Yoga is an ancient Indian principle defining the method to live a healthy and content way of life. Yoga is not just about postures and exercise; it encompasses the lifestyle and state of mind of the people following it. You will find a myriad definitions for Yoga, so, I will not attempt to define Yoga here. What I want to talk about is how Yoga can influence and bring balance into your life.

As a brief overview, there are  six distinct schools/branches of Yoga: Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Tantra Yoga. The emphasis of each branch may vary, but each branch contains a set of structured asanas (postures), which are aimed at keeping your mind and body in balance. You can select any of these depending on your needs and the desired end result. For people who go deeper into Yogic practice, it means finding their path to inner peace. That is the ultimate purpose of Yoga.

I was introduced to Yoga by a friend of mine. The real reason I agreed to go with her, was because we both figured we’d give each other company and motivate each other to not miss the classes. Since I had never practiced or attended any Yoga classes, the first few classes were a little tough for me. With time and regular practice I got better and have been enjoying the benefits of Yoga.

Talking of the benefits-The combination of Yogic asanas and meditation has helped with my routine stress pains, from headaches to neck pains. I feel the increase in my flexibility, stamina and body strength. With practice I have been able to regulate my breathing and make full use of the oxygen, which has helped me clear my mind. Needless to say I have been able to handle stress and tension better. Making Yoga a routine part of my life has enabled me to maintain a fit body, controlled mind and lead a harmonious life.

I have made Yoga my way of life, are you ready to take that step? Don’t miss the opportunity to bask in the benefits offered by Yoga.

By,
Mary-Ann Roche

In the hustle bustle of our daily lives we seem to be constantly surrounded by Stress. It is like Stress has become a permanent feature of our lives. As we learn to accept it, we also have to learn to deal with it and not let stress take over our lives. In a lot of instances we may not realize how when we let our stresses take over we make ourselves vulnerable to a lot of physical and emotional ailments. These could be anything from chronic pains to lack of proper sleep, to emotional problems, like anxiety. Whatever the cause and effect of stress we need to realize that there are ways of reducing and handling stress. There are a variety of programs offering stress relief techniques and strategies. Here are a few that would help with Stress:
1) Breathing Exercises – Needless to say, Oxygen is the most essential necessity for our lives. When we are under stress we forget to breathe right, and restrict the benefits of oxygen flow in our body. Breathing Exercises enable the flow of oxygen through our entire body.
2) Regular Exercise/Yoga –Exercise and Yoga not only keeps your body in shape but also relax our mind and regulate blood circulation in our body. Being in constant stress blocks the circulation of blood to our brain, which in turn blocks our problem solving abilities. Good circulation of blood to the whole body and especially to the brain will put our mind at ease and in turn enhance our problem solving/handling ability.
3) Meditation – Stress puts a big strain on our mind. When the mind is not in control we cannot control our emotions either. Meditation is a very effective technique which aims at controlling the mind and relieving it of stress. A well controlled and balanced mind results in well controlled emotions.
4) Massage – Massage relaxes and releases the stiffness and aches in our body.
5) Food – There are certain foods that help with stress relief. There are a variety of Teas, especially Green Tea, which contain anti-oxidants and anti-toxins that help reduce stress.
6) Escape – Escape doesn’t necessarily imply escaping from the situation or problems. We don’t have to solve all our problems, and not all at the same time. Taking some time off from our routine and problems will give us thinking space, to organize our thoughts and actions. Something as simple as watching a favorite movie that makes us feel good, can give the much needed escape for the mind.
While dealing with our routine problems and stress we have to remember one very important thing; we cannot control what happens around us, but we can control how we react to the happenings around us. Keeping our mind and body in harmony and control empowers us to handle stress better enjoy all of life’s little joys.

By,
Mary-Ann Roche

“I feel so groggy because I couldn’t sleep last night”, said my friend at a team meeting.   I asked “Why?” 

“Oh this whole meeting and being among so many people makes me nervous. I cringe when I have to travel in a train or bus. I feel so self conscious, like everyone is watching and judging me. I even refused that wonderful job offer I got last month, because I had to take a train to get there. I am very uncomfortable when I am around people I hardly know. I have social anxiety.”

Social Anxiety:  My understanding of social anxiety is nervousness caused in certain social situations. Social anxiety is not fear of people, but fear while interacting in a group of people. To some people these situations may seem too trivial to fret about. But, to someone who actually goes through all this, it could mean sleepless nights and skipping meals.

Social anxiety can manifest itself in many forms and at different stages of people’s lives: From being anxious about attending a party you’ve been invited to, where you (think) don’t know anyone, or about a meeting at work to taking any mode of public transport, etc. The reason for this could be anything from shyness in personality to psychopathological disorder. Any personality issues causing social anxiety can be handled with some simple tips people can follow. Disorder sounds extreme, but there are people that fall under that spectrum and such extremes call for bigger help than simple tips.

Social anxiety becomes a concern when it impedes a person’s progress; like my friend who didn’t take the lucrative job offer, for fear of riding a train amiss a group of strangers.

While adding a disclaimer that overcoming social anxiety depends entirely on the person, here are some tips that might help a person overcome social anxiety:

1)    Sometimes a good pep talk from a friend can work wonders. Confront your fears by talking about them to your close confidant. Talking about how you feel may lighten your burden of carrying the fear bottled within you. 

2)    Rehearse your possible conversations or reactions in front of the mirror and confront your fears.  Talk about what you are afraid of and why. Say to yourself that you will overcome this and not be deterred by anyone or anything.

3)    Imagine yourself in that dreaded moment and extend your imagination with the image that you are actually fine in that situation. Kind of like the law of attraction. Positive outlook and attitude to situations yields positive results.

4)    Before the big day/moment practice some breathing exercises to relax your body and ease your mind.

5)    Learn to eliminate your social anxiety with a little known technique.

Take a deep breath and walk into the situation with confidence and the moment will be yours! You never who or what you will find in the awkwardest of moments!

By Mary-Ann Roche.

What is Guided Relaxation and why do I need it?

There are many forms of guided relaxation techniques available to each one of us and it’s simply a matter of find the method that best suits us.

How much do you really suffer stress?

Well maybe you don’t really think you suffer from stress but let’s see. Do you jump in your car or catch the train or the bus to get to work?  Or are you lucky enough to live around the corner from your workplace and you can simply stroll into work? If you are like most people the daily commute to work can often be a stress.  what if you are a Mum with litte ones at home, all needing your attention and you not getting enough sleep!  What about the stress of medical bills, or phone bills or electricity bills.  And what about the new stress of trying to find work in a world where things have become so difficult?

If you arent suffering any form of stress then to be honest I would really like to hear from you!  Let me know where you live, and I am moving there lol.

Learning to Relax

A lot of us actually find relaxing difficult, as we rarely give ourselves permission to just be.  Just to sit and listen to soft music, or lie on the couch for ten minutes  without interruption.  Close your eyes and allow your mind to wander and thoughts to come in and out. Can you actually just allow yourself this quiet time? If you try to do this every day after a while your mind and body will learn to relax.  Welcome to the world of guided relaxation!

Can you reduce stress?

Realizing and understanding your stress is the key. When you tap into what your stresses are, you can then find the resources you need to lead you to guided relaxation.  It’s generally not a one size fits all theory. Firstly before looking out its probably important to look within. Stilling yourself and finding peace within you comes first.

Another important factor in reducing stress is the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate.  Our world is so pressure filled and it sometimes feels that there aren’t enough hours in the day to catch up on rest and relaxation.  By pushing yourself too hard and solving problems and running around you are not allowing yourself enough time for the mind and body to relax.

External relaxation is often found in the form of yoga.  It is a self-teaching exercise and you learn to stretch your muscles and joints which helps in relieving overall tension.

There are so many great books and CD’s about yoga on the net.  Sounds True is a Company I can recommend and they are currently offering a discount on their yoga products:

There is also a form of yoga referred to as Nidra Yoga which is a form of yoga that allows you to melt away the tensions and pressures of everyday life while at the same time repairing and recharging your mind and body, leaving you refreshed and relaxed.

Finding material that guides you to relaxation:

To get the information  you need to get started on learning about relaxation, you can find a wealth of resources online. Books videos, mp3′s and courses – all there for you to choose from.  In fact you will find a great source of soothing relaxation music at music source.

If you know you are suffering stress, then don’t wait to do something about it!  Stress is a hidden danger, bad for your help and can kill you slowly if you don’t start eliminating it from your life. It can tend to take over and control your life in so many ways.

Begin by looking at the stress you are suffering, make a list of those things you would like to undertake in the form of guided relaxation and DO IT!

By

MaryAnn Roche.

So many people today talk about modern day stress and I cant argue with this as stress seems to be everywhere we look.

The stress of gaining income, providing for a family, getting to work everyday in peak hour traffic, the stress of studying at school, at University, the stress of being a young girl in a society where you are accepted if you are thin and pretty, the list of stress just goes on and on.

I was just talking to my daughter earlier today about stress and explaining to her that although this level of stress is everywhere, there is another stress that people tend to not acknowledge or not even be aware of.  I am referring to the stress we place on ourselves everyday.  It is almost what I call an internal stress that we place  upon ourselves which to me can often be worse than the external stress we all have to live with everyday.

The stress we place on ourselves in the workplace – is my work up to standard, am I working hard enough everyday, will I get a promotion, am I earning enough money. As a parent  we place enormous stress upon ourselves, are we a good parent, am I teaching my children the right thing, what if I get this parenting thing all wrong, and so it goes.

I think external stress is much easier to deal with if perhaps we can firstly relieve the pressure a little but reducing our internal stress.  One of the most effective ways to do this, in my opinion, is through meditation.

I am a firm believer in meditation and truly believe it calms and stills our mind, and brings our mind to rest.  Sure the external stress still goes on, but taking that twenty minutes or so out of our day, to quieten our mind and relax our body, helps us cope with those external pressures much easier.  It also allows us to know what external stress  is really worth worrying about.

I find that if we can just allow ourselves some quiet me time on a daily basis, to do just  a very simple uncomplicated meditation, our overall functioning is greatly improved. It helps us to be better partners, daughters, sons, parents and so on.

I genuinely believe we can quiet down our lives, or simplify our lives and eliminate stress for our daily existance.

By

MaryAnn Roche