Posts In: English

*Article en Français – Clickez ici*

Human vision performs very well compared to other species. Humans can see both near and far, day and night, 2D & 3D and are sensitive to colors and contrasts. Our vision is generalist and efficient. However, in the modern world (city life, use of screens, pollution, etc.), our eyes are both misused (we mainly use them for near vision, especially on a screen) and overused since they are often used instead of the other senses. They therefore suffer from eye fatigue and various disorders. Human vision is becoming more and more “specialist” and less and less efficient. This is how Yoga for the eyes has become a need of the modern world.

YOGA FOR THE EYES

It is the research of Doctor Bates, famous American ophthalmologist of the beginning of the XXth century which establishes for the first time in the world of Western medicine a very clear and very strong link between the good health of the body in general and the good health of the eyes. . Today it is an established fact that certain diseases such as diabetes for example or diseases of the liver and gallbladder have a direct impact on the quality of vision. Likewise, high blood pressure will often cause eye problems. It therefore seems obvious that vision disorders cannot be treated without taking into account the health of the person as a whole.

In the Indian culture with Ayurveda and in traditional Chinese medicine, this has always been established fact, Indeed, an holistic approach the human beings is fundamental for both of these traditional and ancestral health systems.

Thanks to a set of practices and lifestyle habits, yoga, and more specifically yoga of the eyes, offers concrete and varied solutions to improve vision.

PROMOTE THE CIRCULATION OF ENERGY IN THE BODY

Regular practice of yoga and prānayama improves the circulation of energy flows in the body and eliminates or reduces certain blockages. Yoga for the eyes features mainly postures that aim to smoothen and promote mobility in the cervical spine such as for example bhujangāsana or cakravākasana (often in modified forms) or simple movements of the arms (standing or lying down) for example.

The technique of nadi-śodana or alternating nostril breathing is also often beneficial (except of course if you have a stuffy nose). It is balancing and stimulating at the same time.

CULTIVATE GROUNDING AND BALANCE

By cultivating grounding and balance. To see properly, you need a stable base where the energy flows well. In a way, our eyes are the lens of the camera and the body is the foot. For the image to be good, the optics must be in good working order and the foot must be stable!

REDUCE STRESS

Stress is often responsible for the degradation of our energy level. It is known that a strong emotion that involves a significant rise in stress, such as bereavement, moving house or even “professional burnout”, frequently causes a sudden drop in vision. Channeling your stress and emotions therefore greatly contributes to improving your vision. Here again, Yoga and Meditation are powerful allies.

REDUCE TOXINS IN YOUR BODY

It starts of course with a healthy lifestyle and a good diet. The less toxins there are in the body, the easier it is to eliminate them. But there are times when there is no choice. I am thinking in particular of heavy medical treatments where the patient is forced to ingest and digest and eliminate a large amount of toxic substances. Yoga offers a wide range of detoxification techniques both through postures, breathing exercises, but also mantras or visualization (meditative practices) that help the body and mind to eliminate more effectively.

More specifically, Ayurveda offers eye massages in the form of a “Ghee bath” which aim to promote detoxification.

DO BOTH: MOBILIZE AND RELAX THE EYES

At last, yoga for the eyes offers a whole range of eye mobility and relaxation exercises, very playful and very varied, which allow the different eye muscles to work.

• Work eye focus:
  In the modern context, the eye is used to seeing up close (screen, screen and… screen). We are losing our ability to see far and above all to adapt quickly. The first exercise that I propose to you is to fix a point in the distance. Ideally a tree or something far from you outside. When it is in focus, stare at an object near you. When it is in focus, return to the object in the distance. And so on as quickly as possible. Ideally, do this every 30 minutes if you are working on a computer. Ball and ball games are also great for this!

• Engage your eyes muscles!

Laterally. Look to the right and then to the left quickly several times Eyes open then eyes closed. Same thing from top to bottom then diagonally. Warning! It is important to take a break between each exercise. The best is to practice the technique of palming between each exercise (see below).

• Coordination & strengthening of your eyes muscles:

Arms outstretched in front of you, eyes open. Move the left thumb / arm to the side and follow with your gaze. Same thing when coming back. Then close your eyes. Move your thumb in the same way and “follow with your gaze” the darkened eyes. At the end, open your eyes. Do the same on the way back and then the same on the other side. It is an interesting exercise that promotes both the mechanical and the cognitive aspect.

• Meditation on a candle flame
  Sit in your meditation posture (on the floor or with supports) with your back straight and a firm seat. Stare at the candle for at least 5 minutes (more if possible, there is no limit). Let yourself come into osmosis with this source of light. The flame of the candle is a light that does not burn the eyes. This practice allows you to relax the eyes and go beyond just working on the vision.

• Palming
  This is one of the most famous eye yoga exercises and was already prescribed by Dr Bates. It consists of putting the two hands in the shape of a shell on the closed eyes, making sure that the light does not pass.

In conclusion, I would say through the yoga of the eyes it is also the development of a certain inner gaze that is established. The workshops that I offer give you a good introduction to this surprisingly vast subject, and avenues of understanding and proposals to improve your vision. However, it is up to each one to continue or not his research towards an interior look. You can obviously contact me for individual yoga therapy sessions in Lisbon, Paris or my yoga & meditation retreats in Portugal. I am also available via Zoom for online sessions.

Céline Chambat

Yoga Teacher & Therapist

*Article en Français ici*

Yoga as a powerful personal development tool

Yoga is now widely accepted in every corner of the world and yet its philosophical merit is often undermined.

At the start of 2021, my new year proposition is to revisit the fundamentals. The teachings of Patañjali will serve as a support and a common thread throughout the first quarter.

The teachings of Patañjali yoga sūtra

Yoga tradition holds the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali (YS) to be the foundational texts of classical Yoga philosophy. Describing and analysing in depth the human mind/psyche, it offers to reflect on the human condition and the options we have on hands to reduce suffering. There is no doubt the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali (YS) has withstood the test of time and is as relevant today as it was a millennia ago. 

Patañjali, the fundamentals of yoga

Studying the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali (YS) has been a life changing discovery to me and clearly the highlight of my Yoga teacher training. I am immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to study this text with Valerie Faneco (Eka Yoga Institute, Singapore) and then with Anne Poirier (Institut Français du Yoga) over the past 10 years. 

yoga in the news

I chose to illustrate my point by quoting Emmanuel Carrère poignant, deep and sincere book, Yoga, which is currently making headlines in France. So let’s take advantage of it! Indeed “yes!” the yoga-sutra of Patanjali has its place in the modern world. Its study is invaluable in guiding us towards more peace and serenity.

My apology if the translation to English is not 100% accurate (the book was written in French and the translation is mine).

There is a canonical text on yoga, dating from three centuries AD […] attributed to Patanjali […]. In the perspective of a book on yoga and meditation that I was about to write […] I went every morning during winter 2015 to read Patanjali at the café de l’Eglise […], comparing several translations & commentaries [ …].

Patanjali, like all Indian school of thoughts since the time of the Upanishads, […], is only interested in one question: is there a way out of this mess that we call the world, the human condition , […]? Is ‘de-conditioning’ possible? […] “Apart from that, say Patanjali and Hervé, nothing deserves to be known”. The good news is, […] the answer is yes. There is an exit. ‘De-conditioning’ is possible. Not easy, it’s the work of a lifetime, or several lifetimes, but possible, and yoga aims at that.

It is a technique of going beyond consciousness by observing consciousness. Patanjali is an outstanding observer, he knows the unconscious at least as well as Freud and he exposes his discoveries in the Indian way, that is to say by drawing up lists: the six darshanas (these are the categories of Brahmanic thought: yoga is one of them), the three gunas (the modes of being of consciousness), the five yamas (the necessary abstinences), the five niyamas (the disciplines no less necessary), the five matrices of citta vritti (all that carries the river of the mind), the eight branches of ashtanga (which is the tree of yoga) […]. The lists and classifications of psychic and spiritual phenomena that Patanjali draws up […] deserve to be studied in detail.

Extrait du Livre Yoga d’ Emmanuel Carrère 
Chapitre: Patanjali au café de l’Eglise (p74-76)

Patañjali & you in 2021?

For that reason I am thrilled to pass it on to my students. Throughout the 1st semester 2021, I will be highlighting a selection of key sūtras in my yoga & Meditation classes, mingling physical and breath practice to Yoga Philosophy (classes schedules click HERE) Classes available at Lisbon Studio Urbanbliss Lisboa or online.

Celine Chambat

Yoga & Meditation teacher in Lisbon & Therapist

You enjoyed this article? Please read: 

5 KEY TIPS FOR CULTIVATING BALANCE, GOOD HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Bibliography

• The Yogasūtra of Patañjali I Liberating Isolation from Frans Moor 
• The heart of Yoga from TKV Desikachar

• Yoga de Emmanual Carrère
• Patañjali Yoga-Sūtra I Traduction et commentaire de Frans Moors

5 CONSEILS POUR CULTIVER L’ÉQUILIBRE ET LE BONHEUR
VOIR L’ARTICLE EN FRANÇAIS CLICKER ICI

1. Work on yourself and cultivate personal enquiry when all is well! Take advantage of these good times and good health to set up routines conducive to well-being, cultivate positive relationships, to start meaningful actions or projects and to advance on your journey. When all is well, the bad patterns or habits we all have within us are usually dormant, “under the radar”, present but weak, invisible. It is then much easier to model them towards more virtuous healthy patterns (Ref. Patanjali Yoga Sutra II.4 & 10).

2. Understand your basic constitution and potentiel imbalances to improve your quality of life and your health. What are you made off? I had a chance to discover Ayurveda and its fundamental principles for the first time while doing a yoga retreat in Bali through several workshops. Thank you Audrey @yoga_school_bretagne. It has been a true revelation to me. It gave me the keys to better understand myself. To understand my excess of anger, my addictions, my “illnesses” also or physical weaknesses. At the time, I often suffered from allergies and redness on the skin. I also had a lot of pain in my lower back. Everything made sense and finally found a logical explanation: an excess of fire. I was finally able to understand the sources of most of my “discomforts / illnesses”. Most importantly, Yoga and Ayurveda were offering me concrete solutions to deal with them. Subsequently I continued to study Ayurveda while continuing to train myself in Yoga, health through Yoga and Yoga therapy, which has greatly helped my health and my family’s in general! It also allows me today to offer courses and workshops on these themes. 

3. Practice daily. It is wiser to do 15 minutes of conscious breathing every day than a class once a month or an annual retreat! My teacher (Valérie Faneco, @eka_yoga_institute) once gave me this beautiful image from an Indian story: when you walk every day on the grass at the same place, a path is formed and becomes more and more marked . If you only go there every now and then, there won’t be any.

4. Eka pada: choose your path and stick to it. And thereby choose one or more mentors to guide you and accompany you on this path. It sounds simple and yet it is without a doubt the most difficult essential principle of personal development to maintain today. Especially for people with a vatta tendency. We are constantly bombarded with information, with proposals. It is easy today and very tempting to peck right to left, to try without ever digging, without too much personal involvement, without commitment, against a background of intellectual curiosity. In the past (not so distant yet), we engaged in a “personal development activity” (sports, cultural, associative, creative, etc.) for the year and often much more. We had a lot less options and that could be negative at times of course, but also in a way helped stability, persistence and balance. This is why it seems essential to me to recall this key principle mentioned in sutra I.32 of the Yoga Sutra by Patanjali.

4. Cultivate “detachment”, “letting go”.
   Learning to “do” with conviction while accepting not to have 100% control over the results of our actions. It is also a principle dear to Patanjali. I choose to mention it here because the education received in our Western cultures goes against this fundamental principle of happiness.
   In short, to be happier, and to stay in good health, Yoga invites us to “do to do and welcome what comes as a gift” versus “do to obtain a result”. To meditate on a daily basis!

To go further, you can join us for a private yoga therapy session or group class in Lisbon or Singapore

Read also in the same vein:

YOGA & HEALTH: CULTIVATE BALANCE TO STAY HEALTHY!

Bibliographie (Français)

• Le Yoga des éléments de Florence Dugowson
• Patañjali Yoga-Sūtra I Traduction et commentaire de Frans Moors

Bibliography (English)

• Yoga & Ayurveda – Self-Healing and Self-Realization from David Frawley
• The Yogasūtra of Patañjali I Liberating Isolation from Frans Moor 
• The heart of Yoga from TKV Desikachar

What exactly does “being sick” mean?

From the point of view of Yoga and Ayurveda, maintaining the balance of one’s energies and elements is the keystone of good health. On the opposite, an imbalance (too much or not enough energy, too much or not enough fire, air, water etc. in us) inevitably leads to a “manifestation” also called “disease or illness”. Reading “diseases” or “manifestations” from this standpoint allows us to seek their source for a complete and definitive cure.

🌿

The Yoga & Health teachings have literally changed my life. Why not yours?

I am currently working on the theme of “balance” with my students. Balancing your energies, connecting with the elements within us (doshas), understanding our dominant and weaker elements, and doing your best to keep them in balance. From their feedback on the practices and the questions asked, I realised to what extent the teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda on the notion of balance are still unknown. Yet they are so rich. This is why I wanted to write this article which I hope will make you want to know more and take action to stay or come back in balance and therefore healthy!

Yoga and Health: Balancing Prāna and the Elements in us is a pillar of good health

Balance is a fundamental theme in Yogic and Ayurvedic teachings. Indeed, under their prism, health simply goes hand in hand with Balance (with a capital E!). Be patient and read to the end. I cannot avoid a passage that is a little more theoretical.

The balance of our vital energy (prāna) to begin with.

We must have enough prāna in us, but not too much either. It must be well distributed in the 7 energy centers of our body (chakras). Vital energy manifests itself in 5 forms (the 5 vāyus) which correspond to different regions and functions of the body. If there is an energy imbalance, it is a function of the body that will be affected. We will not go into detail today, however, the study of vāyus (udāna, prāna, samāna, apāna and vyāna) and their experimentation through certain practices are fascinating!

The balance of the elements within us (the balance of the doshas).

We are made, just like the universe in which we evolve of 5 elements: the ether which creates the space for the other elements to exist, the air which is associated with the movement, the water with the fluids, the fire with transformation and earth to the concept of density and grounding. We are all a unique combination of these elements. They exist in us in proportions that vary with each other and also evolve over time. They define us physically and are also found in our character. For example a person who has a lot of fire in himself (dominant Pitta Dosha) will often be very willful and will also tend to get angry more easily while a person with a strongly present Air element (dominant Vata Dosha) will often show up. funny and “easy going”, gifted in creative and interpersonal skills, but will also tend to be unreliable and less loyal than a person with Earth dominance for example (dominant Kapha Dosha). This is a vast subject again and the idea here is not to be exhaustive but to give you the angle from the point of view of Yoga and Ayurveda:

🌿 The more you adjust your lifestyle to your basic constitution, the more you will be able to live in harmony (and therefore in health) and to avoid imbalances as much as possible.🌿

What “disease or illness” means through the lens of Yoga and Ayurveda?

Too much, not enough, in short an imbalance (of prāna or of the elements in us) inevitably leads to a “manifestation” also called “illness”.

This manifestation can be mild or more serious but it always indicates an imbalance. It is also good to know, and this is important, that the “manifestations” are generally going crescendo. The body sends us a first signal. If we don’t pick up he sends a stronger one etc.

For example, 1st sign, you are short of breath, feeling oppressed / restricted into the chest. This is a first sign of imbalance because the breath is a reflection of our physical and / or mental state. Fluid, long and powerful, it indicates good health. Jerky, irregular, short, it sends us signals. You do nothing. Second sign, sleep is light, does not allow you to recharge your batteries. You wake up tired. You still don’t do anything. Then it might be a more serious injury. Something that forces you to consult, to take care of yourself, or that put you to bed. And sometimes it’s even more serious. I’m sure you all see what I’m talking about. You may also have once found yourself in a similar situation saying to yourself “I should have seen and listened to the signs before”!

The solutions

Good news! In the language of “Yoga & Ayurveda”, if imbalance = illness, balance = good health.

In other words, it is up to us to take charge of ourselves and act on our daily life, our diet, our relationships etc. to stay in balance and therefore in good health. And Yoga and Ayurveda provide us with a wide range of proposals adapted to the specific needs of each. Let’s practice!

Celine Chambat

Yoga Teacher in Lisbon & Therapist

Read more:

5 Key Tips for Cultivating Balance, Good Health and Happiness

Bibliographie (Français)

• Le Yoga des éléments de Florence Dugowson
• Patañjali Yoga-Sūtra I Traduction et commentaire de Frans Moors

Bibliographie (English)

• Yoga & Ayurveda – Self-Healing and Self-Realization from David Frawley
• The Yogasūtra of Patañjali I Liberating Isolation from Frans Moor 
• The heart of Yoga from TKV Desikachar

[REPLAY]

This pre-recorded 60 min yoga workshop gives you very practical tools that will help you to manage labor.

From mums to mums!

This pre-recorded 60′ yoga practice gives you very practical tools (postures and breathing techniques) that will make your labor easier and faster!

Céline Chambat from Yoga Ways is a yoga teacher & therapist and happy mum of 3. She is specialised in pre and post natal yoga.

“Yoga has been an amazing help to me through my pregnancies, especially the last one who was complicated. I was lucky to encounter amazing teachers who helped me so much and am thrilled to be able to share this incredibly sensible though often unknown or forgotten knowledge to my students”.     

Description of the workshops:

Learn how to prepare for birth with Prenatal Yoga. This special class shows you 3 types of techniques:

– Breathing techniques preparing yourself physically and mentally for labor and birth.

– Relaxing and connecting postures to release tension during labor while keeping a position that helps the cervix to open

– Visualisations

👉 This practice is safe for all trimesters but as usual and even more while pregnant, it’s essential to listen to your body. YOU know better what’s go or not for you. So if you feel pain please stop and tell your teacher! There might be other more suitable postures for you right now. 🌸

Contact Céline & Buy the Replay

To stay up-to-date:

Facebook: yoga-ways

Instagram: celineyogaways

Contact us to receive Whatsapp updates at +33782753155

We teach all-year round prenatal yoga classes, in Singapore, Lisbon and online. Contact us for more details

Protect your back, Strengthen your Arms & Work hips flexibility.

As you practice alone with no eyes on you, please pay a special attention to the breath instruction. Moving with your breath ensure your body is supported as you go into the poses. Lastly please ***STOP*** immediately if you experience any sharp pain. No pain no gain does not work here. If you feel pain it means the pose is either no good for you (we are all different!) and/or that you need to adjust it (and therefore need the help of a teacher). This video contains no “extreme” or “strong” poses as it’s meant to prepare and warm up your body.

To stay up-to-date:

Contact me to receive Whatsapp updates at +33782753155

Facebook: yoga-ways

Instagram: celineyogaways

Yogis and friends
At this time of the year viruses tend to be more aggressive. Especially this year!
Of course keeping a healthy lifestyle is important: eat well, sleep well, do yoga and smile, laugh, have fun!
I’d like also like to share with you (especially with my Asian friends) these piece of advise from Juliet Wong (The Natural Clinic). Years back Juliet changed my life by teaching me GrandMa’s natural remedies which are very much part of my life now (and my family too ! Ask my kids about garlic and Manuka honey 😂) . So I am happy to spread the word as much as I can about her knowledge if it can help more people!
So read the TIPS to boost your immune system from my friend Juliet Wong from the Natural Clinic in Singapore
Céline

TIPS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM 

Start taking:

1. High levels of Vitamin C – viruses CANNOT survive in an environment high in Vitamin C. Take 2000 to 3000mg a day (for the whole family!  If anybody gets an upset tummy, just reduce its dose!) FOODS HIGH IN VIT C – Thyme, cabbage, parsley, onions, lemons and limes (oranges if they are grown in Singapore: )
2. Zinc – children up to 12 years – 8mg, Adults – 15mg.  FOODS HIGH IN ZINC – Ginger, Pumpkin Seeds, Meat ( good quality), Lentils.
3. Vitamin D3 – 2- 4000iu’s (less for children higher for adults) and get out into the sun!!
4. Probiotics (multi strain) – 10-50 Billion cells a day (Strong stomach strong  = strong immune system!!)
5. Manuka Honey ( UMF +15) – 2 tsp a day – one teaspoon in the morning and one teaspoon at night
6. Essential oils – EOs are excellent to start burning in your room and in your homes!!  Our first point of contact for viruses is our nose.  If you are burning antiviral essential oils around you this will kill off the virus before it enters your system.  

Also doing inhalations with the oils is a great way to make sure that if there is any virus lurking in your nose, you kill it before it has a chance!! 

WHICH OILS? – Tea Tree, Lavender, Clove Bud, Lemon, Ravensara and Eucalyptus Globulus – use all or choose three from this list – diffuse in your house, spray into the rooms with a spray bottle and make your own mix (1 Tablespoon of base oil – Olive, Sunflower, Almond – add in a mix of up to 10 drops of the above oils).  

Rub your mix daily on the spine and the soles of your feet. Concentrating at the top of the spine, behind the back of your head, on the ‘Big Bone (those who have my book it’s acupressure point, Du16 point).

1. Other herbal tinctures you might want to get and start giving your family- 

• Oregano oil  (5- 10 drops a day if you have the pure oil – be careful it is super strong!! I would suggest 5 drops in the morning and 5 drops in the evening! OR if you have the pills 500mg 2 x a day)

OR

• Echinacea – 500mg a day 

1. Drink lots good quality water!!! Water is crucial for everything but especially to help flush things out of our body!!
2. Keep good hygiene – washing hands after you have been out and wearing a mask if you are going to crowded places!

A HELPFUL RECIPE!!  –  IMMUNE BOOSTING TEA 

• Juice of one Lemon
• 1 Handful of fresh Thyme or 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 inches of ginger (pounded so juices are released)
• Manuka honey +15 (to taste but I recommend 2 teaspoons for therapeutic value)
• 1-Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 clove of fresh garlic – (I add this in at night so I don’t smell of garlic all day!!)

Put the Thyme into a cup or teapot poor hot boiling water on top and let the Thyme sit for 15 minutes.  Remove the Thyme after it has infused into the water, then add in all the rest of the ingredients. Crush the whole clove of garlic at the end and leave all the bits in.  You can double to recipe and drink throughout the day. 

LASTLY – please do not PANIC– stress lowers our immunity!  And not every fever or flu like symptoms is the coronavirus!  It is also flu season so be vigilant and smart but don’t panic!

Here is the link to my book, if you want more detailed information: 

Wishing you all the best in health, love and life!! 

Juliet Kelly-Wong
The Natural Clinic