“Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes.” – Sara Barnard

Over the first seven weeks of Dru Yoga classes we have been journeying through the chakras or energy centres. This week we arrive at the throat chakra or Vishuddha. This chakra is all about communication and self-expression but it is not just all about speaking, the first step is listening. Communication is the key to all healthy relationships and listening is very important, listening to others to really hear what they are saying. But it is also about listening to yourself, not just sounds but ‘listening’ to your body, your feelings and your intuition.

In our journey up the central column or channel of the chakras we have passed the halfway point of the heart or Anahata chakra. Vishuddha (throat chakra) bridges the heart and the mind, so when this energy centre is clear the wisdom of both is integrated. At the end of each class I say “bow your wise mind to your compassionate heart” and we do this be lowering the chin towards our chest.

In our physical layer or body, to bring awareness to the throat chakra we focus on the area of the neck around the level of our thyroid gland, which regulates energy and metabolism. In the emotional layer the throat chakra is related to expression of yourself through truth. In the mental layer focus on this chakra supports you to communicate clearly with ease and clarity.

The throat chakra area is one I struggle with personally as I oscillate between slowing down too much and stagnating or going into overdrive and getting stressed! I have an under-active thyroid (though within the low end of normal!) and often get a sore throat and tension in the neck/jaw area. In terms of communication I also tend to bounce between extremes of not speaking my truth or talking too much and too loud. I am a Libra so it is all about balance!

The colour associated with Vishuddha is blue, a turquoise or aqua blue, like the vast horizon of the sky on a summers day. The element is ether, space or Akasha in Sanskrit. Can you connect with this element of space, the space inside and around your body? To become more aware of your connection to the space element, first tune into the qualities present in your body – warmth, coolness, heaviness, lightness, movement and stillness. Then bring your focus to the space around your body. Notice the temperature of the air, sounds you can hear, and the light in the room you’re in. Shifting attention between the body and the space around us can help bring about a sense of being more connected to the world around us. It can give the mind a break from stress and chatter.

Some practices to bring awareness to the throat chakra include those that open the throat and shoulder area as well as practices that involve sound and chanting. Restorative inversions like Viparita Karani (legs up the wall pose) or supported half shoulder stand, bring energy towards the throat chakra. Fish pose, Camel pose, and any back-bends that involve a gentle opening of the throat area can also help enhance the space element within us, cultivating more clarity and lightness. Some pranayama (breath practices) that bring awareness to the throat chakra are Brahmari (humming bee breath), Simhasana (lion’s breath) and Ujjayi (ocean breath). Mantra practices are also a practice for your tool box for fifth chakra practice.

Each week at the end of class we have been exploring the sounds associated with each chakra, the Bija mantra (stimulating sound) and a resonant or clearing sound. When in doubt to which you need use both, the clear first and then stimulate. When chanting the resonant sounds hold them until you run out of breath and then chant again. The Bija or seed sounds are repeated rhythmically. After chanting the sounds be still and notice, sense or feel the effects the different consonants have on your body.

What are your energy givers and energy takers?

Energy givers are activities and people that radiate positive energy and leave you feeling recharged and inspired. They uplift your spirits and make you feel good about yourself and the world around you. And then you’ve got energy takers, activities and people that drain your energy and leave you feeling depleted and exhausted. After interacting with such people, or doing those activities, you are left feeling emotionally and physically drained.

​So the concept of energy givers and energy takers can be applied to both types of people as well as the kind of activities that you do. Self-awareness is the key when identifying your personal energy givers and energy takers. What could be energising for one person might be draining for another.

For me my energy givers are time spent in nature, mindful movement, deep breathing, relaxations, music, gratitude journalling and spending time with my cats. My energy takers are spending too much time on social media, watching the news, poor food choices, over-thinking and not resting enough. Today I woke feeling drained after a poor nights sleep, I felt fatigued and all my joints ached. I could have taken some pain killers and pushed through my day but instead I took the time off work to rest and do some gentle movement as my body would allow.

It is important to protect your energy. The key to a peaceful, fulfilled life is to ensure you have boundaries in place to protect your peace and energy. Practicing self care to recharge your energy levels needs to be prioritised. Dru Yoga and Meditation are a perfect practice with their focus on us as energetic beings interconnected with all that is around us.

The signature sequences of Dru Yoga are the Energy Block Release (EBR) sequences. Energy flows through our body freely when we live our life in balance and we express ourselves easily. Sometimes this flow of energy gets ‘blocked’ and becomes stuck in our joints, muscles and organ systems of the body. Unless it is released, this blocked energy can create imbalances which can lead to ‘dis-ease’. Practice Energy Block Release 3 to help you to dissolve and release any energy that has become stagnated or stuck. They are sequences that work on all levels, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Dru EBR sequences are carefully designed flowing movements and breath co-ordination that work through the body to release tension and clear these energy blockages on different levels – physical, mental and emotional. Each EBR sequence has a unique positive benefit on both the body and the mind, bringing us back into balance, often with positive empowering affirmations and visualisations. Most EBR sequences also move the spine in all its four directions – forwards, backwards, twisting and side bend. During or after your Dru Yoga practice, you may notice feelings of heat, cold, tingling or tiredness, or you may feel emotional. This is simply an energy block being cleared out of your system and is quite natural.

As well Dru Yoga have sequences such at the Vitality Sequence. It is a powerful method to open the gateway to the energy source deep within you. Be prepared to be fully stretched and mobilised in all directions! Let go of tiredness, lethargy and despondency! It is the panacea to boost energy! Dru Breath practices can also be categorised as energising, balancing or relaxing. Just something as simple as focus on your breath three times a day for a few minutes can change your energy levels.

So if you feel like you are crawling towards the end of the year you are not alone. Take time to reflect on your personal energy givers and energy takers and how you can set some boundaries to keep energy levels up.

“Energy is the living, vibrating ground of your being, and it is your body’s natural self-healing elixir, its natural medicine.” – Donna Eden

Try this practice to give you a sense of what energy or charge in your body feels like. Sit comfortably with a straight spine, extend your arms directly out in front of you and begin to rub your palms together till you feel warmth. Then seperate your hands a few centimetres apart and feel into the subtle energy field between the palms, it might feel like tingling, buzzing or a slight magnetic pull. This is energy or charge!

A recent issue of New Scientist features a story on the discovery of the electrome. It states that every cell in your body is a tiny battery, providing electricity with the immense power to shape and heal you. We know that nerves and muscle cells make use of electricity, but it turns out that the membrane around every one of your 40 trillion or so cells also act like a a little battery. As I was reading this it occurred to me that this is science discovering what ancient practices had already described. This bioelectrical activity is found in all part of nature and sounds to me like prana.

In the perspective of yoga, prana is the primordial energy of the universe and is dispersed through the entire material world. The availability and circulation of prana in the body is related to our health. In Dru Yoga this is why we begin classes with activation that gives us access to our vital force or prana. When we feel tired, we often do have adequate energy, but much of our vital force may be lying dormant stored within the organs, soft tissues and the joints. The energy that flows is called prana shakti (life energy) and manifests itself differently in all the layers of our being or the koshas. In the pranamaya kosha (subtle or energetic layer) you may feel this energy as heat, cold, tingling, seeing light and colours.

In Dru there is a sequence of movements called the Prana Kriyas (kriya means movement or action) that are practiced to balance the five pranas and optimise meditation. There are five streams or winds of prana known as the prana vayus.

• Prana Vayu flows inwards and upwards in the chest, it is the process that allows us to absorb energy.
• Samana Vayu flows from side to side in the centre of the abdomen, it allows us to assimilate energy.
• Udana Vayu flows upwards in the neck, head and limbs, it allows us to express energy.
• Apana Vayu flows downward in the lower abdomen, it allows us to let go of unwanted, toxic energy.
• Vyana Vayu flows throughout the body and the aura surrounding it, it allows us to connect.

The movements of the Dru Prana Kriyas focus our energy and help to remove blockages that hinder us in our experience of meditation. As you practice them regularly you may find that your physical and mental processes become more balanced. This sequence does take time to work as the movements are subtle and not just of a physical nature. In order to experience their full benefits, the breath and energy awareness is more important than the actual physical movement.

Science tells us that energy is the cause of all natural phenomena and the widest definition of energy is the potential to change. The ancient sages who wrote the Vedas already knew this, they described the universe as being composed of two things, prana (energy) and akasha (space). High prana results in rich, bright, vibrant experience whereas low prana brings dullness, lethargy and dysfunction. In meditation we find high levels of prana help us to sit with energy.

If you ever feel low in prana head outdoors in nature and connect with the earth stream that flows up from beneath us and the sky stream that flows down to the earth. This is more prevalent in the presence of life such as forests and near the ocean. Practicing the vertical alignment breath barefoot on the earth helps us to connect to these streams of energy or prana.

“Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This physics.” – Albert Einstein

I often get asked what is Dru Yoga? Dru Yoga has its roots in Hatha Yoga in that in this context Hatha means physical. Under the umbrella of Hatha Yoga there are many traditions and styles such as Iyengar, Ashtanga and Vinyasa. Hatha can translate to mean ‘force’ so Hatha Yoga can be considered anything that you might do with the physical body including asana (yoga postures). Another translation is that Ha represents the sun and tha the moon so yoga aims to yoke, join or balance these two energies. While Dru Yoga is the second largest yoga teacher training school in the United Kingdom it is not so well known in other parts of the world. Dru Yoga can also be considered Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Kriya Yoga but these are worthy of a seperate blog post at a later date.

So Dru Yoga has its roots in Hatha Yoga and includes classical yoga postures (asanas), pranayama (the science of breath), mudras (hand gestures), positive affirmations, empowering visualisations and powerful sequences practiced in a flowing and dynamic style. Joints are kept relaxed and soft during movement, as in Tai Chi or Qi Gong, as this creates flexibility and a free flow of subtle energy. In Dru Yoga all movements generally originate from the spine because a flexible, healthy spine supports your entire yoga practice as well as health and well being. There is also a focus on core stability and you will often hear me in class cue to engage your core by pulling up the muscles of the pelvic floor and lightly contracting the muscles of the lower abdomen on an out breath. Dru classes also offer body preparations for postures or sequences and often these stretching and strengthening exercises have similarities to Pilates mat classes.

A typical Dru Yoga classes will include activations to warm up the body and shake of the stress, Energy Block Release sequences, postures or sequences, pranayama, relaxation and meditation. Dru Yoga works on a physical level but also works on a subtle level as it balances the chakras (energy centres of your body), works with the koshas (layers of your being) and prana (life force energy or inner winds). Dru comes from the Sanskrit word dhruva, which refers to the stillness that can be experienced in Dru Yoga and Meditation. In this stillness we are able to sit back from anything that may be happening around us and act from a point of calm, composure and equanimity.

The concept of energy and its applications forms one of the pillars of Dru Yoga. Energy can become blocked in the spine and the joints of the body and if not released can lodge in the tissues and organs of the body and become dis-ease. Energy Block Release sequences are carefully designed to help relieve these blockages with the joints kept soft and slightly flexed rather than locked. A feature of Dru is the spinal wave as stiffness in the spine is the main cause of energy blocks. Energy is directable by thought, were awareness goes, energy flows! Awareness to the breath can create a focus for energy, using an inhalation to intensify energy and directing the energy on the exhalation. Visualisation of the energy flow as a tangible form as light, warmth or colour focuses the awareness via the senses to the inner energy or prana.

So here are eight reasons why you will love Dru Yoga:

1. Your back will feel better
2. You will feel blissfully relaxed and renewed
3. Dru is an internationally established school of yoga
4. It is proven to reduce stress
5. You will gain higher energy levels
6. Dru is for everyone no matter what age, shape or size
7. You will learn how to sort your emotions
8. It touches body, mind and spirit

To read the full benefits of Dru Yoga click here and to watch a video about Dru Yoga click here.

In 2023 my Dru Yoga and Meditation classes will still stay with the typical format of a Dru class with activations, Energy Block Release sequences and relaxation. I intend to bring in more more pranayama (breath practices), concentration practices and meditation as well. I resonate with the flowing, grounding and energising Dru sequences like Salutation to the Earth, Sun and Moon however this year we will practice and explore some of the more classical Hatha postures like Cat/Cow, Downward Dog, Cobra, Camel, Tiger and Eagle poses. The Dru approach to traditional yoga postures makes them accessible and enables the flow of energy to revitalise the body from inside out, helping you to feel great!

Let me know your favourite Hatha yoga posture that you would like me to teach in class! My go to is the Cat Pose (Marjariasana) as this is such a good posture for the spine. I love cats and it is always such a pleasure to watch a cat stretch, they make it look so easy! A healthy spine means a healthy, happy life. The cat posture increases awareness of the wave like motion of the spine and the energy released through your spine creates a wonderful sense of free flow and harmony through the whole chakra system.

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”
Richard Wagner

Each morning I shuffle my mantra cards and choose one randomly to contemplate during my morning meditation and for the rest of the day. Today the card that arrived was “I choose joy“. My immediate reaction and thought, given that I am beginning to manage my symptoms of depression, is well it is just not that simple. Can there be joy when there is pain and suffering? Can there by joy when life sucks? I have found it hard to write or say the words “merry” and “happy” that go with Christmas and New Year this season. I have been wishing people a safe, restful and peaceful holiday instead.

As I meditated I contemplated the difference between joy and happiness, there are some similarities as they are both positive emotions and can make us feel great. That surge of happiness or joy that warms our heart and courses through our veins. But they are also very different, happiness is circumstantial, when things go right then life is good and we feel happy. But when life’s difficulties arise relying on happiness to feel good no longer works.

Joy is a deeper inner effervescence and our natural state of being. It is loving life, loving who we are, loving what is, unconditionally. Happiness is “if/then” thinking whereas joy is “I have” thinking. Joy is not complicated, it can be invoked by a beautiful sunset, stirring music, a sky full of stars or the purring of a cat. When we feel joyful your brain floods your body with dopamine and serotonin. Learning how to embrace joy can help you to lead a happier and healthier life. However no-one is joyful 24/7 and there are times when maybe joy must be a choice rather waiting for it to arrive spontaneously.

So consider what brings you joy or consider some of these action points from the Dru Yoga book “The Dance Between Joy and Pain“:

• Each morning choose to appreciate everything life brings.
• Deliberately create situations that make you feel joyful.
• Develop your vocabulary to include more strongly joyful words.
• Regularly feel and affirm your gratitude, maybe a gratitude journal.
• Meditate on your experience of joy (think of a pet!)
• Laugh, an authentic laugh always gives rise to joy.
• Sing, dance, run, skip, play and watch a funny movie.
• Spend time alone in nature.
• Nurture yourself and make sure you are well rested.
• Set yourself a goal to help at least one person every day.
• Choose to do things that take you towards your highest purpose.

You might also like to practice a morning intention setting each day:

• Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor.
• Close your eyes if that feels comfortable.
• Notice your breath, the rise and fall of your abdomen.
• Ask yourself what brings you joy?
• Then state your intention for the day.

If nothing comes to mind you might like to silently affirm to yourself these four lines adapted from the traditional Tibetan prayer of The Four Immeasurables, which has guided many in their journey to more compassion and greater happiness:

May all beings attain happiness.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings never be separated from joy.
May all beings abide in equanimity.

There are many obstacles to joy including physical pain, suffering and mental pain. It might be helpful to think of joy as a way of developing mental immunity. There is evidence to show that there is a link between mental health and your immune system. For myself this low mood and depression definitely seemed prevalent after I had COVID in July 2022. That along with brain fog, pain in my joints and feelings of fatigue. There is an interesting read on depression after COVID in the New York Times as the World Health Organisation noted that anxiety and depression has increased by 25% across the globe. There are so many different states of mind, diverse thoughts and emotions we experience on a daily basis. Some of these thoughts and emotions are harmful, even toxic, while others are healthy and healing. The former disturb our mind and cause much mental pain, the latter bring us true joyfulness.

A movement based practice from Dru Yoga is to give yourself an energy shower to awaken joy. Stand comfortably in mountain posture with fingertips touching in front of the abdomen. As you breathe raise the arms overhead up the midline of the body. Turn the palms upwards as you visualise connecting with sunlight. On an outbreath turn the palms downwards and draw them down the midline of the body, past the crown of the head, brow, throat and heart. Visualise absorbing light and joy into every cell. Affirming “joy fills my heart, joy fills my mind, joy fills my life.”

So instead of merry and happy may I wish you all a joyful Christmas and New Year!

And joy is everywhere
It is in the earth’s green covering of grass
In the blue serenity of the sky
In the reckless exuberance of spring
In the severe abstinence of grey winter
In the living flesh that animates our bodily frame
In the perfect poise of the human figure noble and upright
In living
In the exercise of all our powers
In the acquisition of knowledge
In fighting evils…
Joy is there everywhere
Rabindranath Tagore

In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was an invincible summer.
Albert Camus

The Christmas and New Year holidays can be a challenging time for some people and experiencing a pre-Christmas slump is a thing for some people. As we come to the end of another year it might feel like it is a sprint at the end of a marathon and there is just not that energy left to sustain you to the finish line. So I had begun to notice my own mental health and well-being had been neglected a little. I have been doing all the usual practices that sustain me, yoga, meditation, walking in nature and keeping my gratitude journal. I kept telling myself and others that I just need to get through the next few weeks to have a holiday from work and teaching. I work in the area of mental health prevention, so I told myself surely I would recognise if I was just feeling depressed or have depression? You can find out more about depression on the Beyond Blue or Black Dog Institute websites.

Over my life I have had ongoing feelings of anxiety and Dru Yoga has given me a tool box of practices to manage anxious feelings and thoughts. That was why I started practicing yoga and meditation to calm the racing mind, slow down and reduce the worrying. I naturally gravitate towards calming and grounding sequences like the Salutation to the Earth. But I was not prepared for the feelings of depression that have slowly and gradually emerged over the last few months or maybe even longer. I have had situations in my life that have left me feeling depressed but the mood always lifted and the ups and downs of life’s journey continued. A recent challenging work situation recently brought these feelings of sadness and lethargy to a head this week and I realised it was time to reach out for help. I made an appointment with my GP and they prescribed me antidepressants which I was resistant to at first but agreed to try them to see if they can give me the boost of energy I need. I have downloaded a mood tracker from Black Dog Institute to check in on my mood twice a day as I start taking the antidepressants and I am going to start journaling my feelings each day as well. As Brene Brown states in her book Atlas of the Heart “the ability to name this emotion or experience is essential to being able to process it in a productive and healing manner.”

I have never experienced depression before and my best way of describing it is that I am living inside a dense fog. There is the brain fog, low mood, sadness but also a sore and heavy feeling in my physical body. A numb and flat feeling, like being on auto pilot. Emotional numbness can occur when the limbic system is flooded with stress hormones. Yet I really did not think or feel I was that stressed. Maybe it is the lingering grief of the loss of my Mum a few years ago, maybe it is the last 3 years of global pandemic, a rewarding yet heavy part-time job? Maybe it is age related, yet another gift of menopause? Is it something more genetic as I am the same age as my father who died by suicide and probably had some form of undiagnosed depression? But weirdly that was not what was concerning me the most!

It was that I really now felt like a fraud in my mental health prevention work and have “imposter syndrome” as a yoga and meditation teacher! Not only does my body type, and possibly my personality, not fit the stereotype of a yoga teacher I am now medicated for high blood pressure and depression! I was asking myself how come as a yoga and meditation teacher you could not prevent this depression? But it does bring a sense of authenticity, honesty and lived experienced to my yoga and meditation teaching. I credit my consistent daily yoga and meditation practice as a protective factor, things could be worse. I am still able to get out of bed in the morning, do my practice, walk in nature and go to work and teach classes, it is just harder work and feels like a lot of effort. I am grateful for having recently completed a Mental Health Aware Yoga Teacher course which is now proving invaluable for my own personal practice. Along with Amy Weintraub’s Yoga for Your Mood card deck and the Dru Yoga book A Dance Between Joy and Pain. All have given me insight into short, brief practices whether they be movement, breath or mudra practices along with positive affirmations.

In yogic psychology the concepts of the three gunas are introduced, sattva (positive psychological states), rajas (anxiety) and tamas (depression) and the aim of yoga is to cultivate sattva. As Amy Weintraub states in her book Yoga for Depression the aim of yoga “is not some ‘blissed out’ high, but a fully mindful state of stable equanimity.” To me depression feels like separation from self and yoga and meditation is a pathway back to wholeness and the self. Tamasic depression can present itself as lethargy, dullness and inertia which I have experienced as I would describe my main symptoms as feeling teary and tired. It feels like going inside, shutting down and that the life force, or prana has been locked away. All our energy and enthusiasm for life vanishes.

So how can yoga help? It can give us tools and practices to transform depression into self empowerment whether the cause is physical or emotional. Depression requires a multi-faceted treatment response and yoga can be a powerful complementary practice along with medication and support from your GP and mental health professionals. Please do seek support if you feel you may have depression because I have certainly found it can slowly and insidiously creep up on you. Taking antidepressants may give you the energy and strength to engage in health promoting activities, like yoga and exercise. Check out the Act Belong Commit website for more tips, ideas and an activity finder. From a yogic perspective antidepressants are neither good or bad, they are simply tools. The very helpful pharmacist when I filled my prescription with tears still in my eyes from the GP appointment helped normalise it for me by putting it this way, you are deficient in vitamin D so you take a supplement, same with antidepressants, you need a serontonin boost so you take a tablet that could help lift you out of depression.

We all experience depression to some degree in our lives. And yes, it can be a difficult emotion to break, as by it’s nature it’s introverted and self-focused. If you think of your posture when in a depressed state you’ll often find your shoulders round forward, you gaze comes downward toward the floor and your breath is often shallow and in the upper part of the lungs. In this state the upward flow of vibrant life-energy from manipura chakra around the solar plexus is restricted. This is the emotional ‘posture’ of depression. When working with our emotions it’s crucial we recognise how our physical posture effects our mind and emotions and be mindful and curious to change and adjust it as appropriate and feels right for you.

So begin your practice slowly, meet yourself where you are at, moving towards more energising and dynamic practices. Energising practices tend to be those that include chest opening and back bending practices. In Dru Yoga this might include the Salutation to the Sun sequence, Vitality sequence and Inner Fire sequence. Pranayama (breath) practices such as Ujjayi (Ocean Breath), Surya Bhedana (Right Nostril Breath) and Bhastrika (Bellows Breath) can be activating and energising. I have recorded some short practices from Amy Weintraub including Stair-Step Breath and Power Breath which if you click on the links of each you can try for yourself. Both of these practices are energising as they activate the area around the solar plexus, the manipura chakra, the centre of dynamism. Another favourite movement of mine is the “Cycle of Infinity” or figure of eight movement we often do as part of activations in class. Put on your favourite music and then move in this infinity symobol pattern in a way that feels right for your body. You might even like to visualise that you are holding the a ball of golden sunlight in your hands and as you move around the body it is infusing all the layers of your being with energy.

It is worth noting that sometimes depression or a predominance of tamas is a result of burnout, adrenal fatigue or chronic fatigue and in this case energising practices would not be appropriate. I am currently tuning into my own inner knowing and looking to be guided as to which I need to manage and shift my mood. Often what is needed is a balance of both gentle movement and deep rest. Current research is validating what yogis have known for thousands of years, when you learn to work with the breath you can impact your mood. There are also mood shifting mudras (hand gestures) and mantras. For me I feel stress is a big factor in my depression, it has been a big couple of years personally for me and for all of us in the world. I have also become disconnected with the joy in my life! It is time to find my joy again, I am not sure what that will look like yet but I will enjoy the journey. It is time to smile and laugh, put on a funny movie or play my favourite music and dance my way to emotional balance.

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,
But sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Thich Nhat Hanh

The holiday season can be a difficult time for many. Support Lifeline to Shine a Light on Mental Health this summer with your donation or by downloading a guide to raise awareness for yourself and loved ones. If you need to talk to someone or are worried about someone else call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14 for 24/7 support in a crisis. If you or someone else in immediate danger call 000.

As we come into spring I am starting to see more ‘challenges’ on social media, particularly ‘yoga challenges’. I am just not a fan of them so you won’t see me participating in one anytime soon. There is nothing inherently wrong with them and if they assist you to get started with yoga or meditation or back to a regular practice then no harm done. They say it takes 21 days to establish a new routine and maybe more like a few months to form a habit. But I just don’t feel the word challenge along with all its definitions really fits with the philosophy of yoga. Isn’t life at the moment challenging enough? In times of challenge we need to lean into our yoga practice but in testing times we need our practice to be flexible. Be kind and meet yourself where you’re at each day. One of the benefits of practicing Dru Yoga and Meditation is the amazing tool box of practices that we learn and can call upon to meet any situation or circumstance. I highly recommend the book “The Dance Between Joy and Pain” published by Dru which is filled with tips and practices to bring emotional well being and can be ordered here.

“Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently.” – Marie Forleo

Often people that attend a Dru Yoga class for the first time will be amazed by the effects and benefits of a single session. But the real preventative benefits come with a consistent practice. This means more than attending a weekly yoga or meditation class and preferably practicing daily even if it is just for 10 to 15 minutes. Maybe some gentle twisting or a stretch while you wait for the kettle to boil. Some equal ratio breath while you wait for the computer to start up. Mindful awareness as you brush your teeth. Also let me add that the other reason I am not a fan of yoga challenges is more often than not they are gymnastic feats and the results to be broadcast via videos on social media. Yoga does not have to be hard, you don’t have to challenge yourself to do more or take your body past its physical edge. If the aim of your yoga practice, like mine, is functional body health and good mental health a challenge mentality is counterproductive.

So I am all for a new term or phrase instead of a ‘yoga challenge’ but lets face it ‘consistent yoga practice’ does not have the same marketability or ring to it! Here are some tips to establish a consistent and regular yoga and/or meditation practice:

• Embrace the journey – enjoy your practice, don’t let it become a chore.
• Find the joy – find your time, place and style of yoga.
• Make it a priority – dedicate a schedule time to practice.
• Start by doing anything – maybe just roll out your mat and light a candle.

For some tips from Dru Senior Tutor Jane Saraswati Clapham watch her video here. I can relate to what Jane is saying, I sometimes wake up and don’t feel like doing my yoga or meditation practice but I still get on the mat and once I start moving I feel like doing a little more. I am a morning person so prefer to do my practice first thing followed by a walk in nature, my day doesn’t feel right if I don’t start with my practice. I often do the same practice, some activation movements, Energy Block Release 1, Prana Kriya sequence and sit for 10-15 minutes of meditation practice. Each morning brings a new depth to the familiar practice and I am curious and come to the mat with a sense of self inquiry. You need to find what works for you, maybe practice in your lunch break or before going to bed. I also find it helps to keep a yoga and meditation journal to record your practice and maybe write notes as to how it made you feel. I have bought a mindfulness planner from My Yoga Lifestyle every year for the last few years as there is space to add a daily mantra, practice and what I am grateful for.

No need to wait for a ‘challenge’ to get started! So just start, if you miss a day, be kind to yourself and start again another day. Keep it simple with just one or two practices. If you practice consistently you will be aware of and notice changes gradually. What and when will you practice? If you need some direction reach out to me for a one to one session to look at what Dru Yoga or Meditation practices could support you. I am available for a one to one session at a cost of $80 per hour on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons by appointment and bookings can be made here.

So maybe you have tried a few types of mindfulness or meditation based practice and enjoyed the benefits. Maybe they did not work for you? What makes Dru Meditation different from other styles of meditation?

Dru Meditation combines the ancient wisdom of the yogic tradition along with the science of meditation to make it relevant for our modern world. Dru is a kriya, or action based, style of meditation with a typical class starting with mindful movement, breath work and a deep relaxation before sitting for meditation in a chair or on the floor. Other styles of mindfulness and meditation may bring a sense of peacefulness however Dru Meditation has the potential to be transformational in your life.

A regular practice of meditation will help you find inner resources to deal with the pressures and anxieties of life. You will learn to become less reactive to your thoughts and emotions, and find deep stability within, helping you navigate an uncertain world with courage and joy. Not to mention some of the potential biological benefits which may include better sleep, reduced blood pressure and less anxiety.

The 3 Stages of Dru Meditation

Dru Meditation, in common with many other types of meditation, starts with a comfortable sitting with gentle awareness of the body and breath. This mindful awareness reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, chronic pain and insomnia. Conscious engagement of this stage of Dru Meditation will help you to become fully adept at mindfulness in your everyday life.

The next stage of Dru Meditation takes us from just observing our mind to understanding the vast landscape of our consciousness, described in the yogic tradition through models such as chakras and koshas. This more refined level of practice helps you understand how the body, energy, emotions and thought are linked.

In the third stage of Dru Meditation you will learn to transform your consciousness by learning to become the master of your emotions and mind. You’ll learn advanced breathing techniques, mantras and kriyas which will empower your strengths and help you to deeply know yourself. (Source: Dru Meditation website)

If you have experienced a Dru Yoga class a Dru Meditation class will be familiar as there is still activation to warm up the body and and Energy Block Release sequence to clear anything in the layers of our being before you meditate. So you won’t be sitting cross legged or on a chair for an hour, there will be standing movement and there is still even a deep relaxation. The meditation practice itself will involve breath practices (pranayama), withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara) and concentration practices (dharana). Follow the path of yoga to its ultimate destination, meditation!

Having just graduated as Dru Meditation teacher and now a member of the Meditation Association of Australia I am keen to share these beneficial practices with others. It is not too late to join the four week online Introduction to Dru Meditation on Thursday evenings as I can share the week one recording with you. In August the online Wednesday evening Dru Meditation class resumes from 6pm to 7pm and I am also offering a Friday morning Dru Meditation class 11am to 12pm at The Happy Mat for an initial six week series.

If you have some previous mindfulness meditation experience you might like to practice with others as part of The Light Collective Meditation Group which will gather online once per week for a 30 minute guided meditation. The sessions will be a different day and time each week and donations to the World Peace Flame projects appreciated.

I am a Dru Yoga teacher and thus teach meditation from the perspective of a yoga teacher. As I wrote in a previous blog post the eight limbs, or facets, of yoga include asanas (postures and sequences) and works towards dhyana (meditation). My view is that there is no separation of yoga and meditation, as it is all yoga. That said I will soon qualify as a Dru Meditation teacher and be eligible to join as a member of the Meditation Association of Australia separate to my membership to Yoga Australia. I also facilitate Mindfulness Works Australia 4 week “Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation” courses which approach meditation from a different and non-yogic way.

So there are lots of different kinds of meditation. There is observing your thoughts, breath awareness and movement meditation, which could be classified as open monitoring meditation, which means paying attention to the present moment. There are then also meditations on gratitude, compassion, such as loving kindness or Metta meditations in the Buddhist tradition. There are focused awareness or concentration practices such as candle gazing (tratak) or meditating on a mantra. Japa literally means “muttering a mantra” which could be as simple as Om or the longer Gayatri mantra. You might even come up with your own mantra or power statement in your language rather than Sanskrit. Japa can be done while holding mala beads to count the mantras which gives the mind something to focus on.

Researchers have studied different styles of meditation and found that different practices, light up different regions of the brain. So it could be a good idea to try different styles of meditation and consider the aim or intention of your practice. So why would you join a meditation class or course when there are so many apps on your mobile phone that offer mindfulness meditation for free or for a small subscription? There is the popular app Calm, headspace app, Smiling Mind app and the Muse app which pairs with a headband to monitor you brain, heart rate, stillness and breath. I utilise the Mindfulness app on my Apple Watch to remind me to pause, reflect and take some breaths throughout the day. There is also Insight Timer which I have recently joined and uploaded some of my meditation audio recordings for no cost or for a donation (take a listen and feel free to buy me a coffee if you like the practices). Recent data showed that there are similar benefits gained from meditation apps but that they are less pronounced than what researchers observed for in-person or live classes. Some of these benefits may include more focus, less reaction to stress, sleep better, feel calmer, lower blood pressure and better emotional regulation.

When I started out meditating I used apps but as I have journeyed deeper into my meditation practice I have found them more of a distraction and that I became too focused on the gamification aspects. It is ironic that phones and screens in general detract from mindfulness yet all these apps have come along that suggest using your phone to destress. On the upside apps and platforms like Zoom have meant that your meditation guide can be sitting right there in the room with you in the comfort of your home or as you take a break in the office. Apps do tend to quantify mindfulness meditations giving you badges, milestones and streaks and reminding you if you have not practiced. A a good meditation practice is to reflect on your “why” or intention for meditating and establish a regular practice rather than just adding it to the ‘to do’ list and making it a chore. Come to your practice with an intention to pay attention in a curious, kind and open-hearted way, not a judgemental and frustrated way.

The beauty of an in-person meditation class is you can ask questions, gain feedback and share your journey with others in a human and connecting way. My recommendation would be that if you are starting, or refreshing, a meditation journey, an live or in-person class can support you to get more from your practice. You are sharing with others on a similar journey and there is an energy about practicing in real time with others, whether that is in-person or on Zoom. If you start with a good foundation mindfulness meditation practice then an app can be used as additional scaffolding to support your practice.

There is no one or right way to meditate but the general idea is to use external silence and stillness to cultivate internal silence and stillness. It is a lot harder than it sounds and it is also challenging to establish a regular meditation practice. The key is to keep practicing until it becomes a habit like brushing your teeth twice a day. My day does not feel right unless I start with some mindful movement and meditation for 15 to 20 minutes. To establish this I had to carve out some time in my day by getting out of bed a bit earlier or watching less Netflix in the evening! When you join a meditation class with me I offer you a meditation contract that you might wish to fill out and sign, maybe even get it witnessed to gain some support to establish or reestablish a regular practice.

If you would like to start or refresh your meditation journey join me on Zoom Wednesday evenings 6.00pm to 7.00pm or Thursday mornings 6.00am to 7.00am for some mindful movement and meditation. You will also get a free downloadable meditation journal to record your journey and access to a closed Facebook group to view recordings of classes, other resources and sharing with other like minded meditators, all from the comfort of your own home. If you feel you need some more information, background and an in-person session to get started with your practice consider attending the next Mindfulness Works “Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation” commencing Thursday 5 May 6.30pm to 7.30pm at Milligan community centre.

When a wave comes, it washes over you and runs up the beach. The wave turns around, and recedes over you, going back into the ocean…This is like the breath, which exhales, transitions, inhales, transitions, and then starts the process again.”

James Nestor, Breath (interpretation of Yoga Sutra 2.51)

There is nothing more essential to our health and well-being than breathing. We take over 25,000 breaths in a day and in the last couple of days wearing a mask at work and other indoor public venues I have become even more aware of my breath. The last time I was wearing a mask I became very aware that I breathed through my mouth and not my nose more frequently than I thought. This motivated me to take a deep dive into the book “Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art” by James Nestor. I can highly recommend reading this book to any human being that breathes!

So whether you agree with the mask wearing requirement or not it does seem like they might be here to stay at least for the short term. In my workplace I have certainly seen my colleagues adjusting to mask wearing including feeling like not getting enough breath in or feeling dizzy or lightheaded from possibly hyperventilating. There is also the thoughts and emotions as we adjust to wearing a mask, the annoyance, frustration and irritation. That is just at work sitting working on a computer in an air conditioned office so I spare a thought and have empathy for people working with various PPE in hot summer weather conditions.

The mask exemptions do state that you don’t have to wear a mask indoors while engaged in strenuous or vigorous exercise or physical activity such as running on a treadmill. However Dru Yoga which I teach is not that vigorous so masks are still required for my indoor yoga and meditation classes. The exemptions do state that a person can remove a mask if the nature of a person’s work or the activity they are engaging in means that clear enunciation is essential. My intention is to wear my mask as you all arrive to class and if the group feels comfortable and feels they cannot hear my voice properly I will remove my mask for the class. I will make sure I am a safe distance from participants at the front of the room. My intention is to continue to create a safe space for us all to practice.

So you might feel apprehensive or anxious about coming along to practice yoga or meditation with a mask on for a number of reasons. Yoga and meditation do involve the breath particularly specific pranayama (breath practices). The flow of air could be impacted by wearing a mask and as the body, mind and breath adjust you may feel light headed, dizzy or short of breath. Please do discontinue the practice at any time you need and you are welcome at any time to take a break outside with your mask off.

Practicing low to moderate intensity exercise or physical activity, while wearing a mask, such as Dru Yoga, is inconvenient but in most circumstances safe. If you have any concerns or health conditions to consider do speak to your health professional. It will feel different but give your body time to adjust and habituate to wearing a mask. Over the weeks of wearing a mask your amazing body will adapt along with your breath. As for the mind maybe take this inconvenience of mask wearing as an opportunity to notice your breath, to notice how it feels to breathe wearing a mask and meeting things were they are at with a sense of acceptance.

In my meditation class I take you through the three acceptances as we come to sit and practice. To accept your environment, the sounds, the situations. To accept your body, the sensations and irritations. To accept your mind, the distractions or self talk that arises. I also resonate with the Four Remembrances from Tara Brach in her book Radical Compassion. To pause for presence, allow yourself to be still. Say yes to what is here, meet yourself where you are at. Turn towards love, feel kindness to yourself and others. Rest in awareness, let everything be just as it is.

Please reach out to me if you have any concerns about wearing a mask in class, me teaching without wearing a mask and also with regards to your preferred way to provide your proof of vaccination prior to the 31 January. I encourage you to read the privacy policy on my website if you have not already if have any concerns with providing me personal and sensitive information. If there is interest and demand I am open to offering a class on Zoom or outdoors on a Thursday if that is more acceptable or feels safer for your practice. I do hope you will continue to participate in my Dru Yoga classes as I feel that yoga and meditation are so beneficial for our mental health and well-being in these challenging and uncertain times.