Peace of mind

Hello readers, yogis, friends. How are you?

The sun is playing hide and seek again in Manchester, but it’s getting warmer and longer days call for sunset meditation, yoga walks and beach dreams. Aka: I hope I’m not alone in my vacation plans and hopes, these days.

Sun, friends, beloved ones, lazy mornings, coffee, yoga. Peace.

Have you ever noticed how different can be studio classes and home practices?

Studios in London – but here in Manchester, too – can be pretty busy: gracious newbies, familiar faces, quick drills, props, stacked mats, chats.

Groups. Community. They bring people together and in doing this set intentions, create healthy habits, develop your practice.

Which is something we don’t always bring at home. Don’t we?

How shall I start? When shall I practice? How many times a week? I’m panicking!

Ok, what if I tell you the foundation of your home practice – the missing bit we don’t always find on the mat at the studio – is your peace of mind.

I could call it meditation before practice, yes. But I like to think it’s something simpler and more natural, something that takes 5 minutes of your time and gives you back a whole new mind. Something mindful, peaceful.

I do try and arrive at the yoga studio 10/15 minutes before class, but it’s not always possible and when it is, the room is too cold, too hot, too busy, too something…

While at home, in the quiet of my space, I can find some peace. Peaceful peace, excuse the pun.

So, how?

Start with your yoga space: what do you usually do before practicing? I wear comfortable clothes, something that can keep me warm or give me freedom of movement, wash my hands and feet, clean the floor, roll the mat, turn the music on.

Breathe, calm down. Empty. Set an intention.

Find a nice comfortable cross-legged position, relax, stay there. Find your peace.

You don’t need fancy clothes or loud music, you don’t even need a mat.I’m just suggesting you a way to get into a calmer state of mind, but if you’d rather go for blanket and incense or tea in the backyard, why not?

It might be a moment preceding the practice in which you just stay where you are and let go of the day.

Whatever it will empty the busy mind and create peace.

Yes. Empty the mind.

“All the wonders of life are already here. They’re calling you. If you can listen to them, you will be able to stop running. What you need, what we all need, is silence. Stop the noise in your mind in order for the wondrous sounds of life to be heard. Then you can begin to live your life authentically and deeply.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise

All is there.

Right under your nose. But we need to empty the mind to FEEL it. To BE in the moment.

And silence is the missing piece we often forget to look for.

I mean conscious, nourishing, gracious silence.

As Guruji used to say, we have to practice yoga to GET OUT OF THE MIND and focus on the body. I think what he meant was that we need to stop overthinking as the mind is our real enemy, or it can become such. Our thoughts can get into our way into the practice, creating fear, sadness, negative vibes. It’s the mind that stops the body, that make you act like crazy in front of your crush, run away deep down into your comfort zone, convince you cannot do it.

But a relaxed mind can also work wonders. It can be our friend. Right?

Interpretations asides, what I find really different in my home yoga practice – that precious practice nobody gets to see, those long breaths and relaxed movements, balancing efforts, good mornings – is taking a moment (or two!) to empty the mind, just let my thoughts go.

So, let’s go back to your peace of mind.

Have you set your yoga corner? Good.

Now, take a seat or hop on the mat, cross-legged or hero pose, lotus or simple pose, anything you fancy and is ok for your knees, hips and spine.

Breathe. Deeply but gently.

Listen to your deep breathes.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

Again.

Maybe close your eyes and focus more on the breath.

Or, maybe find a drishti and concentrate your attention. Hint: a white empty wall would be good. Just focus your gaze on a spot, corner, surface, bit.

Stay there.

Let thoughts and words go by. As if they were floating around, take a step back and observe without doing nothing.

Let go, avoid grabbing. And if you feel your mind is, just go back to your drishti.

Right now you have to plunge into your yoga space. Connect with that. Become aware of it and hold on to the present moment.

That’s your task.

You’ll find your thoughts – still there – after the practice.

And believe it or not, they too will look and sound more peaceful and possible.

Some will go, others will stay. But all will be ok.

So, stay there for 5. Then maybe 10.

Keep on emptying, breathing and gazing. Relax your head and shoulders, relax your body.

Feel the body, the breath, the soul, the emptiness of the space.

The silence. Listen to your silence.

It’s talking to you. Right now.

In a way you’ll understand only later on in the day, maybe this week, maybe the conversation will go on for years. It’ll change your life.

Just let silence be. And in this be, connect to it.

Start your home yoga practice with a bit of mindfulness. Maybe massage the neck or just stay there and connect to the present moment. BE. Photo Credits THF, 2016 (IG @yogafitsara)

Once the 5 minutes are over, you can come back to the attention of the room.

And in doing so, you can count on the support of your breath, again.

Take a deep breath in and let the air fill your lungs, then slowly and gently release the air and start moving your eyes here and there (yes yoga for your eyes!), gently. Notice things, details, reactivate the mind.

Maybe stretch the face, neck and shoulders, bring your attention to what’s coming next: your home yoga practice. Draw circles with your head or turn it from side to side. Bring the shoulders back, open the chest, then release the air. Be mindful.

Thoughts will flow back as a river and they will start buzzing and twisting again in a moment, don’t let them overwhelm you, take this step as slowly as you can.

And if you feel like crying, do it. If you feel like smiling, go for it. Celebrate your being in the moment with letting your SOUL expand and create. It’s you. It’s there.

Peace is a beautiful word, a soothing feeling, a needed action.

Now you are ready to hop on the mat. Bring it with you.

Enjoy it!

Sara 

 

#THFChallenge16 – Day 1

Hello friends,

How are you?

It’s time to start the challenge! 🙂

Today we begin with an easy gentle twist that suits beginners and advanced healthy people, so grab your mat and let the flow begin!

This pose helps the lower back through the upper back and you should feel a gentle twist through the spine. The internal stretch massages your digestive organs, stimulating the metabolism, your digestion and pushing away toxins from your kidneys and liver.

It will open your hips, work on your spine helping you to release the tension and it is very good for those working long hours at their desk or in front of a computer.

When approaching this pose, or any other new yoga asana, I’d suggest you to always keep in mind the following:

• move slowly
• breathe deeply and continually
• if it is too painful then slow it down or leave the pose

 

If it is painful, it is not yoga.

You should practice according to your abilities and experience. Progress will happen naturally through your daily practice and you’ll see visible results. Just trust your practice and make it a habit.

 

SIMPLE TWIST 

 

So, let’s start with the right side.

Start in an easy pose – simple crossed legs seating position. If your hips are tight, you can add an extra blanket or a meditation cushion between your back and the yoga mat. This will help to release the tension.

Lengthen your spine and keep a natural but straight position, keep your arms parallels to your body, look in front of your toward the horizon, relax your face, keep the chin in a natural position.

Close your eyes, stay here for 5 breaths. Listen to your breath, heartbeat and body.

Feel the position, relax.

Rotate your head, chest and abdomen to the right, place your left hand on your right knee and use the left arm as a leverage to help you twist on the right side.

Advanced variation – twist your head, shoulders and ribs further back while keeping the chin and face relaxed. Look past your right shoulder and feel the stretch through the entire spine. Keep on breathing naturally.

Beginner’s variation – help yourself balance with the right arm. Keep it engaged and steady. While turning on the right side, keep it nice and slow. No rush.

Stay here for 5 breaths. Repeat on the left side.

You can repeat this exercise more than once, especially if you are using as a stretching and warming up aid before your yoga class or your home-based practice.

Check my IG for more tips on how to do this day 1 of #THFChallenge16!

Digestion tips

I’m a vegetarian by choice and although I am not forcing you to do the same, there are many personal and social benefits in being a vegetarian.

It is good for the planet, our animal friends and in general, our health.

But it is also through that if eating is a very intimate and personal activity, I carefully consider what I eat/drink and like to eat properly to feel strong, have the right amount of energy and practice daily.

So if you like vegetable and fruit and want to help your digestion, boost your energy but still don’t know how to mix ingredients and create yummy recipes, check Simple Green Smoothies.

This website is absolutely amazing and inspiring. From fruit to vegetables, mixed smoothies and green challenges, you’ll find everything you need.

Smoothies & salads are my faves. They are easy, quick and always fresh.

I prepare my smoothies mixing vegetables and fruit, follow their recipes and in some cases create my own variations.

I particularly like the Post Workout Green Smoothie as I have always struggled with post workout snacks (what shall I eat? Shall I have carbs? No? But I deserve it!).

The only big downside of fresh smoothies is that they have to be prepared on daily basis, so yes, it can be a bit challenging.

But it’s really a 5 minutes habit that can be easily included in your workout schedule.

Alternatively, you can set yourself a weekly time, like 2 smoothies a week, while the other 2 workout days you’ll go for a gluten free ready made snack, or a fruit.

I bet you will quickly choose the smoothie over the snack once you have tasted one. Addictive.

 

Alright friends, that’s all for now!

Remember to share you #THFChallenge16 Day 1 pic with me on IG today!

I’ll be back tomorrow with a the #upwardfacingdog pose and more healthy tips!

Sara

No-gym workouts for the busy professional

Hello friends,

I hope December finds you well and you are busy and healthy as usual!

Although it is considered a festive period of time, this month can be very busy with parties, presents, planning, projects, etc.

Like the past week, when friends, family and clients all decided they had something urgent to do!

It felt a bit like 9 years ago, at the beginning of my freelancing career, when things were really hard to manage and plan.

Before that, I used to have a quite organised fitness life, then freelancing changed everything. I could not attend the gym as often as I wanted, every week became different – every single day.

It’s not big news I gave up teaching fitness for a while, as I was really stuck in trying to juggle different things.

So what did I do? I said well, if I can’t go to the gym but I don’t want to feel like a zombie (aka: tired, sleepy and totally stressed out) then I’ll have to come up with an alternative.

I decided to try a no-gym workout.

It was like a trending thing to try and even my PT said it was perfectly doable.

As for myself, already spending most of my day locked at home in front of a computer, it sounded horrifying and sad.

Sad, yes. If you spend a lot of time on your own, the last thing you need is MORE time on your own. Right?

But it turned out to be the right choice and I have been training without a gym since then. Well, now I have a gym membership, but only because my past gyms were literally around the corner and I am lucky enough to have a pretty stable freelancing life, too.

But I still train at home (check my IG for vids and more tips!) and love to do that also while traveling.

So here are my fitness tips to start your new no-gym workouts!

No-gym essentials

 The first problem about a no-gym workout is your equipment.

In the beginning, I chose running + home fitness videos, so the investment was really limited.

Yoga mat

The main doubt regards choosing between a travel/light mat you can fold and carry with you or a standard/sticky one.

The good thing about travel/light mats is that they are really light and if you travel for business and still want to do your 30-minute workout routine at the hotel, you won’t have to go into their gym or worry about time.

But light mats are also really thin and not that great for beginners or anyone with knee problems, like me…

Another option would be to buy a cotton yoga rug, it’s light and natural, but can be less comfortable than the mat.

Running shoes

When I started the no-gym workout I already had a good selection of running and gym gear/shoes.

But if you have to buy a new pair, check Asics (yes, I have a thing for these shoes!) because they are really the most resistant, professional and comfortable around.

Asics shoes can be used almost every single day: from walking to running, training and even fitness. They also come in various cushioning options and present a good range of colours.

I also like the NIKE Free 5.0 series: lightweight, well cushioned, comfortable and durable. Extra tip: you can fold both shoes and fit them in your hand luggage and they are so small and light that are great to run even when you are traveling.

Sweating, tracking and loving the Polar watch. #TheHealthyFreelancer

Heart rate monitor

Check your progress, heart rate, calories, fitness levels and record your sessions.

A heart rate monitor is surely a very useful gadget.

I have a Polar FT7 that I use to run (high impact activity), as well as when I do yoga (low impact) or tone up exercises.

I like it because it tells you how much you are burning, so that you can track your weekly sessions and also determine your fitness levels.

Your house

As part of the very basics props you will need, there will be walls, free space and old stuff such as heavy books (to be used as weights and blocks), a pair of old leggings (to be used as a yoga strap), water bottles (1,5 and 2 litres – to be used as weights), a low side table to be used as a step and then, of course, towels and a blanket to keep you warm after your workout/yoga session.

What I have learned is that my house/flat can provide great options for me to train without a gym, so besides these props, I also enjoy using walls to improve my alignment and chairs/desk to do desk/office yoga.

Who said freelancing is not healthy? 😉 #officeyoga

No-gym activities you can choose from

 There are many no-gym activities; here it is a quick list that will help you choosing the right one:

• Running
• Walking
• Power Walking
• Trekking
• Fitness (videos)
• Fitness classes (drop in/pay as you go)
• Yoga (at home/self practice/videos)
• Yoga classes (drop in classes)
• Swimming (pay as you go)
• Cycling (outdoor)
• Triathlon preparation
• Home workout videos (small weights might be needed)
• Pilates (drop in/pay as you go)
• Pilates (at home/videos)
• Kick-boxing (drop in/pay as you go)
• Kick-boxing (home – you will need some equipment, but again, the investment might be quite limited and also very good if you are already a fan of this sport and would love to exercise without gym memberships!)

As you’ve seen some of these activities will require more equipment, so I’d say it’s really about what you love or have experience with. I also do a lot of aerial yoga, bur so far I have never really had a chance of living in a space big enough to let me buy a hammock and train at home. Maybe in the future! 😉

What I suggest you to do, however, is to start out with home training (fitness and yoga) and running.

First, because these are very cheap activities, and, secondly, because alternating high impact (running) and low impact (home fitness/yoga) is great for your metabolism, weight loss and muscular mass. Actually, a mix of strength, flexibility and cardio is what you need to challenge your metabolism and body on different levels.

On a side note, if you are really into finding a good program for your home-based routines, I’d suggest you to have a look at Yoga With Adriene and Kyla Itsiness.

Organising your no-gym healthy lifestyle

I chose a non-gym approach to (a) CONTROL my fitness routines and (b) be FLEXIBLE enough to choose what to do and how to do it.

On the CONTROL side, it was much about knowing that I could take responsibility for my own success (fitness and professional) without messing up with my new business.

Control means so much when you start out: new clients, new projects or even total lack of clients and having a second job to maintain your freelancing career. It’s much about knowing that all is up to you and you want to succeed, but at the same time feeling healthy is important for your body, mind and mood.

FLEXIBILITY was also essential as I had two jobs and could not always make it to the gym. And it still happens these days when I work until late or accept a project the last minute.

That said, let’s all remember that one of the many pillars of living a healthy lifestyle is DISCIPLINE.

You can skip a yoga session and say no to a Saturday morning walk, but then you will have to say goodbye to your results.

Exercising without a gym helped me to stop messing around with my gym membership/fitness schedule and that was enough for me to stay motivated and disciplined.

But one has to have a bottom line and make exercise a priority, even when there is no gym – which can be very scary because you are not pushed by the trainer.

I wouldn’t say it is easy, but I can say it’s gradual.

It was good for me because I knew what to do, what exercises do and for how long, how much cardio, etc. But it challenged me because I wasn’t a personal trainer and it was hard to be objective with myself. So I bought books, asked my trainer, read blogs…I became a fitness student and my first PT client.

Eat healthy, research your options, find your balance. #TheHealthyFreelancer

And here we are, to this blog. Which I hope it will help you to motivate and inspire you to be healthier and work better.

Besides reading my blog, if you are really into finding a good program for your home-based routines, I’d suggest you to have a look at Yoga With Adriene and Kyla Itsines. Both websites/programmes are easy to follow and suitable for all levels.

You can use their videos and schedule to start out your own no-gym fitness program, but if you are a complete beginner, I would also recommend you to consult a PT or a doctor before starting out.

I don’t have a complicated system to track my training sessions, I plan monthly and weekly and use a program that I create and change every month.

I try not to miss my training sessions, being able to do simple exercises for legs, abs, shoulders and arms also at home makes everything easier and I can wake a bit earlier.

I train 6 days a week and alternate strength (3x), flexibility (4x) and cardio (2x). However right now I’m studying to become a yoga teacher, so my priority is yoga, which is why I practice yoga up to 4/6 times a week (well that’s what a yogini is supposed to do), besides training (3/4).

You can start with 2/3 times a week, with daily low impact activities such as walking, alternate fitness videos and yoga videos (3/4 times a week), etc.

Set measurable goals to keep yourself motivated and if you have a friend who’s into your same sport, invite them to exercise together or ask your partner/spouse.

Is the no-gym workout for me?

The no-gym training has also its cons and among them the fact that you’ll have to be in charge of what a PT would do. So, on one side you have to be objective with your results, while on the other you have to push and motivate yourself.

It’s a bit like freelancing: you’re the boss! 🙂

It’s good for those with a bit of fitness experience that can handle programming and planning, their diet and regular check, etc.

It’s not really good for complete beginners, although I believe in willpower and the fact that after a consultation with a fitness instructor and a bit of research and planning, you can kick-start your new healthy lifestyle and see good results.

You’ll have to adjust your lifestyle and be disciplined, but the energy you gain is amazing and you can always count on online groups and communities of fitness friends to support and help you like Fitocracy , Endomondo and if you are a freelancer, also my FB group.

Sara

 

5 ways yoga helps translators (and freelancers!)

The following is an article that I wrote for another blog, it was published a year ago.

However, although addressed to fellow translators, I wanted to re-post it here because I think many other freelancers or translators new to my blog will enjoy it.

If you are a freelancer or a small business owner you know how long working hours can be bad for your motivation, posture and health. Hope these tips will help!

• • •

5 WAYS YOGA HELPS TRANSLATORS  

Can yoga really help translators? It won’t happen after 1 hour, but in the long run yoga helps translators:  your body, mind and business. Here are my 5 favourite ways yoga helps translators.

1. Improve focus

 When you practice yoga you are required to (a) concentrate on the present time and (b) synchronise breath and movements, and both require focus. By doing so your mind is literally cutting out all unnecessary details and images while visualises every little part of your body.

By improving your focus yoga helps translators to strengthen memory and increase learning abilities.

2. Become more flexible

Yoga improves flexibility and while stretching your muscles you also relax your body and mind. Breathe deeply and let your lower back and shoulder relax while regaining balance.

The very uncomfortable position we held 10-14 hours a day in front of our laptops can lead to back, neck and shoulders problems and compromises our mobility. Stretching is the first thing we should do when we go to the gym, and yoga helps translators by combining flexibility, movement fluidity and strength.

3. Strengthen muscles

Did you know yoga is great to tone arms, legs and abs?

Try a class of power yoga to have your daily super fix. And it is important to know that, once again, because of our working habits (sitting long hours, etc.) we need to work on shoulders, abs, back and chest to prevent headaches, sitting disease or pinched nerves to mess up with our job.

As a low impact activity, yoga helps translators to work the muscles without a hard impact on joints. On the plus, because of the many balanced positions, we will work on both arms and legs, increasing our heart rate and, as a consequence, making it a very good cardio activity to burn sugar and get rid of body liquids.

4. Increase awareness

Put it simply, self-awareness is learning to know yourself better. From defining your strengths, talent, to understand what is that you really want to achieve, how to get there and live a career you love (truly!), self-awareness comes with yoga practice essentially because when you exercise you are required to get rid of the surrounding reality and focus on your body, mind and spirit.

If you want to change your business, or a part of it, or if there is something you don’t like about being a translator, the first thing you should do is become aware of it.

Get rid of influences and external reality (including comparing yourself to someone else) and become aware of a certain problem/situation.

Acting without awareness is a bit like walking at night with no light and nowhere to go. You need a path and to get it you must sit down and understand where is it and where it will lead you.

5. Help work-life balance

Finding a balance is something really subjective and there is no rule of thumb when it comes to work-life balance, either.

Some people enjoy working long hours and over the weekend, while some others got into translation because of the freedom this profession gave them to manage a family.

 In both cases juggling everything can be annoying and difficult, so yoga helps translators to find their own balance by learning to re-work their life, becoming more aware and visualise themselves and their career.

Think about your practice as a deadline: set goals and track your improvements with a calendar or diary. Progress is good if analysed after a couple of months and you can actually see both issues and improvements.

Bringing a more relaxed approach into your workplace, or understanding how to reorganise your office and make healthy choices are just two examples of how yoga helps translators to reach a better work-life balance.

#30DaysOfYoga with Adriene: my experience.

The 30 DAYS OF YOGA (#30daysofyoga)  yoga challenge by Adriene is a beautiful 30-day video training made of daily yoga videos from beginners to more advanced poses and flows. It’s not a marathon and every video can be played at home with proper poses modifications, depending on your level.

I discovered this 30 days of yoga challenge by chance at the beginning of January, 5-6 days after it started, and I immediately wanted to catch up and join the challenge.

Why? Because I really like Adriene’s teaching style, her relaxed and fun way of making you feel ok and also because the way she branded and organised these video sessions was cool and fresh.

Some might argue the 30 days of yoga challenge was a pretty basic experience – and maybe they are right – but the beauty of yoga (unlike other fitness disciplines) is that there is room for everyone and people are encouraged to find their style, energy and what makes them feel positive and balanced. You could follow her flow and modify each with more advanced variations or cut out the most challenging bits. Personally, I worked a lot on alignment and arm balances.

I took it as a way to improve my posture, which is pretty good giving my past in ballet, but not as good as I want it to be.

Yoga is a not a religion. Every time I tell people I practice yoga daily, and have a small meditation corner at home, they stare at me with blank and pale faces. But I get they can be confused because yoga has been brought to the western countries in so many different ways that it’s hard to say what is yoga and what is just smoke and fake promises.

Adriene’s 30 days of yoga challenge is pretty physical and although she encourages students to focus and meditate, her videos are good to learn aspects such as proper alignment, transitioning tricks, new poses and alternative poses.

So what have I learned from the 30 days of yoga challenge?

 WEEK 1 

Frustration and energy.

I was very happy to know that someone created a challenge I could fit in: I love yoga, I practice almost every day, I have been doing yoga for a while, I am a fitness instructor, I blog about it. Adriene is super cool and her 30 days of yoga was perfect. What else?!

Fucking frustration! First you feel not flexible enough to join the 30 days of yoga and then realise there are so so many new poses and styles to learn and memorise. But I didn’t want to give up because it was the right challenge. The thing I needed at the right time.

For the record: I have been having quite a hard time lately and those who know me can remember how bad I was feeling. So THAT challenge was just perfect: relax, focus and be strong.

Yoga is energetic. In DAY 3  Adriene introduces you to the fun part of yoga: energetic flows which are not very dogmatic but are fun! Finding a yoga style as a teacher is what makes this personal journey so fascinating to me, and this energetic side will definitely be included in my future classes!

It’s a style which reminds me of some Pilates sequences, a standing power yoga flow to work abs and legs while maintaining the balance. Totally open practice…if you don’t have fun and laugh (maybe also add cool music!) you cannot appreciate it.

I played the video twice!

WEEK 2

Healing meditation is a comprehensive approach.

As I said, I was having a bad time when I discovered this series. But after a week of daily practice my mood improved, I was really working faster and in a more organised way and my daily 30 days of yoga flow was becoming my reward.

It was all about learning to find quality me-time and be determined to not drop my new habit. From using scented candles, to including purification rituals, choosing the right outfit and sharing my pictures on Instagram (@balanceyourwords) that practice was making me feel better, more relaxed, positive and full of new energy.

A video I would suggest you to watch is DAY 8 – Yoga for Healing and Meditation  which summarises almost all the good feelings I tried to list here.

Also, if I can share my view, I would suggest you not to take meditation as a deep, dark, scary practice because there are many levels, styles and purposes. To me it’s much about disconnecting from the outer world and starting an inward journey to calm the mind, let my energy flow and clean spirit and mind. I often use candles and change colours around me (clothes and yoga mat) to make it a comprehensive journey (colours do have a sort of influence on chakras and our mind).

But you can just start with finding a quiet place and make your private moment of joy and balance. Just relax and love the moment, the day, find something you like, a positive thought, and focus on that. It’s a healing process, take one step at a time.

WEEK 3

By week 3 I was struggling to maintain a daily practice as I had to schedule 2 small business trips and didn’t really know if I would make it. But I did.

I moved my 30 days of yoga practice from evening to early morning and also bought a yoga journal to start tracking my progresses. So what is that I learned from this week? I can (and should) dare.

DAY 17 and DAY 21  are all about happiness and the joy of trying also when you think you won’t be able to do it: from bridge pose to crow pose and so on. Daring is key.

In yoga keeping on trying and daring are essential to go beyond your limits and improve. Yeah… I know. 2 principles we should apply in business and freelancing, too. Right?

So if you have a busy life, travel often or believe that a daily practice is not possible because of your lifestyle: think again.

Buy a travel mat and a small mandala bracelet and watch your fave video from the tablet or the iPhone in your hotel room. It takes between 20 and 30 minutes to get into the beneficial yoga zone and you will feel its yummy goodness for the rest of the day (or night!).

WEEK 4

Yoga is for life.

Did I mention I love yoga so much I am studying to become a teacher? A hundred times already…really? Well, yoga is for life.

It’s not just a practice and fancy yoga stuff, it’s a lifestyle: from your working ethics to your daily habits, the way you eat and think, the small aspects you become more aware of and your daily fitness practice. Yoga is all around us (yogis).

And the good thing is that there are so many styles, resources and options out there that you will surely find something for you.

DAY 23 is called Freedom and Forgiveness and I believe it is for a good reason – well I don’t know if she did it on a purpose – as the idea is to really break free from tensions, gather energy, be a warrior and move on from bad thoughts and fear.  Be fearless and find what makes you happy. Or as she says, find what feels good!

And that’s the purpose of the journey. That is why I did it and am glad it worked.

Did you do the 30 days of yoga challenge to? Leave a comment and share your story!

Namaste

Sara

The #healthyfreelancer kit!

Hello #healthyfreelancer!

I am staring at this bunch of props, mats and tech stuff that have been so much filling my days in the past weeks and I can’t help thinking about how amazing yoga is. Even when you don’t practice, because you might not realise that, but you are already doing yoga from you chair or desk or on the bus, while working.

Yoga is all around us. It’s a state, not just an exercise.

And it is a powerful state of mind that can unstuck you and give you back your energy. Literally. It creates space and time that make you feel good and positive.

But isn’t yoga supposed to be more than just about material possessions? Yes, you definitely don’t need fancy mats and props – by the way I started with a regular and cheap gym mat and never really thought about becoming a mat expert at all!! – but you need to create the experience and make it yours.

That’s why in an often not-so-flexible freelancing environment made of deadlines and long working hours, technology and a little meditation aid can really help.

My job has often helped me to cut out negative thoughts and vibes and focus on what I love most, but yoga has definitely contributed in setting the basis to improve focus.

3 meditation apps for busy people

What people think is that fancy props and clothes are a must to be a meditation practitioner. But the thing is, reality is quite different and you only need some quality “me time”.

Me time is something that cannot be bought online, but these 3 (free) meditation apps will help you to find it so you will get into the right mood.

I have used all of them, to know what I think just keep on reading.

BUDDHIST MEDITATION TRAINER (ANDROID only)

10 levels of daily meditation practice including quotes and background music to bring meditation into your daily life and make it a habit.

Pros: it is a really easy to use meditation app, free and has daily notification that can be changed according to your schedule so you choose when to meditate

Cons: there is little background information about the Buddhist general framework from where meditation comes and it doesn’t work with the iPhone.

My review: good meditation app for those who want to practice meditation, but it would also require a bit of extra research to learn how to make the most of it. So I would say, start with a book such as Mediation for Beginners (J. Kornfield, 2007) to learn the basics and them put everything into practice with this little mediation trainer app.

 HEADSPACE

This is a meditation app coming in two free and paid versions. The free one has 10 guided meditation steps.

The first steps teaches you the basics of mediation through a nice animated video showing details such as posture and basic practices which are both very useful.

What we call ‘meditation’, they call it a way of fining more ‘headspace’, as a way of finding more time and space for yourself.

There is a male voice called Andy guiding you through all the 10 steps.

Pros: suits both Android, iOS and can be accessed from your computer as well (you can log in with Facebook). It’s very flexible as every daily meditation can be paused and resumes as you like, the video shows you interesting bits about posture and general environment details, it brings meditation back to its basic but in amore modern way so that you can meditate also as a way of calming your mind between two difficult projects. For instance can also be used while commuting to work or on the tube.

Cons: the guiding voice is a bit stiff and nasal, the free version has limited options and users cannot really customise the meditation journey as they would. There si no background music.

My review: if you are new to meditation this app will make the magic and help you (a) understand what is the practice and (b) learn how to get into the ‘zone’ even on your own, especially if you stick to the program.

CALM

Mixing natural background music, free and guided meditation and images, this app is ideal to relax and cut out distractions while working as well.

You can choose from different scenes and having or not a narrator.

Pros: works on iOS and Android, is free and is easy to use. No previous knowledge is needed, as there is no direct mention to Buddhism as the user is gently guided into a relaxing state of mind.

Cons: a bit too minimal, especially if you are new to the practice and don’t know how long it will take to get into the desired zone.

The same developers have created a website related to this app, Do Nothing For 2 Minutes. Which, essentially, is the most minimal version of the app and can just make you feel more relaxed and positive by showing positive images and a nice background music on your screen for only 2 minutes.

My review: as a minimal person I loved this app immediately. The scenes are high quality, the music very relaxing and the guiding narrator can be activated or paused, as you prefer. There are different practices, from curing anxiety to better sleeping and enhance your creativity.

Mindfulness made easy and available on the go or at your desk.

…AND THE WINNER IS…

These meditation apps are the best tools you can fin out there, but I don’t think there is a winner. We are all different here so what will work out for me might be less effective for you.

The key is to find a meditation app that will help you to reach what YOU are looking for: why are you meditating? What are the goals you want to reach through meditation? Do you want to learn more about Buddhism or do you want to run a more mindful life?

Or maybe you just need 5 minutes a day to cut out distractions and boost your focus and motivation.

My suggestion is to download them all and play around to see how you feel about using them.