by guest author Christine Dann, writer, researcher, teacher and Green activist October 24, 2009 is a day with a difference, one that will go down in history as the first international day of grass roots action on climate change. Hopefully it will be the last such day, because the world leaders meeting at the December climate change conference in Copenhagen will get the message - stop protecting the profits of big business and start protecting people and other living beings by committing to … [Read more...]
Archives for September 2009
How Yoga Helps Us Ride the Storms of Life
by Kara-Leah Grant They say that some of the most stressful events in life include the following: renovating selling a house relationship breakdown pregnancy job uncertainty moving Of course, there are plenty of others. But these are just the ones I'm experiencing right now. Yep, life is kicking my butt. I should probably be curled up in a corner dissolving into a puddle of tears. But I'm not. I feel more calm, more centred, and more me than I've ever felt in my entire … [Read more...]
How yogis can have a critical impact on the world
By Kara-Leah Grant, author Forty Days of Yoga Global Mala is happening this Sunday, September 20th, in Wellington - but it's also happening right across the globe this weekend. Started by Shiva Rea, this is part of the yoga community's contribution towards creating world peace. Ultimately peace is something we cultivate within, and then we witness it's material manifestation without. It is not something we can "fight for", nor something we can impose or control. It is only by being … [Read more...]
A Beginner’s Guide to Yoga: Your First Yoga Class
Entering a yoga studio, or a yoga class for the very first time can be an intimidating experience. Everybody else looks so confident and relaxed and sure of themselves. They're all stronger and fitter and leaner and bendy as all hell. But every single person in that room was once a beginner - including the teacher. What you're seeing is the result of yoga - there's been a lot of learning going on, and a lot of practicing. Me? When I started yoga, I couldn't bend forward and reach my knees, let … [Read more...]
How yoga helps unleash the power of truth in your life
By Kara-Leah Grant, Musings from the Mat It is so common to lie in our day-to-day lives that most of us don't even know we're doing it. It is so acceptable to withhold truth in order to gain advantage that it's considered good business practice or smart politics. Truth is seen as something that gets in the way of a good sale, it gets in the way of what we want to do, or where we want go. Truth is simply, as Al Gore put it - inconvenient. It is true that we can not sustain the lifestyle … [Read more...]
Why nothing is a problem anymore
My work mates thought I was nuts. A four day meditation retreat, three and a half days of which were in silence. Doing nothing but sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating and sleeping. To me it sounded like bliss. No work. No website. No teaching. No relationships. No internet, tv, media, newspaper, books, magazines. Just unadulterated being, led by one of New Zealand's most prominent meditation teachers, Stephen Archer in a beautiful retreat house in Otaki. The day's … [Read more...]