LIFE IN BALANCE

ULTIMATE
Mandy Scotney: YOGIC
achiever and ESCAPES
believer Jet-setting
moves

festival
fever Ageing
gracefully
Summer
foodie PLUS
goodies POSES FOR
ANKLES AND
AWAKENING
A cool and YOUR INNER
calm you WARRIOR
THE BEAUTY OF

INSPIRATION
ISSN 1837-2406
0 4

9 771837 240006

ISSUE 63
A$8.50 NZ$8.50 inc. gst
All that we do at InYoga is inspired by our passion to help people live better lives.

Our focus is to guide people towards discovering a deeper connection to yoga, which
starts with our heartfelt studio classes. We created our urban warehouse yoga
sanctuary in Sydneys Surry Hills as a training school to provide a platform that will
nurture the next wave of authentic and inuential yoga and meditation teachers in
Australia.

Were passionate about training and mentoring teachers who will

make a real difference in the world.
Drawing on years of providing wellbeing to the community, we have designed
programs that blend the ancient lineage of yoga with modern science and years of
personal teaching experience to offer a practice that is relevant and inspiring to people
living in todays world.

We create teachers who are knowledgeable and passionate, and empower them with
the skills to communicate the sacred science of yoga in a modern context.

Our trainings exceed current industry standards of 200, 350 and 500 hours, but we
measure our success by the quality of passionate teachers who graduate from our
courses and go out to inspire and change peoples lives.

If youre interested in living to your fullest potential, and supporting the people around
you on a path to greater wellbeing and happiness, please go to our website and learn
more about why we do what we do. Or, better still, call us directly at the studio on
(02) 9282 9282 and have a discussion that could change your life.

Yours in yoga,

Nicole Walsh & Rod Galbraith

Founders of InYoga

inyoga
Live. Know. Love. A Life InYoga

www.inyoga.com.au
 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2o17
Yogini extraordinaire
The inspirational journey of Mandy Scotney.

Jet-setting yoga
Post-flight twists, folds and squats.

83
Tropical yoga heats up
Exploring Darwins extensive yogic scene.

Zest for life

Looking within and tapping into your true guide.

Home-made happiness
Eye pillows, mat sprays, and crystal cleansers.

Win a Cuisinart food

processor!
Enter our comp, and check out our pesto recipe.

Passion, purpose ...

... and Love Tanks. Find out how to fill yours up.

Heres to your age

Nourishing, flourishing, and loving your age.
22 AYURVEDIC VANILLA ALMOND MILK
Hippie Lane The Cookbook A little bit spicy, and very yummy.
Taline Gabrielian: Recipes and philosophies.
30 TEEN LIFE
All the fun of the festivals From calm connections, to big dreams
Check out our global guide to yoga fests. and bold actions.

Ego centric 35 ASK CARRIE ...

Understanding yourself and your ego. For all your yogic dos, do nots, and dilemmas.
EDITORS PICKS: SUMMER VIBES

40
42
Yoga in schools
Picnic rugs, cotton singlets and thirst-quenchers.
Mindfully managing our childrens wellbeing.

Loving a zen den PRACTICE

5 ways to create a sleep-well zone. 71 ANATOMY
May the force be within you How to protect and care for our ankles.
Harness the powers of the Prana Vayus.

64
76 HOME PRACTICE
Poses to awaken your inner warrior.
Injuries and insights
What can you learn from a physical setback? 80 POSE OF THE MONTH
How to move from Setu Bandha Sarvangasana HAIR/MAKEUP: LAURA DEE SHELLEY; TOP: KIRA GRACE; BOTTOMS: CYNTHIA ROWLEY
You cant beat a retreat to Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana.
PHOTOS: IAN SPANIER; MODEL: MEAGAN MCCRARY; STYLIST: MATTHEW PERIDIS;

Our favourite yogic getaways around the world.

yogajournal.com.au

Teaching and transforming

87
Sage advice from IYTAs Mary-Louise Parkinson. 84
24
26
52 44
10 COOL MOVES
46
Yoga to prepare yourself for the summer heat.
10 76
november/december 2017

18 TEACHERS TALKING INSPIRATION

Who inspires our favourite mentors?
20 ENERGETIC YANTRAS ON THE COVER
Harness - or hang up - the vibes of the deities. Photography by www.chrisprestidge.com

8 EDITORS LETTER 12 EVENTS 37 SUBSCRIBE

10 TALK TO US 14 IN THE NOW 91 DIRECTORY
6
 editors letter
Inspiration,
Motivation,
TRANSFORMATION
TAKE A MOMENT.
Get comfortable.
Take a few slow and
easy breaths with
your eyes closed.
Now, do the same
thing but make your
breaths deeper this
time. How would it feel to allow
yourself a handful of these moments
every day? Its not much to ask but
sometimes its just what you need to
keep moving forward. Just a few
moments to check in with yourself.
Thats what motivates many of us to
the practice of yoga. Believe it or not,
most of us arent inspired by all of the
human pretzels on social media doing
incredible things with their yoga
bodies on picturesque, tropical
beaches. Were drawn to those
moments that our practice gives us
to be with our thoughts and feelings.
Although your mind might be racing
a million miles an hour as you perfect
that Vrksasana or struggle through an
attempted meditation, you never
leave a yoga class wishing youd
stayed home.
Something that really inspired me
in the creation of this edition was our
cover model, Mandy Scotney (read
yogajournal.com.au
more about her on page 24). Mandys
story is not typical of what you read
in these pages. She wasnt a teenage
athlete or dancer whose journey to
yoga was an organic addition to an
already active lifestyle. She didnt find
the practice easy or natural, and she
november/december 2017
faced some very human struggles in
her journey to becoming comfortable
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EDITOR
Jessica Humphries
in the yoga world. I can relate in
jess@yogajournal.com.au
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endless youth and perfect postures, Louise Shannon
its easy to fall into the not-good- louise@yogajournal.com.au
ART DIRECTOR
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Angela Reeves
and ageless yogis can certainly help ang@yogajournal.com.au
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In our practice, we gain the most alisoncole@yogajournal.com.au
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inspiration from our Self, or from those
Sam Valentine 0403 372 323
moments on your mat when you see sam@yogajournal.com.au
some part of your consciousness that PUBLISHER
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and you grow and, most importantly, CONTRIBUTORS
Loraine Rushton, Diana Timmins,
you begin to understand your
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So how can we keep that fire burning?
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I hope this edition helps to answer
US trademark of Cruz Bay Publishing. This publication may
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Publisher, Editor or Contact Media Pty Limited. Distributed
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JESSICA HUMPHRIES
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The exercise instructions and advice in this magazine
Want to subscribe? Head to are designed for people who are in good health and
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 ;oY;b0bb|

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 m
PRACTICE WELL
Beat the HEAT
Create a cool body temperature and abate mental mayhem with this simple sequence.
MOVING INTO the warmer months (particularly with the holiday season on the horizon) can leave us feeling over-heated
and overwhelmed. Sometimes this is reflected in our yoga practice, as we feel drawn to those classes that promise a
summer-ready physique. This simple sequence, which can be practiced at home, is designed to cool down the body,
increase calm in the mind and encourage self-acceptance for transitioning into summer with confidence.
VISUALISATION
Find a comfortable seat and begin to pay attention to your
breath. Feel your belly gently moving as you inhale and
exhale. Stay here for a few moments until you feel peaceful
and calm. Imagine your body enveloped in a white light as
you mentally repeat the phrase, I am love, allowing the words
to synchronise with your breath. Stay here for three to ten
minutes. When you are ready, bring your hands together at
your forehead and bow to the teacher within.
yogajournal.com.au
BHUJANGASANA COBRA POSE
november/december 2017
From sitting, make your way onto your belly, bringing your
hands underneath your shoulders. Gently press into your
hands as you elongate your spine and press the pinky toe
edges of your feet into the mat. On an inhale, begin to lift your
chest. Imagine opening your heart to the full potential of who
you are as you remind yourself that you are love. If it feels
comfortable for your neck, you can look towards the sky
(keeping the back of your neck long), but keep your gaze
down if this doesnt feel right in your body. Stay for five
10 breaths then release one cheek to the floor to rest.
STANDING BACKBEND
From Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
inhale and extend your arms
straight above your head with
your fingertips reaching skyward. You
may leave your hands shoulder-width
apart or, if comfortable for your neck
and shoulders, bring your palms
together and gaze up. Feel your lower
body engage as you lengthen your
spine and gently lean back, lifting your
heart to the sky and gently activating
your core. You may wish to support
your lower back with your hands if
backbends are new for you or if
you feel any tenderness in your
lower back. Stay for three breaths.
To release, use your core strength
to slowly make your way back to
centre.
FORWARD FOLD
From standing, sweep your arms above your head as you inhale, and
exhale bring your hands through your heart centre as you release
forward. Bring your arms down by your sides and rest your hands
wherever comfortable (for a more restorative variation, clasp opposite
elbows with your hands). Feel your feet grounding down as you allow
your knees to soften. Feel the spine lengthen as you gently draw your
PHOTOS: FIZKES/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
lower belly in and feel your upper body melting over your lower body.
Imagine any cares or worries easily pouring from the crown of your
head. Stay for ten breaths.
Once complete, slowly make your way into Savasana
and stay resting for as long as you like, again visualising
your body surrounded by white light.
 Y O G A T E AC H E R
TRAINING
"Suddenly you know... it's time to start something
new and trust the magic of beginnings."
- Meister Eckhart

World class teachers, beautiful state-of-the-art facilities and weekly community teaching
opportunities with options to create your own training journey.

Build the perfect foundation with our 200-hour teacher training course, a fully accredited
qualification with full-time and flexible study options.

S TA RT S O M E T H I N G N E W AT B O DY M I N D L I F E . C O M / Y T T
 nn t
EVENTS
Whats
On Your essential guide to
whats on in the yoga world
Yin and Yang Yoga Immersion Ana Forrest
Yin and Yang Yoga
Immersion
Koh Samui (Thailand)
December 7-11
Simon Low is considered one of
the worlds foremost specialists of
yin and yang, he is the principal of
The Yoga Academy and has been
teaching for over 20 years. Guests
will indulge in a broad spectrum of
asana while immersing in Simons
wisdom of Chinese medicine,
applied anatomy, Pranayama,
energy practices, psychology and
philosophy. If thats not a good
enough reason for yogis to jet-set
to a tropical location, what is?
www.kamalaya.com/retreats-
Patrick Beach thailand
Island Elements
North Stradbroke Island
yogajournal.com.au
November 3-5
An oh-so-tempting smorgasbord
of workshops, inspirational talks,
uplifting concerts and a vibrant
market village make Island Elements
the place to be for a holistic
and nurturing celebration of life.
november/december 2017
www.islandelementsfestival.com
Patrick Beach workshops
Melbourne October 27-November 10
and Byron Bay 18-19 November
The Beach is back yogis! Patrick
will be back on our Aussie shores
to entertain with his impressive
upper body strength and
12 balancing abilities. Hes also
Mark Breadner
Restorative Yoga
included a teacher training in
his schedule this time around.
A must-attend for power yogis
seeking a good hit of yogic
inspiration. www.patrickbeach.
com/workshops/
Restorative Yoga
Teacher Training
Byron Bay 17-19 November
Join Bliss Baby Yoga for a level 1
and level 2 teacher training that
offers a number of therapeutic
applications for recovery from
illness, surgery and burnout.
In this training you will explore
straightforward techniques for
introspection and stillness, as
well as guidance for passing
these strategies onto students.
www.blissbabyyoga.com
Breathe, with
Mark Breadner
Wollongong December 2
Mark Breadner is the longest-serving
yoga educator in Australia with
over 45 years of yoga practice
and qualifications as a somatic
psychotherapist. So youll be in
the very best hands as you explore
movement and breath to intensify
energy, calm and relax the system
and ultimately raise consciousness
in this three-hour workshop
in a beautiful setting.
www.yogavidya.com.au
Got an event on? Send your event details to
jess@yogajournal.com.au along with a high-resolution image.
Ana Forrest and
Jose Calarco
Byron Bay October 27-29
Enjoy an immersive weekend of
Forrest Yoga with some of the
most inspiring, experienced and
unique yogis around. Workshops
may be attended separately
or combined to create your
own immersion.
www.yogahive.com.au
FREE IYTA Open Day
Sydney October 28
Join the International Yoga
Teachers Association for a free
yoga class and course taster
for their Yoga Foundations
and Diploma of Yoga Teaching
programs. Yoga class, Q&A
and morning tea.
www.iyta.com.au
Luxury SUP Yoga day retreat
Noosa October 28
If waking up your body and
mind with a gentle paddle around
the stunning Sunshine Coast
waterways whilst taking in the
sounds of the birds and feeling
the sea lapping beneath your feet
sounds like a dream come true,
then this one-day retreat with
Stand Up Paddleboard yogi
Kat Harding is for you.
www.kathardingyoga.com
PROVIDER OF INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED
ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMS
 th l t t
IN THE NOW

WORLD WIDE wonder

A new yoga platform has been created with the view to help protect the public from unsafe yoga. Yogamate.org showcases
the knowledge of more than 50 of the worlds leaders in yoga therapy. The website provides tools and resources
from evidence-informed literature to sample practices that help educate yoga teachers and help the public connect with
qualified yoga professionals. YogaMates Founding Director, Anne Marie Johnston, says, Yoga has immense therapeutic
benefits that are accessible to everybody. I see how yoga is portrayed in the media and I hear people suggest they cant do
yoga, but in actual fact anyone who can breathe can do yoga. Ive spent the past two-plus years developing YogaMate to
expand public awareness of what yoga actually entails; to help people realise they dont need to be young, thin and flexible;
to help teachers keep their students safe; and to empower individuals to use yogic tools to guide them on a journey towards
better health. www.yogamate.org

A recent study by the

HOW YOGA International Journal of
Yoga set out to measure the
therapeutic benefits of yoga
benets in Australia, and the findings
were pleasantly un-surprising.
AUSSIES More than 2000 yoga
practitioners were surveyed
in a comprehensive web-
based questionnaire. Typical
respondents were 41-year-old,
health-conscious females who
practiced yoga for health,
fitness and stress management
with 61% of their practice
dedicated to asana, and 39% to
gentler practices like relaxation,
pranayama and meditation.
yogajournal.com.au

The study concluded that yoga

HOLISTICALLY CONNECTING assists in the management
of specific health issues and
WELLNESS PROFESSIONALS medical conditions. Regular
yoga practice may also exert a
Holistic Resources Co is a new, online space healthy lifestyle effect including
that brings together health professionals from vegetarianism, non-smoking,
november/december 2017

yoga teachers to nurses to communicate and reduced alcohol consumption,

collaborate. You can post listings with business offerings, increased exercise and reduced
chat with new friends in your industry, book services, stress with resulting cost
benefits to the community.
find venues and browse articles. Its still in its early Read the full study at
development, but the site is classy, easy to browse www.ijoy.org.in and search
and has great potential as a platform to connect Yoga in Australia: Results of a
like-minded, ambitious wellness workers. national survey.
14 www.holisticresources.co
 th l t t
IN THE NOW

FLOW AFTER DARK

Theres a new style of yoga in town
yogis, and it sounds pretty fun. Have
you ever been to a silent disco and
wondered what it would be like to
combine one with yoga? Well, now
you can find out! Flow After Dark silent
yoga disco consists of a 90-minute
vinyasa-style class led by Kate Kendall

Mind over matter and accompanied by DJ James Mack on

the decks. Guests wear noise-cancelling
headphones provided by Silent Sounds
A psychologist from Stanford University, Dr Alia Crum, is proving that our which allows yogis to intimately connect
mindset has a dramatic impact on our health and wellbeing. Her recent study with the instructor and the music for the
tracked a group of female hotel housekeepers who spent most of their time most zen night out yet. Anyone who
working on their feet. When asked if they exercise regularly, two-thirds has taken one of my classes will know
that Im passionate about making yoga
surprisingly said no, so Dr Crum set out to explore the results if she could change
approachable and light-hearted. At an
the housekeepers mindsets. She took body measurements then split them into two event like this one, the idea is to feel
groups. Of the two groups, one was given a 15-minute presentation that detailed good, have fun and to use the practice
how their work was good exercise. Four weeks later, the women who did not of yoga to amplify connection to self
receive the presentation hadnt changed in body weight or fat, but the women who and others, says Kendall.
had seen the presentation dropped weight and fat, and reduced blood pressure. www.activeyogi.com.au

Yoga inspiration
Ayurvedic tips for
subscription
We know subscription boxes are all
the rage theres nothing quite like
getting something special in the post!
But have you heard of the new yoga
lifestyle-inspired goodie box,
keeping cool this
1. Hold the ice summer
Loading up on chilled or frozen foods can be harmful, according to Ayurveda.
The Yoga Box? Melbourne-based The cold dampens your digestive re, which minimises your bodys ability to
yoga teacher Barbora Beavan absorb nutrients.
created the boxes out of a passion
for wellbeing, yoga and all things
2. Stock up on fruits and vegetables
healthy living. She says, Vegetables such as spinach, salad greens, celery and cucumbers are
Our boxes are for anyone who considered bitter and astringent in Ayurveda, pacifying the ery pitta
likes to practice yoga and is dosha and giving them a cooling effect. Especially cooling fruits
passionate about healthy living. include dates, gs and pomegranates.
They feature non-toxic skincare,
3. Keep the spices
yogajournal.com.au

healthy snacks, teas,

supplements, jewellery and
Theres no need to ditch the hot meals in summer just make sure
home-wares with intention.
you top them with cooling herbs such as coriander and mint.
www.theyogaboxau.com
4. Eat often
Go for lighter meals throughout
the day for optimum digestion.
november/december 2017

5. Add essential oils

to your skin
Rose, sandalwood and vanilla used
as a perfume (mixed with coconut oil
READER GIVEAWAY
Be the rst to email us with as a base) help to keep your body cool.
yogabox as the subject and
receive a free yoga box!
editor@yogajournal.com.au
15
 th l t t
IN THE NOW

Have your gluten-free cake

and eat it too!
Founder of Love Life & Gluten Free, Angie Cowen,
has just launched a seriously scrumptious (and
healthy) range of pre-mixed sweet goodies.
Filled with nourishing ingredients, sustainable
packaging and easy to bake at home, the range
of gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and refined
sugar-free (free of all the nasty things!) is perfect for
the sweet-toothed, healthy yogi. Check out
www.lovelifeandglutenfree.com to stock up
and you can use the brownie mix to make
this delicious, chocolatey cake!

Aylas Activated Buckwheat

Birthday Brownie Cake
with Chocolate Ganache
BY ANGIE COWEN
I recently flew down to Melbourne to attend my neices third birthday
party (like I was going to miss it!). On arrival I had to knock up a
birthday cake for 30 people in just over an hour. Luckily, I had a couple
of my Activated Buckwheat Brownie Mixes in my luggage so I used
those along with my Chocolate Ganache recipe, below, to create a
birthday cake for the birthday princess that all the guests were not only
going to enjoy, but be nourished by.
INGREDIENTS a large mixing bowl and pour
2 packets of Activated Buckwheat evenly into the two cake tins.
Brownie Mix Bake for 45 mins or until cake is

Yogic diet in the spotlight 6 organic eggs

Yogis come in all shapes and
sizes, and so do their diets.
Heres what Paleo and yoga
yogajournal.com.au
2 x 400 ml coconut cream
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C (170C
if fan-forced) and line two 22cm
firm to the touch at the centre
and a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool before removing
from tins.

Top with chocolate ganache and

teacher Penny eats in a day. round cake tins. Set aside. decorate with lots of organic
Paleo: Penny Todman Mix all ingredients together in strawberries.
Breakfast (when I feel like it):
2 eggs, scrambled or fried with
avocado, mushrooms and/or baby Chocolate ganache
spinach GF, DF, NF, GRF, VEGAN
november/december 2017

Lunch: A salad with rocket, tomato, roast carrots, activated This is a gem to have on hand either for chocolate cake or as an
nuts or seeds, avocado, a generous dash of olive oil exquisite sauce to take dessert to another level.
(grown by my neighbour) lemon juice, pink salt and sauerkraut
INGREDIENTS METHOD
Afternoon tea: Home-made paleo banana bread with organic
grass-fed butter 1 cup coconut sugar or rapadura Place all ingredients into a small/
3 Tbsp. cacao powder medium saucepan. Simmer for
Dinner: Butter chicken with cauliflower mash or rice and 15 minutes stirring constantly till
lots of green veggies on the side cup coconut oil
mixture has thickened. For flawless
Dessert (when I feel like it): Raw cake; matcha mint cheesecake cup coconut cream results, pour ganache onto cake
16 is my current favourite Pinch Himalayan or Celtic sea salt while still warm and allow to set.
 th l t t
MEDIA

MEDIA
with heart
Zoe Barrowcliffe shares the
personal musings of her soul-full
bookshop, and reviews her current
favourite yoga inspirations.
Feeling that 2017 was going to be a year
for positive change, I started wondering,
What can I offer the world? How can I be
the change I wish to see? One thing I
have always been sure about is that yoga
changes lives. It has certainly changed
mine, as well as many peoples I know.
Books change lives too. I spent several years studying Vedic scriptures, and have read many
other life-changing books, such as The Celestine Prophecy, The Bhagavad Gita, Autobiography
of a Yogi and The Prophet. These books have shaped my mind, and continue to do so. I realised I
could combine both of these loves through a bookshop
so I bit the bullet and purchased The Little Shop of Soul.
I love combining my passions and sharing my two great
loves with people every day!

LISTEN - Darren Marc - Home Sweet Om

As well as being a singer/song-writer, NY-based artist Darren Marc is a reiki
healer and yogi who says that he is dedicated to spreading positive vibes to as
many people as possible. Through the uplifting, sweet songs on his new
album, he is surely doing that. In this latest release he sings, Deep inside
theres a place where we can go. Some call it heaven, I just call it home.
Brightening our inner
www.darrenmarc.com skies: Yin and yoga
READ -
This recently released gem is like
The Tree of Yoga a coffee table book meets yin yoga
yogajournal.com.au

- BKS Iyengar bible! Adorned with beautiful images,

the book has had rave reviews from
This yoga classic is certainly a must-read for anyone yin experts Judith Hanson Lasater
not only practicing asanas, but for those interested in and Bernie Clark, who said,
yoga in the broader and truer sense. Iyengar continues You will be engaged, entertained
to be one of the great authorities on yoga of our time, and enlightened. An exploration
and in this book, he uses the analogy of a tree and its of yoga, self-transformation and
november/december 2017

parts to very simply and concisely break down the social responsibility, the book
eight limbs of yoga. Yoga is for everyone. Eventually, covers well-researched debates,
we all have to get to the roots of yoga, and work our suggested sequences and some
way up to the fruit. moving personal stories from the
author. A delightful addition to
A Little Shop of Soul is a small bookshop/caf on the Sunshine Coast offering the collections of yin lovers.
a range of books,including mind/body/spiritbooks to educate and inspire
www.mybooksource.com/
the soul. alittleshopofsoul.com.au, www.facebook.com/alittleshopofsoul
brightening-our-inner-skies-pb 17
 Inspirational
INFLUENCES
We asked some of our favourite
Australian yoga teachers who their
biggest yoga inspiration is, and heres
what they had to say.
The great yoga inspirations of my life are those
people on the margins of society who nonetheless
have a strong relationship with their own centre. In a
culture saturated with idealism, I draw inspiration from
the humour, generosity, and transparency of those I
meet in my teaching and counselling work in mental health, eating
disorders, and social justice. These folks me daily of the
yogic potential of transformation throu traumatic-growth,
S
and of living with vulnerability, courage, open heart, both
on and off the yoga mat Sarah Ball

My long-time teac ntor and friend Shiva Rea

of over ten years. Shiva is embodiment of wisdom,
sahaja, joy, adventure, tantrica and truth-seeker on the
path. Words do not capture or do justice to how much
this woman inspires me (an ands of others), and
continues to do so through her writing, te and quality time
invested in unearthing, cultivating and bre life into all aspects of
life on and off the mat! Delamay Devi

By far, Elena Brower. I following her work a

number of years ago before she was so well known on
Aussie shores. I found her integrity, vulnerability, and
dedication immensely inspiring. As a yoga ,I
admired her eloquent and intelligent dialog cues.
U

As a human being, I was inspired by her leadership, stud , and

yogajournal.com.au

transparency. She shaped me profoundly as a teacher, a very

much so all over again as a new mama. Amy Landry

Every person that I meet in my life, e rson

that I love, every person that I connect with, every
november/december 2017

person that I spend a single moment with; everyone

PHOTO: ALLENSIMA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

is my guru. My yoga practice is inspired by the beauty

and pain of being human, the highs and lows of everyday
life, the simple in life that bring me joy and peace of mind. Every
smile I give an e, every word of wisdom I share and hear, every
hug that embr y body; all of these connections are my inspiration.
Mary Kate
I

18
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 om
PRACTICE WELL

POWER
by design
Harness the influential energy of the deities with yantras
geometric diagrams composed of shapes such as triangles,
squares, circles, and lotus leaves, which often represent the energy
fields of specific deities. Just as a mantra can be a verbal (or silent)
tool for meditation, a yantra acts as a visual prop and comes in
many forms think wall art, postcards, and three-dimensional
figures. Melissa Forbes, a yoga teacher and artist who hosts yantra
workshops across the globe, recommends placing one on your
altar, on your desk, or even in your car, to invite the type of energy
you seek. Youll want to choose a yantra that helps you realise
your intentions and goals, she says.
To get started, consider your goal and the type of energy youll
need to pursue it, then choose a yantra associated with the
god or goddess who embodies that energy.
For example, choose:
Lakshmi to attract wealth and prosperity,
either materially or spiritually
Kali for strength and courage during
transitions
Saraswati for creative inspiration
Ganesha to banish obstacles
Another strategy: Simply choose a yantra
based on the design youre most drawn to,
says Forbes. Once youve found your yantra,
place it in a conspicuous spot or focus on it
while you meditate. TASHA EICHENSEHER
yogajournal.com.au

PHOTO: JENNIFER OLSON; YANTRA ART: MELISSA FORBES

november/december 2017

20
 om
AYURVEDA
Ayurvedic
Ayurvedic
almond fact:
The outer skin of almonds
contains enzyme inhibitors that
can aggravate the intestines, making
yogajournal.com.au
it difficult for your body to digest
and absorb the nutrients. By
removing the skin through
theblanching process, the
almondsbecome lighter
and easier to digest.
Lorien Waldron is an Ayurvedic health
november/december 2017
22
ALMO NDS
Try this delicious spiced vanilla almond milk for
the perfect post-yoga boost. By Lorien Waldron
As the weather warms up, our
bodies are slowly but surely
warming up to work in harmony
with our environment. In
Ayurvedic medicine, our physical
body is seen as a microcosm of
what is going on around us
this means we are constantly
adapting, and so is our appetite
and digestion. This sweet and
creamy home-made almond milk
recipe is one of my favourite
things to drink at this time of year
as it is nourishing, yet light on
digestion. This drink makes for a
perfect post-yoga energy boost or
wholesome alternative to
packaged almond milk products in
your smoothies, muesli and
porridge. Enjoy the subtle spicy
deliciousness of this home-made
milk and enjoy being creative in
the kitchen with the variety of
ways you can use it.
and lifestyleconsultant who works on
physical and energetic levels, believing
in a holistic approach to health.
She is a yoga and cooking teacher
with a passion for organic wholefoods,
plant-based nutrition, digestive
health and intuitive eating. She is
the founder of Wholesome Loving
Goodness and author of e-Book,
Simple Ayurveda in the Kitchen.
wholesomelovinggoodness.com
MAKES: 2 LARGE CUPS / TIME: 20 MINUTES
20 soaked blanched almonds, (soak
overnight for ultimate creaminess)
2 cups purified water
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. cinnamon powder
1 tsp. cardamom powder
tsp. nutmeg powder
tsp. vanilla essence or powder
1 soaked medjool date (remove pip
and soak in warm water for 5 mins)
A nut milk bag or piece of
muslin/cheese cloth to strain
A clean glass jar or jug
Making the milk:
1. Add blanched almonds, sea salt and water
to your blender and blend for 2-3 minutes
until creamy and milky.
2. Cover a clean glass jar/jug with your nut
milk bag or cheesecloth and place a rubber
band around the top of the jar to secure
it while you pour.
3. Pour the blended milk slowly into the jar,
catching the almond solids in the cloth.
Remove the cloth and compost the solids
or put them aside to use as almond meal later.
4. Pour almond milk back into the
blender and add vanilla essence, cinnamon,
cardamon, a little nutmeg and a soaked
date. Blend for 2-3 minutes until smooth and
creamy then serve in your favourite cups or
store in the fridge and use as a delicious
dairy-free milk alternative in your tea,
porridge or smoothies.
Tip:The almond pulp that is left behind after
you have strained the milk can be kept and
used as almond meal (great for making
cakes, goodie balls, sauces or other lovely
gluten-free treats). Store the pulp in an
airtightcontainer and it will keep in the
fridge for1-2weeks.
H O S T I N G A R E T R E AT?

Hotel Komune Bali is The Perfect Venue

Beachfront location at Keremas, close to Ubud, Hotel Komune boasts
2 yoga shalas and a state-of-the-art tness facility and health hub
Accommodation
The comfort of your guests is key. No one likes a bad nights sleep.
Komune features 66 impressive 4-star rooms and suites and 5-star
beachfront pool suites, as well as 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom villas.
They are all sumptuously appointed. The beachfront accommodation
with its artistic furniture will take your breath away.
Teacher Training
Komunes training facilities are second to none, which is why Power
Living and Duncan Peak have held numerous Teacher Training
retreats with us. We can accommodate the smallest intimate group
to a large tribe with 2 magnicent yoga shalas located at the hotel.
The Health Hub
Delicious fresh, healthy food is very important on any retreat.
Komunes health hub is a child-free area that serves the most
delicious and nutritious fare. No matter what your guests
dietary requirements are, Komunes award-winning chef can
cater to their needs. You dont have to do a thing except enjoy
the divine surroundings and the tasty food.
Happy Guests
In the end, your guests have to leave feeling refreshed,
invigorated and happy. And so do you. Komune Bali can
take the stress and worry out of hosting a retreat. We can
ensure your retreat runs smoothly and that your guests needs
are catered for. We have world-class facilities and all the
equipment you need to conduct a retreat. We even have
trained personnel to help you if you want. In short, Komune
Bali take care of just about everything so you can get on with
doing what you love: practicing and teaching yoga.
Make Contact
w. www.komuneresorts.com
p. +62361 3018888
e. gm.bali@komuneresorts.com
http://www.komuneresorts.com/keramas
bali/event_enquiry
 FROM LIMITATIONS TO
lifelong
afrmations
Jessica Humphries talks to BodyMindLifes general
manager and teacher, Mandy Scotney, about how
she transformed herself from full-time CEO to full-time
yogini at one of Australias biggest yoga studios.
What inspires you? What makes you
feel good? If its yoga then do that. If its
pilates then do that. If its meditation
then do that. But do it at least ve times
a week. My yoga practice now feels as
essential to my wellbeing as breathing,
Mandy Scotney muses with enthusiasm.
MANDY SCOTNEY, 48, is not your typical
Insta-famous yoga-lebrity. In fact, she
didnt discover yoga until her late 30s.
Exercise was about as appealing as a trip
to the dentist, and she much preferred
sitting with my head in a book. You
wouldnt know it now though, as Mandy
is completely immersed in the yoga
world, both teaching at and managing
one of Australias most well-known
yoga businesses, BodyMindLife.
Overcoming limiting beliefs
So, why did Mandy discover her now
biggest passion a little later in life?
I was a busy single mum working
yogajournal.com.au
full-time and raising my daughter
and so luxuries like group classes were
impossible until Shannon got a bit
older.
Eventually, after attending an
intensive yoga retreat, Mandy made a
commitment to herself to indulge in a
november/december 2017
year of yoga. But it wasnt easy. I have
to say I was very intimidated. I would go
to early morning classes, which were
quiet and the room was often dark. It
took about six months before I was
brave enough to practice an evening
class! BodyMindLife was (and continues
to be) a very busy studio. I was 40 years
24 old, not particularly bendy and felt very
conscious of my body. And I felt totally
intimidated to step into a room full of
bendy, beautiful young things! Of
course, that was all in my head. When
I nally did it, I didnt feel out of place
at all. For me, this practice has been
a continual triumph over my own
self-limiting beliefs.
Its not all about Insta-fame
and perfect postures
These self-limiting beliefs were only
exacerbated by the plethora of yoga-
lebrities in the yoga media. Many of the
asanas will never be available to me and,
in a world of Insta-famous yogis, that
can really play with my head. But the
voice to continue on her yoga journey
was louder, and whenever the not good
enough thoughts entered her mind,
Mandy would remind herself, Yoga
isnt about handstands, arm balances
and Instagram. For me, yoga is about
using the body to go within, to quieten
the mind, to connect with others, to
accept and experience both my
limitations and expand my capabilities.
And the rest is history. The biggest
triumph for me is breaking through all
of that not good enough stuff and to
begin teaching at BodyMindLife,
alongside some of Australias best
PHOTO: WWW.CHRISPRESTIDGE.COM
teachers. I still pinch myself and get
butteries before stepping into the
room! I cant do a freestanding
handstand, my wheel is nothing to write
home about, and Im not going to be
Insta-famous any time soon. But I
love the practice and I love teaching
(especially people new to yoga!).
And I think this comes out in my
classes, she says with a warm smile.

Canvassing a career
in the yoga industry
For Mandy, the move from CEO of a
boutique recruitment rm to general
manager at BodyMindLife happened
quite serendipitously. After
resigning from her CEO position, she
was searching for a career that
incorporated more of me my
values, my yoga and my desire to do
more than just drive prot whilst
still working within a business
framework. Ive been an active
participant of the BodyMindLife
community for nearly 10 years, so
taking on the role of general manager
seemed like the perfect next step.

Body, Mind, Life

Mandy speaks passionately about her
role. In the four years she has been
working for the business (teaching
for four and managing for two), shes
witnessed huge transformations.
Theyve grown from operating two
studios to four, now running more
than 400 classes a week. And as the
warm-hearted yogi she is, Mandy
puts this success down to the people.
She says, Were all super passionate
about what we do and we want to
create a really special experience for
students who walk through the door.
And the transformations dont end
there. BodyMindLifes teacher
trainings are facilitated by a range of
expert teachers, offering a
smorgasbord of styles and teaching
perspectives, giving the studios a
reputation that attracts world-class
yoga teachers, In November we were
the rst studio outside the US to host
yogajournal.com.au

Maty Ezratys 100-hour teacher

training, and next year well be
holding advanced YTT modules with
the likes of Simon Park and Annie
Carpenter.
So, how do you go from being a
busy full-time mother and CEO who
november/december 2017

would rather sit all day than move

their body? For Mandy, its all about
commitment to the baby steps.
Transformation is about the small,
daily practices and commitments we
make. Thats how I went from barely
being able to reach my toes to
teaching at one of Australias best
yoga studios. 25
 JET-SETTER
sequence
Just because youre travelling, doesnt mean
you have to let go of your practice. Try these
simple poses anywhere, any time.
By Josh Blau
BEING A YOGI on the go isnt always easy, particularly if youre teaching for
most of your days. Travelling and teaching full-time has helped me become a
little more creative with when and how I practice. Im the guy you see sitting
in Malasana (Squat Pose) near the exit row on the airplane or
hanging in a forward fold at the airport terminal waiting for my
ight. Sometimes we just need a few, quick poses to ground,
re-focus, centre and continue on. Heres a little sequence I like
to do when I arrive at any new destination. You can do these
poses outdoors or from the convenience of your hotel room
using a pillow or blanket. No mat required!
yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017

PHOTO: FCSCAFEINE/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

26
STANDING
MOUNTAIN OR
PRAYER POSE
Standing comfortably, evenly distribute the
weight in both feet. Ground down through
the big and little toe mound of the foot and
the corner of the heel. Energetically draw the
legs together, roll the shoulders back and
lengthen out through the back of the neck.
Either allow the hands to comfortably rest
by your sides or bring the hands together
in a prayer position at the heart. Take a
few moments here to close the eyes, and
connect to the breath and to yourself.

STANDING
SIDE BEND
Standing comfortably in your Mountain
Pose, raise the arms up toward the sky.
Using the right hand, take the left wrist and
gently stretch the body over to the right side.
Keeping the hips even, press down through
the left foot and reach through the left arm.
Stay here for three breaths, each exhalation
moving a little deeper into the pose. Inhale
as you move back to centre and exhale to
switch sides taking hold of the right wrist
yogajournal.com.au

as you lean to the left.

november/december 2017

27
 EASY STANDING
TWIST
From Mountain Pose, step the left foot back about
half a step. Raise the arms up and out to the sides
and, keeping the hips as stable as possible, rotate
the chest toward the right, eventually aligning the
arms up with the shoulders. Extend through the
arms and relax the shoulders. Stay here for three
to four breaths. If it feels comfortable for your neck,
you can gaze back over the right shoulder. Slowly
inhale back to centre and exhale to the left.

FORWARD FOLD
Standing comfortably in a neutral position, step
the feet hip-width apart or even a little wider if
it feels more comfortable. Bend the knees and
fold the body forward, taking the chest over the
thighs. Allow the body to comfortably melt here
in this position, keeping the hands resting on your
shins, ankles or even the floor. Stay here for a few
moments and allow the spine to lengthen and the
whole back body to stretch out. Your option is to
stay here or take the hands to opposite elbows, or
interlace the fingers behind your back, to stretch
out the shoulders.
This is one of my favourite poses to do on a
flight or once I come off the flight at the airport.
In fact, it is a great pose to do any time of day or
night. You can even stay here for a few minutes
to receive the Yin benefits of the pose.

EASY SQUAT
Starting in your Mountain Pose, take the feet a little
wider than hip distance. Imagine that you were
yogajournal.com.au

doing a gym squat as you allow yourself to lower

all the way down. You can always use a pillow and
some blankets to give you some height here for
the hips. Otherwise take the heels down toward
the earth. To make it more accessible, widen your
stance and turn the feet outwards. Once here, you
have the option to keep the hands on the earth or
november/december 2017

knees for support, or bring your palms into prayer

at the heart and use the elbows to press the knees
apart for a deeper hip stretch. Keep the spine long,
chest lifted and chin drawn in. Stay here for as long
as you like receiving Yin benefits if you stay
between three to 10 minutes. This is another pose
that I will often do on a plane or when I get to my
hotel room, to ground, open the hips and stretch
28 the spine.
STANDING BALANCE
HIP OPENER
This is the apex or peak pose of the sequence
what weve been working towards. If you find
standing balancing poses challenging, you are
welcome to do this next to a wall, table or chair for
support. Standing with the feet a little wider than
hip width apart, inhale your right leg up and draw
the knee in toward the chest. Bending the left leg,
place the right ankle on top of the left knee-cap.
Keeping the foot flexed, start to sit back into the
hips. Keep the collar bones lifting, shoulders soft
and neck long as you sit as far back as you can.
Options for the arms here either rest your hands
in prayer position or, using the hands to increase
the intensity, press them down onto the right shin
as you sit further back. Stay for five to 10 breaths.
Once finished, move to the other side.

EASY CROSS-LEG FOLD

Sit comfortably in an easy cross-legged position.
You are welcome to use a cushion, pillow or
blanket under the buttocks to elevate the hips
this will make it easier to fold forward.
Start to walk the hands out in front of you,
folding the belly over the thighs go as far as
you can and allow the head to rest down. I like to
use this more as a restorative pose and allow the
body to find a comfortable resting position here.
It can also be nice to rest a large pillow under the
chest or face. Its nice to spend two to five minutes
here, simply focusing on letting the breath soften
and deepen at the same time. Once completed,
switch to the opposite leg configuration. Optional
Savasana/rest in between.

SEATED MEDITATION
Find a comfortable seat (I like to use a cushion
or rolled-up blanket to sit on). Once feeling
yogajournal.com.au

comfortable, close down the eyes and take

three calming breaths. Set a timer and use this
opportunity to take a few moments to slow
down, ground and arrive at your new destination.
Savasana can also feel really nice here. Take your
time, go slow and enjoy.
november/december 2017

Josh Blau has a diverse spectrum of yogic knowledge,

including a 200hr training in L.A with Black Dog
Yoga and a 500hr training with Sri Dharma Mittra
at Dharma Yoga Centre in New York City. Joshs
commitment to a daily practice and being forever
a student, keeps his classes fresh, ever-changing
and inspiring. Josh is also a co-founder of the Om
People. Learn more at www.ompeopleyoga.com 29
Om
PARENTING
LIFE lessons
Help your teens discover their life purpose and set the stage for success.
By Loraine Rushton
EXCITED LITTLE FACES lit up when I
recently asked a class of ve-year-olds
the question, What do you want to
be when you grow up? Astronaut,
ballerina, explorer, and mermaid were
some of their enthusiastic answers.
This is a beautiful age for little hearts
to dream big.
Fast forward and ask the same
question to teens making their subject
choices for college or university, or
yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017
30
forging a career path after leaving
school and we see the spark disappear.
Fears and worries cloud judgement.
Limiting thoughts take over such as,
Will my exam results be good enough
to take me into my subject of choice?
Will I get one of the limited places?
Will they like me? Should I choose my
second or third favourite, but what
feels like the safest option?
Life could look very different
for these teens if they learnt
how to stay open to future
possibilities without
limiting beliefs. Here are
some of the tips I share
with all my teen classes
for how to stay true to
what your heart desires
and follow the path you were
serve them now when making
destined to fulll.
their career choices, as well as in all
1. GET QUIET future life decisions.
Have you ever asked a class of teens,
What do you want to do when you
2. DREAM BIG
Once the mind is quiet, it allows our
leave school? If you have, then you
inner knowing to surface. Ask your teen
are well aware of the blank faces and
to take a piece of paper and journal all
the utters of, I dunno. In order to
thoughts that spring up. If they have a
live a life of purpose, and choose
blank, instruct them to answer these
the right path for you, rst you
questions: If I could be anything, what
must know what that path
would it be? If I could do anything, what
could look like. And the
would I do? Encourage them to dream
only way to access this
big and not limit what thoughts come
information is to be
up, but to write down every possibility.
still, become very
quiet, and listen.
Because our inner 3. MANAGE YOUR MIND
voice is different Once you have a clear understanding of
to our outer voice, your direction, what it is you want to
and we must use do or become, then comes the task of
practices that help managing any limiting or negative
us to connect with beliefs that surface. My teen yoga
it. Breathing classes love an exercise I call chuck
exercises, such as it. Ask your teen to write down on a
PHOTO:PESHKOVA/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
belly breathing or piece of paper any negative, limiting, or
alternate nostril disempowering beliefs they have about
breathing, work their future direction, job or purpose. It
well. Teaching could be something like, I cant, Im
teens to quiet not good enough, or a worry or fear
their minds and such as, What if I dont succeed? Then
listen to their have them tear it all up and throw it in
inner guidance will the bin.
4. MANAGE YOUR NETWORK
OF CONVERSATIONS
The conversations teens have with their
friends, classmates, teachers and family
are as important as the conversations
they have with themselves. The
conversations they hear become part of
their conversations and then become
their thoughts. Thoughts create their
reality. If your teen is having positive
conversations of hope, belief and
success, that will lead to success.
If they are having conversations about
failure, worry, fear and self-doubt,
it will lead to stress and anxiety,
which may limit their capacity for
achieving their dreams. Ensure you
speak in positive language around
them, as well as have them uplift
themselves by doing the same thing.
Finally, have your teen write down
their big dream or goal and place it by
their bed, so they see it when they
go to sleep and as soon as they wake
up. At the end of the day, ask them,
Whats one thing you did today thats and momentum.
moving you toward your dream, goal
or purpose?
5. TAKE BOLD ACTION door to see the power of intention
and manifestation in action. Plant
Achieving a dream job or living your
purpose is a destination destiny can roses and they will grow, plant weeds
and they will grow. Likewise, plant
only be achieved through taking action.
the seed of a job you want, a place
As important as it is to dream big, so is
you want to work or a university you
taking big, bold actions. These actions
want to get into, attend to that
must be translated into measurable
thought, take the right action and it
goals. Be sure to set both destination
will eventuate. Plant the seed that you
and journey goals. Of course we have
are not good enough, that you wont
the end goal in mind, but its important
succeed and that will grow instead.
to set milestones along the journey too.
Henry Ford said it best when he
Encourage your teen to go for it, to
famously quoted, Whether you think
ll in that application form to the
you can, or whether you think you
university of their dreams, to take
cant, youre right. What seed will
responsibility for the effort they are
you plant today? What actions will
putting in, to study with 100% focus,
you take? What conversations will
make bold calls to companies they
you have? How persistent and focussed
would love to work for. Those who sit
will you be? The choice is yours
on their dreams and procrastinate
your future is determined by you.
stay stuck. Teens who want success take
action toward their dreams and goals.
6. CELEBRATE WINS With 20 years of experience,
Each time a milestone is achieved, Loraine Rushton is a leading
remember to celebrate, as this will authority on yoga for children
help build condence, enthusiasm and teens. Worldwide, she has
trained thousands of people how to teach
The best time of year to initiate this childrens yoga in a way that is educational,
is right now. Take a step outside your meaningful and fun.
Teacher Training India & Australia
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Om
ADVENTURE

T R O P I CA L
transformations
Local yoga teacher Emily Williams is
passionate about Darwins expanding
yoga scene and explores a region bursting
with yogic energy, meditative offerings,
and delicious, wholesome treats.
When I tell people that Im a yoga teacher
from Darwin, I usually get variations on one
response: Are there a lot of people doing
yoga up there? The answer may surprise
you!
I was born in Darwin, and Ive lived here for
most of my life. In the southern states, my
hometown has a reputation for being a bit
backward a place where youre more
likely to find fishermen and beer drinkers
than yogis and vegans but that has been
changing for a long time now. Darwin
boasts a handful of dedicated yoga spaces AGOY YOGA
as well as healthy, conscious cafs and Nestled amongst warehouses in one of Darwins
industrial areas, Agoy Yoga offers a peaceful retreat
activities for spiritual souls. from everyday life. Wooden oors are lit by the
morning sun shining through a skylight, the space
framed with mirrors and the back wall decorated with
a sky-blue Om. I join a class by the owner, also named
Emily, who takes us through a ow sequence with
intuitive transitions and challenging balances. Her
voice is condent and calm, holding the space as we
ow from one pose to another, offering us challenges
yogajournal.com.au

but always encouraging rest when needed. She assists

one of my fellow students with adjustments delivered
with compassion and kindness. On the seven window
panels in front of me are the symbols of the chakras,
and I nd my awareness drawn to Muladhara,
reminding me to keep awareness in my foundation as
I transition through balances. Without realising I
november/december 2017

PHOTO: BLOODSTONE/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

have taken ujjayi breath, and synchronised my breath

with Emilys and the other students. Savasana is
earned. In silence we observe our breath and nd
space to meditate at the end of the class.
After class at Agoy, you might head to Stuart Park
for a healthy paleo, vegetarian or vegan meal at
Karma Caf, where the staff are as passionate about
health and wellbeing as they are about creating tasty,
32 healthy food.
 DARWIN YOGA SPACE
My rst ever yoga classes were at Darwin Yoga Space in Coconut Grove,
where I learned to do yoga the Iyengar way. I can still remember Carole,
the owner, walking around the room ne-tuning our alignment in her
precise, warm manner. Nearly 12 years later, I take a class with the lovely
Dominique who guides us through a strong warm-up, followed by some
deep backbends. My uncooperative back normally wouldnt enjoy backbends,
but with the assistance of a variety of props, I nd myself sinking back into
Ustrasana with ease, and lifting lightly up to Urdhva Dhanurasana, instead
of my usual struggle. Its a beautiful space somehow cool despite being
open to the outdoors, with a beautiful garden just outside. Its at the end of
the class that I realise that theres no music playing, just the sounds of the fountain from the open door. As we move
into Sirsasana, I appreciate that Dominique comes to check on me. She helps me set up with props for supported
Shoulderstand, and I make a mental note to use more in my own practice my neck feels fantastic. Darwin Yoga
Space is Darwins oldest studio, and its easy to see why its been such a success. And if you were wondering, Carole
is still teaching. I was too nervous to try her Level 3 class after such a long break from my Iyengar practice, but I plan
to go back!
If you go to a morning class at Darwin Yoga Space, afterwards you might head around the corner for brunch at
Eat at Martins, another Darwin mainstay where you can nd delicious vegetarian and vegan food to feed that
post-yoga hunger.

DARWIN YOGA
AND MEDITATION
At the start of kirtan, Ben from Darwin Yoga and
Meditation tells us that meditation doesnt have to
be hard that chanting is a simple and joyful
meditation practice in itself. As I join my voice
with those around, I think he might be right.
Since I rst tried kirtan, I have always found it a
beautiful, peaceful practice. Tonight we are led by
Ben on guitar and his wife Kalindi on harmonium
through a series of devotional mantras. I feel my
heart lighten and an old emotional wound heal
a little further. Our group is a diverse one of
different ethnicities, genders and ages, but we
are united in bhakti. We break from kirtan for
curry, prepared by our wonderful hosts Kings
Wholefood Artisans Palmerstons rst solely vegetarian/vegan caf! Theres nothing better in my opinion than
feeding the body as well as the soul. Ben and Kalindi make sure to check in with all their bhakti yogis, and connect
with everyone as we eat. I denitely feel part of the community, even though its been a while since Ive joined them.
DYM have transformed Darwins yoga community for the better, from hosting regular kirtans, teaching affordable
community classes and organising Darwins Yoga Day Festival. They are beautiful, humble souls who humbly desire
yogajournal.com.au

to share the practice that they love with everyone.

Of course, you can nd more yoga outside the studios and
dedicated businesses, although its beautiful to practice
in a focused space. Even Darwin gyms are starting to see
the importance of practices supporting mind and soul as
yourself, Agoy Yoga, Darwin Yoga Space and Darwin
Yoga and Meditation all run workshops and retreats
throughout the year, giving you an opportunity to
spend even more time with your chosen practice.
november/december 2017

well as body, with many including yoga or meditation
classes amidst their group tness classes. Teaching at the
Gym@CDU and Fernwood Fitness, its wonderful to see
people connecting with yoga in addition to their exercise
programmes.
If youre a yogi moving to town, a visitor looking to
continue your practice, or a local looking to start or get
back into yoga, I promise there is a class with a teacher
and style that will suit you. If youre looking to immerse
I look forward to seeing you on the mat sometime!
Emily is a yoga teacher from Darwin
who lives by the philosophy that yoga is
fun, and everyone can do it. When shes
not teaching vinyasa, hatha, aerial, acro,
seniors, teens, or aqua yoga you can find
her playing computer games and hanging
with her cats. 33
 INSPIRATIONAL
INSIGHTS
and a zest for life
Look within, think about what motivates you, and cultivate
a life of inspired clarity, creativity and genuine meaning.
What does it mean to be
inspired?
To live inspired is to be connected with
your deepest sense of creativity, purpose,
and zest for life. It is to recognise the
movements of nature inside and outside
yourself. It is to be in touch with that
which gives life its deepest meaning,
and to be in communication with those
aspects in yourself and in others. From
its Latin roots, the word itself means to
be divinely guided. Refreshingly, the
word inspiration is also very simply
dened as breathing in. questions, you can begin to prioritise the
Yogic insight
Perhaps the rst step, as well as an
important tool along the way, is your
ability to look within. The practice of
yoga and meditation encourages a
quality of direct-felt experience as the
primary means to create clarity. Yoga
assists in settling the mind, creating
connection in the breath, cultivating
space in the body, and ultimately a sense
of freedom within the Self. This is a
yogajournal.com.au
practice that runs deep, and has the
capacity to take you to the depths of your
inspiration and devotion to your journey
of Self-discovery. Meditation creates
a precious opportunity to slow down,
reect, and observe what is going on in
your inner world. This inward observing
november/december 2017
can help create the conditions for change
to occur, making it possible to rearrange
your state of mind, reorganise old
patterns of behaviour, and integrate new
more inspiring ways of being in the
world. Start with a regular
practice what insights are you
receiving on the mat?
34
Tapping into what makes
you tick
From accessing that space within,
youll begin to open up to what makes
you come alive. What lls you with an
unquestionable sense of enthusiasm
for life and makes you feel like anything
is possible? Sitting with these questions
can hold the key to bringing more
inspiration into your life on a regular
and ongoing basis.
By getting to know what your core
motivations are and exploring these
things that stimulate your inspiration,
and you can start to devote more time to
each of those things on a daily basis.
Try making a list, or writing down
some of the activities, people, places,
and experiences that make you feel
most inspired, and how you can create
more room for these in your life.
Baby steps
Just like any skill, living a life inspired is
a practice that can be improved upon by
simply committing yourself to it and
being open to exploring. What are the
conditions that you thrive in? What
stimulates a sense of internal growth
for you? Can you prioritise that?
Keep things accessible and practical
so that an inspired life isnt a far-off
dream, but instead, a close reality that
begins with one step forward.You may
nd inspiration by going for a walk out
in nature, taking up a new art-form,
dancing, or sharing a cup of tea with
someone you love. Theres plenty of
room to keep the process creative, so
always remember you can explore in a
By Chris Dixon
way that feels most genuine and
meaningful to you. Keep doing those
things that inspire and nourish you.
WHEN THINGS FALL APART
Its only natural that at times you
may feel entirely uninspired or
that your progress is unrecognisable
and unnoticeable. Thats perfectly
okay and its a part of the patient
journey of discovery. Continue to
check inwards, take time to meet
with friends and mentors who
inspire you. Youll know youre
on the right track when you can
begin to see and feel improvements
in the quality of your life, and in
your relationship with others.
As you cultivate this practice, youll
open up new ways to stay inspired, and
in the blink of an eye, everything can
align perfectly with undeniable clarity
for you. Follow that thread forward.
This clarity of inspiration will slowly
become a touchable sense that the world
is at your ngertips and is awaiting your
gifts to be shared.
Chriss love and
passion for yoga
seep through the
PHOTO: ALLA_SNESAR/ ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
seams of his life,
extending from
each class he
teaches, to the
moments he spends on his mat exploring
and discovering the depths of what a yogic
practice and lifestyle have to offer. Catch
Chris on the mat for workshops, trainings
and retreats at www.chrisdixonyoga.com
 Ask the EXPERT
om
EXPERT

Our asana and philosophy expert Carrie-Anne Fields answers all your yogi questions.
Im really fascinated with the bandhas and the idea of using them to increase energy. Ive also read that
some yogis believe that their practice really developed once they learned how to use the bandhas. My
problem is that Im not sure how or when to use them. Do I engage the bandhas at the beginning of a
class and strive to keep them engaged the whole way through? Do I breathe in and engage the bandhas, and
breathe out to release? Should I engage the bandhas during meditation? What about in everyday life? I think I
can feel the energy running up my spine when I engage the bandhas in a yoga sequence, but I dont know
what to do next. Thank you so much for your guidance Im loving it all. Joanne
A Hi Joanne, such an insightful question! THE BANDHAS
Over time you can learn to seal the bandhas in Mula Bandha is an energy seal or lock activated by drawing up from the
throughout your entire asana practice (both on perineum to the navel centre, like zipping up your lower core do this
the inhalation and exhalation) but let them go in for the front, back and internal body. This Bandha will also awaken base
Savasana. You can have the bandhas subtly and sacral chakras. Uddiyana Bandha is known as flying bird, so imagine
employed for seated meditation to help you sit the flying up action from the solar plexus in behind the heart centre
upright and prevent soreness in the lower back switching on solar plexus and heart chakra.Jalandhara Bandha is the
and shoulders. And, yes! You can absolutely use throat lock that awakens when you energetically draw your throat
them in everyday life in fact, an experienced back towards your neck, sending the energy to the top of the head.
yogi always stands tall with poise as the You will feel throat, third eye and crown chakras open.
bandhas (and hence the chakras and kundalini
energy) are firing up the spine. This keeps you Got a question for Carrie? Send them to editor@yogajournal.com.au
energetically switched on and assists you to be
physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually Carrie-Anne Fields
stable. I can sense that you are employing the Carrie-Anne founded My Health Yoga in 1998 to specialise in yoga,
bandhas correctly as you mention feeling the counselling and healing. She has a degree in psychology and is
energy in the spine. Bandhas can seem elusive certified in yoga, acupuncture, kinesiology, reiki and Ka Huna
as its an energy seal, but it sounds like you have Bodywork.Carrie-Anne is an accredited Level 3 Senior Yoga Teacher
found the magic key. So thrilled you are having and represents Australia as a board member of the World
these experiences, insights and deep questions. Movement for Yoga and Ayurveda.

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 Savasana aromatherapy
eye pillow
BY HOLLIE SIMMONS

This easy-to-make eye pillow takes less than half

an hour to complete and is great as a gift for yoga-
loving friends, or as a kids craft project. Youll need
a sewing machine, but only beginner sewing skills.
Use fabric off-cuts, op-shopped fabric or even an
old tablecloth for extra eco-friendly bonus points!

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
2 x 12cm x 26cm scrap pieces of non-stretch
fabric. Cotton drill works best. Make sure
the fabric is clean, ironed and the two pieces
match up to the same size.
1 cup of rice/lentils/buckwheat/popping
corn (whatever is on hand and roughly
no larger than a pea)
1/2 cup of lavender buds/rosebuds/chamomile

Infuse your rituals with home-made yoga
goodies: from your beauty routine,
to your asana practice, to Savasana.
yogajournal.com.au
DIRECTIONS:
If your fabric is patterned, make sure your two
fabric rectangles have the printed sides facing
each other, then pin them together.
Sew the two panels together on three sides,
leaving a 1cm seam. Leave one of the shorter
sides open to fill with your mixture.
Make sure you reinforce the seams by sewing
over your stitches more than once. Sew around
the three sides a second time, half a centimetre
closer to the raw edges to reinforce and stop
any leaks once your eye pillow is complete.
Remove pins and turn inside-out so the
patterned side of your seams are on the
outside and your raw edges are hidden inside.
Iron flat, then tuck the raw edges inside on the
fourth side around 1cm. Pin that side together
so the edges match up, iron flat then remove pins.
Mix the filling together and pour into the pillow.
Holding it upright, make sure the raw edges are
still tucked into the eye pillow where you ironed
the seams then pin the two pieces of fabric
together a second time, close to the top.
Still using your sewing machine, stitch along
the edge a few times, making sure to sew all the
way to each side.

Remove pins, give your pillow a little shake and

check for leaks.
Test your eye pillow out! After all that crafting
you deserve a mini-meditation. Eye pillows help
PHOTO:VIORICAIONESCU; MICROGEN/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

to reduce sensory stimulation, relax the muscles

around the face and eyes and help you go deeper
in your relaxation. Add a drop or two of your
november/december 2017

favourite essential oil (make sure its on the side

facing up as you dont want to cause any eye
irritation), roll out your mat and get comfortable
in Savasana.

Hollie is an all-round artist, silversmith and creator

of Stay at Home Gypsy, specialising in unique,
crystal jewellery made with love and intention
36 in Byron Bay. www.stayathomegypsy.com
 Cleansed crystals for
skincare
BY SAMANTHA SARGENT

As humans, we tend to overthink and analyse things, so that

we can be sure that were getting it right. What I love about
crystals is that there is so much that we dont know. Crystal
technology is nothing new, and neither is crystal healing.
Crystals have been used for thousands of years, with records
showing their existence in the lives of the ancient Sumerians,
Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese.
Whats fascinating is that crystals were highly regarded in ancient
times, and today were seeing a resurgence in their popularity.
What a beautiful thing that we are embracing the return to what
our ancestors knew, respected and gained benefits from. There are
different crystals for just about everything. Some are renowned for
their cleansing, stress-relieving and purifying properties (for example,
amethyst). Others for their soft energy of love, compassion,
self-acceptance and peace (for example, rose quartz). And others
for their warm, energising, abundant properties to help support
the transformation of dreams and wishes in to tangible form
(for example, citrine). Different crystals can impact the physical,
emotional and spiritual aspects of our being its simply a
matter of how we interact with them.
If youre keen to use crystals in your skincare rituals, there has
never been a better time as more and more artisan skincare
makers are choosing to incorporate crystals into their
manufacturing process. You can either choose the DIY approach,
or enjoy the benefits with products already prepared for you.
Yoga mat spray HOW TO CLEANSE YOUR CRYSTALS Turquoise: helps to activate
B Y K E L LY F I E L D I N G Crystals take on energy, just like water balance and is particularly
we do, so when you get your beneficial for dry skin,
Unless youre a Bikram devotee, its possible that your yoga eczema and psoriasis
newfound treasures home, bathe
mat has remained a sweat-free zone over the cooler months them in salt water. Or even better, Quartz: has a cleansing and
of winter. With the coming of warming weather and more take them down to the beach and detoxifying effect on the skin
detoxifying asana flows, you may find your yoga mat glistening bathe them in the ocean. Crystals Opal: supports the formation
at the end of your class; a tribute to all those long side-angle also like to be cleansed and of red blood cells
holds or repeated sun salutations. Either way, it is important to charged during a full moon. To do Blue Chalcedony: has a
remember to clean your yoga mat from time to time for our so, simply lay them on a natural moisturising effect on the skin
own health and the noses of our fellow yogis! A simple DIY surface under the full moons light. that helps with regenerating
cleaner can be customised with your favourite essential oils DIY CRYSTAL PREPARATIONS FOR dehydrated and congested skin
which not only keeps your mat squeaky clean, but also smelling SKIN, BATH AND BODY CARE
SKIN CARE CONTAINING CRYSTALS
divine and offering uplifting properties that inspire your practice. Create a crystal-infused beauty
water by placing your cleansed and Were spoilt for choice these days
energised crystal in a glass bottle when it comes to the range of
of purified spring water. Place this brands that are using crystal
WHAT YOU WILL NEED: energies in their beauty elixirs.
1/4 cup white vinegar 1 cup of water in the sun for one full day. Transfer
Numerous natural brands place
yogajournal.com.au

the crystal-infused water to a small

10 drops of lavender essential oil 10 drops of tea tree oil glass bottle with spritzer cap and crystals in their labs to energise the
PHOTO:JML5571/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; BY J. PALYS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

use when cleansing your face. production process and products.

DIRECTIONS:
Artisan makers are also adding
Find an empty spray bottle and clean well. Fill your bottle CRYSTALS TO USE crystal-infused water to their
about 3/4 full with water, then pour in the vinegar almost to Rose quartz: helps reduce redness products, or placing a little cluster of
the top of the bottle. Add in the essential oils and give the Amethyst: helps improve crystals within the face mist bottle,
bottle a good shake. Give your mat a few sprays after each use moisture retention to further energise the product.
and wipe down with a clean cloth.
november/december 2017

*Feel free to mix up your oils. The tea tree is great for sterilising,
but other lovely oils include lemon, orange, peppermint,
frankincense, cinnamon. Try to ensure your oils are natural
and organic where possible.
Kelly is a passionate writer and yogi who combines her love
of writing with her forays into health and wellness. Kelly has
travelled the world sharing ways to live simply, mindfully and
sustainably through her work. www.bellaandbhakti.com
Samantha Sargent is a natural skincare expert and distributor for
AEOS skincare. AEOS Energised Organics works with an alchemist
who takes up to 12 months to transform solid crystal rocks into a
tincture that is then added to each product, so that the crystal
can be absorbed by the skin, and into the bloodstream for
assimilation. What the lab has found over years of honouring this
alchemical process that the ancients such as Hippocrates used to
adhere to is that the liquid crystal tinctures have an impact
on both the emotional mind and the skin. www.aeos.net 37
 Perfect
PESTO
Our editor shares one of her favourite
and most versatile kitchen creations.
PESTO was one of the rst things I ever learned to make in the
kitchen, and I always have a jar handy in the fridge for adding to
salad dressings, pasta and healthy snacks. My greatest learning
from years of making this delicious dip is that you can pretty much
substitute the basil with anything. You could use coriander and chilli
for a more Thai-inspired taste, or replace it with some sun-dried
tomatoes or roasted pumpkin to give dishes a Mediterranean twist.
Having the right equipment makes all the difference. You can
go old-fashioned and use a mortar and pestle, but Ive found a
food processor to be my best friend in this creation. Ive tried using
blenders in the past, but you just cant achieve the same chunky
texture.
Heres my trusty recipe with plenty of options to let your inner
food processing goddess shine! Feel free to experiment with your
own additions and get creative.
WIN your very
own processing prop!
yogajournal.com.au
I have personally fallen in love with
my newly acquired Cuisinart food
processor, and its a product I wouldnt
hesitate to recommend for any yogis
november/december 2017
kitchen. Pesto is a great place to start
but its also perfect for nut meals, bliss
balls and so many other healthy and
tasty treats. And its so easy to use and
clean bonus! For your chance to win
a Cuisinart eight-cup food processor,
send us an email with Cuisinart as the
38 subject to editor@yogajournal.com.au
You will need:
2 cups tightly packed fresh basil (or coriander/
a blend of other fresh herbs, roasted pumpkin
or beetroot)
cup roasted (or raw) pine nuts/cashews/
walnuts
1 to 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
(use more/less to taste)
cup extra virgin olive oil (or a more
mild-flavoured olive oil. If making a beetroot
dip, use plain yoghurt instead of olive oil.
If making another roast vegetable dip,
use less olive oil)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or lime)
3 Tbsp. savoury yeast flakes (or Parmesan
cheese for a non-vegan option)
Salt and pepper to taste
Feel free to add some lightly toasted spices to
taste (Moroccan spices work well with pumpkin)
Method:
Place the basil (or basil substitute), nuts and garlic
into the food processor and pulse to combine.
Turn the motor on and slowly drizzle the olive oil in a
thin stream (remember to use less if youre making a
vegetable dip).
PHOTO:MANUWE/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
Add the lemon juice, savoury yeast flakes, salt and
pepper and any other spices youd like to add and
pulse a few more times to combine.
Add to salad dressings, pasta (or zucchini pasta!),
bread, crackers or add a dollop to your dinner.
Enjoy within five days and keep in a sealed jar
in the fridge.
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 love tank
Refuel your

Discover your passions, unleash your dharma and

be proud of your purpose in life.
By Lauren Verona
YEARS AGO, the mere thought of the word purpose sent
me into a spin. I barely understood what I enjoyed in
life, let alone what my purpose was. But that is it.
That, right there, is it. Finding out what you enjoy. Ask
yourself: What lights that ame within you? What fuels
you? When we nd our passion for life we can connect
with our purpose. If it lights us up, it gets our attention
and we inevitably spend more of our time indulging in
and gaining fulllment from that passion. For me,
when I think of fulllment I think of success. Gone
are the days where we measure success by how much
money we have in the bank. This is the era of success
measured by how full our Love Tank is!
yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017

PHOTO: ALEXSAVA/ ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

40
Fill up your Love Tank
Love Tank is a term I use a lot in my
teachings to help my clients understand
how full or depleted they are, and how
to ll themselves back up without
accompanying feelings of guilt.
LOVE TANK QUIZ
(rate out of 5: 5 being a lot,
and 0 being not at all)
Home: How much do you
love being in your home?
Health and fitness: How
content are you with the amount
of time you allocate to fitness?
Business/Careers: How content
are you with your career/
business right now?
Relationships: How content are
you with the current time you
make for connection with
family and friends?
Personal development:
How well do you deal with
challenging situations?
Contribution/Community:
How content are you with your
contribution to your community?
Spirituality: How connected
to yourself do you feel?
How did you score? What areas of your
life did you score less than three in?
What does this tell you about yourself
and the parts of your life where you may
be lacking passion and enthusiasm?
Discovering your passions
Ask yourself these questions:
If money wasnt an issue, what would
I be doing differently right now?
When was the last time time I stood
still? What was I doing?
Unveiling your dharma
(life purpose)
So, how do you know? Well, you can
start with yoga. I truly believe that the
power of yoga practice assists every
person to connect with his or her true
sense of purpose. How do you connect
to what you should be doing while
youre in a Downward Dog perspiring
and wondering whats for dinner, you
ask? Well, treating your yoga practice as
it has been designed (as a self-study tool)
can help you to tune into your true
passions. You notice those dinner
thoughts, then notice the very fact
you are having the thought. Insert
mindfulness here and, over time, you
are able to steer the thoughts, control
them, and ultimately choose them.
Then the juicy bit follows you
begin to ask yourself what thoughts
serve you and thats where the
learning takes place.
When we learn to simply observe and
tame the busy, monkey mind, we start to
operate differently. No longer do we play
the victim in our own story, but we start
to connect to a higher source and unveil
what lls up our love tank. We begin
to love and appreciate ourselves so
much that we emanate positive energy,
in turn attracting positivity. We attract
abundance, like-minded friends, and
begin to see that nothing happens by
chance the universe is delivering based
on what you are putting out there.
When we understand this, we attract
more of this abundance into our lives,
giving us more energy and zest for life.
Step one: Practice yoga with
intention. Step two: Discover within
your practice, beneath the layers of
thought, what you are truly passionate
about. Step three: Do more of that. Its
as simple as that. The rest will ow
effortlessly.
Connecting with purpose
I remember exactly where I was when
I connected with mine. I was in the
middle of lming my rst yoga DVD
and it just hit me I was completely
present. I felt whole, and although Id
been teaching yoga for over ve years,
the thought of sharing the practice
with viewers around the world lled
me with immense joy and emotion.
If you havent discovered your dharma
yet, dont despair. Firstly remember
that dharma comes in many forms,
and while you may not feel completely
fullled in one area of your life, its
possible to express your dharma in
other areas. Perhaps you dont feel
thrilled about your day job, but you have
a creative outlet that lls you with joy.
Be patient, have gratitude and continue
your yoga. Its just like K. Pattabhi Jois
said, Do your practice and all is
coming.
MEDITATION TO DISCOVER
YOUR PURPOSE
Find a comfortable seat and close your
eyes. Begin to concentrate on your
breath. If the monkey mind wanders,
gently encourage it back to the present
moment keeping your attention
on the rise and fall of your belly, or
the sensation of air at your nostrils.
Visualise yourself 10 years from today.
Imagine the scenery around you.
Tune into the sounds. Are you eating
something? See if you can tune into
the taste. Take in the smells around
you. Where are you and what are
you doing? Is it day or night? Are you
engaged in an activity? Imagine what
plans you might have for the rest of
the day, or what you have been doing
earlier. Imagine feeling whole. How
does that feel in your physical body?
What is it about your life that creates
that feeling of completeness? Now,
slowly take your mind back through the
past 10 years. What are the steps that
youve taken to land here? What have
you needed to let go of? Take as long
as you like in this meditation (a minimum
of 15 minutes is recommended).
To complete, come back to the
present moment, maintaining a gentle
awareness of your breath. Once you
have opened your eyes, allow yourself
to marinate in the feeling of whole-ness.
Remember, you are what you feel.
You are complete in this moment and
everything is exactly as it should be.
yogajournal.com.au
Remember to enjoy the journey.
Lauren Verona is a
passionate businesswoman,
yoga teacher and single
mum. She has created
and grown four thriving
november/december 2017
yoga communities across
Australia and recently
an online yoga studio
including live classes. She is also a
motivational speaker and hosts her own
seminars and workshops at her Buddina
and Noosa Zenko studios. For more
about Lauren, see www.laurenverona.com
www.aliveyogi.com and
www.zenkoyoga.com.au 41
 ED ITOR S P I C KS
Summer Essentials
Stuff I love for one of my favourite times of year
Living in the Northern Rivers region
of New South Wales can get pretty
steamy in summer so I make
sure Im prepared with some of my
favourite warm weathe winner
Golden Quench
I heated up this delicious
turmeric drink all winter
and was so excited to
discover that its just as
delicious with a couple
of ice cubes for a creamy
(but vegan!) summery
thirst-quencher.
www.pureharvest.com.au

Thermos drink bottle
I cant go past my thermo
products, even in summer. This stainless
steel vacuum insulated hydration bottle
is my favourite at the moment. Its got
an easy flip top and keeps beverages
cold for many hours. Pop a cap of
apple cider vinegar in a flask of water
for the ultimate alkalising elixr.
$29.99 www.thermos.com.au
Picnic blanket
So handy to keep in the car for impromptu
picnics. Ive fallen head over heels in love
with this one from Wandering Folk
it comes in a handful of gorgeous prints
and is super resilient and practical.
$180 www.wanderingfolk.com.au
Yoga mat spray
Our yoga mats tend to get a little sweatier
in the hotter months, so I love to keep a
bottle of mat spray on hand to give my
mat a spritz every couple of classes.
Head to page 37 for a DIY recipe.

Summery yoga mat

I have a confession to make. Im a bit of a yoga mat
hoarder. In my car you will find a variety of mats with
yogajournal.com.au

various prints and textures to suit the class Im going to.

Im loving this summery print with the oh-so-popular
suede feel material thats perfect for a hot practice.
(Tip: spray these mats with a little water before use
for that grip-like texture from the beginning of your
practice.) $115 www.unitnine.com.au
PHOTO: BY LIDIYA OLEANDRA/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
november/december 2017

Lightweight cotton singlet

Im not a fan of clothing sticking
to me during my summer yoga
practices, so a lightweight singlet
is a must-have for me. I love this
Joy Singlet by Divine Goddess
with original, cloud artwork.
42 $59 www.divinegoddess.net
BECOME
A YOGA
TEACHER

YOGA TEACHER
TRAINING 2018
3 5 0 h r Leve l 1

BONDI BEACH
yoga@dharmashala.com.au
+612 9665 4262

Term 1 Self Practice & Philosophy starts Monday 5th February 2018
Term 2 Developing Teaching Skills starts Monday 30th April 2018
Term 3 Postgrad Teaching Community Classes (optional)
 Ages and
By Insiya Rasiwala-Finn
Embrace your age, listen to your inner wisdom, allow your good
health to flourish, and find peace and joy on your yoga mat.
THIS IS THE YEAR I TURN 40.
This is the year when most womens
magazines advise me to apply anti-
wrinkle creams on my face, consider
yogajournal.com.au
botox or dermal llers to keep my skin
dewy, and amp up my tness routine to
include weight training to combat the
slowing down of my metabolism.
As I contemplate my age, I am hit
with ambivalence. I am uncertain
whether I should celebrate this new
november/december 2017
decade or fear it. I also realise how much
I have imprinted the widespread beliefs
that decry ageing in our culture. Is this
surprising? After all, who does not want
to look and feel youthful? Arent we
conditioned to venerate the beauty of
youth? In 2015, the global anti-ageing
market (i.e. goods and services that help
44 to combat aging) was valued at $175
STAGES
billion (US$140.3 billion) and is expected
to reach $271 billion (US$216.5 billion)
in 2021. Thats a lot of people all around
our planet buying and hawking
something to help us feel younger.
Yoga is not immune to this drive.
Many of us rst try a yoga class because
we are attracted to the physical benets
of yoga we want to feel more toned,
t, exible and young. And, as a yoga
teacher, I am bombarded every day
with images of the ideal yoga body
generally represented by a younger
woman.
Yet, with age comes insight. While
getting leaner and stronger was an
essential reason for my practice in my
20s, today yoga offers me something
deeper than the beautication of the
physical body. These benets can be felt
by all of us, no matter what our age.
I return to my yoga mat for the
spaciousness and freedom to relax, to
release blockages, negative thoughts,
feelings or emotions such as anxiety,
anger or frustration.I know that when I
do this, I create the space to ll my well
up with the good stuff: the focus, peace
and joy that a yoga practice can offer
PHOTO: KEMTER/ ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; CHRIS POUGET
up.And intuitively, I have tuned into an
aspect of yoga that modern medicine
now views as powerful anti-ageing
medicine.
Consider that moment after the rst
few sun salutations of a yoga class, when
your attention begins to focus on the
rhythmic movements, you slow down
your inhales and exhales and nd
yourself letting go of your attachment to
your to-do list, or the emotion around a

If my yoga practice can
offer me the pause to be
present and choose, without
being restrained by societal
constructs, I know that
I can enjoy whatever age
I happen to be, fully,
without reservation.
conict with someone at work.Time
slows down and each moment feels rich,
full and alive.
In Ayurvedic terms, this is when we
shift from the space of rajas, the frenetic
and reactive state that informs much
of our day, towards more sattva or
calm.Modern science concurs,
describing this as a change in the
nervous systems state of ght or ight,
to that of rest and digest.
When we learn how to react to
challenging situations without getting
stressed (something we practice on our
mats through physical asana) we begin
to re-pattern our bodys stress response.
Less stress allows our body to focus on
rebuilding and regenerating itself at the
cellular level, vs. working to block
stressors from impacting us. This
catalyses our bodys innate anti-ageing
mechanisms at the hormonal level
when we are less stressed we produce
less cortisol (aka the stress hormone),
which ups the ratio of DHEA or the
anti-ageing hormone.
We also receive anti-ageing benets
at the level of our genes. Each of our
cells includes structures called
telomeres, bits of DNA at the end of
chromosomes that get shorter each time
cells divide. As we age, telomeres get
shorter and shorter.When telomeres get
too short, the cells can no longer divide
and they die. Yoga, say recent studies,
may help to preserve their length,
helping us to slow down the ageing
process as we slow down our breath.
I saw an old college friend last week
after 18 years.We looked at one another
and both exclaimed, You look the
same. Perhaps we do. Yet what was
more important to me, was that though
our 40-year-old lives may be different
from those of our 21-year-old selves,
when we said goodbye, I was left with
the same feeling of optimism, possibility
and connection that I had experienced
years ago. And that to me is what age
is about. It is how we choose to feel in
this particular moment in this lifetime.
If my yoga practice can offer me the
pause to be present and choose,
without being restrained by societal
constructs, I know that I can enjoy
whatever age I happen to be, fully,
without reservation.
10 RITUALS TO
EMBRACE YOUR AGE
Live in rhythm with nature,
not against her
This is Ayurvedas most profound
teaching.Very simply put awake
early when it is light and sleep when
it is dark. This allows your anti-ageing
hormones to follow their natural
diurnal cycles and offers your body
the benets of deep sleep, which is the
most regenerative tool in our arsenal
of living well.
Invite abundance through
gratitude
Start your days and end your days
recounting three things you are grateful
for.Do this consistently.When we live
life through the lens of abundance, not
lack, we bring more joy and less stress
into our lives.
Eat lightly at night
As we grow older, our metabolism does
slow down. Eating a lighter meal in the
evenings offers our body the time to
digest food more fully, thereby offering
us the full benets of its nutrition. This
also helps our body to repair itself at the
cellular level when we sleep (as our
bodies can focus on their rejuvenation
tasks vs. digesting heavy food).
Learn from the ages
Embrace friends who are both younger
and older than you. We grow as a
species through sharing human insights
and experiences and we stay young
when we learn something new from
those who have life experiences that are
vastly different than us.
Meditate or do yoga for
even 10 minutes a day
Ten to 20 minutes is what your body
needs to drop into the rest and digest
state and consistent practice will allow
you to get there even sooner.
Move every day
Movement lls our bodies with joy. We
are not meant to sit for hours as we do
today. So honour your bodys natural
ability to embrace joy and ll up that cup.
Find freedom in constraints
Each life stage offers us new challenges
and it us up to us to discover their benets.
Laugh a lot
Laughter is a natural de-stressor and
lls our bodies with endorphins. Wear
your laugh lines proudly.
Dont mask yourself
Instead, allow yourself to reveal yourself
more fully to those you love. Women
tend to cover up their imagined aws
through make-up. What if you
approached using make-up simply as a
way to enhance your natural beauty and
not mask it?
Eat more plants and good fats
A diet high in whole plant foods
supports telomere preservation.Good
fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, ax
and primrose oil also help us to
yogajournal.com.au
maintain moisture in our bodies,
something we lose as we age.
Insiya Rasiwala-Finn is a
yogi, writer and mama who
calls Planet Earth her home.
Originally from Bombay,
november/december 2017
India, Insiya grew up with
Yoga and Ayurveda and is
passionate about sharing
these ageless wisdom
traditions with our modern world. You can
learn more about her at www.yogue.ca.
Join her on retreat to Goa, India, in January.
Details here: www.yogue.ca/calendar/
surya-samudra-a-yoga-retreat-to-india-with-
insiya-eoin-finn/ 45
 Luxuriously
HEALTHY is the creator of Hippie Lane, the cookbook and app based on
sophies and delicious, indulgent food perfect for summer.
some of the inspiration behind Talines creations and some of her
s, extracted from Hippie Lane Wholefood Goes Deliciously Luxe.
n behind unattainable or unappealing. My recipes How do these philosophies play
Lane, and how has it work and as you start experimenting out in your own lifestyle?
d? and getting more experience in the Through lots of trials, errors and
f happened naturally. Growing kitchen, you will notice your condence successes, I have learnt that being strict
as obsessed with Nutella and will grow as your skills develop and you or restrictive is counterproductive to
ut I was faced with my own will surprise yourself on how simple and living a balanced lifestyle. There are
crisis around seven years ago satisfying healthy can be. some activities and healthy habits that I
when I learnt that I was sensitive to think are really important if you wish to
some common everyday ingredients: What is Hippie Lanes guiding achieve a healthy lifestyle. Choosing
gluten, egg, dairy, rened sugar, and philosophy? healthy when it comes to your
soy. I got experimenting with alternative I dont promote any particular diets or daily diet good proper
natural ingredients and fell in love with deprivation/restriction. Hippie Lane is nutrition through
the creative process and the delicious about an abundance of healthy natural natural wholefoods
results. I was coming up with unique wholefoods, where you choose to make unrened,
recipes that tasted amazing, and helping healthy a priority, which will then lead unprocessed
others by offering recipe inspiration and to a balanced, well-rounded lifestyle. and
motivation. There is a strong focus on beauty, food whole.
I launched Hippie Lane initially as a presentation and sharing delicious
wholesale business, supplying my treats nourishing meals with family and
to cafs around town. It was received friends. My recipes are favourites in my
very warmly and the business grew home and with my extended family and
organically from there. I had grown a friends, with many inspired by my
strong following in the health heritage, current health
community and the demand for my trends and childhood
recipes spurred the development of the favourites.
Hippie Lane recipe app in 2015. Two
years on Im now launching Hippie
yogajournal.com.au

Lane The Cookbook.

My hope with the book is that it
offers a starting point for many, not
only those already health-
minded, but for the general
population who want
to go down the
november/december 2017

healthy road
but feel
its

46
Daily activity. Indulging in what I love.
Some personal favourites include music
therapy (my necessity), time with friends
and family, regular vacations, rest
(descent sleep) and wellness therapy
(meditation, yoga, massage,
acupuncture). If Im feeling run down
or struggling to nd balance, I remind
myself of these basics and nd my
rhythm again.
Images and recipes from Hippie Lane The
Cookbook by Taline Gabrielian (Murdoch
Books RRP $39.99). All recipes are vegan,
gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
BREAKFAST: RAWnola
SERVES 4
A raw version of the beloved breakfast granola, my RAWnola is based on one of
my favourite gluten-free superfoods, the humble buckwheat seed, making these
irresistible clusters high in protein, vitamin B, zinc, magnesium and antioxidants.
Dehydrating the RAWnola mixture is not essential, but is recommended if youd
like a crunchier result and an extended shelf life. Once youve made yourself a
batch, youll find yourself snacking on it all day long.
INGREDIENTS
10 medjool dates, pitted 1 tsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. peanut butter 180 g. (1 cup) buckwheat groats
65 g. ( cup) desiccated coconut 1 Tbsp. linseeds (flaxseeds)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon tsp. maca powder
yogajournal.com.au
METHOD
Place the dates, coconut oil and peanut butter in a food processor and pulse
into a paste.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the date paste and use
both hands (wearing some food-handling gloves, if you have some handy) to
thoroughly combine all the ingredients, so the mixture sticks together.
november/december 2017
If you have a food dehydrator, press the mixture onto a dehydrator tray, to about
5 mm thick, and dehydrate at 40C for 8hours. Once set, break the mixture into
bite-sized pieces and store in an airtight container in the pantry. It will keep for up
to4weeks.
If you dont have a food dehydrator, line a flat plate or tray with baking paper and
spread the mixture on it, about 5mm thick. Set in the fridge for at least 23 hours.
When your mixture is firm, your RAWnola is ready to eat. It will keep in an airtight
container inthe fridge for up to 35 days. 47
 LUNCH:
Rainbow summer rolls
MAKES 10

I dont know what I was eating before I discovered rice paper rolls.
Now Im obsessed! There are many variations out there, but with
its array of crispy colourful vegetables, tofu and a magic dipping
sauce, Ithink this ones pretty special a vegetarians dream,
and a party favourite. Make these for your next event and youll
have a hard time trying not to gobble them up yourself before the
party even gets started.

INGREDIENTS MAGIC DIPPING SAUCE

250 g. medium-firm tofu
1 beetroot (beet), peeled
2 carrots, peeled
1 Lebanese (short) cucumber
1 red capsicum (pepper)
1 yellow capsicum (pepper)
1 green capsicum (pepper)
75 g. (1 cup) shredded
purple cabbage
20 basil leaves
A handful of micro herbs
1 avocado
10 round rice paper sheets
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cm knob of fresh ginger,
peeled and roughly chopped
45 ml gluten-free tamari
2 Tbsp. peanut or almond
butter
12 Tbsp. maple syrup
Juice of 1 limes
1 long red chilli, roughly
chopped

METHOD
Cut the tofu, beetroot, carrots, cucumber and capsicums into long,
thin strips, keeping them separate. Have the cabbage, basil and
micro herbs nearby. Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone
and peel, then cut each half into fiveslices.
Fill a bowl with lukewarm water. Submerge one rice paper sheet
into the water for about 15 seconds, or until the sheet is just soft;
dont leave it in too long or it will become soggy and tear very
easily. Place on a clean tea towel or paper towel.
Arrange a small portion of the assorted vegetables, tofu, a slice
of avocado, two basil leaves and some micro herbs along the
centre of the rice paper round, leaving about 5cm of wrapper
uncovered on each side. I like to arrange the different ingredients
in colour order, to get a rainbow effect, but this is not essential.
yogajournal.com.au

Also, to begin with, be conservative as to how much filling you

use, as your rice paper sheet may break if you try to overfill it;
at the same time, you want to use enough filling ingredients to
make a generously sized roll. Initially, its a trial-and-error exercise
to get the right quantity, but youll quickly get the hang of it.
Now fold in the ends of the rice paper sheet, then roll the sheet
november/december 2017

up firmly to enclose the filling. Place your rice paper roll on a

serving board or platter.
Repeat with the remaining ingredients, to make 10 rolls.
Place all the dipping sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender.
Add 80ml (3 cup) water and whiz until smooth. Transfer to a
small serving bowl.
48 Serve the rice paper rolls immediately with the dipping sauce.
DINNER:
Stuffed capsicums METHOD
SERVES 4 Put the quinoa and 625 ml (2 cups) vegetable stock in a saucepan
Im a fan of stuffed anything. Im always on the lookout for any and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1012
new vegetable that I can stuff literally! It must be my mums minutes, or until the stock is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked.
influence as she used to make stuffed eggplant, capsicum and Set aside to cool slightly.
zucchini for us all the time. This stuffed capsicum dish isnt based Mix the 125 ml (cup) vegetable stock with the tomato paste
on my mums traditional recipe, but is a ripper veggie variation. and set aside.
Quinoa is always in fashion with me, and plays the star role in the
stuffing, alongside a medley of vegetables and spices that make Heat the grapeseed oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saut
this dish a taste bomb. the onion for 23 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic
and chilli and saut for a further 12minutes.
INGREDIENTS
Stir in the diced tomatoes, then add the tomato paste mixture,
4 capsicums (peppers), in a 2 ripe tomatoes, peeled
mix of colours, cut in half and diced salt, pepper, t\basil and the 15g. ( cup) nutritional yeast.
lengthways, then hollowed 1 tsp. Himalayan salt, Remove from the heat when the mixture begins to bubble.
out or to taste In a large bowl, combine the corn, peas, black beans and
1 tsp. olive oil, plus extra for tsp. freshly ground quinoa. Add the tomato mixture and fold throughwell.
drizzling black pepper
300 g. (1 cups) quinoa tsp. dried basil Evenly scoop the mixture into the capsicum halves. Drizzle with a
little extra olive oil, then transfer to the oven and bake for
yogajournal.com.au

625 ml (2 cups) vegetable 15 g. ( cup) nutritional

stock, plus an extra 125 ml
( cup) vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
(concentrated pure)
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 red onion, finely diced
yeast, plus an extra 15 minutes.
2 Tbsp. for sprinkling
Sprinkle the extra nutritional yeast over the capsicum halves and
200 g. (1 cup) cooked corn
bake for a further 1020 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
kernels
Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy straight away.
75 g. ( cup) cooked fresh
or frozen peas
november/december 2017

3 garlic cloves, crushed 175 g. (1 cup) cooked or tinned

1 long red chilli, diced black beans, rinsed and
(optional) drained

49
 DESSERT:
5-minute cacao mousse
SERVES 4

It astounds me how you can recreate your favourite desserts using

simple wholefoods that just so happen to be natures superfoods.
yogajournal.com.au

This chocolate mousse is a combination of heart-healthy avocado,

cacao and dates, blended with mesquite powder, vanilla, ricemalt
syrup and your milk of choice.
INGREDIENTS
4 small ripe avocados 4 medjool dates, pitted
55 g. ( cup) raw cacao powder 125 ml ( cup) coconut milk
november/december 2017

80 ml (3 cup) rice malt syrup 2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil

1 tsp. natural vanilla extract 1 Tbsp. mesquite powder

METHOD
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Pour into four serving glasses and enjoy.

50
SNACK: Sesame squares
MAKES 8
Sesame seeds have long been prized for their nutty flavour and
nourishing oil, which is used in many traditional medicines for its
healing properties. Just a handful of these tiny super seeds delivers
a big hit of phenolic antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and protein.
Needless to say, these deliciously chewy sesame squares are a
filling, nutritious snack. Theyre very quick and easy to whip up,
and taste heavenly with homemade chocolate drizzled on top.

INGREDIENTS
220 g. (1 cups) sesame seeds
45 g. ( cup) desiccated coconut
80 ml (3 cup) rice malt syrup
3 Tbsp. softened coconut butter
CHOCOLATE SWIRL
125 ml ( cup) melted coconut oil
85 g. ( cup) raw cacao powder
60 ml ( cup) maple syrup

METHOD
Place the sesame seeds, coconut, rice malt syrup and coconut butter
in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well incorporated and
sticks together.
Press the mixture into a tray or slab tin, measuring about 34 x 23cm
and 5cm deep. Freeze for 23 hours, or until firm enough to slice
cleanly.
Combine the chocolate swirl ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well
combined. Slice the sesame mixture into squares or rectangles, and
use the chocolate to make decorative patterns on top.
The sesame squares will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for
up to 1 week, or in an airtight container in the freezer for 68weeks.
 FESTIVAL

Not all yogis are

chai-sipping early risers.
Yoga festivals are
creating the space to let
our inner party animals
shine minus the
booze and late nights. BRISBANE AND
SUNSHINE COAST - AUSTRALIA
If youre thinking about
jumping aboard the Yogafest is an oldie but a goodie, and is celebrating its 10th anniversary
this year. Showcasing some of Australias greatest yoga talents, the
festival bandwagon, festival offers a variety of classes, workshops, tasty treats and music.
consider this your Its seriously affordable and community-minded, held in majestically
nostalgic settings such as Brisbanes Old Museum and Lake Kawana
beginners guide to Community Centre. Expect to run into new and old friends Yogafest
provides the perfect place to find your tribe amongst the chaos of city
Australia and beyond.
yogajournal.com.au

life. www.yogafest.com.au

In its third year running, Ekam Yoga Fest expanded this year to spread over
two days at a beautiful new venue, The Francis Retreat, south of Port Macquarie.
Participants were treated to nourishing food dished up by Angie Cowan of
PHOTO: CECILLEPHOTOGRAPHY/ ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Love Life And Gluten Free. Highlights included two classes with senior teacher
Eve Grzybowski, insights on vedic chanting from Beverley McCulloch, delving
november/december 2017

into tangible asana and pranayama experiences of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
concepts with Amy Landry, and magical early-morning chants with the founder
of Ekam, Denis Juelicher. There were also talks and tasters on subjects
including nutrition, Ayurveda, and meditation with Tibetan singing bowls.
PORT MACQUARIE - AUSTRALIA The indoor expo showcased a variety of goodness such as skin care, music,
mindfully made jewellery, aromatherapy, art, and health practices. Organised
by Random Acts Of Yoga, Ekam Yoga Fest is a non-profit event and will be back
again in 2018. www.ekamyogafestival.org.au
52
 CALIFORNIA USA
Weve been eyeing this event for some time now. Bhaktifest (and its sister
Shaktifest) is a non-profit yoga festival with its roots in yoga, kirtan
and meditation. It embraces all spiritual practices and aims to build a
heart-centred community of conscious yogis through sharing the spirit
of devotion. Every year, Bhaktifest and Shaktifest showcase some of the
worlds greatest yoga teachers, musicians and spiritual leaders in Californias
idyllic Joshua Tree, and invites guests to celebrate all things yoga, spirituality
and growth. Shakti Fest places a special emphasis on the Divine Feminine.
Proceeds of the events go to chosen charities across the globe, mostly in
India. www.bhaktifest.com

UBUD BALI
The sister festival of Byron Spirit Festival, Bali Spirit
Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary earlier this year
in March. The event celebrated in epic proportions with a
five-day, seven-night smorgasbord of yoga, dance, talks,
a funky marketplace and more all in the tropical
surrounds of Ubud, Balis yoga capital. Guests indulged
in blissful breathwork, cacao ceremonies, ecstatic
explorations of movement and seriously spiritual
seminars with some of the worlds best-known and
experienced yogis. And if they had any energy left,
at the end of the day they could soak up the Ubud
atmosphere whilst listening to musicians from around
the world from kirtan artists to reggae and local
talents. www.balispiritfestival.com
yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017

STRADBROKE ISLAND - AUSTRALIA

Held on the picturesque beachfront of Stradbroke Island, Island Elements Festival boasts a tempting variety of creatively
concocted spiritual goodness. With intriguing workshops like, Hawaiian Shamanic Healing, Tribal Fusion Bellydance and
Elemental Gardening, as well as a fun and funky blend of modern, conscious musicians from Oka to Dubarray the
event promises a space to be inspired, nurtured and creatively rejuvenated through the day and night. All the while soaking
up the spirit of the island in a true celebration of life. www.islandelementsfestival.com 53

We chat to Byron Spirit Festival founder
Alex Grant about the trials and tribulations of
yogajournal.com.au
putting together a yoga event, and the best
ways to prepare for yoga festival season.
AYJ - How long have you been
putting together the Byron Spirit
november/december 2017
Festival? What was your journey to
creating events and how has the
festival evolved over the years?
A - The Byron Spirit Festival is entering
its sixth year! I had been developing
www.ndyoga.com.au since 2003 and
wanted to bring the yoga community
together for real, and not just virtually.
54 Kate Little (my business partner) and I
SOARS
felt that Australia needed a gathering for
the yoga community to come together
and, living in Byron Shire, it felt like the
perfect place.Finding a venue was not so
easy as we needed a place where more
than 500 yogis can practice and stay out
of the elements. We settled on
Mullumbimby, at locations throughout
the town.It has served us well for the
past ve years but we have decided to
move to our namesake Byron Bay.
The 2018 event, to be held 20-22 April,
will be located in Byron at both the
Cavanbah Centre and the New Elements
Resort in the Arts and Industrial Estate.
We feel that the event is ready to be
taken to the next level and having a
central location will be very benecial.
The Cavanbah Centre is central and has
a large capacity, while Elements is
stunning, being directly on the beach.
We are excited to incorporate many of
the treasures that Byron Bay has to offer
such as the amazing landscape as well as
world-class yoga teachers and studios.
AYJ - How do you choose what
teachers and sessions to feature on
the program?
A - We aim to combine local, national
and international teachers. We try to
choose teachers from a diverse
background and not focus on any one
style. We normally choose about 50% of
our teachers from who we know in
the community and then another 50%
normally come from applications via our
website, which is open now. Kate and I
go through the applications and try to
craft a very special lineup each year.
AYJ - What advice would you give
to someone preparing to go to his
or her first yoga festival?
A - Be open-minded and try something
new. Many times, people have their
favourite teachers and styles, but often
the teachers that we are not immediately
drawn to can offer us the best options for
our personal journeys.Also, bring your
own yoga mat and wear some cosmic
tights!
AYJ - Apart from Byron Spirit, do
you have any favourite yoga/
spiritual events?
A - I love our sister festival, the Bali
Spirit Festival.I try to go each year to
connect with the tribe and nd inspiring
presenters who would be a good t for
the Byron Festival. I also love Burning
Man, it helps me remember the
impermanent nature of all and how to
practice immediacy, being in the present
moment, which is one of the 10 key
beliefs of the festival.I am also involved
with Beloved Festival in Oregon. It is
where I would like to take the Byron
Spirit Festival eventually. It evokes a
feeling of co-created love and
celebration!
 T h e m y s te r y t h a t i s
YO U
Our ego has a tricky job mediating between our internal drives and the social and
ethical customs around us. So, how does it work and how do we learn to evolve?
THINK OF YOUR HOUSE the place you
live it contains you, you retreat there
and inside its structure you change and
grow. These things are healthy. Because
you have a house, you can move into the
world and function there. If you never
left your house, however, its structure
would become unhealthy.
The ego is like this house. It contains
us. It organises our attention. It gives us
an experience of our personality. It isnt
wrong to have an ego, just as it isnt
wrong to have a house, but each of these
things should moor our experience, not
restrict it. This is what allows us to both
have an ego and move beyond it.
Ego is the part of us that mediates
between our internal, instinctual drives
and the social and ethical customs we
abide by to live as part of a community.
One of its primary responsibilities is to
determine what, in our environment, we
attend to and what we ignore. It chooses
which of our impulses we express (those
that support our self-image) and which
we repress (those that do not). It
protects the parts of us that feel
yogajournal.com.au
vulnerable and employs strategies to
ensure that our physical, mental and
emotional needs are met while we grow
and evolve. It has a tricky job. It needs to
be strong enough to integrate the
countless uplifting, challenging and
contradictory experiences we have and,
november/december 2017
at the same time, maintain a level of
internal stability that allows us to feel
secure.
The Sanskrit word for ego
ahamkara speaks to this. It means
I maker and refers to our internal
storyteller that paints the world with the
colours of I, me and my. In navigating
56 our human experience, its an all-
By Karina Guthrie
important compass, problematic only
if we become conned by the thoughts,
emotions and experiences it generates.
However, when it comes to our
spiritual evolution, its important to
understand that while our ego is
certainly a part of us, its not all that we
are. To believe that it is, is to believe in
an illusion, an illusion which yoga says
is the foundational source of our
suffering. Its called avidya, which
means ignorance but not just any kind
of ignorance; ignorance of our true
nature. Avidya is our tendency to treat
as true the parts of our experience
that change, while turning a blind eye
to the parts of ourselves that are
unchanging: eternal.
This seems abstract, but we can
play with the idea in a practical way.
Day-to-day, we treat our thoughts
and emotions as if they were all we
are. But consider this: the fact that we
can witness our thoughts means there
is an aspect of our awareness that exists
beyond them. When we step into the
place of witness we tap into a deep and
spacious aspect of our awareness that
sees but doesnt think, and watches but
doesnt judge. It is pure, still and
eternal.
Yoga says that if we can tap into this
part of our self, we will realise that we
are not an isolated ego oating in space,
but rather a single drop of awareness
in the vast ocean of energy and
consciousness we call life. We will see
that our ego is simply the vehicle
through which universal consciousness
expresses itself inside us as an
individual.
We can touch this more universal
part of our self by asking some simple
questions. For example, when I breathe,
how far into my body does that breath
have to go before it stops being air and
becomes a part of me? Where does my
ear end and sound begin? Where does
this writing end and your mind begin?
As we ask these questions, we begin to
see that the boundaries the ego creates
are arbitrary. The body cannot be
separated from the world we live in,
except in our imagination.
The Bhagavad Gita says when we are
truly aligned with our highest potential
we serve others without worrying about
whether it benets us. We surrender our
actions to something greater than our
own egoic concerns. It isnt a seismic
shift that gets us there. Its a constant,
gentle effort that helps us transcend the
ego through purposeful living.
Ultimately, yogas lesson is that we
can live in the world and at the same
time draw nourishment from the part
of us that is beyond the world. If we can
direct even a small amount of the energy
we use to maintain our self-image
toward something bigger, we will be
able to more fully nurture our potential.
We will come to see our ego as a porous
membrane through which we move
each time we seek to travel between our
individual human experience and our
vast and boundless consciousness.
Karina is a full-time yoga teacher at
The Practice Bali, a studio committed to
making traditional technologies accessible
to contemporary practitioners. She has
also recently launched Breathe Yoga and
Wellness, a website that supports yoga
teachers to continue their studentship of
yoga. Follow her journey and teachings at
www.breatheyogaandwellness.com and on
instagram @karina.guthrie
 We surrender our actions to something greater than
our own egoic concerns. It isnt a seismic shift that
gets us there. Its a constant, gentle effort that helps
us transcend the ego through purposeful living.

yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017
PHOTO: LITTLEHENRABI/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

57
 young
Yoga for

minds
Mindfulness tools are becoming
more popular in helping Australian
schools nurture healthy
heads, hearts and bodies.
By Diana Timmins
yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017

PHOTO:YOGANAUTS

58
LETS FACE IT: Children today are commonly educated
in competitive environments that demand technology
know-how. Sure, children may need to understand
new-and-improved electronic fandangles to broaden
future opportunities, but are they also taught sufcient
life skills to understand themselves and navigate the
world around them? With increased awareness
surrounding the latter, thoroughly researched yoga
and mindfulness programs for students and educators
are becoming broadly utilised. Many passionate
professionals are also lobbying for mindfulness
programs to eventually become an ofcial part of
educational curriculums nation-wide.
yogajournal.com.au

It is imperative that wellbeing programs be

implemented within schools, given the current climate
of education, pressures in schools and rising mental
health concerns, says Townsville-based founder
of non-prot organisation, Yoga Tools for Schools Inc.
(YTFS), Jasmine Healy-Pagan.
When used in education, yoga is a system that
november/december 2017

teaches self-awareness and self-management by

tuning into the body, breath and mind.
Unlike some forms of physical activity, yoga doesnt
simply strike a pose to burn off abundant steam for
children. Beyond exing students physical limbs,
non-competitive programs like YTFS creatively integrate
yogas philosophical limbs to attain widely reported
benets like improved sleep, concentration, social
cohesion and overall emotional wellbeing. 59
 Less stress, more success
According to Youth Beyond Blue,
approximately one in 35 Australians
aged 4-17 experience a depressive
disorder. Furthermore, one in 14 among
this demographic experienced an
anxiety disorder in 2015. Such concerns
may be triggered by high-pressure
exams and assessments beginning in
primary school, which could decrease a
students productivity and performance.
Science has proven and
educators have experienced that
when students are anxious, frustrated or
stressed, it is nearly impossible for them
to focus, learn or be test-ready. Yoga
and mindfulness provide effective
solutions for calming the nervous
system and enhancing emotional
intelligence, says Healy-Pagan.
A 2009 study by MGN College of
Education (India) supported yogas
potential in this regard, revealing
students performed better in
mathematics, science and social studies
after a seven-week yoga module
involving postures, breathing,
meditation and a value-orientation
program.
Founder of school-based wellbeing
provider Life Skills Group, Nikki Bonus,
reiterates that stress-reduction tools can
enhance performance beyond
academics. Our students report that
they also use mindfulness and breathing
techniques to help them with sport and
performing in front of others. Every
lesson, students practice a mindful
minute of balloon breathing. They
imagine they have a balloon in their
belly, inating upon inhale, deating
upon exhale, explains Sydney-based
Bonus.
Our programs focus on recognising
and dealing with emotions as they arise,
yogajournal.com.au
helping students detect early signs of
stress and anxiety. Sitting in their
mindful bodies, students check their
internal weather. They may feel happy,
so the weather is warm and sunny. It
may be partly cloudy or they may feel a
storm brewing. We discuss how
november/december 2017
feelings, like the weather, are always
changing.
Harnessing childrens imaginations
can make for a memorable experience.
Innovative Yoganauts, founded by
Sydney-based exercise scientist Paul
Karantonis, engages children with
symbolic superhero themes: Airon
60 (breath and vitality), Goru (strength
and balance), Zazen (happiness and
serenity) and Kaizen (willpower and
transformation).
Yoganauts serve brain-food in
intriguing ways. We periodise the tempo
and weave in superpowers of being
mighty, strong and focussed,
non-competitively challenging oneself
and working on invisible willpower to
create a showcase of movement and
mindfulness, explains Karantonis.
Social skills and cohesion
Upholding its translation to union and
philosophy of ahimsa (non-violence),
yoga organically instils kindness
thank heavens for that! A 2015 study
by ABCs current affairs program for
children, Behind the News, questioned
20,000 Australian children aged
between six to 16 and revealed
prominent issues Australian kids worry
about included friends, bullying, and
being different. Alarmingly, two-thirds
reportedly experienced bullying.
These are concerning results that
may be reduced, particularly through
partner-orientated exercises promoting
playfulness, trust, and peer support.
Our programs foster social cohesion
by providing an environment for
students to work together in pairs or
groups. We create awareness around
what values we need to call on in these
situations. There is opportunity for
discussion and reection, and students
are encouraged to show compassion and
empathy, says Bonus.
Disruptive behaviour can also create
social disconnection, but potentially can
be alleviated by wellbeing frameworks.
A recent trial at Randwicks Prince of
Wales Hospital revealed meditation can
ease symptoms of attention decit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A six-
week Sahaja yoga meditation program
delivered to 48 children diagnosed with
ADHD reduced symptom severity by an
average of 35 per cent, allowing some to
decrease medication.
Many children diagnosed with
hyperactivity and behavioural problems
have recently become overstimulated
through exposure to and use of faddish
gadgets like dget-spinners, which can
catapult curious minds into chaos.
Karantonis has witnessed this trend,
and says perhaps what they really need
is encouragement, empowerment and
space to engage in more self-directed
stillness.
Many in a group we worked with in
regional New South Wales had suffered
previous trauma. The rst week
presented aggressive behavioural
challenges. By week three, the most
aggressive students chose to sit down
on our recharge station and take a
meditative-style break, he reects.
We never force this. It is rewarding
to see children select this themselves.
We had provided a new platform for
them to explore what may be benecial
for them in ways they understand.
Lead by example
Of course, success of school-based
programs doesnt solely rely on
supporting students, but educators and
parents too. To achieve the greatest
impact, teachers require relevant
training, time and resources to ideally
integrate mindfulness in their overall
approach to teaching, beyond
designated yoga sessions. For this
reason, companies such as Life Skills
Group and YTFS consider their
professional development programs as
being as crucial as those designed for
primary and secondary children.
YTFS initial focus has been to
support, inspire and empower educators
rst. When teachers use Yoga Tools for
personal wellbeing, they have tools to
manage their energy amidst increasing
demands of teaching, and model and
share these experiences with others,
says Healy-Pagan.
Ever heard the saying: It takes a
village to raise a child? This in mind,
Bonus believes a whole-school approach
is essential in delivering wellbeing
programs. We try to educate not only
teachers, but also provide opportunities
for parents and families to be involved.
Mindfulness takes practice; you need to
have an understanding and lead by
example. The best way to educate
students is for the adults in their lives
to exemplify these behaviours.
A 2016 study conducted across
Western Australian schools by Mindful
Meditation Australia reiterated the
importance of community engagement.
The report revealed, Many felt that
simply using the term mindfulness
would put a lot of parents off, as they
had a poor understanding of the term
and deeply established attitudes toward
meditation.
Raising awareness within homes
means children may more likely utilise
 To achieve the greatest
impact, teachers require
relevant training, time and
resources to ideally integrate
mindfulness in their overall
approach to teaching, beyond
designated yoga sessions.
tools beyond classrooms and in daily
life. For educators and parents to get
more on board, a game-changer may be
contemplating how early introduction
to such eye-opening education may have
helped shape their own formative years
and beyond.

If mindfulness-based education hasnt made

its way to your school yet, Smiling Mind app
offers accessible age-appropriate guided
meditations: www.smilingmind.com.au/
smiling-mind-app/.

MINDFULNESS TIPS FOR KIDS TEACH KIDS

YTFS teach tools to recharge, reset or relax in a few short minutes without KINDNESS
additional equipment. All you need is yourself and your young one to Katrina Cavanough, founder
practice Healy-Pagans breathing tools, offered below: of anti-bullying program,
Kindness on Purpose, believes
4-6 years Peace and quiet kindness is key in children feeling
Sit comfortably, placing hands over heart connected to themselves and
Slowly breathing in, softly say peace others. Cavanough offers four
Slowly rest hands down on thighs, softly say quiet steps to instilling kindness within
Repeat three times, eyes open our kids.
Repeat three times, eyes closed
Repeat three times with audible words and eyes closed Mealtime conversations
Extra option upon completion, listen for the sound of a bell, slowly open eyes Ask children what were some
and smile at someone once it stops ringing kind words or actions they performed
that day to help someone feel better.
6-10 years Fan breathing
Creative option make and use a paper fan instead of hands Plan acts of kindness
Sit comfortably, bring hands (closed paper fan) together in front of abdomen Help children create and implement an
yogajournal.com.au

Slowly inhaling, move hands apart (open fan) counting one two three act of kindness.
Pause briefly, then exhale and bring hands slowly back together (close fan)
counting three two one Use positive language
Repeat five cycles with eyes open or closed Powerful statements like we are a
kind family or you are naturally kind
10 years and older Fingertip breathing help reinforce their connection to
Sit comfortably, hands resting palms upward on each thigh kindness.
november/december 2017

Inhale slowly, gently open palms, stretch and energise fingers

Exhale slowly, softly touch thumb with first finger Seek and share examples of kindness
Repeat with second, third and fourth fingers in the world and community this helps
Repeat cycle twice, last time with eyes closed to normalise kindness, helps kids feel
Affirmations option choose four positive words to contemplate with each fingertip, safe and encourages a positive outlook
like peace, begins, with and me on life.

Become a member of YTFS at www.yogatoolsforschools.com.au/ For more inspiration, check out

get-involved to spread more yoga love around schools! www.kindnessonpurpose.com 61

 DREAM on
Follow these 5 steps and create the perfect Zen Den for a good nights sleep.
JUMPING OUT of bed bright-eyed,
bushy-tailed and ready to step onto
your yoga mat is much easier after
a good nights sleep. Implement
these simple changes to improve the
quality of your sleeping space, and
hence the quality of your sleep.
yogajournal.com.au
Sweet dreams!
1. DE-CLUTTER
An untidy environment can be
frustrating to live or work in, and its
the same for sleep. We all know how
november/december 2017
hard it is to drop off when you have
annoying thoughts running through
your head. To reverse it, a clear living
space promotes a clear head space
so get organised. First, go through
everything you keep in your bedroom:
clothes, furniture, everything. If it
doesnt need to be there, or if you dont
62 need it at all, move it: give it away,
donate it to charity, or sell it. Next, tidy
everything you have. There are dozens
of smart storage solutions available,
from drawers under the bed to vacuum
bags for out-of-season clothes and
bedding. Make sure to keep it that way
by creating space in your daily routine
for picking up items and making your
bed. It doesnt have to be stark and
minimalist having a few favourite
ornaments is both aesthetically
pleasing and a mood-enhancing choice.
The inclusion of a few, low-maintenance
plants will also purify the air for a more
wholesome sleep environment.
2. RE-DECORATE
While youre re-organising, you can also
think about the mood of your bedroom.
Its widely accepted that light and colour
can energise or calm us, provoke
happiness or sadness, and heal or
irritate us. Consider consulting a chakra
colour chart before repainting your
By Phoebe Yu
bedroom. The blue of the throat chakra,
for example, soothes the soul and can
aid in achieving a restful state, ready for
sleep. Check that your curtains block
as much light as possible, as this affects
your natural rhythm of sleep.
PHOTOS: DARIA MINAEVA;NENAD AKSIC;AMEHIME; DIRIMA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
3. ENSURE GOOD QUALITY
BEDDING THAT CHANGES
WITH THE SEASONS
Considering you spend almost a third
of your life in bed, its worth taking the
time to consider your bedding choices.
There is a range of comfortable, affordable
and sustainable options available,
including French ax linen, Egyptian
cotton and bamboo lyocell. Ensure that
you change your bedding with the seasons,
as temperature affects sleep quality.
Aim for the cool side of comfortable
when you start to fall asleep, your body
temperature drops, so emulating this
can encourage sleepiness.
 4. BANISH TECHNOLOGY
The National Sleep Foundation has pointed out how the blue light emitted
by modern-day screens (televisions, mobile phones, computers and tablets)
diminishes the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your
circadian rhythm. When its production is reduced, it becomes harder to
fall asleep and any sleep you get will be lighter and of poorer quality. Its
recommended that you stop using these types of electronic devices for at least
30 minutes, but preferably an hour, before bed. Try leaving all devices outside
the bedroom. Youll nd that your body prepares itself for sleep faster and
more naturally.

5. CREATE A BED-TIME RITUAL

Just as your bedroom should be tidy before bed, its a great habit to also take
time to tidy your mind. After youve nished using technology for the evening,
choose a relaxing activity to add to your routine that will help you to wind down
and prepare for sleep. Create your own bed-time ritual, taking inspiration from
activities like:
Restorative yoga Meditation
A warm bath Reading
Listening to calming music Journalling to clear your mind of busy thoughts
Candle gazing A (caffeine-free) tea ritual

Phoebe Yu is the founder ofEttitude, an Australian bamboo bedding

start-up that recognises the importance of the environment and the greater
community by creating ethical, cruelty-free and vegan-friendly bedding.
Check them out and add to your Zen den at www.ettitude.com.au

List & Find Yoga Teacher Training,

FRrial Pe
T

EEriod
Retreats and Workshops

YogaTT is an elegant,
easy-to-use Australian-made
listing/search site for all
levels of teacher training,
workshops and retreats.

www.yogatt.com.au
 Meet
e

WITHIN YOU
rce
According to yoga tradition, there are five currents of vital life force (prana) that
run through us and govern our bodies and minds: the prana vayus. When we
understand them and how they can work in harmony with each other,
were able to experience life with more clarity and authenticity. Heres how to
use your yoga practice to embody the vayus, both on and off your mat.
STORY BY LAUREN ECKSTROM / PHOTOGRAPHY BY MITCH AND BRITTANY ROUSE

A FEW MONTHS AGO, my father lost his battle
with pancreatic cancer. In the nal stretch of
his life, I continued teaching a full schedule of
yoga classes, but I visited with him daily. One
afternoon between classes, I hurried home
so I could change my clothes and then get
to his sidebut I couldnt nd a parking spot.
I double-parked in the alley outside my
apartment, threw on my hazard lights, and
dashed inside. Ill be fast, I thought.
Two minutes later, someone laid on their car
horn. I darted downstairs and a small, angry,
When I think back on this interaction,
Im grateful for my yoga practiceand
particularly the ways in which it helps me
to embody the prana vayus. Translated,
prana means life force or vital energy,
and vayu means wind or direction of
energy. The prana vayus are the various
directions in which life force ows, and
our understanding of them can help us
regulate the physical body and its systems
and support us in responding to challenges
with greater steadiness and balance. For

elderly woman stopped me in my tracks: She
had her head stuck out her car window and
was hurling profanities my way. I took a deep
breath, looked at the woman sincerely and
yogajournal.com.au
PHOTOS BY MITCH AND BRITTANY ROUSE, FROM HOLISTIC YOGA FLOW: THE PATH OF PRACTICE
instance, in my one-minute interaction with
my neighbour, I was able to ground down
through my feet (apana vayu), take a deep
breath and feel into my centre (samana vayu),

said, Im so sorry. As I moved my car, she hold my head up (udana vayu), soften my eyes
unleashed another deluge of obscenities laced as they gazed outward at her (vyana vayu), and
BY TRAVIS ELIOT AND LAUREN ECKSTROM (INNER DOMAIN MEDIA)

with assumptions about my entitlement,
ending the diatribe with, Im headed to a doctors
appointment and Im afraid Ill be late!
As I watched her furiously speed away all
alone, I was reminded of a quote I often repeat
november/december 2017
simply say, Im sorry about the circumstances
surrounding us (prana vayu).
Experiencing the prana vayus in my practice
keeps me connected to the ow of energy
within me and the world around me. The result

to myself when Im frustrated by others: Be is that the ow of energy within me is reected

kind; everyone you meet is ghting a battle you
know nothing about. In that moment, I was
overwhelmed with empathy for my neighbour.
Going to the doctor can be difcult. Going solo
can be even harder. Of course, she likely didnt
consider I might be ghting a battle of my
ownthat my visits with my dad were some
64 of the last moments Id spend with him.
externally in a way that aligns with my values
and my highest self. Get to know the ve prana
vayus in the pages that follow, along with ve
yoga postures that can help you experience each
vayu in your body. Learn them. Embody them.
And watch as they train you to move through
your yoga practiceand your lifefrom a
place of peace, power, and connection.
Udana Vayu
Movement Direction Upward
Centred in The diaphragm; it moves through the lungs, bronchi, trachea, and
throat, governing exhalation.
Expressed Verbally; when udana vayu is in balance, we communicate based
on what we feel in our hearts, as opposed to what we think we should say;
udana vayu helps these emotions move up and out of us.
The Pose Dandasana (Staff Pose)
Sit tall with your legs stretched out in front of you, your sit bones rooted into
the ground. Press your palms into the ground and lengthen your spine; feel
how energy rises from your sacrum toward the crown of your head. With
udana vayu as a guiding force, Dandasana becomes the physical embodiment
of rising, owning your truth, and expressing yourself fully and clearly. Hold
this pose for 1520 breaths.
Take it off the mat Imagine a conversation with a loved one or co-worker
in which you feel uncertain about what to say or nervous about how youll
be received. As you prepare for the conversation, feel the words rising from
your centrea reflection of the same upward motion you experience as you
lengthen your spine in Dandasana. Feel your willingness to speak honestly
and completely, without shrinking back. Udana vayu encourages expansion,
even in the moments when we want to contract. So, when you feel uncertain,
call on the strength, vigour, and confidence of udana vayu.

yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017

65

Prana Vayu
Movement Direction All around
Centred in The chest; it governs inhalation.
yogajournal.com.au
Expressed Cyclically; prana vayu is reflected in your ability to be
within a cycle of ongoing change while remaining connected to
your centre. Imbalances in prana vayu affect the nervous system
and manifest as anxiety or fear, triggering symptoms such as
breathlessness or heart palpitations. Yoga teaches us to pay
attention to our breath cycle. For beginning practitioners, the initial
instinct is to hold the breath when a pose feels challenging
november/december 2017
which stops the flow of energy, leading to increased tension and
resistance. Over time, we learn to trust the cycle of the breath, and
as a result energy flows smoothly.
The Pose Salamba Supta Baddha Konasana (Supported Reclining
Bound Angle Pose)
Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet
touching. Support your outer knees or upper thighs with blocks
66 or folded blankets. Make sure your forehead is level with, or
slightly higher than, your chin. The shape created by your legs
and the connection between the soles of your feet are symbolic
of the circular nature of prana vayu. As you rest your body in this
supported position, you invite your lungs and your heart to open
and your focus to gently return to your inhalations. By moving
from restlessness to ease, we embody the notion that all things
are ever changingour breath, our feelings, even our yoga poses
themselves. Hold this supported posture for 58 minutes.
Take it off the mat Each morning, set aside a few minutes to
practice samavrtti, a form of pranayama that encourages even,
balanced breathing. There are four parts to this cyclical breath:
the inhale (puraka), the pause at the top of the inhalation (antara
kumbhaka), the exhale (rechaka), and the pause at the bottom of
the exhalation (bahya kumbhaka).
Come into a comfortable seated position, and invite your body
to soften. Inhale for the count of 4. Pause, and soften your
body as you briefly retain the inhalation, then exhale for the
count of 4. Pause and soften your body again as you briefly
retain the exhalation. The intention is to establish breaths that
mirror each other in quality and length. Then, if you ever
notice fear, anxiety, or breathlessness arising, practice this
breath pattern.
Apana Vayu
Movement Direction Downward
Centred in The lower abdominal region and pelvic cavity.
Expressed As steadiness; through the processes of elimination,
making love, and giving birth. Apana vayu is experienced when
our energy is grounded, like the roots of a tree. This vayu rules
elimination and is felt when we let go of what is no longer serving
us, such as shedding waste from our bodies or ridding ourselves of
old habits or toxic relationships.
The Pose Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King
Pigeon Pose)
From Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward- Facing Dog Pose) raise your chest and spine lift. Draw your right thigh back as you
your right leg skyward, and then place your right knee just behind pull your left thigh forward, hugging your outer hips inward,
your right wrist. Lower your pelvis onto the mat, using a block or lifting through the pelvic floor (a good example of rooting to
bolster beneath your right hip for support if necessary. Remain rise). Hold for 810 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
upright, supporting yourself on your fingertips or hands. Focus
your awareness on the outer edges of your right calf and foot, Take it off the mat When you find yourself feeling disconnected
feeling them root into the floor. Now, become aware of your left or unsettled, place your attention on your feetor whichever
leg. Feel your shin and the top of your left (back) foot firm down part of you is in contact with the ground. If possible, place the
toward the ground. Sense the grounding quality of your legs as soles of your bare feet directly on the earth. You may even try
your pelvis descends toward the earth. Notice how you feel. lying down on the ground. Being in conscious contact with
You might sense steadiness or solidity penetrating your body something solid and firm creates an active connection to apana
and mind. Simultaneously, the upward flow of energy (udana vayu) vayu, which will help you steady yourself and gain purpose and
helps to keep the posture safe. As your legs and pelvis ground, confidence.

THE BEST CHILDRENS

YOGA TEACHERS
Are ZENERGY Trained!
Foundation Training Course
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 november/december 2017 yogajournal.com.au

68
Samana Vayu
Movement Direction Inward
Centred in The digestive system; its experienced in the
digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the foods, liquids,
and air that enters the body.
Expressed Internally; in a culture that celebrates extroversion,
samana vayu is an essential reminder that turning inward
helps maintain harmony in our lives and bodies. In the same
way a well-sequenced yoga class may peak to a heart-opening
pose and then counter with a forward fold, samana vayu is
the counter pose for moving through lifea suggestion that
turning inward is not only a valid response to lifes demands
but necessary for vitality and health.
The Pose Marichyasana I
From Dandasana, bend your right knee, placing your right
foot on the floor with your heel as close to your sit bone as
possible. Keep your left leg strong, grounding your left thigh
bone into the floor. Reach your right arm forward and point
your thumb down, rotating your arm inward as you lengthen
your torso forward and snuggle your knee into your right
armpit. On an inhalation, pull your navel in toward your spine,
contracting your abdominals to generate length through your
back body. On an exhalation, sweep your forearm around the
outside of your leg. Sweep your left arm around your back,
using a strap or towel to connect your hands (or clasp your
hands together, if you can). Feel samana vayu as you draw
your navel in toward your spine and lift upward, hugging in
toward your centre. Hold for 1015 breaths, then repeat on the
other side. As you sustain this posture, consider how it feels to
move toward your centreto be inwardly reliant rather than
externally motivated. Notice how different flows of energy are
concurrently present as you look inward: The outward flow
of energy (vyana vayu) subtly extends your heart forward as
your front heel pushes ahead. The downward flow of energy
(apana vayu) encourages the sole of your planted foot toward
the mat. Each inhalation (prana vayu) helps you stay present to
the experience. Your awareness of the other vayus exemplifies
that turning inward does not mean shutting down, turning off,
spiritually bypassing, or escaping. Instead, samana vayu draws
you intentionally to your centre in a fully informed, holistic way
so that as you move outward, your actions come from the very
core of your being.
yogajournal.com.au

Take it off the mat Whenever you feel energetically drained,

make time to turn inward. Trust your instincts, get quiet, and
listen closely for what your body is telling you it needs in order
to feel rejuvenated. Eliminate outside distractions by turning off
your phone, computeranything that makes noise. In silence,
take time to simply be..
november/december 2017

Our Pro Teacher and model Lauren Eckstrom is a yoga and meditation
teacher in Los Angeles and co-author of the book Holistic Yoga Flow:
The Path of Practice with her husband, yoga teacher Travis Eliot. The
husband-and-wife team leads Holistic Yoga Flow workshops, retreats, and
teacher trainings, and they co-created Yoga 30 for 30a 30-day online yoga
program of half-hour daily practices. Learn more at laureneckstrom.com. 69
 Vyana Vayu Bring the
Movement Direction Outward vayus to life
Centred in The core of the body, moving in and out of the extremities and in the
The prana vayus are a pathway for inquiry,
blood and lymphatic system.
giving your practice on the mat potential
Expressed As alignment. Vyana vayu integrates the energy throughout the body
to inform and enliven your life.
so that your outward expression reflects and assimilates your internal awareness.
What we practice we become, and
The Pose Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
the prana vayus help us move with
(Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose)
awareness, compassion, balance,
Begin on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
and integrity. Notice each prana vayu
Bring your hands back by your ears, palms to the ground, as if setting up for
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward Bow Pose). Press into the ground with the soles of in your practice. Pay attention to the
your feet and the palms of your hands, lifting your pelvis off the mat and reaching liveliness of all five pathways in
yogajournal.com.au

your sit bones toward the backs of your knees. Rest the crown of your head on each moment or breath. Through
the mat, then slip one forearm to the floor, then the other, interlacing your hands
behind your head as you would for Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand). your own experiences, youll develop
Press down into your outer arms, lifting your head away from the mat. As you hold an understanding that for
this posture, notice how energy radiates from your core down to the soles of your each direction energy flows, there
feetand up along your elbows, outer forearms, and wrists (vyana vayu). Hold for
must be a complementary and opposing
810 breaths.
november/december 2017

flow of energy in order to achieve

Take it off the mat The next time you are moving through your day and harmony. Moving from this place of
notice youre no longer present or aligned with your highest self, practice this
awareness, watch as your practice comes
simple meditation: Stop what youre doing, take a deep breath, observe what
youre feeling without judgment, and proceed from a place of reconnection and alive in every relationship you
awareness. When you are mindful of your internal state, you are better able to value, beginning with the one you
express yourself physically and verballypresently and purposefullyso that have with yourself.
your internal and external states align.
70
 your practice
ANATOMY

Get to know
The ankle joint
This joint plays an important role in knee and foot health, balance, and more. Heres what you
need to know about your ankles. By Jill Miller
YOUR ANKLES ARE the great
negotiator between the ground
and the rest of your body: The
more than two-dozen bones
that comprise your ankle and
foot, and the three joints of your
ankle, play a constant sensing
game to determine what type
of terrain youre navigating
and how to best move across it.
Your ankles absorb the pressure
that occurs when your feet hit
the ground with each step you
take. They also stabilise your
body weight, which is driving
down simultaneously through
your ankles narrow, right-angle
structure.
Youre probably oblivious to
the constant work your ankles
dounless, of course, youre one
of the millions of people who
sprain one each year. While the
majority of ankle sprains occur
when were young (between the
ages of 15 and 24), they often
dont heal completely, leaving
Top ankle problems
The most common ankle injuries and issues include:
SPRAIN
An ankle sprain is an injury
to the ligaments outside
the ankle, when the soft
tissues are aggressively
overstretched and the area
swells up in a state of repair.
Most sprains occur when the
foot rolls inward (inversion).
Depending on the severity
of the sprain, it can take
anywhere from weeks to
months to heal. When an
ankle is overworked too soon
after a sprain, the tissues
may not heal properly and
can become permanently
unstable and hypermobile,
setting the stage for further
vulnerability to injury.
WHY WOBBLING CAN BE A GOOD THING
Have you ever looked down at your standing leg during a balance
HYPERLAXITY
This is loss of ligament
integrity, and its a
common result of an
ankle sprain. When ankle
ligaments havent healed
from a prior injury, they
are no longer able to do
the job of supporting the
ankle joint. (One sign this
may be the case is if you
can hear your ankle
popping or clicking.) mostly walk on flat surfaces
Hyperlaxity can lead to both
muscle weakness
and hypertonicity (having
too much muscle tone),
which can lead to an
increased risk of balance
issues and injury. be limited as a result.
STIFFNESS
Ankles can become stiff
when their full range of
motion is not utilised on
a regular basiswhether
as a result of an injury
(like a sprain) or simply
from not moving enough.
(High heels are also
notorious for causing ankle
stiffness.) The truth is, if
you sit all dayor if you
rather than on uneven or
inclined terraintheres a
good chance your ankles
dont move through their
full range of motion often
enough, and they may
yogajournal.com.au

many of us with long-term
mobility and stability issues. The
good news? Your yoga practice
is an excellent way to give your
ankles the attention they deserve,
pose, such as Virabhadrasana III (Warrior Pose III) or Vrksasana (Tree
Pose), and tried to stop all of that quivering in your ankle? If you
answered yes, its time to embrace the wobble. Because true balance
occurs in the middle of the oscillation; the side-to-side rocking is the
result of your ankles positional sensors relaying information to your
brains balance system. Not wobbling means youre likely locked
november/december 2017

helping to reverse past damage

and keep you injury free for years
to come. In the pages ahead,
youll learn what you need to
know about ankles in order to
improve your balance and to
strengthen and stabilise this
joint.
into an end-range position in the ankle and perhaps at a higher risk
of injury as a result. So, the next time youre in a one-legged balance
pose, internally gaze at the moving ankle of your standing leg and
visualise the ankle shifting back and forth. Your wobble will result in
more equanimity in the pose and an increase in the amount of time
you can stand on one foot.
71
 your practice
ANATOMY
BODY OF KNOWLEDGE:
ANATOMY OF THE ANKLE
The ankle has six different movements available to it:
1 Dorsiflexion: the top of the foot moves toward the knee
2 Plantar flexion: the sole of the foot moves toward the calf
3 Aversion: the outside of the ankle moves toward your hip
4 Inversion: the inside of your ankle moves toward your groin
5 Abduction: a movement at the ankle causing the toes to move away from the body
6 Adduction: a movement at the ankle resulting in the toes moving in toward the midline
Fun fact: When you combine dorsiflexion, eversion, and abduction, your foot pronates;
when you combine plantar flexion, inversion, and adduction, your foot supinates.
Its helpful to know the key bones and joints of the lower leg and foot to better
understand how the ankle moves:
Bones you should know
TIBIA (SHIN BONE) The larger of the two bones that make up the lower leg
FIBULA The thinner, smaller bone on the outside of the lower leg
CALCANEUS The heel bone
TALUS A wedge-shaped bone of the ankle joint that is located between the
heel bone and the fibula and tibia; it forges a connection between the leg and
the foot, aiding in ankle movements and helping maintain balance when weight
is transferred from the ankle to the leg
METATARSALS A set of five long bones in the mid-foot that connect the ankle to the toes
TARSALS A set of seven hind- and mid-foot bones that exist to help bear weight;
two of the most notable tarsals are the navicular and cuboid bones
NAVICULAR A boat-shaped bone on the inner foot that creates the foots arch
and assists with weight distribution
CUBOID A cube-shaped bone that connects and provides stability to the
outer foot and ankle

[ TOP VIEW ]

TARSALS

CUBOID

METATARSALS
NAVICULAR

MODEL: DAYNA SERAYE; STYLIST: EMILY CHOI; TOP: PHAT BUDDHA; BOTTOMS: NUX
yogajournal.com.au

PHOTOS: JOE HANCOCK; ILLUSTRATION: MICHELE GRAHAM

Joints You Should Know

TALOCRURAL The technical
november/december 2017

term for the ankle joint, which

is the point where the tibia,
fibula, and talus meet
TRANSVERSE TARSAL JOINT
Where the talus, calcaneus,
navicular, and cuboid bones meet
SUBTALAR JOINT Where the
72 talus and calcaneus meet
 4 poses to keep your ankles healthy

Namaste and Reverse

Vrksasana
Tree Pose, variation
Standing on one leg improves
balance and ankle stability,
which means its a good idea
to practice single-leg standing
poses often. This Vrksasana
variation promotes agility
in your lower legs, ankles,
and feet, while transforming
your lifted foot into a sensor
of sorts (which provides
feedback on the wobble
situation in your standing
ankle). This modification is
particularly great for those
who have trouble balancing
on one foot.
HOW TO Stand on your left
foot and bring your right foot
to the inside of the left ankle,
so the right foot becomes
Virasana
Hero Pose, variation
All of the gluteals must work to perform this
movementthe deep six external rotators
keep each side of the pelvis stable in spite
of the different actions in each hip, and the
larger gluteals add additional support for the
hips. This move forces your buttock muscles
to shore up their connection from the thighs
through to the lower back to keep the hips
and spine stable.
HOW TO Wrap a strap around your ankles
and pull it taut like you would a bandage
(dont fasten or buckle the strap). Position
your ankles in dorsiflexion so that the balls
of your feet are on the ground, and sit on
your heels while pulling the strap as snug
as possible. After 5 breaths, begin to actively
point (plantar flexion) your ankles and toes
by trying to push the floor behind you, as if
your toes are like a falcons talons clutching
a branch. Stay here for another 5 breaths. (If
Namaste for the feet
This exercise strengthens the side-to-side motion of
your ankles by alternating between inversion and
eversion without the added strain from your body
weight that occurs when standing. These kinds of
unloaded lateral ankle movements improve range of
motion and deepen your understanding of how your
ankles moveultimately helping prevent injury should
you turn your ankle.
HOW TO Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose) with your ankles
pinned together and actively dorsiflexed. Turn the soles
of your feet inward (inversion) as if to say Namaste with
your feet. Then, reverse the action, turning the soles of
your feet outward (eversion) as if
attempting Reverse Namaste with
your feet. Repeat both movements
1020 times.
Calf Raises
This dynamic move strengthens the
front and back of your lower legs
the prime mover of the ankle.
This seemingly simple motion builds
strength in the Achilles tendon, which
is where the gastrocnemius and soleus
(two calf muscles that help you elevate
yogajournal.com.au

your heel) converge, and then

a stabiliser and sensor
to monitor the left ankles
movement. If its wobbly,
home in on the ankle (see
Why Wobbling Can Be a
Good Thing on page 71) while
remaining connected to your
you are unable to manage the pressure on
your feet and ankles, lean forward and place
your hands on the floor to redistribute some
of the weight.) Then, point your toes and
actively press the tops of your feet and ankles
into the ground (attempting dorsiflexion),
pulling the strap snugly again if the inner
transition behind the ankle joint into
connective tissues on the bottom
of your feet.
HOW TO Stand in Tadasana with
your feet facing forward, and sense your
body weight dispersing across your feet.
november/december 2017

Push your toes into the ground and raise

core and breath. Stay here ankle bones have drifted apart. Stay here for 5
for 510 breaths, then switch breaths, then repeat all of these movements
sides. once more.
OUR PRO Writer Jill Miller is the co-founder of Tune Up Fitness Worldwide and author of
The Roll Model. She has presented case studies at the Fascia Research Congress and the
International Association of Yoga Therapists Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research,
and she teaches at fitness and yoga conferences worldwide. Learn more at yogatuneup.com.
Model Dayna Seraye is a yoga teacher and holistic-health coach in Boulder, Colorado.
onto the balls of your feet, attempting to
keep weight and pressure evenly
distributed across all of your toes. Slowly lower down
to the ground and then immediately rise again.
Keep in mind that the lowering portion of this move is
just as important as the lifting motion, so dont rush it.
Repeat 1020 times. If balancing is a challenge,
hold a wall, a counter, or a chair with one hand. 73
 EP BY
Kelly Fielding
explores how
insights from a
yoga injury translate
into everyday
life lessons.
SMALL BEADS of perspiration danced on
my brow and I could feel the utter of
my heart in my hands that were sealed
in prayer, my thumbs meeting at the
indentation of my sternum. I tuned into
the minuscule movements of my
muscles, the gentle yet purposeful
structure of my bones and the way
everything was ever-so-carefully bound
together by a map of ligaments, tissues
and nerves.
From foundation to flow
Tadasana is not a pose that readily
comes to mind when you think of a
challenging yoga asana. And yet here I
stood, in full focus, aware of how the
various parts of my body were all asking
for cooperation to sustain harmony.
On the mat, as in everyday life, we
tend to nd our own unique ow. Often,
when that ow becomes routine, we
barely have to think about it at all. It is
only when this ow becomes unexpect-
edly interrupted that we are forced to
look at things in a new light.
Insights from injuries
Recently, I was on my yoga mat early
one morning before dawn, moving
yogajournal.com.au
through my practice, as I have done for
over a decade. Yet on this particular
morning, I arched my back into a full
wheel pose, and something ever so
quietly clicked in my neck. What
followed was days of agonising pain
and trips to chiropractors and
november/december 2017
physiotherapists that forced me to
navigate my world in an entirely new
way.
Yoga has always been my constant,
and my daily practice has been the
saving grace that has guided me
through various transitions in my life.
Spontaneously ripping this practice
74 away from me, even momentarily, was
frightening in a very real way. And yet,
like every challenge in life, my forced
sabbatical offered me insights and
revelations that I have come to
appreciate. Slowly and cautiously
edging my body back onto my mat has
offered me the chance to return to my
practice as a beginner.
Lesson one: Awareness
Thrust out of my comfort zone and my
accustomed ways of moving my body,
the rst lesson that my injury taught me
was awareness. One of the greatest gifts
of yoga is its ability to haul you into the
present moment. Yet when we fall into a
routine with yoga, our ability to
maintain steadfast focus can mitigate.
An injury, however, unapologetically
forces you to be present with your body.
Returning to my practice, I was thrust
into a constant and unrelenting dialogue
with my body. The very process of a sun
salutation became fascinating to me. I
became acutely attuned to what my body
could handle and what is was not ready
for, and in this way, I was able to
navigate my healing journey with safe
attentiveness.
Lesson two: Patience
Of course, a huge lesson has been
patience. Patience is not my nest
virtue, yet I soon discovered resistance
PHOTO: PEOPLEIMAGES;RIDOFRANZ/ ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
would only cause greater frustration and
pain. As I felt my body slowly advancing,
my automatic instinct was to push. Go a
little further, my wicked mind would
command. It is in our nature to want to
rush, to get to where we want to be as
fast as we possibly can. This injury
reminded me that the journey is what
matters, not the destination, and I came
to appreciate the small victories that
presented themselves to me each day
with glee.
Lesson three: Humility
With patience, came a deep sense of humility. The voice that
wanted to push and hustle was a glorious confrontation with my
ego. The struggle between what I used to be able to do
compared to what I could do now was a daily battle. My ego
met me on the mat each day with persistence. I had returned to
the stance of a new student, as opposed to an advanced
practitioner, and how my ego despised this iniquitous role
reversal. Each day, I was asked to show up with compassion,
with gentleness and with self-love. When my ego had settled on
the sidelines, I enjoyed moving through basic postures. I enjoyed
surrendering completing in Childs Pose. I enjoyed focusing
greater periods of time on meditation and pranayama
practices that often took second and third place to asana.

Lesson four: Gratitute

The nal lesson of gratitude will come as no surprise here.
Each day I was grateful for the small steps forwards, no matter
how microscopic. The human bodys ability to heal is nothing
short of astonishing. Deprived of the ability to take my practice
for granted, each day presented pocket-size revelations that
made my heart swell with joyous appreciation. Not only was I
innitely grateful for my own mending body, looking at my
injury in context of the greater picture, my temporary
discomfort was inconsequential compared to the struggles that
so many people face on a daily basis. And so each time my ego
shouted, each time I felt childish frustration or self-pity, I would
open my eyes to the reality of the situation it was temporary;
a minor bleep in what I can only call a truly fortunate life.
These lessons are not small offerings, but have rather been
yogajournal.com.au

immense gifts that I hope will continue to have powerful

reverberations both on and off the mat. We are always students
in the journey of yoga. Each day is unique and offers a plentitude
of lessons if we are open to truly stepping into that place of
awareness, if we are truly open to the way things are, and not the
way we want them to be.
november/december 2017

Kelly is a passionate writer and raw/vegan

chef who combines her love of writing with
her forays into health and wellness. Kelly has
travelled and worked across the world in
health resorts, detox centres, raw food
restaurants and wellness retreats, sharing
ways to live simply, mindfully and sustainably.
Recipes and e-books are available on Kellys
website. www.bellaandbhakti.com 75
 r r ti
HOME PRACTICE

A home practice to
awaken your inner warrior
By Dan Nevins
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN
we are called to show up
as our biggest and best
selvesexperiences
where we must travel
to the depths of our life
force and bring everything
we have to the table for
a moment, a day, or
an extended mission.
Whether its a feat of
physicality or one that
demands intense mental 1 Balasana Childs Pose 2 Tadasana Mountain Pose
focus, these challenges
require us to tap into a Position your knees wide, with the tops of your On an inhalation, come to Tabletop. Step
strength that isnt always feet on the mat. Bring your big toes to touch your feet to the top of your mat and rise to
and send your hips toward your heels. Lay stand, creating length through the sides of your
at the surface and readily
your hands on the floor alongside your torso body. Turn your upper thighs slightly inward as
available in our day-to-
or stretched in front of you, and release the you raise your arms toward the sky. You might
day lives. But we are all fronts of your shoulders toward the floor. Feel even reach up and back into a backbend if you
born powerful, bold, how the weight of your front shoulders pulls are able. Stay here for at least 5 deep, Ujjayi
and fearlesswe simply your shoulder blades wide across your back. breaths, silently repeating the following mantra:
have to find it within.
This sequence is one I
turn to when I want to
manifest the warrior that
is omnipresent in me; my
hope is that it will help
you connect to your inner

PHOTOS: PAUL MILLER; MODEL: DAN NEVINS; STYLIST: JESSICA JEANNE EATON; TOP: KOZM; BOTTOMS: MODELS OWN
warrior, too.

Before you begin

Come to a comfortable
seated position. Close
your eyes and connect
your sit bones to the
earth as you lengthen
yogajournal.com.au

your spine and the sides
of your body. With your
head resting directly
over your sacrum, begin
deliberate, powerful,
full inhales and exhales
through your nose. With
each inhale, silently
november/december 2017
3 Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
Upward-Facing Dog Pose
From Mountain Pose, exhale to fold forward.
Inhale to lift halfway up, then exhale to step
into Plank, then Chaturanga Dandasana
(Four-Limbed Staff Pose). On your next
inhalation, press the tops of your feet down
4 Adho Mukha Svanasana
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
From Upward-Facing Dog, tuck your toes and
send your hips up and back on an exhalation.
Lengthen your tailbone away from the back
of your pelvis, lifting your sit bones toward
the ceiling. Straighten your knees but be sure

repeat, I am strong. I into the mat and lift your thighs off the floor not to lock them, and press your chest toward
as you straighten your arms and press your your thighs. Stay here for at least 5 deep,
am powerful. With each
scapulas into your back body. Stay here for 12 Ujjayi breaths, silently repeating your
exhale, silently repeat,
breaths, silently repeating the following mantra: meditation mantra: I am strong. I am powerful.
I am a warrior. After I am courageous. I am a warrior.
5 minutes, move into
Balasana (Childs Pose).

OUR PRO Teacher and model Dan Nevins is a certified Baptiste yoga teacher who has brought his unique expression of the practice all
76 over the US. He lost his legs while serving in the US Army during the Iraq war. Learn more at dannevins.com.

5 Virabhadrasana I
Warrior Pose I
From Downward-Facing Dog, inhale and
step your left foot to the inside of your left
hand. Rotate your back (right) foot 6090
degrees toward the front of your mat,
aligning your front (left) heel with your right
arch or heel. With your right heel firmly
anchored to the floor, exhale and bend
your left knee over your left ankle so your
shin is perpendicular to the floor. Lengthen
your torso to stand with your shoulders
squarely forward, and lift your arms above
your head. Gaze toward the sky and hold
for 5 breaths, silently repeating: I am what
I say I am.
8 High Lunge, variation
From Downward-Facing Dog, inhale and
step your left foot between your hands. On
an inhalation, keep your right leg strong
and firm as you raise your torso upright. At
the same time, sweep your arms overhead,
palms facing one another. Inhale and lift
your torso away from your pelvis; exhale
and twist your torso to face the long side of
your mat. Hold here for 5 breaths, silently
repeating the mantra: I am balanced.
Try to keep a deep bend in your front leg
as you hold here for 5 breaths. Then move
through a vinyasa, repeat on the other side,
and finish in Tadasana.
6 Virabhadrasana II
Warrior Pose II
Pivot your back foot so your toes are facing
the side of your mat, and raise your arms
out to the sides, parallel to the floor. Exhale
and bend your front knee over your left
ankle, keeping your shin perpendicular to
the floor. Create stability and strength in
your foundation and ease in your upper
body as you drop your shoulders away
from your ears. Hold for 10 breaths, silently
repeating: I am a warrior.
9 Vrksasana Tree Pose
From Tadasana, exhale and bring your
hands to your heart centre. Shift your
weight slightly onto your left foot and bend
your right knee. Use your right hand to help
you place the sole of your right foot against
either your inner left thigh, the inside of
your shin, or over your ankle, with your toes
pointing toward (or touching, if your foot
is on your ankle) the floor. Root down into
the ground with your standing leg and hold
here for 5 deep breaths, silently repeating: I
am centred. Move through a vinyasa, then
repeat poses 8 and 9 on the other side, fin-
ishing in Downward-Facing Dog.
r r ti
HOME PRACTICE
7 Viparita Virabhadrasana
Reverse Warrior Pose
From Warrior Pose II, flip your front palm up
toward the sky. On an inhalation, reach that
arm up and toward the back of your mat,
creating maximum length through your left
side body as your right hand slides down
your back leg. As you do this, try to keep
a deep bend in your front (left) knee. Stay
here for 1 full breath, silently repeating:
I am strong.
Repeat poses 27 on the other side, then
come into Downward-Facing Dog.
yogajournal.com.au
10 Utthita Trikonasana
Extended Triangle Pose
From Down Dog, step your left foot be-
tween your hands, moving into Warrior
Pose II. Then, straighten your front leg and
on an exhale, reach your left arm forward,
november/december 2017
extending your torso to the left. Raise your
right arm skyward and move your gaze
toward your top thumb. Stay here for 5 deep
breaths, silently repeating: I am grounded.
Move through a vinyasa; repeat on the
other side. Then move through another
vinyasa, and finish lying face-down on your
mat.
CONTINUE SEQUENCE ON NEXT PAGE. 77
 r r ti
HOME PRACTICE
11 Salabhasana Locust Pose
Lie on your belly with your arms at your
sides, palms down, forehead resting on
the floor. Turn your big toes toward each
other to inwardly rotate your thighs. On an
inhalation, lift your feet, knees, chest, and
arms from the earth, while pulling your
shoulders back. Hold for 3 breaths, silently
repeating the mantra: I am alive. Repeat
once more, then come into Childs Pose.
yogajournal.com.au
14 Uttanasana Frog Pose
Come to Childs Pose and slide both
hands forward. Bring your knees wide
while sitting on your heels. Slowly,
and as you feel ready, lift your hips
and bring your knees wider, possibly so
they come to rest in line with your hip
points. For full Frog, separate your feet
november/december 2017
as wide as your knees and flex your toes
toward your head. Pull your low belly up
and in, and try to surrender here. Hold at
least 10 breaths, silently repeating:
I am open.
78
12 Urdhva Dhanurasana
Upward Bow (Wheel) Pose
Lie on your back with your feet on the floor,
knees bent, and heels close to your sit
bones. Bend your elbows and spread your
palms on the floor beside your head,
fingers pointing toward your shoulders.
Exhale and push your tailbone up, then
place the crown of your head on the mat.
On your next exhale, lift your head off the
mat and straighten your arms. Stay here
for 3 breaths, silently repeating the mantra:
I am bold. Once you come out of the
pose, rest on your back with your knees
bent and touching one another in
Constructive Rest.
15 Paschimottanasana
Seated Forward Bend
Come to a seated position on your mat
with your legs extended straight out in
front of you. On an inhalation, reach
your arms skyward to lengthen your torso.
On an exhalation, fold forward, leading
with your heart. Place your hands around
your feet, or hold a strap, as you continue
to move your torso toward your thighs.
Stay here for 3 deep breaths, silently
repeating the mantra: I am free.
Then, keep all of the actions youve just 5 breaths, silently repeating the mantra:
created but round your back, feeling a
deep stretch through your shoulder blades.
Stay here for 3 more breaths, while you
silently repeat your mantra.
13 Paripurna Navasana
Full Boat Pose
From Constructive Rest, engage your core.
On an inhale, lift your shoulders, torso, and
legs off the ground. If you can, straighten
your legs so your thighs are angled about
4550 degrees from the floor, and lift
through the top of your sternum as you lean
back. Stretch your arms forward, parallel to
each other and the floor, and feel your heart
centre lift. Hold here for 5 breaths, silently
repeating: I am stable.
16 Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Handstand
Make your way to Down Dog and walk your
hands toward your feet. (If you know you
need support, move to a wall.) Position your
shoulders directly over your hands and
tiptoe your feet toward your hands until your
hips are stacked over your shoulders. Hug
in toward your midline, then lift one leg up
overhead, followed by the other. Try not to
kick up, but rather use your core strength to
float into Handstand. Hold here for at least
I am new. When youre finished with
Handstand, rest in Childs Pose and then
move into Savasana (Corpse Pose). Stay here,
resting completely, for at least 5 minutes.
 World Class
Yoga Teacher
Training

Choose the course to suit you

Foundation Yoga Studies - 70 hours
Diploma of Yoga Teaching - 460 hours (one year)
Advanced Yoga Studies with choice of post
graduate speciality courses including Pre and Post
Natal and Back Care - 500 hours

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Ability to teach anywhere in the world
Member of a worldwide supportive organisation
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Give us a call today on

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w w w.iyta.com.au
 r r ti
YOGAPEDIA

Poses of the month

How to move from Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
to Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana
By Meagan McCrary

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

}
setu = bridge bandha = building or lock sarva = all anga = limbs asana = pose
Bridge Pose

DONT let your feet turn out, which

closes off the space in your low
Opens your shoulders and chest; strengthens your back, glutes, and hamstrings; stretches your back. Instead, keep the outer edges
hip flexors and thighs; increases flexibility of your spine; calms your mind of your feet parallel to the outer
edges of your mat.

Instruction
1 Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet
flat, hip-width apart, heels directly below your
knees. Leave your upper arms on the floor and
bend your elbows alongside your ribs, pointing
your forearms and fingers toward the ceiling.
Turn your palms to face one another.
4 Straighten your elbows and interlace your
fingers underneath you, drawing your shoulder
blades deeper into your upper back, keeping
the tops of your shoulders in line with the base
of your neck.
HAIR/MAKEUP: LAURA DEE SHELLEY; TOP: KIRA GRACE; BOTTOMS: CYNTHIA ROWLEY
PHOTOS: IAN SPANIER; MODEL: MEAGAN MCCRARY; STYLIST: MATTHEW PERIDIS;

5 Gently press the centre of the back of your

yogajournal.com.au

2 Press your elbows and shoulder heads
down into the floor, lift your chest, and bring
your shoulder blades onto your upper back,
wrapping your outer arms toward the floor.
Keep your gaze straight up.
3 Press into your feet and slowly send your
knees forward, wrapping your outer hips
november/december 2017
head into the floor. Broaden your collarbones
and lift your chest, bringing your sternum
toward your chin. Lightly reach your chin
away from your chest, keeping space or push your inner groins toward
between the back of your neck and the floor. the ceiling, which strains the low
Simultaneously extend out through your knees back. Instead, hug your inner knees
as you lift your sternum. Take a few rounds of toward one another and release

breath here. your inner thighs down toward the

toward the ceiling; then lift your buttocks away floor before lightly lengthening your
from the floor. Lengthen your tailbone toward 6 To release, unlace your fingers and slowly tailbone toward the backs of your
the backs of your knees. lower your torso back to the floor. knees.

Our Pro Iyengar Yoga instructor Koren Paalman studied with B.K.S. Iyengar and his daughter Geeta, and has been teaching yoga since 1995 to both adults and youths
in a variety of settings. In 2007, Paalman founded Conscious Grieving, a grief-support service that combines yoga with other modalities in individual consultations and
80 workshops nationally. Learn more at korenyoga.com.
 r r ti
YOGAPEDIA

Modify Setu Bandha Sarvangasana if needed

to nd safe alignment in your body.
If your knees splay open, compressing your If your shoulders are tight
low back TRY holding a strap between your hands. Once youve lifted your
TRY hugg hips off the floor, instead of clasping your hands underneath your
feet parall torso, use a strap to take your shoulder blades deeper onto your
narrow wi upper back. (Start by holding each end of the strap about shoulder-
block as y width, and then gradually move your hands closer together.) Tug
line and b on the strap with both hands as you walk the outer edges of your
softer; you arms underneath you, lifting your chest higher and broadening
notice it fe your collarbones.
better in y
low back,

If the
or if you have a neck injury
TRY placing a rolled-up hand towel und
neck. You dont want the roll to be too
large enough to support the curve of yo
This will lift your chin away from your s
and keep your neck and spine safe.

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

Its a natural tendency to thrust your pelvis up to maximum height in Bridge Pose (especially if you tend to be a go-getter).
However, all of that drive through the hips actually takes away from the lift of the chest. Yoga is an invitation to open your heart.
If you find yourself really pushing your hips up, let your butt relax back down toward the floor and lift your sternum.
While it might not feel as rewarding, sometimes backing off from trying to achieve (so to speak) is exactly what your
heart needs to stay present with what isthe ultimate goal of yoga.

Open your shoulders, chest, and upper back, and practice rooting down
through your forearms and lifting your shoulders away from the oor with
these prep poses Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana.

Eka Pada Supta Virasana

One-Legged Reclined Hero Pose (straight leg lifted)
yogajournal.com.au

Benefit
Stretches the thigh, psoas, knee, and ankle of your bottom leg and
the hamstrings of your top leg; extends your spine
Instruction
Lie in Supta Ardha Virasana (Reclined Half Heros Pose) with your
november/december 2017

left leg bent back and your right leg straight on the floor. Bend
your right knee and place your right foot flat on the mat. Extend
out and down through your left knee. Bring your right knee
toward your chest and hold onto it with both hands. Take a few
breaths here before placing a strap around your right sole.
With an end of the strap in each hand (like youre holding
reins), begin to straighten your right leg toward the
ceiling. Stay here for at least 1 minute, and then repeat
on the second side. 81
 Urdhva Dhanurasana Upward Bow (Wheel) Pose Dolphin Pose, variation (with clasped hands)
Benefit Benefit
Opens shoulders, chest, and upper back; strengthens the upper Opens shoulders, chest, and upper back; builds upper-body
body, butt, legs, and spine; stretches the abs and hip flexors; strength and awareness; teaches how to press down through the
improves back flexibility forearms

Instruction
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, parallel, and
hip-distance apart. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the
floor, just above your shoulders, with fingertips pointing toward
your feet. Hug your elbows toward one another, press down
through your palms, and lift up onto the crown of your head.
(Note: You shouldnt put too much weight on your head.) Pull back
through your armpits, engage your shoulder blades onto your
upper back, and press your sternum forward. Root down through
your hands and feet, straighten your arms, and lift your head off
the floor.
Instruction
From Tabletop, place your forearms on the floor with your elbows
directly underneath your shoulders. Clasp your hands together.
Tuck your outside pinkie finger inside the other so that the outer
edges of your wrists and hands are flat and even. Press down
through your wrists and forearms and lift your shoulders away from
the floor. Tuck your toes under and lift your hips up and back to
come into Dolphin Pose. Keep your shoulders lifted as you take one
or two steps forward and press the tops of your thighs back.

Root your forearms, lift your shoulders,

curl your chest open, and extend through your
spine and legs as you move step by step
into Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana.
Benefit
1
Opens your shoulders, chest, and upper back; strengthens your legs and
upper body; stretches your front body, the thigh of your grounded
leg, and the hamstrings of your lifted leg; increases energy
Instruction
1 From Urdhva Dhanurasana, slowly re-bend your elbows,
keeping them directly over your wrists, and place the crown of
yogajournal.com.au

your head on the floor without bearing too much weight on your
head. Pause and draw your shoulder blades back, then lower
2
your forearms to the floor one at a time with your fingers
pointed toward your heels and your elbows shoulder-distance apart. Interlace your fingers
behind your head, tucking your outer pinkie finger in, as you did in Dolphin Pose.

2 Firm your outer arms in and lift your shoulder heads away from the floor. Press down through
november/december 2017

your inner elbows, forearms, and outer wrists, and firm your shoulder blades into your back ribs as
you raise your head off the floor. Then lift your heels, keeping your shins parallel, and release your
inner thighs down toward the floor before lengthening your tailbone and lowering your heels back
down. Extend out through your spine and press your sternum forward. Take a few rounds of breath.

3 When youre ready, strongly press the four corners of your left foot down into the mat, shifting
your weight to your left leg, and bring your right knee up and in toward your chest. Keep your chest
lifted as you spread your right toes, and slowly start to straighten your right leg toward the ceiling.
3
82
 Eka Pada
Viparita Dandasana
eka = one pada = foot viparita = inverted
danda = staff asana = pose
One-Legged Inverted Staff Pose

4 Keeping the two sides of your pelvis level, strongly root

down through your inner left heel as you press your right heel
and ball of the foot straight up toward the ceiling, curling
deeper in your upper back and propelling your chest gently
forward. Take a few rounds of breath, and then lower your
lifted foot to the earth, and switch to the other side. To release,
make sure both feet are back on the floor, and then unlace
your fingers and place your palms flat in preparation for
Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose). Press all the way back up
into full Wheel Pose for a breath before tucking your chin and
lowering back down to the floor for a rest.

yogajournal.com.au
november/december 2017

Stay safe
Viparita Dandasana (with one or both feet down) demands open shoulders and upper-back muscles. You must
be able to keep both forearms rooted with your elbows shoulder-distance apart, and your shoulders lifted away
from the floor, or you risk not only compressing your low back but your neck as well (read: not worth it!). Move
slowly as you place one forearm down and then the other; your shoulders will quickly tell you if this pose is
appropriate. 83
 BEST YOGA
ESCAPES
From Montana to Mexico, Bali to India, and beautiful Byron Bay
to New Zealand and back again, world-renowned teachers share
their favourite yoga retreats. Consider this the inspiration you
need to book your next magical getaway.
yogajournal.com.au

STORY BY MEGHAN RABBITT

november/december 2017

84
 Locanda del Gallo
G U BBIO, ITALY
This charming, 10-room bed and breakfast is set
in a remote part of the northern Umbria hills in a
12th-century mansion. With its sprawling lawns bordered
by lavender and rosemary, a saltwater infinity pool and
hot tub, and an organic garden that provides much of the
food served on the property, theres a good chance youll
want to move in permanently. locandadelgallo.it

Locanda is remote, stunningly beautiful, deeply restful,

and has the most glorious food and accommodations.
Plus, theres a gorgeous asana room with props!
Gina Caputo, founder of the Colorado School
of Yoga in Boulder, Colorado

Sivananda Ashram
Yoga Retreat
yogajournal.com.au

PAR ADIS E IS L AN D,BAHAMAS

Dedicated to a lineage of classical yoga that was introduced
to the West by Swami Vishnudevananda, a disciple of
Swami Sivananda, this retreat is part of an international
organisation of Sivananda ashrams and centres. The
ashram, situated on the beach across the bay from
Nassau on Paradise Island, offers daily asana and
november/december 2017

meditation classes. sivanandabahamas.org

I had my first experience with yoga here, and Ill
never forget the physical practice (my first Headstand!),
meditation (a sense of calm), and chanting (the
words and intonations embedded themselves in
me). Although my style of practice has changed,
this visit was the beginning of lifelong daily yoga.
Locanda del Gallo Bo Forbes, a yoga teacher based in Cambridge,
Gubbio, Italy Massachusetts 85
BEST YOGA
ESCAPES
Byron Yoga Retreat Centre
Byron Bay
Byron Yoga Retreat Centre Billabong Retreat
BY R ON B AY, A UST RA LIA
Byron Yogas tranquil eco haven is close enough that you can walk
to the beach or to Byrons cafs and shops, but feels like you are
fully immersed in hinterland nature. All the retreats have a flexible
schedule, a plethora of daily yoga classes on offer for all levels,
deliciously healthy meals prepared with produce from the centres
organic gardens and relaxing treatments plus theres plenty of
time to relax by the pool, chill at the beach or explore Australias
yoga capital. www.byronyoga.com
Byron Yoga was the perfect retreat for me. High quality yoga
teachings and instruction, peaceful environment, clean facilities,
excellent massage, mineral pool, and organic food straight from the
garden! I could not fault the service provided by all involved. I felt
greatly supportedand most of allI loved how this retreatreflected one of the secluded spaces on the waters edge to curl up and
the yogic teachings throughout.
Tracy Lucock, a yoga teacher and holistic health and wellbeing
counsellor on the Central Coast of NSW
Prema Shanti
TH E D A I NT R E E RA INFOREST, A UST RA LIA
yogajournal.com.au
Prema Shanti is the real deal from friendly hosts who live and
breathe yoga, to a yoga shala blessed by monks and divinely
Zen accommodation. Surrounded by heritage-listed rainforest,
you couldnt ask for more of a spiritual experience. Awaken to
the sound of birdsong, enjoy daily meditation and yoga, hearty,
healthy meals and an abundance of time to explore the nature
walks and adventures that the Daintree boasts.
www.premashanti.com.au
november/december 2017
As a pair of yogis wanting to celebrate our honeymoon in Australias
tropical north, we could not have chosen a better place than Prema
Shanti. Nestled in the rainforest, yet an easy day trip from the reef,
teachers Mara and Janardhan have created a sanctuary that reflects
their loving commitment to meditation and the practice of yoga.
The accommodation is simple and personal, and we left feeling
nurtured and restored.
Michael Sharp, a yoga teacher at Humming Puppy
in Sydneys Redfern
86
Prema Shanti
The Daintree Rainforest
Billabong Retreat
Maraylya
MAR AYLYA
(45 MIN U TES FR OM S YDN E Y), AU S TR AL I A
Billabong Retreats vision is primarily about connection with
yourself and the world. The owners have created an open and
loving space for people from all walks of life to connect with nature,
each other, and a sense of inner contentment and wellness.
www.billabongretreat.com.au
I volunteered for three weeks at Billabong Retreat earlier this
year. The absolutely stunning natural surrounds evoke a sense
of immediate serenity and the beautiful wooden-panelled
yoga and meditation room overlooks the Billabong through the
treetops. The food is exquisite and the spacious grounds offer
plenty of places to relax and chat with fellow guests. Or retreat to
read a book. I was in yogi heaven.
Michael Blades, a yoga teacher at Yoga Vida in
Mooloolaba
Aro Ha
G LE N OR CHY (40 MIN U TES FR OM
QU E E N S TOWN ) , N E W ZE AL AN D
Aro Has vision is Zen-inspired, minimalistic luxury. Core
features of their wellness adventures include yoga, sub-alpine
hiking, integrated mindfulness, wholefoods, functional
strength training, massage and spa therapy, inspired by
the adventure and nature of Queenstown. The multi-award
winning retreat fuses advanced eco accommodation,
permaculture and results-oriented programming to create a
temptingly indulgent experience with life-changing effects.
www.aro-ha.com
Aro Ha takes my breath away. The property itself is simply
stunning but, more importantly, Aro Ha has a heart and soul.
After each stay I feel deeply rested, connected to myself,
connected to the earth and completely nourished!
Nova Brown, a Melbourne-based yoga teacher and
co-founder of Warrior One Yoga
 Komune Resort
GIENYA R , BALI
Set on the lush and unspoilt east coast of Bali, Komune boasts not only a famous surf break,
but a luxurious cocktail bar, beach-side pool and health hub, including a wholefoods caf,
serene swimming pool, gym and yoga shala. This five-star beach-inspired luxury meets
fitness holiday resort is ideal for yogis, surfers, families and anyone looking for an
active escape. The space is also available for anyone looking to host their own retreat.
www.komuneresorts.com
Komune is one of those places that stays with your heart. Think accommodation that
makes you feel like you want to live there, a yoga space that vibrates its own sacred energy,
food that tastes fantastically nurturing and people that ALWAYS have a smile. Komune is a
special venue that will resonate with all of your senses and leave you uplifted and recharged.
Emee Dillon, National Programs Delivery Manager, Power Living

Komune Resort
Bali
Power Living
BY RON BAY AN D BALI
The Power Living team hosts retreats in Byron Bay in Australia, as well as in Bali. With a
focus on radical self-discovery and transformation, students can expect to confront self-
limiting beliefs and dive deeply into their practice in a safe, authentic and fun environment.
www.powerliving.com.au
Ive done a lot of yoga trainings and retreats but this has actually impacted on my life.
The way that Power Living facilitated this retreat and the process they led us through was
really extraordinary, and even though we were asked to go deep and look at ourselves,
theres a lot of joy. The community that was created and the love I experienced has been
Power Living mind blowing. Tessa Leon, yoga teacher in Adelaide
Byron Bay and Bali

Ashram Yoga Ohui Retreat

COROM AN DE L P E N IN S U L A, N E W ZE AL AN D
A family-run business and true yogic community, Ohui Retreat offers yoga and meditation
retreats in the idyllic surrounds of a 20-acre beachfront property in the north island of New
Zealand, two hours drive from Auckland. Community-minded and comfortable, guests can
join in on a retreat or enjoy a casual stay whilst indulging in traditional yoga practices guided
by experienced teachers and meeting like-minded friends. www.ashramyoga.com
Ohui is a serene environment that plentifully offers itself on many levels. Nestled among the
trees, earth solid under foot, ocean lapping at the heart while warm fires sooth and nutritious
food feeds both body and soul. The teachers are professional, talented, supportive, accepting
and full of wisdom and good humour. The yoga can stir up and ultimately shift deep-seated
Ashram Yoga- Ohui Retreat
New Zealand
emotions. Jennieka Aksitadevi, yoga teacher based in Freemantle, WA

yogajournal.com.au

Aro Ha
New Zealand
november/december 2017

87
BEST YOGA
ESCAPES
I love Kripalu for its consistency:
The food is always good, the noon
dance is always fun, and the yoga
classes are always high quality.
Kripalu center for yoga & health
Stockbridge, Massachussets
Kripalu center
for yoga & health
STOC KB R I D G E ,
M A S S A CH U S S ETS
Widely regarded as one of the best
centres in the country for yoga, meditation,
and holistic-living trainings and getaways,
Kripalu offers customisable retreats,
training programs, and even one-off
classes. All-inclusive stays include
yogajournal.com.au
lovely, minimalistic accommodations,
healthy meals, and daily classes, with
plenty of time for roaming the spacious
grounds or hiking in the nearby Berkshire
Mountains. kripalu.org
I love Kripalu for its consistency: The
food is always good, the noon dance
november/december 2017
is always fun, and the yoga classes
are always high quality. I also love its
variety: On any given day, you can
choose from a range of programs,
lectures, activities, and healing-arts
treatments, all offered by experienced,
friendly, inspiring teachers.
Sage Rountree, author of
88 The Athletes Guide to Yoga
Feathered Pipe Ranch
Helena, Montana
Haramara Retreat
NAYAR IT, ME XICO
This secluded resort on the Pacific coast near the quaint town of Sayulita was
designed with the environment in mind: Every structure was hand-built, and
theres minimal electricity, so you can feel the spirit of the jungle, beach, and ocean.
haramararetreat.com
Theres so much to love about Haramara: cabanas above the Pacific Ocean,
outdoor yoga platforms that overlook the water and the jungle, and
candlelight everywhere. Its magical.
Jeanie Manchester, a Boulder, Coloradobased yoga teacher
Rythmia Life Advancement Center
GU AN ACAS TE , COS TA R ICA
Known for its robust addiction-treatment programs, herbal medicine tours,
and life-purpose coaching, Rythmia offers a range of holistic healing
experiences in the tropical setting of Costa Ricas Nicoya Peninsula, a region
thats considered one of the worlds Blue Zones a place where people
live measurably longer lives. At Rythmia, youll have access to spiritual
healers and naturopathic doctors, an onsite spa with volcanic mud treatments,
daily Prana Vinyasa classes, and a world-class surf break. Rythmia.com
Rythmia brings state-of-the-art healing modalities into the retreat
experience. The first thing you do is meet with a staff doctor who creates a
plan for your stay, and there are massages and treatments for your specific
custom journey.
Shiva Rea, founder of Prana Vinyasa
 Sattva Retreat Ready, set,
Resort RETREAT!
RISHIKES H, IN DIA
Located on the outskirts of Rishikesh a city
With so many yoga retreats
alongside the holy Ganges River thats revered available at any given time,
as the birthplace of yoga Sattva Retreat offers finding your ideal escape can
a unique blend of ancient and contemporary be a challenge. Here are some of
offerings: yoga, meditation, nature hikes, the upcoming getaways we are
Ayurvedic cooking classes, and even bungee
most excited about:
Sattva Rretreat
jumping and ziplining. thesattva.com
Rishikesh, India This is a magical place nestled in the sacred 7-day Fiji Yoga and Meditation Retreat
foothills of the Himalayas. The centre is quiet Where: Fiji
and has practice spaces that are large and When: March 11, 2018
bright, with windows overlooking the Cost: $3100
mountains and river. www.soulcentre.com.au
Terri Cooper, founder of Connection Coalition,
a nonprofit that brings yoga and meditation to Japan Adventure yoga
schools, jails, shelters, and foster homes ski/snowboard retreat
Where: Niseko, Japan
When: 8-15 February, 2018
Feathered Pipe Cost: From $2395
www.laurahumphreys.com/retreats/
Ranch 3-day Gold Coast Surf,
HELENA , MON TAN A Yoga and Meditation Retreat
Tucked in a dense forest in the majestic Rocky Where: Gold Coast
Mountains, this quaint retreat offers a variety When: December 15, 2017
Manchebo Beach Resort of lodging options, including tents, tepees, Cost: $825
Aruba yurts, and suites with private bathrooms. www.australiansurfingadventures.com
Outdoor activities include horseback riding
and hiking, with plenty of opportunities for
4-day Mindfulness and
wildlife-spotting (deer, elk, beavers, ducks, Transformation Yoga Retreat
andmore). featheredpipe.com
Where: Airlie Beach
This place comes from an era before yoga When: November 24, 2017
went luxury: just good people, good food,
and good vibes, all set in the beauty of a Cost: $750
national forest. www.whitsundayhealthandwellness
retreats.com.au
Lizzie Lasater, a Salzburg, Austriabased
yoga teacher who leads restorative yoga
workshops and designs online education 3-, 5- and 7-day Detox and
Rejuvenate your Mind,
for yoga teachers Body & Relationship Retreats
Where: Berry, South Coast
When: Packages starting any time
Cost: 3 days from $1125
Blue Spirit back2earth.net.au
yogajournal.com.au

N O S A R A , CO S TA R I C A 4-day silent retreat with iRest Yoga

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific & Nidra Meditation
and a white sand beach thats a protected Where: Frankston South,
turtle refuge, this yoga and meditation retreat near Melbourne
centre is as beautiful as it is healing, say When: November 23-26
practitioners whove spent time here. Cost: $600-$1000
november/december 2017

bluespiritcostarica.com www.irest.us
Im drawn to Blue Spirit Costa Rica for the
gorgeous land, sea, and relaxed resonance. 4-day Blissed Out Yoga & Meditation
After teaching here, I come home so Retreat
reconnected to myself, its as though Ive Where: Wybalena Organic Farm,
been on holiday. near Byron
Elena Brower, a New York Citybased When: Friday, December 1
Blue Spirit yoga teacher, co-founder of teach.yoga, Cost: $890-$1190
Nosara, Costa Rica and co-author of Art of Attention www.sohoyoga.com.au 89
 Griffins Hill Griffins Hill
Dunkeld
D U N KE L D ( VI CTO RIA ), A UST RA LIA
A truly warm retreat inviting students as young as 20
and as old as 80 from all walks of life from farmers to
politicians. Hosted by Frank Jesse (one of just 27 senior
Iyengar teachers in Australia) and Jane Gibb, the main
focus of the retreats is the relationships with guests, with
many returning time and time again. The owners foster
these bonds and connections, sharing true, traditional
yoga along the way. www.griffinshill.com.au
Frank is a truly empathic teacher and Janes food and
garden are as nourishing as the yoga. Being able to sit
on the verandah and stare at the mountains (or better yet
walk on them) is a perfect way to reflect on the learnings
from the yoga and digest the delicious meals. I encourage
everyone to treat themselves to this amazing experience.
Kimina Lyall, long-term Iyengar yoga practitioner

Suryalila Retreat
Centre Suryalila Retreat Centre
Cdiz, Spain

C D I Z, S PA I N
Located in the heart of Andalusia in southern Spain,
this working olive farm exudes a sense of vastness the
minute you arrive: rolling hills, sunflower fields, and
lakes in front of the Sierra de Grazalema mountain range
offer the perfect backdrop for deepening your yoga
practice.suryalila.com
Suryalila was mindfully created by a yoga teacher
who incorporated all of her favourite things from
retreat centres around the world. The food is amazing,
the yoga room is spectacular, and the cherry on top is
that the staff is very helpful and friendly.
Tiffany Cruikshank, a Seattle-based yoga teacher
and founder of Yoga Medicine

Lumeria MAUI
yogajournal.com.au

M A KAWA O, H AWA II
Want to stay at a resort that captures the essence of
Hawaii? Honolulu architect H.R. Kerr designed the
complex thats now Lumeria for a sugar-cane-farming
family. It was completed in 1910, and local shamans
november/december 2017

blessed it before it opened. The propertys timeless

spiritual energy creates an amazing backdrop
for mindful yoga, unique spa services, and
garden-to-table food. lumeriamaui.com
This stunning property feels secluded, which helps
foster an inclusive, interactive group dynamic.
And I love both practice areas one on the beach
and another on top of a volcano. Lumeria Maui
90 Laura Burkhart, a San Franciscobased yoga teacher Makawao, Hawaii
 Escape to Bali

Balis best retreat centre since 2003

offering over 50 retreats every year
www.oneworldretreats.com

Desa Seni
Canguu, Bali

Desa Seni CA NGUU, B A LI

Desa Seni, Canguus quirky village yoga resort is the perfect
Balinese escape, located in an up-and-coming yogi paradise. The
accommodation is inviting and unique, with antique wood homes
that have been imported from Indonesian islands and fresh flowers
that line the perfectly manicured paths. Some world-renowned teachers
guide students through daily classes as well as teacher training in the
beautiful outdoor shalas. The owners are visionaries with a goal to
create a truly eco-friendly and yogic community.
www.desaseni.com
If you asked me where my favourite place in the world is, I would probably The place for an authentic
say Desa Seni. I seriously cant sing its praises enough. Walking into the
space is like stepping into a childhood fantasy where fairies are real and Panchakarma experience in Bali
miracles happen. Jessica Humphries, yoga teacher and AYJ editor www.oneworldayurveda.com
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 AYJ DIRECTORY | TEACHER TRAINING

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AYJ DIRECTORY | TEACHER TRAINING/RETREATS/SHOPPING

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 AYJ DIRECTORY | TEACHER TRAINING

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Australian Yoga Journal January Edition

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THE
TEACHER TRAINING
Yoga teaching secrets of success
What makes an exceptional yoga teacher?
SUITABLY CERTIFIED?
When it comes to yoga teacher training, is 200 hours really enough?
yogajournal.com.au

Marketing mistakes
How holistic professionals can avoid them
Wellbeing wisdom
Essential anatomy and physiology knowledge for students and teachers

PLUS
All I want for Christmas - a yogis gift guide
Poses for surviving the silly season
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Festive recipes
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97
 in ir ti n
AYJ INTERVIEW
Wisdom and
warnings from a
teacher of teachers
Mary-Louise Parkinson has been a teacher to
the teachers since before yoga was in fashion.
Now, at 60, with an enviable yoga resume,
she encourages yogis considering becoming
teachers to do their research before choosing and
committing to a particular training program.
yogajournal.com.au
Interview by Tamsin Angus-Leppan
THE MULTI-TALENTED Mary-Louise
Parkinson, 60, used yoga to keep herself
in balance during a high-prole
november/december 2017
international career in IT. During the
1990s, she began extensive training in
yoga, started Harbord Yoga, then
developed and ran an eco yoga retreat
as well as co-founding a charity in
Nepal, The Asha Foundation. She now
heads the International Yoga Teachers
Association (IYTA), a non-prot
98 training provider and membership
organisation for yoga teachers around
the world, which celebrates 50 years
this October. Mary-Louise is passionate
about high-quality training for yoga
teachers.
How did you first come to yoga?
In the 1970s, yoga was introduced at my
school. I remember being really excited
and going home and saying to my
mum, We even exercised our eyes and
we go inside and look at our organs.
After school, I went on to travel the
world and take on a demanding and
exciting career in IT, but I sought out
yoga classes wherever I went. I spent a
lot of time travelling for work to Silicon
Valley and London, and back then it
was hard to nd yoga classes. Id go to
meetings and sit in Lotus Pose at the
board table. So they all knew me as the
yogi. Id y to the States, go for a swim,
do yoga nidra, and go to a meeting.
Everyone was always blown away by
how balanced I was.
What made you train in yoga?
My rst marriage was on the rocks and I
really started to come back to my yoga. I
joined North Sydney yoga centre, headed
by Diana Ewing, in the late 1980s. Diana
said to me one day, Why dont you
become a yoga teacher? I thought, why
would I want to be a yoga teacher? Ive got
a great career. She just kept seeding the
idea and eventually encouraged me to
do the IYTA training. Being the
international person I was, I wanted a
diploma that would give me the ability
to teach anywhere in the world, and that
would be respected and acknowledged
anywhere in the world, which the IYTA
diploma is. The other thing was that Ive
always been a feminist. I didnt want to
do a teacher training that was led by a
guru or locked into one particular style
of yoga. So again, IYTA provided me
with that base platform from a non-
prot organisation. It wasnt led by a
bloke it was a democratically elected
organisation, so it ticked all the boxes
for me. I did the IYTA training in
1996-97, then I went on to do Yoga
Synergy, 1998-99, and then Dru teacher
training, 1999-2001, and then I went on
to post-graduate training.
What advice do you have for
people thinking about training in
yoga?
The thing Im really disgusted with is
the number of people offering yoga
teacher training courses (who) did a
200-hour course in Bali over a month,
two years ago, and now theyre running
their own teacher training. At IYTA
we have over 30 people on our faculty.
To think that you can have one person
PHOTO: KATIE BROWN
running yoga teacher training is
arrogant. Teachers should be
recommending that their students
complete a good quality teacher
training with a focus on safety.
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