Hello Yogis!

There are so many influencers on social media and some not even human, who are making all kinds of claims as to the effectiveness of their systems of fitness, personal development and life coaching.

Some wild claims offer you to have a flat stomach in just 3 weeks if you follow their 7 minute a day programme. (This is not specific to a particular company or app but definitely something I have seen) I find these adds really annoying because they give false hope. I do believe you can see changes really quickly and I also believe some practices are more efficient than others but if you are wanting to completely reshape your body, I think it takes more than 7 minutes a day and just 3 weeks in which to do it!

This has led to me asking myself the question of how my yoga and spiritual practices have really enriched my life over the years and how those systems and practices have changed?

As a lot of you know, I have been on the spiritual and yogic path for well over 30 years, almost 35 now and I can honestly say, my life is being continually influenced, for the better by the practices I have made a commitment to and the outlook I have achieved because of them.

My body is stronger now than it was when I was in my 20’s. I am able to move with ease and I know how to lift my energy when and if I need to. I also know when to stop and rest should that be the call of the day. I have become so attuned to my body’s ebbs and flows that I have the capacity to look after it and master what I want to influence at any given moment.

Have I had health concerns?

Yes of course! At 53 I have gone through menopause and that journey brought with it a few health challenges along the way. In order to adapt to the circumstances I was going though, I altered my physical practices and used Mindfullness techniques such as breath work and presence connection, to help me to cope with the anxiety and panic attacks that menopause unhelpfully brought to my life.

I have also had many practical challenges and life style traumas to work through, in fact, for a lot of years, my practices sustained me in that they helped to keep me sane during the most challenging of times. There are podcasts available to explain this in a little more detail.

What do my practices consist of?

My yoga practice is the first practice I commit to each day. I make sure I practice in some way or another at some point in the day. I usually give myself a Sunday without physical practice but always have spirituality in mind. My practice has changed and progressed over the years. I always used to practice as soon as I got out of bed. Now I tend to eat, walk and then practice a little later in the day. This is because I feel more sleepy in the mornings than I used to. Having said that, my practice has got stronger than it used to be. I have over the years adapted it at points to be lighter before becoming stronger again. I have adapted it to work with my body, mind and lifestyle as changes came and went.

Then there is the meditation. I used to meditate for 45 minutes a day, at least. This was when I was going through my worst times; with a number of stressful experiences and also the physiological and psychological experiences of menopause.

I can honestly say that I meditate more days than not now and when I do it is for at least 30 minutes. I have never been able to feel the benefits of meditation unless I have had at least 30 minutes to be able to reset my brain waves and connect to myself in that more enlightened way. In my opinion the 10 minute twice a day systems are ok for building a routine and setting a grounding but it’s unlikely that you will find a deeply meditative state in just 10 minutes unless you have been practicing for years and years. I think this can leave some people feeling disheartened. You just need to be there longer!

I read spiritual books and follow spiritual guidance from the Vedic texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and also some more scientific authors such as Dr Joe Dispenza. His books helped me so much when I was really struggling with menopausal anxiety.

I also use sound and mantra and the daily use of crystal energy to help to support me as life flows.

Do you need a real teacher or will an app suffice?

For some things an app can be a good tool. It is on hand when you want it and you can often find something that fits in with your time and your mood but there is nothing that really beats the connection that is formed between a teacher and a student. The teacher will be able to help you to more readily adapt your practice as and when you need to. Whether that be stronger or lighter. They will also be able to help to guide you through the psychological journey that will inevitably take place. Then when you come along to a live class, you also receive the energy exchange of others on a like minded journey. You might make life long friends. Some of my students have been with me since 2009.

When you come along to class you are removed from your usual surroundings and distractions and can literally focus your attention on the teachings and in doing the poses to the degree that serves you on any given day.

There is never any pressure to do everything but if you want to be challenged a little, you can enjoy taking part in some of the more challenging aspects of the techniques and practices I am showing.

What made the biggest difference in my life in terms of development and progression?

This has to be discipline. You don’t get anywhere unless you discipline yourself and commit to the path. With a disciplined practice you build frequency and growth.

When you practice a little every day, you will soon begin to see the benefits. By practicing regularly, you begin to see the changing faces you present from one day to the next. You will wake up feeling one thing one day and something completely different another. This is a huge eye opener. Often life leads us to walking around, following the clock and our schedules, while forcing the body to just adapt, without any real understanding of what we might actually be feeling or experiencing. Even if you still have to go to work, you can make small changes, such as make sure you’re drinking enough water and eating foods that begin to lift your energy rather than leave you feeling like a lead balloon.

All this happens because as you practice every day, you feel the changes those little choices make to your energy and your strength, to your mood and to your emotional state, so you realise and you start to adapt and make changes that support your practice and support the path you have committed yourself to taking.

Something that is also beneficial, but not always crucial in short burst but over time can be hugely important, is progression and growth.

When you commit to practicing regularly, whether it’s yoga, meditation, study or mindfulness; you will get better at it as the years go on.

That’s not to say that, as I mentioned earlier, you may find some periods in your life when you have to scale things back for a while physically, but you will find, because you are now present with yourself that you will pick up the practice mentally and emotionally and start to make changes there. When your system is used to being present with itself, it will find the smallest cracks to bring about change! You won’t be able to stop developing over all. You may just develop in different ways.

I had to tone my physical practice back a lot when I was menopausal and do much more gentle physical poses because the strong poses I was used to would send my body into over drive and I’d end up with heart palpitations and panic attacks later on in the day.

I adapted over a few years but now I am through it, I have returned to my stronger style of practicing.

The path has been fascinating for me.

I really want to be able to help more and more of you to improve your present day and your future self too.

I know that without the practices I have held dear to my heart, I wouldn’t have been able to cope with the lifestyle and personal challenges that have at times, crept into my life!

You will find your path, your needs, your achievements. And for each of you, they will be just what you needed, when you needed them and in a way that you needed to experience them. And you will have the discipline, reassurance and guidance of the practice, and me to assist you as you do.

Come along and help me to help you to become the best you, you could possibly be!

Jump towards the new year with vigour, insight and a promise of more magic to come.

I have a very special 4 session Guided Meditation Course coming up in November and December that may help you to begin.

You may just prefer to join me for a special Saturday event to celebrate the Winter Solstice in Kingsthorpe.

My classes are open to students of all abilities. The online classes are great if you really can’t get to a class. There is something special about meeting in person though.

If you are in need of more restful nurturing, you may like to book into one of the 121 therapies I specialise in. They are a great stepping stone to the path of health and wellbeing that you deserve.

With love and light.

Carrie-Anne.