It’s hard to say goodbye

After more than 9 years of getting up early on a Saturday morning to teach yoga, I have recently said goodbye to my wonderful weekend classes. The decision did not come easily: I LOVE these guys. My Saturday morning ladies are dedicated, open minded yogis; willing to explore the yoga in all its forms; asana, pranayama, meditation, creative visualisation and chanting.

Over the years I have become quite protective of this group and when on holidays, will think of them and hope they enjoy and learn from the teacher I have organised in my absence. We have grown together: the student learning from the teacher, the teacher learning from the student.

As a teacher there is nothing more rewarding then knowing the message you most wanted to convey has not only been heard but also understood and integrated.  I encourage the idea of “Less is More’ and finding the balance between ease and effort. “The yoga is not about how you look, it’s about how you feel. How does your body feel, the quality of your breath and your state of mind”.

This year I have decided to undertake a Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy. I have been interested in this course for many years and now the time feels right.  I know I will grow as a teacher and look forward to integrating my new knowledge into many aspects of my life. My thirst for knowledge is at its peak and it seems the more I know about this amazing body and mind we humans have, the more I want to know.

Onward and upward……

My wonderfully dedicated students at Mitcham

Releasing muscle tension

For many people the stresses of daily life manifest in our physical bodies as muscular tension. We may hold fear, uncertainty, stress and anxiety in our bodies as tension. Over time this creates aches, pains and stiffness in the body leaving us feeling exhausted or even worse, leads to disorders and disease.  There is a wonderful technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) where you create tension in a muscle, hold for 8-10 seconds and then release. This action causes the muscles to relax, which triggers the relaxation response; the heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, normal blood flow returns to the belly and digestion improves. As the physical body relaxes, the mind soon follows.

Now that’s better…..

For those students that find it difficult to relax the body in savasana (especially at the beginning of a yoga class), this may be a welcome alternative to restlessness and frustration some find in stillness.

Here is an audio that draws on the PMR techniques to help relax the body prior to an asana session or as a stand alone practice.

Enjoy

Binge Eating Disorder – Literature Review

As part of my Graduate Certificate in Yoga Therapy, I recently completed a literature review on Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The review contains a summary of recent scientific research regarding what has been found to be effective in the treatment of this condition. I also explore the application of yoga and yoga therapy approaches and how they may differ or be similar to the other approaches.

Click here for full review :

BINGE EATING DISORDER– YOGA THERAPY LITERATURE REVIEW

Click here for summary:

BINGE EATING DISORDER – Summary

With love,

An Autumn meditation – Letting Go

Autumn is such a beautiful time of the year. The deciduous trees display an amazing array of colours; the rich, warm colours of the earth. The trees are withdrawing their energies in preparation for the winter. As the leaves turn and then fall, they create a warm blanket that forms at the base of the tree. In time, these leaves will return to the earth and provide nourishment for renewal and transformation. As we connect with this natural rhythm within ourselves, it seem appropriate to find a quieter pace of life; to be gentle to ourselves and others.

As we see in nature around us, Autumn is symbolic of letting go. What is holding you back? What no longer serves you in a positive way? When we let go, we create space for new beginnings and attitudes to enter.

Here is an Autumn meditation for you to enjoy.

With love

Circles of OM

Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril) breathing is an effective way to cultivate feelings of balance and wellbeing.  There are many ways to enjoy this pranayama and here I invite you to explore a creative approach using visualisation. This can be performed in a comfortable seated position or resting in savasana.  Always ensure the breath is relaxed, smooth and subtle. Enjoy the benefits of a mindful, quiet practice. Focusing on our breath helps to take our mind inward and create one pointed focus.

Just for now…

Just for now, without asking how, let yourself sink into stillness. Just for now, lay down the weight you so patiently bare upon your shoulders. Feel the earth receive you, and the infinite expanse of the sky grow even wider as your awareness reaches up to meet it. Just for now, allow a wave of breath to enliven your experience. Breath out whatever blocks you from the truth. Just for now be boundless, free, with awakened energy tingling in your hands and your fee. Drink in the possibility of being who and what you are – so fully alive that the world looks different, newly born and vibrant, just for now

~ a poem by Donna Faulds

Where Blue meets Blue

I was fortunate to spend a few days down by the beach recently which has inspired this voice recording. There is a real sense of space  at the beach; distant horizons, boats moored off the shore, seabirds in flight and endless stretches of sand. It’s a wonderful place to open yourself to space; between each breath, between your thoughts. As you step slowly and mindfully along the shore, you are drawn into the present through your senses. This heightened awareness of ‘now’ creates mental calm and quiet which is reflected in your body and your breath. This is the union of yoga.

In practice I find patience and peace

Dipping cloth into dye

I love Erich Schiffmann’s book ‘YOGA The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness’. He speaks in a way that resonates truth: his words  feel familiar and comfortable to me, like a favourite jumper. I share with you a piece I particularly enjoy. It is about awareness, connection and presence; the benefits of a mindful, ongoing yoga practice.

“Deliberately be still. Close your eyes, relax and breath, be aware, and consciously experience your present moment of conscious awareness. Immerse yourself in your own unique feeling-tone. Feel you. Bask in the exquisite experience of being alive, of conflict-free high energy peace, and become thoroughly familiar with the core tone of who you are.

This is like dipping cloth into dye.  Each dip of the cloth strengthens the cast of the dye and enhances the colour. Here, however, you are dipping yourself into you. You are experiencing you. Each time you do so, you become more you; that is, your sense of the authentic you is enriched. Each dip into the silent experience of you washes away more false ideas, which enables the real you to shine forth more clearly to yourself and others; that is, your sense of the authentic you is enriched.”

We can find this connection to self when we rest in savasana, as we hold a posture, or sit in meditation. When we hold our thread of awareness throughout the practice, it becomes more about the feeling, tone and experience of the yoga. We find an inner stillness that enables our authentic self to the rise to the surface of our awareness and into the light.

This thread of awareness can be observed and experienced on many levels. I invite my students to notice:

1. Any sensations or feelings from the physical body

2. The quality of the breath

3. The state of mind

4. An overall feeling or tone that permeates the entire being

How wonderful it is to take the time within your practice to truly observe, to be fully present; to be witness to the amazing changes that are taking place moment to moment. The opportunity to know yourself in truth, beauty and peace.

In practice, I find patience and peace 

Upcoming workshop….

When you actively use the breath as a tool to enter a deeper state of awareness in any postures, your asana practice will radically change. It will flow. It will be smooth. It will energise and it will also calm your entire being. (extract from ‘Asana Pranayama Mudra and Bandha by  Swami Satyananda Saraswati).

In this workshop, you will explore pranayama (yogic breathing) to deepen your yoga practice, nourish your body and quieten the mind.

Aspects to be covered include:

• qualities of pranayama (dirgha and sukshma)
• Importance of correct breathing patterns
• correct breathing within postures
• kumbhaka (breath retention)
• breathing and the nervous system

  

 

  When: Saturday, 28th April 2012

  Where: Bhava Yoga & Dance Centre, Warrandyte

  Time: 2:00 – 4:30pm

  Cost: $30/$25 concession

  

 

 

Following the Breath by Thich Nhat Hanh

Breathing in, I calm my body.

Breathing out, I smile.

Dwelling in the present moment,

I know this is a wonderful moment!

Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in.

Breathing out, I know as the in-breath grows deep,

the out-breath grows slow.

Breathing in makes my calm.

Breathing out brings me ease.

With the in-breath, I smile.

With the out-breath, I release.

Breathing in, there is only the present moment.

Breathing out, it is a wonderful moment.

Places are limited.  Bookings essential on 0413 939 530

Ways to fill yourself up

Often in our busy lives it is difficult to find time for ourselves. We can become consumed with getting things done and meeting other people’s needs and over time we become depleted and sometimes resentful. It is important to find ways to fill yourself up, so that when you give, you give from your overflow.

I have attached a short voice recording (about 18 minutes in total) taken from one of my regular yoga classes. The recording ends with around 9 minutes of quiet piano music. It would be appropriate to either sit comfortably or rest in savasana. You could also sit for the audio (around 9 mins) and then rest in savasana for remaining time.

Relax and enjoy!