Yoga for Beginners Course in Furzton– Starting on Monday 23 September 2019 We are thrilled to announce a brand new evening for our very popular yoga for beginners courses starting in September! Looking to bring some balance to your busy everyday life? Find a calmer, more focussed you by taking your first steps onto a yoga mat. On this course you will be introduced to fundamental yoga poses, concentrating on healthy alignment and establishing a deeper awareness of your body through breath, movement and focus. We will build the practice week-by-week and also introduce meditation and relaxation techniques to cultivate a feeling of calm and the ability to better deal with stress. If you are looking for a new challenge to boost your health and wellbeing, help yourself stay in shape, or simply have a little ‘me’ time; We look forward to welcoming you to our 5-week, fun, relaxing and de-stressing Yoga for Beginners course with Lily at South Furzton Meeting Place, 1 Blackmoor Gate, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1DS Course Details Starting 23 September Time: 7:30pm Duration: 5 weeks* Course cost: £58 These courses are very popular and spaces are allocated on a first come first served basis, book now to avoid disappointment. See terms & conditions below. *Course dates: 23.09.2019 30.09.2019 07.10.2019 14.10.2019 21.10.2019 Slow Flow Hatha Yoga Anyone can do Hatha Yoga because its practice is aimed toward relaxation, stress reduction and management. The Yoga for Beginners Course will cover the basics of this ancient Eastern tradition; so you will learn how to breathe properly and centre your attention on clearing mental clutter – all the while staying fit, improving posture and reaping the physical benefits of the yoga tradition. Find out more about the benefits of yoga and how yoga changes your body, starting the day you begin. Why a Beginners Course? It is aimed at complete beginners or those with a little experience who are looking to improve their understanding and build a strong foundation of Yoga. This course is not suitable during pregnancy but is a fantastic postnatal way to rebuild flexibility and muscle tone, as well as some precious ‘me’ time. As places are limited please book today to avoid disappointment. Venue: South Furzton Meeting Place. 1 Blackmoor Gate, Furzton, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK4 1DS   Feedback from the last beginners course   Terms and Conditions The minimum age for attending our courses is sixteen If we cancel a course for any reason you will be fully refunded the course fees you have paid (or transferred to another course, if you’d prefer) If you cancel your place and we have enough notice to find a replacement (not less than two weeks before course start), or you cancel over one month from the course date, your balance will be refunded or transferred to another course, if you’d prefer) If you cancel within a month from the course date and we are unable to find a replacement you will lose the full fee If you do not turn up for the course,

Yin Yang Yoga and Yoga Nidra Evening Join us for a balancing yin yang yoga practice with Live traditional Chinese music and Yoga Nidra to close the evening. Take time to let go stress and unwind with a wonderfully relaxing and blissful, 2 hour Yin Yang Yoga evening with a Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep meditation) and traditional Chinese Live Music. Following practice we will enjoy time to connect and share over home made Chinese dumplings and locally made delicious cake. Date & Time: Sunday 27 October 2019, 6pm-8:30pm Venue: St John Ambulance HQ. 21 Blackmoor Gate, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1DA Cost: £25 Early Bird (before 30 September – £28 thereafter) Full details and booking coming soon.

If you’ve ever considered veggies boring, this dish is sure to convince you otherwise. Serves 4. Ingredients 2 tbsp chilli oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed 5cm/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 2/3 cups (250g / 9 oz) carrots, cut into thin strips 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thin strips 2 cups (150g / 5 1/2 oz) shiitake mushrooms, sliced 2 cups (150g / 5 1/2 oz) mange tout 3 tbsp soy sauce 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter 3 1/2 cups (350g / 12 oz) beansprouts Cooked rice, to serve Method Heat the chilli oil in a preheated wok and fry the garlic, ginger and carrots for 3 minutes. Add the red pepper and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and mange tout and stir-fry for 1 minute. In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce and peanut butter until combined. Using a wooden spoon, make a space in the centre of the stir-fried vegetables so that the base of the wok is visible. Pour in the sauce and bring to the boil, stirring all the time until it starts to thicken. Add the beansprouts and toss the vegetables to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with freshly cooked rice. Recipe from Vegan: 100 Everyday Recipes, part of Parragon’s range of Love Food cookbooks.

Nadi Suddhi Pranayama Breath, life and energy are intrinsically connected and yogis have a single word for all three of them – prana. Pranayama, where Breath is controlled, increases vitality and mental focus, and expands consciousness. Breath acts as a bridge to our nervous system and by exploring pranayama practices we can observe how deeply it is connected to the mind. Just as our breathing alters depending on our mood, our psychological state can be altered by changes in our breath. Conscious breathing brings oxygen and energy to the cells and enhances all cellular processes. It’s a fantastic source of energy. It’s simple: when we breathe better we feel better. – Yoga Lily, Hatha Yoga classes in Milton Keynes Alternate Nostril Breathing Nadi Suddhi Pranayama – this pranayama practice purifies the energy channels (nadis) and balances the flow of energy between the left and right sides of the body. It is especially beneficial when you need to re-centre yourself and is useful in leading you into meditation. 1. Sit in a position that gives you a straight back and is easy for you to maintain. Allow the back of the left hand to rest on top of the left knee, with the arm extended. Touch the left thumb to index finger in Chin Mudra. 2. Bend the right arm and, keeping the elbow at chest height, bring the tip of the right thumb to rest on the bridge of the nose, just above the right nostril. 3. Have the tip of the right ring finger just away from the left nostril. The little finger lies along the ring finger. Index and middle fingers are folded down to touch your palm. This is called Nose Mudra. 4. Follow these steps from 1 to 3 in a cycle (one round): To start, press the right nostril lightly shut with the thumb and inhale through the left nostril. At the end of the inhalation close the left nostril with the ring finger and release the thumb. Exhale and inhale through the right nostril. At the end of the inhalation close the right nostril and release the left nostril. Exhale through the left nostril. This is one round. 5. Continue for 7 to 12 rounds. If you like, use the thumb of your left hand to count the rounds against each segment of the fingers of the left hand. Bring the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger, then work down to the base of the finger. Moving up the middle finger and so on, until the 12th round takes you to the tip of the little finger. 6. As you become accustomed to this practice, you may like to do two more cycles of 12 rounds, resting the hand down and breathing naturally in between each cycle. 7. Once this technique is comfortable, gradually lengthen the breath. Silently counting the lengths of the inhalation and exhalation, making them even in length. Once even, increase the count by one beat and

Slow Flow Yoga Classes in Furzton *NEW* New Classes starting 4th July! Yoga Classes in Furzton at St John Ambulance HQ – If you are looking for Yoga Classes in Milton Keynes or just a new challenge. Come and explore David’s invigorating and de-stressing yoga in a relaxed and friendly environment – a great, healthy way to share time with friends and like-minded people. David teaches a slower paced yoga, weaving held poses with slow flows, mindful movement, pranayama, meditation and yoga nidra (yogic sleep) in a simple, down-to-earth way, to help you completely unwind and relax after your hectic day. Based in Hatha yoga roots, whilst embracing and exploring modern yoga’s styles and movement. David’s classes are strong yet calming, he offers soft pauses, stillness and challenges throughout, to create balance for mind and body, as well as the spirit. Through his encouraging style he hopes to share, yoga’s toolbox of self discovery, nurturing both physical and mental wellbeing. He’s looking forward to welcoming you to this fun, relaxing and de-stressing yoga class. Class details: Thursdays 7:30pm – 8:45pm – Slow Flow Yoga Class Class cost: Drop-ins  –  £10 5 class pass  –  £45 10 class pass  –  £85 Spaces are limited so pre-booking is advised to avoid disappointment. Venue: St John Ambulance 21 Blackmoor Gate, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1DA New to yoga Yoga is for everyone: men, women, young and old. Taking your first step onto the yoga mat is an exciting new beginning. Building a solid foundation is the most important part of your yoga practice. Anyone can do Hatha Yoga because its practice is aimed toward relaxation, stress reduction and management. Learn how to breathe properly and centre your attention on clearing mental clutter – all the while staying fit, improving posture and reaping the physical benefits of the yoga tradition.