Former yoga teacher in Wellington New Zealand
I’ve decided to step back from teaching and writing about yoga. Letting go of teaching is about making time for reflection. I will miss you all and I encourage you to think about your own journey of aparigraha and svadhyaya, or letting go so that you have space to reflect.
Pranayama refers to practices or techniques to moderate, change or influence how we breath. It can involve changing the pace, quantity and method of breathing. Scientific research has shown many benefits while historic yoga texts outline pranayama as one of the practices leading to mind-body connection and connection with the greater consciousness.
The eight-fold path in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras sets out 8 aspects practicing yoga which include the asanas (the physical poses) and much more.
Śavāsana is a yoga asana, a physical pose that involves lying on the floor relaxing. But what is the purpose of the pose? Is it just about relaxing or something more?
For years, I have ended my yoga classes by saying namaste. But I’ve recently learned that this is not a practice or tradition associated with yoga, and is cultural appropriation.
While pilates might look similar to yoga in some aspects, it has a different history and purpose.
This article highlights a few different theories about when and where (and from whom) sun salutations (surya namaskar) originated from, with a lot of suggestions on where to learn more.
The beginnings of a list on where to find yoga sessions online and in-person in Te Reo Māori as well as a few videos, flashcards, and articles featuring yoga in te reo Māori.
The idea of doing yoga at home is not always the most inspiring. You’ll find some videos and articles to help you get started.
Take time to be in the moment and connect with the family and friends who support you – if you can’t connect in person, you can connect online and the phone. If you are feeling anxious or stressed, I’ve written many posts about the different ways yoga can help with managing stress, including breathing practices, meditation and restorative yoga.