Yoga Vocal - Issue 11

FINDING THE LESSON IN RULE OF 6

b y J o s i e S t e e d m a n

Again this week, I’ve had the joy of new people popping their head into the yoga studio and almost instantly, out pops their inner yogi. The sense of calm about the place does seem to seep into their cells within seconds. I see the relief that comes from escaping the outside hustle and bustle. They feel something, I feel something. I like to think it's a sense of coming home. My hope has always been that everyone who sets foot here takes some sense of that connection with them as they leave. An energy, a peace that can enhance anyone. A sense of belonging. Today I’m writing this as Rule of 6 extends into even more areas of our lives. Fortunately our already restricted studio space isn't affected but I know it will be having an impact on you all. I look for the lesson and maybe it’s this. Although separateness can lead to suffering, despite how alone we may feel, in yoga we begin to understand that our sense of calm and peace is wherever we are. We are always connected to that (and everyone and everything) we are, after all, one. Let's stay connected folks, wherever we are, wherever we practice.

Alison joins the team - the best coffee in the courtyard

FROM THE ARCHIVES

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Choice is your super power, it’s your ticket to getting what you want out of life. But this week, I come to you with a teeny tiny yogi observation…aka WARNING. What gives you your power, can also slap you back in the face with a huge dose of responsibility, confusion and doubt .Will you make the right choice? What if you don’t? Eeek.Suddenly you’re aware there’s a shed load of options. A million and one endless choices, from the mundane to the life-changing – and you’re in charge…cue overwhelm, stress, anxiety. Relate to these feelings at all?

So, first up, don’t panic 😉 You can meditate, do yoga, right. It’s your anchor point back to the present, which is all there is. And then (with awareness) you can choose. In Yoga perform action… I told you about that yoga gem in a previous post. But there’s more… I got another tool for weathering anxiety storms. This one comes from an ancient healing system derived from India, known as Ayurveda, and it will help: keep you grounded in your choice making build your emotional resilience to change, (seasonal or otherwise) roll with life’s punches/challenges/storms keep you levelheaded.

Now, before we continue, here’s a quick exercise for you. I invite you to notice how you react to the word that’s coming up now. … routine. Ok. Did you groan, or feel at home when you read that?

You see, depending on how nature ‘made yer’ you’ll find it easier or not to align yourself with some routine in your life.

But I’m going to give you heaps of reasons why it’s a good idea to start moving through life to a natural rhythm and set you up with a simple programme that you can follow and play with, until you’re feeling grounded in your choicemaking, and making great decisions in life. ... to read the rest of this blog visit the blog section of the Yoga Local website... https://www.yogalocal.co.uk/routine-rules/

The Form Mats we ordered for the store were flying out the door before we could get them unpacked from their boxes. If you blinked you missed them. But Carole here was on it and got hers. Did you get yours? Don't worry, the next order has gone in and we'll be restocked soon.

YOUR MONTH AND ME

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Do you follow your heart, even when people think you are crazy? This month it’s been our practice. We’ve working with the principle of Dharma, a Sanskrit word that relates to passion and purpose. We’ve asked you to Find Your Why? Why? ;) Well Dharma teaches us the importance of coming alive to your life’s purpose and actually living it as a pathway to fulfilment, health and happiness. And that’s what we want for you. I know for some of us this ask to meet our own inner, deep seated needs, can feel impossibly selfish. After all, isn’t it better to make someone else happy rather than yourself? Agreed it’s important to serve others. But you can’t do that to any great level if you yourself are depleted and disconnected, if you haven’t first served yourself and know what’s driving you at a soul level. On the other hand, if you are alive to your purpose and living it large, you inspire others to find their purpose – and that is a gift worth giving. Dharma teaches us that we all have a unique nature and gift to offer the world. Connecting with your nature helps you discover those gifts. And our route to that connection is our practice, which all month has invited us to be more open to experience that connection with our self. Open hearted through our back bending practice, and finding freedom to express ourselves through a hip opening practice. I really hope it served you - I think it might be in my Dharma?

Josie. x

NOURISH TO FLOURISH

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How to feed the skin, the mind and the soul in one evening?

1. Crack open a Tropic Skin Care Discovery Kit 2.Check in for some deep healing yoga nidra...

I'm so delighted to bring you the pics from this "off the mat" style yoga event - which took place on Sunday September 20. Thanks to everyone who joined Tropic expert Sam Cunningham and I in the Yoga Local studio for this Skin Care Discovery Workshop. It was so great to share the healing and transformational power of plants through the awesome brand that is Tropic. Combined with the practices of yoga and meditation we really hope this session gives people an idea of how small shifts in choice making on a daily basis can add up to some seriously healthier and wiser outcomes for themself (and the environment don't forget - which is our extended body!). Now if you feel like you missed out and want to join us on the next Skin Care

Discovery Workshop or want to get first sight of the new magazine which showcases all the products and has some great tips and and lifestyle articles too - email me at josie@yogalocal.co.uk and i'll get a physical copy out to you. You can also hop onto my Tropic Facebook page @tscjosiesteedman where you can find the link to the digital magazine there too.. enjoy!

GET IT ON, BANG A GONG

Our Olivia is in love..... ...with the studio gong. Here she is priming it for Saturday's sound session.

Introducing the latest addition to our studio! The Mercury Paiste Planetary Gong. It looks as if it was meant for the place don't you think? (Which of course it was!) A lucky few were the first to hear it played in our special Yoga Gong and Sound session on Saturday September 26 but it will be playing again soon. Remember this is an in person event only folks, you just HAVE TO BE in the studio to experience this one... so if you are ready for your cells to happy dance, keep your eyes peeled for the next session.

What's the planet Mercury got to do with Yoga Local?

The Gong is tuned to the frequency of Mercury. Mercury, in the Cosmic Octave (developed and written by Hans Cousto), is calculated to be 141.27 Hz This frequency is calculated by finding the orbital frequency of the planet and scaling it up to the audible range. By using instruments tuned to this frequency we tap into the energy of Mercury during our sound session.

Did you know the Gong is one of man’s most powerful and oldest transformational and therapeutic instruments?

What does the symbol for Mercury mean? The studio gong features a cross (Earth, matter) under a circle (Sun, the soul), with a crescent moon on top (connection, communication).

This represents our divine nature rising above our material nature, yielding connection and communication from above to below.

RECOVERY POWERED BY YOGA LOCAL AT SHIRE FIT

Our friends and neighbours at Shire Fit have recognised an often overlooked but really important aspect of gym training – recovery! Which is why they’ve teamed up with us here at Yoga Local to power a new RCVR class at both their Wellingborough and Corby gyms. Our Maz is delivering the Yoga inspired sessions for us and we’re delighted to be playing a part in looking after the bodies and minds of all Shire Fit’s members. Nice work Maz...

THE VEGAN VIRGIN

b y P a u l W a r n e r

I’m not sure about you guys but apart from eating, one of the things that lockdown got me doing was wanting to increase my learning, suck up information, try something different, this is when a chance conversation with fellow yogi Marie, led to to The Happy Pear… www.happypearcourses.com (full disclaimer, I only get paid a coffee by Josie so now reward for promoting these guys, just doing a bloody good deed)

Dave and Steve are twins, that despite travelling thousands of miles apart, both happened upon plant based eating within a week of each other, the pear was born. Today, with for cafes and a farm, the pair have rolled out a whole series of Plant Based Cookery Courses.

So, what can go wrong I though, I will try one, if Marie can do it, so can I. All two of you that regularly read this column, will remember that after a cancer scare, I was diagnosed with Diverticular Disease, which in simple terms, it holes in my colon. The recommendation is an ultra high fibre diet, which is awesome because there are plenty of supermarkets that can overcharge people who need a special diet and I just love spending more money than I need to (grumble over) Anyway, I have chosen to do The Happy Gut Course, which has the bold claims of: REDUCE BLOATING RELIEVE IBS REJUVENATE YOUR GUT Week 1 is all about Microbes and Microbiomes (that’s that Eden place in Cornwall - right?) so by the time I right again, I will have completed four of the six weeks and I will report back with how it’s all going.

THE PERFECT BREW

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Think that good coffee has to be made with a machine? Think again.

At Yoga Local we are now serving hand-poured coffee, dripped slowly (3 min brew time to be precise) using filtered water (boiled to exactly 94 C) and that doesn’t just get ensure a great brew, but sits right with our values here at the studio which is to always question, where’s the rush? This pour over technique has

apparently become the next big thing in the coffee industry and I was very happy to bring this revolution to the courtyard and our members here in Wellingborough. Why?

Well, there are many people who think coffee is just coffee. But there’s always more to be discovered when you get curious (which is what yoga asks of us). See over page...

WHY GO ORGANIC?

Organic coffee is high in antixoxidents, vitamins and minerals such as riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin as well as other nutrients like potassium, manganese and magnesium. Coffee boosts the immune system and helps the body guard against disease. Moderate amounts of caffeine can also provide a natural energy boost. Organic coffee typically tastes better too, growing in higher altitudes where it takes longer to develop results in a richer flavour. By choosing organic you are supporting the environment and natural farming methods. Non-organic coffee is one of the world’s most sprayed crop that humans consume. Exposure to synthetic pesticides and herbicides has harmful effects on health, short term and long term. Coffee farms that spray pesticides put employees and local communities at risk because of the exposure to harmful chemicals that linger in the air or get into the water supply. What about defcaf? Even in organic form some decaf coffee may increase your LDL cholestrerol levels. Always choose Arabica beans when ordering as studies show Robusta coffee is to blame.

Your menu... which flavour are you! Fruity or chocolatey???

For example, the coffee you’ll get here is organic and freshly roasted to strict criteria just a few hundred yards across from the studio at The Roastery, Nene Court.

It’s high in antioxidents that fight inflammation and keep us healthy by protecting our cells from damage. It’s also free of harmful pesticides that can have both harmful effects on our health, as well as our environment.

We also discovered from our Roastery friends that this type of pour over method increases the extraction of antioxidents from the coffee. Something your machine-made coffee isn’t up to.

Now there's a lot of studies both for and against drinking coffee and I encourage you to be curious, listen to your body and choose what feels right for you.

But if you happen to love coffee too and want to make some choices on how you take it to optimise your health... well, now you can.

Now folks that probably means forgoing the syrups and sugar too at some point. But as I always love to remind you, small changes add to big benefits...

We all get to choose what we put in our bodies every day. Food, drink, thoughts, experiences, sounds all add up to the picture of health and happiness that you put out there as you. It's always a choice.

MEET YOUR BARISTA, ALISON

There was a time this glorious soul who somehow I had the privilege to raise and witness becoming a phenomenal adult, had zero interest in what I was doing with my life and even less interest in working for me. But I think I may have won her around. Alison is studying human bio-science and is getting into things like how plants heal. She's even heard talking in public about learning to be a yoga teacher! And now she's happily joined me here at the studio to serve you guys coffee and run the store side of the business. Funny how the universe works...