Morrisons is offering half-price breakfasts from Bank Holiday Monday
Morrisons cafe deal means customers can grab a fry up for less than two quid –
Available in all Morrisons cafes in England, Wales and Scotland until 26th September –
From Monday, Morrisons is halving the price of its much-loved cooked breakfast for four weeks.
This means customers can get a fry up with sausage, bacon, fried egg, grilled tomato, baked beans and toast for just £1.87 – a price hard to beat anywhere else on the high street.
For those customers looking for the full works including mushrooms, black pudding and hashbrowns as well as extra sausages and bacon then Morrisons Full English Breakfast is now just £2.75 along with the Veggie or Vegan Breakfast options.
Morrisons breakfasts are available all day every day and the offer is valid in all 406 Morrisons cafes from Monday 30th August until Sunday 26th September.
Ali Lyons, Head of Cafes at Morrisons, said: “A traditional cooked breakfast has long been a Great British treat. As the nation returns to work and school we wanted to offer our customers a hearty meal, at an unbeatable price, to ensure they are setting themselves up for the day.
“Many of our customers are key workers and don’t work traditional office hours, so we’ve made sure that the discount is valid all day so no matter what time you’re eating breakfast, customers can take advantage of the offer in our cafes.”
Morrisons recently introduced a brand new menu and has invested heavily in coronavirus safety measures including screens and a contactless ‘Order & Pay’ app.
For more information and to see the cafe menu, visit:
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
With the August bank holiday coming up tomorrow, what will you do with your extra day off? Why not follow our tips to bank some heart health and still have a good time.
Hearty BBQ
If the sun is shining this bank holiday weekend, it could be the perfect time to fire up the BBQ and try some healthy alternatives to traditional burgers and sausages. Tuna steaks can be sliced and flavoured with lime, ginger and coriander for a healthy zesty burger alternative. Why not roast some veggies on the BBQ, such as corn on the cob or vegetable skewers.
Raise your game
Games like basketball and swing ball can be a fun way of entertaining the kids or catching up with friends in the garden or park. Don’t let the threat of rain stop the fun, there are plenty of indoor activities, such as trampolining, indoor skating and swimming.
Take to the streets
With carnivals, markets and food events back on the calendar, make sure you know how to spot some heart healthy street food. Simple swaps can go a long way towards a healthier heart and still tingle the taste buds; try out some delicious vegetarian options for a meat free alternative that’s packed with goodness; go for a side of corn on the cob or baked sweet potato wedges instead of fries.
Laugh and dance
For a healthy heart it’s important to keep the oxygen and blood flowing. What better way to do this than to have a good laugh and a boogie with your family and friends.
However you choose to spend your extra day, try to make your bank holiday count towards a healthier, happier and longer life with those you love.
SEPA is introducing new flood hazard mapping which will provide a clearer indication of surface water (also known as pluvial) flood risk now and in future. This will enable people, communities and businesses to better understand the risks and act to reduce the impact of surface water flooding.
The introduction of the new mapping will support delivery of SEPA’s Flooding Services Strategy being published in autumn 2021. It is key to the organisation’s vision of a society that is resilient to flooding and adapted to future climate change.
Surface water flood maps have been publicly available on the SEPA website since 2013, however, our 2018 National Flood Risk Assessment identified surface water as the largest source of flood risk affecting Scotland.
The mapping, which will be provided by JBA Consulting, will provide a complete refresh of our national surface water flood maps using the most up-to-date data on current and future rainfall, improving our flood map products to provide more confident results of where surface water flooding is likely.
The project will involve an initial pilot stage which will trial high resolution modelling and mapping methodologies, and a range of model assumptions and parameters across four pilot areas: Aberdeen, Glasgow, Peebles and Torridon. When the pilot stage ends early next year, an agreed approach will be rolled out across Scotland and the mapping will be produced in a sequence of 11 geographical phases.
Vincent Fitzsimons, Head of Hydrology & Flooding at SEPA, said: “The latest landmark climate change report from the IPCC is a clarion call for what the world already knows, that the climate emergency is accelerating. SEPA is urgently responding to ensure Scotland’s communities and businesses are resilient to flooding and adapted to future climate change impacts.
“A major part of this is to ensure information on flood risk is available to those who need it most. This means we need to continually improve the quality and availability of our flood map products, with a particular focus on surface water flood risk.
“Our significant investment in this project to improve surface water flood hazard mapping for Scotland is one step on the journey to ensure people and businesses are resilient to flooding and adapted to our changing environment.”
David Bassett, Director, JBA Consulting said: “We’re delighted to be appointed by SEPA to complete the national surface water flood hazard mapping for Scotland. We have been working on flood risk in Scotland for over 20 years and in that time our technical experts have accrued excellent knowledge of the risk and the issues, and the structures in place to help.
“Scottish Government surface water management planning guidance issued in 2018, highlighted that 23% of annual average damages associated with flooding across Scotland were forecast to come from surface water flooding. Of the 27,500 homes predicted to be at risk, 39% are in areas of higher social vulnerability.
“Climate change was also predicted to increase the numbers of homes and businesses at risk by 45%.
“With flood events never far from the news headlines, recent surface water flooding in Edinburgh showed the vulnerability of many urban areas. The role of consistent 2m grid surface water flood risk mapping across Scotland is more important than ever, and we’re pleased to lead on this national mapping project.”
Support to protect Scotland’s coastlines
New maps forecast impacts of climate change
An estimated £1.2 billion of Scotland’s buildings, transport infrastructure, cultural and natural heritage may be at risk of coastal erosion by 2050, according to new research.
As part of the Scottish Government’s Dynamic Coast project, funded by the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), the University of Glasgow has developed new maps to serve as a coastal change adaptation planning tool for government, agencies, local authorities as well as communities and businesses.
With evidence from the maps, the government is encouraging local authorities to prepare coastal adaptation plans, supported by an additional £12 million of investment. In recognition of the heightened landscape of climate-related risk in Scotland, Dynamic Coast will form part of a wider national programme to build resilience.
The Scottish Government has also already announced plans to host a National Climate Resilience Summit in the Autumn, to raise awareness and build momentum across the public and private sectors in advance of COP26.
Net Zero Secretary Michael Matheson visited the sand dunes in Montrose, which help protect the town from coastal flooding and erosion.
Mr Matheson said: “I welcome the publication of Dynamic Coast 2 which shows us that at least £20 billion of assets, road, rail and residential property, lie within 50 metres of our coast. With nature protecting some £14.5 billion of these assets, maintaining our natural coastal defences must be a key part of our resilience and adaptation strategies.
“We are already locked into future sea level rise and therefore we must plan for the worst case scenario on the coast. Modelling suggests however that we will see erosion influencing the majority of shores this decade. The Dynamic Coast maps will be a valuable tool in our fight against climate change, and we are now preparing guidance to help local authorities produce new adaptation plans.
“Here in Montrose, up to 80 metres of beach has eroded since the 1980s and a further 120 metres could erode over the next 40 years, breaching the main dune ridge. Angus Council is working with local stakeholders, including Montrose Port Authority and Montrose Golf links to identify the most sustainable solution for the town.
“COP26 in Glasgow represents the world’s best chance – perhaps one of our last chances – to avert the worst impacts of climate change. However, even in the best case scenario for global emissions reductions it is clear that we must also be preparing for the impacts that are already locked in.
“By doing this we can deliver on the principles of the Paris Agreement with lasting action to secure a net zero and climate resilient future in a way that is fair and just for everyone.”
NatureScot Climate Change Director Nick Halfhide said: “This latest research from Dynamic Coast highlights that natural defences, such as sand dunes, protect three times the value of roads, railways and buildings than sea walls do.
“That’s why we must invest in Scotland’s nature. Nature based solutions are essential in our response to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change, and with COP26 coming to Glasgow in the coming months, there’s no better time for Scotland to take ambitious action.”
Director of the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) Professor Bob Ferrier said: “CREW is delighted to have supported the development and launch of the Dynamic Coast project.
“This nationally significant research will assist decision-makers and others to understand how Scotland’s coastal assets need to adapt to the pressures of climate change and improve our collective resilience in the face of this challenge.”
Scottish Green Party members have approved the party’s cooperation agreement, clearing the way for co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater to become Scotland’s (and the UK’s) first Green ministers.
The agreement was approved overwhelmingly by members at a meeting yesterday and ratified by the party’s national council afterward.
Patrick Harvie MSP said: “I am delighted that our party members have given their support to this historic cooperation agreement that will see Greens enter government for the first time in Scotland, or indeed anywhere in the UK.
“With Greens in government we will be able to deliver positive change for the people of Scotland.”
Lorna Slater MSP said: “Scottish Green Party members are thoughtful and considerate, and I am pleased that having discussed and debated this agreement in great detail they have decided to take this historic step into government.
“The time has come for Scotland to step up efforts to decarbonise our economy and invest in a fairer, greener future. There’s no time to waste and I’m looking forward to start work on our transformative agenda in the coming days.”
Welcoming the agreement reached with the Scottish Green Party, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am delighted that members of both the Scottish Green Party and the SNP have agreed that we should work together in the Scottish Government to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland.
“This historic agreement will provide a strong platform for the transformative programme we want to deliver. We will work collaboratively to support a fair recovery from Covid, address with urgency the impacts of the climate emergency, and give the people of Scotland a vote on independence.
“The agreement recognises that co-operation and consensus are essential to finding the practical solutions to the big challenges we face, and it echoes the founding principles of our Parliament.
“While our parties do not agree on everything, we have much common ground. We also have a determination – and indeed a responsibility – to look beyond our differences to build a better country.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with the Scottish Greens in government, and with all parties in parliament, to achieve this.”
The Scottish Conservatives, the main opposition party at Holyrood, reckon the deal creates a nationalist ‘Coalition of Chaos’.
“The SNP-Green coalition of chaos will hammer drivers. The Greens want to see essential road upgrades scrapped and most cars forced off the road within just a few years.”
Police Scotland has issued a warning to people not to shine LASER lights at aircraft following a number of recent incidents in the Edinburgh area.
In the last six to eight weeks, there have been four incidents reported to police where LASER lights have been shone into aircraft attempting to land in Edinburgh area.
In one incident last month, the pilot of an air ambulance transferring a seriously-ill patient to hospital in Edinburgh had to abandon the landing after a LASER light was shone into the cockpit for 30 seconds.
After trying to land a second time, and being targeted again, the pilot had no option but to divert his helicopter to Edinburgh Airport. Enquiries into this incident are continuing.
Inspector Graeme Rankin, of Police Scotland’s Aviation Safety Unit, said: “This was an incredibly reckless and dangerous act which could have resulted in the injury of a pilot who was trying to fly a helicopter with a sick patient on board.
“Not only is this clearly illegal, with the possibility of a custodial sentence and/or an unlimited fine, it is exceptionally dangerous. Pilots can become temporarily blind at the most critical part of the flight while they are taking off and landing an aircraft which could have several hundred people on board.
“The consequences do not bear thinking about and we are determined to stop people from carrying out such obviously dangerous acts.
“We will do everything possible to track down, arrest and bring before the courts anyone who does this, but we are asking for the public’s help. If you see anyone shining a LASER light at an aircraft, you should call 999 immediately and report it to the police.”
Anyone who has any information about these, or any other incidents of a similar nature, is asked to call Police Scotland on 101 or report it anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
“No one should consider themselves invincible to COVID-19.”
People aged under 40 who have still to receive their second dose of the vaccine are being urged to book an appointment or go to a drop-in clinic and maximise the protection offered.
The number of cases is rising and around two thirds of new cases are in under 40s. Over the past month, 30% of COVID-19 related hospital admissions were in those aged under 40, and the majority of hospital admissions amongst unvaccinated individuals were in the under 40s age group (58%).
The second dose of the vaccine offers greater and longer lasting protection and can be given from eight weeks after the first, either at a drop-in clinic or by requesting an appointment through the NHS Inform website. Evidence shows that after two doses the vaccines are more than 90% effective against hospital admissions from the effects of the virus. Even if the time since the first dose is more than eight weeks, people can still be vaccinated and are encouraged to come forward.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “More than eighty per cent of the population have now received both doses and I really want to say thanks to all of them and of course, everyone involved in the delivery of our national programme.
“Scotland’s vaccination programme has been one of the fastest in the world, but it’s clear there are some people – particularly aged under 40 – who have been offered a second appointment and, for whatever reason, have not yet attended. Our message to you is clear. It’s not too late to get your vaccine and it remains vital that you get both doses in order to give maximum protection against this virus. Please don’t leave the job half done.
“We are working to make it as simple as possible for people to get their vaccines, and have increased the options available for how and when people choose to be vaccinated, such as drop-in and open-access clinics.
“While we are in the process of emerging from the pandemic, high case rates at the moment underline the fact that this virus is still a significant threat and the importance of getting vaccinated cannot be underestimated.”
Ian Scott, Clinical lead for Respiratory (Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) ECMO service Scotland based in Aberdeen Royal infirmary said: “Over the last few weeks we have been seeing increased numbers of referrals to intensive care in the under 40s with COVID-19. In the UK, the average age of patients with COVID-19 requiring ECMO support is currently under forty.
“The stark fact is, none of these patients have been double vaccinated and most do not have underlying health conditions.
“Normally at this time of year we would have no patients requiring this level of respiratory support. The survival rate of patients with severe COVID-19 is worse than viral pneumonia. The risks with requiring ventilation and ECMO are extremely high and we feel that some of these deaths could be avoided.”
NHS Grampian ECMO Lead Nurse Lucy Fleming said: “I am under 40. To see increasing numbers of young and otherwise healthy people of my own age requiring this level of intensive care is heart-breaking.
“There is no doubt that as cases rise, it is crucial that everyone who is eligible takes up their invitation for a vaccination and gets both doses.
“No one should consider themselves invincible to COVID-19.”
5,858 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Scotland yesterday (28th August).
Bach is the world’s favourite composer with 5,447,956 monthly listeners on Spotify and 86,400 YouTube subscribers.
Beethoven is the second most popular composer, while Mozart comes in third.
The most streamed song by any of the top ten is Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, with 233 million views on YouTube
Johann Sebastian Bach has beaten Mozart and Beethoven to claim his position as the world’s most popular classical composer.
He has 5,447,956 monthly listeners on Spotify and 86,400 YouTube subscribers, according to a new study by gambling community hub Casino Grounds.
Beethoven follows just behind as the second most popular composer with 5,085,293 listeners on Spotify each month, and 125,000 YouTube subscribers.
Beethoven has the second most streamed song by any classical composer, earning 173 million views on YouTube for his iconic Moonlight Sonata.
Though Mozart comes in third with 5,007,303 monthly Spotify listeners, he has the most YouTube subscribers with 135,000 to his name, providing strong representation for Austria.
Germany may dominate the top spots, but Polish composer Chopin is next in fourth place. With 4,771,732 Spotify listeners each month and 68,400 subscribers on YouTube, he also has the third most streamed song in the top ten across all platforms for Spring Waltz, which has 131 million views on YouTube.
In position five is French maestro Debussy with 3,722,304 monthly Spotify listeners and 29,100 YouTube subscribers. Russian composer Tchaikovsky is next with 2,164 260 listeners on Spotify each month and 34,600 YouTube subscribers.
Italian virtuoso Vivaldi is in position seven with 3,079,070 monthly Spotify listeners and 48,900 YouTube subscribers. He notably has the most streamed song by any of the top ten for The Four Seasons, which has 233 million views on YouTube.
Vivaldi is also the “oldest” composer out of the top ten, born in 1678, a little ahead of Bach in 1685. The two are the only composers on the list from as far back as the 17th Century or Baroque historical period.
Frenchman Saint-Saens is in position eight with 2,689,709 listeners on Spotify each month and 4,280 YouTube subscribers, followed by Schubert – the second Austrian on the list. Schubert has 2,334,386 monthly Spotify listeners and 22,900 YouTube subscribers. He also had the shortest lifespan, passing away at just 31 years old in 1897.
The final spot in the top ten list of most popular classical musicians belongs to Brahms, solidifying Germany as the country that produced the most composers who have remained popular over the centuries. Brahms has 2,153,966 monthly Spotify listeners and 23,100 YouTube subscribers.
A spokesperson for Casino Grounds said, “Most people would expect Mozart and Beethoven to top any list of the most popular classical composers, so it’s fascinating to see Bach in number one here. This could be a result of soundtracks from popular films and TV shows such as The Godfather and The Simpsons favouring Bach’s music for its dramatic impact.”
The research was conducted by Casinogrounds.com, which is the leading online gambling community, which promotes safe and responsible practise and discussions around gambling.
Top Ten Most Popular Classical Composers 2021
Composer
Monthly Spotify Listeners
YouTube Subscribers
Most Popular Song on Spotify
Most Popular Song on YouTube
Lifespan
Country
1. Bach
5,447,956
86.4K
168, 758 083 – Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major
72M – Air
1685-1750 (aged 65)
German
2. Beethoven
5,085,293
125 K
94, 946 611 – The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor (Moonlight Sonata)
173M – Moonlight Sonata
1770-1827 (aged 56)
German
3. Mozart
5,007,303
135 K
50, 489 179 – The Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467
Singer Anne Marie and Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson support Disney Princess pledge to deliver 45,000 ‘Moments that Matter’ to children in hospitals and hospices around the world –
Nine in ten British parents believe small acts of kindness have the power to change the world –
Two thirds of children say treating others with kindness is the most important way to behave –
Famous faces including singer Anne Marie and Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson are coming together to launch World Princess Week next week to inspire small acts of kindness around the world.
The stars are supporting a Disney Princess pledge to deliver 45,000 ‘Moments that Matter’ for isolated and seriously ill children in hospital and hospices in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Pop star and The Voice coach Anne-Marie is hosting an intimate acoustic performance of her chart hits ‘2002’ and ‘Beautiful’ as part of Disney’s ‘Ultimate Princess Celebration’, which champions the qualities of courage and kindness.
The performance is being screened to children in hospital, via Disney’s charity partner MediCinema, which build and run cinemas in NHS hospitals. The content will also be available to view on Disney Junior’s UK YouTube channel.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson will be doing a virtual reading of Moana’s story from Tales of Courage and Kindness, an online story collection featuring 14 brand new Disney Princess stories that launched in April this year and is available for children to download for free during World Princess Week at Disneyprincessstories.co.uk.
Katarina’s reading will be available for fans to enjoy later this year.
As part of ‘World Princess Week’ (23-29 August), Disney has created brand new video tutorials featuring simple ideas on how families and children can have a big impact on others, which will be available on Disney’s social channels.
Disney fans will be able to follow along with ‘kindness activity’ tutorials, including how to make Cinderella-inspired kindness cards for friends, or how to bake Tiana’s beignets for loved ones. Families are encouraged to share their own acts of kindness by using the hashtag #UltimatePrincessCelebration.
Disney will also share brand new Princess stories, experiences and fun ways to spread kindness following research that reveals nine in ten UK adults believe small acts of kindness have the power to change the world for the better.
45,000 Princess-themed adventure packs will be delivered to seriously ill children in hospitals and places of care across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, as part of Disney’s wider commitment to bring comfort and provide inspiration, with support from long standing charity partners.
These specially designed packs, created with charity partner MediCinema, aim to reduce isolation, stress and anxiety amongst children and families in places of care, providing ‘Moments that Matter’. The packs will contain new stories focusing on Disney Princess characters Rapunzel, Moana and Ariel, as well as arts and crafts activities that help to increase confidence and encourage acts of kindness.
New research conducted by Disney as part of the Ultimate Princess Celebration revealed that 70 per cent of children say it’s important to always show kindness and almost half (46 per cent) would stand up for people who are being bullied or are being treated in an unfair way.
The survey highlights some of the top ways children like to show kindness, including:
Kind acts to make their family or friends happy e.g. baking a cake (49 per cent)
Asking parents to read a book with them (49 per cent)
Comforting family members and friends when they are upset (47 per cent)
Asking parents to spend time with them e.g. watching a movie or making dinner together (47 per cent)
Making time to play and catch up with friends (46 per cent)
Sharing stories with friends and family (44 per cent)
Helping friends with problems they are facing (37 per cent)
Listening when parents or friends are telling them a story that they know is important to them (36 per cent)
Offering to do chores around the house for parents (33 per cent)
Speaking to friends and family regularly (30 per cent)
The study suggests that the majority of British parents – 91 per cent – agree that everyone can play a role in making the world a kinder place, with the research also revealing some of the kind acts kids have shown over the past year:
Been caring towards friends (56 per cent)
Wanting to spend more time with parents / family members (53 per cent)
Drawn and made signs for the health service to say ‘thank you’ (50 per cent)
Video calling friends to check in (47 per cent)
Offering to help around the house (45 per cent)
Been caring towards the planet (42 per cent)
Sharing stories or reading books together (40 per cent)
Being kinder to their brother or sister (39 per cent)
Donating some of their toys to other kids (37 per cent)
Been looking after their pet / been kind to animals (37 per cent)
Tasia Filippatos, Senior VP, Consumer Products EMEA at Disney said, “Courage and kindness are universally important qualities that are just as relevant for adults as they are for young children. We hope that families will help celebrate ‘World Princess Week’ by sharing their own small acts of kindness to help make the world a kinder place.”
Disney fans will also be able to shop brand new Disney Princess product ranges, including toys, dress up apparel, accessories and homeware, available from shopDisney.co.uk and other major retailers.
Rare JK Rowling jewelled novel cover among handcrafted items on display as part of Hamilton & Inches’ celebrations for 155yr anniversary
Hamilton & Inches has unveiled its new Celebrating our Craft exhibition, which celebrates handcrafted works from its 155-year history.
The exclusive exhibition, which is running until 5th September and located in the beautifully reimagined showroom in Edinburgh, showcases some of the most intricate and luxurious creations from generations of artisans, with the earliest piece dating back to 1885.
Amongst the collection of handcrafted items is a rare, jewelled cover of JK Rowling’s handwritten The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Trophies celebrating The Scottish Open, the Royal Highland Show and Scottish Women’s Football are also included in the exhibition, alongside a further 70 items generously loaned by businesses and clients alike.
Victoria Houghton, Hamilton & Inches CEO, said: “The Celebrating our Craft showcase provides a fantastic opportunity to celebrate one hundred and fifty-five years in business.
“We have provided access to never-before-seen, beautifully intricate creations by our extremely talented team of artisans from throughout the years. This craftsmanship is central to our operations and showcasing their incredible work is a fitting way to celebrate this momentous milestone”.
Home to an expert team of silversmiths and jewellers, Hamilton & Inches has created items for a wide array of clients including Archerfield, Diageo and more. Bespoke commissions continue to be created in the workshops with experts utilising traditional skills and crafts to create beautiful, iconic items that will be remembered and celebrated forever.
Hamilton & Inches is committed to ensuring craftsmanship is relevant to contemporary life, especially at a time when sustainability is of such importance.
The Celebrating our Craft showcase shines a light on the impact and reach of Hamilton & Inches and how important it is for the craft to continue throughout Scotland.
Why Meadowlark Yoga wants to see your Downward Dog in person
Founder Karen Kirkness on the top five benefits of returning to classes post-pandemic
We have all leaned into our online communities over the last 18 months and there’s no doubt that virtual wellness is here to stay.
Working out in the comfort of your own home, the decreased worry of being amongst others and the ability to fit classes in as and when, have us all questioning why we would go back to in-person movement. However, evidence suggests getting our mats out and stepping back into the studio could be just what we need to boost both our mental and physical health.
Here Meadowlark Yoga owner and teacher, Karen Kirkness, offers five reasons why as a community we need to consider reconnecting over a Downward Dog:
Satisfaction vs Somatic closeness
Jumping into zoom yoga classes is one way we have all stayed fit and sane, and for many of us, the online format continues to deliver a feeling of satisfaction. However, the online space is bereft of the sensory stimulation that you get walking into your community yoga studio. In-person, your olfactory sense is presented with a note of myrrh followed by the sight of a friendly face at reception and a continuous stream of somatic inputs that combine to form a visceral imprint on your consciousness.
This sensory experience reinforces our choices by creating and strengthening deeply rooted psychosomatic memories that help us navigate future behaviour and strengthen our health and wellness choices. This richly physical phenomenon promotes the euphoric feeling of closeness to other humans that can only happen through proximity to like-minded others who are similarly dissolved in the same sensory circumstances forming connected memories. A connection we have sorely missed.
Convenience vs Connectedness
There is no easier way to smash through a yoga practice than to roll out of bed and onto your mat in your PJs. When you have to actually get dressed and present yourself to a room of humans, you’re coming together with those people in a shared social contract. There is an unspoken acknowledgement: ‘Hey, well done class, we all got here despite the many obstacles facing each and every one of us.’ In the moment we all decide to be here, now, even though it was hard and required some sacrifice, there is a kind of next-level connectedness.
Accountability vs Actual joy
Showing up to a studio class is about the authentic feeling of wanting to be there, doing the yoga that you love, surrounded by people who feel the same way.
Accountability is an underlying motivator, but you’re going to that class in-studio not because you care about your name being seen on the participants list. You’re there because the sheer joy of being physically present and experiencing it in real life adds to your overall workout; the joy lives in tandem with a sense of accountability that is magnified by the in-person experience.
Mammalian basics
Pandemic notwithstanding, as mammals we need eye contact, shared biorhythms, hugs, vocal subtlety, pheromonal interaction, and many other aspects of nonverbal communication that the online format can never accommodate.
Our fascial instruments need to vibrate in proximity with other humans as a matter of physical and spiritual health. Our neuroendocrine system is very sensitive to loneliness and in biological terms, our zoom-based lives have left us biochemically and vibrationally isolated. Being in-studio offers our bodies a higher vibration.
Being in-studio amongst people is a pro-mammalian experience, offering unquantifiable benefits that play on every level of our biologic instrument as individuals and as a community. With most of us double-vaccinated, ventilation and hygiene measures permanently levelled-up, and capacities down by 25%, we are now at a point where the benefits of communal interaction now outweigh the individual and collective risk of getting together in enclosed spaces.
Performance Enhancement
A final major reason for getting back in the studio is to get gently but firmly pushed, to feel the burn of training in that zone of opportunity where our bodies learn how to be stronger. Under the guidance of a teacher with others working on the same project is where most of us would rather practice and train. In-studio, the teacher can focus on seeing and feeling the students in the room, respond to the nuances of physical proximity, not having to spend valuable time and attention on the tech aspects.
Getting the best out of ourselves is never an easy project! By definition, we have to nudge ourselves and become uncomfortable to transform and progress, a process that is much more achievable in person.
So, whether you need to connect, feel the vibrations or get in touch with your mammalian instincts, Meadowlark Yoga is here to guide you through your next practice with open arms and a sun salutation!
