Blog

What is TAPAS?

By Nikki Shilling | 22 March 2014

I love tapas – and not just the delicious mini-meals you share with friends and family as part of a traditional Spanish-type dining experience – but the tapas that relates to yoga.

How to Increase Energy & Improve Circulation: Creating Core Stability Without Tension

By Nikki Shilling | 27 January 2014

During my classes I often suggest softening the belly a little. I sometimes use the term “embrace your jelly belly”! which has been met with a bit of shock horror on some fronts!

Of course, strictly speaking, this is not something we should embrace “all the time”. It is not necessarily healthy to have a complete jelly belly as we all know. Excess fat around the midriff is linked to diabetes, heart-disease and many other life-threatening illness. However, neither is it healthy for us to be walking around with super-tight abdominals (or super-tight anything really!). This extreme has been linked to digestive problems, infertility, back and hip problems and goodness knows what else. Put it this way; if I walk around with my shoulders tense and tight all day does it make them stronger? Nope – it just makes them tight and tense!

Ten Reasons You Might Be Feeling Stiff

By Nikki Shilling | 2 December 2013

For someone who teaches yoga, It can be a common cry from class participants: “I am feeling sooooo stiff!”. Luckily, regular yoga and stretching can help! Here are just some reasons your body might feel as if it is getting stiffer and some tips on what you can do to keep things feeling a little more free and easy.

Patan…Who?

By Nikki Shilling | 19 November 2013

Gaining some insight into the ancient philosophy of yoga can really help us to “get” why it is we do what we do…

What is Meant By Bandah?

By Nikki Shilling | 21 October 2013

It may surprise you to know that when lots of people stretch, their stretching is ineffective. Often this is because the muscle they are trying to stretch is in a shortened position. It may feel stiff, sore, tight and tense but will get more so as the stretch reflex switches on – this happens particularly if the stretching is aggressive. It then becomes very difficult to lengthen the muscle because tension limits blood flow. If the whole body is constantly tense, we can see how this might restrict our range of movement.

How and Why Does Yoga Work?

By Nikki Shilling | 20 August 2013

To understand why yoga is one of the best things you can do for your overall health, you firstly have to try to forget everything you thought you knew about how exercise works. For example, the goal of yoga is not to lose weight or burn calories. It is not to make you stronger, fitter and/or more flexible. But certainly, with regular practise, these things happen. Amazing side effects!

What Are The “Guna”

By Nikki Shilling | 5 August 2013

In Yoga and Ayurvedic philosophy, the guna are described as “qualities”; but how can we apply this idea to our daily life?

Taking Back Control with Yoga

By Nikki Shilling | 11 April 2013

When it comes to back pain, there are many sufferers and lots of ingredients, including posture and our modern “sitting” lifestyle.

Why Inviting Nanna Will Help Balance Your Dynamic Practise..

By Nikki Shilling | 23 February 2013

Most long-term, fit yogis love a challenging and dynamic yoga practice. But it is also fair to say that many do get injured from time to time. Donna Farhi hurt her neck as a young student while practising a headstand and still suffers with neck pain on occasion.

It Could Be the Best Health Elixir Known to Man and it’s FREE

By Nikki Shilling | 11 February 2013

Regular meditators and/or yoga practitioners have been found to have DHEA levels (an age-hormone) of people around 12 years younger. Well now that I have your interest, arn’t you wondering what and why?