Are you feeling stressed out and overwhelmed? Are you struggling with anxiety and finding it difficult to relax? If so, you’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s common to experience stress and anxiety on a regular basis. The good news is that yoga can help!

At Midleton, Ballincollig Yoga Studios, and in Alaya Yoga Online we offer Gentle Glow and Restore and Revive yoga classes that are specifically designed to benefit the nervous system and alleviate anxiety and cortisol levels in the body. These classes are ideal for anyone who is looking to reduce stress, calm their mind, and improve their overall well-being.

Gentle Glow is a gentle, slow-paced class that is perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to take it easy. This class focuses on gentle stretches and movements that help to release tension in the body, improve flexibility, and promote relaxation. It’s a great way to unwind after a long day of work and soothe the nervous system.

Restore and Revive is a restorative class that is designed to help students develop strength and flexibility while reducing stress and anxiety. This class combines gentle movements with longer holds and meditation, providing a full-body workout that also benefits the mind. By incorporating deep breaths and meditation, students learn to let go of their thoughts and emotions, which has a positive impact on their overall mental and emotional health.

So, how do these classes benefit the nervous system, alleviate anxiety, and lower cortisol levels in the body? When we experience stress, our body releases cortisol, a hormone that prepares us for the “fight or flight” response. This response can be useful in certain situations, but when we experience chronic stress, our cortisol levels remain high, which can lead to a range of health problems, including anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

Yoga, and in particular Gentle Glow and Restore and Revive classes, can help to reduce cortisol levels in the body. When we practice yoga, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest” response. This response helps to counteract the effects of cortisol, reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

In addition to reducing cortisol levels, yoga can also help to increase GABA levels in the brain. GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate anxiety and promote feelings of calm and relaxation. By increasing your GABA levels, yoga can help to alleviate anxiety and promote a sense of well-being.

So, if you’re looking to reduce stress, calm your mind, and improve your overall well-being, consider trying Gentle Glow or Restore and Revive yoga classes at our local and online Yoga studios. Our experienced instructors will guide you through a practice that is tailored to your needs, helping you to release tension, find inner peace, and restore balance to your body and mind. Come and join us on the mat – your nervous system will thank you!

Alaya Yoga Online Restore and Revive Mondays 8 pm and Tuesdays 7:15 pm

Alaya Yoga Online Gentle Glow Sundays 11:15 am

Ballincollig Yoga Studio Restore and Revive Mondays 8 pm

Ballincollig Yoga Studio Gentle Glow Sundays 11:30 am and Mondays 10 am

Midleton Yoga Studio Restore and Revive Fridays 7:45 pm Midleton Yoga Studio Gentle Glow Tuesdays 7:45 pm, Wednesdays 9:30 am, Fridays 11 am, and Sundays 11:15 am

The countdown is on! One month until our 8-day Asana immersion on the stunning island of Paros, Greece starts with Lalit.

Would you like to develop your practise under the guidance of a highly experienced teacher with over 25 years of expertise?

Join us this June for an 8-day Residential Asana Immersion curated by our school founder Lalit to introduce you to level 2 postures, to explore refinement of alignment to help you progress into new realms and to assist you as a teacher with your own students too.

Sample daily schedule:

06:00– 07:15am Morning Asana with Lalit
08:30 – 09:20am Morning Meditation Chanting and Pranayama
11:00 – 13:00pm Teaching Clinic – sequencing, class design, asana breakdown (on alternate days)
16:15 – 17:45pm Asana Workshop/Backbends/Hip Opening/Arm Balance/Core Strength

Training dates are from June 3rd-10th, 2023, and the residential fee is €1199, which includes all yoga classes and workshops, 8 days/7 nights in shared villa accommodation, and daily breakfast.

Explore the stunning nature and architecture of Paros while diving deep into your practice. You will also receive a 40-hour certificate for this training, which can be used towards CPD hours.

Contact our admissions team or sign up for this training now by clicking here.

Hip Opening Workshops with Lalit

Ready to awaken your potential in the area of hip opening and strengthening? Our School Founder Lalit, who has over 20 years of experience, will take students through a series that includes standing and seated hip-opening postures that release energy and tension in this area. The hips hold tension and become tight from daily repetitive activities such as sitting at office desks and driving- tight hips can lead to lower back pain and imbalances throughout the rest of the body.

By exploring hip opening postures and deepening our existing hip opening poses we can release this area and improve our overall asana practice.
This workshop will include plenty of drills, workarounds, and practices you can access in your own time to help you deepen and expand your practise in this area of asana crucial for mobility in other areas.

Hip Opening Workshop:

This workshop is open to all levels who are looking to challenge themselves and reach new limits. Plenty of options and props will be offered to those who are emerging into this area of practise, and plenty of adjustments and deepening techniques will be offered to those who have an established practise.
Date: Saturday 15th of July 2023
Time: 2 pm

Workshop Price: €25 or €15 for Himalaya Yoga Valley Members on Unlimited Passes

Please note that Lalit’s workshops fill quickly and spaces are limited so book early to avoid disappointment! Payment essential to reserve a space for these workshops.  *Workshop fees are transferable and non-refundable.

Book online, email: info@yogacorkireland.com

Namaste,

This May, our Ballincollig and Midleton yoga studios have exciting themes that we’re thrilled to share with you. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, we have something for everyone.

At our Ballincollig studio, we have five amazing classes lined up for you. On Mondays, we have Open the Heart and Spine Intermediate, where you can strengthen and tone your core, improve flexibility and balance, and reduce stress levels.

Tuesdays are for Healthy & Happy Spine Mixed Level Flow, a class that focuses on spinal mobility and alignment, helping you maintain a healthy back. Our Wednesday class Shoulders, Neck, and Back Release Mixed Level is perfect for easing off tension from the shoulders, neck, and back, offering deep relaxation and better posture.

Thursdays are for Quads & Hamstrings Mixed Level, focusing on leg muscles to help with balance, control, and stability. Finally, on Fridays, we have Lower Back Focus, a class created to relieve lower back pain, improve posture, and restore energy to your body.

Our Midleton studio has three excellent classes that will help you release tension in your back, hamstrings, and shoulders, plus give you immense pleasure. On Mondays, we have Lower Back Focus, designed to eliminate lower back pain and increase strength, and flexibility in your lumbar region. Wednesdays are for Quads & Hamstrings Mixed Level, focusing on stretching leg muscles and getting rid of stiffness in the knees, calves, and hamstrings. And last but not least, Fridays, we have Shoulders, Neck, and Back Release Mixed Level, a class that aims to relieve discomfort in the upper body while improving posture and reducing stress levels.

And isn’t that what our yoga practice is all about? Better health on and off the mat!

Here is the full list of themed classes for our studios this week:

Themes for Midleton Studio 

• Monday 18:30 pm – Lower Back Focus
• Wednesday 19:00 pm – Quads and Hamstrings Mixed Level
• Friday 18:30 pm – Shoulders, Neck, and Back Release Mixed Level

Themes for Ballincollig Studio 

• Monday 7:15 am – Open the Heart and Spine Intermediate
• Tuesday 10:00 am – Healthy & Happy Spine Mixed Level Flow
• Wednesday 18:30 pm – Shoulders, Neck, and Back Release Mixed Level
• Thursday 7:15 am – Quads & Hamstrings Mixed Level
• Friday 7:15 am – Lower Back Focus

See you on the mat to explore these themes yogis! 

Do you have any themes you would like to see in our studio? Let us know on the chat!

We are back with brand new themes as a new month begins!

Each month we run brand new themes across our classes to keep them fresh and engaging for our clients!

This April we have some really exciting new themes for online and in-person classes.

Ālaya Yoga Online Themes

• Monday 07:15 am – Core Focus Intermediate
• Tuesday 11:00 am – Twist & Flow Detox Mixed Level
• Wednesday 6:30 pm – Spring Renewal Mixed Level
• Thursday  07:15 am  – Advance Flow Backbend Focus
• Friday  07:15 am  –  Find your Flow

Ballincollig Yoga Studio Themes 

• Monday 07:15 am – Core Strengthening Intermediate
• Tuesday 10:00 am – Twist & Flow Detox Mixed Level
• Wednesday  6.30 pm – Spring Renewal Mixed Level
• Thursday: 7:15 pm –  Backbend Focus Advanced
• Friday 7.15 am –  Find your Flow Intermediate

Midleton Yoga Studio Themes 

• Monday 6:30 pm – Twist & Flow Detox Mixed Level Flow
• Wednesday 7:00 pm – Spring Renewal Mixed Level Flow
• Friday  6.30 pm – Healthy & Happy Spine Mixed Level

You can book your classes for our online classes or studio here: Book Class

Dear Client,

Over the weekend we experienced an electrical fault on our main panel which leaves us unable to operate our heating. We are sorry to inform you that all the classes are cancelled in Midleton on 6th March and 7th.  We are resolving the issue with an electrician and hope it will be rectified as soon as possible. We apologise sincerely for this disruption to your class. We want to make sure the studio is sufficiently heated especially given the cold snap that is expected today and tomorrow.

We will refund your class and add extra class credit to your account as a token of apology. If you have an unlimited membership we will add an extra 2 days credit to your account.
Once again our apologies for the inconvenience caused to you.

Thank you for your understanding,
Himalaya Yoga Valley Team

We are back with brand new themes as a new month begins!

Each month we run brand new themes across our classes to keep them fresh and engaging for our clients!

This March we have some really exciting new themes for online and in-person classes.

Ālaya Yoga Online Themes

• Monday 07:15 am – Open the Heart and Spine Intermediate
• Tuesday 11:00 am – Quads & Hamstring Mixed Level
• Wednesday 6:30 pm – Shoulder, Neck and Back Release Mixed Level
• Thursday  07:15 am  – Core Focus & Srm Balance Advance
• Friday  07:15 am  – Yoga for Strength Intermediate

Ballincollig Yoga Studio Themes 

• Tuesday 5.30 pm – Quads & Hamstring Mixed Level
• Wednesday  5.30 pm – Heart Opening Mind and Body Refresh Mixed Level
• Thursday: 7:00 pm – Core Focus Strong & Slow Intermediate
• Friday 9.30 am – Chakra Focus (First two Fridays), Healthy & Happy Spine Mixed Level Flow(Next three Fridays)

Midleton Yoga Studio Themes 

• Monday 6:30 pm – Happy Healthy Hips and Psoas Mixed Level Flow
• Wednesday 7:00 pm – Core Focus Strong & Slow
• Friday  6.30 pm – Shoulders, Neck and Back Release Mixed Level

You can book your classes for our online classes or studio here: Book Class

We are excited to introduce Adam, our new teacher for one of the most popular classes Yoga for Runners & Athletes!

Meet our teacher Adam – Adam hails from the UK and has lived in India for more than 16 years. He has been teaching Anatomy with Himalaya Yoga Valley since 2010 and is a valued teacher and team member.

Apart from his expertise in Anatomy, Adam is also a massage teacher and body mechanic. He trained extensively in the UK and is certified through ITEC (International Therapeutic Examination Committee); he has trained with Ayurvedic doctors in India and monks in Thailand.

Adam’s passion is structural re-alignment and balancing the nervous system, and his expertise will further help practitioners apply his wisdom in their sport, runs etc.

What to look for in Yoga for Runners & Athletes class?

These classes will build from the ground up. Each week’s class will focus on parts of the body, beginning with the feet and working up class by class to the crown of the head. Those who attend will learn their body joint by joint and muscle by muscle; they will understand its strengths and areas where they need to work. In this way, they will build up a repository of knowledge that will support and enhance their training and performance in their chosen sport. Adopting regular practice will also improve their overall quality of sleep and ability to relax and recover. The classes are open to all, no matter what age or level of physical fitness, as having an agile, balanced and coordinated body is a goal we should all strive to achieve and maintain.

Dive Deep into your body awareness with Adam every Sunday at 08:45 AM for this popular class among our practitioners on our Online Platform Ālaya.

Know More

We are back with brand new themes as a new month begins!

Each month we run brand new themes across our classes to keep them fresh and engaging for our clients!

This February we have some really exciting new themes for online and in-person classes.

Ālaya Yoga Online Themes

• Monday 07:15 am – Intermediate with Lalit – Shoulder Openers
• Tuesday 11:00 am – Mixed Level – Yoga for Strength
• Wednesday 6:30 pm – Mixed Level with Karen – boost your immune system
• Thursday  07:15 am  – Advanced Flow with Lalit – Arm Balances Inversion
• Friday  07:15 am  – Intermediate – Quads and Hamstrings

Ballincollig Yoga Studio Themes 

• Tuesday 5.30 pm – Mixed Level with Lisa – Explore a Pose
• Wednesday  5.30 pm – Mixed Level with Bernadette – Nature your Nervous System with Inversion
• Thursday: 6.45 pm – Strong and Slow Intermediate – Twists and Flow
• Friday 9.30 am – Mixed Level Flow with Shauna – Chakra Focus

Midleton Yoga Studio Themes 

• Monday 5.45 pm – Lower Back Focus
• Wednesday 7:00 pm – Supple Spine and Shoulders
• Friday  6.30 pm – Chakra Focus

You can book your classes for our online classes or studio here: Book Class

Warrior Pose is one of the most iconic asanas in the Yoga practice, which find its place in all the sequences.

Standing poses like this one are also said to help practitioners discover courage, perseverance, and self-empowerment to boot—reserves any warrior would need. And hence it physically requires you to engage your whole body and calls for overall strength.

We hope that detailed alignment tips will help you understand this asana better; however, while trying this, listen to your body to prevent yourself from unwanted injuries. Enjoy where you are in the asana, and go deeper with your practice.

Cues to get into the asana:

1. Start in downward dog.

2. Step your right leg forward between your palms. Keep your front knee bent at 90.

3. Rotate your back heel to turn your toes towards the longer edge of the Mat.

4. Keep your heels in one line, sweep your arms, raise them to the ceiling and join your palms.

5. Gaze at your thumbs.

6. Repeat on the other side.

Alignment Cues:

1. Front knee and ankle in the same line.

2. Front thigh parallel to the floor

3. Torso turned to the shorter edge of the Mat. Keep your pelvis parallel to the short edge of the Mat. Hips square.

3. Spine long and chest lifted and open.

4. Back leg quad muscles are active, and the knee cap is pulled up.

5. Pull your navel to your spine to engage your core, and stretch the abdomen up.

6. Back foot pressing the floor away.

Benefits

• Works on your Hip Flexors.
• Improves your Body posture.
• Strengthens your leg muscles. Increases your stability and balance.
• Improves self-esteem.
•  Builds your core strength.

Do you have any asana you would like to explore a bit more? Leave a comment down below, and we will love to share it with you

New to Yoga?
Join Jim for the 6-week course teaching you the fundamentals of yoga in Ballincollig Studio.

This course is the perfect way to start your yoga practice with the basics. You will be walked through the main poses, the flow, the breathing techniques and the alignments, offering you the structured start you may need as you begin your journey

Benefits of Yoga :

• Yoga benefits all systems of the body- through movement, breath, inversions, stretching, and strengthening poses we improve our physiological and emotional resilience
• Yoga is a practise that stays with us long after we roll up our mats- our nervous and immune systems reap the rewards as we move through our day from our practise
• Yoga improves sleep and increases our ability to handle stress by improving vagal tone which helps us regulate our emotions and improve our relationship to stimuli
• Yoga greatly improves back health, posture, and core strength

This course is suitable for absolutely everyone, and is €50 for the full 6 weeks.

This can be a great opportunity to start your yoga journey with a structured, steady-paced course that will walk you through the basics of yoga.

This course comprises six classes in our Ballincollig Studio, starting on the 16th of January, 2023.

The series of six classes will be every Monday at 18:45, facilitated by our senior teacher Jim.

Our Ballincollig studio is bright, warm and well ventilated, spacious and very conveniently located for people commuting to Cork as it is off the Link Road.

Come join us!

It goes without saying that working conditions can greatly affect the health and well-being of employees. This study published on NCBI points out that occupational stress and unpredictable schedules can result in burnout, cardiovascular problems, and psychological distress. More often than not, high physical demands and long working hours can also cause muscle pain and even disability.

Although these may sound concerning, there are definitely ways to improve your working condition. The same study above states that workers who have social support and access to health and wellness initiatives have better well-being. Corporate yoga programmes, for one, can foster stress reduction. So on that note, this article has listed how corporate yoga, alongside other crucial workplace practices, can generate better health outcomes for you.

1. Monitor your work hours

Perhaps the most straightforward practise in this list, monitoring your work hours allows you to recognise when it’s time to take a breather and slow down. The referenced NCBI study shows that higher incidences of stress and burnout are due to increased work hours. In fact, working more than 55 hours per week dramatically heightens risks of heart disease and stroke. In some cases, it can also exacerbate psychological problems. One recourse to take when you notice you’ve been frequently working overtime is to go on a mental health leave. Fortunately, a feature from Fortune India reports that several companies have introduced employee-friendly policies like mental health leaves, so you can opt to utilise them to rest your mind and body.

2. Participate in corporate yoga sessions

Yoga practises positively impact one’s health by increasing blood circulation, improving mental concentration, and encouraging mobility. As our post “Yoga for Corporate and Office Workers” points out, yoga within the workplace can likewise help minimise sick leave rates and mitigate the occurrence of common illnesses and psychological problems. This is because yoga provides a holistic means to achieve better health and wellness. Participating in corporate yoga doesn’t merely require determination and discipline on your end, but social support from colleagues, too. It’s easy enough to incorporate yoga in your workplace, as this can be done through simple breathing exercises and stretches and meditation. However, try to regularly give out words of encouragement to promote consistency in your coworkers’ yoga practise as well.

3. Opt for healthy meals during lunch breaks

Food gives you the energy you need to power through your daily workload and focus on your tasks. However, it’s important to keep in mind that certain ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, provide you with better nutrients than fried foods or sugar-filled snacks. On the other hand, actively restricting yourself from eating your favourite foods can make your lunch break less enjoyable. This is why you should strike a balance between both and eat intuitively during workhours. As the podcast Going Beyond the Food explains, intuitive eating means that your meal choices are guided by a healthy attitude towards food. One principle of intuitive eating that you should follow is incorporating nutritious ingredients into well-loved snacks. If you have a sweet tooth, toss in your favourite fruits in a yogurt bowl rather than reaching for a slice of cake. Great food can keep you happy and satisfied through busy workdays; just remember to opt for healthy meals that can keep you in top condition.

4. Utilise aromatherapy in the office

Aromatherapy, or the use of essential oils, is sought to relieve symptoms such as sore joints and headaches. This article from Springer on aromatherapy discusses how it can also enhance mood and alertness while alleviating mental stress. All those considered, essential oils can be quite advantageous in the workplace, especially when you need a pick-me-up in between working hours. They’re easy enough to store in your desk drawer. And because essential oils are applied on the skin, they’re seamless to use whenever you need them. A little goes a long way, too, so you can certainly share the products with your colleagues to ensure they experience the same benefits.

Great health is incredibly important in the workplace, especially amidst occupational stress and long hours. Following the above practises is crucial if you wish to enhance your working conditions. In doing so, you can likewise experience better health outcomes.

Produced by: J Bellows