Om Yoga Magazine April 2022

nutrition zone E ach time we feel guilty of chocolate but think it’s bad in any micronutrients. Fair enough. But a donut is about something it tends amount, eating it will create feelings of often called ‘unhealthy’ or ‘dirty’ because to affect our self-esteem. guilt and shame. A natural reaction to this it doesn’t contain as many nutritious There might be feelings is punishment or self-sabotage. Instead qualities. But with this being one single of shame or self-loathing. of eating chocolate in moderation we donut out of tens of thousands of eating Perhaps wishing we could turn the clock might be inclined to punish ourselves episodes across your life, how exactly does back. These feelings are ultimately born afterwards or believe we have failed and the donut harm your health? The answer out of a reflective moral code of being eat excessively. The cycle is not good news is that it doesn’t. Unless you’re allergic, it good or bad in our actions. for your relationship with food and your is impossible. What’s more, the donut may Over the last few decades, the moral mental health. bring you joy because it tastes good. So code that we all have (recognising good or by demonising donuts and banning them bad) has crept into how we describe the Instead, why not view each eating on the basis of them being ‘unhealthy’ food we eat and feel about ourselves when episode through the lens of a much bigger or ‘bad’ you would be denying yourself we eat it. The diet industry and popular picture. Perhaps a week, month or even moments of joy for no good reason. culture have labelled certain foods or a year? How significant is eating one certain ways of eating as good or bad for ultra-processed high calorie takeaway Our diet definitely has a major influence health, but is it that black and white? If each week? It’s just one meal out of 21, on our physical health and it is definitely certain foods were ‘bad’ for health, how do or four out of 84, or 52 out of 1092. This is a good idea to consume a diet rich in we become ‘bad people’ for eating them? just around 5% of your total food intake. nutrients, protein and fibre that enables Firstly, no food on the planet is good or What is going on across the other 95%? us to function well and lead a rich and bad for health or makes you a bad person This approach can really free your mind to fulfilling life full of energy. But it’s also when you eat it. This is because each food realise that the effect each single eating hugely important for your mental health needs to be appraised in the context of episode has on your health is very, very that you include your favourite foods too, your overall diet. Those who label donuts small in the grand scheme of things and even if they aren’t particularly healthful. as ‘bad’ aren’t bothering to understand that you can eat your favourite foods Not least because they can form part whether you are consuming one donut per regularly. Of course, if consumption of of a balanced, supportive diet and add week, or 10 a day. Those who say a salad ultra-processed, high calorie foods is joy to your life and support your mental is ‘good’ aren’t taking into account what frequent, say three or four takeaways each health. In my book, I aim to shut out the else you’ve eaten across the week. What if week or three or four ultra-processed, high diet myths and unhelpful mindsets that it was just one salad and the rest was fast calorie snacks per day, the effect on your hold people back from the happiness food? In the wider context, appreciating health will be more prominent. they deserve. It turns out that the path your diet as a whole allows you to to sustained physical and mental health accurately conclude how healthful your By understanding nutritional structures can be simplified greatly by removing diet is. It also liberates you to enjoy those in the food you eat in the form of energy, propaganda and falsehoods and replace less nutritious foods in moderation as part macronutrients and micronutrients, you them with facts and real-life contexts. of a balanced diet. arm yourself with real information that In my new book I discuss how letting is useful. Words like good, bad, clean, Graeme Tomlinson’s new book Lose Weight moral codes dictate our food choices dirty, healthy and unhealthy are popular Without Losing Your Mind is out now, opens the door to judging ourselves descriptions of food but they don’t really published by Ebury and priced at £16.99. through the microscopic lens of each mean anything useful regarding the It’s available online and from all good eating episode. If we enjoy the taste stone-cold facts. For example, broccoli is bookshops. often called ‘healthy’ or ‘clean’ because it contains nutritious qualities in the form of 101

nutrition zone The power of PLANTS 7 healing plants to keep healthy and balanced. By Jenya Di Pierro. As we enter Stress Awareness antimicrobial and antifungal, Month, eating well with has a strong anti-inflammatory natural foods is a key effect and is particularly useful in recommendation by top cases when patients developed stress experts. Like oxygen resistance to antibiotics. It’s a and water, food is vital for our health and key ingredient of some formulas wellbeing — it makes fresh, wholesome for prevention and early onset of food one of our top tools for staying vital infections. and alive. Herbs can play a key role in this natural diet. But powerful herbs can 2. St John’s Wort play a vital role in easing other conditions too, not just stress. If you are looking to St John’s Wort is a wonderful add beautiful, healing plants to your diet mood-elevating herb. It reduces protocols, then here is a list of seven ones SAD (seasonal affective disorder) you need to know about — some well during winter, relives neuralgic known, others less well known — that will pain, is an effective natural anti- help to keep you healthy and balanced — depressant and has powerful this month and beyond. anti-viral properties. Bright yellow flowers of this plant are 1. Echinacea an embodiment of sunshine and kindness. Look out for it in Echinacea is the hero herb to relieve a the summer to make a beautiful wide range of infections. It’s antiviral, infusion. 102

nutrition zone 3. Rehmannia to improved blood flow to the brain, clot stimulating the flow of hydrochloric acid and stroke prevention. Needless to say, it and restoring beneficial microbial balance Rehmannia is an adaptogen from China should be your go to herb for prevention in the gut. If you suffer from excessive that I use for chronic fatigue, depletion of cardio vascular side effects from bloating, reflux, irregular stool, dysbiosis and a wide range of autoimmune vaccination. or SIBO, bitter infusion of wormwood conditions. I always include it in my should be part of your morning and long covid preparations, as in addition 6. Wormwood evening routine. to improving energy levels, it reduces phlegm and increases lung energy, This is the most in demand herb in my 7. Brahmi which is often the epicentre of covid clinic right now, as our ability to digest and is strongly linked to fatigue, has diminished significantly due to Brahmi is a beautiful herb many of especially when accompanied stress, infections, bad diet and toxins. us can benefit from right now. It by shortness of breath. Wormwood provides digestive support by is one of the most sattvic herbs that has been known since Vedic 4. Shisandra times. In Ayurveda, sattvic foods are thought to be pure and Shisandra is a liver herb and balanced, offering feelings of is believed in traditional calmness, happiness, and mental Chinese medicine to balance clarity. Brahmi enhances brain all bodily systems. Indeed, function, improves memory and the liver is responsible for concentration, calms anxiety and detoxification, hormone increases resilience to stress. As we clearance and mood, as energetically this is where we navigate through uncertainty, tension hold our emotions. Shisandra and turbulence, Brahmi is there for you enhances glutathione production in the to open your mind to new beginnings and liver, stimulates glucogen and protein possibilities that the change can bring. syntehthis and may protect against liver cancer. It tastes lovely and is a perfect Jenya Di Pierro is a certified herbal medicine addition to the smoothie in the morning. practitioner and CEO and founder of Cloud Twelve wellness and lifestyle club 5. Ginkgo (cloudtwelve.co.uk) Ginkgo is one of the oldest trees on the planet, hence it is well known for its anti-ageing properties. However, its most beneficial effects nowadays are linked 103

Teacher zone Teacher zone A deeper understanding of yoga... for teachers, by teachers Inside: Page 105 My Yoga Biz Page 106 Bridging The Gap Page 108 Teachers’ Tales Page 109 OM Books 104

Teacher zone MyYogaBiz Tips from the experts to help you grow the yoga business of your dreams This month’s mentor: Lyndsey Sandat, 43, of Beaulieu Yoga (beaulieuyoga.co.uk) in Chelmsford, Essex Does a YTT set you up to run your own yoga business? I decided to train as a yoga teacher after almost 20 years of self- practice. I come from a physical background, so thought it would be simple. How wrong was I? The journey of teacher training really is a journey to the self. Lots of ups and a few downs! However, I loved every moment and still miss our weekends. I also made friends for life. Teacher training definitely sets you up to teach and to teach from the heart, but not necessarily to run your own business. The logistics of running your own classes take up an incredible amount of effort and time. Teacher training also does not prepare you for the hard lessons — for example, failure. Not everything you do will be successful. These there’s imposter syndrome, when you question your abilities and whether you are a fraud. That’s why I think it is important to have a mentor. Do you have a mentor? Future of yoga? My mentor is Naomi Absalom. She has provided a When I think about the future of yoga, I think safe community for yoga teachers, full of like- the biggest emphasis will be on community. minded people. Through accountability to myself, Whether that be online, face to face, or a she has set me on the journey to realising the mix of both, I believe the pandemic has made us realise that we boundaries that hold me back from being my truest self. I feel need other people. I didn’t take my classes online during the that with a mentor, or even the support of a group, you can first lockdown as I was nervous about doing so, however I really be set on the path to teaching in your truest and most honest regret not doing so. I did, however, go online during the following form. Consider why you teach, who you want to teach and how lockdown and I am so glad I did. I enjoyed it so much. It was you want to teach. That’s the secret to a full, successful, and amazing to see people coming together over a screen, people rewarding yoga business. from studios and from my local community classes. It was a true sense of collective community and now I am back to face to face Self-care tips? classes, we hold that time in our hearts. I invited them into my home and returned the invitation. It was a place of support and I do think it is important to take time for you. A date with yourself! connection. Community is definitely the future of Beaulieu Yoga! Whether that be a yoga class with another teacher, a spin class, a walk in nature, or just drifting round a local market. Make a date Written and compiled by Claudia Brown (yogabyclaudia.com) with yourself, put it in the diary, and religiously turn up every week. You really will thank yourself. 105

Teacher zone Bridging THE GAP What to do when you want more than a weekly yoga class. By Sarah Atkins P icture the scene: you’re in your yoga class, what you want when you know more. breathing in the sweet joy of a blissful According to comparison website Finder, there are more than Savasana. Suddenly it hits you… “I want more”. Knowing you want to go deeper with yoga 10,000 yoga teachers in the UK. Many of them began their yoga is one thing, working out the journey ahead of teacher lives as yoga knowledge seekers, taking up teacher you – that’s another. training courses as a way to discover more about the subject. Workshops and weekend retreats are great first steps But is teacher training an effective use of your energies? Will in developing your practice and opening your eyes to it take you where you want to go with your yoga? Return on new yoga horizons. Whether you want to focus on one investment, or ROI, isn’t a phrase you hear regularly in yoga posture, breath practice or learn more about meditation, circles, but it’s worth knowing you have choices. whether you’re interested in a style of yoga or an element of anatomy, you’ll find a workshop online, if not near where There are specialist courses online and in person. For you live. universities like SOAS (a part of the University of London), yoga is a master’s degree-level subject. The world really is your oyster But what if you want to go deeper still? Depending on today and that can be distracting in itself – so many shiny objects! who you ask about ‘which way now?’, you’ll hear many different answers. With a multi-faceted gem like yoga, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the options. Which brings us back to your big You are in the yoga equivalent of Alice in Wonderland. “One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter’.” The Cheshire cat clearly wasn’t worrying about his time and bank balance, but then he did live in Wonderland. In the UK we are fortunate to have so much choice and there are some exceptional yoga organisations, offering different ways to expand your yoga experience. The BWY, for example, offers foundation courses at different levels, designed to give you a much deeper grounding in yoga, far beyond what’s possible to develop in a weekly class. You can use them to explore the history and philosophy of yoga as well as developing your yoga practice. They’re also a steppingstone to a BWY teacher training, if that is 106

Teacher zone question: how do you take that next step forward? and heritage rooted in India, but did you know there’s evidence of Rather than giving your power away to the internet, asking a yoga posture images from Africa, from ancient Egypt, and what is today called Nigeria? search engine, consider looking to the people who know you best. Yoga offers us many practical tools to help us in our decision- 2. Talk to your yoga teacher making. Here’s three you are likely to have already gathered. They should be thrilled you want to learn more and explore yoga at a deeper level. They are likely to have ideas and options you 1. Research with an open mind hadn’t considered. There’s likely to be a good reason why you’re You can’t try everything, but you can know yourself. What is with that yoga teacher and if their classes work for you, their important to you? Find the yoga that feels aligned to your nature insights are likely to fit with your next steps forward. Did you and identity. In the UK and the USA, yoga often reflects a history know many yoga teachers offer home practice plans, helping you establish your yoga life? Yes, you can practice along with online yoga teachers on YouTube but developing a home practice with accountability will help you establish a daily practice tailored to your development. 3. Meditate on it. Literally. Who knows you better than you? Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for a while. Keep a notebook and pen by your side. Close your eyes, let your breath settle to a gentle steady rhythm, let your mind quieten and slowly, connect with who you are. If you don’t connect with yourself regularly like this, be patient. You’re in there! Consider: ‘What do I want in yoga?’ When you feel like you’re ready, start writing what comes to mind. Use this information in your research. The first steps can be the hardest but it’s often only when we get moving that we start to see opportunities arise. Be bold: we practice warrior postures for a reason! Sarah Atkins for the British Wheel of Yoga 107

Teacher zone : TEACHERS' TALES Adapting to the times Yoga teaching is still in a state of transition in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. By Paula Hines W e’re now two years on since the time when studios have closed their doors permanently during the last two the Covid-19 pandemic had most of us years and there are others just about hanging on. confined to our homes. Where I live, in the UK, we were in the early days of our first full Change is inevitable. Personally, I don’t feel things as they lockdown with mixing between households were pre-2020 were sustainable. For all the talk of wanting to banned and all but essential businesses ordered to close. Many ‘get back to normal’, I do feel that the ‘normal’ as we knew it is yoga teachers (myself included) were venturing into something gone and something different is coming in its place. I say ‘coming’ they had never considered before – teaching online. There was because the pandemic (and its effects) isn’t over and things are little choice but to adapt. Had it not been for technology – and continuing to shift. Also, if we are honest with ourselves, that being fortunate to have access to it – I would not have been able ‘normal’ was imbalanced and unsustainable. to continue teaching. If we are sharing the practice of yoga in any capacity, I do When studios eventually re-opened I looked forward to feel it is important for each of us to keep examining what is returning, but by then I also knew I did not want to leave teaching sustainable for us, if we want to continue. Speaking for myself, online behind. There are numerous benefits to being able to offer another thing that has changed since pre-2020 is that I teach practices online and for me, as a student it means I am able to less, and consciously so, as I continue to pay attention to what practice and study with teachers I otherwise would not have the is sustainable for me. I have changed since 2020 and it feels like opportunity to due to geography. That said, teaching in-person I am still transitioning into a new phase. Being willing to adapt is, for me, a different experience altogether and one I certainly feels necessary. missed when the studios were closed. To this day I offer a mix of online and in-person classes and workshops. I’m very grateful The new book Rest + Calm (Green Tree, Bloomsbury Publishing) by indeed that I am currently able to do both. Paula Hines is out now. For classes, videos, workshops, and more visit her website (ucanyoga.co.uk) or find her on Instagram @ucanyoga1 But the pandemic has changed things. As I type, many yoga 108

Teacher zone books Ayurveda In Yoga Teaching — A Handbook For Enriching Asana, Pranayama, Meditation and Yoga Nidra Tarik Dervish £19.99 Singing Dragon Part of the Yoga Teaching Guides series, this handbook shares Ayurvedic principles and practices for yoga teachers to integrate and enhance their classes. Essential reading for those wanting to deepen their understanding of yoga’s sister science, including its authentic historical context, and incorporate Ayurvedic principles into their yoga teaching and sequencing. Includes chapters on teaching asana, pranayama and yoga nidra with an Ayurvedic approach, how to adapt to the seasons, integrate marma points and courses and lesson planning. Further reading: Menopause Yoga — A Holistic Transforming Ethnic And Developing A Yoga Home Practice Guide To Supporting Women On Race-Based Traumatic — An Exploration For Yoga Stress With Yoga Teachers And Trainees Their Menopause Journey Gail Parker Alison Leighton With Joe Taft Petra Coveney £19.99 £17.99 £24.99 Singing Dragon Singing Dragon Singing Dragon This is an accompanying workbook to Gail This book is ideal for all yoga teachers and Evidence-based guidance on using yoga Parker’s bestselling Restorative Yoga for trainees looking to create a consistent and practices to alleviate the most common Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma. personal home yoga practice. Packed with symptoms of menopause. Bringing Building on the foundations of the original tried-and-tested advice, it’s suitable whether together western medical science book, this new workbook offers a range you’re newly qualified and looking for ways and eastern wellbeing for menopause of self-care practices that strengthen the to establish a home practice routine, or education, this book helps yoga psychological immune system, increase have been teaching for a long time and are teachers develop their understanding resilience, and support post-traumatic in need of fresh inspiration and ideas. An of menopause and women’s health as growth. Filled with contemplations, essential read for yogis developing a home well as support their students. Includes practical restorative yoga insights and practice in the Covid era, the book also yoga and meditation practices and illustrations, plus a therapeutic journal with addresses the burnout experienced by many CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) blank pages for self-study, practice and established teachers and trainers. and self-enquiry methods to manage personal growth. menopause symptoms. 109

Yoga is for every body Your pictures. Your community Scott - downtown Redondo Beach Sarah Shepherd, limbering up before class Kate and Charlie Chisnall - Yoga in the woods 110

Maliha Yakub - Leicester We want your photos! Send us happy shots, fun pics, great asana (or bad asana!), big smiley faces, anything at all — and see them in OM Magazine. It doesn’t have to be you doing a yoga pose either. We want to see your yoga life: a pre-class group hug, a cup of tea after class, what you got up to at the weekend, send them all via email to: [email protected] 111

om travel travel Awe-inspiring retreats and ideas for yoga explorers A farmer’s life for me Make the most of the Great British outdoors with a fabulous farm stay F arm Stay, a leader in UK farm holidays, has As uncertainty around travelling to far-flung destinations reported a sharp increase in bookings for 2022 as remains, and many holidaymakers prefer to stay among their holidaymakers continue to value the space, close own ‘bubble’ of family and friends, a farm stay can offer freedom, access to nature and independence that retreats in independence, privacy and unforgettable memories as guests the countryside offer. connect to Mother Nature and experience the charm of a simpler “Even with the world opening up to travellers again, I think way of living. Breathtaking scenery, charming quarters and cute one of the positives that has come out of the Covid-19 pandemic farm animals offer further perks that the whole family can enjoy. is that people's eyes have been opened to the opportunities available on their doorstep,” said Kay Barriball, Farm Stay UK Whether you want to go off-grid in the great Scottish outdoors chairman. or enjoy a multi-generational break with all the creature comforts the discerning traveller could desire closer to a major “As a not-for-profit cooperative of rural properties across the city, Brits and international visitors are spoilt for choice when UK, we've definitely seen an increase in people looking for short exploring all the best of Britain. breaks in the countryside, wanting to book direct with their For information visit: farmstay.co.uk hosts and generally connect with food and farming.” With close to 450 properties across the country on their site, Farm Stay has a property for every group size or occasion — even yoga breaks. On the website, holidaymakers can filter options by region or various other categories such as glamping, self- catering, accessibility, pet friendly, and last-minute offers. They can also peruse special collections narrowed down to properties that are located close to the beach, offer animal feeding, are eco- friendly or have hot tubs. 112

pages hthttptpss::////yyooggakaidkziwdozrwldowridled.cwoimde.com A brand new way to access my Yoga classes I invite you to visit my totally revamped website & to join my new subscription service. Videos, unlimited live classes & more. www.judidoesyoga.com [email protected] 07737193915 Never miss a class, practise at a time to suit you, wherever you are in the world. Energise the Body : Calm the Mind : Meet the Soul https://foodieflavours.com WIN! 4 nights at Sentido Galosol resort in Madeira, Portugal - worth £800! WIN! CBD bundle of bath salts, candles & goodies from Raised Spirit WIN! ‘Nutrition for Everyday Living’ online short course from CNM What’s hot MARCH 2022 – £5.99 JANUARY 2022 – £5.99 in yoga YOGA STRONG VHaAlePntPinYe's NNEEWWYYEAORU, Lockdown 2022 10-minute strength FEBRUARY 2022 – £5.99 2a4h-paapgpeiesr,ohnehaoltwhietor have legends Cool new classes to enjoy building sequence the yoga of love 2022 G r o u n de dTkheeptyouagspamatoneavdicenhmgeidrcsuwrinhog special report PEACE Yoga OUT Feylaeosxgyiab3is0lei-tqmyufilenonuwctee- LIVING fashion H§¨u¨© §§’§¨¨-§ Find!\"y#o!ur NEHWAPYPOYGA FIND A SENSE OF 10-page 5 Yin Yoga TIPS TO GET SAFETY THROUGH special THE MOST THE UNCERTAINTY report twists from FOR STRESS RELIEF OUT OF YOUR Forrest Yoga -MINUTE PRACTICE PRACTICE THE to invigorate HAPPINESS your back EXPLORER How to...get more courage ALSO IN THIS ISSUE... ) ¡¢ ¡)¡)AL ($ %$ & £¤ )¥¦Y • Yoga safari - Kenyan retreat '%%01214%13435% &%F • Quiet life - 10 easy tips % 6%'1'7891% &R ALSO IN THIS ISSUE...• • Amazing Spaces - Same Star Yoga - Faisha, the one-legged yogini • Nutrition zone - Vegan protein myths - divine artwork • • - Asquith activewear • - yoga travel OIPSnMoenwteMtreinerwegstiaissndl-atoeTdmnhste--iotDthnreuesvsiw-tsmayisyoateunorrifsfiwensattutyeitoricuorrnedsrseams To advertise here contact Sara https://theyogaclass.co 01787 220646 saras@[email protected] 113