All things yoga and more - read all about it
Why do we chant a mantra 108 times?
When we gather to do 108 rounds of a mantra, or 108 rounds of sun salutes, the question often arises ... why 108. This article explores the signficance of 108.
Āsana
Āsana means posture in Sanskrit. In modern yoga practice postures of many varied kinds are synonomous with yoga. It hasn't always been so, and there are some who regret that the non-postural associations of yoga are being lost. Perhaps classes that almost exclusively concentrate on postures should be called Āsana classes, not yoga classes!
Ujjāyī Prāṇāyāma
Ujjāyī means the victorious one. In yoga practice ujjāyī prāṇāyāma is used in conjunction with āsana practice. The distincintive sound of this prāṇāyāma has also given it the name "ocean breath".
Añjali Mudrā
Añjali Mudrā seems pretty simple - prayer hands position, but there are some details about this hand position you might be missing. Learn more
Nāḍī śodhana
Nāḍī śodhana is a yogic breathing practice aiming to balance the flow of energy in the energetic channels, the nāḍī. Nāḍī means channel, and śodhana means purifying or cleansing.
Full yogic breath
Learn the full yogic breath to bring fresh prāṇa into the body
Haṭha yoga
Some history and other interesting facts about hatha yoga's development over the centuries.
Prāṇāyāma - yoga techniques of breathing
Prānāyāma is one of Patanjali's limbs of yoga and a significant portion of all yogic schools techniques and practices.
Breathing in yoga
Yoga is full of instructions to breathe in and breathe out on particular movements. This article tells you more about breathing with movement, and also the yogic breath practices called prānāyāma.
Yoga for digestion
Yoga can assist you with digestion and gut health. Here are some tips.
What is somatics?
It was Thomas Hanna who first began to use the word to denote practices that were emerging in the twentieth century that utilise the felt sense of the body as a form of somatic therapy. This post looks at what Somatics is and how it can help with stiffness and pain.
The truth about Tantra
Tantra is not synonomous with sexual practices. So what is it? Read more ...
Caring for your synthetic yoga mat
Tips for caring for a yoga mat to keep it fresh and sticky
Side angle pose
Looking at the technique for the yoga side angle pose, known in Sanskrit as pārśvakoṇāsana
Lōkāḥ samastāḥ
How to chant lōkāḥ samastāḥ sukhinōbhavantu
Sūrya namaskāra - sun salutes
As a part of our personal practice sequence, how to do a sun salute.
Let the breath move you
Sometimes when establishing a personal practice, simple sequences to follow can help to get you started. This personal practice sequence has focusses on the breath
Personal practice
Tips on developing a personal practice at home or wherever you are.
That pose called śavāsana
Relaxing in corpse pose is a yoga technique that many find difficult.
Why Yoga Nidra is trending
About the yoga nidra trend and why it is meeting a deep need
Mahāmṛtyuñjaya mantra
Find translation and transliteration of the "Great death-defying mantra" as well as a recording to help you learn it.
Scrape your tongue for better oral hygeine
Ayurveda recommends tongue scraping as one of the daily practices to optimise your health. In this article you can find out why and how to scrape your tongue
Trikonasana - a very tricky pose
Breaking down practice techniques for trikonasana - triangle pose
Yoga poses named for dancing Siva
Exploring natarajasana and tandavasana
Client Rewards
How to earn and use client rewards
Cleaning the mat
We clean our mats with our home made mat spray - get the recipe here
Booking in for another person
A how to in navigating the booking system when booking for more than one person
Yoga for Mental Health
Many people come to yoga for the physical exercise, but then make the happy discovery that yoga helps them feel more at peace with themselves and the world.
How qualified is your yoga teacher?
Understand the Australian environment of qualifications for yoga teachers.
Ātma hṛdaye
Ātma hŗdaye is a chant from the heart, to the heart. Chanting this mantra with full heartedness we shift into deep understanding of its message, "The heart that I am is the unending bliss of Oneness". Audio recording to aid you in learning this haunting chant.
Why you need to learn yoga in a live class
In a class, you have support, motivation, community and a live teacher to guide your progress and offer corrections to your technique.
Bhramari Prāṇāyāma - Bee breath
Bee breath, Bhramari prāṇāyāma, is one of the easiest to master yet it has remarkable healing qualities. Lower your blood pressure, overcome your insomnia, reduce inflammation in the body, calm your mind and reduce stress, and that is just the start.
Our efforts for the environment
Yoga Spirit Studios is doing its best to be environmentally responsible.
iRest® Yoga Nidra - a path to health, healing and awakening
iRest® is a simple meditation for modern day living. It helps you to tap into a place that is always calm and at ease, no matter what life is bringing. Tina Shettigara, South Australia's first Certified iRest teacher, gave a presentation on iRest at the March 2018 Soul Talks. Find it here.
Yoga gives help for children's anxiety
Need help for child anxiety disorders? Kids yoga classes may be the key.
Frequently asked questions about prenatal yoga
Answers to all the questions we are most often asked about starting yoga during pregnancy for fitness and wellbeing. Find the answer to your pregnancy yoga questions. Is pregnancy yoga a birth class? Will motherhood yoga keep you fit? Can you overstretch doing yoga while pregnant? Send us any question that we haven't asked and we'll pop it up here.
Ahimsa and caring for each other
We come together at a yoga studio as a community, to share our love of yoga. How can we take care of each other?
Yoga Sutra I:33
The four great attitudes of the heart, friendliness or loving kindness, compassion, joy for others, and equanimity, are the pathway to peace and happiness, according to Yoga Sutra I:33. This article provides a translation of the sutra, transliteration of the words and a recording to help you learn to chant it.
The Gayatri Mantra
About the Gayatri Mantra with words and audio recording
Thinking about becoming a yoga teacher?
An honest look at the motivation for becoming a yoga teacher and what to watch out for.
International Day of Yoga
International Day of Yoga is celebrated on 21 June every year around the world. Summer solstice in the northern hemisphere lends itself to great outdoor events and rallies, but downunder we are in the middle of winter, nevertheless, southern hemisphere yogis also get into the mood and hold events to mark the day.
Yoga’s internal and external code of conduct
An article about the yamas and niyamas of yoga including a reflective meditation
How to fold a yoga blanket
A well folded blanket is not only the key to a tidy studio but is the basis of many restorative yoga props.
Sanskrit is to yoga what French is to ballet
Why we use Sanskrit and a few words translated.
New to yoga? What to expect …
What to do, what to wear, and what to bring when you come to a yoga class - for new people.