Goodbye Little Things... Hello Mond Women Yoga Studio

Musings with Mon & Yoga Happs

This blog upload is actually from May 11, 2020!

Wow a lot has happened since then... have a read and there will be more posts soon when Mond Women opens in April 2022. Read as example of blogs on their way and subscribe if it takes your fancy ♡ Hey Long Lost Lady Love,

Sorry I haven't been in touch with fun female facts or self care. It's been a weird old year, but I'm BACK! And hope you will join me for the ride. I hope you've been doing ok and want to reconnect. So, in the spirit of reconnection, this little letter is about connecting in. The shoulder stand pose or Sarvangasana, is one that requires an inner connection before contemplating its movement; connection with where you are at in your cycle, connection to your core strength, connection to your body and how it is feeling, and more. Shoulder stand is an inversion, so it is amazing for your body, mind and wellbeing but not always right for you. Scroll down to see the how's and why's. And self-care x connection... hmmm... one leads to the other, no? Well, a one-way-ticket to both of these is connecting to your breath. The beautiful Emma Quine has lent me some useful acupuncture/acupressure information around this one, to encourage stress-free airflow and a deeper connection to self and breath. Lastly, as always, a fun female fact. I found a lot of study into the improvement of breath leading to physiological benefits upon pelvic floor, but also on mood and overall wellbeing! Shout out to my dear friend Donna Green, a practicing clinical lecturer/educator in Womens & Mens Pelvic Health Physiotherapy, for sending me a great article researching the physiological connections between deep breathing and reducing stress, and how yoga compliments these benefits. Yoga Happs... not much yoga at the mo, but my BIG news is this will be my last letter sent as Little Things Yoga. You may have noticed the business name change to MOND WOMEN on Instagram (if you don't already - follow and share!). My sweet little studio is coming along nicely, and when I open in September it will be as Mond Women. Stalk insta stories for studio snaps and updates but more will be sent out in next mail ♥︎

Pose To Practice This Moon-th

Shoulder Stand I won't be showing a video this send out, so go to my Mond Mail stories on mondwomen insta for a couple of images showing shoulder stand in the below version. Any queries DM me ▽ Get a blanket for under your shoulders and head / upper body Also have a block and a chair (for this version) with a blanket Lay down on the blanket as noted above Block is beside you and the blanketed chair behind you First of all, come into Bridge Pose and place the block under your sacrum Stay here for a while, breathing and connecting inward Ask your body if shoulder stand is for you today. If not, just stay here ♡ When you're ready, bring your hands to your sacrum with elbows on the floor (image above) Engage core and pelvic floor and lift one foot up to the air, then the other Lift up through pelvic floor and reach your feet up to the ceiling Try to straighten as though you are standing, using core strength and pelvic floor Variation - come into Plow Pose as above image, but land your feet on the chair behind you (again go to insta for the images in stories). This is really restorative and a beautiful pose for fertility. To come out (variation or otherwise) squeeze top of thighs towards body and slowly lower legs to the ground. Go to fish pose as a counter pose and do not come into this movement when pregnant.

Self Care

Local Lady Love acupuncturist Emma Quine generously shares a pressure point to help us breathe better, balance the heart chakra and encourages inner connection. Firstly, to find the location at the mid-sternum, measure out four finger widths plus a thumb width down from top of sternum (the scoop part). At this location, place your fingers or finger (whatever works for you - I like to bring both hands in a little butterfly arch. Go to mondwomen Mond Mail stories to see an image). Once pressing into this conception vessel point (17), take three deep breaths in through the nose, breathing out through the mouth. Emma notes that pressure in this space alone, has the ability to reduce anxiety, calm the spirit and release old heart ache; making space for new growth and connection. My additional take on it, is that it is nice to have ceremony and ritual around trying to connect in and slow down. Using this pressure/acu point is definitely a way to enhance your ability to do this, and good muscle memory as a place to come when overwhelmed or in need of a deep breath. Image @priii_barbosa

Fun Female Fact

Breathing - who would have thought doing it 'properly' would have so many health benefits? Now, I hear you saying "Mon, if I wasn't breathing properly I wouldn't be reading this," and "Mon, please don't tell me there is something else that I am doing wrong in my life! I can't add another guilt to my everydayyyyy!" No. I am adding to your life, I promise. Did you know that your diaphragm when you breath moves in the opposite direction to what you would think (yes this is not gender specific). The diaphragm moves down as you breath in (makes sense as you are 'filling up' so to make room the diaphragm moves down), then up, towards the ribs as you breathe out. Women from my classes will know this because of my obsession with the pelvic floor (PF). Therefore, there is a link to the health of your PF and how you breathe in your everyday, as well as a connection to how you breathe and (shock-horror) the ability to improve your mood. And take note: both require you to breathe more deeply. We know that there are studies to show that some respiratory muscles work in synergy with the PF, PF prolapse or POP can be associated with respiratory muscle strength as women age. Meaning that improved breathing or conscious breathing, could support preventive measures and treatments to improving women's health as they age. The deeper you breathe regularly, will not only support the longterm health of your PF muscles, but your mood and wellbeing. According to a study by Perciavalle (et, al., 2017) named The Role Of Deep Breathing On Stress, subjects were tested with mood and stress tests (PO,S, MSP), heart rate, and cortisol saliva swabs. The subjects were analysed through mindfulness techniques which all included an emphasis on deep breathing (including yoga of course). The outcome of the study concluded that 'the use of deep breathing techniques has lead to an effective improvement in the management of stress in daily life.' But us yoginis knew that already, right? ♡ Image @debbyillustration Final note - Happy Mothering Day to all the Mamas and to those with fur babies, step children, those caring for parents or anyone at all. Caring brings the mothering out in us. Celebrate your ability and strength in doing that today. Cannot wait to see you soon beautiful women, Love Monique xo