by Kara-Leah Grant There are many people doing yoga poses today, but there are far less people who have a yoga practice. Postures are everywhere - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, advertising, magazines, yoga classes, yoga retreats, yoga teacher trainings. However, postures do not make a yoga practice. A yoga practice requires at least two other important elements before it can serve it's purpose - that of self-realisation, or of waking the practitioner up from the dream of Maya … [Read more...]
Dude, I May Have Found a Yoga Teacher! Maybe!
by Kara-Leah Grant, Musings from the Mat (Written a few weeks ago, before I left Glenorchy - in case the time frame or location confuses you!) I've just walked out of my second Mysore-style Astanga class with New Zealand's Peter Sanson and I don't know whether I'm coming or going. It's like my brain's in first gear, or submerged in water. If I feel into it, it's like a consciousness shift, where I'm going sideways from one way of being into another way of being but I'm caught in limbo … [Read more...]
July 15 – 29, 2013: Fiji, Heart of Yoga Teacher Training with Mark Whitwell
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. Please click the image below to see a larger version, which is easier to read.For the first time, the Heart of Yoga Ashram is offering accommodation on site. These different options range from bunk beds to private rooms. We also offer discounted rates … [Read more...]
Leaving behind window shopping for the soul & committing to a tradition
By guest author Carmen Howell of The Sadhana Studio The title for this article came from a blog, where the writer shared her "tempest of emotions, regarding the question of whether to take and commit to a teacher'? The advice she received was that window shopping for ceremonies, teachers and/or traditions prevents a situation where one can go deeply into any one tradition, and will only result in a shallow experience and knowledge of a topic. In short, window shopping can be delusional … [Read more...]
How teaching yoga can trigger your issues
by regular columnist Elissa Jordan, Adventures in Teaching I’m feeling utterly dejected this morning. Getting out of bed - struggle. Getting to work - struggle. Talking to people - struggle. What’s got me so down? While teaching last night one of my students remarked about what a difference there was between the Wednesday and Monday night classes. Wednesday, my class, on the night was six people. Monday, another teacher’s class, was overflowing. No real judgement was made - good or bad - … [Read more...]
The evolution of lineage: Why what is taught changes over time
by guest author Jenifer Parker, owner of Healium Yoga Studio in Wellington Editors Note: This article originally appeared as a comment in response to Kara-Leah's article 'I don’t know how to teach yoga anymore. Or do I?' Foremost, the role of the teacher is to get the students on their feet in the teachings of the lineage, and then set them on their way. This is no different than sending a child to school, expecting that he will pass each year, gaining knowledge, gathering new teachers, and … [Read more...]