Yoga Sidsel

09/05/2022

With a new bout of illness hitting here at home, this time the otherwise last man standing, i cancelled my official yoga plans of going to an Embodied Living Yoga at .

Luckily my latest book purchased arrived at the same time as my plans got cancelled. Thanks for the tip .nature.soul

So then i made a cup of green tea and brought said new book outside for some inspiration and energy boost.

And then those plans got thwarted by my toddler, who’s still home and wanted to play.

Eventually, we had a nap together.

And luckily, yoga pants are also good for napping in (we could call it a very deep, 1.5 hour savasana…)

And THAT is also a way to yoga a home…

04/05/2022

Letting a day of learning, and breathing, and learning about breathing, sink in.

Breathing nourishes our cells, calms the constant flow of thoughts, softens the belly so the body can function.

Something so natural, and it has become so disturbed for so many, most of us. Yet the power of the breath has the power to heal.

I’ve been privileged to have a number of truly great teachers over the years. And today was another of those teachers to the list, Michael Schjerling - BLOG 🙏🏼🙏🏼

So while I’ve probably heard most of what today was about, when something truly resonates, you can never learn enough. If you’re like me, there’s always a new question to be asked 😆 And it’s possible to pick up something new, and develop a greater understanding.

I can’t wait to incorporate more of this into my practice and my work.

03/05/2022

Did you know I also teach weekly outdoor postnatal workouts with Trilletræning Træning i naturen med barnevogn?

I incorporate elements from yoga, spinal mobility, functional movement, functional core and pelvic floor training, breath work, fresh air and the green environment around.

All the good things to help mamas feel good in their beautiful bodies, strong, stable, stretched out; refreshing the baby-brain, calming and clearing the mommy-mind.

Sometimes we also practice catching flying babies… (slide 3 😆) - called this the ice hockey goal keeper, think it would also work to catch a baby…

Come find me: Tuesdays in or sign up for the the upcoming 6 week “Energy-boost for mothers on maternity leave” starting on May 16 (aka Energigivende forløb for Mødre) integrating all things for boosting energy, in body, breath, mind and spirit.

15/04/2022

Skal du med?

15/04/2022

A mixed bag of movement and flow to mobilise and stabilise.

And today, Table Top truly became a table top. Theo decided my back was the perfect spot to play burger time. And apparently my leg was a spider leg 🤷‍♀️

Ever try pelvic floor/functional inner core training with a toddler on your back??

I started with some Juniper essential oil to connect with my breath. It feels so opening, softening, releasing. And combined it with a simple neck massage, as learned from .

Plus cuddling away some tears, and finishing with some lovely spinal tractioning - maybe these little humans can be trained to give personal yoga assists and adjustments?!

12/04/2022

It’s been a while.

A while since I posted a yoga vid.

A while since I’ve been here at my parents’ beautiful sanctuary amongst the trees.

A while since I rolled out a mat at home and practiced.

A while since I have done a home practice in my pjs.

A while since I practiced with the kids - on and around me.

Was talking to my eldest about ninjas, and the old wise masters in ninjago and kung fu panda. About what makes them wise. She could see that the masters were calm when they had to fight against the enemies.

And that’s why I love practicing with my kids climbing all over me. I get to practice staying calm. I feel a sense of joy, and king fu panda style “inner peace”.

They also act as resistance training, so I feel my muscles more, move more slowly, focus on stability.

01/04/2022

In my Sensing Within experience with yoga and essential oils, I include a practice I call “The Art of Hugging”.

Here’s a beautiful read about the many benefits of being held

~The Importance of Being Held.

The average length of a hug between two people is 3 seconds. But the researchers have discovered something fantastic. When a hug lasts 20 seconds, there is a therapeutic effect on the body and mind. The reason is that a sincere embrace produces a hormone called "oxytocin", also known as the love hormone. This substance has many benefits in our physical and mental health, helps us, among other things, to relax, to feel safe and calm our fears and anxiety. This wonderful tranquilizer is offered free of charge every time we have a person in our arms, who cradled a child, who cherish a dog or a cat, that we are dancing with our partner, the closer we get to someone or simply hold the Shoulders of a friend.
A famous quote by psychotherapist Virginia Satir goes, “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” Whether those exact numbers have been scientifically proven remains to be seen, but there is a great deal of scientific evidence related to the importance of hugs and physical contact. Here are some reasons why we should hug:

1. STIMULATES OXYTOCIN
Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter that acts on the limbic system, the brain’s emotional centre, promoting feelings of contentment, reducing anxiety and stress, and even making mammals monogamous. It is the hormone responsible for us all being here today. You see this little gem is released during childbirth, making our mothers forget about all of the excruciating pain they endured expelling us from their bodies and making them want to still love and spend time with us. New research from the University of California suggests that it has a similarly civilising effect on human males, making them more affectionate and better at forming relationships and social bonding. And it dramatically increased the libido and sexual performance of test subjects. When we hug someone, oxytocin is released into our bodies by our pituitary gland, lowering both our heart rates and our cortisol levels. Cortisol is the hormone responsible for stress, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

2. CULTIVATES PATIENCE
Connections are fostered when people take the time to appreciate and acknowledge one another. A hug is one of the easiest ways to show appreciation and acknowledgement of another person. The world is a busy, hustle-bustle place and we’re constantly rushing to the next task. By slowing down and taking a moment to offer sincere hugs throughout the day, we’re benefiting ourselves, others, and cultivating better patience within ourselves.

3. PREVENTS DISEASE
Affection also has a direct response on the reduction of stress which prevents many diseases. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine says it has carried out more than 100 studies into touch and found evidence of significant effects, including faster growth in premature babies, reduced pain, decreased autoimmune disease symptoms, lowered glucose levels in children with diabetes, and improved immune systems in people with cancer.

4. STIMULATES THYMUS GLAND
Hugs strengthen the immune system. The gentle pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the Solar Plexus Chakra. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body’s production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and disease free.

5. COMMUNICATION WITHOUT SAYING A WORD
Almost 70 percent of communication is nonverbal. The interpretation of body language can be based on a single gesture and hugging is an excellent method of expressing yourself nonverbally to another human being or animal. Not only can they feel the love and care in your embrace, but they can actually be receptive enough to pay it forward to others based on your initiative alone.

6. SELF-ESTEEM
Hugging boosts self-esteem, especially in children. The tactile sense is all-important in infants. A baby recognizes its parents initially by touch. From the time we’re born our family’s touch shows us that we’re loved and special. The associations of self-worth and tactile sensations from our early years are still imbedded in our nervous system as adults. The cuddles we received from our Mom and Dad while growing up remain imprinted at a cellular level, and hugs remind us at a somatic level of that. Hugs, therefore, connect us to our ability to self love.

7. STIMULATES DOPAMINE
Everything everyone does involves protecting and triggering dopamine flow. Low dopamine levels play a role in the neurodegenerative disease Parkinson’s as well as mood disorders such as depression. Dopamine is responsible for giving us that feel-good feeling, and it’s also responsible for motivation! Hugs stimulate brains to release dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Dopamine sensors are the areas that many stimulating drugs such as co***ne and methamphetamine target. The presence of a certain kinds of dopamine receptors are also associated with sensation-seeking.

8. STIMULATES SEROTONIN
Reaching out and hugging releases endorphins and serotonin into the blood vessels and the released endorphins and serotonin cause pleasure and negate pain and sadness and decrease the chances of getting heart problems, helps fight excess weight and prolongs life. Even the cuddling of pets has a soothing effect that reduces the stress levels. Hugging for an extended time lifts one’s serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.

9. PARASYMPATHETIC BALANCE
Hugs balance out the nervous system. The skin contains a network of tiny, egg-shaped pressure centres called Pacinian corpuscles that can sense touch and which are in contact with the brain through the vagus nerve. The galvanic skin response of someone receiving and giving a hug shows a change in skin conductance. The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system – parasympathetic.
Embrace, embrace with your heart.~

http://www.so-tango.com/.../thedanceofthesincerehugand9re...
art | Lucy Campbell

31/03/2022

I love playing with the lines, the shapes, the directions.

Exploring the sensations of strength, steadiness, and ease.

Being curious about what feels good for me.

26/03/2022

Ever listen to the same song, on repeat, all day?

(Maybe when you have small children you’re also familiar with this experience 😆)

“The Power of Now” by Alexia Chellun all day, and even singing it to myself as I went to sleep, and it was the first thing I thought when I woke up. It gets right under my skin, into my heart, makes me hopeful, believe, feel brave enough to soften, lean into vulnerability.

In my early twenties, Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah” on repeat got me through a heartbreaking break up - to the point where my neighbour complained.

And another time, “Dog Days” by Florence and the Machine powered me through a period in advertising, while I teetered on the brink of stress. Come to think of it, music helped me through a lot during that time. For focus, uplifting energy, dealing with infuriating “frustrations” about sh*tty bosses and crappy clients.

The power of music (and yoga. And essential oils 😆)

15/03/2022

Looking for some inspiration for enhancing the calming effect of your yoga practice? Try some of these oils

Oils for yoga, same same but different:

For last night’s yoga class, we were all in need of some calm. Setting the scene for some slow flow and connecting with our own energy field, I let students choose intuitively between lavender and Copaiba. Both being very helpful for calming down, and soothing moods and emotions, but in different ways…

Copaiba is the first oil on the list of ingredients for the Stress Away blend, lavender is the last.

Ok, so Lavender and Copaiba, both useful for “stress away”-ing.

Lavender is probably the most well known essential oil, and very commonly associated with calming, relaxation, and sleep. But did you know, lavender is adaptive, because of its chemical make-up, lavender can be both calming, therapeutic and sedative, as well as having a stimulating effect (which is perhaps also why it is found on the ingredients list of eg both the Brain Power and Gentle Baby blends).

Copaiba, not so well known, contains endocannabinoids which activate specific receptors in a part of our nervous system, regulating and balancing many processes in the body. Which is why a simply breathing in can have a positive effect on feelings of anxiousness and mood.

Both lavender and copaiba are also very good for skin care, again similar but when you look at the chemical make-up, for different reasons and in various ways, therapeutic, cleansing, soothing, and improving appearance of the skin. And both of these single oils from Young Living are gentle enough to be used directly on your skin.

Which oils do you use to calm down and relax?
💜💚🧡

11/03/2022

Ever tried reversing the chakra meditation?
⚪️🟣🔵🟢🟡🟠🔴
I find meditating on my chakra points, going from top to bottom, crown to root, to be very helpful for grounding me.

Often, chakra meditations move upwards, directing and moving the energy from the base chakra to your crown. Which can be helpful for inspiring a feeling of Oneness, a sense of connection to all there is, for overall inspiration.

But if you’re like me and have lots of thoughts and ideas, and instead sometimes struggle to put them into action, try reversing the order.

Bring your energy down into your body, from the upper, more spiritual, less tangible energy centres, Crown, Third Eye, Throat, down through the Heart, towards the more physical, earthy centres of Solar Plexus, Sacral, and Root chakras.

Bringing the ideas from your mind into your body, from thought to action.

There are lots of essential oils that can also be useful for enhancing this experience, head over to Yoga in a Bottle to see my latest sources of chakra meditation inspiration.

Let me know how you go 🙏🏼✌🏼

⚪️🟣🔵🟢🟡🟠🔴

09/03/2022

Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more info, or DM now to book in ✌️🙏

31/01/2022

A powerful year ahead

Year of the Yang Water Tiger is all about making big changes

The energetic quality of Yang, of movement and expansion is on our side this year. As is Water, symbolically connected with our essence, with spiritual communication and deep emotions and the Tiger, symbolic of bravery, confidence and great will-power. When we bring these three together we have a time time that supports courage and ambition, but to keep everything in balance this must be coupled with a drive to help others.

The year of the Water Tiger is known for its purifying qualities; for its ability to release us from all that has held us prisoner. There is a call here to trust our instincts, put aside the past and heal wounds. Self-confidence is required to overcome the inert aspects that come with the fear of making big changes. When this happens we can move forward and find our place in the world.

But one must be careful not to be reckless and act hastily as this can deplete our energy, making us feel tired and fatigued. Staying calm and balanced so as not to deplete our energetic reserves are qualities we need to cultivate this year to balance out the strong determined Yang energy.

Now is the time to utilise the energy of the Yang Water Tiger available to us in this once in 60 year cycle, through deepening our journey of healing wounds, uncovering self and finding ones true place in the world..

And all of this is readily available to us through the practice of CALLIGRAPHY HEALTH. The pinnacle of practice is to find harmony, to connect with self or return to our centre, to find our way in the world in a balanced, joyful and happy manner.

☯️🌟May your journey of 2022 continue to move you closer to your dreams, be filled with deep happiness, love for self, compassion for others and of course lots of practice ❤️🙏

30/12/2021

What an inspiration

http://www.fireflowyoga.com - Fireflow Yoga, yoga class to enrich the body and mind.I have known Lo**ta since I was a child. She was just Lo**ta, good frie...

06/12/2021

Snuck a sneaky crow into tonight’s class…

Love giving people the chance to play, and try something they might not have attempted in years. Feel the energy they might have forgotten they have.

While I love my compression pants, the smooth material makes you work even harder to keep the knees in place 😆💪🏼🔥