Change is difficult for humans. We place ourselves in the past or the future instead of that tricky present moment of in-betweenness. Yoga has a lot to teach us here.
Tag Archives: Stress management
Radical rest: Are you resting or collapsing?
When was the last time you truly rested? I don’t mean sitting on the sofa watching TV, or even reading a book, but truly deep restorative rest.
Mindful Summer walk
Here’s a really simple way to bring yourself into the present moment, ease stressful or anxious thoughts, and enjoy the beauty that can always be found around you.
How to find calm when anxiety strikes
Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness give us valuable tools to overcome anxiety, by overriding the accompanying stress-related “fight or flight” response. Here are my favourite practices to cope with anxiety.
Gratitude meditation
Are negative thoughts taking over? Try this gratitude meditation to bring balance and positivity.
The power of pranayama
I’ve been spending more time working with my breath recently, revisiting familiar pranayama practices and exploring new ones. It’s been a wonderful reminder of the power of breathing for shifting energy, changing thought patterns, and finding balance and calm. And I’m enjoying hearing my beginner students’ reflections and reactions as they explore how breath affects their bodies and their state of mind too.
Self care: When what you want is not what you need
You’re feeling tired but wired, and all you can think about is sleeping, mindlessly watching TV, scrolling through your social media feeds, or stocking up on chocolate, caffeine, or a nice glass or two of wine. Sound familiar? It does to me.
Read on for a few ideas about how to figure out what you need rather than what you think you want (as well as an embarrassing insight into my occasional toddler-like tantrums!).
What is the vagus nerve?
Yoga makes us feel good. And scientific research is just beginning to discover why. Over the next few posts I’ll introduce you to the vagus nerve, which is a key player in balancing the calming and activating sides of our nervous system. Read on to find out how this single nerve can help us with health, emotional wellbeing, happiness, memory, digestion, and social relationships. It’s fascinating, even if you’re not a science geek like me!
Less is more: Slowing down for stress relief
A vigorous yoga practice has never been my thing. What I love is a strong but slow Hatha yoga class, with plenty of mindfulness, and lots of attention to micro-movements and alignment. So that is what I teach. Here are a few reasons why I love to slow my yoga practice down and why less can be more, especially when it comes to managing stress.
Stress: It’s not all in your mind
It’s National Stress Awareness Day on the first Wednesday in November. Now, I know we’re all very much aware of stress – but there is less awareness about what the wider impacts of stress can be, and what we can do to support ourselves and others to deal with stress in healthy ways.
Peach Yoga 