yoga & Mindfulness
YOGA
Yoga is a holistic approach to life based on the belief that mind and body are one. Yoga has been practiced for five thousand years. It is a physical and spiritual practice that does not differentiate between the mental and the physical.
Modern day living is fast, stressful and demands an external focus.
Learning to relax and connect with the physical body is the beginning of moving the attention inward to find peace and equilibrium. Yoga asanas (poses) and relaxation techniques affect and penetrate every single cell and tissue in the body, recreating them and promoting well functioning organs and an alert mind.
Asanas (poses)
Yoga asanas provide a variety of beneficial effects, for example…
Sitting asanas are calming
Standing asanas are energising
Twists create a cleansing affect
Inversions develop mental strength
Backbends open up the body and are enlivening
Rowan includes all of these in her specially designed classes, in order to facilitate what each individual needs for reconnection with themselves – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Yoga positively impacts all of our bodily systems - from those we are aware of such as relieving muscle tightness and joint pain, to those we are unaware of such as our endocrine and lymphatic systems.
Yoga postures work on specific areas of the body, including the muscles, joints, liver, kidneys and heart. All of the movements and the way the postures extend the body have a profound impact on functioning.
Pranayama (Breath techniques)
When the body and breath are synchronised, the nervous system is brought into balance - calming for some, energising others. Simultaneously prana (life force energy) infuses each cell of the body.
There are many different pranayama techniques with a variety of benefits according to your needs.
Relaxation
The act of synchronising movement and breath is naturally relaxing. Additionally each class includes other relaxation processes at the beginning and end of every session. These techniques train the mind to go inward.
Relaxation and pranayama induce a state of calmness that can be experienced again and again. This develops a reserve of inner strength and mental peace.
The aim of asanas, pranayama and relaxation exercises is the development of a sound, healthy body and mind.
Rowan’s yoga classes are tailored to your specific needs – allowing you to reconnect with your highest health and happiness.
MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is the awareness that comes from paying attention non-judgmentally to the present moment. This includes the thoughts, feelings and body sensations you may be experiencing.
There is no attempt to fix or solve anything and in this process change occurs. As we hold in awareness, the problems can dissolve or the capacity to view a situation from a new perspective. This leads to new ways of relating both to yourself and to others.
The process provides a sense of deep relaxation and can reveal what is the best and deepest within ourselves.
In 2011, Sara Lazar and her Harvard team found that mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of our brain and therefore changes our subjective perception and feelings.
The practice is now understood to have an amazing variety of neurological benefits. These include changes in grey matter volume, a reduction in the activity in the ‘me’ centres of the brain, and enhanced connectivity between brain regions. Studies also reveal that mindfulness meditation can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and pain.
Rowan uses simple mindfulness practices in her work and offers practices to work with at home on an ongoing basis.
ROB SAYS…
Rowan Bradley's work as a yoga instructor and natural healer is very unique. She heals as she works and steers you in the right direction and offers sound advice from posture to realigning thought processes to making the vital changes in your life to pursue your dreams and ambitions.
Whether you see her for a yoga healing or for a spiritual healing her work is powerful and I have seen it change many patients of mine and she has helped advance me in my wonderful work I do.
It is all about making the choice to re align and then working with Rowan to allow your body, mind and spirit to be flexible to adjust so that we allow the divine to move us closer to our dream and aspirations and soulmate.An amazing woman with pure healing energy. She will change/enhance your life, as she has mine!