Ok, so I don’t know about you but it feels like January definitely had an extra week or two chucked in there!!! Wow! It was looooong! But, congratulations-we have made it out alive!!!
January for me is always a really busy month as we have 8 family birthdays- yes, 8! So whether you have had a busy January like me, a quieter January, or if it has felt like an extra long month, the good news is we are heading towards the wonders of lighter evenings and Spring is now on the horizon.
The signs are there…I love seeing the daffodils and snow drops popping up everywhere and the sun (when it comes out!) starts to feel just that little bit warmer on your skin.
Thinking about life in relation to the changing of the seasons, there are both periods of light and dark, rain and shine, warm and cold. Life is all about balance and experiencing both the Yin and the Yang. Therefore, this month, we will be exploring balance in several ways, both physically in some of the asana we will be covering, but also in the energetic sense by balancing our “chakras”. In Yogic philosophy there is the belief that we have energy centres within our body called Chakras, where energy or “prana”, congregates. Chakras, meaning “wheels” are thought to be like spinning disks of energy that should ideally stay “open” and aligned. Just as your energy might ebb and flow due to different external forces, for example, being stressed out or sleep-deprived, chakras can also be affected by things such as lifestyle habits and emotions. This is because chakras are intertwined with the mental, emotional and spiritual parts of your body.
Some say there are 114 different chakras, but there are seven main chakras that run along your spine. These are the chakras that most of us are referring to when we talk about them. Each of these seven main chakras corresponds to a different section of the body.
Maintaining balance and free flow of energy through these chakras allows us and our body to operate at its fullest potential. This is where our asana comes in! We will be focusing our posture in this month’s series on each of the seven main chakras; moving and stimulating each chakra to help remove blockages or build up of stagnant energy.
In yogic philosophy, the chakras interconnect with energy channels called “nadis” which run throughout the body. These channels also are recognised within acupuncture, a form of ancient medicine that involves tiny needles pricking the skin. When a needle is put into the body during acupuncture, it follows a line through our body that helps to support and clear energy. Some scientists have suggested that chakras correspond to physical parts of the body, particularly major nerve plexuses in nervous systems and endocrine glands. See diagram below. So, although there is still work to be done in this area, scientifically there is evidence to support how chakras affect the body and its physiological functioning.
As you can gather from my business name, I do love a bit of balance and actively encourage balance in all aspects of life! The aim for this series is to bring some balance to your energetic and physical body, leaving you feeling more connected, level and in tune. So let’s embrace balance this month, get your prana flowing in the right direction and have some fun along the way!
I look forward to joining you on the mat.
Love, health and happiness,
Rae x
WHAT’S ON THIS MONTH
Yoga with Charlotte – starting Thursdays from 8th Feb, 11-12pm. Contact Charlotte directly via charlierhm99@gmail.com to book your space.
Full Moon Sound Bath– Friday 11th February, 7pm. Contact Rachel directly via rachel@mycalminthecity.co.uk for enquiries and to book your space.
COMING UP NEXT MONTH
Yoga & Ecstatic Dance Evening-After the success of our first event, we are back and holding another on Saturday 22nd March, 6:30-8:30pm. Book early to avoid disappointment via the following link:
https://balancedsoulyogaandtherapy.co.uk/book-now/
Yoga for Women with Emma– Starting Wednesdays from 5th March, 10:30-11:30am. Contact Emma directly via aglowwellbeing@gmail.com for enquiries and to book your space.
Monthly Women’s Circle with Hannah– Starting Sunday 16th March, 2-4pm. Contact Hannah directly via gower.hannah@gmail.com for enquiries and to book your space.