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“Progress your yoga practice with variations of asanas”
Saturday 15th May 2010 / 2-5pm - Workshop with Michaela Olexova

Description

This workshop is focused on maintaining a free, flexible, strong and healthy body through the practice of specific hatha yoga positions and is based upon natural abilities for movement and the use of positions. In your practice you will, as with all things, apply yourself to starting at the beginning and learn how to reach still and comfortable body posture and peaceful state of mind in the asana’s basic form.

These asanas can be then modified to either allow those with physical limitations to derive its benefits or offer further variations that are more challenging to the serious as well as curious yoga practitioners who may seek to proceed to master the full range of the more advanced asanas.

Whether you are new to yoga or you already are a dedicated practitioner, you will be able to explore all range of yoga asanas and their many variations that can be assumed with comparative ease by a beginner and many that might be beyond your present capacity but hold an enormous potential for your progress.

It is your open mind and heart, great mental focus and patience, self-awareness and intuition and incorporation of the right breathing techniques that will bring results that you will experience almost immediately and encourage your further yoga practice.

What to expect?

Fun and inspiring hatha yoga practice
Discover basic to advanced asana variations
Explore your individual body and its limits
Progress at your own pace and comfort
Pranayama
Meditation
Guided relaxation

Who is it for?

This workshop can be attended by anyone as it offers a wide range of simple stretches as well as more advance positions. However, it helps if students have some level of experience in yoga or general fitness.

For more details and booking, please contact:

The Yoga Garden
T: 01903 892 797
W: www.theyogagarden.co.uk

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When: Sunday 14^th February 2010, 2 – 5 pm
Where: Special Yoga Centre, 2a Wrentham Avenue, London, NW10 3HA

Bringing people together and sharing their yoga practice through conscious breathing, the importance of human touch and freedom of movement while developing and deepening their mutual trust, communication and harmony is the main essence of this St. Valentine’s workshop.

Great for couples, friends, parents & kids* and single yogis!

The program is focused on building strength and flexibility of your body, balancing your energy flow and improving your focus through traditional asanas performed together with your partner that help you achieve more than you could on your own. It is a perfect opportunity for those of you who have enjoyed your own “single” yoga practice and now would like to explore a new experience and potential as well as those who would like to introduce yoga to their loved ones.

Partner Yoga is a fun and inspiring practice that nurtures your relationships with lovers, family, friends and children, so why not to learn some new poses and deepen the intimacy between the lovers, bring a new creativity into your child’s play or help your friends stay motivated?

You will both benefit from the challenging exercise, synchronized breath and shared energy, using the extra support and adjustments of each other. Partner Yoga can be practiced by anyone and offers a wide range of simple stretches as well as more advance balances. However, it helps if students have some level of experience in yoga or general fitness.

Drop-in: £25                              

Pre-book: £20   

Concessions: £15

Booking: www.specialyoga.org.uk

*Children 10+ years

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If you’re still wondering how to use the remains of your Halloween pumpkin head why don’t you try this amazing pumpkin soup with a twist that fills and comforts you during this upcoming chilly season. 

Serves 4

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp paprika
salt, pepper
thumb size of fresh ginger, crushed or finely chopped
3 celery sticks, sliced
1 garlick, crushed or finely chopped
1 pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
1,5 litre hot vegetable stock
handful pumpkin seeds, toasted
parmasan cheese, shaved
pitta bread, toasted and cut into slices

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add onions and suggar and cook for 15 minutes until soft and light golden. Add the garling, ginger and paprika and cook for another minute or so. Then add the pumpkin and celery, stir well and add stock. Bring to boil and simmer for approx. 20 minutes or until the vegetable is tender. Remove from the heat, puree with a hand-held blender and season well. Ladle the soup into bowls, decorate with toasted pumpkin seeds and parmazan shaves and serve with slised pitta bread.

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Recently we have shared this easy breathing excercise with the GLAMOUR magazine readers to help them stay bright and bubbly from AM to PM. If you too are not an afternoon person, you should try this:

Focus on deep abdominal breathing that fills up your lungs from the lowest and widest part, therefore consuming more oxygen and boosting your energy. Try inhaling deeply through your nose towards your abdomen for a count of three and exhaling from your nose for a count of six. Activate your muscles and expend your belly and chest when you inhale and relax again on exhalation.

Tip: Keep you eyes closed to develop your inner focus and clear your mind at the same time!

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Come and join us for a 10 day luxury yoga & meditation holiday in Kerala, India on November 15-25 and RECEIVE A FREE GOODIE BAG of wellbeing products worth £100!!

Visit www.thebaoli.com, call +44 (0) 754 330 2820 or email info@thebaoli.com for booking and more details.

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This month Baoli has teamed up with Universal and the UK monthly magazine Company to celebrate the October 14^th release of a new comedy Couples Retreat (feat. Vince Vaughn, Kristin Davis, Jean Reno…).

See http://www.company.co.uk/win-private-yoga-lessons/competition to win Baoli’s private yoga lessons worth over £500!

Based on an original idea of Vaughn’s, the comedy follows four Midwestern couples who embark on a journey to a tropical island resort. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the other three set out to jet ski, spa, yoga and enjoy some fun in the sun. They soon discover that participation in the resort’s couples therapy is not optional. Suddenly, their group-rate vacation comes at a price. What follows is a hilarious look at real world problems faced by all couples.

Also check out the hilarious yoga session at http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2119238169/

- definitely not our style but it made us giggle…

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This has been one of my favourite salads over the summer and since there is some asparagus still available in the shops I decided to share this delicious treat with you. It’s great on its own or served with chicken, fish or crusty bread. The salad’s dressing is especially yummy and can be used in other salads too!

Serves 2

1 bundle of asparagus, trimmed of the woody ends
1-2 tbsp olive oil
50g rocket salad
1 pack of goat’s cheese
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
Freshly ground pepper and salt

For the dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp grainy mustard
1/2 tbsp honey

Cover the asparagus in olive oil and season well. Arrange on the grill rack and put in the preheated grill for about 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can grill the asparagus on a griddle pan. Make sure you turn it around throughout grilling until lightly charred. Then remove and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients and season with pepper and salt to your taste.

Arrange the rocket salad on the plates, top with grilled asparagus and crumble over the goat’s cheese. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and drizzle with the dressing.

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Over the last couple of years I have come across several books that have become my special companions. They depicted personal journeys or encounters of their authors, yet so similar to my own path or experience at the time of reading. I have almost become suspicious the universe is trying to directly or indirectly offer a solution or comfort I was in search of within its pages…or is it when we relate to stories in a book or a movie and share the character’s fate that we feel everything suddenly seems so much more obvious, easier and positive? Is it the wisdom of the words that help us find the truth, learn to let go and open ourselves to new opportunities? Or is it just another way of personal meditation bringing our busy minds to peace with the ability to listen to ourselves and see things clearly by loosing ourselves in the story?

Paulo Coelho: The Alchemist

A fable about following your dreams, offering hope and finding peace of your mind and heart.

Michaela: I read this book when I was struggling to make a decision to move from Prague to London two years ago. Now in London and couldn’t be happier!

Paulo Coelho: The Witch of Portobello

A story that will transform the way you think about love, passion, joy and sacrifice.

M: I was reading this book at the beginning of my new relationship – it opened my eyes and heart!

Paulo Coelho: The Zahir

A novel of obsession, nature of love and the power of destiny.

M: Just finished reading this book last July and helped me find the balance between what my mind wants and what my heart feels. A constant battle, isn’t it?

Herman Hesse: Siddhartha

A story of Siddhartha, a Brahmin on a quest for self-discovery through suffering trials of temptation of luxury, wealth and sensuality and adventures.

M: It reminded me of a difficulty and beauty living on the edge of a material and spiritual worlds and my decision to swap a superficial media career for a true purpose of teaching yoga.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Eat, Pray, Love

One woman’s search for everything – pleasure in Italy, devotion in India and a balance between wordly enjoyment and divine transcendence in Bali.

M: This book brought so much joy, fun and light to my life…so relaxing!

Don Miguel Ruiz: The Four Agreements

A practical guide and wisdom to personal freedom as passed on by Toltec generations.

Don Miguel Ruiz: The Mastery of Love

A practical guide to the art of relationship through the Toltec perspective on love.

M: I was in search of a personal guidance after a very turbulent year and found both of these books to help me remove the baggage of the past and opening a brighter future.

Lucy Edge: Yoga School Dropout

An emotional journey, a divine comedy on the Western obsession with life’s deeper meaning, a yogic experiment and a love letter from India.

M: This book helped with my research of where to study yoga in India, plus I was ready for some major changes in my life so a massive encouragement too.

Dr. T. Lobsang Rampa: The Third Eye

A story of one man’s spiritual journey on the road of self-awareness.

M: I read this book when travelling across India and Nepal and it was truly magical experiencing some of the rituals he describes in a real life. I also love reading excerpts from his books to my yoga students, especially the one where he uses a cat to explain about a proper conscious relaxation!

Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained

An inspiring, precise translation of the ancient Chinese wisdom classic with commentary that brings the text to life for you (by Derek Lin).

M: When I need an inspiration or a quick fix when my mind starts playing tricks on me – daily!

Hopefully this will encourage you to share your own “personal jewels” with others as we would love to hear what books and why helped you, inspired you, made you laugh or cry, etc - please visit Baoli on Facebook and join our discussion topic!

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If you wish to experience one of Michaela’s group classes come and join her at a wonderful yoga studio in Kensal Rise, London. It’s a great way to take a lunch break if you work or live in the area or a lovely evening class to unwind during your week-end.

Baoli Hatha Yoga

Wednesdays 1-2pm

A unique signature ritual combining hatha yoga, reiki and aromatherapy, not available elsewhere! It provides a holistic approach, simultaneously working on the body, mind and soul, resulting in an all in one experience during a single session. A selection of organic natural oils is used to deliver desired effect of invigorating, balancing or relaxing your body and mind. Open to all levels.

Dynamic Flow Yoga

Saturdays 6-7,30pm

If you can not stand smelly gyms why don’t you awaken your body and mind through a sequence of dynamic yoga postures instead? Leave your lesson feeling invigorated, your muscles strengthened head to toe, body-mind tension relieved and your stamina increased before a busy week ahead of you. Open to all levels.

No advance booking, just turn up with your open mind and heart – see you there!

The Special Yoga Centre

The Tay Building

2A Wrentham Avenue

London NW10 3HA

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