Listen Now

Starting in standing we loosen and warm up the whole body. Then our standing poses focus on strengthening the feet, ankles, legs and hips. We practices some seated poses that improve flexibility in the hips and sides of the torso then finish with some moving bridge poses and relaxation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We start in lying down to ground our attention in the present through the practice of pranayama We gently warm up and loosen the body in supine and in on all fours and then in standing with some half Sun Salutations. You might like a chair for some reassurance as we practice some standing poses that challenge our balance and build strength in the feet, legs and hips. We wind down with some seated twists and a flowing bridge pose sequence before our final relaxation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is a lovely gentle practice that we start in lying down. We take out time to bring attention to the present with a Viloma Breathing Practice followed by loosening and warming up the body here. We move to all fours to continue mobilising the spine, neck and shoulders then come to standing for some twisting poses to release muscles in the back and sides. We finish with some more relaxed rolling on the floor before our final Savasana.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you can excuse my fumbling over my lefts and rights today you'll enjoy this practice focussing on deepening our core awareness and moving through our practice with support from the core. Starting by loosening in seated and in all fours and lunge we practice some standing poses in a flowing sequence, some balance poses and finally seated poses before a guided relaxation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another recording from our online guided practices we start by observing sounds around us to deepen our present moment awareness. After loosening and warming up in sitting and then on all fours you might like the support of a bolster or chair as we practice some lunges. We bring our attention to the alignment of our head as we work through standing and seated poses, strengthening our upper back muscles while also releasing tension from the neck. Finishing with a guided relaxation we again focus on sounds, deepening our present moment awareness and developing a sense of equanimity. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Face-to-face classes have gone online again due to the Omicron Semi-Lockdown in Adelaide. The upside of this at least will be a couple of months of regular recordings of online practices - available anytime, here, as podcasts. For today's practice we used a yoga bolster as a prop as we warmed up in Cat Pose and Thread the Needle Pose. Then we used it  again as we tackled a sequence of standing poses. Our bolster was a useful support while practicing some seated poses and finally a Supported Bridge Pose before a Guided Relaxation that focussed on grounding our awareness in the present moment. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Face-to-face classes have gone online again due to the Omicron Semi-Lockdown in Adelaide. The upside of this will be a couple of months at least of regular recordings of online practices. Todays practice is a sequenced lead- in to practicing Paravritta Parsvokanasana (Revolved side Flank stretch), some gentle modified Surya Namaskars and some flowing standing poses to loosen and lubricate all the joints and warm up and mobilise the whole body. We close with a mindful Body Scan to deepen our experience of Savasana (relaxation). See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Variations with some extra back bending to help you open your heart and stand tall again. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this variation we use a chair as a prop to steady us as we flow from Mountain Pose through some Half Dog Poses, Warrior I Poses, Imaginary Chair Poses and Balances. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this variation of our Surya Namaskars we again use a chair as a prop to steady us as we add  Warrior II, Reverse Warrior and Side Flank Stretch to our flow. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A Sun Salutation is a moving meditation that connects body, breath and mind in the present moment and this one also highlights the strength in your arms and shoulders. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we sequence some lunges, Crescent Moon Poses and Revolved Side Flank Stretches that build strength in the legs. A moving mediation that lengthens and deepens our breathing. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Look out for this new little series of episodes all featuring Variations on a Theme of Surya Namaskar. Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations, are a fairly ubiquitous part of most yoga traditions and classes. At their core they are a flowing sequence of asana (poses) which take the spine, hips and shoulders through their range of motion from flexion to extension, warming, loosening and strengthen the body. When practiced with the breath Surya Namaskars lengthen and deepen our breathing. In this series we will work from this core understanding of what makes a Surya Namaskar to explore variations on the theme that will keep our practice creative, responsive and alive. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode we start exploring the Theme of Surya Namaskar with some "Half Sun Salutations". A short sequence that takes us with our breathing through standing forward bends, squats, balances and twists to warm up the spine, hips and shoulders and strengthen the legs. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Another practice from the Zoom archive recorded during last November's lockdown in Adelaide. Use your awareness of sound to centre yourself in the present moment. Warm up in sitting, on all fours and in lunge. Practice some Surya Namaskar and standing poses before some seated twists. Wind down with some supine stretches and practice letting go and relaxing in a final savasana. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From the archives of the November 2020 lockdown in Adelaide when the weather was fine enjoy the background of birdsong during this well balanced practice of asana, breath awareness and relaxation. Warm up in sitting, all fours and lunge. Then practice some Surya Namaskar, Standing Poses and Balances. Finish with seated poses and a centering relaxation. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We use our awareness of the sounds around and the sound of our own breath to centre ourselves in the present moment. This is followed by a practice predominantly in kneeling - Cat Pose variations, lunges, Crescent Moon Pose and Gate Pose - which warms and loosens the hips, legs, shoulders and arms and lengthens the spine and the sides of the waist. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

"Gripping onto thought, feelings or anywhere in the body just causes discomfort and resistance. What we resist will persist. If we can soften around displeasure, discomfort and the occasional raw mistake, we can flow a bit more into the movement of life. Movement implies softness; nothing moves very far in constricted areas or very easily through tight places." - unknown See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An entire practice from lying on your back in Savasana. We start by centre-ing  through your connection to your breath, the ground and the sensations you can feel. We follow this with gradually loosening your arms and legs and finally your whole body, rolling and twisting it around on the floor to create an overall sensation of suppleness and mobility. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Yoga talks about cat-pose, dog-pose, camel-pose, monkey-pose, bird-pose etc. Why there are so many animal poses? Animals release their emotions and tensions by movements based on their body sensations. But our amygdala in the brain is carrying the “fight or flight response”; it has forgotten the art of releasing the tensions. As human beings, when we are aware about the sensations, we can release that by aware, slow movements. If you do not give movements to the body parts, energy will be stuck and blood circulation will be disturbed. Gradually, that creates chronic physical and mental health problems.”  Amit Ray (2010) "Yoga and Vipassana: An Integrated Life Style"   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.