Yoga Health Retreats has collected a series of asanas to bring you back to earth and release the ephemeral flightiness of the summer spirit for a more reflective and inward time to reconnect and replenish.

Asanas For Introspection

Difficulty Rating:

Area Targeted:

• Thighs
• Core
• Hamstrings & Glutes
• Pelvis

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Benefits:

• De-stressing limbs, core and spirit
• Reconnecting the elements of the self
• Calming & grounding
• Opening pelvis & core for smoother energy flow
• Reconnecting with the body

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Contraindications:

• Spinal injuries
• Severe sciatica & scoliosis
• Hamstring injuries
• Ankle injuries

________________________________________________________________________________________

Asana 1: The Cow & The Cat: Bitilasana and Marjaryasana are actually two separate poses but are invariably practiced sequentially and, together, assist in the reconnection with the prana (breath), loosening the spine and abdominals and grounding the mind.

Begin by resting on all fours, palms flat to the mat, wrists and elbows aligned vertically, as are knees and hips. Tops of your feet rest lightly on the mat, while your spine is horizontal and aligned with hips, shoulders and crown as your head faces the floor.

The Cow – Keeping arms and thighs vertical, raise your head as you breathe in deeply and allow the abdomen to sink downward. Don’t rotate the pelvis, simply relax the spine and let gravity guide you.

The Cat – From bitilasana, exhale slowly as you steadily invert the pose, rounding the spine upwards, gently pressing the air from the lungs and letting the neck relax, without drawing the chin into the chest.

Hold until the natural wave of the inhale occurs and breathe, returning to centre or or repeating the flow.

Marjaryasana (Cat Pose), left, & Bitilasana (Cow Pose), right

Asana 2: Garland Pose: As well as opening the pelvis and activating the quadriceps, Malasana is incredibly centering, reconnecting you with the earth and allowing you to feel her unfaltering stability and support.

You can begin Garland Pose from either standing or floor, but as we are talking about grounding and centering, let’s begin in Child’s Pose. Roll backwards over your heals, tucking the toes under and rolling up onto the feet in a squatting position. Place each ankle under each hip and rotate the toes outward to a 45° angle.

From here, place your elbows inside your knees and press your legs apart gently as you sink into the squat and bring your hands to prayer position.

Rest here, breathe deeply and feel the grounding energy flowing upward, through the root and sacrum shakras and connecting the solar plexus for stability and peace.

Asana 3: Legs-Up-Wall Pose: Viparita Karani is a beautiful way to unwind from a day’s stresses and has several variations, allowing you to remain in the same asana but activate various centres. Known as the “great restorer” it can be held for up to 15mins but not to be practiced when menstruating or glaucoma problems.

Begin Legs-Up-Wall by sitting against the wall sideways, your right shoulder and right hip just brushing the wall, not pressing firmly into it. Now, in one smooth movement, rotate your legs up the wall, your head and back lying down gently at right angles to the wall. And that, essentially is it! Rest here for five to fifteen minutes, arms wide, chest open, soften the throat and breath normally.

From here, there are a number of variations, including raising your lumbar with bolsters (if you are less flexible, use a lower bolster, further from the wall and vice versa), separating your legs while keeping your glutes and heals against the wall or raising your arms above the head, folding the arms to open the thoracic cavity and clavicles and increase depth of the breath.

In Closing:

Through all of these asanas, the most important aspect is simply to breathe – it is amazing how frequently we forget to! Our lives and well being depend on it, but all too often, when told to breathe, we think to ourselves, “when did I last actually take a breath, a really good, long, revitalising inhale and a cathartic, relaxing, soothing exhale?” Pranayama (breath work) can be as simple as counting your breathing as you sit quietly or prepare to fall asleep but it will give you greater oxygen flow, de-stress your body and allow your mind space and time to simply ‘be’.

Return soon for an introduction to pranayama, with four fundamental techniques.

Namaste.

Receive more benefits at home from the expert tuition of Sue Hawkins with ‘Yoga – for Beginner & Intermediate Levels‘

Cost: $35 including GST, postage and handling fee in Australia

Yoga Health Retreats: Could you briefly describe the history of Core Energetics?
RANIL SHARMA: John Pierrakos was a Greek Psychologist who studied with Wilhelm Reich for 13 years and developed bio-energetics over the next 30 years. This is based on the simple concept that every thought, feeling or experience we have ever had is housed in our body at a cellular level, it has a separate frequency and vibration and it’s own signature.

YHR: What are the key elements, or intentions of core energetics?
RS: One of the fundamental elements of core energetics is to pierce through the masks we create: we had an impulsive reaction and response. The next time we perceived, experienced or even anticipated the same situation, we returned to that impulsive response and belief systems started to form and structure our bodies. We incorporate our spiritual journey, the journey of our soul, the essence of who we are, because that has active messaging here and now.

YHR: It sounds like a very complete union, between the more physical aspect of yoga practice and your work with core energetics…
RS: It works really well, because one thing we need to do in all of our practice is to mobilise the body and the energy and there’s a whole sequence of exercises we use, many with their basis in yoga.
People aren’t caught up in their daily lives, they unwind, they’re fed beautiful, organic food and are looked after and, all of a sudden, they can’t run away from their emotions and belief systems, but they are being supported. So it doesn’t take much of a nudge to get things starting to happen.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUX5REcDxCg

YHR: Do you feel your work at a spiritual and emotional level has a resultant effect on physical ailments?
RS: Totally. Ultimately, every physical ailment we have is an expression of an emotional and energetic blockage. Whatever the illness or ailment is, it is only fulfilling a message that we’re sending out, as are the people and events around us.
When we move that part in us that created that energy, that unhealthy bond, life is free after that, irrespective of what our physical restrictions are. I see peoples’ energy fields expand and all of a sudden they are free and doing things, and it’s not a burden or a handicap anymore.

YHR: Can you share with us some of the transformations you have witnessed through your practice?
RS: The change comes from every facet of our survival-based instincts, from people who are so withdrawn from the world to being totally present, from people who are so caught up in an addictive personality to becoming strong and empowered, from people who have difficulty communicating to being open and finding it an ease to connect with people, others who are so wound up and analytical to being more spontaneous, or being so control-oriented and charismatic to being so trusting and in the moment and allowing a sense of collaboration rather than everything being their way.

YHR: Are there specific types of people or symptoms that would most benefit from core energetics?
RS: Let me answer that in another way if I may: I have had people ask me if there is anyone I can’t help and the answer is definitely yes -- anyone who isn’t willing to be help. The key component in any healing is intention: what is my intention? Who am I and how much do I want it?
The Unconscious likes its comfort zone, even if that is in the wrong place.

With the wonderful, open spaces we are so used to for our yoga routines, it is a challenge trying to find either the room or the asanas to practice whilst travelling. Once again, Yoga Health Retreats provides you with the solution to your yogic woes with a collection of postures that you can perform with minimal space and to reverse the punishing torment of travelling.

Asanas For Travellers

Difficulty Rating:

________________________________________________________________________________________

Area Targeted:

• Shoulders
• Spine & Lumbar
• Hamstrings & Glutes

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Benefits:

• Refreshing circulation through stagnant limbs
• Releasing contracted muscle groups
• Releasing of leg musculature
• Reviving & realigning the spine
• Relieving stiff & seized lumbar
• Reconnecting with the body

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Contraindications:

• Spinal injuries
• Severe sciatica & scoliosis
• Knee injuries

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Asana 1: Upward-Hands Pose: Urdhva Hastasana is, on the surface, one of the most basic asanas imaginable. But simply raising your hands above your head, with the right intent, can be wonderfully invigorating.

With your feet parallel and shoulder width apart, lift from the hips, up through the core, the shoulders and arms, to the very tips of your fingers, inhaling upwards and exhaling – allowing your shoulders to drop away from your ears, your chest to remain open and your shoulders to roll backwards.

This helps open the spine compacted by prolonged seating and release the shoulders, allowing your whole upper body space in which to realign and awaken.

Upward Hands Pose: Lift from the core to release your compacted torso

Asana 2: Wide-Legged Forward Bend: This yoga pose is similar to a conventional forward fold, but works the hamstrings a little more gently as well as activating the upper body.

To begin Prasarita Padottanasana, begin with legs wide apart, feet parallel and pointing forward and your arms raised above your head. Slowly ease downward, keeping arms straight and placing your hands on the mat in between your feet.

Spread arms outwards to your legs, grasping your feet, ankles or shins, activating your thighs and core to maintain balance.

To extend the asana, take your arms behind your back, interlock your fingers and, with straight arms, draw your hands towards your head for a rich, invigorating shoulder stretch.

Prasarita Padottanasana i - remain here or advance to stage ii for a more complete upper-body stretch

Prasarita Padottanasana ii - holding balance with your core, glutes and thighs, let gravity take your hands down towards your head.

Asana 3: Bound Angle: Badha Konasana is a nice, easy asana and inconspicuous enough to be able to do in the most public of places without drawing unwanted attention!

Sit with the soles of your feet together and use your hands to pull your heels in towards your groin, making sure to maintain a straight spine. Keeping hold of your feet, gently press knees downwards with the elbows, giving a smooth stretch through the adductor muscles in the inner thigh.

For an optional progression, you can lean your upper body forward, flexing from the hips to extend the glutes and loosen the lumbar.

Bound Angle is a superb pose for tired & cramped legs

Asana 4: Seated Twist: Ardha Matsyendrasana is an easy progression from Bound Angle Pose, bringing the stretch into the lumbar and torso.

There are two variations of Ardha Matsyendrasana. Given the confined spaces in which travellers often find themselves, this is the slightly more compact version:

From bound angle,  bring your right foot under your left knee, curling your heal around to touch your left buttock. Place your left foot outside your right knee and place your left elbow outside your left knee, pressing against the knee to rotate the shoulders and torso clockwise. Use your right hand to balance, as in the picture, or place your hands in prayer position, continuing the twist as you bring both forearms to the horizontal.

Gently release, return to Bound Angle, and repeat to the other side.

If you are constricted to a seat on your travels, you can perform a seated twist. Place your feet and knees together, with your spine long and upright. Take your left hand to the outside of your right knee and rotate through the torso, turning your head over your right shoulder. Repeat to the left.

In Closing:

Travelling is notorious for stagnating the body. Long-haul flights now give demonstrations on exercises to undertake to prevent deep vein thrombosis among other ailments. Whenever you get the chance, whether at a service station stop, waiting at a train station, leaving your seat in an airplane or when you arrive at your destination, perform these asanas, as well as ankle, wrist and neck rotations and other compact twists and stretches. It will help you arrive fresher, have less jet lag and increase your vitality so you can enjoy your travels completely.

Bon voyage!

Namaste.

Receive more benefits at home from the expert tuition of Sue Hawkins with ‘Yoga – for Beginner & Intermediate Levels‘

Cost: $35 including GST, postage and handling fee in Australia

Cooling Summer Asanas

Difficulty Rating:   ________________________________________________________________________________________ Area Targeted:

• Gentle Stretches Throughout
• Lungs & Thoracic Region
• Hamstrings & Legs

________________________________________________________________________________________ Benefits:

• Awakening through increased circulation and oxygen flow
• Strengthening of lungs and torso
• Releasing of leg musculature
• Expulsion of heat and stress
• Increased lung capacity
• A breath of cool, fresh air!

________________________________________________________________________________________ Contraindications:

• Spinal injuries
• Severe sciatica & scoliosis
• Asthma

________________________________________________________________________________________ Asana 1: Seated Forward Fold: Paschimottanasana assists digestive organs, releases hips and buttocks and produces an invigorating stretch without over-exerting the body. Seated on the mat with legs straight in front of you. Rock gently from side to side to ground your body, from the core through the abdomen and into coccyx and ischial tuberosity, or sitz bones (the two bones in your buttocks). Reach the hands skywards and, with a long, cooling release of breath, extend your arms forwards towards the feet. Interlock index fingers with big toes if possible, or just relax hands alongside your legs. Relax here, feeling the cooling breath and enjoying the stretch before returning to sitting posture.

Seated Forward Fold: If you can't reach your feet, you can place your hands next to your legs or wrap a yoga strap around your feet for a deeper stretch

Asana 2: One-Legged King Pigeon (variation) This mouthful of an asana, Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, opens the thorax for maximum expulsion of core heat. From downward dog, sweep the right leg between the hands, placing your foot by your left hand, your knee by your right, so that your shinbone is perpendicular to your body. Transferring weight to your right lower leg and left leg, shift your centre of gravity back over your pelvis, your hands steadying you on the mat either side of your hips. Open and take some deep breaths here, focussing on drawing heat from the core and expelling through the mouth. For a deeper stretch in the front leg, extend your hands forward, laying your torso down over your right leg and bringing the arms in front of you on the mat.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose variation: rest forehead on forearms in front of you, or extend arms forward for a deeper stretch

Asana 3: Cooling Breath Sitali Pranayama is precisely that; a beautiful, cooling breath. We breathe in and out all day and it is hard to imagine that such a simple variation could have such a cooling effect. This form of pranayama can be done at any point – during other asanas, at work, while exercising – but is best done in a very relaxed posture, such as sitting cross-legged or in Shavasana (corpse pose). Roll your tongue into a ‘U’ shape, or better, a complete tube. Extend your tongue and take gentle, deep breaths, expelling heat, but more effectively drawing cooling air deep into the lungs and core. Repeat this slow breath five times for a refreshing drink of cool air. Asana 4: Supta Baddha Konasana PranayamaThe second pranayama technique is a combination of an asana with some simple, focussed deep breathing. Lay in Reclined Bound Angle Pose, flat on your back, feet sole to sole and drawn up towards the groin to form a diamond shape with the legs. Once settled, place hands on the stomach and relax into several deep, long breaths, feeling the stomach rise and fall with each gentle breath. Repeat five times. Next, move the hands to the lower ribs. Repeat your breathing, maintaining a steady flow, but this time, feel the breath coming from the entire thorax, both stomach and lungs rising and falling. Repeat five times. Lastly, move hands to the upper ribs, concentrating all the breath in the upper thorax, your chest and shoulder expanding and contracting, opening the lungs for complete pranayama. Repeat five times. Make three rotations of this exercise.

Reclined Bound Angle Pose: You can also use a yoga strap to hold the feet in and supports for both knees and back if you prefer

In Closing:

These asanas aren’t designed to be a sequence or complete routine, merely a little spontaneous relief from over-heating! They can be assimilated into any routine, best suited to the cooling down end section of your sequence. Alternatively, you can perform any one, or all, of these poses as one-off, cooling and invigorating respites for stressful days, awaking and welcoming a new day or a gentle relaxation.

Enjoy and relax.

Namaste.

Receive more benefits at home from the expert tuition of Sue Hawkins with ‘Yoga – for Beginner & Intermediate Levels‘

Cost: $35 including GST, postage and handling fee in Australia

Classes are very much a positive, giving refinement to your practice in a safe and secure environment, ensuring that you don’t over-exert, that your postures are correct – both in form and for any contraindications – and for gaining the hands-on, expert knowledge that only a trained educator can provide. But is it possible that we have all become class junkies through unawareness?

Yoga practice should be integrated into our daily lives, no matter how brief that may be, and be developed into a self-initiated exercise. You can discover some asanas and sequences in our previous Asana posts. But gaining that motivation, without an allotted timeframe, a teacher and a pre-organised class, can be somewhat of a challenge.

Here are a few tips to instill your inspiration:

1. Create your place of peace: Designate a specific place in your home as your ‘quiet spot’. If possible, have your mat, your equipment, candles, incense music or mantras set up and ready to go at all times. This will get you inspired just by looking at your special place, without the demotivating rigmarole of needing to get everything ready. It will also make a quick, ten-minute stretch that much easier.

2. Set a time aside: Ideally, setting your alarm an hour earlier is the perfect solution, but it can often prove to easy to hit the ‘snooze’ button and pull the sheets back on! Select a time that is easily attainable, such as in between work and dinner, after you’ve got the kids to school or in the evening. Make these times regular and known to those around you, asking that they respect your need for quiet and space but also giving you greater motivation at their kindness for this.

3. Treat yourself: It may be the silliest little thing, but not allowing yourself a creature comfort until your practice is complete is often just enough to make you get to it. It also helps in developing a routine that will swiftly become second nature, your practice falling in to balance with your daily tasks. Treats may include breakfast or the day’s first cup of tea, a walk, your morning shower, evening TV time or similar – something usually taken for granted but denied until you finish your homework!

Above all, always remind yourself of the peace you find on your mat and the rejuvenation you feel after your practice – it’s SO worth it!

Grant shares with us his path to Reiki and Intuitive Healing, its benefits -- to him personally and to his clients -- and some fundamental practices we can all adopt to bring greater and more genuine happiness into our daily lives:

Yoga Health Retreats: How and when did you first become involved in intuitive healing?

Grant Hawkins: I was working in advertising in Sydney in about 1985 and wanted a change of direction. One of my clients was Barbara McGregor who was the publisher of Australian Wellbeing Magazine. She suggested I do Reiki with the Ushui Reiki Network. It was a wonderful introduction as they had a very purist attitude to Reiki. I found a natural affinity for doing intuitive readings and have practised it ever since. I continued my study, doing a 3-year course to become a body-oriented psychotherapist and a course in Intuitive Reading. I recently became a Reiki Master (able to teach others Reiki)

Yoga Health Retreats: Reiki is one of the more ‘mystical’ alternative therapies – please could you explain it in a little more depth and share one or two of the more profound results you have witnessed and/or created??
GH: Reiki is simply the use of Universal (or divine) energy to balance and heal a person on an energetic level. The practitioner places their hands on a person’s body and the energy flows to where it is needed. Often clients feel heat where the hands are placed. They tend to go into a somewhat dreamy state and often comment afterwards that they feel relaxed or uplifted. I tend to be a medium to reveal what their unconscious wants to say and what spirit wants to say.

I have seen people with long-term injuries have them disappear, such as knee and shoulder injuries. This is sometimes in combination with regular yoga practise. One woman had a bone out of place in her finger and it clicked back in after 40 minutes of Reiki on her finger and the pain was gone as well.

Some clients have a depth of mystical experience or clarity of action that is life changing. It could be as simple as needing to speak up for themselves more. This may not sound like much, but getting the impetus to act can be life changing.

Yoga Health Retreats: How has your work with intuitive healing altered your perspective toward your own intuition and spiritual outlook?
GH: I accept that I need to do some spiritual practice every day to keep me on a path of trusting spirit, being open hearted and grounded. To not be reactive from my wounds but courageous from a grounded vision of what can be created, what is possible in my life.

To follow my bliss and trust my path.

Yoga Health Retreats: You are currently running the Creating Happiness workshop – how does society undermine our natural and intrinsic mentality of happiness?
GH: Almost any belief that your happiness comes from outside factors will undermine your state of happiness. (e.g. a flashy car will make me happy. It might give me a happy feeling for a while, but this is usually short-lived as more important values and beliefs influence your long-term state of being).

The way many people live places much emphasis on short-term pleasure. It is important to enjoy short-term pleasures, but those who balance this with other long-term paths to happiness tend to be happier.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pefUPipxA6A

Yoga Health Retreats: What does the retreat involve?
GH: We create an environment where participants are able to relax and let their bodies slow down, to feel their own internal rhythm and pace. By honouring this fundamental part of ourselves it is easier to connect with our true selves and our true desires…to connect with who we really are.

By combining the main findings from Positive Psychology with proven spiritual practise we reveal the main paths to lasting happiness -- a balance of pleasure, engagement and meaning.

Pleasure is pretty simple and most of us are reasonably good at it.

Engagement comes from being in the flow at work, in relationships and during recreation. Flow typically occurs when ‘time flies’ – you are so engaged in something that you do not notice the time go by. We need a reasonable amount of this in our lives to feel happy.

Meaning comes from activities with a sense of purpose, such as raising a child, supporting a community cause, having a spiritual practise etc.

Meaning also comes from choosing value-driven goals -- something we help people get in touch with as the retreat progresses. We progressively introduce a simple but powerful daily process to help participants create new neural pathways of positive thought. I have been doing this exercise for 10 months now and certainly feel happier and am engaging more with those close to me.
None of us are perfect and at times it can be challenging, yet it is a path I recommend highly.

Yoga Health Retreats: How great is the necessity in life for happiness and how does this manifest physically?
GH: The Dalai Lama says happiness is the very purpose of life. So it is fundamental to seek it without being obsessed by it. We all have different average levels of joy or happiness, so some people can be quite serious and even sombre by nature, yet still feel happy and contented.

True happiness manifests itself in seeing a person engaged in their life fully. This might be done quietly or with much visible gusto. The engagement is the key. They feel alive and purposeful and are usually good to be around.

Byron Bay Creating Happiness Retreat | Jan 2013

Yoga Health Retreats: What is the most profound result you have witnessed through your work?
GH: A person saying with absolute certainty, I now know what I am going to do with my life and I am going to start right now – that always lights me up. One of my other favourite events was a woman who had wanted to write a book, but had not been able to get started because of family and work commitments. She set her alarm clock for 4 am and wrote the first draft of her book in one month. I saw her at the end of the month and the life force was jumping out of her skin!

Yoga Health Retreats: Can you please offer two insights that might instigate an altered perspective in our daily outlook?
GH: Because actions, no matter how small, are what lead to positive change, I would suggest two exercises. Both are empowering because you do them for yourself. They are also calming and will help you know yourself in positive, affirming ways.

In short, quiet times throughout the day, less than a minute will do, tap your heart gently and say “I’m ok”. Repeat it gently to yourself. “I’m ok, I’m ok”.

Start a daily practise. It can be as short as 5 minutes a day. Do this is a quiet space where you will not be interrupted. Just feel the energy around your body. See if you can tell or see if it has a colour. Don’t ask for any other spirits or people to come in towards you. This is about your energy. Keep feeling your energy. After a couple of minutes, choose one goal. Visualise yourself succeeding with this goal. Notice who is there. What sounds do you hear? How do you feel achieving this goal? Ask for spirit to help you achieve this goal and to take some action to move towards it today. Give thanks.

May all beings be happy.

Yoga Health Retreats has compiled this routine specifically for that application, to develop surfing fitness and as the perfect, simple way to a more bendy board rider.

Please note: if you have suffered any significant back injury or pain or if you are pregnant we must urge you not to undertake this asana without first seeking medical advice. Whilst it is a relatively simple posture, caution must always be taken. You must also always only perform to the level of your abilities, pushing yourself up to but never beyond your personal limitations.

Asanas for Surfing

Difficulty Rating:

________________________________________________________________________________________

Area Targeted:

• Shoulders
• Chest
• Mid to Lower Back

________________________________________________________________________________________

Benefits:

• Strengthening and added flexibility of lower back
• Strengthening of shoulders
• Releasing of musculature tightened through surfing and paddling
• Increased flexibility through neck and shoulders
• Increased lung capacity
• Release of thoracic musculature

________________________________________________________________________________________

Contraindications:

• Spinal injuries
• Severe sciatica & scoliosis
• Neck injuries

________________________________________________________________________________________

Asana 1: Downward Dog

Downward Dog, or Adho Mukha Svanasana, is a staple of the yoga asanas, being both relatively straightforward and energising. The pose is most simply begun from an all-fours position, shoulders and arms vertical, hips and knees at right-angles and hands, knees and feet hip-width apart.
Rise up slowly from the floor, keeping arms and back straight. Feet should be kept as close to flat to the mat as possible, without forcing but you can keep the heels high to begin with if hamstrings are tight. The perfectly-executed posture will see your hips, shoulders and hands and your hips, knees and feet aligned at about 45º to the floor eventually.
Hold for a minute, or as long as you can, before releasing the knees and easing back to the mat. Rest in childs pose.

Downward Dog Pose

Asana 2: Triangle

Trikonasana, the triangle, is wonderful for releasing the spine and forms a gradual stepping-stone into the following standing asanas. From Downward Dog, bring your right foot up between the hands as you roll gently forward so your arms are vertical. With your right foot next to your right hand, rotate through the hips and bring the left hand up to the ceiling. Your right toes should be pointing forward, your left foot at right-angles to your right.
Straighten your legs and try to form a straight line perpendicular to the floor, beginning at your right foot, through to your grounded right hand and all the way up to your right fingers. Look up to your fingers or look straight ahead if you have any neck problems.

Extended Triangle Pose

Asana 3: Extended Side Angle

Flattening your right palm to the mat, reach the left hand over to form a straight, 45º line from finger tip to left heel, your right knee bending at right-angles for Utthita Parsvakonasana, extended side angle. Feel the pose opening up your lateral muscles along your left side, your thighs and buttocks holding the pose firmly. If this is too much, you can place your right hand onto a block on the outside of the right foot for support.

Extended Side Angle Pose

Asana 4: Warrior II

Virabhadrasana II is a very empowering pose, fortifying your shoulder strength, and energising your whole body.
Keeping the rear leg and back straight, rotate upwards, extending your left arm behind you, your right arm reaching forward, while your torso remains parallel to your legs, your right knee bent and your head turns to look beyond the right finges breathing evenly, shoulders moving down away from the ears. Try to hold for a count of 30secs.

Warrior II Pose

Asana 5: Warrior i

Flowing through to Virabhadrasana I, Warrior I, takes coordination and balance, furthering this yoga practice benefits to your surfing.
Rotate your left foot and swing your hands gently upwards. Your torso should rotate forward and stay upright, at right-angles to your feet, and the gaze should follow your fingers towards up to the ceiling lifting the chest and creating strength and stability.

Warrior i Pose (reversed)

Stage 6: Completion

From Virabhadrasana I, reach your hands downwards to either side of the right foot, return the right foot to align with the left and take your pelvis backwards with straight arms, back into Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Dog. Ease your knees to the floor, roll your buttocks back over your heals and reach the fingers forwards for Utthita Balasana, Extended Child’s Pose. Rest here, allowing your shoulders and spine to rest and absorb the benefits of the practice.

Extended Child's Pose

In Closing:

Once you have completed this surfers’ routine a couple of times, you will find yourself flowing comfortably from one asana to the next, loosening you up for the paddle-out, releasing the tension post-surf or even simply invigorating and awakening your body for your day.
When you are familiar with each individual asana, repeat, reversing feet and hands: left foot forwards, left hand to the floor, right hand reaching upwards and so on.
Anyone can enjoy this simple routine, as a surfer or as a yoga-lover! The de-stressing nature of these asanas are of benefit to all.

Namaste.

Receive more benefits at home from the expert tuition of Sue Hawkins with ‘Yoga – for Beginner & Intermediate Levels‘

Cost: $35 including GST, postage and handling fee in Australia

• Acupuncture
  Focussing on the body’s Chi, or Ki, energy and meridians, acupuncture allows a release of blocked energy, enabling the body to function better, be stronger and release emotions and pain embedded deep within the core and psyche. See our blog post for further information on acupuncture.

• Aromatherapy
  Works on two levels: mentally, to relieve stress and depression, and pharmacologically – essentially as natural drugs.
  - Lemongrass, lavender, sandalwood & peppermint – anti-stress / depression
  - Lavender & Tea Tree – anti-inflammatory / anti-bacterial – aid sinus function
  - Jasmine – Tension, dry skin & headaches
  - Clary Sage – Digestive issues
  -Citrus Oils – Restorative, energizingThere are many more uses for essential oils available at: www.easy-aromatherapy-recipes.com

• Ayurvedic Medicine
  An holistic approach to medicine, incorporating massage, diet and natural remedies to unite and strengthen the body, mind and spirit. An excellent, natural, preventative alternative therapy

• Colonic Hydrotherapy
  Our sometimes overly prudish ego often blushes internally at mere mention of colonics, but this alternative therapy is not only incredibly discrete and discomfort-free, but exceptionally beneficial and an the essential element in a complete detox program. For more information, and to dispel your preconceptions, please visit our Blog Post.

• Core Energetics
  Core energetics is psychotherapy for the body. Traumas and mental issues that often create depression, stress, anxiety, and so on also manifest physically. Core energetics reverses this physical effect through mental therapy.

• Kinesiology
  Kinesiology works very closely with the body’s natural movements. Similar in some ways to physiotherapy, kinesiology focuses both on soft tissue, such as muscle and tendon, and the skeleton, taking those areas that are inhibited through injury, pain or simply bad habit, and gently, holistically correcting those issues harmoniously with the body.

• Phytotherapy
  Phytotherapy is essentially the study and application of natural medicine. Through diet, tinctures and supplements, phytotherapists take given ailments, often with known chemical remedies and replace those chemicals with herbs, extracts and naturally-sourced medicine.

• Pilates
  Similar to yoga, Pilates incorporates stretches and poses into a routine. But it’s focus is more on strength and flexibility than yoga’s more spiritual approach. This is a superb alternative therapy to rehabilitate from injury, as well as to gain fitness, strength and increased flexibility.

• Reflexology
  Based on the acupuncture meridians, reflexology applies pressure to key points in the hands and feet to alleviate a range of conditions throughout the body, including headaches, gastro-intestinal issues and organ function.

• Reiki
  Reiki could be described as an ‘energy massage’. Applying minimal pressure, sometimes not even touching their subject, Reiki masters stimulate the body’s natural energy system, or Chi. In a similar manner to acupuncture, this reconnects the natural flow of Chi and aids the body in healing itself, empowering the organs and easing pain and ailments.

• Yoga
  Yoga is the foundation of our retreats and the foundation of much of your wellbeing. Yoga practice strengthens the body both physically and mentally. Giving similar benefits to meditation, yoga calms the mind and relieves stress. In addition, it opens and strengthens the lungs, increases flexibility, improves the flow of blood and oxygen around the body and relieves musculoskeletal problems, such as lumbago, sciatica and sports injuries.

 Acupuncture’s foundations, though unclear, are as much as 5,000 years old. It is clear that at least 2,000 years ago, this ancient Chinese therapy was being widely practiced for relief of a gamut of ailments and that the unseen bodily meridians were well-documented.

Despite this strong foundation, many Westerners believe acupuncture to be nothing more than hocus-pocus. This archaic opinion is rapidly being overcome due to scientific research proving its benefits, many health funds now financially supporting the treatment and even GPs, often the most close-minded of the medical profession, recommending and prescribing acupuncture.

From a scientific standpoint, there is no denying the body’s natural flow of electricity and its improvement with the application of precisely inserted needles.

Here, we enlighten you on the medicinal benefits of this incredibly powerful practice:

It has been scientifically proven that acupuncture directly stimulates nerve fibres, so by increasing the body’s natural production of endorphins, norepinephrine, cortisol and serotonins. Among other things, these produce:

• The blockage of pain receptors
• Anti-inflammation
• Pain relief – both local and system-wide
• Muscular relaxation
• Anti-depressants
• An elevated sense of well-being

Because of this wide range of benefits, the list of symptoms benefiting from acupuncture is extensive. It includes:

• Neck or Cervical Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Lower Back Pain
• Sciatica
• Hip Pain
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Headaches & Migraines
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Sinus Problems
• Arthritis & Arthritic Pain
• Jaw and Face Pain
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow
• Sports Injuries
• Motor Vehicle Injuries
• Bladder Infection
• Stress Related Disorders
• Menstrual & PMS Problems
• Smoking Addiction
• Obesity & Weight Control
• Infertility

Many people have a fear of needles and, certainly in regards to injections, this is not unfounded. But that fear need not dissuade you from acupuncture. The needles are incredibly fine and pain is incredibly minimal, far less than with a conventional hypodermic needle.

Any discomfort that does occur is far more akin to a pressure and the releasing of your Chi energy. This soon dissipates, leaving a great sense of relief from prior ailments and even minimal stress levels and can often result in a state of euphoria.

World-renowned Canadian physician, Sir William Olser, often regarded as the father of modern medicine stated over a century ago that, “For lumbago [low back pain], acupuncture is the most efficient treatment”.

One of the fantastic plus-points of acupuncture is that it is completely unobtrusive. It does not involve drugs, it has very few, very rare side effects and, if a treatment were to fail, there would be no ill effects, no scarring, and no damage to your body whatsoever.

This chemical-free aspect makes it the perfect compliment to any detox program or retreat. No rehabilitation is required, no additional action needs to be taken and the patient is back to normal, or often better than normal, immediately.

It is a therapy that you can ‘take home’ with you. If you have specific symptoms that a practitioner diagnoses, you can extend the treatment by applying pressure with the thumb or forefinger to this area. Acupressure and reflexology are essentially precisely this.

So, don’t fear the needle! If you have consistent aches and pains, ongoing internal ailments of even emotional irregularities, ask for a referral to a qualified, renowned practitioner – a little pinprick might be all you need.