Meet Véronique Gauthier
Tell us a bit about yourself… I started yoga in 2001 as I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. At the time, I was addicted to step aerobics, spinning and Gauloises Blondes. I was teaching at University College Dublin while writing a PhD thesis. I also spent 7 hours a week in the gym, smoked 30 cigarettes a day, and had a busy social life. I thought sleep was overrated. I hated the word ‘balance’ and thought that life was all about pushing boundaries. Luckily, my body said ‘no’ and forced me to change my life completely. I have to admit that I went to my first yoga class reluctantly. I had these preconceived ideas that yoga was slow and boring but I completely fell in love. Straight away I wanted to try all the classes around: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Hatha… I bought two DVDs: David Swenson Short Forms (Ashtanga) and Dharma Mittra – Maha Sadhana Level 1. I have no doubt yoga helped me to navigate this very hard and stressful period in my life. It was so crucial for my mental, physical and emotional wellbeing that I decided to train as a yoga teacher and work with people diagnosed with chronic health conditions like MS. Over the years, I have learnt from various yoga teachers but also from my students. More recently, I trained in Breathwork with Dr Ela Manga and blend yoga and Breathwork in most of my classes. What does a typical day look like for you? I teach yoga & Breathwork 6 days a week, starting at 6.30am most days. I prefer to start early as my energy level tends to slowly lower during the day. Exercising is a key part of my approach to managing MS. I run 3 or 4 times a week after my yoga classes and also try to fit in 2 strengthening sessions a week. After this physically active start of the day, I sit down to work at my desk. There are always so many things to do, from class preparation, videos recording and editing, newsletters and blogs writing, management of retreats bookings, online marketing, keeping up to date with latest research on topics I am interested in such as neuroscience, breathwork, exercise and chronic health conditions etc. I recently started to take a break around 3 pm when my energy goes down to do a 10 minute yoga nidra, which…
Yoga
Inspiration, interviews and expert advice
from our team of worldwide yogis.
Studio Spotlight: 7 Breaths Meditation Centre
Tell us a bit about your background and your meditation journey. I am half Japanese and Sri Lankan, having lived in Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya and the UK throughout my life. I was brought up in a close knit family that upheld Buddhist philosophies and Eastern traditions and values. From a young age, I was drawn to such philosophies and wisdom as a way of life and mindfulness and meditation have been invaluable practices in my journey. I studied Economics at the LSE within which I was particularly interested in the teachings of Psychology and a Masters degree from SOAS. Following my career in the United Nations in Japan, I pursued my professional training in mindfulness, meditation and movement practices. I am a qualified Daoist Flow teacher from Triyoga, a mindfulness and meditation teacher with a particular interest in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a qualified holistic therapist, Ayurvedic therapist and mentor. What inspired you to open 7Breaths and when did you open the studio? I opened the studio at the end of May 2023, less than a year ago. We are still in the early stages of our journey as a studio but I have had the privilege to meet so many wonderful people including our highly experienced teachers and studio assistants, our amazing community, collaborators and organisations. For as long as I can remember, opening 7Breaths has been a personal lifelong project borne out of the idea to create a one of a kind, contemplative sanctuary in the heart of London for busy Londoners. Having had personal experiences of varying degrees of anxiety, my sincere hope is to help others by creating a safe space where together we learn to slow down, de-stress and deepen our understanding of ourselves and of others. What is your mission with 7Breaths? Our mission is to simplify meditative practises and provide evidence-based accessible tools and techniques in mindfulness, meditation and movement practices to help you breathe well, manage stress and calm your mind and body. This stems from our unwavering conviction that there is power in breathing and moving together in a group and as a community. Most importantly, our goal is to show you that meditative practises can be joyful and are for everyone. How is your studio different to other studios? I believe that our studio is a unique blend of a traditional yoga studio and a meditation centre. We have…
Postures for Chanting Kirtan
Nikki Slade is a leading pioneer in the field of chanting, core voice and sound work in the UK. For over 30 years Nikki has inspired thousands of individuals to chant and has led chanting and voice workshops for corporations such as M&C Saatchi, Deutsche Bank and Cisco. Nikki will be joining our community to host a special ‘Chanting from the Heart’ workshop. Find out more and sign up through the link here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/chanting-from-the-heart-with-nikki-slade-the-joy-of-kirtan-tickets-862154125197?aff=oddtdtcreator Read on to discover the ideal postures for Kirtan with Nikki… To create the ideal posture: Lengthen the spine and back of neck and visualise the head like a toffee apple on a stick. Take a hair on the crown of the head and imagine it is attached to the ceiling like a puppet on a string. Lengthen and widen the shoulders feel the breeze under the armpits like the gills of a fish. Cave Wave breathe allowing the breathe to come effortlessly in and out like the ocean playing against the walls of a cave. Lifting the roof of the mouth so that the sound can ride the wave of the breathe like a surfer coming into the shore. Jaw to Core. Exploring the power of your core sound as the jaw releases. Find out more about Nikki: Website: https://nikkislade.com/ Instagram: @nikkisladeuk Discover her book: The Healing Power of Chanting
Mind
Integrate mind, body and spirit by learning
to look after your mind as well as your body.
Hormonal Changes and Finding Balance
Do you notice you feel different throughout the month? Perhaps you exude confidence and can’t wait to socialise at certain times, and at others, you can’t wait to curl up for some much-needed alone time. Much of this is down to hormones, and the way they shift throughout the menstrual cycle. Hormones are chemical messengers, and they significantly impact the way we feel and function on a day-today basis. Hormones are produced by endocrine glands such as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenals and gonads, and they’re also highly influenced by our actions and the world outside of us. When it comes to finding balance, hormones can make it seem tricky; throughout a typical 28 day menstrual cycle, women are likely to transition through a multitude of physical changes and emotional feelings, which means we’re simply not the same person from week-to-week, and we need to listen to our bodies and adapt to our needs. The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda has long known how much of a powerful influence hormones have upon us, and can provide us with knowledge of how to feel balanced throughout hormonal changes. Through using the principles of Ayurveda and the three ‘doshas’ (three types of energy), let’s look at how we can find balance throughout the changes in the menstrual cycle, as well as in menopause when hormones shift once again. Menstrual Phase: The Vata Phase During menstruation, the uterine lining sheds, and the body is generally getting rid of what it no longer needs. We may feel more introverted, fatigued, vulnerable and sensitive during this time, and it’s vital to honour these sensations. Hormone levels drop during menstruation, as can iron levels, leading to those feelings of typical and mental tiredness. From an Ayurvedic perspective, menstruation is governed by Vata energy, which holds the qualities of coldness, lightness, dryness, anxiety and a scattered mind. In order to find balance during this phase, it’s essential to listen to your body and give it plenty of rest and rejuvenation. Focus on warmth in the form of soups, stews, Wunder Workshop’s Golden Mylk Turmeric Latte, and load up on iron-rich foods like lentils, spinach, molasses, dried fruits, and meat and seafood if you eat them. As sensitivity and intuition can also be heightened during this phase, it’s the perfect time for journaling with the Self-Love Journal, planning, and creativity. When it comes to movement, choose gentle forms such…
Spring Equinox: Setting Intentions For Nature’s New Year
As we move from the deep ‘yin’ of Winter into lighter, brighter days of Spring, there’s a definite feeling of change in the air. You may have already noticed Spring herbs like nettle, dandelion and cleavers emerging from the earth, blossom appearing on branches, or morning birdsong arriving a little earlier each day. All of these signs point to the beginning of a new season, which holds a brand new type of energy we can lean into and use to support our wellbeing. The Spring season is nature’s ‘new year’, when new life and fresh growth appears, and is a much more supportive time to make resolutions and intentions than is 1st of January in the middle of Winter. On March 20th, we reach the Spring equinox, and a powerful time to set those Spring intentions into motion. The Equinox is a time when day and night are of equal length, and also marks the first official day of Spring. As the mornings become lighter and brighter, Spring helps us feel naturally more motivated to make positive changes and step into a new mindset. Other than the change in season however, the Spring equinox has been celebrated for centuries as a time of rebirth, fertility and new beginnings. We’ve gathered three practices for you to try this Spring equinox to help align your body and mind with the new season and brand new energy, so read on and choose your favourites! Set Your Intention You may have been invited to set an intention in a yoga or meditation class, or perhaps you often start the day by setting a mindful intention for yourself. The thing is, if we just think about an intention and don’t do anything about it, nothing much changes. In order to make an intention really work, it’s useful to dig a little deeper and become clearer on what you really want emotionally, spiritually and physically. It also helps to think about how you want to feel emotionally. When you wake up this equinox, pull out your journal (we recommend Gailson’s handmade paisley journal for this) and try this powerful intention setting practice to help you shift away from old feelings that aren’t serving you, and towards a state of being you want to manifest this year: Six Step Intention Setting Ritual On your journal page, draw a line vertically down the middle On the left hand…
Food
Love mealtimes with our rainbow dishes
and nutrional advice.
Hormonal Changes and Finding Balance
Do you notice you feel different throughout the month? Perhaps you exude confidence and can’t wait to socialise at certain times, and at others, you can’t wait to curl up for some much-needed alone time. Much of this is down to hormones, and the way they shift throughout the menstrual cycle. Hormones are chemical messengers, and they significantly impact the way we feel and function on a day-today basis. Hormones are produced by endocrine glands such as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenals and gonads, and they’re also highly influenced by our actions and the world outside of us. When it comes to finding balance, hormones can make it seem tricky; throughout a typical 28 day menstrual cycle, women are likely to transition through a multitude of physical changes and emotional feelings, which means we’re simply not the same person from week-to-week, and we need to listen to our bodies and adapt to our needs. The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda has long known how much of a powerful influence hormones have upon us, and can provide us with knowledge of how to feel balanced throughout hormonal changes. Through using the principles of Ayurveda and the three ‘doshas’ (three types of energy), let’s look at how we can find balance throughout the changes in the menstrual cycle, as well as in menopause when hormones shift once again. Menstrual Phase: The Vata Phase During menstruation, the uterine lining sheds, and the body is generally getting rid of what it no longer needs. We may feel more introverted, fatigued, vulnerable and sensitive during this time, and it’s vital to honour these sensations. Hormone levels drop during menstruation, as can iron levels, leading to those feelings of typical and mental tiredness. From an Ayurvedic perspective, menstruation is governed by Vata energy, which holds the qualities of coldness, lightness, dryness, anxiety and a scattered mind. In order to find balance during this phase, it’s essential to listen to your body and give it plenty of rest and rejuvenation. Focus on warmth in the form of soups, stews, Wunder Workshop’s Golden Mylk Turmeric Latte, and load up on iron-rich foods like lentils, spinach, molasses, dried fruits, and meat and seafood if you eat them. As sensitivity and intuition can also be heightened during this phase, it’s the perfect time for journaling with the Self-Love Journal, planning, and creativity. When it comes to movement, choose gentle forms such…