By Nicole Allan, lead trainer at Kawai Purapura Yoga School A ‘Trauma Informed’ approach to yoga has been slowly making its way onto the yoga scene for a number of years now, offering invitation and choice at every opportunity. For those who are not aware of this approach, it may seem nuanced, or something for a limited few who appear to struggle with managing their own lives. Yet, from my point of view, we could all benefit from a more trauma informed approach to living, and I believe Yoga is … [Read more...]
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Exploring Yoga Language and its impact on student experience
By Karla Brodie, reposted with permission from yogateachertraining.nz A great passion of mine is the evocative use of language to inform Yoga movement and rest practices. A teacher’s use of words has the power to evoke embodied experiences that can be transformational for students. My early years of yoga practice were visually orientated: Yoga practice was about what my alignment looked like and about rearranging muscles and bones to (con)form shapes (asana). Most yoga books described … [Read more...]
Lets talk about cultural appropriation in Yoga
Sometimes an email arrives in your inbox and you have to share it. A well written and important contribution to the conversation around cultural appropriation of Yoga. An invitation to have a difficult conversation. See what arises for you when you read this? What actions can we take to make a difference? How are we complicit? More questions than answers, but that doesn't mean we should not ask them. THE EMAIL: As world celebrates UN Yoga Day on June 21, Hindus upset at trivialization … [Read more...]
Journeys in Mindfulness – Part one
by Erica Viedma, Yoga with Erica As a yoga teacher, I am aware of the delicate somatic connection between our physical sensations, thoughts and emotions. In yoga we often instruct people to stand tall and broaden the chest - opening the heart area. We ask people to open into areas that may have been guarded and held tight. At times I have observed myself and others struggle with the emotions that this kind of movement can evoke. With this in mind, I have chosen to study towards a … [Read more...]
The Yoga of Self-Enquiry
Exploring Witnessing, Strengths, Weaknesses, Aims and Needs By Swami Karma Karuna, Anahata Yoga Retreat Recently, we have been living through a time that has thrown the ‘norm’ out the door and, despite the challenges for many, it is also a wakeup call - an opportunity to think about our lives and take stock. Jnana yoga is a process of sincere self-inquiry with the aim of finding true inner wisdom. Whilst the physical practices of yoga continue to be important, looking in and … [Read more...]
Chakras – Our Centres for Transformation to Truth
by Nisha Kumar Joon, YogaOra A chakra is an energy structure, a whirling vortex of energy that acts a bit like a spiral pulling energy through the body’s central vertical electrical current aligned with the spine. Whilst the spine curves, the main energy feeder, that draws energy into the body system’s energy line, is straight. In our human body we tend to work with seven main chakras but there are many, many more. Chakras are also known psychic centers in the subtle body, active, to some … [Read more...]
Mastering Your Mind With Raja Yoga & Pratyahara
by Swami Karma Karuna, Anahata Yoga Retreat The depth of yoga that is understood and shared in our modern times is primarily touching the tip of the iceberg. In a goal-oriented, pleasure-mad world, the dynamic postures of Hatha Yoga have captured many and become synonymous with the word 'yoga'. While postures are an important base, often the greater expanse of yoga remains like hidden gems in the ocean of wisdom. As yoga teachers and practitioners living in times of incredible … [Read more...]
Journey to Wellbeing : How Yoga & Meditation helped me find the way
by Matt Calman, The Longest Day I regard it as a minor miracle I became a yogi. For as long as I can remember, in the four-decade-long pre-yoga phase of my life I was horribly inflexible, and unable to get within a foot of touching my toes. My main pastimes in my 20s included playing rugby and drinking beer with my teammates. In my mind, activities such as yoga and ballet dwelt at the opposite end of the spectrum from my modus operandi. If anyone had suggested to the younger me that I … [Read more...]
Meeting Life As It Is: iRest Yoga Nidra & The Practice of Opposites
by Una Hubbard, Meditation and Yoga with Una I used to be a perfectionist living life in black and white, ‘either/or’. My understanding of the depression I experienced, for instance, was to find a way to be happy. If sad, be happy. I mean, simple really. I also had a real beef with anger. And that beef was simply this: I really didn’t like it. I didn't like it when someone raised their voice or showed displeasure. I wanted it all to go away. I wanted calm instead. If angry, be calm. … [Read more...]
The Teacher’s Contract
by Donna Farhi, Beyond Methods: Yoga as Self-Inquiry Relationships with yoga students can take many forms: from a clear cut and dried professional boundary between teacher and student that has never extended beyond the perimeters of time spent together in a class, intensive, retreat or teacher training; to the less distinct delineation that happens when a student also happens to be a personal friend; to that of a peer exchange that takes place at a collegial level in which there may be a … [Read more...]