yogatherapy ireland - pam butler yoga carlow · winter 2015 issue no. 64 ireland musing on...

The quarTerly magazine of yoga Therapy ireland

yogatherapyireland Winter 2015 ISSUE No. 64

Musing on Mindfulness

Clearing your Chakras

Foraging and Preserving

YTI Graduation 2015

Yoga Journal Conference 2015

Yoga Therapy Ireland Winter 2015 3

contents

CHAIRPERSON: Maureen NightingaleEDITORIAL TEAM: Moggie DouglasMaureen NightingalePRODUCTION AND DESIGN: Niamh HodginsWEB DESIGN: Ciara KavanaghPRINTED BY: Judita Presse-mail: [email protected] Web: www.yogatherapyireland.com

YTI members of International Association of Yoga TherapistsYTI affiliated to Institute of Complementary Medicine and British General Council for Complementary MedicineYTI members of AontasYTI members of International Yoga FederationYTI members of Yoga Federation of IrelandYTI members International Guild of Professional PractitionersYTI members of the British Wheel of Yoga

Opinions expressed in articles within this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of YTI. Yoga Therapy Ireland disclaims any responsibility or liability for such material be it information, advice, products or services advertised in this publication. Information or advice is for educational purposes. Readers are always advised to consult a medical practitioner before following any programme or treatment.

Yoga Therapy Ireland is dedicated to practising, teaching and researching Yoga as a therapy for specific health-related problems. Each yoga therapist/teacher has weekly yoga classes in their own locality, which are suitable for all levels of practitioners. Individual sessions are designed to meet particular needs of clients whether for specific medical conditions or for good health.

MS; Parkinson’s Disease; Aids Support; Senior Citizens; Cancer Support; Addiction Support

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Yoga Therapy Ireland Winter 2015 Issue 64

Registered Charity CHY 14045

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF YOGA THERAPY IRELAND


Musing on Mindfulness

Clearing your Chakras


YTI Graduation 2015

Yoga Journal Conference 2015 Phot

o by

Em

ily G

reen

e (a

ge 1

5) W

ild Ir

ish

Fora

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regulars:

15

04 Chairperson’s letter

26-30 reviews/previews

6 yoga in the airport

7 Virabhadrasana ii by Áine Kerrigan

8 muladhara Chakra by Lucy Cullen & Tara O’Neill

9 healing through the Chakras by John Levine

10 supta Virasana by Julie Gudmestad

12 prana by Georg Feuerstein

14 agni prasana

15 mensana by Pam Butler

16 yoga Journal Conference by Sylvia Ferguson

18 graduation 2015

22 Wild irish foragers by Sharon Greene

23 harnessing the power by Keith Treacy

23 Vegetarianism:

The inconvenient Truth

24 musings on mindfulness by Helena Downey

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Cover image: Photo by Emily Greene (age 15) Wild Irish Foragers

Yoga Therapy Ireland Winter 20154

Patrons:Gerti Cull

RGN. RM. F.F.N. R.C.S.I. Sean Collins

D.C.H.Olive Gentleman

SRN S.C.M. Dip. IYAAlexander Gibbs,

D.O.Bsc (Hons) Ost.Med M.I.O.A.

Registered OsteopathDanielle Arin

International Yoga TeacherTara Fraser

Yoga Junction, London

Doris Schaeffer, External Relations (EUY)

Dr. Samprasad VinodDirector Maharshi Vinod

Research FoundationPune, India

Julie Gudmestad, Director, Gudmestad Yoga Studio,

Portland, Oregan

Sponsors:OBF Insurance Group

Friends:IAN CADDY

“Caddy Publishing”

Dear Yoga Friends, A very warm welcome to our winter magazine. I hope you like and really enjoy our first elec-tronic version. We are changing to this format for two of the four annual issues as a trial and would appreciate your feedback. The spring and autumn issues will be in print form, as before.

Once again this year, we leave behind a beautiful and very mild autumn to move into the shorter, slightly darker days of the win-ter season, which encourage us to rest and relax in preparation for the arrival of spring. I would like to thank all our inspirational contributors for sharing their talents so generously in this issue.

In this edition, we continue our series on the Chakras with Lucy Cullen and Tara O’Neill and a two day Intensive workshop with YTI Patron Julie Gudmestad. YTI past pupil, Sylvia Fergu-son, shares her experiences of the Yoga Journal Conference in the U.S. Trainee teacher, Aine Kerrigan, offers her instructions for Virabhadrasana II and YTI past pupil, Helena Downey, gives us her musings on Mindfulness. Our centre pages are dedicated, as always at this time of the year, to our graduation celebrations at the end of September.

News Update: The 2015 grad-uation took place in late Sep-tember in the gorgeous Clontarf Castle Hotel. Twelve new yoga teachers have joined our teach-ing family together with 19 new yoga therapists -and I wish them all great success and joy in their continuing yoga journey. Do check out the photographic memories from our celebrations in Clontarf Castle. I would like to extend a sincere thanks to our guest, Moira Harper, from the Yoga Fellowship of Northern Ireland, who presented all our awards. A huge thanks also to Patsy Toland for his photograph-ic expertise.

In relation to other YTI events, we have had our first aid re-fresher course, which was very well attended and received and two fantastic seminars with dagmar Khan, who facilitated a workshop entitled “Be your own Roll Model”, and sue flamm, who led us in a wonderful Re-storative Yoga day. Sue plans to bring her 3-day training course to Dublin; so if you have an in-terest in this, do let us know. We also had our agm, which pro-vided YTI with lots of construc-tive ideas for its future. I would like to welcome Roisin Jinks, Irene Sheedy, Keith Treacy and Eddie Long on board as the new-est members to the committee and look forward to working with them over the coming year. As we welcome our new com-mittee members, we also say a very fond farewell to Debbie Har-rington, Sharon Denver, Tara O’Neill and Lesley Hughes. I would like to add my sincere and personal thanks to each of them

for all their hard work and dedication to YTI.YTI took part in mind Body spirit Festival during the

October Bank Holiday which this year, once again, focused on yoga. The show was extremely busy for the whole week-end with lots of interest in all our courses. Sincere thanks to all the volunteers who helped in any way at the show, which provides us with a wonderful showcase for all that YTI has to offer.

Training with YTI: Our new Year 1 trainees have settled in very well to the Teacher Training Course and are thor-oughly enjoying their experience. All our Year 2 train-ees are getting great practice in developing their teaching skills as they teach small groups in their local commu-nities, and some have already completed their teaching assessments.

Our foundation Course and Journey through the Chakras course began in November and both are very well subscribed. We will offer a new yoga for pregnancy course at the end of January and a further yoga for Chil-dren training programme later in the year. With interest growing already, our next yoga in the Classroom day will take place on 7 May. Please feel free to share this information on your Facebook/Twitter pages and among your own local primary schools.

The next yoga for sport training course will take place on 13, 14 & 27 February. We have now extended the course to three days and offer the opportunity to those who have already attended previous courses to come along for the follow up day, which will take place on 27 February, and receive a certificate on completion.

If you are a yoga teacher with a minimum of two years’ regular teaching experience and would like to enhance your teaching skills even further and to work as a Yoga Therapist with specialised groups or on a one-to-one ba-sis, you are eligible to apply for this course. YTI will offer a new yoga Therapy course in September 2017.

Membership: Sincere thanks to all who have paid their 2016 subscription already. For those yet to renew, it is so easy to pay your subscription now - you can log onto our website and pay through our PayPal scheme, which is working really well for us. I know you will want to con-tinue to be a part of all we do in YTI, and particularly as a yoga teacher, to stay on our professional register.

Forthcoming Events: YTI has a wide variety of fabu-lous workshops and seminars on offer for the coming year. We strongly encourage you to attend a minimum of two In-Service training days each year, as an on-going commitment to your own self-development. You may re-member from your autumn magazine that for 2016, we will have workshops with eleanor dawson (Yoga and Mantra), anya Kruger (Yoga for Autistic Children), Char-lotta martinus (Yoga for Teens), michael ryan (Move-ment Medicine) and Julie gudmestad. Connie Walsh will facilitate another yoga for Cancer Care course in April.

As the Christmas season approaches and we prepare to spend precious time with family and friends, may I wish you wellness, happiness and peace for this special time of year. May I also ask that you all send healing, light and support to both Linda Southgate, whose husband, Da-vid, passed away recently and also to Tara O’Neill, whose mother passed away. For those who have been bereaved, Christmas is never quite the same, so our thoughts are with you especially.

– Yours in yoga,Maureen Nightingale


First introduced to the world of yoga in 2005, aine Kerrigan has since developed a consistent practice. Her interest in yoga derived from a desire to balance out a busy lifestyle. Finding a level of stillness she had not known existed, Aine decided to further pursue

her studies and enrolled in the Foundation Course offered by Yoga Therapy Ireland. Now, with a desire to share the benefits yoga can bring to children and adults alike, Aine is currently in her 2nd year of Yoga Teacher Training with Yoga Therapy Ireland. Excited to have discovered the path of yoga, she will continue her studies by attending various workshops and retreats in an effort to continuously improve her classes

sylvia ferguson graduates in 2003 with a Diploma in yoga teaching from Yoga Therapy Ireland, and since then Sylvia has been teaching hatha yoga in various venues in Dublin and teaches Mindfulness Meditation in corporate venues. In May 2015

Nationwide featured Sylvia as a teacher that ‘exudes the calmness she aims to instil in her students.’ Sylvia regularly hosts charity yoga events and contributes as a writer to the Yoga Therapy Ireland Magazine.

Having recently qualified for a grant to develop an online business as part of the Local Enterprise Board’s Online Digital Strategy, Sylvia has worked with Still Films and Avondale Studios to produce classes for the online market.

Sylvia has limited availability for Dublin-based corporate clients for both one-off Mindfulness Meditation workshops and weekly courses. Ongoing yoga classes in town, RTE and Rathfarnham are suitable for all. Workshops and special events take place in the Yoga Hub in Dublin City Centre. All details and booking are on www.sylviayoga.com

helena downey has been practising yoga for over 25 years. She trained with Yoga Therapy Ireland, started teaching in 2003 and was a tutor with YTI from 2008-2010. She conducts on-going weekly yoga classes and is currently studying for an MSc

in Mindfulness Based Interventions at UCD.As a business graduate, she worked for 18 years in Change Management.

Tara o’neill is a YTI yoga teacher and a licensed Level 1 Antigravity Yoga Instructor. Her private studio, Vitality, in Ratoath, holds the first Antigravity Personal Training license in Ireland. www.vitality.ie

Julie gudmestad, PT began teaching yoga in 1970 when she was a student at Reed College. Introduced to Iyengar yoga in the late 1970s, Julie became Iy engar certified in 1988. At that time, she opened her own studio and began to train the teachers who

currently teach there.

lucy Cullen is a YTI yoga teacher and therapist. She has also completed further teacher training with the Association of Yoga Studies in the viniyoga of yoga approach. Lucy has her own yoga studio in

Kilmacanogue where she teaches general yoga and pregnancy classes. She also teaches yoga to TY students in a number of schools and chair yoga in Bray, as well as a corporate class in Dublin. Along with Tara O’Neill, she has facilitated YTI’s Foundation Course for the past two years and she is really

looking forward to teaching the new Chakra course with Tara, starting in November. See www.lucycullenyoga.com or join Lucy on her Facebook page, Lucy Cullen Yoga.

pam Butler arrived in Ireland fifteen years ago via Asia and lives in a nature sanctuary and ancient woodland in Carlow Qualified to teach yoga in 2000, she has instructed beginners and those establishing their own practice for 15 years. She holds an MBA

in Professional Arts Management and is editor of Common Sense: a book about people, planet and profit by a venture capitalist (available at www.astraea. net/shop). www.pambutleryoga.com; [email protected].

John levine has been creating original music and playing piano since he was six. He graduated as a composer from Sydney University, Australia and spent several successful years in commercial music, recording for bands like INXS and Midnight

Oil and writing jingles for Saatchi & Saatchi and Coca Cola. Throughout this period, John pursued his belief in meditation and the healing properties of music. He ultimately left the main stream to devote himself to developing his unique Alphamusic. Since the launch of Silence of Peace, more than 200,000 copies of John Levine’s Alphamusic CDs have been sold. Since 1984 John has released over 63 albums which are being used by therapists, healers, teachers, healthcare workers, dentists, trainers, coaches, meditation groups, business people, families and pets in more than 26 countries around the world.

Contributors… to this issue…

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THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE OF YOGA THERAPY IRELAND


Musing on MindfulnessClearing your Chakras


YTI Graduation 2015

Yoga Journal Conference 2015

Phot

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Em

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Features

There is nothing like an airport security queue at Christmas to make your entire system go into spasm.

It’s like all the muscles (and a few essential organs) in your body are in a tangle, like strands of cheap Christmas lights, flashing alternately, endlessly, dangerously...as you clench your plastic bag of tiny toiletries ever tighter and watch the opportunity for your last-minute pre-flight yoga-relaxation session slip away. Yes, last-minute yoga, not duty-free shopping and sipping over-priced skinny lattes, is the latest, and greatest, new airport pastime.

The U.S.A. sets the trend…It all began in the U.S. Where else? The world’s first airport

yoga room opened at San Francisco International in 2012. Unfortunately, it is located where Terminals 1 and 2 connect, which are both domestic terminals, so international passengers will have to find another way to prepare for the “long haul”.

Others soon followed. The yoga room at in Terminal 3 at Chicago o’hare has a bamboo floor, a mirrored wall (not very yogic) and video monitors (ditto) playing an endless loop of other people doing yoga - so if you do get stuck at security, you can always drop in on your way to the next queue to remind yourself what relaxation is supposed to look like. Chicago’s other airport, midway, also has a yoga room, with more sustainable bamboo features and tinkly relaxation music.

At dallas-fort Worth the fully equipped yoga studio is secreted behind a “partial privacy screen”, so that other travellers will only get to admire your fabulous down-dog in silhouette, like a Balinese puppet-show. Entertainment for all.

Burlington airport, Vermont provides a yoga room designed by a local studio, Evolution Yoga, which has created an environment that is apparently so welcoming and soothing that you might well consider missing your flight in favour of another round of the Sun Salutation.

The first airport to provide a meditation room is san diego international. Here, you can grab some “Om” time in the $200,000 facility. How one could possibly spend that kind of money on cushions and a few sticks of incense remains a

mystery and would provide a useful focus for your practice.

…and Europe followsInevitably, the trend has hit Europe. Forever the leaders in

all things holistic, the Scandinavians were the first to embrace the gap in the market. helsinki airport’s yoga area is located in Kainuu, a very posh lounge with an open floor plan and “wooden chairs made from trees blown down in storms”. Kainuu isn’t just for yoga but mats are provided and, yes, they do complement the green carpet perfectly, a colour meant to suggest “a mossy floor in a forest”- presumably the same one that provided the trees that provided the chairs. Alternatively, if that’s all a bit too much and you just want a snooze, try the new GoSleep pods, a recliner set in a hard-case outer shell. Pay your €9.00, store your valuables, plug in your phone to recharge and fall fast asleep inside your little pod…the built-in alarm is an essential feature which you are well advised to use.

Closer to home in the U.K., a pop-up yoga studio in heathrow's exclusive SkyTeam lounge in Terminal 4 proved so popular that it is now a permanent feature and provides yoga videos of pre- and post-flight stretching routines. While all the other airport yoga rooms are free for the public to use, the one at Heathrow is only available to passengers with lounge access. However, if you are so desperate for that stretch that you willing to mix with the hoighty-toighties, passes can be purchased for £27.50 (so arrive several hours early to get value for your money) and you can visit the on-site Oxygen Bar afterwards for a quick “pre-departure energy boost” (to quote SkyTeam). They think of everything.

Not to be outdone, gatwick airport has recently opened its new yoga lounge for long haul passengers, which has video instruction devised by celebrity instructor, Shona Vertue. Fancy. I really hope all these airports with yoga videos and no instructors have taken out serious insurance. Unsurprisingly, our own D.A.A has not yet seen the yoga light; although I did spot a few curious circular holes in the wall of one of the pre-departure lounges where you can lie down and put your feet up, literally, to form a perfect little crescent moon of a different variety.

Personally, I think it’s all a terrible idea. MD

Last-minute yoga? At the airport? Floga?...

Asana

Floga?...

by Teacher Training Student, Aine Kerrigan

1. Establish the Foundation of the asana - Standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), with an

exhalation, step or bend the knees slightly and lightly jump feet wide apart

- Raise your arms out to the side at shoulder level, parallel to the floor, palms facing down

- Lift your right foot to balance on your heel and externally rotating from your thigh, turn your right foot out to the right

- Turn your left foot inwards slightly- Align the right heel with the arch of the left foot

2. Show an understanding of the Movement in the asana

- Maintaining a long upright spine, hips facing forward and tailbone lengthening down, exhale and bend your right knee over the right ankle, so that the shin is perpendicular to the floor

- Strengthen the left leg by pressing the outer left heel and side of the foot firmly to the floor

- Stretch the arms away from the space between the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor

- Try not to lean the torso over the right thigh- Turn the head to the right and gaze out over the

fingertips

3. Maintain the asana with ease

- Press strongly through both feet

- Lengthening your tailbone down and engaging your core muscles, keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders directly over the pelvis

- To increase the length and strength of the arms in the pose, turn the palms and inner elbow creases to face the ceiling while you draw the shouder blades down the back. Then maintaing the rotation of the arms, turn the plams from the wrists to face the floor again

- Maintain length through the neck- Breathe and hold for 30 seconds to

1 minute

4. Show Safety Points- Ensure that the bent knee (right) is directly over the

ankle and does not collapse inwards or past the toes- Keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders

directly over the pelvis

5. Return to the start to complete the pose- Exhale and straighten the right leg to bring yourself to an

upright position- Reverse your feet and repeat on the opposite side- When both sides are completed, placing your hands on

your hips, heel/toe or step or bend your knees and lightly jump your feet back together to the centre of your mat

6. Benefits:- Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles- Stretches the groins, shoulders, chest and lungs- Increases stamina

7. Contraindications:- Use caution when performing this pose if you are

currently experiencing high blood pressure - If you experience neck problems, don’t

turn your head to look over the front hand, continue to look straight ahead with both sides of the neck lengthened evenly.

Virabhadrasana II / Warrior II


Asana

Muladhara ChakraWe start our journey through the Chakras at the root, Muladhara. The name Muladhara translates as “Root Support”. This Chakra is the foundation of the chakra system, it connects us to the earth and all that makes us feel safe and secure, it is the source of energy that vitalizes everything else in the Chakra system and the root from which we receive nourishment for our spiritual journey. Kundaliní Shakti (spiritual energy) is rooted in the Muladhara Chakra, but it is in a dormant state and when we awaken its slumbering potential we are able to work our way towards the light of knowledge and attain the fruit of Self-Realisation. The Muladhara Chakra is where our spiritual development begins.

The Muladhara Chakra is the seat of our unconscious and when we awaken the sleeping energy here we may be surprised to find qualities that we had not suspected were within us, such as deep-seated anger, coming to the surface. On the other hand, we may experience wonderful feelings of contentment, joy or peace.

At times life presents us with opportunities to work on the contents of our unconscious, so that feelings may be brought to the surface and dealt with. The choice is always ours as to whether or not we do so, even though we may not be aware of it. Yoga provides an excellent method for working through the contents of our unconscious with complete awareness. Positive and happy experiences from the past will emerge to give us strength and inspiration, buried hurts and disappointments will also come to the surface so they can finally be healed and resolved. If we work through these issues with wisdom they may be transformed into valuable experiences and opportunities for development. As we begin to see our experiences more clearly we may become more aware of our own weaknesses. If we learn from our mistakes and continue on our path with faith, we grow stronger and better able to cope with our experiences. Self-reproach is not helpful and it is important that we let go of any habitual negative thinking and instead develop and cultivate positive and beneficial ways of thinking.

The divinity associated with the Muladhara Chakra is Lord Shiva, “The Third-Eyed One”. Lord Shiva represents consciousness and liberation. He is the destroyer of all things negative or harmful and it is said that whenever he opens his third eye whatever he gazes upon is burnt to ashes. At Shiva’s side there are two female divinities, ÁSURÍ SHAKTI and DEVÍ SHAKTI. Ásurí Shakti represents the destructive, divisive energy within us, and Deví Shakti the positive, constructive power. Through a positive lifestyle and attitude to life, being in the company of good people, good thoughts and works, Ásurí Shakti is gradually transformed into Deví Shakti.

Muladhara is located at the base of the spine in the area of the pelvic floor; the colour associated with it is red. It may be visualized as a wheel of light about 3 inches in diameter which spins horizontally forming a funnel of red light toward the earth. Through the Root Chakra we can

draw up energy from the Earth and through it we can also discharge anything negative safely into the Earth.

The energy of the root chakra provides us with the drive to take care of ourselves and to ensure our very survival. It is concerned with taking care of our most basic and primitive needs including food, sex and sleep. When the Root Chakra is working well we are grounded and develop a sense of security and belonging. It connects us to our family, our community, and our culture and belief systems. It represents physical,

emotional and mental stability. This chakra is about creating a solid and safe base from which we can move out to explore and learn about the world and about ourselves. Without stability here any growth or personal development will be short term. Balancing the root chakra creates the solid foundation for opening the chakras above, a bit like laying good foundations is essential to building a house that will stand for many years.

People with a healthy root chakra develop confidence and a healthy sense of self-esteem. They will come across as charismatic and

optimistic. When the root chakra is out of balance problems will arise. When it is weak we may feel lost, insecure, fearful or anxious and find it hard to cope. People with a deficiency here may find themselves constantly changing from one task to another without committing to any one thing properly, which can lead to stress and exhaustion. On the other hand, excess energy at this Chakra may result in a sense of being slow to move, sluggishness, resistance to change and with a tendency to overeat.

Useful Practices for Rooting and GroundingIt is not hard to understand why walking in nature and

dancing, especially barefoot, is recommended when working with the Muladhara Chakra. Anything that connects us to the earth will help to establish stronger roots.

In Yoga practice, the Asana to choose for this Chakra are the ones that help you to feel grounded. Our top 5 include Mountain Pose, Tree Pose, Warrior II, Chair Pose and Janu Sirsasana. Try following your Asana practice with some seated Pranayama using full easy breathing (maybe Ujjayi if you are familiar with it) and focusing on the natural pause at the end of the exhalation. Finish the practice with relaxation allowing the energies to settle, surrendering to gravity and experiencing safety and stillness.

A simple, inexpensive crystal, charm, or piece of Chakra jewellery can be useful in helping you ground yourself. Crystals such as, hematite, labradorite, garnet, ruby, black tourmaline, onyx, fire agate, star ruby smoky quartz, and red jasper are helpful in Root Chakra balancing.

Using Chakra fragrance oils is a beautiful way to stay grounded and energized. Essential oils useful for Root Chakra balance are rosemary, ylang-ylang, frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, patchouli, sandalwood, corn and clematis.

To strengthen this Chakra we can also practice living in the present moment, tasting our food, really listening to what is being said etc. and practice gratitude for who we are, all that we have and the people in our lives.

ChakrasJourney through the


Meditation

John Levine, a pioneer in music sound therapy and inventor of Alphamusic, believes in the power of sound to

effect change in mood and general well-being.Have you ever noticed that when you reminisce about something good from your past, you may catch yourself smiling? Or perhaps you recall something that may hurt or upset you and suddenly you feeling drained or sad. This isn't a mere coincidence; your thoughts have the ability to control the energy that flows in and around you.

This comes about from the energy centres and flows in your body. The seven major energy centres, or Chakras, are located from the base of your spine to the crown of your head and each has different associations.

According to Doreen Virtue, Ph.D., the different energy centres correspond to certain thinking habits. For example, if you are always concerned with money, these thoughts will be linked to a particular energy centre and will affect the flow of energy in your body. Often described as a spinning wheel of light, when healthy, they spin clockwise, brightly and full of light, but when you’re depressed, stressed or run down, they become dirty and dark and energy struggles to flow. When you put aside worries and release your fears to the universe, you will help your chakras to function to their full potential. But how to do this?

Music therapy is a great way to influence your thoughts, clear your chakras and can lead to improved health and a more balanced life. For hundreds of years music has been known to influence mood, brain function and health. Calm and positive music is a motivator to inspire and uplift, and may bury the negative and sad emotions that lead to illnesses. The work of experts such as John Levine has shown that listening to the right style of musical sounds can make significant differences in many aspects of life, including health.

Scientists have investigated this phenomenon and seen that the brain’s electrical signals are strengthened or weakened in accordance with our mood. So altering our brain’s electrical waves through sound therapy can influence our state of mind and health.

AlphamusicJohn Levine, inventor of Alphamusic sound music therapy,

uses a brainwave altering method in his compositions, thanks to his knowledge and experience in sound engineering. The principles used when composing Alphamusic are taken from Western and Eastern civilizations, giving it a unique quality.

When you wake up in the morning after a good night’s sleep, you wake in an alpha brainwave state. Though it can last for the entire day, in today’s busy and demanding world this is rarely the case. This is where Alphamusic comes in. It transforms your unhealthy stressful beta brainwaves into a peaceful haven of alpha waves. You can play Alphamusic in the background all-day or just when in a stressful, anxious or negative mood.

John’s Alphamusic has been successfully tested in many situations, such as showing reduced anxiety for dental surgery and resolving sleep conditions. EEG tests have proved that such music alters brainwaves from unhealthy to healthy ones. Doctors around the globe, including Dr Fahey from Portumna Health Clinic in Galway, are now using Alphamusic instead of prescribing pills that may have other side effects. Dr Fahey reported success rates as high as 100% when using the music in his therapies!

Meditation and alpha wave activitySimilarly, regular meditation has also been shown to increased

alpha wave activity, in turn promoting a healthy immune system. We often find ourselves more prone to illness and infection when stressed – and buzzing on beta waves. So if you want help to stave off the latest bug doing the rounds when you are tired and under pressure, switching your brain to alpha waves to support your immune system is a good start.

When you clear your chakras and make the energy flow easily through your body, your life can be transformed. Alphamusic by John Levine is highly recommended by health professionals and experts such as Patrick Holford, so it could be just that extra help you need to bring about a peaceful, healthy state of mind.

To purchase the perfect Christmas gift or for more information on Alphamusic, visit www.silenceofmusic.com or call 01-443-3861

Clear your Chakras this Christmas with

Music Therapy


Asana

Don’t let tight quadriceps keep you from one of yoga’s most relaxing poses.

By YTI Patron, Julie Gudmestad

Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose) is a passive backbend and a wonderful chest opener that's extremely relaxing and restorative. It's the perfect antidote to an overstressed life – as long as your knees and lower back aren't screaming in agony. Why do some students experience such pleasure and others pure pain in this pose?

VirasanaSupta – Reclining Hero Pose

Yoga Therapy Ireland Autumn 2015 11

It's likely that it has to do with the length in the muscles of your front body. Supta Virasana is a classic front-opening pose. As you sit between your heels, it stretches the fronts of your ankles and lower legs. As you lie back, your quadriceps and abdominal muscles lengthen and open. Extending your arms overhead adds a shoulder and chest stretch. All in all, it's a wonderful position for spacious, relaxed breathing.

But sometimes your lower body doesn't cooperate. If you have knee and back pain in this pose, the culprit is often tightness in your quadriceps, specifically the rectus femoris (RF). I recommend working on this muscle if you're having difficulties in Supta Virasana. One caveat, though: If you have persistent pain in your lower back or knees in the pose, consult your health care provider to rule out structural problems or injuries, then find an experienced teacher for guidance. If you're uncomfortable doing the pose even with skilled supervision, substitute another supported backbend, like Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) or supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose).

The RF is one of the four muscles that form the quadriceps on the front of the thigh. It sits directly under the skin, running right down the center of the thigh between hip and knee. This muscle originates on the front pelvis above the hip socket, and then crosses the front of the hip to join the other three quads: the vastus lateralis, v. intermedius, and v. medialis. The three vastus muscles originate on the femur, and all four quadriceps converge into a common tendon, which attaches to the kneecap. This tendon then extends down past the knee, becoming the patellar ligament, which inserts on the shinbone. All four muscles contract to extend (straighten) the knee. Because RF crosses the hip, it also acts to flex (bend) the hip when the thigh and torso are pulled toward each other.

Long and StrongThe joint a muscle is connected to must oppose the

lengthening action in order to stretch any muscle. In this case, because the quads extend the knee when they contract, you must flex the knee to lengthen and stretch them.

And since RF is connected to two joint muscles, you have to position both joints properly to fully lengthen it. That means you'll have to simultaneously flex (bend) the knee and extend the hip (bring the thighbone in line with or behind the torso). This position describes Supta Virasana perfectly: When you sit between your heels, your knees are deeply flexed, and when you lay your torso back on the floor, your hips are fully extended.

The trouble usually arises when RF doesn't lengthen enough to allow the knees and hips their full range of motion. Often the muscle is too short and hasn't been stretched enough. Perhaps it's been worked hard or you've spent long periods sitting in a chair with hips and knees both at 90-degree angles. And if you're like most yoga practitioners, you probably spend much more time stretching the backs of your thighs than the fronts. In any case, if all four quadriceps are short and tight, they will prevent the knee from flexing fully, and you will have trouble lowering your hips toward your heels—never mind sitting between them.

Trying to force your pelvis down between your heels before the quads are long enough is counterproductive and painful, and can injure your knees. Instead, sit in Virasana on a block or other firm prop for a few minutes each day, and all four parts of the quads will gradually stretch out. Over time, you'll be able to reduce the size of your prop until eventually you'll be able to sit comfortably on the floor between your heels.

To further protect your knees, make sure your feet and toes point straight back behind you and not out to the sides. Also, while you're kneeling before you sit, dig the fingertips

of each hand deep into the back of the knee, pull and hold the flesh of the calf straight back toward the heel, and then move your fingers out as you sit down. Some people find it helpful to gently pull the calf flesh slightly out toward the little-toe side as they pull it back. This rearranging of the calf seems to open a little more space inside the knee and helps avoid undue twisting of the joint.

A tight RF can also cause problems for the lower back by limiting full extension at the hips. If your RF is tight and short, even sitting down on a block near your heels takes up any slack the muscle has to offer. As you move to lie back, the muscle can't lengthen any more, and your pelvis will be stuck in a forward tilt. That places your lower back in an exaggerated and uncomfortable arch. Worse still, if one RF is shorter than the other, just one side of the pelvis will tilt forward, causing the pelvis to twist in relation to the spine and knees. This can strain the knees, sacroiliac joints, and lower back.

Body BalanceA good solution is to balance your stretching between

the fronts and backs of your legs. If you're the proud owner of tight, short RF muscles, be sure to stretch them just as frequently as you do your hamstrings. You'll stretch the RF most effectively if you work on one side at a time, because the muscle is tough (containing lots of gristly connective tissue) and potentially strong. When you try to stretch the left and right together in poses like Supta Virasana or Bhekasana (Frog Pose), they will—like two mischievous kids—simply overpower the stretch, causing your back to overarch.

To get an effective RF stretch, you'll need to flex the knee while you extend the hip in a position you can hold for one to two minutes. Ardha Bhekasana (Half Frog Pose) is a good way to stretch the RFs one at a time. Lie face-down with your shoulders in line with your hips and your knees three to four inches apart, bend your right knee and lift your right foot toward your buttocks.

Use your hand or a strap to catch your foot, and before you pull on the foot, press your pubic bone into the floor, eliminating any gap between the front of your hip and the floor. Then, maintaining the three- to four-inch spread between your knees, gradually pull your heel toward the outer edge of your buttock (not the tailbone). Repeat on the other side. Remember, don't force: Pain in your knee or lower back is never a good thing, and muscle pain can cause the muscle to contract and resist the stretch.

You can also work on your RF muscles at a wall. Start on your hands and knees facing away from the wall, with your feet touching it. Place one shin on the wall, perpendicular to the floor, foot pointing up, and the knee within two to three inches of the wall with plenty of padding beneath it. Now bring the other foot forward to stand flat on the floor a couple of feet from the wall, and you'll be in a modified lunge.

Next, put your hands on two yoga blocks or a chair seat to support yourself as you gradually move your tailbone down and away from the wall and into a deeper lunge. As the RF stretches and gradually lengthens, gently and slowly lift the hips, chest, and torso back toward the wall. If your lower back starts to hurt, ease off.

As you work over the weeks and months to lengthen the fronts of your thighs, come back to Supta Virasana from time to time to see whether you're ready to practice it comfortably. You may find that it helps to start with a bolster or stack of folded blankets under your back and head. In the meantime, you'll have an opportunity to bring yoga philosophy to life: By practicing patience and compassion, you'll learn to breathe and relax into resistance and to persist in the face of a challenge that can't be instantly resolved.


Pranayama

The different types of breath, or life energy

The principle types of life energyWedged between the visible material realm and the transcendental Reality is prâna (“life”) or prâna-shakti (“life energy”). This is an all-pervasive power that sustains every material thing. In its cosmic or universal aspect, it is known as mukhya-prâna; in its microcosmic or individual aspect, it is simply prâna, and the breath is its material correlate. The term is composed of the prefix pra- and the verbal root ân (“to breathe”). The word prâna is widely used already in the archaic Rig-Veda. By the time of the Atharva-Veda (Chapter 15), some 4,500 years ago, we encounter the familiar division of the life energy/breath into four aspects as follows:

• prâna(“in-breath”)-thelifeenergyresiding in the chest and which is connected with inhalation

• apâna(“out-breath”)-thelifeenergypresent in the lower abdomen and which is associated with exhalation

• udâna(“up-breath”)-thelifeenergypresent in the area of the throat and head and which is associated with speech and, in particular, the yogic processes of meditation and conscious dying

• samâna(“mid-breath”)-thelifeenergyresiding in the upper abdomen and navel area and which is responsible, among other things, for the digestive process

• vyâna(“through-breath”)-thelifeenergycirculating throughout the body

The secondary types of life energyIn addition to the above principal types of life

force, some scriptures also know of five secondary types (upaprâna), namely nâga (lit. “serpent”), kûrma (“tortoise”), kri-kara (“kri-maker”), deva-datta (“God-given”), and dhanam-jaya (“conquest of wealth”), which are respectively associated with vomiting (or eructation), blinking, hunger (or sneezing), sleep (or yawning), and decomposition of the corpse.Breath - the connection between mind and body

All these “breaths” animate the otherwise inert body. Especially prâna and apâna play an important role in Yoga. As the Goraksha-Paddhati (1.38-40), a twelfth/thirteenth-century work on Hatha-Yoga, states:

As a ball hit with a crook flies up, so the psyche (jîva), propelled by prâna and apâna, does not stand still.

Under the impact of prâna and apâna, the psyche rushes up and down through the left and right pathways and on account of this fickleness cannot be perceived.

As a hawk tied to a rope can be brought back again when it has flown away, so the psyche bound to the qualities (guna) [of the cosmos, or prakriti] is pulled along by prâna and apâna.

The above stanzas spell out one of the great discoveries of Yoga, namely that mind and breath (or life energy) are closely connected. Influencing the one means influencing the other. When we are upset, we breathe faster. When we are calm, our breathing slows down.

Yogins understood this early on and invented a battery of techniques for controlling the breath in order to control the mind. These techniques are called prânâyâma, which is widely translated as “breath control.” The literal meaning of this Sanskrit term is “lengthening (âyâma) of the life energy.” This is accomplished through breathing rhythmically and slowly and through the special yogic practice of prolonged retention of the breath, either before or after inhalation.

Pranayama: The fourth limb of Patanjali’s eightfold path

In Patanjali’s eightfold path, breath control constitutes the fourth limb. He did not describe or prescribe any specific technique, and elaboration was left to the adepts of Hatha-Yoga many centuries later. They, like most other Tantric adepts, were eager to explore the prâna-maya-kosha, or the “etheric body,” and its subtle energetic environment. By contrast, most contemporary Western schools of Hatha-Yoga ignore prâna and prânâyâma, just as they ignore the mental disciplines and spiritual goals, and instead promote a plethora of physical postures (âsana). This emphasis is problematical, as it has led to an unfortunate reductionism and distortion of the traditional yogic heritage.

The gradual re-inclusion of prânâyâma into contemporary Hatha-Yoga, however, is very promising, because this practice sooner or later leads to an experiential encounter with prâna, which is distinct from mere oxygen.

According to Yoga, we are meant to live a full 120 years. Since we take 21,600 breaths every day, the total number of breath in our lifetime will be 946,080,000 breaths. This may seem like a lot, but we also know that life goes by very quickly. Therefore it makes sense to want our every breath to count, and Yoga makes this possible.

© 2003 Georg Feuerstein

12


PrânaThe Breath of Life

OM– a poem by Parahamsa Yogananda

Whence, whence this soundless roar doth come,When drowseth matter’s dreary drum?On shores of bliss, Om, booming, breaks!All earth, all heaven, all body shakes!Cords bound to flesh are broken all,Vibrations burst, meteors fall!The hustling heart, the boasting breath,No more shall cause the yogi’s death;All nature lies in darkness soft,Dimness of starlight seen aloft;Subconscious dreams have gone to bed...‘Tis then that one doth hear Om’s tread;The bumble-bee now hums along --Hark! Baby Om doth sing His song!From Krishna’s flute the call is sweet:‘Tis time the Watery God to meet!Now, the God of Fire is singing!Om! Om! Om! His harp is ringing.God of Prana now is sounding --Wondrous, breathing-bells resounding!O! Upward climb the living tree;Hark to the cosmic symphony.From Om, the soundless roar! From Om, the call for light o’er dark to roam.From Om the music of the spheres!From Om the mist of nature’s tears!All things of earth and heaven declare,Om! Om! Resounding everywhere!


Pranayama

Agni-Prasana – Breath of FireWhat is Breath of Fire?Breath of Fire is a rhythmic breath with equal emphasis on the inhale and exhale, no deeper than sniffing. It’s done by pumping the naval point towards the spine on the exhale and releasing the naval out on the inhale. It’s practiced through the nostrils with mouth and eyes closes. When done correctly, you should feel you can go on indefinitely.Here are 10 incentives to master Breath of Fire to elevate your mind, body and spirit:1. 5-15 minutes will purify your blood and release deposits from the

lungs. 2. Breath of Fire is a breath that burns away disease and karma. 3. It stimulates the solar plexus to generate heat and release natural

energy throughout the body. 4. It strengthens the magnetic field of the body, or physical aura,

to give you greater protection against negative forces. No more absorbing the negative imprints others throw your way. You act from your inner power.

5. Helps you quickly regain control in a stressful situation by getting you out of your ego and reconnecting to your higher self.

6. Synchronizes your entire system under one rhythm, thus promoting greater internal harmony and health. .

7. Can help overcome addictions and cleanse you of the bad effects of smoking, drugs, sugar, alcohol and caffeine. Start substituting feelings of cravings with Breath of Fire and start unblocking negative habits.

8. When done powerfully, the pulsating of the diaphragm massages the internal organs, thus improving the digestive system.

9. Increases physical endurance when needed in exercise situations. 10. Strengthens and balances your nervous system.

How to do Breath of FireHere is a step by step of how to do Breath of Fire:1. Sitting up tall, with a straight spine, hands placed on knees in open

palm mudra and your eyes closed, start by feeling your belly expand with each inhale and contract with each exhale.

2. Breath of Fire is powered from the navel point (solar plexus) and the diaphragm is used to pump the navel in and out with each exhale and inhale, respectively.

3. Now that you understand the movements of the diaphragm during breathing, open the mouth and pant like a dog to understand the diaphragm pattern. Once you have a rhythm, close your mouth and breathe through your nostrils.

4. Quicken the pace of the inhale and exhale, but keep them equal. There is a quick inhale and quick exhale with no pause between them at the rate of approximately 2-3 cycles per second.

5. Begin practicing for 1-3 minutes at a time. When done correctly, your chest will remain relaxed and slightly lifted and your hands, feet, face and abdomen will also be relaxed.

Please Note: If you feel dizzy, giddy, or light headed, slow down your pace and ensure that both the inhale and exhale are of equal duration. Breath of Fire should not be done by menstruating or pregnant women, or children younger than 16.

Pam Butler facilitates three sessions connecting Breath to Movement

“Mensana” week took place in October in Carlow - a play on the “mens sana in corpore sano” phrase from the poet Juvenal’s Satire X, written a couple of thousand years ago. It has come to mean that a healthy body needs a healthy mind, or a healthy mind creates a healthy body - either way, that the two are inseparable. Carlow Mental Health Association organises this annual week-long event to raise awareness of mental health issues and to present various tools to deal with the challenges that arise.

Yoga is a useful tool for self-managing physical and mental health - an ideal “mens sana in corpore sano” activity. I was invited to lead three sessions connecting breath to movement.

In yoga terms, breath carries the vital life energy (prana), and connects the mind to the body. This isn’t hard to feel - everyone who tried the very simple exercise of coordinating precisely their inhale with the raising of hands overhead and the exhale with pressing the palms floor-wards (or “breathing arms” for short) was immediately engaged mentally in the activity. The result of this even and focused breathing is that the central nervous system becomes quieter. This is a kind of “flow” - that gorgeous feeling you get when you’re totally absorbed in an activity, like painting or dancing or turning clay. The “breathing arms” exercise is highly accessible because it is so easily and quickly done, and requires neither skill nor equipment.Session 1

Claire O’Neill of Irish TV turned up at the first session I was leading at the Delta Centre, with her microphone and camerawoman, to film a segment for Irishtv.ie’s Carlow Matters. After the brief and amusing interview, our small group started with some breath awareness and a few simple poses, ending with a relaxation - some were lying on the floor in the classic savasana pose, some were seated in chairs. Lovely.Session 2

On Tuesday, it was off to The Vault for the after-school drop-in session for teens. A tough nut to crack - with teens, there’s self-consciousness, coolness that must be maintained among peers, unfamiliarity and pre-conceptions about yoga, a noisy atmosphere - all sorts of hurdles to conducting a serene yoga session. Talking above the din, I led a group of 10 teens (six of which were boys - success in itself!) through the breathing-arms exercise, then we did several yoga poses including balances and backbends. We finished with a lie-down relaxation.

We followed that with a short “mindful eating” exercise, in which each participant chooses a clementine and observes it with all their senses as they slowly peel and eat it.

Afterwards, one female participant said to me, “The relaxation was amazing. I felt like I was floating!” But not all teens are so forthcoming, and out of keen curiosity to know how young minds would react to these activities, I had drawn

Yoga Therapy Ireland WInter 2015 15

Mensana

up a questionnaire. I got six anonymous replies, and they were wonderful: four of six respondents were brand-new to yoga. One male participant described yoga as “good fun”. Four participants ticked that yoga was a practice for the mind, stress management and a way to relax, which was encouraging because clearly they saw beyond the “exercise” bit. Two people ticked that their favourite part was the mindful eating practice. One commented, “Really made me think about how much we have that we take for granted”. Result.Session 3

My final Mensana foray was to the Carlow’s consumer mecca, the Fairgreen Shopping Mall, which would seem at first blush to be an exceedingly inappropriate venue for any kind of meditative practice. Yet the most accomplished Buddhist monks bring their serenity with them wherever they go, so it is possible to maintain equanimity in all circumstances (with practice!). As it turned out, it was a superb little group that showed up and sat on chairs in a circle right in the centre of Fairgreen, like the calm in the eye of the storm. Having established (with much giggling) that there was NO WAY we were getting down on the floor, we proceeded with a yoga practice of very simple movements to connect to the breath, then standing poses and finally a seated relaxation. As is often the case, that was the most popular part of the session.

The Fairgreen venue was a microcosm of one of the unhealthy issues we face today as a society: we need spiritual nourishment but are bombarded instead with consumerist fodder, material goods we don’t need. Fittingly, Juvenal’s Satire X was written as a social commentary, reflecting how wrong desire is a source of suffering. It describes perceived threats to the social continuity of the Roman citizens, which included excesses of the elite class. The Roman empire fell. Perhaps we should take that as a warning.

While you might not put yourself in the “elite” category, in the scheme of things we middle-class consumers are pretty elite compared to billions of others. So, despite my initial misgivings of teaching yoga at a mall, in fact it was the most appropriate place to shine a spotlight on the chasm between what we need for our mental and spiritual well-being and what we tend to reach for instead.A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

So, thank you to Carlow Mental Health Association for all the work the committee members and coordinators do to raise awareness. And thank you to all the participants who turned up to broaden their, and by extension, my horizons. I have no new advice for anybody, because it’s all been said before, so I leave you with a translation of Juvenal’s satire: Satire X: Wrong Desire is the Source of Suffering

You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body. Ask for a stout heart that has no fear of death, and deems length of days the least of Nature’s gifts that can endure any kind of toil, that knows neither wrath nor desire and thinks the woes and hard labours of Hercules better than the loves and banquets and downy cushions of the King of Assyria.

What I commend to you, you can give to yourself;For assuredly, the only road to a life of peace is virtue.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Links:Carlowmentalhealth.ieIrishtv.ie/carlow-matters-69Pambutleryoga.com

Yoga atCarlow Mental

Health Week


Features

It had taken many months of hard work to save up and many months

of planning. I was just a humble yoga teacher from Ireland. What was I thinking heading thousands of miles to a conference with world-renowned teachers in an amazing venue?

I don’t deserve this… I’m not worthy! …and came back from the conference a different person… oh yes I am!

The first thing that struck me about everyone and everything that was put out at the conference was how normal and familiar it all was; it all felt right. The common thread was a love of yoga and most of us attending were teachers, there to experience as much yoga as possible and to learn how to better share our love of yoga with our students.

The numbers can be a little intimidating: 36 stories in the hotel, 1,100 attendees (New York has 2,000), 5 full days of workshops and classes, 40 different teachers, close to 100 potential classes to choose from spread over three floors of the hotel and the adjoining conference centre. We had maps and schedules and plenty of Yoga Journal crew on hand to help. Your day could potentially begin at 7 a.m.

with a beachside morning meditation and go on into the evening with free special events, all focused on fun and community.

Jason Crandell and Tiffany Cruikshank

Choosing the workshops is a very difficult process. I chose two teachers I had studied with before and regularly take classes with on Yogaglo, Jason Crandell and Tiffany Cruikshank. The material was very familiar to me. They are both very considered teachers with a huge emphasis on safe alignment and slow, steady progression in a mindful practice, and they did not disappoint. Like many of the other more popular teachers, these workshops took place in huge packed rooms with taped floors so that the mats were all neatly lined up.


Cyndi Lee; Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman

I chose two other teachers I had read or heard about. Cyndi Lee took us deeper into our practice in a way that encouraged us to meet each moment fully. Her workshop, ‘Embodied Equanimity’, was a journey of self-discovery, played out in classic Hatha Yoga poses with thoughtful transitions. Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee led us though a one-day yoga retreat encouraging skilful observation. The progression of poses was carefully planned, taking us on a journey through the body using the breath. Alignment cues between various teachers conflicted... Never, ever hug knee to chest straight after wheel versus come down from wheel and hug knees to chest! Don’t take your knee further than your range of motion in tree vs. take your knee as wide as you can do in tree! This just added to the flavour and complexities of experiencing and teaching yoga. Cyndi wisely told us to write stuff down, practice it, feel it and then decide if it suits you. If and only if it does, pass it on to your students. Rodney encouraged us not to memorise instructions but to feel them and then teach what you have felt.

Vinnie Marino; Kiersten Mooney

I chose two other workshops just because they sounded like fun, and they were. They were in smaller rooms, a class of just 20-30 versus hundreds in the larger workshops. Vinnie Marino took us through a challenging level 2/3 vinyasa flow. He encouraged us to be vibrant, to move and sweat and try difficult asana and to wobble and fall over and to have fun. He was also

thoughtful about alignment and took pauses in the practice to slow us down and be more considered in our actions. Kiersten Mooney started her workshop, The Wow Factor, with a philosophical discussion on the power of meditation, prayer and affirmations and then took us through a powerful flow embodying that theme. I did a community class of partner yoga which was amazingly strong and ended with us all on the floor in a pile, literally crying laughing.

Words and MusicThoughtful language was a theme

that prevailed. “Be soft, open and compassionate… Let your bones sink into the water of your back body (savanasa)… As your collarbones widen they should float…In child’s pose, turn the volume down… Dual quality of effort and surrender.”

Thoughtful use of music was another theme, complete silence at times (pretend a sleeping baby is on your mat) to dynamic, harmonious instrumentals linked to a vibrant flow. Classic hatha yoga done safely and well was a theme for all. Mr. Iyengar was frequently quoted, the sutras of Patanjali, the nervous system, mindfulness, the breath. There was very little about advanced asana, often offered as options but never pushed, very little pressure to try to make any particular shape, very little ego. Simple, classic yoga done with full presence.

The ExperienceThe conference itself could not have

been better organised and everything ran with such ease. There were healthy lunches, plenty of drinking water everywhere and yoga journal crew always on hand. The marketplace was heaven- food, jewellery, books, supplies

and yoga clothing... yoga pants of every colour, print and fabric you could imagine. Yoga pants made from recycled plastic, yoga pants made from organic cotton. Most of the suppliers were small, ethical businesses using well-sourced materials and all passionate about their products.

Yoga Journal Live are passionate about their own ethics. They always use local teachers as well as the world-renowned teachers. Each conference has free community classes open to all. A reduced rate on the conference is available if you volunteer some of your time to be crew at the event and scholarship programmes are available. They often have participants travelling from Ireland.

Attending the conference is more accessible than you would think but it does require a lot of advance planning. Once you have booked you have to access to a community chat room to discuss sharing accommodation and transport. Working part-time at the conference is an option to keep costs down. If you are even slightly intrigued I would encourage you to open your mind to it and plant a little seed. There is so much there for you to explore, practice and connect with, so much for you to wake up to and experience.

One of his students asked Buddha, “Are you the messiah?” No answered Buddha. “Then are you a healer?” No, Buddha replied. “Then are you a teacher?” the student persisted. “No, I am not a teacher.” “Then what are you?” replied the student, exasperated. “I am awake” Buddha replied. www.anandacentre.comwww.restrestoreyoga.com 085 1502378

2015 Yoga JournalConference Sylvia Ferguson

reports from Florida…

Thoughtful use of music was another theme, complete silence at times to dynamic, harmonious instrumentals linked to a vibrant flow


Graduation 2015

Foundation Course

Cancer Care Yoga

Yoga Therapists

Graduation 2015

Maureen and Moira Harper

Moira and Vicky McKeon

Moira and Lynda Kyneston

Moira and Rachel Woolfson

Maureen and Connie Walsh, Yoga for Cancer care course facilitator

Moira and Jane Cassidy

Jakki Reid

Maureen and Moira Harper

Margaret Carton

Moira and Carolina Ortiz

Elma Toland

Levenez Lidec


Graduation 2015 Clontarf Castle Hotel,September 26th

Adela H Garcia

Moira and Vicky McKeon

Anya Kruger

Anna Teague

Geraldine Goodrich

Katrin Scheip (O’Neill)

Jane Cassidy

Emma Guinan

Tara O’Neill

Monica McGovernMaria Wilde

Kassandra Ziolkowska


Graduation 2015TTC 2013-15

Graduation 2015

Nikki Corbett received a Baby Diplomafor her new son Harry

Janeen Kirwan

Nikki Corbett Irene Sheedy

Joanne Bredin

Alison MacIntosh

Liz Hanney

Jane Watt

Paula Crilly

Nicola O’Hanlon

Roisin JinksLaura Wynne


Graduation 2015 Clontarf Castle Hotel,September 26th

Liz Hanney and her family

Foundation group: Lynda, Tara and Brid

Adela H Garcia and her family

Yoga Therapists 2015

Nicola O’Hanlon and her family

TTC Graduates with Course tutors Jakki Reid and Elma Toland

Cancer Care Yoga Teachers

Yoga buddies Vicky McKeon, Geraldine Goodrich, Elaine Parker and Jane Cassidy


Health & Diet

We are a 5th generation family farm in Co.Offaly. It is small, the gates might not hang perfectly, the hedgerows are pretty wild, and grass grows in the

middle of the lanes, unusual wild flowers spring up hither & thither as they wish to. We have an old reliable Leyland, 5 kids & a love for our patch of Ireland.

My sons, my husband, my father in law, his father & his father before him have all walked this land, cared for it, loved it & struggled to make a living but they have all have strived to keep it in good stead for the next generation. In 2013 my husband & I decided to start a small business called The Wild Irish Foragers . From the farm we harvest Rosehips, Elderberries, Damsons, Elderflowers, Gorse, Rowanberries, Sloes, Spring Nettles, Blackberries, Honeysuckle to name a few!! & from them we make Syrups, Sauces, Fruit Cheeses, Jellies, Pontack & our newest product Shrubs.

The name shrub comes from the Arabic shurb, meaning drink, and sharbat, a Hindi word for an aromatic syrup made from fruit or herb and flower extracts, that is stirred into water and served over ice. Shrubs were traditionally a Drinking Vinegar but can be used in many many ways such as dressings, marinades, drinks, cheese shots to name a few.

We strive to recreate a taste of the past, recipes that were used in a bygone era. Wild food used in this way is part of Irish Food Heritage, a simple taste that has been almost forgotten . All our wild berries, flowers & herbs are handpicked by the whole family but my husband is the main forager & our products are handmade by me in small batches. We feel we are listening to our land & are caretakers rather than cultivators & our land if left be is providing for us in a natural way. We, nature & the wildlife can all live together in harmony & all survive

For the moment we have been concentrating on the land & keeping it in good stead. We do however intend to renovate the

old farm buildings i.e the 3 storey mill & associated buildings, to reinstate the mill pond & mill race, to renovate the existing farmhouse & run foraging courses both day courses & residential. We also hope to open an exhibition space & a farm/tea shop. We want to make the farm a place where visitors can reconnect with the land, don the wellies, sup a mug of wild tea, munch on some wild fare & enjoy a wholesome holistic experience. To sit in the old ringfort under the ancient crabapple tree & enjoy the peace & serenity is a beautiful gift & that same crabapple tree also rewards us each year with her wonderful bounty.

Our products are available in a number of outlets nationwide from The English Market in Cork to Rua in Castlebar & a various Food Events throughout the year such as RDS Craft Fair, Dingle Food Festival. A full list of our products & stockists can be found on our Facebook page in the Notes Section or by contacting us at [email protected]. Our website is due to be up & running in Dec 2015 at www.wildirishforagers.ie. We do have a Facebook page: The Wild Irish Foragers & Preservers that has lots more information on us.

Our address: The Wild Irish Foragers, Millhouse Farm, Clonlisk, Shinrone, Birr, Co.Offaly.Awards we have won:FBD Women & Agriculture National Finalists 2015, Blas na hEireann Silver 2013,2014, McKennas Guide 2014,2015, Good Food Ireland Approved Producer, Sustainability Award 2014, Foodies Expo Winners 2014, Taste of Cavan Winners 2014, Listowel National Food Awards Supreme Champions 2014, Taste of Cavan Overall Gold Winners 2015 All Ireland Farmers Market Competition Winners 2015, Blas na hEireann Gold Winners 2015, Blas na hEireann “Best New Product” Winners 2015

Sharon Greene

Wild IrishForagers


Health & DietExcerpt from a longer interview with Sharon Gannon and David Life by Ann Pizer for yoga.about.com

Vegetarianism: The real inconvenient truthHow to put the principles of non-violence (Ahimsa) into action (Karma) in a time when the implications of violent living and animal industries are threatening our continued existence of the earth

What does vegetarianism have to do with yoga? Vegetarianism, real vegetarianism, which means not

eating animals and only eating vegetables (veganism) is the most important aspect of a Yoga practice. A vegan recognizes that animals do not belong to us — they are not ours to eat, to wear, to experiment on or to use for entertainment or any other exploitive purpose. Our present culture is based on the arrogant notion that the earth and all other life forms exist for our human benefit.

Not everyone can stand on his or her head every day, but everyone eats. The goal of Yoga is enlightenment. What is realized in the enlightened state is the oneness of being; the interconnectedness of all of life.

living harmoniously with all of lifeTraditionaly, a yogi was an environmentalist and animal

rights activist. The lineage comes from Lord Shiva, who was considered the protector of the earth and all life forms. One of his names is Pasupati, which means protector of the animals. In order to harm another you must objectify and separate yourself from that other. As you do that, you become disconnected from the whole.

What we do to others will come back to usThrough making compassionate food choices, you will

begin to experience a diminishing of selfishness and low self-esteem. You will feel more self-confident, as all the disease associated with harming others is lifted from your daily life. If we want to be happy, then we should not cause others unhappiness. If we ourselves want to be free, then it seems to be we would not make a slave of anyone else.

Fundamental to the teachings of Yoga are the teachings of karma. Karma means action. The yogi begins to realize through the practice how significant each thought, word and action really is, and how it affects the whole community of life. How we treat others will determine our reality. A yogi practices Yoga to purify their karmas.

When we practice asanas, we come face-to-face with all of our past relationships in the form of unresolved karmic residue, which is actually what our bodies are made of. When you feel this through Yoga practice, you tend not to want to

A New Year,A New Beginning

Planting the seed for the future life of the planet, and a new way of living your life in yogaincrease the karmic burden you are trying to unload. You don’t want to continue to cause harm to others, so you stop eating them and causing their exploitation. You literally want to become lighter — more enlightened.

You begin to understand Patanjali’s sutra, Sthira Sukham Asana, which means that our connection (relationship) to the earth and all other beings (what the word asana means) should be mutually beneficial, should be coming from a consistent (Sthira) place of joy (Sukham).

The only option availableA vegan diet is not one of deprivation; it is really the only

option available to those who want to be happy themselves and who want to contribute to the happiness of others and the future life of this planet. I consider myself a joyous vegan because I get to contribute to the enrichment of this planet instead of its demise. Not only am I not causing the degradation and death of farm animals, but I’m not causing so much water pollution, deforestation, wildlife habitat destruction, the sickness and death of wild animals, air pollution, or global warming.

The United Nations has issued a report stating that the waste emissions from animals raised for food contributes more to global warming than all the car and truck emissions in the world. That’s the real inconvenient truth.

Yoga and Vegetarianism by Sharon Gannon – available on Amazon

About Sharon Gannon and David Life: Sharon Gannon and David Life are the founders of the Jivamukti Yoga School in New York City. There are now Jivamukti centres and teachers worldwide. This style blends vigorous vinyasa practice with spiritual teachings, chanting and an emphasis on how to bring Yoga’s philosophy into daily life.


Meditation

Lovers of Yoga, a.k.a Yogis, let me tell you all about “Mindfulness”…about becoming embodied, getting out of your head and into your heart, listening to your breath, tuning into your senses, being in the here and now…and how that practice can shift your perspective powerfully and help you appreciate living in a different way….

Are you listening…? Stillness in motion? Awareness? Presence? Anybody?

Okay so, mindful attention is at the heart of yoga, which has been practised for decades in community centres, parish halls, hotel conference rooms, front rooms, studios, fields, forests and beaches up and down the country. Yes? So have you wondered why the sudden surge in popularity of “mindfulness”? It’s everywhere. Doctors are recommending it, there are colouring books, courses, chats on the radio, TV programmes, articles (ahem, guilty)… A flood of MINDFULNESS, threatening to reach saturation point?

Let me give you a bit of background: I’ve started an MSc in Mindfulness-based Interventions at UCD; and while I’m focusing on Mindfulness, I’ve been asked to contribute some musings to the Yoga Therapy Ireland magazine. (Why me? See biography, page 5.)

Mindfulness-Based InterventionsMore about the MSc…The course at UCD is in

its second year. It has a 35-year academic history. It started with Jon Kabat Zinn’s work at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He developed an 8-week training course for patients living with chronic pain. This course is known

as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). It was essentially a course in mindfulness training, consisting of the practice of a “body scan”, breath awareness meditation and mindful movement.

The clinical success of MBSR lent credibility to mindfulness as a medical intervention. When some exercises looking at thoughts, feelings and moods in the same way as looking at the breath were added (ok, so I’ve oversimplified this here!), a new version: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was born. MBCT was designed to help prevent relapse in patients suffering recurring depression.

Since then, MBSR/MBCT has been delivered as a therapeutic intervention for many other conditions, including what I will lovingly call, the Human Condition.

Practise Mindfulness and Yoga, especially at Christmas…

So, let me share some musings on mindfulness, and with Christmas and the New Year imminent, some reminders for us all…

Season of goodwill, joy to the world, a happy time, presents and food galore, families smiling around the tables at each other... that’s the promise. But why so much suffering – dread, fights, upset, sadness, competition, hangovers, tension, loneliness, regrets, guilt?

Too many “ideas” about Christmas can stand in the

MindfulnessHow to “get over the

Christmas” by YTI graduate and former tutor, Helen Downey

Musings on


way of actually experiencing the days of Christmas with our eyes and ears open, our minds open, tuned into our bodies, living the moments, whether they are pleasant or unpleasant.

Can we bring the attitude cultivated in our yoga practice to our Christmas days?

Can we bring an attentiveness to everything that is actually happening – the colours, the faces, the sounds, the tastes – an ongoing “curiosity”, staying connected with the breath and the feet on the ground – without judgement? Can we decide not to resist the “unpleasant”, or to desperately chase the pleasures? Because the resisting and the chasing can bring about more suffering. The aversions and grasping may lead us into spirals of ruminating thoughts, emotions running high and overdoing it on all fronts or running away.

It’s okay to suffer during Christmas - it’s as natural as feeling joy – and life is a curious mix of the two, beyond explanation. So how do we maintain equanimity during the holiday – an openness to the joy and sorrow of the season?

Make time for simple yoga practice; ten minutes time-out or the luxury of an hour on your mat. Firstly, tune into the moment, and then turn towards your body, and feel how it is. Put your hand on

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.And the self-same well from which your

laughter rises, is oftentimes filled with your tears

And how else can it be?The deeper that sorrow carves into your

being,The more joy you can contain.

Extract from On Joy and Sorrow by Kahlil Gibran

Like two golden birds perched on the selfsame tree,

Intimate friends, the ego and the SelfDwell in the same body. The former eatsThe sweet and sour fruits of the tree of lifeWhile the latter looks on in detachment.

Extract from Mundaka Upanishad

To the loving eye, everything is real.

This art of love is neither sentimental nor naïve.

Such love is the greatest criterion of truth,

celebration and reality.Extract from Anam Cara by John O’Donohue

your heart and tune into your emotions. Quieten down and watch your thoughts, like snowflakes falling or in a blizzard and settling. Move and breathe mindfully, giving yourself permission to tune into the truth at the heart of your lived experience. This mindfulness may lead you to some wise decisions over Christmas (hey, it’s the arrival of the Wise Men from the East…freaky) if you stay awake and attentive, and persevere in the face of natural suffering.

Regular practice during the season of Christmas and the New Year is a wonderful present to ourselves, which costs nothing but brings deep sustenance to the core of our being – it’s an act of love. Can we put that on our Christmas list?


Training

The YTI Yoga for Sports Course runs over three days. Its aim is to upskill yoga teachers and build on their prior yoga knowledge in order to teach yoga to athletes and sports people.

The course explores yoga in a variety of ways that address the needs of the athlete/ sports person. The course offers yoga as a cross-training practice that will help sports people see the value of yoga to complement their existing strength training practices.

For the yoga teachers taking the course, the focus is on the key elements of Hatha yoga. Alignment and core strength are at the fore in their roles of helping to prevent injuries and improve form. A variety of asanas and stretches are explored which increase range of motion of joints and flexibility/strength of muscles. Breath training is used to help performance and endurance. Breath training is also used to help with mental focus and relaxation.

Days 1 and 2Over the first two days, anatomy is central to the course and

is explored to deepen the yoga teachers understanding of the most common overuse injuries that occur in sports people. The course explores how yoga can be used in helping to prevent these injuries.

On the floor,the tutors present “class plans in action”, using yoga practices to create good alignment , build muscle strength and flexibility, improve mobility and help prevent injuries – injuries that stem mostly from misalignment and overuse.

Scenarios are set as “on the floor” assignments and yoga teachers work together in groups designing and presenting class plans and receiving feedback from tutors.

Day 3Day three of the course is a practical day. YTI teachers who

teach yoga to athletes and sports people lead four different, hour-long classes over the span of the day, presenting yoga for various groups of athletes/sports people, ranging from highly competitive ball players to cyclists and golfers.

After each class there will be a Q&A session for teachers to dialogue and ask questions etc.

Overall, the Yoga for Sports Course aims to create a very real balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

Certificates are presented on completion of the course.Elma Toland – YTI Tutor

YTI Yoga for Sports Course13, 14, 27 February, 2016


Previews

Jan DuffyJan Duffy is a qualified and experienced prenatal teacher who has helped hundreds of Irish women use yoga in pregnancy and childbirth. She is a certified prenatal teacher and birth doula, and teaches a range of classes for women: pre- and post-natal, pelvic floor and fertility. She regularly leads active birth workshops for pregnant women and their partners, and has served as a doula for nine moms since 2011.

Jan’s philosophy comes from personal practice and from studying with great teachers. She has studied internationally with yogis including Tias Little (yoga meditation), Max Strom (teacher training), Gary Kraftsow (Viniyoga therapy), Paul Grilley (anatomy intensive), Sarah Powers & Paulie Zink (Yin yoga) and Leslie Howard (pelvic floor).

Jan received her initial two-year teacher training and one year post-graduate training from Yoga Therapy Ireland, her pregnancy yoga certification from Janice Clarfield at Kripalu, the renowned yoga centre in Massachusetts, and has also trained in India. From 2006 to 2008 she lived in New York and practiced regularly at centres including OM Yoga and Kripalu. She studied post-natal mom & baby yoga with Uma Dinsmore-Tuli in London. She is a member of DONA International and the Doula Association of Ireland and is trained in hypnobirthing.

She relied on yoga to recover fully from neck surgery in 2000 and to deliver her baby daughters at home in 2007 and 2009. She passionately believes in yoga as a tool for fearless birthing. By nurturing the developing bond between the mom and baby during pregnancy through movement and breath, the mother begins to trust the deep wisdom of her body and baby. Her classes focus on strengthening, releasing and relaxing, while remaining comfortable. She encourages her students to see how yoga can help us cope with daily physical and emotional challenges, and bring a balanced perspective to our lives.

Lucy Cullenlucy began practising yoga in 1998 and since attending her very first class she has been aware of the many benefits that yoga has brought into her life and is now delighted to be able to pass those teachings on to others. she completed her initial yoga teacher training with yoga Therapy ireland in 2004 and since then has completed more than 1000 hrs of further formal training including yTi pregnancy yoga teacher training; yTi post graduate and yoga therapy diplomas and a full teacher training qualification in the viniyoga of yoga approach with association of yoga studies.

lucy teaches hatha yoga with an emphasis on synchronising breath with movement in order to bring a high level of mindfulness to the practice so that the experience is truly about body, mind and spirit.

she feels that along with the more obvious physical benefits and increase in energy levels, yoga can help us to connect with our inner strengths, to develop a positive outlook and to really enjoy life.

Lucy is firmly convinced that yoga can be practised by everybody, regardless of age or ability and has a special interest in the more therapeutic aspects of yoga.

lucy teaches a variety of yoga classes from teenagers to chair yoga and has been teaching pre-natal yoga for almost ten years.

in all of lucy’s pre-natal classes there is an emphasis on breathwork and mindful movement both of which are particularly useful in pregnancy. she has witnessed over and over again how yoga can support women through pregnancy and birth helping to make their experience a positive one.

Yoga for Pregnancy Course with Jan Duffy and Lucy Cullen


Preview

EleanorDawson WorkshopYoga, Sound and Mantra – 30 Jan. 2016

Exploring resonance in teaching and our personal practice During my one-day workshop in Marino College, we will be looking at using sound and mantra in a yoga class or practice. Sound can be a powerful way of connecting with our energy and emotions, and can be used both as part of an asana practice as well as a separate, seated practice. The main purpose of the workshop is for practitioners and teachers to become more confident in using sound for themselves, and to gain some understanding of how to bring sound and chant into a general yoga class.

Many people are wary of using their voice, having negative experiences in the past which bring an anxiety around singing or performing. This type of practice is accessible to everyone, and can be helpful for addressing those anxieties and working with sound as a way of getting to know ourselves better, just as we do through asana and pranayama practice.

Sound as VibrationThe main focus of the day will be exploring sound as a

vibration, or resonance within the body. Just as when you drop a pebble into water, it produces ripples which radiate out from the central entry point, so too with sound - the vibration “ripples” out from our own centre, reaching out through the body and into our energy field. Working with sound from the inside out like this means we really embody our sound – the vibration enlivens or calms the system, depending on the way we use the sound. So, much of our exploration will be “tuning

in”, seeing how we can be totally present to our own body and vibration, avoiding any sense of “performing”.

Mantra and ChantsWe’ll work initially with vowel sounds, sensing how the

innate properties of the different vowels affect us and the posture in different ways, then move on to simple one-syllable bija mantra, looking at how these can be used to produce different energetic and therapeutic effects. Part of the day will involve tuning into the mantra for the chakra centres, which is a fascinating way of linking the physical and energetic bodies, and we’ll do this through both a physical, postural practice with sound, and as a seated practice. By the end of the day we’ll have a look at slightly longer mantra and chants from the Vedic tradition.

My hope is that the workshop will help you begin to become more aware of the subtle qualities of sound, mantra and chant, and to gain confidence in using sound both for yourselves, and in a teaching situation. Viveka, or discrimination, is the ultimate aim of any yoga practice, and sound, like any yoga tool, needs to be used wisely, and often less is more!

We are all resonating bodies – and that’s what tunes us into the world, which is itself one wonderfully pulsating system. Work with sound is accessible to all of us, and a powerful tool for healing and transformation. If we can trust in our own body and inner voice, and learn to use it for our own growth and that of our students, it can be a beautiful experience and add nourishment to our yoga journey.

Eleanor Dawson


Preview

Workshop – Michael Ryan – 5 March 2016 We, as humans in the west, are facing an epidemic of chronic back weakness and pain. This is telling us straight away that something is up with the way in which we are moving, or not moving, and the way in which we are inhabiting our bodies.

What if we ran with the idea that in a place of balance we are designed to experience health - health in body, mind and heart – and that there is a deep order to the unfolding nature of life and our job here on this earth is to reveal that order? Of course this would be the aspiration of many modalities, to move from disease into ease, from ill health into health and from imbalance into balance.

Connection In the years in which I practised Modern Postural Yoga I found

it of great benefit, but, in hindsight, I realised that although the practice does of course promote change in a very positive way when practised safely and skilfully, it seemed to do little in affecting the subtler chronic issues which had manifested in my physical body due to my deep programmes of separation and the fear that belief system generated. The need to feel protected arises the moment we leave the womb. The body remembers that in the womb it was safe, that it felt connected to something bigger; and it remembers the shape it was in at that time. The body then moves toward adopting this shape in order to feel safe, towards a dominant primary curve within the thoracic spine, and through this creates a weakening of the secondary curves of the lumber and cervical spine.

ResistanceIf we think of the future as the unknown, then we realise that

we are always walking into the unknown. All we need is a few wounding experiences to create internal programmes, which in turn create a fear of the unknown and an unhealthy, uneasy relationship with moving forward in the world, or even more simply put, a resistance to change. The body then begins to react by manifesting that fear, that uneasiness, be it conscious or unconscious, felt or repressed, by closing and protecting, and in doing so breeds imbalance, pain, suffering and disease.

Our continual unconscious movement in this way compounds this alignment. The distribution of work throughout the body becomes imbalanced and as some muscles overwork and others sleep, the body moves toward an ever increasing shutting down. And of course this promotes a cessation of internal pulsation; i.e. blood, lymph, prana, etc. The patterns we most commonly see are an overactive front body and a docile, unconscious back body.

Fear and FreedomIn reality, our bodies run on a spectrum that has two opposite

ends. At one end is fear and at the other is freedom. The aim of any healing modality is to move toward freedom. If the deep patterning of the body is to always be in low level fear/protection mode then any practice dealing with creating change needs to be aware of the effect that this mind-set creates. It also needs to recognise that we have programmed ourselves to feel safe in this discomfort; somewhat like staying in an abusive relationship.

Why do we, generally, not move freely or lightly, with strength and grace? Why is the experience of being embodied so often one of heaviness or sluggishness? And why do we so often take this for granted, resisting the steps necessary to promote mobility and experience freedom?

The Animal KingdomIf we look more closely at the animal kingdom and the way

in which other vertebrae mammals are aligned in terms of the relationship between their bones and connective tissues, we see the same patterns again and again, patterns that clearly support these animals in moving freely and lightly through their environments. So why is it different for us as humans? First, we notice the differences in physical alignment, i.e. the depth in which the femur bone sits in the acetabulum allowing the gluts to become expanded and powerful, the deep full curves of the back body, the expanded full rib cage, the long toned abdomen, the graceful balance where all parts participate. We also realise that in the animal kingdom, there is a very different approach to dealing with fear and trauma in the body; the most notable difference being that animals have instinctual ways of releasing these emotions. We then begin to ask if there is a correlation between that process of releasing trauma and the way in which the physical form is aligned or held. Studies show that the way we hold our bodies has a huge effect on the body’s ability to heal itself, to release stress, tightness and move back toward homeostasis.

Sridiava YogaSridiava’s bow-spring approach to alignment learns from the

natural world by observing nature, and seeing the similarities and potential for us in it. So often our habit to access movement is to tighten and contract, compacting our unconscious programming so that moving forward in the world is a dangerous thing, while other animals expand and lengthen because their movement is not tinged with a deep-seeded, unhealthy belief system.

The back and spine have curves, and when they are aligned skilfully by learning to integrate all of the parts, we begin the journey to the greatest strength, flexibility and lightness of movement that is possible for the human form. But the work goes so much deeper. By teaching the body to access this natural curvature of the body in a sensitive, integrated way we evolve the para-sympathetic nervous system’s response to change and moving forward in the world.

As the body learns to work as an integrated system, the tone of the connective tissues of the body become more uniformed and the quality of that tone more liquid. This acts in a similar way to getting a hug from someone you love; the body releases trauma and creates the space for future movement to arise from a place of greater awareness and sensitivity. In this way, the body becomes a vehicle to experience Freedom at the deepest level.

Movement Medicine and Sridaiva


Reviews

Photo by Jane Whelan

– 28 Nov.2015Loved the workshop, read about it in your magazine. Thought Sue a terrific teacher. Patient, thorough, caring and extremely experienced. Would like to do more work with her in future.

Lainey Ennis

As a yoga teacher, everyone seems to expect that I spend my time balancing on one leg or my head whereas in reality, I spend more time in Viparita Karani than any other pose. Restorative yoga has

yogatherapyirelandEvents 201630 Jan.: Eleanor Dawson - Yoga and Mantra 27 feb.: 10am -1pm: Anya Kruger - Yoga for Children with Autism5 mar.: Michael Ryan - Movement Medicine23 apr.: Charlotta Martinus - Yoga for Teens 28 & 29 may: Weekend Intensive

with Julie Gudmestad

Training 2016 - 201713, 14 & 27 february 2016.:

Yoga for Sports Course

16 -17 april & 18 June 2016: Connie Walsh– Yoga for Cancer Care

Beginning in sept. 2016: Teacher Training Course 2016-18

Beginning in sept. 2016: Therapy Diploma Course 2017-18

Beginning in nov. 2016: Foundation Course 2016-17

dates TBC: Journey through the Chakras

Venue: Unless otherwise stated, all events and training courses are held at the Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin and run from 10.00am – 4.30/5pm. Accommodation available at Marino Institute – see ad on page 36.

FORTHCOMING EvENTS 2016

Sue Flamm: Restorative Yoga Workshop always appealed to me more than any other form due its

therapeutic effects, and a whole day dedicated to it was just what the doctor ordered at this time of year. I showed up tired, stiff, sore and premenstrual to Sue’s workshop and left feeling soothed and restored. The knot I’d had all week in my stomach despite my meditation and pranayama practices, had finally dissolved and the tension in my back and shoulders had softened. Although I knew the poses and practise them regularly, it was such a luxury to have someone else guide me through the practice and so lovely to have a partner’s touch easing me into a deeper place of stillness. Sue’s friendly, open approach ensured the day flowed perfectly and I picked up some great tips on adjustments, especially in Supta Baddha Konasana. Thank you Sue, for a lovely day.

Jane Whelan

I don’t teach restorative yoga in my classes. My classes are usually quite active. I would hold asanas but only for a few breathes. So I was not sure what I would make of restorative yoga and was a little apprehension of doing the workshop. A good friend of mine told me to try and relax and enjoy the day. So with this in mind I went off to do the workshop and I’m so glad I did. I had a truly wonderful day of Yoga. Its been a long time since I felt so relaxed. It had been a long time since I gave myself time to relax. Sue Flamm seemed to contact with everybody. And I think because of this we were all able to relax so much more. Thank you Sue Flamm and YTI for another great day of Yoga.

Om Shanti, Peter Walsh, YTI Dip.,


MULTI-BOOKING FORMEVENTS 2016 Members Non-members30 Jan: Eleanor Dawson - Yoga and Mantra €55.00 €65.00 27 Feb: Anya Kruger - Yoga for Children with Autism €40.00 €50.005 Mar: Michael Ryan - Movement Medicine €55.00 €65.0023 Apr.: Charlotta Martinus - Yoga for Teens €55.00 €65.0028 & 29 May: Julie Gudmestad - Weekend Intensive €165.00 €180.00

TRAINING 2016-2018Foundation Course 2016-2017 €480.00 Teacher Training Course 2016-2018 Full details from office Therapy Diploma Course 2017-2018 Full details from office Yoga for Sports 2016 €250.00Yoga for Children 2016 €300.00 Yoga for Pregnancy 2016 €495.00Journey through the Chakras 2016 €480.00Yoga for Cancer Care 2016 €300.00Name: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Address:_ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Tel: ______________ Mobile:_______________Email:____________________________ Membership No.:______________________________

A non-refundable deposit of €50.00 per Event and €100.00 per Short Training Course is payable in order to secure a place. The balance is payable on the day for Events and on the first day of the course for Training Courses.

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(Note: Yoga teacher members must keep their subscription up-to-date in order for their insurance under the YTI Group Insurance Scheme to remain valid)

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Please fill in all sections and return this form with €35.00 subscription to: Yoga Therapy Ireland, 20 Auburn Drive, Killiney, Co. Dublin.

Book two one-day events at the same time and pay €100 (members)

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Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford, €37.00 ISBN: 9781556434303

The authoritative source on East/West nutrition, this comprehensive reference has been completely revised and updated with information on the benefits of whole foods for overcoming degenerative diseases. Illustrations.

Spiritaul Nutrition by By Gabriel Cousens,

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