Yin and Pin

Are you tired? Stressed? Tight muscles? Overthinking? Or just looking to stay balanced? It’s time to reset! Our next Yin and Pin class, guided by Katie (Yin Yoga Teacher) and Anette (Certified Acupuncturist), is on Wednesday July 29th, 6:30pm at the Gabba studio!

Yin & Pins merges the two ancient modalities of acupuncture and yoga. Both are vehicles to bring balance. This session will bring relaxation, rejuvenation, and release to your system, equivalent to a mini holiday. The first half will be a yin yoga session followed by acupuncture, bringing deep rest and restoration.

Balanced yin is essential to have relaxed muscles and joints, strong immunity, mental clarity, overall health and vitality. Your investment is $50 for 2 hours, and you can book directly with Sherry at the studio, or by calling on 0422 684 789!

Savasana for Vitality!

Ever wondered why teachers say, Savasana is the most important posture of all? Perhaps you aren’t really sure what the value of this posture is. Certainly at the end of class, you enjoy fully letting go and appreciate those moments of stillness, and silence – perhaps even falling asleep (and waking yourself up with a snort – we’ve all done it!).

However, while savasana is about relaxation, it is not about falling asleep. It’s finding a state between being awake and sleep – it’s about being fully aware, while still completely surrendering. And, as you see in the Bikram series, is not just confined to the final pose.

It’s placed between each high intensity posture (and set) in the floor series to re-energise, re-vitalise and re-organise the body – to allow it to rebound back into the second set or indeed, the next posture. The ability to move from a place of high intensity to a state of complete inaction helps to train and balance the flow of the body’s energy, improves the breath, regulates stress hormones, increases cardiovascular resilience, supports muscle recovery, and restores brain activity. With consistent practice, this can help reduce the the chronic exhaustion or stress many of experience.

As we develop the capacity to remain conscious while in physiological recovery, we can greatly improve our energetic stamina.

Connection

Many of us are seeking connection – usually with someone else – yet are we aware connection can also come through the relationship we have with ourselves, with the nature and environment around us, or with a greater energy, non-visible to the naked eye? There are indeed many ways in which we can unite, and feel supported, held, and whole. It might be helpful to look at some practical ways in which we can do this.

Whether it is a relationship you are seeking with someone else, yourself, nature or a higher energy, we must look at ways in which we can provide support and increase happiness for the other. Long lasting happiness can not be had for ourselves if we deprive another.

Whether you want an intimate, platonic or respectful relationship with another person, what can you do to make their life a little easier? How can you see the goodness in them, even when you think they might be doing something wrong? How can you show gratitude for what they are already doing?

If want to nurture the relationship we have with ourselves, what behaviours and choices can you make that is going to lift your spirit, your health, your vibration? Could you talk to yourself more lovingly? Could you thank your body for everything it’s doing for you? Could you commit to feeding yourself with nourishing foods and drinks, and limiting toxic substances? Could you prioritise time to yourself in the day?

When you step outdoors and into nature, could you leave your devices behind and enjoy the silence? Can you listen a little more closely to the sounds of the birds, the wind, the ocean? Could you breathe in the fresh air and thank nature for giving you oxygen to be alive today? Can you pick up some rubbish around you, plant new flowers and trees, and increase sustainable practices like recycling or switching to low-toxic household cleaners? Ask yourself how you can give more to nature than taking from it.

If we look to the relationship we have with the Universe, A Higher Energy, The Devine, God – whatever you want to call it – can you surrender to this energy and have faith that it is has your back? That if you intuitively know making a decision will align more with the person you are, but you’re feeling a lot of fear to make that decision, the universe will support you if you choose to say Yes? Can you commit to 5 minutes of Meditation, Prayer, Journalling, Gratitude, Reflection or Mindfulness on a daily basis? Can you listen to the experiences of other online or in person, and follow that feeling of inspiration – if they can find this connection, then I can too! Can you lean into the feeling, and realise the Universe is leaning into it as well? Can you open your eyes and start to see all the coincidences and synchronicities happening around you, that are really just signals from the Universe?

We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, and if any of these suggestions have made a difference in your life, and your ability to feel connected, whole and uplifted!

The importance of community

I don’t think we are the first ones to mention it, but community is now more important than ever. Now is not the time to fight with or compete against others, but rather, to really do your best to support BOTH yourself and those around you, helping out where you can, and hoping for the best for everyone.

What can you do to help the community?

  • Give random acts of kindness to your family members, friends, colleagues, strangers
  • Try new creative activities with your family / friends / room-mates living with you
  • Buy from and promote local businesses
  • Join online meet ups – we’ve seen everything the last few weeks – more people on zoom/instagram/facebook/facetime/youtube for exercise classes, philosophy chats, cooking demonstrations, social catch ups, and more! Right now there’s literally zillions of online groups for every topic you can think of! Just get googling!
  • Volunteer and donate (once you’re sure your health is in the clear and can remain so). And even if you can’t go out in public yesterday, there are plenty of ways to volunteer or donate online!
  • Reconnect with those you haven’t spoken to or seen in a long time. Write a letter, send an email or text, make a phone call, or, pray
  • Send a thank you letter to the hospital staff who are working around the clock to help save the lives of those in our community. You could also give a letter to the pharmacists, grocery-store employees, garbage truck drivers, school teachers, and all those who have continued working to support the essential needs right now

We hope you and your loved ones are safe and well, and please reach out if you need to talk or need any support during this time

Love, Sherry and the team at BYNB

Online Zoom Classes

Our trial online Bikram 90 minute class today went really well! We are going to be back on tomorrow at 4:30pm (Thursday 26th March). We will continue to have classes each day, at different times – please check our facebook page , instagram , app , or call the studio (3256 6565) to get information on class times.

The first time you connect you will need to download an app on your computer, or your phone. Then you just click this link to get started:
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/3385399929

That link should take you straight there but if it asks for a meeting ID it’s: 338 539 9929

You will have the option to use video so the teacher can see your practice and offer corrections or you can do so without if you just want to hear the dialogue.

Please note classes may not be offered everyday, but we will aim for at least a few times a week.

Class will start at 4:30pm, once teaching commences the online room will be locked so late entries do not disturb the classroom. You can join early from 4:20pm to ask any questions to our teacher. The class will then run exactly as if in the studio but from the comfort of your home.

Have your mat, water and smiling happy faces ready.

Corona Virus Update

Dear Bikram Yoga North Brisbane students.


We’re seeing hard evidence over the last few days that health is worth more than wealth.


Health has always been the priority of Bikram Yoga North Brisbane. Health is exactly why we do, what we do. As such, there a few things we wanted to let you know about:

1. The studio is open. Unless Australia goes into total lock-down, classes are on. However, we have implemented a limited timetable, so please refer to our app Bikram Yoga North Brisbane for the most up-to-date class schedule.


2. We have limited our class size to 20 people. Please book via the app, or call Sherry on 0422 684 789. Please make sure you cancel if you can’t make class in case someone else needs that spot.


3. Rental towels and mats are available. These are laundered immediately after each use. We would however prefer you bring your own mat. We do have mats for sale at the studio.


4. Weights and props will not be used in our Pilates and Yin classes for the time being. Bolsters are for sale at the counter for Yin.


5. There are no towels in the bathrooms. At the moment paper towel is like hen’s teeth so please use your own towels to dry your hands.


5. We have disinfectant spray available if you would like to use that on your mat after class.


6. We are regularly disinfecting all the surfaces at the studio and the yoga room flooring itself.


Of course, it is entirely your prerogative to come to class, or not. As we have always said – two reasons not to attend – if you are running a fever and/or you are, or think you might be, contagious.


Finally – We believe in self care. Wash your hands, exercise, eat well, look after your immune system and be in company of good people. We are a small, family run studio with a fantastic community and we strongly believe the yoga and movement is beneficial for both body and mind, particularly during times like we are experiencing now. 


We will continue to follow the guidelines provided by Queensland health with regards to the management of Corona Virus and other flus.

See you in the room.

Love and light,

Sherry and the team at Bikram Yoga North Brisbane.

What is a yoga asana / posture?

Many of us practice yoga asana / postures on a regular basis, without ever really connecting to ‘what a postures is’, and why we practice them in the first place.

​A yoga asana is a set of muscular contractions and relaxations. ​Figuring out how to use our muscles accordingly in each posture, is the goal of a physical practice. Once we find the correct musculature in the posture, we breath, focus our gaze, and enter stillness. This is where and when the therapy occurs!

Each posture is different, hence the body will have a different shape in each one. Where we get into trouble is beginning to think, consciously or not, that simply getting our body into the shape of a posture is the goal. This becomes a problem when we look like we are doing a posture, but we don’t have correct control over the musculature of the pose. Specific muscles need to contract, and others to relax, in order to create the necessary compression, stretch, or twist that brings the therapeutic benefit.

This often happens in a forehead to knee pose, for example. We become focused on touching our forehead to our knee rather than being aware of the necessary muscle control that rounds our spine and makes this happen in the first place. (Contracting the front of the abs, relaxing the lower back muscles, and keeping the shoulders down and away from our ears!). Correctly getting the forehead to the knee strengthens the abdominal and thigh muscles, squeezes and flushes out the gall bladder, pancreas and spleen, as well as the uterus and ovaries, and increases flexibility of the sciatic nerve.

Building your practice upon the principle of muscle control is going to bring you tremendous benefit. The shape of the posture isn’t worth making if your body is not working properly. Yoga Guru Bishnu Ghosh explains, “Controlling of any muscle is nothing but to contract and relax the muscles without any movement of the limbs or contraction of any other muscle.”

Introducing Hot Mat Pilates to our schedule

Alongside the success of our Inferno HIIT Pilates class, we are introducing Hot Mat Pilates to our weekly schedule, starting Thursday 27th February, 9:30am.

Hot Mat Pilates is the classical mat series, with over 500 exercises, as developed by Joseph Pilates, with a contemporary attitude. Mat work came before any of the Pilates Apparatus (equipment) were developed or introduced. These mat exercises test and build your core control, spinal articulation, ability to stabilise, mobilise and lengthen your muscles. The class is open to everyone from beginners to advanced students, as the exercises cannot only build in difficulty, but every exercise can be modified to decrease or increase the level of challenge. As you progress in your practice, you will notice improvements in breathing, focus, stress management, and body awareness.

How does Hot Mat Pilates differ to Inferno HIIT Pilates? IHP is based on pilates principles, but is a high intensity interval training class. In IHP, alongside some mat pilates exercises, rounds of cardio will also be included.

The classes we have on offer at the studio complement each other, focusing on functional movement and fitness, and we encourage you to try them all.

We look forward to seeing you soon in one of our classes, and thank you for being a part of our community – our community is really at the heart of our studio.

Namaste!

Do what is right, not what is easy

Do you want to start a blog? Write and share your own creations, thoughts, content; don’t mimic the work of another.

Do you want to create more financial freedom? Dedicate time today towards cleaning up your spending and researching how best to invest your money, rather than thinking its too difficult, boring, or can wait for another day.

Do you want to change your work environment? Face your fears and do so, even if it means leaving the familiarity of the current.

Do you want to change your physique? Get up and move your body every morning, even if you want to stay in bed or watch TV

Do you want to enjoy the benefits of a meditation practice? Sit your butt down everyday and meditate, even if you’re tired, un-interested or only have 5 minutes.

Do you want to achieve deeper levels of intimacy with your partner? Openly and clearly communicate with them, rather than accepting and desensitising yourself.

Do you want do what is right? Do you want to move towards greater levels of freedom, transcendence and joy, and not be limited by control, security or familiarity? Then just do it. Let go of the easier option. Let go of excuses. Go after your dreams – accepting it might be challenging along the way, but relaxing into the intrinsic knowledge that this is what you’re meant to do and it will ultimately deliver to you what you greatly desire.

Namaste

Kundalini Yoga

You may have seen (or attended!) some of our Kundalini Yoga Workshops over these last few months with Kylie. They have been a big success – many attendees saying they have felt more creative, enlivened, all-embracing, and clear-thinking after their Kundalini class. So we are listening to you and keeping them on our regular schedule! You can keep up to date with our latest classes on our app.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the practice, we’d like to take the time to explain it to you here –

Kundalini Yoga is an uplifting blend of movement, dynamic breathing techniques, meditation, and chanting of mantras. The goal is to build physical vitality and increase consciousness. It does this through strengthening the nervous system, increasing willpower, clearing brain fog, improving breath, enhancing visualisation, imagination, and creativity, opening the heart, upgrading communication skills, boosting compassion and gratitude, awakening intuition, and developing wisdom. Now that’s a list of benefits!!!

Like all yoga, Kundalini yoga is not to be taken lightly. It is like an express train that shakes and wakes you up. Some classes will leave you feeling high and totally blissed out. Other will really provoke and confront you. What’s important is to stay present and accept pleasure and pain as part of the same journey to health and balance. Our ego naturally leans toward pleasure and comfort. It takes concerted effort and discipline to begin to release the ego’s grip on our consciousness. This effort is the work required to begin to access the truth of who we are, to create a strong connection to our soul and to start to take great strides towards being more at peace and in harmony with ourselves.

We sincerely encourage you to experience Kundalini yoga for yourself. It will add depth to your existing practice and to your life. This Saturday, 7th September we are offering a special Kundalini Meditation and Gong Bath Class. The class will be 90 minutes, from 10:15am to 11:45am. It’s suitable for all levels – beginners and expecting women are welcome! The cost is free for members and $28 for non-members. You can book and pay direct to the studio, or contact Kat o 0439 068 058, or Sherry on 0422 684 789. We recommend wearing loose, comfortable clothing, preferably white or light colours, bring water, mat, bolster / cushion and small blanket. Come a few minutes early to get settled in, we start on time.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Namaste

Contact Bikram Yoga North Brisbane

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