Introduction to the Chakras – Heart Chakra
Introduction to the Chakras – Heart Chakra The other day I had a few difficulties in my family situation and my heart was a bit torn. I started to do some chakra work and chanted the sound for each of the Chakras and my voice was breaking and wasn’t able to carry the sound. Something felt like there was a blockage or disruption with the energies in the heart space. To help you release and clear this chakra you can: *use rose essential oils. *work with rose quartz, jade or green calcite. *repeat to yourself ‘I am kind to myself, I am loved, I am enough’. *Imagine a great leaf or ball of green energy at your heart centre, glowing and spinning. *Chant ‘Yam’ *Create the Heart Chakra mudra by placing your thumb and index finger tips together gently allowing the other fingers to fall naturally at your heart space. Create the same shape with your left hand and place it in your lap. Remember any questions, do not hesitate to ask and I will do my best to support you. Previous PostNext Post
Introduction to the Chakras – Solar Plexus
Introduction to the Chakras – Solar Plexus This Chakra is linked to the fire element. I particularly resonate with it as when out of balance you can be fearful or lack confidence in your own abilities or have perfectionist tendencies. The physical areas of the body this Chakra relates to are the stomach and digestive system. To help you tap into and work with this energy you can use: *Lemon essential oils. *Topaz, citrine and Malachite are crystals you may wish to work with to focus the energy. *Repeat to yourself, ‘I am enough, I do enough, I can do anything.’ *As the colour is yellow you can imagine a glowing yellow ball between your naval and your spine, as I said earlier I pictured a courageous golden lion. *To awaken the Solar Plexus Chakra chant ‘Ram’. *Create the Solar Plexus Mudra by placing your hands between your heart and stomach, fingers stretched out long channelling the energy and the thumbs interlaced. Previous PostNext Post
Introduction to the Chakras – Sacral Chakra
Introduction to the Chakras – Sacral Chakra The Sacral chakra is also linked to the reproductive system, bladder and lower intestinal area. If you think about it really strong emotions can be felt in this area such as butterflies in your stomach. You may wish to work on this Chakra before you settle down to some creative work to get yourself in the right frame of mind or to support your intimate life. The Sacral Chakra relates to the Water element, so is very fluid. So you can help to channel this energy into your creativity. If it is unbalanced you can suffer from negative emotions, bladder or sexual problems. There are many things you can do to help work with your Sacral Chakra: *Repeat to yourself ‘I feel creative, I feel loved, I feel alive.’ *The colour for the Sacral Chakra is orange, so you can envisage a juicy bright orange or a ball of orange light at your pelci area. *Work with orange crystals such as Citrine or Sunstone. *Use mandarin or orange essential oils. *If chanting works well for you, you can chant ‘Vam’ to focus your attention on the Sacral Chakra. *Create the mudra to focus your attention on the Sacral Chakra by placing both hands in your lap with your palms facing upwards. Right palm on top of your left, tips of your thumbs touching again, gently. Remember these are only a few suggestions for how to connect with your Sacral Chakra from the modern, Westernised practice. I will be going into more depth with them in future classes once we can meet again in person, so please follow my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hollysharmonyyoga Previous PostNext Post
Introduction to the Chakras – Root Chakra
Introduction to the Chakras – Root Chakra Chakras are energy centres in your body. In the most popular, modern, Westernised system that most people are presently referring to has 7 chakras. The Chakras are energy centres along the spine which are thought of as wheels or spinning vortexes of energy. The energy movement can be blocked or imbalanced from the stresses of day to day life and illness. We can restore the balance by working with the chakras through yoga and meditation. As the chakras run from the base of your spine up to the top of your head, it is important to balance out your base chakra first. Many of you will have heard me say in yoga classes ‘root down to rise up.’ Your stability relies on a firm rooted base. As a Neals Yard rep for years, I always visualise their branding with the root system spreading out as big as the tree above. Just showing how important the root system is in the growing of a healthy tree. The Root Chakra, known in Sanskrit as Muladhara is located at the perineum. It relates to the legs, feet and base of the spine. If this is unbalanced you can feel unstable in your own life, feeling a lack in faith and trust in yourself, anxious and unsafe. Your body is needing you to become grounded and connect with the present moment. The Root Chakra relates to the earth element and is signified by the colour red. You may wish to help yourself connect with this chakra by trying some of the ideas below: *repeating ‘I am safe, I am grounded, I am supported by mother earth.’ *you may resonate more with chanting, ‘Lam’. *working with red crystals such as Red Jasper or Hematite. *using the essential oil ylang ylang. *placing the backs of your hands on your knees in a cross legged position and allowing your thumb and index finger to touch gently as it you are holding a rose petal between the fingers. What ever helps you to focus the attention on the base Chakra to support yourself in the start of your journey working on the Chakras. Once we are able to work face to face again I am aiming to run classes working through the Chakras. Make sure you sign up to my newsletter to get the latest details on upcoming classes and retreats. Previous PostNext Post
The daily stresses
The daily stresses This hopefully is all going to start to shift soon and that brings other stresses in itself. As life starts to change again and seed up we still need to take time to feel grounded and connected with the earth. This is where yoga can help. Stress is now a global crisis. Yoga can help with its postures, breath work, meditation and relaxation techniques. Increased heart rate and blood pressure, shortness of breath and cortisol levels can all improve through practicing yoga. Yoga helps boost the happiness hormones in your brain. Yoga also gives the body’s stress response a break and a chance to reset which can help you with decision making and seeing things more objectively. My degree was in Psychology with Sociology, and as a long term sufferer of depresssion, stress and anxiety one quote really stuck in my mind. “It’s estimated that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability on Earth.” I don’t think they were far wrong with the pandemic thrown in too! I personally have really found a positive effect on my mental state through practicing yoga. If I feel all over the place, yoga helps me settle and prepare for returning to the real world again. I cannot promise it will be a miracle cure, but it will certainly help and it is definitely worth trying. What have you got to loose? Previous PostNext Post
Going alcohol free
Going alcohol free I have tried to stop repeatedly, but this little voice perched on my shoulder has said “go on you know you deserve just one little drink!” You don’t have a problem, you can still function and decent waking up with the shakes needing booze. Then there we have it, my ditching the booze streak has gone. Since the first lockdown and deciding making my own alcohol was a worthy hobby (yes it is, if you want to have 101 bottles of wine and beer in your home needing drinking to free up space!) I decided maybe it wasn’t for me. Yes I was ignoring the pandemic, but also my body wasn’t thanking me for it. Undertaking my yoga teacher training was amazing. It made me rethink my need for the booze. I wanted more time to focus on me, my yoga and my family not just temporarily numbing out my inner troubles. Stopping was working great until a yoga teacher mentioned to me, right the yoga is over, time for a nice glass of wine. Ok then, right there I decided it must be ok to drink! And back down the rabbit hole I went. That pesky wine witch is such a pickle persuading me drinking is fine, it is even good for you! Teaching my outdoor yoga classes in the evenings over the summer meant I was practicing yoga, supporting others and reducing my time to drink. Yes I had a drink afterwards to congratulate my self but it was 1 rather than 4! Being outdoors and connecting with nature felt great. Then my yoga evening classes 4 days a week and my moon yoga really left me feeling amazing and limited time to drink. Whoop, I was feeling great. Then lockdown 2 kicked in again…… oh no teaching yoga tonight, my son was in and out of hospital, I needed a drink to relax. After all it was a very stressful time. I didn’t drink every day but it was like Pringles, once you pop you just can’t stop! Drinking left less time for me, my yoga and my family. Temporarily numbing me but causing me to push deeper my despair. January 10th I thought to myself, this is going to go on for a long time…. am I sure this is what I want. I had joined the sober club before with Janey Lee Grace (I have followed her since imperfectly natural home when my big kids were tiny!). This time there were loads of free groups I could dabble with first with dry January. So I joined club soda. I then decided this is for me! I am going to do it! I decided spending £8 on a bottle of AF drink is fine as usually I would spend double that on wine a night. So I purchased loads to support me and get me through this time. I might as well have shares in Boucha-Komboucha!!!! Loving becks blue, sheppys alcohol free cider and friels cider too! But the boucha-Komboucha leaves me feeling healthy too!!! I was using my gin glass I purchased myself at Christmas to make me feel more adult and special! And invested in some quit lit! I am now 39 days in and wanting to make it to at least 100. I know there are lots of reasons my little wine witch is sending me to drink, but even more to keep off the booze. Remembering the evenings with my kids, not waking at 3am hating myself for drinking again! I am less bloated in the belly and face. This is the first time in ages my boobs have stuck out further than my belly!!! It isn’t easy though. The last couple of days have felt like hell, but some of my yoga buddies who haven’t given up the booze have also said they too feel like hell. So maybe it is just Covid doing a number on all of us. Rolling out my yoga mat makes me feel grounded and safe. The movements and breathing gives me time to clear my mind and by the time I roll it back up again the feeling of wanting to drink has passed. A bath helps massively too or reading! Not saying anyone has to give up drinking, but if any of you do I am here if you want to talk about it! I am here to talk even if you are just finding things tough at the moment. We are here to support each other. One of the things my yoga is all about. Supporting others. Namaste x Previous PostNext Post
