What does summer mean to you? Sunflowers in full bloom? The warmth of the sun? The heat of the barbecue as the evening cools? Long light evenings? Maybe it’s the lazy afternoons in the park, or escaping to the beach? Summer brings abundance: an abundance of light lengthening our days, long evenings which make it possible to spend more time outdoors. There is a wealth of research on the effects of summer sunlight on mood and energy, linking sunlight exposure to increased serotonin, which in turn improves mood and lifts depressive symptoms. A study by UCLA Health conducted in the UK found that “time spent outside in natural light was linked to a decrease in the risk of developing long-term depression as well as self-reported improvements to mood and general feelings of happiness. These results were found to be independent of other variables such as lifestyle and social or economic status.”

Imprinted Wisdom

Where ancient yogic wisdom and modern science collide.

Sometimes the greatest freedom is in the not knowing. Different to ignorance, the unknown is a place of awareness, a place of complexity and often a place that many of us struggle to occupy without seeking out certainty….

There is so much about life that leads us away from ourselves, and so much about redressing the balance that can feel gut-wrenchingly unfair…

How present are you within your body, and how do you measure, understand and relate to the connection that you have? Do you try not to pay attention for fear of what might be going on, or are you hyper vigilant to changes within the body, perhaps somewhere on the continuum in between?

Nourishing Prana during the Cold Dark Months. Read the whole article for OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine here…

Everyday Transcendence

When you think of transformation or transcendence where does your mind go? Do you seek

wild and extravagant experiences that promise bliss states? Or do you look within?

Why practising yoga isn’t such a stretch! Michael learns how just 25 minutes a day can lower your stress, boost your brain and even reverse signs of ageing at the cellular level.

The Wild Medicine Weekend Retreat

Take a deep dive into nature as a mirror this year in wild and wonderful Dartmoor

Yoga Found to Boost Cognition in Older Women at Risk of Alzheimer's…

Life’s path can be gruelling at times, so just take the next right step. By Lauren Bloxham

Reading time: 4 minutes

The Wild Medicine Weekend Retreat in the Wild & Wonderful Dartmoor National Park… as featured in OM Yoga & Lifestyle Magazine 2024

If you’re here, you probably already how effective yoga practice can be in managing stress and anxiety. I know many of you who practice yoga to help manage chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.

The gritty reality of living right now is enough to knock us off balance. Whatever is at the forefront of your conscious mind, whether it’s the cost of living, war, climate crisis, the darkness of winter, health, family, friendships or something else… the world is presenting us with some serious challenges to face. And just as we become familiar with one challenge it can sometimes feel as though another almighty implosion (or literal explosion) comes along to re-enforce the message that ‘all is not well’

Savasana: The Pause that Replenishes our Prana

Yoga may reduce seizure frequency in epilepsy patients…

Watching the seasons change is a part of life that can have a real impact on our psyche and sense of wellbeing. Think for a moment about how it feels to see the first daffodils of spring after a long, cold, dark winter. They can bring such vibrant hope, a constant reminder of longer, warmer days ahead, a sense of relief from the long winter.

Did you know that around 80% of the UK population will experience low back pain at some point during their lives? According to the NHS:

"Back pain is the largest single cause of disability in the UK, with lower back pain alone accounting for 11% of the total disability of the UK population. Referrals for spinal surgery are increasing year on year and a growing number of patients are waiting longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment."

It's a huge proportion and suggests that our sedentary lifestyles and habits of sitting and working are contributing to this pain, combined with a lack of access to treatment via our NHS. In a recent PLOS study reported by Marie Claire magazine:

"It was found that Yoga is actually as effective for easing lower back pain and disability as physical therapy, with the added bonus that yoga is likely much cheaper than physio."

We think investing in professional and effective therapeutic movement will work wonders on your wellbeing...

Nature's Wordless Wisdom

Disentangling from the concept of linear time in favour of innate cues and inspired suggestions.

By Lauren Bloxham

Walking for 30 minutes a day and practising yoga can help reduce fatigue in cancer patients and cut the risk of the disease spreading, coming back or resulting in death, research suggests.