Do yourself a favour this year and don’t allow 2013 to just roll into 2014. Take a few minutes or even better, a few hours, to look back and reflect. You have one life. Make it count. You’re worth it. Take stock of 2013 without beating yourself up about what you did or didn’t do. Simply use the reflections in 2013 as a platform to set yourself up to be your absolute best – again – in 2014. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself at the close of 2013 to set you up for a happy, balanced and … [Read more...] about 10 Questions to Ask Yourself at the End of the Year
Health
Reflections on a Yoga Festival
I find myself in the picturesque little town of Greyton in the Western Cape. Its situated at the foot of the Overberg mountains and we, over the course of three days, have been blessed with both sunshine - allowing us to bask in its powerful, yet soothing rays- and rain, breaking the heat and allowing relief to yogis and nature alike. We "get it" more here - we are all connected. The Yoga Sanga festival (sanga meaning "gathering") is just that - a glorious and joyous gathering of about 200 … [Read more...] about Reflections on a Yoga Festival
Top tips to manage festive season eating
Come 'silly season' and even the most dedicated of people can come unstuck. No doubt you've already had some anxious moments, thinking about how to manage your exercise and eating plans through the maze of office parties, family dos and general 'let it all hang out' festive attitudes. Fear not! There's a relatively simple way to handle all this without gaining weight or detracting from your health... My top tips for the season are as follows: Drink enough good quality water every … [Read more...] about Top tips to manage festive season eating
Your Yoga Questions Answered
There are often many questions around yoga circling around and when I put it out there for you to ask the questions – you responded. So here are my honest and most informed responses to those questions! I’m not naturally flexible. Will it get better with doing yoga and will I ever be as flexible as some other yogis? Whether flexibility is genetic or not is an ongoing debate. Some people have more flexibility to start with and this is most probably because of the fact that they have used a … [Read more...] about Your Yoga Questions Answered
Your thoughts do affect your state of being
While many people may underestimate the power of the mind in helping to improve both performance and health, it's indisputable that what you think can affect your state of being. What are you like? Do you start your day feeling positive or negative? Do you consistently visualise yourself getting that perfect job, or would you never dare to dream it possible? Understanding just how potently our inner thoughts (the script in our heads) impacts on our emotions, which in turn impact on … [Read more...] about Your thoughts do affect your state of being
Letting Go of the Past – A Powerful Ritual to Show You How
We find ourselves again in December - ending the yearly cycle of 2013 and standing at the door of a new beginning, a new year, a new cycle. A time to reflect, evaluate and set intentions to do things differently. A time to stop and appreciate the things we do well already. In nature there are a number of cycles – ways in which the earth find ways to renew itself. The cycle of day to night, the moon cycle, the solstices. In our own bodies the most basic yet vital cycle of breath teaches the … [Read more...] about Letting Go of the Past – A Powerful Ritual to Show You How
What is the best exercise for long term Fat Loss?
The answer to long term fat loss and weight maintenance lies in resistance training. Not only is this type of training really important to prevent against conditions such as osteoporosis and postural dysfunction, but it is quite simply, the only way to ensure that you develop a body that is metabolically active throughout the day (not just when exercising). Resistance Training will help you: Increase strength Improve sexual function Maintain or even increase bone mass as you … [Read more...] about What is the best exercise for long term Fat Loss?
25 Quotes to Inspire Peace, Power and Happiness
In an ideal world we would always feel happy, at peace and in touch with our own personal power – that is our true nature after all. We were never meant to feel persistently restless, lost, unhappy and/or disempowered and while we might find this hard to believe – we do have within us all the tools and mechanisms to achieve a general underlying state of power, peace and happiness. Yes – we will experience trials and tribulations – but the trust is that these are tossed in to the mix of life – … [Read more...] about 25 Quotes to Inspire Peace, Power and Happiness
Should you toss that Microwave Oven out?
In other articles on the topic of electromagnetic fields (EMF), we have written about the dangers of these fields and how to reduce your exposure to them. Having read other books on the topic, we're struck by how little the 'average' person understands about what is arguably one of the most harmful aspects of modern living. As much as we've tried to comprehend fully and 'translate' our understanding of the topic into own terminology, we decided, in the following article, to simply quote … [Read more...] about Should you toss that Microwave Oven out?
For Fast Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down
As we approach the end of the year, it seems everyone shifts into overdrive and life moves even faster than it does usually. Considering how fast paced life is on any given day – it becomes almost scary how much we begin to expect of ourselves. It is perhaps therefore no wonder that in recent weeks I have noticed more than ever, how the yogis who practice at Heal. Love. Yoga need and appreciate the downtime during practice. It has never been unheard of for people step onto the mat and with … [Read more...] about For Fast Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down
Is it possible to lose fat by eating fat?
It may be hard to believe, but the answer is 'yes'! We've been made to believe that a high carbohydrate (60% of daily calorie intake), low fat (15%) and moderate protein (25%) diet is the way to stay healthy and slim. Clearly this is an outdated belief, since the world's nations are eating less fat than they ever used to, but are experiencing greater incidences of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other lifestyle diseases. Let's take a look at the best way to achieve ideal body weight and … [Read more...] about Is it possible to lose fat by eating fat?
‘Tis the Season to be Grateful
When it gets to this time of the year I tend to dedicate my personal yoga practice to practicing gratitude. In the practice of yoga we have the option to deepen the practice by dedicating it to some purpose or to just bring our full focus and awareness onto a particular subject – such as gratitude, love, an affirmation or perhaps some aspect related to our religion. The way in which we move in yoga allows us to bring whatever we focus on right into our bodies – with very powerful effect. In … [Read more...] about ‘Tis the Season to be Grateful
Is your child at danger in your home?
As concerned and loving parents, we do our very best to protect our children from any and all potentials dangers. What about those dangers lurking in our home? We’re talking about exposure to synthetic chemicals, plastics, sound-carrying waves, low-level radiation, electro-magnetic pollution and environmental pollution. All these things can affect the health of our children. They can lead to the possibility of future lifestyle diseases or the worsening of current health problems. … [Read more...] about Is your child at danger in your home?
How to make your own household cleaning products cheaply and safely
All commercial household cleaning products have the potential to negatively impact on your health. They contain chemicals which are poisonous if swallowed, leach toxins into the air and are inhaled (affecting the lungs) and once you touch a surface just cleaned you'll absorb them through the skin, forcing the liver to have to metabolise them. In addition, they’re very damaging to the environment. There are many easy and very cheap ways to make up your own cleaning products and they usually … [Read more...] about How to make your own household cleaning products cheaply and safely
A Crash Course in Yoga Philosophy
Millions of people the world over practice yoga for all its amazing health benefits. For the majority of these people yoga consists only of physical postures, known as ‘asanas’, which in miraculous ways not only physically stretches tones and strengthens, but it stimulates organ functioning, improves energy levels and flow in the body, and ‘something special’ happens when you practice these asanas - with the deep slow breathing that goes along with it – leaving you feeling calmer, relaxed, more … [Read more...] about A Crash Course in Yoga Philosophy
