Meet our Teacher - Oceane

If you have been lucky enough to make one of Oceane’s classes, you will know what a calming, grounding presence she has. She expresses her love for the yoga practice through her teaching and we are so lucky to have her on our team! We sat down to interview Oceane and learn a little bit more about her - read below!

What led you to start practicing yoga? What makes you passionate about the practice?

I got dragged into my first vinyasa yoga class by an ex-boyfriend, while feeling very depressed. I really did not want to go! I hated every single moment of it but for some reason I went back, again and again until it became my routine and one of the most important things in my life.

I'm very passionate about the energetic aspect of the practice. The ability to shift and change how I feel through pranayama, or even simply being still and feeling it all.

Do you do any other activities or exercises to compliment your yoga practice?

I don't see my yoga practice as a workout for my body but rather for my mind so I absolutely train on the side. I love pilates reformers ( did you know I teach it too?) surfing, hiking or a simple walk by the beach. There are so many ways to work out but my goal is to make sure I am having fun.

How long have you been meditating and do you have a preferred style?

I have always done some kind of mindfulness practice but I'll say it's only been over the last 3 years that I got really committed.

I tend to do the same meditation practice everyday as a sadhana (40 days straight) according to what I need. Currently I am practicing a kriya meditation (or visualisation) for self love that I got given by a teacher.

How has the practice helped shape you into the person you are today?

It sounds very cliché but yoga has 100% changed the course of my life and shaped me mentally in the best possible way. Since practicing pranayama and meditation regularly I feel more anchored in my life, less affected by the constant changes and simply more present. But perhaps what I got most out of all my years of practice is the deep faith and trust I have in life. No matter what happens, I deeply know that I am always going to be ok.

What inspires you in life?

I am fascinated by the human body and mind. Our uniqueness and our interconnectedness. There is so much to learn from the tradition of yoga or even the ancient wisdom of the Chinese medicine system. I am an eternal student at heart and love learning new things, creating, sharing and gathering with the yoga community whether through classes, workshops or retreats. That's what yoga is for right?

Want to join one of Oceane’s classes?

Check out our online timetable below! Or read more about Oceane in her TIY profile here.

Author: This is Yoga

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12 Types of Meditation: Everything You Need to Know

Knowing where to start with meditation can be challenging. Often when people think of meditating, they imagine sitting in silence whilst trying to quieten the mind. In actual fact, there are many different techniques to meditation, each worth a try for those starting out, or those with a well established practice. Take a read of the article below to learn more about the styles.

Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind and developing awareness to help achieve clarity and calm. It is widely recognised for its incredible benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep and concentration, and increasing overall happiness.

There are many styles of meditation that offer different ways to redirect your focus and attention. There's not one universally accepted "best" type; it's about finding what works for you. Here are 12 key types of meditation to start exploring:

1. Guided meditation

In guided meditation a teacher leads you through the practice, either in person or via an app or course. This type of meditation is perfect for beginners, as the teacher's expert guidance can help you get the most out of a new experience.

How to practice:

The main thing here is to find a teacher you like and connect with. You can also tailor your search based on a desired result and try guided meditations focused on sleep, stress relief, or acceptance.

2. Mantra meditation

In mantra meditation you focus your attention on a mantra: a word, phrase, or syllable. This is a good approach for those days when the thoughts and feelings seem completely overwhelming, as it gives your brain something else to focus on. It's also thought to increase the vibrations associated with the mantra, helping you enter a more positive and deep state of being.

How to practice:

Choose a mantra that resonates with you. It may be a self-affirmation (such as "I am worthy"), or it may be a simple chant (such as "om"). Repeat that mantra over and over again for a few minutes. Each time you get distracted, don't worry about it. Just draw your focus back once more to the mantra.

3. Spiritual meditation

Spiritual meditation is the mindful practice of believing in and connecting to something that is greater, vaster, and deeper than the individual self. In this meditation you are trusting that there is something bigger out there and that everything happens for a reason.

How to practice:

Sit in silence with the awareness on the breath and repeat affirmations focused on surrender and trust, such as: "I am conscious and aware," "I let everything simply be as it is in this moment," or "I live in my Creator and my Creator lives in me."

4. Present-moment meditation

Present moment (or mindfulness) meditation trains us to move from thinking to sensing. Rather than dwelling on the past or dreading the future, this meditation encourages you to become aware of your immediate surroundings or experience, crucially without any judgment. It urges us not to get attached to our thoughts but rather just allow them to be.

How to practice:

Mindfulness meditation is something you can do almost anywhere. Bring your awareness to the physical sensations of the breath and the body: the rising and falling of the abdomen and chest or the feeling of the breath as it travels in and out the nostrils or mouth. You could also bring focus to any sounds or smells around you. Once you feel settled, bring your awareness to the thoughts and emotions, letting them come and then letting them go. Imagine each thought is like a cloud moving across a clear blue sky, always changing.

5. Transcendental meditation

Transcendental meditation involves sitting with your eyes closed for 20 minutes twice a day repeating a specific and personal mantra (or set of words) given to you by a Transcendental Meditation teacher. The ultimate goal is to transcend or rise above the person's current state of being.

How to practice:

Find a qualified Transcendental Meditation teacher to initiate you into the meditation technique with a mantra. This mantra is decided by a complex set of factors, including the year the practitioner was born, and the year the teacher was trained. Sit twice a day for 20 minutes repeating this mantra.

6. Vipassana meditation

This meditation technique, also called "Insight Meditation," involves sitting in silence, focusing on the breath and noting any and all physical or mental sensations that arise. The idea is to find "insight" into the true nature of reality (which vipassana teaches is suffering), by examining all aspects of your existence. Multi-day vipassana retreats are a popular way to dive deeper into this practice.

How to practice:

Sit quietly and concentrate on the breath as it moves through the body. Let all emotions, sensations, thoughts, and sounds arise without getting attached to them. Label any distraction, for example, "a bird chirping" and return your focus to the breath.

7. Metta meditation

Also known as a "loving-kindness" meditation, in this practice you bring your awareness to the people in your life (both near and far, known and unknown, liked or disliked) and direct positive energy and thoughts toward them. It's a wonderful technique for decreasing anger and increasing understanding, positivity, and compassion.

How to practice:

Find a comfortable position, and with the eyes closed, bring your awareness to the chest, to the heart center. As you breathe in, imagine you are breathing in warmth, compassion, and unconditional love for yourself, and as you breathe out, imagine you are directing that warmth, compassion, and unconditional love to the people around you. Start with close friends or relatives, and move out to directing it to neutral acquaintances and then those you don't particularly like right now.

8. Chakra meditation

This meditation is used to keep the body's seven chakras, or energy centers, open, aligned, and fluid. It is based on the idea that blocked or unbalanced chakras can cause negative physical or mental ailments and that by meditating on them we can bring the self back into harmony.

How to practice:

Become familiar with the chakras and their corresponding properties and qualities. Spend time resting your awareness on the chakras that you feel you need to bring into balance. Concentrate on the bodily location of each chakra and picture energy flowing through that area that is the colour of that chakra. Here are some more details on meditations tailored to the themes of each chakra.

9. Yoga meditation

Just as there are many different types of meditation, there are many styles of yoga. Some types, such as Kundalini, focus on using meditative techniques to strengthen and relax the nervous system. You can bring a meditative awareness to any yoga style or class simply by focusing on the breath and the present. 

How to practice:

While taking any yoga posture, keep your awareness on the breath and the physical sensations in the present moment. Each time you find the mind wandering to thoughts, gently draw it back once more. Corpse pose (savasana) taken at the end of all yoga classes, is one of the best pathways for meditation.

10. Candle-gazing meditation

Trataka, or candle gazing, is a type of meditation in which you keep your eyes open and focused on a point or object—frequently, the flame of a lit candle. Objects such as crystals could also be used. This practice helps bring energy to the third-eye chakra and can increase concentration.

How to practice:

Sit comfortably with your gaze focused on a single object, such as a candle, tree, or crystal. With relaxed eyes, try your level best not to blink. Maintain focus until your eyes begin to feel uncomfortable and then close the eyes. Keep the image of the object in your mind's eye, then open your eyes and start again.

11. Visualisation meditation

In a visualization meditation, you picture something or someone in your mind, to the exclusion of everything else. It can feel challenging but is no different really than focusing on the breath or body. Frequent visualisation can help you manifest the things you want in life, by staying focused and pouring energy into them.

How to practice:

Closing the eyes and sitting comfortably, bring to mind someone or something you either want or have negative feelings around that you want to let go of. Keep your focus here and keep returning each time the mind wanders. Observe, too, any physical sensations that may arise (such as bodily heat in response to anger). Do not get attached; continue only to observe.

12. Become the observer meditation

Similar to vipassana, in this meditation you bring your awareness completely but impartially to the self and observe your thoughts, feelings, patterns, and behaviours. Through this focus, you will begin to learn more about yourself and from that awareness be able to effect any change you may need or want to see in your life. 

How to practice:

You can do this meditation anytime, anywhere, simply by bringing the awareness inward. Observe your mind as if from the outside, becoming completely conscious of your thoughts and behaviours but remaining completely impartial and nonjudgmental. Be a witness to your experience.

Whichever meditation style you choose, doing it regularly will lead to the best results. Try a technique every day for 10 days and see how you feel at the end. And remember: You can't meditate wrong, so don't worry if the mind is busy. This is very normal. Meditation is not about forcing the mind into stillness but rather redirecting the focus and attention in order to give yourself a little break.

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Article author: Lily Silverton

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Meet our Teacher - Alec Snow

Meet Alec! Alec is one of our very talented TIY gems. He brings his playful, yet calming, energy and passion to each class that he runs. Get to know a little bit more about Alec in our interview below!

What led you to start practicing yoga? What makes you passionate about the practice?

Yoga was actually introduced to me in Acting school. It was given to us as a way of developing a greater awareness of our body. I remember my acting teacher telling me that my relationship with my body was non-existent. As I embodied my practice, what I soon realised was that yoga was much, much more than just trying to touch your toes. It was the doorway to an ocean of ancient knowledge and an invitation into a deeper understanding of who I am.

Do you do any other activities or exercises to compliment your yoga practice?

I love to play guitar and sing. I always find after practicing yoga I sing the best because I’m so relaxed.

How long have you been meditating and do you have a preferred style?

I remember my first meditation was when I was about 6 and it involved holding a yin and yang ball in my hands listening to ‘We’re in Heaven’ by Do. Now things are quite different. I practice a curated blend of meditation that I have come into contact with over the years. Everything from Tantric, Dzogchen, Vipassana, Metta and Stoicism.

How has the practice helped shape you into the person you are today?

Yoga is the discipline in my life that holds me accountable. It gives me both ritual and release. But I think most importantly, it illuminates the invisible, that is essential. It helps me unclench the fist in my mind and let go.

What inspires you in life?

Any chance I get to be creative.

Author: This is Yoga

Want to check out one of Alec’s online classes? Follow the link below!

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Meditation to Enhance Sleep Quality

Getting a good night sleep can be easier said than done. We generally have so much stimulation in our days and so much on our mind that when it comes time to wind down, we are still far too wired! However, sleep and rest play an integral role in our quality of life and achieving our goals, no matter how large or small. It helps our body to repair, controls our appetite, enhances our cognition & energy levels and supports good mental wellbeing. There are many little tips we can try to improve our sleep quality, including meditation, which can actually have a really significant impact. Read the article below to find out more!

If you’ve ever crawled under the covers worrying about a problem or a long to-do list, you know those racing thoughts may rob you of a good night’s sleep. Sleep disturbances, like having a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, affect millions of people.

The daytime sleepiness that follows can leave you feeling lousy and sap your productivity, and it may even harm your health. Now, a small study suggests that mindfulness meditation — a mind-calming practice that focuses on breathing and awareness of the present moment — can help.

A study published a few years ago in JAMA Internal Medicine  included 49 middle-aged and older adults who had trouble sleeping. Half completed a mindfulness awareness program that taught them meditation and other exercises designed to help them focus on "moment-by-moment experiences, thoughts, and emotions." The other half completed a sleep education class that taught them ways to improve their sleep habits.

Both groups met six times, once a week for two hours. Compared with the people in the sleep education group, those in the mindfulness group had less insomnia, fatigue, and depression at the end of the six sessions.

The findings come as no surprise to Dr. Herbert Benson, director emeritus of the Harvard-affiliated Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. "Mindfulness meditation is just one of a smorgasbord of techniques that evoke the relaxation response," says Dr. Benson.

The relaxation response, a term he coined in the 1970s, is a deep physiological shift in the body that’s the opposite of the stress response. The relaxation response can help ease many stress-related ailments, including depression, pain, and high blood pressure. For many people, sleep disorders are closely tied to stress, says Dr. Benson.

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on your breathing and then bringing your mind’s attention to the present without drifting into concerns about the past or future. It helps you break the train of your everyday thoughts to evoke the relaxation response, using whatever technique feels right to you.

Dr. Benson recommends practicing mindfulness during the day, ideally for 20 minutes, the same amount suggested in the new study. "The idea is to create a reflex to more easily bring forth a sense of relaxation," he says. That way, it’s easier to evoke the relaxation response at night when you can’t sleep. In fact, the relaxation response is so, well, relaxing that your daytime practice should be done sitting up or moving (as in yoga or tai chi) so as to avoid nodding off.

Step 1: Choose a calming focus

Good examples are your breath, a sound ("Om"), a short prayer, a positive word (such as "relax" or "peace"), or a phrase ("breathing in calm, breathing out tension"; "I am relaxed"). If you choose a sound, repeat it aloud or silently as you inhale or exhale.

Step 2: Let go and relax

Don’t worry about how you’re doing. When you notice your mind has wandered, simply take a deep breath or say to yourself "thinking, thinking" and gently return your attention to your chosen focus.

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Article author: Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

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Meditation styles: Candle Gazing

Meditation can be challenging when you begin, even for the most seasoned of practitioners, it can still be a struggle from day to day. However, there are many different styles of meditation available. You may find that one style suits you more than another, at least when starting out and learning to control your thoughts and focus. The article below talks about one style of meditation – candle gazing. Have a read and perhaps give it a try!

It can be difficult for some to drop into meditation and let their thoughts go. Candle gazing, or trataka sadhana, is one way to give your eyes something to focus on so you can get more from your meditation. Here's what it's all about, plus how to do it yourself.

What is trataka sadhana?

Trataka sadhana, which loosely translates to "gazing ritual," is a practice within hatha yoga that involves staring at a single point—often a flame. It originated in India and is thought to strengthen the third-eye chakra, as well as deepen meditation practices in general.

Improving concentration and mindfulness is the object of this practice, and trataka sadhana remains an important tool in yogic traditions. It's believed that when the practitioner can fix their concentration on a certain point, all areas of their life will improve with their new, cleared vision and stronger sense of awareness.

How candles can help you drop into meditation

There are a number of reasons candles are so helpful in meditation practice, reiki master Serena Poon, C.N., CHC, CHN, explains one of them, of course, being they give you a point of focus: "You can use the flame of your meditation candle to help you concentrate. Having a point of focus can help ease your mind from the energy of distracting thoughts," she says.

Connecting to the fire element, in particular, can also help you while meditating. "The element of fire is a powerful tool for transformation," Poon adds. "Your meditation candle can help you harness this energy to inspire personal growth." And not for nothing, the ambience candles create is relaxing and introspective, she says.

One study even found that elderly participants who practiced trataka sadhana for a month had significantly improved cognitive function compared to the control group.

What you'll need for a candle meditation

One of the nicest things about candle meditation is you don't need much more than a candle (and anything else you like to use to elevate your meditations). Poon recommends selecting a candle that has been "thoughtfully created with natural ingredients and aromas that will enhance your meditation environment." It's also a good idea to go for candles that burn slowly, she adds.

A short and simple candle meditation practice

This meditation from Poon, couples the power of fire with the power of the full moon, to release old energy and call in the new, bringing about meaningful shifts. Though it's geared toward the full moon, it can be done at any time:

1. On this month's full moon, write down all the things you would like to release from your life—from emotions and habits that aren't serving you to toxic relationships, etc.
   

2. Now, set up your meditation space with any of your favourite spiritual objects, dimming the lights if you can. Try to be somewhere quiet where you'll be undisturbed.
   

3. Light your candle. If you wish, you can surround yourself with crystals and other objects to support transcending the circumstances written on your paper.
   

4. Sit in your meditation space and breathe quietly for several minutes. You can reflect on what is written on the paper if you wish.
   

5. When you are ready, say out loud, "With this full moon (or 'on this day,' if the moon outside isn't full), I release all that is not in alignment with my greatest and highest good."
   

6. Gaze into the candle flame and imagine these things that aren't serving you burning into the flames.
   

7. In their place, envision the new energy that you would like to call into your life.
   

8. Then, you can say (out loud or in your head): "I welcome a new path, new energy, new connections, new experiences, renewed health, new thoughts, and new beginnings."
   

9. Blow out the candle and give thanks and gratitude to the energy of the fire, and yourself, to close out the meditation.

Tips for candle meditation

Look with your third eye if your eyes start to hurt

If your eyes grow weary from staring at the flame, one way around this is to gently close your eyes and picture the flame in your mind's eye. Perhaps through your eyelids you can still see the soft orange glow of the candle. Hold the image of the flame in your mind until you're ready to open your eyes again.

Tap your intuition

Poon recommends tapping into your intuition to guide your meditation rituals. "Meditation is a personal, introspective practice that is not one-size-fits-all," she says. "You will have an innate knowledge of the elements, crystals, and environment that you need to connect with deeper levels of connection and understanding."

Don't worry if thoughts are still popping up

No one ever said meditation was easy, and while, yes, candle gazing can help you maintain focus and concentration, it does take practice. Thoughts may still pop up, and the key is to allow rather than resist them. Hold your gaze on the candle, keep breathing deeply, and when your mind wanders, know it's OK, let it go, and come back to the flame.

The bottom line

There are so many types of meditation out there, from Vipassana to TCM. And again, meditation isn't one-size-fits-all. Finding the meditation that works for you will help you better drop into your practice, and if gazing at a flame comes easily, it might just be the meditation for you.’

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Article author: Sarah Regan

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Meditation for Heart Health

Most of us are aware of the benefits meditation has on stress management and our mental health, but did you know that meditation can actually have protective effects for our cardiovascular health? Take a read of the article below that discusses the heart health benefits of meditation from a Cardiologist's perspective.

Sticking to a routine for anything can be a challenge, but when it comes to heart health, cardiologist Alejandro Junger, M.D., says there's one practice he tries to prioritise every day.

"Sometimes I fail," Junger says, but "I try to meditate every day, no matter what." (Yep, even the most seasoned among us are flexible with their wellness routines.)

How meditation supports heart health

Meditation is often associated with mental health, and less so with heart health, but according to Junger, "[it] is such a complete practice—especially for heart health." 

Several studies have looked at the effects of meditation on blood pressure, finding evidence that mindfulness-based stress reduction may lead to significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 

Along with supporting healthy blood pressure levels, Junger says, "it calms down the spikes of cortisol and hormones that respond to stress." And since psychological stress has been linked to cardiovascular disease, practicing meditation frequently may lower the risk of developing heart disease. 

Though the evidence isn't strong enough to make meditation a treatment on its own, the American Heart Association has suggested using it alongside other heart-healthy practices to lower cardiovascular risk. "There is no combination of therapies that achieve all these results with zero bad side effects, and no monetary cost," Junger says. So, if you haven't made it part of your daily routine, you might as well start now. 

How to begin a meditation practice

Meditation is often thought of as sitting silently with your thoughts, but that's just one version of it. There are actually several ways to practice meditation, and one of the best ways to find out which one works for you is by reading about the 12 major meditation styles. Once you've read through all your options, you can download an app or sign up for a meditation class so a trained instructor can walk you through guided meditations.

If you feel comfortable pursuing meditation without the assistance of a teacher but struggle to sit still for long periods of time, movement meditations may be better suited to you. Whichever style you choose to adopt, these five tips can make it easier to get in the groove of meditation without overthinking it.

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Author: Abby Moore

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