February Newsletter

Brrr... it definately was not as cold last year! Hope this finds you with a hot drink in hand and warm feet. There is no better place to get some exercise than the Yoga and Pilates studio when the weather is as cold, windy and grey as this. Also when we are not sure if that is mist or pollution, indoor exercise is a good choice. We have been getting our circulation going, stretching out our tight necks and shoulders (which tend to get held up around our ears to keep warm). When our neck muscles are tight we can experience headaches and even dizziness. It is just as important to stretch and strengthen the neck. Only stretching is never enough. The little neck holds up the weight of your head which can be up to 6 kg (depending on how smart you are, lol).

The full moon and eclipse a couple of days ago was really awesome if you got to see it. The moon really did look as though it had a blue ring around it. We enjoyed a *gong bath with Gill to up our vibrations and set intentions for the next 6 months. Full moon is also a good time to release those things that no longer serve us, whether those things are people, thoughts, physical clutter or even ways of behaving. Feelings such as guilt and fear and even anger do not serve us in the long run. Simply being aware of our habitual ways of reacting can be enough to spark as positive change. A slight pause may be all we need to evoke a more favorable response rather than a negative reaction.

*a gong bath is a sound meditation where you lie down and allow the pleasant vibrations of the gong to flow through you.

I had a wonderful night's sleep after this and managed to really focus on intentions and releasing.

Sunday Yoga is having a slow start. 11 am is a good time to get up and enjoy some stretching, especially if you work all week and cannot get to the other classes. Why not bring the family along for a good bonding session too.

Tennis Body Conditioning is a class specifically for tennis players who wish to stretch and strengthen their muscles for the game. It is wonderful for preventing injuries and pain. Join us on Tuesdays at 9am. We do exercises to stretch and tone shoulders, legs to support the knees, and hips.

Pain Relief and feeling EASE: This really is our main intention in doing exercise to make our lives easier and more joyful. Our bodies were designed to move! If we are too sore from a strong workout, or too tight from not exercising enough then we cannot enjoy life to the full. Balance is thus the key in both Yoga and Pilates. Everyone is encouraged to work at their own level. So even if you have been down with this radical flu

which has been sweeping around, taking it easy is encouraged with gentle movements.

A few of us got together for a creative afternoon. We cut out picures from magazines and stuck them to our own large piece of cardboard. The process was therapeutic and the room was peacefully quiet as we all cut and pasted our choice of pictures and word. It was like going back to kindergarten in a good way. Vision boards are a wonderful way to set

intentions and to use the law of attraction to create your own fabulous life. It must work as I posted the words "free wine" on mine and managed to get some free wine from a friend later that week! If anyone is interested in doing Vision Boards again let me know and we can organise another one.