TRAVELLERS’ TRAVELLERS’ 5 out of 5

2017 2018 CHOICE AWARD 2019 CHOICE AWARD

NO.1 HOTEL NO.2 HOTEL
IN AUSTRALIA IN AUSTRALIA Weekend Away Review

wellness weeks

Pinetrees Lodge on Lord Howe Island is famous for exceptional meals, personalised service and our superb location on Lagoon
Beach. Join our Wellness Weeks in 2019 and 2020 for daily yoga classes with Charlotte Dodson, adventure fitness activities,
wholefood cooking classes, luxury spa treatments, and a complete disconnect from the outside world. Discover world-class diving,
snorkelling, walking, surfing and kayaking, or just relax and rejuvenate on one of Australia’s most beautiful islands. Come and
discover why we’re TripAdvisor’s No.2 Hotel in Australia. Please call us on (02) 9262 6585 and quote ‘Australian Yoga Journal’.

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Contact Pinetrees Travel on (02) 9262 6585 or visit pinetrees.com.au

 LIFE IN BALANCE

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HOSTING A RETREAT?
The Perfect Venue
The idea of hosting your first retreat can be both daunting and exhilarating. The first thing to consider is the venue. Get the venue
right and you can just about guarantee a successful retreat. First off, it has to be stunningly beautiful, of course. And it has to be
able to cater to the needs of your students. Hotel Komune ticks both boxes. Located on the beach close to Ubud, Hotel Komune
boasts 2 yoga shalas and a state-of-the-art fitness facility and health hub. There are so many variables to consider besides actually
teaching yoga. There’s food, accommodation, travel arrangements, and transport from the airport.
It can be daunting. Ideally, the retreat should help. Hotel Komune offers a turn-key operation. Hotel Komune’s affable GM, Wayne,
can guide you through all the logistical elements of your retreat.
Accommodation
The comfort of your guests is key. No one likes a bad
night’s sleep. Hotel Komune features 66 impressive 4-star
rooms and suites and 5-star beachfront pool suites, as well
as 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom villas. They are all sumptuously
appointed. And the beachfront accommodation with its
artistic furniture will take your breath away.

Teacher Training
Hotel Komune’s training facilities are second to none,
which is why Power Living and Duncan Peak have held
numerous Teacher Training retreats with us. We can
accommodate the smallest intimate group to a large tribe.

The Health Hub

Delicious fresh, healthy food is very important on any
retreat. Hotel Komune’s health hub is a child-free area
that serves the most delicious and nutritious fare. No
matter what your guests’ dietary requirements are, Hotel
Komune’s award-winning chef can cater to their needs.
You don’t have to do a thing except enjoy the divine
surroundings and the tasty food.

Happy Guests
In the end, your guests have to leave feeling refreshed,
invigorated and happy. And so do you. Hotel Komune
Bali can take the stress and worry out of hosting a
retreat. We can ensure your retreat runs smoothly and
that your guests’ needs are catered for. We have
world-class facilities and all the equipment you need to
conduct a retreat. We even have trained personnel to
help you if you want. In short, Hotel Komune Bali take
care of just about everything so you can get on with
doing what you love: practicing and teaching yoga.

Make Contact
w. www.komuneresorts.com
p. +62361 3018888
e. gm.bali@komuneresorts.com
http://www.komuneresorts.com/keramas
bali/event_enquiry
 CO N T E N TS July 2o19
features
Travel and Be Well
How Ayurveda can help keep you happy and
healthy on the road

Plane Practice
The best poses for pre, post and
present plane travel

Where will your next

Yoga Holiday take you
Our yoga retreat directory will tempt
your inner traveller

Dreamy Destinations
The world’s sweetest spots for surrender

Destination Down Under

A yogi’s ultimate Aussie roadtrip

Incredible India
Everything you need to know about taking a
pilgrimage to yoga’s motherland

Discovering Drishti
How one writer found inner stillness through
the power of drishti

A Tulum Love Story

Facing fears and embracing true love over
a Mexican sunrise

Curious about Cuba?

Lessons on yoga in unexpected places

Enjoying the Ride

An Iceland adventure on horseback provides
the key to new internal discoveries

Modern Lessons from

yogajournal.com.au

Ancient Temples
PHOTO: CHRISTINE LOVE HEWITT/STOCKSY

How a banker turned yogi took refuge in

Angkor Wat’s majestic temples

Harmony in Hong Kong

Find peace within with this yogic guide to

42
july 2019

hip and happening Honkers

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

4 Find serenity in your senses
SPACES ARE STRICTLY LIMITED

conscious yoga athletica

 CONTENTS
July 2o19

60
54
88

80
om
24 10 DAYS OF SILENCE:

HAIR: LINDSEY GLENN; MAKEUP: EMILY HARDINGER; CLOTHES: MODEL’S OWN; PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DOUGHERTY
SCARY OR SERENE?
What really goes on during a

PHOTO: PHOTO: GANG ZHOU/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; STELLALEVI; LOVLEAH/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; AMANDA FRIEDMAN;

vipassana meditation retreat?
78 BEAUTIFULLY BYRON
Despite its recent surge in tourism,
Byron is still one of the best places
to get your yoga on

practice
34 ANATOMY: KNOW YOUR KNEES
26
Get to know your knees and how
to keep them safe ON THE COVER
yogajournal.com.au

80 MAP MY SEQUENCE

in every issue
This not-quite-vinyasa ‘Kula Flow’
sequence uses the power of breath
to reach your Peacock
10 EVENTS
86 BUILD A POSE:
PINCHA MAYURASANA
12 IN THE NOW
july 2019

Discover the confidence and

strength to explore this beautiful 92 SUBSCRIBE
balance breath to reach your
6 Peacock 93 DIRECTORY
Tamara Yoga Teacher Training teaches you
how to make your dream reality.
www.tamarayoga.com
 letter
The Magic of
TRAVEL
TRAVEL HUMBLES YOU, it awes
you and it inspires you, all at the
same time. It teaches patience,
resilience and compassion. It puts
our first-world worries and petty
concerns in the context of a larger
world. It shows us suffering as
well as indescribable beauty. It
lays humanity bare, exposing our
fundamental human connection
and universal love.
yogajournal.com.au
I can think of no better life
experience for self-discovery and
personal growth. Perhaps the only
better experience is to pair travel
with a yoga. Together, they create
a journey; a journey into the
july 2019
Both the paper manufacturer and our printer meet the international standard ISO 14001
for environmental management. The paper comes from sources certified under the
Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification scheme (PEFC). Please recycle this
8 magazine – or give it to a friend.
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YOGA JOURNAL is a registered trademark of Active
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craziness; and a journey inward, publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without
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really know; and part that exists images and text sent to Australian Yoga Journal (whether
outside of this plain of existence. solicited or not) is assigned to Contact Media upon receipt.
That’s why we loved making Articles express the opinions of the authors and are not
this issue. As we put it together, necessarily those of the Publisher, Editor or Contact Media
we started a journey in our minds; Pty Limited. Distributed by Gordon & Gotch. ISSN 1837 2406.
we took the first step. When and
where we will go; who knows? ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA
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But delving into all the beautiful
PRESIDENT & COO Andrew W. Clurman
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The exercise instructions and advice in this magazine
THE YOGA JOURNAL TEAM are designed for people who are in good health and
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 see the world from
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 connect
EVENTS
une
What’s On World Yoga Day
Events around the world
June 21

july
Pop it in your diary and do a Google search to
find an International Yoga Day event near you!

50-hour Yin Yoga TT with Bliss Baby Prenatal Yoga TT

Byron Bay June 28-30
Tara Fitzgibbon
Facilitated by Rosie Matheson, this 22-hour Yoga
Byron Bay July 12-14 + July 19-21
Alliance Certified training is perfect to add to any
Join one of Australia’s most experienced yin yoga teachers for 50 yoga teacher’s toolkit, or for mamas or anyone
hours of deeply restful, mind-expanding bliss. The need for yoga interested in women’s health (you don’t need to
teachers to share more yin-style practices continues to grow as be a yoga teacher to attend). The course goes
students use yoga to escape their busy, modern lives. above and beyond to equip participants with
www.terrafirmayoga.com everything they need to ensure a happy

12
pregnancy supported by yoga – from ‘Overview
of the physiological changes for mum and baby’
to ‘Partner yoga for pregnancy’ and more.
www.creatureyoga.com.au

Aligning Health Retreat
Victoria July
Diploma of Ayurveda Lifestyle
Consultant July Intake now open.
Enhance your Yoga Teaching skills by
applying Ayurvedic Practices.
Aligning Health has developed a
practical and accessible approach to
Ayurveda with a focus on diet and
yoga. Special offer - save over $5000
for all enrolments in 2019.
aligninghealthretreatdayspa.com
powerliving.com.au/200hr-yoga-teacher-training/
AU G U ST 23
4
South Coast Soul Festival
Supporting Pregnancy in Shoalhaven August 23-25
an Open Class A truly inclusive event that promises
Sydney August 4 to care only about what lights you up
– not what kind of yoga pants you
Having a pregnant woman in class wear or how many social media
can be intimidating for even the most followers you have. With an
experienced yoga teachers. So if impressive line-up of experienced
attending a 50-hour pre-natal teacher teachers and musicians, including
training isn’t an option or priority, US-based Rod Stryker, this is a
this one day course will stand you not-to-miss yoga festival that
in good stead to confidently cater to celebrates dance, art, sound and
mumas-to-be in a general class. even the business of yoga.
www.inyoga.com.au www.southcoastsoulfestival.com
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
Power Living 200-hr Intensive
Sydney August 5
Melbourne September 2
Are you ready to take the next step in your
journey? Power Living’s one-month yoga teacher
training program will give you the chance to
dive deep into your practice:

Tuscany Travel & Wellness Retreat Prana House Yoga Teacher Training
yogajournal.com.au

Tuscany July 20-27 September 16 Melbourne

Escaping winter in favour of a Tuscan retreat is pretty tempting –
even if you can only dream. Hosted by wellbeing expert Julie Meek
and Tuscany-based yoga teacher Athanae Lucev, the retreat
brings together vinyasa, yin, mindfulness and holistic health
(including delicious vegetarian meals and local wine made on-site),
atop a sunny hill overlooking the medieval city of Lucca.
july 2019
Join Julie Gargano for an in depth, inspirational
and life changing experience of yoga!
Prana House Yoga Teacher Training is a
comprehensive training course that provides a
blend of the physical exploration of yoga (asana),
in conjunction with the transformative regenerative

www.juliemeek.com.au/retreats healing inner dimension that yoga offers.

10
the latest
IN THE NOW

Symphony celebrates
silence for
World Yoga Day
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is holding a special
concert to celebrate the international day of yoga this June.
On the 21st, the ASO will explore silence – the iconic ‘13th
note’. This note, which is really the space between notes, is
used to invite meditative reflection in the audience. Over 60
minutes with no intervals, 43 ASO musicians will play works
by Debussy, Greig, Elgar and Faure. Guests can either book
a regular seat or a premium ticket – aka a yoga mat on the
floor – as they hold their applause and rest in silent
contemplation. www.aso.com.au

BRAVO BERLIN
Yoga counts as vocational training
In case you need a reason to visit Germany, here’s one –
they love yoga! So much so that the state labour court for
Berlin-Brandenburg has ruled that if a worker wants to take five
days of paid leave to attend a yoga course, they absolutely can.
Apparently, yoga is now considered professional development
and a special course has been designed to allow workers to
take their practice off the mat and into the office.

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already figured out

that exercise makes you happier than money, but now it’s
official - at least according to a study by researches at
Yale and Oxford that gathered data from 1.2 million
Americans about the state of their mental health,
their rate of physical activity (including everything from
housework to weight lifting) and their economic status.
The study concluded that those who exercised had
43.2 percent fewer bad days than their sedentary
friends and felt just as good as individuals who earned an
average of $25,000 more but didn’t exercise. For the full
study, see www.thelancet.com and look for ‘Association
between physical exercise and mental health in 1·2 million
individuals in the USA.’
 NECK STRESS AND
STROKES IN YOUNG,
HEALTHY YOGIS

Most of the time, things like yoga, dancing and a little neck stretch are
fine. However, every once in a while it can shockingly lead to a stroke
in otherwise healthy, young individuals. According to a recent study
by The Korean Neurosurgical Society, a simple crack or stretch of the
neck is a leading cause of stroke in healthy patients. Although very
rare, Vertebral Artery Dissections (VAD), or a ruptured artery in the
neck, can happen from cracking or stretching– even in something as
seemingly gentle as a yoga practice. We’ve never seen it happen, but
it’s interesting to know and important to be mindful of for teachers
and students alike. Stroke signs include numbing on one side of the
body and jumbled, slurred or lost speech. Immediate medical
attention will greatly improve prognosis.

PRACTICE AND YOUR

PERSONALITY
It turns out that your personality has quite a lot to do with what type of exercise works
for you, recent research has found. The study, titled ‘Individual differences influence
exercise behavior: how personality, motivation, and behavioral regulation vary among
exercise mode preferences’ was published in the journal Heliyon, and illustrated the
fundamental differences in what motivates individuals to move. After looking at
400 subjects, researchers concluded that knowing yourself is key when it comes
to committing to exercise in the long haul. Researchers recommend understanding
your personality and intrinsic motivations for exercising and then finding
something that reflects that. Are you a loner who wants to get fit? Try a boxing
class on Youtube. An extrovert who values community? Go to yoga!
Aligning your routine with your interests, values and key personality traits is essential.
Find the full study at www.heliyon.com
 th l t t
IN THE NOW

SAVASANA
FOR STRESS
Yet another study is backing us up on what we’ve all surely
discovered in Savasana – yoga is great for combatting stress,
particularly of the work variety. A study conducted by the Journal of
#PLANTBASED
For a while now veganism has been enjoying its moment in
Occupational Medicine analysed data from 13 different trials involving
the spotlight. More and more people are jumping on the
around 1,300 participants discovered that practicing yoga is a sure-fire
vegan bandwagon, as it makes its mark on modern,
way to combat workplace calamity. Significant mental wellbeing
mainstream meals and more. ‘Vegan’ is the second most
boosts were reported, and although the researchers noted that
Googled word in Australia and everyone from the WHO to
further experiments are needed to link these boosts directly
Hollywood are singing its praises. So naturopath, author and
to the yoga, they did conclude with confidence that
mum Gemma Davis has created a campaign featuring cheeky
“yoga is a good practice in photographs of influential individuals that illustrate how we
can thrive with less meat in our meals. Think social media
the workplace as a means influencers, entrepreneurs, bodybuilders, authors and more
– demonstrating that no matter who you are, you can take
of reducing stress.” part in the movement too. To keep up to date with
the campaign, check out @thecompassionateroad on
The full study, titled ‘Yoga in the workplace and health outcomes:
a systematic review’ can be found at www.academic.oup.com

WELLNESS PRACTICES
OF A BILLIONAIRE:
5 HABITS OF
Jack Dorsey, CEO
of Twitter and Square
yogajournal.com.au

1. Twice daily meditation

2. Walking to work
3. Intermittent fasting (he only eats dinner!)
4.
july 2019

Starting the day with an ice-cold bath

14 5. Journalling every night before bed
SMARMY
SWAMI
It seems all too common these days to
hear yet another account of a yoga
‘guru’ misusing his power and
influence to take advantage of
devotees. Self-proclaimed spiritual
guru Anand Giri, who was touring
Australia to share his teachings, has
been charged for indecent assault on
two women in Sydney’s Rooty Hill.
Denied bail, he is in custody and set to
appear before the court in June. His
personal website has been removed,
but on his Facebook page he purports
that his mission is to “serve others
and somehow contribute to making
this world a better place.”

Did someone
say Lemur Yoga?
You read correctly!
Lemur Yoga, or Lemoga, is a thing and
it’s happening at a fancy hotel in in English
countryside. Basically, it’s yoga with lemurs.
And while it may not be the most ‘yogic’
thing ever, it’s possibly the most adorable.
www.armathwaite-hall.com

Pharmacies get physical

CVS chemists in Houston, USA, are testing out a new ‘Health Hub’
concept. So, when shoppers duck in for some toilet paper or to pick
up a subscription, they can now enjoy a yoga class while they wait.
Loving this idea!
the latest
IN THE NOW

No more health rebates for yogis

If you were hoping to claim your yoga classes or naturopathy sessions on your
private insurance, you’re out of luck. From now on, your private health cover won’t
allow you to claim a variety of natural health therapies – including Pilates,
Yoga, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Reflexology, Tai Chi and Aromatherapy.
It’s a long story, but basically these therapies were removed after a government
review couldn’t find enough evidence for their clinical effectiveness. Apparently,
the growing research that points to yoga’s effectiveness isn’t enough –
despite things like reiki and crystal healing still being eligible for benefits by
virtue of not being included in this strange prohibition list.

KHAMSA CAFÉ
Another café is jumping on the vegan
bandwagon and wowing foodies with their
friendly fare. Located in Sydney’s inner west,
KHAMSA in Newtown is the latest and
greatest vegan meets Middle Eastern
eatery. Owner Sarah Shaweesh’s cooking
career has been inspired by her Palestinian
family, who she remembers enjoying many a
communal meal with in her childhood. She
hopes to show that food can be conscious as
well as delicious. She says, “The word
‘Khamsa’, which translates to five, is also the
name for the Hand of Fatima which many
Middle Eastern people wear [as jewellery]
for protection, but it also related to the yoga
principle, Ahimsa, which is about not doing
harm to others”. And it looks delicious!
www.khamsa.com.au
Australia’s
first adaptive
yoga retreat
In February, Australia’s first
adaptive yoga retreat took place.
Facilitated by Brooke and Lara
from Back2Roots Retreats, the retr
hosted five students living with varying degrees of spinal cord
injury (four quadriplegics and one paraplegic). What evolved
was a collaborative exploration of the intricate layers of body,
mind and human potential – yoga really is for every body. 
The retreat was received so warmly that the girls plan to run it
twice a year, with the next event locked in for 21-26 October
and open to anyone with a spinal cord injury. 
See www.back2rootsretreats.com for details.

The down side of meditation

With so many studies highlighting the benefits of a meditation practice, one group
of researchers sought to discover the down sides. Led by the University College
London (UCL), UK, the study found that over 25% of regular meditators had
experienced “particularly unpleasant” psychological experiences during
meditation, including feelings of fear, anxiety and distorted emotions. More
than 1200 people were surveyed, and findings illustrated that men and
atheists were more likely to have had these negative experiences than
women or those with religious beliefs. Before you protest – of course it can
be argued that these so called ‘unpleasant’ experiences are an almost
essential element in the potential growth and wellbeing on the other side
of meditation and definitely can’t necessarily be directly related to the
practice, the researchers acknowledge the study’s limitations. However,
the researchers simply aim to give people a more realistic perception of the
practice, and hope that further research can discover when and how
meditation can be most beneficial. For the full study, look for ‘Unpleasant
meditation-related experiences in regular meditators: Prevalence, predictors,
and conceptual considerations’ at www.journals.plos.org
 the latest
MEDIA

MUSIC:
Breath –
Desert Dwellers
Think slow house grooves meets
tribal rhythms in a serene sound
explosion. Breath draws listeners
into a world of mystic melodies
and hypnotic vocals that
transport you to a place beyond
the physical - an imaginative
realm that so often lies dormant
in our daily lives. The perfect sound
to enhance the yoga and meditation experience. Available on Spotify and
Google Play. www.desertdwellers.org/breath

PODCAST:
Classic Flow
Make sure to check out this beauty in its final
season. Three seasons in and we’re loving
these sweet yoga sessions accompanied by
soul soothing classical music. There’s even
some delicious breathing and meditations in
the mix. Find it on ABC radio or wherever you
download your podcasts.

PODCAST:
Interview with a
yogi – A woke yoga
podcast with
Cora Geroux
Launched in December, this new yet
abundant podcast features interviews with
some of our favourite yogis from Australia and
beyond. From Bernie Clark’s wisdom on Yin
Yoga to Sarah Powers’ guidance on attending
your first silent retreat, there’s something for
every yogi to enjoy.
 SPECIAL
REPORT
Introducing
the
YOGHIADI PROJECT
Italy is leading the way when it comes to getting yoga the rightful governmental
recognition and fiscal support it deserves.

SEEMINGLY JUST LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE

AROUND THE WORLD, yoga’s popularity
in Italy is skyrocketing. There’s no
shortage of picturesque studios and
retreats, with many taking advantage
of the country’s exceptional food and
wine and integrating them into yogic
offerings.
CSEN—the National and Educational
Sporting Centre—is the organisation
that most represents yoga in Italy. It is
currently also the biggest association
officially recognised by CONI (Italian
National Olympic Committee) among
the sport’s promoting bodies and the
Ministery of Internal Affairs.
Furthermore, CSEN has drawn up an
understanding protocol with the Yoga
Alliance - Italia/International to
convert the RYT certificates.
Thanks to CSEN and its
adjustments created together with the
new Yoghiadi Project, all amateur
sports associations could carry on
their work. CSEN guaranteed the
divulgation, promotion and spread of
yoga like it was before the CONI
resolution made on May 5th, 2017.

YOGHIADI – A NECESSARY INVENTION

Although yoga is not included among
yogajournal.com.au

the disciplines validated by CONI, it

has been recognised by the same as an
PHOTO: BUDANATR;ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

essential preparation activity for both

Gymnastics and Weightlifting. Put
simply, if the Amateur Sports
Associations can offer a Gymnastics
Yoga, they will be able to keep their
july 2019

registration in the CONI register. This

prerequisite ultimately entitles yoga
18 for gymnastics instructors employed
 SPECIAL REPORT

by the amateur sport association to is the National President of CSEN, in INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
benefit up to 10,000-euro tax-free collaboration with Dr. Nunzio The Yoghiadi Project 2019 is accredited
threshold. Lopizzo who is the national as the first and only global Yoga for
responsible for sectors of Gymnastics Sport governing body by the
Yoga and Bio natural disciplines of International Yoga Committee IYC,
CSEN. thanks to the agreements taken with
Dr. Nunzio Lopizzo, who is also a Yoga Alliance (Italy/International/
yoga expert and practitioner for over Australia) and their participation as
20 years, has entirely created and Media Partners for the promotion and
developed in 12 months the diffusion of yoga. IYC has been
implementing rules of the Yoghiadi registered under Indian law, it’s
project. He has called upon the recognised by India’s Ministry of
expertise of Dr. Paola Caterina Del AYUSH and it’s managed by the
Monaco who is one of the most International Non-Olympic Committee
Dr.Nunzio Lopizzo respected Yoga Italian Master. INOC, the world’s largest organisation
In February 2019, Yoghiadi have for Non-Olympic Sports that in 2016
been presented in Rome at recognised yoga as a Non-Olympic
This opportunity aims at supporting provincial, regional and national Sports discipline.
a bigger diffusion of amateurs’ sports levels; many groups took part in such
and activities for everyone, in the entire a great meeting, from beginners to
Italian territory. It is important to advanced practitioners divided into
highlight that involves only the amateur Junior, Young, Adult and Senior
associations registered with CONI. categories. At the end of these events,
From 2017, for these associations it is there will be in Rome the country
mandatory to participate in non- finals on 13th October 2019; the
competitive sport events. This decision national winners of each category
has led to the birth of Yoghiadi Project will be honoured in the Yoga Alliance
for amateur sporting associations Italy/International/Australia “Hall
which have in their programs the of Fame” and they will also receive
gymnastics yoga. The project has been the CSEN’s trophy as “Italian Prof. Francesco Proietti
created by Prof. Francesco Proietti who Champion of Yoga 2019”.

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 TRAVEL WELL WITH

YOGA AND

Ayurvdea Tips on how to stay well,

maintain your sense of
balance and keep up your
yoga practice when you
travel.
By Karen Asp
MAINTAINING A LIFE RHYTHM is easy at home,
where you control your time and movements.
It’s easy to settle into a comfortable routine.
But when you're travelling (for business or for
pleasure), that rhythm is disrupted, which
can throw you and your wellness off-kilter.
To set yourself at ease on any journey, first,
you have to learn how to ground yourself.
Staying grounded away from home really
comes down to being mindful and centred
regardless of changing environments, time
zones, and meal plans.
yogajournal.com.au

PHOTO: GOLLYKIM/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
july 2019

20
 "It means finding a relationship
between your brain, body, and breath
that disconnects you from the past
and future but aligns your energy
in the present," says Lawrence
Biscontini, manager at the Wyndham's
Golden Door Spa in Fajardo, Puerto
Rico. "When you're grounded, you
breathe well, digest well, and
concentrate on the present well."
Also, a lot of people get sick when
they’re away from home. Why?
According to ayurveda, travel aggravates
the vata dosha. Literally translated as
“wind,” vata is dry; it comes in bursts;
it moves (and changes directions); and often,
it is cold. Even for those with pitta
or kapha constitutions, vata rises during
travel. Unchecked, it can result in
dehydration, constipation, anxiety, and
sleeping problems.While that can be
tough on the road, you don't have to nix
travel plans and cling to your regular
schedule. Instead, try these strategies.

1. Create a harmonious space for your practice.

Cluttered surroundings can make you feel unbalanced and anxious.
Unpack your belongings as soon as you arrive and take the time to
arrange your room so it feels comfortable. Buy flowers or set up
personal photos. "You'll feel like you're at home rather than coming
and going, which will keep you in the present," says Dr. Nina Molin,
an Ayurvedic practitioner and physician.

2. Invigorate your senses with oil.

Like candles, essential oils stimulate the sense of smell, which can
influence how you feel, Molin says. Ayurveda prescribes lavender oil
for vata imbalance, jasmine or sandalwood for pitta, and eucalyptus for
kapha. Add two drops to a bath or mix a few drops with almond, olive,
or sunflower oil and massage into your skin.

3. Light a candle to set the mood.

When Biscontini travels, he sets an aromatherapy candle on the
bedside table. "The cities change," he says, "but the candle gives
me a constant." To refresh your senses and calm your nerves, try one
scented with lavender, lemongrass, or musk.

4. Detach from results to truly enjoy travelling.

PHOTO: LAYLABIRD;TINNAKORN JORRUANG; PEOPLEIMAGES; ANYABERKUT; PIXELFIT/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

It's natural to harbour dreams of perfection when you travel, because
you've invested time, money, and effort. But when the inevitable
mishap does occur—like missing a connecting flight, getting sick, or
being stranded without a hotel reservation— yoga philosophy can
help.
So what would Patanjali do? He'd probably remember the second of
the eight limbs of classical yoga, the niyamas (observances). Cultivating
two of the niyamas in particular, Ishvara pranidhana (the practice of
surrender) and santosha (contentment), can help remind you that often
yogajournal.com.au

times, the joy is in the journey, whatever unexpected form it may take.

5. Modify your usual yoga routine.

You may not have the time, space, or energy for your full yoga practice,
but sticking to some form of it will make you feel better. Try to
meditate for a few minutes, and practice mostly standing yoga poses.
july 2019

As Kathy Sprague, Canyon Ranch's mind-body coordinator, reminds us:

By grounding your feet, you'll automatically feel stable.
22
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 Om
WE TRIED IT

The Sound of
SILENCE
What happens when a seasoned yoga teacher and meditation practitioner goes
on a 10-day silent vipassana meditation retreat? Lauren Eckstrom reports.

I’VE BEEN MEDITATING FOR A LONG TIME,

but as I arrived for my first 10-day
vipassana retreat, I was terrified. What
have I gotten myself into? I wondered
as I drove down the dirt path to the
California Vipassana Meditation
Centre. What if we get dragged into
another world war and no one can
reach me?
My nerves were running high. I was
about to spend a whopping 10 hours
and 45 minutes a day in seated
meditation in complete silence—no
phone, computer, journal, books,
exercise, yoga, or speaking.
Not talking seemed like it was
going to be easy. As a yoga and
meditation teacher, I spend all day
every day using my voice. Silence felt
like a welcome reprieve. But no
journalling, reading, or yoga? That felt
downright cruel.
As I unpacked my bags and the
many meditation cushions and props I
had indulgently dragged with me, I
was aware that despite my years of
yoga practice, the most challenging
part of this retreat was likely going to
be the physical discomfort that would
arise from all those hours of sitting. I
walked to the small pond on the
yogajournal.com.au

PHOTO: KRISTINAJOVANOVIC;ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

women’s side of the centre—men and

women are separated during the
retreat—and took a seat near a small
stream. I could hear frogs ribbit as a
beautiful dragonfly buzzed near me.
Nature was telling me it would be OK.
I began to settle in.
july 2019

That evening, as 50 women entered

the meditation hall, I gazed around at
24 the people I would be sitting with in
 “It felt noisier than playing the radio at full volume—
not because there was talking, but because the voice
inside my head incessantly narrated everything.”
silence for the next 10 days. Eye contact
is not allowed once you start the
retreat, so this was my only chance to
get a good look at my fellow
meditators before we began.
The next morning, the wakeup bell
rang at 4 a.m. I slipped into my cosiest
sweatpants and stumbled in the dark
toward the meditation hall. As the
morning practice began, I started to
feel anxious. My body temperature
rose, and small beads of sweat began
to pour down my face. I slipped my
sweater off. When the heat continued,
I tied my hair back. As my anxiety
lifted to a peak, I opened my eyes and
fainted headfirst into the meditation
cushion of the woman perched in front
of me. I have no idea how long I was
out. I opened my eyes, sat back up,
took a breath, and felt like I had left
my body. This vipassana retreat was
starting out with a bang.
Though it’s called a “silent retreat,”
it felt noisier than playing the radio at
full volume—not because there was
talking, but because the voice inside
my head incessantly narrated
everything. I listened to my breath
move in and out. I listened to
coughing, sniffling, throat-clearing,
and a bevy of other bodily noises come
and go. I was mindful of my
judgments, fears, and physical pains
rising and falling away again and
again. It was tedious. It felt like work.
Then, on day three, something
magical happened: My body—and
mind—became still. While my
physical discomfort from all of the
sitting was still there, it stopped
defining my moment-to-moment
experience, and my mental hall
monitor faded away.
This retreat woke me up in ways my
yoga practice and training never have.
I awakened to a voice inside my head
that was self-critical and painful to
listen to, and I loved that part of myself
into healing. I heard the loving voices
of my teachers whispering, “May this
serve to open your heart; This too is
practice; You can do hard things; This
too will change; Nothing goes away
until it teaches you what you need to
learn.” And I kept sitting, ultimately
having the incredible experience of
the pain not being “mine” anymore.
Sure, I felt it in my body, but I
learned to un-identify with the pain.
I fell into a space of trust that I was
OK; that the pain could be there,
and I could be separate from it.
In navigating the restlessness,
fear, self-criticism, and pain I
experienced on this retreat, I
awakened to the true meaning of
yoga and a profound new depth of
presence, love, and acceptance that
will stay with me forever.  
AT A GLANCE
WHERE YOU CAN TRY IT
Vipassana meditation is commonly
taught during 10-day, silent retreats Manage your studio,
with instruction on mindfulness and
alternating periods of sitting and
anywhere you go.
walking meditation.
With MINDBODY, all the
FOR MORE ON THE HISTORY
OF VIPASSANA tools you need to keep
dhamma.org your yoga studio running
smoothly are right at
3 CENTRES TO CONSIDER your fingertips.
Vipassana Meditation Centre
Australian School of From managing your
Meditation and Yoga
schedule to mobile point
Amrit Silent Retreats of sale, you can do it all in
perfect balance—no
matter where the day
takes you.
Lauren Eckstrom is a yoga and meditation
teacher in Los Angeles and co-author of
the book Holistic Yoga Flow: The Path
of Practice. She leads Holistic Yoga Flow
workshops, retreats, and teacher trainings,
with her husband, yoga teacher Travis
Eliot, with whom she co-created Yoga 30
for 30—a 30-day online yoga program of Schedule a demo at
half-hour daily practices. Learn more at
laureneckstrom.com. au.mindbodyonline.com
1800.082.989
 FLY
ON THE Air travel is stressful—and can really
put a damper on your vacation or
business plans. Here, three mini
sequences to do at the airport, in
your seat, and after your flight to
calm your nerves, mitigate tightness,
and help you feel grounded.

5
By Sarah Ezrin
POSES TO CALM
PREFLIGHT JITTERS
Find an empty-ish space near your gate and
practice these postures:

1 SUKHASANA
Easy Pose
If you’re anxious before flying, it might
be because you’re not in the moment:
You’re worrying about what’s going
to happen. Practice this simple seated
posture to anchor you in the present
and help you feel safe and calm.
HOW-TO: From a seated position,
cross your legs. Place your palms
down on your thighs so the heaviness of your hands
can cultivate a sense of grounding. Keep your chest
lifted and breathe deeply, then close your eyes and

SHOES: A NEW DAY; JEWELLERY: MODEL’S OWN ILLUSTRATIONS BY MIRA LOU; PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DOUGHERTY
focus your attention on the feeling of the solid ground

2
beneath you. Recite the mantra “I am safe” silently to
yourself 10 times, then switch the cross of your legs UTTHITA
PARSVAKONASANA
and repeat.

Extended Side Angle, variation

This standing pose can strengthen your
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legs, revealing your innate power. The
arm variation creates a feeling of being
supported.
HOW-TO: Step your feet out wide and
turn your right leg out. Turn your back
foot in slightly. On an inhalation, reach
your arms out to each side; on an
exhalation, bend your front knee to 90
yogajournal.com.au

degrees. On an inhalation, reach your

right arm forward, shifting your pelvis and
torso over your front leg. Bring your right
arm and hand to the inside of your front
leg. Squeeze your right arm and inner
thigh together as you reach your top
arm overhead to lengthen your spine.
july 2019

Take 15-20 deep breaths then repeat

on the left.

26
 3 VRKSASANA Tree Pose
This posture can be a real-time training ground for
learning how your nervous system responds to being
startled. Remember, your practice is not about never
feeling scared (or angry, happy, sad; you get the drift).
Rather, it’s about awareness of your feelings—and
how quickly you can return to calm.
HOW-TO: Begin standing, with your feet together
and firmly rooted into the floor. Pick up your right leg,
turn your thigh open, and place your right foot
above or below your knee. Find a steady gaze
and a comfortable hand position. Rather than trying
to balance perfectly, allow yourself to wobble.
Take 15-20 breaths; switch sides.

4 ANJANEYASANA Low Lunge

One of the main muscles that gets overactivated and
tightened due to stress is the psoas. Low Lunge is a
great way to release this muscle. Because of the
psoas’proximity to the diaphragm, releasing it will
also help you breathe more easily.
HOW-TO: Step your left leg back into a lunge. Inhale
to bring your torso upright. Keep your pelvis lifted off
of your front thigh to lengthen your spine and help
you isolate your deeper hip flexors (including the
psoas). Reach your arms overhead to open your front
body even more and to ignite your breath. Stay here
for 10-15 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

5 TADASANA Mountain Pose

This posture is a great way to stay centred when
you’re waiting to board. Energetically, Mountain
yogajournal.com.au

Pose connects you to both the earth beneath and the

heavens above, helping you feel grounded even
when you’re about to travel high into the air.
HOW-TO: Stand with your feet together or hip-width
apart. Imagine the arches of your feet are suction cups,
drawing energy up from the earth. Firm your legs
and keep your chest broad and lifted as your front ribs
july 2019

draw in toward your navel. Lengthen the back of

your neck, as if the top of your head is tethered to
the heavens. Observe your breath in this posture for
1 minute or longer. 27
5 POSES TO PRACTICE IN A CRAMPED
AIRPLANE SEAT
It is possible to do some yoga on your
next flight. (Yes, even if you’re stuck in
a middle seat.)

1 MARJARYASANA
& BITILASANA
Cat & Cow Poses, variation
The best way to find room, even in the
tightest spaces, is to breathe. Adding
movement to breath is especially calming
for the nervous system. This seated Cat-Cow
variation opens your spine and shoulders
and helps you breathe, ultimately reducing
your stress response.
HOW-TO: Bring your arms in line with your ears, bend
your elbows and interlace your fingers behind your
head. Hug your outer upper arms in toward your ears
to target the muscles into your upper back. With your
feet on the floor, hip-width apart, arch your spine on an
inhalation, reaching your tailbone back and lifting your
chest. (Use your hands behind your head to gently
traction your neck.) On an exhalation, round your

3 GARUDASANA
spine, bringing your elbows to your knees. Repeat 10
times, or as needed throughout your flight.
Eagle Pose, variation

2 ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose, variation
Sitting for long periods of time without movement
compresses the spine. Twists are the antidote, helping to
create circulation and a feeling of spaciousness.
HOW-TO: Begin with your feet on the floor, hip-width apart.
Rest your right forearm on the armrest (or on your thigh) and
place your left hand on the outer edge of your right thigh. On
an inhalation, lengthen your spine; on an exhalation, press
your left hand into your outer right thigh to twist. Hold the
fullest expression of your twist for 10-15 breaths. At the end of
your final exhalation, return to centre and switch sides.
yogajournal.com.au
july 2019
This pose is great for stretching your outer hips and
upper back—areas that have a tendency to get tight
on flights.
HOW-TO: Cross your right thigh over your left.
Reach your arms out in front of you at shoulder
height and cross your left elbow over your right.
Either press the back of your hands together or wrap
once more to bring your palms together. Keep your
elbows lifted while reaching your forearms toward
the seat in front of you. Lift your chest to open your
upper back as you release your shoulders. Take 15 to
20 breaths before
switching sides.

28
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 4
NECK ROLLS
& LATERAL
STRETCH
It’s not just sitting on the airplane that
causes stiffness; it’s also all of the
lugging and lifting of bags. Even if you
check luggage, those carry-on bags
can pull on your shoulders, causing a
tight upper back and neck.
HOW-TO: Lean forward slightly. Let
your shoulders hang heavy and roll
your neck in one direction 10 times,
then switch the direction of the roll.
Next, take your left hand to your right
ear and gently pull your left ear to
your left shoulder, releasing the
opposite side of your neck. Stay here
for 10 to 15 breaths, then repeat on the
other side.

Note: Be careful not to make any

sudden movements in this position.
If you would like a different release
(for example, tilting your chin up or
down before taking the side stretch
changes the release), come upright
first and re-adjust the position of your
head before pulling your ear to your
shoulder again.

5 ARDHA
PADMASANA
Half Lotus Pose, variation
There’s nothing like prolonged
sitting to prompt tight hips. This
variation of Lotus Pose (or Figure
Four Pose) is a good release for
the outer hip and glutes, which
get tight and weak from sitting.
HOW-TO: Start with your feet
hip-width apart. Pull your right
knee into your chest and turn
your thigh open, placing your
right ankle as high up your left
thigh as you can. The pinky
side of your right foot should
yogajournal.com.au

rest toward the top of your

left leg. You can stay upright,
keeping your chest lifted,
or play with tipping forward at
your pelvis to deepen the stretch.
Stay here for 30 breaths, then
switch legs.
july 2019

30
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 5 POSES TO HELP YOU UNWIND
POST FLIGHT here’s your new apres-flight go-to practice.
Whether you’re antsy, jet-lagged, or seriously stiff,
1
URDHVA
HASTASANA
Upward Salute, variation
What is the very first thing you want to
do when the “fasten seat belt” sign dings
off? Stand up! This standing pose is a
delicious beginning to your post-plane
sequence.
HOW-TO: Start in Mountain Pose with
your feet hip-width apart. Press the four
corners of your feet into the floor and
take a few moments here. Raise your
arms overhead, interlacing every finger
yogajournal.com.au
but your index fingers. On an inhalation,
reach up through your entire body,
taking your chest to the sky. On an
exhalation, arch backward, creating a
mild backbend. Press your inner thighs
gently back as your tailbone releases to
the floor, lengthening your spine. Draw
your low belly in and up to support your
july 2019
lower back. If it feels OK on your neck,
look up. Hold for several breaths,
32 inhaling up, and exhaling back.
2
STANDING SIDE
BEND
We focus a lot in yoga on the front and
back of the body (the sagittal plane)
because that is generally how we move
in the world. But your side bodies are
essential to deep breathing, which is
key to calming your nerves.
HOW-TO: Start in Mountain Pose with
your feet hip-width apart. On an
inhalation, reach both arms overhead
and clasp your left forearm with your
right hand. On an exhalation, release
your front ribs down to find a neutral
spine, helping to isolate the movement
in your side body. Inhale and lengthen
through your left waist; exhale and lean
right. Keep your gaze forward, taking
your right ear to your right shoulder.
Take 10 to 15 breaths, imagining each
inhalation fanning your ribs open like
an accordion. Come back up on an
inhalation and reach both arms
overhead. Repeat on the left.
3
NATARAJASANA
Lord of the Dance Pose
When the body has been in one
position for a prolonged period of
time, it’s helpful to do a pose that is
the opposite shape. Since sitting is a
forward bend, a standing backbend
like this one is the perfect counter-
pose to a long flight.
HOW-TO: Start in Mountain Pose.
Bend your left knee and draw your
left heel toward your bum. You can
place your right hand on a wall for
balance, or take it into a half prayer
position at your chest. Align your left
thigh with your right as you reach
both of your sitting bones toward the
floor. Draw your front ribs in as you
inhale into your chest, lifting your
heart skyward. Keep your eyes fixed
on a point directly in front of you,
ideally on something not moving.
Stay here for 10 to 15 breaths, then
release and repeat on the other side.
4 5
PARSVOTTANASANA
Pyramid Pose, variation
An often overlooked area of the body that gets tight from
sitting are the calves. This pose will help release the backs of
your legs.
HOW-TO: Find a ledge, whether in the terminal or outside,
and place your right foot onto it with your toes pointing
forward. Keep your back foot pointing forward as much as
you can and place your hands on your hips. On an
exhalation, fold halfway. You can keep your hands on your
hips or bring them into prayer at your chest. Ground into
your back left heel, releasing your back calf. Press your left
thigh straight back. Pull your front hip back and wrap your
back hip forward. This helps create width in your lower back.
Use your inhalations to reach your chest forward and deepen
the release of your front-leg hamstrings. Maintain a long neck
by gazing straight down. Stay here for 10 to 15 breaths, then
switch sides.
UTTANASANA
Standing Forward Bend, variation
You know how good it feels when you arrive home and get
into your own comfy bed after a trip? That is how good it
feels to do this pose after flying.
HOW-TO: Start standing with your feet hip-width apart and
interlace your hands behind your back. (If it’s not possible to
fully clasp your hands, get creative and use the sleeve of your
shirt, a towel, or belt.) On an inhalation, reach your chest up
to the sky. On an exhalation, fold forward at your hips. Keep
all four corners of your feet firmly rooted into the floor and
draw your knee caps up to firm your legs. If your spine is
rounding, bend your knees slightly. Think about taking your
upper arms, rather than your hands, overhead. This will help
isolate the stretch to your chest. Keep your neck long and
stay here for 10-20 breaths. On an inhalation, come up slowly.
Once upright, release your arms by your sides and take a
moment to ground. You have arrived.

Teacher Sarah Ezrin is a San Francsico-based writer and YogaWorks instructor. Learn more at sarahezrinyoga.com.
Model Tiffany Bush is a yoga teacher and healer based in Denver. Learn more at tiffanybushyoga.com.
 your practice
ANATOMY
Keep Your Knees Safe
Exploring how your knees move can lead to a balanced relationship
between stability and vulnerability, on and off the mat. By Mary Richards
IN 2007, I SLIPPED WHILE DESCENDING A
STEEP TRAIL in a National Park. I took a
hard blow to the outside of my left knee,
shredding the lateral meniscus and
articular cartilage and dislocating the
kneecap. I faced major surgeries to save
the knee from a partial joint
replacement. My orthopaedic surgeon
was upfront: recovery would be long and
arduous. More than anything else, my
mindset would be the key to my healing.
That meant I needed to cultivate a
nurturing relationship with my knees.
Fortunately, prior to the accident I’d
been a yoga practitioner with a daily
meditation habit for 19 years. Before
surgery, I dedicated an hour a day to
channelling love and gratitude into my
knees. By the time I was wheeled into
the operating room for the first of two
surgeries that ultimately restored the
joint’s structure, the knee had become
my most beloved body part. I had
learned to celebrate its complexity and
vulnerability, and to fine-tune
movements to treat it well. The knee is
the body’s nexus of faith and duty: one
of the first things we do when we seek
strength or mercy is get down on our
knees. We also drop to our knees when
we pledge ourselves to a path of
devotion. Each knee is the grand arbiter
of mechanical forces received from the
foot and hip. For better or worse, the
knee adjusts itself to balance and
transmit the energies of impact, shear
(sliding forces), and torsion (twisting
forces).
The knee is often described as a
hinge joint, but that’s not the whole
story. To the eye, it resembles a hinge
because its primary movements are
yogajournal.com.au
flexion (bending, to draw the thigh and
calf toward each other) and extension
(straightening, to move the thigh and
calf away from each other). In reality,
the knee is a modified hinge joint. It
glides and rotates. This makes it more
versatile but also more vulnerable. Its
july 2019
range of motion becomes clear when
you compare it with the elbow. Bend
34 and straighten your elbow several times.
The movement feels similar to opening
and closing a laptop. Try it again by
moving between Plank Pose and
Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed
Staff Pose). Now try Virabhadrasana II
(Warrior Pose II), placing your front
hand on the inner part of your front
knee. Bend your front knee (flexion) and
feel the thigh bone, or femur, glide
forward and rotate—moving the knee
up and out. Straighten your knee
(extension) and feel the femur glide
backward and rotate—moving the knee
down and in.
To keep stable, the knee relies on
tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and the
joint capsule itself, not large muscles.
Among standing yoga poses, Tadasana
(Mountain Pose) is most stable for the
knee because there is maximal contact
between the end of the femur and tibial
plateau (the top of the tibia, or shin
bone). Things go awry, though, if you
“lock” your knees. When we
hyperextend—and many of us do so
without conscious thought—we
excessively squeeze the anterior, or
frontal, aspect of the menisci (see
drawing), pushing the tissues backward,
out of their natural placement. Instead, VASTUS
practice standing with your knees in a LATERALIS
“relaxed straight”: stand and press back
through one of your knees. Then firm VASTUS
your calf muscles toward your shin MEDIALIS
bone. Notice how all your leg muscles PATELLA
engage. Take your attention to the
middle of your knee. It should feel very
PHOTOS: CHRISTOPHER DOUGHERTY; ILLUSTRATIONS: MICHELE GRAHAM
stable. Practicing this action over time
will reeducate your muscles and correct
hyperextension. Also, the inner parts of
the knee are larger, thicker, and deeper
than the outer parts. This anatomical
asymmetry makes it normal for the
kneecaps to slightly glance toward each
other in poses such as Tadasana and
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-
Facing Dog Pose). Perhaps you’ve heard
the cue to point your kneecaps directly
forward in straight-leg asana? Don’t
do it; it can injure the knee because
it overrides the structure and function
of the joint.
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PATELLA
ANTERIOR
CRUCIATE
LIGAMENT
MEDIAL
COLLATERAL
LIGAMENT
TIBIA
The knee is least stable when bent.
When we flex our knees, as in
Virabhadrasana II, we have less contact
between the femur and tibia. When
there is less bony contact, connective
tissues strain and become more
vulnerable. The vastus medialis, the
inner muscle of the front thigh, is
primarily responsible for keeping the
patella, or kneecap, in its femoral sulcus,
the groove at the end of the thigh bone.
Ideally, we want the kneecap to slide
smoothly up and down that groove, so
that the patella functions efficiently as a
fulcrum when we bend and straighten
the knee. But the vastus medialis is
much smaller than the vastus lateralis,
on the outside of the front thigh. This
strength imbalance in the front thigh
muscles, or quadriceps, can cause the
kneecap to pull out and up, creating pain
in everything from walking to bent-leg
standing asana. Lunge poses often make
it worse. But we can develop balance
between the muscles through “quad
setting.” Sit in Dandasana (Staff Pose)
with a rolled towel under your knees,
toes pointed up. Press out through your
heels. Then, press down through your
yogajournal.com.au
knees, leading with the inner knee. Hold
for 10-20 seconds, release, and repeat to
fatigue.
Remember, the knees, stuck in the
middle, absorb energy from the feet and
hips. If you take them beyond normal
rotation or put too much pressure on
july 2019
them when bent, you increase the risk of
OUR PRO Mary Richards, has been practicing yoga for almost 30 years and travels around the country teaching anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology.
36 A hard-core movement nerd and former athlete, Mary has a master’s degree in yoga therapy.
FEMUR
ARTICULAR
CARTILAGE
LATERAL
COLLATERAL
LIGAMENT
LATERAL MENISCUS
TIBIAL PLATEAU
MEDIAL
MENISCUS
ANTERIOR KNEE
harming your ACL. In turn, several
poses demand a high degree of caution.
Some I’ve stopped practicing altogether.
• Bhekasana (Frog Pose): Places strain
on the ACL and medial meniscus
because of torsion from trying to draw
the soles down and toward the outer
hips.
• Virasana (Hero Pose): When
practiced with the knees together and
feet outside the hips, we push maximal
range of motion for most people and
add rotational strain multiplied by
body weight.
• Padmasana (Lotus Pose): Without
sufficient mobility in the hips (and
some of us will never have it due to our
particular anatomy), our knees twist
too much. The primary axis of
movement in the body is the hips, a
true ball-and-socket joint uniquely
suited to rotation.
• Pasasana (Noose Pose): Without
sufficient strength in the hamstrings
and calves, gravity wins, putting undue
pressure on the knees, which strains
the ACL. Laxity in the ACL can reduce
power and stability in the knee.
Now that I’ve laid out what to avoid,
here is what I recommend. Try this
homework for two weeks to get to know
your knees.
Get real
If healthful for you, take Downward
Facing Dog, and look at your knees.
Notice that the inner knees naturally
move back farther than the outer knees
and the kneecaps glance toward each
other. Remember: this is normal!
Gain knowledge
Sit in Staff Pose. With relaxed thighs,
lightly grasp the inner and outer edges of
your patellae and wiggle them side to
side. Lightly grasp the upper and lower
edges of your patellae and gently slide
them up and down. Next, engage your
thighs. Notice how the patellae cinch
into the ends of the femurs. The moral
of this story? Use your muscles, instead
of mobility, to move your knees in asana.
Say thanks
Rest your hands on your knees and send
them love. They do so much for you
amid so many demands. Show ’em
gratitude! When a body part hurts or
doesn’t do what we think it should, we
often believe it has failed us. More likely,
we have failed our body part by blaming
or ignoring it. Gratitude is
the antidote to shifting that relationship.
KNEE KNOW-HOW
Avoid injury by understanding how
connective tissues help knees move,
bear weight, and respond to strain.
MENISCUS: Pads the space between the femur
and tibia. This C-shaped structure also deepens
the tibial plateau and helps stabilise the knee,
especially the medial meniscus, which firmly
attaches to the joint capsule and resists shear
and rotation. Each knee has two menisci.
ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT (ACL):
Functions like a stiff bungee cord to keep tibia
from sliding too far ahead of femur. It’s one of
the most commonly injured parts of the knee
due to twisting actions that overstretch or tear
it. That means many yoga poses put it at risk.
MEDIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT (MCL):
Keeps the knee from buckling inward. Also
works with the ACL to stop the tibia from
sliding too far forward. The MCL typically gets
injured in sports with heavy physical contact
and sudden changes in direction, such as
football. It is not commonly injured in asana,
though avoid “knee drift” toward the midline
of the body in bent-leg asana; when the knee
is in flexion, centre the kneecap toward the
space between the second and third toes.
 SPECIAL TRAVEL PROMOTION

YJ Travel Guide

RECONNECT IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

FIVELEMENTS RETREAT BALI
Fivelements Retreat Bali is located near Ubud. The wellness
destination is deeply rooted in the ancient traditions of Bali, offering a
holistic integrative approach where guests are encouraged to embark
on a healing journey, unifying the physical, emotional and spiritual
aspects through purification rituals, yoga, meditation, spa treatments,
plant-based food and wellness programmes, including detox,
culinary and rejuvenation retreats. fivelements.com
Recharge your physical, emotional and spiritual batteries on the
healing land of the Blue Mountains. After the 2-Night Retreat program
you’ll walk away feeling more grounded and connected back to who
you are and what you want from this amazing life! Each midweek
and weekend retreat offers two days of yoga, meditation,
workshops, contemplation and plenty of laughter, combined
with vegetarian meals to feed your body and soul.
From $399pp twin-share midweek and $499pp twin-share weekend.
Use code YJ100 for $100 off your winter or spring getaway
(Valid until Nov 30, 2019) happybuddharetreats.com.au

DISCONNECT FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD AT PINETREES LODGE LORD HOWE ISLAND
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A holiday at Pinetrees Lodge on Lord Howe Island features healthy food, daily exercise in spectacular locations, massage, socialising with
like-minded people and, of course, sleeping. During Wellness Weeks, yoga guru Charlotte Dodson joins the Pinetrees team to host a daily program
of yoga, spa treatments, massage, aerobic fitness and wholefood cooking classes, as well as the ‘normal’ repertoire of swimming, snorkelling,
diving, surfing, kayaking, walking, golf, biking and mountain climbing. Combine these activities with three gourmet meals every day, and a
complete disconnect from the outside world, and you’ll experience one of the most rejuvenating weeks of your life. You’ll also learn a range of new
july 2019

skills to help continue a healthier lifestyle at home. Wellness Weeks are available from 4-8 May 2020, 7-11 September 2020, and 2-6 November 2020
pinetrees.com.au for more details.

38
 SPECIAL TRAVEL PROMOTION

REFRESHING BLEND OF YOGA TIME + FREE

ESCAPE TO BALI
Oneworld Retreats – Bali’s best retreat centre since 2003 offering
over 50 retreats every year. Retreats are inclusive of accommodation,
meals, yoga, activities, spa, tax and service, etc.
Oneworld Ayurveda – The place for an authentic Panchakarma,
the ultimate and most effective healing experience in the
science of Ayurveda.
www.oneworldretreats.com | www.oneworldayurveda.com
TIME = BALI TIME
October 26 – November 2
Two Days in Ubud, the cultural centre of Bali +
Five Days in Beautiful, Laidback Northern Bali
The Nevertire Yoga Retreat gives you a well-rounded yoga program,
lazy days by the sea, a wonderful taste of Balinese culture, and
inspiration to fire up your creative side. You’ll return home glowing
-- body, mind and spirit. nevertireyoga.com

RETREATS AND YOGA TEACHER TRAININGS IN AUSTRALIA

yogajournal.com.au

As an eco yoga community set on an organic farm, Krishna Village is a beautiful, vibrant getaway for yoga lovers, spiritual seekers and retreat
guests from all over the world. Krishna Village offers daily yoga, meditation, yogic living classes, massage, and delicious vegetarian food.
In addition to this they host 200HR & 300HR Yoga Teacher Trainings. Nourish your soul with their 6 week, full immersion teacher training that
addresses the science of yoga holistically, including asana, philosophy, Ayurveda, Kirtan, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, meditation and
mindfulness.Take the time to heal your mind and body, reconnect with your true self, and find inner peace at Krishna Village Eco Yoga Community,
july 2019

located between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast. “This yoga training has honestly been one of the highlights of my life. Krishna Village is the perfect
setting to become a yogi - a place of community, self-exploration, and joy.” - Emily (YTT Graduate) krishnavillage-retreat.com
39
 SPECIAL TRAVEL PROMOTION

YJ Travel Guide

AYLAN YOGA BALI MASSAGE YOGA RETREATS

Join Aylan Yoga in Bali for yoga, meditation and healing retreats
that will bring transformative changes in your life. Share
beautiful moments practicing yoga, meditation, enjoying
cultural sights, visiting sacred temples and holy water springs.
Their highest intention is simply love. Special offer for Yoga Journal
Readers. Use code AYJOFFER for $100 off any retreat packages
on our website. Offer available until 1st August 2019
www.aylanyoga.com
Massoga® Massage Yoga retreats are for every body, heart, mind
and soul: nourishing meals prepared by a private chef, meditation,
slow flow yoga, sound baths and daily Massoga Massage Yoga
immersions that leave you floating. Their unique combination of
restorative yin yoga and massage creates an all-encompassing
experience for ultimate selfcare. No yoga experience necessary.Next
retreat – 31 October until 3 November, Yallingup WA. Book by 31 July
to save $120. www.massageyoga.com.au/retreat

EMBODIED FLOW with TARA JUDELLE

yogajournal.com.au

Are you longing for a deeply regenerative Body/Mind/Spirit experience?

Embodied Flow travels the world finding outer landscapes that support and inspire the transmutation of inner landscapes.
Yoga, free movement, meditation, pranayama, mantra, and satsang are just a few of the alchemical technologies
they’ll use to explore reveal these inner landscapes while marinating in the beauty that Bali, Goa and Mexico have to offer.
Goa, India January 21-30, 2020
july 2019

Sayulita, Mexico April 11-18, 2020

Join us for a transformational journey back to yourself.
www.tarajudelle.com
40
 SPECIAL TRAVEL PROMOTION
CC’S ECO TOURS PHUKET
Planning a beach vacation in Phuket? Consider joining CC’s Eco Tours
adventures. Inspired by yogis, CC’s tours require a fair amount of
physical activity – whether it be paddling, kayaking or jungle hiking.
CC’s tours avoid animal exploitation, share rich culture and explore
some amazing natural areas.
www.ccsecotours.com
YARRA VALLEY LIVING CENTRE
Highly restorative yet transformative in nature, the Centre’s retreat
programs in the beautiful Yarra Valley, will empower you with
evidence-based practices to transform your health, relationships, state
of mind and ultimately your life. Call 1300 651 211 or visit gawler.org/
wellbeing Quote YJ10 to receive 10% off your next retreat booking.
KOMUNE BALI
Hotel Komune is Bali’s premiere yoga, health and fitness retreat
destination. Built around a lifestyle, the leading edge Health Hub is at
the heart of holistic retreats for people who want more from their
holiday. Direct your own retreat experience, and choose from a
menu that includes yoga, Pilates, meditation, nutrition, fitness and
personal training, surfing, complementary therapies, relaxation in
their luxurious spa, and so much more, led by their team of health
professionals.www.komuneresorts.com
THE HEART OF YOGA TIBET PILGRIMAGE
Join Ian Baker and Mark Whitwell on his first ever pilgrimage to the
yogajournal.com.au
sacred mountain in Tibet where his teacher, Sri T Krishnmacharya,
revealed the essence of modern yoga. Every experience is different
and always magical. Please understand, this will not be tourism. It is
a pilgrimage. You will share your journey with the thousands of
Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims who pass this way and circle Mount
Kailash. SPECIAL OFFER: GET $500 USD off the cost if you mention
Yoga Journal in the application. www.heartofyogapilgrimage.com
july 2019
41
 Lost
GET
34 magical, mindful yoga destinations
from around the rest of the world
By Jen Murphy

THE TEACHINGS OF YOGA migrated West

thanks to early globetrotters such as
Paramahansa Yogananda and Indra
Devi. Today, teachers and practitioners
alike can use mindful travel to deepen
awareness and broaden their practices.
India, the birthplace of yoga, remains
the ultimate pilgrimage destination, but
cities such as London and Los
Angeles—home to influential teachers
and respected studios—have also
become hubs of learning. Meanwhile,
smaller towns such as Byron Bay,
Australia, boast tight-knit yoga
communities rooted in an appreciation
for healthy living. Immersions remain
mainstays of self-realisation, but these
days, yoga travellers also want to
combine time on the mat with cultural
education and other passions, such as
surfing, music, dance, and food. We
asked dozens of teachers about their
must-visit yoga destinations. From
not-to-miss festivals and historic
ashrams to far-flung, socially
responsible eco-retreats, here’s the
2019 Yoga Journal wanderlist.
yogajournal.com.au

PHOTO: CHRISTINE LOVE HEWITT/STOCKSY

july 2019

42
 Heal. Rejuvenate.
Connect. Recharge.
Inspire. Discover.

Welcome to
Fivelements
Retreat Bali

Cuisine Wellness
inspired aimed to
by nature revitalise

A Balinese wellness
retreat nurturing
harmony among
spirit, human
and nature
Banjar Batur Rening, Mambal, Abiansemal, Bali Indonesia 80352
contact@fivelements.com | www.fivelements.com
 North 5. MAUI HAWAII
A strong contemplative

America community and the island’s healthy

lifestyle are among the draws that
have led Ashtangis such as Nancy
Gilgoff, David Williams, and Ram

1
Dass to make their homes here. The
Kahanu Garden in Hana is home to
the Pi’ilanihale Heiau, the largest
Heiau (shrines) in Polynesia and a
place of worship dating back to the
13th century. Hawaii’s spiritual
emphasis on nature makes it a
destination for those seeking to feel
the mana (spiritual energy) of the
1. FEATHERED PIPE RANCH, HELENA, MONTANA land.
Teacher and Yoga Journal cofounder Judith Hanson Lasater has been hosting yoga
retreats at this spacious ranch since 1975. “It’s like summer camp for yogis,” she says:
“Jaw-dropping scenery in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, magnificent food,
fresh spring water, twice-daily yoga classes, and a week steeped in the silence of
6. BOULDER,
nature.” To pay respect to the sacred Native American land the retreat rests on, COLORADO
founder India Supera created the Feathered Pipe Foundation to help preserve Boulder’s vibrant mindfulness
ceremonial traditions of the Cree people. Feathered Pipe continues to foster community has been growing
humanitarian efforts that give life to new non-profits while maintaining missions since the 1970s when Tibetan
such as the Veterans Yoga Project and the Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation. meditation master Chögyam Trungpa
Rinpoche—the 11th incarnation of
the Trungpa Tulku—established
2. KRIPALU CENTRE 4. ESALEN INSTITUTE, Naropa University, a Buddhist
FOR YOGA & HEALTH, BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA liberal arts college, and Shambhala
This cliffside retreat opened in 1962 Mountain Centre in a valley above
STOCKBRIDGE, town. While Rinpoche’s legacy has
with a series of workshops on yoga and
MASSACHUSETTS personal growth. Key countercultural been rocked by scandal, Naropa and
With an international network of 2,000 figures such as Joan Baez and Joseph Shambhala remain pillars of Buddhist
instructors teaching more than 700 Campbell were among its early guests values and mindful practices. Senior
programs to 30,000 guests a year, and lecturers. Today, renowned yoga teachers Richard Freeman and
education is front and centre at this wellness leaders and yoga teachers like Amy Ippoliti call Boulder home.
verdant campus in the Berkshires. For Andrew Weil, Dean Ornish, and Janet Bonus: The Hanuman Festival, held
the past decade, Kripalu has led the way Stone share expertise on trending each June, attracts top yoga educators
in ground-breaking research on yoga topics, including the energetics of con- and teachers such as Sreedevi Bringi

3
and trauma in collaboration with sciousness and meditation as medicine. and Seane Corn.
experts from Harvard Medical School
and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

3. SEDONA, ARIZONA
Sedona is known for spiritual
PHOTO: ZANE WILLIAMS;TONDA/EXTREME PHOTOGRAPHER/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

vortexes—powerful energy centres

where visitors can allegedly pick up on
sacred frequencies. Healers and
enlightenment seekers worldwide travel
to its towering red-rock spires hoping to
yogajournal.com.au

tap into higher consciousness. Each

March, the three-day Sedona Yoga
Festival draws thousands of
practitioners with its line-up of 200
classes and performances by kirtan
artists such as Johanna Beekman.
Regulars tout an intimate setting where
july 2019

you’re likely to run into presenters

(think ISHTA Yoga founder Alan
Finger) in the halls, as well as dedicated
44 workshops on trauma-informed yoga.
 8. SALT SPRING CENTRE OF
YOGA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
In 1981, members of the Dharma Sara
Satsang Society, a yoga community
inspired by the teachings of Indian

7
Ashtangi master and silent monk Baba
Hari Dass, purchased a 27-hectare patch
of cedar forest and meadows
on Salt Spring Island. Today, the
property’s restored turn-of-the-century
farmhouse is the longest-running yoga
retreat centre on Canada’s West Coast.
Public offerings include monthly full-
moon pujas (spiritual cleansings), while
10-week residential programs combine
service (tending the on-site farm, pre-
paring vegetarian meals) with asana and
7. LOS ANGELES theory classes covering classic yoga texts.
Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the first Indian spiritual teachers to make his home
in the West, called Los Angeles “the Benares of America” (Benares is another name 9. OJAI, CALIFORNIA
for the Indian city of Varanasi) when he arrived in the 1920s. After setting up the A bustling hub of ashrams, yoga
Self-Realization Fellowship’s international headquarters atop Mount Washington, centres, and spiritual retreats—and
he opened a clifftop compound in Encinitas and a waterfall and shrine-studded dubbed Shangri-La by locals (a nod
campus on Sunset Boulevard where a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are to the surrounding valley’s cameo as
laid to rest. Today, the Lake Shrine—with its waterfront meditation garden and gold the fictional utopia in the classic film
lotus–topped temple where resident monks hold services and give lectures—remains Lost Horizon)—Ojai’s surrounding
an oasis for contemplation. LA’s robust Kundalini scene (Golden Bridge Yoga Studio, Topatopa and Sulphur mountains are
RA MA Institute in Venice) traces its roots back to 1969, when Yogi Bhajan started what attracted Indian philosopher J.
teaching the distinctive style on Melrose Avenue. Wanderlust headquarters in Krishnamurti in the 1920s. Today, his
Hollywood is LA’s latest yoga hub, hosting fusion classes and workshops by wellness teachings continue via programs at the
gurus such as Taryn Toomey and senior yoga teacher Annie Carpenter. Krishnamurti Educational Centre.

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 10. CHOPRA CENTRE,
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA
The palm-shaded Omni La Costa
Resort & Spa may seem like an
unlikely setting for the cutting-edge
work of the Chopra Centre’s
Mind-Body Medical Group, but here,
experts in hypnotherapy, integrative
oncology, and pranic healing (a form
of no-touch energy healing) combine
holistic practices and Western
medicine. Try one of their Perfect
Health retreats where itineraries
feature daily yoga and meditation,
Ayurvedic meals, spa treatments, and
medical consultations from Vedic
educators and integrative-medicine
experts.
Europe
11
12. ELYSIA YOGA
CONVENTION, AEGIALI,
AMORGOS
Located on the island of Amorgos in
Greece, the Elysia Yoga Convention is a
conglomeration of yoga practitioners,
enthusiasts, and wellness coaches. In
ancient literature, Elysia was a divine
final resting place for the souls of
heroes, setting the tone for a complete
mind-body yoga retreat.
13. MOUNTAIN YOGA FESTIVAL,
ST. ANTON, AUSTRIA
yogajournal.com.au
This event, held in the birthplace of
modern skiing, offers a heavy dose of
outdoor wellness. Intimacy is part of the
draw: Fewer than 300 attendees and
teachers from around the world gather
to fill their souls with music and
july 2019
movement. Alpine hikes and lectures by
Jivamukti teacher Karl Straub and
nutritional biochemist Florian Überall
46 roundout the lineup.
11
11. NEW YORK CITY
New York City is home to some of Western yoga’s most notable teachers,
including Eddie Stern, Genevieve Kapuler, Elena Brower, Dharma Mittra, Alison
West, and Lauren Ash. “HealHaus in Brooklyn is my go-to haven for spiritual
support,” says Ash, founder of mindful lifestyle brand Black Girl in Om. “The
studio’s mission—to promote healing as a lifestyle—is a beautiful example of what
it means to hold sustainable space and intentional presence for diverse people.”
New York’s got everything from trendy new Y7 yoga—which utilises heat, hip-hop
music, and dark candle-lit rooms—to traditional Iyengar Yoga at the Iyengar Yoga
Institute. And if you need a break from the city, head north 150kms to the iconic
Omega Institute—a wooded, 42-year-old health and wellness campus that sees
more than 23,000 students a year.
14. SCHLOSS ELMAU,
BAVARIA, GERMANY
Since opening in 1916, this wellness and
culture sanctuary in the Bavarian Alps
has welcomed luminaries (author Ian
McEwan, jazz musician Paolo Fresu)
to its concert hall and lecture library.
Here, you’ll find an annual yoga summit
where Europe’s top teachers, such as
Barbra Noh and Timo Wahl, lead
lectures, asana, and meditation
sessions against the backdrop of the
16
snow-capped Wetterstein mountains.
15. LONDON
London’s yoga scene stands apart from
other cities’ with its emphasis on
inclusivity and accessibility: Ourmala
offers classes to asylum-seekers, women
PHOTO: BLULZ60;RYANJLANE;LIGHT STUDIOS/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
refugees, and survivors of trafficking;
Stillpoint Yoga London (try one of their
16. BARCELONA YOGA
daily Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga
classes held at London Bridge) helps CONFERENCE
bring the practice into local prisons; and This five-day event is one of Europe’s
Michael James Wong’s Boys of Yoga largest yoga festivals, attracting more
platform cultivates stories, videos, and than 1,200 attendees from across the
tutorials to break down gender globe to flow with master yogis such as
stereotypes in yoga. In addition, popular Shiva Rea and Krishna Das, indulge in
teachers like Stewart Gilchrist and Thai massage, enjoy music from
Claire Missingham call London home, international performers, try acroyoga
teaching at Triyoga and East London with a partner, and lose themselves in
School of Yoga. ecstatic dance.
 FIND
WE ASKED CRYSTAL MCCREARY— A YOGA
AND MINDFULNESS EDUCATOR WHO
HOSTS SELF-CARE RETREATS ACROSS

YOUR THE GLOBE—TO NAME HER FIVE

FAVOURITE DESTINATIONS FOR

ZEN
EXPERIENCING MINDFULNESS. 17. BORNHOLM
HERE’S WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. YOGA &
KENYA The dramatically poetic circle of life on RETREAT CENTRE,
display in Kenya is a meditation on the fierce
DENMARK
resilience of all the living things that thrive here:
Off the southern coast
the people, the animals, and the vegetation.
of Sweden, Bornholm
BALI Teeming with vibrant life, Bali’s glow and the is an ideal setting for
natural high that alights visitors’ awareness while three-day silent
on the island make evident that it is one of the meditation retreats
Earth’s chakras. hosted by resident yogi
MOROCCO Majestic in scale and ancient in Solveig Egebjerg (who
tradition, the heartening harmony of faiths and studied with Sharat
natural aesthetic design make Morocco a Aurora, the head of the
destination for reflecting on the dimensional Himalayan Iyengar
elements that make us who we are. Yoga Centre) and
ICELAND The natural, geological wonder of American Diane
Iceland reminds mindful travellers that we abide Long (a disciple of
on a living, breathing, and powerfully transforming Iyengar-focused Vanda
planetary body that deserves deep bows of Scaravelli). Disconnect
gratitude and respect. and unwind with
walking meditations
ISLA HOLBOX Tiny, tranquil and idyllic, this tropical
along the rocky Baltic
beach respite’s quiet, simple pleasures express the
coast or workshops
potency of practicing the pause. Learn more about
aimed at weaving
Crystal and her wellness initiatives for kids and
mindfulness into
adults at crystalmccrearyyoga.com.
your daily grind.

18. SURYALILA
YOGA RETREAT
CENTRE, CADIZ,
SPAIN
The Om Dome (an
igloo-shaped yoga hall)
at this Andalusian retreat
might be the most
magnificent place to
practice in all of Europe,
says yoga teacher Tiffany
Cruikshank. The geometric
studio was designed to
resemble a Nepalese temple
topped with a golden stupa.
yogajournal.com.au

Wholesome farm-to-table
organic meals are another
reason Cruikshank enjoys
leading retreats here.
PHOTO: CRIENE/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

Regular teacher trainings

by Vidya Jacqueline Heisel,
founder of vinyasa-focused
july 2019

Frog Lotus Yoga, and Carol

Murphy, founder of Green
Lotus Yoga, are other
highlights. 47
 Africa
20
19. KENYA
Deborah Calmeyer, the Zimbabwe-
born founder of travel company Roar
Africa, last year launched a new
series of self-discovery retreats called
Roar & Restore, incorporating TED
yogajournal.com.au
Talk–worthy speakers
(conservationist Laura Turner Seydel
and world-renowned South African
artist Dylan Lewis) with yoga,
meditation, and safari drives. The
conservation-minded Segera Retreat
Centre, set within 50,000 acres of
july 2019
protected land on the Laikipia
Plateau, offers a raw-food menu and
garden-shaded yoga decks developed
48 with yogis in mind.
20. TAGHAZOUT, MOROCCO
Over the past two decades, a booming
surf-and-yoga scene has sprung up in
this sleepy fishing village five hours
south of Casablanca. Take holiday
with Surf Maroc (one of the area’s first
surf-yoga retreat companies) for daily
“creative vinyasa, powerful pranayama,
laughter yoga, restorative, yin, yoga ni-
dra, and meditation.” Between yoga ses-
sions, surf instructors provide hands-on
coaching whether you’re a first-timer
or a seasoned rider. For a taste of the
locale, the property’s neighbouring
rooftop yoga studio offers public classes
and a chance to mingle with the local
yoga community.
21. NAMIBIA
The country’s sublime scenery—
red-sand dunes and a desolate coast
riddled with shipwrecks—and
commitment to conservation have
made it Africa’s new safari
superstar. It’s no wonder zeitgeisty
PHOTO: KASTO80;SORINCOLAC/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
yoga companies Escape to Shape
and Namaste Yoga Safari are
already offering retreats here.
Escape to Shape founder Erica
Gragg boasts “one epic experience
after another: Rhinos at a drinking
hole may serve as our drishti in
Virabhadrasana II while waves lull
us into Savasana after class on the
beach.”
 23. EL SALVADOR

Central
In the early 1970s, El Salvador was a top
surf destination, but the civil war took a

& South
heavy toll on residents and tourism. “Now,
you see hermanos lejanos [El Salvadorans

America
who moved to the United States and
Canada] and tourism returning,” says yoga
teacher Lindsay Gonzalez, who operates
Balancé Yoga Studio and wellness retreats
in the surf town El Tunco. An open-
air yoga shala catches the ocean breeze

22
from Balancé’s beachfront setting. “In El
Trunco, days revolve around the tides, the
wind, and the best surfing conditions,”
Gonzalez says. Now that it has a dedicated
yoga hub, this surf town just might be the
next Nosara.

24. GUATEMALA
Travellers looking to escape the growing
22. THE SACRED VALLEY, PERU yogi crowds in Mexico have set their
Traditionally, travellers here head straight to historic sanctuary Machu Picchu—but sights on the emerging yoga scene in
culturally immersive retreats nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley offer a new draw Guatemala, where, in the Mayan village
of their own. Splurge on a stay at Sol y Luna boutique hotel knowing a portion of the of San Marcos la Laguna, the Yoga Forest
hotel’s profits fund an adjacent school that provides education, art, and sports for the Conscious Living Retreat Centre is setting
valley’s youth—and take advantage of outdoor yoga classes. Travellers seeking a more the stage for responsible tourism, funding
immersive experience should consider eco-retreat Willka T’ika, which incorporates community projects such as shoreline
Andean traditions and Q’ero healers. Portions of retreat proceeds support childhood restoration via reed planting and midwife
education in remote villages. Organic gardening, sustainable living, and acts of education. Drop in for a class or embark
generosity are all woven into the fabric of Willka T’ika. For a more holistic experience on a personal or group retreat to study
in Peru, consider volunteering at Eco Truly Park in Lima. Volunteers participate in Jnana, Ashtanga, Bhakti, and Karma
teaching yoga classes, organic gardening, and cooking. Yoga with their pros.

A complete range of yoga gear ready to be branded with your studio

or event logo. View our range at www.sohiyogagear.com.au
 Caribbean 25. CUBA
Cuba’s dynamism reminds us
that yoga is really about
community. Eduardo de Jesus
Pimentel Vázquez—the godfather
of Cuban yoga—has trained more
than 12,000 yoga practitioners
through the Cuban Yoga
Association, which he founded
in 1990. His humble Havana
studio Vidya offers a glimpse of
the city’s tight-knit yoga scene.
For the past three years,

25
instructor April Puciata has
hosted culturally immersive
retreats at the beachside center
Mhai Yoga. Eduardo guest-
teaches up to five classes during
the week, and Puciata arranges
visits with local artists and
entrepreneurs, plus side trips to
the town of Trinidad.

26
26. NOSARA, COSTA RICA
Universally considered a yoga mecca, Nosara is
home to 32 retreats with serious yoga cred. Both
Don Stapleton, long-time director of Kripalu and
Stephan Rechtschaffen, cofounder of the Omega
Institute set up yoga and wellness retreat centres here
in the 1990s. More than 6,000 people visit Stapleton’s
Nosara Yoga Institute (now Kindness Yoga) annually,
known for its mile-long meditation trail and
intensive teacher trainings (more than 3,500
graduates over 21 years). At Rechtschaffen’s Blue
Spirit, five studios host learning vacations with
the Omega Institute that include workshops on
unlocking your purpose and Rechtschaffer-led
lectures on finding the path to longevity. Located in a
blue zone (where a large percentage of the population
lives longer than average), the vivacity of Nosara is
intimately intertwined with its people and practices.

27. JUNGLE BAY RESORT & SPA,

DOMINICA
Since opening their rainforest retreat centre in 2005,
PHOTO: MAURO GRIGOLLA; MENTAL ART + DESIGN/STOCKSY

yoga teacher Glenda Raphael and her husband,

yogajournal.com.au

Sam, have been pioneers of sustainable tourism,

stocking up on goods from island farmers, local
fishermen, and artisans. Yoga teacher Chrissy
Carter has held nine retreats here. Don’t miss
Victoria Falls, Champagne Beach, and the Boiling
Lake, the name given to one of the world’s few lakes
that actually boils, says Carter. The resort, along
july 2019

with many others throughout the island, suffered

damages after last year’s hurricane, making nowa
better time than ever to support the local Dominican
50 economy.

Asia
28
30. BHUTAN SPIRITSANCTUARY,
BHUTAN
Enjoy daily yoga and acupuncture sessions at
this all-inclusive retreat center in Paro,
yogajournal.com.au
Bhutan—a historic valley town surrounded by
sacred Buddhist sites. Each room has views of
the Eutok Samdrupcholing goenpa monastery,
where resident monks welcome guests for
morning meditation. Bhutan is known for its
medicinal herbs, and guests are encouraged to
join spa therapists on foraging excursions in
july 2019
nearby hillsides.
52
28. BALI
While Bali is full of celebrated sites and
crawling with soul-seekers, Ayurvedic
teacher Sahara Rose prefers the
lesser-known OmUnityBali, tucked
away from tourist traffic in the
northern village of Sudaji. At this
super-sustainable eco-homestay
founded by Indonesian yogi Zanzan,
healing journeys and yoga packages
incorporate local experiences such
as temple ceremonies and visits to
artisan workshops. In the jungles of
Ubud, musician Michael Franti invites
guest performers to enliven the asana
practices at his Soulshine Bali Hotel
& Yoga Retreat Oasis. Of course,
the island’s biggest party happens
during BaliSpirit Festival, a week-long
celebration that draws big names like
Shiva Rea and Tymi Howard, plus local
Indonesian presenters such as Aikikdo,
Made Janur, and musician Krisna
Floop.
29. DWARIKA’S RESORT,
NEPAL
If replenishment is what you’re after,
then Dwarika’s Resort—tucked into the
hillside just 30 miles from the Tibetan
border—should top your short list.
Aftera consultation with an Ayurvedic
health care provider, you will be
prescribed soothing appointments on
your custom itinerary: time in the
respiratory-cleansing salt house, a visit
with the retreat’s resident naturopath, a
walk through the meditation maze,
sessions in sound- and color-therapy
chambers, and stargazing with an
astrology master. Yoga classes offer the
ultimate view—distant snow-capped
mountains of the Himalayan range.
31. INDIA
Rishikesh, nestled along the sacred Ganges River in northern India, is a
preferred jumping-off point for many teachers and travellers making the
pilgrimage to the birthplace of yoga. Hindus believe that a saint came to the
river to offer penance and was forgiven by the god Vishnu. The spiritual
PHOTO: ALEXANDER GRABCHILEV;WIZEMARK/STOCKSY
town has an ashram for every sensibility, from super-traditional (and
affordable) Phool Chatti to pricey Ananda, a luxe resort known for its
Ayurvedic treatments. Each March, the city’s largest ashram, Parmarth
Niketan, plays host to some of India’s most respected spiritual leaders
(Pujya Swami Ramdevji and Acharya Balkrishna) during the week-long,
world-famous annual International Yoga Festival. Meanwhile, the Yoga
Institute in Santacruz, Mumbai, is the oldest organized yoga centre in the
world. The non-profit recently celebrated its 100th birthday and has
certified more than 50,000 teachers in the past century. Today, roughly
2,000 people visit the institute daily for training, wellness services, and to
pay homage to the historic site.
32. ULPOTHA, SRI LANKA 33. KAMALAYA, KOH SAMUI,
Sri Lanka has no shortage of stylish beachside yoga retreats, but world-class
therapists and teachers—such as Parisian Alexandre Onfroy and Californian Rob THAILAND
Hess—make the trek inland to immerse themselves in local culture at Ulpotha. Teachers Rodney Yee, Colleen Saidman
Located in a working rice village, a committee of locals take part in all Yee, Richard Freeman, and Mary Taylor
decision-making, and guest fees fund a free area clinic. Eleven simple mud huts are are regular hosts at this retreat founded
sprinkled across 22 acres of dense forests, and monks still live in remote temples in by John Stewart, a former monk who
the mountains above. There’s a lived in the Himalayas for 18 years, and
dedicated yoga shala, but classes his wife, Karina, a doctor of Traditional
also take place beneath the Chinese Medicine, who built the seaside
branches of an ancient sanctuary around a jungle-shrouded
banyan tree. cave that was once a spiritual retreat
for Buddhist monks. Guests can book
à la carte therapies and classes such as
detoxification, Chi Nei Tsang, and Hatha
Yoga, or multi-day packages meant to
remedy modern ailments such as
technology addiction.

34. CAMBODIA
Teacher Puravi Joshi calls
Cambodia one of the most peaceful
places to practice.Immerse yourself in

32
the history and culture of Siem Reap
at the Hariharalaya Yoga & Meditation
Retreat, named after the Vedic capital
of Cambodia. Temples dating to 800
CE surround the two-acre campus.
A team of international yoga and
meditation instructors lead six-day
retreats with Integral Yoga, silent
meditation, Dharma talks, and
nourishing vegan cuisine.

Yogalates ™

Teacher Training & Retreats

Byron Bay Sydney Bali Europe
Level 1 & 2 or Postgraduate Certification
Philosophy & Physiology Workshops
“Recognised as experts fusing Asana,
Core stability and Function by Yoga Australia”
yogalates-training.com
Wellbeing Retreats
move release reset
Heart of Bali ~ Europe
yogalates.com.au
‘Set your intention, discover with purpose,
grow with clarity, embody a mindful life on & off the mat’

Original award winning fusion of Yoga & Pilates

 “Our country is swimming in
yogic goodness – so deciding where
to take your next yoga escape is
not as easy as a quick Google
search anymore.”
yogajournal.com.au

PHOTO: LOVLEAH/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
july 2019

54
Australias
B E S T- K E P T Y O G A S E C R E T S
Discover unexpected treasures on the ultimate yoga road trip
By Jessica Humphries
LET’S BE HONEST – there are more yoga
retreats than there are beaches in
Australia, more studios than national
parks and more teachers than you can
poke a didgeridoo at. Our country is
swimming in yogic goodness – so
deciding where to take your next yoga
escape is not as easy as a quick Google
search anymore. If only you had a list of
some of Australia’s best hole-in-the-
wall studios, retreats and getaways.

yogajournal.com.au
july 2019

55
 BENDIGO, VIC
In other words, a map for the ultimate
yoga road trip so that all you need to do
is pack up your campervan and be on
your merry way – or at least let that be
the dream while you check out one of
the country’s best kept yoga secrets on
your next weekend getaway. Well, yogis
– we’ve done the heavy stretching for
you and scoped out some seriously
serene and secret spots for you to slip
into Savasana all around Australia.
Bendigo, VIC
Bendigo is a far cry from your typical
yoga town, which is part of what makes
it so delightful. An old gold mining
township, you’ll find impressive
Victorian heritage architecture, salt of
the earth locals, tourists curious about
the town’s rich history and, somewhat
surprisingly, yoga. They even run their
own annual yoga festival (www.bendigo.
yogafestival.com.au), which hosts
teachers from around the country
sharing yoga, meditation and more.
Bendigo is also home to Aligning Health
Retreat and Day Spa (www.
aligninghealthretreatdayspa.com) - a
yoga and Ayurveda centre offering yoga
classes, Ayurvedic treatments and a
number of related training courses. You
can pop in for a class on Wednesdays or
Thursdays, book in for some Ayurveda
love (including some more traditional
treatments that aren’t always easy to
find in Aus) or plan a longer B&B
retreat with all the bells and whistles.
yogajournal.com.au
Berry, NSW
Berry isn’t exactly off the beaten path
these days – ever since Leonardo
Dicaprio declared his love for this
july 2019
quaint, Aussie town, tourism has
continued to evolve and explode. It’s a
popular wedding destination and choice
56 for holidayers looking for a little slice of
ILLAWARRA, NSW
hinterland paradise, escaping the hustle
and bustle of city life. But despite its
growing popularity, it maintains its
small town charm, and since it’s not
exactly a yoga destination (yet), you
definitely won’t be left rolling your eyes
at the spiritual capitalism. In fact, Berry
is home to some of the most authentic
and impressive yoga teachings you’ll
come across – at the local yoga shala
(aka big, beautiful, bright repurposed
backyard tractor shed overlooking
picturesque farm views), Roaming Yogis
(www.roamingyogis.com.au). Classes
are held on weekdays only, or you can
check out one of the farm’s regular yoga
retreats to really soak up the country
vibes (www.willowfarmberry.com.au/
yoga-massage-berry-nsw).
Illawarra, NSW
You’d be surprised just how much the
Illawarra has to offer when it comes to
yoga. This bustling community is so
close to Sydney and yet so far from city
life. An easy stop on any roadtrip,
there’s yoga sprawled along the coast
and some secret gems in the hinterland.
If you’re in the Kiama region drop in for
a class at Emergence Kiama (www.
emergence.net.au) or, a little further
north there’s the super cosy and quaint
Yoga Vidya (www.yogavidya.com.au).
In Wollongong you’ll find an abundance
of modern yoga studios, and if you feel
like something extra special engulfed in
a peaceful patch of rainforest then Ray
of Light yoga (www.rayoflightyoga.com)
in Bulli will tickle your fancy. Here, you
can drop in for class or indulge in a
longer workshop, day retreat or even a
teacher training.
Kempsey, NSW
It doesn’t get much more off the beaten
path than Yoga Alchemy in Kundabung.
BERRY, NSW
july 2019 yogajournal.com.au

57
 KARIJINI, WA
Turn off the highway just south of
Kempsey, hit a dirt road and follow it to
the end for some truly authentic yoga
bliss. Appealing to the seasoned yogi
who loves a traditional practice, Yoga
Alchemy is a retreat centre surrounded
by quintessential Australian bush and
offering seasonal retreats inspired by
Tantra, Celtic cultures and Australian
Aboriginal traditions. The schedule is
asana and meditation heavy – with a
focus on balancing the chakras and
working with the seasons and elements
to achieve optimum health for body,
yogajournal.com.au
spirit and soul. www.yogaalchemy.net.au
Lamington National Park,
QLD
july 2019
If you like your yoga out of range with a
bit of bush walking on the side then
Lamington National Park is the place to
58 be, and it’s definitely worth the easy
drive from the Gold Coast. You can
escape the chaos of everyday life,
experience the most magnificent
stargazing and enjoy your yoga in
perfect peace. Binna Burra Mountain
Lodge (www.binnaburralodge.com.au)
offers a plethora of activities, including
yoga on the weekends, or there are
plenty of camping options if you’re
feeling something more humble. If
that’s your vibe, make sure to ask the
locals about yoga in ‘the valley.’
Mount Ninderry (
Sunshine Coast), QLD
Specialising in Zenthai Shiatsu and
Chinese Medicine inspired flowing yoga
classes, Mount Ninderry Healing Centre is
the real deal – down to earth and yogic
in every way. It’s humble, surrounded by
lush, abundant nature and wildlife, and
owned by yogis who truly walk their
talk. The space and teachings allow a
deeper connection to self, through
finding beauty and magic in everyday
simplicity – ‘The way you do anything,
is the way you do everything.’ You can
pop in for a Zenthai flow class for only
$10, or book a massage treatment to
experience the true healing power of
Chinese Medicine meets yogic
philosophies of movement. Regular
events and trainings are also held on
site, and it’s possible you may decide to
stay forever. www.zenthaishiatsu.com
Mission Beach, QLD
Mission Beach is a truly unique and
magical place to practice yoga, and
you’ll be surprised at what’s on offer in
such a sleepy part of the world.
You can drop in to a yoga class with one
of the local teachers, offered at a few
different locations (www.facebook.com/
MissionBeachYoga), jump on board a
 LAMINGTON NATIONAL PARK, QLD
BROOME, WA
retreat at Sanctuary Retreat
(www.sanctuaryogaretreats.com.au),
which offers unique accommodation
enveloped in lush rainforest and
absolutely incredible views, or simply
enjoy your own practice on one of the
secluded, serene beaches. It’s one of
Australia’s top spots for nature lovers
and a perfect place for some seriously
Insta-worthy yoga (or a digital
detox!).
Broome, WA
Broome is an essential stop on any
WA road-trip, and while it definitely
boasts beautiful beaches and tropical
vibes, the yoga scene is worlds away
from the spiritual mecas and remains
old-school and down to earth. A
wander around town and a chat with
the locals will leave you with a
handful of yoga options, but if you’re
up for really immersing yourself
MOUNT NINDERRY (SUNSHINE COAST), QLD
KARIJINI, WA
then Blue Body Spiritual Centre
(www.bluebody.com.au) is where it’s at.
You can wander through the grounds to
enjoy the meditative vibes and some
peace and quiet, go along to one of the
many daily, traditional yoga classes
(Hatha, Sivananda, Iyengar and
Elemental) or book in to one of their
meditation or energy healing
workshops.
Karijini, WA
Karijini National Park is the perfect
place to truly soak up the Australian
landscape and is famous for being one
of the largest and most spectacular
parks in the country, rich in waterfalls,
sparkling rock pools, gorges and
magnificent rocks. It’s the last place
you’d expect to find yoga, but the locally
owned Karijini Eco Retreat (www.
karijiniecoretreat.com.au) with cosy,
environmentally friendly, glamp-style
accommodation, offers a yoga space for
self practice or group classes (teachers
can be organised as requested) to stand
travellers in good stead for their many
adventures throughout the park. When
you’re not saluting the stunning outback
sun, you can explore the majestic red
landscape and it’s cooling water holes,
take a trail walk or enjoy a bush tucker
feast at the on-site restaurant.
MISSION BEACH, QLD
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KRISHNA VILLAGE ECO YOGA
COMMUNITY, MURWILLUMBAH
Nestled in the foothills of Mount Warning,
not far from Byron Bay and the Gold
Coast, this spiritual yoga village offers
humble retreats, teacher trainings and the
opportunity for keen yogis to stay on as
volunteers and soak up the true yoga
lifestyle and associated teachings.
www.krishnavillage-retreat.com
GOVINDA VALLEY RETREAT, OTFORD
(JUST SOUTH OF SYDNEY)
A non-for-profit, volunteer based retreat
centre/community, Govinda Valley
Retreat provides the space and facilities
for yogis and spiritual teachers to host
their own retreats in verdant, vibrant
surrounds. Volunteers enjoy a
combination of karma yoga (the yoga of
action/volunteer duties), private retreat
time, community activities, yoga and
personal development workshops.
www.govindavalley.com.au
BRAHMA KUMARIS, AUSTRALIA-WIDE
Brahma Kumaris is a spiritual movement
yogajournal.com.au
based on yogic philosophies with
meditation courses and workshops
around Australia, as well as a number
of dedicated retreat centres.
Since all of their meditation retreats are
donation based, those who have
attended a retreat in the past are often
july 2019
invited to come back and volunteer
on future courses.
www.brahmakumaris.org.au
59
 july 2019 yogajournal.com.au

60
A

TO
YOGA

IN
GUIDE
 If making a spiritual journey
to the birthplace of yoga is on
your bucket list—or, if you’ve
been and want to return in a
way that feels more authentic
and connected—read on.
From the must-see places
and pilgrimages to top tips on
how to stay healthy on the
road, here’s what you need
to know before
you plan your trip.
By Meghan Rabbitt
IA
I STARTED PRACTICING YOGA in a
crowded gym, my mat so close to the
student’s next to mine that I couldn’t tell
whose sweat droplets were whose. Like
many Westeners, I was introduced to
yoga as a physical activity—I considered
it a complement to the triathlon
training I was doing at the time—and
thought of it as only that for the first five
or so years I practiced.
Then, I started practicing with a yoga
teacher who dropped lessons about
yoga’s lineage into her classes. That led
me to another instructor, who taught
me even more about this ancient
practice, the origins of which date to
pre-Vedic times (1500–500 BCE) and are
widely believed to have morphed into
the Hatha Yoga that spread during
British colonial rule of India and that
Westerners practice today. The more I
learned, the more I realised that eventually,
I’d want to make a pilgrimage to yoga’s
birthplace so I could understand more
fully the practice I’d come to love.
I had that chance three years ago.
What I learned is that, similar to my
journey on my yoga mat, a meaningful
trip to India can’t just be about taking.
Rather, it should be about studying up
on the places you’ll visit and cultures
you’ll experience, connecting
meaningfully with the people you meet
when you’re there, giving back through
seva (selfless service) work, and, most
important, staying open to learning. It’s
my sincere hope that this guide will help
you do just that.
yogajournal.com.au
july 2019
VARANASI 61
 13
IMPORTANT PLACES
TO VISIT
Trying to come up with the perfect itinerary to fit your time frame—and not
sure where to start, given India’s vastness? Here, Chandresh Bhardwaj, author of
Break the Norms, and a seventh-generation spiritual teacher in New York and Los
Angeles who leads multiple retreats in his homeland of India each year, shares
his top picks for the holy cities, historical sites, and spiritual pilgrimages every
student of yoga should consider.
HOLY CITIES
Prayagraj
This lesser-known holy city, formerly
called Allahabad and renamed in late
2018 by a new government trying to
build a more spiritual India, is located at
the confluence of the Ganges, the
Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati
Saraswati rivers. When the Kumbh Mela
festival happens here (most recently in
January 2019), it’s the largest: Up to 150
million pilgrims will travel from across
the country and the world and wait for
days to bathe in the holy river.
Haridwar
The Ganges—or Ganga, considered a
living goddess—descends from its source
in the Himalayas, called Gomukh, to the
north Indian plains in Haridwar before
making its way across the country and
pouring into the Bay of Bengal. That’s
why this city’s name means “gateway to
god” and has been a centre of Hindu
religion and mysticism since ancient
times. In Hindu mythology, Haridwar is
yogajournal.com.au
also one of the four sites where drops of
amrit, the elixir of immortality,
accidentally spilled over from the celestial
bird Garuda’s pitcher. This manifested in
the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival that’s
celebrated four times over the course of 12
years at four different pilgrimage sites,
july 2019
including Haridwar. Even when this
famous festival isn’t happening, you can
experience nightly Ganga Aarti
62 ceremonies here.
Varanasi
One of the oldest inhabited cities on
Earth, Varanasi is also one of India’s
holiest. Walk on the river’s banks, and
you’ll hear the near-constant clanging
of puja ceremonial bells and see the
flicker of lamps illuminating the holy
river at night. You’ll also see pilgrims
bathing—and a maze of funeral pyres,
where bodies burn along Varanasi’s RISHIKESH
cremation ghat, or river bank. “This is a
city where death is honoured,
welcomed, and celebrated in a sacred
way,” Bhardwaj says. “Many Indians
believe that if the right rituals are done
at the time of their death, they’ll achieve
the ultimate goal—liberation of the
constant cycle of being born, suffering,
and going through the drama of
living—if their body is burned or their
ashes are scattered in Varanasi.”
Rishikesh
Want to practice in the footsteps of the
ancient yogis? Rishikesh, considered by
many to be the yoga capital of India—of
PHOTO: SAIKO3P/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; FANCYCRAVE;UNSPLASH
the world, really—is where yoga,
tantra, and mantras were created,
Bhardwaj says. “There’s such powerful
energy here that even if you don’t
practice asana or meditation and just
keep yourself receptive and open, big
things can happen,” he says. On the
banks of the holy river Ganges you’ll
find ashrams, temples, and shops, as
well as a diverse, international group of
spiritual seekers. When you’re there,
don’t miss Ganga Aarti, a fire ceremony
at the sacred bank called Triveni Ghat. VARANASI
PILGRIMAGES
Gomukh
The Ganges, also known as Ma Ganga,
is the most revered, sacred river in
Hindu lore. When Ma Ganga was asked
to descend to Earth from the heavens,
she was insulted, so she decided to
sweep away everything in her path with
her waters once she reached the
terrestrial plain. In order to protect the
Earth from Ma Ganga’s force, Lord
Shiva sat in the Himalayan mountain
town of Gangotri and caught the
powerful river in his hair, saving the
Earth from cracking open. Thanks to
Shiva, Ma Ganga’s celestial, purifying
waters then flowed through India, and
the devout travel to her banks to wash
away sins and find salvation. A multi-
day trek to Gomukh—the Gangotri
Glacier that is the site of Ma Ganga’s
headwaters—is the ultimate pilgrimage,
Bhardwaj says.
Kedarnath
This north Indian town nestled in the
Himalayas is where Lord Shiva is
believed to have meditated. Pilgrims
make the 11-mile uphill trek to the
Kedarnath Temple—which, due to
extreme weather conditions, is open
only from the end of April to early
November—to worship him.
“Passionate yogis who meditate there
for a while often experience intense
energies,” Bhardwaj says.
Himachal Pradesh
This northern Indian state in the
foothills of the Himalayas is home to
countless goddess temples and
monasteries, Bhardwaj says, as well as
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Visiting the char dhams, which means
“four abodes”—Badrinath, Dwarka,
Puri, and Rameswaram—is something
every Hindu must do during his or her
lifetime, Bhardwaj says. “I think of
Badrinath as the little brother of
Kedarnath,” he says. “While Kedarnath
is the homeland of Shiva, and has this
intense energy as a result, Badrinath
radiates a more holy, more Hindu energy.”
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 HISTORICAL SITES
Taj Mahal
One of the most recognised monuments
in existence, this mausoleum is also one
of the seven wonders of the world—and
a must-see when making the trek to
India. Located in Agra (part of India’s
popular Golden Triangle circuit, which
also includes Delhi and Jaipur), the
marble monument was commissioned
by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to
house the tomb of his favourite wife,
Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years and
20,000 workers to complete—and cost
the equivalent of approximately $800
million today. While this UNESCO
World Heritage Site will undoubtedly be
crowded when you go (a whopping 7 to
8 million tourists visit each year), it’s
well worth seeing.
yogajournal.com.au
july 2019
AGRA
64
Pushkar
This town, located in the north-eastern
state of Rajasthan, is set on Pushkar
Lake, a sacred Hindu site where
pilgrims bathe along its ghats. It’s also
home to the only temple of Brahma, the
Hindu god known as the creator of the
world, Bhardwaj says. “This is one of
my all-time favourite places in India,”
he says.
Hampi, Karnataka
The remains of more than 1,600
monuments are scattered over the
25-square-kilmetre area of this
UNESCO World Heritage site, which is
the former capital of the Vijayanagar
empire (in power from the 14th to 16th
centuries). Amid the elegant ruins of
medieval Indian culture, you’ll also find
humbler shrines expressing the local
villagers’ heartfelt devotion to Rama,
Sita, and Hanuman. This area is the
legendary Kishkinda, realm of the
monkey gods, where Rama, one of the
most widely worshipped Hindu deities,
is said to have met the monkey god
Hanuman on his quest to rescue his
kidnapped wife, the goddess Sita.
PHOTO: ; CASSIE MATIAS;UNSPLASH; WORLDOFPHOTOS/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
IMPORTANT PLACES FOR YOGA
Mysore
Located in the southwestern state of Krishnamacharya—
Karnataka, this former capital of the asked him to come to
Kingdom of Mysore is home to the Mysore to help with the
opulent Mysore Palace and centuries-old family. There, Iyengar
Devaraja Market. Mysore was also home started to learn asana,
to Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, an which steadily helped
Indian yoga teacher, Ayurvedic healer, his health improve. In
and scholar who’s often referred to as 1936, Krishnamacharya
the father of modern yoga. Yoga sent Iyengar to Pune to
students may know it as the birthplace spread the teaching of
of Ashtanga Yoga, where the Ashtanga yoga. Now, Pune is
Yoga Research Institute was established home to the Ramamani
in 1948 and where Ashtanga Iyengar Memorial Yoga
practitioners from all over the world Institute—which
travel to practice and train. Iyengar opened in 1975,
and is considered the
Pune heart and soul of
B.K.S. Iyengar was born in 1918 in Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar
Bellur, a city that was in the grip of the students from all over
influenza pandemic at the time. An the world come here to
attack left Iyengar sick throughout his practice and train with
childhood, and when he was 16 years the institute’s esteemed
old, his brother-in-law—Sri Tirumalai teachers.
MYSORE

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 TIP NO.1
Decide when to go.
Most experts say the best time to visit India is
in winter (from November to March), when
cooler temperatures make travel more
pleasant, but Dimopoulos says the only time
she avoids is late June through mid-August.
“After that, you can get great value,” she says.
“For example, mid-to-end of September is
just after monsoon season and rates are
fantastic. And, I always love visiting India
during festivals—whether Diwali, Holi, or
another—as it’s an incredible way to really
immerse yourself in the culture.”

TIP NO.2
Decide where to go.
India is vast. It’s also a country where
you can find everything from snow-capped
mountains to tropical beaches. If it’s your
first visit, Dimopoulos suggests focusing your
trip in the north. “From a yogic perspective,
this is where you’ll find the places that are
most important to your understanding
of the practice,” she says.

TIP NO.3
Get a tourist visa.
At least one month before you take off, log on
to the government website (indianvisaonline.

8
gov.in), where you can pay for a visa that’s
good for six months of travel. If you think you
might return to India or want to stay longer,
Dimopoulos recommends applying for a
10-year visa: “It’s a better value for the money
if you’re like many yogis and India calls you
back.” If you’ve left applying for a visa to the
last minute, you can use a private company
such as iVisa, which will help you save time
but will likely cost you more.

TIPS TO CONSIDER TIP NO.4

Get vaccinated.

WHEN PLANNING While this is a personal choice, and you aren’t

yogajournal.com.au

required to show proof of vaccinations to get

A TRIP
through customs in India, Dimopoulos
PHOTO: PRITAM DAS BISWAS\UNSPLASH

recommends checking the Centres for

Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC)
website for vaccination recommendations.
“Depending on where you’re travelling, the
Figuring out where to go, what to see, and how long to
CDC’s recommendations will be different,”
july 2019

stay can be a daunting process. We asked Carol Dimopoulos, she says. “Talk to your doctor or a travel
president of Perillo’s Learning Journeys—which helps health specialist about what’s right
66 yoga and meditation teachers lead retreats. for you.”
TIP NO.5
advice: use a licensed agent to help you won’t always find running water
book train tickets and organise porters or soap in bathrooms.
Buy travel insurance. to help with your baggage. • Pocket tissues. These can easily
This is a must, Dimopoulos says: “Not double as toilet paper when needed.
only does travel insurance cover medical • Ginger chews (or anything else that

issues that might arise when you’re far
away from home, including extreme
situations where you might need to be
air-evacuated from a location, but it also
covers expenses you might encounter
due to flight delays and lost baggage.”
TIP NO.7
Know what to pack.
Be prepared—and show your respect for
Indian culture. There are a few essentials
Dimopoulos always brings when she
settles your tummy). “If you’re driving
on winding mountain roads, even
those who don’t usually experience
motion sickness can get pretty
queasy,” Dimopoulos says.

There are many options when it comes travels to India:
to travel insurance companies. Leave • Lightweight shawls. “You’ll need to
time to do research so you can find a cover your shoulders when you visit
plan that works best for your trip. temples and participate in
ceremonies,” Dimopoulos says.
• Comfortable, easy-to-slip-off
TIP NO.8
Mentally prepare yourself
for India.
While nothing can really prepare you
for travelling to this country for the

TIP NO.6
Book train travel well in advance.
Using the wide-reaching Indian railways
network is a convenient, budget-
conscious way to travel. However, keep
in mind that trains are often booked
weeks or even months in advance, which
means it’s a good idea to secure train
tickets ahead of time. Dimopoulos adds
that doing this on your own—as well as
trying to find your seats and handle your
own baggage—can be daunting. Her
footwear. “You’ll also need to take off
your shoes before going into temples or
homes in India,” she says.
• Warm layers. Even if you’re visiting in
summer, cities in higher elevations in
the north will get chilly at night. “Not
to mention there’s a chance you’ll
encounter an over-zealous air
conditioner at some point,” she says.
• Hand sanitiser. This is smart for any
travel, but it can be especially
important in India, where many
people eat with their hands and you
first time, reading about the culture
and learning as much as you can will
certainly help prepare you for the
shock and sensory overload you’ll
likely experience, Dimopoulos says.
“India is the kind of place you go to
feel with all your senses,” she says.
“And while the smells, sounds,
tastes, and colours may feel a bit
chaotic and overwhelming at first,
it’s all part of the experience. Stay
open to all of it, and you’ll be able
to fully enjoy this incredible country.”

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DRISHTI
The secret to finding my equilibrium wasn’t in becoming
more grounded, it was in the big Pacific Ocean.
BALANCE HAS NEVER BEEN MY STRONG
SUIT. As a child, my vestibular system
was so off kilter, I spontaneously fell off
stools and chairs like a pint-sized barfly
after last call. Walking through doorways
was like threading a needle. Physical
therapy helped, but the gangly coltishness
of adolescence made for another round of
clumsy bumps and bruises.
When I got into yoga in my teens and
twenties, it was a relief when my
teachers asked us to find drishti—a
fixed point against which to orient my
body and mind while trying to stick
tricky balance poses such as
Natarajasana (Lord of the Dance Pose),
Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved
Half Moon Pose), and Vrksasana (Tree
Pose). Finding an external
concentration point made it easier to
keep my body steady and stable. Or at
the very least, it made it easier to detect
when I was about to tip over.
As an adult, I struggled to find
balance of a different sort. I was as
lacking in emotional equilibrium as I
had been in grace as a child. My
twenties were a murky gyre of
unsuitable men, anxiety, depression,
and more whiskey than I’d like to admit.
It wasn’t that I lacked focus—I simply
couldn’t seem to find the right thing to
fix my ambitions upon. Every wobble,
yogajournal.com.au
whether in love or work or family life,
made me doubt myself a little more.
A few years ago, I visited Los Angeles
for the first time as an adult. At 28 years
old, I wasn’t just wobbling, I was
reeling, fresh off the revelation that I
had been assaulted a decade ago. My
july 2019
career and fortune had taken a sudden
left turn, and I left marketing to begin
writing full time. I was a raw nerve,
68 loose on the Venice boardwalk, trying to
FINDING
By Meghan O’Dea
find some sense of equilibrium. One night
I found myself drawn to the water. Under
the light of a full moon, I waded into the
Pacific and let the warm salt water lap
against my legs, then my hips. The pull I
felt had nothing to do with riptides or
undertow. Instead I was compelled by
something that came from within.
Drishti isn’t just a matter of finding
an external point against which to
balance your body. There are several
different types recommended for various
yoga practices and poses: Nasagra
drishti is focus on the tip of the nose,
and it may come in handy during
backbends or forward folds. Hastagre
drishti (focus on your hand in front of
you) is lovely in Virabhadrasana I
(Warrior Pose I) or Utthita
Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle
Pose). Bhrumadhya drishti is the most
inward facing, in which you focus on
your own third eye.
Any type of drishti will ultimately
have you experiencing two of the eight
limbs of yoga described by Patanjali.
One is dharana (steadiness or
concentration) and the other is
pratyahara (controlled withdrawal). The
goal of softly focusing your gaze—
whether on the tip of your nose or on a
spot on the wall across the room—is
actually to draw your attention inward.
You look beyond your body in order to
withdraw into it. Your spirit becomes
grounded through the act of
surrendering to your own instability.
Ever since that first night in Los
Angeles, I find myself drawn to the
Pacific at moments of great transition.
Last year, I wanted to flee the
anniversary of a yuletide breakup that
had marred the holidays. I booked a
flight to San Francisco and spent
Christmas morning sitting on a piece
of driftwood at Ocean Beach,
watching the surfers patiently
bobbing on the small, ruffled waves,
popping up to balance on their boards
whenever a big curl came through.
This past April, a dear friend came
to visit me at my new home in Portland,
Oregon. She and I went through twin
years of loss in 2017: Breakups,
professional setbacks, and domestic
frustrations. Both of us were trying to
recalibrate our lives to a new normal.
Hannah had never seen the Pacific,
so I drove her out to Haystack Rock
one chilly, grey afternoon. We walked
up and down Cannon Beach, buffeted
by rivers of wind that carved winding
paths through the loose, dry sand. We
contemplated the ways in which our
own lives had been radically reshaped
by unpredictable forces. Deeply and
utterly, we felt the kernels of ourselves
within the tides of chaos.
Right now, writing by the Pacific,
overlooking the Santa Monica Pier, I
feel another sea change coming on.
Old pieces of me are washing and
wearing away. But practice has taught
me what I need to do to prepare, to
weather this tipping point. Up and
down the West Coast, I know now
where to find my focus, my drishti, a
sense of continuity. There is stability
in the Pacific’s constant motion. There
is certainty in its immutable changes.
Of this I am certain: the same is true
of myself.
Meghan O’Dea is a writer, world traveller,
and life-long learner who hopes to visit
all seven continents with pen and paper
in tow. Her work has been featured in the
Washington Post, Fortune, and more. Learn
more at meghanodea.com.
PHOTO: SIMON RAE/UNSPLASH

july 2019 yogajournal.com.au

69
 Learning
to Be
Loved in
Tulum
I went to Mexico to rejuvenate, detox, and practice
yoga with my boyfriend. Turns out, it would also
be where I faced my fears about marriage.
By Gina Tomaine
IT WAS A HUMID SUNRISE ON A QUIET,
sandy beach in Tulum, Mexico. Despite
our previous late-night mezcal tasting
beneath the jungle leaves, my long-time
boyfriend, Anush, had dragged me out
of our tiny thatched-roof cabana at first
light.
I adjusted my Beyoncé t-shirt and
grey cotton shorts I’d worn to bed as I
scanned the horizon. When I turned
yogajournal.com.au
back to Anush, he was kneeling in the
sand, holding a typed love letter and a
tourmaline engagement ring.
“Will you marry me?” He asked.
I was so incredulous, I couldn’t
speak. Feelings of doubt and darkness
coursed through me, even though I’d
july 2019
always imagined a future with him: he
was the one person who made me feel
seen and cared for and uplifted. Still, I
70 was reluctant to commit.
My parents went through a dramatic
and corrosive divorce when I was 13, but
the fallout had lasted long after. Most of
the great pain in my life has come from
marriage—and its ending. Marriage is
the thing that has made me most likely
to run, and least likely to trust.
As I stared at the man I love, these
past traumas lit my body from head to
toe with alarm bells. How could I marry
anyone? But, as I looked at him, I
calmed myself down. I silently told
myself something I had learned in my
PHOTO: ROBERTO NICKSON/UNSPLASH
yoga and mindfulness practice: be here
now. With that mantra, I slowly came
back to the moment. With that mantra,
I reminded myself where I was, who I
was with—and most importantly, who I
am now.
He waited patiently. I started to cry.
Finally, I said, “Yes! Yes. Yes. Of course,
yes.” He put the ring on my finger, and
he held me while I cried. In that
moment of “yes,” my world expanded.
We drank champagne and ate fruit in
front of the ocean while the Tulum
sun rose, pink and hot on our skin. I
could hardly believe my good fortune—
engaged in Tulum at sunrise. In that
moment, instead of fear, I chose
gratitude.

“Will you marry me? He

asked. I was so incredulous,
I couldn’t speak...”

I saw a beachfront yoga class

almost immediately after—Tulum,
thankfully is crawling with them—
and I asked my fiance(!), if he’d like to
take it together. I was still shaking
from the metamorphic decision I had
made: unwavering commitment in the
face of fear. I hoped familiar asana
would steady me. Internally, I repeated
my mantra as we walked into a large
triangular wood pavilion, perched on a
hidden natural cliff in the jungle,
overlooking the beach as if it had been
there forever.
Our yoga teacher, a young woman
from Mexico City with a sing-song
voice, instructed us to let go of our
fears, to open our hearts, to experience
the beauty of the moment we were in.
I was exactly where I needed to be.
I still had my dark corners—I may
always—but I could learn to live with
them and still claim the life I wanted
and deserve. I could live in the present
and not in the past. I could be here
now, soaking in the jungle, the ocean,
in a magnificent place where
afterward we would eat fresh coconut
and bike carefree down the beach road
and hike up Mayan ruins and speak a
little Spanish and accept a glorious
chocolate mole cake that said
“Felicidades.”
yogajournal.com.au

As I looked over at the joyful,

patient man doing yoga next to me, the
waves crashed out ahead. I took his
hand for just an instant, and he
smiled. And then we raised our arms
together, side-by-side, to salute the sun.
july 2019

Gina Tomaine is a yoga teacher and magazine

editor in Philadelphia. Her work has been
published in Prevention, Women’s Health,
Runner’s World, and other publications. Learn
more at ginatomaine.com. 71
 FOCUS ON By Rina Jakubowicz

Higher
MY PASSION FOR LIFE undoubtedly
comes from my Cuban roots. My
mother fled her home country of Cuba
at the age of nine, with her parents,
three siblings, grandmother, dog, and
$35.They left behind family who still live
in Cuba today. There’s a spark and
creative fire that radiates in the Cuban

Ideals
culture. So it’s unfortunate that Cuba is
a controversial country to visit as a
traveller. The Cuban people have been,
and continue to be, in my opinion,
exploited and abused by their
yogajournal.com.au

government—through injustices such

PHOTO: AUGUSTIN DE MONTESQUIOU/UNSPLASH

as incarceration without a fair trial and

lack of a free press. Because of this,
there are mixed feelings about when and
if it is appropriate to visit this both
beautiful and bleeding country.
In October of 2015, I was approached
july 2019

by yoga photographer Robert Sturman

A trip to Cuba taught me the importance, and deeper to go to Cuba for what proved to be an
epic and powerful photo shoot. I had to
72 meaning, of Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. consider my highest ideal behind going.
I didn’t want to go for selfish reasons,
which included indulging my senses
with dancing, eating, drinking, and
relaxing on the beach; snapping insta-
grammable pictures; or going to “expe-
rience” Cuba as a tourist. As a
practicing yogi, that wouldn’t be ideal
for me. Instead, I wanted my visit to be
fora greater purpose—to indirectly and
directly serve Cuban people, instead of
supporting a government that tore fami-
lies apart. It’s important to consider that
serving is different than “helping,”
because helping implies some kind of
superiority on the part of the helper.
The last thing Cubans need is outsiders
coming in to tell them what they need
or how to do things.
Instead, I chose to practice Karma
Yoga, or the path of selfless service, and
Bhakti Yoga–the path of devotion—
during my trip with Robert. This meant
I brought supplies and resources for my
relatives and for the yoga community. I
arrived with cash, my wedding dress,
Havaianas flip flops, toys, and more
clothes. It was my way of serving a com-
munity that had given me so much.
This is where practicing Bhakti Yoga
became imperative. Bhakti Yoga is a
higher form of love—one in which you
identify with another person and hold
them in the highest reverence and admi-
ration. There’s a sense of duty to them
and their plight. Feeling this devotion
for Cuban people was vital in keeping
my highest ideal in focus. As a yoga
traveller, it’s your duty to practice
Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga as you
step into places, like Cuba, that have
endured deep suffering.
In Spanish, there’s a phrase for when
a Cuban uses his or her ingenuity and
creativity to solve any problem. We say
“Hacerlo a lo Cubano,” which loosely
translates to “Do it the Cuban way.” If
yogis all over the world travelled this
way, we could start our own popular
Spanish phrase about serving a greatest
purpose: “Hacerlo a lo yogi,” or “Do it
like a yogi.”
I was so grateful for this unforgettable
trip with Robert. I redefined my Cuban
roots, connected with family, and made
art with a new friend. Walking the streets
of Havana made me proud to be a Cuban
and a yoga teacher. Combining both tra-
dition and new perspective, I can now say
“Lo hice a lo Cubano y a lo yogi,” or “I
did it the Cuban and yogi way!”
SEVA SUGGESTIONS
yogajournal.com.au
Stay with friends, or at an AirBnB, or Casa
Particular—someone’s house rented out to
visitors. All hotels are government-owned.
And eat at non-state-owned restaurants,
called Paladeras.
july 2019
Rina Jakubowicz is an international bilingual
yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner, motivational
speaker, and author. Her new best-selling book
is The Yoga Mind: 52 Essential Principles of Yoga
Philosophy. Learn more at rinayoga.com. 73
 Along for the Ride
Five days across Iceland via horseback forced me to slow
down and focus on what was in front of me all along.
I WAS A BURNT END, a frayed electrical
cord, a tea kettle whistling on the stove
just about boiled dry. I’d been working
two jobs for a decade, and I found
myself in the paradoxical position of
having a little extra money and zero joy.
Snippets of free time that occasionally
landed at my feet only provoked my
anxiety. I was too bound up in every
little thing.
How could I heal myself? I’d always
chafed at the idea that travel alone can
mend a person. It seems at once too
literal and too extravagant—that a
physical escape is the only fix, and,
ironically, that such a cure requires so
much money (stress), time (stress!), and
yogajournal.com.au
july 2019
74
By Rachel Slade
planning (ditto!). But that spring, I
began to worry about the damage this
anxiety might be doing to my body. I
Googled two things I love: “horses and
Iceland.” Then, in mid-July, I found
myself in a van with a dozen other
women watching Iceland’s lunar-like
landscape pass us by through a blur of
arctic rain. We were heading to the
horses.
Vague memories of a trip to Iceland
decades ago had guided me here. Little
did I know that the meditative power of
a five-day camping trip in the saddle
was beyond powerful.
As soon as I hit the trail, the
incessant rhythm of the swift and
unrelenting tolt—a four-beat trot
unique to Icelandic horses—
dominated everything, focusing my
mind and body into a kind of magical
clock whose hands only counted
seconds instead of minutes or hours.
In the saddle, riding in the tolt, I found
myself gently rocked into the moment.
There was no future and no past. Only
now.
This deep moving meditation was
also shaped by the barren land itself.
Without the scale of trees, distances
were impossible to judge. We travelled
over an endless expanse of rock and
grass. In July at that latitude, the sun
never sets. Instead, the sky became an
PHOTO: ATLE RONNINGEN/STOCKSKY
ever-changing study of the vicissitudes
of clouds sweeping across in an eternal
afternoon. Lacking the cues of day and
night, my world became intensely
focused on the hypnotic rhythm of “The real or imagined slights
hooves hitting the velvety volcanic earth.
Which is why, on the second day of against my authority would come
rolling with the tolt, I became more and go, like clouds across the sky. ”
attuned to my equine partners—the
dozen or so horses I’d bestride over the
course of this trip. Riding an animal
requires forming a partnership with a
silent, ambivalent teammate. Though eyes open or half-closed, tails high or functioned within my own herd. I
your destinies are bound together, as in lacklustre, ears twitched back toward realised that the indignities of the
any job, there are different ways of me or slanted front toward the horse proverbial work saddle were temporary.
going about it. You could both slog ahead. Thoughts and emotions, both The real or imagined slights against my
through—the horse burdened by his mine and my powerful partner’s, flowed authority would come and go, like
cargo, and you, accordingly, feeling a in and out of my consciousness without clouds across the sky.
little too much like an oversized duffle judgement. Each time I dismounted and Back where I live, I found that I’d
bag. Or you could, however briefly, pulled off the saddle, my temporary developed a newer, healthier sense of
connect. companion would vanish into the sea of time, which made me more empathetic
The horses I was working with came brown, black, and white spots, stripes, to those around me; my perspective had
with their own complexities. Most of the thick manes, long, lush tails—back into become at once vast—like the
year, they ran wild across the treeless, the hierarchy of the herd. We had days mountains and glaciers of Iceland—and
volcanic expanse—loving, fighting, and days of this ahead. highly focused, like the twitch of a
helping, constantly establishing their After a week, I began to see how I horse’s ear.
position within the herd. But when the
farmers tracked them down, corralled
Rachel Slade is a journalist and author of Into the Raging Sea, a
them into a fenced field and saddled
gripping account of the sinking of the American cargo ship El Faro.
them up, they became, like their riders, Learn more at rachelslade.net.
part of a unit committed to following
and carrying.
The step, step, step of the tolt focused
my attention on the horses’ subtler cues:

yogajournal.com.au
july 2019

75
 LESSONS FROM
ANCIENT
TEMPLES
After walking away from a career in banking, one
yoga teacher found her footing at Angkor Wat.
By Puravi joshi
TWO YEARS AGO, as I was nearing 30, I
found myself completely lost, out of a job
after nearly 10 years in an industry that I
had (for the most part) loved. I’d been
bullied out of my corporate job by my
boss, a man who told me I was a
distraction when I walked across the
trading floor because of how I looked and
dressed. The entire ordeal left me with
severe anxiety, panic attacks, and
insomnia. I knew I should take some
time out. So I booked a one-way flight to
Australia and decided I’d just go with the
flow.
After travelling for months through
Australia and Bali,I finally landed in
Siem Reap, Cambodia. Immediately I
felt an unexplainable peace. People were
charming and friendly; the children
were so full of wonder; the scenery was
mesmerising. I revelled in meandering
along soft dirt roads, discovering secrets
kept in hidden shops and cosy cafes. It
felt safe.
Most people visit Siem Reap to see
Angkor Wat – a huge complex of
ancient temples spanning 160 hectares,
yogajournal.com.au
built in the early 12th century by the
Khmer king Suryavarman II, and
dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu god of
preservation. I bought a three-day pass
and got lost in the labyrinth. Roaming
through magnificent temples,
witnessing Buddhist monks silently
july 2019
pray, I allowed myself to begin to heal.
Like the bygone pagodas that were
slowly being reclaimed by massive trees
76 and gnarled vines, I realised that my
trauma was part of my journey, to help
me grow and change. What’s meant to
happen will always happen, I thought,
reflecting on the beautifully morphed
landscape. It was the first time in
months that I was able to relax and let
go. As my mind settled and my anxiety
loosened, I began to process my trauma
and move forward.
Siem Reap gave me back a part of
myself that I thought I’d lost. After just
three days, I felt lighter and happier. I
had been planning to attend yoga
teacher training in the coming months,
but the gleeful children of Siem Reap
revealed my desire to work with kids.
Like me, how would they cope with
stress and trauma? I wanted to help.
Today, I teach yoga and mindfulness
to young people in preschools and
primary and secondary schools across
London, offering them tools to cope with
anxiety, stress, and trauma in a holistic
way. I am Ambassador of the Girls
Network, mentoring girls aged 14–19,
and empowering them with self-
confidence through yoga. Angkor Wat’s
temples have withstood the evolution of
centuries: wars, weather, vegetation—yet
they still stand strong. It reflected my
own strength back to me. In the #MeToo
era, I stand firmly in my strength as I
PHOTO: RAY RUI/UNSPLASH
help lift future generations.
Puravi joshi is an ex-banker turned yoga
teacher who leads hatha, vinyasa, and
restorative yoga classes in London. She also
teaches yoga and mindfulness to children.
Learn more at puravijoshi.com.
“Roaming through magnificent
temples, witnessing Buddhist
monks silently pray, I allowed
myself to begin to heal.”

yogajournal.com.au
july 2019

77

Byron Bay is synonymous with a laidback, healthy vibe.
It’s no surprise that it’s the number one aspirational
destination for Australian yogis.
IF YOU ARE CONTEMPLATING A RETREAT,
chances are you’ve considered Byron Bay.
While some people lament that, with its
influx of Hollywood stars and infiltration
of upmarket boutiques, the iconic town
is not what it used to be—you can still
find authentic and affordable options
such as Byron Yoga Retreat Centre.
Byron Yoga Centre has been around
for over 30 years and has flourished
alongside the growth of the area.From
its humble beginning at a small studio
near the beach, John Ogilvie has created
the vibrant Byron Yoga Retreat Centre
with its busy calendar of teacher
yogajournal.com.au
trainings and retreats.
The eco haven remains true to its
roots, authentic and affordable with
accessible yoga for all levels.The
accommodation is basic, clean and
comfortable.The emphasis is on the
natural setting and the lush organic
july 2019
gardens which surround the mineral
salt swimming pool.
78 The style of yoga, Purna Yoga,
Byron Yoga Centre
Combi Café
developed by John Ogilvie, is a classical
alignment-focused hatha yoga where
variations are offered for different levels
from beginners to intermediate. Purna,
meaning integrated or complete in
Sanskrit, represents Byron Yoga
Centre’s holistic approach to yoga—
integrating asana with yoga philosophy,
meditation and pranayama.
All the retreat programs at Byron
Yoga Retreat Centre are structured
around daily yoga classes with guided
pranayama and meditation plus
wellness sessions. The day is perfectly
punctuated by delicious vegetarian
meals, and guests enjoy free time in the
afternoon in which to book the
treatments included in their package or
choose to use one of the centre’s bikes
and head to the beach or into town.
These days in Byron Bay the hot spots
for yogis are Combi Café with its
smoothies and raw desserts, Divine
Goddess yoga store and The Book Room
for an inspiring read. With beaches –
you are spoilt for choice. Surfers have
flocked to Byron Bay since the 60s,
While the surfers were drawn to the
coast, the hippies headed to the hills.
After the Aquarius Festival in Nimbin in
1973 (Australia’s answer to Woodstock)
many of the participants decided to stay
in the area and Byron Bay’s reputation
as the new age capital of Australia was
born.
Today, you can still glimpse the area’s
rainbow coloured past at the drumming
circle of monthly Sunday markets and at
the Crystal Castle near Mullumbimby.
This magical hinterland estate combines
a unique conceptually built ‘castle’ with
tranquil landscaped gardens and an
astonishing crystal collection.
Crystal Castle is one of the additional
activities on offer when you book into
Byron Yoga Retreat Centre. You could
also choose to try surfing, kayaking or
whale watching (May to October). For
those looking for more of a health
focused retreat experience, Byron Yoga
Retreat Centre can arrange an
individual Naturopath consultation or
additional personal treatments.
As the retreat centre is open all year
you can pretty much book a retreat at
Byron Yoga Retreat Centre any week of
PHOTO: BYRON YOGA CENTRE; AMPUEROLEONARDO; AMPUEROLEONARDO; STANCIUC; SWISSMEDIAVISION; SWISSMEDIAVISION/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
the year. The choice is between an
eight- five- or three-day program.
The benefits of the longer retreat
programs are exponential. The
eight-day retreat offers the full spectrum
of workshops and the opportunity to
really develop your yoga and meditation
practice.
The longer program would also give
you time to enjoy some of the additional
activities and allow you to fully unwind
and recharge.
While Byron Bay town has continued
to evolve and enliven, the beautiful
beaches and the renowned lighthouse
remain beacons of natural splendour.
The walk up to the lighthouse at sunrise,
often with sightings of dolphins and
whales (during their migration season),
is a highlight of the program for many
of the retreat guests at Byron Yoga
Retreat Centre. With its holistic
program and idyllic location, retreats
with Byron Yoga Centre are designed to
allow you to slow down, rest, recharge
and develop healthy habits to take
home.
Three-day retreats start at $660 inclusive of
2 nights twin share accommodation, all
meals and the retreat program plus a
massage or treatment www.byronyoga.com
 MAP MY SEQUENCE
Lear
Schuyler Grant
Schuyler Grant, co-creator of Wanderlust and founder of
Kula Yoga Project, shares sequencing strategies for inversions.
“MEDITATION IN MOTION” is a recurring
trope when teachers speak about
vinyasa. I confess to using it regularly
myself because it perfectly describes the
magical elixir that has kept me hooked
on this particular way of practicing yoga
for almost 30 years. But using posture,
breath, and attention to attain a
meditative state is easier said than done.
Linking posture and breath isn’t
sufficient. There must be intention and
intelligence behind sequencing, or flow-
style yoga becomes tedious at best,
yogajournal.com.au
injurious at worst.
My introduction to yoga was Ashtanga
Yoga. I loved the practice for its rigor,
straightforward approach to spirituality,
and the reliable access to a state of flow
that came from a set sequence of
postures with a priority on the breath.
july 2019
But I developed as many injuries as I
overcame and craved more breadth and
knowledge. Stage II of my evolution was
80 a love affair with the Iyengar Yoga
tradition. Since then, I’ve developed and
refined a way of sequencing that artfully
weaves the two influences, creating a
rigorous practice that heals the body and
tones the nervous system: Kula Flow
(which is what is taught at the
Wanderlust Hollywood studio today).
I’m often reluctant to talk about what I
love to do on the yoga mat as a brand.
For many years, the notion of
“branding” yoga completely turned me
off; it seemed silly and presumptuous to
put a stamp on a particular way of
serving up asana. My New York City
studio, Kula, had been open 10 years
before the issue of branding came up.
During that time, students continually
asked our teachers what style we taught,
and we all said, “Um … I dunno …
vinyasa…” And they would say, “No.
This is different.”
Eventually, I conceded that names are
powerful, that in its purest sense
branding is simply naming and that by
codifying my style I could more clearly
communicate with students and the
PHOTO: AMANDA FRIEDMAN; HAIR: LINDSEY GLENN; MAKEUP: EMILY HARDINGER; CLOTHES: MODEL’S OWN
teachers I train. What is yoga if not
communication? The illumination of the
unseen? As a practitioner, this dialogue
often involves observing the ego and
happens among brain, body, and,
especially the breath. As a teacher, you
are the guide for students on this same
journey.
My hope is that a Kula Flow experience
is both visceral (sweaty and present-
moment focused) and smart
(alignment-heavy and aspirational);
that the lower and upper chakras are
both well served; and that through the
practice we fully express the definition
of vinyasa—to place in a special way.
Place the mind on the breath. Place the
breath in the body. Place attention to the
nuanced transition of thoughts,
movement, and energy—illuminating
the seemingly mundane as exquisitely
special.
 MAP MY SEQUENCE
Work your arms
like you would in Keep your forearms
Down Dog. This is shoulder-width apart.
not a resting pose! Your elbows will try
KULA SEQUENCE: ROUND 1 to sneak wide.
Don’t let them.

Creating a Kula Flow sequence

with a challenging peak pose is like
untangling a rat’s nest from my
daughter’s hair: You can’t just go at
it. You have to tease it out slowly,
through patient deconstruction 1 ADHO MUKHA VIRASANA 2 MARJARYASANA TO
and repetition. In asana, that Downward-Facing 3 BITILASANA
translates to progressively opening Hero Pose, variation Cat pose (inhale) to Cow Pose
and strengthening the body and Stay for 5 breaths. (exhale), variation
channelling the power of the breath. Repeat 3-5 times.
Press your
If you slowly practice the shapes and forearms & palms
firmly against the Isometrically
actions that comprise a tricky pose, floor. Think of your drag your forearms
& engage your
you might find you have more ability outer collarbones
core to prevent lower
smiling.
and less fear when you finally do get Firm your core! back compression—
common in Pincha
there. For example, to safely practice Mayurasana.
Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered
Peacock Pose, aka Forearm Balance)
with a stag-leg variation, you need to
open your chest and shoulders and
prepare them to support the weight
of your body. And you need to both 4 FOREARM PLANK 5 SPHINX POSE
open and engage your hamstrings. On an inhalation strengthen your On an exhalation, then take 3
You need to wake up your core, core and shoulders. breaths. Open your thoracic spine.
and you need to open your hip
flexors and quadriceps. Kula Flow is
Focus on maintaining
creative, but the posture choices are length in your neck,
which is difficult
never arbitrary. There should be a to do in Pincha
reason behind everything that you Mayurasana.
put into a given sequence.

6 SALABHASANA 7 DOWNWARD-FACING HERO

Take 3-5 breaths. Strengthens your paraspinal
Walk your
elbow-tips forward
with every inhale,
to gradually
open your triceps.
Locust pose, variation POSE, VARIATION
On an inhalation.
muscles and core and continues to create
space in your spine, even while backbending.
Drop the knees
yogajournal.com.au

if needed, to focus
on corseting your
abdomen and
lengthening your
lower back.
july 2019

8 DOWNWARD-FACING HERO 9 PLANK POSE STAY FOR 10 DOWNWARD-FACING HERO

POSE, VARIATION 3-5 BREATHS. POSE, VARIATION
On an exhalation. Stay for 3-5 breaths. Core galore. Stay as long as you’d like. 81
 KULA SEQUENCE: ROUND 2

1 CAT POSE TO 2 COW POSE, 3 FOREARM PLANK 4 SPHINX POSE

VARIATION On an inhalation. On an exhalation.
Repeat 1 time.
To protect your
Engage your SI joint, root the
front of your hips Keep your
lower abdomen and
into the floor and collarbones
hug your outer hips
square your ribs wide and your
toward your midline
to the front. shoulders
to maintain length
elevated.
in your
lower back.

5 SPHINX, WITH ARDHA 6 SPHINX, WITH ARDHA 7 LOCUST POSE, VARIATION

BHEKASANA DHANURASANA Inhale to extended arms, then
Sphinx, with half frog pose Sphinx, with half bow pose reach arms back and
Stay 3-5 breaths. Opens your Stay 3-5 breaths. hold for 3-5 breaths.
quadriceps and hip flexors. Opens your armpits and chest.
Maintain length
in your lower
back by keeping
TRANSITION TO PLANK your core
engaged.
On an inhalation, plant your
hands under your shoulders, tuck
your toes, and engage your core.
In Plank Pose, firm your shoulder
blades onto your back ribs and
away from your ears, while
maintaining breadth in your
8 PLANK POSE 9 PLANK, WITH
PHOTOS: IAN SPANIER; MAKEUP: EMILY HARDINGER; CLOTHES: MODELS OWN

collarbones. Think of the outer

Hold for 1 breath. HAMSTRING CURL
collarbones smiling.
Round your
Stay 3-5 breaths.
upper back as Squeeze your
much as you can to hips toward your
make space for your midline so they
yogajournal.com.au

thigh; dorsiflex stay aligned in this

your ankle. asymmetrical shape.
Come to fingertips
to relieve your
wrists.

10 KNEE TO NOSE 11 LUNGE 12 ARDHA HANUMANASANA

july 2019

On an inhalation. On an exhalation. Half monkey God pose

Stay 3-5 breaths. Opens your
82 hamstrings.
 13 LUNGE
On an exhalation.

Aim for a feeling

Em b od i e d F lo w .com
of lightness by
reaching your top
hand up—similar to
how you will lift your
pelvis to the sky in
Pincha
Mayurasana.

14 VASISTHASANA
Side plank pose
Stay 3-5 breaths. Strengthens your
arms, shoulders, and core, and
challenges your balance.

Push into
your forearms
to create length
in your neck
& lower back.
15 FOREARM PLANK
Stay 3-5 breaths.

Reach your
shoulder blades
& pelvis to the sky.
You can bend your
knees & lift your
heels to find
maximum elevation 16 DOLPHIN POSE
in your pelvis. Stay 3-5 breaths. Opens your chest
and hamstrings. A modification
for the final pose.

REPEAT
Kula Sequence
Round 2 on
the opposite side.
17 DOWNWARD-FACING
HERO POSE
Stay as long as you’d like.
 KULA SEQUENCE: ROUND 3

1 CAT POSE TO 2 COW POSE, 3 FOREARM PLANK 4 SPHINX POSE

VARIATION On an inhalation. On an exhalation.
Repeat 1 time.

5 LOCUST POSE, VARIATION 6 PLANK POSE 7 PLANK POSE, WITH

Inhale to extend your arms, exhale Hold for 1 breath. HAMSTRING CURL
to reach them back, then interlace Hold for 1 breath.
fingers and hold for 1 breath.
yogajournal.com.au

8 KNEE TO NOSE 9 LUNGE 10 HALF MONKEY GOD POSE

On an inhalation. On an exhalation. Hold for 1 breath.
july 2019

84
 MAP MY SEQUENCE
As you create a
deeper backbend,
maintain breadth
in the collarbones,
integrity in your
shoulders, & length
in your lumbar
spine.

11 LUNGE 12 SIDE PLANK POSE 13 SIDE PLANK WITH HALF

On an exhalation. Hold for 1 breath. BOW POSE
Continues to open your chest
and s ine.

PEAK POSE
Perhaps you get here, and
perhaps you don’t. What’s
important is that you
understand the steps to
getting here and that you
have a smile on your face
when you fail. Protect your
lumbar spine by engaging
your lower belly.
(SEE PAGE 86 FOR
MORE INSTRUCTION)
14 FOREARM PLANK 15 DOLPHIN POSE
Hold for 1 breath. Hold for 1 breath.

REPEAT
Kula Sequence
Round 3 on
the opposite side.

END IN
Balasana yogajournal.com.au

16 PINCHA MAYURASANA 17 DOWNWARD-FACING 18 BALASANA

WITH STAG-LEG VARIATION HERO POSE Child’s pose
Feathered peacock pose, Stay 3-5 breaths. Stay as long as you’d like.
aka forearm Balance
Hold as long as you can; breathe.
july 2019

Schuyler Grant co-created the Wanderlust festival and founded Kula Yoga Project in New York City. As developer of Kula Flow, she was noted by The New
York Times as a go-to teacher for advanced practice. Learn more at wanderlust.com. 85
 r r ti
BUILD A POSE

Pincha Mayurasana

}
FEATHERED PEACOCK POSE (AKA FOREARM BALANCE), VARIATION

This inversion is more difficult than Salamba Sirsasana (Headstand) or

Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand) because it requires a sublime balance
between strength and flexibility in the shoulders.

MAKE SURE THIS LEG IS

PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR
And the foot
should stay flexed.

FIND LENGTH
AND BREADTH IN
KEEP YOUR YOUR LOWER BACK
Peak Pose CORE FIRM

Inspo This will help

protect your
lower back
LIFT YOUR INNER
SHOULDER BLADES
TOWARD YOUR HIPS
Keep your collarbones
wide–even as you reach
This Stag-Leg variation is actually your chest forward.
easier than the full pose: The leading
leg reaching forward helps you take
flight and shift weight into your
forearms. The following leg acts as a
counterweight, making the pose feel
safer if you’re fearful of going upside
PHOTOS: IAN SPANIER; MAKEUP: EMILY HARDINGER; CLOTHES: MODEL’S OWN

down while away from a wall. Think

of the back leg as an anchor you can
drop if needed. In fact, if you keep
your straight leg parallel to the floor,
yogajournal.com.au

there’s very little chance of toppling

over. Remember, you’ve built up this
pose by slowly practicing the shapes
and actions it is composed of, PRESS YOUR INNER
becoming more confident in your WRISTS AND
FOREARMS DOWN
ability and less fearful of turning This will help keep your
july 2019

upside-down. And if you are still elbows and forearms

scared, don’t forget that on the other parallel, and
86 side of fear is elation. shoulder-distance apart.
 Getting Into the
DOLPHIN POSE
Walk your feet toward your elbows without
letting your weight pitch forward and your
chest collapse. Relax your neck to draw
your shoulder blades toward your hips and
your chest toward your thighs. If your spine
rounds, bend your knees and lift your heels.
Keep forearms parallel.
Peak Posture Modifications
DOLPHIN WITH PROPS
If your forearms refuse to stay parallel, belt
them so you trap the elbows at shoulder-
distance. Place a block between your inner
hands so the hands stay shoulder-distance,
too. As you rely on the props and relax your
neck, you’ll be liberated to work on elevating
your hips and drawing them back.
peak pose
PINCHA PREP
Lift one leg and bend its knee, looking
forward. Vigorously lift your inner shoulder
blades toward your hips. Bend your bottom
leg and lift its heel. Feel the leverage of the
top foot moving forward. The core work
you’ve done in the sequence will keep your
lower back long and wide.
PINCHA PREP WITH PROPS
As you lift one leg and bend its knee, look
forward. Bend your bottom leg and lift its
heel to draw your hips up. The intention
here is not so much to be in a backbend but
to feel the leverage of the top foot moving
forward. This propped variation will keep
your forearms parallel as you stack your hips
over your shoulders.
STAG-LEG PINCHA
MAYURASANA
You may need to take tiny hops off your
bottom foot, but eventually—through
practice—you will be able to use core
strength to lift. Remember that if the
collarbones and the lips are smiling,
you are crushing this pose!
yogajournal.com.au
STAG-LEG PINCHA
MAYURASANA AT THE WALL
For more support, set up a few feet in front
of a wall. Lift one leg and press its big toe
against the wall. Reach your bottom leg
away from the floor, your shoulders up
toward your hips, and your chest forward.
july 2019
Feeling feisty? Slowly tip your toe away
from the wall.
87
 travel
EXPERIENCE

YOGA IN

Honkers
Hong Kong might be a bustling, manic hub of business.
But between the skyscrapers and crowds you’ll find some
of the most fascinating studios to practice.
By Melanie Schoor

HONG KONG IS A BUSTLING CITY that’s

home to beaches, historic buildings, tall
skyscrapers, famous hotels and cultural
sites. It’s a busy place that’s filled with
adventure and has somewhat of a ‘work
hard, play hard’ philosophy. This doesn’t
just end with its financial institutions
and nightlife; there’s also loads of yoga
studios and restaurants around that
follow this philosophy. If you’re looking
yogajournal.com.au

for a place with great food, great

shopping, great attractions and great
yoga, Hong Kong is the place to head to.
PHOTO: GANG ZHOU/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

And these are the top places to do yoga

and eat vegetarian in Hong Kong.
july 2019

88
 july 2019 yogajournal.com.au

89

TOP 5 PLACES TO DO YOGA
in Hong Kong
Yoga is massive in Hong Kong, and
there are so many studios to choose
from. So much so that it can be a bit
overwhelming for a visitor, with many
wondering where to go to keep their
practice going while holidaying here. If
this is you, check out one of these top
places to do yoga in Hong Kong.
Yoga BamBam; Sheung Wan
With two studios nestled on quiet
tree-lined streets in Hong Kong’s artistic
Sheung Wan area, Yoga BamBam offers
a wide range of yoga classes that are set
in chic, yet simple studios. It’s one of the
hippest studios around, following a “no
clichés, no bullshit” philosophy that is
in-tune with the diversity that makes
Hong Kong so unique. There are no
sales people here trying to sell you a
membership. Instead, you pay for
yogajournal.com.au
classes as you go. Plus, all teachers are
encouraged to be totally authentic to
themselves, teaching yoga the way that
they want to teach it. There is no room
for commercialism here. Instead, you
will be in a room filled with real people
doing what they love to do; yoga.
july 2019
Iyengar Central; Central
Running for 20 years, Iyengar Central
90 was the first ever yoga studio to open in
Central Hong Kong and is one of the
oldest studios in the city. The school
started as a sanctuary for those wanting
to practice the traditional Iyengar style
of yoga, and continues this path today.
They cater classes to people of all body
types and ages, following the tradition
and philosophy of BKS Iyengar. They are
well equipped with all of the props that
you would ever need in this practice,
offering classes at various levels.
They also get some pretty amazing
teachers in from all over the world to
lead workshops for both regular and
visiting students. Iyengar Central is a
non-membership studio, with students
paying as they go. It’s a peaceful place
and a great atmosphere for practicing
this slow-paced, traditional style of
yoga.
Anahata Yoga; Central
Named after the fourth chakra, Anahata
Yoga truly is a place of compassion,
courage and love. Whether you want
yoga for your body, mind or soul, there is
a class here that benefits everyone and
everything. There are traditional classes
like Hatha, Kundalini and Ashtanga, as
well as specialised yoga for the back, the
core, and for detoxing and mental health.
They also offer prenatal yoga, restorative
yoga and yoga therapy. Basically, it’s an
all-round place for people from all walks
of life. Programs here help people heal,
deepen their practice and promote
awareness. If that’s not enough, they also
have some fantastic teachers, many of
whom hail from India.
Kita Yoga; Sheung Wan
Kita Yoga is a boutique yoga studio that
sits above Sheung Wan in the trendy Tai
Ping Shan neighbourhood. It’s a small
studio that has a lot of character and
offers classes to suit all needs, from
powerful sculpting classes to slow-paced
evening classes by candlelight. As
well, you can sign up for a nutrition
consultation and get tips based on the
Ayurvedic practice to help your body,
inside and out. Come for a drop-in class
or buy an unlimited week pass (highly
recommended for visitors) that allows
you to enjoy as many classes as you’d like
on your holiday.
Anhao Wellness;
Sheung Wan
Founded by French competitive gymnast
and personal trainer Estelle Neve,
Anhao Wellness opened its doors in 2012
and today is one of the top places to do
yoga in Hong Kong. It has some top-
notch instructors that have worked with
athletes and people recovering from
injuries, guiding them through some
great yoga classes. Classes here are
small to allow the instructor to really
focus on what everyone is doing, and
ensure that each pose and movement is
done correctly. The studio specialises in
Ashtanga yoga, as well as Pilates
reformer. Try both and leave Hong Kong
feeling strong, flexible and aligned.
They also offer Pilates mat classes,
PHOTO: PISKUNOV; NIKADA; TRAVEL AND STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY; NIKADA; E_RAS-
restorative yoga, hatha yoga and yin
yoga, ensuring that there’s something
MUS; ZENCREATION; BUSHTON3; ANSONMIAO; KAIPONG/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
for everyone and any level.
The whole essence of yoga inspires
people to be healthy. This includes
eating vegetarian or vegan food. There
are numerous amazing restaurants and
cafés in Hong Kong that serve up
vegetarian and vegan cuisine, with this
number fast increasing. In fact, it seems
that everyone in Hong Kong is on a
health kick, and eating clean seems to
be the new norm. As a result, there is a
wide range of cuisine to choose from,
from Western style meals to authentic
Cantonese cuisine, minus the meat. If
you want delicious vegetarian food, head
to one of these fabulous restaurants.
TOP 5 PLACES TO EAT VEGETARIAN restaurant was founded by Bobsy Gaia,
who sources everything responsibly,

in Hong Kong
Chi Ling Vegetarian;
Wong Tai Sin
It’s well worth heading over to the north
side of Kowloon Bay to the Wong Tai Sin
neighbourhood to eat at Chi Ling
Vegetarian, which is also known as
Long Men Lou. The Buddhist restaurant
is located inside of the Chi Lin Nunnery
on Diamond Hill right next to a
waterfall, making it an extremely
tranquil place to enjoy exceptional,
healthy vegetarian Chinese food. There
is no mock meat or processed food here.
Instead, all ingredients are natural with
flavours enhancing everything that you
put into your mouth. Come for lunch
and fill yourself up on dim sum, or opt
for the ginger and mushroom fried rice.
Happy Veggies; Wan Chai
This non-profit vegetarian restaurant
serves up simple Chinese food with
loads of flavour in a local canteen style
eatery. Plus, most of the staff are part of
Hong Long’s deaf community; so your
money is going to a great cause.
Everyone at Happy Veggies is extremely
happy and helpful while they bring you
vegetarian fare that’s cooked without
MSG or mock meat. Don’t leave here
without trying the vegetable hotpot,
mapo tofu or Luo Hanzhai fried
noodles. They also have set lunch menus
that are extremely affordable and are
sure to fill you up after a yoga class.
Kind Kitchen by Green
Common; Sheung Wan
Located in Sheung Wan amongst the
medicine shops, hip bars and boutique
yoga studios is this excellent plant-based
café that’s set inside a healthy
supermarket. Kind Kitchen by Green
Common is the brainchild of David
Yeung, who built the store and café
around his moto ‘good-for-you eating’.
All dishes are made from ingredients
inside the store, like Just Scramble’s egg
alternative and the meat-free Beyond
Burger. Try signature dishes like Ramen
in Soy Milk Miso Soup, Spaghetti with
Truffle Vegan Oat Cream Sauce and
Japanese Omnipork & Black Truffle
Dumpling. If you have a sweet tooth, be
sure to order the Unevil French Toast or
Mango Chia Seed Pudding. Wash it all
down with cold pressed juice.
Mana Café; Sheung Wan
If you’re looking for something other
than Chinese cuisine, then Mana Café is
the perfect spot. This middle-eastern
ensuring his ingredients are all grown in
a sustainable way. In fact, he’s a known
Hong Kong environmental guru that
aims for having zero waste at the end of
every single day. It’s a laidback hangout,
which is the perfect setting for enjoying
the 100 per cent plant based food. The
signature burger is arguably one of the
most popular dishes, with its grilled
tofu, halloumi and portobello
mushroom all towered onto a spelt bun.
Then there are the zaatar flatbreads and
extensive list of toppings to choose from.
They also serve excellent coffee, shakes
and raw juices.
Veggie SF; Central
Veggie SF is a cheerful, 1950s San
Francisco themed restaurant that serves
nothing but vegetarian and vegan food
that’s made with love. The ingredients
used at this lively restaurant are
simple, but the flavours are anything
but. The specialty here is the giant vegan
burgers that are served with everything
from spicy Korean sauce
to sweet relish mayo. If a burger
isn’t what you’re after, try the
Singaporean style laksa, soy chicken
with turmeric rice or Indonesian gado
gado. They also have a pretty awesome
all day breakfast, complete with
scrambled tofu, portobello mushroom
and pesto toast.

FIVE ELEMENTS OPENS IN Hong Kong

Fivelements, the wellness retreat made famous in Bali, is opening the first Fivelements Habitat in
Times Square, Hong Kong in July 2019, followed by two more locations in Hong Kong’s central
business districts over the coming 18 months. Fivelements Habitats are uber-luxurious city
yogajournal.com.au

sanctuaries for yoga, sacred arts and plant-powered cuisine and feature a rich collection of
holistic practices aimed at fostering self-exploration, mental and physical health and wellbeing.
The habitat offers the company’s signature holistic retreat programmes: coaching for rejuvenation,
detoxes and weight management will also be available, coupled with bespoke therapies specially
curated from their highly acclaimed retreat in Bali with the diverse array of sacred arts practices,
july 2019

including bodywork, intuitive healing, energy work, wellness therapies and holistic beauty treatments.
www.fivelements.com.
91
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T HE

D I REC TORY
Your easy go-to guide for Yoga Teacher Training Courses,
Retreats and Products throughout Australasia.

To be be listed in the Australian Yoga Journal Directory,

please email alisoncole@yogajournal.com.au
YOGA TEACHER TRAINING

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A transformational and comprehensive training

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july 2019

94
 YOGA RETREATS

YOGA

BYRON BAY - NEW ZEALAND - BALI - EUROPE

Relax, be inspired
& develop your
yoga practice in
NEPALI idyllic surrounds....
TREK AND
RETREAT with Jessie Chapman & facilitators
INCLUDING 2019 Byron Bay Retreats 2019 Bali Yoga Spa
> Daily Meditation Feb 22-27, Apr 5-10, Sep 6 -11 Wellness Retreat
and Sound Healing 2019 NZ Yoga Hiking May 25 - 31
> Daily Asana Retreats 2019 Pyrenees Yoga
> Satsang Mar 17 - 22, Oct 19 - 24, Hiking Retreat
> Sacred Sites Dec 1 - 6 Sep/Oct
> Trekking in
the Himalaya
> Hot Springs
yogajournal.com.au

> Festivals
21/10/19-8/11/19 Including
Diwali SOLD OUT
19/02/20-11/03/20 Including
Shivaratri and Holi
1/11/20-19/11/20
Including Diwali

For more information full itinerary and cost

july 2019

breakdown please visit our website yogasol.com.au www.radianceretreats.com

or contact us on yogaandmassage@gmail.com E. info@radianceretreats.com Ph. 0402 772 388

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as well as past lives. love and trust.

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 YJ
REFLECTION

mantra
speak peace

Om, shanti, shanti, shanti

Om, peace, peace, peace
yogajournal.com.au

EACH OF THE FIVE SENSES can be a function of grace, or they can be the
vehicle for subtle, divine experiences result of certain techniques and
PHOTO: IPOPBA/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

that can bring peace and steadiness practices. These sensory perceptions
to your mind and move you toward can bring great calmness and peace
samadhi (union with the absolute)— and serve as a gateway to an experience
july 2019

the eighth and final limb of yoga. of transcendence.

Sensory experiences—such as visions,
sounds, tastes, aromas, and physical Christopher D. Wallis is a Sanskrit scholar at the
98 sensations—can come naturally as a University of California, Berkeley.
 we can’t
stop the
hot
flushes
but maybe
you can be
MORE

Every woman who goes through menopause can experience different symptoms, but mood swings,
sleeplessness, vaginal dryness, hot flushes and erratic menstruation can certainly be on the agenda!
Many women talk to their GP for guidance (and some of you might even try yoga),
but here’s something else that might help you with perimenopause and menopause.
Cottons new Pre-Menopause Pads have been specially designed to be very absorbent, for when your period
isn’t predictable. They’re also exceptionally comfortable, with an unperfumed 100% cotton coversheet that
is naturally hypo-allergenic.
Whatever your menopause experience, why not be more comfortable.

cottons.com.au
available at selected Coles, Chemist Warehouse online and cottonsshop.com