Journal

Breathe and Calm the Mind

The mind is constantly ‘on’. So how do we give it a break? Having a breathwork practice to support your daily meditation is a good way of keeping the mind healthy as it draws focus away from the thoughts to the breath.

Yogic breathwork is know as ‘pranayama’. It is different to the Wim Hof style breathwork that is currently very popular. That said, there are many benefits from this type of breathwork as it gets more oxygen into the body and increases the use of lung capacity. However, the Sanskrit word ‘pranayama’ refers to a different breathwork concept.…

Different Types of Meditation

‘Meditation’ is the new buzz word among the cool kids! But with everyone suddenly being an expert, how do you know which techniques have integrity and what style of practice works for you?

As a meditation teacher, I believe most people wouldn’t need persuading on the physical benefits of a consistent meditation practice but it saddens me that despite a world of information and knowledge at our fingertips every minute of the day, there is still an assumption that all meditation techniques are the same and are designed to make you ‘relax’.

No, No, No!

The mind is…

The mind is like a flowing river

Is 2023 your year to get your meditation practice off the ground?

If you are struggling to achieve a consistent practice, don’t worry. Meditation is hard. Really, really hard!

It’s not like doing the physical practice of yoga, or lifting weights in the gym, where you can achieve tangible results in a short space of time.

A meditation practice takes time, patience and persistence to cultivate. Many people give up early on because the first thing that happens, is they come face to face with their own thoughts. This can be foreign territory and scary. After all,…

Yoga for connectivity

Google the term ‘yoga’ and most results say it means ‘union of mind body and soul’. However, ‘union’ implies connection, which is essentially the bringing together of two things to make them stronger than the sum of its individual parts.

It’s true, yoga is fundamentally all about connection. However, we can sometimes separate the body from the mind. Often, it’s the mind influencing the body. Sometimes the body influences the mind.

Think about the last time you had to do a presentation at work and your body starts reacting and your mind starts churning irrational thoughts: “See, I told you…

5 ways to keep being creative in a busy life

1. Go somewhere new!

It takes a bit of confidence to get out there on your own but if you start small, soon you will find your inner power and you’ll just go whenever the call comes ! You never know who you might meet or what might inspire you to start that business, pursue your passion.

2. Power Lunch

Before I started Ayama I used to go out a lunch and practice with my camera or sometimes I would take myself off and journal ideas for half an hour. You could sketch or draw. You might even consider writing…

10 Ways to be Mindful in Springtime

With all the shenanigans in the world and the lack of sun, this winter has seemed so long. I am grateful to see the first shoots of new growth in the countryside, to have daffodils on my kitchen table and to have made the first cut of lawn. I’m beginning to move again, feeling my body awaken from its winter slumber.

Springtime is also the perfect time to start to renew and freshen up your mindful living routine:

1. Embrace creativity.

I made a promise to myself this year to embrace more creativity in my life. So far I’ve had…

10 Tips for Mindful Mobile Phone Use.

We all know that constant mobile phone use is bad for us yet we just can’t help ourselves. Here are Ten Tips for reducing your screen time so you can live with better sleep, less anxiety, more focus and become fully present in your life.

#1. Get a Handle on your Screen Time

Most phones now tell you what your screen time is each week. Take stock of this and if necessary set screen limits and consider making use of the ‘Do Not Disturb’ function. My phone is on ‘Do not Disturb’ from 8pm but I managed the setting to…

On The Vegan Rocky Road to Delectability

Vegan Treats really do hit the mark for following the cruelty-free path and satisfying the palate and the conscience.

These little treats are perfect for ensuring the business of dessert links with the ethics of caring about animals. Oh! And it helps if you are a chocoholic.

Recipe

You’ll need:…

Eating Seasonally

Ever thought about where your food comes from? Food production is responsible for around 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions, showing the huge impact that our diets have on climate change. What’s more, animal-based foods produce roughly twice the emissions of plant-based ones.

One way to reduce the impact of our plates while still getting lots of food choice is to eat more seasonal fruit and veg. Eating seasonally means to eat foods that are naturally in harvest at the same time you are are eating them, and eating locally means eating food grown in the UK.

Getting out-of-season produce…

How to press PAUSE

Do you find yourself dashing from task to task? Telling yourself and others there simply isn’t time to get it all done? It’s so easy in today’s fast paced world to get caught up in this cycle of working harder, doing more, heading to emotional, physical and mental exhaustion. But there is a way to give yourself a break, in under two minutes and it’s free.

Just take a breath and PAUSE….

Here are 5 top tips you can practice as part of your daily rituals:

Top Tip Number 1 – Look Up!

When we are stressed and feeling busy,…