Stillness can be defined as the absence of movement and sound. But does such a place exist? In a world full of chaos and a mind constantly whirling, finding such a realm is no easy task. The globe, and the mind, will continue to turn, because that is their job. But if you want more ease and joy in your life, it is your job to find a still, quiet place in the centre of that ever-moving, constantly changing landscape. Yogic practices don’t make the stormy world, or your thoughts, go away. Rather they lead us to connect with our centre, the eye of the storm. Finding that refuge deep inside you a ..read more

From the world of neuroscience to yogic philosophy, a flexible mind is seen as intrinsically linked to our happiness and wellbeing. At a time in history when it feels like the world is increasingly divided with the rise of populism and fundamentalism, understanding the negative impact of dogmatic thinking and the positive effect of more flexible thinking is more relevant than ever. Neuroscience Neuroscience and psychology highlight the importance of “cognitive flexibility”, or the capacity to cope with the eternally changing landscape of the world around us, and switch from one task to another ..read more

Grief can cause physical sensations such as a tight chest, aches and pains and headaches, driving sufferers to turn to treatments like counselling, support groups, self-care and medication to help navigate the rollercoaster of emotions. According to the Australian Psychological Society, some psychologists may recommend yoga and other mindfulness-based practices as part of a holistic approach to managing grief. Research has found that practices such as meditation, yoga and tai chi may be useful in helping people to manage the intense emotions that often accompany grief. Alongside self-care acti ..read more

Imposter syndrome is an internalised feeling that your achievements or successes are undeserved, that you are not as smart and skilled as everyone may think you are and that any moment now you will be caught out as a cheat, no matter how much evidence there is of your capabilities and successes. If you are someone who has ever attributed your wins to external powers like “luck”, rather than acknowledging your own intelligence, effort or hard work, you may be experiencing what is known as imposter syndrome. The problem with this state is that when you constantly feel like a pretender, your pote ..read more

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, samadhi describes the final cultivation of consciousness, having been engaged in yogic practices consistently for a long period of time. It’s best to call this a state of freedom within oneself and a kind of liberation from the mind, rather than some of the more lofty descriptions that can make these states seem unattainable. With the right method applied consistently for years, samadhi can certainly be reached with the persevering practitioner holding the key. In this article, I speak about samadhi as an ongoing student of yoga with a passion for understanding this ..read more

Humans are cyclic in nature, which means we are constantly in a state of flux and our needs are ever-changing. Our yoga practice gives us a consistent platform in which to honour this malleability, support our flow of prana (energy, life force) and take the wisdom with us off the mat. The qualities of yin and yang Yoga Sutra 2.46, sthira sukham asanam, roughly translates to “a steady and comfortable seat” or “resolutely abide in a good space”. The meaning of sthira is “to be stable or firm, conscious, present and alert”, which is complementary to the meaning of sukham, “to be soft, at ease, re ..read more

At a time when stress and anxiety seem to be ever-increasing, it’s helpful to look at what traditional Chinese medicine has to say about the Stomach and Spleen organ-meridian system and how we absorb both food and the world around us. Aside from their poeticism, part of the wonder and beauty of Taoism and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the emphasis on the interplay between our physical form, mind and spirit. At a time when stress and anxiety seem to be ever-increasing, it’s helpful to look at what traditional Chinese medicine has to say about the Stomach and Spleen organ-meridian system ..read more

They say that these days, we’re living in the attention economy. From all angles, it seems, our attention is being courted and fought over by advertising and marketing teams, businesses, streaming services, the 24-hour news cycle and social media. There is music playing while we eat and talk to friends in our favourite cafe; smartphone alerts pinging while we watch an apparently absorbing TV show. The world has become a feast of sensory stimulation (though often not the nourishing kind of feast). With so much information coming in, it can be hard to separate the signal from the noise. Pratyaha ..read more

Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how negative our feelings or dire our situation, we must maintain a positive mindset. This involves denying feelings like anger, fear, disappointment and any other emotions we consider “bad”. By pushing away and avoiding uncomfortable feelings, we bypass how we process the world. Our emotional reality isn’t validated, and instead we live in a state of denial. It’s not a good place to be. Denial protects the ego Denial from a psychology perspective, is, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “defence mechanism in which confrontation with a p ..read more

What does a rewarding life look like to you? How about this … imagine you’ve found a teacher to look up to, who offers you ongoing support and inspiration. A philosophy that helps guide you through the ups and downs of life. A community which you feel inspired by and at home within. Sounds good, right? A life on purpose, supported by someone motivating and surrounded by like-minded people. This is something that many people find themselves searching for and is one way to interpret the “three jewels” of Buddhism. The philosophy is ancient in its origin and relevant in today’s world. So often we ..read more