August - Time for you - this is your month

The ingrained body clock of the school calendar has always felt like August is a much anticipated golden month of REST!!!  With schools out and businesses quieter this month offers more flexibility and rest from the general day in day out grind!!! 

For many of us as employees, fathers, mothers, teachers, partners, carers and mangers we naturally lose ourselves in order to support others.   This month is particularly good to look at how you can create better changes to support yourself and understand more about your needs.  If you are not clear about what you want someone else’s strong focus might take over and you find yourself swept up in something that isn’t yours.

You can only truly start nurturing yourself once you begin to recognise and focus on your personal needs.

Giving yourself this well deserved attention can take discipline.  It’s not always the easiest job.  Give yourself compassion and don’t look for perfection.

To assist with creating some focus and discipline there’s a couple of simple techniques that can help you to recognize your personal needs and how you can manifest them.

Simple Techniques

• A meditation practices for just a few minutes daily a perfect exercise for those of us who have difficulty focusing (which is probably most of us).  Focus is like a muscle that needs to be toned and strengthened so that when you need it, you know it will deliver for you. Sit quietly and focus on the inhale and exhale of your breath.
• Create a mood board - This can aid to focus, visualize and manifest your heart’s desires.  Mood boards can be created through drawings, collages (magazine cutting and photos) or even through pintrest.
• Start a journal - Even if its just one line a day

We'll ne running an Autumn health and Kundalini Yoga Retreat on Nurturing Yourself, Bergerac, France, (9th -12th October) - link below, i hope you'll be able to join us 

Nurture Yourself Health and Kundalini Yoga Autumn Retreat, Bergerac France (9th-12th October)

Have a wonderful week ahead

Sat Nam

Martha's Spring Clean Advice

Spring Clean

As most of you know, I am 5 months pregnant so moving into January has been a different approach for me this year.  Normally I would throw myself into a 40 day 'Mono Diet' or eagerly start the 'Green Diet' to facilitate a new year 'reset' on both a physical and emotional level. But, alas, this year I can not do any of these deep body cleanses right now, so I have had to find other inspirations to kick start my new year's regime. I have found comfort in cleaning my life!  House work, sorting through cupboards, going through all my cloths.... exciting as this may sound, its has been hugely satisfying.  I have an ongoing list of things that I never get around to doing... you know the one..... sorting out the old box of photos, mending that broken object that you love so much instead of throwing it away. Reorganising your computer, selling a load of stuff on ebay.  Well,  I have finally done some of these things! Wahe Guru! and I'm very proud of my achievements. 

It has reminded me, however, of many Januaries where I have been on a deep cleanse.  Hard as I may find these eating regimes at the time, it never ceases to amaze me how great I feel when I do them. Not to forget other peoples fascination with ' what I can't eat!' when I am on them!  So for those of you who are interested in trying one out I  can throughly recommend it.  Obviously 40 days is quite a long time to commit, but why not start off with a few days or a week instead? You will still get many benefits from this.  Often we find many reasons that we 'can't do' something.  The speed of our old friend the negative mind kicks in.....  "a big party..... a trip away..... a loved one's birthday.... " etc.  Whatever your reasons, I can honestly say that I have been through all the scenarios on a fast of some sort and it has in no way diminished the enjoyment I get from attending the event.  It sure is a great conversation starter as I reach into my bag and pull out some tupperware holding my dinner for the evening!  The satisfaction you feel once you have completed it, however long your program, you set a goal and you reached it.  Nothing can buy that feeling. 

This can been the start of a spring clean that we can all do however big or small. We clear the ground for new inspiration, new energy and eventually new life to come your way. It will always be a prosperous way to start the year.

Sat nam, 

Marthax

Warm your cockles with some yogi tea this christams

Yogi Tea

1 Gallon Water
30 cloves
30 whole green cardamon pods
30 whole black peppercorns
1 lg finger of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
5 sticks cinnamon
1 teabag, Black Tea
*Milk and Honey to taste (*optional)

1. Bring water to boil.
2. Add all spices except black tea bag. Boil 30 -45 min. Longer is stronger.
3. Finally, add black tea bag and boil another 5 min. **The black tea is added last because it amalgamates the spices and sort of seals them. Also the tannins help assimilate the spices into the body.
4. If adding milk & honey, do so after adding the tea bag and letting it steep– OR BETTER add milk and honey to individual cup or a small batch. That way you can store the raw tea in the fridge and prepare with milk and honey as you go.
5. If you go cup by cup, you can leave the raw tea on the stove on the lowest flame to enjoy all day.

Frankie's festive feel fantastic food

Mushroom and Cashew Stir Fry

Mushrooms provide vitamin d, good for us whilst the sun is elsewhere, while cashews contain healthy oils which are good for your heart!

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 small leeks, white and pale green parts, sliced thin

2 cloves of garlic, mashed

Pepper
3 tablespoons groundnut oil
250g fresh mixed mushrooms
4 spring onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp soy sauce, or to taste
2 tsp rice vinegar, or to taste
1 packet of soba noodles
150g pea shoots

Coriander

A handful of toasted cashew nuts

Dash of sesame oil

Love the skin you're in - BODY BRUSHING LOVE

Love it pamper it – it’s only your largest organ!!!!

Why would you add anything else to your already busy morning routine? Let me assure you, the extra five minutes this takes is well worth the investment.

The investment 

• Shed dead skin cells - brighter skin.
• Increasing the circulation to the skin could possibly reduce the appearance of cellulite
• Improving vascular blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. By releasing toxins, it encourages the body’s discharge of metabolic wastes so the body is able to run more effectively.
• Muscle tones
• Helps your skin to absorb nutrients

The directions are pretty simple:

•                Start on dry skin before bathing. 

•                Work in gentle circular, upward motions, then longer, smoother strokes. 

•                Always begin at the ankles in upwards movements towards the heart - the lymphatic fluid flows through the body towards the heart, so it's important that you brush in the same direction.

•                Your back is the only exception to the preceding rule; brush from the neck down to the lower back.  

never brush over inflamed skin, sores, sun-burnt skin, or skin cancer.

•                Ensure you shower to wash away the dead skin cells and impurities. 

•                Tip: alternating temperatures in the shower from hot to cold will further invigorate the skin and stimulate blood circulation, bring more blood to the outer layers of the skin.  

Then follow it up with a slick moisturizer to nourish the skin 

ENJOY!!!!

Get ready, get steady & Boost your immune system

To boost your immune system and keep strong over this new Autumn period use the power of gentle exercise. Don’t let cooler temperatures stop you from moving your body!

Join us at Breath of Life Clinic for one of our yoga classes

http://breathoflifeclinic.co.uk/yoga-classes/

Eat food in season

Eat fresh seasonal foods and live in alignment with nature. 

Embrace the yummy foods that Autumn offers. Enjoy fresh pumpkins, parsnips, yams, winter squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, apples, pears, figs, elderberries and even cranberries!

Find the Farmers.  There’s many community sponsor farmers markets each week where farmers bring their seasonal haul to consumers. Farmers markets are a great way to see what local produce is available in your own community. You can find many stands promote organic fruits and vegetables. Farmers markets may also be the right place to get organic meats and dairy products fresh off the farm.

Check out these website to find your local market

http://www.localfoods.org.uk

http://www.local-farmers-markets.co.uk

http://www.lfm.org.uk