Get Smoothie-licious

As a teacher who leaves home before sunrise, to get to her first class 5 mornings a week, needless to say, I have absolutely no time for breakfast as my tummy would still be in Savasana mode.


Coming home at 10am'ish means my tummy is still fired up from all that mula and uddyana work after teaching 2 sweaty classes, and I'm usually famished, but it also falls into that in-between time zone, where it's a tad too late for a hearty breakfast and too early for a proper lunch.


To balance my hunger pangs til lunch beckons, and to power me up with the right vitamins, I raided my veggie and fruit rack in the fridge and got creative with my blender.


Here are 3 of my favourite Yogi-On-The-Go smoothies :

Enter The Dragon Smoothie

Enter The Dragon Smoothie 
1 cup of red dragon fruit (peeled and cut into small pieces)
1 small banana (peeled and sliced)
1/4 cup of water
Blend until well-mixed

Berrylicious Smoothie

Berrylicious Smoothie
4 big strawberries, or berries of your choice (washed and sliced)
1 small banana (peel and sliced)
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp organic honey
Blend until well-mixed

Mango Mania Smoothie

If mangoes are in season, have a go at this yummy treat.


Mango Mania Smoothie
1 small, ripe mango (peel and sliced)
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
1/4 water
Blend until well-mixed


Rock icon, Mick Jagger turned 68 a few weeks ago, and attributed yoga and smoothies as part of his wellness regime.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-2959/Mick-Jagger-at-68-Yoga-Smoothies-Avocados.html

So if you're always on the go, maybe it's time to get smooth like Jagger, eh?
Happy blending.

Workshop : "Turn Your World Upside Down"

Change your perspective, and face your fear of going upside down in this 2.5 Hour Series 1 workshop on Inversions.


Whether it’s the basics of Shoulderstand, Sirsasana (Headstand), or a progression into more advanced Headstand Variations and Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance), I will be sharing with you, detailed alignment and techniques to build strength, balance and confidence in your inversion practice.


Details in the flyer below, or visit www.journeywithin.com.my


See you on 17 March, as we look at the world the other way up.

No Birthday Presents This Year... Just Your Presence

I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday this year.


If you have nothing else planned, do join me for a donation-based class at Journey Within Studio on Saturday, 25 February, 8am. I will be leading a Bhakti Flow class, a heart-opening practice that infuses devotion and gratitude to body, mind and breath. Dedicated to the less fortunate, this class is part of the "Yoga and Meditation for Others" Project, where all proceeds will be channeled to Yayasan Sin Chew and selected charities.


More information in the flyer below.  
See you on the mat soon. 
Namaste, Love and Light.

New Class : Gentle Flow Yoga

Rise and shine with me, as I take you through a Gentle Flow class on Wednesdays at Journey Within Studio.  Details below or at www.journeywithin.com.my.  See you on the mat real soon!

Challenge Pose : Eka Pada Bakasana

Eka Pada Bakasana (One Legged Crow or Crane Pose) is one of the challenge poses on my wish list. After about 6 months of consistent attempts to achieve some sort of stability in this posture, (and falling flat on my face and bruising my cheekbones numerous times), I was convinced this should probably be on my suicide wish list instead!

However, the fiery discipline of tapas (the third of the Niyamas) brought about inner awareness, patience and transformation to my practice of this asana, and one day, I found myself comfortably taking flight.

My advice for those attempting Eka Pada Bakasana, is to basically forget about venturing into this single legged flight plan, if you can't even hold Bakasana with stability and ease.  Remember, the purpose of yoga is sthira sukham asanam (the yoga posture should be steady and at ease).

Step 1 : Establish Your Flight Plan

Come to a squat, with the heels off the mat. Wiggle your inner knees high up onto your arms. The higher up your knees are, the better.  Look forward and lean your weight slowly into your arms, while pulling in your core strongly. Start to hug your arms and thighs big time towards the midline, as if you're trying to crush a coconut between your thighs.

Step 2 : Find Your Perch

Keeping the gaze forward, round your upper back, contract yourself into a tiny, little package, and come into Bakasana. It's important to contract the calf muscles, and pull the heels up and toward the buttocks.  Balance here for a few slow, steady breaths, without collapsing your weight onto your arms.

Step 3 : Test the Water

From Bakasana, draw the inner thighs and ankles toward the midline even more, and without leaning to one side, take a big inhale and slide the left knee off the left arm. Let the knee hover between your arms, but keep the thigh close to the chest with strong contraction still going on in the legs. Maintain a strong core and the rounding action of the upper back.

Step 4 : Take Off

When you've achieved stability in Step 3, exhale, and extend the left leg up and back into the full posture.  Rotate that left thigh in, to keep the hips leveled.  Feel the energetic expansion of your posture, as you send prana all the way to your extended leg.  Try to maintain the right knee as high up the arm as possible (as you can see, I'm still a work-in-progress). Keep the gaze forward and after a few steady breaths, set the leg down. Rest and attempt the second side when you're ready.

In your daily practice, trust that you can, and give it your all. Respect that your practice may not be the same from day to day.  

May your practice be a joyful one.

Love and light always.