Yoga Nidra Free Script - Springtime

What to say beforehand

Welcome to this Yoga Nidra with images of spring time and the moon in spring. The moon is called the pink moon because of the spring blossom and flowers

So as you start to get yourself comfortable for the Nidra I’ll just say a few words about what we’re going to do. First of all, if there’s anything in the Nidra that doesn’t resonate with you then just don’t do it, this is your practice, you can make it right for you.

If at any point in the Nidra I suggest an image but nothing comes just be with that - don’t worry if you don’t “see” all the images - just flow with your experience even if that seems to be “nothing”

The “Images” will be a spring time meadow - trees with pink blossom and a springtime rain shower and finally the pink full moon - so if a real place springs to mind you can use that - or it can also be an imaginary place

or maybe you’re like me and don’t actually see images but you feel them or tune into the energy… whatever works for you

The breath and body scan will be inviting the fresh energy of spring and new beginnings into your body

Arrival

So lying down comfortably in what ever position is comfortable for you, let’s take some long exhales (pause) and allow the body to rest on the surface underneath you. Welcoming all the sensations in your face… your jaw… your mouth and tongue… your whole head… sensations in your neck and shoulders - just welcoming everything exactly as it is… your arms…your torso… your legs… the sensation of the surface underneath you… supporting you…

Body Scan

And form here let’s picture or feel a spring day - one of those fresh sunny days when the sun is warm but the air still has that freshness - let that energy of new beginnings and fresh possibilities touch you - maybe it’s the warmth of the sun - or maybe the coolness of the breeze - whichever you prefer…

So the springtime energy touches the top of your… (insert the body scan of your choice)

Breath

And now let’s breathe in that fresh energy - new beginnings chances to start again - inhale springtimes freshness and ride the exhale - keep breathing in your natural rhythm and let yourself expand and open on the exhale (allow some silence then repeat these suggestions a few times depending on how much time you want to spend here)

And now tune into a line from the base of your spine to the top of your head - inhale up and out through the top of your head - and exhale down and out of the bottom of your spine - inhale up and exhale down (allow some silence then repeat these suggestions a few times depending on how much time you want to spend here)

Maybe as you watch that line expands out to a wave - a soft wave of energy flowing up on the inhale and down on the exhale

And maybe the wave expands to the bottom of your feet to the crown of your head - a soft wave flowing with the breath - somehow you can really relax and rest on this wave

Letting the wave wash over you…wash through you

And now shifting your awareness to your hands - can you feel your breath pulsing there? (pause)

And  the top of your head - maybe you can feel your breath pulsing there - maybe you can tune into or see or feel a line - a golden thread extending out from the top of your head - since you’re lying down it will run parallel to the ground - follow that golden thread breathing up on the inhale and down on the exhale

And now shifting your awareness to the base of your spine - maybe you can feel your breath pulsing there - maybe you can tune into or see or feel a line - a golden thread extending out from the base of your spine - again since you’re lying down it will run parallel to the ground - follow that golden thread breathing up on the inhale and down on the exhale

Now see if you can feel the whole of that thread - let yourself be held by the thread - you could completely let go and let yourself be held

Images

So now you could choose to stay here - being held by that golden thread - or you can let that continue in the background and find yourself in a spring meadow - maybe you see it - maybe you feel it - no need to do anything - and if nothing comes keep flowing with your experience - maybe flowing with your breath - so in the meadow - feeling the warm sun on your face…. Feeling the cool breeze… and the fresh green grass… and the amazing flowers - all colours of the rainbow… blue… violet…white…yellow…. Reds….drinking in the colours - letting the colours nourish you

And the amazing smell

Let’s walk through the meadow - can you feel the springy ground under your feet? Can you hear birds singing? And we come to an cherry orchid - and the blossom on the trees is amazing - all shades of pink - lacy and beautiful against the blue sky

And then you feel the atmosphere change - that silence as the birds stop singing - and the slight denseness of the atmosphere - and you feel the air kind of misty - it’s going to rain - so you run under a tree to shelter and watch at the raindrops start to come - just a few scattered ones at first - then gradually more and more and then it pours down! But under the tree you are warm and dry or maybe you’d prefer to go out and dance in the rain…

As the rain begins to subside, the clouds start to clear, and the sun begins to peek out from behind them. The rain has stopped, and the world around you is fresh - the colours even brighter - the smell so clean and new - the raindrops like diamonds on the grass - still dripping under the trees…

And you walk on through the cherry orchard

And now it’s evening - the sky is deep deep blue - and your are warm and snug - and you can see the moon rising - close to the ground and it looks enormous - the moonlight shining on your face and body - maybe you can let yourself melt into the moonlight - that yin reflective soft energy - and the magic thing about this moon is that it’s reflecting the pink of the cherry blossom - the pink moon holding you and nurturing you as you gently and softly drift - and breathe and rest

Return

And now it’s time to start a slow adn gentle return… gathering your consciousness back… feeling your body lying on the floor… maybe listening to sounds around you… taking as much time as you want or need and when you’re ready inviting small movements to your hands and feet… stretching…. hugging your knees into your chest… rolling on to one side… and sitting up.

Free Yin Classes

I love yin yoga and I love to share free resources - here’s some yin classes with a focus on meridians and seasons

Free Nidra Script: Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Yoga Nidra Winter Wonderland

What to Say Beforehand

You’ll be imagining you’re staying in a cabin in the mountains in the woods

Going for a walk in the freshly fallen snow

You will be very warm and cosy all wrapped up and comfortable

Arrival

Settle in and get comfy - cover yourself with a blanket nice and cosy - have a wriggle - get as comfy as you can possibly be

Body Scan

We will go for a journey together around your body - as I name each body part feel it warm and soft

Right thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, fingers and thumb together, palm of the hand, back of hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, armpit, side of the waist, hip, front right thigh, back of thigh, knee, back of knee, shin, calf, ankle, heel, right big toe, second toe, third toe, forth toe, fifth toe, all toes together, the whole right side…

Warmth in the left thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, fingers and thumb together, palm of the hand, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, armpit, side of the waist, hip, front left thigh, back of thigh, knee, back of knee, shin, calf, ankle, heel, left big toe, second toe, third toe, forth toe, fifth toe, all toes together, the whole left side… 

Softness in the whole right arm, the whole left arm, both arms together, the whole right leg, the whole left leg, both legs together, and your whole body… expand awareness into the whole body… golden light and your whole body… your whole body resting…

Breath

Watching the natural rhythm of the breath - and feel gratitude for the breath - effortless - flowing - bringing fresh energy and oxygen taking away what you don’t need - brining balance and harmony to the body and mind - rest in that rhythm

Images/Opposites

Now see or feel or imagine you are in bed in a cosy cabin in the mountains in winter - you wake up in the morning and look out of the window and oh! outside it’s been snowing

You can see the patterns of frost on the window pane -

And it’s one to those sunny winter days - the sun is bright and the sky is so blue

You decide to go out for a walk - first you grab a quick drink - maybe a coffee or tea? What ever you like - can you smell the coffee? Feel the warmth in your mouth as you sip? Can you taste the flavour?

Next let’s get ready with our winter kit - first your thermal base layers - slip the thin warm material on

Then your thick warm jumper and trousers

Your thick comfy warm socks

Then your coat and hat and scarf and gloves

Your winter boots with special grippy soles

Can you feel the texture of the warm clothes? See the colours?

Now you are wrapped up cosy and warm - ready for anything

So let’s open the door - after the warmth of the cabin the air feels so fresh and bracing - awakening - can you feel the coolness inside your nose? On your skin? Can you feel the contrast of the warm cabin and the fresh outdoors - feel the air cool on your skin but the warmth of the sun touching you

Can you smell the nature? Smell the snow?

Can you see your breath foggy as you breath out?

Can you hear the sound of silence that comes with freshly fallen snow - all sounds are muffled and soft - a very special quality to the silence of freshly fallen snow

You are the first person to walk on this freshly fallen snow - look out and see - how perfect it is - maybe a few tracks of birds feet - but apart from that completely untouched - waiting for you!

Can you see the colours of the snow - from brilliant white to deep blue

Here and there there are the first flowers of spring time poking through - the spiky green of the leaves and the pure white of snowdrops and the bright yellow of daffodils

Can you see how the sunlight shines on the snow - maybe you even put your sun glasses on - see the contrast of the brightness - then the softness of the light through your sun glasses

Now lets take a step - hear that magic crunch as your boots sink into the snow - it’s not too deep - just right - go ahead and start walking - each step is a new experience - the sound - the sensation of the snow under your feet

As you walk you can look around - see the snow settled on the branches of the trees…. See icicles hanging down from the trees

You pass a stream all iced up - see the patterns of the ice and snow settled on top - parts of the ice a deep mysterious black

Your path takes you uphill - feel the muscles in your legs working - you build up a pleasant heat

Then you arrive at the top and look out at the most magical view

The sky has layers of blue and white clouds - the sun shining it seems so big and vast - so peaceful

The mountains in the distance are covered in snow with layers of deep blue/purple as the peaks cast shadows

Closer you can see the green of the tree tops - the green layers with the snow on the trees

You can look down and see your feet snuggled in your boots in the snow - see your single set of footprints leading here - pure magic

Breathe in that pure fresh air…

Feel the air brining energy and healing

Feel the sun warming your face

Clean pure energising…

Now walking back down to your cabin - feel how different muscles work as you walk downhill

See your tracks going the other way

Now arriving back to the cabin open the door and feel the warmth - maybe it has a special woody cedar smell?

Take off your boots and lie down on the comfy couch - close your eyes and let images or feelings of your walk float past you - the clouds in the sky - the colours - the textures - the smells and that sound of silence that comes with the snow -

Return

Now beginning your slow and gentle return. 

Slowly start to make your way back. 

Feeling your body. 

Listening to the sounds around you. 

 Gently begin to move your hands and feet. 

Take some deep inhalations. 

Maybe stretch your arms over your head. 

Draw your knees up to your chest. Rock from side to side. 

Then roll over onto one side. 

And in your own time, come up to sitting. 

Thank You!!!

All About Sleep

Sleeping was always one of my super powers until I hit perimenopause - then I still slept but my deep sleep went down big time. Deep sleep is the part of sleep when the body repairs, when we’re refreshed and when our brain is cleansed of plaque. So I embarked on a mission to repair my deep sleep. It’s now gone up from around 6 minutes a night to around an hour. Some people lie awake for most of the night. Whatever your issue there is lots you can do to improve it.

Here I’ll share what worked for me - it’s a lot! My advice would be to try one thing at a time and give it as lease a week to see how it works for you. I use a device called an Oura ring (not sponsored!) which gives read outs of sleep quality and other things like heart rate, temperature etc. I found it really useful to track what worked and what didn’t. You can also feel it!

There is a theory that a lot of the symptoms of menopause are actually symptoms of lack of sleep. Symptoms of menopause can be split into four main categories;

• Somatic symptoms, for example, gaining weight, headaches and insomnia;

• Psychological symptoms, for example, irritability, depressive feelings and mood swings;

• Vasomotor symptoms, for example, numbness and tingling, hot flashes and lack of appetite;

• Urogenital, for example, loss of sexual interest and pain during intercourse.

Many of these symptoms are also symptoms of lack of sleep, for example irritability, depression and anxiety, weight gain and brain fog. These will seriously decrease your quality of life. But there’s also conditions that are more life threatening like heart disease and some cancers. Worth sorting out!!!

So, one theory is that it’s the hot flushes and night sweats that give us the insomnia - or at least make it worse - so if we can stop/reduce, it can go a long way.

Hot Flushes have been found to respond to diet - this was also my experience. For me the problems were sugar, dairy and alcohol. So work out your triggers and ruthlessly cut them out! Making sure you stay hydrated is another one - 8 glasses of water a day. Also managing your stress levels. Stress and anger are very heating, now is the time to detox triggers and stressors in your life. If you don’t your health will suffer. Up until now you’ve been able to “get away with it” because of the oestrogen acting as a anti-inflammatory amongst other things. Now you can’t get away with it anymore so you have to sort it out. This is a good thing! You have an inbuilt system to tell you when you’re choosing unhelpful options. Take it as a wake up call you finally get clean and healthy inside and out…

I also got a wool duvet that keeps you warm but lets heat dissipate away.

Temperature is also important. We evolved with cooler evenings stimulating responses in the body to get us to sleep. Having your bedroom too warm and stuffy can block sleep. 18 degrees is a good temperature to aim for.

Another thing that can block sleep is snoring and mouth breathing at night. It can cause dehydration and sleep apnea. It can also cause brain fog and daytime fatigue. One fix for this is mouth tape - using micropore tape to keep your mouth shut so you breath through your nose. You can also be sure to angle your face down and get bands to go round your chin to keep your mouth shut.

Light is very important for sleep. We evolved to respond to the light around us. Now we are over-dosed with blue light in the evenings which tell our systems it’s moving and time to wake up. I have an alarm at 8pm that goes off every night to remind me to put my screens away. It’s also good to switch from overhead lights to low level (the sun is closer to the horizon at night) and candles are a nice alternative. Also on light try to make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible - blackout blinds and curtains are a good way to go. It’s also good to go out in the morning to get a does of wake up morning light and go out at sunset to get the sleep signal from the warmer colours. It’s also a very nice ritual.

I use a herbal tea as part of my night time wind down ritual. The one I use is:
Yarrow- 1/2 tbsp
Motherwort - 1/4 tbsp
Skullcap tea - 1/4 tbsp
Passionflower - 1/4 tbsp
Stinging nettle - 1/2 tbsp
Add boiling water, brew for 5 minutes, drink last thing at night before sleep.

Caffeine is best avoided. But if you really want some have a morning cup and then switch to herbal. Tulsi tea with a spoon of Macca can give you a natural lift so can Greek mountain tea. And definitely avoid caffeine after mid day.

Sugar is best avoided. But definitely don’t have it late in the evening.

Alcohol is best avoided but again if you want some have it as early as possible to avoid going to bed with it still strong in your system.

Yoga is great to support sleep. An early morning energising wake up session and an evening chill out yin/restorative session is the bomb. Avoid strong activity in the evenings, it can heat up your system which evolved with cool evenings signalling sleep. Yoga Nidra can also really help get to sleep, and navigate the more shallow phases of sleep. I’ve also put together some acupressure points for sleep.

A regular sleeping routine is really important so your hormones can get into a rhythm. That means getting up and going to bed at the same time every night and morning. So even if a sleep in seems really tempting one morning or at the weekends, it’s really much better for your system to keep in the pattern. So I have an alarm set for bedtime and waking up time and if at all possible I stick to it. Consistency let’s your body function much better. This also includes meal times.

Serotonin is one of our “feel good” hormones, it’s also a precursor to Melatonin, this is the hormone that governs out sleep/wake cycle. Over 90& of our serotonin is in the gut - so if we have a poor diet or poor digestion due to stress that can affect our serotonin levels and indirectly our melatonin - another reason to sort out our diet and stress levels.

Here is some great advice from The Sleep Charity UK

I hope something here can help you.

Please don’t suffer with insomnia - there’s lots of support for you and lots you can do to help yourself.

Feel free to get in touch if you want any help or advice.

Free Nidra Script : A Walk in the Forest in Autumn

What to say beforehand

This Nidra will include a walk in the autumn woods.

Arrival

Let’s start by lying down comfortably. You might lie on your back or maybe you prefer another position - just choose what works for you right now… Close your eyes if you want…. Tuning into any sensations you feel in your tongue, lips, face - simply allowing any sensations to be there

Feeling into your shoulders and arms…. Allowing any sensations in the hips and legs

Rotation

Now we will go together for a journey around the body. As I name a body part, simply welcome all the sensations you feel there… nothing to change… nothing to fix…. simply shining the light of your awareness…

Begin at the point between the eyebrows - feeling all the sensations - between the eyebrows…. the little hollow at the base of the throat…. the right shoulder - right elbow - wrist - right thumb…. index finger…. middle finger…. fourth finger…. little finger…. wrist…. elbow…. shoulder…. base of throat….  left shoulder…. elbow….  wrist….  Left thumb…. index finger…. middle finger…. fourth finger…. little finger…. wrist…. elbow…. shoulder…. Heart centre ….  right side of chest…. Heart centre.... Left side of chest…. Heart centre...solar plexus... pelvic floor….  right hip….  knee….  ankle….  tip of big toe, second toe, third toe, forth toe, fifth toe….  ankle….  knee….  hip….  centre of pelvic floor….  left hip….  knee….  ankle….  tip of big toe, second toe, third toe, forth toe, fifth toe….  ankle….  knee….  hip….  centre of pelvic floor….  solar plexus…. heart centre... throat...  eyebrow centre….

whole body….  whole body….  whole body resting

Breath

Watching the body breathe - watching the natural rhythm of the breath - inhaling fresh Prana or chi or energy - exhaling what you no longer need

Like a fresh autumn day when the sun is shining - the crisp clean air - inhale that freshness - and let go on the exhale.
pause
Like on top of a mountain - breathe in the fresh clean air - buzzing with energy - and let go on the exhale.
pause
Like by the sea - fresh tangy salty sea air - and let go on the exhale.
pause
Like in a forest - air purified by the trees - and let go on the exhale.
pause

Images

And now see yourself in nature - somewhere you feel good and calm - feel yourself walking along -

You can feel the tang in the air - the crisp coolness of the air on your skin and the smell of autumn

What is the path like - feel it under your feet - can you feel the autumn leaves crisp and crackling under foot - can you see the colours golden orange bronze  - and feel the soft earth underneath

Looking up you can see the leaves on the trees - dancing in the wind-  then falling falling - maybe you can catch one?

Shafts of sunlight through the trees - light and shade - patterns of leaves dancing with your shadow

Drinking in the quality of the light

Feel that fresh air bringing energy to your lungs - feel your self letting go of anything you don’t need anymore - doesn’t have to be a story - just a feeling of letting go - becoming lighter - becoming freer - more buoyant - softer - more able to appreciate the nature around you -

Return

Now beginning your slow and gentle return. 

Feeling your body and the surface underneath you.

Listening to the sounds around you. 

Gently begin to move your hands and feet. 

Take some deep inhalations. 

Maybe stretch your arms over your head. 

Draw your knees up to your chest. Maybe rock from side to side. 

Then roll over onto one side. 

And in your own time, come up to sitting.  

Thank You!!!

Yin and Yoga Nidra : Transitions

I always found the transition from summer to autumn really sad as a kid - the end of the summer holidays and that back to school feeling. Transitions can be hard. Transitions are liminal spaces - leaving one thing behind and moving into something new they come with change and uncertainty.

• Sometimes we choose them

• Sometimes we have no choice

• We need to let go - reframe beliefs and how we see ourselves

• We need to exist in uncertainty

• We need to navigate the new - an opportunity to gain agency and purpose

We can deny and resist transitions but this takes energy and creates stress.
Transitions aren’t linear - they circle and zig zag and aren’t progressive or logical.
Transitions aren’t positive or negative - it depends on the story you tell yourself.

• We can view as a chance to rise to a challenge

• We can see it as laying down new neural pathways

  
  Some things that can help:
  Change has to happen to everyone you are not alone
  Give yourself time
  Take baby steps
  Avoid self medicating
  Move - run, dance, swim - whatever you like - it clears the head - and helps with depression
  Practice mindfulness and gratitude
  Use your communities
  Follow curiosity be creative

A flexible Vin to Yin Sequence (pun intended)

One of my favourite ways practicing asana is starting with an energised flowing sequence followed by dropping into soft and still yin poses. This stimulates the nervous system, then goes deep into the parasympathetic. This stimulation followed by relaxation has the effect of balance. When the nervous system is balanced then other systems in the body/mind can come into balance too - mental health such as depression and anxiety, as well as physical things such as digestion, immunity and much more.

Here is sequence created with this balance in mind….

Start in Child’s pose - connect with the breath and body

Unfold into Cat/Cow - you could also add some rib rotations, shoulder circles and even some free movement

Then some time to explore Down Dog, Plank, Cobra or Up Dog. If you have less time do each one for a few breaths to feel into your body. If you have more time you could add in some sun salutations.

Then come up into a Low Lunge - here I’ve chosen to interlace my hands behind my back - but you could add the arm variation of your choice

After Low Lunge tuck the back toes and come on up into your High Lunge, again choose how long you stay and feel free to add on an arm variation - maybe eagle arms

Next comes a classic feel good sequence of Warrior 2 followed by Reverse Warrior flowing into Side Angle Pose

From Side Angle come back up into Warrior 2 as a transition and turn the feet to the long edge of the mat for Wide Leg Forward Fold - cat stroking optional ;) From your forwards fold come back up into Warrior 2

Windmill your arms down and step back into Down Dog - from here repeat the sequence from low lunge on the second side

Now from your Downward Dog, step forwards into Low Lunge, flow between Low Lunge and Low Pyramid with the option to sit back into Half Hero, repeat this on both sides

Next the yummy yin - hold for 2 to 5 minutes on each side, coming back into Low Lunge (as a transition) and bring the back knee forwards into a Seated Twist (do both sides)

Unwind from your twist into Half Dragonfly - first folding forwards then adding a lateral stretch (do both versions on one side then repeat on the second side)

Then a lovely Lying Twist (both sides)

A supported backbend - brick under sacrum, option to keep knees bent or straighten the legs

Keep the brick under the sacrum and straighten the legs into a yin inversion

If you have time for some breathing take the chance!

Then rest in Shavasana

And don’t forget the gratitude - so grateful for the time to practice!

If you’re interested in Sequencing training more info here

Seven Steps to Perfect Sequencing

When I was planning to write a blog about sequencing I asked my Facebook groups what were the biggest challenges - here’s what they said and my thoughts and ideas around them…

1. Why sequence? Why not just feel the energy at the time and make it up as you go along.
   
   There IS truth in this - it’s really important to feel the energy in the room, observe your students and tune into what they need in that moment - but I think there’s more to it that that. There are a few layers and aspects to this question that warrant a closer look.
   
   To kick off I’d say that in order to sequence as you go along you need a VERY deep and grounded knowledge and understanding of sequencing. That can come from your own practice BUT to really consider all the differing body types and levels of experience and include them in a coherent and intelligent way takes a HUGE amount of knowledge and intuition. Some people have that - I’d suggest most of us don’t, and spending some time in advance planning a sequence can make it much more inclusive and safe.
   
   Having said that I feel that the best option is a blend - do some sequencing beforehand so you can plan how the class develops and how to offer options and alternatives - but always be tuning into the students and be prepared to “go off piste” and adapt/change/throw out your sequence if it’s not meeting your students needs in that moment
   

2. How to Remember?
   
   This was probably the most common comment. Here are my top tips for remembering your sequence:
   - make your sequence a few days before and review it once a day
   - practice the sequence yourself
   - do a super quick physical run-through just before the class
   - use the same sequence as a skeleton for a full month and tweak it for each new class
   - use the same sequence but use a different physical theme - a different focus can make the same sequence feel very different
   

3. How to make the sequence safe and inclusive
   
   Use rounds and repetition. This means you take a fairly short sequence (this will also help you to remember it ;) and help with finding time to plan if that’s a challenge) and repeat it 3 or 4 times. The first time go through it fairly slowly offering the most accessible options - this will include everyone and give everyone their “base level” option. The second time offer the option to stay with the first version if that felt good - or to try something more challenging. You can build up the difficulty of the options over several rounds so some students can be doing something very accessible and gentle if that how they feel that day OR something really quite challenging and strong if they feel that’s right for them.
   
   Use a “warm up” or “preparation” section towards the beginning of your class to offer more accessible options, then when you come to offer the more challenging options you can refer back to the earlier poses.
   

4. How to balance familiarity and keeping it fun and inspiring
   
   For this I use flows. A flow is adding movement within a pose - for example adding Garudasana (Eagle) arms and flowing in circles in a High Lunge or rotating the shoulders in Warrior 2, the possibilities are endless. This means you can take a short sequence (again easy to remember and find time to plan) but add texture and interest. Your students can relax into the familiar sequence but still have new fun and engaging things to do. If you’re repeating the sequence from class to class you could add different flows to focus one time on the shoulders and next time on the hips.
   

5. How to work towards a Peak Pose
   
   One way to do this is to break down a peak pose into body parts, if you know your anatomy you can analyse it in terms of rotations and flexion/extension or adduction/abduction. If you don’t know your anatomy terms you can use the shapes. Then include all those shapes in the earlier part of your sequence to ensure the body is fully warmed up.
   
   For example if Ustrasana (Camel) is my peak pose, I would want to include some hip extension (the leg going back) so some low lunge work with the back leg up for more intensity. I’d also want to include some shoulder extension (arms going back) so I could interlace my fingers behind my back in High Lunge and go into Humber Warrior. I’d also want to fire up the back muscles to encourage lift and lengthening in the back bend - so some Shalabasana and Cobra.
   
   Or if Warrior 3 is my peak pose, I could take that pose and look at it from different angles - for example start by making the shape lying down, then on all 4s maybe go to the wall and do it with the hands on the wall - or the foot against the wall. I could flow in and out of the pose - add different arm variations, and then finally hold the pose in stillness - having offered lots of options and variations - each student can choose which one they want to pick.
   

6. How to Balance moving and stillness, talking and silence
   
   This is one of the skills of teaching a great class rather than an ok class. For a new teacher taking time and leaving silence is often really challenging. When we’re new we can tend to rush through things and talk all the time. Silence can be very scary. So partly it’s a matter of experience and practice.
   
   But you can also plan it. For example if you’re using rounds, the first time you do a sequence do some talking - maximum three things per pose. Then the second time - just breathe - count your own breaths to make sure you stay for the right amount of time and there’s silence and you do the same time on both sides. Suggest to your students they do the same. “We’ll stay here for a while try to focus on your breath”.
   
   You can also build moving and stillness into your sequences. Have a look at the sequence overall - if there’s too much movement - take something out - often less is more. I find if there’s too much movement in a sequence I start to feel a bit sea-sick! Remember when you’re planning, things take way longer to actually teach. If your sequence has too much of movement - save something for next time.
   

7. How to adapt my sequences for online classes
   
   This has been a challenge lots of us have been working with over the past 2 years. The key is to keep things more simple, take more time in transitions, and avoid some of the more complicated and tricky poses.
   
   If you’re interesting in going deeper into these ideas myself and Jennie Wadsten have a 4 day sequencing course coming up. We also offer Theming workshops and lots more…

Details of Sequencing course HERE
Details of Theming Course HERE

Kidney and Bladder Meridians Yin Yoga

In the winter the Kidney and Bladder Meridians are highlighted

The element in Water, the colour is Blue and the emotion is Fear.

Here are two videos showing the location of the Kidney and Bladder Meridians

Here is a one hour long Yin Class with the theme of rest and self care.

Butterfly
Dragon
Sphinx
Child
1/2 Dragonfly
Caterpillar
Reclining Twist
Shavasana

Here are two Nidas for the Kidney and Bladder Meridians, one uses Images of you active and at rest, the other an image of a tree through the seasons. Both were recorded live.

The kidney meridian is highlighted in the Winter - the most yin of the seasons, in the winter it’s darker, colder and quieter, these are all yin qualities. This “downtime” is an important part of the cycle of life. In nature very little is growing, it’s all about resting and composting and getting ready for the spring. We also need a fallow period to support the growth and expansion. Supporting kidney energy in the winter is really important - it’s the basis of everything - without this strong foundation nothing else can function well.
Self inquiry: What’s your relationship to winter?

Kidney energy is strongest in the evening and at night, the yin time of day, especially between 5-7pm. It’s good to start winding down for bedtime in the evening.

The element is water - the most yin of the elements - water fits itself to what’s surrounding it - it finds the lowest level. The invitation is for us to become more yin - to rest - stay more in doors, be quieter - take stock - restore. In summer it’s time to go out and expand - winter is time to go in and be quiet. If we’re stuck in the yang of doing our body will give us a sign - headaches, digestive problems, anxiety, fatigue.

Self inquiry: Reflect on the balance of yin and yang in your life. Are you able to rest and have down time? What are your self care practices? Do you take time to be still and quiet? If we can’t feel - we can’t care for ourselves.

Often we have an attachment to doing - society promotes doing - often we feel guilty or restless if we rest - just notice that in yourself - awareness is an important part of the game.

As we age our kidney energy gets less. Menopause is kidney yin deficiency. At these times important to get good quality rest and nourishment. Kidneys are the storehouse of our energy - our Jing or inherited energy and the energy we get from our lifestyle. Being more yin means we can nurture our energy - our will power - our strength…

Water is the element of the emotions - calming the water element can help to calm agitation or upset emotions - a powerful point is K3 - good for many things - one of them is calming after a fright or upset.

Giving ourselves time to be yin - to rest deeply - allows the nervous system to balance - so we can be up and energetic but also we can rest - this is vital to our immune system - a balanced immune system rests directly on a balanced nervous system - if the nervous system is over-stimulated we get imbalances like too much inflammation and then the immune system can’t function properly.

Kidney emotion is fear - and winter time could be a good time to look at what makes us fearful. I’m not suggesting we try to get rid of fear, we need it, it’s useful, it gives us information and flags things that we could address. But maybe we can listen to our fears - invite them to the table and listen (hearing is the sense of the kidney meridian), when we’re in balance with our fears we are open - we are soft and flowing - fear comes with a closing and a hardening.

We tend to think of some emotions are positive and helpful and some as negative - but can be just be with what’s there without judgement - fully feel and then we can flow.

Sleep is key to supporting Kidney energy - sleep is really the foundation of good health - if you don’t sleep well - or wake up feeling un-refreshed - it’s worth doing something about it…

Things to avoid close to bedtime:
Alcohol
Stimulating tv
Screens and blue light
Sugar
Eating
Caffeine 
Smoking

Things that can help you to wind down:
Mentally de-clutter - write a journal - write to do list
Meditation
Yin or Restorative Yoga
Yoga Nidra
Calming Pranayama
Make sure your bedroom isn’t too warm

Lung and Large Intestine Meridians Yin Yoga

In the autumn the Lung and Large Intestine Meridians are highlighted

The element in Metal, the colour is White and the emotion is Courage.

Here are two videos showing the location of the Lung and Large Intestine Meridians

Here is an hour long class based on the lung and large intestine meridians with the theme of letting go

Neck rolls Shoulder rolls

Trapezius release 

Lie back with rolled up blanket under back

Diagonal child

Arm thread the needle 

Quarter dog

Cat cow

Half frog with option of Sphinx

Lie on Arm

Floor angels

Supported half bridge

Reclining Twist

Shavasana

Physically, the Lungs receive the air that we breathe and also get rid of waste products. Energetically they receive Chi or energy and connect us spiritually.
The Large Intestine gets rid of what we no longer need, physically and mentally/emotionally.
So you could say the Lung and Large Intestine Meridians are about letting go, like the trees let go of their leaves in autumn, to create compost for the next spring and move forward to the next cycle.

Emotionally the Lung Meridian is about grief - feeling it when appropriate and processing and letting go. It’s also about courage and reverence - appreciating the beauty and the spiritual side of life.

Mentally we’re talking about tenacity and endurance the energy to finish what you’ve started and keep on going. Confidence, clear thinking and seeing connections.

What can we let go of?

• Unhelpful patterns of behaviour like doing too much, checking social media too often, not enough self care…

• Possessions, we often have too much and buy things we don’t need. Can we reduce?

• Thoughts. Such as a strong focus on the negative, trying to control things, feeling not good enough, comparing our selves to others.

• Thinking we have to be happy all the time.

• Regrets - framing things as “failure” when it didn’t come out how we hoped or wanted.

Why is it hard to let go?

• Habit

• Attachment

• Self image tied up in it

• Fear

Why let go?

• We can become freer

• We can grow and change

• We can experience new things

Top Tips for Letting Go

• Stop blaming others

• Take responsibility

• Trust

• Step into the flow
  

Spleen and Stomach Meridians Yin Yoga

In the later part of the Summer, or in a really rainy Summer, the Spleen and Stomach meridians are highlighted.

The element is earth and the colour is yellow and the emotion is contentment.

Here are two videos showing the location of the meridians

Here is an hour long yin class for Stomach and Spleen Meridians

Hero
Butterfly
Cat/Cow
1/4 Dog
Child
Dragon
Sphinx
Child
Cat Pulling Tail
Supported 1/2 Bridge
Shavasana

The Stomach is our primary organ of digestion, it sends usable nutrients to the spleen and the rest to our intestines. So it starts the process of deciding what to get rid of, and what to keep to nourish us. The Spleen continues the digestion, it takes the nutrients and passes them on to the rest of the body. It also acts as a blood reservoir, it destroys and recycles old red blood cells and is the place where white blood cells trap organisms. The Spleen nourishes all energy on all levels.

If these meridians are out of balance we can feel lethargy, weakness, and dullness, rhythms like sleep breathing and thinking will be off kilter. It can manifest as ulcers, anorexia, obesity, infertility,  and feeling ungrounded.

If in balance, we can feel earthy sensual and full, and at home inside our self. These meridians represent our ability to take in nourishment on all levels, our ability to have spontaneity and contentment and being at ease wherever we are. We can also have clear thinking and mental coherence.

If out of balance, we can feel anxious, nervous and worried. We can crave sympathy. We can have dogmatic thinking obsessiveness and inflexibility

Here is a Sleep Nidra based on the Spleen and Stomach meridians.

Food to Nourish the Heart and Small Intestine Energy

Miso Soup

2 cloves Garlic
1/2 Red Chilli
2cm Ginger
Salt and Pepper
1.5 litre stock

1 Sweetheart Cabbage shredded
1 leek
1 red pepper - finely sliced
1 courgette - finely sliced
1 large carrot - finely sliced
1 large onion - finely sliced
2 stalks celery - finely sliced

150g tofu - small cubes

60g Miso paste
2 tablespoons Tamari

Serves 2 big ones 4 small…

Simmer the stock, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper and chilli for 5 mins

Then add the leek, onion and carrot and simmer for 2 mins

Next add the red pepper, cabbage and celery, simmer for 2 mins

Add the courgette and simmer for 1 more min

Then remove from the heat and add the tamari, tofu and miso paste

Allow to stand for a few minutes

As you’re cooking tune into the alchemical relationship between the cook (you!) and the food - what energies do you want to put into the soup?

If possible enjoy with friends and make it atmospheric with music and candles and flowers

Other Good Foods are:

Aduki Beans
Alfafa
Asparagus
Aubergine
Avocado
Artichoke
Banana
Broccoli
Broad Bean
Celery
Chicory
Cucumber
Grapefruit
Grapes
Kale
Kelp
Lemon
Lettuce
Millet
Potato
Watercress
Water Chestnuts
Tofu

Heart and Small Intestine Yin Yoga

So in the first part of the summer the Heart and Small Intestine Meridians are highlighted.

The element is the fire, the colour is red and emotion joy.

Here are a couple of videos showing the locations of the meridians

Here is a one hour and five minutes yin class based on the meridians with a focus on some of the symbolism. The small intestine sorting out and choosing what to keep and what to get rid of. The heart symbolising our connection to ourself, our body, feeling grounded and sensual and at home in our body. The heart also symbolises our connections outwards to friend and family.

….with a special appearance by Kitty the Cat :)

The class sequence is
Sitting in a comfortable position and a series of shoulder and arm stretches - all done on one side in a flow, then repeat on the other side:
1) arm across chest with neck stretches,
2) hug yourself, eagle arms in stillness or movement
3) palms together, arms above head move from side to side
4) cow-face arms
Shoulders are often more sensitive than the hips so one minute for each position is normally enough

Butterfly
Seated Twist
Lateral Shoelace
Sphinx
Seal - this pose is quite intense for many people - I normally offer it for an optional 1 minute at the end of Sphinx
Lateral Child
Lying Twist - flowing in and out then settle into stillness

The heart meridian is about the warmth of our connections and human relationships. A study into death bed regrets found our top 5 retreats are:
1) I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
2) I wish I hadn’t worked so hard
3) I wish I had the courage to express my feelings
4) I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
5) I wish I had let myself be happier
I invite you to reflect on your friendships and the level of warmth and honesty about your feelings, could you open up more? Could you reach out more? I know I could.
Article in the Guardian here

The heart meridian is also about our connection to our self and our body. Feeling at home in our body and feeling grounded and sensual. A shocking 90% of British women feel body-image anxiety, let’s take back our freedom and power and work on body positivity.
Another Guardian article here

The heart meridian is also about feeling connected to our environment. Being part of nature. Do you take time just to “be” in nature. Do you ever feel part of a greater whole? We all need to make space to feel that interconnection - it’s so worth while.

And last but not least the Small intestine represents our ability to sort out what’s important and what to throw away. Do you hang onto things for too long? Relationships? Possessions? jobs? Do you buy things you don’t really need? Where you could let go?

Here is a Yoga Nidra based on the meridians and a walk in the forest, feeling connected to, and part of our environment.

Bandha - some questions, thoughts and resources

The traditional approach to bandha goes something like this:

We need to lift up the pelvic floor to connect to our core strength.

We need to draw navel to spine to engage our core to protect and stabilise the lower back.

Taking Moola Bandha first…

There is a general belief that our pelvic floor can become weak and by engaging it we can make it strong.

The problem with this is - many of us have a pelvic floor that is TOO TIGHT. This can be caused by many things - mental issues such as anxiety and stress, and physical things like posture and movement patterns.

A tight pelvic floor can give similar symptoms to a weak one - things like wetting your pants a bit when you laugh or cough - things like an urgent need to wee or poo RIGHT NOW - and other things that may seem unrelated like constipation and period pains.

The statistics are pretty surprising - 80% of all people (men and women of all ages) have some pelvic floor issue - and of those over half have a pelvic floor that is TOO TIGHT.

So for many people engaging Moola Bandha is counter-productive and potentially causing an already tight pelvic floor to tighten even more - and this can cause many uncomfortable, embarrassing and miserable symptoms.

Also if the pelvic floor is too long and weak then it’s best addressed by a proper diagnosis from a Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.

Here is a great TED talk that goes through a lot of these issues

And a great article on how engaging is not always helpful

Now let’s talk about Uddiyana Bandha, here we have been taught that “navel in and up” or “suck the belly in” or “navel to spine” will engage the “core” and protect the lower back.

However! The lower back is strong and stable and doesn’t need to be protected. And drawing navel to spine engages the deep Transverse Abdominus rather than a global engagement of the whole torso and could be actually weakening the over all strength of the core (by encouraging the other muscles to switch off). Also, drawing the belly in can be doing things like pushing the internal organs into the wrong place maybe contributing to hernias and restricting the movement of the diaphragm and the breath.

Here is a (very small but interesting) scientific study comparing “navel to spine” to “bracing”. Bracing is an over-all engagement - place your hands on your belly and do a “polite cough” Ahem! Do you feel that knitting together of all the abdominal muscles? Try doing some poses like chatturanga comparing navel to spine with the polite cough engagement and see for yourself which feels more stable and strong.

Here are some articles on whether “navel to spine” is the best cue

“Navel to Spine”

Re-thinking Bandhas

Abdomen Ideas 1

Abdomenn Ideas 2

And finally….

My overall message is - the body knows what to do to engage and protect itself - we don’t need to do it through the bandhas - we can just let the body do it’s thing.

And one more thing…

As yoga teachers if we are using language in a way to suggest the body is somehow delicate and unsafe and we might hurt ourselves - that can cause fear - and feeling afraid or unsafe can create pain in the body - pain is very interesting and doesn’t work how we think.

My suggestion is that we could help our students by not cueing the bandhas and using language to encourage feelings of safety, trust and community

How Pain Works

Cult Dynamics and Abuse in the Yoga World: can I continue to teach these practices?

Teaching Yoga Nidra and especially running teacher trainings I feel it’s important to talk about the abuses in the yoga world in general and Yoga Nidra in particular. I have tried to write something about this several times but never felt I fully understood my own place in all this and nothing I wrote could really communicate what I felt.

After having been part of the yoga world in a big way - I’d say yoga to a large extent has been my life - it was with horror and huge sadness in the past few years that I witnessed the disclosure of abuse after abuse. 

I have had to come to terms with the fact that I was abused myself.

I have had to deal with the pain of that being denied by a large section of my community and people I considered to be my yoga family.

One of the big issues I (and I know many others) been wrestling with is: can I continue to practice and teach these practices when they come from an abuser. It’s a serious and knotty problem and one I’ve given a lot of serious thought and contemplation.

What I have come to at present is this: 

1. No one owns yoga, no one owns any practice individually. Nothing exists in isolation - the knowledge and teachings have come from many lineages and many sources. Yoga Nidra comes from yogic traditions but also influences such as Buddhism and from Western philosophy as far back as the ancient Greeks and as recently as modern psychology. This rich background is one of the things that makes yoga so deep and rich and so healing. Yoga Nidra does not just come "from an abuser" but is positioned very firmly in a confluence of influences from many sources.

2. It would be a huge shame if as well as experiencing the pain of abuse of ourselves and our community that we lost the practices that are so healing and rich and powerful.

3. The yoga world is going through a paradigm shift away from the guru model of “I am the teacher and you will do what I say and I will give you the knowledge if I deem you are worthy” to a cooperation between the teacher and student. The yoga “teacher” is now a facilitator who supports and guides a student to find their own inner knowledge and wisdom - from the “sage on the stage to the guide by your side”.

So after thinking long and hard: should I stop teaching Yoga Nidra? Should I change its name to distance myself from the abuse? I have decided to carry on teaching - to keep what’s good and healing and nurturing.

I absolutely condemn abuse of all kinds and completely stand with those who have been abused.

I will continue to talk about these abuses on my courses - to share what’s happened - to try to make sure we don’t accept cult dynamics and accept being touched and treated in ways that are wrong. I encourage open debate and learning from past mistakes to make sure this never happens again.

Here is a very full clear write up on Yoga Nidra and abuse from Uma Dinasmore-Tuli. She states Yoga Nidra wasn’t “invented” by the Bihar School but a book written by Dennis Boyes in French pre-dates Satyananda’s book.

Love and appreciation from our students

We love our students (and the community we have created over the years) and nothing makes us happier than to hear how much they have enjoyed and learnt from our courses… 

Here are some of the lovely things our wonderful students have to say about our courses:

YIN YOGA

It was a great experience to attend TT-Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra with Melanie as one of the teachers.With an open mind and a warm heart she shares her deep knowledge of Yoga
Rose-Marie, Sweden

I wholeheartedly recommend Melanie Cooper teacher training. I just completed a Yin and Nidra TT with her and Jennie Wadsten and they both shared their immense knowledge in a fun way. Melanie is so calm and has a beautiful energy and her knowledge of Nidra, Yin, Anatomy and more is impressive. Thank you

Cynthia, Ibiza 

I did a four-day Yin Teacher Training with Melanie at Bristol school of Yoga. She is informed through and through and super-experienced as a trainer. A lovely being who radiates yoga and has skills to share her enquiry. This was a great grounding in yin, inspiring and confidence-building in terms of professional practice and personal development. Oh, and Bollywood dancing to break it up. Win, win win.

Fiona, United Kingdom

I thoroughly enjoyed the Yin Yoga Intensive. I attended on Zoom and I found that the course translated very well to Zoom. Melanie worked hard to ensure that we were all included and had a great experience whether on Zoom or in the studio. I found the manuals to be very good and they are a resource that I will return to in the future. Melanie is a very warm and knowledgeable teacher and I enjoyed learning from her. She made the classes fun (Bollywood dancing as well) but shared a great deal of knowledge with us. The teaching practice was optional but I found it to be very useful and confidence building. I learned a lot and felt confident to teach a Yin Class

Su, United Kingdom

Thank you for this really juicy and nourishing course. Really well paced, information clearly and precisely explained. Lots of practical opportunities to practice and teach. Great group of people, lovely space, great props. The Bollywood dancing always adds the sparkle. It was fantastic, thank you.

Nicola, United Kingdom 

Really great course. Great manuals provided, really clear and well structured. In particular love the pose manual with a photo for each pose and plenty of space to take notes. Very handy to be able to follow in manual and take notes alongside when it felt necessary. Thank you

Lissa, United Kingdom

Fantastic course! Mel’s knowledge and enthusiasm really brought the intensive alive, creating a safe space for all of us. She also brought simplicity and passion to the indepth topic of Chinese medicine. Couldn’t recommend this intensive enough. If you’re on the fence about Yin Yoga, this intensive will make you fall curious and in love with it!

Eponine, United Kingdom

If you would like to join us on an upcoming Yin Yoga course, please follow this link:

https://www.melaniecooper.co.uk/yin-yoga-overview

YOGA NIDRA

It was a fantastic online experience. I hadn't done a training online before so didn't know what to expect. It felt like a mini retreat in my own home, and I'm surprised how well the group bonded. The course was really informative and I am still learning going back over my notes. I would definitely recommend the training and hope to do more in the future. The administration is super efficient and all questions answered. An excellent experience. Thank you Melanie and Jennie.

Vicky UK

I am so glad that I chose to train with Jennie and Melanie. All the admin stuff was dealt with really promptly and clearly, which always makes me feel, things will go well. The course content was excellent and clearly presented in the accompanying manual but none of this would mean anything if the teaching didn't match up. The teaching was a-ma-zing! Melanie's knowledge, love for her work and kind, compassionate teaching style, exceeded expectations. There was a real feeling of support created by Melanie among the group; even on line, the feeling of being with like-minded, people, wanting to do and deliver their best, was fab. The course gave me the knowledge and confidence to teach what and how I wanted. I absolutely recommend learning with this team.

Debbie, UK

Melanie, Jennie are the most humble, knowledgable and accepting team I’ve ever come across. Their approach to teacher training is unmatched and I am wholeheartedly glad I chose them to train with them.

Amy, UK

One of the best training experiences I've had. Thanks so much for the knowledge, research, support and what a lovely group x

Alison, UK

Thank you both for a really insightful and well-structured course that was beautifully delivered. I enjoyed all the opportunities to experience different approaches to Yoga Nidra and now have the confidence and the knowledge to start offering sessions myself. I ended the course with a heart full of gratitude and a mind full of ideas.

Penelope Uk

Beautiful 3 days with Melanie and Jennie learning their incredible wisdom and magic of yoga nidra. Such an in-depth course for just 3 days. I found it so fascinating, it opened my mind, heart and soul. I can’t wait to continue learning more about this amazing practice and weaving it into my life. Thank you so much.

Bryony Uk

“It was a dream come true to participate in the Yoga Nidra TTC. The online teaching worked well for Nidra and the structure of the course was flawless. Melanie Cooper and Jennie Wadsten are teachers to teachers. The chemistry is just fantastic - bringing together vast amounts of scientific knowledge and practical information. Then there’s that sense of humour! I felt 100% ready to teach after the course. Heartfelt thank-you 💗”

Henna, Spain

The online Nidra course was simply amazing from beginning to end. Jennie and Melanie are such inspiring teachers, they are both full of knowledge and experience and are super supportive, I learnt so much over 3 fantastic days and I now have the confidence to teach Yoga Nidra to my students. I'll definitely be signing up for more courses with them in the future. Thank you so much Jennie and Melanie. X

Rachel, United Kingdom

Last weekend, I spent 3 (virtual) days of absolute bliss with Jennie Wadsten and Melanie Cooper when I attended their course of Yoga Nidra training.  Apart from the numerous Yoga Nidra practices that enable me to relax (very much needed) and enjoy the rest for a whole weekend (a luxury), their organisation of the online training course was impeccable and incredibly supportive, providing a lots of information, research articles, links, training tips, laughter (yes that too!) - all was well done and an incredible asset to add to my teaching skills.  Thank you Ladies ❤😀🌈

Ross, Italy

Fun, informative, supportive! Just completed a Yoga Nidra course and I cant recommended enough. Melanie is like a encyclopaedia of knowledge she has a teaching style that not only do you absorb but really makes you think and reflect. Thank you

Kerry, United Kingdom 

If you would like to join us on an upcoming Yoga Nidra course, please follow this link:

https://www.melaniecooper.co.uk/yoga-nidra-overview

SEQUENCING

The sequencing course is an amazing course, really worthwhile! It has provided me with a framework for classes as well as inspiring great ideas for future sequences. I came away with one complete sequence and many ideas for others! Mel and Jennie are fab teachers, I love their approach to yoga and the way they deliver the classes, it is truly inspiring. They provide a nurturing and supportive learning environment.

Sarah, United Kingdom

Melanie is an inspirational font of wonderful knowledge and wisdom.  She has a gentle quality that leads you in, delivering flowing classes or teachings with clear love, passion and experience.

Natasha, United Kingdom

To be kept up to date with upcoming Sequencing courses, please feel free to join my monthly newsletter by subscribing at the bottom of my website.

ANATOMY 

Melanie is an incredibly knowledgeable teacher with so much wisdom as well as impressive knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics. Her classes and teacher training both create a space that allows you to go deep and learn so much in a space held with lightness and love. An excellent teacher both of yoga and of other teachers.

Zoe, United Kingdom

Anatomy nerd out in real life with @theshalalondon
Beyond exciting to be in the studio with other students and teachers! 😆
First day of fourday creative anatomy course did not disappoint ... what a unique take on taking account of and understanding student’s anatomy in teaching yoga! 🙏🏻

Kate, United Kingdom

Thank you to these two beautiful humans for filling my brain with anatomy knowledge for the past four days. I have learned so, so much. You bring lightness and fun to a subject that could be (very) dull to learn. I have enjoyed the ability to join in the practical sessions and communicate with the other students - virtual learning has opened so much for me 

Anita, United Kingdom

All things yoga anatomy ... including the breath and the science of pain. Fascinating!🤩 Truly blown away with how comprehensive my Creative Anatomy course @theshalalondon was - part of my Level 2 Teacher Training. It takes real skill as an educator to convey such complex information effectively and accessibly; @stu_girling and @melaniexcooper did it beautifully. Gratitude 🙏🏻
To top it off they made us feel relaxed in such a time of fear and well, just able to be ourselves ... oh, and having fun is a given with these two! 🤣 My mind is now buzzing with rethinking lots of cues I use and excited 😆 to implement some anatomical logic on my sequencing.

Kate, United Kingdom

To be kept up to date with upcoming Anatomy courses, please feel free to join my monthly newsletter by subscribing at the bottom of my website.

PRANAYAMA COURSE

Melanie is simply the most amazing teacher! She creates a wonderful sense of safety, honesty and community. If you can do a course with her - do it! You'll learn loads, be nurtured and have fun!

This course covered a broad range of breathing techniques and the science behind it. There was plenty of room for embodying the practices, and the whole course was well prepared and facilitated in the way I have come to look forward to when studying with Melanie. I finished the course with a deeper understanding of Pranayama, its benefits and contraindications, and very much enjoyed the process, I'd definitely recommend this course.
Caroline, UK

Emily, UK 

I have really enjoyed the course it’s been the most relaxing and inspiring way to learn about pranayama in a much more detailed way than I have before, it has improved my own practice enormously and I already feel so much better for it.

Clare, UK

It's been such a great course, so well paced and structured, so much info but lots of time to experience and teach which really helped the learning. Rina and Melanie created such a warm and welcoming environment too. Mel's a fantastic teacher and Rina did a brilliant job of fielding all the questions and keeping us all organised and on track. Thank you!

Caroline, UK

Thank you and thank you for such a brilliant course

Lesley, UK 

This was a fantastic and very comprehensive course. Melanie created a safe and fun environment in which to learn and teach the practices. It was a great mix of science, personal experience, and opportunities to teach. I loved the way everything was optional, this made having a go feel really safe and unintimidating. Brilliant!

Caroline, London 

I have been practicing yoga for twenty years, I have been teaching for six.  It was a long time that I wanted to deepen Pranayama both as a personal practice and to feel more confident in transmitting it to my students.  I had no doubts that Melanie would offer a high quality teacher training (I did others with her and this was already a guarantee for me). However, this teacher training far exceeded my expectations.  Melanie has enriched the cultural background I had on Pranayama with totally new contents for me, the scientific research, the sharing of her experiences and path, the practice sessions were surprising. I was afraid that not speaking fluent English I would feel in trouble and would “lose bits”, but with the support of the video manuals, slides and the ability to have continuous feedback with Melanie, it was unexpectedly easy.  The atmosphere of the online classes was one of non-judgement and the possibility of expression (doubts, requests need for support).  Melanie’s respect and harmony with Rina and Josephine was also perceived throughout the course.  For me, being able to follow it from Italy was a wonderful opportunity.  I will definitely recommend this teacher training to other people; I am enthusiastic about it.

Elisa, Italy

This course has been amazing. I am already using the teachings in my classes. I loved all the insights and yoga practices to prepare us for the breathwork.  It’s been an amazing course and even though I only manage to do 2 live due to class commitments I knew that Melanie was always available if I needed advice.  Thanks so much for an amazing course.

Sharon

Melanie is an excellent teacher, she relays the information in such a relatable way and I love all of the science, which she also explains really well.  The course was really broad and I loved that it also covered the trauma too. 10/10

Pennie

I really loved this course. It has given me a deeper understanding and respect for Pranayama. I love Melanie’s way of teaching she makes everything accessible for everyone

Jenny

The teaching was very clear, very comfortable to understand as a not native English speaker.  A good amount of information per week.  The organization was comfortable. There was a feeling of community also I did not know anybody but felt like a circle through zoom.  No pressure for teaching, the files made it easy to retreat it by myself again, which helped.  Overall, great teaching and definitely recommendable.

Melanie makes all the practices and theory so accessible and understandable. I came away with so many great take aways. It also helped me to understand why certain practices maybe hadn’t worked for me in the past and why. The course also gave me confidence to share pranayama with my students.

The Pranayama course was excellent.  Melanie’s teachings were thorough and presented with great clarity. The community of teachers and students was a joy to be part of and teaching practice with peers was incredibly valuable

Melanie has put together something really wonderful with this Pranayama TT. I loved every minute and would recommend it for any teacher who wishes to feel more confident including breath work in their classes or for those that just want to know more for their own personal practice.

The course was brilliant. I love Mel’s teaching style, she’s such a great teacher. Can’t wait to do more courses with her and The Shala

It was a fantastic learning experience, excellent content, clearly explained. Melanie always creates a lovely safe space in which to practice together as a group which really helps learning

This was a wonderful course, taught with skill, wisdom and generosity by Melanie, with wonderful input from other expert teachers too. I loved it”

RETREATS

Melanie is a fantastic teacher with an enormous knowledge of yoga. I have been to retreats, workshops and teacher training with Melanie, and I will go again.

Tina, Sweden

I have spent one week on Ibiza attending Yinyoga & YogaNidra TT and I can highly recommend it. The teaching was inspiring and Melanie share her knowledge generously. She is a warm and caring teacher.

Suzanne, Sweden

I have just completed the 75 hour Yin & Yoga Nidra with Mel and Jennie in Ibiza and it surpassed my expectations, a wealth of knowledge and a thorough, full programme has left me with renewed energy for teaching and in my own personal practice. Jennie’s experience, knowledge and passion (and boundless energy!) for what she does shines through and I am confident in taking my new skills out to my students and exploring these practices further.

Kerry, United Kingdom 

I went on a yoga retreat in Greece and it was great! Very well organized, all star team of teacher, fun and challenging classes, yoga nidras, yummy food.Highly recommend!

Jerome, Myanmar

MENTORING

I've been part of Melanie's mentoring group over the last year and it has really helped me to solidify my thoughts and my direction as a teacher (and beyond!). We formed a close knit group and it was really helpful to share experiences and tips with other teachers. I got so much out of it, I'm doing it again next year.

Caroline, London

I think as Yoga teachers it's helpful to have support and connection with other yoga teachers. Melanie holds the space professionally with friendliness and compassion. Allowing each of us to share what was going on for us which really helps to feel heard and to explore yogic themes that we could relate to our life and yoga business. I can't recommend mentoring with her enough. We all enjoyed it so much we asked to keep it going after the year was up!
Louise, Uk

If you would like to join us on an upcoming retreat, please follow this link:

https://www.melaniecooper.co.uk/teacher-training

Thank you once again for the lovely feedback and reviews received to date!

If you would also like to review one of the courses you have been on (and don’t mind us sharing!), please email us your review to info@yogatreat.co.uk or feel free to add your review directly to my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/melaniecooperyoga/reviews

Much Love,

X Melanie X

Food to Nourish Liver and Gallbladder Energy

This is a really tasty, healthy bowl of goodness! Perfect for Spring to support the Liver and Gallbladder energy.
Gives 4 small portions or 2 big ones ;)
It starts with a base of grains - choose your favourite - I prefer black or brown rice or quinoa.

Then a lentil salad.
Take 200g of puy or green lentils - cook according to instructions or open the tin(!). Then add a dressing:
Dressing for the lentils
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds - dry toast - then crush
Mix together well

Next comes a Carrot Salsa, Smoky Roast Sweet Potato, Lemon Spinach and a green veg of your choice - I used green beans lightly steamed.

Carrot Salsa
250g Carrots - cut in chunks - put them in a baking tray with 1 tbsp olive oil - roast in the oven at 180 for 20 mins
Put roasted carrots in food processor with
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Pinch chilli
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp lemon
2 fl oz water

Blend!

Roast sweet potato
Cut 250g sweet potato into 1 inch chunks
Mix with in a baking tray with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp smoked paprika
Roast for 20 mins at 180

Lemon Spinach
50g spinach wilt - put in boiling water until leaves just start to wilt - drain -
Add juice of a lemon

Then add:

Yogurt Tahini Dressing
100ml yoghurt
1 tbsp tahini
1/2 tsp salt
Mix Well

To serve
Sprinkle with fresh Mint or Parsley

Other Good Foods for Liver and Gallbladder

Beans
Beetroot
Brown rice
Carrots
Fennel
Green beans
Kale leeks green beg
Lemons 
Lentils
Olive oil
Parsley
Quinoa
Radish
Sweet potato
Sesame seeds
Turmeric
Watercress

Liver and Gallbladder Yin Yoga

So here we are at the Spring Equinox of 2021. This is the time of year where the Liver and Gallbladder are highlighted.

The energy of Liver and Gallbladder is to do with the Wood element and it’s colour is Green.

Here is a couple of short videos I made on the location of the Liver and Gallbladder Meridian and the main emotions connected with them.

And here’s 70 minute a yin class. The focus is on the symbolism of Springtime, the Equinox and the Liver and Gallbladder Meridians. The fresh green buds of Springtime and new beginnings and making new things happen in our lives.

The new beginnings can be fresh ways of approaching out yoga practice or our lives. We can approach our yoga practice in a fresh way by changing how we approach the poses, taking different angles, staying at a different edge, doing poses in an active or passive way, taking a different route in. We could take a fresh approach in our lives maybe by changing the way we talk to ourselves - maybe being kinder and judging ourselves less harshly.

The Liver is also connected to our eyes and ability to see things, literally with the physical eyes, but also seeing things in our lives and seeing how to move forwards.

This fresh spring buds are in some ways very soft and tender, but they are also strong enough to push right through concrete. The invitation is to feel the strength and power in the softness. But also to know when it’s best not to push through but to travel round the corner to get to the same destination.

If we push when we should be going round the corner we can end up frustrated and irritated and angry.

These emotions: frustration and anger - are not positive or negative in themselves, it’s how we respond to them and how we flow with them that makes them positive or negative. For example if we repress and hold onto anger that’s normally not good for us. And if we lash out and let our anger go out of control that can have difficult consequences. So flowing appropriately with our anger is the key.

Here are some quotes on anger:

“The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn’t anger enough” Benjamin Franklin

“A man who has not passed through the inferno of his passions has never overcome them” Jung

“He who angers you, conquers you” Elizabeth Kenny

“Speak when you are angry and you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever regret” Laurence J Peter

“Anyone can become angry, that is easy. But to anger with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time for the right purpose and in the right way - that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy” Arsistotle

The Class Sequence is

Rubbing the Liver and Gallbladder Meridians
Rubbling Liver 3 - in between the big toe and second toe - good for irritability, stress, insomnia and headaches
Lying Butterfly and Gall Bladder 20 - good for calming
Lying Thread the Needle
Mountain Brook
Square
Seated Twist
1/2 Lateral Dragonfly
Sphinx
Child
Lying Butterfly

And here is a Yoga Nidra based on the Liver and Gallbladder meridians and the fresh newness of Springtime.

Wishing you happiness and fresh new beginnings this springtime

x Melanie x

Yoga Nidra by Melanie Cooper

Read more about Melanie Cooper >>> www.melaniecooper.co.uk

If you find it tricky to drop off - or get back to sleep in the middle of the night, this Yoga Nidra could help…

Recorded Live By: Melanie Cooper

One of my practices is meditating with starlight - in this Nidra we imagine the starlight touching us…

By Melanie Cooper Picture Credit: Letizia Bordoni

another Nidra to help you sleep well

By Melanie Cooper www.melaniecooper.co.uk Photo cred: Gemma F Redondo

We all need some Loving Kindness - but maybe teenagers need it especially…

With Love from Melanie Cooper and The Shala, London www.melaniecooper.co.uk Photo cred: Joshua Chun

The magic and mystery of starlight and sleep

With Love from Melanie Cooper and The Shala, London www.melaniecooper.co.uk Photo cred: Valentin Muller

Sleep Nidra and Loving Kindness

By Melanie Cooper - www.melaniecooper.co.uk Let the sound of pure happiness (a cat purring) take you to the Yoga Nidra place. Thank you Schampus (and Marion!) for your help! :-)

the sound of a cat purring can be very soothing….

By Melanie Cooper: www.melaniecooper.co.uk Photo cred: Fabrizio Chiagano

Spiral round the body - sink into sleep…

www.melaniecooper.co.uk Music by Silvertortoise. Photo cred: Unsplash

Gratitude for the Body - Sleep Nidra with beautiful piano music from Silvertortoise

By Melanie Cooper www.melaniecooper.co.uk Photo cred: Alexander Possingham

Sleep Nidra crossing the body

I have teamed up with my friend Silvertortoise to create a Yoga Nidra to piano music Find his music here https://silvertortoisepiano.com

Yoga Nidra with piano by Silver Tortoise

Move light and awarenesses around triangles in the body of energy

Yoga Nidra with triangles of energy and light

This Yoga Nidra is to help you wake up and greet the day.

A wake up Nidra

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Thank You

Why be Grateful

I think for most people, this year has come with multiple challenges and disappointments and worries - I’m not saying it’s been easy for me but one of the things that has helped me ride the waves is my long-time practice of gratitude.

I remember when I first heard about Gratitude - it sounded like a new age-y load of hippie nonsense - but while I was researching for an article I wrote about the Ashtanga Chants in 2013 (link below), I found out Gratitude has a lot of science behind it (as a science nerd that meant a lot to me) - it has a lot of benefits like making people happier, healthier and so I started experimenting with gratitude to see where it could take me.

So how does this work? We have evolved with a negativity bias - our ancestors who saw the negative were quicker to respond to danger and so survived to pass their “negativity” to future generations. But although it made us stronger in the past, that glass half full approach isn’t as useful as it used to be - these days it can cause stress and anxiety. Luckily our brains are “plastic”. That means they continue to change and grow all through our lives. You really CAN teach an old dog new tricks - so if we consciously change the way we use our brain - it will respond and change.

So gratitude is a choice we can make to re-train our brain to see the positive - we can create new pathways in the brain to go in a positive direction. This isn’t about pretending everything is fine even when it isn’t - it’s about creating an inner resource of strength and a different way to experience the world.

As is says in the Yoga Sutras, it’s inner contentment makes us happy - if we’re dependent of the outside world to make us happy we will potentially be on an out of control roller coaster ride - up when things are going well and down when things are difficult. Gratitude is a choice that makes us self-reliant - not dependent on other people or outside events - it makes us stronger and more resilient. It’s not about emotional flat-lining - we can still be fully engaged and passionate - it’s about agency and inner strength

Gratitude is self care

If that’s interesting to you it’s very easy to practice - just start thinking of things to be grateful for - maybe write down one thing each evening - it can be really small - we just need to get started looking for things and the brain will respond...

This article was inspired by this lovely mail out from Urban Yogis Gratitude Starts From Inside Out

Links to more information:

Article about the Ashtanga Opening Chant in Elephant Journal here >>>
Ted Talk on how Gratitude works here >>>
Scientific article on negativity bias here >>>
Article on overcoming the negativity bias here >>>
Gratitude and the brain here >>>