Yoga, training and health inspiration for you

November has a lot to give at Yogobe! All of the courses are on 50 % sale and we have a lot to read about in the blog!

Maintain healthy routines this fall and help yourself feel good

In September and October, we offered routines as a theme to feel good about as well as life hacks that simplify your everyday life. Now we step into a month where we focus a little extra on mental (un)health in general, women's health and how we can keep the energy up as the dark hours increase every day.

In the blog you can read about feel-good hormones – how we can get these up in a completely natural way and how we can awaken our motivation. You'll also read about how you can stay in good mood during the fall and winter – read about the American psychology researcher who went to Tromsø to study how Norwegians keep up the joy of the dark season.

Four tips to get a natural energy boost

• Get out! Fresh air is good, how often have you heard it? So just do it, take a short walk or a longer one and you will probably cope with the rest of the day with a head feeling refreshed. If you manage to get some sun, it's a bonus (serotonin boost).

• Set achievable goals. That feeling you get from checking the to-do list, or the childish rush of coping with something you weren't really sure if it would work, gives you a dopamine boost! Let yourself have a lovely effect of completing important tasks, and – bring out the playfulness and feel the effect of at least getting halfway up a handstand or getting a flicked pancake to fly in the frying pan as if you were a master chef for a while. More fun guaranteed. Be sure to do it with pleasure, not performance and stress!

• Laugh, excersise and do it with good music! Yes, if we want extra endorphins, we can bring three boosters at the same time! Training, laughter and music. For example, you can joke while doing a core exercise. Your friend may think you're super weird, but you'll both get extra stomach training. Well, if it sounds a little too advanced, you can pick one of the stuff. If you only feel performance in training – think about the endorphins instead. Everything's better than nothing. If you are short on time and have the opportunity – take a break five minutes per hour for movement and you will also work or study better afterwards.

• Get cosy! Now we're going to reveal something that the American scientist came up with, the one who went to Norway and wondered how they could be so happy in the dark. One of the ingredients is in the Norwegian "koselig" (cozy). Pet an animal (or a human if you have one who wants to get cuddled with), book a massage or just hang out with people you like! Restorative yoga is also really lovely, hugging the bolster, relaxing and cuddling yourself in blankets, can't it be one of the best autumn activities ever?

News for this month

• Pre- & postnatal pilates – Pilates complete release a new series the 9th of November.

• Heat – heart rate & training joy – on November 3, we release a training program for lovely, powerful energy that challenges your heart rate and strength while at the same time lifting the energy and training joy! A 21-day exercise boost for your physical as well as your mental strength – three weeks is just as long as it is said to create new habits.

All courses on 50 % discount in November-December 

Yes, you read it right! From November 15 to December 20, we have a 50% discount on all online courses! Why not give yourself an early Christmas present, or advent treat, or just reward yourself for something good you've done (for motivation's sake, and the dopamine, which we'll highlight in the blog!) Or give a present to someone you love.

Videos to boost your sense of feel-good and energy

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The app has a lot of new updates that make your usage easier and smarter – curious about what we've done? Read more here!

Cast to the TV and better search function in the Yogobe app

With the help of you, we have created improvements of various kinds in the app. First of all, we want to draw your attention to the fact that you can now cast to the TV on any device (yay!) – so bring your phone or computer and cast the next class ✌️ Unfortunately some of you still can experience some issues related to video streaming and casting, due to changes from our video provider. We work hard on it! Thank you for your patience 🙏.

Other updates in the app

• Slightly redesigned the main search experience

• Added a search feature inside My Library screens so that you can search your favorite sessions/playlists and playlists you created

• Improved the recommendations in My library

• Fixed a bug related to fullscreen video on some devices

• Fixed a few more bugs and optimised the overall app performance

Remember to update the app through the App Store or Google Play – unless it's done automatically through your settings!

Give us feedback for better online training

We want to make your experience with us the best. If you have more feedback about the app, please leave it through the app, or fill out our survey here.

Read more about the app here

• Yogobe launches a new app for Android and iOS

Enjoy new classes from the video library

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Interested in pilates that encourage and challenge you? With joy and strenght, Emma Cowan teaches all-levels practitioners. Learn more about Emma and her pilates classes on Yogobe here!

Fun and challenging pilates classes – from Arizona to Gothenburg

Emma Cowan a Pilates instructor originally from Arizona, USA, now living in Gothenburg with her Swedish partner and a gorgeous amstaff named Snoop.  Emma teaches both private and group classes and runs the Pilates Studio Pilates Complete in Gothenburg. We had a little chat with Emma:

How did you begin practicing pilates?

– I was 19 when my best friend found a pilates course at our community college. The course allowed us to take classes twice a week while studying for a Pilates Matwork certification. I never did anything with that certification, but the course lit a fire in me and led me to work in a high-end Pilates Studio in Manhattan and Redondo Beach, California, as a receptionist.

– When I moved to Sweden in 2014, I found Jasmin and Linda at Pilates Complete. I worked reception and admin for Pilates Complete until I was ready to move on to teaching. I started teaching in 2016. I have received my entire Pilates certification through Stott Pilates at the Stockholm Pilates Center.

What inspires you to continue practicing and teaching pilates?

– Passion! The more I learn about pilates, the body and movement – the more engaged I get with my clients and my own practice. I love learning and expanding my practice.

Is there any difference in how pilates is practiced in the US compared to Sweden?

– Pilates is world renowned and has a huge international community. The foundation is always the same. I think the magic and variations of pilates come from the instructors! The foundation is always the same, but every instructor is different.

– For example - one instructor may be more inclined to lead a more flowy practice while another can choose to have more strength and conditioning. Both classes can be very similar in form but if one instructor has more emphasis on strength and conditioning, while the other focuses on grace and flexibility - you will have two completely different classes.

What can we look forward to in your classes on Yogobe?

– You can look forward to having fun and getting a great workout. I like to lead fun and lighthearted classes. I like to challenge participants while also giving them the space to modify if an exercise is too hard. All levels are welcome, and all levels will be challenged!

See all classes with Emma Cowan here!

Pilates classes online with Emma Cowan

• Playlist: Pilates Barre
• Playlist: Pilates Workout Series
• Playlist: Pilates with a resistance band

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Further reading

• Find your inner motivation, by Satu Tuomela
• Exercise for long-term wellbeing - here’s how you get started, by Tanja Djelevic
• Design your life – create good habits with the help of yoga and meditation, by Emma Öberg

Have you also wondered how people do to get their lives together? Health, relationships, work, finances and free-time that you enjoy? During October, we have gathered wisdom and life hacks that simplify your everyday life and give you more time for what makes you feel good!

Take care of your whole being – mind, body and heart

This month, the whole of you, and your whole everyday life is in focus. Everything is connected, but of course it can be difficult to balance all parts. Maybe the realization that enough is good enough helps. But how to get there? Yogobe has enlisted the help from you, our team members and experts in various fields to crack that mystery – in a fun and wonderful way!

In the blog, you can look forward to reading tips that weave in training in an energizing way before the afternoon dip strikes. We also share tips for how children can break the increased sedentary lifestyle. You get simple, fast and healthy food, time efficiency tips, mental training to feel good in challenging moments and help for smart goals. You also get tricks on how to reduce headaches, knowledge about what trauma and PTSD are and how you can help yourself. There's an inspiring interview with Ulrica Norberg coming up and a giveaway with her latest book, Curious – awaken your inner genius! Stay updated by following us on Facebook.

New for the month is that you will also get some video interviews here in the blog! We are also looking forward to launches with Ulrica Norberg, Jenny Ström and Emma Cowan.

Life hacks – smart little tricks in everyday life

In October, you will get smart tips to simplify and streamline the areas you want. So if you love to cook, it may be quick workouts you want to start with, or you may want more effective planning for more time for meditation, or your relationships. Let's start now with some tips!

Five tips for getting your day together

• Make a time and priority map. Write down your main categories during the week and how much time they take each day. Write down what you want more and less of and what three most important values ​​you have that you would like to spend time and energy on. Then look at which parts you can re-prioritize in time. What do you really want to spend time on, and what comes from outside?

• Can you cut back on anything financially / reduce expenses to be able to reduce working hours if possible? Or cut back on activities you don't really want to spend time on but have a hard time saying no to – to get more time for projects you are passionate about or for recovery?

• Schedule training and recovery time in the calendar for the coming week, so you have a plan. Does your mornings tend to be chaotic? Plan the night before, for example what to wear.

• Take smart breaks! Getting a full hour of exercise can be difficult. So why not hit two birds with one stone - work better and get moving? We can concentrate better if we take short breaks, after 20-90 minutes of effort depending on the task, studies show. You become more alert in the head, start the circulation and if you take 5 minutes 8 times a day, you have 40 minutes of effective training in one working day! Do you want more inspiration? Check out Pausa Smart Challenge here or why not all our company plans?

• Find your efficiency promoters! What parts can you rationalize away? Do you find it boring to cook but are really hungry? Cook a lot and freeze or find your healthy fast food. For example, collect seven simple, quick and useful recipes that you run every week. Do you want to hang out with loved ones and get exercise, move together? Can you exchange 10 minutes of scrolling for 10 minutes of yoga or meditation? Or let a quiet lunch be your mindfulness moment or meditate for ten minutes in the afternoon?

Don't forget to follow @yogobe on Instagram! There you get lots of exclusive material. In #beyoga365 on Facebook there are talks and exchanges in everything related to yoga, feel free to join and raise the questions you are thinking of, in your yoga community online!

This month's selected playlist – news for more energy and focus

• Life force: Power from within – Life Force comes from digging deep within yourself to find what ignites your fire, what keeps you going, and what helps you create the life you really want.
• Pilates Total – Classic pilates i a moden way, all classes are at most 30 minuter
• Sweet morning flows – Starting the day with a nice yoga flow awakens the body and replenishes it with energy.
• 15 minute workout – Short, effective workouts that work the whole body, which makes the heart beat.

This autumn's selected online courses in Swedish – 50% discount

Throughout the month, you can buy three of our most popular online courses for half the price! They help you with relaxation and managing stress, getting into a meditation habit or reducing headaches.

• YOMI Yin: A course for you who experience stress and anxiety in everyday life. Yoga teachers and licensed psychologists Frida Hylander and Maria Johansson guide through lectures and yoga and mindfulness exercises.

• Lär dig meditera: A 12-week course with Ulrica Norberg for you who want to learn to meditate or get started with a regular meditation practice.

• Migrän- och huvudvärksskolan: Through physical exercises, lectures and video guidance, Per Söder and Yogobe guide you for 22 weeks to a life without headaches.

The offer is valid until 31/10 2021.

Don't miss our offer on annual subscription with a free yoga mat!

Take the opportunity to become an annual member or update your membership for only 1899 SEK and get Yogiraj's premium rug "Natural Studio mat" on the purchase (value 899 SEK). The autumn offer is valid until 10 October 2021 midnight. Read more here.

Read more about how you can simplify and streamline your everyday life

• Run, Flow, Let Go – a five minute workout that makes you feel REAL, by Neo Moreton.
• 15 minutes of meditation – like a vacation day, by Bianca Barck.
• Design your life – create good habits with the help of yoga and meditation, by Emma Öberg.

Short movement breaks and workouts online

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There is a fresh start over September. How do you create habits that makes you feel good - without being so strict that it steals your joy? Here we give you tips on sustainable, nourishing routines to look forward to this autumn!

Make room for what makes you feel good

September. The air is crispier and the beautiful and lazy days of summer are over. It's time to start finding your way back to routines or creating new ones to meet the autumn with new energy. Sure, it can be nice not to be so picky with routines, but without continuity it is easy to skip doing what we feel good about and end up in a vicious spiral of lack of sleep, stress, fatigue and headaches.

Do you also wonder how it's possible to have time to move, unwind, eat well, take care of your relationships and jobs or studies? And at the same time keep the enjoyable feeling that summer brings? This month we share inspiration and tips to give space and prioritize things that make you feel good - it doesn't have to be more than 15 minutes a day!

What's new at Yogobe in September?

We can't wait to reveal our two new members of Team Yogobe! One of them will offer mental training and give her best tips on how to deal with sleeping problems – and the other will hold Pilates classes in English! We also have new wonderful yoga classes with Johanna Hector to look forward to!

In the blog, you will find inspiring reading about everyday routines, exercise and yoga and much more from, among others, Frida Lindgren Karlsson, Johanna Hector, Julia Glutz and Cecilia Gustafsson in Team Yogobe.

During September, you will be able to take wonderful classes in real time with, among others, Anja Bergh, Ulrica Norberg and Milla Floryd. Read more about and book this month's Yogobe LIVE classes here!

We release new videos on a regular basis - in this playlist you will find examples of our latest launches. Maybe you find a new favorite for your weekly or daily routine?

8 tips for creating sustainable and nourishing routines

• What do you want and need? First and foremost, ask yourself what it is you want - your "why". What do you want to prioritize, how much and in which order? Find out what gives and takes energy and what you have too much of and too little of right now. What needs are most important for your priorities to be sustainable?

• Eat-and-sleep-clock. Research shows that we feel good about having a regularity and enough sleep, exercise, recovery and nutritious food. Plan your training, food and meditation time in advance.

• Be prepared! We often have our Achilles heels. Stress, fatigue or anxiety that makes us do other things than what we want. Can you locate what it is that usually puts you out of the game, look kindly on yourself (talking down on yourself rarely helps), and see what you need right now? Maybe a short meditation or walk?

• Make the routine enjoyable! We want to continue with something that we remember as nice and gives a good feeling. Can the morning or evening routine become a ritual? What does it contain? Maybe light a scented candle, shake it off, read something inspiring or just enjoy some quiet time?

• Set boundaries and ask for help. Studies show that about 70 percent of us who are burned out are women, often mothers, and part of that is that women still more often have double work, with greater practical and emotional responsibility for household and children.

• Serenity prayer. What can you change and what do you need to accept and relate to right now?  If something will take a lot of energy from you, if you are in the middle of big challenges, be nice, reduce your must do's and give yourself more safety and rest.

• Do you take breaks during your working day? Regular breaks are incredibly important for our well-being! Check out our Pausa Smart Challenge - a 4-week challenge to get started with short breaks at work.

• Pause and enjoy everyday life. When you get a cozy hug, when you feel a wonderful scent, when you see a beautiful sunset or eat something good. Research shows that the more we enjoy the little things, the happier we become.

This month's selected playlists

In September, we have selected playlists to help you create comfortable routines - whether you want to exercise, yoga, unwind after the day or get a good night's sleep:

• Slow it down – sleep prep: End your day in the best possible way and improve your sleep! Here you'll find a mix of yoga classes and meditations that will help you slow down in the evening.
• Everyday yoga: In this playlist you'll find a mix of yoga classes that you can practice everyday to release tension, work on your balance, calm down your mind etc.
• Pump it up – raise your heart rate: Get your heart pumping and energy flowing by intense workout. Explore a great mix of classes that will challenge you physically.
• Unwind body & mind: After a day filled with meetings, deadlines and to do-lists it can be hard to wind down. See this playlist as a whole class, or choose just one video, to help settle your mind in the evening.

This autumn's selected online courses in Swedish- 50% discount

Create continuity by participating in a course! During September and October, you can buy three of our most popular online courses at half price! Choose between:

• YOMI Yin: A course for you who experience stress and anxiety in everyday life. The yoga teachers and licensed psychologists Frida Hylander and Maria Johansson guide you through lectures, yoga and mindfulness exercises.

• Lär dig meditera: A 12-week course with Ulrica Norberg for you who want to learn to meditate or get started with a regular meditation practice.

• Migrän- och huvudvärksskolan online:  Through physical exercises, lectures and video guidance, Per Söder and Yogobe guide you for 22 weeks to a life without headache.

The offer is valid until 31/10 2021.

Don't miss our offer on annual subscription with a free yoga mat!

Take the opportunity to become an annual member or update your membership for only 1899 SEK and get Yogiraj's premium mat "Natural Studio mat" with your purchase (value 899 SEK). The autumn offer is valid until 11 October 2021. Read more here.

Read more about habits, meditation and training

• 15 minutes of meditation – like a vacation day, by Bianca Barck.
• Design your life – create good habits with the help of yoga and meditation, by Emma Öberg.
• Training with resistance band, by Julia Glutz.

Videos for new habits – yoga, meditation & training online

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Power yoga is a dynamic form of yoga that focuses on strength, endurance, balance and flexibility. It was developed in the USA in the 80's with inspiration from ashtanga and vinyasa yoga. A sweaty yoga form that gives the body a real workout and sharpens your focus.

Power yoga – the story behind the yoga style

It was in the late 1980s that Beryl Bender Birch and Bryan Kest developed power yoga. It then spread rapidly across the United States, became trendy with several famous names that appeared with a yoga mat under the arm and the yoga form continued around western Sweden during the 90s and 00s. The two founders developed their similar yoga forms at about the same time but independently of each other, one on the east coast of the United States and the other on the west coast. They had both the same but also a slightly different entrance to the purpose:

Beryl Bender Birch trained ashtanga yoga herself, which is an athletic yoga form that requires strength as well as flexibility and endurance. Ashtanga vinyasa yoga is also the yoga form, which is performed in strict series where you perform the same positions in the same order every time and only when you pass series 1 can you move on to 2.

Beryl realized that many positions were too difficult for the majority of participants. She therefore designed a scheme with the aim of better fitting stiffer bodies, especially athletes and runners she chose to focus on. At first she thought that the form would be called yoga for athletes, but then landed in Power yoga just to show that the form is physically demanding "a true work out" and not just meditation.

Bryan Kest rather wanted to create a form of yoga that suited everyone and played for a while with the name "Grandma yoga" so that all grandmothers and grandmothers could feel welcome in the hall.

Fitness yoga that "meets the participant where it is"

Over time, power yoga became a common name for several different forms of more physically demanding vinyasa yoga classes, with or without a heated hall, usually with music. The plan is usually to start with breathing exercises, sun salutation A and B and then follow standing positions for strength and balance, and ending with stretching positions and relaxation. Breathing, often ujjayi breathing, is basic through the class and the mental focus as well.

The yoga philosophy is not mentioned in the classes, as power yoga is seen more as a fitness variant of yoga. The two founders have the philosophy with them but push to "meet the participant where it is" and if it is for fitness reasons, then that is where you start, they say. Through the physical positions, attention, body presence, and listening to one's limits are practiced at the same time. To practice yoga as it feels good for oneself and not how one thinks it should look or be. In this way, they wanted to make yoga available to a wider mass.

Baron Baptiste was one of those who popularized the yoga form and Ulrica Norberg was one of the earliest to spread power yoga in Sweden. In 2002, she published the book Poweryoga, which describes the yoga form as being able to become “as fit and strong as an athlete, agile and graceful as a dancer. You achieve a mental strength, higher body awareness and an inner peace. Here it is important to listen inwards, follow the feeling and work with the body, not against it! ”

Benefits of power yoga

• Increases physical strength, endurance and stability
• Mobility and agility are trained
• Increases heart rate and increases blood circulation
• Promotes body presence
• Focus on breathing and mental focus provide meditation in motion
• For those who find it difficult to relax, the physical challenges during the class can help to release tension in the body and more easily relax in savasana at the end and then get their beneficial recovery.

Source: One flow yoga and Power Yoga by Ulrica Norberg.

Read more about yoga, power and breathing

• What is ashtanga yoga?
• Find your inner motivation, by Satu Tuomela.
• Breathe life into your life – part 1, by Ulrica Norberg.

Videos with strong and powerful excercises

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Here are some tips to make the rest of your summer active and joyful. You also get a quick workout that you can do virtually anywhere. There are no pointers here – you should do what you want to do, what gives you energy. Think joy rather than achievement!

Focus on movement, play and joy instead of performance

Something very interesting is happening and, in my opinion, fantastic about us Swedes when the summer and the sun comes. We bloom, comes out of our nest after winter. We're happier and take every chance to catch every few rays of sunshine. During the holidays we do not want to miss any sunny opportunities or time with loved ones. This can make it difficult for some of us to keep our workout routine and that may lead to increased stress.

Would it be easier to keep on excersising during the vacation if we change our thoughts on how it "should" be? I think that's the case for a lot of people.

What if you choose to focus on movement, play and joy instead of performance? Reduce the amount of stress trying to manage everything you think you should, by changing your "I have to" to "I want" . See if you can find what you want to do and why you want to do it. If you find your "want" and "why", it is easier to stick to it.

Find natural moments of movement

Another way to keep training during the summer is to use the natural occasions for physical activity. Exercise together with friends or family on the beach or why not play beach football or something else while there. These interruptions from your ordinary routine can develop you physically when you challenge yourself in doing something you are not used to.

If you have children, play with them or spontaniously excersise together. But don't forget to include joy and playfulness. Most of us have a high level of stress in our daily lives and we don't have to bring that stress into the holidays as well.

Try outdoor yoga

Exercise comes in many different shapes and forms and can easily be adjusted to the outdoors. I think that outdoor yoga is amazing due to the opportunity to connect several senses, which enhances the experience. Feeling the wind and the rays of sun against your skin, hearing the summer breeze, the birds singing and maybe the cricket playing and the gentle scents of smell of grass, trees and flowers.

If you feel like you don't really know what to do, there is lots to choose from online. Yogobe offers a lot of inspiration and online yoga classes you can do any where, any time.

Think creatively – use what you have

What if I don't have access to the gym? Yes, I have been asked that question many times. And I answer the same here as I have in the past, you have a body and it goes very far and if you want to burden your body with more than body weight, you can find things to use everywhere. It can be pet bottles full of water, logs, old car tires and more, only the imagination sets the limits. You can also bring with you a rubber band, that take no major place in the bag but can challenge your workout.

When it comes to training, you can also find a lot of inspiration and workouts online here at Yogobe. At the end of this blog post, you get a workout where you only need your body weight.

Enjoy nature

Hiking and running in nature is fantastic for recovering. You reduce stress in the body just by staying in nature, by the water, in the forest or the mountains. Bring a friend and go out, hang out and have a walk and talk or run instead of having a coffee. Often the conversations are actually better when we move than when we sit still.

You can also take family or friends on a run or hike with a packed lunch in your backpack. Stop at some nice places and have a picnic, it will be a lovely experience for both the body and the mind.

Despite the uncertainty we still live in, try to make the rest of your summer stress-free, playful, physical and joyful!

Quick workout for the summer

Do 2-3 turns of the following:

• Squats 20 reps
• Lunges with rotation, 10 reps on each side
• Hip lift, 10 reps
• Push-ups, 10 reps
• Superman, 10 reps
• Alternate Jack Knife Crunch, 10 reps on each side

Read more about exercise and meditation

• 15 minutes of meditation – like a vacation day, by Bianca Barck
• Run, Flow, Let Go – a five minute workout that makes you feel REAL, by Neo Moreton
• Training with resistance band, by Julia Glutz

Strength and mobility training online

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Is there a trick that is as effective for health as vacationing? The psychologists in an American-Dutch research team believe that meditation can be that.

Meditation provides similar health effects as a vacation day

A research team at the University of Groeningen in the Netherlands has investigated what health effects meditation can have in everyday life - compared to having vacation. The study showed great similarities!

The participants in the study were about 40 university students, all of whom were beginners in meditation. For eight weeks, participants did a meditation every two weeks, and no meditation every other week. The meditation was a 15-minute pre-recorded guided meditation  and the participants had to complete an evaluation every night.

Participants reported fewer negative emotions and greater well-being during the days they meditated. During these days, they also found it easier to observe their sensory experiences, describe thoughts and feelings, and resist emotional impulses. All of these qualities describe mindfulness well – being in a present, non-judgmental state.

During the meditation days, the participants agreed more with statements such as "I was more aware of things like the ticking of a clock, birdsong and passing vehicles" and "I was aware of my feelings without getting lost in them". This was also true for the people who were studied during their vacation.

Meditate and gain more stability in your emotions

One of the researchers behind the study, Christopher May, told the psychology site PsyPost that only 15 minutes of meditation is associated with similar effects as a full vacation day in terms of mindfulness aspects.

– Both the meditators and the holidaymakers reported increased attention to their surroundings and increased stability in their emotional experiences.

But how were the effects on well-being in general? The holidaymakers had more far-reaching positive effects on the overall well-being. But the researchers says that their results only show the effect on beginners who have meditated for shorter periods – regular meditation has even deeper effects and is also built on over time.

– We jokingly write in our article that if you are short on time, you can sit on a meditation pillow – if you have plenty of time, you can sit on a beach chair, says Christopher May.

Who says you cannot do both this summer? Meditate and go on vacation that is. Take a break, focus on your breathing and check in for a while.

Source: Chef.se

Read more about meditation, mindfulness & research

• What is metta meditation?
• Can mindfulness help the growing brain in children and adolescents?
• Design your life – create good habits with the help of yoga and meditation, by Emma Öberg.

Videos with meditation online

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