by Kara-Leah Grant Joy's been on my mind this week. Mostly because I was noticing a lack. Understandable - my life has been intense, on many levels, over the last few weeks. Seems just when I think I've got one area or aspect mastered, the stakes are upped again. That's cool. I can deal. But if I don't watch it, I can also get way too serious. Fortunately, I also have a magic tonic. Anytime I start getting too somber, too depressing, too serious, too stressed out, too hung up on life's ups … [Read more...]
The videos and articles in this section explore the basis of what yoga really is, and describe ways of how to go about practicing it yourself.
Yoga Explorations #2: Child, a posture of internal wisdom
by Kara-Leah Grant There's nothing flashy about child's pose. It's unlikely to ever grace the cover of Yoga Journal magazine. No one ever gets all excited about how awesome their child posture is either. But child's pose is the rock of a home practice. Its the place we turn to when there is no other place to go, it's the place we go when we want to come home to ourselves, and it's the place when we find our internal source of power. This week, I've been experiencing grief and sorrow. It … [Read more...]
Yoga Explorations #1: Unlock your home practice
by Kara-Leah Grant Last week, I published an article called Free your pelvis and the rest will follow. I'd written this at the request of a long-time loyal reader who was having lower back issues. In the article, I included a short video of me talking about using yoga to heal, and written explanations for seven ways to explore the pelvis and spine. The article was a big hit, and it's now inspired this new series designed to support you in your home practice. For many of, the idea of … [Read more...]
What’s the point of winter – whether of the soul or of the seasons?
by guest author Melissa Billington, Creatrix of the Powa Centre & MYOGA Driving into Wellington there’s a big billboard by the docks that reads, “Cancel Winter.” It’s advertising warmer climes, in this case, Nelson. I know we can travel and many with means become snowbirds following the warmth of the sun around the globe. Yet I wonder if we’re missing something crucial by avoiding the dark and the cold and the seemingly difficult. I’ve lived in equatorial countries and the monotony … [Read more...]
The beginner’s guide to yoga: Part 2
Part 1 of this series in the Beginner's Guide to Yoga gave you a heads-up on things to be aware of before rocking along to your first yoga class. You might have been to a few classes now and so have got your head around the right clothes to wear, how to fuel your body before and after class, how to position yourself on your mat and how to forget about what other people are thinking. Now it's time to start investigating the process of posture (asana) a little more deeply. It's so easy to … [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...]
What is a Sadhana and Why Do I Need One in My Life?
By Kara-Leah, Regular readers will well remember I started a forty day sadhana (spiritual practice) oh... a few months ago. It was an Infinite Wealth and Prosperity meditation, and I was loving doing it. But then something happened. I found out I was pregnant, and as this particular meditation involved stomach pumps (a no-no for pregnant women), I had to stop. But I couldn't write about it immediately, because I had to wait to tell people I was pregnant. Now I can tell people... so I can … [Read more...]
How to Choose the Right Meditation Technique for You
by Kara-Leah Grant, Musings from the Mat This is an interesting question - how can I possibly know what meditation might suit you, especially when I don't know 'you' at all? There is therefore no definitive answer I can give you to this question. However, what I can do is take you through a process which can help you determine which type of meditation might be best for you. In essence, I ask you questions, and you answer them. Because who knows best, what's best for you? You, that's … [Read more...]
How to introduce your children to yoga
The power of yoga to improve the quality of life for our children is an untapped resource. by guest author Amanda Reid of Samadhi Yoga Although yoga has enjoyed popularity with adults for many years, it is only recently that we have come to understand how helpful it can be for children in their formative years, increasing their self-awareness, building their self-esteem, and strengthening their bodies - truly a welcomed oasis in a culture that offers little in the way of mindful yet … [Read more...]
What is Ayurveda all about?
In this article David explains his journey into Ayurveda, and it's application to our lives. by Guest Author David Timbs ND, Dip Ayur (India), Dip Acup, BEd One does not discover Ayurveda, or discover that Ayurveda is something removed from whom we are. Ayurveda by definition is “the Science of Life and Longevity”, we are already ‘in’ Ayurveda as long as we are already ‘in’ life. … [Read more...]