My 2 month absence.

Hello to my fan/s. (ie. Mum)

Do you want the happy travel yogi blog-writing reason I've been absent for 2 months?

Or the actual reason?

Yoga in Kenmore (new studio!)

Urban Yogi @ Kenmore

7.30am - Urban Flow with Mary-Ann

This once sleepy little street has been revived with this
yoga studio and awesome coffee shop on the corner. 

I HAVE A LOCAL STUDIO! Weeeeeeeeeee!

Been back in Brisbane for a month and a half now and have managed to discover a lovely little studio right in my neighbourhood. It's a gorgeous light and airy studio with all yellow mats and bolsters.  There is a feature wall with little bird decals on it which is just gorgeous. It really adds that special something.

I love yellow stuff!

I did the Introductory $25 pass for 14 days which is great value and managed to experienced four different teachers and thus four different teaching styles!  I am happy to say that my favourite teacher there was Mary-Ann who taught a lovely Power Yoga that was easily sequenced from start to finish.  She would begin with Pranayama and give many options for this initial position where we could still our minds and find our breath eg. lying down, sitting on knees, siting cross-legged or sitting cross-legged on a block.  I chose the latter and I have never looked back!  Why have I not embraced this sooner?!  Sitting on a block with legs crossed enables the pelvis to tilt forward just that subtle little bit which in turn creates a perfectly straight spine and posture.  She would then talk us through some breathing, one day she did Nadi Shodana actually, and then we would start with floorwork.   One thing I really noticed about her teaching style was that she always gave options for every pose which was handy because there was such a mixture of abilities. Then we would do Sun Salutations, a few balances, followed by heading back to the floor for inversions. Here, she would always give us heaps of options like bridge, shoulder stand, plough, headstand or handstand.  Her pace of the class was great and I really felt comfortable doing a headstand as she would be nearby and say encouraging things!  She would of course always finish in Savasana and coincidentally, would always play this beautiful track (Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World by legendary Hawaiian musician "Iz") that Steve from Bonfire Yoga in Jindalee who I LOVED used to also play at the end. For some reason, it always manages to bring a tear to my eye. Click here to listen.

Mary-Ann would also play "normal" music in the class which I just loved too. There was a bit of Mumford & Sons and some old school chill-out music which I'm a huge fan of so I really think I'm going to incorporate this into my future non-existent classes if I ever decide to become a teacher, which is becoming more unlikely with each passing day! More on that later.

Sequence: 
Starting in plank through the Vinyasa to Chaturunga, right foot thorugh, Vira 1, VIra 2, flip the front hand then extended side angle with bind option, then back to Vira 2, then triangle, then back to plank and repeat on other side. back, but this flow was really quite slow and seemingly more effective. I really enjoyed it. At least, in the mood/physical parameters I felt today, at that moment.

Quote: 
"Find the place between strength and ease"
- This was very effective particularly in the standing strength.

"Take this option, if it's available to you"
- Genius! It's pretty much saying, YOU know your own body, so if this is an option that is "available", then do that. Such a great way to word it. Totes gonna copy this. Thanks Mary-Ann.


Coffee: Dennis' Espressivo Coffee and Wine Bar - about 20 metres up the road. (Made even better by the correct use of the apostrophe on their signage!)

Mary-Ann even took a photo of me doing or attempting to do
a headstand in front of the bird wall. Thanks Mary-Ann!