Month: October 2017

Yoga for men this Movember

by Shubha NaiduBenefits of yoga for men / Yoga for Men
November for Men
 
It’s the month dedicated to men’s health awareness. Health problems hover around everyone and men are no exception. Movember is the movement to highlight and tackle the mental and physical health issues of men. From encouraging men to have a healthier lifestyle, and growing moustaches to spread the word on men’s health issues have been a worldwide happening. This way the entire month of November focuses on men being healthier and happier.

 

Movember in Dublin
 
Let’s move in November to support good health for men. When men have had a life busy with work and responsibilities, taking a little time away to practice yoga will make a good difference to their health.

 

We have a special offer for all men out there in Dublin!
We are running a flat 50% discount on the yoga class prices only for Men, this November.

 

Yoga for men this Movember
Yoga for men in Dublin this Movember
Yoga is a perfect way to relax the body from day’s work, de-stress and is a great way to develop a good physical and mental health.
 
Fill in the Contact Form to Sign Up and avail the offer.
 

5 Yoga poses to fight cold and flu

by Shubha Naidubenefits of yoga
You must have noticed the drop in temperature lately. The change of season, from summer to autumn and heading to winter, brings down the temperature which exposes our bodies to common viral infections of cold and flu. To prepare the body to fight these infections, it is imperative to build a good immune system and also, we have to take some additional measures to prevent the body from the effect of weather. As viruses carrying flu and cold are easily transmitted from one body to another, catching cold is very common. Here are a few poses that help to both prevent and cure the infections of flu and cold.

5 Yoga poses to fight cold and flu

It is suggested to practice the poses in similar order as mentioned below.
Each pose adds a different benefit to the body, therefore practicing all the poses will be most advantageous. But you may choose to practice the poses from this list, depending on the symptoms of the infection on you and your physical limitations.
 
Duration of practice: EACH pose can be practiced for 10 to 15 breaths, depending on your comfortability.

  1. Standing Forward Bend (Hastapadasana)

Benefits:
  • If the body is clumsy or restless due to the infection, this pose helps to relax the body and energize the nervous system.
  • This pose improves the blood circulation to the head, which is a method of boosting immunity.
  • Clears the blockages and swelling of sinuses.

Uttanasana or Standing forward bend, a yoga pose for cold and flu

Photo credit: For Uttanasana

  1. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Shvanasana)

Benefits:
  • If you have headache due to the flu, this pose will help in calming the mind.
  • It increases blood flow to the head, which will help in curing ear block, nose blocks, cold feet and palms.
  • It strengthens the chest muscles and increases the lung capacity, which helps in fighting chest and nose congestions.
Adho mukha svanasana or Downward Facing pose, a yoga pose for cold and flu

  1. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

Benefits:
  • This pose opens the chest and neck.
  • It clears the throat and helps in better breathing.
Dhanurasana or Bow Pose, a yoga pose for cold and flu
Photo credit: For Dhanurasana

  1. Fish Pose (Matsyasana)

Benefits:
  • It stretches the neck and chest muscles, removing tension from the body.
  • If you are running temperature due to the flu, this pose will help in stretching the thyroid glands that shall regulate the body temperatures.
  • Helps in comfortable breathing through the nose.
Matsyasana or Fish Pose, a yoga pose for cold and flu
Photo credit: For Matsyasana

  1. Bridge Pose (Setubandhasana)

Benefits:
  • Removes body pain by stretching the chest, neck, abdomen and spine.
  • Reduces body discomfort by calming the mind.
  • Increases lung capacity for better breathing.
  • Cures sinus infection.
Sethubandasana or Bridge Pose, a yoga pose for cold and flu
Photo credit: For Setubandhasana
After practicing these asanas, end the practice with 10 minutes of Shavasana (Corpse pose) for complete body and mind relaxation.

Sukhasana for a day at home

by Shubha Naidumeditation

 

Firstly I say stay at home and stay safe. A day like today when it is suggested to be at home and wait for the storm to pass, all of us aren’t having the usual day. If yoga class at your favourite studio was a part of your day, like other important things even this isn’t happening. But today is also the day when we are more connected with our surroundings than other days. All of us in Ireland have a major part of our minds focused on the storm outside. We are connected with nature on a conscious level and with this reality, we are all connected with each other. Of the 5 elements we are made of (earth, water, air, fire and space), we are consciously aware of earth, water and air today.
 
Practice Meditation
While you are at home, take some time to sit and practice introspection. Sit up with your legs crossed and spine upright. To keep the spine tall, if need be, you can sit against a wall for back support. This pose of sitting with legs crossed is called Sukhasana (comfortable or the easy pose). You can sit on a mat or a soft base, closer to the ground. Keep your eyes closed throughout the practice. Rest your palms on top of your knees.
 
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Benefit of sitting in Sukhasana
  1. Sitting this way brings your awareness towards you and connects you to the element earth.
  2. It calms your mind.
  3. It facilitates physical and mental balance.
 
Duration of Practice
You can practice this for 10-15 minutes or longer. Preferably sit in this position for as long as you can comforting sustain it.
 
I would suggest to sit with your eyes closed and listen to the sounds around you. You can concentrate on the sound of the air or drops of rain falling on your window pane. But if this feels difficult, the last choice will be to play soft music in the background and move from one thought to another.
 
Hope you have a calm and safe day.

Benefits of Tree Pose (Vrikshasana)

by Shubha NaiduAsanas / balancing pose / Beginners Yoga / benefits of yoga / health / Poses / yoga

Yoga Tree Pose Benefts

Pose Type: Standing/ Balance
Sanskrit Name: Vrikshasana


If I say this is one of the most popular poses, you might say – ‘yes, after Shavasana!’ and you may be right. But when I say to my students in a kids’ yoga class to do their favourite pose, more than 50% of the class is staying on one foot trying to be the strongest and tallest tree.


This pose brings to you the following benefits:


  • It helps in strengthening the leg, ankle and foot muscles.
  • It develops focus.
  • It increases your awareness toward the spine, thereby helping in posture correction.
  • The pose calms you as it brings a balance in the nervous system.
  • This pose is very helpful in fixing flat feet.


At times it doesn’t take a difficult pose to feel good about balancing and to work wonders for the body & mind. Tree pose is that pose which can be attempted with comfort and is very beneficial. Let us bring Vrikshasana into our everyday yoga practice and notice the benefits gradually.

Best time to do yoga

by Shubha Naidubest time to do yoga / evening yoga / lunchtime yoga / morning yoga
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Yoga is a combination of different elements that make life pleasing. Though principles of yoga (simplicity, non-violence and more) can be practiced every moment of the day, yoga asanas (physical practice of yoga) requires devotion of some time which is away from other tasks of your day.


Let us look into what would be a good time to do yoga asana practice everyday.


While the most preferable time to do yoga is in the morning, we cannot deny the different routines that each one of us follow. Many of us start the day with a busy schedule and adding time for yoga there isn’t going to help. When mind is preoccupied with what has to be done next, your time on the mat will end up being ineffective. It is always good to understand the priorities and work around them to make time for mat practice.


You can select from ideal hours for practice:


  1. Evening Yoga
Practicing yoga in the evening can be as good as morning yoga, provided you are approaching it the right way. During an evening practice, asanas that are calming and relaxing (like forward bends) should be included because you are nearing bedtime and this will help you to attain good sleep. More of cooling down asanas should be practiced along with other asanas. It should be a time after your work when you can relax and focus on yourself. Make sure to have your meal 2-3 hours before this practice. If it’s a light snack of fruits then at least 1.5 hours of gap before yoga will be alright.  


  1. Afternoon or Lunchtime Yoga
Doing yoga in the afternoon is the best alternative to morning practice. It is also called lunchtime yoga as the midday break time for lunch is used for yoga practice and lunch is eaten after yoga. Though yoga in the afternoon hasn’t been a practice as old as yoga at dawn and dusk, it is an equally fruitful hour to practice. A complete yoga practice with different asanas (Surya Namaskar, forward bends, backbends bends) can be a part of lunchtime yoga. Afternoon yoga is a good refreshing break for the mind, helping in improved performance for rest of the day. And if your work involves spending time in front of computer or sitting for long hours then afternoon yoga helps in eliminating stiffness from the body and this also brings clarity in thoughts. Remember to keep your stomach light for the practice by having eaten 2-3 hours before doing yoga.


  1. Morning Yoga
If you can add morning yoga practice to your routine then you are keeping your entire day impacted with the benefits of yoga. To start the day with a balanced mind and an active body it is best suggested to practice yoga in the morning. A holistic practice which can involve every type asana, can be practiced during the morning hours. You can read more about the benefits of morning yoga here


Choosing from your workable hour for yoga asana practice, try making it a ritual by doing your yoga mat practice at the same time. This brings the body and mind attuned to the rhythm, resulting in maximum benefits.

Happenings Outdoor Yoga Class

by Shubha NaiduUncategorized

Thrilling Yoga sessions at Dartmouth Park Dublin


I had the pleasure of giving today’s yoga class at Dartmouth Square, with the lovely team of Happenings. For the cold and windy day, there was such a good turnout of yoga enthusiasts today. We made sure that the body gets warm and strong to face the fast approaching cold season. From Surya Namaskaras to asanas that strengthen lumbar spine was my class theme for today. 

This is great video by Happenings.