Anzac marks 100 years – 2015
: April 2015
Anzac Day 2015
Today we try to remember the pain war brought to soldiers who have or are fighting, men and women who suffered because of war. How as humans these soldiers saw death everyday, people bloodied and wounded and not knowing if they would be next.
I can’t help but think if these courageous men thought they had been forgotten, as the war went on day after day not having the communication we have today.
One day would have seemed like a week, in trenches they fought, in trenches they slept, cold, wet, hungry and bloodied.
Each sunrise a blessing that they lived another day. As the sun rose this morning, it shone into the hearts of the crowds on the beach, for each one of us we know how lucky we are to have freedom and peace.
We live in a very lucky country we call Australia .
As yoga Instructor, I know in my heart, people who experience trauma will benefit greatly from yoga and mediation.
It creates a safe environment to draw the mind and the body away from recreating passed events or simply feeling lost or isolated by reminding them that the present moment is the healthiest option for them.
As humans we do much of our activities through learnt behave using our memories, so when we experience trauma, the mind often plays these scenes over and over.
By learning to stop the pattern of returning to traumatic scenes is a start for most people. giving them some control over their lives.
Yoga and meditation through the breath helps the body teach the mind to relax and take time to feel that everything is ok at this moment then the next moment will not seem so bad.
When I go to a yoga class…
When I go to a yoga class I want to do yoga, but in order to feel good doing yoga I have to prepare my body.
Awaken my spine to a flowing breathe and open my hips so they don’t constrict my movements.
Unfortunately I’m not your super flexible yogi who can jump straight into a cross-legged position and start stretching with flowing arm movements.
When I go to a yoga class I want to feel good, enjoy my body, I like a challenge but I don’t like to feel constricted.
These are the steps I have put in place in my own yoga classes, so the benefits of yoga can seep deeply into our subconscious minds and physical memories.
I want everyone to walk away from one of my classes feeling in love with their bodies and passionate about their lives.
It is only through experience that I have discovered how adaptable we really are if given the right encouragement.
So I start my classes off slow and encourage the body to relax and open up, then 9 out of ten times our bodies will be way more responsive than rushing straight into a cross legged pose or straight into a sun salute.
I hope this will help you understand yoga and stick with this ancient art of healing ,particularly if you are struggling at this moment.
Yoga can help us through many physical and mental barriers, as it places us in a state of physical awareness the brain pathways start to feel a renewed light and energy and create a new connection or reconnection between our physical form and our energy form.
We recognise that it is our own power or energy that gives us our choices that will eventually direct our lives to a deeper understanding of ourselves which seems to lift a giant weight from our shoulders.
Yoga shows us a simpler path through life, we just have to practice the ancient art!
