At the Olympic games in Paris, 110-metre hurdles gold medalist Grant Holloway jumped over the 10 hurdles at a speed of 8.5 metres per second while his head remained still. This is a wonderful example of a functioning vestibular system of the inner ear. The vestibular system detects rotational movements and linear accelerations allowing the […] The post Paris Olympics 110-metre hurdles: Vestibular System for Spatial Orientation, Balance and Coordination appeared first on Aligned Bodies ..read more

Scoliosis is defined as sideways curvatures of the spine. Many people have mild scoliosis without even being aware as they experience no discomfort or pain. However for others scoliosis may be the source of chronic back pain. In severe forms scoliosis may cause the rib cage to press against the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. From a Rolfing point of view, that is a holistic integrative approach to postural alignment, scoliosis is is not just a curvature of the spine but really a curvature that twists and spirals throughout the whole body at every levels.    Scoli ..read more

In the opening chant of Ashtanga yoga the sanskrit word ‘Asi’ means sword. The sword, is the symbol of clear judgement (discernment). When we are in a state of Yoga, that is a state of calmness and heightened awareness, the mind is sharp like a sword. We are able to cut through the veils of our illusions or conditioned perceptions and see with clarity. In this wonderful scene from John Boorman’s ‘Excalibur’ (1981), King Arthur’s willingness to fight Lancelot is driven by pride and rage rather than discernment. This is when his sword ‘Excalibur’ breaks. However, Arthur immediately r ..read more

In my experience practicing Yoga seems to trigger a desire to re-connect with mother nature, Perhaps because it is where we all come from. Where humans lived for hundreds of thousands of years before moving to cities during the industrial revolution, very recently on the scale of human history.. In an authentic Yoga practice we connect with our true selves and deepen awareness of body and mind. We stop feeling that we need to play roles, there is no need to pretend, there are no politics and no games. In the wild mother nature doesn’t play games either. She doesn’t care about our bank accou ..read more

You may have heard the words ‘Prana’ or ‘Chi’, perhaps during your Yoga or Martial Art classes, and wondered about the meaning of these words? I like to define Prana as ‘Aliveness’ and ‘Field of sensations’ because these are simple definitions that can speak to everyone. However these rather succinct definitions do not really give any substance. Great authors have the extraordinary talent of being able to express in words what for most of us remains ineffable. In ‘The Call of the Wild’, Jack London, was not writing about Yoga or Martial Arts. Yet, in my view, he expressed beautifully th ..read more

In my endeavour to improve my English vocabulary I recently came across a new word: ‘Oxymoron’. If you don’t know the meaning it may sound offensive, but rest assured, it isn’t. An oxymoron is a rhetorical figure of speech in which contradictory terms are combined. Here are some amusing examples:  ‘A New Classic’; ‘Only Choice’; ‘Act Naturally’; ‘Social Distancing’; ‘Temporary Tax Increase’; ‘Civil War’; ‘Microsoft Works’; ‘Airline Food’; ‘Thank God, I’m an Atheist’ and my favourite one: ‘Unbiased Opinion’. You may wonder where this is going and what is the connection with Yo ..read more

Mon 25 Dec: Closed / No Yoga class Tue 26 Dec: Chiswick practice 10am-4pm Sun 31 Dec: Chiswick practice 10am-4pm Mon 1 Jan: Closed / No Yoga class The post Christmas Schedule appeared first on Aligned Bodies ..read more

Do you experience chronic tensions in your neck? This practice may help you to better understand connections within your body and your postural alignment. Begin by sitting on your favourite chair or in an easy yoga cross-legged position. Sit comfortably, sit tall…. Let your shoulders rest on your thorax. Relax your eyes, face and jaw.  Now bring your attention to your chest, in the space behind your sternum. If you are familiar with the chakras system this is the location of your  ‘heart chakra’. Start to do small side bends by tilting your ‘heart chakra’ to the right then to the ..read more

Integration is the act of bringing two or more parts together so that they work together with a result greater than the sum of the parts.   In this video we can see  a wonderful example of integration by tennis legend Novak Djokovic.   Notice how his feet, legs, pelvis, spine, shoulder girdle, arms and wrist work together. The result is a fluid movement that is extremely efficient and which minimises the risk of strain.   Integration can be practiced in your daily movements such as in walking, in sports, martial arts or yoga. During a session of Rolfing Structural ..read more

It was was a very special moment at Eden Fitness this morning. Together, in deep meditation, we practiced the yoga posture called Savasana or corpse pose. The evocation of death may sound grim, however it is the exact opposite. Indeed, the name is metaphorical and doesn’t refer to physical death but to spiritual death, which in essence is always associated with a rebirth. When the mind is calm, in deep meditation, one may experience a flash of insight, a profound realisation.  This is the moment when habitual thought patterns may die and new perspectives arise. But far from being only ..read more