Reset, Renew, Refocus !

Ngā mihi o te tau hōu ki a koe! - Happy New Year to you!

And welcome to Kohitātea - or the eighth month ( January at the time of writing ) according to the maramataka māori.

The Maramataka is the moon phases that māori lived by pre-colonisation, and also today many māori and non- māori are turning back to it's wisdom, for planting crops, fishing and hunting, and doing other activities such as hui, or resting verses being active. 

To me, as a wahine, it makes perfect sense to be in tune with the moons subtle yet powerful energy and flow. That energy which effects our environment, the oceans, the plants and animals, us,  as we are a part of the environment, and so it is natural to be in rhythm and harmony with it.

So whether you consider it to be the 1st month of the year, or the eighth, a way that I like to combine the two systems (because we are all living within the Gregorian calendar too), is to think of this time as a time to take stock, reflect and see what needs to be tweaked, what is working well, what could be improved upon.

As the moon calendar system has 13 months, the eighth month could be considered a good time to do this. And as most of us know, New Years resolutions usually come undone before the end of January anyway!

Maybe this time of year could be about continuing to move forward with your health goals, OR perhaps 2021 is a restart and reset after 2020, and what was a pretty disruptive time for most people in the world.

I am looking forward to beginning the yoga once more with you from February 9th. I'm ready by then to come back to having more focus after the summer holidays.

This year I am refocusing on my WHY - asking myself why do I practice and teach?

It's easy to get caught up in the momentum of life and to keep doing the thing you've always done just because it has a familiar rhythm to it. But the truth is our bodies and lives are always changing, so sometimes we need to take stock and relook into our WHY. 

This year for me is to focus on the spiritual aspect of yoga, to go back to practicing things which bring me peace, renew my energy and, physically - to stay strong and take better care of my spine. Not to burden my practice with needing to be the answer to everything, so to look into other areas which may support me too.

One of my teachers Judith Hanson-Lasater said - "in some ways we ask too much of our yoga practice, and in other ways too little" - I love this quote and this inquiry - I will certainly be investigating for myself where I am asking too much and where too little. I  think this changes with us as we grow emotionally and spiritually, get older and wiser, have older bodies to care for, and our priorities change. So it's good to ask it often as we evolve and grow, and move through the cycles of life ( and maybe even the moon )

We do not need to give up our practice, but often a change of focus may be required.

Our next round of yoga courses maybe for you if these are some of your priorities in 2021:

• you are wanting to incorporate more movement into your life
• you would like to become more mindful
• you are looking for stress relief strategies
• you would like to compliment gym or sports workouts to recover and restore
• you need 'me time' - dedicated time to focus on self-care and wellness that is enjoyable and nourishing, so that you have more to give in other areas of your life
• you are interested in yoga and meditation but not sure where to start, or think it will be too complicated, or that you need to be fit or flexible ( spoiler alert - you don't! )
• you can't make it to a studio or regular classes ( my ONLINE classes may work for you ) 

These are some good reasons to come and give it a go, please check out my course options here. 

Yoga for Calm  - this self paced course is for you if;

• you don't like attending lives online or in the studio
• you can't make the times or dates
• you would like shorter practice options
• you want to choose the amount of movement you do but still receive a guided deep relaxation
• you prefer to practice at home
• you prefer to practice alone
• you are looking to incorporate more CALM in your life.

I may be available for private lessons if none of these options suit you - I am available by appointment, or a private retreat or workshop with your theme or ours ( please contact me to discuss )

Now is the prefect time to enrol  ... so make this time of year a time to nourish yourself and commit to your practice, or developing one. 

For me my WHY? when it comes to teaching is to share the gifts of yoga, but most of all because I love to see my students leaving class feeling released, renewed, refocused and relaxed!

Aroha Nui

Linsey x

Mauri tū , Mauri Ora!