Welcome

Welcome to the April issue of OM Yoga & Lifestyle

My secret place

The photo shows yoga teacher and aromatherapist, Julia

N@maste

Love OM magazine and want to tell the world? Here’s your chance

YOGA CHANGED MY LIFE

Studio owner Erika Shapiro loves supporting her students through change and transition

Set your yoga free

No longer just for the elite, it’s possible to find yoga and fitness classes for free

WHAT’S YOUR + AFFIRMATION?

For self compassion, wisdom within, and for learning life’s lessons

The vitality of youth

Yoga can make you look and feel younger, a new study shows

Yoga & Aromatherapy

The month of April brings with it Easter and the triumph

Amazing spaces

Stylish and inspiring studio design ideas and interiors

Omloves

Beautiful things for beautiful people

Planet yoga

Stories from around the weird and wonderful world of yoga

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Om books

Heartfulness Beyond Mindfulness - Finding Your Real

Yoga is for every body

Your pictures. Your community

Picture perfect?

Victoria Jackson says ‘no thanks’ to the glam world of Instagram yoga holiday snaps

Bhakti The Future

Create an intention to your practice to move forward with grace and freedom with this Jivamukti inspired sequence

OM meets… Brian Cooper

Edinburgh-based instructor and yoga practitioner of more than 40 years, Brian Cooper is also co-founder of Yoga Alliance Professionals, the teacher training and accreditation body

An overview of… Warrior 2 (Virabhadrasana 2)

Warrior 2 is one of the most widely recognised asana and is a regular feature in many Hatha yoga classes

Face of OM

Introducing the winners of the Face of OM competition from last year’s OM Yoga Show, London who appear on our front cover this month: mother and daughter team, Annet and Jade Bowler

YOGA THERAPY Common Cold

Practical yoga therapy techniques to start you on the road to health: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

TOP GUY

Dubbed Britain’s manliest man by the media, yoga fan and RAF fast jet aviator Alun Pepper is on a mission to raise awareness of testicular cancer, an issue that’s very personal to him

WASAY’S STORY

Introducing Wasay Foladi as our fab Face of OM winner for the guys

Shoulder Stand Variation (Salamba Sarvangasana)

Shoulder Stand is known as the mother of asana and

ONEWORLD retreats – Bali, Indonesia

Designed for those who want to immerse themselves in

Azulfit Yoga & Pilates Retreat – Fuerteventura, Spain

Azulfit Yoga & Pilates Retreat – Fuerteventura

Buddha Retreats Yoga & Surf – Portugal

A place to r elax, recharge and slow down; an opportunity

Yoga Turkey retreats – Gölköy, Bodrum

For anyone who wants leaping energy with a calm mind.

Sentia Yoga: Summer Yoga Retreat – Spain

Anyone seeking to explore yoga in a luscious retreat

Huzur Vadisi - Turkey (also retreats in Spain, Wales and Norway)

Huzur Vadisi - Turkey (also retreats in Spain, Wales

SAHA Cleansing & Yoga Retreats – Lincolnshire, UK + Goa, India

SAHA Cleansing & Yoga Retreats – Lincolnshire,

Suryalila Retreat Centre: Adventure and Yoga Retreat – Spain

Suryalila Retreat Centre: Adventure and Yoga Retreat

BodyHoliday – Saint Lucia

If you’re looking for a spot to recharge, this is the

Shavasana Yoga Retreats – Ibiza

All level s and beginners welcome. Experienced teachers

Vale de Moses Yoga Retreat – Portugal

Everyone is welcome, whether you have been practicing

Yoga Vibe –Tenerife, Spain

This will appeal to pretty much everyone, and at anytime

Yoga, Mindfulness and Compassion: Antidotes for a Modern Mind – France

Yoga, Mindfulness and Compassion: Antidotes for a Modern

Yoga Through Life – Agistri Island, Greece

This retreat is for those who love the sun and sea.

Ashiyana Yoga Retreat Village – Goa, India

Ashiyana has been created as a sanctuary, a place for

Dru Yoga: Advanced Yoga and Mudra Retreat – Wales, UK

Dru Yoga: Advanced Yoga and Mudra Retreat – Wales,

Yoga & Surf Escape - Portugal

The goal is for all guests to feel totally empowered

AdventureYogi: Active Yoga Holiday – French Alps

Yoga practices suitable for all levels. The Alpine

Everything changes

A meditation for moving through life changes with grace and acceptance.

Soft Eyes

Soften the eyes and jaw and find some well-needed space. It’s time to give those eyes a break from that computer screen of yours

HAPPINESS AND THE FLOW STATE

Regularly entering the ‘flow state of mind’ makes us happier, more relaxed and can increase creativity and productivity. But what exactly is it and how do we get there?

THE ENERGY OF SUCCESS

How much energy we have can shape our experience of life. Here, Nicholas McKie explores how we can better understand and even elevate our own energy levels

EMOTIONAL RESCUE

Jennifer Ellis discusses how yoga can be used as a tool for personal transformation and for dealing with our emotional states

Moving to Mysore

A keen Ashtanga yogini, Becky Pell sets out to discover the Mysore style, on an inner journey towards self-practice and spiritual enlightenment

Eat Drink Yoga

Healthy eating goodies

Breakfast of champions

Start your day the right way: delicious superfood breakfast ideas that simply ooze self-love

A daily cup of kombucha

One of the hottest trends in health beverages, kombucha enthusiasts reckon this ‘elixir of life’ fermented drink is here to stay

The lightness of being

When did life get so heavy for young people? Let’s find ways to rekindle that magical sparkle of youth once more.

YOGA IN SCHOOLS

A call for the provision of yoga for mental health promotion in schools.

Kolkata calling

The Yoga Garden Party goes to Kolkata, India, for a week-long yoga mission inspired by charity

MY STORY

After suffering from a breakdown, then being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Victoria Cunningham Downey realised yoga was to be her salvation. Here, she tells her story of being a yoga teacher living with a mental illness

My Yoga Biz

Tips from the experts to help you grow the yoga business of your dreams.

Digital Gurus

Beyond Spotify: 5 apps to help you run your yoga business. Jennifer Cordero looks at ways yoga teachers can boost their digital footprint and social media with the least effort

The big push

Is self-promotion un-yogic? Surely anything that serves your student community better has got to be a good thing, says Paula Hines

Om travel

Awe-inspiring retreats and ideas for yoga explorers

Get your glow… …in GLASGOW

OM explores Glasgow’s vibrant and growing yoga and wellness scene

Out & about

Taking in a yoga class while exploring the diverse areas around Glasgow is a great way to get to know the city

Choose life

Dine out in style at some of Glasgow’s healthy living eateries

The Kali Collective

Canadian yoga instructor Steph Wall of The Kali Collective, one of Glasgow’s vibrant new studios, is one of a number of teachers bringing an international flavour to the city’s yoga scene