by Kara-Leah Working with a different yama each week has been far tougher than I ever thought. It feels like each one is showing me yet another way in which I create suffering from myself. Problem is, the patterns of behaviour are so subtle and so ingrained that perceiving them is one thing, changing them is another. Asteya, or non-stealing, has shown up in all kinds of unexpected ways for me. Far more than just refraining from stealing material items, Asteya also means not taking … [Read more...]
Applying The Second Yama, Satya (Truth), to Daily Life
By Kara-Leah Grant It didn't surprise me to discover this week that a yoga asana (posture) for Satya could be Virabhadrasana 1 or Warrior 1 Posture, as this is a posture of standing forward and being forward in your truth. Before I started yoga, my entire life had been built on a lie - a lie that I'd told myself and totally believed. This lie was so embedded in my consciousness that when I first ever did Virabhadrasana 1 in a yoga class I was so challenged mentally and emotionally that I … [Read more...]
Surviving and thriving in the Christchurch earthquake
Like many yoga workshops, the recent Anusara Workshop in Christchurch with Noah Maze shook up our concepts of reality, purpose, values and life. Only in this workshop, Heroes and Heroines: Stories and Practices of Yoga, it wasn't the teachings nor the practice or even the teacher doing all the shaking, it was the earth herself. On Saturday morning, at 4.35am... just hours after a stimulating two hour practice to kickstart the weekend underpinned by the mythology of Hanuman the Monkey … [Read more...]
Applying the first yama, Ahimsa (non-violence), to daily life
by Kara-Leah Last week I made the decision to apply myself seriously to the study and application of each yama (or wise characteristics that denote how we interact with other people) week by week. First up is Ahimsa, which literally means the avoidance of violence. How hard can that be? Don't hit anyone. Don't kill anyone. Don't pinch, punch or slap anyone. I'm not by nature a violent, nor angry person, can't be too tough right? Ah... but wait. Does this apply to sentient beings … [Read more...]
Can You Name all the Yamas and Niyamas from Patanjali’s Eight Limbs?
by Kara-Leah Grant I've been contemplating a few things lately, both while on my mat and off my mat. Things like how yoga and business mix, what it means to be a yoga student, what it means to be a yogi, how our shadow sides present themselves and affect both us and the people around us, and what life is really all about. I know, big stuff. Something that's mean tying it together for me, over and over and over again, is that how we choose to behave when the pressure is on reveals how mature … [Read more...]
Following the threads of life and honouring one’s energy levels
I'm getting into the flow of getting into the flow. It's a magical, scary way to operate. Like yesterday. On the bus from Roseneath, cruising into town at about 5pm for a 6:30pm yin yoga class at Hot Yoga. I knew had time to spare, but I didn't know where I was going and what I was going to do… and as I sat in that space on the bus I was surprised to see that it felt vulnerable. Like I was free-falling. I knew I was putting myself in the hands of Grace, and who knew where that might … [Read more...]
Breaking free and living life via inspiration – the yogic way
Over the last couple of weeks, I've been musing about the nature of reality, and life, inspired by Steve Pavlina's latest thirty day trial. I've written about Steve before - he's a blogger and personal development guru I much admire. From possible prison and definite bankruptcy, he's risen to become the most successful blogger in America, a book author, and organizer and creator of the Conscious Growth Workshops. Life is one giant experiment to Steve - he's always playing around with how … [Read more...]
Getting out of my mind – drugs, yoga, meditation and me
by Kara-Leah Grant Our society is awash with drugs of all kinds - legal, illegal, prescribed and self-medicated. We (mostly) all do them (caffeine anyone?), but those who are caught doing illegal drugs are judged harshly in the media. If you take drugs you're bad, or weak, and you certainly don't want other people finding out. People like future employers, future parents-in-law, or future kids. The media in particular LOVE jumping all over any public figure who's caught doing drugs. … [Read more...]
Enlightenment is available to us in every moment – right here, right now
by Kara-Leah Grant Never more am I reminded that every moment is an opportunity to wake up than during a morning with a crying baby. We came home last night from a week in the mountains to a cold, damp, empty house and discovered the fridge had been accidentally switched off and the kitchen was rank with defrosted fish bait. It's been cold enough in Dunedin that most of the contents of the fridge are salvageable but the freezer's a write-off. No worries... open some windows, light some … [Read more...]
How a Non-certified Yoga Teacher With No Guru Ended Up Teaching (And Should She Be?)
by Kara-Leah, This is a question I have contemplated many times since teaching was first thrust upon me. And it's also one this website has explored extensively in recent weeks. After reading all of the responses from other teachers, I began to wonder... how on earth can I call myself a yoga teacher? I have no qualifications. I've never attended a teacher training of any real length. I've never studied under a guru, nor a teacher for any length of time. I'm a long way from mastering … [Read more...]