Classical conditioning is deeply ingrained in our psyche and habits. As such, we are often taught that ‘more is better’ and that there is ‘no gain without pain’. In fact, I used to have this attitude when I first started on my yoga journey, having come from an athletic and intellectual background where you push […]
A student recently asked me what the most rewarding thing was about being a yoga teacher. This gave me a chance to pause and reflect on what it actually means being a ‘yoga teacher’. When I first decided to do a teacher training, teaching was the last thing on my mind (or so I told […]
Beat the Christmas and New Year’s Stress! Last Meditation Class in 2013: 30/11/2013, 2:30 – 3:45 pm Meditating on a daily basis has been shown to improve brain function, reduce stress, increase the immune system and lift energy levels. Establishing a meditation practice can be difficult for a lot of us. These classes are designed […]
Our last Yoga Philosophy and Movie night for this year features the second half of the movie “Yoga Unveiled” ( we watched the first half in our September movie night), which focuses on the transition of yoga from the East to the West and the influences of Krishnamacharya (the father of modern yoga) on today’s yoga. […]
Vrksasana (Tree pose) vrksa = tree About the pose: This is a standing balance pose which requires good coordination, concentration and core strength. But any balance is a good balance and as such, even by only lifting the foot to the height of the ankle or calf of the standing leg achieves a lot of […]
Getting injured in yoga does occur from time to time, especially with yoga being sometimes taught in large, gym-like classes with little or no feedback from the teacher and an often competitive atmosphere. While Hatha yoga is a form of physical activity, which by nature can involve risks, the reduction of yoga to just Asana […]
We are often told to “get in touch with our emotions”. Whether it is because others want to justify their emotional state or we should release some old childhood scars or unleash so-called ‘buried’ emotions. Getting in touch with our emotions is often seen as a good, if not therapeutic or cathartic process. Allow me […]
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and our power to choose our response. In those choices lies our growth and our happiness.” Have you found yourself in a situation where some little auto-pilot in your brain took over, determining what you said, how you reacted and how […]