Awareness

Feel Deeply

Lightness

Self love and self acceptance

Self empowerment and independence

What makes us happy, what makes us laugh? I’m sure if you have attended my classes you will know that i do randomly call out how yoga makes me happy.

It’s a feeling that perhaps can’t be described in a simple blog post, but it is what has glued me to this practise for the last 17 years.

There’s a joy in the physicality of a practise – a stillness, and a true involvement of all the senses. As a student you need to listen to your body, to my instructions, to your intuition, and to sustain a comfortable rhythm of breathing.
On a mat there’s a variety of movement in all directions. You stand, fold, unfold, sit, rise, lift, twist and lie down.

Yoga is humanity, yes it is. You come with a group of students or yourself and you unfold into the life force, the prana, the today, the nectar.

Natalie is a young student at the studio who just finished high school in 2018 (yes you think you feel old!!!) I always ask what each student needs from the class prior to starting the yoga session. Natalie’s answer is always: “I want to have fun”. And that’s it, my friends. I smile as soon as I hear this.

Your practise is hard work, you try to do the postures or the meditation that at times we resist internally. What?!?! Cobra???!!! Planks??!!! Balances??!!! Sit for 5 minutes and observe the breath???!!! But you stop, breathe and concentrate. Then we try, we put effort, we have a smile, we give ourselves an internal warm high five and move on. I call that happiness.

Yogis groaning in class, yep I call that happiness too – haha!

Happiness is when you simply observe your toes and that’s it. Happiness is having that time and momentary stillness to listen to your breath. It’s magical. Happiness is fumbling with some postures and being fine with that. Not beating yourself up, not been hard on yourself.

Teaching young kids is something I truly love. The 4-5 year old demographic – boy do we have fun. 5-12 year olds – you are sublime and giggly. I learn from kids all the time. They see right through us. They live for joy and are gifts to this world. I just wish adults could get off their phones and be amongst the happiness of kids.

Happiness is to have time to see the light, to find the inner knowledge, the inner spark, to smile. Life is crazy nuts!!!! Yoga and meditation makes me sit back. At times, I fail. My current test is related to the traffic that is growing daily in Sydney’s streets. The beeping cars moving past, and being stuck in traffic at peak times in front of our serene yoga home. I try not to roll my eyes, but to crack a joke instead (hmmm I think they need yoga and move on!)

Yoga is the sun and moon, the feminine and masculine, and with happiness we have sadness. With my late teacher, at times in Shavasana, I have experienced moments of tears streaming down my face. Just a pure release. While undertaking my yoga teacher training course it was at a period of my life that was constantly shifting. I was post a shock divorce, an abrupt end to a love story that had bad timing. While going through the divorce, an eating disorder that reared its ugly head. I worked three jobs, as well as studying and figuring my new path in life. We all have a story, don’t we.

But!!!If you are experiencing anxiety and panic attacks, please tell me, or list it in your medical clearance form so we can have a discussion. Shavasana at the end of the class may not be relaxing for you and may bring you to an anxious state, when that’s not something we need to experience in a class. An 80-90 minutes class may be too much too handle. I will advise you and guide you.

Yoga is a proven therapeutic modality for anxiety and depression, but do discuss with me what you are currently experiencing, so that we have a clear path of where we are heading. If you are taking anti-depressants, list them on your form. Some of the side effects I will need to draw your attention to, so I may give you variations in your practise, in a subtle way.

Yoga is my happiness and my light and I hope it’s yours as well. Tune to the breath, to stillness, to love and compassion for yourself, others, animals and the environment.

xoxoxoxo
Eleni

Are you ready for Greece 2020? I’m hosting an amazing, personalised yoga retreat in the country were every beach is a shade of blue that cannot be described, where history is everywhere, where the fruits and vegetables are astonishingly tasty because they have not been tainted by a plethora of chemicals and where people are out socialising and having fun after 12 midnight (and that’s on weekdays!)

There will be two one-week retreats. Choose between Retreat #1 from 14th– 20th July 2020, or Retreat #2 from 21st to 27th July 2020 (or join for the whole two weeks for a special rate!)

We will visit two islands during each week with a choice of Santorini, Syros, Kefalonia, Ithaki, Mylos, Hydra and Amorgos. The final decision about what islands we visit will depend on bookings and client demand J

Inclusions: Travelling with me, accommodation, transportation, sight-seeing, food, yoga, holistic therapies, meditation, fitness, health coaching and fun. You will be required to arrange and pay for your own flights.

Early bird special: Book and pay in full by 31st December 2019 and receive a special rate of $4,500 Australian dollars for one week. Book and pay after 31st December, for a standard rate of $5,200 for one week. OR join for the entire two week period for the special rate of $7,000.

The retreat is open to students of the studio as well as others – including international guests.

Requirements: You need to be open for adventure and ready to hear me chanting: Adventure before Dementia!

Contact me to find out more!

I have been hovering over this topic for the last two months both in my head and asking yogis: what does spirituality mean for you?

Faith, belief and spirituality. Are  they entwined?

When I started attending my glorious teacher classes (under Acharya Upendra Roy), that’s when I truly started to believe in my core that yoga was my calling. He would commence each class with a guided relaxation. After each session I was always just so surprised. How did I relax? Where did my thoughts go? I felt so light in my body and mind. How could this mental burden – my head space – become vacant? My heart was rejoicing in this experience.

I was such a physically inclined individual but what made me continue the path of yoga was how uplifting it was for my spirit. After stretching the limits of how hard I pushed my body in my 20’s, I repeated that pattern on and off for another decade. Yoga taught me that the physical body is just one part of the equation of who we are.

My faith is a strong part of who I am. I believe in God (probably a weird statement to write about). But our faith is our personal compass that we steer to either daily, or when we are in need. Faith for me is also believing in myself. Believing that my actions do not only affect me, but create a ripple effect on the lives of others.

I believe in being the best person I can be (don’t worry, I pull myself up when i’m a  bitch!) We all have that side. The “not that nice” side. A lot of times that can be solely directed towards ourselves, and our self-talk can be brutal, negative and unnecessary.

Faith is magical. We look at the sun and all the colours it can transmit at all the different times of the day. Plant life. Animals. When a dog stops and looks at you, it has faith that you will pat it.

Faith is daily. Please I hope I get that job, pass that test, that my cake turns out, that I won’t be stuck in traffic.

Faith is everywhere. Constant.

Faith in a yoga class has helped me through teacher training, and faith helped me in deciding where and how will I start teaching. Faith is with me daily. I believe that the universe is on my side. Wow – I’ve been in business for one more week, one more month, one more year (actually, 14 years!) But I take nothing for granted. Ever.

Spirituality is my body, my heart, my breathing, my understanding,  my soul, all entwined. I’m a miniscule dot of life, in this living web. I’m a spirit of joy and love.

Spirituality, I believe, is everywhere, in every living matter on this planet as well as life gone.

In a yoga class we’re constantly shifting energy. Physical, emotional and spiritual.

What is beyond this earth, beyond what can be touched, measured or tampered. Spirituality is how we live our lives this moment, how we respect all living beings on this planet, how we honour life gone and life that will come.

Below are some beautiful writings of students about this topic. Some are anonymous.

I will also print more with January’s blog. I loved reading what people reflected. Deeply touching and moving. Thank you.

Xxxx Eleni

Romina:
“I love the topic you have chosen to write about, Spirituality and Faith. I think this is so relevant at this moment in our existence, because we have had plenty of opportunities to investigate, defend, choose, be part of, accept, feel one belongs to a specific faith and this is often associated with religious beliefs. I think today humanity is ready for an open discussion, and more so in Australia where our faith is so varied, of course among those with similar beliefs one can discuss  more openly, but as we go about our day and mix with people from all walks of life and realize that we are more similar than we think, our spirituality becomes a stronger connection, a bridge where we can meet half way, because we all have a spirit. Spirituality for me is an invitation to uncover who I am in this physical world, to remember what I came here to do, to discover my spiritual gifts and share these, its an introspective journey. Faith on the other hand, has changed meaning for me as I got older. Faith for me was the exploration of the spirit through religion, in my case Roman catholic as this is what I was exposed to as a kid, however when I got older I became curious about other belief system, hence I read about these. So, in a way this exploration of faith lead me to spirituality and, today I see faith as a joint concept, faith in our personal journey where the mind, heart and words are aligned with love and our truth, we express our spirituality, our God like energy which creates an open space where differences are not important. We are one, we are everything, hence in my personal journey I like to remind myself that where I was born and all I am exposed/conditioned to are opportunities to peel the layers and learn more about myself. Anyways bella, I have to get ready for work, I love opening my heart and talking about life, its meanings and many colours. Thanks for giving us an opportunity to share with you a bit more about ourselves. I am a big fan of ur magical spirit, keep shining your light! Love you!

Janet:

Anne Marie:

“Travel is such a condensed life journey that occurs over a period of time”. This is what I texted my beautiful yoga friend Ellesse while I was overseas.

Everything changes when you’re on holiday – who you interact with, your schedule, your perceptions, your plans. On the other side of the world, my eyes observed different colours and shades, and my skin adapted to different temperatures. I moved with a different purpose.

I took a long time in planning for this getaway. Lists galore!!!! To do lists for myself, for the yoga studio, for the yoga retreat, for yoga teachers who were filling in for me, for home life, for the schools where I teach, for my private clients. Luckily, I love the process 🙂

The joy I feel and the love I have for Greece is undeniable. This country has a pulse, a magic thread running through its earth, ocean and sky. History is everywhere. I love its rhythm, its honesty and its life force.

Yoga is like that: pure connection, pure love and pure heart. It envelopes you, it cradles you. You have a space to breath, to nourish, to just stop. (And also like Greece, yoga with me can be crazy, unpredictable and hot!!!!)

Greece yoga retreat

‘Adventure before dementia’ is something I would often repeat to my Aussie yogis Paula and Angela, who joined me for a yoga retreat in Greece.  I’m sure you have heard that or seen it printed somewhere. Mine is printed on my luggage tag.

While the retreat was an amazing exploration of yoga, health and Greece – and one that the three of us will remember for a lifetime – there are two stories which stand out (if only because Greece and yoga with me are crazy, unpredictable and hot!!!!)

Before departing for Chios from my place in Kaisariani, I planned with the Aussie yoga girls a day of bushwalking, sightseeing, yoga at Ymittos to look at all the cute turtles, as well as going to Galopoula for Spanakopita (spinach and fetta pie) and of course cold coffee (Freddo Cappuccino, mmmm sooooo good!!!) Unfortunately, none of that happened. Due to the intensity of the day’s heat, entry was denied due to the high fire threat. Instead, we practiced yoga in the grounds of a monastery. So beautiful.

Driving in Chios was also an experience.  On another day, we had visited these beautiful villages, and we were recommended by a local how to get to a beautiful, secluded beach.  What we had not counted on was driving so close to the edge of the mountain on a road where one car could barely fit – with cars speeding towards us in the opposite direction. All I remember is the FEAR and someone screaming in the back seat! Eventually we did a u-turn and headed back (although not before buying the yummiest sweets to celebrate my Mumma Regina’s birthday.)

If you’re interested in joining me in 2019, dates for the next Greek Yoga, Health and Discovery Retreat will be advertised in December 2018. There will be  7, 10 and 12 day options, with an early bird special.

Celebrating 13 years

With the craziness of travel, I also had no time to mark the studio’s 13 year anniversary. In case you haven’t noticed, I have already added two specials on social media this month and if you have reached this far into the blog and are still ready, here is one last special just for you:

Share any post of mine from Instagram or Facebook with a caption you like, and the best four shares will receive a 30% on a 10-class pass (which you can keep or use as a  gift for someone). Conditions of expiry still apply as normal and you can start at any time in October.

Thank you everyone for your beautiful feedback and messages while I was in Greece as well as checking up on me with the tragedy of the fires that occurred in Greece. It’s something I will never forget.

Xoxoxoxoxo
Eleni