Fuyuko Toyota, certified iRest® Yoga Nidra Senior Trainer, Retreat Leader and Supervisor and Mentor. by Neal Ghoshal Ten years ago I had the great pleasure to meet Fuyuko Toyota. We were both assisting our teacher Donna Farhi on a long 21-day training and I was immediately drawn to Fuyuko for her warmth, her humility and humour and her deep, compassionate wisdom. Over the three weeks, we developed a beautiful appreciation for each others' teachings, and a delightful friendship … [Read more...]
A Review of Pathways To A Centered Body by Donna Farhi and Leila Stuart
by Neal Ghoshal, Sacred Moves In a nutshell: an exceptionally clear and extremely practical guide to core integration, stability and support I first came across Donna Farhi’s books back in 2004 and was immediately hooked by her accessible, relevant and inspiring writing and teachings. Since then Donna has become my primary Yoga teacher and I have regularly attended her workshops and teacher trainings, eventually moving on to assisting her on events and intensives. I met and studied with … [Read more...]
Has Modern Yoga Been Dominated By The Masculine?
Editor's Note: Since this article was published, several accounts of sexual harassment and assault have been made public by Mark Whitwell's female students. We do not in any way condone Mark's behaviour. You can read more about the accounts here. by Lucinda Staniland It's interesting what happens when you ask a difficult question. You'll note that there is only one man featured in this edition of The Community Speaks, our roundup of perspectives from influential people in the NZ and Australia … [Read more...]
The Community Speaks: How Has Yoga Changed Your Relationship With Your Body?
by Lucinda Staniland Bodies are strange things. They are our home—our only means of experiencing and connecting with the world—and yet many of us are profoundly disconnected and cut off from the lived experience of the body. Add to that our collective obsession with the superficial experience of the body, and the relationship becomes even more confusing and complex. We wanted to know how the yoga community are responding to this challenge, so we asked a group of NZ and Australian yoga … [Read more...]
What Is iRest® Yoga Nidra Meditation and How Can It Help You?
by Neal Ghoshal, Sacred Moves As the popularity of Yoga continues to expand, more and more people are being drawn into practices beyond Yoga asana (posture), into breath work, into meditation, into the subtler aspects of the tradition. One of the practices that is becoming increasingly lauded is Yoga Nidra. I first came across Yoga Nidra back in 2003 when learning to teach at the Ashram Yoga School in Parnell, Auckland. Ashram Yoga, a Satyananda style inspired Yoga school, included Yoga Nidra … [Read more...]
How to Maximize Your Potential as a Yoga Teacher
by Neal Ghoshal When I started teaching Yoga thirteen years ago I thought I'd be showing anybody who turned up to class a few Yoga postures and hopefully they'd enjoy themselves. Yet Yoga seems to have its own plans and it's own drive. Teaching Yoga has lead me on unexpected journeys and to unforeseen places. And it appears to be the same with many who come to Yoga - at first, we do not realise the power and the beauty of the practice to transform our lives. A few years down the line we … [Read more...]
Restorative Yoga: Exploring Supported Child’s Pose In-depth
By Neal Ghoshal, Sacred Moves A little while ago I wrote an article on the eight essential principles of Restorative Yoga. Since then I've been continuing to delve deep into this beautiful practice. Deep rest is always calling! I'm happy to be sharing some more … and one of the most profoundly restful of the Restorative postures is Supported Child's Pose (Salamba Balasana). This is a posture which many find deliciously comforting and relaxing, perhaps because it tunes us into a time when … [Read more...]
November 2 – 4, Te Moata Retreat, Coromandel, The Breath and the Heart Yoga Retreat
In this weekend workshop we explore the connections between our breath and our heart. Weaving somatic enquiry, yoga asana and loving-kindness practices we will restore ease-full breathing, a calm mind and an open heart. This will be a weekend in which to release into the organic soft support of the heart and the breath. Te Moata is the perfect setting for our deepening yoga practice – the beauty and spirit of the land, the nourishing and delicious food, and the sensitive kindness of the … [Read more...]