Posts By: Jaccy

Gems of wisdom appear everywhere. There’s always the possibility of encountering them throughout our day 🙂

This particular piece of wisdom was a gift from Steve, a lovely Californian we meet last month. We were talking about driving and I made a comment about the challenges of being on the “wrong” side of the road. In the most charming way possible, he let me know that there’s no right or wrong, it’s just different.

No truer words have been spoken that can also relate to our personal yoga practice. The ego is a tricky thing and it likes to interrupt our feelings of zen with comparison. How come my hand isn’t on the ground in side angle? Why can’t I touch my fingers when we bind? Why is their torso so low in triangle pose and I’m still upright?

The mind kicks in and these unnecessary and unsupportive thoughts come rushing through. We attribute a right and wrong to our poses – assigning an end state or goal. When I can get my hand to *insert location*, then I’ll be doing the pose right. When I can straighten my legs, then it will be perfect.

But that’s the thing. There is no right or wrong. And we are all different. My history, my physiology, my being is completely different to yours. So while I need a block to prop my hips in hero’s pose, you might be able to sit comfortably on the ground. Neither of us is wrong or right, it’s just different. We are expressing the essence of the pose in our own unique way.

Yoga helps us to be humble and connect with ourselves, so that we can quieten the mind chatter and let the ego go. Know that at Mala you’ve found a community free of judgement and comparison. Here you can practice acceptance and appreciation of your amazing being. Differences and all.

Is there someone in your life that could benefit from this message? We’d be honoured for you to share by email or online by clicking one of the links below. And leave us a comment below – what is your difference that you embrace the most?

San Francisco to Singapore – even before we left the hotel the oils were out and helping me feel even more amazing 😊

Our immune systems can become compromised when we travel. New environments, new bugs, different food… I like to be proactive about staying healthy, both at home or on holiday. My two favourite oils for this are OnGuard and Frankincense.

OnGuard is also called Protective Blend (you can find more information here on the studies confirming the amazing properties of this blend). When travelling, I use the oil on my throat and soles of the feet each morning and as needed throughout the day. And if I need an extra boost, OnGuard is safe enough to add to water (it tastes great in warm water with honey and coconut oil if you have this on hand).

Frankincense is part of my daily self care ritual and I love to place a drop under my tongue in the mornings to support my immune system – I also find it helps to get rid of that morning fogginess (whether travelling or not!).

Using the oils while travelling makes me feel like I’m doing the best I can for my physical, mental and emotional health. And there are myriad of ways the oils can help support us.

I have a special hydrating blend of oils including lavender, sandalwood and a few others, mixed with jojoba oil, which I love to massage on my face mid-flight. During one of my walk arounds the plane, one of the flight attendants asked if I was there to do face massages for them – cheeky!

DigestZen helps with my bloated tummy – rubbed on the skin and also a drop in water. If you run out like I did this trip, Peppermint is amazing for pretty much anything. Tummy complaints, headaches, when you need to clear sinuses and your mind – it’s a daily go to.

It’s rare to see fresh lemons on the plane. A drop of lemon in water helps to provide cleansing and digestive benefits.

Balance is one of the oils I always have in my handbag, promoting tranquility and balance of emotions. I apply Balance to my feet most days and especially before take off to relax and feel grounded.

To aid in relaxation and sleep, Lavender Peace is another amazing blend to calm the senses. Add in an eye mask, this oil will promote sleep and serenity even mid-flight.

The scents from the oils is enough to bring calmness and harmony to a space – the flight attendants thanked me for making the cabin smell so good 😊

I’d love to share more of my tips and experiences on using the oils in your home. Join us at one of our upcoming essential oils classes, you’ll find the details here. Learn how you too can be healthy, grounded and happy – both mid-flight and during normal life. You will be able to glide through life with joy and bliss. And smell amazing at the same time 😊

It seems that our holidays coincide with escaping from the cold Perth winters. Yes I said cold – we do get below 5 degrees here and yes jackets are essential!!  Last month we had the pleasure of discovering California in the summer.

Getting to anywhere that isn’t South East Asia is an epic journey. Our combined flight time was 22 hours each way, not including stopovers, delays, getting to the airport, getting to the hotel… the joys of travel!  So finding ways to cope and maintain our sanity was important!

The excitement of food, no internet access and endless TV and movies started to wear thin. My lower back was tight, sternum felt compressed and all I wanted to do was lengthen my spine and twist my insides. Movement in a plane is  limited at the best of times – so a full round of sun salutation A was not going to go down well with my fellow travellers.

Enter the friendly flight attendants! After meal services we’d sneak into their kitchen area to move our bodies.  

My first move? Forward bend to let my spine waterfall forward and decompress – bliss! Hands sitting on top of my feet (I’m a germaphobe so no hands on ground happening here!), knees bent to give my tight hammies some relief. And then it was time to get creative with the props available!

You’ll see that slippers come in handy to keep those hands clean 😀

Hips need some loving? Always enough space for malasana (yogic squat)!

How about testing that balance miles above the earth, little bit of wobble to fire up the core muscles?

And my favourite downward dog modification – using the wall!

But the fun didn’t stop there! Back in the chair, more forward bends and then some twists – binding to make sure there were no elbows where they shouldn’t be. 

And once we hit the ground? Heading straight to the studio for class 😍  

Where we’d love to see you too! So you can learn asana (yoga postures) to keep your energy flowing and body feeling great as you move through life. We’d love to know your favourite travel asana – leave us a comment in the box below!

Next week I’ll share with you my must have essential oils for travel – I may have overpacked but it was worth it 😊

Entertaining the thought of committing to your practice and investing in your own yoga mat?  Trust us, you will never look back after you have your very own space to practice on!

We have had many mats over the years, from the most basic version through to the best (in our opinion!) money can buy and have discovered there is something quite special to having your own mat.

1 – Your personal sanctuary

Some days, practice looks like rolling out your mat and lying in butterfly pose for twenty minutes.  Or just standing in tadasana and seeing what happens.  That simple act of gently unrolling the mat, stepping on to that space and breathing is the spark we need to move into our practice.  We develop a special connection with ourself and our practice by having something that is just for our yoga.  Stepping into that positive energy, the mat represents truly committing to ourself and wellbeing.

2 – It’s always with you

Yoga happens everywhere.  At home, on the plane, in the park.  Hotel room, on the beach, in the studio.  Having your own mat allows you the opportunity to practice whenever, wherever.  

3 – Cleanliness 

We move, we sweat, we laugh, we cry on our mats.  It’s all a part of your practice.  So it’s comforting to know when you nestle into child’s pose, forehead on the mat, that you are connecting with you.  Your efforts, your energy, your scent.

Our favourite mats

The mats that we personally use are JadeYoga mats.  JadeYoga mats are made in the USA and appeal to us on so many levels.

Firstly, they are eco-friendly – made from natural rubber, a renewable, sustainable resource.  This means the contain no PVC or synthetic rubbers and are 99% latex free.

Secondly, every time someone buys a mat, JadeYoga will plant a tree!  In collaboration with Trees for the Future and the receiving community, our purchase helps to provide environmentally and economically sustainable projects.  

So far, the warm and fuzzy box is definitely ticked 😊 But what about performance?

JadeYoga mats are the only ones we’ve practiced on that pass the “slip test” – those moments in class when your heart is beating strong, you’re hot, sweaty palms and moving in to (what feels like the fiftieth!) downward dog.  The natural rubber helps your hands and feet to stay put, safe, secure and comfortable.

And they are durable!  When you know your mat will last you 5, or even 10 years, supporting you through a daily practice, you know you have made the right investment. 

And lastly, just like us, JadeYoga is a family owned company ❤

Ready to commit?

Want to try before you buy?  We have JadeYoga mats available for you to trial at the studio.  You are welcome to use these during class or come down during our studio open hours for a test stretch.

So, what are you waiting for? We have JadeYoga mats in stock in a range of beautiful colours so you can personalise your practice. Visit our website to put your name on one today.

We just know that you’ll love your very own mat and will appreciate the subtle motivation seeing your mat in the corner of the room gives 🙏

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