Do you ever get stressed out on your commute? Rush hour traffic, delays, packed out trains, platforms, tourist and people walking too slow! At times just getting to work can be unpleasant and doesn't exactly help us get our day off to a great start. 
So what can we do? If leaving before or after rush hour isn't an option and we must navigate through the dreaded tube or subway system we can try our best not be reactive to all the stress and energy around us. One of the simplest things we can do is breath awareness and infact this simple exercise is great for all stressful situations whether we are stuck in traffic or having  heated debate. Both external stressors and our emotions and state of mind affect our breath.

Breath awareness exercises can be refined over time. After a while you may start slipping it into your daily routine, allowing you to stay calm and centered. 
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Until Next time.. Happy Commuting

Need a quick energy boost better than coffee? Or simply need to get your energy flowing and get you ready for the day ahead. Sun Salutaions also known as Suyra Namaskar are like full body workout in just a few simple moves. Traditionally done very early in the morning before the sun comes up, as a salutation to the rising sun!  The sequence can vary between different schools and traditions of Yoga but the sequence usually links 12 classical postures to create an dance like flow. The body moves from gentle backbends to forward folds giving the whole front and back side of the body a great stretch. Plank and chatarunga tones the arms and shoulders and gives you amazing core workout (find some tips on plank here). Whilst down dog stretches the spine and hamstrings, bringing a sense of calm.

Here are a few tips and reasons to doing Surya Namaskar in morning...

• Sun salutations get the blood flowing and warm up the body. 
• They help focus on your breath and calm the mind. 
• Balance the Chakras. 
• Remember you are stiffer in the morning so take it easy don't force your body into deepest lunge you ever did in your life.
•  Feel your body, watch and see how it feels as you flow through the sequence. 
• If you practice regularly in the morning it can be a good way of seeing how you are progressing.
• As always....Enjoy!

Hey there lovely people. This is a funny topic. Hana and I had a little discussion with each other about this last night. So basically one of is a night owl and the other an early bird. After much heated discussion we conclude that we don't think its better to practice in the morning than any other time. It just totally depends on you and your life, your personality, preferences and circumstances at this moment. Daily life schedules change at times for all of us. Being flexible enough to go with flow regarding times and lengths of our practice is important. Aiming to stick with rigid schedules can sometimes exhaust us or leave us feeling like a failure if we don't stick to it. There are many benefits of practicing in both the morning and evening. So we thought we would bring you some ideas from both sides. 

 You may have heard that its traditional to practice Yoga in the morning, and it is. There are many reasons for this. Its is very hot in India so the early morning may well be the only time of day that a physical practice bearable. But we aren't living the ashram life, we are living the crazy city life. Honoring traditions are great but honoring yourself and your circumstances is just as important. Here are some pros to morning Yoga Practice.

• You have already done it! You won't be thinking about when in the day you can squeeze your practice in because you've already done it by the time most people are brushing their teeth! 
• Consistency. You most likely won't have other commitments at stupid o'clock so won't have to ​'cancel' your class or practice. (Eg: friends party, after work drinks, laundry time or date night) And this can help you be more consistent. Practicing at the same time each day can help you be more aware of how your and your body feels each day.
• Stress Prevention. A morning practice can be stress prevention for the rest of the day. This gives you time to connect with yourself before all the external distractions of the day take over.
• Quite Time. The world, your house or studio you go to will be much quieter than later on in the day. Hear the birds and not the noise pollution that will be starting soon.
• Help you sleep more. Knowing you are going to wake up early might help you go to bed at reasonable hour. 

And here my loves are some reasons that a morning practice may not be for you....at the moment!

• Your morning is already crazy busy, maybe you have kids, a pet, your period, a hangover! All good reasons why your practice can wait until later on. 
• Your body is stiffer in the morning. You have been laying down all night so moving in the morning might feel horrible. 
• Misery!  If you are going to feel ratty and tired the rest of day because you forced yourself to practice in the morning then this is not for you! When it doesn't fit with your lifestyle, energy and personality then you will probably not enjoy it. If you don't enjoy your practice you are less likely to do it. 
• You like taking a class with friends, colleagues or seeing your Yoga buddies after work. Going to Yoga after work and at other times can be a lot of fun, being a part of a community of people coming together to sweat, breath and move is amazing! After work classes are probably the most poplar times at studios and there is always a great energy in the room. We love it! 
• An evening practice is stress relief. Evening practices are a perfect was to wind down and destress, making for a much better nights sleep.