How to Unlock Your Health with YOGA

Have you ever felt FEAR of falling and failing? Yoga can teach you to push beyond your mental boundaries, and a daily practice can help you to uncover different sensations, struggles and resistances.

Yoga is a spiritual, mental and physical discipline that has been around for thousands of years. Yoga means to unite, connect or yoke body, mind and soul. The Western world mostly sees yoga as a physical exercise when in reality, the asanas, or physical postures, constitute only 1/8^th of yoga.

MY EXPERIENCE

Yoga appeared in my life when I was 22. I used to be a ballet dancer and I was attracted to yoga for the discipline and the physical connection to the body. At first, it was challenging to move my body in a different way that what I was used to with ballet.

I started practicing Traditional Hatha Yoga and I was hooked straight away. I enjoyed how working on my body with yoga also opened a door for a meditative practice. I was meditating irregularly at that time and yoga encouraged me to meditate more often. I found profound peace and tranquility within me thanks to yoga.

I became stronger, I developed flexibility, mental strength and I realised that yoga was teaching me lessons on the mat that I also had to apply to my daily life. Through handstands, I learnt not to be afraid of falling and failing. With some deep and challenging backbends, I learnt that it is safe to open up, that I can achieve everything I set my mind to and that anything is possible, as long as we keep an open mind. Yoga taught me when to push beyond my mental boundaries and when to accept and be content with who I am. Yoga keeps me humble and aware as every daily practice is different and uncovers different sensations, struggles or resistance.

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Over the years, I experimented with different styles of yoga to deepen my practice, knowledge and understanding of yoga and its philosophy. Yoga is a life-long journey of learning and practising as our body is constantly evolving and as our understanding of it is always longing for more depth. Yoga supports my inquisition about life bigger questions and how to be our best possible self. Nowadays, I teach Hatha and Yin, which are complementary practices. I love being able to share the benefits of yoga and see my students evolve and grow.

HOW IT WORKS

Yoga has 8 limbs: Yamas (moral discipline, ethical standards) like non-violence, non-stealing, truthfulness, Niyamas (duties, observances) like purity, contentment, self-study and study of scriptures, Asana (postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal and sensory transcendence), Dharana (focused concentration), Dhyana (meditative absorption), and Samadhi (pure bliss and enlightenment). If you are interested in learning more about the 8 Limbs of yoga, read more HERE.

Several types of Yoga exists, for example Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kundalini, Bikram, Hot Yoga, Yin, Restorative, Vinyasa, Bhakti (devotion), Jivamukti, and many more! You may have to try different classes and different teachers to find the style that best corresponds to your needs.

Yoga is a wonderful and powerful tool to help us grow physically, mentally and spiritually, to help us connect to our true Self and to attain freedom.

BENEFITS OF PRACTISING YOGA

• Enhanced physical and mental health
• Relaxation
• Cultivating inner peace
• Injury rehabilitation
• Stress, anxiety and insomnia relief
• Developing mindfulness
• Boosting self-esteem and self-confidence
• Lowers blood pressure
• Building strength and flexibility

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YOU CAN TRY THIS RIGHT NOW FOR YOURSELF

A short breath awareness meditation

I always start my classes with a short meditation using breath awareness. Here’s a 3-minute breathing space mini meditation for you.

1st minute: CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF. Take 3 deep breaths through the nose and notice how you feel. What sensations are you experiencing, what thoughts are coming up? Don’t judge them, don’t try to change them. Simply acknowledge them and let them go.

2nd minute: FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH. Feel your belly rise and fall as you inhale and exhale. Feel your rib cage expand. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath.

3rd minute: RETURN TO YOURSELF. Similar to the first minute but this time, every breath you take deepens your awareness of your body and mind. Notice how calmer you are. Notice how you have detached from stress and worries. Take one final deep breath and decide to maintain this state for the rest of your day.

A great pose to practise at the end of a long day is Child’s pose.

Sit on your heels, open your knees as wide as your mat and gently lean forward with your arms extended in front of you. Slowly bring the forehead to the floor. In this pose, we gently stretch the hips, thighs, ankles and lower back, while compressing the stomach and the digestive organs. Child’s pose calms the brain and the nervous system, it relieves stress, anxiety and insomnia.

Yoga for your chakras

If you are practising yoga, you may be interested in the yoga sequences I designed to balance the chakras. They include a meditation, a yoga sequence, journaling prompts and much more! You can access them here: HERE.

To support your mindfulness practice, reduce stress and connect deeper with yourself, you can sign up HERE to receive your FREE ebook The Mindful Week Journal. One mindful activity per day, easy to incorporate in your daily life and a journaling section to help you reflect on your experience and progress.

Sacral Chakra

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CLIENTS’ FEEDBACK

I do yoga with Nadege every week and it’s the best day of the week! She gets me and my body, she knows how to guide and challenge me. I like her style and how she shares the yoga philosophy. She is genuine and loves what she does. I feel really good in my head and body and I want my husband to join! – Betty (Melbourne, Australia) – Betty (Melbourne, Australia).

I’m new to yoga and I really enjoy my class with her. I wanted to be more flexible and she is helping me develop it. It has been 2 months now and I noticed changes in my body and I also breathe better. She really cares about you, is very gentle and funny! Thank you. – Adam (Melbourne, Australia).

Nadège was a complete delight and breath of fresh air to speak with. She helped me realize that by cultivating a personal, sacred space that allows me to explore the inner workings of my depths, I allow myself to just be who I am and experience joy. The wisdom and loving-kindness Nadège saw in me, highlighted how much I am shrinking and not letting my greatness shine. It was truly eye-opening. For the past week since having spoken with Nadège, each day I have been able to communicate my wisdom, and explore the depths and capacity of my joy more and more. I have had some of my most productive days in the 2-3 days following the call. It has been such a shift and helping take steps closer and closer to living the truth of my truths. – With Gratitude, Jacqueline Seeley (USA/Casablanca, Morocco).

I felt understood and never judged. Nadege was very professional and centered, which allowed me to be in my center too. I felt more and more free to talk about what is a very personal part of myself and even details I was a bit ashamed of. She made me feel the master of myself and made me understand that I could decide to change my life for the better. She led me to find new ideas to be happier and how to implement them. She helped me find the strength to be more disciplined to achieve my goals. I got the encouragement I needed and it made me felt anything is possible, if I let it be. New doors opened up through this experience. Thank you!- Sarah, Musician and Singer (Lyon, France).

About Nanou

Nanou is RYT250 Hatha and Yin Yoga teacher, Mindfulness Meditation teacher, a Level 2 Reiki practitioner and an Intuitive Life Purpose Coach.

She offers clarity and guidance to her clients on their self-discovery journey. She helps them let go of everything that is holding them back, uncover their natural gifts, step into their purpose, and tap into their full potential, so that they can manifest their dreams and live a fulfilling life.

Nanou supports her clients and students tune inwards and connect to their heart and soul, so that they can truly be happy, joyful and at peace. Find Nanou @ www.theboxofhappiness.com

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