For teachers of yoga

 

“Every yoga teacher is kind and genuine and has their own yoga practice and bad things and exploitation don’t happen in the world of yoga.”

 

That was what I thought going into teaching. Boy, was I blissfully unaware of the reality back then. 

 

My first experiences as a teacher of yoga were wonderful. I started Happy Hippiez Yoga, and was teaching to a lovely group of students to whom I could connect in a very nice way, continuing to deepen my own knowledge and understanding of the practice, whilst finding my own teaching voice and style. 

 

Then when the pandemic came, I decided to start teaching at other shalas and gyms as well, to generate some more income so that I could continue to do what I loved: to share the teachings of yoga. 

 

I fully believed (and secretly hoped) that these studio owners would have the same basic yogic values that I uphold and stand for. I thought kindness would be a foundation for all people practicing and teaching yoga. 

 

I thought these businesses would be rooted in satya (truthfulness), aparigraha (non-greed), in an established discipline and deep study of yoga (tapas and svadhyaya), as I had based my company upon, and still do to this day. 

 

The reality however turned out to be surprisingly disappointing. Not only was there no connection to any practice of yoga for most of them, the greed and deep exploitation of those of us who willingly give and give (because we believe it is our dharma to do so) has been eye opening and in one instance even traumatizing. 

 

In my humble opinion any teacher of whatever practice or lineage or specialization needs to, at the very least, have an established practice of that which they teach themselves. 

 

Luckily since then I have met many other genuine teachers, practitioners and yoga shalas who share those important values and who continue to uphold a deeper space for learning and growth, where the core value is to genuinely practice first, and then teach from that foundation. 

 

Therefore, I too continue to do my sadhana, my practice. I continue to invest in studying and practicing with my own teachers. I will forever be a student to the practice first, and only then can I be a teacher holding space for students. My teacher training journey didn’t stop after a 200h training. Here I am, after taking over 1600h of teacher trainings, telling you that my journey is far from completed. 

 

Let’s all stay students to our practices. Let’s keep exploring. Let’s practice what we preach!

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desires

Have you ever wanted something so much that you can’t stop thinking about that thing and almost obsess over it? Where your mind is controlled by your immense liking of this object or situation or person even. In yoga we call this raga (attachment). In this state the mind is not calm nor balanced. Then what happens when we obtain that thing we wanted so badly? Oftentimes, once we get it, we no longer value or appreciate it. It becomes normal or in some cases, when it doesn't turn out to give the desired satisfaction or outcome, even a source of frustration, which in yoga we call dvesha (aversion).

 

So in yoga, how do we deal with desires and invite more balance?

 

“One becomes exhausted with the unending pursuit of seeking fulfillment in this way but attaining only temporary and unfulfilling (from an ultimate perspective) pleasures. Therefore, the wise strive for detachment and the eternal experience of the soul rather than the never-ending pursuit of ephemeral pleasure.” - From the commentary of Edwin F. Bryant on Yoga Sūtra 1.15

 

There are two ways to control the vṛtti states of mind. One is abhyāsa: regular and consistent practice. The other one is vairāgyam (dispassion).

 

Life teaches us that vairāgyam (dispassion) isn’t about being free from desires because this can create an aversion (dvesha) to it, but it is about being indifferent to them. That is where the balance comes from.

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what is yoga?

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What is yoga? 

 

It can be a difficult thing to answer in just one single phrase. Especially because people often see it only as a physical practice of yoga postures. But as most sincere practitioners know true yoga goes far beyond that.

 

According to sage Patañjali Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind “yogaḥ citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ”.

 

If you immerse yourself into the practice you will come to find that postures and techniques are just tools to get to what Patañjali is talking about. It can transform into a state of being, but it is a journey that unfolds with each sincere and dedicated practice on and off the yoga mat. The lessons will unfold themselves gradually, over time. The more effort you pour in, the more you will receive in return if you practice sincerely and without expectations. 

 

How has yoga, as a state of being more than simply “doing”, unfolded in your life? 

 

May your practice always continue to be a path of growth and especially self-discovery.

 

Come and practice with me at Happy Hippiez Yoga and Yoga Madeira (@madeiraislandyoga on instagram).

 

See you on the mat!

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practice is magic

Practice is magic 🧘‍♀️✨

 

It really makes life so much better. I never regret a practice. How many times have you felt blah and dull, uninspired and just not that great, only to come out of your yoga practice feeling the opposite! Warm hearted, inspired, transformed, and grateful.

 

Your energy changes. You connect to your true self. Now that’s what I call magic ✨

 

Do you too experience this touch of magic after you do yoga? 

 

May your practice continue to be a source of joy, transformation, and connection. 

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happiness

What is happiness to you? 

 

In my life I try not to see happiness as a destination but more as part of my journey. 

 

When I was younger I tried to attain happiness and chase it. I thought happiness could be found in material things, however fleeting those perceived blissful moments were.

 

Nowadays I no longer believe material possessions bring the happiness that most of us our searching for. 

 

If we live life harmoniously and don't strive directly for happiness but instead cultivate the foundation upon which peace and love can grow we can invite so much more into our lives.

 

We can be present and see ourselves and our life for what it truly is: already beautiful.

 

We can't force happiness, but we can extend an invitation. By aligning with our authentic selves, we open our hearts to joy and peace.

 

The more I invest in learning all the lessons from my practice, the more I see yoga as a sacred space to learn the skills of growth and deep self awareness. 

 

Every posture and every breath becomes a teacher on its own, and is an invitation to live in more peace and mindful harmony.

 

I am curious to know: How do you invite happiness into your life? 

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unique viewpoints

We all have different opinions, different views on life, different ways of expressing love, and different ways of doing “what’s right”. That is what makes us unique, paving our own paths of learning and living. 

 

Our viewpoints are shaped by the sum of our experiences, making them inherently subjective. 

 

None of us hold the complete truth at all times. Keep that in mind when judging an experience or someone else’s viewpoint. Striving to understand instead of judge and react.

 

Let's be mindful of this truth and make space in our hearts for perspectives that diverge from our own. Let's lend an ear to those whose very existence challenges our beliefs. 

 

Just like you want to be able to show up as your true and authentic self, with your unique and specific beliefs and ways, someone with a different perspective does too. 

 

Someone with a different opinion does not take that point of view with the intention to hurt someone with the opposite opinion. We are all doing what we believe to be right. 

 

When we listen, we can learn..

 

It's in these moments of open-hearted listening that we grow, evolve, and discover the beauty in our diverse humanity. 

 

How can you learn from an opposing view today? How does this mirror your own behavior and personality?

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whispering winds of prana

In today's blog post we will delve into the transformative practice of Prānāyāma. Often referred to as the "science of breath," Prānāyāma encompasses various techniques that harness the power of conscious breathing to enhance physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Now let us explore the benefits, techniques, and tips for incorporating Prānāyāma into your daily yoga practice.

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Understanding Prānāyāma

Prānāyāma, derived from the Sanskrit words "prāṇa" (life force) and "ayāma/yāma" (extension or control), focuses on regulating and expanding the breath to improve vitality and clarity. By manipulating the breath, we can influence our energy, calm the mind, and attain a deeper state of self-awareness.

 

Benefits of Prānāyāma

• Enhanced Respiratory Function: Prānāyāma techniques strengthen the respiratory muscles, increase lung capacity, and improve oxygenation, leading to improved overall respiratory health.

• Stress Reduction: The conscious, deep breathing involved in Prānāyāma activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and reducing stress levels.

• Mental Clarity: Regular practice of Prānāyāma enhances focus, concentration, and mental clarity, providing a sense of calmness and centeredness.

• Energizing and Balancing: Prānāyāma techniques can invigorate the body, increase vitality, and balance the subtle energy channels (nadis) in the body.

• Detoxification: Deep, conscious breathing aids in removing toxins and stagnant energy, promoting overall detoxification and rejuvenation.

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Popular Prānāyāma Techniques

- Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing): Balances the flow of energy in the body, harmonizes the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and calms the mind.

- Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath): Cleanses the respiratory system, energizes the body, and purifies the mind. Note that Kapalabhati is often referred to as a Prānāyāma, however it is actually a ṣaṭkarma (also known as shatkriya).

- Ujjayi Prānāyāma (Victorious Breath): Deep breathing technique with sound, which warms the body, and cultivates internal heat during yoga practice. In our Ashtanga āsana practice we use a deep breathing technique with sound, based on this Ujjayi Prānāyāma.

 

Let the breath be your guide as you embark on the journey of Prānāyāma. Explore its vast potential, and witness the profound impact it can have on your yoga practice and overall well-being. And remember: āsana is the prerequisite to a good Prānāyāma practice. To be able to hold a steady seat is necessary in order to practice Prānāyāma.

 

It is advisable to seek guidance from a qualified yoga teacher or Prānāyāma teacher to learn and practice Prānāyāma techniques safely and effectively.

 

Prānāyāma refers to the control and regulation of breath, and is considered a vital tool in the overall practice of yoga, supporting physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual growth.

Patañjali emphasizes the significance of Prānāyāma as a means to control the fluctuations of the mind and cultivate a state of deep concentration. Have a look at our page that explores the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, to deeper explore what Prānāyāma actually is.

 

Namaste!

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ashtanga yoga chants

In traditional Ashtanga Yoga, we always start our practice with an opening chant and close the practice with a closing chant. If you would like to know what these chants look like written in Sanskrit, how to pronounce them, and what the translations are, click to download our pdf file with both written chants. To get the full chanting experience join one of our Ashtanga Yoga classes.

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Dharma Talk:Dealing with people & Manipura Chakra

Aloha, in this blog we will have another Dharma Talk. There are two subjects we will be talking about. First we’ll take a look at one of Patanjali’s yoga sutras, Sutra 1.33 that teaches us how to deal with others. Then we will talk about one of the chakras, Manipura Chakra, the Solar Plexus Chakra.

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For the Sutra part of this talk I chose Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.33, which talks about keeping an elevated and calm state of mind. In this sutra Patanjali gives us 4 ways to be around people, or to deal with people. We are taught to be happy for people who are happy, even if we disagree with their source of happiness. When we see someone who is sad, we approach them with compassion. When we look upon someone and perceive them to be lucky, we will meet them not with jealousy, but with delight. And last but not least, the wicked we will disregard or be indifferent to. All of these states of being can be challenging and might not always come to us as easily as we’d like them to. Yet, when we live by these four ways of dealing with people, we ourselves stay in an elevated place of happiness and peace of mind.

 

When I was researching this particular sutra I came across a very interesting little story from the Pañca Tantra, that explained that one day, a very rainy day, a monkey and a little bird, a sparrow, were sitting on different branches of the same tree. The monkey was drenched while the sparrow had built itself a beautiful little nest. It had even built itself different rooms within its very nest, making it super warm and cosy and a wonderful place to be. Once the sparrow noticed the monkey it said ‘my friend, I am very tiny, I don’t even have hands, but I did manage to build this beautiful house for myself to keep me warm, because I knew a cold and rainy day like this one would come around’. Upon hearing this, the monkey was offended. It turned to the sparrow and said ‘you devil, how dare you advise me?’ In his anger he tore the sparrow’s nest to pieces. Now they were both out in the cold and rain.

 

When we try to advise the wicked, they can take it as an insult. They will think you are teasing them and showing off, even if that is not your intention and you just want to help. By giving the wicked advice we will only lose our own peace of mind. So that is what Patanjali is teaching us here as well. By not engaging with the wicked, by being indifferent to them, we can keep our peace.

 

Sometimes approaching people in this matter takes courage and confidence, and even self respect. That takes us to our next part of this Dharma Talk, the chakras.

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Chakras are energy centers within the body. Chakra means wheel. In this dharma talk we’ll take a closer look at manipura chakra, the solar plexus chakra. It is located right beneath the sternum and connects to the fire element. The color of this chakra is yellow.

 

It is the center of our personal identity and the seat of the ego. It is the chakra from which our sense of dignity and respect originates. Self confidence grows from this very chakra, as well as inner knowledge and our instincts about people and things. The qualities of truth and freedom that originate from the solar plexus chakra aren’t influenced by pain, loss or trauma. Even though life comes with ups and downs and we’re faced with difficulties, once we connect to our true self, to our third chakra, we heal. We gain a sense of inner strength that allows us to stand on our own two feet.

 

A beautiful gemstone you can use that is connected to this chakra is the ‘citrine’ stone. It is a yellow quartz that has the healing qualities of the sun. It is used to stabilize self love.

 

Namaste!

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The myth of Padmasana

The myth we will be discussing today is about Padmasana, lotus pose. This pose helps us to be grounded and connected to the earth, which is great for seated meditation.

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The myth of this asana is that Vishnu, who is said to be the protector of the Universe, was comfortably seated on his couch, the serpent Ananta, with thousand heads. From Vishnu’s navel a lotus flower sprouted, with four faces looking north, east, south and west. These were the faces of Brahma, the deity of creation.

 

The lotus represents perfection and purity. Very often this can be a difficult asana to come into, when the hips are still very tight. Over time, with practice we can allow them to soften. This reminds us of the actual lotus flower that blooms in India, even from the dirtiest waters and swamps, seeking its way up to the sun and the light.

 

We too can blossom even if it might seem difficult at the start.

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Dharma Talk: The mind and the ego

Aloha, in this blog entry I would like to introduce a new series to you: dharma talks. During these dharma talks, we go through different parts of yoga. The history, philosophy, myths, chakras, sutras, you name it. I want to introduce this, because these days often times yoga is perceived to be just yoga asana, the physical practice of yoga poses. Yet yoga is so much more! It has such a rich history that I would like to explore with you. Yoga asana is only one of eight limbs or branches of yoga. So that leads us to today’s topic of this dharma talk. I will be talking about the mind and the ego.

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We will discuss this with the help of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra in chapter one, sutra number two, which says: “Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah”

 

Yogas is yoga

Citta is ‘mind-stuff’, the workings of the mind.

Vrtti means fluctuations (of mind and breath)

Nirodhah means to stop

 

This Sutra is often translated as ‘Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind’, or as my teacher taught me: Yoga occurs when we stop identifying with our thoughts.

 

All too often, as students of yoga, we can hear ourselves saying we can’t do something, when faced with a difficult asana. The pose might be too difficult, or at least that is what the mind tells us, what our ego tells us. In fact, that is actually where the true ‘yoga’ lies for us. It is where we learn the most. We can research this by asking ourselves if this is actually true. We then often learn that it isn’t, those thoughts are actually false beliefs that we tell ourselves.

 

We think we need to be able to do difficult asanas (or anything in life for that matter) within a few days. We expect it to just happen, without really putting in any effort. We live in a society that is all about the ‘fast’ way to do something. Losing weight in 7 days, getting abs in 10 days, and so on. This fast route simply isn’t sustainable. There are no shortcuts in learning our lessons, in becoming truly free. Essentially, that is what we are looking for in our practice, this sense of freedom, actual ‘nirodhah’, our very best state of mind/control over the mind.

 

Yoga isn’t about being able to do an asana ‘perfectly’. What does that mean anyways? On social media we are bombarded with images of people doing headstand, or placing their leg behind the head, and we are drawn to this. However, this doesn’t mean these people are better at yoga. They might just be very flexible or bendy. Their connection to the practice might be somewhere else, or they might have been working on attaining the pose for years. The true power of yoga, in my opinion, lies within those very moments and postures that don’t come easily to us. The ones we have to fight for, work at day in, day out. The ones where we are forced to take a good look at ourselves, and with loving kindness approach the practice, with compassion. Some poses take weeks, months, or even years to learn, and that’s ok. The journey is what matters here, it is where your lessons are.

 

When we are faced with the ego, when the mind wants us to believe we can’t do something, we need to understand that these are false truths. There is a very beautiful lesson to be learned here. If we connect to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.2, which says ‘Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah’, we can learn exactly this.

 

The fluctuations of the mind that we are experiencing are there to teach us very valuable lessons. So, with practice, the fluctuations of the mind (the thinking) stop and then we have yoga.

 

Everything we just talked about is further explained in the fourth and last chapter of the Yoga Sutra. Here we learn that yoga is actually a combination of two things:

• Abhyasa (practice)

• Vairagya (detachment)

 

Next time you approach a difficult situation in life, or even during your practice, remember this. Approach life with love, compassion, and enjoy learning. Put in the effort and the practice, but letting go and detaching from the outcomes.

 

Thank you for joining me for this dharma talk. I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this!

 

Namaste!