Want to wind down after the day without sudating yourself a food and alcohol or turning into a TV zombie. There is healthier, simple and 100% FREE way to relax your mind and body after the daily grind.
A simple forward bend in Yoga done in restorative way brings us back to a calm, tranquil, reflective and relaxed state of being. Basically all day long our energy is directed out into the world with distractions and stress in varying amounts from commuting, work, chores, appointments, friends and family commitments etc. When we fold forward we not only get a beautiful stretch, it also draws our attention within and away from all the external stimulation of the day. 

The seated forward bend also known as Paschimothanasana is well......excellent. It has so many benefits. When doing this before bed you can try it in a more restful and passive way, holding it for longer than you would in a regular Yoga sequence maybe up to 5 minutes. Avoid this pose if you have any back injuries such as disc problems(when in doubt please consult your doctor). Here are some simple tips to make the most of the the pose: 

• RELAX..don't force your self down into the pose, wherever you are is totally fine.
• If your hamstrings or lower back are very tight bent your legs or pop a pillow or two under your knees.
• Put a block (if you have one) to support your head for extra relaxation and release.
• Let your shoulders relax and feel the stress of the day melt away.
• SURRENDER let go of muscles in your jaw, face, fingers, toes and everything in between.
• Close your eyes, go within and away from all the distractions of the day. Focus on the quality of your breath. 
• Its not about how far down you, its more about how much you can let go.
• Come out of the pose slowly and take a few moments with body vertical, you can also lay down afterwards  and do savasana (copse pose ).
• Sleep like a baby ZZzzzzzzz...

Been on your feet all day? Or sitting at desk? Putting your feet up is always a great idea and who knew that putting your legs up was actually a real Yoga pose.
Legs up the wall is also know as Viparita Karani in the Yoga world and really is that simple!

Do you find it difficult to get to sleep at night? Even though you know you are tired.  Shakti Mudra is said to help relieve menstrual cramps in women as well as insomnia.  Its helps to increase respiration in the lower part of your chest creating a calming effect on the body. Sounds great especially if you've had a long day, working, doing chores or simply navigating public transport!  Try this Mudra after a long day when you need to wind down after all the hustle and bustle of the day in the city. 

Here are some tips on Shakiti Mudra...

• Join the tips of your two pinky fingers to each other.
• Join the tips of your two ring fingers together.
• Fold your thumbs into the palms.
• Gently fold the index fingers and middle fingers over the thumbs.
• Take deep smooth breaths.
• Focus on the pelvic area and lower abdomen.
• Lengthen your exhalations.
• Practice for around 10 minutes or until you start to feel the body start to relax.
• Zzzzzzzzzz....

Have you tried this Mudra, did you feel any effects on your body, mind and soul. Let us know in the comments below. 
Until next time, Lots of Love
Hana & Aya

Practicing a hand Mudra may not bring the same intensity as doing 7 rounds of a Sun Salution but the sublte nuances created by gestures of the hand can have a powerful effect on us. 
'Prana' translates to energy or  life force and Prana Mudra is supposed to stimulate and waken th body and organs. It is said to have many other powerful benefits when done regularly including improved vision, mental clarity and even cramps in the legs. ​

Here are some tips on Prana Mudra...

• Join the tips of your pinky, ring finger and thumb together.
• Do this Mudra with both hands.
• Extend the other fingers
• Take deep smooth breaths.
• Try to do this Mudra is a quiet space as possible.
• Use it when you need to to find more clarity.
• Use it to bring you more energy when you need a pick me up. 

It's pretty common in a Yoga class that at some point, you bring your hand into certain Hand Mudras such as Chin Mudra(thumbs and first fingers joined) or Anjali Mudra (prayer position).  Hand Mudras are used during Asana practice as well in dance, mediation and prayer. They help channel energy, arouse a certain state of mind or create  a certain nuance.But did you know when you are deep in thought or concentrating you may naturally bring your hands into a mudra? Have a look around at your co workers or people on your commute that are deep in thought and notice what they are doing with their hands. 

Hakini Mudra is well known to aid concentration, focus and improve brain power by helping to bring together the right and left sides of the brain. I actually learned about this Hand Mudra before I started practicing Yoga while at Dance college. Our Ballet teacher taught us some 'Brain Gym' to help us focus and improve our technique which is pretty cool. 

Here are some tips on Hakini Mudra...

• Join the tips of your fingers of your right hand to your left hand.
• Keep your palms seperated.
• Do Hakini Mudra anywhere.
• Use it when trying to remember something.
• Use it when you need to focus. 
• Focus on the third eye area (the point between the eyebrows) as you do this Mudra.
• Try placing the thumbs at the third eye area, centre of the chest or lower down, maybe under the table at a meeting! 

Oh our poor feet, squashed up in our shoes all day long. One of the amazing things about foot exercises is you can literally do them under your desk without anyone noticing. Just slip off your shoes and get going.  Check out these simple tips to keep your feet happy! 

Yes people. Its that simple. Stretch out those toes.

• Take your shoes and socks off and stretch them out.
• Try and separate the toes so you can feel space between each toe.
• Give them a wiggle. 
• Lift all the toes off the floor while keeping the balls of the feet on the floor. 
• Feel the arches of the feet lifting. Strangely the arches of your correspond to your pelvic floor. Close your eyes and see if you can feel a very light lift in the lower abdomen.

Get a foot roller.
This little gadget is amazing. Great for massaging out the feet and releasing tension. The results from these foot rollers are amazing. After use you may feel more grounded and balanced resulting in less tension in other parts of the body. You can pop it on the floor under your desk and roll away!
I remember traveling once on Air India and they even had foot rollers built into the foot rests, great! I think this one is from Body Shop but you can pick them up all over the place. 

Stand on the Earth

• Get out the office on your lunch break, find a patch of grass in a nearby park if you can and take your shoes off.
• Give your feet a wiggle around. 
• Feel the earth under your feet.
• Neutralize yourself from all the electrical waves from your computer, phones and whatever else is in your workplace. 

This is one of our faves. Not sure about the exact scientific facts on this but it feels great! Standing on the earth and feeling our feet can take us out of intense brain action into being able to feel our bodies. This helps us get back in tune with ourselves leaving us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated! 

Benefits of Downward Facing Dog

• Relieves stress, depression and calms the brain.
• Energises the body, Mr Iyengar recommends at least 1minute in the pose to bring back lost energy to runner in a race.
• Stretches the body and strengthens the body evenly. So it is great to counter pose (rebalance) the body - after more challenging or one sided poses.
• Improves digestion, relieves headache, insomnia, back ache, fatigue and menstrual discomfort.
• Can help prevent osteoporosis and be therapeutic for high blood pressure, asthma, flat feet and sciatica.

Whats more, it can feel great! To me downward facing dogs are like bananas, you can never have enough, they are satisfying, filling and each one tastes slightly different. If done correctly they are so good for you! Plus there are so many variations and things you can do with it. Banana Split, Banana Fritters, Banana smoothy and more yum yum. So make sure where ever, what ever you are doing, throw in a down dog or two to keep yourself feeling great! 

Do you sit down all day? Our hips can get very tight stuck in the same position for hours on end. To stop yourself feeling as stiff as the chair your sitting on take a few moments to stretch out and release those lovely muscles around the hips. Here are 3 Simple stretches you can do at your desk. 

Hey Loves, 
Hope you are having fab week. Do you get tension in your next and shoulders?  Some of us spend long amounts of time sitting down at a desk. Throughout the day a combination of stress and bad posture and create aches, pains and stiffness in our shoulders and neck. Shoulders rising up by our ears, hunching forward does not result in feeling or looking good! So what can we do? It might not be practical to start doing full blown Yoga practice at work but you can certainly sneak in a few simple stretches to help keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Check out these 5 simple stretches...

Wall Stretch (okay this one you have to stand up for)

• Bring left hand on the wall and then turn the body away so you as facing front.
• Keep hips, shoulders and feet facing front. 
• Bring your hand up to a high diagonal, then shoulder height and then a low diagonal.
• Feel the how the stretch feels different as you move the arm . 
• If you need more stretch get a little closer to the wall.