International Women's Day. Perimenopause and menopause.
Wisdom woman. Matriarchy. Rite of Passage.
When Deep Rest Looks Like Speep
Last Saturday’s Yin - Sound - Reiki event participant sent me a screenshot from her Oura Ring app. It showed that she had taken a 16-minute nap during my class. I smiled immediately, because I knew the sequence and the timing so well. The “nap” happened right as we were completing the Yin portion and entering the first few minutes of the sound bath.
Read moreYin with Hot Stones: Winter Nurturing for Body and Emotions
Have you ever tried yin or restorative yoga sessions that incorporated hot stones? Physically, the hot stones hel our muscles and fascia melt open with ease, allowing us to settle into the shapes without forcing. The warmth increases circulation, nourishes the tissues and encourages natural release.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, warmth clears stagnant energy, supports circulation along the meridians, and restores flow. When paired with Yin, hot stones aren’t just added luxury, they become a tool for both physical and emotional nourishment.
Read more5 ideas for your next Sydney Mindful May - Mental Health Awareness Month (Copy)
May is recognised as Mental Health Month (MMHM), making it the perfect time to prioritise well-being, mindfulness, and stress relief. Whether you’re planning for Mindful May, Mental Health Awareness initiatives, or a company-wide Wellness Month, here are five ideas to promote relaxation, healing, and self-care within your organisation.
Read moreOn sound, healing, and the magic of autumn...
For the first time in my life, I enjoy autumn. I look forward to warmer clothes, cooler air, and cosy mindful cups of tea on the couch.
As the vibrant hues of autumn paint the landscape, it serves as a reminder of nature's cyclical dance of letting go. Similarly, in our inner landscapes, autumn teaches us to release so we can transform and grow.
In my Emotional Release Yoga classes at GroundUp (currently, the only studio I teach from), this autumn we focus on the notion of letting go and releasing. I am sure you know the feeling when we know that it’s time to relinquish the grip and stop trying, but we keep up the endless efforts.
Read moreHow to fill your cup…and plate!
Yes, we did it again - the one-day retreat last Saturday was so special and magical! Thank you all for being part of it.
A few things emerged from this experience:
A question about how I keep my cup full and not get exhausted after teaching a retreat. On the contrary, I get energised!
People loved the salads I served and ask for recipes. Honestly, I am not a recipe person but I will try!
So read away on filling your cup and plate.
Read moreTrust vs Thrust
If you know me well, you’ll know that I’m a doer. I love generating ideas, executing them and finishing whatever I started.
It’s always been super challenging to put away a book and admit I did not like it. My natural tendency is to finish it even if I find it boring and uninspiring.
But as life flows, I notice that many things sort themselves out naturally and effortlessly. The longer I exist, the more I let nature and the universe sort things out. Sounds scary, right? Well, it certainly does for me at times!
Read moreFear of making a mistake - how to hit an emotional rock bottom as a pro
When anxiety hits, we often don’t know exactly what is bothering us. Sometimes quick tools of slowing down our breath or calling a good friend will help us release anxiety or fear immediately.
But some other times we will need to dive deeper and find “the rock bottom” of sorts in order to fully understand what is hiding underneath this anxiety.
It’s a controlled dive, though, something we choose to do when ready.
Read moreEffort and detachment
“The opposite of paradox is polarity”, Esther Perel
Imagine you have got a job that you love and care about. You work hard and do your best to perform at your best and always walk the extra mile. Even when you know that you delivered 100%, should the appraisal period come - do you worry about the outcomes and ratings you will get?
Or what if there is a challenging relationship into which you have invested a lot of energy. You have done all you could to keep it going, but now the ball is on the other side. Would you be able to relax waiting for the other person to get back to you? Would you be able to enjoy your life now, while you want for this to work out with all your heart?
Read moreThe man who changed my life forever
My search for truth began early on when I was a university student of International Economics (and yes, I graduated with distinction). At the tender age of twenty, I took my first meditation course and started practising twice daily.
The twenty-year-old me was an insecure, pleasing girl with an overthinking mind and minimal self-esteem. And I remember how desperately I was longing for connection and belonging.
Yoga practice with hip labral tear - how I work with private clients
I have been diagnosed with a hip labral tear.
I love yoga, but should I quit now?
I don’t feel safe going to a general class.
What should I do?Discipline vs rituals - how to keep the yoga practice up
Just over 2 months ago we moved from studio classes to online practice. As we were coming to terms with our new lives, we were eager to stay fit and keep our exercise and yoga alive. Nothing was going to slow us down!
Today, however, things are somewhat different.
As days get shorter and colder, we get pretty comfortable and rather used to spending more time indoors while exercising less. The one thing I hear a lot from my students lately is that they have not done much yoga at all.
Read moreSatya - understanding and refining your truth as a yoga teacher
Ashtanga Yoga, the 8-fold path as described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, was the subject of my recent mentoring circle for the Sukha Mukha studio teachers in training.
Mentoring is very dear to my heart as I love inspiring others and supporting new yoga teachers on their path of transmitting yoga knowledge.
So Satya.
Beng the second of Yamas (control/restraints/behaviour conduct), Satya translates as “truthfulness” or being true to your heart.
We all know what truth is and why we are to adhere to it. Simple and very old knowledge.
So what about Satya from a teacher’s perspective?
Read moreThe art of undoing and giving yourself permission to rest
Ever wondered why I chose Restorative Yoga for my Wednesday classes?
Do you feel that lying around relaxing is a waste of time and is not productive?
You are not alone. I received this feedback from a few of you and thought that Restorative Yoga deserved more clarification.
Read moreChakras - your subtle body's hard disks
Have you ever thought of your body being a computer?
Brain - is our Processor (manager)
Liver - Antivirus scan (filtering)
Large intestine - Display (output)
Heart - Battery (engine)
Immune system - Firewall (protection)
Stomach - Keyboard (input)
Nervous system - Cables (connect Processor with the rest)
Our spine is like a tube through which all the cables run and it is crucial to keep it safe and aligned so that not one can get jammed for the information to circulate freely.
So what are chakras then and what role do they play in our bodies?
Read moreThe fascinating story of my right hip
Ever since I gave birth to Dan I developed persistent clicking in my right hip.
So after 6 years of hip clicking I decided to find out why it was clicking almost every time I externally rotated my right hip.
After an ultra-sound and x-ray, the results came out
Read moreYoga and longevity - do you know how they correlate?
Almost in every class, I challenge my students to go down from standing to sit down on the floor without using their hands or knees. This simple transition requires muscle tone, hip mobility, and balance.
Ever since I discovered that this simple skill reflects on how long we are going to live, I started integrating elements of it into my classes. There are a few transitions and exercises that I teach in almost every class to help my students live longer.
Read moreEmotional Release Yoga - how it all started
It all started 11 years ago…
When for the first time in my ashtanga practice I did a deep backbend assisted by a friend, came out of it and started sobbing uncontrollably.
My friend asked me why I cried. I said I did not know. But she persisted.
“Of course you know!”, she exclaimed.
Read moreInsomnia cure with Emotional Release Yoga
Yesterday I received some sad news I did not expect coming - I lost 3 classes at a gym where I teach.
In a snap of a finger, my world was turned upside down. One moment I was coming out of my class feeling elated because two people gave me such beautiful feedback, thanked me and said they were my fans. And a moment later I was in my car driving to pick up Dan from school and sobbing at my loss.
You would say that an Emotional Release Yoga Teacher would know better and will do what she preaches straight away - do the practice of Emotional Release!
Well, she did not…Not straight away anyway.
Read moreTransformation vs discovering innate goodness
The power of Manifesting is something I have learned by myself through meditation practice and now I teach this process to others through Emotional Release Yoga.
I use this tool all the time. There is always something I want to manifest either for myself or those close to me.
Read more