As you might be aware, we practice Usui Reiki Energy Healing at the Gorey Yoga Studio. As holistic therapies go, Reiki is not the most studied scientifically and thus has less of a ’sound’ scientific basis according to western biomedical standards. However, this is not to say that some excellent research has not been done in support of this wonderful therapy. In fact some studies now suggest that Reiki does have a simple, direct and measurable effect on health, including a direct effect on the functioning of the heart.

For more information about this and about the true history of Usui Reiki (based on scholarly research rather than psychic revelation) check out this very well structured and researched article by William Lee Rand.

http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/ResponseBishopsStatement.html

Certainly one of the best I have read in a long time.

Om Shanti,

Liam.

What all of us who practice yoga know intuitively to be true (that it has a positive effect on mood), may be on track to being clinically proven.

Check out this article regarding the effect of Hatha Yoga on bipolar disorder and clinical depression in Psychology today.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20001101-000022.html

It sounds like a lot more work needs to be done, but these preliminary studies are a step in the right direction.

Om Shanti,

Liam.

Dear All,

Hope you are all enjoying the beginning of a beautiful new Irish Summer (no irony intended although I’m sure some taken…)

Here’s a little update about what’s new and a reminder of the usual good things available at the Studio (all non-Studio locations highlighted in red). Just one or two small changes to classes – Sunday Ashtanga will be back on a demand basis, there are a few nice workshops and intensives coming up and therapy rates are still excellent with specific discounts until August.

Om Shanti / Peace to all you and yours!

Liam.

1. CLASSES

Liam’s Classes – 086 408 2428

Mon 6.30pm Hatha - from Monday 25th of May – Eur 70 for six weeks

Mon 7.40pm Meditation – 2nd Monday of every month - next meeting Monday June 8th. All welcome.

Short reading with two 20 minute sittings of silent meditation. Donation.

Tue 6.15pm Hatha Arklow Visual Arts Centre, Arklow Main St. from May 26th – Eur 70 for six weeks

Tue 7.30pm Ashtanga Beginners Arklow Visual Arts Centre, Arklow Main St. from May 26th - Eur 70 for six weeks

Wed 7.30pm Hatha - from this Wednesday 20th – Eur 80 for six weeks

Thur 6.15pm Ashtanga Beginners – starting again June 4th – Eur 50 per calender month

Thur 7.35pm Asthanga Continuation - from this Thursday 21st – Eur 80 for six weeks

Fri 11.00am Hatha – from this Friday 22nd - Eur 40 until June 12th (currently in mid-course)

Sun 10.00am Ashtanga Led Class 1hr. Eur 10 per class – text by preceeding Friday midday

if you will attend and wait for confirmation. Minimum attendance for class to go ahead is three.

Anto’s Classes – 087 907 7505 – Eur 50 per calender month.

Tuesday 6.00pm Ashtanga Beginners

Tuesday 7.35pm Ashtanga Continuation

Barbara’s Classes – 087 752 8337 – Eur 120 for 10 weeks.

Wednesday 10.30am Hatha

Siobhan’s Classes – 086 819 9498.

Saturday 10.00am Hatha - Eur 84 for 6 weeks

Saturday 11.30am Pregnancy - Eur 96 for 6 weeks

Allison’s Classes – 086 196 6381.

Sunday 6.30pm Poledancing for Fitness – Eur 80 for 6 weeks

2. THERAPY

Acupuncture

Discounted rate until August. Only Eur 20 per session in Arklow or Gorey. Call Liam on 086 408 2428.

Effective treatment for pain relief including musculo-skeletal injury, migraine, arthritic pain and more.

In an official report, Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, the WHO (World Health Organisation)

has listed the following symptoms, diseases and conditions that have been shown through controlled trials to be treated effectively by acupuncture:

– low back pain – neck pain – sciatica – tennis elbow - knee pain – periarthritis of the shoulder – sprains

– facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders) - headache – dental pain – tempromandibular (TMJ) dysfunction

– rheumatoid arthritis – induction of labor - correction of malposition of fetus (breech presentation)

– morning sickness – nausea and vomiting - postoperative pain – stroke – essential hypertension

– primary hypotension – renal colic – leucopenia - adverse reactions to radiation or chemotherapy

– allergic rhinitis, including hay fever - biliary colic - depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)

– acute bacillary dysentery – primary dysmenorrhea - acute epigastralgia – peptic ulcer – acute and chronic gastritis

Go to the Acupuncture Today website for more details: http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2004/oct/10amaro.html

Reiki

Connect with the healing energy of the universe and with your body’s innate ability to heal itself. Always available at the Gorey YOGA Studio and now also in Arklow. Just Eur 30 per session in Gorey or Arklow. Eur 25 twice weekly or more. Eur 50 in your own home if you are unable to travel or leave the home. Excellent to rebalance energy, recharge your batteries, achieve breakthroughs in emotional or spiritual problems. No documented side effects, always applicable as a complementary therapy alongside conventional treatment.  Call Liam on 086 408 2428.

Massage Therapy

Iron out the kinks and rejuvenate tired muscles with Chinese Deep Tissue Massage (Tuina). Available at Eur 40 per session in Gorey or Arklow. Eur 60 per session in your home. Eur 30 twice weekly or more. Call Liam on 086 408 2428.

Energy Healing and Angel Therapy in Courtown

We highly recommend Brian Lawlor for Energy Healing and Reiki Attunements. You can contact him on 085 703 3604, email him at blawlor9@gmail.com or visit him on www.brianlawlor.com.

3. WORKSHOPS & RETREATS

New Meditation and Yoga Workshop Dates: Gorey YOGA Studio, John St. Gorey

Sunday July 12th, 10am to 1pm - 3 hour workshop open to all. Hatha Yoga with Liam followed by guided Mindfulness Meditation with Fidelma Farley. Eur 40.

Call 086 408 2428 or RSVP to this email to book in advance.

Sunday Aug 16th 2.5hrs, 10.30am to 1pm - Hatha Yoga Intensive w/Meditation & Pranayama. Some familiarity with Yoga & Meditation required. Liam - cost Eur 35.

Contact Liam on 086 408 2428.

Week Long Yoga and Meditation Workshop for Primary School Teachers Dublin: July 20th to 24th - Dublin Buddhist Centre

July 20th to 24th – Department of Education workshop for Primary School Teachers.

Title: Health and Well-Being for Teacher and Child
Venue: The Dublin Buddhist Centre, Liberty Corner, 5 James Joyce Street, off Talbot Street, Dublin 1
Cost: Eur 200 for all five days

Call Liam on 086 408 2428 with any questions or email right here to info@yogagorey.com or….

call Fidelma on 087-6834717 or email to Fidelma.Farley@gmail.com
More information to be found at http://www.ecdrumcondra.ie/summer.html and (eventually – soon I promise!) here on our website under the Whats New section. If you know any primary school teachers who you know could do with a week of meditation and yoga, please pass the message along.

New Meditation and Yoga Workshop Dates: Wicklow – Yoga Sacred Space, Wicklow Town

3 hour workshops, open to all - cost Eur 40.

Sunday June 14th – 10am to 1pm with Liam and Fidelma – call Liam on 086 408 2428.
Sunday Sept 6th – 10am to 1pm with Liam and Fidelma – call Liam on 086 408 2428.

Sunday Oct 11th – 3 hour Mindfulness Meditation workshop – cost Eur 40 – call Fidelma on 087 683 4717

Clare Island Retreat Centre Workshop Dates – Clare Island Retreat Centre

Check out all the activities in this wonderful centre at www.yogaretreats.ie.

Yoga Helpers / Karma Yoga

If you fancy being a ‘helper’ (be warned it is hard work!) at the centre for at least two weeks, then you can have free accomodation, board and some yoga tuition:

“Outside the summer season (until June, and from September), we have space for a few helpers/wwoofers who are willing to work in the garden, on the land, with the animals, or to help with house maintenance or any on-going building project, in exchange for vegetarian food, accommodation and occasional yoga tuition (the yoga room is usually available for self-practice when it isn’t being used for a class). Unless you have been here before or have a very specific skill (organic gardening, experience working with horses, eco-building, etc.) that is relevant to us, we ask you to commit to a minimum stay of 2 weeks. and preference is given to those who would like to come for longer periods of time. Please note that the work can be physically demanding (like carrying heavy things, digging the garden, or moving manure around in a wheel barrow), and usually involves spending a lot of time outdoors, sometimes in inclement weather. So far more important than an interest in yoga or meditation is the ability to work hard!  Some previous experience of gardening, farm or building work is recommended. Work is usually 5 to 6 hours / day, with one day off per week.”

More info on Clare Island Retreat helpers here.

Residential Yoga and Meditation Weekend in Connemara: Summer 09

Pure bliss – Yoga and Meditation in the wild beauty of Connemara! June 12th, 13th, 14th with Anto (our very own) and Teresa (of Yoga Sacred Space) Eur 320 (bed and breakfast accommodation included). Call Teresa on 087 987 8424 or email her at info@yogasacredsapce.com to book your place.

4. OTHER

Gorey YOGA Studio Available to Rent

For exercise classes, workshops or therapy – reasonable hourly rates plus advertising on our website and of course a mention in the newsletter. Call Liam on 086 408 2428 for details.

Just thinking today how important posture is in general. Posture shows attitude and conversly, it also reinforces and refines attitude. You can try it out yourself anytime. Ease into a sulky, tired slouch and just see how you feel. Do you feel alert, happy, outgoing, cheerful? Maybe. But chances are, the effect your posture has on you will be depressive, sulky, tiring – evoking in you those emotions suggested by the pose.

Years ago I asked one of my yoga teachers if he was interested in the spiritual aspects of yoga and he told me that for him the poses in themselves were spiritual. He could not distinguish the practice of yoga from spiritual activity. At the time I thought it a bit extreme and perhaps a bit of lazy and wishful thinking, that you can just do the poses and forget about the ethics of yoga.

However, with the passage of time I have slowly begun to agree with him. There is an inherent elegance and strength in many yoga poses, or a humility inducing lack of elegance, which I now believe have a subtle effect on the mind and character. Whether or not your teacher is interested in or understands the philosophy of yoga (and many will have only a passing interest) you can be sure to gain something of the essence of yoga just from doing the postures faithfully and consistently. Will it guarantee an ethical, spiritual character and frame of mind? I don’t think so, but if the intention is there then the postures will surely support it.

And now enough theory and web-searching – to the yoga mat and do your practice!

Om Shanti!

Liam.

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Visit us at www.yogagorey.com and www.therapyandyoga.com

This is a question I often get asked. Mostly, new students are wondering if one hour a week of yoga is going to make any difference to them. The answer to that is of course yes, but it is, in my opinion, the absolute minimum. If you are attending a class then you need to come at least once a week and if you can’t make it then you need to put in an hour of yoga to make up for it on another day. Otherwise the gap between practices is just too long and no gains of any kind will be achieved. Having said that, if yoga is just a pastime for you that you truly enjoy without having any goals, then doing it whenever you want is just fine!

However, if you do have goals then one practice a week is the starting point. Once you have completed a course of six or eight weeks, practicing the same routine each time, then it should be possible to practice one day at home and one day in class. Two practices a week will (obviously) double your practice and you will begin to notice positive change coming more easily and with more regularity. With just two hours a week then you can being to ‘progress’ in flexibility, strength and concentration.

Ideally, once your routine has become more internalized, more natural and flowing, then three days a week will be even better. You will make steady progress over the years and occasionally when you miss an hour or a week here or there it will be no problem to get back into the rhythm of your routine. For most people, this will be more than enough for a lifelong, satisfying practice of yoga.

If you are a teacher, then in my opinion, you need to be practicing a bit more than this. You can still continue to teach on 3 or 4 hours personal practice (not counting anything you do in class) a week, but your ability to take advanced students to higher levels of practice will be compromised. Nothing wrong with this of course, but it will limit your teaching ability to beginners and maybe to intermediate as well if your 4 hours a week are good and things come naturally to you.

My personal feeling is that a teacher could aim to practice at least 6 days a week. Alteranating different styles of yoga to allow for changes and natural cycles of rest and progress in the body. Ashtanga practitioners should be practicing 6 days a week, resting on Saturday and on days of the new and full moon.

As a teacher of mixed styles, I aim to practice 7 days a week if I can, outside of my yoga classes. In reality, this usually means that I get to practice 6 days a week with a day of ‘enforced’ rest through tiredness or lack of opportunity. Like any form of exercise, if you get into a good rythm of practice then it becomes easier to practice than to not practice and you will feel it if you skip more than a day and visibly see it if it goes longer than this.

So to sum up, here are some levels of practice:

1. If you just enjoy stretching, then you can do yoga whenever you want, but don’t expect any concrete results and don’t think that you are actually practicing yoga.

2. If it is your first time and you are just starting, practice at least once a week, absolutely not less.

3. After 6 or 8 weeks, aim to practice twice a week if you can. Not less than once.

4. Maybe after 6 months or a year, if it is right for you and you want to see more progress, then practice 3 or 4 times a week when you can.

5. If you are planning to teach, then start to aim for 6 days a week, not less than 5.

6. When and if yoga becomes your way of life … then its up to you, you will know what’s best for you already. If your life and your body permits, then why not aim to practice everyday and just rest when your body tells you it’s time to rest.

Hopefully this is a useful guide to someone somewhere.

Namaste,

Liam

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If you are interested in doing Yoga in Gorey then you are a little spoiled for choice. Here is a run down of just some of the excellent teachers currently teaching in the town (the ones I know of anyway and apart from the excellent teachers here in the studio):

Helen Dunlea – teaches Hatha and Pregnancy Yoga at the Amber Springs Hotel. If you are near the south end of Town then this is the right spot for you. Helen teaches a gentle style of Hatha with emphasis on relaxation and stretching and I have heard nothing but good reports about her classes.

Jeanette McDonald – teaches traditional Hatha Yoga in the classical style. Jeanette is very experienced and established. She taught with us in the Studio for a while but not sure where she is teaching now. If I find out I’ll be sure to post here though.

There are some other great teachers in town, but not all of them want to be mentioned here. Any who do, feel free to send me something about your classes and I’ll be happy to post it, subject of course, to review

And of course there are us here at the Studio:

Anthony Kearney – highly experienced Asthanga teacher. You get the real thing with Anthony, as taught by the early teachers in the lineage of this tradition.

Siobhan Rice – Hatha and Pregnancy teacher. Qualified by YTI and teaching to the high standards of this institution.

Barbara Rocks – a highly experienced Hatha teacher, teaching in a classical style and brining to bear many years of bodywork therapy and somatics to her classes.

Liam Byrne (that’s me!) -teaching pure and simple hatha and asthanga yoga four days a week in Gorey and one in Arklow.

How to choose the teacher that’s right for you?

Easy. Go along and try out a class – it’s the best and really the only way to find the teacher that you need at this point on your yoga journey.

Namaste,

Liam.

PS Don’t forget to check out our site: www.yogagorey.com!

I try to include a headstand or preparation for headstand, in every one of my classes. There is no reason why a complete beginner (barring medical reasons) can’t simply kneel down and at least place the top of their  head on the mat in preparation for a headstand and then begin to enjoy the benefits of this wonderful pose.

Many, however, subsequently ask me what is the point of standing on your head. It’s a good question, especially as many people find this a tricky pose to master at first.

Here are some of the benefits that the traditional headstand is said to have:

- improves sleeping patterns

- improves memory

- improves eyesight

- improves balance

- balances the endocrine system

- strengthens the immune system

- builds strength in the shoulders and back

-improves focus and concentration

- rests the heart

- improves blood circulation to the brain

- benefits low blood pressure

So why wait? Join a class and begin to learn this uniquely beneficial and satisfying pose from day one. It’s alot easier than you think but will never happen if you don’t take the first step.

Namaste,

Gorey YOGA Studio

www.yogagorey.com

www.therapyandyoga.com

Subscribe to the newsletter at info@yogagorey.com

How to beat Recession stress?

It’s hard to ignore it and maybe even unwise to try to shut it out

completely. So how can we deal with aspects of the current recession that go beyond our personal control?

The answer is to take a look at your personal reaction to this kind of news, because this is the only part of the news that you really can control. For some people, this is a straightforward task. Easygoing and relaxed by nature, dodging or not reacting to negative news is a cinch. But then there is the rest of us who fear the radio reports and discussions of rising dole queues and fearfully search for another channel or switch off TV or radio to block out the news.

Rather than fighting the news and the emotions that arise around it, we can take a sideways, indirect approach that makes this kind of head on approach unnecessary. With stress arising in the body, sometimes the best way to approach it is through the mind, through positive thinking. Likewise, with stress in the mind, sometimes the best approach is through the body, using the link between the two to our advantage.

Most forms of intelligent exercise use this philosophy in one form or another and yoga is one of the most sophisticated of these. Many exercises in a typical yoga class are deceptively simple and deceptively one-dimensional. Common forward bends, standing or seated, may seem like just a simple way to lengthen hamstrings and stretch the lower back (which they are), but they also work on a much deeper level than this, relaxing the mind in a way that is far from subtle or ephemeral. Forward bends have a profoundly relaxing effect on the parasympathetic nervous system and provoke the opposite of the adrenaline/noradrenaline flight or fight response in the body. Thus, pupils un-dilate, heart rate and blood-pressure go down, breathing naturally slows. There is no self-hypnosis, positive thinking or visualization (all great things and easily combined with yoga by the way!) involved. All you need to do is make a forward bend, slowly, consciously and with measured breath for this effect to take place on the body and through the body, on the mind.

The forward bend is only one exercise in a complete yoga routine so you have to imagine that this remarkably easy (and yet elusive for many) effect to produce is only one small part of the results you can achieve from a regular yoga routine with a trained teacher. Of course you can practice from a book, DVD or a Nintendo Wii. These are all great ways to do yoga for those who for whatever reason cannot find the right teacher, but we guarantee you that there is absolutely no substitute for joining a class of real people, practicing yoga together, breathing and moving in harmony to the rhythm and pace of a class.

If you live in Wexford or Wicklow then check out our home page at www.yogagorey.com and www.therapyandyoga.com. We run yoga classes 6 days a week. You can join anytime and you will feel better from the first session. Affordable payment options available.

Contact us on 086 408 2428 or info@yogagorey.com.

Just a reminder that this month’s (May 09) meditation group will take place on Monday 11th from 7.40 to 8.40ish pm after the Monday evening Hatha Yoga class. All are welcome. Bring a friend. Donation is welcome but not required.

Format: short reading followed by two sessions of seated, silent meditation. Simple, traditional nourishment for the soul.

See you there,

Namaste,

Liam.

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Just spent the morning with a good ‘Reiki’ friend of mine, Mr. Brian Lawlor.  In the course of conversation it came up that Reiki is actually used and endorsed by the NHS in the UK. Brian lived in the UK for a long time and heard of it through its use as a complementary therapy to help with the distressing side-effects of chemotherapy.

Seems like a very enlightened view to me. If anyone has any personal experience with this, we would love to hear about it.

If you are interested in this topic or are new to Reiki, Brian’s Reiki teacher in the UK, Sue Bailey, has an interesting blog site where you can learn more:

http://hubpages.com/hub/REIKI-REALLY-WORKS

Brian himself is based in Courtown and I can’t recommend him highly enough. He is a practitioner in the true spiritual and healing tradition of Reiki.

You can check out his website at:

http://www.brianlawlor.com/

I just visited his therapy room today and there is a really feeling of peace and healing in the space.

Needless to say, if you are in Arklow or Gorey, you can also contact me for Reiki therapy or just to learn more about the subject. 086 408 2428 is the number or info@therapyandyoga.com

And remember, whatever you do tomorrow, just for today – don’t worry…

Liam.