Practices

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Yoga
Yoga means union and was originally a practice created to enable cessation of the kaleidoscope of thoughts that occur in the mind. There are different components to yoga including attitudes in dealing with self and others, working with the body breath and breath. Aspects which form the core of human experience.

It is not a religion. It empowers the practitioner to become their own teacher and opens up a journey of discovery without end.

This approach to yoga is revolutionary in relation to the way yoga is being taught in the West. It refuses to push the body into more and more extreme positions, against the bodies wishes and acknowledges the body/mind as part of nature permeated by an intelligence that runs through all living things.

Yoga is something that happens in the moment and through the creation of appropriate conditions freedom of the spine, in relationship to gravity and the ground, is available. To find this requires attention and presence and in this relinquish our habits. We do less and feel more. An understanding of our living anatomy and physiology can help us in the road to understanding by creating a language to describe, but at a certain point must be let go of the cerebral portions of the brain.

The poses, and movement in general, are a framework through which we explore the potential space and freedom of the body, breath and mind in the moment. The focus is on undoing, beginning without preconceived ideas. Over time our practice brings us to a place of greater simplicity and clarity and asanas occur spontaneously, without force. This is a fundamentally different approach to the body than most approaches to yoga and exercise. Yoga in this approach helps us to develop awareness on many different levels. This permeates through into our life.

The body has evolved over more than 4 million years and we have to let go of our modern mental and societal constraints to re-build a relationship based on wholeness. This reawakening process is where the yoga resides.

About Vanda Scaravelli
“Movement is the song of the body… the body has its own song from which the movement arises spontaneously.”(V.Scaravelli. Awakening the Spine. Harper: San Francisco, p28.)

The lady responsible for the development of this approach, Vanda Scaravelli, came to yoga later in life. She lived in a privileged setting in Italy in which she was inspired by many things including modern science, the beautiful nature of the Tuscan Countryside, Tai Chi and a musical education.

Vanda was taught directly by B.K.S. Iyengar (Iyengar yoga) for many years, and later on she trained with T.K.V. Desikachar (Vini yoga). All of these well respected teachers, as well as Pattabhi Jois, were taught yoga by Desikachar’s father T. Krishnamacharya… recognized as the main influence of most of the yoga in the west. In addition she was a close personal friend of the radical philosopher, J. Krishnamurti.

Having spent so many years being taught by the world’s finest yogis in a 1 to 1 environment, Vanda had accumulated a rich understanding of the principles of yoga and how to practice. In the years that followed when these teachers no longer came because they were traveling the world, Vanda moved into the next stage of her practice. Through her own explorations she became aware of the potential simplicity of using the force of gravity and the corresponding force of levity to generate balance.

As this balance takes hold, a wave like motion of the spine occurs as the spine elongates, which can be used to find lightness, strength and the ability to contact the ground simultaneously. One is rested and anchored into the earth and at the same time free to move from above the centre of gravity. With refined awareness acquired over time, this intuitive approach opens the vision to wholeness and harmony, guided by this intention and concept which becomes a way of being, a form of meditation.

She took on very few students and worked with them in the same way her teachers worked with her, 1 to 1. Diane Long her longest student studied with her for 23 years.

Towards the later stages of her life, Vanda wrote a beautiful book called “Awakening the Spine” as a way of sharing her experience. Through this has inspired many and her serious students who worked with her in a 1 to 1 capacity, who are very few in number, have slowly and diligently passed on her work as she would have wished. In a modern culture in which naming has become helpful for differentiation, the name Scaravelli Inspired yoga has emerged.

Vanda may have been horrified to hear it described as Scaravelli Inspired yoga. She writes in her book “Yoga cannot be organised, must not be organised… it is a living process that changes moment by moment.” In systematizing yoga it loses it’s essence.

“The way to do (Yoga) is for it to be relaxing, without effort, with the wave, with movement, with breathing. You can reach the same things without strain, with an “intelligent heart”. Vanda Scaravelli

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Levity Cuisine
Happiness and freedom is our birthright, yet we live in an age of man-made pharmaceuticals, preservatives, petrochemicals, fast-food, the media, etc. which clog us up, pollute our bodies and dull our sensitivity to the beauty of nature and the inherent magic of life unfolding around us.

Yet there is much we can do to reclaim the natural and spontaneous flow of life that is our birthright and natural source of freedom and joy. We can ‘open’ ourselves on many levels, letting go of anything that keeps us stuck and stagnant, and which is not in alignment with our greatest truth. Once an opening is created, and ‘detox’ has occurred, then we have also created space for life, energy and nourishment to flow unhindered! We can open spiritually through meditation and prayer, we can open our physical bodies through movement practices such as yoga and qi gong, and we can also open and detoxify physically using nutrition and naturopathic techniques to create movement, openness and flow at a cellular level.

The food provided during retreats is carefully planned & designed to support and enhance the yoga, movement & meditation practices offered. Filling ourselves with ‘light’ foods encourages and enhances clarity and sensitivity of body, mind and emotions. ‘Light’ nutrition assists us in moving deeper into the practices, and ultimately into the nature and experience of our own selves.

Applying the principles of Levity: lightness, wholeness, balance and flow, to Vegetarian Whole-food Cuisine:

We draw on ancient wisdom practices such as Ayurveda and Chinese Five Element Theory which view human beings as a living microcosm of the universe, and the universe as a living macrocosm of human beings. So we look at the basic elements that make up the universe (Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Spirit) & take into account elemental influences such as the current season, the time of day, and the energy of the person. In this way we plan our delicious and balanced retreat menus with loving intention and awareness.

The basic guiding principles we work with:

Balance: Awareness of all the elements which together create wholeness, eg. The healing properties of the 5 flavours, using all the colours of the rainbow.

Alkalise: Our bodies tend to be overly acidic. Plenty of greens, emphasis on alkalising vegetables, nuts & grains for balance and health.

Light: Living Foods which literally contain light eg. Chlorophyll rich foods, wild greens. Light cooking methods.

Fresh and Alive: Abundant living enzymes, live food nutrition for energy, vitality & ease of digestion. Sprouting/soaking of pulses, nuts and seeds to remove enzyme inhibitors and enhance nutritional value.

Cleansing: Encouraging the body to let go of toxins, creating space for deep cellular nourishment. As we peel away the layers of toxins, we get in touch with that which is truly essential to our being.

Hydrating: Restoring proper hydration and flow to our bodies through adequate intake of high quality (living) fluids, careful use of high quality essential fatty acids, hydrating foods (special cooking methods).

Free From: The most challenging foods such as Processed and Refined foods, Wheat, Dairy, Meat, Refined Sugar.

Local and Seasonal Food/ Wild Foods: As much as possible emphasising local and seasonal foods, which attune our bodies to the season and environment, as well as benefitting the earth through reduced carbon footprint. Wild foods are highly mineralised and deeply nourishing.

And last but by no means least:

Delicious & Made with Love: Healthy food made with love from wholesome ingredients, that looks and tastes amazing, nourishing (& freeing) body, mind & soul!

Go to www.levitycuisine.co.uk to find out more or join us on facebook!

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Shamanic Work
Shamanism is Earth Wisdom, predating all spiritual enquiry and practice on earth.

The fundamental principles are:

• Everything is Alive
• Everything is Conscious
• Everything is Connected
• Everything is Moving

At the heart or core of Everything (Spirit) is Energy, permeating micro to macrocosm and is the basis by which the above principles are reached. In investigating these and other ‘Energetic facts’, we as human beings can explore the nature of our awareness and the environment in which we exist.

The shaman plays the role of healer in shamanic societies; shamans gain knowledge and power by traversing the axis mundiand bringing back knowledge from the heavens. The axis mundi (also cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, columna cerului, center of the world) is a ubiquitous symbol that crosses human cultures. The image expresses a point of connection between sky and earth where the four compass directions meet. At this point travel and correspondence is made between higher and lower realms.

Plants often serve as images of the axis mundi. The image of the Cosmic Tree (tree of life) provides an axis symbol that unites three planes: sky (branches), earth (trunk) and underworld (roots).

The human body can express the symbol of world axis. Some of the more abstract Tree of Life representations, such as the Sefirot in Kabbalism and in the Chakra system recognized by Hinduism and Buddhism, merge with the concept of the human body as a pillar between heaven and earth. Disciplines such as Yoga and Tai Chi begin from the premise of the human body as axis mundi. The Buddha represents a world centre in human form. Large statues of a meditating figure unite the human figure with the symbolism of temple and tower. Astrology in all its forms assumes a connection between human health and affairs and the orientation of these with celestial bodies and are in fact a celestial symbol of the energies moving through humanity on a collective and individual scale. World religions regard the body itself as a temple and prayer as a column uniting earth to heaven.

Shamanic Practice in Levity

• Magical Passes – groups of physical exercises with various intent e.g. ‘health and wellbeing’ and ‘decision making’. Magical passes have a strong effect of on our physical and energetic structure which liberate blocked energy, enhance perception and transform awareness.
• Shamanic Journeying – guided journeys into the subconscious to bring light and understanding to everyday living. With a drum or rattle.
• Recapitulation – the liberation of tangled energy through the cleansing of ties/chords with our lovers, friends, family and associates. Also used to address and resolve addictions.
• Space clearing – use of herbs and incense to clear space and cleans the aura (smudging).

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Reflexology

Reflexology dates back to Egyptian times and is a treatment that works on the feet.

The client can be lying down or sitting whilst the practitioner uses touch/ their hands to work on specific points of the feet that correspond to organs of the body.  The feet are seen as a map of the bodie’s organs and systems and by working with them through the feet, we work with them on a physiological and energetic level.

Reflexology can be deeply relaxing, helping the body to heal from a place of rest. During a treatment the reflexologist will consider tone, temperature and the shape of the feet as indicators for what place the client is in and how the treatment needs to be tailored. They will then work over the whole of both feet, staying with points that need bringing back towards equilibrium. Our bodies are a mass of beautifully connected finely tuned systems that are sensitive to interior and exterior influences. Equilibrium is where these systems began and where they function in harmony.

Levity have their reflexologists Rosie Blunden and Shell Sugden available for treatments on their retreats and privately within Brighton, UK. Please contact them via the contacts page.

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Tai Chi / Qi Gong
Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese practice that integrates movement and stillness, breathwork and awareness in cultivating vital energy and promoting health.

As Chinese Medicine has grown in stature, the practice of Qi Gong, which forms a component of this system, has also become more wide spread.

Movements patterns in Qi Gong often draw upon imagery from nature and aspects of the natural world, from animal movements to elemental forces; Reminding us that we are a part of the natural environment as opposed to separate from it. These images whilst poetic inform us as to how to perform the movement and suggest the quality.

Tai Chi is a more popular form of internal martial arts, closely linked to Qi Gong.

In it’s highest form, Tai Chi is Qi Gong. It focuses on physical, mental, emotional, energetic and spiritual wellness through harmonisation. Although it has martial origins which form a pivotal part of understanding this is de-emphasised. Tai Chi utilises sets of movements known as form to communicate principles which affect all aspects in all layers of the practitioners awareness.

The Qi Gong practices shared by Levity are drawn from a wide variety of different Eastern traditions, mostly from mainland China. Sessions are presented in a light hearted way and are suitable for all levels from beginner to advanced.

Approaches are taught in an integrated manner and include flowing, gentle whole body movements, sounds and periods of meditative stillness.

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Cranial Sacral Therapy
Cranial Sacral Therapy derives from Osteopathy and is a light touch, non-invasive healing modality. The client remains fully clothed and the Cranial Sacral practitioner palpates (places hands on) the clients body in various places, whilst syncronising with the system to encourage the bodies innate healing and balancing forces to become more active.

The Cranial Sacral system includes the brain, the cerebrospinal fluid, the system of membranes inside the cranium, all 22 cranial bones, the spine and the sacrum. Factors that compromise posture and function throughout the body are addressed with equal emphasis to those that appear in the neighbourhood of the cranium. There is, however, a focus around the effect on the head and vertebral column, with their membranous and neurological contents, and their immediate connective tissues. Because it acts on the deepest structures and organs of the nervous system, Cranial Sacral Therapy influences motor, pain and coordination mechanisms, as well as the digestive system, the respiratory system, heart function and the endocrine system.

The classical Osteopaths used knowledge of these systems of the body to identify dysfunctions whilst utilising a more subtle rhythm they called “the breath of life” to aid healing in their patients. This silent force, which can be thought of as a field of chi, blows through the Cranial Sacral system, animates it, and infuses it with information and intelligence. This force is ultimately responsible for all healing within the body. It is possible to listen to this field and the ability to do this is the basis of these training and requires deep listening.

Cranial Sacral Therapy enhances the body’s natural healing processes, and has been effective over a wide spectrum of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including:

Migraine headaches, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, chronic neck and back pain, emotional difficulties, motor co-ordination difficulties, stress and tension-related problems, central nervous system disorders, temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ), orthopaedic problems, chronic fatigue, neurovascular or immune disorders, scoliosis, infantile disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, learning disabilities, fibromyalgia and other connective tissue disorders.

Aside from the physical aspects of being, it can also be used as a tool for deep relaxation & meditation, to heal old injuries or emotional wounds, access parts of ourselves outside the conscious realm and augment approaches to self development and is considered a form of energy medicine.