To travel is to make the expanse of this world seem smaller yet our own personal world becomes something much greater. We are never the same having seen the sun set on the other side of the globe. Fuelled by a romantic youth spent pining for James Dean and Kerouc, my dreams often melted into pink California sunsets perfectly framed by palm trees. And so I set off to travel the roads I have travelled hundreds of times through literature, movies and pop culture.
As a yoga teacher with deep respect for its philosophy and origins I have a fascination with how it came to be in the West and the form that it has blossomed into. With an unexplainable and profound sense of connection to California a place which felt like home before the plane had even taxied I was humbled to find that my route aligned with the journeys of the Yogi’s and sages who took pilgrimages across America to introduce their teachings to the west, a movement which several decades later inspired Ram Dass and his beautiful book conceptualisation of the teachings Dz Be here now dz. And I truly was.
Due to the nature of a road trip, waking up to new city silhouettes daily, light packing is essential. Practical clothes that grant free flowing movement, are wrinkle free and able to handle an active lifestyle without compromising style are my go tos. I want a wardrobe that moves with me; whether that be at 32,000 feet or transitioning through a sun salutation. Asquith’s Bamboo jumpsuit embodies effortlessness elegance and is the perfect solution to
the summer travel needs of a yogi on the go. As the type of traveller who spends the majority of flight attempting chair yoga without disturbing the drinks tray of my airplane companions. I have tested its stretch appeal so you don’t have to make enemies on your flight!
Verdict: you can pop your leg behind your head but don’t say I didn’t warn you about the enemies and strange looks! Created from the softest and most beautiful eco friendly bamboo fabric, the cut is truly flattering no matter if you team it with converse or Carvela. Below I’ve designed a short yoga routine to release the bodies tension from travelling and find yourself at home whether you be on exotic sands, dazed at arrivals or in the confines of a hotel room. Remember home is a feeling so get grounded wherever you go! This flow is a standing sequence to get you back on your feet.
Seatbelt signs are off!
- Begin in Half Down Dog; Place your fingertips on the wall at hip-height. Walk your feet back and bend from your hips until your legs and torso form a 90-degree angle with the floor, ankles directly underneath your hips. A great opener from the chest, shoulders, spine and all the way to hamstrings, this relives lower back pain from time spent seated yet it is energizing at the same time as being restorative.
- Chair Pose: Feet hip width, tail bone down, straight spine (imagine you are sitting on a very small chair as you have been made to sit at the children’s table at a wedding). This pose brings strength back to the legs and glutes, as well as lengthening the spine after being tied down to your chair.
- Get those knees back in action and stimulate blood flow to the legs with a quad stretch. From your quad stretch hold the foot, raise the opposite arm, gluing the bicep by your ear, extending forward into Dancers Pose. As you reach kick with equal force the foot into the hand. This is a pose of balance and equilibrium. Go slow, keep the breath slow and focused. Engage the supporting leg. This pose releases the spine, opens the hip flexors and allows us to focus our breath to cut through the post flight haze.
- Tree pose. Root down through the big toe, engage the core by drawing the navel to spine and lengthen from the lower back to the nape of the neck. Find your breath, calm and clarity.
- From Tree, raise your knee to chest, engage your core. Either hold the knee high into the chest, balancing on one leg or hooking the first two fingers round the big toe extend the leg from hip to heel in standing big toe pose. You can open this out to the side for a deeper opening of the hips. Tip: yoga straps are a handy lightweight prop that travels well and enables both restorative and deeper practices perfect for a hotel room!
- Uttanasana or Forward fold holding the elbows, slowing the body, slowing the mind, slowing the breath. A beautiful release for the spine and hamstrings. Bend the knees and plant the hands step back to.
- Downward facing dog, step through to high lunge, knee connected to the mat. Notice how lifting out of the lower body allows you to extend tall in the spine and hands while feeling supported and strong.
- Warrior 2, root into back foot, focus on the front knee drawing over to the little toe side of the foot instead of the knee drifting inward. This will create strength in the legs, knee joints and hips which have not been stimulated by blood flow.
- Extended side angle with the hand on the inside of the front foot. Allow the strength in the lower body to enable you to turn and open the chest skyward, opening up the side body. We create length after being compressed.
- Frame the foot with both hands step back to plank. Take a vinyasa and 3 rounds of sun salutation to summon the sunshine to start of your wonderful holiday!
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