Monday 28 July 2014

The Lions Roar

“The winds of grace are always blowing but you have to raise the sail.”

“The winds of grace are always blowing but you have to raise the sail.” Ramakrishna
We have just entered the month of the Lion. My favourite month. As many of you know I have a fascination with astrology nearly as much as yoga and find solace watching the sky for signs. As my birthday is coming up next week it seems to be a time for reflection and contemplation just as much as the magical energy and expansion of Jupiter moving into Leo last week.
I also completed a three day juice fast which helped clear a way for the new to wonders that I wish to manifest.
May the power of the Lion carry you wonderfully through this month and if you are thinking about plunging into a juice fast, drop me a line as I have lots of tips and tasty juice recipes.

So much love.

Aquila. x

              

YOGA NEWS....


Gearing up for the Secret Yoga Club supper this Sunday 3rd August with the wonderful Molly Harragin and founder Gabby Hales. It's going to be a beautiful evening of yoga, music and delicious food! ClickHERE for tickets as they go FAST!

Tickets have gone on sale for Exhale and there are only 300 spaces, so get yours while you can.

I have SOLD OUT for the Indian Summer Yoga Intensive so if you were lucky to get a ticket expect and email today with all the info. And if you would like info on other events send me an email and I'll keep you on my list.

Yoga teaching festival dates....
Exhale festival 22-25th August
Rollright Fayre 29th-31st August


If you ever have any questions about classes, 121's or private and corporate sessions please drop me a line. 
TUESDAY
....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12
....12:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £9
WEDNESDAY 

....1:15pm Express class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £7
....6:30pm @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12
THURSDAY
.....8:30am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8

.....6:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
FRIDAY
.....9:30am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
....1:15pm Express class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £7
....7-8:30pm Wind Down class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £14
MONDAY
.....7am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
.....9am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8
.....7:45pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £13
We have a really special Secret Yoga Club with three teachers.

On Sunday 3rd August, from 18.00, Gabrielle Hales (SYC founder), Molly Harrigan and Aquila Rose will teach an hour and a half-long Vinyasa Flow class accompanied by live music from Ben Hazelton on his bass; viola di gambist Jenny Bliss with her ethereal voice will also perform.

Ben and Jenny have already played at a few Secret Yoga Clubs and are such a beautiful soundtrack to class.
Class will be followed by a delicious, three-course, candlelit vegan meal by Christabel Beeson.

If you've already been to an SYC evening, you know how much love goes into each event. If you haven't, this one is going to be extra glorious. Molly, Aquila and I are friends who enjoy working and teaching together, Christabel is a magician with vegan food and Ben and Jenny are the dream team.

We're really looking forward to being back and seeing your happy faces.

We have a limited number of mats, please send a message to the Secret Yoga Club Facebook page if you would like to reserve one.

Peace and love,

SYC xx
Sweet Potato Vegan Brownies....

A recently vegan friend recommended making these. Gonna try them out this afternoon!

Makes 10 brownies
- 2 medium to large sweet potatoes
- 2/3 of a cup of ground almonds
- 1/2 a cup of buckwheat flour (brown rice flour will also work)
- 14 medjool dates
- 4 tablespoons of raw cacao
- 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
- a pinch of salt

Start by pre-heating the oven to 180C, then peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into chunks and place into a steamer for about  twenty minutes, until they become really soft.
Once they are perfectly soft and beginning to fall apart remove them and add them to a food processor with the pitted dates – this will form one of the sweetest, creamiest, most delicious mixes ever!
Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl, before mixing in the sweet potato date combination. Stir well.
Place into a lined baking dish and cook for about twenty minutes, until you can pierce the brownie cake with a fork bringing it out dry. Remove the tray and allow it to cool for about ten minutes – this is really important as it needs this time to stick together! Remove the brownies from the tray, leaving it another few minutes before cutting them into squares – then dig in and enjoy!

Recipe and photo from deliciouslyella.com

Monday 21 July 2014

The Bliss Body


 

Accessing the bliss body, the Anandamaya Kosha is one of the main aims of the yogi. Going beyond the physical, the mental, the intellectual to bliss body- pure light and love.
And maybe to write about this is pretty ludicrous in our day and age of immediacy and instant gratification. But then maybe it is even more important given our way of life.
This weekend I had the privilege to work with Ana Forrest, a wise, wild yoga teacher from the States who's work is pretty much all centred around this idea of accessing the bliss body.
To work through the shit, the 'pain shards' as she calls it, to a place where that becomes irrelevant. Where there is just bliss, beauty and light.
This is similar work to that of Sash Shuglin, the scientist responsible for early work with MDMA or more commonly know Ecstasy. Both Forrest and Shuglin (in very different ways) have attempted to go beyond the safe boundaries of our physical world into a more cosmic and creatively daring core. And the interesting thing about both these partitioners is their understanding that is magic is hidden inside the human consciousness.
So maybe, today, take a little time to have a little deeper breath, maybe so something out of your ordinary route, challenge and inspire yourself and feed that bliss body.

So much love.

Aquila. x

              

YOGA NEWS....

Well there are such exciting things on the horizon but all hush hush for now.
A few things I can tell you today is that I will be joining the Secret Yoga Club on 3rd August with the wonderful Molly Harrington and founder Gabby Hayes for a wonderful evening of yoga, music and delicious food! Click above for tickets as they go FAST!

There are a few spaces left for the Indian Summer Yoga Intensive in Dorset 12-14th September. Please email me if you would like to book a space or would like more info on that.

Tickets have gone on sale for Exhale and there are only 300 spaces, so get yours while you can.

Yoga teaching festival dates....
Exhale festival 22-25th August
Rollright Fayre 29th-31st August


If you ever have any questions about classes, 121's or private and corporate sessions please drop me a line.

TUESDAY
....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12
....12:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £9
WEDNESDAY 

....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12
THURSDAY
.....8:30am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8

.....6:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
FRIDAY
.....9:30am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
....1:15pm Express class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £7
....7-8:30pm Wind Down class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £14
MONDAY
.....7am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
.....9am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8


Cucumber Apple Detox

2 stalks of fennel
½ cucumber
½ green apple
1 handful of mint
1 inch of gingerroot

I am going on a juice cleanse with a friend for 3 days. So to get you in the mood, here's a taster of what's to come! 

Monday 14 July 2014

SURRENDER



 

It takes a lot to let go. To surrender to whatever is in front of us, behind, inside and out. But when we come to thing with expectation of how something should be or a way someone should act, we are essentially causing more harm than good to ourselves and others around us.

I am a magpie, essentially I am attracted to beauty and charisma as much as the next person. I have a tendency to gravitate towards people and things that excite and sometimes not in a positive way.
This weekend was a real learning for letting go. Not coveting people, ideas or objects. It seems this is a major lesson in Aparigraha, non-possessiveness, not holding.
It's a bloody hard lesson in this life, in this world of charismatic characters, slick yoga poses and buzz-word spirituality. But maybe it's an opportunity to look inside and search out that integrity of self.
I hope this may ring some truth with some of you.

So much love.

Aquila. x

              

YOGA NEWS....

Spaces are filling up for the yoga intensive in Dorset. 12-14th September in Lyme Regis. Please email me if you would like to book a space or would like more info on that.

Yoga teaching festival dates....
Exhale festival 22-25th August
Rollright Fayre 29th-31st August


If you ever have any questions about classes, 121's or private and corporate sessions please drop me a line.

TUESDAY
....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12
....12:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £9
WEDNESDAY 

....6:30am @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £12
THURSDAY
.....8:30am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8

.....6:30pm @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
FRIDAY
.....9:30am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
.....1:15pm Express class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £7
.....7-8:30pm Wind Down class @ STRETCH COLUMBIA ROAD E27RG £14
MONDAY
.....7am @ STRETCH ADA STREET E8 4QU £12
.....9am @ 18 Belsham Road E9 £8
Peanut Butter Coconut Cups with Dark Chocolate:
makes about 20


Wonderful recipe from Emily from www.thisrawsomeveganlife.com
Off to make them now.

Cups:
1 cup coconut chunks/shreds
3/4 cup raw oats (or almonds)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/8 cup melted coconut oil

Chocolate:
1/2 batch of raw chocolate (or 2 melted dark chocolate bars)

To make the cups: throw all the ingredients in your food processor and pulse until you can press it together. If it's too dry, add some dates or peanut butter. Press into lined cupcake tins, leaving just a little bit of room on the top to pour the chocolate on... now pour the chocolate on and decorate with nuts if you like. Put them in the fridge overnight. I sprinkled some sea salt on top, 'cause it's pretty and stuff.