craziness keeping us in stressed out busy states and the more this becomes a habitual way of living the more it will fight us to become still and calm and when we begin mediation the hardest thing to accomplish is mind stillness. But with some practice and your experience maybe just a second of stillness AMAZING you will feel the benefits.

My favorite time to meditate is first thing in the morning before my day and routines get going and after savasana at the end of my yoga practice and I really recommend you make it a life habit too.

Here are a few of my tips that could get you reaping the benefits of this wonderful practice. It takes a little patience, but it is free and all your need is your good self and a comfy seat.

1. Start with 2 minutes a day. Now you make be like What! 2 minutes that’s easy! Well yes, it could but we will start here for a week then when you feel comfortable increase it by 1 or 2 minutes each week until your reach 10 minutes. But remember less is more!

2. Meditate first thing in the morning as soon as you awake. Why because I have been meditating many years and still some days are harder than others to get to the mat and its really easy to say, “I’ll meditate every day,” but then forget to do it.
So wake up have a good stretch and sit up in a comfy cross-legged position.

3. Choose your mantra. Ok, so you might not know what a mantra it but for me when I began this was the most effective way to get me away from my crazy mind. A mantra is a word or phrase that you silently repeat to yourself during meditation. I use the mantra ‘Let Go’ so when I inhale I say ‘let’ and when I exhale I say ‘go’

4. So maybe set you alarm for 2 minutes and let’s give it a try. Sitting comfortably gently close your eyes. In meditation, we breathe in and out through our nose so gently your attention and become aware of your breath flowing in and out of your nostrils.

4. Begin repeating your mantra silently to yourself without moving your tongue or lips. The repetition of your mantra is soft, gentle, and relaxed. There is no need to force it. Inhale let exhale go. The repetition of your mantra should be almost effortless.

5. Now thoughts WILL try and disrupt you and you WILL find that you drift away from the mantra. This is normal we simply acknowledge our thoughts and come back to repeating your mantra. Again and again and again.

6. Smile when you’re done. When you’re finished with your two minutes, smile. Be grateful that you had this time to yourself, and lovely 2 minutes of self-connection and that you stuck with your commitment, and took the time to get to know yourself and make friends with yourself. That’s an amazing gift to self and two minutes of your life.

Jo <3

Come out my Yoga Holidays here in beautiful Turkey  www.yoga-holidays-turkey.com

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Are you a self-saboteur?

I was an expert self-saboteur and it kept me stuck for years until I began to understand my pattern then I could start breaking down my habits like, constantly talking myself out of things, trying to be someone I wasn’t, doing things against my will and certainly not putting myself first to name a few. One thing about being a self-saboteur is that is it exhausting because you are constantly battling with your authentic self and natural alignment.

That decision to break the cycle started by me listening to my needs and ignoring my negative mind that naturally eased my heaviness and self-sabotage tendencies. I really didn’t realise how much power and courage I had until I started embracing life with my own hands in making the changes to be and do what I wanted. Life opened up there was no more pretending, my mask fell off and my body softened. I became so much happier and creative and hanging and being with myself became a wonderful thing.

We are constantly evolving and what suited us 10 years ago may not be the case today. We all have habits and ways of thinking but maybe it is time to free your habits or change them up to meet your needs today.
Drop limiting thoughts like
This won’t work…
I can’t do this…
I’m too busy right now…
I’m just not ready yet…
I’m just not good enough…

Take more risks and take a chance on yourself and snap out of old limiting mind and behaviour patterns that might leave you with regrets and  haunt you for the rest of your life. NOW is your time to make changes! And who can make it happen YOU, you wonderful soul!

Start today and kick that self-sabotage in the ass 

Wishes and Sunshine

Jo <3

Come flow it out with me at my Yoga Holidays here in beautiful Turkey

Join me over at my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/yogaholidaysturkeyside

I still get resistant to practice yoga!

‪#‎yogatip‬

After many years of practice I still get resistant to practice yoga. 

Life's demands and routines can get in the way. I hear myself saying "Oh I will practice tonight as need to get to work this morning" or some other excuse. 

But one thing that can't be ignored is the way my body and I start to feel. My body starts to get sore and aches especially my shoulders and back after hours over my computer. I start to loose focus but try to work harder to compensate and this then causes frustration. My balance starts to tip then a headache will appear then ahhhh. I have to listen.

And it was the same when I started yoga. I knew how good I felt after my practice but found it real hard to weave it into my daily schedule.

One of the best things I did and still do today when I am feeling that outside life is taking over, is place my yoga mat beside my bed, so it's the first thing I see when I get out of bed and the last thing I see when I go to bed at night. And believe me it works and is what got my own self practice rolling. 

Just seeing it there and knowing how good you feel after you practice will get your yoga juices flowing. You may take to it for 5 minutes or an hour or more and that feeling once you are done will start to outweigh the cranky feelings you wake up, drag around your day with or put yourself to bed with. 

http://www.yoga-holidays-turkey.com

‪#‎mat‬ ‪#‎time‬ ‪#‎my‬ #time ‪#‎unwind‬ ‪#‎release‬ ‪#‎connected‬ ‪#‎awake‬‪#‎spaciousness‬ ‪#‎yoga‬ ‪#‎holidays‬ ‪#‎turkey‬

Change Up the Routine!

A change of scene, a day out or night away can give me such a boost and recharge. That is how I felt after a weekend filled with wonderful birthday celebrations. Dinner out with the kids on Friday and away with my husband on Saturday night. No expectations just went with the ideas and suggestions, it was so lovely to flow with what my family arranged for me. 

The night away on Saturday was just what I/We needed. Although I live, see, work and have been together with my husband for the last 20 years. A break from our normal work life routine being a mummy and daddy was a Pure tonic. We only drove an hour away but spending time as a couple, no responsibilities just the two of us to think about was ace. 

I think sometimes it is real easy to become complacent, we take things for granted and the thought of change or a different routine can feel a bit of an effort. But taking time out for a day, night or even better a week, is the
Perfect Gift to Self.

We can get real comfy in our daily routines, we know the ropes and we pursue our days, we walk the same route, drive the same road, eat the same foods, see the same faces, although there is nothing wrong with that, for me when I change it up, I love it! And sometimes I forget how much I love it, until I do it again!

 Our fears can also be a big distraction and can kick in when we think about changing up our routine, its like the fear of the unknown. It does take effort to organise, make arrangements to try something new, but that effort can sometimes be quite life changing.

I know people that have come holiday with us and its there first holiday in years and the first thing they say is why the hell didn't I do this sooner. 99% of my guests that come holiday with us are solo travellers and it is maybe the first time they have travelled alone and this can bring about a lot of questions, thoughts or anxieties on the lead up to their trip. But the total exhilaration once they have experienced their first solo adventure or week it amazing. 

We can easily talk ourselves out of change, we become comfortable and it seems like the easy option is to stay put in what we know, with the predicted outcome, but for me it's the opposite. Every week is change through the summer. I get to meet different people. Some become great friends and some simply pass through. Change for me is inspiring, its eye opening, I love meeting new people, great to hear new ideas, to explore and dip into my more than capable skills of exploring and discovering, new places, trying different foods, and totally trusting what I am all about. 

It opens my eyes and has created wonderful opportunities and can be a totally and utterly inspiring experience. 

If you feel that life has or is boring you should try changing up your routine. 
It doesn't have to be huge, it can be something small and have a profound effect. Bust through those fears to change and enjoy the ride.  Life is a journey of discovery and sometimes when we hold on and grasp for things not to change  be can become very disappointed. 

Move with the ebb and flow of life be open to change, happy and free. :)


The world is Your Oyster!

Happy Days Jo :)

Join me over at https://www.facebook.com/yogaholidaysturkeyside

Why I didn't start away teaching when I got my Yoga Diploma!

6 months into my 9 month Yoga & Anatomy course and my interest and hunger to learn about the human body grows with each lesson.

This was the same for me when I started to practice yoga, I could feel the effects that my practice was having on me and my body. I learnt so much from my own self practice. I liked going to classes and being guided but I never fully connected with a teacher. I was always grateful to hear and listen to there knowledge and experiences but for me, more work could be felt and done with-in my own practice.

After I qualified as a teacher I never felt the rush to teach others. I was so happy to continue to deepen with the knowledge and to work with what I had learnt. I have a lot of emotion heaviness that I really wanted to attend to, to free from my being. From my dad getting killed in a car crash when I was 25 to suffering from the disease Rosacea on my face for 13 years, from a difficult mother and throwing myself into work to hide from it all.

 I attended different styles of yoga classes to be inspired and be guided along with my dedicated 5 day a week practice and lifestyle. My home practice was sometimes intense, I had to battle with my resistance a lot but just starting with my breath and slowing moving my body, my practice would start to unfold for anything from 20 mins to 2 hours. What I did notice In the classes I attended is I could really feel my practice evolving and the deep connection I was making with myself. If the class I attending was Ashtanga, vinyasa or other, I never felt the need to strive or push past my capabilities, don't get me wrong I loved to challenge myself but I would take the posture and work within my ease to move me closer. I would always take the breaths I needed to flow me through the practice. For me it was never about the target it was always about how my yoga felt within my body. How the breath made me feel, how much freedom and spaciouness I could create in my body within asana and this was the time I started to think about sharing my practice.

It was a natural progress for me. My Yoga diploma was a self progression. I really wanted to grow myself and help myself heal. It was and continues to be an incredible journey, I have come along way but our habits and thought patterns take a long time to break and ease and I know without the dedication to myself, my Yoga practice and all this wonderful knowledge I contiue to learn. What  I know is that as long as I am breathing, and have a functioning body anything and everything is possible.

How grateful am I to be able to learn such incredible knowledge from the Master that continues to deepen his knowledge and to absorb and continue to do my own work to be able to share it with so many wonderful people that I am fortunate enough to teach/guide.

When we do our own work and look to ourselves the possibilities for happiness and pure fulfilment and endless.

http://www.yoga-holidays-turkey.com/blog/

#blog #sharing #caring #yoga365 #yogalife #mylife

Yoga is about Union not Levels.

A question I get asked a lot when people enquire about our holidays is "what level of practice do I cater for"? 

As most of you know I am the resident Yoga guide here at Yoga Holidays Turkey and my classes are for everyone.
From brand new to Yoga to the more experienced. For me Yoga is not about levels, so when I am asked the question my answer is that the Yoga I guide is a peoples Yoga. I encourage everyone in my classes to explore and deepen their own yoga practice.
And each person so different from the next.

We offer 8 classes here and the first class of the week I encourage people to surrender. We spend time tuning into our lovely breath, connecting and warming up the body and flowing through a vinyasa slow sequence to prepare the perfect foundation for the rest of the classes over the week. Once we have flowed together for the first time I can then see and feel what variations to offer to each person to suit each and everyone in my class.

I encourage people to ask questions and offer myself as a guide for everyone to indulge in what feels good in there body.

Yoga means 'Union' and when we all flow with what we have, letting our breath guide us then Union is vibrant in each and everyone in the my class.

I have guided people with injuries from a broken ankle, years of lower back pain, dyspraxia, frozen shoulder, knee injuries, Hyperextension elbows and some totally burnt out and each have indulged in a wonderful practice over the week to even forget or become surprised with how deep they took their own Yoga practice.

I have a dedicated practice and live a yogic life style and sharing all that I have learnt along the path with so many of you is a true gift.
I welcome you all and can’t wait to flow with you in the very near future.

‪#‎yoga‬ ‪#‎union‬ ‪#‎transformational‬ ‪#‎freedom‬ ‪#‎holiday‬ ‪#‎London‬ ‪#‎reunion‬

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Be Your Own Truth Seeker!

Be Your Own Truth Seeker!

One thing I can’t do is lie or be dishonest. Not only to myself but to others too. I have tried to lie and not be honest to get out of a situation, to mask over feelings and hurt or try and let someone down gently but it just sends my stomach and nervous system into turmoil and I get so tense and relaxation forget it.

Yoga has taught me so much about truth because the practice is so intimate and I can never hide from my emotions or feelings that rock up during moving with the breath. For me doing the breathing is the pose.

When we are not truthful to ourselves, someone, our feelings, our thoughts this reflects right back at ourselves. I only teach from my experience and lessons, how I got though certain periods of my life and as a result of those experiences can help others and share the tools that helped me.

I lose my father in a car crash when I was 25 and it wasn’t until 7 years later that I gave in and got help for my grief. Within that 7 years I became moody, unfulfilled, aggressive, I threw myself into my work, I felt the need to control and contractedRosacea on my face, I couldn’t sleep and I blamed a lot.

Thankfully through the help and some stern words from my know husband I realised and got help. It was the wake up call I needed and before I lost what I had. I had to admit to myself I needed help. So I got help. The 1st 6 months was the hardest for me but in the midst of those hard times it was also very empowering. I began to feel blips of change, I cried I shouted, I let out my frustrations but each time left feeling lighter and I was beginning to understand myself. I started to slow my life down, I started to notice myself, I was understanding that is was my choice to change and find my own freedom to stop blaming and live the life I was born to live. I learnt that no one is responsible for my happiness. No husband, No child, No parent its all down to me.

I never felt afraid of change just really excited at feeling and learning to and get, build MY life back. I got so hungry to change and thinking of myself become and is still is what keeps my life in balance and happiness.

I look back at those times as massive lessons and am so grateful for finding my strength. This in turn gave me the strength and courage I needed to nurse and watch my mums life slowly fade and die through her tremendous battle with cancer for 3 years. The lesson I learnt through that journey was incredible and I will forever be thankful for my mum for that.

When I practice yoga, it really is a self exploration for me. If I feel unsettled in my body, or have something on my mind, or maybe I have an ache or a pain or maybe I have so much energy that I need to release it is for me a self enquiry.

Life can hurt us and yoga sure can and has helped me. For me yoga is about peeling away layers of stuckness, layers that are heavy, layers of negativity, layers of uncertainty, layers of insecurity. And I love peeling back my layers to reveal and see how it feels to do my own work and feel the beauty that is freedom. Giving myself, time and space on the mat. Yoga provides a great vehicle for slowing down and learning to truly take care of ourselves. Yoga simply makes us feel better.  Full, deep breathing into all corners of the body makes people feel better. Feel stronger. Feel more energetic. And it has been doing so for thousands of years. We all no when we feel stuck, thoughts we cannot shift but most of the time we try to fulfil ourselves through a better time, ignoring our thoughts, maybe a new outfit or waiting for the perfect man.

Choice, freedom, fulfilment is all ours to have. We can continue to stay stuck in the greyness, drone of life or we can live, indulge, embrace everything it has to offer. We can turn all those wishes into reality and fulfil our dreams. And believe me if feels so amazing after the battle I had with myself for years.

Whenever someone comes up to me after class or writes me an emotional email to tell me how much they have benefited from their holiday with us and yoga practice. I feel the gratefulness and love from my Father and Mother and will to continue to grow and enjoy this wonderful gift of life together. 

By simplifying, slowing, and centring on the breath, we cultivate patience, a greater understanding. We can shift our thoughts. We no longer battle with difficulties, but rather learn how to ease through them, and enjoy and embrace the fact that we are here.

Jo xo

W. www.yoga-holidays-turkey.com

T.  Twitter@joanneyoga 

 

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