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Category Archives: Mind

Yoga Panther Tries: A mass meditation

26 Thursday Apr 2018

Posted by Yoga Panther in Mind, Wellbeing

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british museum, community, conversation, eye-gazing, grand gathering, human connection, inspiring, just breathe, just breathe london, life, london, meditation, michael james wong, Music, yoga panther

Yoga Panther tries to 'Just Breathe'

I stared into her eyes for what seemed like eternity. A far-off chuckle caused a ripple effect and soon a cacophony of guffaws filled the British Museum – ourselves included. This proved just how contagious laughter is, and that gazing into a stranger’s eyes in a room of almost 1000 people for 4 minutes is bloody difficult!

Now I’m not great with eye contact – I don’t think I’ve even stared into my boyfriend’s eyes for more than 10 seconds. So when spiritual gangster and leader of the session, Michael James Wong, asked us to ‘do a bit of eye-gazing’, I was filled with dread.

But after composing myself, and going through a few more Mexican waves of nervous laughter, I managed to settle in. I noticed my companion’s perfectly winged eyeliner, her neatly applied mascara and finally her eyes themselves. Afterwards a few people spoke out about their experiences, which ranged from feeling like a rock, to bursting into tears.

Not what I was expecting when I came along to the 8th Grand Gathering from Just Breathe London. I thought we’d just receive some wise words and finish with a meditation.

But no.

As Michael explained, we were going to be human for the night. Something we’ve forgotten how to do in this digital age, especially in the city. We were going to connect with total strangers on a deep level. And that meant putting our phones away and getting quite intimate with people we’d just met.

(Spot my ugly mug at 1.03)

“What lights up your life?”

As we walked into the impressive venue, we were asked to write down our answer to the above question. After finding a cushion to perch on, among the sea of fellow humans, our first task was to turn to a stranger and explain what we wrote. Sounds easy, but it’s amazing how fast we defaulted to discussing our day jobs.

“What do you need to let go of?”

Another exercise involved getting into a group of people we hadn’t spoken to yet and talking about what we could do without. A couple of common themes were ‘worrying’ and ‘self-criticism’. We vowed to go more easy on ourselves and chill out a bit!

Just breathe

Finally, we ended with the meditation (what a relief!). We all sat back to back, so we were physically connected with our neighbours. We used the mantra ‘Just breathe’ – which served as both something to focus on, as well as a reminder to pay attention to our breath.

During the evening we were also treated to beautiful singing, gorgeous piano playing – both emphasised by the British Museums’s excellent acoustics – and immersive dancing. All of which brought us truly into the moment. I left feeling very human and connected with the community.

We need more ‘big talk’

After our group discussion, we agreed that we needed to apply our learnings. Life can sometimes be a tide of small talk, so using exercises that get us to share our hopes and fears, our passions and our weaknesses, would make us more open and better connected.

I dare you to ask your friends, family and colleagues, ‘What are your dreams?’ and ‘What holds you back in life?’ and let the human interaction unfold.

Yoga Panther tries to 'Just Breathe'

You can get tickets for the next Grand Gathering at the British Museum on Monday 18 June – I’d book sooner rather than later as they tend to sell out.

Namaste!

Yoga Panther x

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Yoga Panther Tries: Flying trapeze

26 Thursday Oct 2017

Posted by Yoga Panther in Fitness, Mind, Wellbeing

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

acrobatics, class, Fitness, flyingtrapeze, gorillacircus, london, Trapeze

Face your fears with flying trapeze

I have never been so frightened of doing something in my whole life. Entire body shaking, I slowly make my way up the cold metal ladder.

“I’m really scared! I’m not ready!” I protest, as I shuffle along the tiny platform. I realise just how high up I am when I have to put my feet partially over the ledge.

Up until now, I’ve been fairly confident in this Level 1 class with Gorilla Circus Flying Trapeze School, volunteering myself first to try the trick on a low bar. But that assurance has long gone now that heights are involved.

“Grab the bar with your right hand…and now the left,” says the trainer next to me. I reluctantly obey, still trembling. “Now push your hips forwards,” she says – and I have to trust that she’ll hold on to me.

When the other trainer shouts up to me “READY” – it’s not a question – it’s a command. I bend my knees and prepare to jump off the edge.

The next order is “HUP!” which means jump NOW. I hesitate for a second, and step off the platform, clinging on to the trapeze for dear life as it swings down and up, and then backwards. Meanwhile, I let out a piercing wail of pure terror, which lasts a few oscillations.

I don’t hear the orders the trainers shout at me, even after I stop screaming. All I focus on is my heart racing, my fast breathing, and the daunting sensation of being pulled back and forth, while seeing the cavernous warehouse whiz past. It feels so high.

Eventually I remember I need to do something, so I let go and collapse into the net. The impact is minimal though, because I’m wearing a harness and the trainer is supporting my weight; falling isn’t that scary after all.

“The first is for fear, the second is for fun”

That’s what one of the trainers told me when I got back on the ground. This filled me with determination to try the trick again (and maybe even enjoy it?), now that I’d got that out of my system.

It’s psychological, after all. Once you’ve conquered the fear, you can do anything. When I got back up on the platform, I said “Let’s try again. I’m going to do this!”

And I did…

Trick 1: Leg hold 


This goes to show you can get a lot done when you focus on the task at hand. It felt so surreal, but I just followed the instructions, and somehow my legs made it up and over the trapeze. I just had to trust that the trainer (and gravity) would help me out.

You can see that I get a bit disorientated and almost bring my legs down the wrong way – I blame being upside down. It felt so unnatural.

But I got such a rush when it was over. There was also a second part to this trick involving a tuck and backflip dismount. I never managed to get my head around that one…

Trick 2: Leg hold, legs off


This was the next step to learning the final catch trick. It was quite disconcerting to be told to just “unhook your legs from the bar”, but in fact it was quite easy, especially now I’d got into it and wasn’t afraid of falling.

Trick 3: Leg hold and catch!


And there you have it – I successfully completed the catch on my first try! What a feeling. I couldn’t quite believe it when I was suddenly dangling from the trainer’s wrists.

I definitely recommend giving this a go if you want to face your own fears, or if you’re simply after your next ‘high’.


3 great things about this class

  1. Excellent trainers: They gave really clear instructions and had a healthy throw-you-in-at-the-deep-end approach. After each jump, they gave constructive feedback and were very encouraging.
  2. Lovely students: I’ve never felt so positive after a class. The more experienced students were really supportive and everyone would clap if you successfully completed a trick.
  3. An amazing, unique experience: There really is nothing like flying through the air on a trapeze. And if you get lots of videos, they serve as great mementos (and proof) of the crazy thing you’ve just done.

3 things to be prepared for

  1. Body aches: The next day I ached in places I’ve never ached before (chest, arm pits and knee pits?). As I’m writing this it’s 4 days later and I STILL ache. Make sure you warm up and warm down with some full body stretches to minimise this.
  2. Blisters: My hands were very sore afterwards and probably would have blistered if I hadn’t used chalk. I also broke the skin a bit on the back of my right knee. Bruising can also occur. But don’t let that put you off. It’s totally worth it!
  3. Getting the bug for flying: Now that I’ve progressed to Level 2, I’m already planning my next class. Highly addictive.

Namaste!

Yoga Panther x

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8 reasons why yoga is awesome

12 Saturday Nov 2016

Posted by Yoga Panther in Fitness, Health, Mind, Wellbeing, Yoga

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balance, crow pose, flexibility, full wheel pose, happiness, mindfulness, posture, relaxation, strength, Yoga, yoga poses

Yoga

There’s no doubt that yoga works wonders for both your mind and body – whether it’s a morning sun salutation to energise you for the day ahead, or an evening vinyasa flow to unwind after a hard day’s work.

I’ve been an yogi for about 3 years now and it’s changed my life. Not only am I fitter, I’m less stressed and I’ve learnt to be more mindful.

Here are my top 8 reasons why yoga is awesome:

1)  It makes you bendy

All the stretching involved helps you loosen up your muscles and joints, and this becomes even more important as you get older. I’ve never been the most flexible of folk, but since I’ve started yoga I can do all sorts of cool stuff, like this ‘full wheel’ pose:

10155001_10152431681277321_1445667945298654560_n (1)2)  It gives you strength

Who needs to spend hours weightlifting in the gym when you can use your own body weight to make you strong? It’s so empowering knowing that every session I’m building up stamina and toning muscle so I can do more complex poses like ‘crow’:

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3)  It perfects your posture

If you’re a desk slave like me, you probably spend a lot of time hunched up. In yoga, a lot of poses require you to elongate your spine and bring your shoulders down. And when you apply this to your day-to-day life, you’ll be less likely to get back aches and pains.

IMG_4610

4)  You can do it anywhere

The best thing about yoga is you don’t need any fancy equipment. Just a yoga mat. And yourself. Sometimes you don’t even need a mat:

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5)  It improves your balance

Lots of yoga poses involve balancing. Practicing this can give you better awareness of your body as you’ll learn how to position your muscles and sense where your body needs to be. This will reduce the risk of falling on your face. And it’s not just the physical side – yoga helps you balance your mind too. It’s all about thinking positively.

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6)  It’s fun!

If you’re going to do something repeatedly, you’ve got to enjoy it. I find it so satisfying when I’m flowing into each pose, like a graceful yoga ballerina. And it’s even more rewarding when I can master more challenging poses. Each class is a step closer to that.

IMG_9574

7)  You can relax easier

In my evening yoga classes, I often wish I can be transported from the mat to my bed. It’s just so damn calming! A big part of yoga is learning to control your breathing – slowing it down and inhaling and exhaling deeply – which can be very meditative.

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8)  It makes you happy

“I feel crap” said no one ever after a yoga class. I always leave the session feeling amazing. That’s because yoga releases the hormone oxytocin, which floods your body with feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Neat huh?

IMG_0995Namaste!

Yoga panther x

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How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions

11 Monday Jan 2016

Posted by Yoga Panther in Lifestyle, Mind, Wellbeing

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exercise, goals, health, healthy eating, life goals, lifestyle, long-term goals, mindful, new year's resolutions, Wellbeing, Yoga

10685491_10152469227447321_2198173858578496033_nWhat’s your New Year’s resolution?

I asked someone this the other day and their response was, “I don’t need a new year to start changing my life”. Touché!

That got me thinking.

The end of the year usually involves reflecting on the past year’s achievements and setting some goals for the year ahead. But why should we wait a WHOLE YEAR to do this?

How about assessing your life every month? Every week? Or even better…every single day.

The idea of settling big goals can be quite daunting. Finding a new job, losing weight or going travelling doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes planning and requires doing something small every day to make something happen.

Make a new day’s resolution instead

First off, think about your long-term goals. Write a list and stick it somewhere obvious in your room, so these are always on your mind.

Then, every night before you go to sleep, think about your day. Acknowledge what you did towards your goals (even if it’s a small thing) and think about what you want to get done tomorrow.

That might go something like this.

Today I:

  • went to yoga;
  • managed to refuse a biscuit at work; and
  • put some money away to save up for that holiday to Japan.

Tomorrow I’ll:

  • get up early to go running;
  • finish off that blog post I didn’t get round to doing today; and
  • cook a healthy meal and save the leftovers for another day.

This mindful process will allow you to praise yourself for your daily achievements – a very positive thing in itself – as well as motivate yourself to get the most out of the next day…

…to make each day count.

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It’s all about the balance

11 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by Yoga Panther in Lifestyle, Mind, Reflections, Wellbeing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

balance, balanced lifestyle, health, hobbies, life, life balance, lifestyle, passions, priorities, Wellbeing, work, Yoga

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“Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air” – Brandi Fitzgerald

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you’re doing something you enjoy? The satisfaction of completing a painting, mastering a new trick, or laughing your arse off with your pals.

Whatever makes you happy, are you getting enough of it?

Every now and then it’s important to take a step back from everything and ask yourself this question. That way you can find out whether you’re getting the balance right, or toppling over.

I like to think of life as a pair of scales:

  • Obligations are on one side (things you have to do e.g. eat, sleep, work)
  • Options are on the other side (extra things that bring you joy e.g. hobbies, well-being, leisure, relationships)

So if you work too much, that side will be too heavy and you’ll need to compensate by doing more of the things you enjoy. On the flip side, if you spend your whole time at leisure, you’ll have no purpose.

Make time for what you love

I recently had a bit of an epiphany. I realised that I hadn’t done any of the things I used to enjoy in a long long time. I hadn’t blogged, sketched or been to a yoga class in god knows when. I hadn’t read, gone running or seen my friends and family as much as I would have liked. I was just going through the motions: Eat. Sleep. Work. Repeat.

But once I figured out that my obligations were outweighing my options, I did something about it to balance the scales…

Hello Groupon yoga deals. Also this 30 day yoga challenge has been awesome. I’ve started reading The Secret, which is blowing my mind. And, oh look, I’m blogging right now (and it’s my 100th post) – go me! I’m starting to feel like myself again 🙂

How to get the balance right

It’s not easy. It involves a lot of willpower and sometimes sacrifices have to be made, but here’s how you can start to give your life a bit more balance.

1)  Consider

Think about the different parts of your life such as work, fitness, hobbies, well-being, family, friends, other halves.

2)  Examine

Are you happy with how much time you spend on each aspect? Are you spending longer on your obligations than your options or vice versa?

3)  Decide

What’s most important to you? You should focus on these things and if something’s not important to you, don’t waste your time on it.

4)  Plan

Come up with a plan of action for getting more of what you enjoy into your life. Schedule in gym classes, make plans with friends, re-visit that hobby you thought you had no time for.

5)  Do

Follow your plan and make any adjustments to your routine so that your life is balanced. And stick to it!

Don’t forget

  • Your priorities may have changed

When I was little, my life goal was to be a mermaid with long flowing hair. Obviously that’s changed a bit – but I still try to keep up my swimming! Check in with yourself and decide what really matters to you NOW.

  • Your job isn’t everything

Yes it’s important, and you should make sure you’ve done your full day’s work, but anything more and you’ll be missing out on time for yourself. Make sure there is a divide between the two. Work to live, don’t live to work.

  • Those ZZZs

If you’re like me and you don’t want a waste a single second of the day, so you stay up late getting stuck in a YouTube loop – think again! It’s so important to get those 8 hours. I know it’s lame, but give yourself a bed time. You’ll thank me the next day when you’re feeling spritely and focused.

  • Variety is the spice of life

Do something different every day. Go running one day, binge watch Netflix another day (because your legs ache like hell), see friends the next. You don’t want to get bored. Heck, why not try something new every day. Wear something you wouldn’t normally wear. Take a different route home. Try a new food.

…to make each day count!

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How to think positively: Key tips and tricks

03 Wednesday Dec 2014

Posted by Yoga Panther in Mind, Psychology, Reflections, Wellbeing

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

covent garden, focus, happiness, inner space, meditation, positive thinking, positivity, Psychology, the mind

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Focus on your breath: take in a deep breath, and as you inhale, feel the positive energy flowing into you…then, as you exhale, feel the negativity leaving your body…now relax as you draw your attention to the top of your head, your face, your shoulders, your arms…

My first session of Positive Thinking at Inner Space began with us feeling completely relaxed and carefree in a meditative state.

Week one of this three-week course involved understanding what exactly positive thinking is: the kind of thoughts we have and how we can try to experience more positivity, despite our circumstances.

When asked why we were all there, most of us said something along the lines of:

  • “I’m going through a tough time right now and I’d like to learn how to cope.”
  • “I often have negative thoughts and I want to know how to avoid them.”
  • “I think being more positive would improve my health.”

If this sounds like you too, read on!

Four types of thought

We were told that on a normal day we have about 60,000 thoughts, which can be a combination of:

  1. Positive thoughts: benefit yourself and others e.g. happiness, acceptance, gratitude, love and peace.
  2. Negative thoughts: harm yourself and others e.g. anxiety, fear, doubt, envy and greed.
  3. Waste thoughts: have no value e.g. random musings, thinking about the past/future and pointless planning.
  4. Necessary thoughts: accompany everyday tasks such as eating, drinking, working etc.

What is a thought?

We were given the analogy that a thought is like a seed that you plant in the soil (your mind). Your life is the garden and you, the gardener, are in control of its upkeep.

You can either water the seeds with positivity so that healthy plants and flowers grow (positive feelings and actions), or neglect the seeds and allow weeds to grow (negative feelings and actions).

You also need a fence around your garden so that people don’t throw rubbish into it. This is the metaphorical shield you need to prevent the harmful things in your life from influencing/affecting you.

Apparently it’s completely possible to have a garden full of beautiful flowers and plants, and not a single weed. You and only you are in charge of your garden.

Ways to think positively

1) Live in the moment!

Put simply:

Past = Pain

Future = Fear

Present = 🙂

And you can aim to live your life in the present by:

  • Focusing on the task at hand.
  • Doing things you enjoy, whether that’s yoga, listening to music or seeing friends.
  • Learning to meditate.

2) SOS

This is a handy acronym for consciously changing the way you think:

Step back: from a negative thought

Observe: your thought process

Steer: your thought in a positive direction

So basically, once you’re aware you’re thinking negatively, replace that negative thought with a positive one.

3) Examples of positive thoughts 

…towards:

Yourself: you are unique: accept and believe in yourself.

Others: everyone is equal: appreciate, help and be grateful towards others.

Past: accept it, let go and move on.

Future: look forward to it and anticipate that you will succeed.

Can’t wait for next week!

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Sam Graham Yoga Teacher

I'm Sam Graham – a yoga teacher and content editor with a love of Japanese culture.

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