Courgette Muffins
As long as the prepar
ation of food in the kitchen does not take too long, I’m happy to try. If you have a spare 20 mins (this is excluding baking time, but usually the oven does it by itself and you’re free to do whatever your heart likes to do 🙂 ) then try our courgette muffins.
For the recipe click here.
Merry Berry Smoothie
Autumn has arrived! The body needs to adjust to the new season and what is better than to boost your immune system with lots of vitamins? Try out our Merry Berry Smoothie!
For the delicious treat click here.
Rooting
Realization that something is missing
Not knowing what it is
Questioning yourself
Displeased with the flow of life
Just one random seed
Planted into your heart
A life changing experience
Relinquishing of faint patterns
Immersing in crystal clear waves
What a surprise!
What an amazement!
Overwhelmed by the rooting
The missing piece completing the mixed up puzzle
It’s just it
Life is flowing
I am
The heart is filled with warmth
Deep and complete
An ever since growing seed
Finding its way
Easy Sun Salutation
„If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content“ (Leo Tolstoy)
With this quote in mind, have a look at our first video on YouTube. It is far from perfection but is with content posted to this blog.
When you never or very rarely see your own body moving, you might be surprised how it actually looks like when you see it.
Therefore, please keep your focus on the flow – and of course try it out by yourself – instead of finding all the flaws and imperfection 🙂
Hope you enjoy it and more will follow on our YouTube Channel Soulfuel Yoga – you are happily invited to follow us there as well!
Check out the first video here:
Grow into teaching
When I started to teach I usually spent a lot of time preparing the class. I was a little scared because of so much responsibility for so many strangers in one room. So I wrote down each asana and each transition between the asanas. And I decided how many minutes it would take to get in and out of an asana. And because I wanted the greatest experience for my students, I put a lot of asanas in one flow. Only to realize in class that my plan would not work out the way I designed it. All these individuals with all their individual needs and bodily issues, with their various personalities – and my missing experience to teach – led to classes that were either completely behind the planned flow or to exhaustement of everyone in the room, including myself. In a little flush of impatience I asked one of my teachers if the experiences I had so far with teaching were normal ones. And all he said was that I need to grow into teaching, it will come. And eventually he was right – of course.
It took a little while but as soon as I gave myself the opportunity to grow into teaching, it was much easier and my fear and excitement before class disappeared. I did not feel the necessity to plan each and every class in each and every detail but more and more a flow just developed during class, influenced by all these individuals and their individual needs in that particular class. Taking in on that vibe when entering the room is the most exciting moment. And giving in on that vibe possibly allows for the best yoga experience for both the students and the teacher. Therefore, if you have just started to be a yoga teacher, try not to be impatient with yourself but give yourself the time to grow. Take on whatever your students might give to you – as most likely you will experience that the path you walk together is a learning experience for both, that you can feed each other, that you grow together. And in the end – there is no end of learning and growing but it is an ongoing process as long as you cherish the fruits of learning and growing.
—— Continuation from Business Yoga No 1 ——
Rotate the spine
With feet and legs in a hip-wide position, sit on the edge of the chair. Open the arms shoulder-wide and then stretch the arms up towards the ceiling, therefore lengthen the spine. Twist the torso to the right (pelvis is stable and does not rotate) and place hands on the both sides of the chair’s backrest. Let the shoulders drop away from the ears and with the strength of the arms and an exhalation, get even deeper into the twist. Take a few deep breaths before releasing this posture.
Leg stretch
Sit at the front end of the chair and stretch both legs forwards. Place the left foot firmly on the floor with a bend knee and lean the upper body forwards (hands can find support on the left knee) while the toes of the right foot pull towards the body. The backside of the right leg gets a gentle stretch and the more you lean forward the better the stretch is.
Stretch shoulder and neck
Sit at the front end of the chair and open feet hip-wide with the knees above the ankles. Lift the right arm up and bend it to 90 degree (upper arm parallel to floor, forearm parallel to your upper body). From below, wrap the left arm around the right arm and try to place your palms together (or place left palm against right wrist). Let shoulders drop away from the ears and with an inhalation pull the hands straight towards to ceiling.
Stretch neck
Sit at the front end of the chair and open feet hip-wide with the knees above the ankles. Let the right ear sink towards the right shoulder. You can place the right palm gently on the left side of the face. Do not pull the head towards the shoulder but just slightly enhance the stretch on the left side of the neck. The left hand draws towards the floor. After a few deep breaths, release the side, straighten the head and let the chin drop towards the chest.
Relaxation
Sit at the front end of the chair and open feet hip-wide with the knees above the ankles. Breathe out and bend forward between the legs. Let hands touch the floor and relax the head as far as possible.
Desk Alignment
The reason for my very first yoga session was a regular pain in my back depending on the hours I sat behind my office desk. Complaining to a friend about tension in the lower back, this friend recommended to visit a yoga class – which I did and to what I have stuck to so far. Since my very first yoga class, my back pain has been gone – and in my opinion, it has mostly to do with the improved alignment of my body. When during the day in the office I feel uncomfortable sitting all day long, I only need to remember moving my shoulders a little back and down and drawing my belly button towards my spine – and immediately I feel sitting more straight and more awake and agile. A lot of postures can easily be modified to be practiced throughout the day in the office when you feel tension in the back and shoulders or when you get tired behind your desk. In the following, I will describe my favorite 10 “Behind The Desk Asana’s” that help to (re-) align the body, release tension and awake the spirit and mind.
Stretch shoulders and arms
Sit at the front end of the chair and open your feet hip-wide with the knees above the ankles. Interlace fingers and stretch arms over your head with palms open to the ceiling. To avoid an overstretching in the upper body, make the arms touch the ears. Draw the belly button towards the spine and take a few deep breaths.
Side lengthening
Sit at the front end of the chair and open your feet hip-wide with the knees above the ankles. Bring the right arm close to the right ear while the left arm draws towards the floor. Let the left ear slightly drop to the left shoulder, bend sideways to the left and try to look towards the ceiling under the right arm.
Open shoulder, release neck and back
Sit at the front end of the chair. Interlace fingers behind the back, breath out and bend forward between the legs while the arms pull towards the ceiling. Try to move shoulders backwards (away from your ears) and release the head between the legs.
Stretch the inner arm
Sit at the front end of the chair and open your feet hip-wide with the knees above the ankles. Lift arms parallel to the floor and rotate the left arm so that the palm faces up. Then the right hand pulls the left hand backwards towards you with the left hand’s fingers facing to the floor.
Stretch the back and open the rear side of legs
Place the chair so that the backrest points towards the room. Let hands rest shoulder-wide on the top of the backrest and then walk feet backwards until arms and back are parallel to the floor. Feet open hip-wide and legs are straight with the hip above the ankles. The head is as relaxed as possible and the breath is helping to lengthen legs and upper body including arms.
— to be continued —
