"Hā ki Roto - Hā ki Waho"  -" Breathe in - Breathe out"

Sometimes this simple instruction is all we can do. 

"Don't forget to breathe", as a great teacher once told me many years ago.

Sounds simple, but it is the simplest things that can sometimes be the most profound, both in practice, and in practice off the mat- also known as - life. 

A simple way to tell how you are doing in yoga is- to be aware of your breath.

āroa hā = breath awareness ( so close to aroha, which means love and compassion )

In our classes the awareness of the breath, the Hā in te reo māori ( also sometimes known as hau, ngā , manawa and tā to name a few of the words to describe the breath ) is all important, as important as what you do with your body, if not more.

Hā also means your essence.

The breath is the bridge between our body and our mind in yoga. It con...

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...

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...

Mānawatia a Matariki - New year greetings!

During our yoga this term we spent the last two weeks setting intentions- called a Sankalpa in the yoga tradition I am trained in.

This was to honour and mark the beginning of Matariki, the re-emergence of the star cluster known as Matariki or Pleiades. To harness the energy of this powerful time, the power of the stars and ritual, to bring our desires and wishes from our hearts and minds into fruition...

The kaupapa involved focusing on one of the nine stars-

Hiwa-i-te-Rangi - The Wishing Star... 

... sending our wishes, hopes and dreams to the stars ...that is one of the roles of Matariki wā, when the star Matariki rises she brings with her her children, one of which is Hiwa-i-te-Rangi, the wishing star...so now is the time to release your wishes and dreams for the coming year.

In yoga we use the power of Sankalpa - a resolve or intention for that which you wish to bring into your life - this can be on any level; mental,...

A home practice will transform your yoga, and maybe even your life....

For many it is the next step in their yoga journey, for some it has been an unwelcome necessity during this pandemic. But either way, you CAN develop a beautiful home practice that will have many benefits for your wellbeing, self-care/ self-aroha.

A yoga practice with intent is called a Sadhana, and it's powerful, personal and may even change your life!  (Your Sadhana is of a spiritual nature and the focus is not only on doing poses to gain physical mastery. It's about what's on the inside as well.) 

But there can be many obstacles along the journey, and initially it can be helpful to have some guidance and to know that although there may be barriers, there are also solutions.

Here's some of what I've heard and may have even said myself sometimes in my 21 years of yoga teaching - 

•  I don't have the time to practice any other time than when I come to the studio, life is too busy....

• I don't kn
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