Destress and find some calm with live streamed gentle hatha and mindful yoga. There is no need to be fit or flexible for these classes. For those of you who like more physically challenging classes, improve fitness, strength and flexibility with energetic and challenging vinyasa yoga. These classes are sequenced to also help provide relief from the symptoms of anxiety. Total beginners are welcome to join our online community. Individual advice and modifications can be given in the live classes on Zoom. Each Saturday, we have a yoga philosophy session on Zoom where you can learn about and discuss yoga as a whole system for health, well being and life. Passes are £29.99 for each calendar month. They give unlimited access to live streamed classes on Zoom plus you can 'catch up' or revisit classes via recordings in a private Facebook group. Visit the 'bookings' page to purchase your pass.

CarolynSmith, Author at Carolyn Smith Yoga

Q: Zoom Yoga for Stress Course

The next course is taking place online on 5 consecutive Thursdays starting on 5 November from 18.30 to 19.45. Are you experiencing stress or burnout? Exhausted with little else to give but find it difficult to relax? This 5 week course will encourage you to create space for yourself, decompress and rebalance the nervous system. Each session includes a gentle yoga practice to calm and soothe body and mind and the practice of yoga nidra. For the yoga nidra, you will wrap yourself in a warm blanket ready to be guided towards deep rest and relaxation. You will also learn about the stress response, why it is so difficult to relax and let go when experiencing stress, and what works to reduce the symptoms of stress. No experience of yoga is needed for this course and you do not need to be flexible! The yoga sequences are suitable for total beginners and are sequenced to provide a sense of safety, space and release. Recordings of sessions will be available for one week after each session so you can revisit the content and continue with the practices between sessions. The course will take place on Zoom. Instructions on how to use Zoom will be provided prior to the course. The cost of the course is £49.99. Places are limited so early booking is recommended. Click here to book your place.

Q: How do you calm the mind in 3 minutes?

How do you calm the mind if you only have 3 minutes? One of the questions I was asked on BBC Radio Wales after being invited to speak about yoga and healthcare on 19 February. There is a growing evidence-base for the physical and mental health benefits of yoga. NICE Guidelines even suggest yoga for lower back pain. However, many people who could benefit are unable to access yoga due to the cost of classes. New funding is now being made available for yoga classes under the NHS Long Term Plan. It is great that yoga is starting to appear on the NHS agenda but, as always, the funding needs to get to the right places and not at the expense of other key areas including social care. If you'd like to listen to what I say about yoga and healthcare, go to just after 57 minutes on the link below. The recording will only be available for a month. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0002m65

Q: Time to Talk Day 2019

As we head towards Time to Talk Day on 7 February, it highlights yet again for me, the importance of talking about mental health. Things are changing slowly; there are well-known celebrities for example who talk publicly about their mental health difficulties. The reality sadly, for large numbers of people, is that stigma and fear are very real issues. Stigma continues to prevent many people from asking for help. Fear, not knowing what to say and worrying that talking about mental health may prompt someone to harm themselves, prevents other people from asking about how someone REALLY is. As I commented back in 2015 on World Suicide Prevention Day: “Suicide often follows a complex series of distressing events and circumstances, such as financial difficulties, relationship break down and chronic physical illness... But suicide is not inevitable and suicide prevention activities can help." For the full article click on the link below. http://www.sompar.nhs.uk/latest-news/world-suicide-prevention-day/ I believe that talking about mental health is one of the most powerful suicide prevention activities. Yes, there are other concerning issues relating to mental health support and treatment, particularly access to help at the time it is needed, but they are beyond the scope of this short article. Talking about mental health is something that everyone can get involved with. If you've ever doubted the power of talking, do check out the story about Jonny Benjamin in the link below. He was talked down from a bridge by a stranger. http://www.thestrangeronthebridge.com/#the-story