by Kelly Fisher, Urban Yoga After almost a decade of teaching yoga as my full time career, I have had the privilege of watching some of the students who have come to my classes eventually become teachers themselves. I have had the honour of fielding their questions and helping them through those uncertain first months and years of teaching. Plus, as a huge geek when it comes to neuropsychology, yoga anatomy, yoga physiology and yoga alignment, I often help new teachers from other lineages … [Read more...]
Search Results for: Satyananda Yoga
Your most valuable tool as a Yoga Teacher (it’s not what you think)
by guest author Louise Thompson, Positive Balance Do you know what your most valuable tool is as a yoga teacher? What sets you apart? What makes you unique and special? What keeps students coming back to class again and again? What makes your classes work? What makes your classes inspiring and challenging? Is it your awesome back bend ability? Your demonstration of a perfect pigeon pose? Your hard-out arm balance? Your unique sequence of poses and your hard earned teaching … [Read more...]
Sacred Feminine and Yoga: Practical Tools. Part 4
by guest author Swami Karma Karuna, Anahata Yoga Retreat There are more practical tools than can be described belonging to tantra and yoga that are beneficial for a woman’s body, mind and support the connection to the inner sacred space. The practices all work in different ways with the ultimate goal of helping one to reconnect with their higher self or the inner Shakti, which in fact is the sacred feminine. Shakti is the life force. When it is blocked or out of balance, physical and … [Read more...]
The great debate – Which is better, Yoga or Pilates?
by guest author Jude Mahood, Suburban Yoga, Dunedin I recently heard someone describe Yoga/Pilates fusion (or Yogalates as it is often called) as the coming together of natural soul mates. I couldn’t agree more. But there are still many people out there who think that bringing Pilates principles into their Yoga is somehow tainting or contaminating. There is nothing wrong with being purist in our thinking, but it’s also important to maintain an open mind. When we close our minds, we close … [Read more...]
Sacred Feminine and Yoga: Honouring the forces within. Part 3
by guest author, Swami Karma Karuna, Anahata Yoga Retreat All cultures of the ancient world worshipped the principles of the Mother, Shakti or Devi. Although it may have been called by different names, the concept of a force which bestows life, nourishes, loves, comforts, supports and transforms has always been present. In Christianity, we know her as Mother Mary. In Japan, she was Amaterasu, the sun-goddess; in Greece, she is Demeter, the corn-goddess, Aphrodite, the goddess of passion and … [Read more...]
Healing the black hole: John Ogilvie’s story from drug addict to yoga teacher
John's article first appeared in Australian Yoga LIFE by guest author Ana Davis John Ogilvie is one of those rare people you meet with whom you feel an almost instant heart connection. There is a glint in his eyes that tells of an inner-spring of joy and a hint of boyish cheekiness. His presence is one of yogic lightness that makes it difficult to imagine him ever having plumbed the depths of despair and spiritual emptiness that characterise a destructive drug addiction. Nowadays John … [Read more...]
What’s it like teaching yoga in prisons?
by Adhyatma, Satyananda Yoga Teacher and author of Broken Warriors - Reaching out to prisoners with yoga [Editor's Note: The Yoga Lunchbox is proud to support the Yoga Education in Prisons Trust through offering free listings of YEPT fundraising events. Plus $1 from every print copy of Forty Days of Yoga goes to YEPT. It's awesome work they're doing! You can make a tax-deductible donation here.] We thought it was time for an update on the activities of Yoga Education in Prisons … [Read more...]
Sacred Feminine and Yoga: It’s all about balance. Part 2
by guest author Swami Karma Karuna, Anahata Yoga Retreat The Tantric view of creation is that there are two forces called Shiva and Shakti representing the male and female aspects of creation, which exist within each and every person. Shiva, also called Purusha, is the masculine force and is pure ‘consciousness'. Shakti or Prakriti is the feminine force that is pure ‘energy’. One cannot exist without the other and both are within each of us. This duality is also described in the word 'Ha' 'Tha' … [Read more...]
The Sacred Feminine and Yoga: What does it mean? Part 1
by guest author Swami Karma Karuna, Anahata Retreat Centre “A gracious woman respects herself and others. Her inner strength radiates a divine light that transforms and supports everything around her." Writing about the topic of Sacred Feminine inspired me to reevaluate what it means to me and question how others view this subject? And what does this have to do with yoga anyways? I looked up “Sacred Feminine” on the internet as one does in the twenty first century! And much to my … [Read more...]
Help Yoga Education in Prisons Trust fund a free yoga manual for prisoners
By guest author Adhyatama of Kalpa Taru, Wellington Some of you may know I have been teaching Yoga up at Rimutaka prison for the last year and Waikeria and Springhill for the four years before that. I drive up to Rimutaka every Tuesday and spend a couple of hours in a Unit with serious violent offenders teaching asana (postures), breathing techniques to calm and relax them and Yoga Nidra. All I can say is that I just love it, and I love them! That may sound weird but honestly what magic … [Read more...]