Over the last few weeks we’ve been incorporating Mayurasana – the Peacock Posture – into our practice.
Mayurasana (Peacock Posture) cultivates beauty, fire, balance, discrimination, and sensitivity, inspiring confidence and joy and of course proper, strong breathing. The peacock has a diet of poisonous snakes, spiders and scorpions and transforms this into its beautifully coloured feathers – this symbolises the ability to digest the nectar and poison of life and triumph over adversity.
A regular ongoing practice at Yogareal enables everyone to develop the qualities required for a balanced, happy and fulfilling life.
We’ve just completed Navaratri at Yogareal. Navaratri literally means nine nights. These nine nights are dedicated to the Goddess or Shakti/Energy within yourself and within the universe. After Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere; the first day after the new moon; marked the start of Navaratri this year on Monday 26th September.
At Yogareal Navaratri means tuning into your breath and consciously breathing and feeling these energies moving through you and around you, supporting you in your journey towards your Higher Self or Svarupa or Natural Free State of Being. By this it means being grounded in your body in this world, feeling elevated, energised, open-hearted and connected to the Shakti or Energy of the universe and your Higher Self.
For the first three nights of Navaratri we honoured Goddess Durga – Warrior Goddess who overcomes all difficulties. Which means making your fire element strong to enable you to meet all the challenges of life with Durga’s serenity and wisdom. Durga has many arms each holding a different weapon or object with which to address the challenges of life – from the sword of discrimination, to the trident which symbolises the transcendence of the 3 Gunas, to the lotus which rises up from the mud into the light. We meditated on Durga and incorporated the posture of Mayurasana (the peacock) into our practice which emanates this energy – beauty, fire, balance, discrimination, and sensitivity, inspiring confidence and joy and of course proper, strong breathing. The peacock has a diet of poisonous snakes, spiders and scorpions and transforms this into its beautifully coloured feathers – this symbolises the ability to digest the nectar and poison of life and triumph over adversity.
For the next three nights we honoured Goddess Lakshmi – Goddess of Love and Abundance. Goddess Lakshmi’s four arms are symbolic of “The Four Goals of Life” Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha. Dharma – right action, at the right time and place, with the right intention, for the upliftment of everyone. Artha – Wealth. Kama – Pleasure. Moksha – Liberation – or sitting back in the Higher Mind or Self, as the witness or Unity Consciousness State, observing the lower mind and senses. Lakshmi’s lower two hands which symbolise wealth and pleasure respectively are open, signifying that these things come and go in life. The lotuses Lakshmi holds in her two upper hands signify that Dharma and Moksha are our true wealth, and they are the eternal principles through which we filter our engagement with wealth and pleasure in order to live a balanced, happy, healthy and fulfilling life. We meditated on Lakshmi and incorporated into our practice the balance posture Vasisthasana with the top foot on the ball. This balance posture, requires alignment, pose and repose, emphasising a longer stronger breath, to enable the consciousness to work definitely and at the same time sit back and observe.
For the final three nights we honoured Goddess Sarasvati – Goddess of Knowledge (particularly Higher Knowledge), Subtle Speech (communication), and the Arts (particularly music / sound vibration / mantra). Sarasvati also has four arms. In two of her hands she holds the Veena – an ancient stringed musical instrument dating back to around 1500 BC, which has 24 frets just as the human spine has 24 vertebrae. In her other two hands she holds a string of mala beads and a book of scriptures emphasising her energy as an expression of Higher Consciousness or Higher Knowledge. Her vehicle is the swan, which in Indian mythology has a unique ability… If you present the swan with a bowl containing a mixture of milk and water the swan is able to drink the milk and leave the water behind. Symbolising the ability to stay connected and nourished by the eternal principles and not be limited by the ephemeral and transitory. Earlier in the week we practiced Hamsasana (swan posture) which is similar to Mayurasana, but more difficult as the fingers are facing forwards. As the Goddess of subtle speech Sarasvati emphasises good communication with oneself and everyone – clear, uplifted and balanced …a quality lacking in a lot of people out there these days…
We listened to the sound of the Veena which took us into a receptive state for meditation on Sarasvati and prepared us for the practice of the SoHam mantra. We then continued with dynamic salutes to the sun so that the fire element was activated strongly and permeated the body creating length, alignment, lightness and full breathing. We then started our work with the sandbag on the diaphragm which encourages slower, longer, deeper breath into the side and back of the lungs; and activating the bottom two chakras so the natural exhale was a lot deeper, longer, lighter and effortless when one removed the sandbag.
The practice at Yogareal is continually evolving and expanding, providing a holistic, grounded and uplifted practice which is essential and available and suitable for everyone.
We welcome you to join us.
Love
Rob & Theresa and the Yogareal Team
Continually providing the Eternal Principles of Yoga and Life and resources and community for everyone to connect with their Shakti, feel better in themselves and uplift themselves for a better healthier, happier life.
We’ve had a fabulous response to the Yogareal 2 Week Unlimited Wellbeing Pass so far. Those who have used their pass already have re-ignited their energy and enthusiasm, felt the benefits in their life and committed to a more regular ongoing practice at Yogareal.
The energy in the room has been fantastic.
Warm, vibrant, full of joy and enthusiasm!
The different props we’ve been using in the practice are totally inclusive and transformative for everyone, no matter what their situation.
If you haven’t taken up this wonderful offer yet – do so now and experience the far-reaching benefits in your own life.
If you’re already coming and enjoying it all, bring a friend!
We’ve just joined Indian PM Modi with 15,000 other yoga practitioners at Mysore Palace in India, via livestream. Modi initiated World Yoga Day in 2015 via the United Nations and it has been embraced and celebrated globally since then.
The theme for 2022 is ‘Yoga for Humanity’ encouraging through the practice of yoga, a deeper connection with oneself and greater compassion for everyone and everything, by a continual, regular holistic practice. As Modi said, “Yoga is not just part of life, but a way of life.”
It’s been a while since I’ve been to Mysore, India. I was there about 23 years ago. I practiced there with Pattabhi Jois and the Ashtanga Vinyasa students in a small yoga shala in Mysore for a month, which was the headquarters of Ashtanga Vinyasa in the world at the time. Pattabhi Jois’ Guru (and also BKS Iyengar’s Guru), T Krishnamacharya (1888 – 1989) who is considered the Father of Modern Yoga taught the Royal Family of Mysore at the Mysore Palace for many years. All of these Yoga Masters were continually mentioned in the footage of World Yoga Day Celebrations today.
At Yogareal the practice we’ve set up now, enables everyone no matter what their situation, to be able to work very specifically in a stable, supportive and conscious way on their mat with specific props to open their body, strengthen and stabilise. Then the breath / energy flows in a very conscious way, healing both body and mind opening the heart and elevating the spirit.
Bring the Sunshine Back into your life With 3 New Wellbeing Passes for You
Hi Everyone
We’ve been having a wonderful time celebrating 18 Years of Health, Wellbeing and Happiness at Yogareal in Albert Park this last week or so – we officially opened our doors to the public on 5 June 2004.
So many of you have taken up our Wellbeing Two Weeks Unlimited Pass, and it’s been fantastic seeing so many students return who we haven’t seen for a while, and all having such a great time and sharing this uplifting time with us.
Yogareal brings the sunshine back into everyone’s life!
We do this through consciously stimulating the breath in the navel, which is the Solar Plexus (the Sun – Surya – Manipura Chakra) stimulating that through lengthening the navel and therefore activating the breath and the fire in every posture and practice. This energises and uplifts a person ongoing and is the essence of Wellbeing, Health and Happiness.The way we’ve got the studio set up now, enables that Sun in the navel to be activated with the specific props on the back of each student’s mat, allowing everyone to be working and gaining the most in each posture throughout the whole class, no matter what their situation.
To make it easier to continue to make Health, Wellbeing and Happiness your priority we have 3 New Passes Available for Everyone. Click on the links below for more details and/or to purchase your new pass:
3. WELLBEING UNLIMITED PASS $45p/wk
A direct debit pass to continue your wellbeing experience three or more times a week ongoing.
Make your practice at Yogareal continuous and consistent to experience Health, Wellbeing and Happiness in your life, and access your sunshine ongoing, and keep your energies strong, vital and uplifted.
Take up the offer, come along and join your friends at Yogareal.
Your health and wellbeing is our priority. We certainly understand life is challenging for everyone on all levels these days. At Yogareal we’re here to help you navigate these challenging times and support your physical and mental wellbeing. Consistency and regularity of practice is the key.
To make this easier for you we’ve created a special offer which is available to everyone:
The Wellbeing Two Week Unlimited Pass for Everyone $30
A one-off pass to reconnect you with an ongoing sense of lightness and wellbeing in yourself. Two weeks unlimited access to all classes at Yogareal.
The practice at Yogareal is far more accessible for everyone than ever before – even people with injuries, Covid kilos, out of shape, out of sorts, broken etc. We will support you wherever you’re at and help to uplift you to where you’d like to be. At the back of each student’s mat there is a specific range of props to enable each person to access each posture to the degree they can. This is all part of the uniqueness that we’re offering now at the studio.
CHI CHANGE…
To enable everyone to relax, drop straight away, recharge, let go, and access their energy, from this Sunday onwards we’ll be incorporating and providing10 Chi Machines for students to use at Rob’s Thursday Night 6:30pm and Sunday Morning 9:30am Classes.
The response from students who have been using the Chi machines in class over the last couple of months has been overwhelmingly positive. Many students have purchased a Chi Machine for their homes and for their loved ones. Therefore, from this Sunday onwards we’ll now have 10 Chi Machines in the class so the first 10 people who book, will start the class lying back relaxing and letting go on the Chi Machine. From there we’ll go straight into the physical practice without the feedback sessions we’ve been having of recent.
In Rob’s Monday 6:30pm and Tuesday 6:30pm classes we won’t be using the Chi Machines at all. So that way we can provide a variety of practices for all. And enhance your Health and Wellbeing experience tremendously.
We would appreciate any feedback you may have in terms of how you would like us to help you maintain your Health and Wellbeing.
We look forward to seeing you all soon at Yogareal.
The Planets Are Aligned… How About You?Chi Machines at Yogareal
Monday 25 April 2022
Hi Everyone
If you looked up in the sky early this morning, you would’ve noticed Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Saturn are aligned and spaced equally, with the moon above. This is being presented at the moment by astronomers on mainstream TV and news channels. The astronomers are saying the last time all these planets were aligned like this was 947AD. This is currently on the mainstream news channels if you want references and information on this.
As the sutras say, “As above, so below” or “As here, so elsewhere.”
Meaning that what’s happening in the external universe is directly affecting your internal universe and vice versa. We’ve also been studying all these principles and understandings in the Shiva Sutras – or sutras of Higher Unified Consciousness during class. What’s happening on an energy and intelligence level in yourself and in the universe.
The foundation of this is breathing and re-aligning and lengthening. Breathing more strongly and fully rhythmically. Re-aligning and lengthening your body and hence releasing tensions and holding patterns and restrictions that keep you limited.
To assist all this Rob has set up a new process in his classes right at the moment. Integrating the practice and understanding of Yoga with the use and your personal experience on the Chi Machines. The benefits of this new holistic process are experienced for everyone on all levels from the physical to the subtle – full reno 😊.
This is a fully integrated process in the class specifically set up to facilitate each individual’s unfoldment and expansion of their Higher mind and ability to rest continually in the space of awareness, expansion and upliftment. Their energies will then be flowing strongly and balanced giving them an experience of happiness, contentment, groundedness and upliftment.
Join any of Rob’s classes and you could be the lucky winner of a ride on the Chi Machine and therefore experience this transformation inside yourself. The Chi machine is a wonderful addition to the practice. As you lie down, the Chi Machine rhythmically shakes out the tensions, bringing instant relaxation, a longer deeper symmetrical breathing pattern which oxygenates the whole of your body, and leaves you tingling with energy, feeling relaxed, vibrant and uplifted.
Through this holistic process in Rob’s classes, on a deeper level all the chakras are opened, balanced and re-aligned – re-aligning and re-activating your planets of energy so that you feel whole and positive and grounded and open-hearted and clear-minded.
We look forward to sharing this transformative experience with you at Yogareal.
We’re rolling out the tensions that have been created in everyone over the last couple of years, which mainly reside through the spine and back muscles.
By gently rolling things out, the pelvis comes through, a person releases and relaxes the tension in the bottom two chakras and then therefore a person breathes out more deeply on the exhale naturally, and then the inhale draws itself in automatically up through the spine and into the back of the skull. This all energises the whole brain therefore quietening the thinking mind from overthinking and re-aligning and allowing the whole mind/brain to work properly homogeneously and therefore a person experiences “PEACE, LOVE, HAPPINESS AND AWARENESS” naturally and ongoing in their life.
This is really the essence of yoga and is available to everyone right now at Yogareal.
WHEELY SIMPLE, WHEELY GOOD, AND WHEELY ENERGISING AND WELAXING AND LOTS OF FUN
😊
