Golden Yoga | Yoga studio

Golden Yoga

Phone: +61 411 952 777

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23.01.2022 This photo should mean no more than a beautiful image of love and connection. Sadly at the moment it expresses a political statement. The way we are treated as two human beings is not the same. Yes, even in Australia one of us is often ignored or treated with fear or disdain. Only when you are white do you have the luxury of forgetting about the colour of your skin. To be otherwise, is to be constantly reminded either subtly or overtly that you are different. ... Finally it feels ok to raise this issue that affects all of us, particularly among those of us who believe they don’t see colour. For a long time I was in denial that systemic racism exists in Australia. I have seen now how it is a constant presence and continues to cause pain, and how those who experience it daily keep quiet so as not to make others uncomfortable. Yes love is the answer but it can inadvertently blind those of us with the best of intentions to discrimination that undeniably exists. You will see ugly traces of it if you really look. If you’re still in doubt, ask any non-Caucasian person about their experience of racism. If they trust you enough to share it, be ready for a long complex conversation. It’s unpleasant and uncomfortable, but it needs to be heard to begin to be understood. Take a moment to sit with the discomfort and listen to their daily lived experience. We cannot truly understand the cumulative affect of it but we can try. I am complicit as are we all. When this issue leaves the headlines and the status quo returns, keep your eyes open, your voice loud and express yourself with love. #blacklivesmatter #injustice #discrimination #racism #loveislove #colourblind #mixedracecouple #love #couplephotography #systemicracism #speakup #racismisreal _in_the_flow_ @midnightyogi @vulnerablemen

22.01.2022 I woke up today feeling calm, grateful and full of love. (I’m close to rolling my eyes and even deleting now as I read back on what I’ve just written. This expression of my emotionally indulgent state sounds corny but I’m ok with that.) The last few months have been so rocky. Up and down, beginning with an operation that plunged me into menopause, then into the Covid cupboard with teens who were struggling. On Wednesday I start the two stage process to remove and replace my b...reasts. Another operation follows at the end of the month. I fear the pain, the loss of control, the change in sensation and appearance. These photos were taken to remind me of my internal power and the transience of my physical form. I am ready now. Through the recent struggles I have relinquished the tight unhealthy control of my children that was keeping them bound. I have one life to live and it is mine. I’m taking two more classes before I take leave for a few weeks. I have a student who started as a beginner coming to me for weekly Private classes six months ago. Each time he comes to the mat he comes with curiousity, determination and vulnerability. His growth has been remarkable and he has taught me more than I could have imagined. It has been an enriching and profound experience. He now comes to me four times per week for ninety minute classes and tomorrow will be his last class with me for a while. He said to me a few weeks ago ‘yoga has made me a better person.’ I’ll teach one more public online class tomorrow at 7.45am. It will be a heart-led and breath-felt practise. My rawness is coming with me to practise and teach right now, so I hope you’ll let yourself be open and explore what there is to be felt within. Please message me for the link to a slow heart-led, breath-felt practice 7.45am Tuesday 14 July. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #brca #yogastudent #yoga #yogalife #yogajourney #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #selmprovement #melbourneyoga #yogaphotos #pain #fear #covid #power #vulnerability #vulnerabilityisstrength #menopause #breastreconstruction #mastectomy #mastectomyreconstruction #calm #gratitude #love @_in_the_flow_

20.01.2022 How can the yoga practice help us develop greater self awareness and manage the challenges of everyday life? How can we apply what we learn on the mat to develop resilience and minimise stress and suffering? ... In this 2.5 hour workshop I will guide you through a slow mindful flow, yin and meditation practice. We will pause for reflection and discussion on beliefs and thoughts that may arise, but are rarely addressed within a traditional class. Learn how yoga and meditation can illuminate your inner world, develop heightened awareness of the body’s wisdom and has the capacity to shift your perspective. No experience required. Shift Your Perspective Workshop Where: Australian Yoga Academy, Prahran When : Sunday 4 July, 10am-12.30pm Investment: $49 (full price), $45 (AYA members, cons. or before 26 June). Book through MINDBODY or [email protected] Spaces are limited #melbourneyoga #prahran #prahranlife #managingstress #melbourneyogateacher #melbourneyogaworkshop #prahranyoga #yoga #yogaprahran #selfdiscovery #yogalife #beliefs #thoughts #melbourneyin #resilience #selfawareness @australianyogaacademy

20.01.2022 Our need for freedom has left many of us feeling stifled. When we are under strain, our relationships can suffer. How have your closest relationships fared during this time? Even if you’ve maintained harmony, do you feel as connected as you would like with the people you love most? There are those who’ve described to me their feeling of suffocation by constant proximity to loved ones, and others for whom isolation has kept them apart. ... While there is a heightened awareness of the importance of the people in our lives, our response to fear is to brace ourselves to protect the heart. Even if nothing is wrong you may find it hard to relax, be present and connected with people you care about. As you re-emerge and reestablish routine you can make a choice to soften and come closer. How do you coax your heart out of its shell? Please join @mignightyogi and me as we explore ways to be more open, nurturing, and connected to ourselves and others. HEART CONNECTION is a 2hr workshop with a gentle yoga practice, tantric breathwork, playful touch and a deeply relaxing yoga nidra. From the comfort of your home, through zoom, be guided towards peeling the layers away from your heart and learn techniques to open it to another. Join with an intimate partner, a family member or a friend. Suitable for beginners. 8pm, Saturday 21 November. Investment: $50 per couple, $45 before 1 Nov. Bookings essential. No one will be turned away due to inability to pay. Send us a message with any questions or concerns. #yoga #heart #heartconnection #relationships #couplesworkshop #intimacy #freedom #melbourneyoga #meditation #melbourneyogateacher #yoga #love #heartcentered #heartconnection #yogaworkshop #vulnerability #relationships #breathwork #yogalife #yogamelbourne #relationshipworkshop #couplegoals #tantricbreathwork #gentleyoga #yoganidra #connection #relationships #loveconnection #wellbeing @_in_the_flow_

18.01.2022 My eldest child is now an adult. In truth he was born an old soul, with the face of his deceased paternal grandfather. He always resisted being treated as a child, and I recall him saying at the age of six, that in our culture, childhood is used as a derogatory term. (As in ‘stop behaving like a child’) At least 3 times a day he says he loves me. Only occasionally it’s because he is feeling guilty about something. He leans down to hug me tight and I inhale the still deliciou...s smell of him. He is proud to be his own man; to face and embrace the mountains and the valleys along his path. ‘They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.’ Khalil Gibran Happy birthday Jesse. jesse #parenting #yoga #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #yogalife #childhood #adulthood #affection #love #yogajourney #connection #family #friendship #iloveyou

18.01.2022 What do you notice when you leave your house? What do you observe about the people around you? How do you feel as you move through the world? I’ve been cushioned inside my recovery bubble. Loving kindness has brought friends, family and students with care packages to my door. But now I emerge, and face a world where passers by gaze at the ground with rounded shoulders. Fear is expressed in their stance; vital organs are covered and masks have assured anonymity. ... Lost for now are our basic freedoms to breathe freely, hear speech clearly, recognise familiar faces and show warmth through a smile. I wonder, how much of what we had not long ago will we once again take for granted? What will we lose forever and what will we gain? There is much to be learned. ‘We had more than we needed We could get by withless We need things less than we believed; we need people more than we realised.‘ (Howardgoldenberg.com) I continue to teach online but both as a student and teacher I miss the feeling of moving and breathing in unison. Yoga, the art of connection, is possible, but not ideal through a screen. I’m keen to share simple meditation, breath and movement techniques that help us alleviate anxiety, connect to feelings, and ignite our inner lighthouse. If the sun continues to shine and the COVID numbers fall, we will be able to practise again together soon. I’m taking bookings now for private and small classes (2 students max initially) in the park from the end of September. Zoom private classes will remain available. Please send me a private message to book. Let’s stand tall together with hearts open. #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #caulfield #yogaclassmelbourne #yogamelbourne #fear #covidresponse #brca #mastectomy #connection #breathing #meditation #masks #anxiety #asana #pranayama #meditation #heartopening #connection #yogacommunity #melbourneyogi #melbourneyogacommunity #melbournewellbeing @_in_the_flow_

17.01.2022 I hope you’ve been navigating your way through the challenges of the last few months. It's been tough, hasn't it? Earlier this year when I learned I had the BRCA gene, and decided to have the operations to prevent breast and ovarian cancer, I could not have imagined the emotional and physical impact. Three major surgeries over 6 months, with most of the time spent alone at home with my teenage boys has been really difficult; one is in VCE and all three of them have struggle...d with the limitations of both their mother and COVID. I have been unable to practise asana, physical yoga, for 3 months. Each week I regain more movement in my chest and arms, but I am not yet allowed to get into simple positions like table top, down dog or plank. There have been many moments of self-pity and even self-loathing. My physical shape has changed, I've lost strength and I have cried tears of pain, impatience and frustration. What have I gained? ~Hopefully some additional healthy years ~Acceptance of my vulnerability and offers of help. ~Appreciation for the kindness and love offered by friends & family. ~Compassion for the pain and limitations of my students. ~Gratitude for simple pleasures. ~Awareness that I am far more than my body. ~The techniques of self-hypnosis. ~Certification as a meditation teacher. ~Greater acceptance that we can only control ourselves in the moment we are in. ~Time to consider my life and what is important to me. Like every experience we go through in life, there is an opportunity for learning and growth. What have you learned about yourself and your life in the last few months? What have you gained? I know you may be struggling to find motivation to find a mindful practice at the moment. Feel free to contact me with any questions or support in getting started. Meditation has never been easy for me. What I now know is that most people struggle with it and many abandon it. It takes time and patience. This year I have practised daily mindfulness and breath practices that I believe have prevented me from falling into a place of deep darkness. Learn to meditate with me online or in person. Four sessions over 4 weeks. Contact me for details

17.01.2022 As life becomes less predictable and the external world seems further out of control, I look for a way to find a sense of calm. I hope to become less reactive and restless and more grounded. Yoga has helped me find stillness and peace when there is chaos. I understand that the physical practice of asana is to prepare us for dhyana, meditation. It has always been hard for me to sit in silence with myself, so I in the past I have found ways to avoid it or have simply tacked i...t on to my physical practice. I love teaching it but never believed I was any good at practising it. I now recognise just how much I need it and that there is no barometer for success to strive towards. In the last month I have meditated every day. The #mindfulinmay program has inspired me and provided me with the momentum I need to establish a meaningful daily mindfulness practice. My focus now is shifting, and through physical impairment and mounting stress, my mind is as needy of healing as my body. I have found moments of peace in meditation, and am accepting that it is often a chore or a struggle. It is a practice I will work on in the same way I’ve committed to a daily physical practice. My wise partner @midnightyogi preempted the trauma of this week by removing himself from social media before it all began. He is still sharing the gift of his teaching online with me, and we would love you to join us for a 75 minute breath-led calming yoga and meditation practice Sunday 4.30pm. Please message me for the link to the class. #mindfulinmay #asana #dhyana #meditation #onlineyoga #yogaclassesonline #melbourneyoga #meditationhealing #melbourneyogateacher #socialmedia #chaos #groundingmyself #meditationpractice #healing #mindfulness #movingmeditation

15.01.2022 SMALL GROUP CLASS DETAILS BELOW How are you feeling with the move back into the world after all you’ve been through in the last few months? I’m going through fluctuations in my mood - feeling exhilarated and free and then flat and inexplicably teary. The feelings emerge as I practise and then of course in my time alone and with others.... As I flow each day, I bring my attention and love to my body. I get out of my head, into my heart and feel my way through. As I confront limitations I’m kinder to myself - but the inner turbulence is expressed through impatience with those I love. I’ve also noticed the mean girl inside me is coming out to play; easily triggered, judgemental and critical of others. It’s 3 months today since breast surgery and I just lifted up into full wheel. It felt tight but satisfying. It brought me joy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I’m teaching a gentle flow on Cup Day in the park. There will be space given for all the bodies and all the feelings. Tues 3 Nov 9.30am $25 Numbers are limited so please contact me early to book. Disclaimer: I feel I need to say that this photo is old. I keep getting lovely messages telling me how well I’m looking on social media. #urdvadhanurasana #yoga #yogalife #brca #mastectomy #healingjourney #breastsurgery #yogaflow #selfcare #yogamelbourne #ahimsa #melbourneyoga #caulfieldnorth #cupday #yogaclass #postisolation #melbourneyogateacher #feelings #frustration #impatience #intolerance

13.01.2022 I’m trying to flow with the current. Resistance is a trap I so easily fall into. Why spend energy fighting something over which I have no control? At the moments I feel frustration arise, I ask myself (when I remember to), am I safe? Is there imminent threat to my well-being or to my loved ones? I am fortunate that the answer is no.... Is there something I can learn from this and how can I make the most of it? The answer is yes. Naturally I have worries and fluctuations in my mood. Somehow through lockdown I manage to look after myself with greater care. I’m spending more time reading, cooking, meditating and learning. In my normal week I would push myself to do more. Enforced rest is good for me. Each time it happens I wonder why my pace of living is so busy that lockdown feels like relief. I know I need to make changes. Perhaps consider what you can do to find this time more nourishing. How can you sit in the moment and worry less about the next one? Yoga is resilience training for life. It helps prepare you for times like these. For those of you who’ve asked me for a class this week online I’ve decided to teach a calming yin class 6.30pm Thursday. A calming stretching class suitable for beginners. Pay what you can afford or if you’re experiencing hardship please simply send me a request for the zoom link. Message me for details. I’d love to see you. #yoga #onlineyoga #yinyoga #melbourneyoga #yogaathome #yogaforlife #beginnersyoga #melbourneyogateacher #stretch #calm #acceptance #resistance #resilience #lockdownyoga #yogainlockdown

13.01.2022 In the vinyasa practice the flow is broken up with downdogs and chaturangas. I was given the ok this week by the doctors to start gently practising yoga again. At 8 weeks post preventative double mastectomy I’m stiffer, heavier, and my range of movement is more limited. ... Removal of ovaries, Fallopian tubes and breasts has meant months without yoga, so I’ve lost muscle mass, fitness and core strength. I still feel discomfort and some pulling sensations around my chest and up through my armpits, and at times I’m in pain. Inversions, arms balances and deep backbends are not on the cards anytime soon. Emphatically I’ve been warned against weight bearing so I’ve created practices to try to regain my strength within these boundaries. It feels delicious to move in time with the breath, and to connect once again with my body. As we change our practice can evolve too. Restrictions create opportunities for a different type of freedom. I’ve had many students in the past who’ve told me that due to injury they can’t do down dog, table top, planks or cannot lie on the belly; and it is hard for them to join a public class and skip these shapes altogether. Regardless of illness, injury or issue there is a form of yoga that is accessible for everyone. It’s a matter of finding it. This is a sped up version of a 30 minute practice that I filmed this morning without any weight bearing or time on the belly. If you’d like the video link to this sequence without vinyasas at original speed please send me a message. Note: I am not recommending this challenging practice for women in the first 6 months post mastectomy and reconstruction. I know my body and I am working within its limits. Please seek advice from a medical professional before returning to an exercise program after major surgery of this type. #bcra #mastectomy #healing #melbourneyogateacher #melbourneyoga #yogapostsurgery #yogahealing #mastectomyrecovery #mastectomyreconstruction #yogavideo #vinyasa #noweightbearing #nochaturangaflow #healingjourney #healingyoga #healingyourself #freedom #restrictions #limitations #postsurgeryrecovery #melbournewellness #wellness #wellnessjourney

11.01.2022 While I was meditating in my bedroom this morning I could hear the escalating voices of two of my children. The first thought that bubbled in my brain was, ‘I can block this noise. I won’t allow it to disturb me’. As it became clearer that they were fighting over who was going to eat tonight’s dinner for breakfast this morning, I jumped up and threw open my door. Among other mundane meal instructions I yelled ‘I am trying to meditate!’ I was aware of the irony as the words ...left my lips. Returning to my meditation seat the echo of the mindless moment sat with me like fried food in the stomach late at night. I reassured myself that it was all good - I argued with myself that I was in fact having a ‘mindful moment’. I recently completed my teacher training in meditation and now guide yoga, mindfulness and meditation for a living. I’m more aware of my thoughts, my patterns and behaviour and hope I am less reactive than in the past. When asked how I am, I pause and think. I consider that I am managing well overall, but my instinctive response to provocation leaves me wondering how much is simmering below the surface. It’s worth checking - are you really ok when you say to yourself and others that you are? It’s worth exploring, and being honest with whatever it is you find. Perhaps give yourself some time to observe how you feel through yoga or meditation today. Happy Melon studios are offering free classes all day for #RUOKDAY We will unveil the heart and our emotional state in yin yoga tonight @happymelonstudios 6.45pm. We all need support at times and it’s so important to reach out for it and learn to accept it. #ruok #ruokday #meditation #yogateacher #heart #meditationteacher #freeyoga #yogaonline #melbourneyoga #support #melbournemeditation #kindness #parenting #selfenquiry #yinyoga #yinyogamelbourne #stress #homeschooling #honesty

11.01.2022 I’m feeling and finding my way back into the rhythm of life. It’s rarely smooth, but there are times when I remember to slow down again, to carefully navigate the potholes. The hour or so I give myself on the mat each day is the time I pause, examine and feel. Teaching again in person allows me to connect more deeply to the experience students are having. I see moments of fear, imbalance, fragility and courage. Through the practice we unveil our heart and I glimpse raw vulne...rability. In both private and group classes I invite students to go beneath the skin and experience moments both mundane and profound. It may not be easy but it is always worthwhile. Those who joined me for that delicious sunlit class on Cup Day have asked for more group classes in the park. I’ve also taught about 4 birthday groups in the last few weeks. It’s a way to connect to ourselves and to each other. If you and a special group of friends would like to practise yoga outdoors in the summer months please send me a message. #yoga #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #yogamelbourne #caulfieldnorth #caulfieldyoga #yogaclassesmelbourne #melbourneyogacommunity #yogateachermelbourne #yogafeelings #yogalife #flamingopose @_in_the_flow_

10.01.2022 This week I’ll be teaching yoga wearing a frock. Frocktober is a campaign to raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research. When a close family member developed ovarian cancer a couple of years ago, all the women in my family were tested for the faulty BRCA gene. We were all found to carry the mutation, which increased our chances of developing breast or ovarian by over 70 percent. My sister, my cousin and I chose to have our ovaries, Fallopian tubes and breasts ...removed this year to ensure we didn’t die from these cancers. Most women will never know if they are at risk, as there is currently no screening test for ovarian cancer. It is one of the most lethal cancers - only 29 percent of women diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer will survive past 5 years. Most cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed too late. I’ll be donating my payment for the class I’m teaching today to @ocrf, hoping further research will lead to development of an ovarian cancer screening test and life saving treatment. I hope you’ll consider making a donation too. #ovariancancerawarenessmonth #ovariancancerresearch #ovariancancerawareness #frocktober #yogafundraiser #ovariancancerprevivor #brca #yoga #yogaforlife #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #ovariancancer #yogainadress #frockup #yogateacher #yogalife #yinyogamelbourne @andi_cozza

09.01.2022 I find myself still hoping for the time when things will return to ‘normal’. Logic tells me that history never goes backwards; that for better and worse, life and the world as we knew it, will not be the same. It saddens me to see the fear driven behaviour. I wonder how the avoidance of physical touch will affect our psyche and well-being. Back teaching students in studios there is a heightened appreciation for the collective energy we share in this ancient practice.... With limits of 10 students per class, sadly this places a regular studio practice even further from the grasp of those who are needy. There is this unmet desire to hug and to touch, and an enforced awkwardness in maintaining distance. I hope we don’t ever get used to this - this stringent (and vital) social control that only allows touch by immediate family and paid sanitised professionals. I yearn to be held by my parents and to embrace my 93 year old grandmother. I wonder whether we will be intimate in that way again. I’ve considered how I would choose to live if I was that age, and the consequences of the choices available to us. I saw my therapist this week and I reported that I was trying to reach a state of acceptance. What came to me was the realisation that the degree of suffering we experience is proportionate to the distance between acceptance and expectation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please join me this week: Vinyasa 6.30am Thursday @yogatreeelsternwick Hatha 12.30pm Thursday @yoga8melbourne Yin 6.45pm Thursday @happymelonstudios (online) 7am vinyasa Friday @kayahealthclubs 6pm yin Friday @happymelonstudios (online) #melbourneyoga #yoga #socialdistancing #yogalife #wellbeing #touch #yogaclasses #yogajourney #yogamelbourne #yogateacher #melbourneyogateacher #closeness #energy #intimacy #fear #accessibleyoga #love #acceptance #expectation #life #lifelessons #suffering @_in_the_flow_

08.01.2022 My heart is pounding. Trying to get my microphone working to teach my first online 9.30 class for @australianyogaacademy , and technical issues left me locked out of the class I am trying to teach. I’m sitting here feeling guilty and frustrated. What can I do? Like a junkie I look for a yoga class I can run to. I’m too late am I give up the search for a solution outside of myself. I realise in this moment I need to find acceptance, relax my jaw, breathe and look within to c...alm myself. I will sit and breathe and then practise the class I would have taught. Big hugs and gratitude to the teachers who were online to support me. I know one of them has thrown herself into the deep end and is now teaching when she would rather be practising. In the past I would have lost my shit and let this affect my day. As I write, I decide to leave this behind me. Writing my thoughts helps me to process and begin to relax. I restore equilibrium through the practice of yoga. This is not a disaster. Perspective. Yesterday my son and his dad were involved in an accident on a Vespa. My exhusband ended up in hospital and is having surgery on his ankle. My son was traumatised and is still in a bit of pain, but he is ok. In situations that are truly serious I am calm and respond with a clear mind. At those times I am at my best and I don’t give myself the opportunity to doubt and flail about. I wonder, what do you do when things spiral out of your control and everything turns to shit? How do you find your way back? #yoga #breath #selfcontrol #yogateacher #perspective #melbourneyoga #yogalife #yogaislife #techingyogaonline #calm #control #surrender #acceptance #gratitude Thank you @diquinzioconti @beata.rose @movewithnadine @australianyogaacademy

08.01.2022 Last Thursday I taught online for the first time since the last lockdown. I couldn’t have anticipated the feeling of love and warmth that came through the screen. There was a palpable feeling of connection and gratitude between us all. The true meaning of yoga ‘yoke’ is connection, and it is during this period of enforced separation especially, where we can find comfort and a sense of community even when we are not in each other’s physical presence. My 94 year old nana, ...my dad, my mother and my ex husband were practising together with people I’d never met before - many completely new to yoga. Other families separated by law came together online to practise with each other - some from interstate. I was overwhelmed by the love and support from those who showed up. There were smiles, laughter and conversation before and after class and beautiful messages of gratitude for what we’d shared. The slow and gentle pace of yin is so well suited for an evening practice in the comfort of one’s own space. This week we will work on releasing tightness in the neck, shoulders and back. Please join me again 6.30pm Thursday. Pay what you can afford. If you can’t afford anything please join anyway. Message me for details and please share this with anyone who might benefit. Rach xx #yoga #onlineyoga #yogaonline #melbourneyoga #yogalove #yogacommunity #neckrelease #shouldertightness #melbourneyogateacher #yin #yinyoga #yinyogaonline ##yogaisconnection #lockdownyoga #yogapractice #yogateacher Photo: @_in_the_flow_

06.01.2022 I watched The Social Dilemma the other day and it has deepened my concern about my use of social media. As I consider taking a hiatus I think about the benefits. One of the unexpected surprises has been the relationships developed with people I’ve never actually met.... I generally follow people on social media who have something to say that interests me, who are real, and not afraid to uncover their frailty and their humanity. In a few cases a mutual admiration has developed, and through messages and comments on each other’s posts, I’ve trusted my gut response and felt I had a good sense of the other person. Last week @jenloweyogalife, owner of @shininglightyoga FaceTimed me and we spoke for the first time like we already shared a past. We spoke of our children, yoga, and our struggles through COVID. The conversation flowed openly and effortlessly. Having only done one of my online classes she invited me to join her wonderful community. Social media is not always a barrier to authentic connection. Yoga IS connection - the medium is simply the vehicle towards unity between people. Yoga can help us bond with people who share values, aspirations, interests, and perspective on life. As we come together to embrace shared experiences we connect with each other, acknowledging our common humanity and intensifying our capacity for joy. Join me in this community of minds, hearts and souls Tuesdays at 6.45pm for yin. #socialmedia #melbourneyogastudio #thesocialdilemma #onlineyogaclasses #yinmelbourne #yinyoga #yoga #connection #values #yogamelbourne #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #yogalife #onlineconnection #yogacommunity #relationships #melbourneyogacommunity #melbourneyogaclasses #yogaliving #melbourneyogi #authenticity @_in_the_flow_

04.01.2022 I feel I can now see the sunshine through the clouds. For a period that has seemed interminable, I’ve been focusing on the grey, the impending and the deepening storm. The heaviness of the atmosphere has surrounded and almost suffocated me. Since the weekend just past, love and gratitude started to seep in. ... The stress of my upcoming operations and the impact that would have on my mental health, my feelings of femininity, and the more pragmatic concerns about my livelihood and my kids were really hard to manage. I took a step back from online teaching, and from trying to control my children. I meditated more and listened to the pain in my body and only practised yoga gently and mindfully. Fearing that I had become an interminable whinger, I retreated from contact with those I love. Gratitude has returned. My work schedule is as ideal as I could hope for, given the climate; my kids are showing signs of real independence and I’m saying goodbye to my breasts and my physical form as I know it. I thought I was quite adept at adapting, but I’ve realised that change is something I fight until I allow myself to succumb. It sounds so simple but it happens incrementally that gratitude and acceptance brings me relief from suffering. #santosha #yoga #melbourneyoga #melbourneyogateacher #struggle #yogalife #meditation #BRCA1 #mastectomy #menopause #acceptance #femininity #gratitude #suffering #relief #parenting #yogajourney #love #yogamelbourne #onlineyoga #yogamom #handstand @_in_the_flow_

04.01.2022 An invitation: To begin the new year with intention. To celebrate what we have achieved, learned and overcome. To be grateful for the moment we are living.... To feel and to connect. Let us join together as a community for a 2 hour New Year Yoga practice (pranayama/yang/yin/ meditation) followed by a deeply nourishing yoga nidra. Saturday 2 Jan 3pm 2 hr New Year Complete Practice Bookings essential as spaces are limited. $50 or $45 (early bird before Xmas) This special class will be hosted at the beautiful @shininglightyoga shala. Bookings through MINDBODY and shininglightyoga.com.au ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #melbourneyoga #yogamelbourne #newyearyoga #northcoteyoga #newyear #gratitude #intention #asana #pranayama #melbourneyogateacher #melbourneyogacommunity #melbourneyogastudio #melbourneyogaclasses #newyearintentions #2021 #yoga2021 #connection #newbeginnings @mindbodyaustralia

03.01.2022 What keeps you healthy physically and mentally? This week I was inspired by two people in their mid nineties. A couple of months ago my 94 year old grandmother fell and broke her hip. For many people over 75 this would have led to their decline, but after 10 days in hospital my Nana threw herself into rehab, started walking each day with a walker and now is practising yoga daily again as she has for almost 60 years. ... When I spoke to her this morning she mentioned that she couldn’t YET get back into lotus.With or without a rod in her hip, this shape is inaccessible for most people at any stage of life. She is flexible in mind and body; full of hope for the future when she can have physical contact again with her family. Yesterday I wept with my children as we watched David Attenborough’s powerful documentary A Life on Our Planet. He recounts his 93 years as a witness to the history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and to offer a vision for the future. In both these cases I wondered what keeps these remarkable humans so sharp of mind, healthy in body and able to live with the extreme change they have experienced in their lifetimes? I believe it is their attitude to life, their connection to nature; their choice to see the positive, have a practice of gratitude and to embrace a lifestyle of physical and mental fitness. As World Mental Health Day draws near consider what you can you do to develop greater resilience? A healthy and meaningful life will never be free from suffering but there are tools available to help us navigate the challenging times and emerge with hope. #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealth #healthyaging #flexibility #gratitude #hope #resilience #melbourneyogateacher #yoga #meditation #healthyliving #agingwell #melbourneyoga #nature @davidattenborough #mentalhealthday #positivemindset #padmasana @beyondblue, @dhhs & @headspace @kayahealthclubs @fitnessaustralia

02.01.2022 Having run 56 marathons, my dad, 75, will not retire from running until his body forces him to. When he began running marathons it took him around 3.5 hours. In his last marathon, the NYC Marathon (pre-COVID), the 42.18km took him 5.5hrs of effort and pain. He plans to place one foot in front of the other for the 42,118 steps twice again this year. My father, a doctor and author, works, runs and writes in remote indigenous communities and at a city medical centre. ... We share a delight in the freedom and exhilaration of our movement practices. We are both in a sense living in denial of our aging and the inevitability of decline. Until recently we have held a respectful admiration for the discipline of the other; with an understanding that he will never be a yogi, as much as I will never run, even to catch a tram. Yang by nature, we both find it challenging to rest and be less active. We rise early and pack too much into our days. When I put my hand in his I still feel safe. His body is strong but stiff. Earlier this year he started coming to my weekly yin class. Initially I think he was just coming to support me. When I questioned why he liked it he said ‘I like the pace which is the opposite of the mad life we live in cities. In the bush, they don’t have yoga studies; their life is yin. What is more, yin doesn’t bewilder my mind like quicker yoga. I can’t pat my tummy and rub my head. I can’t do dance steps. But I can stretch slowly into the poses of yin.’ I’ve observed how he is benefiting from the practice. I love watching him as I teach. I am concerned for his comfort yet he seems calm. Yin yoga is designed for personalities like ours. It is irrelevant that our bodies could not be more different. He is joining me from the outback by zoom for my yin class 6.30pm Thursday. There is nothing complicated to follow. If there was my dad wouldn’t return. Please join us to slow the mind and the nervous system and to allow the body to open. Pay what you can afford. Message me for details. #yinyoga #yin #melbourneyoga #marathonrunner #yogi #onlineyoga #yogaonline #melbourneyogateacher #yoga #aging #yogaforeveryone

02.01.2022 Epiphanies are a dime a dozen. You can almost click and collect an ‘aha moment’. Somewhat rarer for me, I did have one this morning. Almost a month post mastectomy, I started my day with the exercises prescribed by the physio. These exercises are routine, uncomfortable and tedious. I added music and breath, and moved in a way that introduced mindfulness, fluidity and grace....Continue reading

01.01.2022 It is very confronting to be in this position physically, where each movement is painful and limited. The simple actions of taking a sip of water or swallowing are felt as pulling sensations within my chest. It has only been two weeks since the mastectomy, and my body is a kaleidoscope of bruising, swelling and distorted shapes. ... I flip flop between moods; from confidence and optimism to self pity. The level of pain often determines my outlook. I begin the day with a routine - medication then meditation, shower then a shuffling stroll . If like today I don’t manage to rest sufficiently, then the pain brings me to tears at some point. I’m reluctant to write or post at any given moment, knowing that the feelings are fleeting. I am so grateful for the steady supply of meals that are delivered to my door in this time, when even accessing ingredients is difficult. I am stunned by the kindness of friends, students and those working in healthcare. My parents try to care for their children and grandchildren from a distance, and my three teenage boys are warming up meals and doing the washing. Each day that takes me further from the date of my last surgery I question my need for rest, for medication and for assistance. Three surgeries since the start of lockdown have given me a new perspective on the relationship I have with my body and my mind. I don’t feel that I am suffering more than others - in fact in some ways I feel I’ve been given this permission to feel, to grieve and to complain. I’m treating myself to the sensual pleasures of beautiful skin care, candles and essential oils; I am more grateful than ever for small pockets of joy, brought by the warmth of the sun on my face and the tender foot massages given to me by my son. I wrestle with the desire to be productive and get back to teaching yoga when I also know that healing requires patience, space and time. We all need to recognise how it is we need to heal.