Feel good yoga

It’s time to tune into your morning dose of feel good. By Claire Tamplin

Let’s talk dynamic, trailblazing yoga vibes! The type that literally make you feel like you’ve just pressed play on your favourite song and turned it up full volume!

I can tell you know what feeling I mean don’t you?

First you hear ‘that’ song and then you ‘feel’ it. Your body. Your senses. Every, single cell…every fibre of your being awakens and begins to flow with electric-like energy.

I like to coin the phrase ‘mindful movement’ in my delivery of sessions. Some may find it quite generic in meaning, but for those who are able to look beneath the layers, they will recognise the connection between movement and our minds and our mental health.

Those with somatic experience and expertise will dive into the understanding of ‘living in your body’ versus ‘living in your head’. When we move mindfully, embodying all of the above, what we hope to feel is ‘full’, or what Brene Brown defines as ‘wholehearted living’.

You see, there is so much more to ‘mindful movement’ than simply doing mindfulness exercises. For me, and all those who understand and align with my vision, will recognise the science and the spirit interwoven to create a concept which allows you to dive deeper into learning and growth. A purpose. A soul evolution, if you will.

I am grateful to collaborate with some talented humans on our local radio station’s Well-Being Project at Express FM. The south coast’s largest local following across our incredible waterfront city, whereby we share messages of motivation, education and inspiration about mental health. This has been important, particularly during lockdown, and noticing a rapidly-increasing community need, we cultivate courageous conversations surrounding wellbeing. We’ve had local listeners, even psychologists, feedback praise and note tangible positive impact from our project; which propels our passion to support our city even more.

You see music is said to be a universal language and when we speak the same language we feel a sense of safety, of non judgement and authenticity. It can be both escapism and a ‘welcome home’ to yourself, all in one beat. An open invitation to surrender into your true essence, in a single rhythm. Music has the power to enable us to let go and feel our flow, whatever that may be — from a project, a book we are writing, or a business idea. Finding our ‘jam’ can totally empower our charisma and creativity.

When you find others on the same frequency as you, then you know you’ve struck gold. You can feel your soul singing from the inside when you meet that individual or find your tribe of fellow visionaries.

I tuned into this exact moment last weekend when I attended ‘Morning DOSE’s’ event in Southsea, Portsmouth. I had read the reviews from their previous event, but nothing quite prepares you for that ‘feel’ when you walk into founders Max and Alex’s ‘purpose’.

After being met with uplifting affirmations to take away, Max talked powerfully about what DOSE stands for: Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins.

Empowered and educated in a community of likeminded, local people, we submersed ourselves into a meditation. Shedding any layers of self-doubt and inner critic and inviting presence, playfulness and peace. After some calming breath work, again, explaining how our brain and body reacts to this practice, there was one thing left to do: MOVE.

Max likened it to a wedding: ‘it’s always the hardest for the first person to get up and then everyone follows’ — and she was totally right. I couldn’t tell you how long that first person was up for, less than a second, perhaps, because instantly on this averagely, grey Saturday morning, like our grateful hearts, the dance floor was full!

We danced to the music like nobody was watching. Releasing our fears and, most importantly, our happy hormones. Strangers, connected by courage and a desire to connect and create community. Music moving us more into the moment. Live instruments, acoustic voices, flowing vibrantly through our veins. It was incredible. It was energising and it was every ounce of ‘feel good’.

Max talks about ‘natural highs’ and how all this feeling can be achieved without alcohol and drugs. Sober dancing is a beautiful experience. She ignites the fire in your belly to live your very best life and get up and dance metaphorically and literally.

At the end of the session she asked us: What does your life look like when you let go of any resistance? We sat silently, deeply and wholeheartedly contemplating and aligning our values and our truths.

For me, a life without resistance is movement. It’s the courage to move off track. To recognise life is not linear. It’s the freedom to dream and fierceness to dare to turn those dreams into a reality. It’s moving away from fear and taking bold but gentle steps into compassion and kindness. It’s moving slow and moving fast, going with the flow of life. It’s enjoying the ride with others as you find like-minded souls. It’s feeling moved and having the emotional intelligence to not want to move emotions away, but to let them move through you.

And lastly, it’s knowing that however you move, to the beat, or totally out of sync some days, it’s having that belief that when your head hits the pillow you are enough. You belong. And you are worthy of stepping onto life’s dance floor.

So whatever your jam, my friends, get some of your own Morning DOSE pumping, turn the volume up and dance like nobody is watching!