Yoga and Pilates

How is it that stretching a limb can have an effect on the mind or the emotions? Kelly Rae reports.

Yoga is more than bending and stretching. Some components of yoga can even be done sitting in an armchair or just lying on the floor. Yoga is for everyone - the old, the young, the infirm … even for the cynic!

Avalon resident and yoga teacher Fabio Fabbri tells the story of his journey to the world of yoga.

For a thoroughly innovative mix of eastern and western, modern and ancient Techniques of the mind and body approach to physical development, it’s worth considering Yogalates.

The Sanskrit word Yoga means ‘Union’. Yoga is the reunion of body, mind, heart and spirit and embodies the qualities of oneness, wholeness, clarity, happiness and peace. Finding a truly great yoga teacher who can instill these qualities in their students is the challenge.

Yoga is one of the fastest growing personal activities in the Western World. For some people it is a daily routine—waking before the family and going to a quiet space to practice yoga.

The popularity of Yoga as a method of health and well-being has steadily grown in recent years.

Yoga postures can heighten your awareness, develop a calming breath and revitalise your whole body. But will it improve your sex life?

When the heat is on and your temper is fraying, try cooling down by using simple changes to your diet and practising a few easy yoga poses.

You don't have to be fabulously flexible-or able to twist yourself into knots-to start practising yoga. In fact, the opposite is true.

Turning upside down not only gives you a different perspective on life, it has lots of physiological benefits, too.

Want to get mentally focused so that you can accomplish all those new year resolutions? Yoga will help you to get balanced and in harmony.

Forward bends not only stretch your back from heels to head, they send rejuvenating blood flowing to your brain, face and abdominals – and they can be done in the privacy of your own home!

Last issue, Valerie Albrecht presented the areas of the body to focus on in ante-natal yoga. This issue she explores these further.

“Yoga brings harmony into the physical, mental, emotional & spiritual bodies. An expectant mother practising yoga invites this harmony for herself and her baby enhancing the mother-baby bond – the baby feels more secure and the mother grows in confidence as her innate capabilities increase.”