cherish the quiet, little moments. reading your book in your bed with a cosy blanket. noticing the colors of the sky. watching the rain outside through your window. closing your eyes and just taking a breath. the sun shining on your skin. the small smiles and eyes lightning up.

you’ve gotta stat romanticizing your life. you gotta start believing that your morning commute is cute and fun, that every cup of coffee is the best you’ve ever had, that even the smallest and most mundane things are exciting and new. you have to, because that’s when you start truly living. that’s when you look forward to every day. 

The sound effects and editing actually killed me hsjdksla

you will unlearn all of the bad habits you taught yourself and you will grow into someone stronger than you ever imagined you could be

Yoga for when you don’t want to do yoga.

Lesson by @mistyglasses

Confession time. Apart from the odd twenty-minute practise here and there, Miss ‘I love yoga, you should try yoga, omg yoga yoGA YOGAA’, didn’t practise yoga for the best part of last year (spiritual plateau, if you were curious). I watched new yogis pop up on Instagram, re-read the benefits, knew how necessary on a personal level it would be to get my energy/prana/chi flowing and noted how much better I felt after one of those twenty-minute flows. But the cba hurdle (means ‘can’t be arsed’ if that’s unfamiliar) I had to get over to start each practise always had me torn between two mindsets – if you want it, make it happen (à la Liz Gilbert walking around her house saying random words to get that creative energy flowing) and waiting to feel like doing it… and I usually favoured the latter. However, sometimes, when I felt I had no time, when I’d been on my feet all day and only wanted to binge Netflix, when I was mentally drained, when I felt way too vulnerable to unfurl myself or when all I felt like doing was lying on the floor and staring at the ceiling – well, there’s a pose for that, that’s when a down-dog could’ve really come in handy. Yoga, with its’ push for self-awareness and acceptance, is so much more than just a physical practise after all. Of course, sometimes it’s best to trust your instincts and not force yourself to do something you don’t feel like doing, it’s just, in times like I described, monkey mind was often drowning out whatever my instincts may have been saying.

If you too are figuring out the balance between flow and force, the following basic poses and gentle stretches will get you tapped back in to help you determine how much to push yourself. 

And look, you don’t even have to leave your bed to do it!

1. Sit in a comfortable position, where you won’t be disturbed and relax your shoulders (rolling them up back and down will help this or even just lifting your shoulders towards your ears and just dropping them). Inhale for 4 counts, hold your breath for 7, then exhale for 8. Repeat this 4-7-8 pattern three or four times. This count will really help slow down your breathing and focus your mind to the present. As this won’t take much more than a minute, it’s great to do whenever you feel you need grounding. If you’ve more time or you feel you want to continue, some gentle seated twists would be great to massage your lower organs and stretch your abdominal muscles, often where stress is held. Place your left hand on your right knee, and your right hand behind you. Sit up taller on an inhale, then twist gently to your right on an exhale. Do this a couple more times before repeating on the other side.

2. Heart openers help with tightness in the chest and opening your heart chakra, helping release emotions. Start on your belly and extend your left arm to the side. Slowly roll over it so that you feel a stretch in your chest and use your right arm for stability in front of you (or if it’s comfortable, rest your hand on your lower back). Stay here for about five breaths before rolling back onto your belly and repeating on the other side. If you want to kick things up a notch, some other chest openers you could try, include cat-cow, camel pose, fish pose, sphinx pose or bow pose.

3. Legs up the wall is such a simple pose, yet the benefits feel so pronounced! Just move your hips as close to the wall as possible and walk your legs up. Let your arms rest gently to the side. In this position, gravity will help with circulation in your upper body and brain, you will feel a stretch in the back of your legs and your lower back gets some yummy relief. Fantastic if you’ve been on your feet all day and great coming off a flight if your legs or feet have swollen.

4. The physical nature of child’s pose is looking in, it is a physical representation of reflection. Aside from opening your hips, stretching your back and being fab for your digestion, this restorative pose offers relief, comfort and grounding, relaxing your entire body and slowing your mind as you curl into yourself. Start on your hands and knees, bring your big toes together and open your knees as wide as feels comfortable. Move your hips towards your heels and extend your arms out in front of you, letting your head rest on the floor (or bed) or a block. Stay here for at least five deep breaths.

I just wanted to say, that of course, yoga is not the be all and end all, it doesn’t solve everything and the way in which something works for one person won’t be the same for someone else. Finding what feels good (a phrase coined by Yoga with Adriene) for you, is always key.

Namaste!

[Next lesson: Yoga For Your Chakras: Muladhara/Root]

What blocks each chakra, and how to heal/avoid it:

1. Root Chakra: Fear - Avoid this feeling by focusing on what you are grateful for and by knowing that you are eternally safe and infinitely powerful in the grand scheme of things.

2. Sacral Chakra: Guilt - Avoid this feeling by knowing that you are always doing your best and that it’s always enough.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra: Shame - Avoid this feeling by knowing that you are objectively absolutely perfect and nothing you do can change that.

4. Heart Chakra: Grief - This feeling shouldn’t be avoided but allowed to pass through if it occurs, and then send love to yourself to heal. You can do this by imagining yourself filled with bright light.

5. Throat Chakra: Lies - Be honest with yourself and others.

6. Third Eye Chakra: Illusion - Be open to the possibility that there is more to this universe than meets the eye. Be open to the possibility that we are all connected.

7. Crown Chakra: Earthly Attachment - Let go of all attachments that you have to this planet. The entire universe and beyond is your home.

Chakra Advice

If you want to feel more safe and less fearful, work on your root chakra.

If you want to feel more joyful, work on your sacral chakra.

If you want to feel more confident and empowered, work on your solar plexus chakra.

If you want to feel more love, work on your heart chakra.

If you want to feel more comfortable speaking your truth, work on your throat chakra.

If you want to experience more clarity, work on your third eye chakra.

If you want to have a better connection with the Universe, work on your crown chakra.

Side note: Start with the lowest chakra that you want to work on (like root chakra) and work your way up.

Grids, spreads, chakras, auras, and oils

Here’s some food for thought:

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— Nicholas Sparks (via perrfectly)

Morning guys. I hope you remember today that if you slip up you can restart your day at any time. You don’t have to wait til the next day to start over. Just sit down, breathe for a few minutes, and start again. 

The size of those paws… and BEANS

— Wayne Dyer (via purplebuddhaquotes)

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I LOVE rainbows