The Space Between

There are some moments in our lives that truly resonate to our core, those precious seconds when your mind ticks over and you can feel your heart lift and your mind mimics what you’ve just heard.

Well, when I first heard about Kate Kendall’s Space Between yoga class I was curious. I wanted to know just what was meant by the space between and partly because I followed Kate on instagram for a while and knew her as a vinyasa flow teacher that inspires me as a teacher (as well as a very successful business owner: www.flowathletic.com).

So as we all sat there, eagerly waiting the beginning of the first class of the day, sitting amongst the colourful streamers in the Lululemon Dome, Kate introduced us to her thoughts, a bit of her background and her ups and downs and how at the end of the day we needed to remember to give ourselves that space, whatever it might be, to just be there in that moment, appreciating that we are alive, and healthy and well.

To me the space in between can mean a million different things, it is the breathing whilst holding an asana (yoga posture), the time between choosing to change careers or jobs or hobbies, the moment before you jump off a jetty into the cool ocean, that first time you gracefully move into a headstand and feel your focus adjust to your breath. That space where time stands still, you are there in that moment, before anything else happens or changes, before your thoughts switch to the next feeling or action or item.

And that was when it came to me, that ah-ha moment I am so fond of where things just click into place and an instant shift in your being happens.

With that knowledge and feeling we all began to move, to practice feeling the moments in between the postures, being present in that time and place allowing our bodies to flow together.

Here are a few of my take outs and ways that I am going to continue to focus on the from the space between each and every day… 

Take a moment before you start the day to stop and take one deep breath, if you need to take a few and allow it to nourish your body and your mind. Create the space in your lungs and your body.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. We all have to start somewhere, that space that you are in right now where you feel like you are not quite in the place you want to be is exactly where you are meant to be. It takes time, commitment, perseverance to reach any goal you set, whether that be saving for something big (a house or overseas adventure), getting to the next level in your yoga practice or making a life changing decision, remember that it doesn’t happen overnight.  Allow yourself to be where you are and learn from these moments. We often say during a guided meditation practice that if you fall asleep it was exactly where you are meant to be, and that it is important to acknowledge that and move forward in your practice. Because yoga, just like life is about learning, experience and implementing the changes that you want to see in yourself and in the world. But don’t forget where you came from and how you got there because it is this space between that we can learn so, so much from.

When you are practicing any form of movement, notice the feeling, the space in between the goal of that movement. Whether it’s the release of tension (putting a weight down), bringing your breath back to normal, the moments that you shift into another asana, notice how it feels, do you feel fear of falling? Does the tension in your jaw release? How long does it take to come back to a resting breath? Stay in this space and allow your mind to come back to your body.

Integrating these three things into every day of my life will not happen immediately, but I am starting to learn in general that I am where I am meant to be. I need to take my time to get to a place where I am comfortable and it doesn’t mean I can’t practice the art of gratitude or happiness every single day. I can be happy exactly where I am, in this space between. 

Wanderlust Wrap Up

By Kat Harding

What an amazing, incredible, eye opening, awe inspiring, laughter filled, zen weekend…

From SUP Yoga to backbends, to Wanderlust videos and photo shoots, braids, flash tattoos, catsuits inspiring passionate speakers, music and more. You can’t possibly find a better array of wellness classes and experiences than at Wanderlust.

The venue was stunning, passing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, cruising the vast Sydney harbour lined by beautiful houses, walkways and parks you finally arrive at an island which from the outset looks small but is full of character from an era gone by. Surrounded by beautiful blue waters Cockatoo Island has ample green grass, shady areas and a mixture of beautiful industrial buildings that create incredible backdrops for photos, yoga and live music.

I took a leap and went alone for the weekend, and within minutes of being on the island I had met with a friend who I had previously only spoken to online and as more yogi’s and wellness gurus arrived on the island my network of smiling, happy faces around me began to grow.

Throughout the weekend I was spoilt for choice with so many styles and forms of yoga and movement that it was really hard to schedule for. Whilst I had picked the classes that I wanted to attend over the weekend in advance it became difficult to stick to ‘the plan’ as I met more teachers, experienced different styles and classes and learned to listen to what my body was telling me I was capable of.

The beauty of it for me was that there was not one person that I had either met in person or knew at Wanderlust and not one teacher who I had experienced a class with before. The weekend was one of many firsts for me and the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and to get inspired were everywhere I looked. 

Tiffany Cruikshank and Duncan Peak were amazing teachers, I resonated with everything they were saying and their flows and am so glad to have had the opportunity to be there in that moment with them for what was truly inspiring yoga. Living on the Sunshine Coast (QLD) we don’t often get the opportunity to have teachers like Tiffany and Duncan visit us in order to soak up their wisdom on asana, anatomy, compression vs. tension, handstands, arm balances, headstands, hip openers, yoga flows. The experience left my mind buzzing with information and inspiration and ready to take my practice and my teaching to the next level.

The community that I felt throughout the whole weekend can only be described as incredible. You could almost guarantee that if you stopped to chat with any person that was there you would be greeted with a smile, a run down on their favourite moments so far, recommendations on where to go next and would share a laugh about the weird and wonderful experiences that Wanderlust has created for them.

Reflecting on a weekend that could only be described as liberating brings back incredible memories and a smile that you will not be able to wipe off my face.

I thought I would share with you all my 6 key learnings from the weekend that you will see more about in a series of blogs I’m going to post during the coming weeks…

1. Inversions take more than just strength, it is equal parts balance, flexibility and strength  (Tiffany Cruikshank)
2. Consider whether an Asana isn’t for based on Compression Vs. Tension (Duncan Peake)
3. The space in between asana’s is just as important (Kate Kendall)
4. Dance is the hidden movement of the soul (Yoga For The Bass)
5. You attract what you fear. You repel what you want (Melissa Ambrosini)
6. You are enough (Franny & Alex from Violet Gray Design)

The Wanderlust experience is a must do for anyone who simply wants to break free for a weekend of wellness, ‘ah-ha’ moments and yoga, and it’s not jut for yogi’s it’s for everyone who wants to feel part of a global community. See you at the next one!

To sign up for Wanderlust updates click here.

Nourish with your Breath

Sometimes opportunities come knocking that you can’t say no to and one of those came up for me the other week. I was asked to come along to the Shine From Within – Nourish workshop with a group of 12 beautiful teens to share the practice of yoga with them.

Shine From Within, founded by Amanda Rootsey runs a range of beautiful workshops that give young women the tools to literally shine from within. The Nourish workshop aims to introduce practices to help develop self-worth and teach these gorgeous teens how to truly nourish your body from a place of love (rather than dieting).   

So in keeping with the Nourish theme I wanted to share the most important aspect of yoga, the part that binds our movement with our mind and soul, the one important tool that we take for granted in our life and the one that most importantly nourishes our bodies with the nutrients that we need to not only live our best life, but is a necessity to survive – our breath.

For most of us it’s a given that we breathe each day, in fact we take thousands of breaths each day and often don’t take any time to acknowledge the beauty and the natural simplicity of our body’s ability to just breathe. I’m sure I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again but our breath is our life force and it is important to understand just how it functions and to be conscious of how our body uses that gorgeous fresh air that we breathe in.

So here are a couple of my quick tips and tricks for getting conscious about your breath and using it to nourish your body, take them with you everywhere you go, and use them in any situation and I’d love to hear how they work or don’t work for you.

1.       Breathe through your nose, it helps to filter the oxygen that you are bringing into your body and regulates the temperature so that it can be properly absorbed into your lungs and blood stream;

2.       Stop for at least 10 minutes each day and extend your breath to count to 3 or 4 for each inhale and exhale. I always start with at the beginning of my yoga classes and practice to help centre the mind and the body preparing for the class ahead, and if I can lengthen my breath any further I will. This also helps to naturally expand your lungs, filtering more oxygen into your body than you would in your normal breathing pattern and helps to calm and rejuvenate your nervous system;

3.       Do you ever feel light headed? Or have one of those moments where something happens and your heart stops? I have them, more often than I’d like, and I always notice that it may not necessarily be what’s happening around me that has caused this breathlessness, it’s the fact that I’ve actually stopped breathing. Be conscious of that feeling, and take a deep breath, you will feel instantly better for it;

4.       Use your exhale to help relaxation. Our body has two main operating nervous systems, the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation) and the sympathetic nervous system (prepares for energy). To do this all you simply need to do is exhale for a longer count than your inhale. Use it when you are feeling stressed, anxious or before bed to help you sleep better. Make sure to count and focus on each inhale and exhale and really draw out your breath to relax your body and mind; and

5.       Feeling tired? And it’s only the beginning of a big day ahead? Why not try alternate nostril breathing, blocking one nostril at a time to breathe in and out in a pattern will help balance your body and mind and will re-energise you for the rest of the day (or evening).

So what are you waiting for? Get nourishing, fuel your body with the RIGHT stuff! Breathe like your life depends on it.

For more information about Shine From Within click HERE

SUP Yoga - Dive in Head First

As most Yogis’ will have seen or heard recently, Stand up Paddleboard Yoga or ‘SUP and Floating Yoga’ is the new trend for the summer months around the world.  All you need is a stand up paddleboard, some relatively calm water and the courage to dive in head first to test your yogi skills on water.

For some, the thought of paddling out on to the water or ocean to try SUP Yoga brings up thoughts like, ‘My balance isn’t good enough’, ‘I’m not great in water’ or ‘I don’t want to fall in’. But I’m telling you, you will be fine and you will love it – this is the mind stuff that Patanjali tells us to be aware of and to silence in order to take those steps towards something new and something we never believed we could do.

The first bit of advice I would give to you if you are intrigued by SUP Yoga is to let go. Let go of what you think you know, let go of any fears you have of the water and ocean or the creatures that reside in it or even your yoga ability.  Like any yoga class you are guided, enlightened, given the information you need and the freedom to ask for more throughout the class in order to ensure your experience is one to remember.

Secondly, don’t worry, enjoy it and have fun! Not everyone is a water baby, just like flexibility and strength varies between people. You may fall off (although we try to keep you on the board) so just go with it.  The more you fight your emotions the less relaxed you will feel which in essence defeats the purpose of SUP Yoga.  Being on the water may not feel natural to some, but if you take a deep breath, allow your body and board to move with the water and be at one with the environment around you, you will LOVE it.  And for all you water babies already out there this could be your way into the beautiful world of yoga! 

Like most yoga classes or even standup paddleboard classes, the activities of the day are tailored towards the students and the environment or props available. Some students may wish to try a stand up paddleboard class first to get used to the feel of being on a board, but true beginners can still come along to try and learn some different yoga variations, and lots do.

The best thing about SUP Yoga by far is that you get a different perspective, a different perspective on yoga, a different perspective on watersports and most importantly a different perspective on the natural world surrounding you, as you look out from your board across the water in lotus or easy seated pose.

When in savasana tune into your breath whilst listening to the water lapping against the bottom of the board and remember that amongst all of the madness of modern society there is a place you can always escape to and go within yourself to find your very own piece of paradise.

If you are in or around the Sunshine Coast come and join me for SUP Yoga Classes in beautiful Noosa at Noosa Standup Paddle on Saturdays at 8.30 am. Follow my instagram account @yogakiss or facebook page Yoga Kiss for further updates and details on how to contact me for more information or to book your spot, places are limited.