In the coolers days of winter it can be a real struggle to get up & onto a yoga mat. At this time of year the idea of hibernating until spring grows ever more appealing! What we do know is that a regular yoga practice is one of your best defences against illness and remedies when a bug does strike.

It is important that we change with the seasons just as nature does by adapting our daily habits, yoga practice and food choices. During the winter , the energy of the Earth and its creatures is drawn inward. We can use this time for restoration and introspection, just as many plants and animals use it for hibernation. In preparation for the spring, it is important to slow down and rejuvenate.

Here are your top Winter survival tips:
​
WINTER YOGA POSES
The winter months are notorious for colds and flus, so poses that open the chest, throat and sinuses will aid in improving congestion and supporting your respiratory organs. The following poses are metabolically invigorating and help to warm the kidneys and clear phlegm.
1. SUN SALUTATION (SURYA NAMASKARA):This invigorating invocation to your yoga practice helps build heat in the body. 
2. FISH POSE (MATSYASANA):This supine backbend/inversion opens the throat and chest. 
3. BOW POSE (DHANURASANA):Open your chest with this backbend. 
4. SHOULDERSTAND (SALAMBA SARVANGASANA):This supported inversion helps with stagnation of lymph. Hold for at least eight breaths
5. LOCUST POSE (SALABHASANA):This “baby backbend” opens the chest while strengthening the back. 
6. KAPALABHATI BREATHING,a practice that builds internal heat and eliminates mucus from the respiratory tract. These are rapid, sharp exhales, passive inhales, and a snapping of your lower abdomen. You can start with cycles of 30 breaths and gradually increase up to 100, for 3-5 rounds.

WINTER FOODS- WARMING THE BODY AND SOUL

If your natural tendency is to eat warmer and heartier meals during the winter, you are on the right track! In response to cold weather, the body constricts the pores on your skin and the superficial connective tissue to prevent heat loss. This directs heat away from the peripheral tissues and into the body’s core. Because of this, your appetite becomes stronger in winter.
However, although we are designed to eat more in the winter, the selection of foods is still important. Try to pick foods that will keep your immune system vibrant and that minimize congestion.

• Eat a plentiful amount of soups/stews, grains (oatmeal, rice, barley, quinoa, etc.), healthy oils (coconut, avocado, olive, ghee) and cooked seasonal root vegetables (kohlrabi, turnips, rutabaga, celeriac, carrots and turnips). Avoid vata-provoking foods, such as salads and cold drinks.
• Drink warm teas. It is beneficial to start and end the day with a glass of warm lemon water to aid with digestion.
• Be sure to eat a hearty, warm breakfast to break the fast of your night’s sleep, feed your digestive fire and lubricate your bodily tissues. Oatmeal, porridge, or cream of wheat are all good options.
• Warming spices to include to any and all meals: cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, fennel, cumin, coriander and nutmeg.

LIFE STYLE CHOICES

• Try doing some kind of invigorating movement –yoga or other exercise in the morning to boost immunity and mood and kick-start the movement of lymph. This helps prevent build-up of mucus and congestion.
• Start your day by 7:00 a.m. This might be a bit later than you are used to, but Winter encourages us to hibernate a little longer at night. Remember that Winter is a natural time for resting. So at night, do peaceful and calming activities that promote a sense of stillness. Try to go to bed earlier than you are used to.
• Use a warm-mist humidifier at night to help keep your sinuses clear. Have you tried a neti pot? During winter I use once a day to irrigate and moisten your nasal passages.
• Soak up as much sunshine as you can by sitting by a window or taking a winter walk. Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D (which is crucial to ward of illness), relaxes the muscles, combats seasonal mood disorders, and aids the body in maintaining healthy sleep cycles.

Addressing Creaky Joints
To address the creakiness and stiffness that seems to get worse at this time of year I moisturise my skin with warming oils such as almond or sesame and use extra oil on my food to nourish my body inside and out. (its WD40 for the body!). 

Benefits of a winter yoga practice
1. Yoga is Warm
Chances are, the cold makes you feel stiff and sluggish. All the more reason to roll out your yoga mat.
​Warming up your muscles and joints is good for the body, improving circulation, reducing stiffness and cramping, and helping you warm up. Building heat from the inside can keep you moving all day.

2. Yoga Boosts Your Immune System
Regular exercise strengthens the immune system, making your body ready to fight off the cold and flu viruses floating around this time of year. And unless you live in a bubble, you better believe you will be exposed to something.
Keep that first line of defence ready to battle the germs with lots of rest, water, and of course, yoga three times a week or more.

3. Yoga Boosts Your Energy, Too
The short days, dark evenings, little sunshine, and drab winter clouds can leave you feeling sluggish. The best way to boost your body’s energy level naturally is with regular exercise. As little as 3-4 hours per week is all it takes to kick your body into gear.
Have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? Sleep in your yoga clothes, then roll out of bed and into the studio — no excuses!

4. Yoga Improves Those Long Winter Naps
You might find yourself tossing and turning, making those 8 hours not as efficient as they could be. Make sure you stick to your bedtime routine — don’t stay up 'til midnight drinking spiked vegan egg nog and expect to wake up feeling refreshed.
Stop eating two hours before bed, go to bed at a decent hour, and try some soothing lavender tea or a chamomile eye pillow. I always down a glass of filtered spring water mixed with a teaspoon of magnesium (for restful sleep and relaxed muscles) and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The vitamins and probiotics do their work overnight while I sleep, leaving me feeling energized in the morning.

5. Yoga Opens Your Heart
Want to say “Bah, humbug” to the holidays this year? Don’t get yourself down. Hitting the yoga studio will help you deal with the blues that often accompany the season.
Practicing simple principles such as compassion and being in the moment in your yoga class will help you be a duck in the water — the negativity will simply roll off your back. Make time for pranayama and meditation practice. When your mind is happy and calm, you will be happy and calm.

6. Yoga Keeps You in Balance
Winter seems to give us a reason to over-indulge. All the holiday parties, cookies, candies, treats, and cocktails can pack on the extra pounds. Shed the guilt by balancing your indulgences with some calorie-burning asana classes. There should be no reason why you can’t enjoy the tastes of the season as long as you keep it in balance.
Go ahead, enjoy a cranberry martini and chocolate cannoli! Just limit your portion and burn it off the next day in class.

7. Yoga Will Keep You Grounded
Closing note
The seasons come and go. Winter turns to spring, and fall into winter. We go through times in our lives full of prosperity, and others are in poverty. As the world changes around us, our time on the mat can be a consistent source of comfort and grace.
Knowing you can count on your yoga practice promotes mental clarity, a sense of security, and a healthy muladhara chakra. Keep it up. No matter what is changing in your life or in the world around you. Yoga is peace, and peace is the language of the world
Thank you. Article taken from: https://love2yoga.co.uk/blog/f/maintain-a-regular-yoga-practice-in-winter

Dance movement to music can be freeing and healing to the body and mind - particularly when it holds excess stress and tension. 

At Yogarama Retreats in the bush, we shared a freeing dance movement as the sunset - retreaters wore blindfolds or some simply closed their eyes for a full hour of free movement - each mindful movement feels great in the body,

Chakradance™ is a well-being movement practice that uses spontaneous dance, to specific chakra-resonant music, for the purpose of healing and re-tuning your whole mind-body-spirit energy system.

Similar to other free-flowing dance programs the benefits include better relationships, improved confidence, and self-esteem, inspired creativity and the freedom to express yourself.

At the heart of Chakradance is the music and the beat. For all of us, the seven major chakras are the energetic gateways through which body, mind and spirit come together, literally embodying the soul.

The full moon is a wonderful time to release energy so downlaod the FREEDOM Chakra dance MP3 below and get some movement flowing in your body aligned with the next powerful full moon...

Although dancing has not been my thing since I was a teenager - the type of yoga dance is a free-flowing meditative yoga experience that I am so pleased to share with you - women of all ages from - particularly those like that have not put on their dancing shoes for many decades.

​
You are invited to download a free gift -  the FREEDOM Chakra dance music and get some movement flowing in your body... EMAIL ME: to request the MP3. 

Why Is Sleep Important?
Sleep is sooo important because it can help us physically heal, recover from illness, deal with stress, solve problems, consolidate memories, and improves motor skills. A good night’s sleep isn’t just about how many hours of sleep you get, but also the quality of that sleep. There are two essential kinds of sleep: non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM).

• NREM sleep aids physical recovery. It helps your body unwind and fall into a deep sleep.
• REM sleep bolsters learning and memory. It is the sleep phase closest to wakefulness, and where most of our dreaming occurs. 
  
  

How Does Yoga Help You Sleep ?
There are many ways that yoga can help improve the quality of sleep:

• Mindfulness. This is a practice of judgment-free awareness in the moment. Mindfulness is a common component of many types of yoga. Mindfulness can increase melatonin levels and reduce nighttime sleep disturbances in adults.
• Breathing awareness and regulation. These are also elements of yoga. Deep breathing is a relaxation technique that can induce sleep.
• Regular exercise. Frequent movement is an important element of sleep hygiene. Moderate exercise several times a week can improve overall sleep.
• Weight loss. While weight loss is not a goal for many yoga practitioners, losing weight can have positive effects on sleep. Weight loss can reduce or eliminate sleep problems, such as sleep apnea.

There are also particular sleep disorders that can be positively impacted by regular yoga practice.

Yoga and Insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. Insomnia can have many long-term effects, including daytime sleepiness and impairment, memory loss, and mood changes. Studies have demonstrated that yoga can be beneficial in managing sleep problems such as insomnia. Yoga can especially benefit particular groups of people with insomnia, such as postmenopausal women and women with breast cancer.

What Types of Yoga Help You Sleep?
There are many types of yoga that provide health and wellness benefits. During the day, any type of yoga practice is appropriate, so long as the user is comfortable. High-activity forms of yoga, such as vinyasa or hot yoga, are a good type of moderate to high exercise. Such exercise, when done at least several hours before bedtime, can help you sleep better at night.

Since high-activity yoga forms elevate the heart rate, it’s best to avoid these practices right before bedtime. People who wish to practice yoga nearer to bedtime will find a slower and restorative type of yoga more suitable:

•         Hatha yoga involves gentle body postures and breathing techniques. These breathing techniques focus on lengthening inhalation, holding the breath, and exhalation.
•         Nidra yoga is done while lying down and focuses on breathing or perception of certain parts of the body.
  
  

What Yoga Poses Should You Do Before Bedtime?
Poses done before bedtime should encourage the body to relax and sleep. Recommendations among yoga instructors and physicians vary, but the following poses are commonly suggested:

•         Standing forward bend (uttanasana). From a standing position, bend your torso slowly forward in front of your legs. Your hands can rest on your elbows, shins, or the floor.
•         Reclined butterfly (supta baddha konasana). Lie on your back. Press the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall to the side. You can have your hands at your sides or above your head.
•         Legs up the wall (viparita karani). Lie on your back with your legs against a wall so that your body makes an “L.” Relax your arms at your sides.
•         Corpse pose (savasana). This is often the closing pose of yoga practices. Lie on the floor with your arms at your sides, palms up, and your legs straight.

Keep in mind that the sleep environment should primarily be used for sleeping; find another quiet location to do your yoga poses before you go to sleep. Be sure you are in a safe space free of any potential hazards.

If you have concerns about your yoga practice, consult a yoga teacher for a private session or a clinician. Remember that yoga is not a substitute for medical treatment. In the event of persistent sleep disturbances or other concerns, consult your physician to develop a treatment plan.

​Yogarama is doing our part to help make your sleep serve you.  Sleep Week is 13-19 March 2022

​ Chronic inflammation is something you want to avoid long-term.  At the 2021 Global Yoga Therapy Conference, I learned how a regular yoga & meditation practice can reduce chronic inflammation, that underlies so many modern day conditions from irritable bowel syndrome to eczema to heart disease.

The Science Behind Inflammation
Inflammation is actually an essential defense mechanism - its a protective process to ensure an infection or injury can be dealt with. It typically lasts a short while and is referred to as acute inflammation, where the body then returns to a state of balance. The immune system sends out signaling molecules to the site of issue and this signaling initiates an inflammatory response to promote the removal of the issue and healing.

Unlike acute inflammation, chronic inflammation can cause more harm than good. A prolonged inflammatory response is often due to factors relating to our diet and lifestyle.

Chronic Inflammation underlies many modern day diseases
In our modern world, chronic inflammation is most commonly caused by our intake of sugar, alcohol and preservatives, our exposure to toxins in food and the environment and infections and sedentary behaviours.

These factors put pressure on the body's systems. They cause imbalances and increase the damage and injury within the body’s tissue.

Weeks, months and even years of damaging activities cause inflammation to continue. It's purpose is to repair the damage in your body, but this level of inflammation may be too much and certain body systems may become dysfunctional as a result. We may not see the consequences of this low level of persistent inflammation for some time, until a body system can no longer perform its optimal function because of it. That’s when disease sets in and the symptoms start to show.   

Sometimes the symptoms can be mild and affect a non-essential body system. Other times it affects a critical organ, with severe and dangerous accompanying symptoms.

This type of chronic inflammation can cause heart disease or autoimmune disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, eczema, hormone imbalances, even forms of arthritis where inflammation begins to destroy otherwise healthy tissues in the body system.

In summary inflammation is a necessary and essential defence and repair process of the body in the short term, but can result in chronic disease if left unchecked.

The good news

Managing inflammation can help you achieve optimal health. The good news is there are plenty of diet and lifestyle changes along with therapies, including yoga therapy, that can be implemented at any age to reduce the impact of inflammation in your life.

Reach out if you would like to know more about the benefits of yoga and meditation to help reduce conditions related to chronic inflammation. email: [email protected]

​To all Yogis...
Be Safe
Be Well
Be Happy 
Be at Peace 

​

Give someone you care about a special xmas gift of your presence - a precious present and it costs nothing!
With silly season upon us, I believe it’s important to prioritise your presence, over presents.
​
With the COVID pandemic related stress and the stress of the silly season, you may find yourself worrying about your health, your finances, your loved ones, or your sense of security. These concerns are all valid and they’re shared by millions of other Australians.

Worry and stress can seriously distract from the here & now. I’m here to help you manage your stress to stay healthy and happy and mindfully present.

How to Mitigate Stress and Manage Symptoms
It's important to know the impacts of stress:

Acute stress, or short-term stress is brought on by one specific event, increases your heart rate and tenses your muscles. Our fight-or-flight system kicks on and helps us through short-term stressors, such as the acute stress giving you the energy to get to the hospital in an emergency like a broken arm.

Chronic stress affects you over months or even years. It can cause painful muscle tightness and headaches, hormonal shifts, lowered immunity, gastro-intestinal disruptions, and changes in libido as well as psychological issues like anxiety, depression, and burnout. There is evidence that chronic stress may serious impact your health. It leads to chronic conditions such as depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome and more.”

The best advice I can give is to eat healthily, do regular exercise like gentle yoga and cardio workout, meditate & continue to keep a healthy distance to stop the pandemic spread. All of this can have positive impact on your overall physical and mental health.

Stress management tips:
Try to understand why you feel stressed and figure out what you can do to decrease that sense of stress. 
Pay attention to yourself as a whole human, not just as someone who deals with stress. Stress should not affect you giving plenty of self-care to yourself (take a hot bath, walk in nature) or seek care from others. 
Don’t forget to stay connected. Even though many of us are still physically separated from friends and family, lean on support groups around you, including your family, friends, and fellow chronic warriors. They can provide the comfort of a listening ear and a shared experience, and remind you that as difficult as this is, we’re all in it together.

Simon 
​With an open heart, I farewell the beautiful yoga studio in Sydney where I first trained to be a yoga teacher. As Sukha Mukha, closed down this week, it was the end of an era and the beginning of a new one as my passion for teaching others yoga & meditation continues to grow.
 
My burning desire to be a yoga teacher began in my early twenties however my life took a curly path until 2013, when I had a family, full time work with two children including a blossoming and challenging teenage girl. I fell ill from too much of everything…
 
Yoga was my retreat into a peaceful world. My teaching journey began with teaching my friends from my home and in a few studios. By serendipity, I was swimming in the Coogee ocean pool early one morning before work and noticed yoga on the deck. I asked if I could teach in this space and from there the wonderful love story teaching yoga outdoors by the ocean has continued. 

Since then, I've loved every yoga and meditation course that I have completed and met so many inspiring teachers along the way that have shaped me into the teacher I am today.  

For me, the most important part of teaching yoga is the journey, no outcomes, pure acceptance and no judgement of the experience that unfolds for each individual students.  

I am so grateful to all the teachers that have inspired and supported me on my journey ...

My Teachers
Idit- Hefer (Sukha Mukha),
Katie Rose (formerly Manistas),
Connie McNamee (Wylie's Baths, yoga teacher)
Simon and Biance, Synergy Yoga Sydney
Sal Flynn, yoga therapist and mindfulness guide,
Sunita Patil meditation teacher,
Jasmine Tarkesh, Laughing Yoga founder and teacher (San Fransisco)
Beth Borowsky Karma Kids yoga,
Timothea Goddard, Mindful-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program,
Patrick Kearney, Vipashna meditation teacher
Satbir Singh Kahlsa, Harvard Medical School professor yoga & meditation & researcher
Margaret & Glenn Ceresoli, Iyengar (YogaMind),
The Art of Living, The Happiness Program and The Art of Meditation Course
Sheryl Simantov, Soul of India Safari – travel partner to India
Sanjay Sarasvati and his mum (Swami Sarasvati) from Swami’s Wellness Retreat – Swami was the first teach yoga on a morning television program on channel 9. Sanjay, her son is her master yogi.
Inspiring Yogarama Teachers since 2018:
Destiny, Rachel, Bjorg-Ida, ​Nigel, Revi, Ruth, ​Svenja, Caroline, Caz, Simone, Megan, Louise, Chantel, Pats, Felicia, Agi, Louise, Jaoa

Please call me or email if you have questions 
[email protected].

I am here for you.

Love and Light

​Daniella
​

Meditation is shown to offer a range of mental and physical benefits, and one way to combat anxiety, or even sadness
·       Yogarama shares easy ways to deal with anxiety and stress during the pandemic, including yoga and meditation

Millions of people around the globe are experiencing the physical and mental impact of social distancing and quarantine right now.   You might waiver from boredom to overwhelmed in a matter of minutes. Although you may have more down time at home, you're likely feeling anything but relaxed. 
We are all feeling a type of invisible anxiety – even though many of us are not going to work and some may no longer have work, what we feel is far from the relaxed state we enjoy when we are on a holiday.
How can you feel more calm during these strange and unpredictable times.

Meditation - The Science-Based Evidence 
Practicing meditation is one way to improve physical and mental health. A 2018 study showed that eight weeks of meditation and mindfulness reduced inflammation and hypertension in participants. A 2007 study published in the journal Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioural Neuroscience found that mindfulness meditation increased people's attention spans.
 
Meditation also good for your emotional well-being. A 2009 meta analysis of research on mindfulness showed that the practice can reduce stress and cortisol levels. And Harvard University research shows that mindfulness may actually change the brain of people with depression.
 
Meditation doesn't have to be simply sitting in silence. Here are a few creative ways to meditate or be more mindful.
 
Daily Guided Meditation:
 
Practising a guided meditation every day at the same time in the same place is one way to bring back a sense of daily routine.
 
Our regular habitual lives have been disrupted, we don’t have our daily exercise and work routines and nor are able to see family and friends.
 
This is an ideal time to gently introduce meditation into your life, simply 2 mins a day. See how it feels. Eventually you can build to 5 mins and then 10mins and ideally 20 minutes twice a day is a great option.
 
You can meditate virtually anywhere so long as you have a laptop or smartphone, headphones, and a few extra minutes. 
 
Yogarama offers 5 week meditation courses and Daniella has guided meditation recordings on the website. Videos of our guided meditation are being created and will be ready for you soon.
 
We recommend a number of apps. These are simple to use and offer a range of guided meditations of different lengths for your benefit.
 
Meditation apps include: Headspace app.  Insight Timer app. Smiling Minds app. & Calm app.


YOGA FOR WELLNESS:

When we're stressed, it's often hard to sit still. So instead of sitting in meditation, consider doing a more active form of moving meditation such as yoga. A yoga practice in the morning is ideal to set you up for a great day ahead. Ideally practice earlier in the morning before your partner, kids and neighbours get up - it is quieter and no distractions. 

Yogarama has a series of guided Yoga videos for Beginners. There are 6 x 20-minute videos and shorter 5-minute videos designed to support you in practising yoga at different times in your day whether its early morning to wake up the body, unwind at the end of a busy day, to quieten an anxious mind or to soothe an aching back. Enjoy these simple yoga and breathing practice and let us know if you have any questions.

Aligned with the 5000 year old tradition of Ayurveda - the sister science of yoga, Yogarama offers sunrise classes at 730am on-line. If you are more familiar with yoga then join our 1 hour long practice daily.
BOOK CLASSES HERE.

MINDFUL WALKING

Going for a walk in nature at a comfortable pace us calming. Instead of a fast exercise pace walk enjoy a mindful slower walking pace. Focus on your feet moving, then practice being present, in the moment, notice what you see and what you hear on our path.

 Doing this active form of mindful walking meditation is especially helpful when you're feeling anxious and stressed after being at home all days. 

Most Importantly, at all times, be kind and compassionate to yourself.