Yoga Journal Australian April 2014

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79
contents
features
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38 | WAYS TO LOVE THE PLANET
Eighteen ideas for a cleaner, healthier
and happier Earth.
46 | KARMA YOGA
Be inspired by these big-hearted
people living truly purpose-filled lives.
By Anna Greer
50 | DAY & NIGHT
Ayurvedic practices to boost your
energy, health and overall wellbeing.
By Shannon Sexton
57 | THE YOGA REVOLUTION
Yoga has never been more widespread,
and its changing the world for the better.
on the cover
Apri l 201 4
Cover credits model: Kat Conour; stylist:
Micah Bishop/Artist Untied; hair/makeup:
Cassie Chapman/Artist Untied.
PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID MARTINEZ
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4 YO G AJ O U R N AL . C O M. AU A P R I L 2 0 1 4

$34.95
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Join Duncan and
embark on a journey
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bringing you closer
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Core yoga poses
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Discover the power
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Understand your belief
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Nutrition and the
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Be touched by the wisdom
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Buy online at www.powerliving.com.au/modernyoga
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practice
32 | BASICS
Head-of-the-knee pose: learn to extend your
spine while stretching your back body in
Janu Sirasana. By Nikki Costello
66 | JOY TO THE WORLD
Let Natarajasana inspire you to stand strong
while life whirls around you. By Alanna Kaivalya
72 | AMMAJIS DEVOTION
An intimate conversation with Yogacharini
Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani. By Diana Timmins
76 | ASK THE EXPERT
Relieve digestive and spinal problems through
regular yoga practice and breathwork.
79 | HOME PRACTICE
Light up: start your day on the right note with
energising poses that fill you with a sense of
wellbeing. By Claire Missingham
departments
88 | ASK THE MENTOR
Realign for a less-lopsided Viparita Karani.
inspiration
15 | OM
The healing power of yoga; how a little gratitude
can change the world; yoga takes action against
human trafficking; the benefits of eating
seasonally; sustainable beauty products.
24 | ON THE VERGE
When it comes to gardens, Costa Georgiadis
knows his stuff. Meet the man behind the beard
and become more engaged with your food.
contents
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28 | WISDOM
Break the chains of consumerism and embrace
a life in which less is best. By Helen Hawkes
90 | NEWS AND REVIEWS
Books, DVDs, apps, websites and worthy
causes: our pick of the best.
98 | THE AYJ INTERVIEW
Sacred Earths Jethro and Prem Williams make
beautiful music together. By Tamsin Angus-Leppan
travel
82 | ASHRAM LIFE
Enjoy the benefits of a slower, more
peaceful existence at Phool Chatti Ashram,
in Rishikesh, India. By Samantha Glass
reader offer
56 | SUBSCRIBE
Subscribe for two years and well add
two bonus issues to your subscription!
Apri l 201 4
98
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MINDBODYSOFTWARE.COM
REIMAGINE YOURS AT

editors letter
How wonderful it is
that nobody need
wait a single minute
before starting to
improve the world.
Anne Frank
There is so much more to yoga than nailing Crane Pose*. The physical
aspect is just one limb of the yogic octopus. Patanjalis Yoga Sutra teaches
us the eightIold paths oI yoga very basically, guidelines on how to live a
meaningful and purposeful life. And the Bhagavad Gita outlines the paths
Ior us to Iollow karma action, bhakti devotion and jnana knowledge.
ow, I'm not claiming to be an expert in ancient Hindu texts or
anything. Far Irom it, although I do love the Iact that they still oIIer so
much relevance and inspiration all these centuries later. \hat I'm saying is
that being a modern yogi in zo means a lot more than just having trendy
yoga gear and Madonna arms. It means being a goodhearted, ethical
person someone who lives with purpose and aims to make this world
that little bit better for all of us.
And so we come to the theme oI this issue loving the planet. It's the
only one we've got, but humanity sure has done a lot oI damage in the short
space oI time that we've been roaming around upright. Action needs to be
taken now, to ensure we can keep on roaming... without dying oI thirst or
choking on toxic Iumes.
I'm sure most oI you are already passionate about the environment.
But the aim oI this issue is to oIIer extra inspiration new ways to look at
environmental activism, new ideas Ior making this world a better place.
My Iavourite people in this issue are gardening guru Costa Ceorgiadis pz
and Iounder oI animal sanctuary Ldgar's Mission, Pam Ahern p6. Costa
got me all excited about growing my own
vegies, and Pam made me tear up as I read
about her aim to create a more humane and
Iair world Ior our Iarm animals.
\ho will inspire you in this issue: Cet
reading, then email me and share your
thoughts. Stay beautiIul, yogis!

AUS T R AL I AN YO GA J O U R NAL
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E D I T O R Alison Turner
editor@yogajournal.com.au
AR T D I R E C T O R Julitta Overdijk
NAT I O NAL ADV E R T I S I N G MANAG E R
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ADV E R T I S I N G MANAG E R
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P U B L I S HE RS
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Todd Cole todd@odysseus.com.au
P R I NT E R
Printed by Webstar Print
Australian Yoga Journal is published and distributed
eight times a year by Odysseus Publishing Pty Limited,
under license from Active Interest Media, 2520 55th
Street, Suite 210, Boulder, Colorado 80301, United States
of America. Copyright 2014 Active Interest Media. The
trademark YOGA JOURNAL is a registered trademark of
Active Interest Media. All rights reserved. This publication
may not be reproduced in whole or part without the
written permission of the publisher. Copyright of all
images and text sent to Australian Yoga Journal (whether
solicited or not) is assigned to Odysseus Publishing upon
receipt. Articles express the opinions of the authors
and are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor or
Odysseus Publishing Pty Limited. Distributed by Network
Services. ISSN 1837 2406.
I SSUE NO 34. APRI L 201 4
O D Y S S E U S
p u b l i s h i n g
AC T I V E I NT E R E S T ME D I A
CHAIRMAN & CEO Efram Zimbalist III
PRESIDENT & COO Andrew W. Clurman
SNR VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS Patricia B. Fox
DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL LICENSING
Dayna Macy
@ CRUZ BAY PUBLISHING, INC.
The exercise instructions and advice in this magazine
are designed for people who are in good health and
physically fit. They are not intended to substitute
for medical counselling. The creators, producers,
participants and distributors of Australian Yoga
Journal disclaim any liability for loss or injury in
connection with the exercises shown or instruction
and advice expressed herein.
Alison Turner
editor@yogajournal.com.au
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*Speaking of Crane Pose, this is
my darling nephew, Cameron, nailing
it on his first go. Sheesh kids today!
Both the paper manufacturer and our printer meet the international standard ISO
14001 for environmental management. The paper comes from sources certified
under the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification scheme (PEFC). Please
recycle this magazine or give it to a friend.
8 YO G AJ O U R N AL . C O M. AU

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contributors
Diana Timmins
Diana is a freelance
health and wellbeing
j o u r n a l i s t a n d
certiIied Hatha yoga
instructor based in
\ollongong, on the south coast oI
S\. Liana has experimented with
many yoga styles, but Iound her niche
in zooj when she discovered the
Citananda tradition. She has since
Iollowed these teachings continued
by Lr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani,
even taking a trip a trip to Southern
India's International Centre Ior Yoga
Education and Research in 2011.
Liana's love oI yoga and children
carves a clear path Ior her Iuture she
has plans to pursue further studies
into Citananda yoga and midwiIery.
Helen Hawkes
Helen is one oI Australia's Ioremost
liIestyle journalists. Her work has
been published in most magazines
and newspapers in Australia and
syndicated around the world. She's
a \IFAMqualiIied counsellor, a
Permaculture Institute Craduate
and author of SOS: A girls guide
to Sex, Optimism and Surviving
the zst Century and The Slow
Cuide to Sydney. \hen she's oo
she hopes to still be practising
yoga and travelling the world. She
currently lives
on the S\
m i d n o r t h
coast with her
\est Highland
Terrier, Bruce
Lee.
Samantha
Taranto
In late zoz Sam
embarked on a
global adventure
that covered ,
countries over
z months. She scaled mountains,
giggled with monks, rode the tides
oI surging rivers, journeyed to
remote islands, surIed reeI breaks,
whooped with drag queens, dove
with sharks, hiked with a gun
toting back country guide and
was embraced by the yogis oI
Rishikesh, India. Sam has long
enjoyed the pursuits and benefits
oI yoga and despite the assault
on every sense, the conundrums
and contradictions of the richly
diverse civilization she highly
recommends a j ourney to its
birthplace, India.

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yoga teacher?
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Transform your life with yoga. Be who you want to be!Dru Yoga Teacher Training
A 350 hour course registered with Yoga Australia. AYJ readers will receive a 20% discount off the deposit
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courses@dru.com.au
www.dru.com.au
www.facebook/druaustralia
YOGA

talk to us
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...
READERS PICS
...

Keep calm and do yoga
I love all of the various stories relating to many interesting topics.
The health advice, along with the yoga poses, are fantastic. Ive had
these magazines for over three years now and I find the information
very educational and informative.
The new evidence from researchers of how yoga affects us
mentally and physically, preventing and treating common ailments
and diseases Cood Ior you!", ]an zo was an outstanding read.
It helps me feel committed to my yoga routine.
I practise daily yoga and meditation as outlined in your journals.
There are deIinite beneIits I Ieel Iitter and calmer, and less
anxious and stressed with daily living.
MI CHELLE COLLI NS
Ed: Yep, you sure cant deny the science, Michelle. Were on to a good
thing here lets stick to it!
Its a mans world, too
I was disappointed with the article It's a \oman's \orld" ]an
zo. It posed the question, why are more women than men drawn
to yoga:" I don't think it oIIered adequate answers.
Thank you I or your
fabulous magazine. My
daughter and I both have
subscriptions and eagerly
anticipate the arrival of our magazines. I
look Iorward to the ongoing support and
information you provide.
May zoo began my experience"
with ovarian cancer. Since that time
I have had surgery, chemo, kept working
and discovered yoga. Each one of these
processes has enabled me to wake up, Iocus
and take a good look around at our world.
Presently, I am undertaking more
treatment and have been amazed with
what life is presenting. Being unable
to work Ior the moment and having a
voracious appetite, our house is filled with
delicious food from recipes I should have
tried years ago, including those from your
magazine. I have become an avid eBay
seller to get rid of some clutter, finding
this process strangely empowering. And
certainly my most liIechanging process
is the peace, contentment and security
I receive from yoga. Although some
of the even more subtle postures are
a bit daunting at the moment, just being
able to quiet my mind and body has
an ongoing and profound impact on me
and those around me.
No matter what experiences we go
through, we are always the student, always
learning, lessons always to be embraced.
Being in the moment is so simple; it
instantly removes past and future.
My little mantra:
For this moment I am smiling
For this moment I am at peace
For this moment I am secure
WENDY HOWE-SI MONS
Ed: Thanks for your inspiring letter, Wendy.
We wish you all the best in your recovery.
Keep up the fantastic work we send you
loving, healing vibes. And a special gift!
I would like to add to the letter by Coralie Harris I am
still here", Feb/Mar zo. I also enjoy your magazine and
still have every copy since your Iirst edition and I am 6z
years old. I am sure you would find there are a lot more of
us oldies" reading your magazine and doing yoga than you
might like to think. Articles relating to our age group would
be a good inspiration for your younger readers, showing
them, just how young" yoga keeps us.
Your magazine continues to inspire me and remind me
to get back to it. I have learnt all about the eight limbs oI
yoga and the yoga lifestyle from your magazine and that
there is a lot more to yoga than just the asanas.
I'd like to share photos oI my granddaughter Amber
doing yoga and my cat Missy" in yoga nidra. DONNA PHILLIPS
Ed: Love your letter, Donna. Thanks for sharing. Tell Amber that
we think she is awesome, and give Missy a big smooch from me!
Want to see yourself, a friend, colleague or family member
or even your pet in a future issue of Australian Yoga
Journal? Send your pics (high resolution jpgs preferred)
to editor@yogajournal.com.au.
winning
letter
Live for the moment
1 0 YO G AJ O U R N AL . C O M. AU A P R I L 2 0 1 4

Some of the opinions
and generalisations about
men were quite critical and
judgmental. And I found it
baffling that mens views were
not included.
The article was a stark
contrast to the two honest
inspiring stories by yoga
teachers Stan Cortes and
Lamien Lovelock Lon't
quit your day job".
PAUL ALCORN
Ed: Thanks for your feedback,
Paul. Weve certainly taken
your comments on board.
And yes, Stan and Damien are
pretty cool.
Forever learning
Thank you Ior publishing such
a wonderIul inIormation
filled Yoga Journal Ior ]anuary.
I really enjoyed reading every
bit oI it! I also want to add
the extra comment that Ive
really loved it since youve
started as editor... Theres
such an authentic style oozing
from you in your writing and
the articles being published
each issue!
I just thought Id drop an
email in response to your
call to hear about any yoga
teacher stories we have which
are special to us. I would not
be the person and teacher I
am today if it were not for
my yoga teachers. If it were
not for their guidance I truly
believe I would not have
made it out of adolescence
and my twenties the way I
have. I am perhaps lucky
that I have had the chance
to cross paths with the
teachers I have known but
I believe this relationship
between teacher and student
had two important elements
a willingness to give as a
teacher and as a student
and a willingness to learn.
\e all have more than one
teacher in life, there are
many in a lifetime and they
manifest in different forms,
from experienced teachers
to our own students. I have
never stopped learning from
my teachers and have never
stopped imparting their
wisdom, inspiration and
enthusiasm for yoga.
Thank you to my teachers
past and present for being the
light in this journey Branko,
]ames, Krystle and Michele.
Wei-Yee Choong
Ed: Awww, t hank you so
much for the lovely words,
Wei-Yee. I really love this mag,
so it makes me happy to hear
that my enthusiasm is shining
through. And thanks for sharing
your words about our teachers
yoga truly is a journey on which
we are continually learning and
growing.
This months winning letter
has scored Wendy a strikingly
beautiful yoga mat from
Kamuka (kamuka.com.au)
valued at $110. Email your letter
to editor@yogajournal.com.au or
mail it to PO Box 81, St Leonards,
NSW 1590. Include your full name
and address. Prizes available to
Australian and NZ residents only.
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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 YO G AJ O U R N AL . C O M. AU 1 1
Breathe new energy
into your poses and
transform your life
Revolve with a practice
that supports digestion.
Find freedom in Heron
Pose by beginning
with a strong and
stable foundation.
We celebrate
autumn vegies!
Weve got another inspiring issue planned as
we head into cooler days, with plenty of ideas
for reinvigorating your practice:
...
NEXT ISSUE
...
Australian Yoga Journal May/June 2014 issue
goes on sale Thursday, April 24. Grab your
copy or subscribe today!

To become more flexible
within poses!
MARNI BARNETT
I hope to have more work/
life balance focus more on
my yoga.
CASEY PATTEN
To find my real true love,
to learn very gentle yoga to
increase my flexibility and
strength in my back after
11 back operations, to
continue my naturopathy
studies with high marks and
to have plenty of family time
with my children and my
extended family.
MJ BAKER
To regain my health and
have the gift of living a full,
balanced life with gratitude.
To practice self-love,
meditation and of course
yoga! MAGGI E ELLI S
Acceptance above all!
SARAH WATERS
Hope: to re-establish a
regular yoga practice. Dream:
achieve a daily practice and
get more beach in my life.
MELI NA HEALEY
To give up balance and
live wholeheartedly. I have
a theory that striving for
balance just makes you
miserable and mediocre.
Krishna didnt tell Arjuna
to create balance in your
life. He showed him the
awe-inspiring magnificence
of divine consciousness and
sent him off to fight. Ill be
taking a sharp sword into
battle against ignorance,
complacency and fear this
year and forever more.
NI KOLA ELLI S
My themes this year are
generosity and let go.
STELLA CHAMBERS
LEARN Use the
Yoga Journal Pose
Index to discover
the finer points
of asanas.
FIND Browse
the yoga teacher
directory for a
class near you.
SHOP Subscribe
to or buy past
issues of Australian
Yoga Journal.
READ Search the
database of stories
to find useful
resources for your
yoga practice
and more.
...
WE ASKED
...

:KDW GLG \RX QG
hardest or most
confusing when you
started practising
yoga?
The fact that everyone is
obsessed with getting their
legs up around their head...
I mean, seriously??
RI S DI NHAM
Breathing, and now its
what
I love most.
MELI NA HEALEY
The instruction make
space in your knees. Not
a bit of the anatomy that
generally can breathe in
and out.
SATYA HELEN PATRI CE
Soften your back ribs.
BELI NDA HOULT
+RZ KDV \RJD
changed your life?
Yoga gives me space and
clarity to connect with my
inner truth and live from
that place.
SUSAN BONACI
Yoga heals my soul and
inspires me, yoga lifts
my energy and mood and
helps connect me with
that peaceful place
within my soul.
SOULFULYOGA
Join our 3750+ Facebook friends! Like us
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you tell us
We asked you what your hopes and dreams are for 2014. You certainly are an uplifting
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om
YOGA STARS Want to see your photo here?
Send your pics to editor@yogajournal.com.au
love
connection
We came away from a fun partner
yoga class with a deeper connection
and sense of play. We were trying to
infuse this pose with romance, but at
the time I was thinking, dont fall into
the pool! We got married a month later.
Stephanie Sta Maria with Thirun Nadason,
pictured in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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The beauty of yoga is that anyone can do
it anywhere. I did it in my hospital bed
after a critical bout of surgery for cancer
over two years ago. There are hundreds
of posture variations to suit everyone.
Yoga is more than physical we
harness the strength of the mind and
send our intentions through the body to
bring healing and strength. We all have
a mind to train and a physical body to
maintain work within your own level.
During three years of chemotherapy
I maintained my yoga practice and
incorporated all the healing benefits
of the Gawler Foundation lifestyle
program gawler.org. So I know
yoga slowly becomes absorbed into
your consciousness and shapes your
perspective on life. It has seen me
through the fragmentation of my home
life and its gradual recreation, through
my sisters long battle with cancer and
eventual death, through my own path
through cancer to good health and
through turbulent years raising teenagers.
My real acknowledgement oI yoga's
power came two years ago when I had
two 6cm ovarian tumours removed. My
cancer history went back beyond that
time, but in this particular instance my
surgeon had to open me up and ensure I
didn't have cancer cells lurking in other
organs, as well as perform a hysterectomy.
There was no trace elsewhere in my body.
Your organs look healthy," he said.
Lying in my hospital bed, I used my
Iocused Iull yoga breathing to keep
my core gently massaged, my lungs
expanding to draw in the prana the
liIeIorce or chi. I did the healing breath
to send the prana through my body.
I used the power of intention to see
myself healing. I visualised my yoga
postures as I could hardly move.
I continued my program when I
returned home and gradually got on the
floor to do gentle cat stretches. It was a
slow process, but because I had to start
from scratch again I was able to tune into
the gradual responses in my body.After
o weeks I returned to teaching classes.
I live with a cancer but through yoga
I've learned to manage my mind and live
well. From a yoga perspective, illnesses
can be karmic, perhaps it's in response
to a past experience but has come into a
persons life now because they have the
resources to deal with it and can learn
from it. It can be a means by which we
evolve. Illness gives us a chance to bring
ourselves back into wholeness and create
the life we are meant to live.
Yoga teaches us that we are more
than the physical. We have an energetic
blueprint laid down before we were
born. Kirlian photography can capture
this electromagnetic energy, showing
photos of the baby growing in the
womb. Its the blueprint for our
physical body, energised by
our chakras along the
spinal column.
\hen we work
with our yoga
we strengthen
these vortexes
of energy and
we bal ance
the endocrine
glands in front
oI these chakras.
These gl ands ti p
the hormones straight into
the bloodstream so we get the
immediate benefit of balanced
hormones.In Lhanurasana Bow
Pose, our Ilight/Iright/Ireeze response
is harmonised by balancing the
adrenaline and cortisol
in our bloodstream, in
Paschimottanasana,
Seated Forward
Be n d o r t h e
Creative Power
Posture, our creative glands are squeezed
to ensure the hormone released into the
bloodstream is healthy for strong cells
to replace the continually dying cells, in
Sirsasana Headstand, our pineal gland
at the crown of the head is rebalanced
to make sure our circadian rhythms are
just right Ior us, and in Sarvangasana
Shoulderstand, a squeeze oI the thyroid
gland at the throat ensures our blood is
oxygenated Ior energy and clear thinking.
These are just a few of the changes
in the body. Science backs up the
yoga teachings but there is still magic
in the process. Once you open the
doors to your yoga liIe, new vistas keep
appearing and liIe is never the same. Be
your own silent observer.
a yoga life
Megan Dawes Jones shares her cancer journey and
her unique insight into the healing powers of yoga
YOGA DIARY Share your personal stories
by emailing us at editor@yogajournal.com.au

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acid test
If you suffer from heartburn, adjusting
your yoga practice can bring relief
If youve ever had butterflies in your stomach before
a big presentation or important test, you know what
stress can do to the digestive system. In fact, scientists
in the emerging field of neurogastroenterology
which studies the connections between the brain
and the gut call the network of neurons lining the
gut the second brain. This helps explain why
restorative yoga postures, which relieve anxiety and
calm body and mind, can be particularly helpful for
taming the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux
disease, also known as GERD.
GERD happens when the sphincter at the bottom
of the oesophagus doesnt work as it should,
allowing stomach contents to leak up into the
oesophagus, causing irritation. Yoga may help
relieve the symptoms, which include the burning
sensation in the chest or throat known as
heartburn or acid indigestion.
If you have heartburn, its a good idea to wait at least
two hours after a meal before practising. Vigorous
exercise and crunching actions can sometimes
trigger symptoms in susceptible people; let yogas
focus on balancing relaxation with effort be your
guide. If inversions aggravate your symptoms,
substitute a restorative posture like Viparita Karani
(Legs-up-the-Wall Pose). And if lying flat on the floor
causes discomfort, elevating your head and shoulders
with folded blankets can help.
wellness
TRY THESE POSTURES TO
HELP EASE HEARTBURN
SUPPORTED
BOUND ANGLE POSE
Use a block to prop a bolster at
a 45-degree angle. Sit in front
of the bolster and recline back.
Bring the soles of your feet
together and open knees out
to the sides. Support thighs
and knees. Relax arms at your
sides. Breathe comfortably
for 510 minutes.
LEFT-SIDE-LYING
RELAXATION POSE
Lying on the right side has
been shown to aggravate
heartburn, while Ayurveda
holds that lying on the left
side helps digestion. Lie on
your left side with knees
comfortably bent. Place
support under your head.
Breathe for 510 minutes.
SUPPORTED
CHILDS POSE
Stack two or three blankets on
a bolster. Kneel in front of the
bolster and open your knees
about hip-width apart. Ease
the upper body down onto the
bolster, turning your head to
one side and relaxing your
arms. Breathe comfortably for
510 minutes; then turn your
head the other way.
EXTENDED
EXHALATIONS
Sit tall, relax and turn your
attention to your breath.
Mentally count the length
of your inhalations and
exhalations, and try to make
them of equal length. Next,
make the exhalation one or
two counts longer than the
inhalation, or up to twice
as long.

positivity
Clare Desira has a big vision
to change the world. And it
can all start with you.
She's come up wi th a
simple idea that can help you
to become more positive,
mindIul and present each
day, wri te a l i st of f i ve
things that you're grateful
for. Its called the Top Five
Movement something that
started out as Desiras own
personal exercise in positivity,
but has since spread around
the globe.
It's an easy, daily habit,"
Desira says. It all started
seven years ago and was
sparked Irom an article in a
magazine my housemate had
left on my bed to cheer me up.
Thi s a r t i c l e r e a l l y
resonated with me as it said to
simply write down a few good
things each day. It sounded
exciting and achievable. I got
started that day."
Desi r a, who mana ges
one of the largest corporate
volunteering programs in
Australia, soon started to tell
friends about the Top Five.
Some started their own,"
she says. Some would tease
me about it. Others thought
it sounded like a nice thing
to do. Years passed and my
collection of Top Fives built
up. People started to ask what I would do with them all.
I wasn't sure, but knew I was onto something."
Fast forward to 2011, when Desira became a Centre for
Sustainability Leadership Iellow.
Part of this course was a media training and speech writing
retreat," she says. I was required to deliver a speech to ,o
peers, all highly successful in their fields and passionate about
sustainability. There were speeches on biodiversity, carbon
credits and vegetarianism. I developed up the
Top Five message beyond my notebook and
daily routine and presented it as an opportunity
to contribute to a more sustainable world. The
speech included what the world would look like
if everyone was more grateful and captured their
own daily Top Five. The movement was born."
Desira is now well on her way to creating
a movement of generosity and happiness
throughout the world, sharing her vision at
a TLLx event see more at ted.com/tedx,
in corporate settings, in emerging young
leadership programs and within training,
education curriculum, blogs, magazine articles
and other publications.
The message I have to share is a simple,
accessible and powerful idea about greater
possibilities for people to be happy, more
generous and to live in a better world," she
says. And the best Top Fives I hear are always
related to the small and simple things in life
that people so oIten overlook. A moment
of connection when someone has learnt
something, an act oI generosity.
The obvious criticism with this is that it
is all a little nave and that my life must be
all sunshine and lollipops. But like everyone,
I have felt the pain and challenges that life can
throw us. For example, I have taken the time
to write a Top Five on the day when someone
close to me tried to take their liIe and also on
a day earlier last year
when I was diagnosed
with an autoimmune
disease. In my opinion
its at these times that
a real l y simple and
practi cal tool l i ke
writing a Top Five and focusing on
the positive can be its most powerIul."
the gratitude
project
What are you thankful for? Harness the power
of positive to benefit yourself and others
Head to TopFiveMovement.com to
register for the mailing list to receive a free Top
Five Tips and Template document to help you start searching
for the positive and capturing your own daily Top Five.

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Cold Coast yoga teacher aomi Young
Pickrell pictured has made it her
mission to unite, inspire and mobilise
the yoga community to take action
against human trafficking and slavery
through her organisation, Be Free Yoga.
\i t h a n e s t i ma t e d z o o
million people trapped in slavery
approximately two million oI who are
children that have been sold into sex
slavery YoungPickrell believes this is
an international emergency that must
be addressed urgently.
There are more slaves in the world
today then there has ever been beIore,"
she says. Its a humanitarian crisis
oI epic proportions and completely
unacceptable. It's also an issue that
many people are unaware oI. How can
people take action when they don't
know that it's happening:"
Be Free Yoga is encouraging yoga
teachers across the country to hold
Practice for Freedom charity yoga
classes to raise awareness and Iunds
Ior Project Futures projectIutures.
com, a notIorproIit organisation
that supports survivors oI sex slavery as
well as raising awareness and working
towards ending slavery.
Ending slavery is something I feel
very strongly about and believe yoga is a
great platIorm Ior raising awareness and
giving a voice to people that are trapped
in this nightmarish existence," Young
Pickrell says. The more that this subject
is brought into the spotlight, the more
chance we have oI shaming the oIIenders
who Iuel the problem, and the
more pressure we can put on
governments to take action."
This crisis is not just confined
to developing countries such
as Cambodia and
Thailand; shockingly
Australia is also a
destination country.
People are traIIicked
t o Aus t r al i a f or
e x p l o i t a t i o n ,
i ncl udi ng f orced
labour, slavery, sexual
servitude and debt
bondage.
YoungPi ckrel l
holds regular weekly
Practice for Freedom classes at Fit Girl
Club in Llanora and Burleigh Heads,
Qld, as well as at other locations on
the Gold Coast to raise money for the
Somaly Mam Foundation somaly.org
a Cambodian based CO which was
Iounded by Somaly Mam, a survivor oI
sex slavery who has dedicated her liIe
to save other victims of slavery and
empower survivors.
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practice
for
freedom
Be Free Yoga shines a
light on sex trafficking
There are more slaves
in the world today than
there has ever been before
For more
information, visit
befreeyoga.com.au

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eating wisely
You might think the most noticeable thing about Costa
Georgiadis is his rather wild and bushy beard, but spend even
just a few moments in his company and something else becomes
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people and the planet.
Its all about health, he says of his gardening philosophy.
The health of the soil creates a healthy plant, which creates
a healthy person. Were responsible for that chain. Its a garden
planet that we live in.
For the past three years Georgiadis has appeared on
ABC1s Gardening Australia program. Its a program thats
an opportunity to bring gardening, growing and sustainable
Go on get your
hands dirty. Your
planet will love
you for it!
By Al i son Turner
on the
verge
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Main pic: Georgiadis
with one of his
beloved chickens,
below from left:
teaching kids about
sustainable gardening;
Costa cakes!
A P R I L 2 0 1 4 YO G AJ O U R N AL . C O M. AU 25

messages to people across the country
across multiple climates and conditions,
he says. Its a chance to build community
through growing and sharing.
Georgiadis wants people to start
engaging more with where their food
comes from, whether its by eating
seasonally, buying from farmers markets
or better yet, growing your own.
You truly are what you eat and as
soon as you start growing your own food
and eating what you grow, the healthier
youll become, he says.
Think youre all brown thumbs?
Its a common perception, but
Georgiadis believes that anyone can
grow their own food.
One of my favourite tasks is
encouraging people who dont see
themselves as gardeners to give it
a go," he says. Start small a pot
plant, a corner of your courtyard.
Go with things you know will give
you a return parsley, basil, cherry
tomatoes. These will provide a real
abundance. Use it in your salad
it will hook you with the growing bug!
Once you start its going to change your
approach when you taste it, there'll be
no turning back.
As well as growing his own vegies,
Georgiadis is big on composting. Hes
even an ambassador for International
Compost Awareness \eek May , ,
zo, compostweek.com.au.
Composting is gaining recognition
rapidly, he says. All you need to do is
separate your scraps into waste that can be
composted keep a covered container on
the kitchen bench then take it out to your
compost pile, add some grass clippings,
dead leaves, wood shavings, a little water
and give it a stir. It will start to break down,
creating a rich food for your next crop of
vegies. Suddenly youre making a difference
to the waste stream you're becoming an
environmental activist!"
Another option is a worm
farm, which you can easily set
up in a corner of a balcony
or yard. Feed your worms a
regular supply of fruit and
FACT: each year in Australia we
throw away $5.2 billion worth of food
Source: Australian Conservation Foundation
Georgiadis
verge garden
eati ng wi sel y

vegetable scraps, and theyll reward you
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help you grow more food.
This is one of the most powerful
initiatives you can take, Georgiadis says
of composting and worm farming. It
stops scraps from going into the waste
stream, and youre building another tool
to help you grow your own.
Another Georgiadis initiative is the
YHUJH JDUGHQ WKH SUDFWLFH RI SODQWLQJ
edible, ornamental and native plants on
the green verge along footpaths.
Any space in the city or suburbs offers
an opportunity, he says. You can either
grow concrete or a strip of grass full of dog
poo, or you can grow a garden. A garden
that will absorb water and cool your street.
Apart from growing food, you can also
grow native flowering plants that will
attract and feed bees, insects and birds.
This brings about a more balanced
ecosystem, Georgiadis explains. You
need these birds and insects to pollinate
your plants. So youre growing food for
yourself and for other parts of the chain
that help us by default.
Once again, you can start smal l.
Check with your council first, and then
get started on building your own living
streetscape. Your council can advise on
which plants are indigenous to the local
area. Rally your neighbours to get involved
and youre encouraging the growth of
community as well as food.
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food comes from, using food scraps for
composting and growing your own fruit,
vegetables and herbs is helping to build a
healthier, richer and more fertile planet
for yourself and those that come after you.
Every time you put something in your
mouth youre making a decision about
our environment, Georgiadis says. Its
a new layer of personal responsibility.
Georgiadis even believes there are
similarities between the practice of yoga
and the practice of gardening sustainably.
Each ingredient is like a yoga pose
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building your practice, he says. Just start
with one ingredient at a time, and add it
to your routine.
It can all start with something as
simple as a pot plant, but it will
soon become so much more.
I just want people to have
a go. The more effort we
make, the better it will be
for the planet.
Watch Costa on Gardening
Australia on Saturdays
at 6:30pm on ABC1.
abc.net.au/gardening
connect with Costa
costasworld.org
instagram.com/costasworld
facebook.com/costa.georgiadis.1
A P R I L 2 0 1 4 YO G AJ O U R N A L . C O M. AU 27


As a yoga student and a permaculturist,
I often wonder how I can have a more gentle impact on
the Earth. How can I use less, want less and waste less?
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a longing to step off the endless cycle of consumerism
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pushing our credit card limit and generally caught in
the seductive traps of a Western lifestyle.
As author Tom Hodgkinson says in his bestselling
book How to Be Free: Today we are imprisoned by
our desires and shackled by shopping. Our natural
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the consumer system and turned into something
materially based and enslaving.
Freedom, says Hodgkinson, exists in a sort of
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consume
less,
live
more
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Embrace a life in which less is best and
contentment is within your grasp
By Hel en Hawkes
wisdom
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Says NSW psychotherapist Shirley
Hughes: When we are caught up in fads
and fashions we dont have clear thinking;
we are being driven by a different force.
Consumerism is about the outer
self, not the inner self. And that not
only gives us less physical space, because
of our accumulation of things, but less
emotional and mental space too.
What we need now, more than ever, is a
life and a lifestyle based on spiritual values
rather than the greed of global capitalism.
Part of the antidote, believes Simon Borg
Oliver of Synergy Yoga, is simply trying
to live with as little as possible.
When you wake up in the morning,
make do with sunlight and air and a
barefoot walk on the grass for as long as
possible, he says. These things, along
with pranayama and asanas, are the things
that will allow you to live simply.
START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON
We are the target of clever marketing
every time we pass a billboard, turn on
the radio or television or enter a shop,
says Hughes. Its monkey see, monkey
do, monkey buy.
Set a different intention for the day
by doing some early morning exercise
and connecting with the Earth, suggests
Borg Oliver. And follow through with a
yoga attitude that focuses on the niyama
REVHUYDQFH RI Santosa, or contentment.
With a greater appreciation of what we
already have, perhaps by contemplating it
in meditation, we may be able to resist the
consumption that is prompted by the idea
that more things will bring us happiness.
Santosa suggests being at peace
within and content with our lifestyle;
being happy with what we have rather
than being unhappy about what we dont
have. And, when you think about what
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million dollar home on the Italian coast,
awardrobe filled with Prada and Versace,
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APPRECIATE SIMPLE LUXURIES
Of course, in this life, we are only human
and we all hunger after a little luxury,
especially at times when we feel tested
by the demands of our existence. After
a long working week, a battle to pay
bills or any other kind of human crisis,
consumption of fast food, mass products
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break the chains
of consumerism
Death to supermarkets
Bake bread
Open up the
community hall
Quit moaning
Make music
Start producing
Embrace beauty
Embrace poverty
Hail the spade
Love thy neighbour
Be creative
Free your spirit
Dig the earth
Credit: How to Be Free by Tom Hodgkinson, Penguin Books, 2006
build strength and focus
Standon the floorwith all your weight
on your left foot, your left knee bent
and your right toe tip forward.
Take your left arm and shoulder
forward and your rightarm and
shoulder backwards.
Push your right sitting bone forwards
and upwards and your left sitting
bone forwards and downwards.
Twist your spine to the right side.
Lengthen your fingers and make
sure you can breathe easily with
your diaphragm from your abdomen.
Hold for 30 seconds to one minute
and then alternate sides.
Do three or four times each side
to increase blood flow, strength
and core stability.
Were the target of
clever marketing its
monkey see, monkey
do, monkey buy
Credit: Simon Borg Oliver
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wi sdom

easily seduce us. How difficult then to
practise Aparigraha neutralising the
desire to acquire and hoard wealth.
But dont think its all about sackcloth
and miserly living. While the yogi feels
that the collection of or hoarding of things
implies a lack of faith in the universe and
themselves to provide for the future, this
is not to say that we can't enjoy luxuries,
says Hodgkinson.
It's just that we shouldn't take them
seriously as a kind of goal into life, he
points out. Hodgkinson also believes
its important to distinguish between
the actual physical pleasures produced
by simple everyday luxuries like food
and drink and the promise of pleasure
produced by the marketing oI mass
produced goods.
Our lives are already good, Hughes
reminds us. An appreciation of that can
help us to restore peace.
RELAX TO LET GO OF DESIRE
Besides the way the world is geared for
us to consume, Borg Oliver believes
that other common factors may be
behind our desire for more, more,
more. He says they are overtension,
overstretching, overbreathing, overeating
and overthinking.
All of these things cause distress, he
says. To combat our Western tendency to
be out of balance, we need to unblock the
blockages, make energy move inside us
and sit back and enjoy paradise. Practising
yoga on a daily basis is one easy way to
help loosen attachments and relax the
body and mind.
Says Hughes about t he f or ce
behind her creation of The Calm Zone
thecalmzone.com.au, a wellbeing and
relaxation CL: Relaxation helps us be
clearer inside. It creates balance between
doing and having and being.
In your yoga practice, dont hold off
until Savasana to relax. Instead, try to
relax all the way through each posture,
advises Borg Oliver.
Medi tati on can al so bri ng you
to an empty mind place and give you
the possibility of focusing, not on the
many things we believe we must acquire,
but on one thing our essence, which will
always be enough.
Helen Hawkes is a freelance journalist and
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with her West highland Terrier, Bruce Lee.
To find out more about Yoga Synergy, head to
yogasynergy.com.
live more lightly
on the earth
Grow some vegies, save water,
compost your scraps and, without
knowing it, you are contributing to
a better world.
Permaculture is a system by which
we can exist on the earth by using
energy that is naturally in flow and
by using food and natural resources
that are abundant in such a way
that we dont continually destroy
life on earth, says the father of
permaculture, Bill Mollison.
Wherever we live we should start
to do something, he says. We can
start first by decreasing our energy
consumption. We can cut our vehicle
use by using public transport and
sharing with friends. We can save
water off our roofs into tanks, or
recycle greywater to the toilet
system or garden. We can also begin
to take some part in food production.
This doesnt mean that we all need
to grow our own potatoes, but it may
mean that we will buy them directly
from the person who is growing
potatoes responsibly.
Sitting at our back doorsteps all
we need to live a good life lies
about us, says Mollison.
Sun, wind, people, buildings, stones,
sea, birds and plants surround you.
Cooperation with all these things
brings harmony.
Our lives are already good an appreciation
of that can help us to restore peace

basics
(
head-of-the-knee pose
janu sirsasana
janu = knee; sirsa = head;
asana = posture
)
a deeper stretch
After practising Janu Sirsasana,
a one-legged forward bend, youll
be better prepared for a full, two-
legged stretch. Practise the pose
several times on each side, and
then stretch both legs out and join
them in Dandasana (Staff Pose).
Reach for both feet and see if
you're able to bend forward more
easily in Paschimottanasana
(Seated Forward Bend).
Im so inflexible I can barely touch my toes.
As a yoga teacher, I hear this again and again. Ive
even seen people spontaneously bend over to reach
for their feet to demonstrate their tightness. I try to
explain that you dont have to be flexible when you
start practising yoga: the act of doing yoga helps you
build the flexibility and strength you need. Even if
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bending poses, thats not necessarily a good measure
of your overall flexibility. What really matters are the
actions you take to get them there.
If you focus on going deeply into a forward bend,
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are tight, youll bend from the spine: the tailbone will
tuck under, the upper back will round and the backs
of the knees will pop off the floor. In this case, even
though you might still be able to reach your toes,
youd be missing the true benefit of the pose. The
goal of a forward bend is not, in fact, to bend but
instead to fully extend and lengthen your spine
forward thinking
Release tension and soothe your nervous system with
this bend for all levels By Ni kki Costel l o

LENGTHEN
YOUR SPINE
BEND YOUR
ELBOWS
FLEX
YOUR
FOOT

STEP 1
Reach your
arms tall and
press down
through your
sitting bones.
SET IT UP
& Resting your hips on a blanket, sit
upright and extend both legs forward.
& Bend the right knee, pressing the heel
into the inner right thigh with the toes
touching the inner left thigh.
& Keep the left leg straight, resting on the
centre of the calf with the toes pointing up.
REFINE As you inhale, extend the arms up.
Bring the arms toward the back of the ears
and then take a deeper, fuller breath to
extend the arms completely and lift the
torso. Keep both sides of the pelvis in line

and distribute your weight evenly on
both sitting bones.
FINISH Lift the bent-leg side of the torso
with a little more effort and attention to
ensure that the torso lengthens evenly
and that your spine is lifted. Create space
in the abdomen by pressing the thighs
down as you stretch the arms up. Move
your shoulder blades in towards the spine
and your abdomen back and up under the
ribs. Maintain this position for a few
breaths to energise your spine.
stretch the sides and lift the spine
while stretching the back of your
body your hamstrings, gluteal muscles
and spinal muscles to the extent that's
appropriate for you.
Although you don't want to bend your
spine in ]anu Sirsasana, there are three
joints you do want to bend in the pose:
the hips, the knee oI the bent leg and the
elbows. Learning to bend in all the right
places allows you to create length and
extension in the spine.
Bending at the hip joints is crucial in
any forward bend. It allows the torso to
extend Iorward while the spinal muscles
stay relaxed. II your hamstrings and glutes
are tight and you feel your tailbone tucking
under, sit up on a Iolded blanket or two.
Feel as though you are sitting directly on
top of your sitting bones and that your
pelvis is tilting forward.
Having one knee bent in Janu Sirsasana
makes it different from other seated
forward bends. The action of bending
one leg helps alleviate the pull of tight
hamstrings and gluteal muscles on that
side oI your body, while the added mobility
allows you to extend the abdomen Iurther
forward.
The final bend in the pose is at the
elbows. \hen you clasp your Ioot or a
strap and bend your elbows, the pull oI the
arms helps liIt the chest upwards, which
lengthens the upper spine. And gently
pulling the shoulders back helps maintain
this extension.
Practising the variations taught here
will help you Iind extension in your spine.
In the Iirst variation see Step , Iocus
on balancing your weight evenly on both
sitting bones and on stretching your arms
upwards. Lengthen the sides of the waist
equally to lift the spine and tone the
abdomen. In the second variation see
Step z, Iocus on bending at the hips as
you lean forward and hold your foot. Firm
your arms to liIt your chest and extend it
forward as you press the back of your legs
to the Iloor. In the Iinal variation see Final
Pose, lengthen your spine completely
from the bottom to the top. Bending your
elbows out to the sides allows the chest to
Iurther expand and Irees the upper spine
to move inwards toward the heart.
Lxtending the spine and stretching the
back body in a seated forward bend can
have a calming effect. Practising these
poses can improve digestion and soothe
the nervous system. You experience
these benefits by practising a progressive
series of actions: stretching and releasing
tension in the back oI the body, bending
at the joints with skill and attention and
lengthening the spine before folding
for ward. When you practi se Janu
Sirsasana this way, not only will touching
your toes become easier, but you'll be
getting the beneIits oI Iully extending
your spine and expanding your chest.
Nikki Costello is a certified Iyengar Yoga
teacher living in New York City, US.
basi cs
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STEP 2
Keep lengthening, not
rounding, the spine.
extend forward to reach the foot
SET IT UP
& Resting your hips on a
blanket, sit upright and extend
both legs forward.
& Bend the right knee, pressing
the heel into the inner right
thigh and letting the toes touch
the inner left thigh.
& Keep the left leg straight,
resting on the centre of the calf
with the toes pointing up.
& Inhale and extend the arms
upward. Exhale and reach
forward to hold the
left foot with both hands, or
loop a strap around the foot.
REFINE Pull strongly on the
foot as you press it into your
hands or the strap to lift your
torso up. Straighten and fully
extend both your arms. Press
the entire back of your left
leg to the floor, from the
upper thigh to the back of
the heel, while also pressing
the right leg downward.
FINISH Lift from the waist
to the armpits to create
equal length on the sides of
your body. Move the back ribs
in towards the chest and lift
the chest even higher. Continue
pressing the outer right thigh
and knee down and turn from
the right side of the waist until
your entire torso is facing
forward. Hold this variation
for several breaths to lengthen
the front of the spine and
make the back more concave.
elements of practice
In Hatha yoga asanas, the back of the body is referred to as
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west to prepare our bodies for rest and sleep. When you practise
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janu sirsasana
SET IT UP
& Sit upright and extend both
legs forward.
& Bend the right knee, pressing
the heel into the inner right
thigh and letting the toes touch
the inner left thigh.
& Keep the left leg straight,
resting it on the centre of the
calf with the toes pointing up.
& Inhale and extend the arms up.
& Exhale and reach forward to
hold the left foot with both
hands or loop a strap around
the foot.
REFINE Press both legs down
as you lift the waist towards the
armpit. Use your inhalation to
draw the abdomen back and up
while you spread and lift the
chest. Maintain the steady
effort of the legs and arms
as you exhale and stay in the
pose. Inhale again and extend
the front of your body forward
until the hips fold more deeply.
On your exhalation, bend your
elbows directly to the sides and
broaden the collarbones and
chest. Keep the elbows lifted and
wide apart.
FINISH With each breath
lengthen the front of the
spine and move the back
muscles into the body. Now
the knee, hips, shoulders, elbows
and wrists are all bending to
support your spine to extend.
optimise your pose Explore these modifications of Janu Sirsasana
To open your hips
Move the thigh and
knee of your bent leg
further out to the side,
while still keeping the
outer knee down.
To relieve knee pain
Place a rolled-up sock
or a strap behind the
back of your bent knee
to make more space
for the joint.
To lengthen your spine
If you can reach your
toes with your hands,
reach beyond the foot
and clasp one wrist
with the opposite hand.
To quiet the mind
Place a blanket or
bolster across your shin
and rest your head on it.
Relax here with even
breathing for 2 minutes.
Fully extend your spine
as you fold forward.
basi cs
FINAL POSE

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overlooking the Coral Sea . . . . .
With secluded beaches meeting the Great Barrier Reef,
unique accommodation, yoga, massage & delicious food,
Sanctuary Retreat at Mission Beach is the paradise
you've been waiting to discover for your next relaxing
eco-holiday or retreat in a tropical paradise.
freecall 1800 777 012
6 - 8 June
Knoff Yoga Retreat
Take a break from the demands of
every day life and join us for this
tropical yoga retreat with renowned
Master Teachers Nicky Knoff and
James Bryan
5- 12 July
Ashtanga Yoga Retreat with
Mark Robberds
Flow through daily Mysore style
classes. Deepen your understanding of
yoga through technique,
meditation, pranayama and chanting.
12 - 20 July
Profound, Mysterious
Join Swami Shantananda and senior
Classical Yoga teachers exploring
Yoga in all its profound and
mysterious dimensions.
2 - 9 August
Rejuvenate the Heart and Mind
with Janet Lowndes and Gina
Macauley. Explore and deepen your
Yoga practice to connect to your true
self through authentic Yoga practices.
9 - 14 August
Vinyasa Flow with Marita Dortins
Balance strength with mobility, effort
with grace, and dynamic movement
with inner stillness.
17 - 23 August
A week with Peter Scott
Explore & transform your yoga under
guidance from the renowned
Australian Senior Iyengar Teacher.
31 August - 9 September
Yoga and Self Knowledge
with Rachel Zinman and John
Weddepohl. Vinyasa yoga,
pranayama, self knowledge- the
timeless teachings of the Upanishads
the chakras and ayurveda.
21 - 28 September
SunYoga Holiday Retreat with
Claire Heywood
Enjoy delicious food, good company
and rejuvenating Hatha Yoga with
plenty of free time to do exactly as
you choose. Bliss!
28 September - 4 October
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga with Greg
and Tracy Cooper
Founders of Ashtanga Yoga Centre of
Melbourne. Led and mysore style
classes.
The dedicated yoga
space is high-set
amongst the trees,
perfectly placed in a
haven of tranquillity
away from the rest
of the retreat.
www.sanctuaryogaretreats.com.au
UNIQUE ECO-HOLIDAYS & RETREATS
upcoming retreats
see our website for more info
about our 2014 retreats
More than 90% of
Sanctuary is dedicated
to cassowary habitat &
rainforest conservation.
yoga retreats

1
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18
ways to
love the
planet
Get your warm (green) fuzzies
with these ideas for a cleaner,
healthier and happier Earth
l
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A P R I L 2 0 1 4 YO G AJ O U R N A L . C O M. AU 3 9

2
when life gives
you lemons...
... Clean the house! Forget
chemical cleaners all you
need is this multi-tasking
citrus fruit. Here are some
ways lemons can be used
around the house:
KITCHEN
_
Clean and deodorise chopping boards
by rubbing them with lemon juice.
_
Beat odours store half a lemon
in the fridge.
_
Clean your microwave heat some
lemon slices in a bowl of water for 30
seconds, then wipe down the inside.
_
Soak plastic food storage containers in
a solution of lemon juice and water (about
half/half) overnight. In the morning, add a
little bicarb soda and scrub, rinse and dry.
BATHROOM
_
Remove stains from your bathtub
dip half a lemon in salt and rub.
_
Mix half a cup of borax and one cup
of lemon juice to use as a toilet cleaner.
_
Clean tile grout dip an old toothbrush
into lemon juice and give the grout
a good scrub.
Avila Activewear
All garments are designed
with environmentally
sustainable consideration,
from natural fabrics to
design and production
methods. avilaactive.com
Bamboo Body
Founded by two sisters,
Bamboo Body embraces
the many benefits of using
bamboo fabric. Super
sustainable.
bamboobody.com.au
Bodha
A collection of pure natural
yogawear and modern
wellness accessories,
Bodha offers clothing made
in natural fabrics that
wont irritate your skin.
bodhaclothing.com
BodyPeace
Yoga clothes made from
sustainable bamboo
fibre and designed for
real womens bodies.
bodypeacebamboo.com
Little Birdii
Australian-made eco
yoga, Pilates and dance
clothing made from organic
and sustainable fabrics.
littlebirdyoga.com.au
Samudra
Located in the heart of
Dunsborough, 2.5 hours
south of Perth, Samudra
has two yoga studios, a
vegetarian cafe and an eco
clothing store.
samudra.com.au
Yogathe
Yogathe offers a luxurious
bamboo-cotton blend
range of yoga clothing and
sleepwear.
thegreenshop.com/yogathe
3
style
yourself green
Buy your clothes second hand, or shop
sustainably. Some of our favourites:
From
Samudras
latest range
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4

Want to grow your own organic
foods, but not sure where
to start? Get yourself The
Vegie Box your complete
guide to growing your own
organic vegetables, beautifully
presented in a pine box with
laminated growing cards oI
the most popular vegetables,
a comprehensive handbook
containing over oo pages oI
organic growing advice on a
diverse range oI topics, and a
Cardener's diary to help you
record and plan activities in
your garden.
The Vegi e Box ,j. j,,
Busybi rd Publ i shi ng , by
certiIied biodynamic Iarmer
]ackie Largaville, is a great
starting point Ior a gardener
wanting to know more about
the organic approach. It shows
you how to produce your
own nutrientdense, healthy
and flavourful food without
any chemicals. Cet it Irom
boxbooks.com.au.
4
waste
not
Make use of food waste start a compost
pile or a worm farm to dispose of scraps that
would otherwise end up in landfill.
The by-products will provide chemical-
free fertiliser for your garden.
Even though food waste is organic and will
generally decompose, when it mixes with
other waste in landfill it can contribute to
the production and release of dangerous
gases, like methane, which is harmful to the
environment.
Food waste can also easily be recycled into
compost. Composted mulch applied to your
garden helps capture carbon in the soil,
which means you improve the health of
your soil and assist water retention.
You can also recycle food waste by turning it
into rich fertiliser through a worm farm. You
can have a worm farm even if you live in an
apartment and dont have much space. Worm
liquid and castings (the organic material
that has been digested by the worms) are
excellent for pot plants or can be given to
neighbours with gardens in exchange for
fresh vegetables. You can buy worm farm kits
that fit under your sink or on your verandah
which make it easy if you have limited space.
5
grow
your own
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6
retire
ethically
Australians currently have more than $3 trillion invested
in superannuation. A large proportion of this is invested
in companies involved in coal mining, CSG, tobacco, old
growth forest logging and exploitation of workers.
Australian Ethical Super avoids investments that
cause unnecessary harm to people, animals, society
and the environment. Instead, they seek out positive
investments that support people, quality and
sustainability.
Head to australianethical.com.au/super to find out
how you can roll over to Australian Ethical.
8
work from
home
Ask your boss if you can telecommute
on days you dont have to be at the
office: The Live Earth Global Warming
Survival Handbook says that if one
million people worked from home
instead of commuting to work, it
would eliminate three million tons
of carbon dioxide a year.
Many women dont realise the
impact that disposable sanitary
products have on the planet
every year in Australia and
New Zealand, well over 700
million tampons and one billion
pads are thrown away. An average
woman uses 10,000 to 15,000
tampons, pads and applicators
in her lifetime. The great majority
of these end up in landfill, or
pass through sewage treatment
plants and end up in the oceans,
choking precious marine life
and polluting beaches.
You might not be aware that
there are eco-friendly menstrual
products available on the market.
Rad-Pads (rad-pads.com) are
cloth menstrual pads that can be
washed, stored and used again
and again.The Lunette menstrual
cup is another eco-friendly,
reusable option (lunette.com/
au). Using a Lunette is similar
to using a tampon but requires
less changing. Made of medical-
grade silicone, a non-friendly
environment for bacteria,
menstrual cups are simply
washed and reused. Zero waste.
7
go with
the flow
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11
discover the birds
and the bees
Invite pollinators to your garden plant brightly flowering natives
to encourage birds and bees to visit.
Those rewards include increased garden yield, better fruit set and the
beauty of pollinators in the garden. Pollinators eat pests and also help
maintain the life cycle of native plants. These plants, in turn, prevent
soil erosion and stave off invasive species. Win all round.
9
recycle your
yoga mat
LovEarth is an initiative to clean up
the yogic footprint created by all the
PVC mats on the market. Heres how
it works:
Step 1: trade in your old mat by
emailing lovearth@yogapass.
com.au with your location.
Theyll tell you the nearest
drop-off spot or where to send
it, and will send you a YogaPass
redeemable at over 400 yoga
studios around Australia.
Step 2: LovEarth will send your
old mat to a disadvantaged
group that needs it.
Step 3: buy a LovEarth mat at
lovearth.com.au. Their mats
are made from natural tree
rubber and jute, do not include
PVC, PER or TPE and are fully
biodegradable.
10

shut up
Before you leave the house,
close up all doors, windows and
curtains. This will keep the house
cooler in summer and warmer
in winter, saving you from using
air con and heaters.
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A Gouldian Finch

12
make your own
preserves
Throwing out is wasteful. Preserving,
pickling and jam-making are all great
ways to use over-ripe fruits and vegies
instead of throwing them out.
Head to freshpreserving.com.au for
everything youve ever needed to know
about making your own preserves, from
what you need to get started through to
delicious recipes that will last up to one year.
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The Australian Psychological Society
Stress and Wellbeing Survey 2013 has
revealed that per cent oI Australians
Iind stress is impacting their wellbeing.
Seventeen per cent claim that stress is
having a very signiIicant" impact on
their physical health.
Heres another, even scarier fact
Ior you: over one billion people in this
world live without clean water, and a
child dies every zo seconds Irom the
lack oI saIe drinking water.
But there's no need to stress out
get mindIul instead! MindIul in May
is a global, Australianbased initiative
that aims to reduce the eIIects oI
stress through the proven beneIits oI
meditation, and help bring Iresh water
to those who need it most. ow in its
third year, MindIul in May is aiming
to raise z,o,ooo to beneIit those
struggling in developing countries as
a result oI limited clean water.
The monthlong campaign, the
brainchild oI Lr Llise Bialylew, aims
to encourage people to enhance their
wellbeing through meditation, while
simultaneously bringing Iresh water to
those in need.
Whether you re a beginner or
a seasoned meditator, sign up at
mindIulinmay.org and ask Iriends
and Iamily to sponsor you on your
monthlong journey. You'll receive a
daily motivational email, plus access
to interviews with world mindIulness
experts and gui ded medi tati on
downl oads. ]ust o mi nutes oI
meditation a day will have a positive
ripple eIIect on the lives oI thousands
living in poverty.
14
cook clean
To create the slick
surface of non-stick cookware,
manufacturers apply chemicals
called fluoropolymers,
which are released into the
air when you cook at high
temperatures, according to the
Environmental Working Group.
Worse, the chemicals break
down into compounds such as
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA),
a likely human carcinogen
thats also been linked to heart
disease, and can get into your
food. Pre-seasoned cast-iron
skillets are naturally non-stick.
13
weed
em out
Got weeds? Mix
undiluted vinegar
with a squirt
of dishwashing
detergent and
spray weeds until
they disappear.
17

get mindful this May
18
set your set
Select the normal or standardpicture
setting on your TV. Many flat screens are shipped
from the manufacturer with a picture setting that
makes it stand out in retail displays, but are brighter
than you need at home and consume 10 to 20 per
cent more energy (and cash) at this setting, reports
the Natural Resources Defense Council.
16
Dish it up
A dishwasher uses half the energy,
one-sixth of the water and less soap than
hand-washing dishes. Just make sure its
full before you run it: doing so can save over
45 kilos of carbon dioxide, according to the
Environmental Protection Authority.
15
COOL OPERATOR
Keep your fridge running more
efficiently: regularly clean the coils,vacuum
out the dust and wipe with a damp cloth.
Also, keep your freezer well stocked. Not only
will it save you money to buy in bulk, your
freezer will use less energy when its full.
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Carl Jung once said, Man cannot stand
a meaningless life. That seems to be the case
for Pam Ahern, who gave up the security of
a successful equestrian career to start a farm
sanctuary in the rolling pastoral foothills of
the Great Dividing Range, Victoria.
As my companion and I pull up to the
gate of Edgars Mission, an hour out of
Melbourne, five curious sheep and an
exceedingly friendly kelpie named Ruby run
over to greet us. As soon as Ruby scampers
over and jumps up on my arm offering her
head for a scratch, I fall in love. Ruby was a
sheep dog who didnt really want to chase
sheep. Her frustrated owner used to beat
her and eventually sent her to his friend to
be put down. The man who was tasked with
shooting her was won over by her sweetness
and instead of ending her life he brought her
here. Ruby is one of over 200 animals who
now call Edgars Mission home.
Ive come to meet Pam because I want
to find what drives people to leave stability,
FRPIRUW DQG VDIHW\ WR OLYH D SXUSRVHILOOHG
life. A decade ago, Pam plunged herself into
creating a sanctuary for farm animals after
taking in and falling in love with a pig named
Edgar. Pams goal is to use the sanctuary to
spark the kindness and compassion she
believes is in everyones nature.
I believe in the goodness of the human
heart. I really believe people dont want
to cause violence in this world, she tells
me at Edgars Mission HQ, a small office
with papers strewn over desks and a few
computers where volunteers work. The
sanctuarys newest resident, Cisco the kid
goat, is curled up under a blanket in a cot
next to us as we talk. Outside there are
paddocks full of sheep, cows, goats and pigs.
7KHUH DUH GHHU WXUNH\V FKLFNHQV GXFNV
even a couple of peacocks. All these animals
will now live out their natural lives in the sun,
mud and pasture of this peaceable kingdom.
If humans can begin to open their hearts
to farm animals, Pam says, we would be
contributing to the collective good karma
of the planet. Our empathy would expand.
If you can get people to care about what is
considered a lowly chicken, theyre going
to care about so many other things as well.
WHAT IS KARMA YOGA?
The Sanskrit word karma means action.
In the Bhagavad Gita, the deity Krishna
instructs the wavering warrior Arjuna in
a number of yogic paths, including karma
yoga, the path of selfless service. According
to the Bhagavad Gita, we can use our actions
Karma
Find your path towards leading a purpose-filled life
By Anna Greer
yoga
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If you can get people to care
about a lowly chicken, theyre
going to care about so many
other things as well
to become liberated. Karma yogis offer their
actions up not acting Ior personal reward
but for the benefit of others.
Modern yogis are increasingly taking
their practice off the mat. Seane Corn,
Los Angelesbased yoga teacher and
founder of Off the Mat, Into the World
oIIthematintotheworld.org, says she's seen
the yoga community begin to participate in
social activism in unprecedented ways. Off
the Mat, Into the World trains community
leaders in how to be effective agents for
change. The organisation has campaigns
running on environmental, health and social
issues locally and globally and has raised over
million dollars Ior charitable works.
Seane says service for her was a natural
extension of her practice as she had a
background in activism and advocacy. It
just made sense, she says. I realised I had
to be of service.
THE SACRED IN THE SACRIFICE
The very cycle of life emanates from
sacrifice. All living creatures are nourished
and sustained by food; food is nourished and
sustained by rain; rain emanates from nature,
freely given. ~ Bhagavad Gita III.15
Back at Edgars Mission, Pam tells me of the
sacrifices shes made to bring this sanctuary
to life. She was at the top of her game with
her equestrian career when she started
the mission and her partner gave her an
ultimatum him or Ldgar. She chose Ldgar
and took a brave leap into the unknown.
People ask, how can you give all this
up? Because every night when I go to bed,
and noone else is around, it's me and my
Polly the pig,
Pam Ahern and
Ruby the kelpie

conscience, she says. Now I go to bed and
my conscience is clear.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna
in their conversation on the battlefield that
all of life springs from yaja, sacrifice. The
sun gives its energy and light to the plants
and animals, the sky doesnt hoard the water
it pulls from the earth but rains it back down
across the planet so that the plants can grow.
The plants give of their food, and those who
eat the food ensure the plants continue to
spread over the earth. This spirit of sacrifice
is the very underpinning of life on Earth.
-XOHV )HEUH SLFWXUHG ULJKW D -LYDPXNWL
yoga teacher from New York City, US,
says at its simplest, karma yoga is using
the resources you have to benefit others.
Its really simple, he says. When I take
the resources I have and use them for the
upliftment and betterment of somebody
else, that is a selfless act.
Key to the practice of karma yoga,
however, is renouncing the fruits of our
actions. Jules says it isnt about going out
there and doing something good to
become a good person, but doing what needs
to be done while not becoming caught up in
the results of those actions. Attachment to
outcomes can hold a number of pitfalls in
the path of action. It can cripple our will
when problems seem too big for our actions
to have an impact, or we can end up with
an inflated ego if our projects are a success.
The hard part is that people try to make
karma yoga an intellectual endeavour or
they do it out of pity for the other person,
Jules says. The latter sets up a hierarchy
and within a hierarchy there are always the
people who need help and the people who
can provide or withhold.
Jules grew up in New Yorks Lower
East Side in the 80s amid poverty and
violence. When Jules was 13, one
of his friends killed himself
playing Russian Roulette
and another was
stabbed around
the same time. Fortunately Jules was also
exposed to yoga from a young age. Jules
is the nephew of Sharon Gannon and
David Life, founders of the Jivamukti yoga
method. Jules asked David if he could go
to India with him to escape the malaise
of his life in New York. After the trip to
India, where he studied Ashtanga yoga with
Pattabhi Jois and met many yogis, gurus and
devotees, he realised he hated yoga and cut
off contact with Sharon and David.
When he was 16, Jules committed an
armed robbery in broad daylight. He faced
three to six years for three felonies. As he
was sitting in the holding cell contemplating
his fate, a prayer Sharon taught him began
to run through his mind.
Make me an instrument for Thy will
Not mine but Thine be done
Free me from anger jealousy and fear
Fill my heart with joy and compassion
It was as this prayer was cycling over in
his mind that Jules life began to shift in a
different direction. Fortunately he was given
five years probation instead of jail time and
he came back to yoga.
Jules now teaches yoga to disadvantaged
youth. During his teacher training he
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as important in creating his world as the
circumstances he was born into.
Yoga has given me the space to see that
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experiencing, he says. During teacher
training I decided I wanted to go back and
teach yoga to the people who live in the
same places, go to the same schools, the
same probation program, homeless shelters
and drug programs that I had to go to.
His goal is to provide the same space
he was given, to see that our actions
determine our fate just as much
as the circumstances we
were born into.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
Karma yoga is, to me, fulfilling a need,
something that needs to be done, Jules says.
Many people project the responsibility for
taking action onto someone else. However,
karma yogis realise they are perfectly placed
to contribute to a more harmonious world.
Those searching for their higher calling
should start close to home, Jules says.
Everyone has a specific set of skills they can
offer to benefit others. An accountant could
do administrative work Ior a nonproIit,
someone who likes to go for a walk of an
afternoon could walk dogs from the local
shelter or someone who lives near the beach
could do regular rubbish cleanups.
Or business owners can direct part of
their profit to charity. David Laity decided
to do that after losing all of his belongings
in the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.
He started an online wine business called
Coodwill \ine goodwillwine.com.au, and
passes on 50 per cent of profit from each
case sold to a charity of the buyers choice.
After the fires roared through his town
of Chum Creek, Victoria, and his world was
shaken, he received ,,ooo in assistance
from the Red Cross. He poured that money
into his new venture and has since raised
o,ooo across o diIIerent charities.
I meet David at his warehouse in
Daylesford. He pulls out a number of wines
for us to taste. David says his perspective
fundamentally shifted after being on the
receiving end of good will after the fires.
This was the first time I ever needed
help, David says as we sip on an amazing
Mornington Peninsula viognier. It was
humbling. The warm fuzzies he gets from
paying it forward are enough for David, and
he has grand plans oI making million Ior
charity over the course of his life.
I get such wonderful messages from
people, he says. I love it. Every couple of
days I get an email from someone and they
say such wonderful things. Thats better
than earning anything.
Thats the thing about service. We
might go into it with a selfless intent,
but the nourishment we receive back is
priceless. For Seane, service has been an
incredible ride. She sees abundance as a
Ilow iI it comes in you have to express it
out or it stagnates.
My experience is it hasnt been selfless
for me, she says. Its changed my life, my
perspective, my relationships. I get fed in
deep spiritual and emotional ways.
BEING THE CHANGE
To be an effective agent of change, the
process must happen from the inside
out. According to Seane, we will be most
effective if we come from a grounded,
healed and centred place rather than
looking to fix something externally because
we dont want to fix what is disconnected
in ourselves. The introspective practices
of yoga can be a good friend on the path
of service so that we can more effectively
be the change we wish to see in the world.
In Seanes youth, she was an activist who
struggled with rage. Her activism became an
outlet Ior her to shed pentup anger. AIter
seeing a photograph of herself at a rally,
screaming through a megaphone at the
group of people in front of her, she realised
she was the worst example of an activist.
I was an example of what you should
never do, she admits. I was not doing
any processing work. I was not taking
responsibility for my rage.
Al l the conflict that exists is a
manifestation of our collective thoughts
as a global society. If we want to heal
the planet we first have to look within
ourselves to see where were enacting fear
or oppression in our own personal lives.
It is a process and its deep and personal,
intimate and challenging, but I believe
thats the only way to be really effective.
Anna Greer is a Jivamukti Yoga Teacher,
writer and Sea Shepherd activist.
what can
you do?
To begin on the path of karma yoga its
useful to identify what you feel strongly
about, what you can do personally and
what youre willing to sacrifice.
t What issue do you care most about?
t What can you contribute?

t What are you willing to sacrifice
for this issue?
t What is your intention?
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Off the Mat leaders, from
left: Suzanne Sterling, Hala
Khouri and Seane Corn
David Laity: I get
such wonderful
messages from people.
Thats better than
earning anything.


Day & Night
Indias ancient system of medicine
offers simple practices you can do
to balance your energy
and boost your health
By Shannon Sexton
photography by Trinette Reed & Chris Gramly
IF WAKING UP IS A STRUGGLE, midday finds you crashing and youre restless and alert
at bedtime, it may be time to reset your clock. According to Ayurveda, yogas 5000-year-
old sister science, one of the keys to good health and feeling great all day long is living in
tune with natures cycles. Literally and energetically, that means rising and setting with
the sun. To help you align your system more closely with the cycles of nature, Ayurvedic
tradition recommends a routine of morning and nighttime practices collectively known
as dinacharya. These rituals are designed to give you calm, focused, sustainable energy
to support meditation, yoga, and everything you do throughout the day.
When I do my dinacharya,
theres a sense that Im taking
really good care of myself,
says Kathryn Templeton,
founder of the Himalayan
Institutes Ayurvedic yoga
specialist training program in
the US and an Ayurvedic
practitioner. My ability to
meditate, teach, parent and
practise feels steadier and
easier. And I experience more
peace of mind.
To get yourself back in
sync, make over your daily
routine with the simple
Ayurvedic practices on the
following pages. The morning
practices are cleansing and
energising; theyll infuse you
with a calm sense of presence.
The evening ones will help you
to wind down for a restful
sleep. Movement, such as
yoga asana and meditation,
is also essential to dinacharya.
Consider incorporating
asana before breakfast and
meditation in the morning
and evening.
Choose one or two of
these practices to start off
with and, after a week, take
note of your energy levels and
your mood. Then add a few
more practices and repeat
the observation process.
Over time, these practices
may become as routine as
brushing your teeth.

shine
According to Ayurveda, the predawn
hours are dominated by vata dosha,
a subtle energy that actually makes it easier to
get out of bed. Waking before sunrise fills you with
vibrant energy for the rest of the day. On the
other hand, if you wake up after sunrise, a time
dominated by kaphas heavy, earthy energy, youre
likely to feel sluggish. Predawn is also considered
an auspicious time of day because its atmosphere
is still and quiet, making it easier to turn inward
and meditate, says Templeton.
To flush out any germs, pollen,
dust or congestion that have
accumulated overnight, try jala neti, a nasal
cleansing technique that rinses the sinuses with
warm saline with the aid of a teapot-like vessel
called a neti pot (see neti.com.au). Jala neti is a nice
prelude to a morning pranayama or meditation
practice. According to yoga tradition, it equalises
the flow of breath between the nostrils and
balances the ida and pingala nadis two energy
channels that pave the way for inner exploration.
Pour a cup of warm water (sterilised or
distilled) into a neti pot. Add
1
4
teaspoon of non-
iodised salt (kosher or sea salt), stirring until it
dissolves. Insert the spout into your left nostril,
lean over the sink and tilt your head slightly to
the right so the water flows through the sinus
passages and out of the right nostril. Gently blow
your nose and repeat on the other side. When
youre finished, lie on your back, tilt your head
back and put a few drops of warm sesame oil
or ghee (clarified butter) in your nostrils.
Ayurveda recommends
a practice called tongue
scraping to remove the coating that appears
overnight, which contains ama, or toxins, said to
eventually cause illness. Using a tongue scraper,
gently comb your tongue from back to front several
times. Rinse the scraper between sessions. Doing
this before you brush your teeth is thought to
stimulate the digestive response and get your body
thinking about its first meal.
Before you brush your teeth, eat,
or drink coffee, mix the juice of half
a lemon in a cup of warm water (with an optional
pinch of rock salt and
1
2
teaspoon of honey)
and drink up. According to integrative medicine
specialist Dr Valencia Porter, this drink flushes the
kidneys and gastrointestinal tract and stimulates
your agni (digestive fire) so youre ready to
metabolise breakfast.
Rise
Sip
Rinse
Cleanse
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According
to Ayurveda,
massaging your body with warm,
pure oils promotes detoxification
and moisturises skin especially in
the drier autumn and winter months.
It also stimulates circulation and quiets
the nervous system. Treat yourself to
a 10-minute abhyanga, traditionally
performed in the morning.
Dr Porter suggests standing on a
towel in your bathroom with warmed,
organic, cold-pressed sesame oil at the
ready. Using circular strokes, begin
with your scalp, followed by your face
and neck. Apply oil to your palms as
needed and work your way down one
shoulder, arm, wrist and hand, using
long, up-and-down strokes along your
limbs and circular strokes on your
joints. Repeat on the other side.
Massage your chest and back and
then gently massage your abdomen
in a clockwise direction. Rub your hips
in a circular motion and massage one
leg at a time, using long strokes on
your leg bones and circular strokes
on the joints. If you have time, relax
and let the oil soak in for 10 to 20
minutes. Then, standing on a wet towel
in the shower to prevent slipping, scrub
off with a mild cleanser. (Dont want to
put oil on your scalp or face? You can
use your dry fingertips instead.)
Massage

unwind
As night falls, light
a stick of incense or
a sandalwood and vanilla candle. Or
add a few drops of these aromas, in
the form of essential oils, to a warm
bath. From an Ayurvedic perspective,
says Dr Porter, these scents have a
calming, balancing, grounding effect.
When we consistently associate
these aromas with a particular state
of being, such as relaxation, we
create a memory in the brain, she
says. The next time we breathe in
these aromas, our neurophysiology
remembers that state of relaxation.
There are several
marma points,
or Ayurvedic pressure points, on the
foot that correspond to the entire
body, says Hilary Garivaltis, dean
of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda in
Massachusetts, US. Doing a foot
massage, you can relax the entire
body in just a few minutes.
Wash and dry your feet. Apply
warmed, organic, cold-pressed
sesame oil to one foot at a time,
using your palms to rub the sole from
heel to toe in small circular motions.
Repeat on the top of the foot.
Massage the ankle, followed by
the sides of the foot. Interlace your
fingers between your toes, gently
push the foot to flex and point and
make clockwise and anticlockwise
circles. Beginning with the little toe,
rub each toe gently and apply a little
pressure in the webbing. Finally, pull
each toe slightly and put on clean
cotton socks to sleep in.
Before bed,
heat a cup of
organic whole milk until it boils. Add
a pinch of ground cardamom, nutmeg
(spices that, in Ayurveda, are said to
promote sleep) and cinnamon (to aid
digestion). Let it cool a bit and add
honey to taste. Warm whole milk
is used in Ayurveda as an insomnia
remedy. Dont drink milk? Sip
chamomile, valerian or lemon tea.
As the
sun goes
down, lower the lights
in your home to signal
to your body and mind
that the frenetic pace
of the days activities
is coming to an end
and that its time to
stop being on.
According to modern
Ayurvedic experts like
Dr Porter, that means
minimising screen time
on your electronic
devices for at least an
hour before bed, too.
Wind down by reading
something uplifting
or spending time with
your family or friends.
Infuse
Soothe
Savour
Dim

To calm
yourself for
sleep, or before you sit for evening
meditation, spend a few minutes doing
Nadi Shodhana (also known as
alternate nostril breathing). This
cleansing breath practice calms
the nervous system and, on a more
subtle level, opens and balances the
sushumna nadi, an energy channel
that quiets and steadies the mind.
Place your right thumb over your
right nostril to close the airway. Inhale
through the left nostril and then use
your ring finger to close off the left
nostril. Lift your thumb and exhale
out of the right nostril. Breathing in
through the right nostril and putting
your thumb over your right nostril
again, exhale out of your left nostril.
This completes a single round; try to
do 5 to 10 rounds per sitting. This
practice helps you transition from
activity to stillness, relaxing the
body and mind, Dr Porter says.
Shannon Sexton is a regular
contributor to Yoga Journal.
Her poems and creative non-
fiction have been anthologised
in five books including the series
Stories From Where We Live.
Breathe

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F
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Yoga in the West has never been more vibrant
and passionate or more widespread. In zo, the
practices oI yoga inIorm the way we work, play, eat
and educate our children. Yoga inspires how we give
back, how we take care oI ourselves, each other and
the planet. Yoga is a part oI how we celebrate, and it's a
tool that helps us heal. \ith hundreds oI thousands oI
Australians practising yoga Irom proIessional athletes
to schoolchildren it's easy to take Ior granted how
intertwined the practice has become with modern liIe.
Yoga today is not exclusive. It doesn't judge. o
matter who or where you are, you can practise yoga and
benent Irom it. And yoga's cultural impact is not just
exciting, it's vital to the growth oI the practice. Read
on Ior some oI our Iavourite ways yoga has become an
inseparable part oI the way we live.
festival fun
What started as a small, grassroots
movement has reached global
proportions. Yoga festivals have popped
up in spots as unlikely as Dubai, Turkey
and Bermuda. The trend shows no signs
of slowing. New festivals are popping up
all over the country not just in Byron
Bay. Last year saw the inaugural Bondi
Yoga Festival at Sydneys most famous
beach location, while this year the
famous Wanderlust festival comes to
Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland (see
page 90 for more info).
01
the yoga
revolution
21
big and small
ways yoga is
changing the world
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secret sauce
Purists may scoff, but from karaoke and painting to surfing
and stand-up paddleboarding, yoga lovers know that
combining yoga with just about any other activity makes
it better. Why? It comes down to being mindful and
remembering to breathe, says Angela Nuez, equestrian
yoga teacher at Salamander Resort & Spa in Virginia, US.
Nuezs yoga on horseback classes deepen guests
experience of interacting with the horses, and of their own
bodies and breath. Being present is so important, she says.
ANATOMY IS HIP
Thanks to teachers like Leslie Kaminoff (yogaanatomy.net) and David Keil (yoganatomy.com),
you can study anatomy in-depth at home and at your own pace. Online courses make a once-
technical topic accessible and relevant. Keil, who teaches yoga anatomy all over the world,
says that it isnt just about the alignment. Yoga is about building a relationship with yourself,
and anatomy is another layer of that understanding. We learn a lot about ourselves when we
look at how we relate to the structure of our postures. And thats just cool!
yoga match
Yoga studios bring people together,
but it can feel taboo to strike up a
conversation with the person on
the next mat. Enter Spiritual Singles
Australia & New Zealand
(spiritualsingles.com.au) an online
dating service created exclusively for
singles who value a healthy, holistic
lifestyle, including yoga and
meditation. Check out the site to see
how it works, and read some success
stories while youre there. And word is
spreading even RSVP.com.au has
a section for single yogis now.
02
03
04
Guests at Salamander Resort & Spa
warm up with yoga in the stables
before doing poses on horseback
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green eats
Practising yoga and eating green go together, and chefs are now
catering to an ever-increasing number of diners who want high-
quality, sustainably-prepared cuisine. BodyMindLife studio in
Sydneys inner west (bodymindliferozelle.com) recently opened Egg
of the Universe a living wholefoods cafe that celebrates the
seasons. Patrons can enjoy a yoga class, followed by a meal made
with sustainably sourced and organically-farmed local produce.
Studio owners Harry and Bryony opened the cafe after lamenting
the mainstreams approach to health food and being inspired by
the traditional understanding of true wholefoods.

sustaining the future
Since its founding in 2007 by yoga teacher Paige Elenson, Africa
Yoga Project has put more than 70 formerly homeless Kenyan youth
on a sustainable career path by training them as yoga teachers and
supporting them in teaching thousands of free yoga classes in their
communities. The vision of the program, which also offers professional
career skills training, is to give young people the tools to build a better
future. Yoga is a way to help someone find whats inside them, to see
whats possible, and to transform their life, says Elenson.
06

more than a guilty
pleasure
If posting yoga photos and following your favourite teacher
on Instagram inspires you to get on your mat every day, thats
a good thing. Last years #fallinlovewithyoga challenge, spear-
headed by yoga teachers Kathryn Budig (@kathrynbudig), Amy
Ippoliti (@amyippoliti) and others, gave participants a theme to
express through asana, such as share or happy heart. By day
nine of the 10-day challenge, yogis had posted more than 9500
photos. Find and share yoga selfies and connect with new
communities with popular tags such as #yogaeverydamnday,
#instaomcrew and #earthbodyyoga.
yoga for
wellbeing
Service-minded yogis are seeing growing
opportunities to give back. Yoga teacher
and registered psychologist Michael de
Manincor founded the Yoga Foundation
(theyogafoundation.org.au) in 2009
it offers yoga-based health promotion
programs for people experiencing
hardship or disadvantage, such as people
living with cerebral palsy and their carers,
people suffering from mental illness, the
elderly, kids in the juvenile justice system
and Indigenous Australians.
A PROP
FOR EVERY
BODY
Back in the day, props werent
widely available. Then they were
one-size-fits-all. Today, theyre
more customised than ever:
Jades extra-wide and extra-long
mats accommodate those who
are taller or broader shouldered;
Three Minute Eggs curved blocks
contour to your spine for more
comfortable, ergonomic support
in reclining poses; and YogaPaws
relieve wrist pressure and keep
mat-less yoga students from
slipping. Check out the full array
of yoga equipment available at
EMP Industrials website
empind.com.au and at iYoga
Props: iyogaprops.com.au.
STRETCHING THE
BOUNDARIES OF FASHION
Yoga clothes just keep getting more streetwise and fashion
forward, with designers like Vivienne Tam, Betsey Johnson
and Stella McCartney, celebs like Tara Stiles and labels like
lululemon and adidas designing yogawear that takes you
from the studio to dinner and beyond.
07
10
08
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YOGAS GLOBAL AMBASSADORS
The South Sydney Rabbitohs do yoga so do the
Hawthorn Hawks and Englands national rugby
team, as well as Olympians and American NFL players. In
the world of professional sports, yoga is a sanctioned part
of regular training programs. Professional sport has
become very much a mind game, says Yoga Lounges Nisha
Srivastava, yoga teacher for the English rugby team. A lot
of the men I teach think yoga is all about being flexible, but
it isnt. Its the mindfulness that helps the players so much.
making peace
A handful of yoga teachers are
offering teacher trainings in the
Middle East to bring the peace-giving
power of yoga to the conflict-ridden
region. Baptiste Power Yoga
instructor Ruthie Goldmans Olive
Tree Yoga Foundation held a free
training for Palestinian women in
Bethlehem last year. Yoga teachers
trained by Anahata International (in
partnership with West Bank studio
Farashe Yoga) now teach in villages
and refugee camps. And Mark
Whitwells Heart of Yoga Peace
Project has brought 100 students
from Israel and Lebanon to trainings
in North America. With no illusions
that yoga will lead to the next peace
accord, Goldman says, Whatever we
can do to provide people with hope
and respite is peace work. To have an
hour of freedom, an hour when you
can be yourself, that is a miracle.
YOGA GOES
TO UNI
The studio isnt the
only place to study
yoga. The Yoga Institute (yogainstitute.
com.au) on Sydneys lower north shore
offers a Diploma and Advanced Diploma
of Yoga Studies and Teacher Training;
while the Australian Yoga Academy in
Melbourne (australianyogaacademy.com)
offers an Advanced Diploma in Yoga
teaching, as well as certificates in
everything from Advanced Pranayama
to Ayurvedic Healing.
11
14
13
12 get
something
back
Yogas many benefits are
now so well-known,
a number of health
insurance suppliers
are offering rebates
for yoga classes (see
yogaaustralia.org.au/
yoga-and-healthfunds
for more information
and to see if your health
fund offers rebates).
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Balamain Wests Tigers sweat
it out at Bikram Yoga Five Dock

oh baby
Prenatal yoga is just the
first step for mums at a
new crop of yoga centres
offering women a home
base during one of lifes
biggest transitions.
Studios such as Brisbanes
Yogababy (yogababy.com.
au), Melbournes Bliss
Baby yoga (anadavis.com)
and Sydneys Jivamukti
Yoga (jivamuktiyoga.com.
au) serve mums from
pregnancy through to
early childhood with pre-
and postnatal yoga and
mums and bubs (or dads
and bubs) yoga. Most
mums come for the
exercise component,
says prenatal yoga
teacher Sarah Longacre
Ehlers. But they find a
community that supports
their commitment to a
healthy, conscious birth.
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office (yoga)
space
Mindfulness practices are known to be an effective way
to manage workplace stress, and new research shows they
may also boost companies bottom lines. The cost of mental
stress to Australian businesses is more than $10 billion
annually, according to Safe Work Australia. But a 2012 study
by Aetna health insurance showed that employees who
participated in mindfulness meditation and therapeutic
yoga were less stressed and more productive. Corporations
are starting to catch on. Organisations such as At Work
Yoga (atworkyoga), Holistic Services Group (holisticservices.
com.au) and Wellbeing at Work (wellbeingatwork.com.au)
are now in demand to bring the calming influence of yoga
and meditation to Australian workplaces.
YOGA FOR HEROES
Yoga can bring calm to those who face life-and-death situations
on a daily basis. Yoga teacher Debby Kaminsky has taught yoga
and breathing practices to more than 400 firefighters during basic
training. And Lisa Wimberger teaches meditation techniques to
police to help them process their emotions. First responders often
experience traumatic situations, and when they get home its hard to be a normal parent
or spouse, says Kaminsky. Yoga can help them refocus on the present moment.
School
days
The entire
worlds yoga
community watched with
bated breath last year as the
Encinitas, California, school
district defended itself in
court against a group of
parents who claimed the
districts yoga program
violated separation of church
and state laws. The court
found in favour of the school
system, but the real victors
are the kids, who gain calm
and focus by practising yoga
at school. Children learn to
connect their body, mind,
and breath, and develop the
tools they need to deal with
stress, says kids yoga
teacher Courtney McDowell.
And they need to practise
it, just like every other
academic category.
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DIAL Y FOR YOGA
Yoga has infiltrated yet another classic literary
genre, the mystery novel. What makes yoga such an appealing
subject to write about in this way is that in the end, its just people,
with all of their foibles and weaknesses. Its very fertile soil for a
writer, says Neal Pollack, yoga teacher and author of Downward
Facing Death. Whether titles like Death in a Difficult Position and
Corpse Pose (by Diana Killian) are a satire on the yoga scene or
just good fun is yours to decide.
acting for the earth
Yoga practice can inspire and fuel environmental activism. Vinyasa
yoga teacher Brock Cahill founded the ocean conservation group
Kurmalliance in 2010 after seeing the suffering of sea turtles and
other wildlife in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Named for Kurma, the turtle incarnation of
Vishnu who saved the world from a flood, the
group raised $40,000 to purchase a biodiesel
powerboat to collect plastic trash off the
California coast. Yoga is a catalyst. It helps
you to wake up and recognise your connection
to the whole, says Cahill. And once you do,
you cant sit on the sidelines and watch.
Free as the air
At its essence, yoga is free
to all: you can practise
outside, at home or in
your office and you can
incorporate yogic principles
into your everyday life.
Some days it might be
as simple as taking five
conscious breaths while
youre standing in line at
the supermarket. You are
free to set yourself free.
21
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to the world
Let the symbolism behind the pose
Natarajasana inspire you to stand strong
in your centre while life whirls around you
by Alanna Kaivalya Photography by Wari Om M
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As we celebrate the start of a new year
and a return to shorter days, it's a ntting time to reect on the
cycles oI beginnings and endings that make up every aspect oI
our existence. One oI the great symbols oI this constant cycle
oI change is the image oI Shiva ataraja, the King oI the Lance.
Shiva ataraja is portrayed in Hindu mythology as the aspect oI
Shiva whose ecstatic dance oI destruction lays the Ioundation
Ior the creation and sustenance oI the universe. Lepicted
in southern Indian art dating back to the oth through zth
centuries, Shiva ataraja dances at the centre oI the wheel oI
samsara, a cosmic ring oI nre that symbolises the eternal cycle
oI birth, liIe and death.
The name Shiva derives Irom a Sanskrit root that means
liberation", and liberation or Ireedom is what the dancing
Iourarmed Shiva ataraja expresses. He can't stop the passage
oI time or the nre that surrounds him, but he can nnd bliss amid
the chaos. His dreadlocks shake as he balances on the demon
oI avidya, or ignorance. In one oI his hands, he holds a drum
on which he beats the passage oI time. Another hand holds
Joy
The beauty of working towards
a difficult pose is that, in the
best of circumstances, the
desire for the form of the pose
eventually falls away.
Natarajasana requires open
hips and shoulders and back-
bending ability beyond the
reach of most mortals.
Whether or not you ever
take the final pose, we hope
these images inspire you with
the transformation possible
through devoted practice.
The following poses are just
one way to sequence toward
Natarajasana. Practise the
poses accessible to you now
after a thorough warm-up.
Then, with attention to building
strength, balance and agility,
you may be able to add the
more difficult poses over time.
Along the way, the fire of the
practice may leave you free
from desire for the final pose,
as you embody steadiness and
joy in your own Shivas dance.
continued on page 70

:$55,25 326( ,
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For instruction
on these and
other poses, go to
yogajournal.com.au

Lka Pada
\rdhva
Lhanurasana
OLLLCCLL \P\ARL BO\ POSL
a conch shell, recalling the power oI
the sound oI Om that reverberates
through the universe. In a third hand,
the Ilame oI vidya, or knowledge,
reveals the internal light oI our true
nature. One oI Shiva's right hands is
held up in Abhaya Mudra, a gesture
oI Iearlessness. It's the Iearlessness
that comes Irom knowing one's own
transcendent nature that though the
mortal Iorm you inhabit will change
and die, there is an energy within
you that will continue on, like the
pulsation oI an atom or the light Irom
the supernova oI a dying star that
reaches earth with its beauty.
Shiva's heart is the centre oI the
wheel, the hub that stabilises him
within the great cycles oI cosmic
change. The image is a reminder that
you, too, can live Irom your centre
and dance, celebrating liIe's ups and
downs, knowing that a part oI you is
connected to all the pulsations oI time
and space.
atarajasana Lord oI the Lance
Pose is an homage to this idea that
you can be steady and joyIul at your
centre while change happens around
you. \hen you make the shape oI the
pose, you embody both the wheel oI
samsara and the hub. As you settle
into this backbend, balanced steadily
on your standing leg your heart liIted
and open Ieel Iree to reach a hand
Iorward in one oI several positions.
Lither hold the hand up in a stop
in the name oI love" kind oI gesture
that is the equivalent oI the gesture oI
Iearlessness that Shiva uses, or join the
nrst nnger and thumb in ]nana Mudra,
the yogi's okay" symbol. Or simply
turn the palm up in a gesture that
signines you are ready to surrender to
the change that is aIoot.
Yoga teacher Alanna Kaivalyas new book
Sacred Sound: Liscovering the Myth
and Meaning oI Mantra and Kirtan
is available at Amazon.com.
continued from page 67

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Natarajasana is a reminder
that you, too, can live from
your centre and dance

You were initially interested in studying Zen in Japan; what
steered you toward yoga?
I dont think I had even heard the word yoga before I left on a sabbatical
from my position as a PhD Scholar and Teaching Assistant at the University
oI Minnesota \S to travel through Lurope in j6,. I spent nine months in
Crete Creece while preparing to travel to ]apan. There I picked up a book
a friend left behind called Teach YourselI Yoga. It contained proIound
thoughts that struck my soul deeply, such as, 'Yoga is becoming conscious
in every cell oI your body'. I was enamoured with these ideas, changed plans
and began the overland trek to study yoga in its homeland oI India in j6."
What made you fall in love with India so much that you never
returned to America?
Perhaps it was the light, which gave such an enchanted magic to absolutely
everything. Maybe it was the sacred smell oI the earth, which I had never
experienced elsewhere. The simple and natural liIestyle, the exquisite
sensitive customs oI daily liIe, the sense oI holiness hovering around even
mundane activities, there was nothing that was not 'Iamiliar' to me. I Ielt like
someone who had come home aIter a long, weary exile. Receiving my Indian
citizenship in jjz was one oI the happiest days oI my liIe."
When did you meet and marry Dr Swami Gitananda (Swamiji)?
I met Swamiji at Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry in October, j6. He
radiated the most cheerIul liveliness. I Ielt absolutely at ease with him, and
accepted that this was my path and he was my guru. I joined his yoga teacher
training course and we were married soon aIter on February z,, j68. I was
Iirstly his disciple, and secondly his wiIe, that was always our relationship.
AIter our marriage, we spent o days in a cave in the Himalayas. \e didn't
speak or eat the entire time, and that was our honeymoon. Swamiji was o
years older than me, and as a swami he wasn't supposed to marry. \e Iaced
a lot oI opposition initially, although the marriage justiIied itselI over time."
Why was Swamiji called the Lion of Pondicherry?
He was called this Ior many reasons. Later in liIe, he looked like a powerIul
lion with long hair and Ilowing beard. He had a booming voice like a lion's
roar, and burning intensity which was oIten interpreted as Ierocity. His roar
was a protection Ior an immensely sensitive inner liIe. Many misunderstood
this aspect oI his personality, because a common misperception is that
the guru spirit is always soIt, gentle, kind and permissive. Swamiji said, 'a
kick in the back end will take you Iurther Iorward than a pat on the back'.
An intimate conversation with Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani
Interview by Diana Timmins
ammajis devotion
Worldly, warm and wise,
Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi
Bhavanani affectionately
called Ammaji by her
devotees has touched
countless within the vast
yoga network.
Born and bred in America
before relocating to India
at the age of 25, she is both
wife and senior disciple of
the late Yogamaharishi
Dr Swami Gitananda
Giri Guru Maharaj, who
pioneered the popular
Rishiculture Ashtanga
(Gitananda) Yoga system.
Ammaji has many other
strings to her bow, including
being an acclaimed
author and adviser to the
Government of Pondicherry
(Southern India) for its
Annual International Yoga
Festival. She is also director
of the International Centre
for Education and Research
(ICYER) at Ananda Ashram,
which recently hosted her
70th birthday celebrations,
which were attended by
many worldwide followers.

Clockwise from top left: Ammaji with a young
admirer; in a moment of relaxation; with
Swamiji; teaching a yoga class back in 2004.
Yoga is such an elastic
word; it can be stretched
to contain universes
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Left: Swamiji and Ammaji;
below: Ammaji in July last year
His only desire was that his students
should change and grow, and he was
prepared to use whatever means
was necessary to achieve that.
The last year oI his liIe, Swamiji
did become soIter. From when he
began to totally Iast on water on ,
ovember, jj, to his exit Irom
his body on zj Lecember, jj,
there was an incredible transformation
oI the lion into a lamb."
Your son, Dr Ananda Balayogi
Bhavanani, sustains the Gitananda
tradi ti on by presenti ng to a
worldwide following; what hopes
do you hold that Anandas children
will continue these teachings in
the future?
Ananda has carried his fathers tradition
into this generation bril liantl y. He
has refined the teachings and made
them more digestible Ior modern man.
Swamiji's young grandchildren, Anandraj
and Lhivya Priya, are brought up in the
Ashram atmosphere and immersed in the
teaching in the very air they breathe. I
am consciously trying to guide them so
they will not only follow their grandfather
and Iather's Iootsteps, but be able to carry
the teachings to an even greater height.
Is that not the law oI evolution: that
the Iather should see the son move even
higher than himselI:"
ICYER hosts people from various
nationalities for annual residential
teacher training; what common
chal l enges do st udent s
encounter?
The greatest problem students have
is learning to live with themselves
without distractions or excuses,
and within a structure based on
the Three Rs: regularity, rhythm
and repetition. The Ashram is
a confined space and ego often
brushes against ego. Adjustability
and Ilexibility must be cultivated
dail y. One must l earn to do
things not because they are
easy, pleasurable or proIitable, but
because it is right to do them. There is
no escape Irom oneselI in the Ashram.
One comes IacetoIace with tendencies
oI character Vasanas, which one could
hide Irom in ordinary dissipated liIe.
AIter some months, one learns to be more
comIortable with who one is, qualities oI
character begin to develop, and Ashram
living becomes easier."
The understanding and practice
of yoga often differ between east
and west; do you believe there is
a wrong way to approach yoga?
Yoga has come to mean whatever the
person who utters the word wishes. It is
such an elastic word, it can be stretched
to contain universes. I think there is a
wrong way to use this old Sanskrit word.
One must test one's understanding
oI its meaning by reading scriptures
like the Upanishads, Puranas, Itihasas,
Yoga Sutra and Bhagavad Cita. Asana
and pranayama is only the tip of the
iceberg. Yoga is a way oI liIe and a state
oI consciousness in which one grows
moment by moment into an expanded
Iield oI higher, sublime consciousness."
9LVLW LF\HUFRP DQG JLWDQDQGDDXVWUDOLDRUJ
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ask the expert
Digestive and spinal problems can be relieved through regular
yoga practice and breath work. Expert Mel McLaughlin advises
Q
I was diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age
and underwent surgery when I was 14 years old.
Now in my early 30s, I still suffer from quite
a prominent curve of my spine and feel I am
lacking a lot of movement and flexibility. Im
wondering what would be the best poses for
me to help with my scoliosis.
The best yoga postures for a body that is balancing out
a scoliosis in the spine are those that work on stretching
the tight muscles that are compensating for the
asymmetrical imbalance and strengthening the muscles
that are weak and stretched on the opposite side. Its
important to note this is not an attempt to straighten
your back but rather to give it a better relationship to its
own natural neutral within your body and bring back a
degree of movement and flexibility.
In addition, focus on keeping a balanced, equal weight
between both of your feet and legs to support your spine.
You should also strengthen your abdominals iI these
are weak the back muscles compensate and work harder.
Breathing as deeply as possible into the concave/
tighter side of your spine and lungs actually stretches
the intercostal muscles on that side and creates greater
lung capacity, so I encourage you to focus on this type of
breathing as you go through the following set of postures:
1. Cat and Cow Pose. On all fours, breathe in as you
gently look up and drop your belly down, tilting your
pelvis forward and breathing out to round into your back,
pushing into your hands and shins and drawing your navel
to your spine. Repeat this six to 10 times to gently open
and relax your whole spine.
2. Janu Sirsasana Head to Knee Forward Bend.
Extending the leg of your convex side and reaching across
with the concave side arm on the opposite side towards
the extended foot will lengthen and stretch the muscles
on your concave side. Inhale to lengthen the spine and
exhale to bow over the extended leg. Stay Ior o,
breaths and only do the one side until you feel a change
in the lengthening of the tight muscles on that side, then
begin to incorporate the other side. You should always
spend longer on the original side for balance.
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expert advice

Q
I have been diagnosed with acute
gastritis and am currently being
treated for it, medically. I would
like to know if there are any yoga
positions that I can include in my
beginners routine that will relieve
or help cure my symptoms.
As gastritis leaves us with feelings of
inflammation and gas, yoga postures to
help relieve these physical symptoms
help harmonise, balance and comfort
the body. Likewise, the stressreducing
benefits of a regular yoga practice,
including breath work, are wonderful
ways to calm your mind and body and
restore balance.
Stress can decrease digestive ability
and increase stomach acid, making
your condition worse. Any postures
that address the yin muscle meridian
highways oI chi energy in the body that
closely Iollow acupuncture lines oI the
actual stomach/spleen which runs in
the fronts of your thighs, hip flexors and
abdomen are also particularly helpIul,
either using compression or stretching
techniques.
Try these daily:
1. Begin lying down comfortably on your
back on the floor, and with your hands
on your lower belly, take three deep belly
breaths. Let your abdomen rise and fall as
you breathe. Let your mind calmly follow
your breath.
2. Pavanamuktasana \indRelieving
Pose you might want to practise this
one alone. Hug your right knee towards
your chest and deeply breath six times.
Change legs and repeat. Now hug both
legs to your chest together and hug your
head to knees for five breaths; release.
This relieves accumulated gas in your
stomach, and it also tones your digestive
system and lower back.
3. Vajrasana Hero Pose. Advance to
Supta Vajrasana Reclining Hero Pose
over time if you have no knee or lower
back issues.
Kneel down with your toes touching
and heels apart sitting on your feet; knees
can be apart. Rest your palms on your
thighs and keep your spine lengthened
and relaxed. Breathe slowly and deeply
through your nose.
Optional: recline all the way back, lying
over a bolster. Knees can separate further.
3. Savasana Corpse Pose. This is a
great stress buster. Lie down comfortably
on the floor on your back, with arms out
and legs stretched out and slightly apart.
Enjoy the benefits of being still, quiet
and aware in your body with relaxed
breathing for five or more minutes a day.
Other great asanas to consi der
are Tri konasana Tri angl e Pose ,
Salabhasana Locust Pose, Salamba
Sarvangasana Shoulderstand, Halasana
Plow Pose and Balasana Child's Pose.
An experienced teacher can guide you in
doing these safely.
Practising regularly and with loving
attention, you can get great results.
W
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Do you have a question about your
yoga practice? Send it to us! The best
questions will be published and win
an Australian Yoga Journal prize pack,
including a set of CDs featuring audio
home yoga classes and music to practise
to, plus a yoga mat bag. Email editor@
yogajournal.com.au (with Ask the Expert in the
subject line) or write to us at PO Box 81, St Leonards NSW 1590.
Please include your full name, address and phone number.
0HO 0F/DXJKOLQ LV D 6\GQH\
based Power Vinyasa and
Yin yoga teacher who also
runs workshops on the Art of
Assisting and Yin yoga practice
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OFFER ENDS 15 MARCH 2014

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home practice
light up
Start your day on the right note
with energising poses that support
your immune system and fill you
with a sense of well-being
By Cl ai re Mi ssi ngham
the practice
In our first hours out of bed, we
naturally move slowly. To get you
going in the morning, this sequence
awakens and opens the shoulders,
upper chest, hips and thighs bit by bit
and builds up to energising backbends.
Some yogis believe these chest
openers stimulate the thymus gland,
an important part of the immune
system that sits under the breastbone.
PLQGERG\ EHQHWV
According to Tantric texts, the
hridaya (heart) centre is a space in
the upper chest, just behind the heart
chakra, where purity is thought to
reside. Chest openers let you tap
into this heart space, opening
you up to compassion and kind-
heartedness, acceptance, courage
and your emotions.
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Imagine the space between your
collarbones and sternum as a triangle
throughout your practice. To keep
the triangle from collapsing inward,
move the shoulders back and the
breastbone up. Consider using silent
affirmations to align your mind
towards a positive day ahead.
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1 ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA
DOWNWARD FACING DOG POSE
Come into Adho Mukha Svanasana.
Internally rotate your inner thighs
and broaden your sitting bones. Exhale
and then draw the belly back softly.
Breathe in the pose for 5 to 10 breaths.
6 HIGH LUNGE VARIATION
Keeping your back leg very strong and
straight and your hips aligned, interlace
your fingers behind you. Aim to open your
chest as much as possible as you press your
clasped hands back and up, away from the
tailbone. Take 1 deep breath.
12 APANASANA KNEES-TO-CHEST POSE
On your back, take your hands to your
knees and squeeze them into your chest to
neutralise your spine. Relax the full length
of your spine, especially your midback, into
the floor. Breathe deeply for up to 10
breaths before sitting up.
2 ANJANEYASANA LOW LUNGE
Step your right foot between your hands.
Drop your left knee to the mat and raise
your arms alongside your ears. See that
your right knee is aligned over its heel
and that your pelvis is neutral. Take
5 deep breaths here.
7 VIRABHADRASANA III
WARRIOR POSE III, VARIATION
Inhale, shift your weight onto your right
leg, straighten your right knee and raise
your left leg to hip height, left toes facing
down. Breathe here for 5 breaths, using
your clasped hands for balance.
13 BADDHA KONASANA
BOUND ANGLE POSE
Bring your feet together, open your knees
and press outer thighs down. Take your
hands behind you. Press your sitting bones
down, open your chest and inhale as your
chin slightly lifts. Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.
8 ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA
HALF LORD OF THE FISHES POSE
Exhale, release your hands to the mat.
Bend your knees and place the left one
outside your right heel to sit. Bring your left
elbow outside the right knee. Take 5 breaths.
Then repeat poses 5 to 8 on other side.
14 PASCHIMOTTANASANA
SEATED FORWARD BEND
Extend the legs forward and flex your feet.
Wrap the first two fingers of each hand
around your big toes. Inhale; lift your heart.
Exhale; lengthen your spine. Keep the upper
chest open while you enjoy 10 breaths.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Take 3 rounds of Surya Namaskar
(Sun Salutation), breathing deeply
and slightly elongating the
exhalation until the breath is even,
rich and steady. Inhale and silently
say, My wellness is my focus today.
Exhale and say, My whole body is
filled with an energising life force.
REPEAT POSES
5 THROUGH 8
ON OTHER SIDE
home practice

TO FINISH
Lie down to take Savasana (Corpse
Pose) for at least 5 minutes.
3 LIZARD LUNGE VARIATION
Exhale, bring your hands to the mat and
turn your right foot out. Bend your left knee
and reach your right hand back to your left
foot, squeezing it toward your seat. Turn
your chest open and back. Stay for 5
breaths. Then release your left foot.
9 SUPTA VIRASANA
RECLINING HERO POSE
With a bolster placed lengthwise behind
you, sit down between your heels. Recline
onto your forearms and then onto the
bolster. Extend your arms overhead. Take
10 breaths, then slowly come up.
15 GOMUKHASANA
COW FACE POSE, VARIATION
Sit up, bend your knees and stack the
right knee on top of the left. Hold the
big toes with your first two fingers and
root down with the sitting bones. Sit
for 3 breaths before switching legs.
16 SIDDHASANA ADEPTS POSE
Sit with your right leg in front. With an
open chest and tall spine, bring your
hands to rest on your thighs or knees,
palms down. Close your eyes and enjoy 10
slow breaths and a final affirmation, such
as Today I will do all things with love.
4 UTTHITA TRIKONASANA
EXTENDED TRIANGLE POSE
Turn your right foot in. Come onto your left
toes, straighten both legs and spin your left
heel down. Right hand rests on mat; left
hand reaches up; chest spins open. Take 5
breaths. Then do poses 1 to 4 on other side.
10 USTRASANA CAMEL POSE
Kneel with your shins hip-distance apart.
With your hands on your hips, engage
the quadriceps and glutes and bring your
tailbone under. Lift your ribs, creating space
between them. Arch up and back and reach
for your ankles or feet. Stay for 5 breaths.
5 HIGH LUNGE
Come to standing. Step your left leg back
into a lunge, right knee over your right heel.
Raise your arms alongside your ears.
Lengthen the sides of your waist, open your
chest, draw your tailbone under and keep
your back leg strong. Stay for 5 breaths.
11 URDHVA DHANURASANA
UPWARD BOW POSE
Lie on your back. With feet on the mat and
hands by your head, press down firmly to lift
into the backbend. Internally rotate upper
thighs. Keep your tailbone long. Enjoy 5
breaths, come down and repeat twice more.
REPEAT POSES 1
THROUGH 4 ON
OTHER SIDE
A P R I L 2 0 1 4

experience
The chalky, powder-blue waters of the River Ganges, where
it spills out of the Himalaya and on to the epic ranges foothills in
India, are deceivingly fast and treacherous.
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in the north its course is narrow, its speed and
volume are powerful and people hang off
chains to be cleansed by it. Hindus
worship the sacred watercourse
ashram
life
A visit to Phool Chatti
Ashram, Rishikesh, India
By Samantha Gl ass

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experi ence
that runs for 800 kilometres across India as
a goddess. As well as providing a source of
life for the millions that rely upon her
precious giIt to survive, the Canges' Iast
moving waters are believed to purify the
soul by absorbing a persons impurities and
carrying them away.
I am drawn to explore ashram life in
Rishikesh, \ttarakhand, India
known dually as the Gateway
to the Himalaya and the
World Capital of Yoga
while searching Ior a
better understanding
of Indi a s exoti c
stor ytel l i ng. Indi a overfl ows wi th
i ntri catel y craf ted ar tworks and
spectacular religious ceremonies that
represent Hindu mythology. They involve
Cods and demons and more oIten than
not a love interest. Civen the stories have
been passed down through generations
by storytellers, not writers, they also vary
depending on who is telling the tale. I was
baffled by the different incarnations of
Vishnu, the churning of the ocean of milk
that led to the recreation of the universe,
why elephants and tortoises would fight
and why Caruda the king oI the birds
and a messenger between the gods and
men would need to eat Vishnu's arm
before realising he was divine in nature.
These fantastic stories have captured
the hearts and minds of Indians for
centuries, proposing peace, the fight
against evil and a need to understand that
we are all connected.
Through the gui di ng emai l s of
Christine Maconachie, an Australian
woman who has been following the yogic
path since 1969, I find Phool Chatti
Ashram. Maconachie, locally known as
Chrissi]i", will volunteer in her third
season as a karma yogi in the upcoming
Indian spring of 2014. Having first visited
the ashram as a guest in zo, Chrissi]i
supports the local team in welcoming
yoga devotees from across the world.
ow in her 6os, Chrissi]i says spending
time in Phool Chatti Ashram has been the
greatest journey of her life: It is simply
awesome to spend such quality time with
likeminded people. \e all learn and
grow with one another."
A FAMED OASIS
Famously known as the home of the
Maharishi Mahesh Ashram where the
Beatles are reported to have written The

White Album in 1968, Rishikesh has long
been a magnet for gurus, sadhus, yogis and
devotees. There are plenty of ashrams and
even more yoga centres to choose from in
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in Rishikesh.
A day at the
Phool Chatti ashram
Wake-up bell 5:30 am
Meditation 6:00 to 6:30 am
Chanting 6:30 to 6:45 am
Neti Pot
Cleansing
6:45 to 7:00 am
Pranayama 7:00 to 7:15 am
Yoga asana 7:15 to 8:45 am
Breakfast 9:00 am
Meditative Walk 10:30 to 12:30 pm
Lunch 12:30 pm
Tea Time after lunch
Lecture &
Discussion
3:00 to 4:00 pm
Yoga asana 4:00 to 5:30 pm
Pranayama 5:30 to 5:45 pm
Temple Pooja Sunset
Chanting &
Bhajans
after Pooja
Dinner 7:30 pm
Guided
Meditation
8:30 pm 9:00 pm
For me, Phool Chatti stands out as an
oasis of calm, beauty and simplicity. Its
modest and, being located two kilometres
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is something of a blessing in India. Its
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allow students to explore a range of yoga
and meditation styles while offering a
gentle introduction to ashram life.
The people are kind and the vegetarian
cuisine is divine. On a warm afternoon,
the air is filled with the scent of the red
roses planted in abundance throughout
the grounds. The racing waters edge
is just metres away. Languid walks will
introduce you to birds, butterflies and
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monkeys. The gentle pace of people and
the tranquil surrounds begin to guide you
towards reflection early in your visit.
At first glance, the ashram schedule
appears gruelling. The day starts at 5:30am,
includes several yoga asana classes and a
daily walk, and the evening meditation can
finish after 10pm. There is certainly no
time to be bored and sleep comes quickly
once your head reaches your hard, yet
somehow still comfortable pillow.
Each activity is undertaken with purpose
and its not long before your footsteps
slow, your vibration calms and you allow
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schedule starts slowly, building throughout
the week to include lighter activities, such
as laughing yoga and the deeper spiritual
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experi ence
after which devotees float flower offerings
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OPEN YOUR MIND
Unlike some of the larger ashrams in
the region, Phool Chatti does not have
gurus with millions of supporters, vast
and intricate temples, extensive yoga halls
or hundreds of students in residence.
I find visiting evening Pooja at the nearby
and slightly ominous Parmath Niketan
Ashram, where a giant Shiva statue sits
guard over the riverbank, more enjoyable
after participating in ceremonies at Phool
Chatti. Having been guided through the
rituals, I am better able to follow the
proceedings amongst the larger crowds
along the riverbank.
Although prior knowledge of yoga is
not required for a visit to the ashram,
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yoga path covers breathing, cleansing,
chanting and meditation as well as the
asanas is beneficial to your visit. But, she
says the most important thing is to have
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time is something to look forward to. The
daily changing menu consists of a variety
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salads are fresh and I dont come across
anyone with an upset stomach.
On day five, we received an insight into
why the meals are so fresh and pleasing to
the tastebuds. A tour of the ashram takes
us to the cow stables and here we find a
handful of happy bovines. In the warmer
months theyre cooled by mechanical
fans and are regularly soothed with daily
sessions of music and chanting.
Why is the cow sacred to Hindus?
Why in the madness of an Indian city
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cyclists swerve around cows? The answer
is quite simple: as is the case at Phool
Chatti, the cow continues to offer milk
long after its calf requires it.
SILENT REFLECTION
Talking is discouraged, except with
teachers or over a cup of chai following
the lunch and evening meals. Meals are
eaten in silence and with mindfulness.
1. Yama (moral conduct)
Do not harm others or
covet. Be truthful.
2. Niyama (religious
observances)
Purity of body and mind,
contentment in all
circumstances, self-
discipline, self-study
(contemplation), and
devotion to God and guru.
3. Asana
Correct postures.
4. Pranayama Control of
prana or breath, the subtle
life currents in the body.
5. Pratyahara
Looking inward, withdrawal
of the senses from external
objects.
6. Dharana
Focused concentration;
holding the mind to one
thought or object.
7. Dhyana
Meditation,absorption
in the vast perception of
God in one of His infinite
aspects Bliss, Peace,
Cosmic Light, Cosmic
Sound, Love, Wisdom
all-pervading throughout
the whole universe.
8. Samadhi
The ultimate goal of the
eightfold path to yoga is
samadhi or absolute bliss.
This is pure contemplation,
superconsciousness, in
which you and the universe
are one. Those who have
achieved samadhi are
enlightened.
the eightfold path of yoga
Through my short visit to a small, relaxed ashram, I also discover that the eight-fold
path of yoga is an integral part of the Hindu religion. It may be a visit to temple, an
offering to a God or a prayer at home but it is part of their everyday life.

Getting there
Fly Delhi to Dehradun (45 minute flight,
20 min taxi to Rishikesh)
Train Delhi to Haridwar (5 hours + 30 min
taxi to Rishikesh)
Car Delhi to Rishikesh (6-7 hours)
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It makes sense. All too often
we scoff down a wonderful
meal without tasting it or
appreciating how it nourishes
our bodies. We dont always eat
in consideration of the care that has
gone into a meals preparation. At the
ashram youre reminded to think of these things.
The focus on silence is also in consideration of your fellow
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reflection may not always be welcome. We so often seek peace
and quiet and time to reflect. A visit to an ashram allows you
this space. It allows you to refresh your body and your mind
and to focus on you.
I love music, especially live music, so my absolute favourite
time of the day is during kirtan. Shortly after evening prayer,
which is performed by the permanent ashram residents and
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Each evening the vast majority of us sing our hearts out,
chanting simple versus in Hindi, professing our connection
to the universe and thus to each other. Backed by the shrill
of dozens of shakers, hand cymbals, guitars, drums and a
harmonium, our collective voices are barely audible above
the din, providing me with the courage to participate loudly
and proudly. Even on days when I struggle with my personal
journey, I come out of kirtan grinning from ear to ear, gliding
over the earth. It is an utterly uplifting experience.
By the end of my stay, I leave India with a greater knowledge
of Hindu mythology, even if its differing tales have tested my
understanding, and a greater appreciation for a slower more
thoughtful existence courtesy of my visit to Phool Chatti ashram.
A P R I L 2 0 1 4

If a teacher perceives that a student has
a difference in leg length while they have
their hips resting on bolsters in Viparita
Karani legs up the wall, it can be Ior a
number of reasons.
Possible reason 1: the bones of the
legs may be actually different lengths in
each lower limb
In this case, it is very diIIicult to correct
the problem. My recommendation is
that the student does their practice
wearing at least one specially fitted shoe
that essentially increases the length of
that leg in the same way someone may
wear this type of shoe for walking. If
they do not wish to wear this type of
shoe while practising yoga because of
its limitations, a simpler alternative with
its own limitations is to keep both knees
slightly bent, with the longer leg bent
more than the shorter leg, in all standing
postures so that the leg lengths will feel
essentially the same on both sides for the
spine and trunk.
Possible reason 2: one of the hips
might be compressed, perhaps having
lost a significant amount of hip cartilage
In this case, the principles Ior reason
can also be applied as stated above, but
the student would also need to address
the compressed hip and emphasise
decompressi ng, l engtheni ng and
relaxing the compressed hip and perhaps
minimising weight bearing postures. It
is also important to enhance the flow
of blood through the hip region using
techniques such as long slow breathing
with a mental Iocus on the hip, spinal
movements and nonweight bearing hip
circling movements. It is also important
not to restrict the flow of blood through
the hip region by overtensing the
regions around the lower trunk and hip.
Possible reason 3: the spine may
be twisted with some type of scoliosis
and this may cause one hip bone hemi
pelvis to be Iurther away Irom the Iloor
than the other hip bone
In this case, it may be possible to
correct the problem by addressing the
trunk and spine itself. The trunk and
spine need to be mobilised in four main
planes Iorwards and backwards, leIt
side to right side, twisting to leIt and
twisting to right and lengthening and
shortening although most people have
enough shortening due to the effects
oI gravity. These spinal movements
and combinations of them can free up
the spine, and with persistent gentle
eIIort, they can oIten realign a twisted
spine with significant positive results.
The two keys to success with this
I was assisting in a restorative class today
and noticed during Viparita Karani (with
bolster) that many heels against the wall
were uneven one persons leg was over
an inch shorter than the other. What
poses can teachers prescribe students to
do at home to help with this realignment?
When this pose is shown it seems to look
perfect but in reality I wonder how many
people are uneven?
ask the mentor
Simon Borg-Olivier advises on ways to approach
apparent leg length differences in students
expert advice
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sort oI work are to emphasise the
movements of the spine and shoulders
and not overdo the movements of the
hips and the neck in the beginning; and
z use natural diaphragmatic breathing
while moving the trunk and spine in
order to reciprocally relax the muscles of
abdominal exhalation, which people tend
to overuse in order to hold their navel
towards their spine, and which oIten
make the spine rigid and tense.
Possible reason 4: the student may
simply be sitting unevenly on the bolster
and appear to have a leg length difference
In this case, there is probably no
problems with the hip just a matter oI
rearranging the bolster. However, it is
worth the teacher noting if the student
repeatedly does this having one leg higher
than the other every time they do the
posture. If they appear to have this habit
every time, it may cause an imbalance in
the muscles of the trunk.
In each case where there is real
asymmetry Reasons , z and , one
strategy that may be used is to exercise
in a slightly asymmetrical fashion. If
a posture, movement or breathing
exercise seems easier on one side than
the other side, then a simple general rule
to apply while practising yoga is to do
the more diIIicult side Iirst, Iollowed by
the easy side and then repeat on the easy
side again. In all this type of work it is
important never to force any movement
and to always practise in a way that is
respectful and loving to yourself.
Do you have a question about
teaching youd like answered?
Let us know! Published questions will
receive a FindYoga.com.au teacher
listing for one year, valued at $180.
Email us at editor@yogajournal.com.au
(with Ask the Mentor in the subject
line), message us on our Facebook page
or write to us at PO Box 81, St Leonards
NSW 1590. Please include your full
name, address and phone number.
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FESTIVAL
Wanderlust
syd.wanderlustfestival.com
mel.wanderlustfestival.com
akl.wanderlustfestival.com
Wanderlust, the worlds largest
and Iastestgrowing yoga and music
platIorm, is inviting yogis to roll out
their mats across Australasia during
its debut series oI \anderlust in the
City, Lownunder.
Taking place in March at iconic
parks, the three daylong events
will Ieature an unparalleled mix oI
immersive yoga sessions, cuttingedge
musical perIormances, organic eats
and unique outdoor activities.
Lineups will welcome renowned
yoga teachers, liIestyle gurus and
leaders oI green living, along with a
broad range oI top L]s, musicians and
perIorming artists.
\anderlust in the City will oIIer
several elements that are Iree to the
general public, including an organic
Iood coop and craIt market, musical
perIormances and a number oI Iirst
class yoga sessions held at the main
stage. Those looking Ior a Iull yoga
experience can upgrade to a Secure
Your Spot option or premium ticket
package. Check the websites Ior prices.
DATES:
Wanderlust in the City Melbourne
South Beach Reserve, St Kilda
Victoria Labour Day Monday, March 10
Wanderlust in the City Auckland
Lakeside Park, Western Springs
Sunday, March 23
Wanderlust in the City Sydney
The Domain, Royal Botanic Gardens
Sunday, March 30
MUSIC
Kirtronica
Jaya Lakshmi with Ananda,
jayalakshmiandananda.com
Kirtronica is the latest album
Irom \Sbased ]aya Lakshmi
and her partner Ananda. As
the name suggests, Kirtronica
combines kirtan call and
response mantra chanting
with electronic dance music.
Kirtan has blossomed on the
coattails oI yoga's growing
popularity, with kirtan artists
like Krishna Las and ]ai \ttal
headlining yoga Iestivals and
winning music awards.
Australian yoga students
would be Iamiliar with the
trend towards bringing dance
music into yoga classes with
outIits like Sydney based
duo The Future Sound oI
Yoga, combining a L] set
Ieaturing dance remixes oI
popular artists like Moby and
Massive Attack with guided
yoga and dance.
The current trend to
combine kirtan with dance
music is the latest presentation
oI kirtan in the yoga world.
In Australia, kirtan pioneer,
Carmella Baynie joined Iorces
with Lale ougher, one oI
Australia's Iirst exponents oI
ambient/electronic music, to
produce Rasa Mandala in zoz.
Kirtronica is reminiscent oI
Rasa Mandala. Both ]aya and
Carmella are seasoned kirtan
singers with beautiIul voices.
On Kirtronica, the result is a
seven track CL oI melodious
mantras set to synthesised
beats, perIect as background
music Ior an energetic, Ilow
style yoga class.

BOOK
The gift of kindness
Edgars mission, edgarsmission.org.au
You might have read about Ldgar's
Mission on page 6 Karma yoga".
It's a notIorproIit sanctuary Ior
rescued Iarmed animals. The mission
was Iounded by Pam Ahern and
named aIter her Iirst rescued pig,
Ldgar Allan Pig. The Iarm sanctuary
currently provides liIelong love and
care to over oo rescued animals.
This beautiIully heartwarming
book is a collection oI photographs
and stories oI Ldgar's Mission
resi dents, i ncl udi ng Ruby the
adorable purebred sheep dog who
wasn't cut out Ior a working liIe,
Macho the alpaca who was rescued
Irom a neglectIul Iarmer, Burpy
the moviestar pig, and Bubbles and
Babe, the blind sheep. You'll Iall in
love with all oI them. It's amazing a
Iar a little kindness can go.
All royalties Irom the sale oI the
book go to Ldgar's Mission.
W
orth
your tim
e
MUSIC
EVE
Angelique Kidjo, Universal Music Australia
Arguably one oI the most powerIul Iemale
singers oI our generation, Crammy Award
winning singer/songwriter/activist Angelique
Kidjo has released EVE, a vibrant new
collection oI songs dedicated to the power
oI AIrican womanhood, particularly those
women she grew up with in her native Benin.
Produced by Patrick Lillett Lavid
Byrne, Fatboy Slim, EVE, named aIter
Kidjo's mother, is a joyous musical ode to the pride, beauty and strength oI
AIrican women and their worldwide sociocultural inIluence. The recording
showcases Kidjo's extraordinary musical vision as realised by remarkable
players as well as women's choirs Irom several AIrican villages in Benin and
Kenya singing in a wide array oI native Beninese languages including Fon,
Yoruba, Coun and Mina.
]oining Kidjo on the CL is an exciting mix oI new and wellknown
musicians including Lr ]ohn, Rostamm Btmanglij Vampire \eekend,
The Kronos Quartet and the Orchestra Philharmonique du Luxumbourg.
WEBSITE
Ten Minute Tone
Katie Brown,
tenminutetone.com.au
Time-poor parents can
work out and relax at the
touch of a button, thanks to a
new online yoga and meditation
website launched by mum-of-three,
Katie Brown. Brown is a senior yoga
instructor with the International Yoga
Teachers Association and a well-
respected pregnancy, post natal and
baby yoga teacher.
Ten Minute Tone offers a variety
of yoga-based 10-minute exercise
routines, from a Wake
Up and Greet the Day
workout to an Evening
Wind Down and Relax
session.
Th e r e a r e a l s o
routines for specific parts
of the body such as neck,
shoulders and abs. More workouts will
regularly be added to the site.
As well as the exercise routines,
there are 10-minute relaxations and
meditations including the Rainbow
Relaxation which is aimed at kids.
Check out the website and take a free
trial today.
The world's Iastestgrowing
healing dance practice now
oIIers a danceclassathome
LVL. Blending IreeIorm
dance with music created
to resonate with each oI
the seven maj or chakras,
Chakradance aims to liberate
and rebalance the energies
Ilowing through your chakras,
opening you to a deeper
experience oI liIe.
Th e LVL I e a t u r e s
everything that happens in
a live Chakradance class,
Irom the opening meditation
and warmup through to the
dances each with guided
visualisations as voiceovers
then into a session oI mandala
ar t maki ng to hel p you
illustrate whatever Ieeling or
experience has come up Ior you
in the dances beIore Iinishing
with a closing meditation.
The soundtrack is also
available as a CL, but this
extendedpl ay LVL al so
includes three additional
tracks, as well as artworks by
\Kbased artist Bill Brouard.
All the music was cocreated
by Chakradance Iounder
Sydney bor n at al i e
Southgate and Sydneybased
producer Lale ougher.
DVD
Chakradance chakradance.com

AYJ DI RECTORY RETREATS

RELAX, REJUVENATE AND BE INSPIRED
WI TH SUE HAWKI NS AND FACI LI TATORS
YOGA HEALTH RETREATS
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t yoga t meditation t pilates t yoga nidra t chanting t cultural activities t massages
t gourmet vegetarian meals t fresh juicest Ayurvedic treatments t Intuitive healings t and lots more...
Byron Bay 2014
Rejuvenation Retreats
6 days/5 nights
April 11 - 16
June 6 - 11
Nov 15 - 20
Luxury Retreat
5 days/ 4 nights
July 16 - 20
Self Discovery Retreat Sept 14 - 19
Bali 2014
Bali Joyful Spirit
yoga retreats
April 20 - 25
May 18 - 23
Oct 12 - 17
Bali Luxury Retreat NYE Dec 28 - Jan 2, 2015
Europe Escape 2014
France Aug 31 - Sept 5
Italy Sept 6 -13
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Visit beautiful, serene, exotic
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and lift your spirit.
" A life changing experience"
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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info@powerofnowoasis.com
Turtle Studio 100% earth friendly bamboo
Yoga by the Sea in Sanur
Yoga Meditation Ayurvedic Retreats with various customised
Treatments & Activities including Spa Surf Acupuncture
Yoga Teacher Trainings 2014
May 5 - June 1, Aug 4 - Aug 31, Nov 3 - Nov 30

AYJ DI RECTORY RETREATS
To be part of the
Australian Yoga
Journal directory,
please call
(02) 9439 1955
www.radianceretreats.com
Email: info@radianceretreats.com
Ph: 0402 772 388
Jessie Chapman
Radiance Yoga
Wellness Retreats
BYRON BAY BALI EUROPE
YOGA RETREATS
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BALI
at Bambu Indah, Ubud
Discover your Deepest Joy
24 30 May 2014
AUSTRALIA
at Amarant Retreat, Launching Place, Victoria
(1.2hr from Melbourne)
Release in Autumn
28 30 March 2014
Blossom in Spring
24 26 October 2014
Retreats to experience the joy of connecting to your deeper self and
align your inner work with your outer actions. Expanding through Yoga,
pranayama, meditation, self-reection, journaling and much more.
Be inspired to Retreat.
www.heartofjoy.com.au
margaret@heartofjoy.com.au | +61 (0) 419 564 986
Heart of Joy
Yoga Retreat
Sri Lanka
June 1 7 2014
Take a journey of bliss,
harmony and inner peace
*7 days *6 nights *2 teachers
* Yoga twice daily
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* Boutique Beach Resort
and much more!
$1450 Single $1250 Sharing
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0426 818 491

AYJ DI RECTORY TEACHER TRAINING
To be part of the
Australian Yoga
Journal directory,
please call
(02) 9439 1955
yimi
yoga & integrative
medicine institute
yoga stands the
test of time . . .
yimi.com.au
info@yimi.com.au
200hr & 350hr teacher training
406hr yoga therapy course
speciality courses
YA & AAYT accredited
learn and share
this ancient art;
a modern science.

www.blissbabyyoga.com
info@blissbabyyoga.com Tel: 61-413 996 439

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Join Ana Davis and her team of womens health experts to
support your journey into the specialist feld of Yoga for Women
Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training
100 hours Melbourne
Angea Yoga Studio, Prahran
March, May, June 2014
t Three intensive modules held over three long weekends
t Qualify as a Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT)
with Yoga Alliance
Upcoming Yoga Teacher Training and Workshops
Prenatal: Melbourne, 28 30 March, 2014
Postnatal/Mums & Bubs: Auckland, 28 30 March, 2014
Melbourne, 30 May 1 June, 2014
Yoga for Fertility: Byron Bay, 6 April 2014
Melbourne, 28 30 March, 2014


AYJ DI RECTORY TEACHER TRAINING
Teacher
Training 2014
t Yoga Alliance registered 200 & 500 Hours
t 9 Levels (Discovery to Master)
t Intensive courses
t Intelligent, systematic & comprehensive
t Cairns QLD based, but also other locations
t Early-bird discount
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Nicky Knoff & James Bryan
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Contact us for a free brochure 04l5 362 534
james@knoffyoga.com www.knoffyoga.com
02 6161 1462
courses@dru.com.au
www.dru.com.au YOGA

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Weekend Yoga
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hervebaogacomau
100 hour
Yin Yoga
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For more information
go to www.mysan.com.au
Immerse yourself in the practice and theory of Yin
yoga, anatomy, meridians and chakras. Gain insight and
knowledge of Yin yoga and the anatomic and energetic
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yoga resources for kids & teens
by edna reinhardt
yogaeducationresources.com.au
q
Interested in teaching
kids yoga?
Creative Yoga for Kids
& Teens Workshop
with Edna Reinhardt

11th, 12th & 13th April
@ Over the Moon Studios
Castlemaine Victoria

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What sort of musical training did you grow up with?
Prem I was given a very grounded yet free upbringing, in
Melbourne and Tasmania, but didnt come to music till I was
about 24. Ive never had lessons. My brother was in a band
called Tribal Trance, so I sort of fell into music. Tribal Trance
was a band full of boys with a lot of testosterone, drums
and didgeridoos very primal perIorming at markets and
festivals. It gave me licence to explore and develop my voice;
I sang my feelings in my own sort of language.
Jethro I grew up in a household of musicians and my
stepdad helped run a venue once a month in a little town
called Cooran on the Sunshine Coast. Youd get quite
well known artists perIorming. Because it was such a
pure place, there was no
alcohol, no talking, you
just listened. I was about
10 or 11 and played my
first song there. Now and
then one of the older guys
would teach me something
on the guitar and then
I started performing with
them sometimes.
How did you meet?
Prem It was in 2000.
We met at a party at
t he Cr y s t a l Wa t e r s
Permaculture Village. We
sat around the fire and
sang songs to each other and laughed and laughed. Jethro
was renovating his cottage, listening to my voice on the Tribal
Trance albums, beIore we met. \hen I walked in to that
cottage, I just Ielt like I was at home. \e got together that
day and Ive never left.
How was Sacred Earth born?
Jethro \e initially went straight into music and busking
and at the same time we took over my Iamily business, the
Sacred Earth Native Nursery. We went touring together but
after a couple of years, we decided we really wanted to be
yoga teachers and that music wasnt for the long term, for
Iamily we were playing late nights at venues where people
were drinking. \e were living with this polarity in our lives.
So I put my instruments away. But three weeks into the yoga
teacher training in zooz we got roped into kirtan.
Prem We stepped out of music and into studying yoga.
There was a sense of connecting with that quiet place within
ourselves and doing lots of meditation and yoga and playing
kirtan, so it went Irom that very egoic here I am, hear me
roar to just being very contained. The music of Sacred Earth
was born from that place, music that was very grounded and
peaceIul. I had to trust that I'd come Irom this place that
was all about hype and dancing. It was very different to
what either of us had played before. We saw so many people
touched on a deep level.
Whats next for you?
Prem Our baby is a bit older and the new songs have
started coming. Weve just bought our first home and
relocated back to the Sunshine Coast. \e just did our Iirst
Bali retreats. \e love our liIe.
Jethro In the last 12 months we have embraced that this is
what we do in life. Theres no more wrestling with it.
To find out more about Sacred Earth, head to sacredearthmusic.com
Pioneers of the Australian ambient music
scene, husband and wife Jethro, 36, and Prem
Williams, 40, met in 2000 and, after an intense
period of studying yoga and meditation,
formed the devotional music duo Sacred Earth.
Prems soul-stirring voice, Jethros sublime
musicianship and their songs about connection
to the earth and spirit transport the listener to
a state of deep peace. Sales of their CDs have
topped 200,000, theyve travelled the world
playing their music and teaching yoga and they
recently had a son together. Yet it is only in
the past 12 months that Prem and Jethro have
finally felt settled in the life they have made
together. By Tamsin Angus-Leppan
peaceful
ground
the ayj interview
P
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Y
:

K
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U
K
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P
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O
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O
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EMP
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