Blog

A Yoga Teaching: No One To Be

Many years ago, a wise person told me “We are all on a spiritual journey.” When I considered these words, I could readily accept that each person is in some way growing up, waking up, and showing up to be…

Helen Maupin

YOGA ACTIONS for Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana

When our body experiences physical, mental, or emotional stress, it releases hormones that produce cortisone and adrenaline in the bloodstream. Once circumstances return to ‘normal’, the body naturally eliminates or clears these hormones via urine, etc. However, if the stress…

Helen Maupin

A Yoga Teaching:  Reacting versus Responding

In asana practice, yoga postures balance our outer structure (physical body) and cleanse our inner energy channels (nadis). As our practice matures, we reveal where cleansing is needed and stillness is absent. Mindfulness or present moment awareness is required to…

Helen Maupin

YOGA ACTIONS for Adho Mukha Svansana

Arguably, the asana most commonly associated with yoga is Downward-facing Dog. It can take yogis many years to master this posture given its requirement to balance your body’s weight equally between your hands and feet. In the early years of…

Helen Maupin

A Yoga Teaching: Ego versus Intuition

In 2000, when I began my yoga journey, one of the first teachings confronting my “rationally” trained mind was this — if we seek wisdom and truth, we cannot count on our ego to provide and protect. Instead, we need…

Helen Maupin

YOGA ACTIONS for Virabhadrasana III

Meditation can be a helpful tool to unravel complex emotions. By looking directly at the anger, you start to strip away the stories, focusing instead on the raw feeling, that stirs within you.Gelong Thubten Are you struggling with letting go…

Helen Maupin

Yoga in Every Day Life

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras teach us that yoga is both a practice with methods and tools as well as a state of being — more familiarly referred to as present moment awareness. Yoga’s tools and methods enable us to access our…

Helen Maupin

Annual Urban Retreat: DIAGNOSING BODIES

Yoga Actions for Seeing & Sensing Chakra Activation August 12-16, 2024 9 am – 1 pm, $400 + GST During asana practice, when we focus awareness and intention on each of the seven spinal chakras, we feel and see their…

Helen Maupin

YOGA ACTIONS for Virabhadrasana II

The following teaching from the Vigyan Bhairava [or God Consciousness] Tantra, Verse 27 states, When by itself the breath is retained after inhalation or exhalation – then in the end, through the Energy known as peace, Peace is revealed. This…

Helen Maupin

Yoga Actions for Finding Your Balance

Practice the Yoga Actions described below for each of the following poses YOGA ACTIONS: Complete your practice with 5 to 10 minutes of your favourite SAVASANA. For more yoga actions and sequences related to the feet and ankles, click here.…

Helen Maupin

YOGA ACTIONS for Virabhadrasana I

Discovery, not performance, is the aim in yoga, and what we are seeking to discover is ease, stability, and freedom.  The mind becomes suddenly clear when the body can respond to any action taken with ease, stability and freedom. When…

Helen Maupin

7 Mindfulness Practices for Daily Life

by Chloe Pearson In today’s fast-paced world, finding moments of peace and presence can feel like a luxury. However, incorporating mindfulness into our daily routines can bring immense benefits to our mental and emotional well-being. In this article, courtesy of…

Helen Maupin