C A L M.

The current events have shocked the world, taken us by surprise and made us all realise we are not invincible, and just how much our actions and decision really do affect others.

As the panic sets in and chaos crashes through every nation like a bull in a china shop we are seeing a tidal wave of emotions flood our news streams and social media channels, it is very difficult to know how to feel anything but desperation, helplessness and anxiety. We are drowing in fear and being pulled out to sea with no land in sight.

This is why we need yoga now more than ever.

With the realisation that 2020 is going to be arguably the most difficult year anyone has experienced (for decades) with an enevitable devestating aftermath , we need to find some sort of calm.

Yoga is not just the class you attend and the poses you create, a yogic mindset is as about morals, courtesty and compassion. Living in a state of yoga means you live with conscious intent, you think of others and live in peace and harmony knowing that what you do impacts those around you and the environment you live in. Yoga is about nurturing the body, mind, soul, of yourself and others, and we all need a little bit of that right now.

At times like this coming together as a community and giving support is vital this is why we will be continuing our daily practices for those that still feel comfortable to do so and until we feel it necessary to close the doors to protect your health and safety. The studio has become a hub of relief, relaxation, release and refuge for all that practice there. It is a place of non judgment and an environment of connection. It is a very worrying time for everyone, the worry of ill health and the worry of job losses and lack of income are impending upon us all and it is totally out of our control. Lack of control for most of us is the most terrifying along with the unknown, we have both right now. But we are all in the same boat, that boat in the middle of that stormy ocean.

So we look at what we can control. We can control our actions; we can be kinder, more thoughful, more caring. We can control what we do - offering help to those that are less fortunate or more vulnerable than ourselves, and what we don't do - panic buying, stockpiling and continuing to visit public place when you feel unwell or there is a chance you could have come in contact with the virus. We can also control our thoughts; positivity spreads just as well as a deadly virus, spread that shit, that shit is GOOD. And we can control how we take care of ourselves; eating good nutritious foods, drinking lots of water, getting enough sleep, meditating and keeping up a form of exercise are all the best ways to stave off infection.

Yoga is a very healing practice, it wont keep you safe from catching covid-19 but it will help your mind stay clear as you go through the many though processes you will go through now. Yoga will help keep you mentally safe or at least help manage your mental health as well as your physical health. Giving time to yourself is very important ordinarily, but especially now as our heads are bombarded and minds are working overtime... even if we are not. Parents have become teachers homeschooling their kids which is a totally new experience and will be very daunting and overwhelming for so many, please take time out for yourself when you can, your family needs you.

We are here to help you breathe, be still and make some kind of sense of what is going on. If you need to chat our inbox is always open. If you would like to practice with us our door is still open. The more we can clear our minds and move our bodies the better we can cope with what is about to happen. Yoga won't make the problems go away but it can help you deal with them a lot better.

BENIFITS OF YOGA IN CRISIS:

Connecitng with the Now : Connecting with the present will make you solve crises and face problems with energy, being able to address the situation, accept it, take necessary actions with a clear intention and know that this is now and not forever. Living the here and now will reduce anxiety levels because you will not think about the past or the future.

Clarity and Peace through mindfulness and meditation: In times of crisis it will help you to see the problems with another perspective. When the situation is out of our control but we let the pressure consume us. A yoga and meditation practice invites time to breathe.

Calms the mind tto keep stress levels down: In times of crisis, negative thoughts invade the mind. Another main Yoga benefits in crisis time are that it will calm those negative thoughts because it will connect you with inner peace. When we are stressed and anxious our body produced cortisol and puts our body into 'fight or flight' mode - high cortisol is detremental to our health and wellbeing making us far more likely to get sick. Not a great thing during a virus pandemic.

Full body exercise: Practicing yoga in times of crisis will make you feel healthier and happier because it is a physical activity that activates the body, produced endorphins (the happy hormone). Full body exercise can help us dodge sickness; Improved circulation means that the blood pumps faster around our bodies keeping everything lubricated and working efficiantly, renewal of cells keeps our bodies younger and more ready to fight disease. Yoga plays a huge role in developing the respiratory system, we use our breath to move, and with Covid-19 being a respitory illness, learning to breath better and using more of our lung capacity is very important. Yoga also strengthens our muscles, increases mobility tto give us a feeling of freedom - something we could all do with feeling right now!

Sending lots of love to everyone, stay safe. stay well. stay sane. For just like the waves of the ocean, this will pass and the world needs you fit & healthy in body and mind when it does. <3

Please read our COVID-19 Policy