Do your own reflexology treatment

If your feet are like mine, they tell you when they need some attention, eg. certain parts of your foot will ache or burn. I am always advising clients that their feet tell a story and we need to listen to their story. Maybe you have a spur under your heel or maybe it is a reflex that is telling you something. If you don't have a reflexologist nearby - what does one do?
Rolling a golf ball under the soles of your feet is a good start. It feels great and is doing you a lot of good as it works on your reflexes. You could also keep your eyes open for a reflexology foot massager - there are some good ones around and these are great for massaging your feet.
Walking on sand is fantastic too.

New Year

I am thinking ahead to the New Year. Last year my New Year's Resolution was more spiritual - and harder for me to achieve than something physical! It was always there for me to aspire to.

In yoga there are yama and niyama as the first two limbs of an eight limbed path to samadhi. They are moral and ethical restraints and observances.
Ahimsa is harmlessness. It is not harming anyone or anything by your thoughts, words or deeds. It is about walking and moving gently and treating everything in a loving and gentle way - this creates a harmless vibration on the physical level first.
Then there are words - how often do we say something that is cruel or harsh and can cause pain to others? Speech should be non harmful, truthful, beneficial and pleasant and this will cause a harmless vibration with your speech.
Then there are thoughts - these are energy too - each thought affects every part of your body and then creates your mood. Instead of hurting the other person you are thinking harmful thoughts about, you are hurting yourself physically, mentally and emotionally.
These negative thoughts create negative energy. By dwelling on negative experiences, you are reliving negative experiences physically and emotionally.
The yogic way is to replace with love - love everything and everyone unconditionally. No expectations - with expectations you are always going to end up disappointed.
No one can make you happy. No one or nothing can be relied upon to make you happy
Now maybe you can see why I think Ahimsa will be my new year's resolution forever.

Christmas

A few days to go till Christmas. Such an interesting time. This morning I was thinking about Christmas - a time that encourages me to reflect about my life. If I am stressed then to me Christmas will be stressful. If family problems seem all encompassing - then I obviously have problems with relationships. If I don't have anyone special to share Christmas with, maybe that is how I choose to live.

I remember the old saying, if you don't love yourself unconditionally, then how can you love anyone else? And if Christmas is all about celebrating Jesus's birth. And birth is the most precious gift to mankind - And it is about love.

If I am stressed, I need to deal with it, because I am not going to be a nice person to be around at Christmas.
If I have family problems, I may choose to be with different people and let some relationships go and focus on loving family who reciprocate love.
If I don't have any special people to share Christmas with I may help at a Rest Home, Hospice, local Christmas Dinner, Salvation Army.

Let's remember the reason why we are celebrating Christmas.

Seven tips for healthy feet

Our feet are our foundation. I know that when my feet are unhappy, my day is miserable and when my feet are happy I can focus on other things as I should.

1. Walk barefoot over natural surfaces as much as possible - let your feet become sensitive to different textures
2. Learn to pick things up with your toes (they need exercise too!)
3. Bend and stretch your toes in as many different ways as you can.
4. Spread your toes as wide apart as you can with your hands.
5. Roll your foot over a cylinder or roll a golf ball underneath your sole.
6. Squatting and kneeling is great for strengthening and suppling the feet and ankles. (Squatting is also good for preventing hip replacements)
7. When you wear shoes check your toes have plenty of room to spread out.

get into summer fitness

Before Christmas there are lots of get-togethers to attend, work still happens each day and the food can be very different from our daily routine. Gradually we may become more lethargic in the mornings.

A great way to energise ourselves, do our body and mind good and give our energy a kick start for the day is to do some salutes to the sun. They are a complete yogic workout and will leave you feeling a different person ready to face the day.

It only takes 10 minutes for 12 sun salutes. Highly energising sun salutes will provide challenge for the fittest person by working many muscles and parts of the body you may not have known you have. It is just as good for a person who is not used to working out - they can be done as slowly as you wish - just like any yoga - it is very personal.

Sun salutes are ideally done first thing in the morning and are guaranteed to uplift our spirits, calm our minds, exercise our body and set us up for an amazing day ahead.

If you are interested, this is how you do them.

Salute to the Sun Sequence


• Stand with your arms bent at the elbow, hands pressed together in prayer position in front of the chest
• INHALE; raise your arms up over your head then lean backwards as much as is comfortable. Look behind you. Hold for a brief few seconds
• EXHALE fold forward slowly bring your arms down in front of you all the way to the floor. ( knees are extended but not locked)
• INHALE step your left foot back to lunge position, while bending the right knee. EXHALE
• INHALE bring your right foot back to meet the left foot you are now in (downward facing dog) position. Hold your breath for a second or two
• EXHALE, lower your body down, raise your elbows, and rest on your hands, here the hands, chin, knees and toes are all touching the floor
• INHALE, raise your head, shoulders and chest up into the cobra position. The hips should not leave the floor. For those who are able to go from the downward facing dog position straight into the cobra position please do so, then EXHALE and come back down to the floor with your head and shoulders
• INHALE, raise your body to form a peak or the downward facing dog position again. EXHALE
• INHALE, assume the lunge position as in step 4 by bringing your left foot forward and placed flat on the floor between the arms
• EXHALE now step the right foot forward so the feet are together, try to touch your nose to your knees
• INHALE Lift your arms and torso up above your head and if you can lean backwards and hold your breath for a second or two
• EXHALE resume prayer posture with your hands in front of the chest the back is straight the legs are straight.

Stimulates digestive fire
Builds up endurance and resistance to illness
Builds up pranic energy
Removes toxins
Balances all of body’s systems
Balances pineal gland and hypothalamus (which regulates pituitary and therefore all glands
Makes body supple and toned

Daily Insight -- Energy Boost

Daily Insight -- Energy Boost

ayurveda

The more I learn about ayurveda the more I marvel how wise the 5000 year old science is. Imagine - knowing ourselves and understanding why we need to keep well and knowing how to keep well naturally. Doesn't that sound too easy?
It seems it is too easy - much easier to eat too much of the wrong foods, keep stressed and busy, don't do the correct exercise for your body type, then go to the doctor's for tests and get some pills.

Maybe the old adage KISS (Keep it simple - stupid!)is true!

Gill South : Put the pressure on to ease pain - Life & Style - NZ Herald News

Gill South : Put the pressure on to ease pain - Life & Style - NZ Herald News

This is an interesting article about what Gill experienced at a reflexology session. She went with an open mind and wrote about what happened. See what you think

Yoga Journal - Yoga Travel - 6 Destination Ashrams

How amazing to plan a holiday around something you love like yoga. When I read this
article I thought New Zealand is the perfect place to holiday - and Waihi Beach is one of the best in New Zealand.
10 km of surf beach, beautiful bush walks, coastal walks, lots of accomodation to suit all budgets, restaurants, natural therapies (reflexology, ayurvedic head massage, massage, Bowen therapy, 3 beauty therapist businesses, and only 40 mins from another thriving tourist
seaside town. And there is lots to do - maybe one person loves yoga while another
would prefer a helicopter ride to an offshore island, charter boat fishing, golfing,
mountainboarding, learning how to surf, kayaking.
Yoga and Reflexology at the Beach is the perfect place to start your stay at Waihi
Beach - www.yogaandreflexology.co.nz. Contact Shoneen Dunning www.tohoraview.co.nz
to organise your holiday at Waihi Beach - the most caring person and awesome organiser

Quoted from http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/1214:

Yoga Journal - Yoga Travel - 6 Destination Ashrams

6 Destination Ashrams

Not just for serious seekers anymore, ashrams offer visitors accessible, affordable, and rewarding retreats.

By Jeanne Ricci

Westerners have been fascinated with Indian culture since the time of Alexander the Great, who tried to convince a yogi to become his spiritual counselor. In the 1960s, the Beatles' contact with meditation guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar sparked an early wave of modern popular interest that has yet to crest. These days, it's not unusual to find people who want to spend their precious vacation time deepening their spiritual practice—and what better place to do so than at an ashram?

Visiting an ashram is more doable than it was in years past, and the ashrams themselves have worked to make the experience more attractive, offering workshops, seminars, and special events. Indeed, many of these temples of devotion and asceticism have taken on a whole new aura as travel destinations.

If you're considering an ashram stay, it's worth noting that ashrams tend to have a distinctive rhythm and protocol. For one thing, while some have stricter rules than others, most still have mandatory daily schedules, often requiring you to rise before dawn. If you are fairly new to yoga, a day consisting of four compulsory yoga and meditation sessions could be overwhelming. Also, visitors are often asked to practice karma yoga (selfless service) by contributing to the upkeep of the facility—in the form of kitchen duties, gardening, cleaning, and other chores. In short, you should be comfortable with communal living to fully enjoy and benefit from the ashram experience.

A few tips: Most ashrams serve only vegetarian or vegan food; alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco are not permitted. Don't try sneaking in a bottle of Chianti—you'll be asked to leave if the contraband is discovered. Guests typically stay in dormitories with shared bathrooms. Modest dress is usually required at all times; shorts, short skirts, leggings, and sleeveless or sheer tops are not appropriate ashram attire. Instead, pack loose pants and a short-sleeved shirt for your practice.

The ashrams listed below are all in North America, and each has its own merits. To find the right one for you, be sure to visit each center's Web site and study its daily schedule before you go.

Mount Madonna Center
(Watsonville, California)

The mount madonna Center is located on 355 acres of meadows and redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with views of Monterey Bay. It is inspired by the teachings of Baba Hari Dass and sponsored by the Hanuman Fellowship, a community "designed to nurture the creative arts and the health sciences within a context of personal and spiritual growth." The primary goal here is to attain peace. Community life is guided by the spiritual discipline of Ashtanga Yoga and karma yoga. The center hosts both personal and group retreats; weekend programs with visiting teachers are offered throughout the year. When not in yoga class, guests can hike, swim, relax in a hot tub, and play tennis, volleyball, and basketball. The on-site Kaya Kalpa Wellness Center provides massage, Ayurvedic treatments, facials, and acupuncture.

You are what you eat

I am reading the book You are what you eat, by Dr Gillian McKeith and am parts of it with some close friends as we encourage each other to eat more healthily and maybe lose a little weight.

One chapter, called Get to Know your Body is especially interesting. It looks at how our body tells us about what it needs in our diet. As part of this chapter it looks at the tongue as an important indicator of health - like a window to the organs.

Wow, I never thought of it like that - although I do scrape my tongue each morning as part of my personal Ayurvedic daily routine. Ayurvedic philosophy is that you scrape your tongue when you arise in the morning to rid your body of ama (toxins) that would otherwise be reabsorbed back into the body and also may cause bad breath. You can order a tongue scraper through an ayurvedic supplier online. I paid about $12 for mine some years ago and wouldn't be without it. You could try http://shop.scienceoflife.co.nz/

Dr McKeith analyses the crack down the middle of the tongue, teethmarks around the sides, a sore tongue, swollen tongue or thick white coating, horizontal cracks or small cracks and grooves, thick yellow coating, red tip; what each of these mean and solutions.

And that is just the tongue!

We are reading it all this week and then looking at what it means for our body and how we can become healthier by reading our signs and applying solutions through a healthy diet. Next week we discuss the readings. In our group we are also paying $5 if we don't lose .2kg a week and are writing down everything we eat and drinking lots and lots of water.
Will let you know how well we go.

Great feet for summer

A tip for smooth soft feet that look great in jandals, sandals and barefeet for summer - use a wet pumice stone to slough off extra skin, or purchase foot creams that contain ground pumice for smooth, soft feet. If you can't find any pumice, try a chemist, beauty therapist, or the Body Shop who have great tools for gently removing dead skin to leave soft heels and soles of feet.

Also, try adding fresh or tinned pineapple juice to your footbath. This tropical fruit contains bromelain, a natural enzyme that will help soften calluses and rough heels.

our feet are the mirrors of our health

Our feet are like mirrors of our health. As a reflexologist after giving a treatment, the feet have told me the story of the client's health. This is invaluable for keeping in good health and in balance so the body can do its job of healing itself. Regular reflexology treatments have shown without exception how the client's health has improved.

Because feet are mirrors of our health, it is important to take time to care for your feet ie. if they hurt, be aware they are telling you something is out of balance in your body.
Possible signs to look for are dry skin, brittle nails, burning and tingling sensations, feelings of cold, numbness, discolouration.

As we get older it is important to see a podiatrist if any of these signs occur. They are qualified practitioners who can use surgery if needed and deal with bunions, ingrown toenails, hammer toes, neuromas, verrucae, corns, injuries, cutting thickened toenails. If you have diabetes or other chronic conditions that affect circulation, you should be seeing a podiatrist once every 3 months to keep in good health. Word of mouth is a good way to find your podiatrist.

Spring time for our feet

With this beautiful spring weather - time to give your feet a treat - get out of shoes, let your feet stretch out and enjoy nature and you will be surprised how much more energised you feel. Look after your feet and they will look after you.

If you are wondering what is good to walk on - think bare feet on nature (natural surfaces like sand, beach, grass, smooth rocks). The most energising time is to walk on dewy grass when you wake up.
Keep the jandals for the asphelt, concrete etc.

Another tip coming tomorrow - do it and your feet will be loving you!!

What is Ayurveda and how can it help me?

Ayurveda is an ancient, powerful, holistic healing science dating back 5000 years,  in which we can take responsibility for our health with self awareness with food, exercise, massage and herbs.

There are five elements in nature - ether, air, fire, water and earth.  The energy from these five elements combines in different ways resulting in  3 basic body types - Kapha or Earth, Pitta or Fire and Vata or Air.

In Ayurveda these 3 basic elements are everywhere in nature - days, seasons, lifespans and people.

By knowing your body type, you gain self awareness into how to keep yourself healthy by staying in balance. For example,  a  person with pitta qualities (fire - hot and sharp and water - clear, smooth and flowing) would not be comfortable in hot weather and prefer winter and autumn because of their coolness. A pitta person would be 'short, sharp and to the point'. Out of balance person with a pitta body type would  suffer conditions like  high blood pressure, stomach acid excess causing ulcers, heart disease, liver diseases, inflammation and fever. To keep in balance are specific lifestyle routines and foods that balance the pitta qualities.

It is about self -awareness.

Yoga

Coming home from work really tired can be an ordeal. All you want is to relax on the couch with a glass of wine or beer.
Just once, try lying on the floor with your feet up the wall for 10 minutes. Feel the small of your back firm on the floor with your legs at 45 degrees to the wall. The other option is to have your buttocks against the wall with your legs vertically.  See which you prefer.
Relaxing like this is heavenly for aching legs, puffy ankles, hot sweaty swollen feet. As well as helping relieve tiredness, lack of energy and sore legs it is great for your whole body. Because it is an inversion, fresh blood, therefore oxygen and nutrients are brought to your brain, bringing energy to your body. If you suffer from varicose veins or haemorrhoids, you may notice an improvement. What have you got to lose - nothing - but you have a lot to gain. A great habit to get into. I remember when I was in a very stressful teaching position and when I look back - putting my feet up the wall - and relaxing when I was on my own - certainly helped the situation, which is why I recommend you try it.

Yoga and Reflexology at the Beach: Welcome...

I was interested to read an article in the NZ Herald on Saturday 13th November in the boating section, written by Mike Rose (who happens to have a bacht at Waihi Beach).
The article is titled ' Mind power can beat sea sickness'
It has been discovered that ' biofeedback training' is more effective than even the powerful anti-nausea drugs given to astronauts.
It outlines all the benefits of the biofeed technique, making it sound very scientific.
'We don't teach relaxation, we teach control. It improves with practice, like any other skill,' says Dr Patricia S.Cowings from Nasa's Ames Research Centre.
Here's the interesting part - If you get nauseated, get your breathing smooth and even, with two seconds of inhalation and two seconds of exhalation. Breathe from low in your abdomen and keep that up for as long as you can... Of course you can always knock yourself out with a pill... if you don't mind drowsiness. However, AFTE has no side effects and once you learn, it lasts forever.'
Hello!!! This is a yogic breath that has been discovered 5000 years ago. When I read the article I wondered if it was for real - and I am still wondering.

Yoga in our real lives

Some think that yoga is for those who bend like rubber bands and sit on mountains and meditate. Yet yoga is part of our lives without us knowing. Lots of exercises we do at the gym come from yoga. We breathe every second and if we do this properly it can change our lives to make us feel, act and look healthier. Here's something so easy it seems silly but the results are profound.

Next time you are stressed, observe how you are breathing. If you are breathing in short, shallow breaths you need to lengthen your breaths.

Breathe out through your nose for longer than you breathed in through your nose. Feel the breath down in your belly. You will probably notice a huge feeling of calm and peacefulness.

It's as easy as that.