By guest author Michael Borden The structure of the Vastu inspired building vibrates with cosmic energy and the bodily instrument resonates with this vibration. To create and offer the house of supreme bliss, and to enable us to experience that supreme bliss here in this mundane house itself – these are the prime motives of Vastu Science. - Dr. V. Ganapati Sthapati In the mid-1990s, I begun a search for information about Vastu Architecture. I found that there were many ancient and modern … [Read more...]
Off the mat and into the kitchen
by Valerie Love One of the most rewarding things about practicing yoga is not the physical benefits of the postures on the body, but the way in which the practice of yoga helps to build awareness of oneself and how we interact in the world. The practice of karma yoga, the yoga of service, is just as important as a physical asana practice. As Alan Finger writes in his book, Chakra Yoga: "The success of your yoga practice is not measured by how well you can do the poses or how long you … [Read more...]
How to Cure a Hangover With Yoga or a Spiritual Practice
by Kara-Leah Grant I know, you practice yoga, 'you're not supposed to drink', and you're definitely not supposed to drink to excess. But it happens. And when it does, best you know how to handle it. Fact is, we live in a culture that drinks heavily, and it can be hard to break out of that mindset. Yoga most definitely helps, and so does being kind to yourself as you transition away from regular heavy drinking to mindful samplings of delicious beverages. What can help even more is applying … [Read more...]
How yoga helped me….find my beautiful truth
Submitted by Tracy Pepper of Mount Maunganui My yoga teacher training programme required that I spend 25 days on an ashram practicing, and this had a profound effect on me. We happened to start these 25 days with hip opening. As we went through the various types of postures - which are grouped into these emotional releasing areas, it brought up a lot of "stuff". Stuff I thought I dealt with through years and years of therapy. Stuff I didn't want to deal with again. Stuff that made me … [Read more...]
How Yoda helped me not to worry
by columnist Gabrielle Harris Why worry There should be laughter after pain There should be sunshine after rain These things have always been the same So why worry now Why worry now Mark Knopfler Why worry? For about 20 years I suffered from low level anxiety to panic attacks that were bought on by being away from home. I since learnt the root cause of these but that is not what really saved me, YODA saved me. Stress, panic and anxiety are rife in our society. We worry … [Read more...]
Adventures in yogic eating on the road
by Valerie Love I’m writing this on the plane heading back to New Zealand after a month long visit to the United States. Although Wellington is my home now, it’s been wonderful to revisit familiar places and to feel the warmth both from the northern hemisphere summer, and from my friends’ and family’s unconditional love. On this trip to the States, in addition to seeing loved ones, I was excited to visit to my home studio to take a class with my one of my instructors from yoga teacher … [Read more...]
Are you a real yogi if you’re not consciously consuming?
by Lucinda Staniland You've just finished your Thursday night yoga class. You’re feeling blissed out and relaxed after a good long savasanna, and now you’re heading homewards. On your way you stop in at the supermarket to grab a few crucial things. Wandering through the brightly lit aisles you have some decisions to make: do you buy the dishwashing liquid that contains surfactants, stability and dispensing aids, fragrances and colors, mildness additives, preservatives and antibacterial agents, … [Read more...]
How yoga helped me… find a truer and happier version of myself
by guest author Keron Martin, entrant in Vitality Link's Yoga Teacher Training Scholarship Competition For the last three years I have been practicing Vinyasa Yoga and it has changed my life, slowly and profoundly. It has led me to a truer and happier version of myself. The calm that Yoga presented to me was so incredible and lasting that I could not wait for the next opportunity to practice - this coming from someone who had always run on two speeds; fast and faster. When I was younger I … [Read more...]
What did you learn today?
by columnist Gabrielle Harris, The Suburban Yogini Whenever I pick my son up from school I glimpse the little sign on the gate: What did you learn today? Life is one big yogic experiment offering us plenty of lessons to grow and learn from daily. The trick is to be aware of what we learn and then put that lesson into action. For the really slow learners like me, the lessons are presented over and over again in different forms. I’m Vata, according to the Ayurvedic* health system. We learn … [Read more...]
Today I found my inner witch, and she denounced yoga
by guest author Emma Furness, former owner of The Dunedin Yoga Studio She has been in hiding – except those inevitable moments when repressed witches burst out in frustration, or the times women get together and end up cackling about blood and childbirth and the dirty body. As I felt into my wild, hook-nosed, barefoot old witch, I felt very earthed in my soft, dark, power-filled heart. This was strangely different from what I imagined I would feel once I let her loose to tell her … [Read more...]