Inspire Yoga

It’s a sad fact that today’s youth are plagued with pressure- high expectations to attain academic success, to excel in sports, hobbies and leadership positions and with the onslaught of social media minute by minute comparisons among peers exacerbates the problem. Isn’t childhood supposed to be the time in our life where we are carefree and adventurous? As a parent it can be a tough time supporting a child who isn’t coping well, instead of simply labelling it as a maladaptive behavior, anxiety or character traits, let’s do what we can to identify the problem and nurture our child in a holistic way so that they feel supported as they learn how to traverse the information overload of the digital age. Stress is epigenetic, it gets passed down as a behavior, then a habit than the normalization of being on high alert. Where do they pick this up from? They model what they see, at home and at school, it’s completely acceptable that adults are stressed on a daily basis, that they deal wit...

he 7 Chakras is a yogic system of energy, the first chakra keeps us rooted and grounded, something most of us lack living in high rises, away from nature and competing in the rat race of Hong Kong’s urban lifestyle. The first chakra, or root chakra, is important as it brings us the power to manifest, whereas the 7th chakra, the crown chakra, governs the power of transcendence. If we are working towards fulfilling objectives and creating a change we want that change to manifest and thus the root chakra needs to be balanced and aligned. The First Yoga Chakra is the Most Important & Needs to be Balance Probably the most common chakra to be in a weakened state is the First Chakra. The Root Chakra is located at the very base of your spine. It deals with issues of physical survival, safety, and security and is blocked and weakened by fear and insecurity. The first chakra acts as a pump at the base of the 7 wheels of energy that help energy rise and flow because it is at the...

In yoga is it essential that you  respect and listen to your body . Allow the practise to be for yourself rather than to keep up with a class at large. If you feel exhausted or dizzy during the practise, child’s pose is great to rest in and it helps to renew your energy. If you have delicate ankles or knees sit on a block or place your feet on a cushion to provide more support. One of the Yoga Basic Poses That Can Renew Your Energy To set up the pose, bring your feet and knees together and sit your hips on your heels. If the front of your feet feel too push pressure, tuck your toes under on to the mat. You’re your abdomen on the top of your thighs and place your head on the floor. If you you’re your back is too rounded in this position, keeping your feet together separate your knees to the width of your mat, lengthening your back further in this pose. You may feel a slight stretch around your inner thighs, if this is the case, bring your knees to close together. You can a...

In yoga, there are two aspects for your mind to focus on: the stretch and your breath. Bringing all your attention to your breath has meditative qualities as it frees you from any other thoughts that preoccupy your mind. When stressed or burdened by emotions it is advised to take a minute to focus on your breathing; taking deep inhalations and slow exhalations, bringing a sense of calmness and lowering your heart rate.  Pranayama,  yogic breathing , influences the flow of energy throughout your body using your nervous system (especially your spine) as the pathway of energy movement.  Our breath is affected by our circumstances and moods. We take more forceful breaths when angry and slower breaths when relaxed. The ratios in which we inhale and exhale vary depending on what state we are in. During sleep, exhalations dominate bringing rest, and during the day inhalations predominate as it is influenced by activity and the external environment. Furthermore, the flow of...

Inspire Wellness is a 6 part series of lectures exploring the effects of lifestyle on our health and what we can do to slow down aging. Experts from some of Hong Kong’s largest institutions in health and wellness will be sharing their research and knowledge in the areas of sleep, stress management, brain health, movement, beauty, nutrition, mental and physical well being. You will be leaving with practical tips to gain control over your health now and prevent aging diseases in the future. Mark Your Calendars!  19 April – Nutrition 3 May- Stress 10 May- Move 24 May- Sleep 7 June- Learn 14 June- Beauty The talks are held twice each day, 10am-12pm OR 6:30pm-8:30pm at Alive Wellness in Central, Hong Kong Thursday 19 April: TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT? Clear the confusion on intermittent fasting and time restricted feeding. Learn what to eat and how best to nourish your body to slow aging. Experience shifts in your mental patterns that encourage he...

From the time we enter the world to the time we leave; our breath is with us every moment. Breathing is the critical sign of vitality- however if we are not breathing correctly it can drain our energy. The breath itself can help bring life and energy to the body- that is why in yoga we treat it as the fabric of health and wellness. The human body can go 3 weeks without food, 10 days without water but only 3 minutes without breathing- our breath is our most important source of energy. In yoga, breathwork is called Pranayama, Prana means energy, so these breathing exercises facilitate the movement of energy. Stress causes tension and tightness around the neck and shoulders, affecting our posture to slouch which restricts our breathing. The full contraction and relaxation of muscles is thwarted causing the volume of the chest cavity to increase and decrease to a much smaller proportion than their capacity. The result? The breath becomes shallow and short, to compensate for the small...

Now more than ever we need to ascertain what we choose to entertain in our minds. Being unaware of your mental conditions can trap you in a habit of forming stress which is physiologically, psychologically and energetically damaging. The introductory techniques of breathing, meditation, and mindfulness help to look within and start to clear the clutter in your mind, the release of stress by the power of your intention of compassion will feel so freeing and liberating it will connect you with a whole new way of being and interacting with yourself. When we think of going for a movie, catching up with friends over drinks or getting a massage as a way of de-stressing, they help up relax temporality by providing a distraction from the root cause of the feeling. The next time you are in a state of angst, take a moment to examine your thoughts and determine how much are you contributing to this stress response by the way you think? Stress is formed by a repeated negative thought pattern...

ositive psychology advocates meditations from the Buddhist concept of lovingkindness, where we consciously fill ourselves with positive emotions of harmony and gentleness. A clinical trial by Carson et al in 2005 published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing found that this meditation lead to a decrease in pain, anger and psychological distress in a study of patients with chronic lower back pain. When we bring the mind towards peace it finds it within ourselves. From this state we have the confidence to be authentic as we accept and love ourselves for who we are and not an unrealistic gold standard. This peace within radiates out enhancing our relationships as we connect from a place of harmony and not competition, Pema Chodron quotes “Compassion for others begins with kindness to ourselves”. The relationship we have with ourselves is a determinant factor in how we view the world, relate to others and deal with pressure.  Strong interpersonal skills begin with an intrapersonal...

When we are in stressful situations and in toxic relationships, we can’t help but feel helpless, our thoughts get stuck replaying a negative feedback loop, reliving difficult experiences and feeling the hurtful emotions associated to the events. How do we move from feeling victimized to empowered? When we try to control our outside environments we soon realize that there is only a limited amount of force we can exert and actually we don’t have a say in how others think or act. However, when we move from blaming others as the source of our problem to reflecting within, it is how we are affected, how we respond and how we come across that govern our frame of mind and yet we relinquish total control of our inner environment to the ebb and flow of the external environment.   Can you change? Don’t you feel lost and insecure when you are stressed? And when you are peaceful isn’t it easy to feel loving, generous and kind? Our negative emotions are grouped together, fear, anger,...

In today’s busy pace of life, we can be so consumed by our own goals that time and energy needs to be consciously invested to ensure we stay healthy, emotionally, physically and mentally. When we are off kilter the main aspect of our life that usually help to support and sustain us begins to deteriorate- our relationships. Have you noticed in times of stress and pressure you have snapped at your partner only to regret your hasty actions? Or that you are so focused on yourself that you forget to even ask them about their day? Or that your energy is zapped from the day that the thought of physical intimacy is tiring?   You are not alone, these are all signs of stress causing an imbalance in our emotional wellbeing. When we are chronically stressed, overstimulated by the influx of information and bombarded with daily demands we operate from a state of emergency. Physiologically our body is in the fight-or-flight response more, focusing on immediate threats, directing energy only...

We have all heard that its good to meditate, but do you know why? If you are convinced by the scientific facts behind meditation chances are you are more likely to dedicate consistent time towards the practice. Let’s start with a reflection, are you truly happy? Would your life to be more joyful and peaceful? In the modern day, we are plagued with the notion that more is better. That if we emulate a certain lifestyle, acquire certain possessions, embody a certain fashion it will lead us to happiness. Living in a fast-paced city of Hong Kong, with a sensory overload of stimulus and advertisements we are bombarded with a value that we need ‘x’ to feel better. That somehow right now, as we are, we are not enough. This sense of unworthiness is deep-rooted in our society, take a look at the rising rates of anxiety and suicide amidst the climb in the standard of living, the amenities, the healthcare, the education, the availability of food and water. With more the basic needs provided,...

Feeling stuck on what to get mom for mother’s day? Does she always say ‘I don’t need anything’? Isn’t she always happy to see you? Why not share with her the gift of presence. Get quality time together, spend it in sacred silence where you are both investing in creating habits or health, harmony, and happiness. This is a perfect connection to our more peaceful feminine nature, whether we have a young daughter or an elderly mother, the bond between mothers and daughters is truly special and one worth celebrating more! We have seen relationships blossom, putting aside all differences and getting on the mat together, breathing together, sharing moments of strength together and deep relaxation together- isn’t this some more families need? We become much more aware of ourselves during a sincere yoga practice, it is a journey to dispel any physical discomforts, create space and freedom in our movements and finally to arrive at a frame of mind that encompasses peace, love, and joy. Wh...