Moving into term 3
We must have had so much fun this term that it appears to have gone too quickly. For me it must also have been that I was away for two weeks of it. Amanda and Di did a great job covering for my classes during this time. Thank you very much to both.

For me there were two things that stood out this term. First of all the Viloma pranayama (intermittent breathing) with kumbhaka (holding the breath). Over about 5 weeks we mastered this challenging but satisfying breath pattern. Breathing like this takes a lot of concentration and not only affects the body but also the mind. Viloma pranayama reduces anxiety and improves the oxygen flow throughout the whole body and at the same time it strengthens our lung function. So whenever you feel a little anxious or can’t sleep, this breath can come to the rescue. Using the well practiced magic 7 counting pattern gives you a wonderfully simple, self-serving ‘first aid’ package for when needed.

The other fun thing we explored was the ballet-barre-yoga that has recently become a new fad in the yoga world. Ballet and yoga are quite closely related as body awareness and muscle isolation is central to both practices. Having the ballet barres, mirrors and wooden floors in Hawthorn made our practice quite theatrical. We finished the ballet warm up with some lovely yoga stretches on the barre, which proved to be a perfect combination for feeling ‘elegantly free’ when we left the class.

Unanimously enjoyed by all, I thought to expand on this theme a little more in term 3 as one hour was not enough to cover all the poses of this ballet-barre yoga. Disco yoga or acrobatic yoga, some of the other yoga trends, I plan to circumnavigate and I am sure you will not regret this..

You all know that we are continuing with the yoga classes throughout the school holidays and as promised, next week will be a restorative session. I am delighted to be able to add a ‘sound bath’ to this practice, which aids chakra healing. My new chakra chimes produces such pure sounds that they are a delight to listen to. Feel free to bring any friends to this session as everyone loves a little relaxation with focus on healing and well-being. I always think of a restorative session as a ‘one-hour alternative’ to a visit to a health resort. This will be real holiday treat ‘at home’.

Looking forward to more great yoga sessions to come in term 3.

Please Note: In term 3,  I am starting a new Mindfulness Meditation class in Brighton on Thursdays from 11-12 at the Yoga Hut, 145 Cochrane St. It is a very easy venue to get to with plenty of parking, just off the Nepean Highway, near Elwood. For more information click on: