by Lucinda Staniland For all the years I’ve been practicing yoga, I’ve always strived to ‘go deeper’ into the poses. In fact, I thought this was the point of asana. In the name of depth, I’ve pursued an ‘open heart’, and ‘release’ in the hips. Whatever the pose—lunges, backbends, twists—I’ve had an image in my mind of precisely how the pose should look, and the depth that I need to reach to achieve the perfect alignment. I’ve stretched my hands to my toes in standing forward bends, sunk deep … [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.
The Dark Side of Essential Oils: Are They Really Safe to Use in Your Yoga Practice?
by Lucinda Staniland Essential Oils seem to be everywhere in the Yoga world these days: whether via a diffuser, massage or taken internally. That old favourite, incense, has been kicked to the curb and essential oils are riding high as they also offer a myriad of health benefits in addition to the delicious olfactory experience.But are Essential Oils really all that they're cracked up to be? Recently I've started hearing whisperings that Essential Oils may be more problematic, or at least … [Read more...]
How The 8 Limbs of Yoga Help Us to Touch the Deepest Self
by Meera Watts, Siddhi Yoga Yoga has become a mainstream activity in all parts of the world. The discipline has a lot to teach us but we are failing the practice itself. It’s great that we’ve all been introduced to this phenomenal multi-faceted means of helping ourselves, but to take it apart and use what we’re comfortable with isn’t exactly the point of yoga. One can master poses and look the part but when yoga doesn’t capture your soul, teach you how to be still, or alter how you live your … [Read more...]
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Yoga
by Lucinda Staniland Most of us come to yoga with a whole lot of misconceptions about what yoga is. I was no different. Here are some of the mistakes that I made, and lessons that I learnt, as a new yoga student. 1. Asana does not equal yoga. When I started doing yoga I was awed by the strength and grace of the physical practice I saw my fellow students doing. I couldn't wait for the day when I too would move with such beauty. I fell in love with asana.But asana (physical postures) is not … [Read more...]
The Real Meaning of Aum and Why We Chant It
by Kara-Leah Grant An extract from The No-More-Excuses Guide to YogaThe number one thing that freaks out new yoga students is the thought of opening their mouth and making a vowel sound followed by a consonant in a room full of strangers.Yes, the simple sound of OM makes people want to run screaming from the room.There are a few reasons for this - one is that Aum (as it's correctly written) has a bad rap.It's weird, strange and the butt of all kinds of jokes. Plus, making a … [Read more...]
Who are the Best Up-and-Coming Yoga Teachers in New Zealand & Australia?
by Kara-Leah Grant Nominations now closed. Stay tuned for the winner of a three-day double pass to Wanderlust Sunshine Coast 2016, and the list of successful nominees. We want to identify yoga teachers in Australasia that are flying under the wire. These teachers don't have a huge presence on social media, they're not getting booked for festivals, AND they are doing great work. They have a committed yoga practice, they are dedicated to their students, they have an intimate understanding of … [Read more...]
The True Meaning of Yoga and Why It’s Not About Asana
by Kara-Leah Grant Let's get technical, technical, I wanna get technical... Let me hear your ego rock...OK fellow yoga students. Here's the deal. The word 'Yoga' gets bandied about all over the place, but it's rarely defined. We assume that we all know what we're talking about, but often we're talking about different things.First up, physical postures are not Yoga. They are called 'asana'. When you go to what is commonly called 'a yoga class', you are likely attending an asana class. … [Read more...]
The Truth on Drinking Coffee and Teaching or Practicing Yoga
by Kara-Leah Grant Since stopping regular coffee drinking back in 2013, I have become fastidious about never drinking coffee before practicing or teaching yoga. Since I practice every day, and teach often, there are very rare windows when caffeine is an option for me. At a recent summer festival, I realised how deeply this belief I have about the importance of not having caffeine in the system when practicing and teaching was ingrained. A couple of hours before I was teaching a class, I … [Read more...]
Patanjali’s Five Key Attitudes for Committing to Your Yoga Practice
by Kara-Leah Grant Today was Day 300 of a Tantric yoga practice I'm doing, which got me reflecting on what it takes to commit to yoga.Every day, no matter what, I sit and do this particular yoga practice, which consists of seated spinal rotations with pranayama, chanting with visualisation and mudra, and meditation.My intention is to do 1000 days in a row - that's almost three years of dedicated, committed practice. If I miss a day, I have to start again on Day 1.It's taken me over … [Read more...]
Discard Your ‘Intentions’, just do Your Yoga and Pass the Ketchup
By David Cary I came to yoga in the early 2000s quite by accident.At the time I was struggling with ‘a big move’. Yoga was calming, and of course being in a room graced by a sprinkling of beautiful people did help.I finished one term, and, not knowing, moved to the next level class. Was that a mistake! Suddenly it was filled with lentil eaters, ujai breathers, spiritual people and other misfits from the fringes of society. And it was hard. That was the end. A year or so later, I found … [Read more...]