French Yoga Community

What immediately appealed to me about Laura Cabeza is that, like me, Laura is passionate about surfing and yoga. She practices Yoga in the South of France, in Paris and in Bali. Her universe; sometimes cosmic, sometimes comical, sometimes both, is full of freshness and humility. Creator of the blog " Oh My Buddha" , always on the move, passionate about travel, Yoga, surfing and holistic medicine, Laura fully discovered herself by traveling the globe in search of new teaching methods. Today, she transmits her passions through her new project "AlohaYoga" . She organizes, in the wonderful island of Bali, initiatory stays "good vibes only", "energetic healing", in small groups and in full awareness in magical and exotic places.

It was only natural that I asked him a few personal questions about his yoga practice, which I am sharing with you today.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

I understood that when it came to having fun, I was often the queen of extremes! One day, my body said stop… I had always known that the time would come when I would get serious about Yoga. So it was after injuring my shoulder during a boxing session - I wasn't very zen in the past... - that I made the decision that changed my life.

What practice for your well-being?

I have always had major back problems - and sitting during my three years of journalism did nothing to help. It is therefore essential for me to start the day with a little routine of stretching and postures aimed at decompressing my lower back. Then I meditate, then I go surfing - ideal for building muscle after creating space in my body. After that, I finally have a great breakfast. I also regularly need to create, this can be through writing but also drawing or a great Yoga flow that takes me completely unexpectedly in the middle of my living room... Sometimes I stay in bed and do nothing, that's also very good :)

What is the ritual of your practice?

I try to always be clear with my intentions but also to show gratitude in order to be as positive as possible and to manifest the best. For example, when I have a lot of back pain, I ask to be guided on the path to appeasement, and rather than blaming the Universe, myself or others for being in this state, I thank the opportunities that this represents: those of being better connected to my body and my intuition, or even of being a better teacher for those who suffer in the same way. It took me time to understand all this, and it is not always easy but it really makes a difference on a daily basis.

What do you get out of it?

More wisdom and lucidity in what I undertake. A better relationship with myself, my body, my surroundings and the Universe. What I need and want manifests naturally, almost effortlessly.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

What to change into afterwards because where I live it's over 30 degrees and it's clearly unthinkable to stay in leggings after sweating ;)

What is your favorite object/accessory?

If there is one quality that I can recognize in myself, it is that I have no attachment to equipment! Including Yoga, I love practicing without a mat, just in contact with the ground… However, I need a good support to sit and meditate. And I am crazy about my surfboard, just looking at it makes me totally vibrate!

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

What I learned while walking with Yoga and meditation is honesty: for example, I no longer care today about what my practice looks like from the outside, all that matters is: does it make me feel good inside? Why do I go so far in this posture? Is it out of ego or real necessity?
Also, never take yourself too seriously, if something no longer brings you joy, spontaneity and humility: run away!

Where/how do you practice?

I practice at home and in the places I choose to host Aloha Yoga retreats, always in contact with nature and the very particular energies of Bali.

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

I met Anne-Sophie at a girls' dinner organized by my yoga teacher. That day, she was wearing a loose yellow sweater and this color was the image of what she radiated; a sun. Anne-Sophie is one of those people who are described as sunny and sweet. Her voice is calm, the attention and listening she gives you immediately engulfs you in a universe of well-being and trust. I was immediately charmed and very quickly, I went to consult her for an Ayurvedic treatment.

She determined my Ayurvedic profile through a list of questions and I immediately appreciated the care she gave me during my first massage which aimed to balance my doshas. Today, I consult her regularly and these are real moments of happiness.

Very curious, I asked her a few personal questions about her well-being recipe that I am sharing with you today.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

In 2008, my body reminded me of the order, I had my first attack of periarthritis (calcification on the tendons of the shoulders). I had just experienced my first human disappointment in 2007: It was a disastrous professional association with a specialist in moral harassment. A storm experienced like a message in a bottle... Anger against injustice and powerlessness invaded me, my Pitta climbed to its peak, my tissues
dried up and my tendons became inflamed…a classic scenario. My doctor suggested that I practice yoga regularly to regain flexibility and re-open my body. From then on, I knew that I had met a beautiful person, “Yoga”, a practice that never leaves you alone, that restores your confidence and allows your body to regain a harmonious vital energy.

What practice for your well-being?

My practice is as varied as a painter's palette. It varies according to the seasons, my mood, my discoveries, my aspirations. The practice can be anchored, encompassing and low in the fall, active vertical and warming in the heart of winter, refreshing and internalized in summer, etc.

What is the ritual of your practice?

I always start my day with my self-habyanga (5 minutes of self-massage), then with the oil doing its job, I do 15 minutes of asanas to evacuate toxins and loosen the body, and 10 minutes of mantra and meditation, finally I always finish with 5 minutes of Pranic practice (to prepare myself for the massage).

What do you get out of it?

The oil grounds me and makes me supple, the asanas wake me up and cleanse me, the mantras and the Pranic practice calm my mind…I feel good, ready to experience everything I have to experience……

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My music and a barrette. And a Manduka Ekolite Yoga mat made of natural rubber.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

The warm shawl my son brought me back from Mexico…
What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?
“do little if you want, but every day” a regular ritual brings freedom, contrary to popular belief…

Where/how do you practice?

I practice everywhere... in my living room, by the lake, at the top of a mountain, and I love taking advantage of a class from my colleagues to take my place as a student again and learn, always understanding new sensations.

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

The Gayatri Mantra recharges me like a battery. I keep repeating it to myself

"do your best and be happy"

If you want to know more, check out his FB Page Yan Bija

And his site: Yan Bija

Stéphanie Zeitoun is a journalist specializing in well-being and personal development techniques. She is gifted for life and writing. After working for several years as an employee in various companies, she finally realized her dream, namely: to live from her pen, in complete freedom. Today, she is editor-in-chief of the website Madame Bien-Etre and occasionally contributes to the blog "french yoga community" by tayronalife.

It was therefore quite natural that she took part in our little questionnaire to share her yoga practice with you.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

I have been taking care of myself for years, being a wellness journalist, it has become second nature to seek out the best natural remedies and solutions to live healthy.

What practice for your well-being?

Sport every morning (yoga but also pilates, fitness, zumba...), mantras (positive affirmations morning and evening), EFT (emotional freedom techniques - a form of acupressure on the meridians to release negative emotions) to release emotional pain, writing to connect to my intuition and receive "messages" from my guardian angels and walks with my dog.

What is the ritual of your practice?

I don't really have a ritual, I let myself be carried by the teacher with complete confidence.

What do you get out of it?

An incredible ability to center myself and stop thinking, a way to connect to the present moment and ground myself

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My Manduka Eko Lite natural rubber mat and an umbrella for the journey just in case because I walk 40 minutes to get there ;)

What is your favorite object/accessory?

I don't have any, I'm not very fetishistic; it creates an addiction associated with a belief and I'm always looking for freedom

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

My practice being quite recent, at least with its philosophical and spiritual dimension, I have no advice to give other than to practice to please yourself and have fun; it is fundamental. Too many people get caught up in seriously... It is above all a body gymnastics to find harmony and be at peace with oneself, but the notion of joy is important to me

Where/how do you practice?

In my sports club and at events dedicated to yoga to meet other coaches and yoginis. Each teaching is different depending on the energy of the teacher, I like to meet, explore, test through my job

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

Carpe Diem

(at least I try ;-)

Or

"I'm always in the right place at the right time " my favorite mantra ;-)

If you want to know more about the Madame Bien-être website

His books
Author “The 100 good tips from Madame Bien-être in Paris” - Editions Alysse (March 2011)
Author “I love tea” - Editions Alysse (February 2011)
Author “I love chocolate” - Editions Alysse (September 2010)
Author “In the world of the Father, the Son… and the virtual” - Editions Fortuna (June 2010)
Co-author “Around the World in 80 Soups” - Guy Tredaniel (September 2009)
Co-author of the “Guide to Sophrology” - Guy Tredaniel (March 2008)
Author “The Language of Flowers” ​​- Flammarion (May 2007)
Author “The rustling of the butterfly’s wing” - Alphée (March 2007)
Co-author “All finance for non-financials” - ESF (November 2006)
Co-author of “Astrological Agenda 2007” - Alphée (September 2006)

Nadine, originally from Sweden and the happy mother of a little boy, moved to Paris with her family. After a stressful career in fashion, she decided to take her life back in hand.

She runs her blog providing wonderful health & nutrition advice to help people feel well, in harmony, with natural products.

Sharing the same values ​​as our site tayronalife , we have set up a partnership with her blog nadineandreewitch.com where you can find products specially selected by Nadine, including our products.

It was only natural that I asked him a few personal questions about his yoga practice, which I am sharing with you today.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

Over the years, we realize that health and good vitality are what we have most precious. Health is an important key to personal well-being, self-realization, and to be good with others too! So I find the time, because I know that it is also a priority to be able to do my job well.

What practice for your well-being?

Yoga every day of course, and I try to get massages regularly. I make sure to eat very healthy and spend time in nature with my family.

What is the ritual of your practice?

Right now, no fixed ritual, except that I practice yoga every day, in one way or another. In an ideal world, I wake up in the morning with a meditation session followed by an hour of practice. But with my son it's complicated in the morning. So I adapt, I change according to the day's schedule but I don't go to bed without having done at least a few minutes of yoga / pranayama.

What do you get out of it?

That you have to stay flexible in life and not rigid. It was difficult for me at the beginning as a young mother to accept that I could no longer do what I wanted when I wanted! But precisely, it is a wonderful life lesson. You have to accept "the here and now" and stay flexible with those around you, know how to adapt.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

Coconut water, lip balm, a book for the subway

What is your favorite object/accessory?

Hmm... nothing special except my necklace that I wear every day. A gold chain with a lotus and an E for Elias (my son). I really care about it, I ordered them from the US. The lotus is linked to Elias because it makes me grow every day, it helps me to surpass myself and become someone better (I hope so anyway ;-)

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

Above all and always: "listen to yourself", follow your intuition and don't listen too much to others to know how to live, how to practice your yoga etc. In the end, you are always the one who knows best, what is best for you. And without this listening, we can never live free and fulfilled.

Where/how do you practice?

I practice in my living room, in my bedroom, in various centers in Paris, at home with clients and as often as possible in magnificent places in France and elsewhere when I manage to escape for a few days for a training course ;-)

All means are good to practice, and what's cool is that you can do it absolutely EVERYWHERE. Even if you can't do a full vinyasa due to lack of space for example, you can always do pranayama or meditation.

What is your mantra/ favourite phrase?

The universe has my back, trust and let go.

Find Nadine’s advice on her blog and on her FB page

You have probably already heard someone talk about chakras? But, do you really know what they are? Some will say that they do not exist while others will swear by them. These are found inside each person, circulating energy for the proper functioning of the body. In this article, you will discover what is the chakra , but also why it is very important and finally how yoga can be very useful in this area.

How do chakras work ?

You may not know this, but there are 7 chakras: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and crown. These are the basis of traditional Indian or Ayurvedic medicine . They form your invisible energy centers inside your fleshy envelope.

Thus, they absorb the prana energy or life force, entering your body through your breathing. The chakras can be materialized as a column of light starting at the base of your spine and ending at the top of your head. The energy centers located lower down form your instinctual side while those located higher up form the mental side. Each chakra is connected to organs, sounds, an element, a color as well as functions of consciousness.

Kundalini energy, also called spiritual force, flows through each energy center, from the bottom to the top, where it regroups by rotating clockwise. This is what happens when the chakras are harmonized.

Why harmonize your chakras ?

Spiritual force must be able to pass through your chakras without surplus or deficiency and in a balanced manner. However, emotions, stress, poor lifestyle, unresolved psychological wounds or discomfort can disrupt your energy centers. Thus, the chakras close which prevents the energy from circulating well, leading to illnesses. Either they slow down their speed of movement or shrink, reflecting inactivity of the corresponding organ, or they enlarge or amplify their pace, leading to emotional and physical complications.

In order to overcome these inconveniences, it is necessary to open the chakras . However, rebalancing your energy centers should not exempt you from consulting a health professional. To harmonize your chakras yourself, it can be useful to practice yoga regularly.

How to balance your chakras with kundalini yoga exercises ?

Yoga postures, also called asanas, help balance and open the chakras because they circulate energy throughout the body. Kundalini yoga, which appeared in the West in 1969, suggests postures, chanting, meditations and breathing for each energy center. It is a technique that combines yoga and spiritual practice. Thus, it allows the kundalini energy to circulate through the body from the root chakra (base of the spine) to the crown chakra (top of the head) through the five other energy centers. When the life force circulates to the seventh chakra, the path is complete and enlightenment is possible.

I met Anne quite by chance in Annecy. She was sitting at the next table, in a restaurant with friends. And as always, I believe in beautiful encounters. Our conversations mingled and we talked about yoga. I immediately felt something special about her. Anne exudes a beautiful communicative energy, a beautiful light and above all an inner peace.

Anne Paysac is a Reiki master and yoga practitioner. Reiki is a healing method of Japanese origin, based on so-called energetic healing by the laying on of hands. One of the goals of Reiki is to relieve suffering, bring mental calm, inner peace and general well-being.

I asked her if she would like to answer my little questionnaire to share her yoga practice with you. Anne agreed without hesitation. So today, on this beautiful Easter weekend, I am sharing her experience with you.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

I have always been a "helper". As a result, I tended to attract slightly toxic relationships (friendships, love, etc.) to vampirize me and to forget myself a lot. I gave a lot, certainly too much, or in any case, I didn't give myself
not as much. I was looking for love outside of me and not inside of me. I felt
a feeling of unease that made me start a lot of work on myself because I wanted to
understand, learn to love myself, be happy.

I have always been very attracted to all alternative and energetic methods
so very naturally well-being was at the heart of my research. This research has grown over the years and it was following a hypnosis session that everything began to fall into place. Very quickly after this session, reiki entered my life and I experienced an intense spiritual awakening. Reiki brought me a lot and allowed me to cleanse everything that was harmful to me, by refocusing on myself, aligning myself and focusing on my life mission.

This is how I headed, after a career in marketing in the
cosmetics, in hypnosis and NLP support after an intensive 2-month training in NYC during the summer of 2016. Beyond preparing for a
new career this training has enriched me enormously and made me grow in all the
levels of my being. All the pieces of the puzzle came together. I then
passed my reiki master level in November in Bali where I spent 2 months to
recover physically, emotionally and spiritually.

This is also when yoga really came into my life as a

necessary support for my development. I had already practiced but I
was not receptive to the benefit of this practice before. I was not ready.
Now I am. I met myself, I learned to love myself, to accept myself, to
to be more tolerant, gentler towards myself and to really take care of myself.

What practice for your well-being?

My practice must be filled with moments that recharge me and make me feel good.
overall, on a physical, emotional or spiritual level. Yoga allows me to do this. It
also allows me to be in listening, kindness, learning and laughter
also sometimes!
My first passion is traveling. I have lived abroad a lot and plan to go
soon on a world tour. Traveling allows me to feel things even more
intensely, to be in the here and now, to experience, to discover, to
to meet, to open up, to elevate myself. It is essential to my well-being.
Yoga offers me this escape. Each class is like a journey…towards me.
I like to be in movement and whatever the practice, there is always a
new teaching, a different flow, a rhythm to discover, an energy specific to
this moment, a new opening towards oneself.

What is the ritual of your practice?

Being a nomadic soul, I find my stability in instability, when I am in
outside my comfort zone, in the challenge and therefore in flexibility. So, I
prefer not to be attached to a ritual. I personally find a ritual alienating,
limiting. I think my real power, my potential is in expansion,
freedom and instinct. I remain open to all opportunities that may arise
present without depending on a place, a person, a structure, a
habit…
The first thing I learned in yoga is that my physical condition is
different for each practice. Not having a ritual therefore allows me to respect myself
much more, to understand my limits, to accept them or on the contrary to
push me, challenge me and in any case listen to me, be open and
benevolent.

What do you get out of it?

I get a great deal of adaptability from it. I feel a bit at home everywhere!
And above all, I learn a lot from it, I modify my practices as I wish.
of my intuition, of my desires, of my sensations, of the moment, of the energy of a
place, of a person and especially of myself.
I get a lot of freedom and fulfillment from it.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

The little traveling bird that I am tries to travel as light as possible.
moreover, for me, the practice of yoga rhymes with simplicity and being oneself. So I take
what I consider to be essential… a bottle of water.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

Through my travels, I have had special connections with certain objects.
These connections evolve as we meet people and learn from them....
I acquired a very pretty Mala with amethysts in Bali that I really like and that
I used it in meditation. I also wore for some time a medallion acquired in
an ashram in Bali, with the photo of my guru, a great spiritual master who taught me
learned a lot.
However, like rituals, I think it is limiting to put some of
my power in a fetish object/accessory. I am my own master and I have in
me all the resources necessary for my development, my protection, my
elevation. I try as much as possible to make these resources accessible to my
awareness rather than externalizing it.
So I try not to get attached to objects, but rather to the resources that
I have in me. However, I received a beautiful necklace from my grandmother,
years after his death and this jewel is very important to me so if I have to
to quote one it's this one :).

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

At the beginning of my practice I did not understand why the teachers did not help me
no longer correct me. It frustrated me. Little by little, and especially thanks to my training in
hypnosis and NLP and the support that I offer, I understood that a good
The teacher is not there to correct me, but to make me responsible, in my
feeling, my practice, my self-healing. So, it pushes me to refocus,
align myself, be in the present moment to feel the posture, integrate when the
position is right, in my body. He is the co-pilot, I am the driver.

Where/how do you practice?

Mainly in yoga studios/centers or during retreats for the
moment. I like to feel the energy of a group, to follow a teacher. I would like
However, slowly start practicing alone from time to time to
develop a more autonomous practice. This will allow me to take responsibility
as for the frequency of my practice I would like daily. It would bring me
also more freedom to be able to practice anywhere, even when traveling.
Nomadic yoga is definitely a yoga that suits me. So the appearance of
apps is great news for me :)!

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

It's a mantra that I discovered recently through a friend and which since
accompanies me daily. It is a powerful healing mantra.

The Medicine Buddha Mantra
Tayata
OM Bekandze Bekandze
Maha Bekandze
Radza Samudgate Soha
May the countless sick
be quickly freed from the disease
and may all the illnesses of beings
disappear forever

We continue our exploration of yoga as seen by experts. Today, we asked Lilian Durey to tell us about Vinyasa Yoga that I had the great chance to practice with him. A fluid, dynamic yoga, from ashtanga, on breathing that is a bit like a dance.

Vinyasa yoga is taught by many yogis, especially in fitness-oriented gyms that offer a variety of classes to appeal to yoga enthusiasts. While this is in response to demand and a real fad, the craze for this dynamic version of the practice is justified by its body and soul benefits through an essential awareness of breathing...

Vinyasa is a Sanskrit term that means synchronization of movement with the breath (two roots: "nyasa" which means "to place" and "vi" which means "in a specific way). Vinyasa yoga is defined as a sequence of dynamic movements, initiated and harmonized by the breath.

A bit of history…

Vinyasa yoga is a form of Hatha yoga. It comes first from the experience of Krishnamasharya who gives its first principles by following the study of the yoga sutras of Patanjali, the bagavad gita and hatha yoga pradipika. It proposes sequences of postures combined with breathing, which today constitutes the basis of the work of Vinyasa yoga. His disciples were Pathabi jois (Ashtanga Yoga) and BKS Iyengar (Iyengar Yoga) who in turn developed two methods of yoga with their own understanding of the sequencing, rhythm and content given to a yoga practice. What is called Vinyasa Yoga today is the interpretation of these methods and other forms of hatha Yoga by several generations of students and then Eastern and Western teachers. These adaptations are the subject of constant debate on the respect of the original teaching of yoga. This is also what makes this method popular and interesting throughout the world and history.

Breathe the “Prana Flow”

Vinyasa yoga coordinates movement and breathing in sequences of asanas. In Prana Flow, Shiva Rea's method, we pay great attention to the transitions between postures. The practice develops through successive waves of preparatory postures that are repeated and then accentuated. They allow us to culminate in key postures very gradually. The objective of the sequencing is a complete practice but committed to a theme in stages or Kramas. Awareness of breathing not only improves flexibility and strength but also helps to transcend the stress of daily life...

From “sporty” yoga to “artistic” ecstasy…

These vinyasa yogas are increasingly defined by the notion of Flow. The notion of flow refers to a psychological state marked by great concentration and therefore a strong presence in the task that one is carrying out. This results in an immersion in a state beyond time and bodily and mental limits. It is a state that can be compared to certain ecstasies described in texts related to yoga. It is also a state well-known to dancers during phases of improvisation, creation or performance.

Expert opinion: Testimony of Lilian Duray

It is on the basis of the teachings of Vinyasa Yoga and Western Hatha yoga of Lucien Ferrer (master at the origin of Energy Yoga) and with my experience as a dancer and athlete that I evolved from a purely yogic perception to paths of body and mind awareness in search of "universal" alignments of Flow and energetic perceptions. These "universal" alignments are very simple principles of posture and intention. During my few years of teaching, I welcomed a "beginner" to yoga at almost every session. I had to find fundamentals to offer a healthy practice to these "novices" and always interesting for other yogis.

I experiment and offer yoga in several forms depending on the audience, the seasons and the times of day. What I like to encourage is experimentation by oneself to embody and find "one's" practice. For this, I use the notions of pulsations or "body vinyasa". Pulsations are incidences of breathing in the movements of the body. They are used to highlight the expansion and retraction of the breath. Breathing induces movement and movement extends its action to lead to a transition.

In the sessions I also introduce the work of the senses common to Energy Yoga. Working the senses and their subtle parts called "Indryias" allows to obtain a significant concentration and an apprehension of fluids and energies. For more experienced practitioners, I introduce rhythmic breathing and learning the anatomy of the subtle body. The stages of concentration and meditation of yoga are thus proposed in each session, in movement or in meditation posture.

This yoga aims to remain simple and accessible to all. It promotes relaxation first and foremost, fluidity in the body and concentration in the mind.

The hybridization of these techniques allows me to teach a yoga adapted to people who wish to become adventurers of the inner world. It studies mindfulness inward for right actions outward, dispelling concepts to enter into a continuous sadhana and let oneself be carried by the flow.

Find Lilian Durey on FB

 

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

I have always been a "speed" person. Since I was a teenager, I have always loved sports, especially running, cycling, skiing... For a long time, my motto was: "Always faster, always further". Then, 5 years ago, I discovered Yoga.
Finally, I relearned how to breathe, to be present, to know and respect my body better. During my studies, I read a lot of books dedicated to the Slow movement, to degrowth, to ecology… All this accompanied me to decide to slow down and enjoy life better, by taking care of myself.

One of my biggest breakthroughs was understanding that to take care of others, you have to take good care of yourself first, and that it's anything but selfish to do so...

What practice for your well-being?

I practice and teach Vinyasa and Ashtanga for beginners. I also have a crush on Yin Yoga, which I practice more and more often.

What is the ritual of your practice?

At the end of the morning because I am not a very early riser and I often come home late from my classes, I go to the front of my mat and take long breaths in Tadasana. Then I start with a very gentle, very slow sun salutation. And I continue with several salutations, waking up and warming my body more and more. My sessions can last 10 or 90 minutes. Depending on my energy, my shape and my inspiration of the moment, I add the postures, pranayamas and meditation that seem perfect for this moment. And I always end with a looooong relaxation, curled up in my blanket, wrapped up in a sweater and big soft socks and with a lavender microbead pad on my eyes. It's my favorite outfit for Savasana, which made my classmates in India laugh a lot :-)

What do you get out of it?

I love dynamic Yoga practices that channel my mind and help me find inner calm and clarity. Yin Yoga helps me slow down, go into a deeper, more visceral practice. Yoga, in general, is an ally for me in the search for balance and on the path to joy.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My yoga outfit, as simple as possible: leggings and tank top. A hair tie, a sweater, socks. And my new Manduka ProLite mat.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

My gourd with its bamboo lid, it creaks a little, but it is an object that touches me personally, that reminds me of the wood that I love so much and that is one of my dominant elements in Chinese energy :-)

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

I would advise Tayrona Yoginis to consider their Yoga practice in the long term. That is to say, to prioritize their health and to learn to know, respect and love their body, first, and then their whole being.
Our society feeds on an excess of performance, of speed. It encourages to privilege quantity over quality. Thanks to Yoga, we can meet our deep Being and dig into the most buried layers of ourselves, beyond appearances. It is extremely powerful and transformative.
My advice is therefore to practice for oneself, without seeking comparison with others, without having expectations. Just the pleasure of being alive and being able to discover this wonderful gift that is Yoga.

Where/how do you practice?

I practice mostly at home, near my large bay window, with a view of the trees below. I also like to practice in the park, at the beach, even if the noise around me can sometimes distract me.

I also love practicing in the studio, under the guidance of colleagues, Yoga teachers. I regularly participate in classes or workshops, especially on weekends because my weeks are generally very busy between my classes, my blog, the support I offer, etc.

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

“You can do anything!”

This is what a stranger I met in front of a church in Lyon told me a few years ago, when I had just left my old job and started my own business. This sentence has carried me a lot and continues to carry me whenever I need it. And I often repeat it to those around me to encourage them :-)

Many thanks Patricia for this interview in which I am very honored to have participated.

Tayrona yoginis can find Claudia Martin on her blog YogaPassion and on her Facebook page

The teaching of yoga according to BKS Iyengar is based on the in-depth practice of asanas (yoga postures) and pranayama (yogic breathing), all carried out in the search for rigor, intensity, alignment and precision. If the demands of this approach may seem daunting at first, it is not without interest for working on the physical and psychological level...

Rigor… with flexibility!

This rigorous method is characterized by:

• attention paid to the alignment of different parts of the body in space
• the organization of postures into sequences
• the use of supports ( straps, bricks, bolsters, blankets , chairs, ropes, etc.)

These basic principles help develop a better physical and mental balance and provide all the benefits that yoga promises. The teaching is progressive and adapted to the physical abilities of each person. The use of supports facilitates the learning of postures.

An expert's opinion

Trained in Ashtanga Yoga, Bénédicte Peroz had the chance to discover Iyengar Yoga in Bali over 20 years ago. Very quickly, she felt its beneficial effects on her body and her mood. A feeling of lightness while working intensely.

If my yoga path led her to discover many practices, at each crossroads Iyengar yoga caught up with her, with the impression of being in the right place at the right time, in perfect harmony with herself.

So, she naturally felt the need to share all this incredible magic of the inner encounter. Today, she teaches a yoga very inspired by the Iyengar method, nourished by magnificent encounters: Faec and Corinne Biria (Paris), Usha Devi (Rishikesh), Judith Adank (Switzerland), Christian Pisano (Nice), June Whittacker, Caroline Boulinguez (Paris)….

Her teaching is therefore a gentle blend, spiced up by the philosophy of Christian Pisano , the heightened creativity of Caroline Boulinguez, the wisdom of Godfrey Devereux and the love of Mooji. "I try to bring gentleness, humor and love to a practice sometimes considered austere," says Bénédicte Péroz. An invitation to follow her to discover the benefits of this inner experience...

To learn more

Meet Bénédicte PEROZ in a “special back” or “Postural alignment” course, or during an immersion weekend open to all, from April 14 to 17.

www.yogasearcher-hossegor.com

 

A discipline that harmonizes body and mind, Yoga has become a very trendy sport! This mix of postures, breathing exercises and relaxation comes in different forms, more or less rhythmic. If most of us have heard of Hatha Yoga or Ashtanga, there are other practices to discover to vary the pleasures!

YOU WANT TO SURPASS YOURSELF: TRY “BIKRAM YOGA”!

Classes : Based on the teachings of Bikram Choudhury, a great Indian yogi recognized in the United States, this yoga includes twenty-six dynamic poses, which are performed in a specific order. Warning: this choreography is performed in a room heated to around 40 °C. Reserved for people in good health!

The virtues : it improves flexibility, strengthens muscles, relieves tension and facilitates the elimination of toxins. The body becomes slimmer and toned to give you a beautiful, slender figure!

YOU ARE SPIRITUAL: DISCOVER YOURSELF WITH “KUNDALINI YOGA”!

Classes: This practice works on the different levels of being through series called "kriyas" using breathing, rhythm, dynamic or static postures. This yoga integrates relaxation and meditation sung with mantra or silent. It is a particularly powerful experience in its effects, recommended to those who are looking to work on themselves...

The virtues: it acts on the circulation of vital energy, called Kundalini by yogis, for a better physical and mental balance. This improves the functioning of the body, vitality through muscular work and emotional balance through learning concentration and meditation conducive to serenity. At a more advanced level, Kundalini Yoga is a tool for elevating the soul…

ARE YOU PRONE TO NERVOUS FATIGUE: RELAX WITH “VINYOGA” OR “RELAXATION YOGA”! 

Classes: simple postures teach you to relax with awareness of breathing and sensations. Exercises, often on the floor, allow the body to regain good balance thanks to good breathing reflexes.

The virtues: it provides well-being and allows you to reconcile with your own body. The perverse effects of stress (bloating, oppression, back pain) disappear over the course of the sessions. A gateway to meditation for those who are open to spirituality.

ARE YOU EXPECTING A HAPPY EVENT? GENTLY INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO “PRENATAL YOGA”! 

Classes: Here you will discover positions that facilitate labor and delivery. Breathing and relaxation techniques promote the calm and relaxation essential during pregnancy. This yoga is probably the best preparation for giving birth with confidence and presence of mind. It is recommended for a beginner to start the sessions from 3 months of pregnancy after consulting a doctor.

The virtues: these exercises prevent or relieve physical discomforts such as nausea, back pain, sciatica, etc. Regular practice restores energy and reduces fatigue. You will also find a psychological benefit since these sessions also aim to strengthen your confidence and prepare for the arrival of your baby in style.

Stephanie Zeitoun

I dreamed of meeting Charlotte Saint Jean because her personality, her charisma and her reputation in yoga have made her one of the essential personalities and teachers in the world of Yoga. And thanks to two friends who are dear to me, the meeting took place in Annecy. Originally from England, Charlotte has been teaching Yoga in France since 2002.

With a first professional experience in marketing and in commerce, she decided to break with stress and professional travel. She now devotes her life to a truer balance and a simpler happiness in the mountains with her two children and her partner.

Through the various teachings of the Sivananda Vedanta School and retreats that she has been doing for years, she teaches her own style of yoga, inspired by vyniasa, while respecting ancient traditions.

His practice and teaching reflect a healthy life, full of gratitude, joy and the search for well-being .

The meeting was therefore magical and full of surprises and it was quite natural that Tayronalife.com joined forces with the Val d'Isère Yoga Festival which it is organizing from April 28 to 30 in Val d'Isère.

I couldn't resist the temptation to ask him a few personal questions about his yoga practice, which I'm sharing with you today.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

The body sometimes sends signs – life too, for that matter. A hard journey with myself and a beautiful body battle, a difficult separation, a job that was too demanding, stressful, a move from England to France and one business trip too many.

My body one day told me to stop! When you are faced with some health realities and when you live every day with pain that bends you in two, at some point or another you have to do something. I started yoga quite naturally. I continued to practice it in hotel rooms as a salesperson and finally I decided that I had to take all this in hand more seriously. I left my job as Sales Director in Southern Europe and I devoted myself entirely to a new life of yoga, well-being and health.

What practice for your well-being?

Every day I meditate, do kriyas and pranayama exercises and practice asanas. Not necessarily 3 hours a day but every day.

I also do outdoor sports almost every day; I run, ski, telemark, and cycle and I love swimming in the summer. Once a month I get a massage and at least once a week I take a bath with a glass of red wine!

What is the ritual of your practice?

This is a sacred moment for me. It is often early in the morning because I have two children and a lot of classes. So, I stand in front of my beloved mountains before the sun rises or sometimes outside if the sun and I are in sync.

I sit cross-legged and breathe. I always start with an intention – a Sankalpa. I place the frequency of my day there; how I wish to be, live and communicate. Then either I start on my back with slow movements that harmonize with the breath, or I stand towards the front of my mat and start in Namaskar to the Sun or the moon if my practice has shifted or doubled in the evening (often the case).

Then, I let myself be carried away by the feeling of the moment, I let the asanas come as my body wishes to experience them. I always end in meditation where I return to my Sankalpa.

What do you get out of it?

A nice dose of inner peace and calm. If you knew everything I do in a day, it is not at all a given. Then a powerful energy for the day ahead of me.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

Nothing, just my mat, I rarely have accessories.

What is your favorite object/accessory?

My Mala, even if I don't do Japa often (meditation with the Mala, that said, it happens to me). For me, it's important to have it by my side

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

To practice regularly and set a positive intention before each day. I hear too often “I should but I don’t have time – work, kids, life….” We are all busy and yes, it is hard to find an hour and a half or more in a day for yourself. But 20-30 minutes, every day deserves more than once in a while. It is not selfish to take out your mat and practice. It is just essential, in order to do everything else, to be all the people we need to be in a day.

Where/how do you practice?

Often at home, when I can. Outside in the sun, but I can practice anywhere. I roll out my mat, stand on it and start.

And how? I take my temperature or emotional vibration of the moment and I listen more and more to the needs of my body. I do not impose a strict series, limits or barriers on myself, I follow my instinct.

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

"We cannot do great things, only small things with great love" Mother Teresa

I met Roland Granottier during a yoga retreat. He was at a crossroads in his life and his desire was to become an entrepreneur. A dream that he put into music around his passion for yoga. Roland is someone you can count on and who listens to others. And he combined these two great qualities with yoga. He trained to become a "coach" and yoga teacher. Today, he supports companies with his company " Inspire&co " in stress management, professional projects and team cohesion. He makes performance rhyme with balance.

It was only natural that I asked him a few personal questions about his yoga practice, which I am sharing with you today.

How did you get into taking care of yourself?

Passionate about sport since my childhood, I have always been attentive to my body: health, diet, energy, balance...

Yoga came at a time in my life when I was under a lot of professional stress. This stress was exhausting me: it was devouring my physical and mental resources. And sport was no longer able to bring me the well-being and balance I needed.

My ^first yoga class was a real revelation: a lot of things happened in my body and mind, perspectives opened up and the course of my life changed. In 1h30 of yoga!!! I entered as a senior executive on the verge of exhaustion, I came out a future yoga teacher! Magical, right?

What practice for your well-being?

On the yoga side: "well-being" rhymes with balance and diversity. I like to put a lot of variety in my personal practice and in my teaching. I try to include in each moment of yoga (whether it is 10 minutes or 2 hours) the largest "color palette".

My special “well-being” posture? Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (the half-bridge). Radical effect on my brain and my stomach!

But my well-being also comes from my diet, the mountains, sport, meditation, my family and my friends.

What is the ritual of your practice?

"I get up every morning at 5:30 to meditate and practice for 1 hour." That's what I would have liked to tell you to fit in with the Epinal image of the perfect yogini! ;-)

But in reality, my yoga practice has to coexist with my life as a father and entrepreneur.

I actually practice very intuitively: I try to listen to my body and give it the postures it needs at the moment.

I don't have very specific schedules either, although I really enjoy practicing around 9 a.m. in the morning and at the end of the day.

What do you get out of it?

From my personal practice: a feeling of appeasement, of returning to the essential, of self-respect.

But the richest and strongest part of yoga is to offer it and share it with others. Giving a class is therefore for me the most extraordinary part of yoga: seeing the faces of the students at the end of Savasana, their looks, their expressions, it is truly magical.

What do you carry in your yoga bag?

My mat of course: a Manduka eKO Lite mat made from natural rubber .

My smartphone and its Deezer app for practicing with music.

My bottle of water and a bag of almonds.

A relaxation book and a yoga book (at the moment, I'm rereading "In the Forests of Siberia" by S. Tesson and the Bhagavad Gita).

What is your favorite object/accessory?

My Moleskine notebook where I write down my thoughts, sequences and lessons.

What would be your advice for Tayrona Yoginis?

Be curious!

Yoga has a thousand facets: don't lock yourself into a practice or a dogma... experiment, change, share! Yoga is life!

And listen to your body and your desires!

Where/how do you practice?

I am a nomadic yogi! I practice at home, in my office, on my terrace, on a pontoon by the lake or at the foot of a climbing route!

I practice very often before my classes at Satiam Academy or in companies. It is my moment of calm and concentration.

What is your mantra/favourite phrase?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

This is a quote from Gandhi (a great lover of the Bhagavad Gita, by the way). It pushes me to action every day.