Well done everyone you have completed your 8week yoga course.

You have come quite a way during our 8 weeks together! To mention just an few things: you became steady in your Tree pose, assumed beautiful strong inversion with the downward facing dog, became grounded and strong in your warrior 2, and created amazing vibration with your Huming-bee breath.
And after building all the essential postures for the Sun salutation you have been able to have a go at trying how it feels to move from one asana to the next in a flowing way safely and effectively.
I want to congratulate you for showing up each week and approaching your practice with and open mind like a true yogi does.

NEW STUDIO SPACE!
If you are joining the new 4 week course, please note we have new location:
Overview Studios, Green Street, Aire & Calder Industrial Park, Castleford, WF10 2JA
I have found us a beautiful, quiet room with lots of wall space for any balancing support or mild inversion such as legs up against the wall.

I thought I’d leave you with this highly effective exercise called the Shoulder clock, which can greatly improve the mobility of your shoulder and neck area giving you greater freedom of movement and reduced chance of neck pain if practiced regularly.

Shoulder Clock

Benefits of this exercise:
– mobilises the shoulder girdle
– helps release tension in the neck and shoulder muscles
– stimulates the thyroid and parathyroid glands (balances metabolism)
– hearing/ tinitus
– asthma
– sore throat
– reduced pressure for perfectionism
– addresses inability to express emotions
– unblocks -blocked creativity
– may help with inability to be still and having difficulty achieving goals

Outcome:
– improved physical health around the neck/ upper back
– increase mobility/ range of motion of the shoulder
– can relieve neck and shoulder ache
– harmony with and others
– greater self-knowledge leading to more consistent views.
– flowing creativity
– having power to make choices
– increased ability to reach goals
– improved communication/ self expression
– improved ability to be still, calm and content
– better able to meditate

 

Contradictions/ Precautions:
– people suffering from acute neck or shoulder injuries.

Counter pose:

Corpse pose/ Savasana – lay on your back arms relaxed by your side. (feet can stand up and knees rest together to take the tension out of the lower back)

 

Affirmations or Mantras to go with this movement:

1) “My voice is becoming stronger and more compelling.”

2) “I delight in my self-expression and in all my creative pursuits.”

3) “I start speaking up for myself, I speak my truth with confidence.”

Once you finished your practiced, spend a short time in a neutral position such as corpse pose on your back.

 

My challenge for you until I see you next week 17th November is to do these exercises before you go to bed every night just for a couple of minutes.
– instructions below in the image and a link to a video showing how the movement works.

As you practice the shoulder clock you want to focus moving with ease as smooth as you can, taking note on which part of the circle does not seem smooth and trying to go though the whole circle not skipping any numbers. The hand can flop back and forth as it rests on the outside of your hip. Concentrate on your breath and the feeling in the shoulder and neck area, sending positive healing thoughts to any tight spots you may feel.
This practice should  not be painful, if you feel pain stop. Continuing will cause the muscles in the area to tighten to protect you from the pain.. It’s ok if this movement is not right for you today, tray it again another time when you feel better. Above all, listen to your body, it talks to you all the time – to get well you need to start listening.

Remember you can pick one of the Affirmations above that resonates with you to repeat whilst you practice this can help reprogram your cells at a deeper level as you work on your throat chakra.

 

A couple of questions you can ask yourself:
“Are you open to listening and comprehending other points of view?”

“Do you tend to ignore the messages that your body is sending to you?”

“Do you have something to say, but not sure how to say it?”
I hope you enjoyed the course and feel ready to continue next week on the 4 week course until Xmas break.

Namaste

Marie