Yoga with

Eve Grzybowski

I've been teaching yoga since 1980.  A lot of my identity is tied up with being a yoga teacher.  What does that mean?  What should that mean? On this site I explore my personal journey and provide commentary on the state of yoga in the twenty-first century. I invite you to have a look and see what may be here for you.

 
Photo by: Julie Slavin Photography, Old Bar

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Featured videos from my YouTube channel

I've been adding meditations, short instructional video and an ever-growing selection of complete yoga classes.  Click on any of these below videos to view them directly.  Or click on the button below to explore the entire channel.

Access all videos by clicking on any of these buttons. 

Current Post

Mudras Aren’t Mysterious: Workshop with Rachel Zinman

Image showing the hand gesture called Anjali mudra, prayer pose

Anjali mudra

When I was first learning yoga, I was a very conservative version of who I am now. I attended high school and university in Arizona. At that time and even now, Arizona was one of the most conservative bastions in the U.S. It was Barry Goldwater country, if that means anything to you.

I married at 22 years old in a big Catholic Church wedding and became pregnant within four months. When Jeff and I divorced five years later, I was ready to do something radical. I enrolled in a ten-week yoga course. Even though yoga was considered an activity mainly for fringe dwellers, the physical style I was doing seemed tame enough.

When I eventually came to live in Australia, I continued to participate in yoga. I found my way to Iyengar Yoga classes and loved the physicality of this method. So much so that I did yoga teacher training and became qualified as an Iyengar teacher.

It took me years to learn and accept that there were benefits in doing what I thought of as the more esoteric practices. I gradually added Yoga Nidra, Pratyahara, meditation and Pranayama to my repertoire of practices. When I was nursing injuries or recovering from surgeries and illnesses, these practices were invaluable healing aids.

Now, I'm about to add another string for my teaching bow by learning and practising something relatively new to me: Mudras.

I'm very pleased to announce a return visit to the Yoga Shed by Rachel Zinman, my friend and yoga colleague. She will be leading a workshop on Mudras on September 1st (Saturday) 2-5pm.

Flyer advertising a mudra workshop with an image of Rachel Zinman.

This is how Rachel describes the value of practising Mudras:

Mudras bring together mind, intention and energy to invoke a feeling of stillness and contentment.

The classic yoga text book, Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha, defines Mudra as a gesture or an attitude, and further states:

Mudras are a combination of subtle physical movements which alter mood, attitude and perception to deepen awareness and concentration.

We probably have all done Mudras in some yoga classes. The most common Mudra is the salutation, Anjali Mudra, prayer position. Then, there's Maha Mudra, the great seal. Yogic texts say that this seated breathing pose 'can cure all disease if practised enough.'

The inverted restorative pose, Viparita Karani, or legs up the wall, is also described as a Mudra. It's an excellent preparation for meditation.

And, San Mukhi Mudra also serves to prepare us for meditation as it encourages Pratyahara (control of senses).

Rachel's workshop will be practical as well as theoretical in that we will be learning a flowing gesture sequence. Her session will include asana, pranayama and mantra, too.

To make Rachel's visit even more special, there is the option of staying for supper after the workshop and enjoying the music of Kirtan. I've experienced the devotional music that Rachel and her husband, John Weddepohl, play, and it's wonderful--not to be missed!

The workshop is open to all levels of students. I hope you will join us September 1st, a day which also marks new beginnings--the first day of Spring.

read more

Mudras Aren’t Mysterious: Workshop with Rachel Zinman

When I was first learning yoga, I was a very conservative version of who I am now. I attended high school and university in Arizona. At that time and even now, Arizona was one of the most conservative bastions in the U.S. It was Barry Goldwater country, if that means anything to you.

I married at 22 years old in a big Catholic Church wedding and became pregnant within four months. When Jeff and I divorced five years later, I was ready to do something radical. I enrolled in a ten-week yoga course. […]

read more
Eve Grzybowski - Home

It's been out of print for 15 or more years but now it's back.  It's available as a paperback as well as a range of digital formats for different devices.  The design of this edition is modelled as closely as possible on the original release from 1997.

Electronic versions:

Paperback version:

(Note: Book retailers set their own prices that are all different and constantly change.  It's worth shopping around for the best price.)

Any bookshop, whether online or bricks and mortar, can order copies of Teach Yourself Yoga.  Just ask and quote ISBN: 978-0-6487945-0-9.

Please send me feedback about the book.  I'd love to hear about any errors or problems with eBooks on various devices.  And please review the book wherever you get it.  Reviews will help more people discover the book.

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Classes and Workshops

I'm currently teaching two weekly classes on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales where I live. I also lead workshops here and in other parts of Australia.

Eve Grzybowski - Home

Visit the Vault!

I've been regularly contributing to this blog since 2009.  There are now over 1250 posts about a very wide range of topics. Click here to explore.

Eve Grzybowski - Home

Yoga Resources

Books, videos, teachers, websites, places to buy really hot yoga clothes (kidding), and generally anything I find that I think others might find useful.

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A Bit About Eve

I've been teaching since I was 35. I'm now 76. In that time there have been a few changes. Click here if you want to find out a bit about my life.

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Shop

No, I'm not selling yoga mats or clothing.  I don't even have a t-shirt... yet.  But from time to time I find myself with something that someone may want.  Have a look, I'm never sure what you'll find.