by Lucinda Staniland, On a rainy Saturday morning in Auckland, I found myself in a packed auditorium, with around 85 yoga teachers and students, and several hundred fitness professionals, listening to renowned international yoga teacher Donna Farhi give a keynote presentation on interoception and kinesthesia. As Donna lead us through ten slow diaphragmatic breaths, the whole audience dropped into deep, yet focused, stillness. There were so many magical moments like this at the Hauora Yoga … [Read more...]
How Patanjali’s ‘Atha’ Applies to Everyday Life
by Heather Robinson, In that moment. In that moment something holds me – here on my yoga mat, here I stand ready for practice, here I am connecting …. Then it happens - Did I switch my phone off? Do I need to check?..... Now I follow my breath with its gentle rhythm, compelling and calming me, now I’m connecting…… Or am I?? I forgot to make that phone call, will I remember later? Is my phone off? Sound familiar? You’re not alone! Thankfully, there is guidance and incentive. Millennia … [Read more...]
Could All Yoga Classes be Trauma-Informed?
by Sandra Palmer, Integrative Therapy For most of us reading this article, entering a yoga studio and completing a yoga class will be taken for granted. We may not think twice about wearing tight and revealing yoga clothing. We may be able to follow the yoga teacher’s instructions with ease - some with more grace than others! Sadly, there are many people for whom attending a yoga class is very difficult or even impossible. This is particularly so for those who experienced trauma in their … [Read more...]
Why The 3 Bandhas Are Not Optional in Yoga
by Daniel Fow, Cardinal Points: Healing Arts All of the muscles in the body need to be exercised, stretched and worked with. Most of us know this, and we do yoga, go to the gym, walk, hike, run, or do some sort of work with our skeletal muscles. But these muscles are all generally on the outside surface of the body, either on top of our skeleton or immediately beneath. What we often tend to forget about is the importance of muscles that exist on the inside of the body. The pelvic diaphragm … [Read more...]
Why I Don’t Go To Yoga Classes Anymore (But Maybe I Will)
by Lucinda Staniland I have a confession to make. Even though I practice yoga every day and work for a yoga website, I haven’t regularly attended yoga classes in years. My home yoga practice is consistent and serious, I'm constantly consulting my bookcase of yoga books, and I attend the occasional one-on-one session with a teacher. But yoga classes? That thing where you join a group of people to be led through asana and perhaps some pranayama and meditation? The answer used to be, … [Read more...]
Lessons from the Overwhelming Success of LoveLake Festival
by Kara-Leah Grant Five weeks and three core staff - that's all it took to produce a full programme at LoveLake Festival including yoga, meditation, workshops and DJs in three different rooms over four days. Oh, and another four people who joined in the final week for delivery. That, and incredible support from Wairakei Resort Taupō, who hosted the event, and massive buy-in from the conscious community, including the presenters. Because it was a bold move by DJs Chris Scott and Sandon Ihaia … [Read more...]
The Gift of Play: Why Kids & Adults Love Family Yoga
by Rachael Lowe, The fact is that we adults don’t have much room in our lives for fun and games. Our days are filled with stress, obligations, and hard work. We may be stiff, tired, and easily bored when we try to get on the floor and play with our kids – especially difficult switching gears from a stressful day to a time of play! This is where Family Yoga gifts adults their play time. Yes, adults. Kids are wonderful at playing. They’re absolutely the best at it, and we adults need their … [Read more...]
Day 617 of my Thousand Day Practice. Ball dropped, Again!
by Kara-Leah Grant I was in the car, catching a ride to Day 3 of a three-day workshop with Ana Forrest & Jose Calarco. Nikki - giving me a ride - and I were talking about mountains and the energy they embody. I was sharing my recent experiences in Glenorchy, where I would sit outside at sunset and do my practice. My practice! My 1000 Day practice... The one I was up to Day 617 on... The one I... DIDN'T do yesterday. In that moment, I remembered. And shock hit. A wave of … [Read more...]
8 Reasons Why Yoga Nidra is the Hottest New Yoga Trend
By Lucinda Staniland By now you've probably come across Yoga Nidra, one of the hottest trends to hit the Yoga scene in recent years. Everyone is doing it, from your trend-setting Instagram-loving best friend to your old-school internet-free great Aunt. But what is Yoga Nidra exactly, and does it deserve its sudden popularity? To the latter, I answer with an emphatic YES, which I trust will quickly become clear in the eight points below. And for an answer to the former, I turned to Swami … [Read more...]
Dr Scott Lyons on The Art of Being Human & Embodied Flow™ Yoga
by Lucinda Staniland, It's always a joy to come across someone who takes real pleasure in the work they do in the world. Without a doubt, Dr Scott Lyons is such a person and I could tell so immediately when I began watching his conversation with Kara-Leah Grant. Although he clearly takes a serious and earnest approach to his work, there is also an overflowing sense of delight and lightness to him, which I couldn't help but be enchanted by. Dr Scott Lyons is a Clinical Psychologist and … [Read more...]