ITC, Author at Byron Yoga

Yoga Journal Australia caught up with John Ogilvie

ITC — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 00:50:57 +0000

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Vrksasana (Tree Pose)

ITC — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 04:42:49 +0000

Connect and center with uplifting Tree Pose

Vrksasana (or Tree Pose) is a regular in Purna Yoga asana sequences. It is known to strengthen the legs; gently open the hips; and help with mental, emotional and physical balance.

Technique:

1. Stand in Tadasana, feet together. Find a point directly ahead at eye level to focus on to find balance.

2. Take weight onto left foot. Stage 1: Bend the right knee, turn the right foot out to the side and rest the right heel on the left ankle. Or, Stage 2: Take hold of right ankle and place sole of foot on inner left thigh. Keep the right knee moving back slightly.

3. Take arms out to the side at shoulder height. Inhale, and take the arms upwards like the branches of a tree. Exhale and bend elbows, bring palms together just above the head. Relax shoulders away from ears.

To release: Inhale, stretching the arms up. Exhale and turn palms out to shoulder height. Inhale, stretch right leg out in front, leaning forward slightly. Exhale and release right foot to floor. Inhale, stretch ankles by coming up onto the toes of both feet. Exhale, release feet to floor and find Tadasana.

Contraindications and Cautions:

Low blood pressure (if pose held too long).
High blood pressure: don’t raise arms overhead.
Take care with unstable sacroiliac joint: practice stage 1 variation.

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Raw Chocolate Cake

ITC — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 01:22:30 +0000

Guilt-free chocolate indulgence!

Spring is a great excuse to make this amazing, sugar-free chocolate cake, topped with delicious seasonal stawberries. Served cold, it’s beautiful on a warm evening – or anytime of day really!

Serves up to 12 people (depending upon the size of each slice!)

Ingredients

Nuts base

1cup cashews

1cup macadamias

1cup almond/almond flakes

1/2cup walnuts

1cup pitted dates

1tbs coconut oil

Chocolate topping

2 ripe avocados

1cup cacao powder

3/4cup coconut cream (chilled)

1tsp vanilla essence

1tsp lemon zest

2tbs maple syrup or honey

Method

Nut base

Process all nuts and pitted dates in a food processor with coconut oil until mushy and sticky – add more dates if texture is too dry or crumbly. Remove mixture and press evenly into a cake tin with a layer of baking paper at the bottom. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

Chocolate topping

Process avocado, cacao powder and maple syrup in a food processor and add the coconut cream slowly until mixture becomes thick and creamy. Pour the topping on top of the chilled nut base and spread evenly. Chill the cake in the freezer for about 8 hours to set. To serve: bring cake to room temperature (about 20 minutes), remove from tin and peel the paper. Decorate with seasonal fruits and/or berries.

Enjoy!

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Kumbhakasana (Plank Pose)

ITC — Wed, 16 Jul 2014 04:16:30 +0000

Beat the winter blues and heat the body with some strengthening asana postures like this one…

Kumbhakasana (or Plank Pose) is a regular in dynamic asana sequences. It is known to strengthen the upper body, specifically the arms, wrists, and spine. Plank Pose is also great for strengthening the core and toning the abdomen.

Technique:

1. From Balasana, stretch the arms forward, come onto hands and knees, tuck the toes under, keeping the feet together. Some students may need to step the hands one half a hand step forward.

2. Inhale, and on an exhalation bring the body forward, the shoulders directly above the wrists as the legs straighten and form a straight line from the heels to the shoulders.

3. Hold and breathe. Be mindful that wrists are directly below the shoulders, and be careful not to collapse between the shoulder blades or hyper-extend elbows.

To release: inhale looking forward, exhale come back to hands and knees, and push gently back into Balasana.

Contraindications and Cautions:

Students suffering wrist pain or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome should avoid this pose.

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Meditation: the natural cure-all and pathway to happiness

ITC — Fri, 02 May 2014 02:23:17 +0000

Written by Dana Burrows

Meditation is no longer just the practice of yogis or monks. People from all walks of life are taking up meditation to cure a multitude of ills, with the practice helping many who suffer from stress, high blood pressure, migraines, hypertension, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety and depression. Scientists are proving what ancient gurus knew all along – meditation is the secret to good health and happiness. Swami Pujan, Byron Yoga Centre’s philosophy teacher, guides those wanting to go further with their meditation practice and learn to teach this “antidote to worry” to others.

As is widely known among yoga students, meditation is a pathway to the present moment. Through meditation we can become more grounded in the here and now. Why is this important in life? “Because life happens now,” explains Swami Pujan. “Life doesn’t happen in the future or the past. Whatever we want in life can only happen if we are present. Because when we want to be happy, it can only happen in the present. If we want to be fulfilled, creative, loving, only this happens in the present. Unfortunately when we move away in our minds into the future or the past, we are missing what’s happening now. Meditation is the tool to really live a more fulfilled life. A life that is not controlled by our constant fluctuations of the mind. Most of the people now they complain about being so busy, thinking all the time, worried all the time. Worries are nothing other than thoughts. Meditation is the antidote to that.”

Lucky for those of us who crave variety in life, meditation comes in all forms. “We often have this idea that meditation is sitting silently in lotus and watching our breath,” Pujan explains. “That is just one of 112 different meditation techniques. In other words, there is a form of meditation for everyone.”

In his meditation training, Pujan introduces many different meditative techniques: active meditations, passive meditations, meditations with eyes opened and closed, visualisations and concentrations.

For something so natural – a connection back to our essential self and the present moment – why is meditation so hard? Swami Pujan offers this advice for those who become discouraged in their practice: “Don’t despair and quit! Find a meditation teacher who can actually guide you into all the different meditation techniques that could work for you. It’s not like one thing fits all in meditation. The quiet mind is possible for everyone. But a quiet mind – just to make it clear – has to be balanced with technique and knowledge. It’s not good to just have a meditation technique if you don’t know what you are really doing. Because you don’t want to kill your thoughts, you don’t want to stop your thoughts.”

Pujan developed his meditation retreat after many Byron Yoga Centre teacher trainees expressed a yearning for deeper instruction around meditation. “I found that in a yoga teacher training we don’t have time to really go into it – we don’t have the space. In this course you will be able to really dive deeper into the whole philosophy and structure of meditation.”

Swami Pujan leads a 5-day meditation residential immersion for anyone who wants to broaden their understanding and personal practice of meditation. Held in Byron Bay in September 2014, Pujan will teach students how to share meditation with others in any environment, not just the yoga studio. “During the immersion, we focus first on knowledge about meditation, then the various techniques and finally how to bring that in combination with your own experience into the wider community.”

With over 25 years learning and practicing various forms of meditation, Swami Pujan knows first hand that meditation benefits every aspect of life. “There’s really no area in your professional or private life where you cannot put a more quiet centeredness into your life,” he says. “The applications are huge. The benefits are clinically proven. Meditation helps to overcome anxiety or any fear-based actions. It is good to build concentration. On a higher level, it is a tool to actually find out who you ultimately are. It is really a tool for a more fulfilled and happier life.”

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Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

ITC — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:40:08 +0000

Open the heart, boost prana flow and lighten the mental load with a backbend or two.

Dhanurasana (or Bow Pose) is a backbend known to promote flexibility of the spine, tone the abdominal organs, increase energy and counteract depression. Take the time to prepare the body and warm up before moving into any backbend.

Technique:

1. Lying prone on floor, bend both knees, reach back with hands towards buttocks and take hold of ankles, keeping knees no wider than hip width.

2. Inhale look forward being careful of the neck.

3. Exhale begin to raise feet, legs and upper body, attempting to straighten legs, eyes looking forward.

4. Dorsiflex feet.

5. Fully engage pelvic floor and core.

6. Hold and breathe.

To release: exhale, and release into Balasana.

Contraindications and Cautions:

Students suffering back pain or strain should avoid this pose. Not recommended during menstruation and pregnancy.

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Gitam’s Pumpkin Soup

ITC — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:13:30 +0000

Delicious autumn fare

With pumpkins aplenty in the Purna vege patch, and the weather getting a little cooler, what better time to cook up a batch of pumpkin soup!

Ingredients

¼ cup oil
½ teaspoon hing
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1kg pumpkin, cut in cubes (no skin)
water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
sour cream or yoghurt (optional)

Method

Heat the oil in large pot. When hot, but not smoking, add hing and fry momentarily. Add ginger and cardamom seeds, cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Add pumpkin and stir well to coat pieces with oil. Add enough water to just cover the pumpkin, then add salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until pumpkin is very soft. Remove from heat and mash to a smooth consistency, add warm water (or milk or cream) if necessary. Serve hot, swirling a spoonful of sour cream or yoghurt (optional) through each serve. Sprinkle parsley on top.

Enjoy!

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Our Yogis – Introducing Gitam

ITC — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 01:01:09 +0000

Meet Gitam, Senior Yoga Teacher and author of Gitam’s Garden – Healthy Sattvic Recipes from the Byron Yoga Kitchen

How did your yoga journey start?

I began practising yoga in the 1980s when my children were small, with a group of mothers at playgroup. My practice was spasmodic for many years but I always came back to yoga. During 15 years of a high-stress job, my evening yoga classes were the way I remained fairly sane.

Why did you become a yoga teacher?

I was working in the Byron Yoga Centre office and found myself talking to prospective trainees. It became essential that I take the training myself so that I had the experience to speak from. I loved it from the beginning.

What yoga pose puts a smile on your face?

Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) is my favourite way to slow down and rest. I can put so many variations into the basic pose that it becomes a practice on its own.

What have you learned about life from yoga?

Over the last few years my personal practice has evolved into a much more introspective style. I have less desire to perfect an advanced posture and more to find my self, my centre, within each posture.

How would you describe your yoga classes?

Morning classes are active, although I do like to hold some poses longer to keep students focussing on breath. My favourite class is my Friday afternoon class, a deep rest restorative, in which we may only practise five or six different poses and then a long yoga nidra or guided meditation. We have a very transient student population in Byron and so many people will come to my class doubtful of the slow pace but leave blissful, saying ‘that’s just what I needed’. As a teacher I can’t ask for more than that.

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Healing through Applied Anatomy for Yoga

ITC — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 06:36:13 +0000

Maria Kirsten teaches Applied Anatomy for Yoga Teachers and Physiology at Byron Yoga Centre, educating yoga teacher trainees about the importance of safety and support in the yoga studio. A yoga therapist, she lectures on yoga asana and anatomy around Australia and the world, and teaches yoga classes in Lennox Head. In this article, Maria talks about Applied Anatomy for Yoga and why this specialty training is so important for all yoga teachers.

Yoga therapy is defined by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) as ‘the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the philosophy and practice of yoga’. Maria further explains that yoga therapy is the application of yoga practices (not just asana) to alleviate suffering. “The premise of yoga is that we are born divine. Unlike the Western concept that the mind is a manifestation of the body, in yoga, the body is a manifestation of consciousness, and suffering is essentially caused by our forgetting how okay we are (avidya),” she says. “Each human being has the intelligence and inner resources to heal themselves, and a yoga therapist will provide practices and opportunities for them. For the purposes of our course, we are teaching teachers to be safer and to better support their students and clients.”

Why Applied Anatomy for Yoga Teachers is so important for yoga teachers

Quick to point out that nobody becomes a yoga therapist in 12 days, Maria says that yoga therapy training starts teachers thinking of yoga from the point of view of intention instead of performance. “Training to be a competent yoga therapist is a long process that is based on years of practice, teaching and study. Most people start their journey by trying to support their students in the classroom setting, preventing injury, supporting special needs, and cultivating the relaxation response in their students. Studying a therapeutic approach to yoga makes us better, safer teachers and practitioners, even if we never go on to be yoga therapists.”

She says that yoga therapy study is more than enhancing knowledge of anatomy and movement. “Students of our yoga therapy course have found they learned a tremendous amount about themselves and about their direction for future learning. They have gone on to teach classes much more confidently, to support their students more effectively and to feel they are much more safe and inclusive in their teaching delivery.”

Is Applied Anatomy for Yoga Teachers suitable for all styles of yoga?

A background in any style of yoga is a good basis for yoga therapy training, Maria advises. “We explore more Iyengar and Viniyoga in the course because they are traditionally therapeutic,” she says. “Practices that follow set sequences don’t apply to yoga therapy because it is all about individualising practice to the person not the person to the practice.”

About the Applied Anatomy for Yoga Teachers course at Byron Yoga Centre

The Applied Anatomy for Yoga Teachers at Byron Yoga Centre is run by Maria, flanked by highly experienced senior teachers, Eve Gryzbowski, Libbie Nelson, Judy Krupp and Jacinta McKewen. According to Maria, the course is designed to give students a taste of various approaches and styles so they can see that there is more than one way to approach yoga therapy.

“The structure of the course is less an intensive and more of a retreat. Therapy instruction is between 9am and 5pm each day, so there is time in the morning and evening to be led in practice, or go for a walk or practice alone. There is an emphasis on applied anatomy and therapeutic asana in the course, but pranayama, relaxation and mediation is also explored. Topics covered include common injuries, recovery after surgery, anxiety, trauma and depression, restorative yoga, and the therapy process.”

The course has a practical as well as theoretical focus, with students working with real clients, watching yoga therapy sessions being conducted and experiencing a one-on-one yoga therapy session (as a client) themselves.

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Utthita Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose)

ITC — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 03:37:08 +0000

Balancing poses in yoga do so much more than improve our physical balance. This practice in alignment, strength and focus helps us balance the mind and our consciousness.

Utthita Ardha Chandrasana (also known as Half Moon Pose) helps strengthen the abdomen, ankles, thighs, buttocks, and spine; and stretches the groin, hamstrings and calves, shoulders, chest, and spine.

Technique:

1. Come into Utthita Trikonasana on the right side.

2. Rest your left hand on your left hip. Bend your right knee and reach your right hand forward, beyond the little-toe side of the right foot at least 30 to 40 centimetres.

3. Place your right finger tips to the floor or use a block.

4. Raise your left leg parallel to the floor as you straighten your right leg.

5. Turn your torso to raise your left arm up. Beginning students should keep their head in a neutral position, looking straight ahead, or turn it to look at the floor. More experienced students can turn the head and gaze up to the top thumb.

6. Exhale, release through Utthita Trikonasana and change sides.

Contraindications and Cautions:

If you have any neck problems, don’t turn your head to look at the top arm; instead look straight ahead with the sides of the neck lengthened evenly, or look down at the floor.

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