Community

Picnic :  Student's Journey  View this email in your browser

COMMUNITY The sun is shining and  it’s Picnic Time Picnic    The Tree Of Yoga Community have been enjoying our annual picnic for about 10 years and this is the first time, I have been unable to set a date. With so many messages asking when, I woke to the sun shinning and a date in mind , Friday 5th August  12:30 Under the trees by the new Playground area Wanstead Park off the High Street.  Food to share, babies, children, students across the ages,laughter, community and LOVE. A Students Journey My Yoga Journey I feel as though yoga has been part of my life forever! I’ve been practising on and off for about 30 years and, of course, each class you do with a different teacher has a specific feel to it and seems to fulfil a different need relevant to that time.  It also takes time to find a class – the teacher and their style just have to feel right. I recall doing a lovely pregnancy class in South London way back in the early 90s  - I was practising at home when my waters broke! I had a natural birth at home and I’m sure it went so well because I was able to put into practice yogic breathing and because my body had been helped to prepare for giving birth during my yoga class.  I continued to practice with several different yoga teachers once my son was born, changing teachers as I moved from south to east London in the late 90s. After years working in the corporate world I began re-training as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist in 2009, qualifying in 2013. I love my job but it involves helping people who are in a lot of pain and listening to some very distressing stories. My body is hugely important in my work. Therapists are trained to stay attuned to what is happening in their own bodies when they are with their clients. This can be just as important as our emotional or cognitive response to what is being said to us.  After all, everything that has ever happened to us is stored as memories within our physical bodies. With sometimes as many as 13 clients a week, that’s a lot of other people’s ‘stuff’ to hold both psychologically and physically. The more I look after myself. The better I can look after others. Yoga enables me to re-connect with me. How am I feeling? What do I need, what is my body saying to me? I was in my previous yoga class for 8 years and it was wonderfully restorative and relaxing. I found it hard to leave because I had so much respect and fondness for my teacher - but I intuitively knew I needed something different. Maxine’s class was a revelation – I felt like a complete newbie and wondered whether I would be able to ‘do’ all the postures! I hadn’t realised how unconfident I was in my body or how little strength I had. Over the course of the last year working with Maxine, my body feels like it has entered a different phase and actually looks different. I turned 50 last year but feel stronger and more confident in my body than I have in years; I also feel more present and connected with myself and others.  All of this helps both my work and my home life.  I truly can’t imagine my life without yoga! Deb Spraggon Thank you for allowing us to read your journey. We are a community and I would love to hear from others. Its is Summer time A time to play, to take time out , to see the colours around us, to smell,to share and to have energy.  ENJOY

Festive Greetings

Festive Greetings  View this email in your browser

Thank you for making this a great year.... Moving to new Spaces # The Wanstead United Reformed Church  has been the most amazing space. Energetically so up lifting, under floor heating, space to move, supportive , nourishing and nurturing.... and plenty more. Saturday classes at Ashton Fields , has provided light , great summer sports and plenty more. The introduction of "The Gong Bath" ..... a magical journey More classes added to the time table. New students... More Post Natal classes.... Introduction of different Teachers. The Retreat..... FANTASTIC and all places gone for next year under an hour and a half. 2017 will be 2 April and September The Yoga Show... I'm a Baby Yogi and I'm a Toddler Yogi... Still time to place those Christmas Gifts http://www.thetreeofyoga.co.uk/baby-yogi-clothing.html 2016 I am very excited to bring to The Tree of Yoga Community# Toddler and parent, grand parent Classes # starting mid January Children after school classes # starting mid January There has been a great reaction to these classes and separate e mails will be sent to your in box within the next few days. i f you are interested and haven't contacted me PLEASE HURRY....  Gong Bath Dates 19th February 2016 15th April  2016 17th June 2016 Workshops Pre Natal  Yin Understanding the power of Breath and the benefits of Pranayama Shakti and a feminine energy PERHAPS THERE IS A WORKSHOP THAT YOU COULD SUGGEST ..... IN BOX YOUR IDEAS.... With Love Namaste Maxine

Asana of the Month Gahruedahsanna

(gah-rue-DAHS-anna) Garuda = the mythic “king of the birds,” the vehicle of Vishnu. The word is usually rendered into English as “eagle,” though according to one dictionary the name literally means “devourer,” because Garuda was originally identified with the “all-consuming fire of the sun’s rays.” Props : Can use a block to balance leg that will cross over. This is also advisable if you are Pregnant.   Stand in Tadasana. Bend your knees slightly, lift your left foot up and, balancing on your right foot, cross your left thigh over the right. Point your left toes toward the floor, press the foot back, and then hook the top of the foot behind the lower right calf. Balance on the right foot. The Pelvis needs to be in alignment and the Knee that is crossed in line with the navel. If this is challenging then use the block. Remember to leave the ego off the mat. Stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor, and spread your scapulas wide across the back of your torso. Cross the arms in front of your torso so that the right arm is above the left, then bend your elbows. Snug the right elbow into the crook of the left, and raise the forearms perpendicular to the floor. The backs of your hands should be facing each other. Press the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left, so that the palms are now facing each other. The thumb of the right hand should pass in front of the little finger of the left. Now press the palms together (as much as is possible for you), lift your elbows up, and stretch the fingers toward the ceiling. Focus in between the eyebrows and the colour Purple. Allow the breathe to guide you. Can Breathe in 4 counts and breathe out 4 counts Stay for 15 to 30 seconds, then unwind the legs and arms and stand in Tadasana again. Repeat for the same length of time with the arms and legs reversed. Pose Information Sanskrit Name Garudasana Pose Level 1 Contraindications and Cautions Students with knee injuries should avoid this pose, or perform only the leg position described in the Beginner's Tip below. Modifications and Props Beginning students often find the balance in this pose very unstable. As with all standing balancing poses, you can use a wall to brace and support your back torso while you’re learning to balance. Deepen the Pose Look at the tips of your thumbs once you're in the full pose. Typically the thumb tips point a little bit off to the side of the upper arm. Press the mound of the upper thumb into the bottom hand and turn the thumb tips so they point directly at the tip of your nose. Theraputic Applications Asthma Low backache Sciatica Preparatory Poses Adho Mukha Svanasana Gomukhasana Prasarita Padottanasana Supta Virasana Supta Baddha Konasana Upavistha Konasana Virasana Vrksasana Follow-up Poses Garudasana is usually sequenced near the end of the standing pose series. The arm position in the pose is particularly useful in teaching how to widen the back torso in inverted poses like Adho Mukha Vrksasana and Sirsasana. Other follow-up poses might include: Gomukhasana Utkatasana Vrksasana Beginner's Tip Beginners often find it difficult to wrap the arms around until the palms touch. Stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor, while holding onto the ends of a strap. Follow the rest of the instructions stated in step 2 above and keep the strap taut between your hands. Beginners also find it difficult to hook the raised-leg foot behind the standing-leg calf, or block and then balance on the standing foot. As a short-term option cross the legs but, instead of hooking the raised foot and calf, press the big toe of the raised-leg foot against the floor to help maintain your balance. Benefits Strengthens and stretches the ankles and calves Stretches the thighs, hips, shoulders, and upper back Improves concentration Improves sense of balance Variations Here's a challenging variation of Garudasana. From the pose as described above, exhale and lean your torso into a forward bend, pressing the forearms against the top-leg thigh. Hold for a few breaths, then come up with an inhalation. Repeat on the second side.

Asana of the Month Trikonasan

TRIKONASANA View this email in your browser

Trikonasana or Triangle Pose. Tri= Three, Kona = Angle. These three angles are found in the spaces made between the arms and the legs, and stability, evenness and expansion are what make up the three sides of each triangle, a combination of strength and ease, effort and effortlessness. Turn the awareness within and find the inner balance of these. Keep the posture strong but light. Start: Stand with the legs a legs length apart, make sure that the weight is evenly placed between both feet, turn your right foot out 90 degrees (Heel in line with upper arch of left foot) and the left foot in slightly. Take your arms out wide and keep them at shoulder height, With a wide space between the shoulder blades.Open up the wing span and breathe from Anahata allowing prana to spread through the arms and hands.On an inhale lift out of the hips and as you exhale lengthen the right side of your body over to the right. Rotate your arms so that the right hand comes to the shin, ankle or floor. (Or what ever you can reach, take a block to the right side of your foot). Take the left arm straight up so it is inline with the right arm. Create a sense of your arms being like the wings of an Albatross, floating the current of air. Turn your head to look up at your top hand, make sure the back of the neck is long and in line with the rest of the spine. Stay for a few breaths and then repeat on the otherside. TIPS- Make sure the inner arches of both feet stay lifted and that your knees are always in line with the toes. Don’t let your body fold forward, it is tempting to try and reach the floor, but only go as far as you can go without swinging your torso forward. Imagine that you are sending your tail bone towards your back heel. Visulize the back body aligning itself towards a stick that is supporting your back Try bringing the back of the hand to the ankle, shin or thigh, so that you don’t grip onto your leg and sink your weight into it. Try to drop the top ribs down towards the spine, so that both sides of the torso are the same length. There is a tendency to jam the front knee, keep a micro bend in it, to protect your knee. Look straight ahead if problems with balance or neck. Bend top arm and place on the hip, if the shoulders are tight. One of the challenges in this posture is the breath make sure your breath is even and steady. REMEMBER NEVER SACRIFICE THE BREATH FOR A POSTURE. BENEFITS- Strengthens ankles. Reduces stiffness in the hips. Tones leg muscles and muscles at the sides of the body. Relieves back ache. Develops the chest. Recommended for pre-menstrual tension or menstrual disorders. Contraindications/Precautions: Sacroiliac pain Posterolateral disc herniation should only come half way or rest bottom hand on a chair and only if comfortable. 3rd Trimester Pregnancy rest bottom hand on a chair and only practice if comfortable. Hamstring injuries, act with caution or avoid completely.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

                                                                                             

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WORDLESS WEDNSDAY