Hatching an autumn plan - Margate/London UK - July 2014

Autumn Yoga

Upcoming Yoga Workshops & Classes - Autumn 2014 - 2014 UK

• Hatha Yoga Workshop - S.London 
• Dealing with stress through yoga relaxation and breathing techniques - S.London
• 6 week beginners Hatha Yoga course - Margate Kent
• Ongoing 121/small group yoga sessions and workshops - SE England
• Massage & pamper parties - SE England

I'll confirm details soon! Watch this space. Just thought I'd give you the heads up!

Mounira x

Yoga Workshop in Nagoya Japan - April 2014

Howdy wellness warriors
I hope this finds you in very good health! 

Well since my last post (which feels like a very long time ago peeps) I feel like I have been around the world and back (and I have literally!). I have moved home (to a lovely house in Margate Kent by the sea which I absolutely LOVE – more about this another time) been to China Japan Australia AND taught yoga workshops in various places around the globe too. It has been busy productive and wonderful and it doesn't stop there! This blog post is dedicated to sharing my experiences of teaching yoga in Japan x

Yoga Massage in Childs Pose/Balasana

The workshop took place in the most wonderful studio on a brisk spring day in Japan - the blossoms were in bloom too - lucky us - they were super-magical. Most of my students didn’t speak English but thanks to my amazing friend Emi I did have the ability to translate a little between English Japanese and Sanskrit. One would think that this could be somewhat unwieldy but the class took its own nice smooth-groove flow!

Given the lack of common language the emphasis lay naturally upon using our intuition - experimenting with our non-verbal communication - on developing a more hands-on way of teaching for me - on building trust through touch. The experience highlighted our common human qualities and use of a universal language to counteract our often emphasised differences. There was a feeling of adventure of warmth of trust and of healing in the room! All those warm fuzzy feelings that make us feel centred and connected as human beings.

Savasana - Total Relaxation Pose

Positive Visualisation Practice in Savasana

I asked the class to imagine being surrounded by a bright white healing light. I asked them to imagine that their internal organs were floating in nourishing golden light one by one. Mmmmmm. I asked them to mentally prepare for the class by setting an intention for the days practice - yoga is meditation. They loved the peace within their busy-buzzy Japanese city!

Having a laugh and trying new moves! 

I LOVE the fact that we can have a laugh in class. Yoga is often so serious!

Sirsasana/Supported Headstand

Well done Bob! Up in supported Sirsasana for the first time ever. He'll be reaping the benefits from regularly performing this inverted posture.

Joy

 I love teaching and you can see it in my walloping-edam-smile!

Shoulder Stand - Queen of Yoga Postures

Warrior Pose

It was quite a brisk spring day in Nagoya Japan on the day of the yoga workshop so I decided to do lots of warrior poses to make us feel strong and create heat in the body.

Massaging in Childs Pose - Mmmmmmmm so good!

Me getting into the spirit of  awesome Japan!

Happy yoginis after the workshop!

Origami Swan - stunning!

One of my beautiful students gave me an origami swan to say thank you for the class - I was so touched!

My husband even joined in this time!

Jumping for Joy!

Jumping for Joy 2

Silly but why not!

I believe I can fly!

Anyway wellness warriors that's it from me for now. I have LOTS to do. As usual I have lots of exciting things in the pipeline. I'm working on my cosy-yoga-studio-massage-treatment-room-healing space in Margate Kent UK and I'm planning classes workshops and retreats in Dorset UK - S.France and around the UK over the next 4-6 months. I'm also busy researching and writing my next article for Connect holistic magazine. Check out my blog for details and please do share with friends and family.

I hope your yoga practice is going well. Just remember - a little every day is good! If you need any support with your home practice then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Lots of love

Mounira x

07811699335

Ps Massive thanks to Bob and Emi for all their help organising the yoga workshop in Japan. Big up to them  and much love. And to my husband Greg for all the fun we had together in such an amazing country!

Living the good life! How yogic philosophy can inspire us beyond the doors of our weekly yoga class! Melbourne Australia/March 2014

“Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.”

Amit Ray

Howdy wellness warriors; how are you all? This blog post is dedicated to yogic philosophy and how it can inspire us in day to day life. Many people go to their weekly yoga class where the focus is very much on yoga postures (asana); yoga means so many things to so many people and that’s wonderful. It’s what makes life truly interesting!

However recently for reasons that I will indeed explain wellness warriors I have been led back to basics – back to the source and essence of yoga philosophy. I have been taken back to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and the eight limbs of yoga; ancient Indian texts written in approximately 200AD in Sanskrit outlining the yogic way of life. These eight limbs as they are often called act as guidelines on how to live a balanced and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline and help us to acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature.

Yoga for me is a way of life; trying to better myself from the inside out and accepting change. It means working on being strong kind and compassionate in the face of adversity and connecting with the universal consciousness. Sometimes I forget these principles and things fall a little out of balance. As we all know gargantuan chunks of chocolate cake (with a mind of their very own) just fly from the ethers and just land slap-bang in your mouth and before you know it you have swallowed them (and more) and the ever-so-delicate body balance has tipped! Or the slightly-ego-driven-over-zealous-up-for-it will to do that handstand in yoga class has taken over and you push-push-push to get there; and before you know it you can feel your trapizius muscle elongate (but not in a good way – eeek - crash) because you are too busy watching the teacher watching you in the mirror and you lose your balance! Or what I call the ‘empty-asana-syndrome’ – where you achieve the posture but forget to breathe (pranyama) and end up hyper-ventilating. And after all it’s the breath that gives the posture its life (prana) vitality and meaning; it’s personality if you get my drift!

On a more serious note and the reason why I have recently returned to Patanjali’s sutras is because I have been suffering the symptoms of a hiatus hernia which has limited my ability to perform a great number of yoga postures. It has also has given me a great deal of pain and digestive discomfort – oh the joys of getting older! Anyway coming to terms with this has been a bit of a journey to say the least wellness warriors but a re-visit to the eight limbs of yoga has been a real inspiration for me; like a visit from the wise old sage that Patanjali was. A reminder that yoga is indeed a way of life and not just a set of postures (asanas).

This journey has reminded me about the impermanence of the physical world; it has been another draw towards the internal ‘spiritual’ world (Niyama). It has helped me to further deepen my understanding and compassion for the old sick and vulnerable (Yama). It has brought me back to meditation (Dharana). And it has also helped me to focus on being more disciplined with my diet (Niyama) and to heal pain/imbalance using my breath (Pranyama & Asana)

It has also helped me to tune into my body and focus on the idea that if I rest/surrender/tune-in my body will know how to heal itself. This belief is very important wellness warriors! I now have a deeper more rounded yoga practice.

So wellness warriors there we have it! Let us embrace and remember (in brief) the ancient yogic wisdom of Patanjali in eight easy steps.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

One – Yama – Universal Morality

-Non-violence and compassion for all living things
-Truthfulness 
-Not stealing 
-Continence (not being controlled by the senses)
-Neutralising the desire to acquire and hoard wealth

Yamas are universal practices that relate best to what we know as the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Two – Niyama – Personal Observances

-Purity (inner and outer)
-Contentment/acceptance of life
-Disciplined use of our energies
-Self study reflection and examination
-Surrender and celebration of the life force

Making a habit of taking contemplative walks alone for self reflection is an example of niyama in practice.

Three – Asana – Body Postures

Asanas are the postures practiced in yoga and are the most common form of yoga to be practiced in the western world.

Four – Pranayama – Breath Control

As implied by the literal translation of pranayama, "life force extension," yogis believe that it not only rejuvenates the body but actually extends life itself.

Five – Pratyahara – Control of the Senses

It is during this stage that we make the conscious effort to draw our awareness away from outside stimuli. The practice of pratyahara provides us with an opportunity to step back and take a look at ourselves.

Six – Dharana – Cultivating Inner Perceptual Awareness

Through the practice of Dharana we learn how to slow down the thinking process by concentrating on a single mental object such as a mantra. This prepares us for deep meditation.

Seven – Dhyana – Devotion and Meditation

Meditation or contemplation is the uninterrupted flow of concentration. At this stage, the mind has been quieted so that we can try to achieve Samadhi.

Eight – Samadhi – Union with the Divine

At this stage, the meditator transcends the Self altogether. The meditator comes to realize a profound connection to the Divine.

Well there we go wellness warriors; a brief salute to the wonderful ancient yoga sutras of Patanajali – I hope that it has inspired you to find out more about yogic philosophy and perhaps take the concept of yoga beyond the doors of your weekly yoga class; and catapult it into the epicentre of life itself - which is how it should be! After all yoga means ‘to join’ in Sanskrit; to join the individual consciousness with universal consciousness – it’s big stuff people!

Look out for my next blog post about my yoga workshop and experience in amazing Japan. How exciting!

Peace

Mounira x

A picture tells a thousand words - Australia / February 2014

Howdy wellness warriors,

How are you all? I hope that February has been great for you so far! Well I have been busy-busy in such a great way! I thought I’d dedicate this blog post to filling you in on my news and sharing some great experiences I have had doing yoga with some wonderful people..............in pictures and not words - just because! 

Daintree Yoga Retreat 1 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 1 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 1 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 2 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 2 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 2 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 2 - February 2014/Australia

Daintree Yoga Retreat 2 - February 2014/Australia

Townsville Yoga Workshop - January 2014/Australia

Townsville Yoga Workshop - January 2014/Australia

Palm Cove Yoga Practice - January 2014/Australia

Time to relax! Palm Cove - January 2014/Australia

Daintree Rainforest Yoga Practice - February 2014/Australia 

Daintree Yoga Retreat 1 - Yummy organic tropical fruit and banana pancake breakfast - February 2014/Australia 

My published yoga, health & wellness article 'In Praise of Slowness' in the January edition of Connect magazine! It's about slowing down and taking it easy wellness warriors! I'll upload a copy to the blog soon! 

ALSO

Check out a fun little video I made HERE - Yoga fun on the beach! 

I now have a Youtube channel so please do subscribe for the latest FREE online yoga videos click HERE to subscribe! It means that you can do yoga in the comfort of your own home with some guidance from me. And click HERE for a demonstration of the Sun Salutation just in case you need reminding! 

I'm really excited about my upcoming yoga workshops in Melbourne, Australia and Nagoya, Japan in March 2014 - Booking NOW! 

Yoga Blossom Geisha's in Japan in March 2014

So wellness warriors. Keep up the good work and keep in touch!

Peace Mounira x

How to transform your home into a yoga retreat in 7 easy steps! Daintree Rainforest/February 2014

SHRINE

Hello wellness warriors. Well the new year and its flurry of resolutions have no doubt tailed off a little so I’m guessing now is a good time to lift the bar once again and remind you (gently and softly of course) to stay on track with healthy & balanced living!

I have been very excited about writing this article because I LOVE doing my own mini yoga/wellness retreats at home; they make me feel so good. For the little bit of effort and organisation required the benefits are so great. What could be better; carving your time and space, creating rituals and shrines and off you go into a wonderful state of peace, learning, bliss and relaxation in 7 easy steps!

Why do your own mini-home-yoga-retreat? Well here are many reasons.....

Whilst researching the subject of personal retreats and silence, I came across Sara Maitland who is the author of an amazing book ‘A Book of Silence’. Click HERE for details.  Over the past five years, she has spent periods of silence and retreat on her own in the Sinai desert, the Australian bush, and a remote cottage on the Isle of Skye. Her memoir of these experiences is interwoven with the history of silence through fairy-tale and myth, Western and Eastern religious traditions, the Enlightenment and psychoanalysis, up to the ambivalence towards silence in contemporary society. Sara states,

 “I became less driven more reflective and a great deal less frenetic. And into that space followed silence: I would go out into the garden at night or in the early morning and just look and listen; there were starts, weather, seasons, growth and repetition. For the first time in my life I noticed the graduation of colours before sunrise – from indigo through apricot to a lapidary blueness.”

I too have experienced some interesting revelations about myself and the world during times of retreat – it’s so important for us to take stock of ourselves every now and again. It’s as if the world goes from black and white into colour and layers upon layers of life are revealed to you, manifesting a more rounded and deeper life experience. Suddenly out of the silence pops a solution to a problem I have been pondering, or a brilliant creative idea; because I have created the space for this to happen. Sara Maitland goes onto say:

“In our noise obsessed culture it is very easy to forget just how many of the major physical forces on which we depend are silent – gravity, electricity, light, tides, the unseen and unheard spinning of the whole cosmos. Organic growth is silent too”.

This brings me neatly onto the subject of Mindfulness. I was recently reading a very interesting article about this topic in Time magazine (February 2014 edition); yes it seems that ‘new age’ concepts such as meditation/yoga are making it into the mainstream and despite them being ‘repackaged’ with oodles of scientific empiricism to appease the masses I’m so very pleased that it has.

Mindfulness programmes are being taken up all over the world but particularly by high level executives and IT specialists currently. Mindfulness techniques (which is a meditation technique similar to that of yogic meditation) according-to-scientific-study (I sound like them!) help to make our minds more focussed and elastic! What a fantastical idea I hear you say wellness warriors! And it is. We should all want more elastic minds; the ability to change the way that we think and adapt to new ideas; to literally rewire the brain, be more creative, think outside the box, be more efficient, increase memory capacity etc etc -  neuroscientists call it functional connectivity don’t you know. Buddhist Monks nuns or yogis in the Himalayas who have clocked up more retreat and meditation hours than we have had hot dinners come top of the class when it comes to having elastic minds and good for them!

Yoga and meditation have also been found to lower cortisol levels (which is the stress hormone), and lower blood pressure too. My blood pressure has gone down-down-down since I have been meditating daily - yippee!

Enough said wellness warriors; I think I have made my point. And I think it’s time we got onto the practical business of how to set it all up!  

How to transform your home into a yoga retreat in 7 easy steps!

ONE - Carve your Space

Find somewhere quiet, warm and light in your home with a good supply of fresh air. Choose somewhere that is close to nature perhaps.

Make your shrine/meditation space. You can use anything! Just create a focal point – the process of doing this creates a ritual commitment to the task. Above is a shrine that my husband and I have made on a beach in Australia – the red heart shaped stone and shells etc are placed in a wee hole in a tree by the beach – it’s beautiful. It’s been there for years and it’s our special place.

Adorn your space with cushions/yoga mats/some candles/incense etc – whatever makes you feel calm relaxed and at ease; whatever makes you feel like ‘getting-your-Om-on’ (couldn’t resist that one)!

TWO - Carve your Time

Make a loose schedule for your retreat time; what you will do and when.

Switch off the phone & wifi. Clear the clutter. 

Let your friends, family and partner know that you are unavailable for the next few hours/days/weeks/months!  

THREE - Eat Well

Fill your fridge with fresh fruit and vegetables. Avoid anything processed or packaged. Avoid dairy alcohol sugar caffeine meat gluten/wheat based food.

Enjoy creating and eating healthy salads healing soups tasty vegetarian dishes and fresh juices.

Stay hydrated. Drink filtered water and nothing else (apart from home made juices and herbal tea).

For a more detailed healthy eating plan please do contact me. Click HERE.

FOUR – Detoxification of Mind and Body

Use natural alternatives to chemical-laden beauty and home cleaning products.

Do not smoke drink or take drugs.

Have an Epsom salt bath every other night for a week. Put 200-300g of Epsom salts in a bath and then sink your whole body into the water for 20 lovely minutes. You should perspire between your brows.

Drink lots of water and home juice; lemon beetroot ginger celery apple and carrot is great for detoxification and delicious too!

FIVE - Meditate

Meditate.

Make positive affirmations & mantras.

Be silent.

Perform gentle yoga postures and yoga nidra deep relaxation.

Be by yourself – dig your own flow without any pressures or expectations from outside.

Sleep and rest.

SIX – Visualise

Visualise your dreams into being – what you focus on will materialise so sit and imagine in full colour exactly what it is that you want in your life. 

Visualise your whole body being surrounded by white healing light.

Write your thoughts down without judgement – let go of anything that does not serve you well.

SEVEN – Repeat

Repeat all of the above a few times a year

I do my own mini-home-retreat regularly and am currently doing it in the Daintree rainforest Australia for 5 weeks. I always feel lighter brighter and clearer for it. So give it a go wellness warriors! I’d love to hear about your experiences so please do share!

Love Mounira

For tailor made home-retreat yoga meditation visualisation healthy eating and detox packages please do contact me. I can work face to face (depending on my location!) or remotely online. My details: Click HERE and contact me!

Happy New Year! - Cairns Australia / January 2014

The queens speech 2013 promoted quiet contemplation balance and spiritual reflection

Happy New Year Wellness Warriors!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you well for 2014. May it bring peace and love to one and all.

I have been very excited of late - I feel great things in the air - energy shifting. The queen sounding very 'cosmic' and right-on in her speech on Christmas day (I have never really considered myself a royalist but I loved some of the queens speech this year)- talk of Transcendental Meditation on the mainstream news here in Australia today (click HERE for more information about this - I meditate twice a day and it has changed my life!)- a general push in all domains towards healthier eating/lifestyle  - having some tear jerking feedback from my last post about slowing down - seeing my students eyes glowing and sparkling after a yoga class = magic moment - looking up at the sky and knowing that all is well.

Big love to you all

Mounira x

Ps Look out for my next blog post which will be about creating your own little health retreat at home! I'll be giving lots of hot tips on how to detox safely through yoga and a health retreat plan that you can do at home so watch this space.

In Praise of Slowness - Cairns Australia / December 2013

A beautifully relaxed summer yoga class with my fantastic students learning sarvangasana. December 2013 Australia.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed” Gandhi

Howdy Wellness Warriors!

Time-sickness is common ailment in today’s society especially at this time of the year when it's so easy to get swept away with Christmas-mania. We are constantly ‘catching up’ with people and squeezing in as much activity into what little time we perceive we have ready for the ONE BIG DAY (?!) Don't get me wrong I love a bit of Christmas cheer but we do need to keep a reign on it all! So I thought I'd give you all a little reminder to SLOW DOWN and ENJOY...........mmmmmmm.

We sometimes gloat about how fast we can go on CVs for job interviews and how much we can get done; describing ourselves as ‘able-to-adapt-to-fast-paced-working-environments’ or ‘highly dynamic’. There is  however a gnawing disconnect between what we want and what we can realistically have; which feeds the statement ‘there just aren't enough hours in the day’. Many of us are chasing our tails constantly in a frenzy of dynamic activity - Yes you know who you are ;-) 

Our relationship with time is breathless – literally; shallow breathing is synonymous with time-sickness anxiety panic attacks stress and disconnection. Our breath connects our inner and outer life and helps us to feel “whole’. I’m guessing by the simple fact that you are still reading this article that you know what this breathless frenzy feels like; low level adrenaline running constantly and an inability to take a deep breath which feeds us with life and prana!

So what can we do about it? Join the slow revolution perhaps? Fear not wellness warriors! There is an official revolution happening – there really is! It’s called the Slow Movement; the slow revolution that has its origins in Italy; home of long lush siestas wonderful drawn out lunches and endless discussions about parmigiano gelato and spatzle – oh and of course and romance!  What could be more satisfying? Check it out here. And before you start to worry - the slow movement isn’t inhabited by luddites who want to escape the modern world, live in cave and forage for nuts and seeds for the rest of their lives either. It’s about normal folk like you and I wanting some balance and quality in life god damn it!

In my opinion slow is beautiful - fast can be beautiful too though (I know what you are thinking and rightly so my friends) – speed can be ecstatic in fact – riding a fast car, buzzing on the awesomeness of a great big city; but just not all the time! We need ‘time-variety’ and the slow movement is all about balance and that's why us yogi's love it!

On a more serious yogic and cosmic note there is the theory that speed = escape. Escape and distraction from our own mortality, pain, death, desolation, loneliness; the fear and harsh reality that we only have limited time on this beautiful planet with our dear ones. And the idea that spiritual (whatever that means to you) development/mother nature has its own, often ‘slow’ pace. We cannot accelerate enlightenment however much we try; enlightenment and connection to the life force often (but not always) happens when we are slow still and quiet – in meditation or prayer. The Quakers go silent, the Buddhists retreat into silence, Sundays were traditionally the day to slow down, be quiet and reflect etc etc. And of course yoga practice can help us to do the same.

I had a very busy life in London (until recently); working long hours - long commute etc. To counteract this I meditate twice a day, eat really slowly (chew my food properly) and try to make an effort to be conscious in everything I do. I try to slow down and connect with the people giving them my full attention. I try to do one thing at time (‘The Myth of Multi- Tasking’ will be a future blog post to look out for) in a calm and relaxed way – soaking up all the sensations that the task requires whether it be eating, cooking,  making love, talking daydreaming etc. And like a child I try to do things in an unhurried way with a sense of wonder. I relax as much as I can and have lots of down time. Doing ‘nothing’ is SO under rated – it’s the time of dreaming, imagination and allowing the subconscious to play; this is what feeds our soul and I can’t emphasise this enough. I try to go with my own rhythms as much a possible........oooooooo.......bliss.

.

How to slow down

• Make your mantra - ‘I have all the time I need and I am moving forward’ Say it act it out believe in it and it will begin to happen; you will begin to feel it!

• Breathe – Pranyama (Sanskrit) in yoga is all about increasing or elongating the prana which is the life force by using the breath. Try alternate nostril breathing. (Contact me if you wish to learn this breathing technique and others. They really work – I’m offering FREE online or face to face 121 yoga sessions!) Or simply just lie down in savasana and breathe deeply focussing on the breath for 10-20 minutes a day.

• Yoga poses/asanas – There are many yoga poses that induce relaxation. Please click here.

• Go at your own pace – Try this. It is an opportunity to see what moves you literally. Sit still and don’t move until something (an activity that you feel like doing) literally MOVES you! It’s all about getting to know yourself and your own flow. When you feel moved and that one activity has come to its natural end then move gently organically onto the next without any time restraints – find your own speed/flow! Set aside some time for this; go into your zone and be fully conscious.

• Learn to say no - Learn to say no set your boundaries and give yourself the time you need. Especially at this time of the year when there can be so many family demands. 

So all the best wellness warriors - have a wonderfully relaxed Christmas. I hope these tips help to remind you all of what you already know but have perhaps forgotten to practice lately! Take it easy - take it slow and look after yourself! Keep in touch.

Mounira x

To help you slow down why not attend The Daintree Yoga Retreat February 8^th-9^th 2014 Queensland Australia. For all details please click HERE.

If you wish to learn yoga meditation relaxation visualisation and breathing techniques then do contact me. I’m offering FREE introductory 121 sessions online or face to face.

mouniraalmenoar@hotmail.com

07811 699 335 UK mobile

0432 432 801 Australian mobile