Monthly Archives: April 2018

Yoga Journey

Yoga Journey Over the past 4 years, I have been slowly developing my Yoga practice. Being 56 I am not over the hill and yoga has given me a new lease on life. My objective has been to assist with reducing daily/life stress levels and increase my wellbeing.  The mindset and the collaboration with my yoga teachers and fellow students have helped me in developing my mind body and soul balance as a person.  I have attended sessions with different teachers and styles and appreciated the techniques learned. In my practice I have come to acknowledge that my connection with the perfect yoga session is as follows:

Phase 1 the Yoga Nidra

At workshops, I have to acknowledge Nikki Fitzgerald and Ruth Cole (Scientist Nelson) for explaining the nature of Yoga Nidra and leading me thru a 1.5 hour guided practice. It allowed me to fully appreciate the meditative state that this phase can bring. The reality is a 1-hour session is that this phase can only exist for a 5 minute period. I have to acknowledge Layla Dowthwaite (HR consultant Greymouth) as being highly skilled at getting the meditative state of the Nidra in a short time. Explanation of the breathing technique is great. This phase is also assisted by the chant of Om the tying in of oneness with the group and Dr. Jamie Mosher (Surgeon Greymouth) is particularly skilled at leading this. Setting the intention during this phase is a powerful aspect! This part of my Yoga Journey is important!

Phase 2 The Vinyasa Flow

The King if the flow has to be acknowledged as Chai Deva at Evolve Studio in Nelson as well as managing the Evolve festival he does a wicked Vinyasa flow. I have to also acknowledge his staff Kelly Gill-Brydon as equally skilled. The flow has to flow! On a local front, Hot Flow Yoga in Wellington and Christchurch are good with this too! A special mention of the use of modern and classical asanas in the flow has to go to Hannah Green of Wild Peace Wellness Centre in Westport. Locally Naomi Robbins, Layla Dowthwaite, Jamie Mosher all have great technique with a variance of asanas dependent on who is in the class!

Phase 3 The Pinnacle

Yeah, I know no one calls it that… that’s the part with the balance pose or the core strength pose…. One of my teachers does this all thru out his class! I like the idea of the achievable not so much human origami but something simple graceful and restorative as well as being challenging!3

Phase 4 the Warm Down

Slowly going down all the muscle groups with the final stretches is a must with this old fella. All have their own technique and this does not need to be overlooked or rushed.

Phase 5 Shavasana

Although it looks easy, Savasana (Corpse Pose) has been called the most difficult of the asanas. Indeed, many yoga students who can happily balance, bend, and twist through the rest of class struggle with just lying on the floor. The reason is that the art of relaxation is harder than it looks. It doesn’t happen on demand: You can’t just say, “OK, I’m going to relax, right now! That’s why Savasana is such a gift. The pose sets up the conditions that allow you to gradually enter a truly relaxed state, one that is deeply refreshing in itself and that also can serve as a starting point for meditation. The other night Hannah Green slowly pushed down on my shoulders and quietly massaged my forehead. Kelly Gill-Brydon placed a scented bean bag over my eyes. Naomi Robbins massaged my shoulders. Maya, Jamie Moshers’ daughter massaged the shoulders and talked of clouds. I am not too macho to say that these acts of kindness bring tears to my eyes and I am grateful and certainly are some of the most restorative acts in Yoga.

Phase 6 The Final Meditation

This brings it all together on my Yoga Journey and for my reviews what I have achieved in my restorative practice. It also makes me feel at one with the group on certain occasions. Particular techniques are the sealing of the intent in phase 1 and chants such as the 3 oms and mantra chants bringing me back to the peace of the world such as Shanti Shanti Shanti.

I have had some extra fun sessions with Yoga. Two which stand out are:

Rhapsody Yoga Wellington

Gemma leads the class in a graceful vinyasa flow while her partner Paul plays his guitar singing. The flow perfectly matches the melodies and sound. Just the love that they have for each other that flows from the class is worth the experience!

Jo Willcox Motueka

Human Mandala Yoga Jo leads the class in a circle all supported with each other this leads to reinforcement of trust and ability. You have to experience it!

It is not surprising given Yogas benefits that the teachers above are very intelligent and talented. My fellow students have come from all walks of life and reflect the practice of yoga bestowed by these leaders.

Andrew

One Half of the Anywhere Business Network

48 Hours

The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind. The day before yesterday I set out to complete at least two sets of financial statements and there associated tax returns and deliver them to the clients as well as make sure I was available to an old soldier to drive him to various ANZAC day activities around Greymouth and district. Earlier this month I lost a filling in a tooth and made an appointment to see a dentist. The booking clerk said that I  the first emergency appointment was the 3^rd of may and being the 10^th of April and knowing that they are busy souls I accepted this. So my tasks set started the financial statements. And the pain from the tooth was getting worse.

I finished the statements and then took the dog with me for a ride to Westport to drop off the accounts and get some signatures of the tax returns. The first client I dropped the accounts off at is suffering from cancer and while working still does so around chemotherapy. I got the signatures and spend a little time afterwards saying to myself how thankful I was to be as I was and reflected on his steadfast resolve. I picked up a hitchhiker she told me the bus had left her with a 3 kilometre walk to the hostel and her pack was twice her size I dropped her at the hostel door. She patted my dog… my dog was pleased. I reflected that a dogs are happy souls who don’t need much. While travelling up the Coast Rd I decided to call in on a hermit client who Inland Revenue is getting upset with for not filing returns. The hermit has a simple life. He is a vegetarian who exists on mung beans who recycles his tea leaves by drying them out to reuse again. He lives in an old caravan with a canvas cover over it to stop the leaks. He always greets me with a smile and is one of the kindest souls I know. He wasn’t there and as I left his property I marvelled to myself about how you can live simply in live and reflected on his humility. I stopped often on the trip to let my little dog out of the car to have a run around. The dog showed the loyalty of always obeying me when asked to get back to the car rather than disappear into the bush. I reflected on the Dogs loyalty and its trust that it placed in me.

Westport

I then proceed to the next client to drop off the accounts in Westport. I talked with a client about life and business and plans for the future direction and we both noticed the tooth, the client seeing swelling and me with the pain. I reflected on this clients calmness and friendliness. While in Westport I took the opportunity to take in a yoga class. I arrived early at the class and asked if I could meditate early there. The instructor said yes. The bright and clean premises are a credit to Westport and represent the attitude of the proprietors to business. I reflected on their tenacity.

I then drove back to Greymouth stopping to let my loyal Dog out for a runaround. On one of the stops in a deserted car park, I woman was trying to get into her sleeper van as she had locked the keys in. I quietly opened her van door with skills learned from another life. She was thankful. I reflected on her courage as she still had a smile on her face despite her anguish.

I arrived home with tooth paid steadily getting worse. I got out my suit medals and shoes for ANZAC day and my partner gave me one of her codeine and I went to sleep. At just after midnight I got up with a massive sweat, I proceeded to the porch to cool down and collapsed in massive paid and about 5 minutes later I was able to get up…. My brunch coat was saturated, I include to go to the Doctor the next day once my obligations were completed.

Dawn

I got up at 4.00am early the swelling was greater. I went and fuelled up at 5.00am and then went to pick up my passenger for the day. The veteran I picked up was 80 and served two tours in Vietnam. Affected by injuries and lung infections with agent orange he is grateful that I make sure he can attend the ANZAC day events each year.

Respect

I attended dawn parade and while others commenced a day of talk rum and beer chasers I drunk my coffee. My passenger gave up alcohol 20 years ago… he consumed a couple of lifetimes of alcohol drinking a 40 oz of rum after each military operations he was on so did not need anymore! After dawn parade at the cenotaph, we had breakfast at the RSA and then when to the servicemen plot at the cemetery.

Everyone is Important

I took the opportunity to visit my fathers grave he died 16^th October 1986 at the age of 52. I miss his countenance. My passenger visited his father’s grave as well. We then went to Greymouth Hospitals service. This was lead by an ex ARMY nurse and the guest speaker was a Quaker nurse who served in Vietnam by looking after refugees. The service is held in front of a memorial to one of the 3 Greymouth nurses who died in World War one when their ship was torpedoed in the Aegean sea off Gallipoli.

We then went to Blackball I tried to get my passenger as close as possible to the service but he still marched. We then went back to the workingman’s club where I met a number of clients and saw a friend with her new partner. She explained me to her partner as her guardian angel and I told her new partner that if he ever touched her with violence that I would seek him out. I thought to myself that the least this woman can have and deserve is no more violence in her relationships. I then took the passenger home and proceeded to the Hospital to get some medical attention. After an hour waiting they gave me some antibiotics as well painkillers and suggested to me that I call on the Dentist and ask if my emergency appointment can be brought forward as the Doctor in the hospital thought it would be a good idea.

Finally, I came home had a nap and then had a snack. The meds were doing their work and after watching the News on TV went to Yoga again in Greymouth and this put me in a much better position to sleep.  I forgot to mention while I was out and about I picked up two new clients.

Andrew

Half Anywhere Business Network