2014 – The End

2014 – The End

The End Always Sounds So Final
Here we are, just a couple of days from the end of 2014. For some of us, we might be saying, ‘Pshew…I’m so glad I got through that one!’ Others might be resisting the end, thinking, ‘I’m never going to have a year as good as this one.’ For most of us though, the year has more than likely been a mixture of victories and defeats, wins and losses, ups and downs.
Endings are a necessary part of life. […]

Namaste = Good Will and Peace on Earth

Namaste = Good Will and Peace on Earth

I love love love this time of year! Especially today – the summer solstice. For you northerners, you may be experiencing the type of climate you love and I’m happy for you. But, as a girl who grew up in the icy winters of Chicago, I can tell you I’m done with snow and freezing temperatures. This semi-tropical weather we’ve been enjoying on the mid-north coast of NSW suits me to the ground. As I write to you, dear reader, I’m wearing shorts and a tank top and looking out on verdant forest and lawns. […]

Patanjali as Summer Reading: Why Not?

Patanjali as Summer Reading: Why Not?

A couple of years ago I was inspired to study the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. I blame Michael de Manicor of the Yoga Institute for giving me the necessary prod. I heard him speak at a Yoga Australia conference, and Michael’s talk enrolled me in finally having a look at the Old Sage’s writing.
I had tried to study Patanjali a few times over the course of several decades. I collected a number of commentaries, mostly unread, along the way. I decided to take a drastic step. […]

Combat Ageing? It’s More Fun Partying!

Combat Ageing? It’s More Fun Partying!

“I can’t believe Eve Grzybowski is 70. She’s a walking advertisement for the benefits of yoga to combat ageing.”
When I read the above Facebook comment, which is obviously meant to be a compliment, I smiled. It brought up images of me in battle gear, all manner of weapons in hand, throwing myself against the cruel onslaught of Time.
Nothing could be further from the truth. My seventy years have shown me that time marches inevitably foreward. Fighting its effects, I’ve noticed, is not only futile but exhausting.
BTW, I don’t do yoga to thwart ageing. […]

The Case for Practising Meditation  

The Case for Practising Meditation  

guest post via Michael Hollingworth
The Facts
We all know that meditation is supposed to be good for us, but here are some facts that make a tight case for it.
Fact number one: The human brain is the most complex known object in the universe. There are 100,000 miles of circuitry – enough to go right round the earth four times. […]

Temperatures Rising? Try Cool Yoga

Temperatures Rising? Try Cool Yoga

Regarding your yoga practice, when temperatures start rising, do you go to ground? I’ve learned that you don’t necessarily need to skip your yoga practice.
In Aussieland, we are experiencing a summer where the atmosphere is heavy with humidity and heat. It’s not as humid in NSW as it is in the buildup to ‘The Wet’ of our tropical north. […]

When Hard is Good: The Challenge of Yoga

When Hard is Good: The Challenge of Yoga

The Challenge of Tennis
Daniel and I played tennis the other day. So, what’s unusual deal about that?
I haven’t played tennis in maybe 15 years. It was too painful for me to play when I had hip arthritis, so I stopped. During the period that I was suffering, I stopped riding my bicycle, too. I didn’t do much bush walking. I let other people do the heavy lifting. You get the picture.
Little by little, the list of physical activities I could participate in dwindled until yoga became my last refuge. […]

'Being' is the Gift of Yoga Nidra

'Being' is the Gift of Yoga Nidra

The Experience of Interconnected Wholeness
I enjoyed the experience of resting in my meditative heart this weekend through the practice of Yoga Nidra .
Two excellent things came out of this experience:
1. I found it very restful. Very.
2. And, I realised that the experience is as near to you as your heart is. In other words, it’s available almost any time.
The Workshop
I was fortunate to be able to attend a day-long workshop in North Sydney led by Dr. Richard C. […]

‘Being’ is the Gift of Yoga Nidra

‘Being’ is the Gift of Yoga Nidra

The Experience of Interconnected Wholeness
I enjoyed the experience of resting in my meditative heart this weekend through the practice of Yoga Nidra .
Two excellent things came out of this experience:
1. I found it very restful. Very.
2. And, I realised that the experience is as near to you as your heart is. In other words, it’s available almost any time.
The Workshop
I was fortunate to be able to attend a day-long workshop in North Sydney led by Dr. Richard C. […]

Yoga and Sciatica: Lessons Learned

Yoga and Sciatica: Lessons Learned

 
The other night at the cinema, riveted by a documentary called “Once My Mother”, I felt a sudden stab of pain in the back of my left leg. I felt like jumping up and running out of the theatre, the pain was so acute. I thought, oh no, sciatica!
My innate good manners had me sit relatively still, all the while praying that the agonising discomfort would go away as suddenly as it had arrived. I tried to do a surreptitious yoga stretch, the one called ‘through-the-hole pose’. […]

Old Age: What's the Big Deal?

Old Age: What's the Big Deal?

In the lead-up to my 70th birthday in December, I’ve been playing with the idea of declaring myself old. This is my way of getting used to the idea. After all, at some point I have to own my age, and ‘old’ is just a word, isn’t it?
I know there are many people of advanced years who don’t want to own up to their age. For the most part in our society, old has a pejorative connotation. Middle aged isn’t so bad. Being called a senior is still on the soft side. […]

Be Your Self – Better Still, Just Be

Be Your Self – Better Still, Just Be

I don’t usually study with other yoga teachers and here’s why: I live hours from any major city centre and tend to stay close home. I like doing my own practice in the Yoga Shed. And, well, okay, I’m a bit of a snob. I want to study with the best when I take time to travel long distance and spend time with a teacher.
Recently, when the opportunity to study with Donna Farhi arose, I leapt at it.
She and I go back. […]