by Kara-Leah Grant, Musings from the Mat A friend asked me this week (and I'm paraphrasing and editing for dramatic effect): How come you always write/talk about your struggles with life? Does your life suck that bad? And I explained that I had to write that way... that I loved writing about life, and only had my life to write about, and that meant sharing my struggles with the world - so other people could resonate, realise they're not alone, feel inspired and connect with me as a human … [Read more...]
If you can’t publicly own it, don’t do it (easy to say right?)
Forget the Ten Commandments. Forget even the Five Yamas or Niyamas. Here instead is the Golden Litmus Test. Apply it to all your behaviour. Everything you do. Everything you say. And everything you think. (If you really want to up your game...) Can you publicly own this action, word or thought? Can you publish it in the newspaper? Talk about it on Tv? Answer to it on radio? Yes? Sweet... do it, say it, think it. No? Don't do it, say it, think it... At … [Read more...]
The joy hidden within chaos
by guest author Peter Fernando, Meditation and Mindfulness On the surface of things, spirituality can seem to be about control, right? 'Mind Control' perhaps. Or 'Body Control'? On the far end of the spectrum you even get teachings suggesting that the point of life is to have ultimate control over the universe. Sounds good, doesn't it? But is that what 'spirituality', or more accurately, freedom is about? I personally wonder if it is. What could be more gratifying to our ego than … [Read more...]
Falling in love with seated postures, falling in love with me
Once upon a time, seated postures were so impossible for my rigid and bound body that I could only ever practice a standing series. Now, seated postures are exactly what I need. Partly it's because my body has opened up enough that it is now possible for me to sit on the ground with my legs straight out in front of me and my spine extended upward. Until that point is reached, seated postures either need modification, or props. But also, it's because I've changed. Once a driven, … [Read more...]
Why nothing is a problem anymore
My work mates thought I was nuts. A four day meditation retreat, three and a half days of which were in silence. Doing nothing but sitting meditation, walking meditation, eating and sleeping. To me it sounded like bliss. No work. No website. No teaching. No relationships. No internet, tv, media, newspaper, books, magazines. Just unadulterated being, led by one of New Zealand's most prominent meditation teachers, Stephen Archer in a beautiful retreat house in Otaki. The day's … [Read more...]
Inside the experience of a Loving-Kindness sadhana to day 29
Kundalini, or prana, rising up the spine Meditation is a cumulative experience. That is, the more you do it, the more you get it, the more you want to do it, the more you get out of it... creating this constant feedback loop of encouragement. Unfortunately, it also works the other way. We begin to meditate, never having done it before, likely with many expectations of what meditation is "supposed" to be like. … [Read more...]
How yoga practice teaches you to listen to your intuition through life’s transitions
by guest author Lynda Miers-Henneveld of Yoga Unlimited Yoga teaches us to embrace the natural rhythms of life. Through our practice we can ground ourselves in times of instability, or motivate and energise ourselves when we feel stuck. A personal practice has to reflect our changing circumstances if it is to support us in our journey through this life. If we stay present to what is happening in our bodies, minds and hearts, we can adapt our practice intuitively. … [Read more...]