Inspire Yoga

We are all conscious beings, but how many of us live in consciousness? Are you aware of your own thoughts? Do you get carried away with your emotions? Are you present to your surroundings or lost in your inner world? Our minds are so sophisticated we tend to go along with the ebb and flow of our stream of thought not realizing that we are greater than this current. When we are just with ourselves, our breath, our energy we feel a deep sense of connection and vitality, this is the point that yoga is reaching. We do poses and breathing exercises to eventually silence the mind and connect with our innermost energy, our life force, this brings us the peace and fulfillment that we go on searching in the outside world. But somehow we get stuck, fixating on the benefits yoga has on the body many of us aren’t able to explore deeper and access is deeper value. Our  breathing and meditation program  is designed to bring you to a state where you are functionally optimally in every ...

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...

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...

This is an easily accessible pose to your body, the main challenge is holding your balance- thus this is a  great concentration exercise . However, if you have delicate ankles or have injured them previously please do not attempt the full pose, if standing on one leg is uncomfortable to feel free to place your toes on the floor.   Best Yoga Exercises That Improves Your Sense of Balance To set up the pose, simply stand up with you feet together, lift one foot up and place in the inside of your standing leg, be it your inner thigh or on the side of your shin. Your standing foot should be planted firmly into the mat and  the standing leg anchors the pose by actively pushing downwards . At the same time, the lifted foot is engaged by pushing into the standing leg and the standing legs resist maintaining equilibrium between the opposing forces. You want to imagine that your legs are hugging into the mid-line of your body. On the same token, your palms should push t...

As we welcome 2018 it is important to prioritize our long term health. It is common knowledge that yoga brings strength and flexibility. The importance of strength that yoga brings is accepted as developing your muscles to take the weight off your bones so your joints stay healthy in the later stages of life, we develop our musculoskeletal structure so we are able age well. However, there is a misconception that the modern man doesn’t need flexibility- that it is only for ballerinas and gymnasts! This article hopes to clear up that misconception once and for all. With flexibility and proper body alignment you will notice that most of your movements feel smoother and can be preformed with ease, with minimal resistance. The yogic ideal of movement encourages the body to move freely and increases your range of motion. By regular practicing asanas you will begin to experience your spine and muscles become more supple thereby preventing joint stiffening and muscle shortening that of...

To practice YOGA means to choose to evolve and produce transformations in the being, that will quickly become healthy and purified because of the energies that pass through the body. Even though this passing of the energy is produced, without a proper awareness of the processes that are triggered in our inner universe – when we do our practice – effects on the body, our psyche and mind are much reduced and it takes a longer period of time until energies become visible in the physical plan. The awareness of energies, which are received in our being, will purify by transformations of the body and mind. Out of the whole complex of techniques and procedures that the YOGA system includes, the most well-known are ASANA-s, the body postures. During the practice of ASANA-s we will regard each body posture that we realize as a gate open towards profound spirituality. The practice of ASANA-s must be carried out in a perseverant, effortless and patient way. If the execution of each ASANA will...

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...

Sleep is a fundamental to good health – but are we getting enough? In Hong Kong it is cited that 80% of the population are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation is classified as getting 6 or less hours of sleep per night, we wait to aim for an optimal 8 hours of sleep every night. The seminar exposes the health risks involved in running a constant sleep deprivation. If you are suffering from any of the below symptoms it is important to address your sleep hygiene: -Low energy – Poor mood -Sluggish digestion -Erratic appetite -Sudden weight gain While we are asleep major repair works take place in the brain, cardio vascular system and immune cells. Waking up refreshed is important for your health as well as setting the tone of each day. The workshop provides practical tips around improving quality of sleep and what to do if you suffer from insomnia. Experiencing breathing techniques, meditation and basic yoga poses to help induce sleep if you suffer from restlessness and sp...

We spend so much time in front of our computers sitting, do you suffer from back pain as a result? Stiffness around your neck and shoulders? Poor blood circulation from the lack of physical movement? Occupational tension is a term coined from the physical stress placed on our body from our modern-day sedentary lifestyle. We will go through basic movements that can be done at the desk in your work attire to help relieve the build-up of tightness around the shoulders, neck, back, and hips from sitting for prolonged periods of time. We demonstrate the importance of posture to breathing, mood, and energy levels. Practical tips on the following topics will be outlined -Spine Mobility -Hip positioning while sitting -Feet alignment while standing -Protecting wrists from tendinitis The first step to making a change is to bring awareness of the problem, these seminars facilitate open discussion and reflection so we are more empowered to direct effort into healthier habits and ...

Brain health is intrinsically connected to wellness. Do you feel like your mental sharpness is predetermined? Your intelligence and memory will fade over time? In this workshop we demystify the brain and mind to bring tangible differences in how much you retain, absorb and learn. Discussing diet, lifestyle and awareness we are able to change our state of mind from stressed to active which transforms our ability to think and assimilate information. The takeaways from the workshop you can expect are as follows -The one food that promotes inflammation and decay -The role of stress on the brain -Breathing techniques to balance right and left hemisphere of the brain The first step to making a change is to bring awareness of the problem, these seminars facilitate open discussion and reflection so we are more empowered to direct effort into healthier habits and more sustainable practice. We combine yoga and mindfulness with scientific research and findings for an effective wor...

How does stress affect our breathing? We experience stress as the ‘fight or flight’ response which is rooted in the emotion of fear stimulated it is governed by the limbic brain. This causes a physiological domino effect causing us to hold our breath or hyperventilate, causing muscles to tighten, the heart rate to increase, cortisol levels to raise and sustained periods of this leads to lower immunity, sleep disruption, digestive issues, lower fertility rates, and premature aging. What connects the stimulus on a mental level (stress) to a physical manifestation (deterioration of health)? It’s the breath! By addressing breathing patterns we can reverse engineer the effects of stress to ensure we stave off the adverse health conditions. Setting up the  breathing exercise Long Back, Fluid Breaths A long extended spine allows for maximum lung capacity breathing, fluid breaths. As we breathe in first fill up the abdomen then the rib cage and finally ...

Feeling a dip in energy in the middle of the day is inevitable, especially when you already had your morning cup of coffee and wanted to limit caffeine is a new years resolution. The great news is that there are many ways to give ourselves a nudge and stay focused for the rest of the day.  Controlled breathing techniques are arguably the most powerful tool; as a quick fix to brain fog, there are different ways to breathe to reach different results. One of the easiest ways is to close your eyes softly, take 10 long deep breaths, and count down in your heart. Stay seated at your desk with your spine neutral, avoid leaning toward the back of your chair.          With your right hand, use the thumb for the right nostril and the ring finger for the left side, and feel free to fold the index and middle fingers down.          To begin, take a full breath with both nostrils first.    ...

There has been a growing trend in Hong Kong’s  wellness industry  towards corporate wellness, is catching o because it is now what is popular or are there actual bottom line results to investing in employee wellbeing? The short answer is yes, investing in employee health and satisfaction has proved with many multinational companies that are making a positive impact on the profitability of the firm. Tech was first to adopt  wellness practices in the workplace , financial institutions and law firms are quickly following suit as they are threatened by high burn out rate due to sustained high-stress levels in the office. Here is the 3 main benefits corporate wellness programs advocate: Increased job satisfaction Learning practical tools in how to release stress, align posture and undo the occupational tension from being in front of the desk all day not only allows employees to feel better in their body, they also feel better in themselves and feel better about being...

Have you ever noticed that sometimes your thoughts can run on autopilot? The incessant mental chatter is what is addressed in  stress management . Entertaining the same thoughts day in and day out which corroborate with our routinized behaviors and causing the same experiences as a result which feedback to reinforce the same thought patterns. This is a cycle of thinking, behavior, and results. The input takes place on a mental level and the output is experienced on a physical/material level. Have you ever dreaded a meeting? Thinking you can’t stand the person, the upcoming meeting that you’ve been resisting is stressing you out putting you in a bad mood (behavior), as a result the meeting goes terribly and this reinforces the initial seeded thought that this person infuriates you, do you see how this cycle of thought, behavior, and result is affecting so many aspects of your life? It can also be a beautifully  virtuous cycle , thinking “I am healthy” and the corresponding ...

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...