Menopause- Ruahinetanga, and peri - menopause- the build up to menopause can be hard!

But you are not alone, and although your practice may change, it's not necessary to give it up. If you're feeling tempted to give up yoga during perimenopause or post menopause, please remember there is a practice for you.

I've been there, and I know first hand just what a massive change it can be for many women. But there's many ways that yoga helped me, and it can help you too.

Mindful yoga helps to reset your nervous system, and helps to decrease cortisol and inflammation. It is a boon for women during these tumultuous phases.

The gifts of yoga go beyond this- helping us to move our bodies and keep our joints and bones healthy and strong as well. The postures can offer a mix of movement- for joints and tendons, flexibility, and also strengthening poses such as warrior, goddess pose, plank and so on. Poses also help us to keep our core strength, helpful for our posture, and preventing or easing ...

Whakaritenga - Ritual  elevate your practice, and open the door to transformation... 

"Routines are concrete repetitive actions that help us develop skills while creating continuity and order

Rituals are routines elevated, driven by intention, and imbued with meaning."

- Esther Perel

Come back to your self by creating a ritual for your practice. And open the door to your inner world, which helps us to know, love and understand ourselves. 

We can move into a deeper practice than we ever thought possible at home, by turning our yoga routine into a Ritual - Whakaritenga.

This is called your sadhana in yoga, your sadhana is your practice that has deeper meaning to you than physical practice alone.

A Sadhana is a practice that enhances our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing. It helps us to grow. It is done with intention, and awareness.

Whatever your reasons to practice, having an intention will elevate it. Your intention informs your ritual w...

Sleep is not merely a period of inactivity; it's a fundamental pillar of our overall health and well-being, impacting virtually every aspect of our lives.

Here's why sleep is so crucial:

1. Physical Restoration/ Wahakaora Tinana: While we sleep, our bodies undergo essential repair processes. Muscles are repaired, tissues are regenerated, and the immune system is strengthened. Without adequate sleep, these processes are disrupted, leaving us more susceptible to illness and physical fatigue.

2. Cognitive Function/ Wānanga: Sleep plays a vital role in cognitive function, including memory consolidation, learning, and problem-solving. During sleep, the brain processes information from the day, consolidating memories and enhancing learning. Lack of sleep impairs these processes, leading to difficulties in concentration, decision-making, and overall cognitive performance.

3. Emotional Well-being/ Kare-a-roto : Adequate sleep is crucial for emotional regulation and mental health. ...

The feminine life force energy is considered the creative force in yoga philosophy, the energy that brings all things into physical form.

This energy is radiant and powerful, it is active and creative as well as receptive and nurturing. 

I learnt my own way of what felt right in the yoga space and what didn't when I began to practice over two decades ago.

Although most participants were women many of the classes were very ‘yang’ based - Strong physical classes that felt quite competitive at times. It often seemed that we needed to be more, do more, be more flexible, and stay longer and longer in strengthening poses. 

Many times it just didn't feel right to practice in the way I was being told to, so instead I decided to listen to what felt right to me. 

Through experimentation and observation, I came up with the way to practice that resonated with me, and my mostly female students.

Many years of research, seeking out practices for and by women, and finding the rig...

POV - you don't fit the 'standard' (commercialised) image of yoga - 

Have you ever heard yourself say that you are too big, stiff or old to do yoga? Or maybe heard others say this, as I have heard 100's of times in my 23 years of teaching.

It's a fear that many people carry, and I too am not immune to the fears of being judged - in fact  many teachers carry shame - for not 'measuring up' to the 'standard' image of a yoga teacher. 

....And then comes the fear of being 'too old', so much so that many yoga teachers and students opt out of yoga - at precisely the time they are a well spring of knowledge, when they have the most to offer, or as a student, can benefit from it the most!

We all fear being judged, and with social media it has become a minefield, although this depends on what you look at and allow into your 'feed'.

Thankfully, there is also a growing movement happening now - a much healthier one that is embracing differences  - shape, size, gender, age and ab...

 - You are ready to start your home practice journey...

but you don't know exactly what to do?... you are not alone, this is something I hear often at workshops and classes, so this post aims to give you a simple way to look at what to do, with 5 essential things to include.

With a little home practice you create more space for true transformation, rather than just coming to a class once a week to catch up on your wellbeing, which is still an awesome thing to do!

Is your time in class like therapy? For many years I have often asked students what they would like in the session, and almost every time it turns into a list of body parts and muscle groups that need attention! This is understandable, but total focus on only the physical can be a block to going deeper in yoga. 

Is yoga physical therapy?

Yes it can be with a knowledge teacher, and it can be more too, because yoga is about the elimination of suffering.

However, remember that a 'general' yoga class is often shared with...

It's been a while since I have written anything for the blog - life has been way too busy!

I have many ideas for new blog posts, but I thought it might be good to simply update you on why I have been absent form writing, and the new changes that have happened since my last blog- which was Matariki!

Tuatahi - firstly, we have moved and I am now based in the Bay of Plenty, back in my turangawaewae - my standing place -  Rotorua.

I am still travelling to Tamaki Makaurau /Auckland a bit though, and will be up on Thursday 8th December for an in studio yoga class and pop up shops before Christmas.

My focus though is now firmly on teaching online, and creating online experiences and offerings that students will love, so that you can receive the gifts of yoga, where ever you may be.

I wanted to continue to share the gift of yoga, as there are sooo many gifts.

That has always been the kaupapa.

Share what I know to work - to enhance the lives of others as it has enhan...

Matariki for me is a time to reflect, look back to look ahead, and be grateful for all I have in the present.

This time the blog is a little different, as it is a little more personal, and is a look back on the year that has passed and some changes that are on the horizon!

So to recap here's some of the topics from the last year on the blog -

• Tips for practicing yoga online
• Rest is rongoā - rest is medicine.
• Wish upon a star - Hiwa- i- te- rangi - the wishing star
• Fall in love with your breath - yoga for stress
• He iti noa ana, he pito mata-  From the withered tree a flower blooms - finding the right teacher for you.

For a big chunk of last  year we were in lockdown, and all classes were held online with the studio closed. So the blogs on tips for practicing online, and the benefits, were needed. I hope you found some of the tips useful.

We all adapted, and some even discovered they were completely happy with this new way of accessing the classes, and have stayed o...

'Iti noa ana, he pito mata'

'From the withered tree a flower blooms'

This whakataukī ( māori proverb ) is the inspiration for this months blog.

The whakataukī reminds me that knowledge and wisdom are passed down through generations from our tūpuna (ancestors), like the tree that passes its energy and nourishment to the flower.

Like te ao māori, the māori world, yoga also has a form of whakapapa…-  a lineage, with knowledge passed from the elders of the tradition down to students - the next generation. 

In past blogs I have talked about the importance of practice, however, one crucial element of your journey is your teacher.

MY JOURNEY: 

I have been blessed to have begun my journey with yoga over two decades ago.

My teachers came out of the yoga brought to the west from India, and most followed a path or lineage with a particular guru.

It was the nineties and yoga wasn't often practiced to get fit, not like it is today. Yoga could be found in church hal...

With many of us now taking yoga classes and courses online I  wanted to share with you a few tips to enhance your online yoga journey.

You may already be familiar with these but a wee reminder now and again is often helpful.

For live classes on Zoom download the Zoom app before classes start and have a play with it, ask a friend to have a meeting with you to test everything is working and then when we have classes you are ready to go!

• Devote yourself to this time as you would going to the studio - turn off your notifications or leave your phone in another room (unless using it for joining the class!) This is your time for you and you are worth disconnecting from the outside world for a while.

• Inform your whānau/ family, or flatmates that you will be practicing yoga for your self-aroha, a gentle 'please do not disturb' reminder can be helpful! They would not have access to you if you were in a studio so please remind them and set your boundaries.

• Arrive about 5 minu...