1. Natural Magic Yoga, Massage and Therapies ABN - 25 142 317 650 Dip. Remedial Massage Dip. Remedial Therapies Certificate of Yoga Teaching ATMS - 12714 Michelle L Benn Ph:- 0407 819 748 admin@naturalmagic.com.au michellelouisebenn@hotmail.com How to get the most from your YOGA experience * Wear comfortable clothing - track suit, t-shirt, shorts etc (cotton is best to allow the body to breathe). * Minimise JEWELLERY. It is distracting and can also be a hazard (eg. neck chain in Downward Facing Dog Pose caught on your face). * Come to class with an empty stomach. Wait as least 4 hours after a heavy meal and 2 hours after a light meal. One piece of fruit or a light snack is ok. * As a BEGINNER you will find yoga more of a physical experience. However with regular practice you will learn to develop AWARENESS - awareness of your breath, how you relax, your posture, and your mind will become more clear, enabling you to deal with every day life in a * Resist the temptation of competing with other students AND even with yourself in the poses. Yoga is about achieving the ‘perfect pose’ but working within your own limits and range of body * Be aware of the difference between the body and straining or forcing/lengthening and stretching in the poses. Find a BALANCE between the effort of performing and feeling at ease. * Keep your breathing smooth and regular.. * Recognise your body’s cycles; your body may not respond in the same way each time you practice. This is normal, don’t get discouraged. Learn to adapt your practice accordingly. * Please inform your TEACHER if you are menstruating, pregnant, have acquired an injury or illness recently. more balanced and relaxed way. movement. Natural Magic Yoga, Massage and Therapies ABN - 25 142 317 650 Dip. Remedial Massage Dip. Remedial Therapies Certificate of Yoga Teaching ATMS - 12714 Michelle L Benn Ph:- 0407 819 748 admin@naturalmagic.com.au michellelouisebenn@hotmail.com Your own personal practice reflection How balanced is your personal YOGA practice? Do you have the tools to address ALL aspects of your being? How would you describe your ‘Inner Being’? Sometimes when we begin to practice yoga, we are ‘turned off’ by the very methods that would be most healing. Is there any area of yoga that you have been reluctant to explore? Have you dismissed certain practices (for example pranayama or meditation) as being irrelevant to you? Why have you dismissed them? Look at where you feel least balanced in life: your physical body, your energy, your emotions, your thoughts, your intuition, your connection to community, purpose and spirit. How is your current practice addressing this aspect of your life? Are you focusing primarily on asana? Is the focus of your practice too much on this aspect, or too little? A review and refelection of the 5 mayas can help cultivate a balanced state. The 5 mayas progress from gross to subtle, beginning with the physical body, or ANA-MAYA. The second maya, the energy orPRANA-MAYA level, is linked to breathing and the physiological functions. Next we find the senses and outer mind, or MANO-MAYA, followed by the deeper-mind, the values- shaping VIJNANA-MAYA level. Finally, at the deepest heart of the person, is the emotional level, the ANANDA-MAYA, expressed as the inherent potential to experience a lifetime of sustained joy.