By Brigid Brennan, yoga teacher

If you have ba een to handful of yoga classes, chances are you have heard of the chakra system. According to Indian philosophy, there are seven centers of energy within the body following the spine from the base to the crown. Each of these energy centers- or chakras-  is associated with a different function, region of the body, color, sound, and a myriad of other aspects from essential oils to mudras and yoga poses. It is a worldview which seams together all aspects of our being from the physical to the metaphysical.

Beginning at the base of the spine is the Muladhara Chakra, which literally translates from sanskrit to mean root, base, or foundation. It is associated with the color red and the grounding element of earth. Vetiver essential oil is a very earthy and calming essential oil to use for balancing this chakra. The root chakra represents the structure upon which we are based: our physical structure of skeleton, spine, bones, teeth and blood; our most basic needs such as food, water, shelter; and our emotional foundation of family values and beliefs. This ground level of our being can be compared to the foundation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once all our basic needs are met, we are then able to advance to higher realms of living and being through the other chakras.

The second or sacral chakra is also called the Svadhisthana Chakra, situated near the lower abdomen below the navel in the pelvic area. It translates into abode or seat, and is viewed as the dwelling place of the self. Associated with the color orange and the element of water, this chakra symbolizes creativity, passion and pleasure. It represents sensuality and sexuality, governing over the corresponding areas of the body such as the reproductive system, kidney, bladder and genitals. When this chakra is balanced and flowing freely, we experience healthy relationships, confidence in creativity and sexuality, and a release of stored emotions within the body. Orange, ginger and cinnamon essential oils especially activate this chakra.

Moving up the spine to the solar plexus, the Manipura Chakra is the third chakra, the yellow “fire in the belly”. This is our source of personal power and self-worth, self-confidence, and self-esteem. An essential oil which fuels this personal power is bergamot, the oil of self-worth. Because this chakra governs over the stomach, liver, pancreas, and digestive system, it is literally the fire of transformation, converting material into energy. In this way, the manipura chakra actually helps us digest not only food, but also our life experiences. It is important to stay in the flow of life and realize we are in control of our own life experiences.

Meaning “unhurt, unstruck, and unbeaten”, Anahata Chakra refers to the pure quality and vibration of this energy. The fourth chakra is the center of the heart, which allows for the flow of love in giving and receiving. A balanced anahata chakra shows up as generosity, compassion, forgiveness, and trust. The author Kahlil Gibran said that “If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.” While all the chakras deal with letting go of the ego, the heart chakra is especially powerful for releasing personal identity and realizing oneness with all things. It is also the appreciation of beauty in all things. Green is the color of anahata chakra, and air is the element. The best essential oils for this chakra relate to opening the airways, so using eucalyptus and cardamom are beneficial, as are tea tree and helichrysum which is excellent for healing past wounds, both physical and emotional.

Located in the center of the throat, Vishuddha Chakra is the fifth chakra. The area governed includes the neck, shoulders, mouth, jaw, tongue and even ears. This is the chakra of crystal clear communication, which is not only speaking true intentions, but also listening deeply to both yourself and to others. Feeling heard is one of the most basic human functions, and allows for transmitting truth and connecting on a deep, personal level. Blue is the color, and the element is obviously sound. Lavender, which is one of the most widely used essential oils, is also the oil of communication, and can be used to facilitate an opening of the throat chakra for clearer speech and understanding.

One of the most well-known chakras is the Ajna Chakra, commonly referred to as the “third-eye”. Physically it is situated in the center of the forehead and is correlated with the pineal gland. This is our source of intuition, insight and imagination, as well as our sense of discernment, ability to make decisions, and our wisdom of past and future. Indigo is the shade between blue and purple, perfectly placed between the throat and crown chakras associated with these colors. Known for its clairvoyant properties, clary sage is an excellent choice of essential oil to tap into the energy of the third eye chakra; especially as the word “sage” also refers to someone with profound wisdom. Because the ajna chakra deals with vision, its element is light.

Arriving at the very top of the head we find the crown or Sahasrara Chakra. Here is the “thousand-petaled lotus” which is our connection to our higher self and our life’s purpose. Sometimes associated with the color purple, the crown chakra can also be seen as the color white which radiates out from the top of head, connecting our personal selves to the universal source of energy. White is a combination of all the colors of the chakras, so to experience a balanced crown chakra, all other energy centers must be balanced. Frankincense is an excellent essential oil to be used to commune with the divine, as are myrrh and sandalwood. Space is the element of this chakra, uniting the space within and between us all.

The post Balancing Body & Spirit with the Chakras appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Jade McSorley for Summersalt Yoga

Sure, I can lay on a beach on my vacation, working persistently on a tan than will probably never appear on my pale-ass British skin, reading some cult fiction I usually convince myself I never have time to read, whilst secretly checking the Daily Mail for a bit of mindless news. And sure, I can taste the local tipple (which is a punchy fruit brandy called Rakija here in Croatia), sample the delicious fresh fish caught that very morning by the fisherman of Vis Island, purchase some local olive oil from local vendors for my family back home and an ankle bracelet I’ll probably never wear out of holiday context. It all sounds delicious and blissful… And it is here on Vis Island, home to Summersalt’s Yoga and SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) retreat.

Yet, I have noticed with travellers that beach life isn’t the only experience we crave for when we choose to leave the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. There seems to be a need for Yoga retreats, in particular, to diffuse the energy imposed by city-living which has resulted in a constant state of angst and adrenaline. We basically need a stronger chill pill that won’t just numb the stress but deal with the source of the problem. And it is at yoga retreats, I feel, that this can be achieved, or at least gave some space and time to really focus in.

After spending some time amongst the Summersalt Yoga family, I couldn’t help pondering what we need in order to make the most of yoga retreats and why it is so much more than just your average vacation. Not only do we want to leave feeling relaxed, but also energised, balanced and healed in some way.

So, as writers do, I focused on the words that come to mind when considering a yoga retreat; what they can offer, and what, as travellers and yogis, we should consider when turning up to our mats no matter where we are in world. From my own personal experience of yoga retreats, and my stay here at Summersalt yoga, I thought I would share some of my own words to contemplate that may help you make the most out of your next retreat.

Honesty

Turning up and being honest with yourself is probably the first and most challenging thing I found at the start of any yoga retreat: what do I need from this experience? how do I feel? and what would I like to work on? Initially, it is usually the hardest thing to focus on something that could be potentially painful, mental or physical, staring it right in the eyes and thinking, I am ready for you! Bring it on.

Communication

As most yoga retreats go, and certainly at Summersalt Yoga, you are surrounded by new people from different countries and walks of life. Sometimes you feel social and sometimes not, and that’s OK. Yoga retreats are about focusing on your energy levels and what you have to offer in that moment. I am generally super quiet at the start but as you spend time with your new social circle, you naturally open up, joining in the conversations and learning more about others, realising people are always offering fresh perspective and new knowledge.

Reflect

It is so hard to turn off your brain. Well, it is for me and I am hoping I am not the only one. Even in Savasana my mind is swirling with thoughts. Being reflective is cosy and familiar, but can also be detrimental when working through something, so I think it is always great to use a yoga retreat, based within new settings, to reframe past events and establish new foundations to move forward.

Health

Basically, you are going to walk out of a yoga retreat fit and that is always big bonus. I swear, fourth day into SUP’ing (Stand Up Paddleboard with Yoga) I found my water bottle too heavy to lift. At least I knew it was working and I became very excited to see the mini muscles brewing in my sparrow-like limbs. Whilst being fit is definitely a positive, the effect on your mental health is tremendous! Being active in the morning and evening, boosted my energy levels instead of feeling lethargic from a day baking in the sun. Meaning you can go home feeling ready for life, instead of forcing yourself out of holiday mode.

Breathe

Yes, I know every single yoga teacher goes on about this thing called ‘the breath’. You know, the thing we forget to think about and sometimes don’t do at a healthy pace in our stressful lives. Breath is the key. If your muscles are tight – breathe into the spot and your muscles gradually and magically relax.  If your anxieties are rising – breathe and your body and mind calms itself. If you can’t stop thinking – breathe and focus on the breath alone. Yoga retreats can be useful in removing yourself from chaotic surroundings to a new destination more in tune with a slower and steadier pace of breath.

Balance

This is the aim really. The feel-good factor. To feel balanced and grounded both physically and mentally is what our bodies and minds are crying out for. Yoga retreats provide the grounds to achieve this though a balance of exercise, meditation, healthy food and relaxation, meaning your body just needs to become in sync with this way of living. As well as a holiday, they become a beneficial necessity for us heightened human beings that just can’t seem to chill the f*** out on our own!

Sustain

I am a huge fan of sustainability across all fields – fashion, travel, food. But we never really relate it to ourselves and I believe it is so important to figure out how can we sustain this balanced feeling, as well as giving and receiving in a healthy, sustainable way to others and our planet. The ultimate test after living blissfully at a yoga retreat is to remain balanced and considered when we step into the land of Yang. I am not going to lie, it’s definitely going to require more effort than was needed spent at the tranquil setting of Summersalt Yoga, or any other exotic destination. So many times I have left my yoga mat and stepped into the hedonistic atmosphere of crowds, traffic, phones and social media and instantly forgotten that calm feeling I have just established throughout my practice. To sustain, we need to constantly practice and form positive habits in order to rest and digest in any setting. So that lessons learnt in the beauty of a yoga retreat can stick with you wherever you may move forward to next.

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By Leah Sugerman, Summersalt yoga teacher

Yoga, above all else, is a practice of balance: a balance between effort and ease, a balance between strength and flexibility, a balance between power and surrender, a balance between yin and yang, and a balance between practice and theory. So, above all else, my classes manifest as practices of balance.

Yes, sometimes that means balancing in Tree Pose but, more often than not, that means balancing internally. My classes focus on balancing energy centers and chakras, balancing thoughts, balancing temperaments, balancing breath, balancing reactions, balancing physically but, mostly, balancing mentally.

My teachings and my practice are both firmly rooted in a balance or at least striving toward equanimity. Meditation and the physical asana practice both emphasize this balance in many different ways.

My meditation teachings are simple and open-ended. I invite my students to explore the inner workings of their own minds, to become observers of their thoughts and thought patterns to be able to more clearly see how their minds work. This simple understanding can lead to infinite possibilities, allowing for both control and surrender over the power of the mind, which, in turn, creates a more balanced relationship with oneself.

My asana classes focus equally on balance. I do offer many balancing asanas (as most yoga classes do) to build strength, power, and, of course, balance in the physical body. But these physical changes manifest and grow into emotional and spiritual balance in many different ways as well, whether we recognize that or not. Tiffany Cruikshank eloquently expresses this transition and transformation from the physical to the mental practice: “Yoga is a powerful vehicle for change. As you build strength, you start to believe in your own potential.”

My teachings are very precise. I carefully instruct the alignment of the body to promote a healthy physical practice and I continuously invite my students to explore beyond the physical, noticing how their minds may react to a certain posture (or a certain hold of a posture) or how their breath fluctuates throughout their practice. I invite my students to work toward equanimity on all accounts in their movements, their breath, and their thoughts: striving toward a greater sense of overall balance.

Balancing the seven major chakras of the body is a great way to move toward physical, mental, and emotional equilibrium. The seven major chakras are energy centers that travel from the base of the spine up through the crown of the head that is said to harness and contain all the significant energy of the physical, mental and spiritual bodies of a person. These centers each represent a different physical part of the human anatomy that, in turn, correlates to a different emotional and/or spiritual part of a person’s being. Imbalances, blocks, or hyperactivity in any of these major chakras are said to completely imbalance and destabilize a person.

What better way to spend a week-long retreat (in paradise, by the way!) than focusing on these energy centers, striving to balance these seven whirling vortexes of energy to bring balance and peace into your life?

Each day we will examine a different center, both meditating upon this area (and its respective color, mantra, symbol, meaning, representation, manifestation, and sound) as well as physically practicing asana that correlates to the specific epicenter that we’re working with.

The balance of these chakra centers is crucial to finding balance both on and off the mat, so we will work to target these areas with playful asana and in-depth breathing and meditation techniques.

Every morning we’ll begin our journey through the seven chakras with a deeply restorative and peace-invoking meditation practice. Using different techniques and practices, we’ll each adapt our meditation practice to find one that suits all of our own individual needs.

We’ll then spend some time working with different pranayama (or breath work) practices to ignite our inner fires or to soothe our tired bodies and minds, depending on what we may need in that moment.

From here, we’ll move on to the physical practice of asana, playfully syncing movement with breath while carefully aligning our bodies to blossom in each posture in our own individual manifestations of these delicate and graceful poses. A vigorous (but accessible) Vinyasa Flow class will awaken our bodies and minds each morning as we journey up the spine to explore our chakras filled with different energies and power.

Each evening, we will join together in a deeply restorative Yin practice to relieve tired muscles, restore fatigued minds, and rejuvenate as a whole.

With the specialized practice of working with different chakras in each practice, we will have the opportunity to explore and awaken our Kundalini spirit, allowing energy to flow freely throughout our bodies, spirits and minds as we connect to our highest selves.

The practice of both yoga and meditation are practices of balance that are continuously evolving. As we work with these different techniques, we are all striving toward the same goal: finding balance within and without. Energizing, awakening and clearing the channels of the seven major chakras will help us to move toward greater balance in our bodies, minds and souls. I hope that you will join us on an in-depth journey through the seven chakras and across the depths of our souls in a playful and explorative retreat as we release stagnant energy and awaken the dormant all to find a greater sense of overall wellbeing and balance.

The post Yoga: A Practice of Balance appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Leah Sugerman, Summersalt Yoga teacher

Each morning as the sun kisses our faces, we offer our salutations to greet it. As we move following the rhythm of our breath, the gentle ebb and flow of the waves echoes our tempo.

Life is slow on this little island paradise in the Adriatic. Its gentle pace reminds us to slow down ourselves: our bodies, our breath, and our minds.

This perfect environment for a yoga practice keeps us drawing inward and reflecting. Listening to the peaceful breeze blowing and the slow movement of the sea, we journey through ourselves.

According to yogic philosophy, our bodies hold energy in the form of chakras. These whirling vortexes of energy exist throughout our bodies and culminate in seven major ones that travel from the base of our spines up through the crown of our heads. This major “highway” of the seven chakras, if clear of any barriers and optimally aligned, allows us to connect to our highest sense of self and our greatest potential in both our everyday and spiritual lives.

Moving through chakras

In each practice, we bring our awareness to one of these seven major chakras through meditation, pranayama (or breath work), and asana (or the physical yoga postures). Tuning our awareness to each these chakras allows us to inwardly reflect on whether or not we feel open and aligned within this space and what it signifies in our lives. By tuning everything else out and sharply tuning our attention inside, we are able to release any stagnant or “stuck” energy from these spaces and create space and alignment wherever it is needed most.

Every day we focus on a different area of our bodies, moving through the base of the spine, the sacrum, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, the third eye, and, finally, the crown of the head. Each chakra space is associated with a different body part and, therefore, aspect of the physical practice (such as core work or heart openers). As we focus each day on a different area, we’re able to bring both strength and flexibility to this space to align ourselves deeper, both physically and mentally.

Each chakra represents a different part of our psyches as well, so we meditate upon these aspects as we move through our practices. From grounding and rooting down with the root chakra to creating love and self-acceptance with the heart chakra to elevating and connecting to our intuition and sense of purpose with the third eye chakra, we are able to find balance between our bodies and our minds.

Yoga – on and off the mat

Each practice moves us closer to our best version of ourselves. Every release brings us one step closer to alignment. Every revelation brings us closer to a sense of unity and our ultimate calibration for inner peace.

We spend our mornings moving rhythmically with our breath, finding a dance between effort and ease as the sun illuminates the sky. We spend our evenings relaxing and releasing as we draw awareness deeper inside with slow gentle stretches, following the slow release of the sun dipping down toward the sea.

We practice our yoga off our mats as we excursion out throughout the island, mindfully enjoying each moment of our relaxing and rejuvenating holiday. Our awareness is always on this very moment in time—this delicious taste against our taste buds, this picturesque piece of the coastline, this breathtaking view of the town, this invigorating movement of our bodies. Our undivided attention is always to the present—perhaps the greatest lesson of all from our beloved yoga practice.

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