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Yoga and Mental Health

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:13:10 GMT

Yoga and Mental Health

YOGA AND MENTAL HEALTH

There is a growing body of research to back up yoga’s mental health benefits. Yoga increases body awareness, relieves stress, reduces muscle tension, strain, and inflammation, sharpens attention and concentration, and calms and centers the nervous system.
Yoga’s positive benefits on mental health have made it an important practice tool. It has been shown to enhance social well being through a sense of belonging with others, and improve the symptoms of depression, attention deficit and hyperactivity, and sleep disorders. Clearly, mind and body practices, like yoga, meditation, deep breathing and prayer help to reduce stress and improves stress-related nervous system imbalances, but how do they do this? Is there one main mechanism at play here?

Researchers say it is the relaxation response that accompanies these mind and body practices that lead to the many improvements to physical and mental health. A new study finds that the deep, physiological state of rest induced by such practices produces immediate positive change in the expression of genes involved in immune function, energy metabolism and insulin secretion. For the body to relax at a nerve and cellular level, we need to alter body processes that shift us biochemically from a state of excitement and tension to a state of calm, deep rest and relaxation. Only deep breathing that accompanies mind-body practices like yoga can do this. You might be wondering how could the holding of a physical pose, like dolphin pose, neurobiologically relax you and also strengthen the mind and body?

Yoga practice changes the firing patterns of the nerves and chemical makeup of the body’s fluids and blood gases that activates a relaxation response. By concentrating on carrying out the specific body posture and alignment of a pose and then holding it as you breathe deeply, the body starts to shift from a state of biochemical arousal and tension to calm and relaxation. Relaxing yourself deeply into a yoga pose through deep breathing lowers the brain’s response to threat. The body starts to turn off arousing nerve chemicals, like adrenaline and stops dumping fatty acids and sugar into the bloodstream for brain, muscle, and motor energy. Also, sodium leaves the inside of the body’s cells. This slows down the rate of nerve firing and further relaxes your brain, heart, and muscles. This state of biochemical relaxation oxygenates the blood, restores blood acidity and alkalinity balance, and reduces heart rate, blood pressure, and motor Yoga postures work on all systems of the body. Besides strengthening and elongating muscles, yoga postures tone up glands, internal organs, and spine nerves. Additionally, increased blood flow helps the digestive system to better extract nutrients from the foods you eat and the lymphatic system to eliminate toxins from the body. Undoubtedly, yoga practice improves quality of life. We learn to note differences between tense and calm body processes so that we can implement a change through yoga postures and deep breathing. But, the practice of yoga over time also has psychological and spiritual benefits. In Sanskrit, yoga means to unite. As you grow in your ability to sense the relationship between your mind and body, you become more aware of dualities that exist in experience. The practice of yoga brings you to the awareness that there is a relationship between two ends of one phenomenon. You are body and mind. There is never a point in which you are just one or the other. Too, you are ego and spirit, tension and relaxation, pain and ease, balance and unsteadiness, love and hate, and separated and united. What does this awareness do for you? When you realize that opposites are only different expressions of the same phenomenon, your treatment of them changes. At the simplest level, you see that when you treat the body you are also treating the mind. At a deeper level, you start to live in an integrated way. You are not just a social identity, a personality—you are a public, relational, psychological and spiritual self. You begin to make choices that nurture and support your whole being. Is this food, relationship, lover or job good for me wholly? Do my choices positively affect and grow my whole being? These are the questions you begin to ask when you start growing in this overall awareness. What is more, when you start taking responsibility for the whole of you, you stop locating problems as starting outside of yourself. You give meanings to experience that opens up choice, lets you problem solve, and allows you to keep growing. There’s no better time than right now to take a stand for yoga. Collective Vitality’s Yoga classes can vary from gentle and accommodating to strenuous and challenging. You want to choose your style of yoga by physical ability and personal preference.
It combines three elements that include physical yoga poses called asanas, controlled breathing practiced in conjunction with the asanas, and a short period of deep relaxation.

The 5 Mental fluctuations of the mind

PAR002_123@heg.com — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 11:08:55 GMT

The 5 mental fluctuations of the mind

Patanjali talks about the mental fluctuations of the mind, or consciousness, otherwise known as chitta vritti. These mental beings shape our phenomenal world and, based on perceptions and verbal delusions, we create samskaras; pattens of limiting behaviour. This is one of the most profound parts of the yoga sutras.

The five types of mental cognition, or chitta vritti, are:

right knowledge, perception, verbalization, memory, and sleep.

Chitta can be further broken down into four types of vritti:

intellect, memory, positive thoughts, and insecurities.

Right knowledge is truth and it is derived from witnessing, from inference, or from a trusted source. For example, if I am walking through the forest and see smoke I can infer there is a fire. If I see a fire I can conclude that the fire is present. If someone that I trust (a spiritual teacher) tells me there is a fire I can believe that.
Perceptions are judgments. Do we like it or do we not like it? Perception is based on previous experiences and is shaped and molded from other people’s projected opinions and the experiences that go along with them. Perception is not real, it is not truth.

Verbalizations are the stories we create around our perceptions. For example, I have a large 300 year old tree in my front garden. We all agree a tree is a tree. There might be different names in different languages but we all agree it is a tree. That is the only thing that is true. I can look at the tree and say “I like it” or “I don’t like it” and that is perception. The verbalization is the story that I put with my perception. If I like the tree I might tell you how old it is, how wonderful the shade is, and how it helps my lawn stay green in the summer. The perception and the verbalization are not true - the only thing that is true is it is a tree.

Memory is derived of right knowledge, perception, verbalization, and the misperception that nothing exists (sleep).

Sleep is the misunderstanding that nothing exists.

These fluctuations create tangles of perception that lead us to act in one way or another. These actions in the world create samskaras, or patterning. If I have a particular pattern it comes from a story which comes from a perception of reality. The more I pattern the more the story will stick. It can change our physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual bodies. These patterns can even change our heart.

Our samskaras shape who we are in our personal life, professional life, and our relationship with Self. Think about all of the perceptions you have about yourself and others and other people’s opinions. Think about the times you have taken action as a result of the perceptions and verbalizations you have created in your mind.

It is a very interesting psychological practice to look back on our thoughts. This is called meta-cognition. Patanjali says that meta-cognition is a really important part of our practice. This is called self-study. He brings this up in chapter two: Sadhana Pada. Using the tools that Patanjali gives us in the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras helps us to begin to practice yoga on and off the mat.

I invite you to take the idea of mental fluctuations, chitta vritti, back to your yoga practice and see what happens when you apply this on the mat. Listen to the verbalizations that go on in your head during your yoga practice. Perhaps your posture isn’t how you want it to look or perhaps you are trying to push yourself when your body is telling you to slow down or perhaps you want to slow down when you should push yourself. Begin to look at your asana, thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as pointers to practice, identifying the five mental fluctuations. Always ask yourself first: is it true? Then, ask yourself: is it about like or dislike? Is there a judgment there? If there is then you know that it is perception and not truth. If it is a perception, check in with verbalization: is this a story you tell yourself? Is this triggering any memories? If it is known that this is an amalgam of all the mental fluctuations and they are not truth, take yourself back to the truth and compassionately forgive yourself for buying into the idea that these are true. Practicing in this way will help you meet each and every thing that happens as an experience; not good, not bad, just experience to further awaken into your most authentic expression of consciousness.

Whether your life is punctuated with bouts of joy or sadness, depression or contentment, or longer, deeper experiences of trauma and turmoil, you are not alone. In the modern world, both physical and mental dis – ease are prevalent, but that’s not to say they’re a modern phenomenon. Mental suffering and the experience of both long and short term states of emotional disharmony are by no means a recent invention; whilst anxiety and depression may be influenced by some of the things we’re surrounded with in today’s world, those who lived thousands of years ago felt just as low, anxious, ungrounded and sad as we all do sometimes.
Dive into the world of yoga philosophy, and you’ll discover that suffering (known as dukha in Sanskrit) is a part of the process of life. Any sort of suffering can be seen as what is known as a klesha – an obstacle on the path to freedom and enlightenment. Overcoming these obstacles is what a yoga practice is all about, and if we’re going to overcome suffering, all the physical, mental, emotional and energetic tools need to be brought forth.

Calming the ‘Citta’- Chatter, The second sutra of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali reads ;-
Yogas citta vrtti nirodha
Yoga is the calming of the fluctuations of the mind .
These fluctuations of the mind are what cause us to experience momentary joy or sorrow, they can cause us to wallow in sadness for months or years, or scatter the mind in all directions so we feel anxious without knowing why. These fluctuations or vrttis, are the cause of much emotional and mental dis – ease, which is why a dedicated yoga practice focuses so much on the mind as well as the body. The word citta, pronounced ‘chitta’ refers to the mind’s ‘chitter – chatter’, or as we might better know it, self-talk, or egocentric thoughts.
When the mind is in a state of chattering away, fluctuating from attachment to hatred, happiness to sadness, and self-doubt to delusion, all of our mental energy is scattered and figuratively ‘leaks out’ of us. When the mind’s energy is leaky and scattered, this has an instant impact upon how we act physically; the breath will usually become shallow and short, and the muscles held more tense than necessary. All these things send messages back to the mind that it should be wary, scared and stressed, and without interrupting this fluctuating cycle, we find ourselves locked in a state of dukha or suffering.
It is these ‘diverse streams’ or fluctuation and energy – as Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani puts it – that are concentrated and unified into one place through the practice of yoga; “The central theme of Yoga is the golden mean, finding the middle path, a constant search for moderation and an harmonious homoeostatic balance. Yoga is the “unitive impulse” of life, which always seeks to unite diverse streams into a single powerful force. Proper practice produces an inner balance of mind that remains stable and serene even in the midst of chaos.

Seeds of Karma

If yoga had a ‘goal’, it would be to attain freedom and liberation from all suffering; the practices involved in the yogic process have the by-product of helping us live as healthily and harmoniously as possible, in contentment and peace. Harmony is brought about “….right-use-ness of the body, emotions and mind with awareness and consciousness. It must be understood [however] to be as healthy a dynamic state that may be attained in spite of the individual’s sabija karma that manifests as their genetic predispositions and the environment into which they are born”.
Sabija Karma is thought of as a seed of karma. Yogic philosophies that link to reincarnation believe we enter into this life with a certain amount of karma attached to us, and that this karma will affect any illnesses we’re born with, and the environment we’re born into. Karma is the sum of past actions; negative actions build up more karma, and we basically continue to be reborn until we’ve worked all of the karma off – to put it simply. According to many philosophies, the cause of much suffering is indeed due to karma, and the actions of past lives being put to rights in this present life.

Layers of the Mind

Other than surrendering to the laws of Karma, we learn through yoga philosophy that suffering and mental dis – ease can very much be a golden opportunity for divine learning. The ‘lesson’ philosophers speak of, is about overcoming the ego – the ‘I – maker’, an aspect of ourselves that shrinks life down to the details of ‘I, me, and my’. The Sanskrit word for ‘ego’ is ahamkara, and this makes up one of the many layers of the mind. As you can feel for yourself; the mind isn’t a single slab of cognition, it’s multi-dimensional and has subtle differences which affect how we feel, think, speak and act.
From a simplified perspective, four layers of the mind consist of Buddhi or ‘awakened’, ahamkara or ‘I-maker’, citta or ‘thoughts’ and the place we store impressions and memories, and manas, the ‘lower mind’, or sensory, processing mind. Observe yourself for even just one day, and you’ll notice how easily you move from using one part of the mind to the other. Most days we move from manas to citta to ahamkara, with possible glimpses of the awakened mind if we’re well practiced in meditation. This multi-layered example shows how the many facets of the mind have to be involved in every process – even the experience of sitting and reading these words right now.
As the world becomes more and more demanding of our senses, we load up the mind with more to work with each day, so its no wonder things need a little TLC sometimes; “Yoga views the vast proliferation of psychosomatic diseases as a natural outcome of stress and strain created by desire, fostered by modern propaganda and abuse of the body condoned on all sides even by religion, science and philosophy. Add to this the synthetic “junk food” diet of modern society and you have the possibility of endless disorders developing….”

Chasing Happiness & Being Present

Whilst yoga philosophy may focus on uniting the scattered mind, calming fluctuation thoughts, and balancing the amount the mind takes in and processes, nowhere does it actually say that we’re supposed to be happy all the time……
Samadhi – translated as ‘enlightenment’ or bliss’. This ‘end goal’ of yoga doesn’t translate as happy or joyful, rather Samadhi actually refers to the ability to witness and understand reality as it is. Rather than following the scattered thoughts of the mind, believing everything we think is true, holding onto the past or fretting about the future, or getting caught up in the narcissism of ‘I, me, and my’, Samadhi is about being here right now, experiencing the feeling of now-ness, not grasping for a fleeting feeling of joy.
According to Buddhism, the endless race towards what we think will bring happiness is seen as something that essentially ends in suffering, because once we finally attain ‘that thing’ we believe will bring us happiness, we find out it doesn’t last for long, and then we’re off again, thoughts scattered and energy fluctuating, constantly searching for the one thing that meets the requirements of making us feel content.
The more we read into philosophical teachings, the more we discover that those things that bring contentment and joy are never found outside of ourselves, but deep within. No matter how you feel now, people have felt like this before, and the teachings of yoga philosophy show clearly how being human comes with the added bonus of experiencing these difficulties and tests through life. Whilst happiness, realisation, or contentment isn’t found on the outside, yoga philosophy paints a path of how to find it for ourselves within; the texts shine a light on the fact that dis – ease is something we all have to deal with, and great comfort and solace can be found in the thousands of years of work and words dedicated to calming the fluctuations of the mind.

The eight limbed path

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:38:00 GMT

the eight-limbed path

The Eight Li mbed Path “You do not need to seek freedom in some distant land, for it exists within your own body, heart, mind, and soul.” - B.K.S. Iyengar and Patanjali says that yoga is a practice of surrendering oneself to a higher power and recognising that the higher power is within and there is no separation between the ego and the Self. To realize this, one must begin to practice. There are many paths to liberation. One path is the eight limbed path of yoga. When the aspirant has decided they are ready to incorporate yoga into their lives wholeheartedly, he or she is ready to dive deep into the involution of the Self. Liberation is not necessarily a destination but more a practice of contentment and non-suffering. As the human condition arises, the aspirant is able to allow the cycle of the gunas to continue without judgment. In this way, the aspirant is in the experience with what is arriving and, eventually, the aspirant is unaffected by any further karma.The eight limbs include: yamas (moral obligations), niyamas (observances), asana (physical practice), pranayama (breathing practice), pratyahara (controlling the senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (enlightenment). An aspirant is a person who is devoted to a higher power and is on the path (dharma) towards a higher power. To aspire is a mission and a fundamental current within the individual. Once the aspirant finds the path of yoga they can begin to practice to undo the doing and find wholeness.

YAMAS

The yamas represent our moral obligations, they help us be in society and they include: ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (moderation), and aparigraha (non-hoarding).
In my opinion, the yamas relate overtly to our societal dharma (how we behave in society) but, on a subtle layer, they can also relate to how we engage with ourselves. Our projected perception on the world around us directly correlates to how we treat ourselves. If we are practicing non-violence in our interactions with community but then coming home and practicing violence towards our bodies and our minds then we are still in the cycle of the gunas. Truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, and non-hoarding are all the same. If we practice one thing in public but practice something else in relation to ourselves then we are perpetuating the cycle and causing dis-ease. Starting with the yamas is useful because these moral observations are taught from a young age. The human microcosm can directly relate to the comparison between behaviors that they have been practicing in community and how they hold for themselves privately. Once the aspirant is taught to connect with the yamas, then the aspirant can begin to practice these as they work to develop a rich relationship with the Self.

Ahimsa | Non-violence
Ahimsa can be applied to others but also to ourselves. When we teach both a straightforward application along with the abstract application we help our students apply non-violence to all aspects of their experience. Non-violence is the practice of compassion. To teach children to have compassion for themselves and for others is to teach them to go beyond conceptualization. Ultimately, the application of compassion to the parts of us that are hurt or uncertain allows for healing or removal of limiting beliefs.

Satya | Truthfulness
Satya is living authentically in our true nature. To teach truthfulness is more than teaching students to tell the truth. To teach truthfulness is to teach students to be truthful even to themselves. When they can be honest with themselves and direct their behavior towards things that are more aligned with their intentions and values they will be more focused and alert. Teaching students to check in with their energetic bodies will help them to authentically represent themselves at all times.

Asteya | Non-stealing
Asteya is simply not taking anything that is not freely given. This yama is quite difficult to practice even though we might think it is straightforward. Teaching asteya looks like teaching students to check in and make sure that they are meeting their own needs in each energetic body as well as teaching them to tune into their peers and teachers and teaching them to be aware of boundaries and needs. Non-stealing looks like being respectful of other people’s time, giving credit, and honoring other people’s energies.

Brahmacharya | Non-hoarding
Brahmacharya serves the yogi to help break the bonds of attachment to excess. It is, essentially, the practice of moderation. Teaching non-hoarding is simply teaching your students that they have enough. Teaching the art of letting go and being happy with the experience they are having. Sharing, selfless giving, and collaboration are great ways to teach non-hoarding.

Aparigraha | Non-coveting
Aparigraha teaches us that each individual experience is valid and in effort to our own awakening. When we work towards understanding non-coveting, we begin to see our own experience as valid and precious. Teaching students to be grounded and rooted in their experience will help to foster independence and intrinsic motivation.

NIYAMAS

The niyamas are the five observances. These are practices in and of themselves that we aspire to cultivate in our lives. These practices include: saucha (purity), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity), svadhyaya (self-study), and Isvara Pranidhana (devotion to a higher power). Once the aspirant can actively apply the niyamas to their daily practice, both in their community and with their personal relationship to embodiment, then the aspirant can begin to practice the niyamas as a spiritual practice.

Saucha | Purity of Being
The practice of saucha, or purity, is to embody purity of being. While it is important to keep the physical body clean and pure, this practice really is about applying mindfulness to one’s practice; that is, the practice of observation without judgment. When the aspirant can look at the world without assigning or compartmentalizing an experience based on good/bad, pleasureful/painful, right/wrong then the aspirant can practice purity of being. In this practice one cultivates a connection to Isvara, or Pure Awareness, where it is possible to be outside of the turning of the gunas. In this state of being one finds Turiya, the fourth state of consciousness, where Pure Awareness resides.

Santosha | Contentment
The practice of santosha, or contentment, comes from practicing purity of being. From a place of pure being, one can be truly content without wanting or desiring anything else. Pure Awareness, Isvara, divine light, allows the seer to bask in the fulness of the experience. Contentment comes from a realization of wholeness. To practice contentment, one must practice mindful awareness of the Self, the nature of the Self, and then apply compassionate self forgiveness of judgments made on the Self and others.

Tapas | Austerity
The practice of tapas, or austerity, is the drive to come back to the practice day after day, not just the asana but all of the eight limbs of yoga. If the purpose of the eight limbed path is to develop a relationship with the Self, then the purpose of the practice is to come back from distractions that take us away from the Self and engage in knowing the Self.
Asana provides us with a useful tool to develop mindful awareness where we can observe the movements on the mat without judgment. As a teacher, it is important to help students and practitioners cultivate a relationship with their practice where they do not limit their potential with judgments. For example, if you have a practitioner who is strong in asana, they run the risk of over-inflating their ego unless the teacher teaches discernment and mindful observation. Likewise, if you have a practitioner who is struggling with flexibility or movement, there is a risk they will leave the practice altogether unless the teacher teaches mindful compassion for the way the body moves.

Svadhyaya | Self-study
The practice of svadhyaya, or self-study, is the practice of integrating purity of being, contentment, and austerity into a deep inquiry-based investigation of the Self in relation to the Self. If I am investigating my cognitive relationship with my divinity I must incorporate purity of being where I am present to what arises without judgment into my practice. Then, I must be content with the relationship I have as I am progressing towards a deeper awareness of the Self. From there, my drive to deepen into the practice will support me as I deepen my relationship with the Self which will, ultimately, bring inner peace and tranquility as I move away from the mana, or mind, and move towards the seat of the heart.

Isvara Pranidhana | Devotion to a Higher Power
The practice of Isvara Pranidhana is a devotion to Isvara, or God. Devoting one’s life to God in all aspects of being leads to liberation and unending bliss but it is important to note it is a practice that must be revisited consistently.

ASANA

Asana is the physical practice of yoga which cleanses the body and models meditation when taught properly. To cleanse the body through asana, the aspirant must sequence and practice in a way that is anatomically safe and is not contradictory within the physical body. Asana offers students an opportunity to move in mediation.
The practice of yoga is to incorporate yoga into one’s life and is to transcend individuality and arrive in a state of realized divinity. The intent of asana is to provide the aspirant a safe physical space to explore the physical container. I, personally, instruct students to bring their awareness to the relationship between breath and body, the way inhalations move the body in the pose and the way exhalations can bring them back to the present moment.
Our current yoga culture in the west divorces asana from the other practices of yoga. For an aspirant to have a true practice, they must incorporate all aspects of yoga into their daily practice. There is no destination, no pose to achieve but, rather, qualities of being that transcend the asana practice itself.
Try to practice in the same place every day.- Arrive to your mat clean and ready to practice. The early morning is a wonderful time to practice because it sets the tone for the day. Practice before food, after using the restroom, and with plenty of water available. If you arrive at the mat with any energetic blockages, remove them before practice.
Breathe through the nose, not the mouth, and maintain deep rhythmic breathing of matched inhales and exhales. You may wish to close your eyes during practice to practice pratyahara, withdrawal of senses (advanced).
Internally, cue your muscles to engage during practice and cue your muscles to release in Yin Yoga variations.
Telling the nervous system that you are okay and supported is a valuable tool you can incorporate into your practice.
Make sure that your movements are aligned with your breath. Maintain Savasana pose in complete immobility. Relax the body and mind and allow for divine communication.
You may say internally to yourself, “I am ready to receive” and just allow Pure Awareness to flow. Chances are, you will experience something akin to poetry; pure, compassionate poetry of love and support. This is Pure Awareness and it is the translation of unconditional love.
If there is a tendency to judge or become distracted, simply note the tendency and come back to your practice. Everything will be there when you are finished practicing. Allow yourself to be in your practice when you come to the mat.

PRANAYAMA

The purpose of pranayama is to remove the mental disruptions and create a calm mind for meditation. There are several therapeutic applications for pranayama but, from a purely spiritual standpoint, pranayama is intended to balance the mind and body to prepare for meditation.
There are two types of interactions with the breath. The first is passive observation and the second is active regulation. In passive observation, you bring your awareness to the breath without making any active changes; you watch the breath and just notice the quality and the depth of the breath and how it feels in the body. Over time, the breath involuntarily changes and you may become calmer and find it easier to focus. Active regulation, the practice of pranayama, can produce specific effects in the kosha bodies.
Practicing pranayama means to physically control the breath, to mentally focus on an object (breath is recommended), to pacify the cerebellum with methodical manipulation and, in turn, to yield a calm, clear thought field. In pranayama we are seeking to clear the mental landscape of distractions. It is important to focus your attention on the cycles and to maintain a good posture. When teaching pranayama, determine the posture you want students to take. For many practitioners, a comfortable seat is a great starting point. As you progress through your practice you may desire a more erect, supported seat. Make sure the body can be in the posture for a long period of time. Begin to cue slow breathing in and out through the mode you’ve chosen (nose or mouth). Complete the practice and observe in silent meditation.
The breathing cycle has four parts: the exhalation (rechaka), the inhalation (puraka), the suspension of breath after the exhalation (bahya kumbhaka), and the retention of breath after the inhalation (antar kumbhaka). Long, smooth, and subtle exhales are the most effective way to soothe the mind, according to Patanjali. According to A. G. Mohan, in his book Yoga Therapy, inhalations should be limited to just as much as necessary where exhalations should be lengthened and the quality of the exhalation should be high (Mohan, 2004).
In pranayama practice, we are concerned with the focus of the mind, the time or duration of the breathing cycle, and the number of cycles. If we add a mantra to the pranayama we are practicing sa-mantraka, or mantra with seed. If we are practicing pranayama without mantra we are practicing a-mantraka, or mantra without seed. We choose the type of pranayama that is going to give us the desired result.

PRATYAHARA

Pratyahara is the fifth limb of the eight limbed path and it is the withdrawal of senses. Pratyahara is the bridge between the external limbs of yoga and the internal experiences of yoga. When a yogi is practicing pratyahara the senses do not reach the receptors and the yogi is focused for Samyama, the combined practice of dharana and dhyana.

Samyama | DHARANA & DHYANA

Patanjali says that the simplest way to reduce distractions is to put our awareness/focus on one particular thing. This often gets translated as fixing our focus on one particular object but this can also be our yoga practice.
As we concentrate (dharana) on our practice or sense of gratitude we can begin to cultivate states of concentration that eventually lead into states of meditation (dhyana). Often, meditation gets described as a practice but the reality is meditation is a state of being where thoughts come and go without being held or followed. In this way, meditation is non-doing that cannot be practiced.

SAMADHI

Samadhi is the next state of being that precipitates out of meditation and it is, in fact, the state of being where there is conscious, unconscious awareness of connection and union to source where there is a felt sense of connection of being and a divine unity within and without

Wow! What a busy year 2022 has been!

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:08:01 GMT

What a busy year 2022 has been so far!

2022 has been a whirlwind of a year! I've changed the face of collective vitality to online yoga, in person yoga and yoga retreats, due to the demand of online fitness classes declining. I wanted to focus more on yoga and hosting yoga retreats at my amazing venue in the sleepy village of Lee, North Devon. I'm so blessed to be able to use my cousin's home along with 3 gorgeous cabins, nestled in 4 acres of woodland, a reflection pond and meditation lodge. the cleave is positioned on planetary let lines making it simply a magical place on earth. Anyone lucky enough to come here, leaves feeling energised, relaxed and centred. Combine this with the practices of yoga, meditation, sound healing and self exploration, you really will leave feeling on top of the world. In fact, you won't want to leave!

I have also teamed up with my cousin Maya Frances, who is an amazing hypnotherapist, wellness coach and trauma and abuse specialist with a back ground in mental Health and rehabilitation social work. Together, we facilitated two life changing retreats. With the feedback gathered from our retreats in June and July 2022, we are extending this retreat to five days in 2023. WE will also be facilitating a follow up retreat for those who would like to take the work even deeper. Watch this space for dates which will be published soon.

I have two retreats left for 2022, September and October. I have loved every minute of not only meeting so many wonderful people, but being able to support them on their spiritual journey and guiding them in their inner work. I really am living the dream and realising my true potential

Yoga and Spiritual retreats 2021

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 10:47:49 GMT

Yoga and spiritual retreats June, July, September 2021

What a busy year so far!! I've been super lazy with updating my blogs with all that has been going on, so having just completed my third yoga retreat at my little piece of heaven in Lee North Devon, I thought i'd take this time to share with you all about it!

my first retreat took place in June. The weather was amazing. The cleave seems to have its own microclimate so I knew it would be good weather. this was my first retreat I had ever hosted but being used to delivering training for up to 70 people I was not nervous or daunted but very excited. I had 6 people in total.

the theme for my retreats is the heart chakra. so all of my yoga flows, essential oils, crystal meditations are based around this beautiful centre. The reason I chose this theme is the heart stands at the centre of all energies and unifies our being as a whole. it is the point around which all the energies turn. A discord or imbalance in the heart chakra will adversely affect all the other centres so it is important to maintain a balance in all the energy centres so a healthy level of awareness is manifested in our everyday lives. balancing the heart chakra is key!

July's retreat bought me 8 beautiful souls and was even hotter than June! scorching in fact. Thank goodness that we have an electrical awning to the yoga study to create shade as the floor would have been scorching. homemade vegan scones, banana bread and dumpsy Dearie jam went down a treat and I felt like a domestic goddess for a few moments! (Not really into baking or cooking but it all turned out well)

Zoe is our amazing caterer and her food is simply to die for! we all keep saying to her that she should put together a cook book of all her culinary skills. Think she'd sell loads at the retreats plus it would stop people asking her how she made every dish she served up.

karen and her amazing sounds provided us with healing vibrations during an amazing gong bath. Listening to her Jupiter gong along side Tibetan singing bowls is so therapeutic. having experienced a few different gong baths, I love the way karen plays. I have booked her for all of my heart chakra yoga and spiritual retreats for 2022.

I was joined by 7 goddesses for Septemer's retreat. this retreat also saw me hosting my first cacao ceremony. This was so profound, with everyone feeling a sense of bliss, peace and deep shifting of energies, along side opening the heart chakra. having been practicing with cacao myself for a month or so, it was wonderful being able to share the wisdom of mama cacao with others.

during our free time we walked down to sandy cove at lee bay. Naked wild swimming with the local seal just topped off all that we had done earlier on in the day. nothing more freeing than swimming naked in the sea as nature intended and being in the water with such pure and high vibrations felt like a washing away of all that no longer served us.

Bring on Octobers retreat next weekend! I've written the wild swimming into the itinerary so don't forget your bikinis!!

Panda Yoga

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 14:52:29 GMT

Panda yoga - our new yoga adventure for children

I've been busy learning and developing my skill set in collaboration with cosmic kids yoga to bring yoga to a whole new generation of yogi's. I'll be launching Panda yoga over the next few weeks in school's in and around the Gatwick area.

I've added a page to my website to outline all the positive benefits yoga can bring to children mental and physical well being.

Manifesting Pod cast with Not Just Crew

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 14:31:59 GMT

podcast on manifesting

After I did my interview with Trevor Jenkins for 'not just crew' he invited me to do a podcast about manifesting. As a lover of talking of course I agreed! here is the link . I hope you enjoy it and it inspires you to get manifesting your dreams! Any questions please feel free to comment

manifesting podcast

Interview with Kalusha

amanda@collectivevitality.com (amanda pitman) — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:46:11 GMT

interview with kalusha

The month when gyms across the land see the most ‘new membership sign ups’ and are inundated with nervous ‘newbies’ clad in Christmas-gifted Lycra. But how long will their enthusiasm last? Most gyms see a decline in attendance by as early as March, just in time for people to stay home and eat Easter Eggs instead! Joking aside, it is a challenge we all face. Most of us take our well-being and nutrition seriously and do our very best to eat healthily and exercise as much as our hectic lives will allow, but finding an exercise regime that fits easily in to our busy schedule can be difficult.

Amanda Pitman, owner and creator of ‘Collective Vitality’ recognised this challenge and came up with an innovative solution. We’re excited this month, to have the opportunity to chat with Amanda and discover how ‘Collective Vitality’ became the answer that so many people were looking for, in their quest to be fit and healthy.

Welcome Amanda!

Please tell us how the idea for Collective Vitality was born?

I’ve enjoyed yoga for many years and my colleagues encouraged me to lead an early morning yoga class at work. This started out as a bit of fun but became very popular. During the COVID-19 lockdown we were all missing our yoga sessions, so I decided to continue running them via ‘zoom’. These sessions not only helped us to stay fit but lifted our spirits too and became a real source of strength and support for us all. I also engaged in other fitness exercises in my own time so I asked my colleagues if they would like to join in with these too? They loved the idea, so I offered a wider range of free classes online, whilst gaining my ‘200-hour Yoga ‘and ‘Fitness Trainer’ qualifications. By the time I was made redundant in the summer of 2020 I could see that there was a real demand for online home fitness and the seeds for ‘Collective Vitality ‘were sown.

What is Collective vitality?

‘Collective Vitality’ is a way of bringing people together, across the globe, offering them a safe space online to improve or maintain their health and vitality in the comfort and convenience of their own home. It started out as live online yoga and fitness classes and then, for more flexibility, members also had access to recorded classes which meant that they could fit their favourite classes into their daily schedule at a time that suited them. For a nominal monthly membership fee, they initially had access to 40 live lessons per month but as interest increased, I was delighted to introduce new ideas.

The 7-day health and well-being challenge that I now offer on the 1 ^st of each month has been a huge success. I introduce a new challenge each month, which we work as a group to complete. Mindfulness, Going Sugar- free, Journaling and Meditation have been some of the most popular, closely followed by Core fitness, Fat-burn and a highly beneficial H2O challenge to increase hydration.

Collective Vitality has grown quite naturally as members have voiced a desire to further improve their health and well-being and I have been happy to oblige, especially as fitness has always been a personal passion of mine. Members can be as interactive as they choose, opting to have their ‘zoom’ camera on or off and some simply use the recorded sessions to keep fit at home and enjoy the convenience and flexibility this offers, especially if they have particularly busy lives. Most members enjoy the social support of our Collective Vitality network and choose to keep their cameras switched on and take part in fun events such as live cooking tutorials where we enjoy a glass of wine together and chat whilst learning how to cook great food!

How does the name Collective Vitality sum up the essence of what you wanted to achieve?

‘Collective’ is a term that perfectly describes my love of people and my quest to bring people together. Being in a collective and feeling part of a supportive group is very important to me. My aim is to unite like-minded people that want to be the best version of themselves, whether that’s through fitness, yoga or weight loss.

‘Vitality’ for me, means ‘energy’ and ‘strength’, which is exactly what I am trying to promote through an active life style. Everything around us is energy, including ourselves. We are physical, emotional, mental and spiritual beings, that have energy on all these levels. It is important to not only recognise them but also to be able to tap into each one productively. This can be achieved through the mediums of fitness, yoga or mindfulness. Strengthening our vitality on all these levels will help us lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.

It’s so important to have the support of others and be the support for others, especially during COVID-19 times, where many of us have been locked down and isolated. This is exactly what Collective Vitality strives to do and our members have shown huge support for each other. Being in a collective is very empowering.

How does Collective Vitality work?

You can access a free 7-day trial through the website www.collectivevitality.com . and you will be sent a link to the ‘Collective Vitality’ app with access to all the live and recorded yoga and fitness classes that we offer, including; Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Yin Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Beginners Yoga. Kickboxing Cardio, Upper Body Resistance & Strength Training, Bums, Legs & Tums, Glutes and Core, Full Body Workouts, Ball Stability Workouts, Meditation and much more. When you realise the benefits of this flexible and affordable solution to keeping fit and healthy you can become a member for as little as 20 per month.

Membership also gives you access to monthly full moon and new moon circles, mindfulness, stress management, live plant-based cooking tutorials, motivating live guest speakers, nutritional advice, healthy meal ideas, weight loss support and inspirational meal plans.

What are your future plans for Collective Vitality?

Running Collective Vitality, I have found myself hosting several classes per day and have seen my own fitness levels soar and I now have so much more energy. I want to focus some of this energy in to expanding Collective vitality to become a centre of health and wellbeing. I will be introducing a nutritionist and wellbeing coach, Paula Fenegan, to our collective and with her expertise we will be able to offer our members unique health and wellbeing packages to suit their individual needs and budgets.

My vision for 2021 is to provide as many people as possible with affordable, convenient access to health, fitness and wellbeing tools and in doing so, also create a support network for a group of like-minded people in challenging times.

How do you feel about New Year resolutions? And will you be making any?

The New Year is a great time to drop old habits that no longer serve you and introduce new ones into your life that do. It’s a good time for people to reflect on their lives but they shouldn’t feel pressured in to making too many changes and having expectations that are too high or they will just be setting themselves up to fail. It takes at least 21 days of practise to establish a habit, so my advice to everyone is to make slow changes for the better, one at a time We’ll welcome our new members whose New Year’s resolution is to take the first step towards a fitter, healthier life but people are welcome to join us any time of the year, whenever they feel ready to make changes. I’m not the type of person who waits for New Year to take on a new challenge, although January will find me focused on driving Collective Vitality forward with lots of exciting new ideas….and doing my best to cut down on chocolate too!

Amanda’s passion for health and fitness is inspiring. She has run marathons, qualified in both yoga and kick-boxing and converted to a fully vegan diet. But her gentle nature and enthusiastic, supportive guidance leave you motivated rather than intimidated. It is obvious from the outset that she has a genuine desire to help people be the best they can be and ‘Collective Vitality’ is the key. Every member is treated as an individual with their own specific needs and Amanda is on hand to customise plans to help them achieve their health and fitness goals.

So many of us may have slipped in to bad eating habits and piled on lockdown pounds, had our confidence crushed from long periods of COVID-19 isolation and had our self-esteem shattered through job loss and redundancy. 2020 certainly took its toll but 2021 is our time to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down. Choose an activity that appeals to you and set your own pace. Be realistic with your goals and make time for yourself. Whether it’s an hour in a gym, a class with ‘Collective Vitality’ for those who feel intimidated by the gym scene or something as simple as a brisk, early morning walk before your hectic day begins; make a plan and stick with it.

Setting ourself a ‘resolution’ is a good way of reflecting on what’s important to us and it helps us clear a space in our mind to focus on what we want to become and what we wish to achieve. Resolutions help guide us along the right path, giving us something to look forward to and keep us committed and on track. Making that resolution shows that we have a belief in ourselves that we can break bad habits and become a better version of ourselves. Good luck with your resolutions we wish you a happy and healthy 2021.

Nutri Ninja Promotion

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 10:19:53 GMT

One more month to go!

Hi Guys, Just a reminder that you've got one more month to either sign up, or for our existing members, recommend a new member, for your chance to win a fantastic Nutri Ninja Blender.

So get our there and help me expand the Collective Vitality family!

My story

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 16:38:27 GMT

I sat down with two of our members, here's what they had to say.....

Justine what made you decide to join Collective Vitality?

during furlough I started to put weight on because I was out of my regular routine . I really wanted to get back into some kind of normality and start a process which I really enjoyed to help me lose weight

How were you feeling before you started with Collective Vitality?

I was not in a particularly great place . my weight had crept up to the highest it’s ever been and my confidence and self-esteem was at an all-time low.

What were your goals at the beginning of joining Collective Vitality?

I really wanted to reduce my weight and be able to fit into some or most of the clothes that I had in my wardrobe . I. wanted to improve my overall fitness so that I could take the dog out for a walk without getting out of breath.

How do you feel you are progressing towards those goals?

within a very short space of time I have noticed, with the support and guidance from Amanda, that my eating habits have changed. I have more awareness about the nutrition that I’m feeding my body and I’m not too hard on myself when I do the exercise, with Amandas guidance I can take it at my own pace and slowly but surely I am noticing the pounds are coming off. my body is getting more toned and my confidence is beginning to come back I have more energy and I start to feel like my old self again.

Which classes do you do and how do you feel that these classes are tailored to your fitness level?

I do gentle yoga, Bums legs and tum's, kickboxing cardio and upper-body.

Amanda really Tailors each specific section to whatever intensity level is best for you.

how does Collective Vitality compare to going to the gym or the personal training sessions that you used to have?

Well apart from the obvious cost saving the thing that I really enjoy about Collective Vitality is the type of environment that is created with other like-minded people .

I enjoy the support , guidance and encouragement that I g e t from Amanda and other members within the Collective Vitality group.

What other things do you love about being a member of Collective Vitality?

there’s a lot of information on General well-being I’ve really enjoyed learning more about crystals, essential oils and listening to the various guest speakers t hat have been invited to talk about their holistic therapies.

as part of my weight loss goal I have really enjoyed looking at the healthy meal ideas which member share with each other.

What’s your biggest achievement so far since joining Collective Vitality?

To be honest it’s really hard to pick just one because in the short amount of time that I’ve been a member I have lost over a stone in weight and seen a big increase in my energy levels and confidence .

Lindy what made you decide to join Collective Vitality?

I wanted to get fitter, stronger and healthier after having kidney failure earlier in the year. I heard about Collective vitality from a friend I thought I would give the yoga a go.

So how were you feeling before you started with Collective Vitality?

my health needed some attention, having been quite poorly I felt intimidated going to gym as I had gained weight and lost a lot if confidence.

Do you just do Yoga?

no! its so addictive I started with yoga but I now do all the classes, kickboxing being my favourite.

How do you feel doing your exercising online compared to being in a gym?

It completely works to my schedule. if I can’t make a live session I’ll do the catch up recording and it just means that I don’t have to be somewhere at a certain time, it’s really easy just to work out.

How often do you work out per week and what do you like most about the classes that are on offer?

I workout every nearly day, something I never thought I’d ever do. I enjoy kickboxing so much! I was never the sort of person who came naturally to fitness. I also love doing the strength training. Amanda has made it really enjoyable and I am feeling strong and toned in my body.

You mentioned earlier that this had changed your life what sort of changes are the biggest ones for you ?

The first thing is confidence. I definitely lacked a lot of confidence but now I feel really confident in myself and in my body. I’ve lost just over a stone and 3 lb since joining.

Would you recommend Collective Vitality to your friends and if so why?

Yes definitely! and I already have introduced my friends to collective vitality. I feel like this has helped me complete ly change my life. there is something for all abilities and anyone can easily join in.

Collective Vitality offers a lot of other things other than just fitness such as the seven day weekly challenge, the monthly holistic guest speakers as well as the monthly healthy cooking. have you had the opportunity to take part in any of these yet?

Yes. so far I’ve taken part in the fat burn week and the mindfulness week. during the fat burn week I lost 4 1/2 pounds and the mindfulness week was really beneficial I'm getting through the stress of being made redundant.

I have tuned into 2 guest speaker sessions and benefited from a discounted price for Collective Vitality members. This has been a great introduction to holistic therapy which has been really helpful in reducing my stress and getting me into a place of zen.

I haven’t tuned into a life cooking session yet however I am planning on hosting the next one with Amanda!!

What advice would you give to anyone who is thinking of starting their free trial week?

I would say definitely give it a go! even just to see if it’s for you, but obviously it will be! The program is easily accessible and can fit around your schedule whether you’re working or not.

I really enjoy the social side of things even though I’m working from home or furloughed I still get to see and interact with other people who join the classes. people I haven't even met in person yet have become my friends.

This Months Guest Speaker Dawn Goodes talks about Craniosacral Therapy

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 10:20:52 GMT

Craniosacral Therapy - Dawn Goodes

This Months Guest Speaker was Dawn Goodes and she joined us to talk about Craniosacral Therapy.

Dawn has been practicing in Craniosacral therapy since she qualified in 2013.
Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle but potent way of working with the body using a light touch. It supports your body’s innate ability to balance, restore and heal itself as well as helping to reduce stress and build underlying energy.

It is suitable for everyone, from newly-born babies to the elderly. Because CST supports the body’s own healing systems it has the potential to help with all types of health issues and is especially useful as a tool to heal trauma.
Dawn is also an assistant tutor at The Craniosacral Therapy Education Trust and tutor at the schools teaching clinic.

Thank-you for joining us dawn. If anyone wants to find out more information check out her website at:

www.dawngoodestherapies.com
goodesdawn@gmail

Baby Galore!

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 12:17:44 GMT

My Youngest Client!

I was recently asked to provide some Photos for my friend Karen. Karen has an online Blog and is working on a baby yoga feature. I borrowed 'missy mae' aged 9 months and took these wonderful photos. As you can see we both had a great time!

I'm not offering Baby Yoga on my Schedule yet but I never say never to anything.

The Benefits of Baby Yoga

Babies are natural yogis! They develop through yoga poses, which can aid in their gross and fine motor skills.

Yoga helps to improve sleeping patterns both in duration and frequency, as well as encourages sleeping through the night.
Yoga poses and stretches for infants aid in digestion, constipation, and relieve gas and colic.
Yoga promotes bonding between parents and babies.
Playful yoga songs and activities (and seeing other babies) help make the whole experience fun! Including tummy time!
Soothing techniques teach parents to help babies to calm themselves. Increases body awareness, both for baby and parent.
Yoga is a great way for Moms to strengthen their bodies, calm their minds, feel relaxed, and get back in shape.
Yoga reduces stress for both parents and babies.
Baby Yoga creates balance between strength and flexibility in developing bodies, so they grow strong and maintain the flexibility they are born with.
Healthy habits learned early in life become healthy habits later in life. Babies love yoga!

October seven day challenge is "Mindfulness"

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 16:25:53 GMT

Our Seven day challenge for October starts Thursday.

This month we will be looking at Mindfulness.

If you would like to join in you can start your free weeks trial. Not only will this give you access to the seven day challenge, but also on October 6th is our increasingly popular live cooking tutorial. (Chance to grab a glass of wine and have a giggle!)

You’ll also have access to 14 live classes and to all the recordings, as well as everything else on offer for the week!

This challenge w ill help you to explore ways to improve your mindfulness, mindset and w ill help you to relax and deal with your emotions.

Mindfulness is the ability to be completely present in the moment, being aware of where we are and what we’re doing. Being mindful can bring numerous benefits from decreased stress and sadness to increased focus, gratitude and positivity.

You will be given simple tasks over the next seven days, and I will be there to support you along the way.

Day one we will look at journaling, and the positive effects of journaling. You do not need to purchase a new journal, but if this is something you would like to do then please do.

Chair Yoga

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 17:38:04 GMT

T he Humble chair

Here's a thought. "Yoga, in a chair".

this might sound a bit crazy but there are lots of reasons why yoga in a chair might suit you. Maybe you have a disability or your flexibility might be compromised? Maybe your stuck at a desk all day or don't have room to complete a full yoga session.

either way its something quite a few of you have mentioned and i'll be adding it to my program very soon.

I'll start off with some pre-recorded videos and ill add some every week.

I'm also introducing a new price structure of just £10 a month to access just the chair yoga sessions.

Please spread the news to anyone you think might be interested.

Amanda

This Months Guest Speaker

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 09:53:56 GMT

This month ' s guest speaker is Angela Lawson

Tuesday September 29th 7pm

I’m delighted to announce that this month's Guest Speaker will be Angela Lawson. Angela will be discussing some amazing products from arbonne.

Arbonne believe in an holistic approach to beauty, health and wellbeing, focusing on the whole person to help them flourish inside and out. Their product philosophy embraces the co nnection between a healthier mind, stronger body, and more beautiful skin.

100% Vegan, Cruelty-Free.

They innovate using plant based ingredients grounded in science and clinical research with high standards for safety and sustainability.

They also collaborate with holistic experts and their passionate community for new products and education. naturally derived, ethically sourced and vegan for those who like to stick to being as natural as possible. Here’s Angela’s link in case you’d like to have a browse before hand http://AngelaLawson.arbonne.com

I will sending out a reminder the day before via the App. ��

Yoga/Spiritual retreats

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:42:21 GMT

We are pleased to announce our 2021 Retreat dates

Well this summer may be nearly over but next summer is just around the corner!

I've managed to finalise our dates and itinerary for our 2021 Yoga and Spiritual retreats which will taking place at a wonderfully quiet and serene place called 'The Cleave" in the Hamlet of Lee, near Ifracombe, in North Devon.

I'm so excited by this new addition to the Collective Vitality program that I've created a whole new webpage with all the details. As so many of our members have expressed an interest I've managed to schedule three retreats, and I'm pleased to offer an exclusive discount for all our members.

I will be limiting numbers at each retreat to enable us to enjoy an intimate and peaceful weekend together.

So check out the basics below or click the link above to see more.

Upcoming Seven day challenge

Fri, 28 Aug 2020 08:38:04 GMT

This month I'm going to be looking at sugar in our diet.

Our next 7 day challenge starts on the 01 September . I'm super excited about motivating you all in promoting a healthy lifestyle. Its all too easy to grab that slice of cake or chocolate bar whilst slumped in front of the TV. In my mind we shouldn't be denying ourselves stuff all the time. Thats why my 7 seven challenge's, once a month, work so well. It means we don't have to forgo the things we love and crave all the time. I'm sure on the 8th of September that slice of cake we will so well deserved!

This month I'm going to be looking at sugar in our diet.

What is the aim of this next 7 day sugar free challenge?

1. Break the food addiction of sugar and processed food.

2. Regulate blood sugar through the day to stop craving high fat, high carb foods

3. Enjoy cooking from scratch with whole, natural and seasonal foods and ingredients.

4. Stop grazing throughout the day, stick to 3 meals per day

5. Understand the importance of vegetables in the war against body fat.

6. How are we going to do it?

The whole approach to the challenge will be cooking from scratch and eating “real” food but please don’t panic, the meals are quick and simple to prepare. If you prepare your own food you know exactly what is in it. You can make up whatever meals you would like but only using ingredients from the shopping list.

The 7 Day Sugar Free Shopping List

The beauty of this plan is you design your own meals as long as you eat the food contained on the shopping list and nothing else. This is a clean eating plan, getting rid of all processed foods that clog up the body.

Protein

All meat, fish & eggs

Carbohydrates

ALL pulses & beans

ALL nuts & seeds (plain/natural)

Brown rice Sweet potato

Vegetables

ALL vegetables although try to avoid root vegetables if you can.

Fruits

This is different to usual diets as we are trying to avoid all sugars, so you MUST keep away from high sugar fruits. This is my top ten low sugar fruits:

Fruit contains a lot more vitamins, minerals, and fibre compared to sugary processed snacks. High fibre foods slow down digestion, which means your blood sugar won’t spike as quickly after eating fruit. As with most things in life, moderation is key.

Vegetarian Additions

Any meat substitutes – tofu, quorn, etc Feta & Goats Cheese

Drinks

Water - this is essential to success. You MUST drink a MINIMUM of 3 litres a day! Preferably the majority of your water is from plain water,

Fruit teas and green tea.

Natural coconut water is absolutely fine (found next to the fresh fruit juices in the chilled aisles)

If you wish to include caffeinated drinks such as normal tea and coffee please continue to do so, a splash of milk is also allowed but only in your tea/coffee, if possible limit this to 2-3 cups per day.

NO Fizzy drinks allowed!!

Oils & Flavourings

You can use coconut oil or rapeseed oil to cook with.

You can use olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress your food. You can use ANY spices to cook with your food

Your starting point:

You may be surprised at how much difference you can make to your health/body in just 7 days. So I am going to encourage you to make a note of your weight, measurements and also to take photos (side, front & back) the day before you start the programme and then again on DAY 7.

Measurements:

The main area you will hopefully notice a change to in the next 7 days is your stomach, but please take your measurements in these 5 areas : Chest (fullest part); Waist; Hips (widest part); Both Thighs and Arms. Then add all of the measurements together for your

Total Inches (TI)

Please take your photos and measurements the day before you begin.

How can I expect to feel during these 7 days?

They can be ALL or just SOME of the following:

1. Strong cravings for sugar or carbohydrates.

2.Mood swings /Anxiety/Irritability: This is because sugar can have an influence on dopamine levels in the brain.

3.Dizziness: This is rare, but is sometimes reported by more sensitive people.

4.Cold/Flu – like symptoms.

5.Headaches.

These symptoms may last for the whole of the 7 days or it may only be a couple of days.

Everyone has different levels of withdrawal and different symptoms.

Some people will feel considerably better and may be virtually withdrawal- symptom free within a few days, whilst others will take longer. In general it is thought that the reason people experience withdrawal symptoms in the first place is largely based on individual sensitivity as well as dopamine. When you stop consuming sugar, your dopamine levels may temporarily drop.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Good Luck and as always encourage your friends, family and work colleagues to support you and maybe even join in!

Our first ever live cooking session

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:53:35 GMT

Last night we had out first ever Live cooking session. Thank-you to all that joined us live and those that plan on watching via our recording on the app. Please add a comment below on how you thought it went, maybe suggest any recipes or ideas you want to see in the future? Also as we are trying to promote collectivevitality.com as 'a collective' anyone wishing to have a go is more than welcome! So invite us into your kitchen and lets all stay healthy and fit together!

A big thanks to our first guest speaker, Karen Bromley from mayawellbeing.

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 20:53:36 GMT

Karen Bromley took time out to talk with us about the benefits of Hypnotherapy and wellness. Members can see the recorded session on our app through the Guest speaker channel. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Check out Karens website at www.mayawellbeing.co.uk

My first ever podcast with my friends from Notjustcrew.

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 20:53:36 GMT

Tonight I took part in a podcast for my ex-Virgin Atlantic friends at 'notjustcrew'. check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/Notjustcrew

85d7117574444b7ea611bdcc0d8ff3fe

Yoga and Mental Health

Yoga and Mental Health

The 5 Mental fluctuations of the mind

The 5 mental fluctuations of the mind

The eight limbed path

the eight-limbed path

Wow! What a busy year 2022 has been!

What a busy year 2022 has been so far!

Yoga and Spiritual retreats 2021

Yoga and spiritual retreats June, July, September 2021

Panda Yoga

Panda yoga - our new yoga adventure for children

Manifesting Pod cast with Not Just Crew

﻿ podcast on manifesting

Interview with Kalusha

interview with kalusha

Nutri Ninja Promotion

﻿ One more month to go!

My story

I sat down with two of our ﻿ members, here's what they had to say.....

This Months Guest Speaker Dawn Goodes talks about Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy - Dawn Goodes

Baby Galore!

My Youngest Client!

October seven day challenge is "Mindfulness"

Our Seven day challenge for October starts Thursday.

Chair Yoga

T he Humble chair

This Months Guest Speaker

This month ' s guest speaker is Angela Lawson

Yoga/Spiritual retreats

﻿ We are pleased to announce our 2021 Retreat dates

Upcoming Seven day challenge

﻿ ﻿ This month I'm going to be looking at sugar in our diet.

Our first ever live cooking session

A big thanks to our first guest speaker, Karen Bromley from mayawellbeing.

My first ever podcast with my friends from Notjustcrew.

podcast on manifesting

One more month to go!

I sat down with two of our members, here's what they had to say.....

We are pleased to announce our 2021 Retreat dates

This month I'm going to be looking at sugar in our diet.