spirals yoga and art studio

The spirit of the place-genius loci

jbaygarden — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:24:32 +0000

Tree dressing is the ancient & global art in which a community celebrate or commemorate something of importance to them by decorating a carefully selected tree. Whether the tree is dressed with flags in Shropshire, rags in Ireland, fruit in India, red ribbons in Turkey, clothes & jewellery in Siberia or bottles in the South of France it is both a visually striking & memorable event.
Trees are calling us to acknowledge a deep interconnectedness. Rooted in the earth and reaching towards the sky not only are they a connection between worlds, they unite them.
Our coral tree is a special tree that reflects the nature of Spirals Yoga & Art Studio. The tree was last dressed on Spring day 2010 so we invite all to dress the tree on Saturday 12 February. We will start with yoga around the tree from 8h00-9h00. The tree dressing will start at 9h00.
Please collect glass bottles to hang on the tree. This will serve as a reminder to recycle, reuse and reduce.
We will also continue with the collaborative mosaic on the cob benches. Bring broken shards, plates, old tiles, coins, anything that you like, to mosaic on the benches. Invite your friends and family and enjoy a fun morning in the garden. Pack your picnic basket and sit in the garden.

Spirals Yoga & Art Studio turns 6!

jbaygarden — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:43:49 +0000

Spirals Yoga & Art studio is celebrating its 6th birthday today.
To arrive where we are now has required the help of many fantastic people:
* the yoga teachers all over the world. I wish to acknowledge every conversation I have had, every book, CD and DVD that I have used, every class I have taken and every teacher I have practised with.
* my wonderful family and friends for the endless support, encouragement and patience
* my husband and best friend, Gideon, for the enormous love and support you show me on many different levels. I cannot run this studio without you.
* the generous group of people from the yoga community. You have offered me insights, valuable time and enthusiasm. You have trusted me with your bodies, breaths and stories. Thank you.
So, for the next year, let’s be passionately alive. Let’s be truly at home with our bodies, minds and spirits. Let’s love one another and nurture each others unfolding. Let’s encourage growth and understand each others fear.
Let the peace within continue to spiral outward.
With much love
Marié

The enchanted garden

jbaygarden — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 07:15:22 +0000

When you stroll in this indigenous garden, you will experience the unique blend of art and nature, depicted by the exemplary works of Maureen Quin. She is a truly talented sculptor and it is with her sharp observation of muscle and emotion, that she conveys so much expression in her sculptures. She has the ability to capture grace, movement and energy in all her studies. Her daughter, Dorothy is also an artist and specialises in mosaic workshops. If you get a chance to stop at Alexandria, do visit their garden at 5 Suid Street, Alexandria, Eastern province, South Africa. For more information visit www.quin-art.co.za or e-mail her at quin@intekom.co.za or contact her at +27 46 653 0121. It will take your breath away.

MAKE TIME TO MEDITATE

jbaygarden — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:37:18 +0000

“We have what we seek.

It is there all the time and if we give it time, it will make itself known to us”

Thomas Merton

An ounce of practice

jbaygarden — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:25:09 +0000

Yoga practitioners joined the global yoga community by participating in the Global yoga mala for peace on Saturday 24 September at Spirals Yoga Studio. The session was started by chanting 27 continuous Ohm, then one set of 27 Sun salutes, one set of 27 postures on the right and one set of 27 postures on the left. This format allowed everybody to participate. After this first mala a second mala was done doing the traditional 4 sets of 27 sun salutes in unison.

Mahatma Ghandi said:

“An ounce of practice is worth more than tonnes of preaching”

First Rotary Art exhibition a great success

jbaygarden — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:20:57 +0000

Fourty eight artists have made marks on a white canvass, changing an invisible thoughts into a visible artwork, showing people how you they see reaching within to embrace humanity. By showcasing their work, our community is made aware of issues in our society-poverty, aids, litter, corrective rape to name a few but also portrayed the immense feeling of hope, goodwill and cooperation. That is the one of the role that art can play: to comment on and grow and influence the values of our society.

The art work has been exhibited as a unit, a beautiful mosaic, enhancing the words expressed by John Lennon

“ A dream you dream alone is a dream forever

A dream you dream together is a reality”

A total amount of R12000-00 was raised at the opening night.

Deepak Chopra Seven spiritual laws of yoga program

jbaygarden — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:43:59 +0000

This program takes the body and mind from deep silence through breathing, into postures that improve flexibility, strength and balance. The sun salutes condition the cardiovascular system and energy governing postures channel your vital force.

1. Breathing

1.1. Bellows breath (1-2 min)

1.2. Complete breath (1-2 min)

1.3. Victorious breath (1-2 min)

1.4. Clearing breath (2-4 min

2. Meditation 10-30 min

3. Flexibility postures (10-20 min)

3.1 Wind relieving posture

3.2 Shoulder stand

3.3 Plough pose

3.4 Cobra

3.5 Locust

3.6 Bow

3.7 Bent knee forward bend

3.8 Lotus

3.9 Uplifting pose

4. Balancing postures

4.1 Tree

4.2 One foot balancing

4.3 Triangle

4.4 Standing angle

4.5 Standing bow

46 Eagle

5. Sun salutations (5-20 minutes)

5. Bandhas (2-5 minutes)

5.1 Chin lock (1 min)

5.2 Stomach lift(1 min)

5.3 Root lock(1 Min)

6. Energy opening postures

6.1 Spinal twist

6.2 Kneeling wheel

6.3 Diamond kneeling

6.4 Child pose

7. Activate the spiritual law of the day

Insomnia

jbaygarden — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:03:55 +0000

Many things, such as stress, hormonal changes, medical or emotional problems, and certain medications, can cause insomnia. While there is no quick fix to this complex and highly individualized problem, the practice of yoga can be helpful.

The sequence below will calm the nervous system and quiet the brain. All inversions are helpful to practice when you can’t get to sleep. While all of these poses should help, the most important of all is Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand). When practiced immediately before bed, it prepares the body for sleep.

1. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

2. Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing FW bend)

3. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)

4. Marjaryasana/Cat

5. Birlasana/cow

6. Sshishisana/Puppy stretch

7. Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)

8. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

9. Sukhasana(easy pose)

10. Agnistambasana(fire log)

11. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)

12. Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)

13. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose).

14. Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand),

15. Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand)

16. Halasana (Plow Pose)

17. Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose

18. Savasana (Corpse Pose)

All is well in my world

jbaygarden — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:56:26 +0000

By Louise L. Hay

In the infinity of life where I am

All is perfect, whole and complete.

I accept perfect health as the natural state of my being.

I now consciously release any mental patterns within me that could express as disease in any way.

I love and approve of myself.

I love and approve of my body.

I feed it nourishing foods and beverages.

I exercise it in ways that are fun.

I recognise my body as a wonderous and magnificent machine,

And I feel privileged to live in i.t

I love lots of energy.

All is well in my world.

Lessons from the deer

jbaygarden — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:37:59 +0000

On Tuesday night, after yoga, I spotted a deer on the kloof. Yoga asanas and mudras are often named after animals because of the valuable lessons that the animals can teach us. The deer seal, mrigi mudra, represents simplicity and straightness. We often use this seal in pranayama. The fisted hand and extended fingers are supposed to resemble a deer’s head and antlers.

The Yoga Journal (www.yogajournal.com) gives step by step instructions:

1. Ball your right hand into a fist. Press your index and middle fingers into the mound (or base) of your thumb, so they’re held firmly in their curled position. (This mudra is traditionally made with the right hand, but there’s no compelling reason why left-handers can’t use their dominant hand if they like).

2. Stretch out the ring and pinky fingers. Keep your pinky relatively straight, but curl your ring finger slightly, then press its pad to the pinky’s nail. Align the fingertips as best you can; the idea is to “blend” the two fingertips into one.

3. Now bring your hand to your nose. Be sure not to turn your head toward your hand, keep your chin aligned over your sternum. Also be sure to keep your right shoulder level with your left shoulder. Tuck your right elbow in close to the side of your torso without hardening your armpit.

4. For all digital practices, the ring finger/pinky pair will close the left nostril, the thumb the right (unless you’re using your left hand). Curl these fingers so that you press the nostrils with their more sensitive tips, not their pads. When you close a nostril, apply just enough pressure to block the opening, not so much that you interfere with the flow of breath through the open nostril.

5. Try this simple practice. Close your right nostril and inhale slowly through your left. Then close the left and open and exhale through the right. Finally inhale through the right, close it, and open and exhale through the left. Repeat 2 or 3 times, then release the mudra and breathe normally for a minute.