By Cara Butler, An interview with Karla Brodie Karla is a teacher worth getting to know. Talking with Karla gives you the sense that she deeply considers her thoughts, her words, her decisions and actions. An example of how to really 'live' yoga in the everyday world. This capacity she demonstrates is undoubtedly born out of the deeply internal experience she has explored, and also taught, for over 20 years. I begin with the final question I asked, as I found her answer particularly … [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...]
Spring Equinox Rising
by Sonya Simpson, SSY Sonya Simpson Yoga Have you felt a slow rising of energy over the past few weeks or days? A gentle nudge from within encouraging you to start creating and building? Spring equinox is upon us and with it, the light is brightening and the blanket of winter is becoming easier to throw off. The natural slowing down that occurs in winter, those quiet months when the light is low and the weather cooler, is starting to feel less necessary. Nature is reflecting back to us … [Read more...]
Honour thy teacher, how to recognise great work in the yoga community
by Cara Butler As both a yoga student and teacher, I have practiced and studied with the intention that I am not seeking the ‘fruits’ of my practice. Being a very competitive girl by nature with a strong Pitta constitution this has definately been a challenge at times .... however I do strongly believe the value really is in the journey, not in the destination. I can say more authentically now as I move into my 40s that I practice and also teach yoga, not for any rewards it might offer but as … [Read more...]
What is Somatic Movement?
By Dyana Wells, Open Ground School of Meditation There are many different kinds of movement and exercise classes offered in New Zealand. In Raglan, where I now live, I have come across Yoga, Pilates, Contemporary dance, Nia dance and gentle exercises for seniors. Somatic movement is a relatively new brand and has become extremely popular around the world. It grew out of Feldenkrais and developed alongside new research into neuromuscular reprogramming. ‘When activity is freed of … [Read more...]
Teachers – are your cues creating dysfunctional breathing?
by Dr Jane Hardcastle, Movewell: therapeutic yoga, massage, and movement Hearing “take a deep breath in…and out” is ubiquitous in many yoga classes, as yoga teachers encourage students to better access their breath, become aware of 'chest breathing' and use their breath as a barometer of where, and how they are. Classes are often accompanied by publicly audible ‘ujjayi’ breath. We witness bellies expanding as students believe they are ‘doing’ great breathing. But should we ever ‘do’ … [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...]
The Difference Between Being a Victim and Being Victimised
by Freya Vajra I was chatting with a good friend of mine the other day, about all this Agama/sex cult stuff. For those of you who don’t know, one of the biggest Neo tantra schools in the world, Agama, was recently outed by Be Scofield for a whole load of sexual assault and misconduct by the heads of the school. It’s a school I have trained at and didn’t stay at because the waft of dogma and abuse was so strong. My friend, who spent a number of years there, was saying how she felt that she had … [Read more...]
Why The 3 Bandhas Are Not Optional in Yoga
by Daniel Fow All of the muscles in the body need to be exercised, stretched and worked with. Most of us know this, and we do yoga, go to the gym, walk, hike, run, or do some sort of work with our skeletal muscles. But these muscles are all generally on the outside surface of the body, either on top of our skeleton or immediately beneath. What we often tend to forget about is the importance of muscles that exist on the inside of the body. The pelvic diaphragm and the respiratory diaphragm are … [Read more...]
Are Plant Medicines Part of Traditional Yoga?
by Daniel Fow, Cardinal Points: Healing Arts "The Mystic States (Siddhis) are attained by yogic practices from previous lifetimes, or by special plants, mantric repetition, asceticism, or by meditation." - Yoga Sutras of Patanjali The ancient Rishis and Yogis often spoke of an ancient plant medicine known as Soma which would be made into a tea. Upon drinking it, the third eye would awaken and mystical states would occur, even the state of samadhi or enlightenment. The use of Soma as a plant … [Read more...]