An inspiring and honest blog post from one of our students currently doing the 30 day challenge

I have new found respect for myself and my own abilities and strengths.
I used to hate myself. That sounds strong – perhaps I should say I disliked the way I was and didn’t have much respect for myself. I think respect requires love and acceptance which I didn’t have towards my own being.
I also didn’t believe I could think about myself in another way. I didn’t want to hate myself –  but what was there to like? I didn’t like my body, I saw myself as lazy, unproductive.. I could go on but I won’t bore you with my own insecurities!
It’s much easier to see the bad in others and yourself and to criticise faults than it is to see the good and love without prejudice or conditions.

I am surprised but grateful for attempting the 30 day challenge.
I know that I can usually get through a 90 minute class and I know that I can do that for 21 days in a row (my current count).
I know that I can find my sense of humour and that my body can do more than I give it credit for.

I know that the hard days come, but they pass and the good days come as well. I know that when the tough days come, my strength is there to carry me through, and when the good days are here I’m filling my reserves. Energy, love, gratitude, freedom, positivity – and much more throughout body and mind.
It’s much harder to be worn down, stepped on, denigrated when there is simply no space in your being for these things.

Knowledge is information but Knowing is changing (yep it’s stuck in my mind from the changing room!). It is an act – not something that happens passively. It is very hard to do Yoga passively. So it is very hard (in my personal experience) not to feel something physically or emotionally during a class. But rather than this being a scary thing (it may be at first) I’ve learned just to see what happens and let it be. There is the deep ocean that has peaks and troughs but is still just a deep, deep ocean.

I have read that doing the 30 day challenge brings great benefits to your health, changes in your practise.
I never imagined the changes would be so life encompassing and deep.

The depth is how even when I’m not in the studio, my mind and body are getting closer day by day. Mind checks breathing, aches and pains, alert and accepting. Body is more forthcoming with needs. I need sleep. I need nourishment. I need you to quit your speed-of-light worrying 24/7 and just BE. (This thought arises very often but not in a negative way – it’s more nurturing and accepting.)

So I think I have remembered or relearnt how to nurture and love myself, and that putting myself first in this way is not selfish or weak, but the best choice I have made in recent memory.

If I can make this one choice, build this new habit which has had so many positive influences and outcomes even after only 21 days, I can surely believe that further change isn’t just possible but indeed inevitable.

Don’t fight the old, build the new.

Kirsten Razzaq

Electrolytes are the minerals your body needs for proper rehydration: sodium, potassium and magnesium.

Make this drink at home and drink it a couple of hours before class for constant energy, better muscle performance and to eliminate headaches or cramping.

1/4-1/2 tsp unbleached sea salt, juice of 2 lemons, 1 tbs of honey (or more to taste) dissolved in a litre of water

This green juice is perfect to get a burst of nutrients straight to you. Quick and easy to make it has the potential to give you a boost of energy and a detox kick. The fruity green juice will refresh, hydrate and boost your immune system bringing you out of Winter and straight into Spring.

Ingredients:

1 handful of spinach
1/4 of a Romaine Lettuce
1/4 of a Pear
1/4 of an Apple
1/4 of a Lemon
1/4 of a Banana
1 stick of celery
1 heaped teaspoon of Jungle powder (protein/superenergy/detox)

Start by washing and cutting your ingredients. Keep them at a good size to put into your blender and remove the peel from the lemon and the banana.

Juice the lemon first separately and add half a cup of water to the mix.

Pour this liquid into the blender and add all the other ingredients including your choice of Jungle powder.

Blend all until all has turned into a green juice.

Serve and enjoy in a tall glass.

Remember you can order your juice or smoothie from our reception before your class. When you’ve finished your session it will be ready for you in our juice bar.

This juice is perfect for those who have had a stressful day and needing a little bit of soothing.
The nitrates from the beetroot lower the blood pressure and increase your stamina.
The ginger apple and carrot cleanse the liver and soothe the digestive system.

This juice is easy to make and allows you to stay healthy and prepared for your next visit to the studio.

Remember a healthy body is a happy body.

Ingredients:

1 apple,

A medium fresh beetroot,

Half a lime,

An inch of ginger,

4 carrots.

Prepare your apple, beetroot and carrots by washing them. If your apple feels waxy give it a scrub.

Move onto skinning the lime, this is prepared like an orange, if there’s white rind that’s fine – you only need to remove the skin.

Chop your apple and beetroot so your blender can handle them.

Blend everything to perfection, no need to add water this juice is perfect and pure by itself.

Finally serve in a tall glass with a straw.