Yoga Day 2 & The Beatles Ashtam

Surprisingly easy to be in the main hall for 5am. Really lovely mantras this morning, must record the next one! By the end of the day we were really feeling it in our shoulders and core (probably all the chattaranga practice) but it’s great getting proper postures into the muscle memory. Rachael’s “wood chop” posture had us in stitches, with the teacher asking if she was chopping wood for minions or cutting the grass 😂

Instead of snoozing, we spent our study time a bit differently… cultural learning! We agreed we’d meet Sanne, a new pal from Denmark, and go for a walk. We spontaneously decided to jump
In a taxi and have a wander round the “Beatles Ashram” - the yoga school the Beatles studied at in 1968. It’s sadly dilapidated now, a cluster of ruined buildings covered in beautiful murals and graffiti, a small museum, and some meditation domes. It did have a stunning view over the Ganges river and to the other side the forest covered mountains. A calm place on the outskirts of busy Rishikesh.

We smugly made it back on time for our anatomy class, followed by a challenging yet rejuvenating Hatha class. Rachael had an underwhelming Ayurvedic treatment in the evening “Shirodhara” - involving a continuous, gentle stream of warm, medicated oil poured onto the forehead (specifically the third eye or 'Ajna' chakra) to induce deep relaxation, mental clarity, and calmness. I’ll give this a try tomorrow… then the obligatory early night!

Learning of the day: The physical aspect of Yoga (asanas) doesn’t just work and strengthen muscles, it improves the body’s deep connective tissues. Along with breath work (pranayama) improves overall cell oxygenation and health by increasing lung capacity, enhancing blood circulation, and strengthening the diaphragm. So many more benefits but my favourite is regulating the nervous system and reducing stress! Who would want all of that 😉Read more