Salute to the Sun is a perfect routine that most people can manage if they are shown how to do it correctly. If you have any physical limitations there are easier variants that may be suitable.

Each round has 12 poses (or asanas) and it is usual to do an even number of rounds so that both sides of your body get the same benefits. If you do 12 rounds you will have done 288 poses which is a great result. If done slowly, Salute to the Sun can be used as a form of meditation, if done fast it can be a workout that is hard to beat. 

Salute to the Sun is a full body workout, from top to toe, which also has breathing, balance, stretching, core, strength and spinal benefits. Not only that, it burns more calories than other workouts. Calories burned by a 30 minute workout are shown below:

​

Back pain is a common issue. In a recent report, military veterans reduced their use of pain killers, and reported less fatigue and better functioning, after a programme of yoga classes.

Yoga and hypnotherapy are different but there is an area of overlap. It has been found that hypnotherapy can also ​reduce back pain and the need for pain medication. In a recent study it was noted that:

If you have chronic pain, appropriate, carefully managed yoga and/or hypnotherapy could make a difference. Please note that we are not doctors but we do work with people with chronic pain.

People  with serious health issues, or who are in recovery, or who have never been to a yoga class, sometimes find it hard to take the step to book into a group class. If this is you, one option is to book a free initial meeting, or to consider 1-to-1 classes, until you feel comfortable to be in a small yoga group session.

Please contact Shanti for a confidential discussion.

According to a University of Iowa study of 72,000 people:

No only that, research shows that people who use hypnosis to give up smoking are more than three times as likely to still be stopped after 26 weeks. Other research shows a 80-90% success rate for stopping using hypnosis. Not only that, there are no  negative side effects of hypnosis as you are using your own subconscious brain to stop, effortlessly.

Hypnotherapy works. For people who really want to stop we offer this guarantee: free follow up sessions in the one year after you have received stop smoking hypnotherapy from us (group or individual), in the unlikely event that you feel you need it.

​
References:

• Texas A&M University, System Health Science Center, College of Medicine, College Station, TX USA. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2004 Jan;52(1):73-81. 
• University of Washington School of Medicine,  of Anesthesiology and Rehabilitation Medicine, Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2001 Jul;49 (3):257-66. Barber J.

During hypnosis you will relax out of your conscious state and enter your subconscious state. You will be awake but relaxed. In cases of light relaxation, your brain will operate in the area of alpha brain waves. This is an ideal state for your hypnotherapist to imprint your brain with positive suggestions, including about your body image, self acceptance, and how you treat your body. For example, if your body was a good friend, you would look after it by making sure it received regular, healthy food and appropriate exercise. If it had been bullied you would provide soothing and positive affirmations.

If deeper relaxation is required you will enter a state of theta brain waves. This is sometimes called regression to cause hypnotherapy and can involve the hypnotherapist taking you back to the event that started things (perhaps you were bullied at school). The hypnotherapist can use a variety of techniques to remove the negative effect of that event so that it no longer controls how you live your life now.

Body image issues can affect all kinds of people, including those who are overweight, have anorexia or bulimia, or who are transgender or who have a non-binary identity.

Research shows that hypnosis is very effective for weight loss, whether used as a stand alone treatment or combined with cognitive behavioural therapy ("CBT").

An analysis of many different scientific trials showed that in the group that only received hypnosis (and not CBT):
​

An analysis of many different trials involving the use of both hypnosis and CBT showed:

In summary, hypnosis is a very effective treatment in producing weight loss and it is a treatment option for obesity.

Think about it … 

• Who would you be if you truly believed in yourself? 
• How much better would you feel if you just stopped beating yourself up? 
• What if you finally got rid of fear, anxiety, self-doubt? 
• What if anger and guilt no longer had any power to control you? 
• What if you could finally lose the excess weight? 
• What if you could reduce or eliminate physical pain – without any of the negative side-effects of drugs? 

What if you could start feeling better – physically, mentally, emotionally – right away?

Hypnosis works.

We have published a course on meditation, relaxation and yoga sleep (Yoga Nidra) on the leading online learning platform Udemy. If you're quick you can sign up for the course for free: https://www.udemy.com/the-complete-guide-to-meditation-relaxation-and-sleep/?couponCode=EARLYBIRD2019

​Breathing issues can cause tiredness, depression, anxiety, dizziness and they can reduce your ability to cope well with stressful situations like exams and sports. In this session we will show you how to harness your breathing so that it nurtures you, and improves quality of life.

Learning how to breathe calmly and well is good preparation for students facing exams and other stressful situations.

We offer yoga for addictions and habits that you want to change (food/alcohol/prescription drugs/tobacco etc). We use specific yoga and meditation practices to enhance self regulation and self soothing, provide a healthy focus in life, and to increase overall well being, while working towards long term recovery.

​We support all recovery paths, and will explore with you (if you wish) whether abstinence or moderation is the best goal for you.

Insomnia affects many, and it can have serious effects on mental and physical health. Some people drink, or use prescription medicines, to try to deal with their insomnia, but these "solutions" can cause their own serious health problems.

​In these sessions Shanti will show you ancient yogic techniques that can promote restful sleep, peace, relaxation and happiness. Sessions can be booked at your place (by arrangement), our yoga studio, or via Skype or similar. Insomnia Yoga can be a one off, or as a series of sessions. If you are tired of being tired, yogic sleep could make a real difference.

We are interested in starting a regular small group for people affected by cancer (child, adolescent or adult). The group would be open to people who are on treatment, survivors, family members (including bereaved family members), and health professionals. The purpose of the group is to provide support for each other, as well as to delve into evidence based yoga related techniques, including: yoga nidra (learning how to have better sleep), meditation (even if you don’t think you can sit still), breathing techniques, stretches, and gentle/restorative yoga. The exact content of each session will vary and will depend on the needs and wishes of people in the group. Traditionally, yoga is done on the floor, but we can provide comfortable seating to cater for your needs.
 
In our own family we have experienced the trauma of serious childhood cancer. By running this group we are able to use our yoga knowledge, and personal experience, to give back to others. We are passionate about helping others affected by cancer.
 
The cost is free but donations would be welcome to assist us in running programs to help as many people as possible.
 
Please contact Shanti to register your interest: yogawabisabiauckland@gmail.com
 
Group attendance may be open to people under 18 years of age but please contact to discuss. The group may also be suitable for people affected by other life threatening or serious chronic illnesses.
 
We also provide 1-to-1 yoga therapy.

 Come and join us in creating and walking a sand art labyrinth at Maori Bay (South of Muriwai Beach).

Labyrinths are walkable art and they offer us an opportunity to connect with ourselves, each other and nature; to transform and heal; to embark on a small pilgrimage of tranquility and peace; and as a meditative and mindful experience. Later in the afternoon, the sand art is washed away into the ocean by the returning tide.

​More details are on our event page, at EventBrite, and on our Facebook page.

We offer a safe, healing, yoga experience for people affected by cancer. This includes children and adults with cancer, family members, and professional caregivers. It's a tough journey but it's good to know that appropriate, adapted, yoga poses can even help people who are actively unwell. 

Recent research has shown that cancer patients who regularly practice yoga, experience less inflammation, less stress, and greater energy. The key is that yoga poses need to be adapted to the person's particular illness and issues so that it makes  a positive difference. Even if someone is bed ridden, there are small physical yoga poses that can be used, perhaps in conjunction with yogic meditation, gentle chanting, breathing practices, and yoga nidra (yoga sleep).

We have released two yoga nidra style videos on our Facebook page. We will be releasing more, but please pop over to Facebook for a dose of relaxation or meditation.

Our weekly Restorative Hatha Yoga class started last night. This class runs most Sundays from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. It includes physical yoga asanas, breathing yoga, and sleep yoga (Yoga Nidra). The group is small so we are able to tailor the content to your specific needs.

We offer discounts for teachers, students, and those affected by cancer.

Come and join us, for one session or several. Please contact us for more information or visit the Event Brite page to book. 

In thinking about adding years to our lives, the Book of Life reminds us of the perhaps greater importance of adding life to our years through becoming more childlike and natural. Mindfully noticing and appreciating things around us brings many benefits:

"We should be aiming to lead lives that feel long because we have managed to imbue them with the right sort of open-hearted appreciation and unsnobbish receptivity, the kind that five-year-olds know naturally how to bring to bear. We need to pause and look at one another’s faces, study the evening sky, wonder at the eddies and colours of the river and dare to ask the kind of questions that open our souls. We don’t need to add years; we need to densify the time we have left by ensuring that every day is lived consciously – and we can do this via a manoeuvre as simple as it is momentous: by starting to notice all that we have as yet only seen."

I hope you're all having a mindful kind of day enjoying being in the now, whatever form that takes. I came across this beautiful picture of a beach labyrinth and just had to share ​

We are very excited to tell you about our special Easter gift - perhaps for you or someone you know. Please spread the news! Our gift is for anyone who has, or had, cancer (childhood or adult), their close family members, and the professionals who give so much to heal others. If you have been affected by cancer, or know someone who is affected by cancer, please contact us. Nobody will miss out for financial reasons and people are invited to discuss their situation in confidence. For example, the going rate for most private yoga sessions in Auckland is around $100. If you are affected by cancer the rate could be between $10-$50 for a private one-on-one session. The type of help that we can provide includes:

• Teaching you how to gain a sense of peace and calm through meditation. We are experienced in many different meditative traditions and will find a method that works for you.
• Gentle walking (including walking meditation).
• Gentle yoga (which can be chair based or lying down).
• Sleep yoga.
• A hike including yoga stretches.

​Depending on the situation, options include a small group class, one-on-one sessions, walking in nature, or via skype. Please email Shanti to discuss.

Meditation is like weeding the garden so flowers can grow.

Research published by Johns Hopkins University, shows that gentle yoga builds strength, better joint health, energy, balance and flexibility, all of which are important to people affected by arthritis and for older people in general.

Johns Hopkins Arthritis ran a large clinical trial and it found that:

"In our study we provide critical new evidence showing that in people with arthritis who are sedentary, yoga appears to be safe, feasible, and enjoyable for people with both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, and that it results in important physical and mental health benefits for people who practice it regularly."

People with health issues may need talk to their doctor before beginning yoga training, however, the evidence is that gentle, beginner level yoga training over several weeks can make a big difference to quality of life.

Yoga Wabi Sabi is a family of registered yoga teachers. We can design a programme suitable for you or your group. We can come to you for group lessons. We also have private lessons available at various locations or at our studio.

Come along to our fermentation workshop, where Shanti and Madhuri will show you how to make milk kefir and a selection of delicious, healthy fermented vegetables. You will go home with a genuine Kefirko kefir fermenting jar, 2-3 different types of vegetable ferments (for example, sauerkraut, pickles or carrots/daikon mix), recipes, and our contact details for any questions. We will have fun doing something healthy and interesting.

​Please note that spots are limited.

Yoga is good for everyone. And for everyone there is a form of yoga that will work for them.

School is the perfect place for yoga with recent research showing that yoga works better than detention, it helps calm students and teaches them real skills to deal with stress,  and it helps them to cope with trauma.

Schools need yoga. Yoga helps students and it provides a better, calmer environment for everyone.