Jolou Yoga Videos

YOGA WITH FAMILY Yesterday was a very special teaching experience for me, teaching my daughter and granddaughters in the sunshine in my garden. Finished off with a sound meditation and a healthy snack. We had some giggles when I helped the youngest in Warrior 3, it quickly took complete flight into Super Girl 😉 they often ask me to do yoga together so yesterday everything was ready, music, incense, mats and instruments. My heart was full ❤️ #yogawithfamily #yogatogether

MEDITATION Just sit and observe 🙏 My observations from this morning's meditation. The tops of my feet and each toe resting in soft tufts of grass, still dewy. One hand gently cradling the other. Thumb pressing to thumb. Warmth from the sun toy right side body as an occasional mild breeze cooly touches the front if my body. My breath, a little longer, a little deeper. Feeling the nervous systems find balance. The gentle hum of bees and lively birdsong. Children's voices playing outside. Colours through the closed eyelids changing from white, yellow, orange and purple. #observationmeditation #meditateforpeace #meditateforhealing #mediationpractice #listenandfeel

TITTIBASANA TO UDDAYANA UTTANA PRISTHASANA Firefly pose to Flying Lizard Pose A challenging transition, I tried a number of times for a third transition but it wasn't happening. Maybe with a little more practice. Forever a student of yoga. Yes, although I am a teacher I always remain a student. This practice always teaches me something new and humbles me. I do believe that a teacher should always be practicing what they teach. I developed a self practice at home eight years ago, either self led or guided by an inspirational teacher. As long as I can breathe I will continue to practice. #yogainspiration #yogainmylife #alwaysastudent #armbalancetransitions #alwayslearning #practicewhatyouteachtobeconeabetterteacher

YIN YOGA ☯️ Reminder if you are practicing with me Tuesday evening, Wednesday morning and Friday evening, it's Yin Yoga this week. Please watch the video just so you know what to bring with you. For the month of June we have practiced a different style of yoga each week as a celebration for International Yoga Day on the 21st June. As always it is a pleasure to teach such wonderful yogis as we share this ancient practice together and enjoy all its teachings and benefits. 🙏 Namaste #yinyoga #yogateachings #yogaphilosophy #yogaforlife

YOGA WITH FAMILY 🙏❤️ Whilst on holiday I had the privilege of teaching yoga three times to family. @rachiesunnysalt is my nephew's wife and we had so much fun together, working on handstands and headstands and arm balances together, time just flew by. No yoga mats needed just us and our passion to learn and grow. #yogawithfamily #gardenyoga #yogainspiration #yogaflow #rocketyoga

BOUND COMPASS POSE VARIATION • opens hamstrings • opens shoulders • strengthens quads and hip flexors • engages core and back muscles Be sure to warm up the shoulders and legs before trying this pose, make sure you have a solid bind, use a strap if your hands don't quite meet. Engage the legs by lifting the kneecaps to the quads and either point or flex the feet. Optional lift of the non bound leg! #compasspose #boundcompassvariation #openhamstrings #openshoulders #quadstrength #hipflexorstrength

I've not been to the gym since the end of October and my yoga practice is minimal due to my current health, so I have been embracing playing the piano again. Silent Night/Still, Still, Still (arranged by Sally DeFord with a little of my own interpretation), it's far from perfect but I never really liked that 'p' word anyway. Happy Winter Solstice or whatever this time of year means to you. #chronicfatiguesyndrome #silentnightarrangement #wintersolstice #dowhatmakesyoufeelgood #alittlechristmasgift

PINCHA MAYURASANA This pose (Forearm Stand) has always been tricky for me. I really need to keep in mind using my whole body as one unit, analysing with awareness how and what I feel, where is the best place for me to find my drishti (gaze) to find my balance. Using the breath to find the pose and not hold the breath when up, noticing the little habits that might be stopping progress. Don't fear poses that are difficult, go back and try them again, consistency with acceptance could be the answer. #pinchamayurasana #forearmstand #consistency #practicemoreyoga #yogainspiration

OPEN UP YOUR HEART Samskara comes from the Sanskrit sam (complete or joined together) and kara (action, cause, or doing). In addition to being generalized patterns, samskaras are individual impressions, ideas, or actions; taken together, our samskaras make up our conditioning. Positive and negative. Don't resist the release, don't let past experience cause too much emotional activity to get blocked. Remain open so you can allow the experiences of life to come in and pass through you. Your reward is an open heart. (some words taken from The Untethered Soul) #samskara #blockedenergy #remainopen #openheart #urdhvadhanurasana #wheelpose

COLD ❄️ EXPOSURE It felt so good to get back to cold exposure today! Controlled calm breathing to relax the muscles and joints to bring me into meditation, occasionally looking at the birds gathering at the bird feeder 🐦‍⬛ there's something very special about this therapy, I actually really look forward to it, mind and breath over body, a silence outside and within 🙏 A shortened and sped video of 10 minutes exposure. #coldexposuretherapy #boostimmunesystem #pranayama #steadycalmbreathing

JUNE 2020 with my beautiful daughters 🙏❤️ My Google photo memories came up with a whole reel of me doing yoga over the years as if it wanted to remind me how much I have missed my physical yoga practice the past weeks. I have been unwell with quite a cocktail of symptoms 😊 for nearly three and a half weeks now and have missed seeing the beautiful yogis I teach weekly. Thank you for those of you that have reached out with messages. My apologies to those that have had class cancelled and my thanks to those that have covered. I hope to return to normal soon. Meditation and breath work or simply a happy baby pose have helped along with a lot of resting. #yogamemories #meditationforhealing #pranayamaforrecovery #cfswarrior

UPWARD FACING PLANK/PURVOTTANASANA This is a strong pose which strengthens the whole body and stretches into the front body and shoulders. Beginners would benefit from starting in reverse table and holding for a few breaths. When that feels good and strong progress to purvottansa. #upwardfacingplank #reversetabletoppose #reverseplank #purvottanasana #fullbodystrength #yogaposetips

MOBILITY AND STRENGTH FLOW This was so much fun to move through, a little pattern, using strength and mobility. Give it a try! #movementmedicine #mobilityflow #movingfreestyle #gymmovement

LEARNING THROUGH PRACTICE I haven't tried human flag for some time now but I definitely have been strengthening my body in all areas needed for this. Today I remembered seeing someone teach a beginner to use a resistant band. I gave it a go and it really opened my eyes as to how much strength is needed to do this. So rather than swinging into it without much of a hold, using the light band is going to train my body even more, so yes we learn through practice and we learn through trying different tips. It's a start 🙂 #humanflagprogress #alwayslearning #tryadifferentway #resistantband #calisthenics

LEARNING THROUGH PRACTICE I haven't tried human flag for some time now but I definitely have been strengthening my body in all areas needed for this. Today I remembered seeing someone teach a beginner to use a resistant band. I gave it a go and it really opened my eyes as to how much strength is needed to do this. So rather than swinging into it without much of a hold, using the light band is going to train my body even more, so yes we learn through practice and we learn through trying different tips. It's a start 🙂 #humanflagprogress #alwayslearning #tryadifferentway #resistantband #calisthenics

HAND PLACEMENT AND POSITION In my classes I always give a reminder to spread the fingers anytime the hands are in contact with the mat, followed by press into the finger pads, knuckles and heels of the hands. The hands are your foundation for plank pose or downward facing dog and if the foundation isn't set up correctly it will impact the rest of the body in the pose. If you have suffered with wrist pain in plank, do some wrist warm ups before launching into it and try these tips. You will have a stronger base than closed fingers. Notice if the index knuckle starts to lift and press a little stronger into that side of the hand. If you have tight shoulders turn the hands outward, keeping the index finger and thumb still facing forward. Even if you don't practice yoga, consider these tips the next time you go into plank pose at the gym or at home. #plankpose #downwardfacingdog #handplacement #pressthroughthewholehand #yogatips #planktips #downwardfacingdogtips

TRIANGLE PLANK CHALLENGE This took some coordination and strength, sharing our fourth attempt! We are determined to try it again soon to refine it. Thanks for the fun @amy._.yma and @gabriel_ponce_de_leon 😊💪 if you are asking, 'why' well why not it was fun 👍 #plankchallenge #triangleplank #threepersonplank

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION I thought of all my beautiful yogis whilst away in Wales, here's a little moment of peace from me to you from Aberdovey beach #mindfulnessmeditation #peacefulmoments #agiftfromtheheart #aberdoveybeach

CORE A few fun ways I like to work my core strength with a few pull ups thrown in #coreworkout #calisthenics #gymfun #fitover45