by guest author Nadine Fawell, a Melbourne-based yoga teacher, blogger, and author of the yogAttitude cards. She is most interested in yoga’s power to heal body, mind, and spirit.
I’ve just come back from leading a yoga retreat in Bali. I got on the airplane feeling anxious, for all sorts of reasons: I was about to shoot my first yoga DVD: strong*stretched*serene (which put me so far out of my comfort zone, I couldn’t even see the horizon), I didn’t know whether the hotel would take good care of us, I wasn’t sure how the group would gel…
And then I landed. It was late, and dark, by the time I got to Denpassar, but that didn’t stop me feeling a sense of…connection. Heart connection. The sacred is everywhere in Bali, infused into daily life. Shrines are dotted between houses and businesses, the civic statues depict scenes from the Mahabarata.
People start their days by making offerings and lighting incense. They probably do these things before they brush their teeth, even. It’s just part of daily life. And all this faith seems to infuse the air.
It reminds me that this is something largely absent from my daily life in Melbourne. I see no Ganesh statues on my neighborhood walks. Nor, for that matter, do I see any Christian iconography. We have become a secular culture, and, while this means freedom from dogma, which is an awesome thing, it also brings spiritual disconnect.
And spiritual disconnect brings anxiety. Or, it certainly does for me: I feel anxious when I lack faith about the future, and I lack faith about the future when I am disconnected from what’s in my heart.
That’s why I practice yoga: to feel my heart. To feel it beating, moving life force around my body, and to feel the faith, in yoga we call it Shraddha, that all will be well.
Shraddha is not just blind faith though: it is enthusiastically chosen faith. For example, although I was raised Catholic, I rebelled against the patriarchy I experienced in the Catholic church. I have Massive Issues with authority, and most especially male authority figures: something to do with my dad sexually abusing me when I was a child, I suspect.
So for a while there, I was lost in a spiritual wasteland, having rejected the faith structure I grew up with, but not knowing what to turn to. Shoes, it turns out, do a very poor job of filling the faith gap. Pity, really.
Yoga.
It was always going to be yoga. My first experience of yoga was the same as stepping of the plane in Bali. Connection. Heart connection. A direct conduit to the Sacred, because it’s inside me! Oh my, what a revelation.
And how lovely to have the re-revelation when I got to Ubud. Everywhere is sacred. Everything. Every moment.
The divine is in me as it is in you.
Namaste!
After ten years of teaching yoga, Nadine Fawell has discovered that sometimes, an afternoon in a nice cafe is what you really need.
She is the author of the yogAttitude Cards and leads retreats in Australia and Bali.
It’s a good life!
Nadine is also giving away two copies of her new yoga DVD to two lucky YLB readers… just leave a comment on the article below and Nadine will choose one commenter at random. You’ve got until 6pm Wednesday December 28th (NZ time) to enter.
Beautiful alignment and setting. I would love to win a copy. Thanks!
Nadine,
That glimpse of the DVD does indeed radiate calmness, serenity and I felt it work without actually doing anything. Very beautiful. Awesome work!
Sweet! Video is gonna be awesome-sauce.
I also have serious issues with authority. I’m terribly rebellious. But it’s fun. I think. 😀
I congratulate your initiatives! I admire those who can take the plunge and time to develop “portable” yoga tools, so that access to yoga is made easy for more people.
For example, at the moment, I can only dream of getting back to lovely Bali ( and I do day dream it often…arriving at my bali hut laying out my mat….) oh back to what I was saying…just watching your video and the lovely slow flow and calming, gentle instructions I was transported to Bali for a yoga practice….thank you Nadine.
So glad you have found your connection and that you have such an amazing gift in being able to share yoga with the rest if us in order to bring calm to our lives. Thank you Nadine.
congratulations, sweet nadine!
very interesting post Nadine and she is right.
When I look at the level “society” has gone to to be Politically correct, ie to abstract religion out of general life because of this “nanny state” mentality where we don’t want to offend anyone so everyone can’t be open about their religion, we have bowed to the few against the desires of the many.
I personally have a fairly open view towards religion and prefer the term spirituality because it allows people to freely express their form of spirit guidance/worship that is right for them, but recognises that there is no “1” religion that everyone “must” follow, but allows people to follow “a higher being” that is right for them. I like Nadine are drawn to the icon of ganesha, but equalily love the byzantine iconography of greek and russian orthodox churches, and also love the godess isis from egyptian meythology, Dionysis from roman mythology etc etc. I connect with all expressions of devotion to something greater than us both past and present because in some way they are expressions of the same, just at different periods/points in time.
The way people start the day really says something doesn’t it? What a lovely way to be connected…making offerings, lighting incense
I also practice yoga to feel my heart, and the connection to everything. It is something that I sometimes feel is beyond words.
Nadine, the DVD looks really beautiful and inspiring,
Best wishes,
Karen
Love the DVD preview! Your voice is so peaceful and the background is lovely. Thanks for the inspiring words 🙂
Good writting Nadine. It is a great thing to have yoga in your life especially if you can do it everyday.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday and New Year!!!
love your philosophy, very inspiring/comforting to those yet to break out of the corporate ‘stuff’ 🙂
Congratulations Nadine on completing your DVD! The images and your words invoke memories for me of a divine yoga retreat I attended in 2008 in Ubud….now I am on a new journey to become a yogamama any day now, and winning a copy of your DVD for use whilst I am “house bound” in the early days with my newborn would be a wonderful Christmas present. Merry Christmas and may 2012 bring yogic happiness for you. Namaste…
Congratulations Nadine. The DVD looks fantastic. I miss your gentle and respectful yoga practice and when you say “whatever you can do is just fine, as long as you are breathing” 🙂
What a beautiful experience! I am truly glad you were able to experience such a great spiritual connectedness on your trip! I aspire for the same. 🙂
This DVD sounds really great – just what I need to get me back on track and into a regular yoga practice. This is my primary resolution for the New Year and I intend to follow it through.
Thanks for offering an opportunity to see your DVD and maybe win a copy
Marg
Strong.Stretched.Serene. A wonderful description of yoga for me. A goal. A teaching. A lifestyle. A being. The snapshot of the DVD was wonderful. A beautiful space in which to share yoga. How lovely to be able to be involved in that scene from a space in my house!
I love this posting Nade! Well done – you know my beliefs as I’m a Christian (and nogal a Methodist at that too!) and I totally understand the connectiveness you felt in Bali – I feel it when we sing thumping worship songs in church, my throat closes and I cry when they play Amazing Grace . . . we worship alike and I love it!
I had a look at your DVD clip and it sooo reminded me of a happier (less knowledgeable for me) time when I attended your yoga workshop at Woodlands Centre – bless you Nade and we wish you a Happy Christmas and a blessed a much better 2012.
with lotsa love from us both
Love it Nadine!
Heart connection is exactly the right expression.
Xxx
Strong, stretched and serene. That is exactly my idea of yoga. Beautiful practice!
I’ve been following your blog and adventures for awhile, Nadine. I would love to win a copy of your DVD. And, I see you are a presenter at the Melbourne Evolve event in March – hopefully I’ll be able to take in a class with you.
Great work Nadine, the setting is just gorgeous! …I wish I was back there already!
Beautiful words and a beautiful DVD! Bali is now on my “wish” list!
I really like what you say about feeling your heart , yes, there is a big disconnect at times for me from society , I dont feel a strong connection to the conventional christian faith, no doubt the message is there somewhere, but yoga for me makes a direct connection to faith, openness , you can feel and experience it. And yes to Bali, thats true to , practising faith , its an example of meaningful rituals , that works for me , regular rituals , along the way christianity for me lost its beauty, I feel it in nature and see it in Bali.
Anyway, good work, thanks for sharing all your thoughts unreservably, that takes courage.
Mike
Wow, you guys! Thanks for all the awesome comments.
I hope you all have a great Christmas, and, if you are in Christchurch, that you and yours are safe and well.
I’ll check in again after the festivities xx
N
I added Bali to my Bucket List of places to visit after reading “Eat, Pray, Love” some years ago. Your translation of YOGA (union!) into “heart connection” sounds perfect to me. Thank you for sharing your gifts in this special video (any giant creative project is like birthing a child, right?). My light honors your light 100%!
WOW, the flow of energy is palpable, even on screen. This is a “must have” DVD for all yoga enthusiasts. Your DVD is just what I need to begin 2012 with renewed passion for health and vitality.
I’ve just recently been following Nadine and I’ve found out that I just love the way she speculates yoga. I like the way she thinks. From one island woman to another I want to find out more. I’m hoping for the chance to win this DVD, otherwise I’ll be buying it.
Hi folks!
Thanks so much for entering the draw. I used a random number generator to pick the winners . Basically, Jill’s comment was the first one, so it was No 1, etc. And, randomly enough, the winners were comments 2 & 3 – Shannon and Jenifer! Please email me with your postal address, ladies: yogawnadine@gmail.com.
Also, I’d like to give a further two copies to two people who live in Chirstchurch. Just because. Leave a comment down below if that’s you, and the first two commenters will get a DVD too xx
I have had 3 people in the bayside area highly recommend Nadine!!!
Ooh, Christine, that’s so nice to hear, yay! <3
I enjoy your classes Nadine and think it is rather wonderful that you have made the DVD! I love the background atmosphere and the way you ask questions to remind us to keep the dialogue between posture, mind and body. Great! Happy Kiss much : )