Warrior 2 (Vīrabhadrāsana 2) Warrior 2 is the second āsana in a series of three standing poses that embody the mythic warrior Vīrabhadra from ancient Vedic texts. Warrior 2 is a core standing āsana that requires seamless coordination of the entire body, highlighting the harmonious balance between strength and lightness. This pose is grounding and strengthening, it calls for a calm and focused mind, as well as steady breathing, to hold the posture without any strain. Benefits of Warrior 2: uplifting & energising mentally & physically. strengthens the legs, back, shoulders, arms and c ..read more

Warrior 1 (Vīrabhadrāsana) Warrior 1 is the first āsana in a series of three standing poses that embody the mythic warrior Vīrabhadra from ancient Vedic texts. This core standing pose is commonly included in the western expression of sun salutations and vinyasa flow practices. Providing both grounding and upliftment, it beautifully exemplifies the concept of sthira (steadiness) and sukha (ease) as taught in the Yogasutras of Patanjali (Chapter 2, sutra 46: sthira-sukham āsanam). Warrior 1 represents the harmonious balance of opposing forces – grounding and elevation, ease and effort, and opp ..read more

Along with bridge and chair pose, cobra is another āsana that I teach in just about every class and practice myself daily. It is one of the best postures for improving back strength, and with many ways of changing the position of the hands and arms it can be beneficial for students of all levels of spinal flexibility and body type. The Benefits of Cobra Pose: strengthens the back muscles and improves flexibility in the upper spine strengthens the spinal muscles that hold us upright, therefore is useful in improving posture stretches the front of the body and expands the upper chest can hel ..read more

Transitioning to Winter With the days getting shorter and temperatures dropping, winter can have a major impact on our health. The cold weather can exacerbate certain health conditions like asthma and arthritis and increase the risk of catching the flu or other respiratory infections. But don’t worry! By making a few adjustments to our diet and exercise, we can prepare ourselves physically and mentally for the challenges that winter may bring. From an Ayurvedic perspective, it’s important to consider our dosha or constitution: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha has different requirements due ..read more

Slowing Down: Why Taking Time to Pause is Essential for Well-being In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and miss enjoying the small things in life. With constant demands, endless to-do lists, and the pressure to achieve, we often find ourselves rushing from one task to another, barely taking a moment to catch our breath. However, in the midst of this hectic lifestyle, it’s crucial to recognise the importance of slowing down and taking time to pause. Slowing down is not a sign of weakness or laziness but rather an essential practice f ..read more

Why I Prefer In Person Yoga Teacher Training The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the way we live, work, and learn.  In-person training yoga teacher training traditionally has been the preferred method for undertaking yoga studies, but with social distancing guidelines in place during the pandemic, many schools pivoted to online training. Online training has several benefits; it provides a convenient learning environment where students can study from home. Additionally, online yoga teacher training has become more cost-effective since no travel or accommodation expenses are ..read more

Chair Pose (Ardha Utkaṭāsana) Chair pose is one of the most beneficial postures for helping us to maintain the strength and joint stability that we need for many daily life activities – walking up stairs, tramping, bending to pick up items and of course, getting up and down from a chair, to name a few. It is for this reason that it is a pose that I teach in almost every class and include in my personal practice. Utkaṭa means ‘powerful’ or ‘fierce’ and this pose is powerful. From the outside, chair pose looks deceptively easy, yet once you give it a try you will realise that there is a lot go ..read more

Anjali Mudra Anjali mudra is a specific placement of the hands at the heart centre (hṛdayam) signifying our potential for and intention to progress towards spiritual awakening. The heart space here, is not the location of the physical heart, it is the space within the centre of the chest we point to when we say ‘I’, it is the seat of the mind, the place we feel our emotions. In anjali mudra the outer rim of the hands, fingers, and base of hands touch, but the knuckles are apart from each other. The thumbs are held so their inside surface faces in, and their backs are out. The word anjali can ..read more

What’s the Difference Between Yoga Therapy & Yoga? Yoga therapy is an emerging field, growing in popularity worldwide. More and more research is being carried out, proving the benefits and health professionals are beginning to recognise yoga therapy as complementary to modern health care. Yet, yoga therapy is relatively unknown in New Zealand, and there does remain some confusion about what yoga therapy is. While yoga and yoga therapy do sit side by side in their place as a form of self care and exercise, there are many factors which are considered to make yoga therapy distinct from the w ..read more

Bridge Pose (Dvipādapīṭham) Anyone who attends my classes or teacher training will know that bridge pose is included in almost every practice I teach, and with good reason. Bridge pose is a simple yet versatile backbend that can be practised in various ways, and offers a  range of experiences and benefits depending on the variation you choose. The Benefits of Bridge Pose: Depending on how it is practiced, bridge pose offers a number of benefits including: strengthens the back, gluteal & leg muscles strengthens the ankles & knees opens the front of the body –  hips, chest ..read more