Uncategorized – Alex Bannard https://alexbannard.com Yoga & Mindfulness Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:00:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://alexbannard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/cropped-anandalogo-32x32.png Uncategorized – Alex Bannard https://alexbannard.com 32 32 The Story Behind the Colours of the chakras https://alexbannard.com/the-story-behind-the-colours-of-the-chakras/ https://alexbannard.com/the-story-behind-the-colours-of-the-chakras/#respond Tue, 10 Sep 2024 14:15:58 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2652 The Story Behind the Colours of the chakras Read More »

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What are the colours of the chakras?

Each of yoga’s seven chakra energy centres is associated with a specific colour, which is said to symbolize the different aspects of our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being:

Root – Red for grounding, stability, security, our foundation here in our earthly realm

Sacral – Orange representing passion, creativity, enthusiasm & joy

Solar Plexus – Yellow for our inner fire, our confidence, determination, will

Heart – Green for love, compassion, harmony

Throat – Blue for self-expression, communication, blue symbolising openness & clarity

3rd Eye – Indigo for intuition, insight, wisdom, awareness

Crown – Violet for spiritual connection with Universal consciousness

Why do the chakras have colours?

Each colour is associated with the frequency of energy that resonates at each of the chakras.

When the chakras are in balance & alignment the energy flows & the chakras colour is vibrant & clear.

But if energy is not flowing and the chakras aren’t in balance & harmony, the colour may be dull, or blotchy.

The colours are there for guidance so we know where we may need to focus to restore balance & equilibrium.

The colours themselves also assist in bringing the chakras back into balance & coherence.

This promotes physical, mental & emotional wellbeing.

How did the Chakras get their Colours?

It’s believed the Rishi’s saw the colours whilst meditating.

The colours are tangible expressions of vibrant energy flowing within us which can help to deepen our connection to these energy centres.

What’s the benefit of aligning with your chakras?

Balancing these centres you will discover profound impacts on your physical, mental & emotional well-being: increased energy, emotional stability, mental clarity, inner equilibrium, peace & calm, reflected in your external realm.

You’ll find yourself navigating life’s challenges with more grace & ease.

You’ll radiate positive energy, changing relationships & manifesting your heart’s desires.

You’ll feel more connected, experience increased self-awareness & start to uncover a profound sense of purpose.

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Project Greenfingers https://alexbannard.com/project-greenfingers/ https://alexbannard.com/project-greenfingers/#respond Mon, 21 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2429 Project Greenfingers Read More »

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I am not a natural gardener. A while ago I discovered someone in Melbourne who had been off the grid & self-sufficient for 15+ years & I felt inspired. If they could do it in the middle of a city maybe I could too in the Vale of Evesham.

We live in a rented house, the back garden is mostly concrete slabs, great big boulders, lots of pebbles & a tiny patch of astro turf, the kids trampoline monopolising the space. The front garden was similarly uninspiring & they were both difficult to maintain. Not being a much of fan of gardening it was a relentless battle against the weeds.

So, in my wisdom, or lack thereof, I decided to let the garden turn into a wild garden. I had visions of the garden ablaze with colourful wildflowers, bees drifting lazily amongst them, butterflies flitting from petal to petal.

The reality was more like Day of the Triffids on acid & not in a good way.

A wild garden isn’t as simple as just letting it run riot, it needs more tending than that. By now my garden was overwhelming & it just got worse.

At the beginning of the year, I had been contemplating my own menopause journey & reflecting on my intentions for the year. One day I was meditating & I got a strong message to go more natural in my approach.

A friend recommended an Ayurvedic Menopause course she had done. I read up & it all really resonated, so I signed up. I decided to ditch my HRT & try a more natural approach.

Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga, steeped in ancient tradition, it is recognised by the WHO as one of the oldest medical systems. It’s a beautifully holistic, whole-body approach to physical, mental & emotional wellbeing.

Herbs are an essential aspect of Ayurveda: cooking with them, herbal teas & infusions, herbal tinctures for specific aliments & having always wanted my own herb garden so I was inspired to start with a small herb garden & see how I got on.

Project Greenfingers was born!

It’s a standing joke between my friends that I can’t keep a plant alive: if someone gifted me a house plant, my heart used to sink: I just couldn’t keep them alive & couldn’t bear the responsibility.

I was mindful that a small herb garden was a realistic start.

There was a small patch of mud that wasn’t too overgrown with weeds & afforded itself to a little herb garden, so the next time I was in B&M I picked out some mint, rosemary, thyme & marjoram – actually I had a meno moment thinking marjoram was oregano but you say oregano & I’ll say marjoram!

There was another incentive to get the herb garden established. The previous Autumn a friend gave me a bay tree & seeing the fear in my eyes told me, ‘Don’t worry, you can’t kill a bay tree.’

‘You wanna bet?’ I joked back.

Assuming the bay tree was invincible I basically ignored it, not intentionally I just didn’t give it much thought or attention. it rolled around the back garden in its pot through the winter months & by now was looking very sorry for itself. Understanding water consciousness & that if you ignore something it perishes, I could see it right in front of my eyes & I felt responsible.

I hoped if I planted the bay with the herbs, they & surrounding trees in nearby gardens might help save the bay tree by sending healing energy through the roots & mycelium. I also paused daily to send loving energy to all the herbs.

I was told to be careful with the mint – if it wasn’t it a pot it would take over, so I diligently dug it up, put it back into its pot, made the hole bigger & replanted it in the ground in its pot.

Flush with my Percy Thrower-ness I shared what I’d done with a friend who told me, ‘The roots will just grow over the top.’

‘oh’, i responded despondently, ‘what should i do?’

‘Put it in a pot,’ she replied

‘That’s what I’ve don….’ I trailed off & it dawned on me. ‘Oh you mean on the top, put the pot on the top of the soil.’

When we both realised how I had completely mis-understood we fell about laughing. I was beginning to see the joy in this gardening malarky! And I could see the benefits: the herbs were thriving.

I diligently dug up the mint, potted it a terracotta pot I found & when another green fingered friend popped in proudly showed her the fruits of my labour. Bemused she looked at me & said, ‘But where’s the mint?’

‘There.’ I said pointing at the pot.

‘That’s not mint, that’s sage,’ was her reply.

‘Y’know what,’ I said,’ I kept thinking it looked like sage but the sticker on the pot said mint.’

I started to laugh again: I had a lot to learn if I was ever going to be off the grid! But everyone’s got to start somewhere!

I began to dream about transporting the gravel & head height weeds that was the front garden into beds full of full of vegetables & flowers. I bought some house plants for some much needed greenery inside too.

Then one day, completely out of the blue one of my neighbours asked if I wanted some sleepers & top soil. I hadn’t anticipated my dream would manifest so quickly but 2 days later my son & his best mate had transported it all around the block.

I bought some horse manure & dug it into the soil to give it a good boost & since it was all a bit of a surprise & I wasn’t quite ‘ready’ to full embrace my inner horticulturist I chucked a load of wildflower seeds onto it. I figured I’d see how they flourished (or potentially not based on my track record) & do veggies next year.

Project Greenfingers was in full swing. Friends & clients gifted me plants: I have actual real live mint now! tomatoes, basil, parsley & coriander, lemon balm, geraniums, lavender, sunflowers, lilies, pumpkins, squash, courgette. It’s all higgledy-piggledy & very random but I have loved every minute of planting them & getting my hands dirty, watering & nourishing them & seeing them, blossom & bloom.

I looked down onto the flower bed from my bedroom window this morning & saw the butterflies & bees dancing amongst the flowers & could feel myself beaming with joy.

With the front garden starting to take shape it was time to tackle the back garden. The kids had finally decided to relinquish the trampoline & so it was time to switch focus here.

With the help of a gardener friend & his ghostbusters pack & my son & his mate, the weeds are under control. I’ve laid 3 tonnes of bark, my son did the final back-breaking ton. And again I have been gifted more plants & a hammock.

I finally have a natural space to just be & I relish every moment – the hammock is my new happy place!

I never had any idea when I embarked on project greenfingers how quickly it would evolve & how much I would truly enjoy creating a more natural haven in our garden & the joy of creation as everything begins to flourish & thrive. 

Looking back to this time last year I remembered a conversation I had with a local psychic who declared I loved gardening, getting my hands dirty & at the time I laughed saying, nope not me. But maybe this is where the seed was originally sown?

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Not always easy but worth it! https://alexbannard.com/not-always-easy-but-worth-it/ https://alexbannard.com/not-always-easy-but-worth-it/#respond Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:58:05 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2424 Not always easy but worth it! Read More »

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I’ve never won anything before – unless a Sheena Easton LP counts?

So I was surprised last month to be nominated in a local community & business awards ceremony & went along to support Katie’s work as I love her vision for Evesham.  

It was a wonderful evening: I had no idea there were so many inspiring people doing such wonderful things for Evesham’s community, it was uplifting to be sharing space with them.

I was completely stunned to discover I’d won the Female Owned Business Category! I literally did not see that coming!

I am humbled & so grateful – thank you if you voted for me, it really means a lot. And congratulations to the other winners.

The day after the awards ceremony was our 6 year anniversary since arriving in Evesham. What a lot has happened in these 6 years: divorce, menopause, running a business, solo parenting & everything else in between.

It’s not easy running a business – ask any soul-preneur!

Being a single mum’s a tough gig too!

So, it’s not always been easy.

But it has been worth it!

In the early days the kids were so young they’d sit outside studios on the iPad waiting for me. They sacrifice at least 3 evenings a week when I’m teaching & we somehow manage to get them where they need to be to support their own passions & activities.

All I hope is that they know they are always my inspiration & hope that maybe I can inspire them to live their dreams.

I love what I do: I love supporting people with a whole host of different practices including: yoga, mindfulness & meditation, breath techniques, journaling, processing & reframing practices, energy management & clearing, compassion & gratitude.

I am grateful to serve & make a difference & I appreciate each & every one of my clients who have supported me over the years, not to mention the kids & all their support.

There have been moments of doubt & moments of ‘I should get a proper job.’ But I didn’t give up: it’s as much about patience, persistence & perseverance as it is about trust, faith & belief.

The journey I’ve been on in my business has mirrored & supported my own personal journey. I trust the process, the Universe & most importantly trust in myself. and OF COURSE ALL THE LESSONS, HEALING & GROWTH.

I believe everything happens for a reason, it’s all an opportunity to learn & grow. As such I don’t believe in failing so even if no-one turned up or booked onto an event I take time to reflect & re-evaluate & just keeping going. Just keep believing!

This award really empowered me to keep believing in myself & trust that in my own little way maybe I am making a small difference.

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The Significance of the number 108 https://alexbannard.com/the-significance-of-the-number-108/ https://alexbannard.com/the-significance-of-the-number-108/#respond Fri, 16 Jun 2023 13:59:39 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2408 The Significance of the number 108 Read More »

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The number 108 is known as a sacred number. It is considered the most auspicious of numbers & been revered thousands of years in many spiritual traditions.

According to Buddhism there are 108 defilements, 108 earthly temptations, prayer beads have 108 mala beads. The Buddha has 108 names & 108 lamps devoted to him. Most Buddhist temples have 108 steps & 108 columns. Angkor Wat is a great example built around 108 huge stones.

Tibetians have 108 sacred books & believe there are 108 sins & 108 delusions of the mind. Tibetian legends are made of 108 Masters & 108 initiates.

In both Buddhism & Hinduism it is believed that there are 108 different feelings: 36 associated with the past, 36 with the present & 36 with the future.

108 is also significant within our solar system: the distance between the moon & earth is 108 x diameter of the moon, whilst the distance between the earth & the sun is 108 x the diameter of the sun.

In Astrology there are 12 zodiacs & 9 planets: 12 x 9 = 108.

108 is said to represent oneness, wholeness, unity.

In numerology  1 represents new beginnings & higher truth; 0 represents nothingness & completeness & amplifies the energies of the other 2 numbers; 8 represents eternity. Adding them all up gives us the number 9 which is regarded as being a highly spiritual number.

In nature, the Fibonacci sequence is related to the golden ration, representing 108 ways of representing the wholeness of existence. It governs the dimensions of everything from the Great Pyramid of Giza to the Nautilus seashell & is called nature’s code or nature’s universal rule.

The Sarsen Circle Stonehenge is 108 feet in diameter.

In yoga the number 108 refers to spiritual completion; there are 108 mala beads for mantra recitation; sun salutations are often completed in 9 rounds of 12 poses or 108 in total; pranayama can be practiced no more than 108 rounds. It’s said that there are 108 nadi’s converging at the heart chakra. In Ayurveda it’s believed there are 108 Marmas.

This is why often yoga practices include 108 sun salutations to harness the energy of the Summer Solstice.

The Summer Solstice falls on the day when the sun is highest in the sky. It’s the longest day & shortest night. The sun’s potency is said to be at highest on this day & as such it a s time of powerful healing.

International Yoga Day also falls on this day this year. It has been celebrated for 10 years after the UN proclaimed 21st June as International Day. The theme for this year is harmony.

Please join me for Summer Solstice Yoga LIVE on Zoom on Wed 21st June at 6pm. This class is FREE. To sign-up just click the link: https://mailchi.mp/2eff5b848158/summer-solstice-free-practice

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My journey to yoga https://alexbannard.com/my-journey-to-yoga/ https://alexbannard.com/my-journey-to-yoga/#respond Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:32:44 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2402 My journey to yoga Read More »

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I haven’t always taught yoga. After the usual year of waitressing & bar work to fund the obligatory post-uni trip around the world, it was time to get a proper job & I as lucky enough to be offered a Grad-trainee opportunity with New Look working down in Weymouth.

We worked hard & we played harder. I got to work in a variety of divisions ultimately deciding on buying & merchandising. I was part of the team that launched their 915 teenwear range & their lingerie range.

I moved from Weymouth to Portsmouth & began work with the Swatch Group before moving to London & a brief detour into recruiting buyers & merchandiser. I wasn’t very good at recruitment – I won a bottle of bubbly for being well, the bubbliest & happiest non-biller! My fortunes improved when I swapped seats with the highest biller in the department & once I’d proved I could ‘do’ recruitment I took off around the world again for the best part of a year.

Having met so many people with inspiring tales of different adventures I returned home with even itchier feet & within months was on the move again, this time to head to Everest Base Camp & to train as divemaster in Indonesia & I am so lucky to have amassed so many happy memories & wonderful adventures.

Not long after returning home was offered a role back in product working for the biggest franchise partner in the Middle East. I got to travel throughout the Middle East, whilst supporting the host brands in UK, Italy & Lebanon.

It was during my time in Kuwait that I met my husband, we married in Kuwait & our son, Akiro was born there.

Before he was a year old we were on the move again: this time to Istanbul. What a fabulous city to call our home for the next 2 years.

We had a brief spell back in the UK for a few months when Indie, our daughter, was born & then it was off to Germany for the next leg of my husband’s career.

I have always practiced yoga because I knew it was good for me. However due to a chronic lung condition, bronchiectasis if my I was upside down or lining on my back in savasana I would cough & mindful of disturbing others practice I couldn’t access the full benefits of the practice.

so I was delighted when I was offered surgery to remove the worst affected part of my lungs & yoga helped me to recuperate from the operation.

It also supported my recovery from a mental health crisis & this inspired me to qualify to teach yoga because it had been so instrumental in improving not only my physical health but my mental & emotional wellbeing too.

I did my teach training in Germany with John Gaydos from Yoga Works & loved every minute.

We lived in an upside down house, with the bedrooms leading out into the garden so I put the kids in together (a bonding exercise it I called it!) – Indie loved sharing with her big brother; Akiro not so much! I created a little boutique studio in his old bedroom where I hosted small classes of 4 or 5 & 1-2-1’s.

But we were on the move again: this time to Bangkok. My practice & teaching changed again. In Bangkok I hosted poolside classes & my love for practicing outside blossomed. Even when it poured down I would roll out my yoga mat on the balcony relishing the soundtrack of the rain as I flowed through my practice.

Unfortunately, my marriage came to an end in Bangkok & it was time for us to return ‘home’, back to the UK. It was Autumn 2017 & we moved to Evesham on the edge of the Cotswolds.

My practice has evolved over the years, as has my business but I am so grateful for the amazing opportunities I have been blessed with throughout my career, all the amazing places we’ve lived & worked, all the friends we made & adventures had.

That’s my journey to yoga, what’s yours?

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Finding Your Joy https://alexbannard.com/finding-your-joy/ https://alexbannard.com/finding-your-joy/#respond Sun, 04 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2417 Finding Your Joy Read More »

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For many of us by the time we get to our menopause, we have been so used to putting everyone, everything, every commitment, obligation & circumstance first that we arrive at the menopause feeling lost & adrift. With no idea how to make ourselves a priority. And yet no-one else is going to do it for us.

When my menopause symptoms were at their worst, my life was at its most chaotic frankly I felt more than lost & adrift, I felt broken.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done something joyful, just for the fun of it. I feared I had forgotten how to have fun. Until I realised it was just a choice: I could choose to be happy, I could choose fun & joy.

And so one week in the summer of 2020, the kids were at their Dad’s for the first time in months as we were re-emerging from lockdown, I chose to only do things that bought me joy & fun.

Not contrived, zip-wiring kind of fun, just really, simple, little things like noticing favourite records when they came on the radio, binge watching a series I’d always wanted to watch, curling my hair with foamy curling things & taking calls with said curls wrapped around locks.

I not only relished the week (which I had been dreading in all honesty, I wasn’t in a good place & the thought of the kids being away for a week was terrifying) but I felt better, lighter, uplifted & I had had fun & felt genuine joy again. I felt hopeful & optimistic for the first time in ages.

Of course, life takes over & new habits are hard to maintain. Whilst I maintained a robust practice of self-care & self-development with yoga, meditation, time in nature, gratitude, journaling & processing practices, energy management & clearing, making fun a priority wasn’t always well a priority.

One day I was chatting to Kate Codrington & she asked me what I did that was joyful & fun. I felt the weight of this question resting heavy. Nothing really if I was honest. In my 20’s & 30’s it was all heady hedonistic fun: dancing on podiums, clubbing with friends & travelling.

Neither were realistic options being a 50+ single mum on a yoga teacher’s salary. Whilst I get a great deal of joy from my practices, which serve me well, offering profound healing & transformation: it was time for something more.

Doing something joyful, that lights you up, fills you with joy is such a powerful practice. It sends a powerful message to the Universe that you love yourself enough to invest in yourself, nurturing & nourishing yourself, you start to connect more deeply with your own soulful, joyful self, you’re more fun to be around, your vibration, the frequency at which you resonate changes & you become a magnet for more of the same.

It was time for more joy.

I decided to start reading more fiction. Within a week or so of setting this intention I was invited to host Harley St’s Book Club – the dilemma of what book to read was solved.

The first book was an absoluter corker – I read it twice! The 2nd was a charmingly great read too & although feeling sceptical after reading the first chapter I ended up really enjoying he 3rd. In between I have revisited old favourites & new books & I’ve read more in the past 6 months than I have in the previous 6 years!

I love getting lost in a book & doing so for the pure joy & love of it. It has also really helped my sleeping & I rarely struggle to go to sleep anymore reading before bed instead of binge watching Netflix.

A passion of mine is live music but it’s been a few years since I went to gig. When the opportunity arose to take my daughter to see Harry Styles I embraced it with delight. Sir Harry didn’t disappoint & we danced & sung all night. On the way back to the car Indie turned to me absolutely beaming, ‘That was the most amazing night of my life.’

Oh the joy!

Last night went to see Rag n Bone Man at Cardiff Castle with some girlfriends. We laughed so much tears rolled down my cheeks, the people watching was fascinating, the setting was fabulous & Rag’s set was fantastic. It was all so uplifting & so much fun. One of my friends, who struggles health wise & I was worried the toll a long day & late night might take, has reported that she’s not even suffering today – if that isn’t a testament to the power of joy I don’t what is!

An unexpected source of joy has been my garden. I’ve never been much of a gardener, one of the very few mindful activities that I just didn’t get. But I have loved the way my garden has evolved in the past few months & genuinely revel in getting my hands dirty & co-creating with mother nature.

Visiting my brother recently I noticed they had a hammock. I hopped in & was instantly transported to 20+ years ago when I was living in the Togean Islands training as a divemaster. I would often rest in between dives in the hammock. Fond memories flooded back.

A few days later a hammock arrived – an early Christmas gift! Ever since I have enjoyed daily time in the hammock. I meditate, sometimes I’m reflecting, contemplating, planning, reading, sometimes I’m just listening to the birdsong . A few moments of joyful just being & I cherish this me-time.

This is the beauty of finding your joy. When you discover those little moments of joy, that’s where the magic is. You no longer feel lost or adrift. Instead, you feel uplifted & filled up, grounded & centred with a beautiful inner equilibrium of serenity & joy.

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Energies of New Beginnings https://alexbannard.com/energies-of-new-beginnings/ https://alexbannard.com/energies-of-new-beginnings/#respond Mon, 27 Mar 2023 16:57:07 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2355 Energies of New Beginnings Read More »

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Last Monday was the Spring Equinox, when daylight & night time is practically equal in length. The following day was the new Moon in Aries, the start of the Astrological & energetic new year. A time of renewal, rebirth, new beginnings, opportunities & possibilities.

Last night I was reflecting on how I have felt & seen this energy manifest in our life over the past few days.

My tall 15 year old, sport-mad son has the box room in our home. The room was badly designed with a cabin bed resting on kitchen cabinets & more kitchen cabinets mounted on the walls imposing on the already impossibly small room.

I checked with the landlords if they were happy for us to do some renovations to make better use of the room. They were. We were on!

Akiro chose the bed, shelves, design & colour scheme & helped by a friend from the rugby club, began to make his vision a reality. I decorated the room. His Dad moved he radiator & put up his monitor for the PS4.

This in itself is epic. My husband & I separated over 7 years ago. It was an acrimonious & toxic divorce & the relationship has been strained at best. We haven’t spent time in each other’s company & previous history makes it very hard for me to ask for his help. To do both was quite the leap of faith.

Over the past few weeks of the renovations we have been in the same space for several hours, inconceivable not very long ago & it has been easy & amicable. I feel optimistic of a new beginning in our relationship which offers our kids a more amicable & support co-parenting dynamic. A new beginning for sure.

My son is absolutely delighted with his new room – his smile says it all & actually that’s all that really matters!

Have you felt any energetic shifts around renewal, rebirth new beginnings?

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Chakra Cleanse & the Menopause https://alexbannard.com/chakra-cleanse-the-menopause/ https://alexbannard.com/chakra-cleanse-the-menopause/#respond Mon, 20 Mar 2023 13:44:40 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2327 Chakra Cleanse & the Menopause Read More »

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How can working with your chakras help you during your menopause journey?

Our chakras can be knocked out of kilter by life’s events, abuse, trauma, sickness, the stresses of modern living, even the menopause but when the chakras are balanced in homeostasis, they function at their optimum, optimally, creating a profound sense of peace & calm, physical, mental & emotional wellbeing.

Many women during the menopause feel adrift, lost, broken, disconnected & ungrounded. Activating the root chakra, the centre for belonging, trust & connection in our earthly realm can help us to feel more balanced, centred & grounded, easing this sense of feeling lost & adrift, disconnected.

Our sacral chakra is our emotional & creative centre. Many women in the menopause feel blocked, too emotional or cut off from their emotions, lacking creativity, enthusiasm & joy. In fact, there is a medical term for this lack of joy: anhedonia. Energising this chakra, bringing it back into balance & alignment can help us to tap into that sense of passion, creativity, enthusiasm & joy that we have been missing.

The Solar Plexus is said to have the energy of a thousand suns. It is our centre for our inner fire, determination, drive & will to succeed. This sense of inner fire often fizzles out during the menopause, leaving us feeling unmotivated, lacking drive. Awakening the solar plexus can reawaken this inner sense of get up & go.

Our heart centre is the centre for unconditional love, compassion & kindness. Reconnecting with this sacred energy at our heart space helps us to become kinder, more accepting & forgiving of ourselves. Treating our self like a dear friend,  is SO powerful during the menopause. To be honest not just in menopause but throughout our life! This sacred centre is the gateway from our lower survival chakras into our higher chakras & into the realms of higher consciousness.

Our throat chakra is our centre for speaking our truth, being our authentic self.Often women who are struggling during the menopause find it hard to express themselves clearly, authentically. Working with this chakra helps us to tap into our authentic voice, expressing ourselves with integrity, honesty & clarity. The throat chakra also enables us to give a voice to, energy if you like, to our dreams & creative ideas that originate in the sacral chakra so that we can manifest them.

The 3rd eye governs our perception, our ability to see things clearly not clouded by the stories we are telling ourselves. It is associated with our inner wisdom, intuition, inner knowing, which I believe is part of the menopause journey. We know that neuron transmitters are firing up more in the right side of our brain during the menopause, the side of our brain associated with intuition. Indeed, this could be responsible for brain fog (which I think is a beautiful way to reframe brain fog – something way more interesting is happening in our brain than remembering someone’s name or the rest of the sentence!). I believe the menopause isn’t just a hormonal journey, it’s a spiritual journey & energising this chakra, bringing it into balance & alignment helps us to access this beautiful part of the menopause journey.

Finally, the crown chakra is the gateway to Universal consciousness, to freedom, liberation, oneness, unity & wholeness. Whilst the heart chakra is said to be the seat of our soul, the crown chakra is the seat of enlightenment. Working with this energy centre allows us to let go of attachments & who we think we are, stepping into who we are truly meant to be. And if this isn’t one of the most powerful invitations of the menopause, I don’t know what is! Activating this chakra, bringing it into balance & alignment helps us to accept this invitation.


Devoting an afternoon to your self-care is really powerful at any time in life but especially during the menopause, when self-care has never been more important. But as you journey through the chakras, cleansing these powerful energetic centres you will nurture body, mind & soul & soothe & calm many menopause symptoms.

The Chakra Cleanse is a beautifully immersive afternoon of breath work, mantras, mudras, yoga & meditation to awaken, energise, align, balance & cleanse each of the chakras. Bathing in Angie Latham’s sublime sounds bringing these energetic centres back into coherence & cadence for optimum health.


When the chakras are balanced in homeostasis, they function at their optimum, optimally, creating a profound sense of peace & calm, physical, mental & emotional wellbeing – vital for navigating the menopause with grace & ease. But of course you don’t have to be menopausal to benefit from this beautiful afternoon of self-care, working with the chakras is a powerful practice for anyone at any stage of life.

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Menopause Offerings https://alexbannard.com/menopause-offerings/ https://alexbannard.com/menopause-offerings/#respond Tue, 14 Mar 2023 12:21:49 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2320 Menopause Offerings Read More »

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I am so excited about the upcoming menopause offerings.

On Monday it’s the Spring Equinox. The equinox marks the twice yearly event when day & night are almost equal in length across all latitudes.

It is the beginning of the energetic year & as such marks new beginnings, opportunities & possibilities.

So we’ll be bringing this energy to our menopause meet-up on Monday. Practicing a beautiful grounding breath before we connect, share & support in the women’s circle. This is a totally safe space.

If there’s time we’ll do a short reflections meditation to reframe our experiences as opportunities for healing & growth.

On Sat 22nd April I’m delighted to announce my first menopause workshop.

We’ll be exploring the 3 phases of The Menopause, focusing on peri-menopause & symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, meno-rage & irritability.

Discover breath techniques, yoga poses, meditation practices to manage symptoms.

Reframe this life changing transition within a seasonal perspective to discover the gifts in accepting this is happening FOR you not to you with journaling & reflective practices.

I am also super excited to be joined by Kate Codrington, author of Second Spring, Podcaster (Life an inside job), menopause champion, coach & a wise, inspiring woman

Second Spring, in my humble opinion, is one of the best books on the menopause out there & I’m so grateful Kate will be joining us for a live Q&A via Zoom.

Kate’s own description of her peri-menopause resonated so strongly with me. It helped me put my own mental health struggles when my kids were babies & toddlers into the peri-menopause perspective. This gave me such space to let go of the stories I had told myself that I was a cr*p mum, failing my kids & my family, letting everyone down.

I found the space to forgive myself & let go.

It also made me realise that I hadn’t done the inner work the peri-menopause is calling us to & consequently that was one of the reasons my menopause was so chaotic & frightening. To really get my attention so I would have no choice but to do the work.

Kate’s own story resonated so strongly & was a powerful force in my own healing that I decided to work with Kate as I ventured into my second spring & it has been a wonderful journey.

I am so excited & grateful Kate is joining us to share her experiences, insights & wisdom. It promises to be a very special session.

I’ve also got a special gift for you: Rock & Rose Bathing Ritual.

I first met Lisa from Rock & Rose in September last year & we connected over our love of the natural world, an appreciation of water consciousness, energy & much more.

I have done several of Lisa’s bathing rituals & every experience has been different but sublimely insightful, relaxing. A real sense of wholeness, oneness, connection.

So I am delighted to be collaborating with Lisa to provide a meditation to accompany her amazing rituals & can’t wait for you to try it for yourself!

I hope you’ll join us for this really special workshop on Sat 2nd April.

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Yoga for meno-rage & irritability https://alexbannard.com/yoga-for-meno-rage-irritability/ https://alexbannard.com/yoga-for-meno-rage-irritability/#respond Mon, 14 Nov 2022 14:42:38 +0000 https://alexbannard.com/?p=2196 Yoga for meno-rage & irritability Read More »

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Many women experience meno-rage & increased irritability during the menopause.

Not only are hormonal levels fluctuating so dramatically that your body is in physiological & chemical stress, which activates the SNS, your fight or flight response, your ANS is all out of whack.

This makes stress levels more exaggerated & stress exaggerates menopause symptoms.

Layer on many women are over-roled, balancing energy, space & time for everyone else except herself. Responsibility overload. It’s no wonder this can explode in anger, frustration & irritability. It’s a sign, of an imbalance.

Time to slow down, reflect on the triggers, pause: rest, limit stress, find balance & befriend yourself so you don’t burn out.

In short time to take time for you.

Menopause is an awakening. And meno-rage invites us to make peace with our past & befriend our emotions, whilst letting go of the layers of guilt & shame that accompany meno-rage.

This awakening stirs things up, our senses become more sensitive, things start to change inside & we may have every right to feel angry. In the wise words of Donna Ashworth: One day an army of furious women will take over the world…and I want to be there at the front.

Too bloody right.

Practicing yoga with me every Wednesday will support you on your menopause journey, introducing you to breath techniques & yoga poses to help alleviate symptoms, calm your nervous system, bringing you back into balance.

Techniques to calm the nervous system help you to re-calibrate if you do blow your top with acceptance, kindness & compassion, just as you would show a dear friend.

Reframing meno-rage as a cleansing process which helps to clear out what no longer serves you & embracing the spiritual transformation that is all part of the menopause journey.

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