Fresh back from a YogAlign weekend at the blissful Mana Retreat Centre, I would recommend to anybody looking for a little rest, relaxation and nurturing.

Check out their calendar online for up-coming workshops, conferences and personal retreats www.manaretreat.com

Mana is a stunning property in the beautiful Coromandel with wonderful staff and loads of yummy food!

Create some space for You

www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14150/how-to-meditate-in-a-minute-video-tutorial.html

[caption id="attachment_718" align="alignleft" width="300"] Create some space for You[/caption]

"Surrender is a most beautiful word. It is powerful & nurturing, healing us as it provides both strength & compassion.

As we understand the essence & meaning of the word surrender through our hearts, we begin to transform. As we transform internally the external world changes. "As within, so without."

How to surrender is many faceted. The word itself has two parts. First we begin to release what is held by the mind, body & spirit. The release can be facilitated through focus & breath awareness. Along with this focus, the breath is brought to the forefront, using the breath as the guide in scanning the physical sensations, mental thoughts, & emotional feelings.

With the release, an acceptance of "what is" happening is important. When we release & accept & embrace life in any moment, we are surrendering. It leaves us open to the moment, to being completely present. With continuous practice of surrendering we build the ability to heal. As we heal, the space that opens up is filled with joy.

Surrender, heal, and be in joy."

Irum Naqvi

YogAlign Rest Pose & Face Massage 

Also known as Shavasana or Corpse Pose. Here, you relax & let go of the effort to move your body & focus instead on just being & feeling. We add a self-massage of the face to the Rest Pose in the YogAlign practice.

Here you can become a human being & not a "human doing". It is very important to give your body a chance to unwind & also to learn to calm the mind when your body is still. By being witness to your body in its entirety, the movement of breath & the sounds occurring, you can shift to your higher awareness & connection to source, where you can experience a sense of inner peace.

Lie on your back with a bolster or blanket under your knees to support the natural curves of your spine. Begin to massage your face, starting with your scalp muscles.  Stay present with your natural breathing process.  Move on to your ears, jawline, sinus points, temples & forehead. Finishing with your arms out to your sides on the floor, with your palms facing up. Slide your shoulder blades down your back so that your shoulders are level as you rest. Check that your chin is not lifted.

As you lie on the floor, feel as though your skin is softening. Allow the boundaries of your body to disappear as though you are turning into a liquid pool of energy. Let the breath just happen, as you simply observe your body in its entirety. Keep observing your breathing process. Feel your entire body & be aware of any sounds or sensations outside your body. Witness whatever is happening in the present without labeling or judging, whatever it is.

Feel the connections to the forces of life & cultivate a sense of gratitude for the wonderful gift that is your life. Life flows like a river & we are all part of the flow. Continue to focus on the experience of feeling & being.

Stay in the Rest Pose for 10-20 minutes & soak up the deep inner peace that comes to you when you reside in the present moment.

Namaste & Aloha.

Michaelle Edwards

YogAlign -  Pain-Free Yoga from your Inner Core

7 Exercises Fitness Experts Wish You Would Stop Doing

The Huffington Post | By Sarah Klein
Email
Posted: 08/04/2014 8:27 am EDT

The gym can be an intimidating place for the inexperienced. But in some cases, it's the overly confident gym-goer to be wary of. Fitness fanatics don't always take the time to reevaluate their routine, learn new techniques or prioritize health and safety.

Try as they might to set the record straight, fitness experts can't be everywhere at all times, dispelling efficacy myths or correcting form. That's why we decided to ask them to share the fitness pet peeves they're tired of seeing. Here, seven exercises they wish you'd stop doing:

1
Crunches
Antonio_Diaz via Getty Images
"Here's why crunches don't really work that well and are actually dangerous: Imagine your spine is a credit card. In the same way that repeatedly flexing and extending a credit card will eventually lead to wearing out of the card, repeatedly performing the crunching motion can put a lifetime of damaging strain on your back.

You've probably been taught that if you're going to pick a heavy object off the ground and you don't want to hurt your spine, you should bend at the knees and not at the back. But anytime you do a crunch or a sit-up, you're bending at the back -- over and over and over again!"

--Ben Greenfield, certified strength and conditioning coach and sports nutritionist, and HuffPost blogger
2
The Seated Hip Abductor/Adductor Machine
Getty Images
"It's not super-effective to just target those smaller muscle groups and, quite frankly, most people I see on that machine are talking with a friend or reading a book... not really paying attention.

A better option: Get more bang for your buck and do lunges -- walking lunges, cross-behind lunges, step-ups -- you will engage and use your inner and outer thighs, while also training your whole leg and functional movement."

--Chris Freytag, national fitness expert, author and HuffPost blogger
3
Behind-The-Head Lat Pulldown
Karl Weatherly via Getty Images
"The move I think is not beneficial and possibly harmful is the behind-the-neck lat pulldown done on gym equipment.

It requires you to have very flexible shoulders, and if you don't, you can impinge your shoulder and suffer great pain in your rotator cuff. Most trainers now recommend pulling the bar down in front of the shoulders, which still has you using your lats but in a safer way."

--Ramona Braganza, celebrity trainer and founder of 321 Fitness
4
American Kettlebell Swings (If You're Not Ready For Them)
Brian Steele via Getty Images
"I am always hesitant of the American kettlebell swing. This can be a great move, but only if done properly. The traditional kettlebell swing is the Russian kettlebell swing, where the athlete moves a kettlebell from just below the groin up to around a 90-degree angle to the torso. This movement is a power-producing, dynamic movement that is beneficial to the stay-at-home mom or the elite athlete. All of the power is generated from the hips and this exercise utilizes almost every muscle in the entire body.

The American kettlebell swing has the same start point as the Russian kettlebell swing, but it ends with the kettlebell overhead. When a kettlebell is in the overhead position, I see lots of people who overextend their backs to compensate for the weight. This is also seen when someone is fatiguing. This can be fixed by mobilizing the shoulder girdle and the thoracic spine, as well as by scaling the movement to a lighter weight or less repetitions.

You should only complete American kettlebell swings if you have proper core stabilization at the top of the lift, as well as solid shoulder mobility. If done improperly, this can lead to back and shoulder injuries."

--Collette Stohler, author of The Intuitive Athlete, and HuffPost blogger
5
Curls In The Squat Rack
Predrag Vuckovic via Getty Images
"People need to understand that it is not alright to curl in the squat rack. This is the greatest gym etiquette offense of all and a recurring joke/point of rage amongst experienced gym-goers. You can literally curl anywhere. The weight for curls is relatively light. You could put the weight on the ground and easily pick it up. If you're squatting, you need the rack. You have to put the weight up high so you can comfortably take it out to start your set. The weight compared to most other exercises is much higher, and you need to have the safety/spot bars available in case something goes wrong during the exercise.

If you're curling in the squat rack, you should probably stop because you just might be aggravating the exact person you don't want to get upset, which just might make the squat rack curl the most unsafe exercise to perform of all."

--Pat Davidson, Ph.D., director of training methodology at Peak Performance in New York City
6
The Leg Extension Machine
Wavebreakmedia Ltd via Getty Images
"I'm a firm believer in challenging the body with free weight and bodyweight-based exercises, as opposed to using standardized machines. Machines are not as 'one size fits all' as they seem, so more often than not, you aren't able to perform the given exercise from a natural position. When it comes to the leg extension machine specifically, it relies on a non-functional movement (we don't replicate that motion in our daily lives). It also places more stress than necessary on the back of the kneecap, which can cause problems not only for those with existing knee pain, but also others who are predisposed to such issues. There are so many more dynamic ways to work the quads (the only muscle the leg extension machine works) that activate other muscles in the legs and core, as well as create a better sense of body awareness when learning proper form!"

--Alena Hall, HuffPost Third Metric Fellow and certified personal trainer
7
The Smith Machine
Getty Images
"The Smith machine does all of the balancing and stabilizing for you. Due to the single plane, unnatural and fixed motion, using the Smith machine does not allow you to recruit the smaller, surrounding, stabilizing muscles. This takes away the functionality of the exercises and you isolate large muscle groups. Go from squatting with a Smith machine to the motion in a real-life situation -- like lifting a heavy object off of the floor -- and you have the potential to seriously injure yourself.

[The] smooth balance and fixed motion can also make you believe you can lift more weight than you should be. Continue to use the Smith machine and you will get very strong in exactly one plane of motion, which would be great if there was only one plane of motion. Over time you can develop over-use injuries depending on which exercises you are doing with the Smith machine.

The takeaway: Learn proper form with free weights. Strive to be as symmetrical as possible to avoid injuries and build up to heavier weights safely and with the appropriate amount of time."

--Alison Peters, NYU Langone Medical Center exercise physiologist

August Is Move It Month!  An Initiative of Sports Bay of Plenty

Beginner Activities for All!  

Including Zumba, Heart Health, Pilates, Step Class, Kung fu, Balance Class, Tai Chi, Boot Camp, Capoeira, Box Fit.

Check out the full calendar for more details:  www.sportbop.co.nz/playinthebay

Contact your local Sport BOP office for more information - Tauranga 07 578 0016

Since breathing can be a conscious movement as well as an unconscious one, we can use conscious breathing as a powerful tool to create a new way of being.

The primary focus of YogAlign is to use conscious breathing to "breathe your way" into natural, neutral alignment.  

Michaelle Edwards, YogAlign

"Sensing the breathing process as it happens allows us to become deeply attuned to our breathing at the core level, and awakens us to the inner dynamics of our being.

This most essential movement of the body can create deep healing experiences in our physical & emotional bodies.

By tuning ourselves to our body & its breathing process, we can experience heightened awareness, & enter into the deepest of meditations." YogAlign

"Tensions are our guests; we have invited them. Relaxation is our nature, we don't have to invite it. You don't have to relax; you have to just stop inviting tensions, & relaxation will start on its own accord. In your very being, in every fiber, in every cell of your being there will be relaxation. This relaxation is the beginning of meditation." Osho

Try adding fresh ginger &/or apple as a nice variation ...

This drink is simple to make, provides an alkaline reaction in the body, and helps reduce inflammation. It's a perfect drink to add to your detox routine, especially because there are a host of health benefits that come with it!

Anti-Inflammatory Lemon-Turmeric Tonic

Serves 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. of turmeric, or thumb-sized portion of freshly grated turmeric
pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp. coconut nectar, or maple syrup
Directions

Pour water into a tall glass

Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir. Drink immediately.

The word pranayama consists of two parts: prana & ayama. Ayama means "stretch" or "extend", & describes the action of pranayama. Prana refers to "that which is infinitely everywhere."

With reference to us humans prana can be described as something that flows continuously from somewhere inside us, filling us & keeping us alive: it is vitality. In this image the prana streams out from the centre through the whole body.

We may suffer from physical ailments when prana is lacking in the body. On the other hand, the more peaceful & well-balanced we are, the less our prana is dipersed outside the body.

Because we can influence prana through the flow of our breath, the quality of our breath influences our state of mind & vice versa. In yoga we are trying to make use of these connections so that prana concentrates & can freely flow within us.

Whatever happens in the mind influences the breath, the breath becomes quicker when we are excited, & deeper & quieter when we relax.

In order to influence our prana we must be able to influence the mind. Our actions often disturb the mind, causing prana to exude from the body.

Through daily pranayama practice we reverse this process, as a change in the breathing pattern influences the mind.

The idea that yogis are people who carry all their prana within their body therefore means they are their own masters.

The link between mind & breath is most significant. The Yoga Sutra says that when we practice pranayama the veil is gradually drawn away from the mind & there is growing clarity.

It is also possible to listen to the breath, especially if you make a slight noise by gently contracting the vocal chords, a pranayama technique known as Ujjayi.

When we follow the breath, the mind will be drawn into the activities of the breath. In this way pranayama prepares us for the stillness of meditation.

Of course, our state of mind does not alter with every in-breath or out-breath; change occurs over a long period of time. If we are practicing pranayama & notice a change of mind, then prana has long before entered the body.

Changes of mind can be observed primarily in our relationships with other people. Relationships are the real test of whether we actually understand ourselves better.

It is the power of prana that can free the mind from blocks & thereby lead us to greater clarity. 

The out breath fulfills this function: it releases what is superfluous & removes what would other wise become blocks to the free flow of parna within.

Extracts from "The Heart of Yoga - Developing a Personal Practice" by TKV Desikachar

A consistent practice of deep breathing can balance, align, elongate, & tone your body. Deep breathing can correct poor posture, align the spine - our body's shock-absorbing mechanism - & eliminate pain & muscle tension.

Deep breathing can jump-start our metabolism, massage our organs & help us develop endurance.

Breathing is an exercise that is at the centre of all actions in which we engage. It is the most fundamental of our movements, bringing in oxygen & removing wastes from our body.

It is the most frequent movement that we make, & it determines our structural alignment, directs our nervous system responses, & defines our emotional wellbeing.

In YogAlign, learning to breathe from our core - using our primary breathing muscles, & balancing the muscles of respiration to free the rib cage - is the most important skill we can learn.

For optimal health & fitness, we can learn to breathe effortlessly with depth, power, & fluidity. Weakened & constricted breathing muscles prevent us from being able to function in a relaxed, efficient manner, affecting the entire body from the inside out.

Organisers have spent the last year perfecting on 2013's inaugural event & have come up with a delicious event boasting more than 160 displays!

The finest food & refreshments from throughout New Zealand.

Next weekend 28 & 29 June at ASB Baypark Arena, Mount Maunganui

Doors open @ 10am until 5pm

Adults only $10, 13 years & under $5

8. Know Your Body's Authentic Needs.

Our body performs thousands of tasks everyday without us having to consciously think about them. When we walk across the room, we don't have to think about how our body will do it, because our body has a "mind" of its own. Even while we are asleep, our cells are working, our heart beats & breathing happens without any work from our conscious mind.

Our body is a gift on loan from the Earth, working 24/7 to keep all systems & organs in-sync & on-task.  To connect to the present & to feel the flow of life, we need to take good care of our body, so that we can concentrate on the joy of the journey instead of our aches, pains & problems.

Many health issues are caused by poor alignment, diet, attitude, & lack of exercise.  We have the innate ability to be our own healer by taking personal responsibility to care for & love ourselves on all levels.  This means avoiding drugs, alcohol, & smoking - even violent movies - & giving our body healthy food, adequate sunlight, rest, & sufficient exercise.  

Cultivating a deep care for ourselves, as fierce & tender as one would care for anything having the greatest value, will assure us a longer & smoother ride on this great planet Earth.

Okareka Dance Company

An all female contemporary dance performance, Mana Wahine explores the essence of strength, power, integrity & beauty within women - a commanding work that will uplift the spiritual power & status of "the woman" within all of us.

Baycourt Community & Arts Centre

38 Durham Street, Tauranga

Tuesday 29 July 7.30pm

Adults $30 Student ID $25 telephone: 0800ticketek

'Run For Your Wife'

by Ray Cooney & directed by Denis Smith

Playing at the local 16th Avenue Repertory Theatre in Tauranga

June 4th - 21st

The Good Fairy "Sale & Release' Party

7-10pm friday 30th may @ may street scout hall

13 may street, mount maunganui

Please bring all your unwanted clothes on a hanger, bags, shoes, hats, jewels … all labelled with your name & a price by 7pm.  

Unsold items can be taken home when you go or left to be donated to Dress4Success.

Please tell all your women and teen friends & family.  $10 per person to cover costs.

Good wishes from the Good Fairy Carolyn O'Neill.

7. Practice Presence & Awareness in the Now.

By being present with the body, and focusing on the breath, one comes to a state of yoga (union) with in the body, mind, & spirit. When our body is naturally aligned & the nervous system is in a relaxed state, we are more able to live in present awareness, beyond the trappings of the mind and ego. Learning to move & breathe from the center of our body & to practice full body awareness helps release us from our mind's dominance, which controls much of our experience of life.  This mind dominance keeps many of us in a state of fear about the future & regret about the past. In these negative mental states, our body reflects the condition out our mind, & aging, depression, & disease begin to manifest on the physical level.

When our body feels light & comfortable, our natural state of joy emerges & we are able to reside in the present moment where life happens. Creativity & intuition can naturally flow as we connect to the inner force or source that guides all life.

By paying attention to how our body feels, we become more aware of who we are, & can access our deepest inner feelings without the normal layers of tension & fear which hold us in darkness. When we become more natural in our alignment & our feelings, our inner radiance can shine forth & we can live in the eternal present where life happens.

6. Learn Self-Massage & Sensory Body Awareness.

YogAlign asks us to make deposits in the self-love bank account. Effective self-massage is the tool for bringing blood flow, oxygen, relaxation, and sensory awareness to our soft tissue & organs.

In YogAlign we use self-massage to open the fascia that can be palpated from the outside, and we combine this with core breathing to open the fascia from the inside.  The importance of practicing daily self-massage cannot be overemphasized.

YogAlign teaches lomi-lomi, a form of Hawaiian self-massage that is performed all over the body in each YogAlign session. Self-massage brings awareness into the voluntary cortex of the brain & out of the sub cortex, or involuntary, system. Each lomi-lomi session is an opportunity to become present in our body in the here & now. Self-massage not only invites self-love & healing, but also provides an important opportunity to understand our anatomy on an experiential level.

Happy Mothers Day & Congratulations Deb Hebden!  

You are the Winner of our fabulous retreat weekend at the Beachpod with your own YogAlign instruction and an indulgent afternoon of Decléor treatments at Mount Skin & Body.

Contact Leonie to book your accommodation & YogAlign instruction at the Beachpod on 0274 96 96 33 & ring the lovely girls at Mount Skin & Body next week on 575 0777 to arrange your treatments.

Thank you to all the beautiful women that entered & we wish you all a lovely day soaking up some love & sunshine with family & friends xxx

[caption id="attachment_570" align="alignleft" width="200"] Spread the Love this sunny Sunday xx[/caption]

An inspiring & all inclusive article - enjoy!

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13504/8-traits-of-people-who-reach-their-full-potential.html

5.  Free Your Fascia & Know Your Anatomy.

We need to understand the anatomy of our structure & how the entire body is connected in a web.  The smallest movement reverberates through our entire body. YogAlign shows us in an experiential way how our body is wired.  Since the body is a continuum, the anatomy exercises in YogAlign are based on whole-body awareness. What you can sense, you can start to consciously change.

Our fascia is a web-like tissue that surrounds & guides our muscle pathways, determines the quality of our movements, & even affects our immune & hormonal systems. The unique breathing exercises in YogAlign help us to feel & engage different muscle pathways that are guided by the fascia.  Fascia growth is determined by our repetitive movements & can become rigid or thickened when the body is misaligned & muscles are overworked.

Understanding anatomy of movement & learning how to optimize spinal curve mobility through breathing & muscle training are other essentials for a pain-free body. It is helpful to look at the anatomical drawings of the muscle connections & fascia pathways in our body. Once we have an outer map we can begin to practice body & sensory awareness from an inner perspective, sensing our fascia & the muscle pathways as we move about in daily life.