Personalised yoga, teacher training, movement therapy, and mindful nutrition advice in Bryanston

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Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teaching. Show all posts

Monday 6 January 2020

Trust

ANOTHER BLOG POST?? ALREADY?
What can I say, when inspiration hits, it hits hard.

So, I was just having a chat with my sister and she’s trying to encourage me to write more, or at least trying to convince me that my posts really aren’t that bad and that people actually like reading them - or at least that’s what the stats say? I find myself in a position of needing to just let go and trust her.

But this isn’t the only time that this kind of trust thing has come up for me recently. I had to let go of some crappy stuff that I was terrified of ‘losing’ (inverted commas because it turned out that I gained so much more from letting go that ‘loss’ hardly played a role) and that took a lot of trust that other, and hopefully better things would come along.

I’m really modest, often to my own detriment. But the message has been coming across pretty persistently that I’m actually not that bad at what I do, and that perhaps, maybe, I’m actually really good at it. Maybe I really do have a knack for helping people and seeing things and knowing how to go about shifting things. But just to type that has taken so much (letting go and) trusting people (and their results, too) that I’m wondering if perhaps I don’t have major trust issues… *jots down notes for next therapy appointment*

I’m also wondering now how trust can play into your yoga practice, and I guess there it would be all to do with trusting your body, trusting the process, listening and being kind to yourself (more on this here).

My sister and me. She looks trustworthy, right? 
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Friday 13 December 2019

Beginners yoga course


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Wednesday 11 December 2019

New concepts

So, turned out that LETTING GO of some of the 'baggage' that I was holding on to actually had a massive impact on my pain levels. A LOT of therapy had gotten me to start realising and dealing with childhood stuff, and then some alternative healing sessions got me to a space of actually letting go of said issues, and then my pain all but vanished. For a while (but more on that here).Image result for yoga quotes
(update to New words)

So, turned out that LETTING GO of some of the ‘baggage’ that I was holding on to actually had a massive impact on my pain levels. A LOT of therapy had gotten me to start realising and dealing with childhood stuff, and then some alternative healing sessions got me to a space of actually letting go of said issues, and then my pain all but vanished. For a while (but more on that here).

Insert new word:



Well, not new, really. Just a very necessary clarification.

Psychosomatic means that there is a link between mind and body (I love my ‘business’s’ name), but it doesn’t mean that any pain experienced as a result of stress is in the person’s head. It is, in the sense that all pain is an interpretation of stimuli by the brain, but it isn’t in the sense of being ‘made up’. I struggled with that for YEARS. I had specialists (the ones who charge R1600 for half an hour ‘consultations’) tell me to go to therapy for my lower back pain. Yes, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) has its place in pain management, especially in learning to cope with chronic pain, but it isn’t going to heal your pain, because the pain isn’t all in your head, it isn’t made up. And only if you’ve been in that situation would you understand how frustrating and infuriating it is to be told that. And to have to pay that much to be told that crap.



This can all sound contradictory, I know. And it took me a long time (about four years from the first real ‘sign’) to admit and acknowledge just how strong the link between mind (in this case mainly chronic stress) and body (chronic lower back pain) is. It seems that having dealt with past stress and having let go of situations that were perpetuating that helped my brain let go of the overwhelming pain stimuli. I still have degeneration in my lumbar spine. I still have arthritis in several joints. The autoimmune stuff is still there. Stress had a physical effect on my body. The physical effects were triggered by psychological issues, but I have not made up the pain, I did not consciously decide or choose to be in pain, and I cannot just ‘let it go’ or ‘get over it’.

*deep breath*

Years of CBT has helped me get up in the mornings, and years of psychotherapy has gotten me to a point where I can acknowledge and let go of shit. And that has helped me to retrain my brain to not over react to pain stimuli. It took YEARS of work. As for the psychosomatic side, stress caused physical harm to my body*.

So if you come across someone who’s experiencing chronic pain, be nice to them, k? Thanks.



*derived from a process of elimination, with no other possible explanation besides, perhaps, an unknown/ undiagnosed autoimmune disease (most of which are still impossible to diagnose properly, and the etiology of which is vastly unknown


Image result for yoga quotes
Dunno who said this initially, but it rings too true
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Monday 9 December 2019

(Actually) Letting go



So, again it’s been ages. Maybe this writing stuff down thing just isn’t for me? Even though I love it when I do manage to get into it… Or perhaps it’s just that too much happens that I want to write about that I just get overwhelmed. Or the fatigue from having an autoimmune icky-thing. Or just that it’s been a really busy period in my life. Who knows. Who really cares, and quite frankly, what does it even matter? Like, be in the present moment and stuff already.

So here I am with half an hour or so before my client arrives.


And letting go has been a big theme for me this year, but especially in the last few months. While letting go can be difficult and painful, hindsight reveals that it’s really well worth it, specifically in the sense of creating space for better things and people.

Where I’m really going with this ramble is that my studio space is moving to a bigger space that is also awesome and beautiful and wonderful! I’m going to be working closely with someone else who is also awesome and fabulous and will take some of the workload off, which might even make more space for me to type up my random thoughts! Perhaps then they will be more coherent and ordered :) It also means that I get to have a lounge again!!

In conclusion, if you happen to be reading this, and you happen to be in a place where you’re unsure of letting go of something that you’ve realised may not be great for you, stop hesitating and cut it loose. Besides, you never know what you might get in its place unless you go for it.

Namaste, peeps.
Namaste

(Hahahahaha, I just saw and read my old blog post about knowing when to let go. Guess I finally decided to actually do it, albeit several months after the fact… all in good time, I guess!)

Image result for namaste
A definition, because meaning is important
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About Janine

Janine studied at Wits, where she qualified as an advanced Aesthetician, specializing in Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Sports Massage. Not only has she worked as a Doula, volunteering her time and passion at the Hilbrow maternity unit delivering babies, she has qualified to be a Yoga Instructor through The Wellness Connection. Her Yoga qualification is certified internationally with the Yoga Alliance.

Janine studied at Wits, where she qualified as an advanced Aesthetician, specializing in Aromatherapy, Reflexology and Sports Massage. Not only has she worked as a Doula, volunteering her time and passion at the Hilbrow maternity unit delivering babies, she has qualified to be a Yoga Instructor through The Wellness Connection. Her Yoga qualification is certified internationally with the Yoga Alliance.

Jan is dedicated and passionate, and strives to do her best in everything she does. She won’t rest until she is satisfied with the results. Her work ethic and immense willpower are profoundly tangible when around her, creating a Yoga environment which brings out the best in every individual.

"A quote from The Bhagavad Gita: “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self”. This describes Yoga in just a few words, however to ensure your journey of self is on the right track, I will strive to give you the perfect opportunity to control your body and mind, therefore making your Yoga experience one of a kind."

Janine was born on April 1st, 1972. She is happily married with three beautiful children; Twin boys who are in their final years of School, and a daughter who is dancing professionally in Scotland with a touring Ballet company.

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Friday 6 December 2019

About Celeste

My fascination with the human body started in high school when I developed and recovered from an eating disorder. I did my undergraduate degree in Dietetics at Pretoria University where I then started to develop an interest in the psychology behind eating. As I started with my postgraduate Masters degree at University of Cape Town I was introduced to Yoga (thanks, Mom!) and my passion for movement took off. I was immediately hooked, and delved into the connections between the body, the mind, and movement. I did both my 200-hour and 500-hour advanced teacher training courses at the Wellness Connection in Hout Bay, under the incredible guidance of Catherine Wilkinson. The strong focus on anatomy and alignment from both of these courses blends perfectly with my Pilates teacher training qualification, which I use to help clients with rehabilitation from injuries, as well as building up appropriate strength to avoid injury in more advanced yoga asana.

My fascination with the human body started in high school when I developed and recovered from an eating disorder. I did my undergraduate degree in Dietetics at Pretoria University where I then started to develop an interest in the psychology behind eating. As I started with my postgraduate Masters degree at University of Cape Town I was introduced to Yoga (thanks, Mom!) and my passion for movement took off. I was immediately hooked, and delved into the connections between the body, the mind, and movement. I did both my 200-hour and 500-hour advanced teacher training courses at the Wellness Connection in Hout Bay, under the incredible guidance of Catherine Wilkinson. The strong focus on anatomy and alignment from both of these courses blends perfectly with my Pilates teacher training qualification, which I use to help clients with rehabilitation from injuries, as well as building up appropriate strength to avoid injury in more advanced yoga asana.

“ The balance, peace, and harmony that comes with a regular yoga practise has been invaluable in my own life
”

I approach yoga with quite a bit of playfulness and lightness, with the aim of letting go of any seriousness, strain, or competitiveness that hinders the development and evolution of your yoga practise. The balance, peace, and harmony that comes with a regular yoga practise has been invaluable in my own life, and I wish to pass that on to all of those whom I have the pleasure of teaching. I enjoy combining elements of various yoga styles, but emphasise correct placement and posture in each asana, specifically to prevent injury, but also to help each yogi to achieve poses to the very best of their abilities. My interest in alignment emphasis stems from my own injuries, which have, retrospectively, been my greatest teachers. Not just for myself, but also in terms of how I approach and see other bodies, and my capability of understanding and guiding people through whatever it is that they are going through – be it good or bad.

The knowledge, experience and talents that I have to offer makes me greatly suited to guiding and educating any body to a better, more balanced body, mind and lifestyle.

Qualifications & experience

  • B Dietetics (TUKS)
  • MSc (Med) specialising in Dietetics (UCT)
  • Trained in Nutrition counselling for disordered eating
  • Advanced 200 and Advanced 500-hour Yoga Alliance certified yoga instructor (10 years of practice and 6 years teaching experience)
  • Certified 200-hour Yoga Teacher Trainer (5 years of teacher training experience)
  • Certified Pilates Mat instructor (6 years teaching experience)
  • Movement rehabilitation (4 years experience)
  • Certified Aerial Yoga instructor
  • Certified Yin Yoga instructor
  • Massage therapist (5 years experience

If you'd like to hear more of my ramblings about my life with yoga, check out some of my recent blog posts!

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Sunday 29 July 2018

200hr vinyasa yoga teacher training


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Tuesday 17 July 2018

Intensive 200hr Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training


private special offer studio teacher training teaching yoga

Wednesday 16 May 2018

Planting seeds

So, I love gardening. I'm actually currently in the middle of packing up my current home to move to a place with an actual garden (an actual garden as opposed to the garden of pot plants that I have foresting on my balconies).

And I recently planted a bunch of bulbs in little pots, along with lots of help from my dad who had the idea to sell little plants that are, in one way or another, related to yoga - combining two of my passions!

So, with all this green stuff happening around me (that's not to mention the new promo from Checkers where you get a little plant kit for every R150 that you spend there), I was tickled by the analogy coming up in one of the teacher training courses. A student referred to one of her favourite teachers 'planting seeds' in terms of where an easier yoga pose may be leading to. And I have fallen in love with said analogy (thank you, Sean, whose classes I am yet to go try out). The idea that your yoga practice is a young sapling, and little bud, or a very fresh new flower, or even just the sprouting roots of a newly planted clove of garlic! It has so much potential, as long as it is cared for, nurtured, and nourished. The plant doesn't rush ahead of itself to become a tree, or a gorgeous blooming flower. It takes its time. It feeds off of the nutrients around it. It struggles when it doesn't get enough light, or soil, or water. But it also thrives again when it does receive what it needs. But it takes time. Like any good and long-lasting yoga practice. It takes time, and care, and attention.
My cabbage seedlings from Checkers!! No idea
where I'm going to plant them when they get bigger....
A plant from my gran's garden that's FINALLY
started growing it's own little leaves!!


Lots of little seedlings making their way into
the big world!
Awwww, little heart-shaped leaves budding
from little bulbs under the soil :)
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Thursday 8 February 2018

A new year, a new... me?

A very happy (and very much belated) new year to everyone! =)

In the build up to the start of the new year, I spent a lot of time reflecting back on the events of 2017. It was a pretty spectacular year. Spectacularly awful, as well as spectacularly awe-full. But through all the ups and downs, I do feel like a very, very different person starting 2018, compared to when I unsuspectingly, and happily entered into 2017.

But I've sort of found, perhaps, maybe, that the less prepared you feel for a lesson, the greater that lesson is? Or the more you grow during it? Or just the more completely it catches you off guard and knocks you down. But the only really bad thing about being knocked down is if you don't get back up again, isn't it?

So, like, in that sense it's very similar to standing balances in yoga (or arm balances, too, I guess; but let's stick with the slightly simpler analogy for now...). If you're frowning with intense concentration, I bet you you'd be more likely to not be able to keep a balance like Vrksasana. At the very least, you probably wouldn't be able to keep your balance for as long as if you were smiling merrily and allowing your body's natural balance mechanisms to do their thing *. I always encourage taking balances lightly, and taking oneself less seriously in balance poses. Yes, you need to engage muscles and focus, have proper drishti and so on. But more importantly, I think, is laughing at yourself when you fall over. And then getting back up and trying it again. After all, yoga is about the journey, not the destination.

So, without further rambling... go make 2018 the year for you. Your growth. Your discovery. Your love. Fall down, learn lessons, hard lessons, easy lessons. But get back up again. And keep smiling.

What the heck is going on with my shoulder??! And my hands are skew.
But either way, this is Vrksasana in a pretty tunnel


 * No, I'm not saying that balance is all about your body taking over and you can just be blissfully unaware. You need to have your standing leg engaged. Engaging abdominals can help in some situations, too. I'm speaking more of the over concentration that takes over and makes your body rigid. 
There's much more to balance
Source

Also, check out this link for more on the muscles that are used in Vrksasana
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Tuesday 14 November 2017

Teaching and fear

Last week I was teaching a class, and there were only two students. So I asked them if there was anything in particular that they wanted to do. The one requested shoulder stand (Salamba sarvangasana), and the other wanted to deepen her backbends... not the best combination of poses to sequence for 😁 We decided to focus on the shoulder stand for that session.

...I was scared! For me, personally, Salamba sarvangasana is a horrid pose. I think it's because of my prominent C7 vertebra, but I get dizzy and see stars and feel nauseated very quickly in that pose. Similarly, but to a lesser extent in Halasana. Anyway. Besides not enjoying shoulder stand in my own personal practice, I also learned on my teacher training course that several prominent teachers and higher-ups had decided that teaching it unpropped, should not be done. Which makes perfect anatomical sense.

The cervical vertebrae are way smaller than your lumbar vertebrae, which are made to bear weight. Now you want to put close to your full body weight on your comparatively tiny cervical vertebrae, at a severe angle... with poor little C7 getting smooshed into the floor... So I was happy to not teach Salamba sarvangasana. Because I didn't like it, and because the propping takes a long time. More on that at a later stage.

Comparison between the three different types of vertebrae, showing the size of cervical vs. lumbar vertebrae.

BUT. I had asked the students what they wanted to do, and teaching Salamba sarvangasana became unavoidable. Which was fantastic for my growth as a yoga instructor. Because I forced myself to step way out of my comfort zone to sequence that class into a safe, properly activated and executed shoulder stand. Yes, I gave very many warnings about not feeling any pressure on the neck and properly engaging the shoulders, abdominals, back, and legs. Even more cautions than I would normally give 😁

And it worked!! I faced my fear, and I got both my students into beautiful, and completely safe propped Salamba sarvangasanas! I was admittedly relieved by the end of that session, but I felt like I had accomplished something. Like I'd gotten over a long-standing fear of mine. And you know what, I actually feel less scared now of including it in my own practice. Which I think is a fantastic thing. Of course, I would never do it unpropped, but I'm much less nervous about doing and teaching that pose now. And it feels good.
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Friday 27 October 2017

The funny of Bhujapidasana

This is one of my favourite poses to teach. For no reason other than it's hilarious to try to get into it. Or, more hilarious to watch students try (and succeed) getting into it. I'm pretty sure that I get this semi-fiendish delight from my own yoga teacher. See, the way that I was taught to get into Bhujapidasana is by doing a funny walk backwards and forwards on your mat, whilst in a forward fold, your arms wrapped through your legs, and your hands holding onto the inside edges of your heels. Supposedly, this helps you to get your shoulders further behind your knees. Which helps to make the pose accessible/ way easier. It's also the same set up used to get into Tittibhasana; especially the version where your legs are pointing straight up to the sky =) (Yogis come up with some crazy stuff.)

 Some obvious limitations for this pose: hip flexibility, hamstring length (to some extent), arm length (hahahahaha t-Rex arms), and, very importantly, wrist flexibility. Also fear.

 The wrist flexibility is a big thing, actually. If you look at the angle of the wrists in this pose (and in many arm balances), the wrists are massively extended (even hyperextended). Students often complain of sore wrists when doing yoga, and especially when a class is focusing on arm balances. It's extremely important that we look after our wrists, and, in the same breath, look after your shoulders, too! I have some lovely (read: torturous) exercises to build 'wrist'strength, as well as some funky stretches to do. I'll probably share those in an upcoming post. Or you can just come to one of my classes ;)

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Friday 29 September 2017

Time flies

It's been a very busy time for me and my little business. There's been some serious personal growth (which I may or may not go into more detail on in the near future), loads of little hiccups and 'technical difficulties', and even more new friends, connections, and places. The business side of things has seen more classes, lots of subbing (filling in for other teachers - getting with the lingo :-p), setting up and moving studios (yes, in that order, unfortunately), new and excited clients, and, most recently, the decision to go ahead with my first Yoga teacher training here in Johannesburg!!

I've run/ assisted on several teacher training courses at the stunning Hout Bay studio, the Wellness Connection, but that was with a massively supportive team of amazing people. This here is more like my own baby... The course is still being run through the same studio, and I do have their guidance and support (because they're just THAT amazing), but it's pretty much all in my hands. And I am SO excited.

Ever since I started assisting with TT courses (TT = teacher training. Lingo, man), I was hooked. I love teaching yoga, and getting people to connect with their bodies, experiment to see what their bodies can (and can't) do, and to start appreciating and loving their bodies more. But teaching people to pass that same thing on to others... it's pure magic. The most fulfilling part of my yoga journey so far. By far.

So, here's holding thumbs that it all works out! =) Eeeeeeeek!!


Me, trying to blend in with the Strelitzias. Is it working?!

Aaaand me practicing my Paint skills at 2am to advertise this fantastic TT course!
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Thursday 1 June 2017

Travelling to you

Sometimes it's just plain impossible to get to a studio to do a class or a private session. Sometimes you're just not into that kind of thing. But there's a way that you can still gain the benefits of yoga, Pilates, or even a massage! We come to you, along with props, and massage tables, and STUFF! As long as you have the space and the time, we'll make a plan.
Sometimes it's just plain impossible to get to a studio to do a class or a private session. Sometimes you're just not into that kind of thing. But there's a way that you can still gain the benefits of yoga, Pilates, or even a massage! We come to you, along with props, and massage tables, and STUFF! As long as you have the space and the time, we'll make a plan.

We are based in Fourways. The travel service is provided at R50 added to the total session price. An extra charge may be added if more than 10km travelling is required.

The below map is an indication of the area we cover, but exact amount will be discussed on a per client/session/package basis. Please don't hesitate to contact us to discuss what you need.


Location



Contact us to find out more
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