Yogavana.co.uk

24/03/2025

🎶✨ The Magic of Sound Bathing ✨🎶

There’s something truly otherworldly about being immersed in sound— allowing waves of vibration to wash over you, shift your energy, quiet your mind, and take you into deep, nourishing bliss.

Yesterday’s session at my Day Retreat was pure magic. The celestial frequencies of my Crystal Tones bowls, each infused with different healing elements, resonated so deeply. My larger Tibetan bowl—brought back from India in February—added grounding, ancient vibrations, while the borrowed crystal harp (thanks to ) and the delicate Koshi chimes wove in their own ethereal tones. It was transformative, heart-opening, and so deeply restorative.

Sound has a way of reaching hidden places within us. If you have yet to experienced sound bathing magic, get in touch and get you booked in. ✨💫

08/03/2025

“She was a wild one; always stomping on eggshells that everyone else tip-toed on.”
~ Nayyirah Waheed ~

Here’s to the fearless. The women who break barriers, challenge norms, and redefine what’s possible. To those who speak up, stand tall, and refuse to be anything less than powerful.

Fearlessness isn’t about never feeling afraid—it’s about moving forward regardless. Today, I embrace my 2025 focus word (fearlessness) and celebrate the strength, courage, and unstoppable spirit of women everywhere.

To the beautiful, powerful, fearless women in my life: the world is better because of you.

International Women’s Day is about equality. We don’t want more. Nor less. Just the same. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was so right: we should all be Feminists.

Keep shining ✨

06/03/2025

📚🧘🏻‍♀️Reading & Yoga: a beautiful balance 🧘🏻‍♀️📚

Whenever I get lost in a book, I feel spellbound—and a similar magic takes place when I’m flowing through a yoga practice. Both take me inward, both teach me patience, presence, both take me to unexplored landscapes and reveal to me the art of slowing down.

Yoga takes me out of the mind chatter - quieting all the mental fluctuations - whilst simultaneously strengthening my body; I feel stretched physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. My yogic tribe have become some of my dearest friends and I’m eternally grateful for these wonderful connections. Reading is no different - it expands my mind, grounds my soul, and takes me to mesmerising places where I’ve met so many characters who remain lodged in my heart, always.

Both help me explore stillness in motion, and motion in stillness as I move through journeys of empathy and self-discovery.

Every page turned & every pose held remind me that growth happens in the quiet moments.

I’m currently reading ‘The Forty Rules of Love’ by Elif Shafak and it’s absolutely BRILLIANT! What’s a book that has stretched your mind lately? Drop your recommendations below! ⬇️✨

#

18/12/2024

What an absolute joy to have completed Rocket Yoga TT with these two absolute beauties, who have guided with deep care, support and encouragement.
and - you are both incredible; thank you so much 🙏🏼 and see you soon! BIG love 💛🚀

12/11/2024

Such a loss for the global yoga community.

Today we learned that Sharath Jois, lineage holder (paramaguru) of Ashtanga Yoga and grandson of K. Pattabhi Jois, has suddenly passed away, aged only 53.

What an impact his life has had! He will live on in his teachings, his widespread influence on all Ashtanga students and yogis everywhere. Deepest condolences to his family and friends.

01/11/2024

✨✋🏼M u d r a s 🤚🏼✨

Mudra means ‘seal’ or ‘closure’ in Sanskrit. We use these hand gestures mostly in meditation or pranayama practice to direct the flow of prana and energy within the body by using the hands.

Different areas of the hands are connected with areas of the body and brain; different digits with the elements. Therefore, by placing our hands in mudras we stimulate areas of the brain to create a specific energy circuit in the body, helping to generate a specific state of mind.

24/09/2024

Don’t look backwards - you’re not going that way!
… Unless you’re bending, of course!

Stretching the front of the body to contract the back body is so beneficial for a number of reasons:
💛 It prevents kyphosis (forward rounding/ hunching of the spine)
💛 It improves posture
💛 It gives energy
💛 It feels invigorating and strengthening
💛 It can prevent disc degeneration
💛 Backbends are said to help prevent osteoporosis
💛 Flexibility of the spine can help alleviate and manage back and neck pain

Any type of backbend also opens the heart chakra (Anahata), improving with the way we express our emotions (frustration, joy and love), and therefore allowing us to be comfortable enough to express vulnerability in our relationships.

So help yourself move forwards by bending backwards. Every polarity needs balance, right?!

29/08/2024

It’s always full of fun and laughter! I feel so grateful for family time spent in the sunshine state ☀️ … and now it’s back to reality! But as Walt Disney once said “Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever” so I’ll continue to laugh, imagine and dream as I sprinkle magic into all my days, not just my holidays ✨

15/08/2024

🦅🦅🦅 G A R U D A S A N A 🦅🦅🦅

What else is one supposed to do when walking past a perfectly pruned, large, Eagle-shaped bush in Florida?

Garuda, according to ancient tradition, is King of the Birds. And as a is beneficial for body, mind and energy.

Physically, the asana helps enhance concentration, alertness and awareness of the mind. It also stretches around the shoulders & upper back, and strengthens the core, thighs, legs & ankles.

Energetically, it balances the Sacral Chakra ( ), which is associated with sexuality & creativity, as well as the Third Eye Chakra ( ), associated with intuition, focus & clarity of thought.

As a power animal, the sacred bird is most frequently associated with Wisdom, Guidance, Healing, Freedom, Power, Intuition, Courage and Vision. Quite a list, huh?!

The majestic eagle, often called “Master of the Skies”, teaches us to soar high with freedom & ease.

Eagles go through several transformations before they reach adulthood, moulting their feathers and changing colours throughout their journey. This is why they are often said to represent spiritual growth and inner transformation in their demonstration of a continuous unveiling of their true purpose in the universe.

Many spiritual traditions see the eagle as a messenger between the earthly and spirit worlds. And they are also said to represent new beginnings because they’re associated with the winds of the east, the direction from which spring and dawn emerge.

So, there’s a lot in this pose: physically, energetically, spiritually, symbolically… and this is why I felt compelled to and embrace my inner Garuda…

14/07/2024

So much for the past 4 days of immersive, advanced, deeeeep yin, lots of absolutely beautiful, mesmerising Shamanic journeying, the most incredible yogis, breathwork like no other, all held by us, and facilitated by the YIN-CREDIBLE who I can only describe as a rare and precious gift to this Earth. I love him so dearly and know he will always be in my life. I can feel my heart beat to the rhythm of the freedom drum. I set my spirit free. I feel the light shine through. The Shaman in me is awake and I’m here to walk … and Part 3 is coming… !!!
🌏 🪵 🔥 💨 💦

Thank you once more to for making all this possible. This sacred space is THE ONE! My yoga sanctuary.
yoga

21/06/2024

I first practised yoga over 25 years ago, far before it was ‘cool’ or widespread, like it is now. Looking back, I realise now that I knew instantly back then that it would become an essential ingredient in my life.

What has yoga given me?

💛 A better life
💛 An outlet for my depth and sensitivity
💛 A confirmation of everything I have always inherently known and felt
💛 Patience, acceptance, determination, joy, reflection, love
💛 Strength, flexibility and balance (of mind and body)
💛 An incredible community
💛 A sense of belonging. In this world. In this life. In this body.

19/06/2024