Manipura energy, our inner sun Chakra, gives us our ‘get up and go’ and stimulates our digestion and metabolism which can be a bit sluggish if our body slows and we eat heavier food  – Kapha Dosha can prevail!

We practise warming pranayama – Kapalbhati, Bhastrika, maha bundha, 9 count breath.

Move, is the thing, keeping our bodies open and flexible and strong as they are in summer, building some winter Yang! Our bodies are designed to move, we feel lighter and a sense of space in both our body and mind, the beauty of yoga is it gives us conscious movement which taps into our soul. With Healing Yoga, we learn how to enhance this by moving well and becoming more aware of how we can heal our selves and find a state of harmony and equilibrium in body and mind – whether we succumb to a cold or are unwell, or have a musculoskeletal pain, or a low mood, keep with regular yoga , it will help us heal ourselves on all levels.

‘Move and the way will open’ – Zen Proverb

The first month of Winter, June, began with a Winter Warming Practice, focusing on moving from our core, centering, aligning and shining from Manipura.

Winter is also a time for ‘going inside’, we have more time to turn our attention inwards and the coolness of Ngunguru Hall actually invites a calm stillness!

Last week, the full moon too, gives us reflective darkness and we practised also with fullness, feeling and flow, strong still poses. As we sat with our backs  soothingly supported by the wall at the beginning of class, we sensed a ‘vital fullness inside an empty space’ and as we began to move, being aware of the pauses between each breath, each movement, each asana – gathering our energy.