Only from your heart, can you touch the sky.

From my heart to yours, insight into the heart chakra.

Anahata is our heart center, where we cultivate self-love and radiate love to others.

From our hearts, we generate unconditional love, compassion, and pure joy.

Our heart is the source of deep truth. The most honest mirror of ourselves. It allows us to see the beauty around us, see the truth in its entirety, and be one with the natural world.

When our heart is in alignment, prana, life force energy or 'qi' travels freely throughout our being and uplifts our soul. We feel deeply connected to the world around us, and we are open to all experiences in life. We can flow through challenges with ease, and jump with joy!

Guided by the element Air, flowing freely within us and around us, we can receive love openly, and gift love freely.

When our hearts feel broken or torn in a conflict in various directions, we encounter negative emotions, stress, and anxiety. These feelings prevent qi from flowing freely through the heart center and leave us emotionally unwell.

Your heart knows the way. Run in that direction. ~Rumi

The great thing is that there are many things we can do, to open our hearts to love and discover our truth.

Gratitude Journalling

A way to explore all the things or people that positively impact your health and well-being. Pausing to remind yourself of all these things creates gratitude and fills your heart with happiness.

Start simple by acknowledging 3 things you are grateful for today...

Positive Affirmations

A short phrase or mantra that promotes feelings of positive thinking, self-belief, and self-confidence. Create a positive affirmation that reminds you to think and feel like the amazing person you are!

Some examples are; I am loved, I am grateful for my strength of mind and healthy body.

Sip on a warm beverage

Rose is a beautiful herb that benefits the mind, body, and spirit. Physically it supports the nervous system by relaxing the muscles and mind, promoting feelings of ease, and relieving stress, anxiety, and grief. Spiritually, Rose helps us set boundaries, creating a safe space for you to open your heart and connect with your truth. If herbal tea isn't your jam, try wearing Rose essential oil as a perfume instead.

If chocolate is more your flavour, try brewing a warm cacao. Cacao is high in magnesium which relaxes our body, and contains theobromine, which significantly increases blood flow, leading people to experience a 'heart opening' feeling after drinking cacao. It creates a heightened sense of love, joy, and a greater connection to other people.

Yoga & Meditation Practice

Yoga opens our bodies and minds in so many ways.

Try this yoga sequence below, beginning in a cross-legged seat, hands at your heart center in anjali mudra for 6-8 breaths, then moving through each posture at the best pace for your body.

Downward facing dog - adho mukha svanasana

Low lunge - anjaneyasana

High cresent lunge with hands interlaced behind your back - ashta chandrasana

Vinyasa

Downward facing dog - adho mukha svanasana

Side plank

Wild thing - camatkarasana

Upward facing dog - urdhva mukha svanasana

Childs pose - balasana

Camel - ustrasana

Bridge pose - setu bandha sarangasana

Reclined Bound angle - supta baddha konasana

Settle into savasana or return to a cross-legged seat for meditation. Focus on the bija mantra, for the heart which is YAM. Chant this sound out loud or silently to yourself. Sense the vibration of the sound all around the heart center for as long as feels good for you.

Find your truth with your heart.

As you live Deeper in the Heart, the Mirror gets clearer and cleaner. ~Rumi

Ahimsa: Living in Balance with All Beings

The yogic principle encourages us to live in harmony with all beings, practicing kindness and non-harm in everything we do. It is essential to living an ethical life.

Ahimsa, directly translated from Sankrit means ‘absence of injury’. Injury or harm may be caused by physical actions, through expression or words, and thoughts of our minds.

Of all the yogic principles, Ahimsa resonates the highest with me, as it is a concept that can be applied throughout almost all of what we do. Read on to find out how I practice ahimsa every day.

ahimsa parama dharma: “Nonviolence is our greatest walk of life.” 

Kindness to all beings - and this means all beings! From the tiniest bugs, the food we choose to eat, and our thoughts and actions towards other human beings, do everything from a place of kindness or love.

Rather than squashing that tiny (but maybe scary) bug, choose to return it to the garden, where it can fulfill its role in pollinating flowers and contributing to the health of our planet.

Consider eating a vegetarian or vegan diet. Choosing to eat a predominantly plant-based diet is practicing non-harm toward animals. Even small steps towards eating less animal products create a better future for the health of our planet and our bodies. Ahimsa can be applied further, by taking care to prepare our food with love and choosing to nourish our bodies with healthy and nutritious foods. It may not always be the easiest choice but show kindness to your body, and it will thank you.

Our thoughts and actions towards others have a great impact on the relationships we develop with people. When we show kindness and empathy towards others it is always appreciated, and it helps us build positive and trusting relationships. A random act of kindness could be a small gesture from one being, but mean the world to another.

In the words of Florence and the Machine ' You've Got the Love', so share it around!

Kindness to ourselves - positive self-talk, an attitude of gratitude, and self-care Sundays!

How we think and talk to ourselves determines our happiness and wellbeing. Practicing positive self-talk and maintaining a positive mindset enables us to recognise all the strengths we have, and the incredible things we are capable of doing, as well as be resilient through challenging times. When the cards don't quite fall your way or you have made a mistake, learn from the experience rather than being hard on yourself.

Practicing gratitude helps us to maintain a positive mindset. When our mindset is positive, we feel more energised, and respond better to stress. Thinking positively prevents negative self-talk, and ultimately we are kinder to ourselves.

Self-care shouldn't just be for Sundays either, and self-care will look different for everyone. Some of my favourite self-care rituals are; enjoying a cup of ginger tea when I first wake up, walking down the beach with my dog Yogi, practicing yoga, taking time out in the afternoons to read or rest, and cooking delicious, healthy meals for myself and my partner Wade. Caring for yourself is the kindest thing you can do. When you are in optimal health, you have the highest capacity to care for others.

Need an opportunity to practice self-care rituals... Join me for the Full Moon Yoga & Meditation Workshop, where we will move our bodies through a gentle yoga flow to prepare for meditation. Following meditation, we will explore a self-care ritual by applying an organic clay face mask. While the mask works its magic, you will be invited to journal with guided prompts under the moonlight. Rinse, release and relax... Friday 23 February 2024.

When we begin to integrate the yogic principle of Ahimsa into all aspects of our lived experience, we start to see the world through a different lens.

Love is the bridge between you and everything ~Rumi

Setting Intentions

An intention is an idea, which you plan to bring into action. Unlike a dream, which is the peak of the mountain, intentions are small manageable steps in the direction towards living well and achieving your goals.

Dream (or in this case intend), believe, achieve!

The new year is a popular time to set intentions, as we have often had time to reflect on where we are at, and what we would like to achieve or do differently in the year ahead. We are feeling fresh and inspired to create change, and if we allow it, this momentum can carry us in a postive direction to creating healthier habits.

When setting intentions, it is best to align your intentions with your values. Values are the guiding principles you choose to live by, concepts that are of great importance to you. If your intentions are deeply connected to your values, you will be more likely to follow through with your intentions, and bring them into action.

Your intentions may be broad in nature or very specific. For example you may intend to do some form of physical activity every day, or you may intend to walk every morning, and practice yoga most evenings. I feel there is a place for setting both broad and specific intentions.

I prefer to keep my intentions broad for actions which enable me to live a lifestyle which reflects my values. For example, I intend to practice the yogic principle of ahimsa. This reminds me to always act from a place of love and kindness towards myself and others. I will discuss this in my next post, so stay tuned to learn more about ahimsa.

However, when I am working towards a particular goal, I tend to be specific with my intentions. In the case of writing this blog, I have set my intentions to post once each month, and have planned ahead each topic I would like to share with you.

Why is it valuable to set intentions?

Intentions give us a sense of purpose. They inspire us to take action, and we feel content when we bring our intentions to life.

I believe that setting intentions are preferrable to setting goals. For me, goals tend to be the outcome, the big finale. Often goals can be unattainable or feel too far off in the distance. Intentions can be actioned now, and often we can see or feel our progress shortly after.

I would love to encourage you to reflect on the year that has been, 2023, and then feel inspired to set some intentions for 2024.

If you are unsure how to set intentions, see my guide below to assist you in living well in 2024. Be sure to write everything down in a journal or create a digital document, so you can return to your intentions, and reflect on whether you have been living in alignment with your values and your intentions.

Step 1 - Make a list of your top 5-10 values

What do you consider to be most important in your life?

Family, friends, health, work-life balance...

Step 2 - Reflect on what made you feel great in 2023, and what didn't bring you joy.

Consider how you can make time for everything that aligns with your values and intentions, and learn to say no, to anything that doesnt feel important to you.

Get up 30 minutes earlier to exercise, journal or read a book, do a weekly meal plan and food shop to save time shopping every day after work...

You don't have to please everyone, but you definitely need to prioritise your health and wellbeing!

"Intention meets opportunity, to create action." – Jonah Kest

Step 3 - Intention Power Words

Select 3-4 words that will guide and inspire you for 2024.

Consider... How do you want to feel? What do you want to welcome into your world?

Abundance, Gratitude, Balance, Mindfullness, Growth, Possibility, Clarity...

Step 4 - Set Your Intentions

Use the words above to set your intentions for January. Remember intentions are small steps to guide you towards living well.

I intend to reflect on 3 things I am grateful for at the end of every day.

I intend to take a breath before responding, so I don't over react.

Step 5 - Reflect Regularly

The greatest part of setting intentions is that they can change and evolve as they need to.

Regularly reflecting on your intentions and actions is an incredible step towards personal growth and living your best life.

The first weekend of each month is a great time to check in.

Shout out for Support

Setting intentions is one thing, bringing them into action is another. Shout out for support from friends and family, or make contact with me and I would love to guide you towards living well.

Intention meets opportunity, to create action.