The Yoga Institute offers heartfelt acknowledgement of World Environment Day on June 5th, a day set aside each year by the United Nations (UN) to raise awareness and encourage action towards the protection of the world’s natural environment.
Spirituality and ecological consciousness come together when yogis see the interconnectedness of all living things, all calling this tiny blue planet ‘home’.
2021 is also the start of the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. We are proud to reproduce the words of UN Chief Antonio Guterres who eloquently summarises the importance of what lays ahead and the hope still within reach if our species can act with greater guardianship and compassion:
“We are rapidly reaching the point of no return for the planet. We face a triple environmental emergency –biodiversity loss, climate disruption and escalating pollution. For too long, humanity has cut down the Earth’s forests, polluted its rivers and oceans, and ploughed its grasslands into oblivion.
We are ravaging the very ecosystems that underpin our societies. And, in doing so, we risk depriving ourselves of the food, water and resources we need to survive. The degradation of the natural world is already undermining the well-being of 3.2 billion people – or 40 per cent of humanity. Luckily, the Earth is resilient. But she needs our help. We still have time to reverse the damage we have done.
That is why, on this World Environment Day, we are launching the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This global movement will bring together governments, businesses, civil society and private citizens in an unprecedented effort to heal the Earth. By restoring ecosystems, we can drive a transformation that will contribute to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals. The task is monumental. We need to replant and protect our forests. We need to clean up our rivers and seas. And we need to green our cities.
Accomplishing these things will not only safeguard the planet’s resources. It will create millions of new jobs by 2030, generate returns of over $7 trillion dollars every year and help eliminate poverty and hunger. The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is a global call to action. It will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Everyone can contribute. Science tells us these next 10 years are our final chance to avert a climate catastrophe, turn back the deadly tide of pollution and end species loss. So, let today be the start of a new decade – one in which we finally make peace with nature and secure a better future for all”. – Mr Antonio Guterres, June 2021
Anyone visiting The Yoga Institute’s premises since the start of Autumn will be familiar with the aromatic presence of enchanting warm spices diffusing throughout the office of an afternoon. We have been enjoying an afternoon chai on a regular basis, patiently brewed by Michael and shared around as a soothing and uplifting treat.
Here we look at the benefits of chai, and offer a beautiful home-made recipe that you can try from yoga therapy faculty member, Dr Shaun Matthews, holistic GP and Ayurveda and Yoga Therapist.
What is Chai?
In the west, we tend to use the term “chai tea”, but chai actually means tea in Hindi, so in India you would be asking for a tea tea! It’s most accurately termed masala chai, spiced tea. In yogic circles you may hear it referred to more simply as CHAI.
Chai is a base of black tea with added spices. The particular combination of spices can vary according to preference. The most commonly added spices include ginger, cinnamon and cardamon, but it can also run to the inclusion of spices such as nutmeg, turmeric, clove, fennel, peppercorn and star anise.
Individual taste will also guide the inclusion (or absence) of a plant or dairy milk, and sweetener.
Should you be drinking chai?
Tea in general has a swag of evidence-based health benefits. The spices themselves then also have specific health benefits. Most chai is made from black tea, sourced from the Camellia sinensis plant, same as green and oolong teas. (It is also possible to make a caffeine-free version from rooibos tea, sourced from the Aspalathus linearis plant).
The most common ingredients – black tea, cinnamon, ginger and cardamon – have collectively been attributed health benefits such as combatting cellular damage, reducing inflammation and ‘bad’ cholesterol, helping to regulate blood sugar, assisting digestive issues and possibly even acting as natural pain-inhibitor.
In Ayurveda, chai is linked to healing digestive issues, and is recognised as tridoshic, meaning it is generally suitable for all constitutions.
The best part is, this beautiful, nourishing beverage is also delicious!
How to make home-made chai – Dr Shaun Matthew’s favourite at-home recipe
Chai comes in many varieties and while there’s always a place for shortcuts, many ancient cultures understood the benefits of ritual in food preparation. Making it from scratch may do far more than simply make it tastier than you ever knew it could be; It can be a meditative ritual, helping you learn to slow down, to practice patience and just be present with the steps of preparing your tea.
You can use Dr Matthews’ recipe as a starting point for home-made chai and have fun experimenting with different spices.
Ingredients
4 cups boiling water
3cm (1 ¾ inch) fresh ginger, sliced
10 cardamon pods, bruised using a mortar and pestle
1 cinnamon quill
Unprocessed sugar (rapadura, jaggary, palm or coconut sugar), according to taste
3-4 teaspoons (or tea bags) of black tea (or caffeine-free rooibos)
2 cups milk
Method
In a large saucepan, bring water to the boil and add your selected spices. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes to allow the spices to infuse through the water. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to brew. Add the tea bags or tea leaves.
Bring the milk to the boil in a second saucepan and add to the tea and spice infusion. Gently simmer the mixture for a few more minutes, then remove from the heat and allow the ingredients to settle for another 5 minutes.
The ratio of water to milk can be adjusted for individual taste and the moment. Many people like a ratio of two parts of water to one part of milk. The tea is also delicious without milk, which may suit people with more Kapha (ayurvedic constitution) in their body type, or those who are intolerant of dairy.
Reproduced with kind permission from Dr Shaun Matthews, from his book The Art of Balanced Living. The expertise of Dr Matthews’ 3 decades of Western medicine and Ayurvedic practice underpins this beautiful and easy-read, making the principles of improving one’s own health through ayurvedic lifestyle changes, accessible to anyone.
I started attending Yoga classes as a compulsory part of my Diploma of Shiatsu Therapy while I was in my 20’s. While I enjoyed this, I stopped when I had my first child at 34.
I returned to Yoga 4 years ago after being diagnosed with PTSD. Attending 3-4 classes a week at my local yoga studio I was beginning to feel like a functional human again. I wanted more. I wanted the knowledge so I decided I would enroll in a Yoga Teacher Training Course, not necessarily planning on teaching but to gain more insight into this powerful tool that was allowing me to heal.
I wanted to go to India and study in an Ashram however as I have a teen daughter at home, I could not do this as it involved staying at the Ashram for 7 months. So, I began to research Yoga classes being offered in Sydney. I went to numerous open days then deciding that, as I work for the Department of Education and I may teach yoga to primary age children, I would need to study somewhere that allowed me to join an association. There were only two that offered times I could study so I attended open days at both.
Why the Yoga Institute?
I chose the Yoga Institute because as soon as I walked into the open day, I felt like I was at home. I also liked that the teacher training here was very thorough and as I was initially looking for knowledge, I knew a thorough teacher training course would offer me this.
The journey has been incredible. Our monthly weekends together have made myself and my classmates a little family who are in constant communication supporting each other through the various stages and developments in our lives.
Attending The Yoga Institute during Covid-19
Into my first month Covid-19 restrictions hit. We were no longer able to study in the studio and had to go online. I was worried that this would not give me the quality of education that I was looking for. I need not have worried as the transition from face to face learning to zoom learning was a very smooth process. I was also working online in my day job and this was not as smooth sailing. I cannot thank or commend The Yoga Institute enough for this.
Once a month I meet with a mentor who is friendly, knowledgeable, and my biggest support. I look forward to our monthly catch ups – which are also online and no different than if it was face to face. I have a daily asana practice that was designed by my mentor who changes things as the need arises.
This practice is part of my daily life, and I couldn’t imagine life without my daily practice.
Before the Yoga Institute vs. after
Prior to commencing my yoga teacher training, I was doing a short daily asana, pranayama, and meditation practice. This impacted my life and my healing journey significantly. While studying pranayama and meditation at the Yoga Institute I have learnt the same tools (and so much more) that this daily practice has been giving me. I learnt these during class and part of the homework was to do the pranayama and meditation techniques and journal our experience.
Again, this has been a big part of my healing journey, and even though this homework is complete, I continue to do these on a daily basis.
Additionally, before my yoga teacher training commenced I believed that Yoga consisted of solely asanas and that breathing and mediation were separate. One of many important lessons I have had is that yoga is so much more than asana. Yoga is a way of life, a life that is rich with endless possibilities.
I am so thankful that I enrolled in a 500-hour Teacher Training Diploma, the depth of this course has been incredible, giving me many skills that I currently use in my own daily life and plan to share with others once I graduate.
My healing, my coming home as I now call it, is the gift that yoga has given me. The use of breath in my daily asana, pranayama and meditation saved me from PTSD. Now that I have an evening pranayama and meditation practice designed by my mentor, I can finally sleep without sleeping pills.
The next stage in Sharon’s yoga journey
I will miss my training, the teachers, my classmates, and my mentor terribly. The Yoga Institute has become somewhat of a family to me and I feel blessed to have had them as part of my journey. If I had my time again, I wouldn’t do anything differently. It was one of the best decisions of my life.
I plan to use my teacher training by incorporating it into my job as a teacher’s aide, working with students who have behavioural issues and or learning difficulties. The impact Covid-19 has had on students has been substantial so offering yoga both inside school hours and outside of school hours at the school is my plan. I had no desire to teach adults however my colleagues are already asking for a weekly class at school for staff.
The joy that yoga brings me, the healing it has given me is more than I can put into words. I cannot wait until I can share this with others.
How can we support you?
Our Teacher Training Course isn’t just for aspiring teachers, but for anyone who wants to deepen their personal practice and gain a better understanding of yoga.
Yoga Institute founder and director, Michael de Manincor, guests on this episode of Live Like You Love Yourself – recorded in April 2021 – and shares the evolution of his own yoga journey, against the backdrop of some of the big questions in yoga today, including what it really means to be a yoga teacher or yoga therapist today and how yoga’s temporary feelgood effects may extend to lasting changes.
With an upbringing in conventional Catholic religion, Michael de Manincor’s greatest fascination with spirituality as a teenager always lay towards the mystical, meditative side of religion, the part that included nature retreats and contemplative practices, practices he now recognises as actually being somewhat yogic. His inquisitiveness around spirituality lead him to join a Catholic order at age 18. Following exposure to swamis of the Satchidananda tradition, who visited the Catholic order to teach yoga and support spiritual growth, Michael’s yoga journey officially began.
Curious about the concept of self-understanding (what the classical ancient Greek philosophers referred to as ‘know thyself’), inclusiveness, connectedness and pathways to healing, Michael increasingly surrendered to a new spiritual path, the holistic approach of yoga.
Personal yoga evolution
Yoga practice will tend to evolve and adapt to best support us through different life milestones. For example, what best nourishes us as a 30-year old will unlikely be exactly the same as a 50-year old, and not just in relation to asana, but also aspects such as breathwork, mantra, meditation and whether we practice more alone or with a group. Equally, other external circumstances may trigger changes in our practice.
The global pandemic is a fitting example: In Australia we count our many blessings (and Michael gratefully acknowledges that even during lockdown he was at least able to walk on the beach and connect with nature), but as a population, we all experienced a shift. As the term ‘social distancing’ entered our vernacular, as a society we lost a great deal of connection with people outside of our immediate household. Many of us lost a connection with nature, and some have suffered from mental health issues, a disconnect from our very selves. We may be needing different self-care practices to navigate the new landscape.
“Whatever works!” is a broad menu
One positive to come out of this chapter is the increased sense of awareness for many people that they need to look after themselves better in order to stay out of the doctor’s office, and there is increased interest in learning how to apply acts of self-care into daily life.
Indeed, Michael points out that he frequently uses the term ‘self-care practices’ instead of ‘yoga practice’ these days, in acknowledgement of the immense range of self care activities that can form part of our yogic journey, that a walk on the beach or walking barefoot on grass can be a meditative experience and allow us to feel connected to something greater than ourselves. He warmly recalls a saying of his teacher in India, Mr Desikachar, describing the personalised and holistic approach to yoga and healing as “whatever works”, and relays an anecdote of Mr Desikachar prescribing treatment to a depressed patient, to go out and take photos of beautiful things every day, invoking involuntary feelings of wonder and gratitude.
For yoga practitioners and teachers, this chapter has also meant an explosion of online yoga with greater accessibility and opportunities. However, the trio cautiously discuss the concept of a mental health pandemic, still yet to be truly felt and measured.
What the world needs from yoga teachers and therapists right now
Michael would like to see the effects of yoga extend past the first few minutes of wellbeing immediately after class or after an appointment, to something more lasting. He acknowledges that the yoga industry globally has built somewhat of a rod for its own back, projecting the physical benefits to the public as a marketing hook, and then becoming trapped in one’s own business model that sees many yoga teachers feeling compelled to spend most- if not all – of a 60-minute block of time doing asana, to match an expectation we as the industry, have created.
While the physical benefits of yoga are widely understood, and the meditative side is increasing in profile and understanding (thanks also to concepts such as ‘mindfulness’), the trio discuss the often-forgotten link of breathwork.
Michael postulates that being a yoga teacher or therapist today is not just about classes as we think of them. Indeed, classes of the pandemic era have been as much about people seeking a sense of community as wanting to cleanse their body or de-stress. He proposes perhaps a new way of thinking where yoga could mean a more holistic means of self care.
Michael goes further to suggest that while it can feel gratifying and financially rewarding for yoga teachers and therapists to collect a little following of loyal clients, there is an opportunity for a more humble approach that sees teachers and therapists acknowledge when their part in someone else’s yoga journey has gone as far as it can, and to allow that person to fledge to the next phase of their unique yogic journey, be it a different environment, approach, class or teacher.
Lifting the bar
Michael recounts the many graduates of short teacher training courses who have come to The Yoga Institute seeking more training. Many have had wonderful and enriching experiences, but they simply do not feel sufficiently knowledgeable to confidently teach. This observation informs the 500-hour Teacher Training programme at The Yoga Institute, but it is far from just about number of hours.
The pandemic has seen many teacher training courses go completely online and completely self-paced. This can be great for someone studying purely for enjoyment and personal development, but in order to go out and teach – and the trio reference the great mantle of responsibility on a teacher if they truly want to guide other people towards transformation – a short course simply isn’t adequate. Michael believes in the power of a hybrid model, that combines both live learning (with at least a portion of that being physically in a classroom), with time for people to absorb and process information and experiences at home at their own pace. He passionately believes that adequate training for yoga teachers can assist the shift in thinking needed and empower teachers to give clients a further-reaching rippling effect of yoga, out into people’s daily lives.
I practiced yoga very briefly at an Iyengar studio around 20 years ago and really didn’t ‘get’ it at all….”why are we posing like warriors anyway? When on earth is that little bell going to sound so I can get out of here?”.
Then around 8 years ago I started practicing yoga again, this time at the corporate gym where I was working. I had the very good fortune of meeting an amazing teacher there, with whom I still practice today (shout out to Ondine Savage – Hatha Yoga Sydney). I was hooked.
I loved the asana side of the practice but I was even more intrigued by the philosophy, snippets of which Ondine would pepper throughout the practice. I couldn’t get enough. It started with a once a week practice and quickly went up to 3-4 times a week. I still practice most days. I bought books, I went on retreats, and I wanted to learn all the Sanskrit names of all the poses. I had found my true passion in life!
Having struggled with depression, anxiety and addiction issues, yoga offered me a way to help stop the constant unhelpful, and sometimes downright nasty, steady stream of thoughts that had plagued me my entire life. As Patanjali so succinctly puts it in the Yoga Sutras; “yoga chitta vritti nirodha” (this sutra is the subject of much debate around the correct translation, however meaning more or less: yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind).
In 2018, I found myself disillusioned around many aspects of my life. I was unhappy in my work, I had been through a break up, and I was living with a chronic lung condition. So I thought long and hard about what was bringing me joy in my life, and it was my yoga practice and the community of people I had met as a result of practicing yoga.
Lara’s experience with The Yoga Institute
I started toying with the idea of teacher training, but the thoughts started again – “you’re not a yoga teacher, don’t be ridiculous!”, “people with chronic lung conditions don’t teach yoga”.
But I persisted, and I very timidly told a couple of people what I was thinking. Part of me was waiting for them to start laughing at me, but everyone I spoke to was so encouraging. I met a Yoga Institute (TYI) graduate at The Billabong Retreat in Sydney (Phoebe Collins) who told me she completed her training at TYI. I started researching my options and was impressed with TYI and their thorough 500 hour approach. I signed up for the 2019 weekend course in September 2018.
The first weekend rolled around in March 2019 and it was a lot to take in. There were so many new faces and it was so much information all at once, but I LOVED IT! I left that first weekend, exhausted and exhilarated, and 100% certain I had made the right decision.
The rest of the year was a blur of assignments and practical sessions. I remember the first time teaching just one pose in front of my cohorts, I was TERRIFIED! But for the first time in a long time, I was getting out of my comfort zone and I was thriving. TYI might not be the most glamorous training you can do and you might not go to the most stylish resort for your residential, but you will be the most thoroughly trained, and for me that was the most important thing.
Lara’s advice as a Yoga teacher
My advice is to keep teaching as soon as you get your certificate; teach friends, work colleagues, and as regularly as your schedule will allow. Keep in mind in the beginning you will need more time for preparation, so make sure to allow enough time for this. Don’t over commit and burn out. It is important to still enjoy the process and not lose the joy of teaching. Find your own voice, speak your own truth, share your own experiences and your tribe of students will find you. It will probably be a slow process, and that is fine.
I am regularly teaching 2-3 students only at a time and that is perfect for me to be able to keep a close eye on them. It is normal to be nervous before EVERY SINGLE CLASS, but you will feel a sense of achievement afterwards that is totally worth the nerves. Get off your mat, walk around, don’t worry if you mix up your lefts and rights, make a joke out of it. You might be a yoga teacher but you are still a human being, and if anything this will make you more approachable.
Lara’s favourite daily Yoga practice
I practice yoga asana most days but I find as I deepen my practice I really do question more and more why I am wanting to practice certain poses; Is it my ego? Does it serve me to stand on my head? What is it that my body and mind need at this moment? The constant balancing of sthira and sukha, or effort and ease, both on and off the mat.
Lara’s Yoga goals and intentions
I want to continue refining my teaching and communication skills. I am finding that teaching is getting me outside my comfort zone as well as enabling me to deepen my own practice. I would love one day to open a wellness centre offering yoga & meditation as well as other therapies such as massage and reiki.
What Lara loves most about Yoga
I love the holistic nature of the practice and how it addresses both the mental and physical. I love that yoga is accessible to everyone. “If you can breathe, you can do yoga” – B.K.S. Iyengar.
I love the vast subject that is ‘yoga’ and that there is always something new to learn and to explore physically in your body. For me personally yoga was the first physical exercise I actually found myself wanting to do rather than it being a chore. I love how yoga has taught me so much about myself and the nature of the mind. I really just love everything about it – apart from utkatasana – no one likes squat pose!
How can we support you?
Our Teacher Training Course isn’t just for aspiring teachers, but for anyone who wants to deepen their personal practice and gain a better understanding of yoga.
“I use yoga in every aspect of my life. It’s difficult to separate myself from the yoga training, as it has become such a huge part of who I am.”
I first encountered yoga whilst i was working as a psychologist in a psychiatric hospital in 2004. Each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, I was required to lead my patients upstairs to the dining room, which was converted to a yoga space, and supervise whilst they participated. I was gobsmacked at the difference in people at the end of the 60 minute practice. They appeared calm, happy, energised, and free. It was such a visceral transformation I decided to start participating along with the patients.
Initially my personal experience with practicing yoga was intermittent at best. I was heavily involved in a range of martial arts during my 20s, training 6 days per week. If I’m being honest, I thought yoga was a little boring for my then chaotic lifestyle.
In my late 20s, I developed a realisation through my work as a psychologist that exploring the mind was incomplete without incorporating its home – our body. This became particularly pertinent in my work the Health At Every Size (HAES) ® non-diet space with women struggling with disordered eating and body image concerns. I started inviting more yoga into my life, however it was often heated and intense vinyasa practices that I was drawn to. I instantly hooked after I attended my first retreat!
One retreat changed my life. It was a “Yoga for Mental Health Practitioners” retreat in Byron Bay with psychologists and yoga therapists Janet Lowndes and Michael de Manincor. I was drawn to the retreat because I was a huge fan girl of Janet and her work. I remember Michael leading us through a simple breath-centred arm movement and my mind was completely blown! This retreat cemented the idea that I too wanted to become a yoga teacher and eventually a yoga therapist.
I still remember the day I received the news from The Yoga Institute that I was accepted into The Yoga Institute’s yoga teacher training course – i was beyond ecstatic! Shortly before the course commenced, i was driven into by a car as I rode my bike to work and thought I would have to cancel my training due to physical (and later psychological) injuries. I spoke to a faculty member – Natalie – in tears on the phone, and was encouraged to attend, and guaranteed that i would be looked after by my mentor Lisa and other faculty.
Turning up on day one was the scariest and best decision i’ve ever made. I felt held, nurtured, supported, and encouraged every step of the way. The teacher training experience was immensely therapeutic for me, which was not an expectation I had at all.
Each time I return to the Institute, it feels like I’m returning home. I feel so privileged to have had this learning and healing experience which has shaped not just the career i now have but my entire outlook on life. As cliche as it sounds, yoga truly is healing and transformative, and I don’t know where i would be without it.
I loved my yoga teacher training experience so much that I would happily sign up again!…though instead I am currently doing my yoga therapy Traning. Yoga is truly for every body, so don’t be put off by insta-yogi images of what you might need to look like in order to be a yoga teacher.
Natalie and her Approach to Teaching
I was surprised how quickly I went from yoga teacher training to living my dream of teaching yoga for 50% of my schedule and continuing to work as a Psychologist for the other 50%.
My teaching is a little different. If yoga isn’t adapted to suit each individual, in any given moment, then it is not yoga at all.
It’s not uncommon for me to be guiding a class through 4 or 5 different sequences at once. I might be leading someone through a sequence whilst they are seated in a chair, adapting that sequence for people seated on the floor, whilst another could be standing, and another in tabletop position. I empower my students to make choices to support their body in any given moment and want people to look like they are free styling rather than in a synchronised swimming class.
Where is Natalie Teaching?
The Yoga Foundation projects: one focusing on people experiencing mental health challenges and another for women who have experienced domestic violence;
I teach at a Private psychiatric hospital for both inpatients and outpatients; I have some private clients that I teach in person and via zoom.
I also teach for 2 yoga studios and specialise in providing accessible, body positive yoga primarily to women who live in larger bodies;
I teach a corporate chair yoga class, and I teach a one day accessible yoga module for a teacher training program.
Thanks for sharing Natalie. You are truly an inspiration!
You can contact Natalie and stay updated with all her offerings at www.nataliehaider.com
How can we support you?
Our Teacher Training Course isn’t just for aspiring teachers, but for anyone who wants to deepen their personal practice and gain a better understanding of yoga.
The highly-sought after Lucy Karnani, coauthor of Connecting: Conscious Communication for Yoga Teachers and Therapists (and faculty member of The Yoga Institute), talks with J about utilising tools for understanding connection and communication.
Lucy and J have been interacting for some time and this recording (made on 11 January 2021) was an opportunity for them to connect and discuss her background in facilitating communication, the importance of values and motivations, levels of listening, and the link between our experience of practice and being able to share it with others in a way that is helpful.
Yoga Institute faculty member, Lucy Karnani, is a guest on podcast resource for the modern yogi, Live Like You Love Yourself, and shares her deep knowledge on the topics of ‘Holding Space’ and ‘Conscious Communication’.
Fans of the book, Connecting: Conscious Communication for Yoga Teachers and Therapists(which Lucy co-authored with friend and colleague Jill Danks) and those that have been lucky enough to attend one of her training modules or workshops, will be familiar with the force of nature that is Lucy Karnani. This podcast taps into more of Lucy’s pearls of wisdom, particularly as it relates to Holding Space.
Formidably adaptable and resilient, Lucy’s chameleon-like
career trajectory has seen her do everything from teach scuba diving, run sales
teams, and be North American CEO of a global training and consulting firm. She
is also a yoga teacher, yoga therapist, trainer of yoga teachers and therapists,
and a communications coach. Whew!
The common denominator in all these forays? Her passion for
and expertise around COMMUNICATION.
Conscious Communication
Quizzed on why communication is so important in yoga, Lucy
synopsises, “You can know a whole lot about a subject but if you can’t
communicate it well, you’re not going to be able to share it.” Lucy passionately believes the world needs
more yoga teachers and that there is not enough of yoga’s life-changing wisdom
being shared around the world. But in order for the possibility of growth and
influence to take place through yoga, there needs to be an authentic connection
between teacher and student, a seed that can truly sprout and be nurtured with Conscious
Communication.
For yogis, mindful and intelligent communication crosses a
myriad of possibilities. It may be about how you theme and construct language
for a class, how proactively and without judgement you can listen to another’s
story, how you set boundaries, how you use curiosity to enhance understanding,
or how you simply invite people to be gentler with themselves.
Fortunately, Conscious Communication is something that any of us can learn, and Lucy makes it her labour of love to help yoga teachers and yoga therapists step into their personal power and capability in this area.
Holding Space
So, what is meant by the phrase ‘holding space’? Many beautiful definitions exist, Lucy offers one of her favourite explanations: “It’s being fully present with another person – without trying to fix, change or advise them in any way – with whatever is arising for them in this moment”. She describes an example of listening to her barista tell her about his trepidation arising from the prospect of moving back to homeland after so long in Australia. A brief moment in time, with the potential to have been nothing more than a transactional exchange, transformed into an opportunity for someone with thoughts weighing heavy on their mind, to be fully heard and feel truly ‘seen’. “It’s such an incredible gift to feel fully listened to”, which as Lucy points out, so rarely happens with how busy our modern lives have become.
Unsurprisingly perhaps, many of the skills for Holding Space
cross over with those of Conscious Communication, but not everyone is clear on
how these two concepts intersect, or how they can go about learning to better Hold
Space for people. Lucy explains that these too can be broken down into
learnable chunks.
Before discussing some of her tips and ideas for yoga teachers and yoga therapists, Lucy takes marksmen-like aim at a glorious kernel of truth with unwavering precision: Holding Space for others, she gently frames the discussion, is only possible when we first Hold Space for ourselves. If we don’t regularly replenish ourselves, we cannot possibly Hold Space well for others. One of many beautiful lightbulb moments from this plain-speaking and accessible communicator.
Eager to learn more?
In this podcast episode, Holding Space for Conscious Communication, you can learn more about
Lucy’s journey and how she came to synthesise a
program of learning for other yoga teachers, from two of her great loves:
communication and yoga
The power of the mentoring relationship
The role of communication in healing, and
Lucy’s tips for teachers and therapists to help
students relate to and trust you, and how to structure a presentation, a
workshop, a yoga class.
I came to yoga in the midst of an eating disorder when I was 12. I saw pictures of beautiful ladies performing crazy postures all over social media and instantly started comparing myself to them, telling myself that ‘once I can move like that, then I’ll be happy’. So I started doing yoga.
Initially, I was too scared to go to a yoga studio as I ‘hadn’t perfected yoga yet’ which is a pretty funny concept looking back. I started following youtube videos and forcing myself to do 1 or 2 classes a day. I loved yoga but sometimes it felt like another thing to tick off my daily to-do list.
Then one day something clicked.
I realised that while the classes I was doing were ‘yoga’, they were only scraping the surface of what yoga truly is. I dove deep into the spiritual and philosophical side of yoga and found refuge in those teachings.
I started to realise that I was more than just my body and more than the school grades I received – both things that I attached my self-worth to. I started to live for the sense of stillness I found through my practice and from there I started to find myself again after feeling lost for so long.
What is Emma doing now?
I’m currently in the final week of year 12 (yay!). I graduated from the 500 hr Diploma of Yoga last year at 15 years old and have since started teaching one-on-one kids classes, holding body image and yoga retreats, and I am teaching yoga at surfing retreats.
I’ve also just finished a 12-month long research project looking into the effect of a short yoga-based warm-up on surfing performance and injury prevention titled ‘Yoga for Surfing’.
“Everything happens for a reason”– Emma’s favourite phrase
Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would become a yoga teacher, especially at such a young age.
As hard as experiencing a mental health issue can be, I know that without going through those tough times I wouldn’t have found yoga and I would be a completely different person.
I’m definitely a huge believer that everything happens for a reason and am SO grateful for Michael and Lisa (and all of the other teachers at The Yoga Institute) for helping me become a yoga teacher!
How can we support you?
Our Teacher Training Course isn’t just for aspiring teachers, but for anyone who wants to deepen their personal practice and gain a better understanding of yoga.
People may seek the assistance of a Yoga Therapist for a range of issues or concerns related to their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
In some cases, a client may be experiencing a physical discomfort such as back-pain or an issue with mobility. In other cases, people might work with a Yoga Therapist to get help with poor sleep, poor digestion, to improve their breathing or to address emotional challenges or imbalance.
How does it work?
The first phase in the yoga therapy process involves assessment, observation and history taking.
This initial step is extremely important and it requires a skilled and competent Yoga Therapist.
One of the best ways to explain the work of a Yoga Therapist is to look at an example…
A Case Study
The following case study is from the recent Yoga Anatomy and Musculoskeletal Systems module from our registered Yoga Therapy Training Course.
The client presented asking for assistance to relieve neck and back pain.
Phase 1: Assessment & History Taking
Image 1: The client was asked to stand with a relaxed posture.
As a learning aid, we placed dots as reference points on some focal points on the client’s body to help students observe alignment.
Overall this client has a strong constitution. Upon history taking we learned that the client spent much of his working day looking up as a housepainter.
What do you observe?
We can see from the dots that the client has a head forward posture – notice the vertical mis-alignment of the line from ear to shoulder. PLUS notice the tendency to gaze upwards.
Image 2: Over extension of the neck and was further exposed when lying down.
Further to the misalignment observed in a variety of static postures, when we undertook a range of movement assessment, we observed restricted arm movement, particularly during overhead arm extension.
As part of this assessment it was additionally observed practices to facilitate breath would also add great value.
Understanding the Client’s Lifestyle Needs
As well as taking a comprehensive case history from the client and completing an assessment including physical observation and range of movement checks, the Yoga Therapist will also seek to understand the client’s needs for their practice in terms of time, lifestyle and other factors.
Phase 2: Designing a Tailored Yoga Practice
This client expressed he was time poor and on his feet a lot. He was keen for a short practice.
Taking all of this into account, the role of the Yoga Therapist was to:
Educate and bring awareness to the client about his posture.
Design a yoga-based practice incorporating exercises that:
Help the client experience a more upright and aligned position. These mainly focused on standing tall in axial extension and neutral spine positions.
Help to release neck and neighbouring muscles that are pulling the head into an extended position.
Include passive movements to release shoulder muscles (pectoralis major) g passive lying twists (jathara parivritti).
If practiced consistently, these techniques will help the client to find relief from neck and back pain and improve both posture and range of movement.
Phase 3: Checking In and Refining
The final task of the Yoga Therapist is to arrange further sessions with the client to check in on their progress, address any concerns or questions, and make any adjustments or refinements needed for the client to gain the most benefit from their new practice.
The number of sessions needed will depend on the complexity and persistence of the issues presented.
Written by Lisa Grauaug B AppSc (Nursing), B Psych, M Psych, Adv Dip Yoga Teaching, Ayurveda Lifestyle Certificate, Perinatal Mental Health Course (USyd), Registered Psychologist, Registered Yoga Teacher, Registered Yoga Therapist (YA & IAYT), Yoga Australia Member.
Ready to start a career as a Yoga Therapist?
Enrolments are open for our introductory course, Yoga Therapy Foundations. Alternatively, we have our upcoming Yoga Physiology & Vital Systems for Health short course for those interested in understanding how yoga can be personalised to specific health conditions.
By Lisa Grauaug