• Water, gold, oil... you name it. Pretty much anything of any value requires digging a little deeper than surface-level. Typically, the surface contains the least compacted soil; the lightest, loosest, easiest to access part of the dig. And then it gets more difficult, more dense, harder to reach, and harder to bring to the surface. But that’s the only layer that holds any value. Yoga is a practice of transformation. And change doesn’t happen in the comfort zone. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are told that comfort is the only measure of success, and discomfort is a sign that we need to reach outside of ourselves in order to bring the discomfort under control. Couple that with our need for instant gratification, and you have a recipe for ensuring lack of success in yoga or any other discipline for that matter. You don’t learn music by picking up a guitar one day, switching to clarinet the next, followed by piano, and so on. Real learning producing lasting change requires seemingly endless repetition, a lot of confusion, long periods of not seeing any results, frequent frustration, and recurring impulses to give up. This is exactly what Patanjali, among many other Sages, warned against. In Sanskrit, the word for constant practice is ‘abhyasa’ and the word for non-attachment to results is ‘vairagya.’ Both are required, and are non-negotiable. Because they are proven to be the only way to make progress in practice. Many yoga studios offer a bunch of different class styles from a variety of traditions, practiced in varied ways. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a good way to find your own way through the endless maze that is the modern world of yoga. But it’s best not to let that be an excuse to endlessly continue fluttering from style to style, teacher to teacher, studio to studio. Next time the digging gets tougher, the hauling gets longer, the hole gets darker, and the desire to bail gets stronger, try instead just digging a little deeper. Because you just might be getting closer. #yoga #yogawisdom #abhyasa #vairagya #patanjali #practicemakespractice #digdeeper #yogavictoria #consciousmovement #sustainableyoga #yogainspiration
    28 2
    Water, gold, oil... you name it. Pretty much anything of any value requires digging a little deeper than surface-level. Typically, the surface contains the least compacted soil; the lightest, loosest, easiest to access part of the dig. And then it gets more difficult, more dense, harder to reach, and harder to bring to the surface. But that’s the only layer that holds any value. Yoga is a practice of transformation. And change doesn’t happen in the comfort zone. Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are told that comfort is the only measure of success, and discomfort is a sign that we need to reach outside of ourselves in order to bring the discomfort under control. Couple that with our need for instant gratification, and you have a recipe for ensuring lack of success in yoga or any other discipline for that matter. You don’t learn music by picking up a guitar one day, switching to clarinet the next, followed by piano, and so on. Real learning producing lasting change requires seemingly endless repetition, a lot of confusion, long periods of not seeing any results, frequent frustration, and recurring impulses to give up. This is exactly what Patanjali, among many other Sages, warned against. In Sanskrit, the word for constant practice is ‘abhyasa’ and the word for non-attachment to results is ‘vairagya.’ Both are required, and are non-negotiable. Because they are proven to be the only way to make progress in practice. Many yoga studios offer a bunch of different class styles from a variety of traditions, practiced in varied ways. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s a good way to find your own way through the endless maze that is the modern world of yoga. But it’s best not to let that be an excuse to endlessly continue fluttering from style to style, teacher to teacher, studio to studio. Next time the digging gets tougher, the hauling gets longer, the hole gets darker, and the desire to bail gets stronger, try instead just digging a little deeper. Because you just might be getting closer. #yoga #yogawisdom #abhyasa #vairagya #patanjali #practicemakespractice #digdeeper #yogavictoria #consciousmovement #sustainableyoga #yogainspiration
  • Cat-cow is a good example of a simple movement that end up getting pretty stale and not all that beneficial when done on auto-pilot. But it can be made a whole lot more interesting, and we can learn a whole lot more about how to move our bodies, by injecting a little awareness into it. ••• Go ahead and do a few rounds like normal, but then stop at cat pose and imagine your cat is having an identity crisis, and starts turning into a cow just from your pelvis at first, and then your low back, mid back, upper back and shoulders, and then neck. Once you get into full cow, the identity crisis begins again in reverse. Try it in both directions, and see if it unlocks a whole lot of awareness, even if that starts as a little bit of frustration at first... this can be pretty difficult movement for your head to wrap around if you’ve never tried it before. :) ••• #yoga #functionalmovement #consciousmovement #sustainableyoga #victoriayoga
    19 3
    Cat-cow is a good example of a simple movement that end up getting pretty stale and not all that beneficial when done on auto-pilot. But it can be made a whole lot more interesting, and we can learn a whole lot more about how to move our bodies, by injecting a little awareness into it. ••• Go ahead and do a few rounds like normal, but then stop at cat pose and imagine your cat is having an identity crisis, and starts turning into a cow just from your pelvis at first, and then your low back, mid back, upper back and shoulders, and then neck. Once you get into full cow, the identity crisis begins again in reverse. Try it in both directions, and see if it unlocks a whole lot of awareness, even if that starts as a little bit of frustration at first... this can be pretty difficult movement for your head to wrap around if you’ve never tried it before. :) ••• #yoga #functionalmovement #consciousmovement #sustainableyoga #victoriayoga
  • Anybody who tells you that yoga offers everything your body needs in terms of movement is seriously misinformed or lying. There’s just no good way to work on your lats for lack of pulling opportunities in yoga, as just one example. Here, I’m doing just a few of the things I add to my yoga practice in order to explore a fuller range of motion and incorporate actions that just aren’t available on a yoga practice, using a resistance band and a TRX. And yes, quite obviously, it’s true that white men can’t jump. 🤓 ••• #yoga #victoriayoga #functionalmovement #consciousmovement #resistancebands #trx
    32 1
    Anybody who tells you that yoga offers everything your body needs in terms of movement is seriously misinformed or lying. There’s just no good way to work on your lats for lack of pulling opportunities in yoga, as just one example. Here, I’m doing just a few of the things I add to my yoga practice in order to explore a fuller range of motion and incorporate actions that just aren’t available on a yoga practice, using a resistance band and a TRX. And yes, quite obviously, it’s true that white men can’t jump. 🤓 ••• #yoga #victoriayoga #functionalmovement #consciousmovement #resistancebands #trx
  • I don’t believe there’s any particular kind of magic in achieving typical modern postural yoga poses. And besides, I don’t think that’s the point. But there is a certain magic in being aware of the kinds of actions that make getting into the poses steadier, so that when you’re in them you find more freedom. ••• Extended Side Angle is a good example of a pose that can feel pretty unsteady unless you know where to find strength and stability that will ultimately invite freedom of movement from that place of support. ••• Try this. Stand on a yoga block and find the kind of engagement through your outer hip that will cause it to move sideways as you lift the opposite foot up off the ground. That’s your gluteus medius, by the way, which also comes into play in half moon pose and side plank, among others. ••• After placing your feet in a wide stance with a straight line from your front heel to your back arch, do that same action with your front (bent knee) hip and make sure that foot keeps pointing straight ahead as you externally rotate your upper leg. ••• Then, reach down and start your imaginary lawnmower while engaging your core to move both your top hip and shoulder back while lengthening your tailbone towards your back leg heel. ••• If you maintain those actions, you might just find it a whole lot easier (with practice of course) to lift your bottom elbow off your knee. ••• Try it and let me know how it goes! ••• #functionalmovement #victoriayoga #yoga #sustainableyoga #mindfulmovement #consciousmovement #extendedsideangle
    25 1
    I don’t believe there’s any particular kind of magic in achieving typical modern postural yoga poses. And besides, I don’t think that’s the point. But there is a certain magic in being aware of the kinds of actions that make getting into the poses steadier, so that when you’re in them you find more freedom. ••• Extended Side Angle is a good example of a pose that can feel pretty unsteady unless you know where to find strength and stability that will ultimately invite freedom of movement from that place of support. ••• Try this. Stand on a yoga block and find the kind of engagement through your outer hip that will cause it to move sideways as you lift the opposite foot up off the ground. That’s your gluteus medius, by the way, which also comes into play in half moon pose and side plank, among others. ••• After placing your feet in a wide stance with a straight line from your front heel to your back arch, do that same action with your front (bent knee) hip and make sure that foot keeps pointing straight ahead as you externally rotate your upper leg. ••• Then, reach down and start your imaginary lawnmower while engaging your core to move both your top hip and shoulder back while lengthening your tailbone towards your back leg heel. ••• If you maintain those actions, you might just find it a whole lot easier (with practice of course) to lift your bottom elbow off your knee. ••• Try it and let me know how it goes! ••• #functionalmovement #victoriayoga #yoga #sustainableyoga #mindfulmovement #consciousmovement #extendedsideangle
  • Our bodies thrive on diversity of movement. And it doesn’t take much to turn old familiar movements into ones that truly wake up our cells and shake up our patterns. ••• Cat-Cow is a fine movement for the spine. But it can get tired pretty quickly, and can also lull us into moving our spines as if there’s a single hinge joint between the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. ••• I enjoy it so much more when I get more parts of my body involved in the movement. In this variation, I alternate between movements of predator and prey, and get my hips, shoulders, arms, and hands involved while also challenging my balance and coordination a bit more that traditional ca-cow. ••• When in cat, keep your shoulder blades protracted (wide apart) as you hinges your hips and settle your pelvis back into your heels like a prey animal surrendering. Then, grip the mat with your hands and keep your chin and elbows close to the ground as your retract your shoulder blades and move forward stealthily like a predator about to pounce on its prey. Then, the cycle repeats... just like everything else in life. Add awareness of your breath if you like, inhaling as you pull yourself forward, and exhaling as you press back. ••• #yoga #mindfulmovement #victoriayoga #functionalmovement #consciousmovement
    28 1
    Our bodies thrive on diversity of movement. And it doesn’t take much to turn old familiar movements into ones that truly wake up our cells and shake up our patterns. ••• Cat-Cow is a fine movement for the spine. But it can get tired pretty quickly, and can also lull us into moving our spines as if there’s a single hinge joint between the lumbar and thoracic vertebrae. ••• I enjoy it so much more when I get more parts of my body involved in the movement. In this variation, I alternate between movements of predator and prey, and get my hips, shoulders, arms, and hands involved while also challenging my balance and coordination a bit more that traditional ca-cow. ••• When in cat, keep your shoulder blades protracted (wide apart) as you hinges your hips and settle your pelvis back into your heels like a prey animal surrendering. Then, grip the mat with your hands and keep your chin and elbows close to the ground as your retract your shoulder blades and move forward stealthily like a predator about to pounce on its prey. Then, the cycle repeats... just like everything else in life. Add awareness of your breath if you like, inhaling as you pull yourself forward, and exhaling as you press back. ••• #yoga #mindfulmovement #victoriayoga #functionalmovement #consciousmovement
  • What does your nervous system tell you when you see this picture? There is a continuing debate on the role and significance of mirror neutrons in humans, but one theory is that they help us understand the actions and intentions of others. When I look at this picture of BKS Iyengar, I see someone who is expressing his version of Yoga, which I presume was born of both his innate and cultivated curiosity, and his urge to evolve. And I’m in no position to judge his motives beyond what I see. But I have my own curiosity about Yoga in general, and myself in particular. And I’m on my own quest for personal evolution, and to ensure that whatever system I follow continues to be evidence-based and evolves itself to follow where the evidence leads. My own curiosity has led to considerable research into the history of people like Iyengar and Krishnamacharya before him, and the political, social, and psychological contexts from which emerged their versions of Yoga. I have a pretty good idea as to why these types of practices emerged from those causes and conditions. And I also have a pretty good idea as to why these types of poses have no hope of ever benefiting 99% of people whose mirror neutrons might lead them to want to imitate these shapes. They are even likely to do considerable harm. And let’s be honest here; it’s just a shape. There are no inherent mystical liberating qualities to any of these shapes. If there was, every circus contortionist would be an Enlightened Being. Unfortunately, with social media playing such a pervasive role in all facets of life including Yoga, we are seeing the shadow side of interconnectedness: our social nervous system sometimes overrides our internal nervous system. And we do things we really shouldn’t. The only Yoga worth doing is one that respects your nervous system first and foremost. Not to mention your physical well-being. And thankfully, we’ve collectively evolved to know quite a bit more about physiology, psychology, and neurology than Iyengar ever did. I’ll be exploring some of these topics in a 5-week series @moksanayoga April 3rd to May 5th, and I’d love for you to be part of the conversation. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
    27 4
    What does your nervous system tell you when you see this picture? There is a continuing debate on the role and significance of mirror neutrons in humans, but one theory is that they help us understand the actions and intentions of others. When I look at this picture of BKS Iyengar, I see someone who is expressing his version of Yoga, which I presume was born of both his innate and cultivated curiosity, and his urge to evolve. And I’m in no position to judge his motives beyond what I see. But I have my own curiosity about Yoga in general, and myself in particular. And I’m on my own quest for personal evolution, and to ensure that whatever system I follow continues to be evidence-based and evolves itself to follow where the evidence leads. My own curiosity has led to considerable research into the history of people like Iyengar and Krishnamacharya before him, and the political, social, and psychological contexts from which emerged their versions of Yoga. I have a pretty good idea as to why these types of practices emerged from those causes and conditions. And I also have a pretty good idea as to why these types of poses have no hope of ever benefiting 99% of people whose mirror neutrons might lead them to want to imitate these shapes. They are even likely to do considerable harm. And let’s be honest here; it’s just a shape. There are no inherent mystical liberating qualities to any of these shapes. If there was, every circus contortionist would be an Enlightened Being. Unfortunately, with social media playing such a pervasive role in all facets of life including Yoga, we are seeing the shadow side of interconnectedness: our social nervous system sometimes overrides our internal nervous system. And we do things we really shouldn’t. The only Yoga worth doing is one that respects your nervous system first and foremost. Not to mention your physical well-being. And thankfully, we’ve collectively evolved to know quite a bit more about physiology, psychology, and neurology than Iyengar ever did. I’ll be exploring some of these topics in a 5-week series @moksanayoga April 3rd to May 5th, and I’d love for you to be part of the conversation. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
  • For straight-arm balances like plank, I feel most stable@and strong when I do the same actions with my shoulder blades as Bruce Lee did with his famous one-inch punch. Essentially, it requires protraction of shoulder blades by engaging the serratus anterior. For bent-arm balances like chatturanga, think Jackie Chan bouncing into the middle of a room of bad guys and pulling his elbows into his ribs. Then, the Karate Kid doing “wax on, wax off.” Wanna explore movement while having fun? Why not join me for my 5-week Registered Series @moksanayoga. Details and registration link on my website. #yoga #functionalmovement #sustainableyoga #mindfulmovement #consciousmovement #youryoga #victoriayoga #brucelee #jackiechan #karatekid #plankpose #chatturanga
    27 0
    For straight-arm balances like plank, I feel most stable@and strong when I do the same actions with my shoulder blades as Bruce Lee did with his famous one-inch punch. Essentially, it requires protraction of shoulder blades by engaging the serratus anterior. For bent-arm balances like chatturanga, think Jackie Chan bouncing into the middle of a room of bad guys and pulling his elbows into his ribs. Then, the Karate Kid doing “wax on, wax off.” Wanna explore movement while having fun? Why not join me for my 5-week Registered Series @moksanayoga. Details and registration link on my website. #yoga #functionalmovement #sustainableyoga #mindfulmovement #consciousmovement #youryoga #victoriayoga #brucelee #jackiechan #karatekid #plankpose #chatturanga
  • Here’s one of my favourite little sequences that I find gets deep into my hips in all these ways. 🤓 Start in a seated twist, with a long spine. Then slowly unwind your top leg forward, out to the side, and back until you’re sitting with your legs in a ‘90/90’ position. Keep your back foot also flexed at a 90 degree angle and *don’t move your pelvis* as you use your X-ray vision to watch your upper leg bone externally rotate. Your knee may only lift a little bit while you do this, and that’s totally fine. Concentrate on what’s happening at the hip joint. Then. Turn your torso towards the front of your mat which will anchor your back knee to the floor and put your back leg into extension. Here’s where you put on your X-ray goggles on again to watch your upper leg bone internally rotate. Then, lean over a bit and support yourself as you lift your back as a unit, exploring abduction (outer hip muscles) at the hip. That eventually turns into knee extension, and then swing your straight leg back to your starting twist, which works your adductors (inner thigh muscles). Have fun with it and let me know if you have any big insights as you explore these small@movement. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 #yoga #mindfulmovement #happyhips #consciousmovement #functionalmovement #sustainableyoga #youryoga #victoriayoga
    30 2
    Here’s one of my favourite little sequences that I find gets deep into my hips in all these ways. 🤓 Start in a seated twist, with a long spine. Then slowly unwind your top leg forward, out to the side, and back until you’re sitting with your legs in a ‘90/90’ position. Keep your back foot also flexed at a 90 degree angle and *don’t move your pelvis* as you use your X-ray vision to watch your upper leg bone externally rotate. Your knee may only lift a little bit while you do this, and that’s totally fine. Concentrate on what’s happening at the hip joint. Then. Turn your torso towards the front of your mat which will anchor your back knee to the floor and put your back leg into extension. Here’s where you put on your X-ray goggles on again to watch your upper leg bone internally rotate. Then, lean over a bit and support yourself as you lift your back as a unit, exploring abduction (outer hip muscles) at the hip. That eventually turns into knee extension, and then swing your straight leg back to your starting twist, which works your adductors (inner thigh muscles). Have fun with it and let me know if you have any big insights as you explore these small@movement. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 #yoga #mindfulmovement #happyhips #consciousmovement #functionalmovement #sustainableyoga #youryoga #victoriayoga
  • Are the definitions of Yoga dizzying or clarifying? Are they binding or freeing? And most importantly, do the definitions impact your practice? If you’re in Victoria and curious about how you can make Yoga practice truly your own while respecting both tradition and science, then please join me on Wednesday evenings April 3 to May 5 @moksanayoga DM me for more info, or contact the studio to register. ••• What’s your definition of yoga? Comment below - I’d love to know. #yoga #yogadefined #victoriayoga #mindfulmovement #yogaphilosophy #sustainableyoga #youryoga
    19 3
    Are the definitions of Yoga dizzying or clarifying? Are they binding or freeing? And most importantly, do the definitions impact your practice? If you’re in Victoria and curious about how you can make Yoga practice truly your own while respecting both tradition and science, then please join me on Wednesday evenings April 3 to May 5 @moksanayoga DM me for more info, or contact the studio to register. ••• What’s your definition of yoga? Comment below - I’d love to know. #yoga #yogadefined #victoriayoga #mindfulmovement #yogaphilosophy #sustainableyoga #youryoga