Monday 29 February 2016

12 Minute Yoga Flow


This 12 minute Vinyasa Flow Yoga routine is designed to strengthen and open the throat chakra to connect with your true potential and the wisdom that lies within.

Take time for this creative flow ending with shoulderstand and fish pose and enjoy the delicious benefits in Savasana, final relaxation pose, for as long as you like to after the sequence.


Click on photo for youtube link


Filmed and edited by Saara Oinonen




Wednesday 24 February 2016

New Post on YOGOBE!



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Monday 22 February 2016

Meditation for Inner Silence - the Absolute Truth



A meditation to balance the throat chakra, associated with honesty, communication and expression of ones true self and authentic voice. 

To read more about the throat chakra, signs of balance and imbalance, click here




  • Set a timer for how long your wish to meditate, from three minutes up to a recommended time of 10-20 minutes. However, a couple of minutes of meditation is better than no meditation at all!

  • Find a comfortable pose, option to sit up on a rolled blanket or pillow. Lower the chin slightly towards the chest to create length in the spine.  

  • Place the hands in your lap, interlace the fingers with the tips of the thumbs touching. Close the eyes to turn your awareness inwards.

  • To begin, take a couple of sighing exhalations through the mouth and bring your awareness to the sensations in your throat. Allow your breath to become natural again and keep your awareness at the base of the throat, the location of the throat chakra. 

  • Begin to visualize a clear blue turquoise spinning wheel of energy in the throat area. 

  • Chant the mantra HAM to activate the throat chakra and to center your awareness. 

  • Whenever you notice your thoughts wander, practice honestly observing them without trying to change or escape anything. then bring your focus back to the spinning turquoise cloud and to chanting the mantra silently to yourself. 

  • When your timer goes of bring your palms together in front of the heart and thank yourself for meditating today.


Namaste



Friday 19 February 2016

Soothe your Throat Chakra


Foods that are healing for the fifth chakra and the thyriod gland vibrate a blue colour or dark purple colour such as blueberries, blackberries, black currants, elderberries, figs, plums, prunes and purple grapes. Tree grown fruits for example apples and pears are also considered to activate the throat chakra. 

Also enjoy liquids like water, herbal teas (especially peppermint and lavender), smoothies and soups to soothe the throat chakra.


Delisious smoothie made with frozen blueberries, pear, almond milk, oats and ice cubes topped with blackberries!


Tuesday 16 February 2016

Bedtime Yoga


These poses have a calming effect on the nervous system as they prepare both the mind and the body for a good night of sleep. This sequence can be practiced as a yin sequence, where you hold the poses for three minutes each or if you want to practice a shorter evening sequence you can remain in the poses 5-7 breaths and still have soothing benefits of the practice. This series can even be practiced in bed if you have trouble falling asleep.

Remember that this sequence is all about letting go and relaxing, see if you can let go of any temptations to reach further into any pose. Whenever you notice that thoughts have drifted off, gently bring your awareness back to a full deep breath as an anchor or scan through the body to see if you are tensing anywhere where you could actually relax right now.


Let go of what has happened during the day, any more to-do-lists or thoughts over tomorrow and allow yourself to begin to un-wind from the day!


Photos taken by Saara Oinonen
At Wasa Yoga Center






1. Wide legged forwards fold. Begin seated on the mat with the legs extended wide out to the sides. Option to sit up on a pillow or rolled blanket to elevate the hips above the knees in all of these seated poses. You don't have to extend the legs as far out to the sides as possible, especially if this bothers the knees you can bring the legs closer together. If this pose already feels intense you can remain seated, but if it feels okay you can allow the upper body to begin to fold forwards. Find your edge for today and remain there for chosen period of time. Letting go of reaching further into the pose, focus your awareness on deepening the breath, to deepen present moment awareness and to accept wherever you are right now. 


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2. Square pose. Extend the legs straight out in front of your, bend in the right foot on top of the left knee. Option to keep the left leg straight or to bend in the bottom leg as well (as shown in the picture bellow). Keep the feet flexed to protect the knees. If you experience knee pain, you can sit in a cross legged position with the right foot in front of the left. Remain seated or option to begin to fold forwards to deepen sensations of opening the hips, 





3. Square twist. Keep the position of the legs as they are and place the left hand on the outside of the right knee. Inhale to straighten the spine and exhale to deepen the twist. Hold the pose from five breaths up to three minutes before switching the position of the legs, first coming into square pose (modifying with your variation) and then repeating the twist on the other side. 





4. Caterpillar. Extend the legs straight out in front of you. Bend the knees here as much as you need to. On an exhale begin to lower the upper body down into a forward fold, letting go of reaching for results and practice surrendering into the pose. Breathe deeply and remain here for chosen period of time. 





5. Snail. Lower down to lie on the back, lift the legs up towards the ceiling and support your hands behind your lower back as you begin to lift the hips up. Coming through shoulderstand and lower down the feet towards the mat above the head. Either keep the legs straight or bent here. Keep the chin towards the chest and allow the spine to be rounded (which is different from plow pose in yang yoga, where you want to aim for a straight spine). Breathe deeply and listen even more carefully to the sensations in the body in an upside down position, lowering slowly out of the pose if your body tells you to.





6. Legs up the wall. Extend your legs up a wall and move the sit bones in as close to the wall as possible, option to place a pillow or rolled up blanket under the hips if this becomes too intense. You can place the hands out to the sides or rest the palms on the belly. Remain here from five breaths up to three minutes. If you suffer from insomnia or wish to deepen the calming effects of this amazing pose, I recommend you to remain in this position for five minutes as you allow time to do the work for you. 



After legs up the wall lie down in Savasana to soak in the benifits of the practice, or find your way directly to your bed for a good nights sleep. Either way, see if you can remain in the calm effects of this practice for the rest of the evening. 


Namaste & Sweet dreams!




Tuesday 9 February 2016

Connect with Your Authentic Self


If your throat chakra is out of balance (click here for more info), this is an example of an affirmation that can help you connect with your true authentic self.
Repeat this affirmation as a mantra to yourself silently or out loud as you tap into your center, from where you can express yourself and live freely and with love. Your authentic self is not to be created, but to be found and embraced!


Monday 8 February 2016

6 Poses for Neck and Shoulder Pain


This is a short series of 6 poses that can relieve pain and have a therapeutic effect on neck, shoulder and upper back issues. 

So, give yourself a break from whatever you are doing right now to tune in with your body and allow yourself to be in the moment with your breath and physical sensations as your anchor and focus. Either try this sequence next time you experience neck or shoulder pain, or why not make a habit to practice some of these poses during your work or school day, this is especially benefitial if seated in front of a desk or computer all day!

Enjoy, move slowly, be gentle as you hold the poses. Breathe and allow stress to relieve, better your posture create greater circulation in the upper body. 

Photos by Saara Oinonen





1. Begin in a comfortable seated position and lower down the chin towards the chest. To increase the stretch in the neck you can interlace the fingers and place the hands at the back of the head. Remain for 5 breaths.




2. Lower the right ear towards the right shoulder, option to place the hand om the side of the head to deepen the pose. Hold for five breaths before woling the head over to the other side.




3. Place the palms together in reverse namaste behind your back, fingertips pointing up. Option to take a hold of the elbows. Lower down the shoulders from the ears. Hold for five deep breaths as you broaden your chest.




4. Interlace the fingers behind you and lower down the knuckles to the mat. Open the chest, your heart center and if it feels okay drop the head back and open the throat as well, take five breaths.




5. Lower down the crown of the head towards the mat, lift the hips off the heels and allow the arms to become heave as you open the shoulders. Remain for five breaths.





6. Lower down the hips towards the heels and rest the forehead towards the mat. Rest in childspose for at least five breaths before you roll up to seated, place the hands to heart center and thank yourself for taking the time to do this short get effective yoga practice and mindfulness moment. 


Namaste

Monday 1 February 2016

Chakra of the Month: Throat Chakra


The fifth charka is located at the base of the throat and is therefore called the throat chakra or in sanskrit, Visuddha Chakra. The element of this chakra is ether or space and vibrates the color of a clear blue turquoise sky. The throat chakra is associated with honesty, communication and expression of ones true self and authentic voice. The sense connected to this chakra is hearing as communication not only stands for talking but also listening. 

Balanced Throat Chakra: 
Truthful, honest and authentic with yourself and others. Communicating and speaking clearly and in a balanced way. Being able to listen to others in an open way and to give helpful support when needed. Having a balanced sleep routine and taking care of your need to rest and restore. Being able to express feelings, thoughts as well as insecurities and weaknesses. Standing up for what you believe in, saying no when you need to and in contact with what you want from life. 

Imbalanced Throat Chakra:
May occur as sore throat, colds, thyroid problems, teeth problems, sinus infections, neck and shoulder issues and voice issues. Shyness, sleep disorders and mental tiredness. Difficulties to listen to yourself, your needs and desires. Negative self talk, self doubt, feelings of guilt, nightmares, sleep issues, learning disabilities. Finding yourself stammering and losing words, feelings of being isolated and easily irritated. Over critical to yourself and others, unable to express yourself and therefore often misunderstood. Difficulties sticking to the truth, habitual lying and often giving mixed messages.




How to Balance Vishuddha: 
- Sing!
 -Call an old friend
- Blue clothes and blue foods
- Massage
- Speak the truth
- Rest & restore
 - Express thoughts and feelings in words
- Journaling
 - Lavender essential oil
- Chant mantras

Yoga sequences, meditations, affirmations and more practical tips to strengthen the Throat chakra coming up this month :) Namaste!