Yoga

WELCOME TO YOGA IN THE PINK

“Hatha flow to nurture, nourish and heal your body, mind and soul”

with

ASANA (movement)- PRANAYAMA (breath)-MEDITATION

What is the pricing, location and timetable?

Yoga dates – Currently taking a break from Yoga

Knightsbridge Girl Guide Hall

Philips Reserve

56 Rochester Street (cnr Glynburn Road)

Leabrook

Pack of 5 classes $85.00  Casual class $20.00

What is Yoga in the Pink’s mission?

Hatha flow to nurture, nourish and heal your body, mind and spirit.

What is yoga?

Yoga is an ancient tradition developed many years ago in India, and is based on ancient Vedic practices and philosophies becoming more popular in the western world in the 1980’s.

Yog is the Sanskrit word for the practice that leads to the pathway of Yoga, the western word. Yuj is the Sanskrit word which is the origin of the word Yog and means union, to bring together the body, mind and spirit. The Yog goal is to bring about the cessation of suffering and have us arrive at our natural state, which drops away the small self or the ego, purifies the mind and allows the true identity and natural state to awaken. It allows us like children to be immersed in our naturalness. Yoga gives us awareness of consciousness to be able to start to discover sacred space internally.

Yoga through a state of awareness allows us to connect with our blissful nature, our essential being that lives in ecstatic love, peace and joy, bringing us to a place where this state is not disturbed regardless of what is happening around us.

Many of us spend a lifetime seeking wholeness, we yearn to feel the inner peace and joy, mostly we seek this outside of ourselves hoping to fill the empty void. It is this seeking that can in turn bring us to Yoga and the start of a lifetime journey within. Yoga says that we are all whole and this is always inherently inside each one of us. We simply need to remove the outward suffering, ego and mind chitter chatter to be able to see what is already inside us and reconnect to that blissful place to bring about everything we are looking for.

What is the main goal of yoga?

The main goal is to bring about the cessation of suffering and the attainment of higher bliss!

Yoga through a state of awareness of the mind, body and spirit and yogic practices  allows us to connect with our blissful nature, our essential being that lives in ecstatic love, peace and joy, bringing us to a place where this state is not disturbed regardless of what is happening around us.

What is Hatha yoga?

Hatha is a popular and common type of yoga. The focus is on three areas: breathing, meditation, and postures to create long muscles, strength, balance, flexibility, alignment and tone. Hatha cultivates vitality, deeper sleep, good digestion, relaxation and a reduction in stress levels. It encourages self esteem, confidence, awareness, care and love. It deepens awareness, connecting you to inner calm and true self. The postures and breath help calm the mind and body, preparing for deeper spiritual practices such as meditation. It is a healing, nurturing and nourishing holistic practice for the mind, body and soul with the ancient teachings and wisdom bringing profound transformation.

What traditionally happens in each class?

We start each class in Savasana (corpse pose/Lying on our backs) as we allow ourselves to unwind and come out of the chitter chatter of the mind to become present on our mat. As we close our eyes we allow our tensions and stress to melt away as we connect to the breath and our inner selves. We then set a Sankalpa (intention) before we begin the class.

With our busy lifestyles it is important to take time out and starting our class in this way reminds us to give this time to ourselves and just to BE. I also set a theme for each class so we can contemplate around this theme whilst in our class.

During class we work through Asana (postures), Pranayama (breathing) and Dhyana (meditation). Our asanas are modified for your level of practice and we utilise props such as blocks and straps to make it safer and more comfortable to move into each asana. Each class is different from the last.

At the end of the class we spend some time in meditation and contemplation before we finish with a deep Yoga Nidra (The yogic sleep), that leaves you feeling rested yet calm and energised.

To finalise the class we honour ourselves, our loved ones and our entire planet with a gentle bowing of the head to the heart and the heart to the ground with our hands in Anjali Mudra (prayer) as we say Namaste.

After a chit chat to our friends and other people in the class we then continue our day with a sense of connection, rejuvenation and calm.

**Beginners are welcome and I will give cues for modifications for beginners or the more advanced. All levels are welcome. Everyone is encouraged to rest as needed and listen to the body as the teacher as to the level or intensity of practice in each class.**

What are the benefits of Hatha Yoga and meditation?

• Increased strength, balance, flexibility, alignment and tone
• Maintains your nervous system and promotes cardiovascular health
• Improves mood, expands awareness and brings clarity
• Improved respiration, blood flow, vitality and energy
• Maintains a balanced metabolism and helps to control weight
• Aligns your posture & protects your spine
• Prevents cartilage and joint breakdown whilst building good bone health
• Supports connective tissue, creates space in the joints and lengthens and strengthens muscles
• Drains lymphatic system and boosts immunity
• Aids and promotes digestive health
• Reduces your blood pressure and blood sugar
• Helps to ease pain
• Regulates your adrenals, relaxes your system, reduces tension and reduces stress
• Cultivates happiness and joy whilst breeding a healthy lifestyle
• Aids in focus and concentration while increasing self esteem, self care and confidence
• Promotes a deeper sleep and gifts peace of mind
• Taps into your inner wisdom
• Builds self awareness and benefits relationships
• Helps you serve others
• Affects profound internal change
• Brings peace, harmony and vitality alongside love, truth and purpose.
• Heals the body, mind and spirit

What is Restorative Yoga/Yoga Chikitsa/Yoga therapy?

Restorative yoga is a traditional form of yoga that aims to unite the body, mind and soul. It creates peace and stillness allowing the body to find homeostasis and begin to heal from any pain or samskaras (mental impressions left by all thoughts, actions and intents that an individual has ever experienced) imprinted on the body.

Imagine melting yourself over a bolster, closing your eyes, removing all the external distractions and being guided into a deeper awareness and relaxation. Your muscles relax and soften, your mind quietens and stills and your soul restores and energises. Taking time just for you journeying to the epicentre of stillness, where you meet your inner truth and joy is a delicious experience.

Restorative yoga is different than normal yoga in that it can work with an unhealthy body, maybe injuries or stress, is therapeutic and allows the space the body needs to heal.

Restorative yoga operates around five fundamentals quietness, darkness, warmth, safety and stillness. These fundamentals create a safe space from our busy lives where you can immerse yourself fully in the present moment. You are guided to a place where you feel cared and nurtured for. This is the space where the mind begins to relax and the parasympathetic nervous system engages to produce the rest and digest functions. You begin to access the deep inner peace that lies buried below all the busyness. The stress response (fight and flight) is switched off providing the body with deep nourishment and an environment to begin healing. The nervous system becomes balanced.

The classical yoga Asana’s (postures) are fully supported with the help of props which invite the body to relax even more and the asana’s are held for a length of time so your body can fully soften, relax and let go. Restorative yoga uses forward bends, backward bends, twists, heart openers and side bends to ground and calm and open and energise. It stimulates blood flow and improves circulation by compressing and releasing organs removing wastes and toxins whilst increasing prana (energy) flow throughout the body. Inversions are also used to balance the heart function and hormonal system whilst calming the mind and the brain.

Meditation is another  component of restorative yoga further promoting the body to slow down our thought process, develop steadiness and allow greater awareness of body, mind, soul and self with an ability to bring profound transformation.

Yoga Nidra/deep relaxation is included to walk you through the relaxation journey.

Pranayama (breath) work is included connecting you deeper to your body and allowing further release.

Your body and mind work together and if you can relax one the other will follow. However, it is hard to relax the mind so instead we fully relax the body and once the body quietens and relaxes the mind follows.

A feeling of embodiment, a deeper connection with self, nurturing the relationship with self, the healing properties and the integration all leads towards clarity, self love, knowing and wisdom, which is the beauty and charm of restorative yoga.

What are the benefits of restorative yoga?

• Reduced stress response
• Assists with depression, anxiety and adrenal exhaustion
• Improved immune function
• Improved circulation
• Improved mood
• Improved digestive system
• Awareness and acceptance of self
• Accesses your inner knowing
• Reconnecting to feelings
• Bring peace and calm
• Connect body, mind and soul

What is yoga nidra?

Yoga Nidra is a deep relaxation practice from the ancient yoga tradition that leads to a deep state of conscious sleep, also known as a yogic sleep. It is immensely powerful and leaves you feeling calm, rested yet invigorated with a feeling of wholeness.

“Yoga nidra is a sleep that throws off the burdons.”

What is meditation?

Meditation is about finding stillness of the mind, releasing and surrendering to thoughts with the view to lessening thoughts to expand awareness and find pure consciousness. From there you grow your spiritual awareness and personal growth.

Often with meditation you concentrate on something like a sound, a mantra, an image, a feeling or just the breath. There are many styles of meditation.

Research has confirmed that physiological and psychological changes take place in the body during meditation. For example, studies show that people who are meditating perspire less, have a slower rate of respiration and demonstrate lower blood pressure than normal.

Meditation has many other benefits that integrate into your daily life and enable you to nurture your calm inner true self.

Lara’s Qualifications

Yoga teacher training Level 1 & Level 2  (650 hours) Shantarasa Yoga

Restorative Yoga Wisdom training – Level 1 & 2, (50 Hours) Spirit of Yoga

Yin yoga teaching certificate (50 hours) Mel McLaughlin

Myofascial Release – Yin – Acu points (20 Hours) Mel McLaughlin

Meditation Teacher Training Level 1 & Level 2 (Lifeflow)

Meditation Teacher Training online program (1GiandMind)

Teaching Certificate in Guided Effortless Meditation (Centred Meditation)

Teaching Certificate in Self-Directed Effortless Meditation (Centred Meditation)

Cert IV Pilates Therapy Instruction

Dip Remedial Massage

Dip Life Coaching

Dip Professional Counselling

Sistership Circle facilitation Level 1

What do others say?

“How I came to join Lara Casanova “Life in the Pink”

After attending yoga classes for a few years my yoga teacher retired.  After trying several different classes searching for a new teacher that understood my needs turned out to be quite a task.Fortunately, someone close to me recommended Lara.  I joined her class a few months ago and immediately felt very welcomed by Lara and the other students.  It was pleasing to be in a class of people in various age groups.Because I had not been doing yoga regularly for a few months I realised I had lost some of my flexibility and also had some difficulty with some positions.Lara immediately picked up on this and made some corrections and guidance on how to manage the more difficult positions during class.

In addition to Lara’s classes I opted to join her for a few “one on one” lessons which I thoroughly recommend.   I was able to talk to Lara about the positions that were worrying me most . We also discussed my general health & well being and this was taken into consideration when working out a personalised programme I could do at home to supplement classes.  I have tried to diligently do “my homework” and have noticed an improvement not only in my general flexibility but also a sense of wellness & calmness.  I am not going to say Lara can wave a magic wand but she does listen and she does care and she will send you away with a good practical programme to work with between classes.  Pauline M 

“I started attending “Yoga in the Pink” four weeks ago and LOVE IT.  Over the years I have tried other classes but this is truly something special  Lara is a wonderful caring teacher that assists me to take my practise further.  The studio is a calm sacred place where I feel welcomed and comfortable to take on the challenges of yoga.  Thank you Lara for creating such a beautiful class.”

“This is my first introduction to Yoga!  I have completed my fourth week with “Yoga in the Pink” so far.  I was looking for strength, flexibility and tone, which definitely in time will deliver! I’m excited!  Being new to yoga, and not having exercised for a little while, I am learning as I go.  Not able to do everything efficiently yet, I can improvise with the help of Lara, and am enjoying the journey.   I also love the spiritual aspects of Lara’s teaching such as the meditation, which is great for stress.  The Parish Hall adds to the aura of the wonderful class that Lara provides. I leave feeling refreshed!”

“Loved it, so relaxed and feeling limber as a lion. Thank you”

“Beautiful relaxing yoga class, loved it so much”

“Really loved the class! Learnt some new positions and was introduced to a few new props that I can make use of in the future. Felt very relaxed afterwards. Loved it. Thanks”

“Thank you for a wonderfully relaxing morning session of Yoga in the PINK, Loved it, I’ll be back!”

“Thank you! I am looking forward to continuing lessons with you. I can definitely see the benefits continuing for me. Great Class”

“I just love this class”

“I enjoyed yoga so much last night. You are clearly operating out of your heart space which creates a room of warmth, love and peace. Keep shining your beautiful light xx”

“Fabulous Lara, thank you, I feel fantastically relaxed.”

“Beautiful instruction that flowed, thanks for a lovely night. xx”

“Totally enjoyable Lara, I will be back. xx”

“Thank you for a perfectly relaxing Friday night. xx”

“Unbelievable class today Lara, feeling very relaxed. The visualisation at the end of class was seriously amazing and I was in the zone. xx”

“Thank you for extending and supporting me with every move, very encouraging to feel this good. xx”

“I feel like a million dollars after your class.”

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self”

The Bhagavad Gita