The importance of being slower and how yoga can help...
Everyone says we need to slow down but how often do you actively try to? Can you see the enormous benefits?
Autumn is on the horizon. Listen to her call and what she teaches us. Slow down. Go inward. .𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆
When Sallyanne said she thought of me with this topic, I instantly felt passionate about writing this. Not because I am nailing it but because I 100% know this is what is needed by most people, myself included. However, I am also a mum of two small children, I have a part-time job and some side hustles. One of which is a huge part of my life; yoga.
So I know how hard slowing down can be when you are juggling so much. I think the first step is being on board with why we need to and then we might be more inclined to start making little changes..
This blog post request came at the perfect time, I read it while I sat waiting for a boat to take me across to an Island near Ibiza. We are lucky to be able to go on a family holiday, I know this and yet on the run-up to it I honestly hadn't given it a lot of thought, we were in the middle of several months of working extra hours and just generally being too busy. I hadn't felt like I needed a holiday more!
From being a child I have always been aware of the fact that when I go on holiday I get "ideas". Little light bulb moments and inspiration and I’ve always looked forward to it.
This is because when we are relaxing and allow ourselves to daydream we activate the default network in our brain which is the part that gets creative according to a lot of neuroscientists.
So the benefits of allowing time for this are very rewarding.
Since having children myself life has ramped up on one hand then on the other it has really taught me to physically slow. When we are out rambling, for example, we walk very slowly because we kind of have to! We've taught our two how wonderful the natural world is and in turn they have also taught us. We inspect the leaves of plants, watch bugs and admire flowers we find the detail in everything...it has honestly made me appreciate the wonders of nature so much more and it feels like a real gift to see the world in this slow-paced kind of way. To stop and really see instead of just noticing as you pass by. We really see the magic now. Can you do the same?
Yoga is my absolute passion. I am completely invested in the philosophy and the benefits both physically and mentally. It is not just on the mat we benefit from yoga as I've demonstrated above either. It's all about connection. Connection to ourselves through the breath and being in the moment and connection to the world around us and being aware that we are connected to something much larger than us, whatever that means to you. Gifting yourself pockets of time, whether that be on a walk and deciding that you are going to take it all in or gifting yourself time to attend a yoga class. It's probably not viable saying you are just going to slow your whole life down for most people but making small changes can shift things in a big way.
Yoga is such a meaningful practice. The breath is the most important part of your yoga practice. Here's that word again: connection. Connecting to your breath. Practising bringing your attention back to this one powerful thing means we are limiting our monkey mind. We live in a world of too much stimulus so this is hugely beneficial. We are giving our minds the break they need and a chance to slow down.
The breath is also a hugely powerful tool in slowing the whole nervous system down.
Some scientists have said yoga and meditation can change the brain and describe those people's brains practising these things as "glowing"
If we live in a state of stress all the time it can have really negative effects on our mental and physical health. We need to learn how to take a break, manage our stress and slow everything down.
The Asanas (yoga postures) bring flexibility and strength to the body but they are also a moving meditation. We continue connecting to the breath as we move and as we settle into poses so again it's bringing us back to being in the present moment and slowing our minds down, not to mention gifting ourselves time to enjoy something just for us. It's a proven fact that exercise you enjoy actually has even more positive effects on your brain than if you exercised doing something you didn't enjoy that much.
Flow with the rhythms of nature. Your mind and body need Autumn as much as they need the outward energy of Spring. Soften your body and your pace. Take some pressure off and make time for…nothing!
A note on Holistic Kitchen Essential Oils..
An environment that has a positive sensory experience really helps us to feel happy, calm and at home. I am hugely affected by the environment of a place so creating a warm and welcoming space at my classes and at home for my family is really important to me. Both places I think about the lighting, the feel and the scent. That's why I diffuse Holistic Kitchens oils. As soon as my students walk in they often comment first on the smell. I try to keep the scent the same for a while as it can build positive connections in the brain.
The high quality of Holistic Kitchen’s oils means I am reluctant to use anything else. There are so many cheap synthetic oils out there which don't use pure essential oils so you're just not getting anywhere near the same benefits (and they don't smell as beautiful!)
Jennifer Clark - New Moon Yoga