Yoga & Ayurveda resources
I first met Tess when I was teaching yoga at her workplace many moons ago and I knew right away she just GOT IT. Tess has since fallen in love with yoga herself and is sharing the love with students all over Perth! We are so lucky to have her at alchemy, her smile is the ultimate 'Good Morning' or mid-day pick me up!
Many people are unaware of the specialty area within Chinese medicine known as 'Dit Da' medicine. This translates literally as 'Hit-Fall' medicine and is a field of practice that developed alongside the Chinese martial arts. 'Dit Da' medicine was initially aimed at dealing with the types of musculoskeletal injuries that occured as a result of martial arts training - bruises, contusions, strains, sprains, cracked ribs, dislocations, bleeding and so on - at all stages of their presentation.
It’s no secret I love to travel, with my eyes wide, ears and heart open I feel alive. According to resident yoga teachers that I spoke to in Japan, yoga is well loved but not always prioritized in Tokyo. Eating healthy and finding enough space to roll out a yoga mat can be tricky so here are a few gems that can keep you in the flow while roaming TYO.
This is has been one of the most harrowing weeks of my life.
I experienced acute anxiety where I learned the meaning of feeling like your stomach is in knots.
On Sunday morning, after a peaceful night camping in the bush, we turned on our mobile phones and discovered that there had been a huge earthquake in Nepal. My youngest brother is currently in Nepal, on day 7/20 hiking in the remote Himalayas. The same trek I had also done about 4 years ago.
Let me tell you a little story.
I was alone, in the Western Australian bush. Crying my eyes out. It was my first silent meditation retreat and we were barely half way through the first day. We had begun ‘noble silence’ just hours before and after a group meditation session I took myself for a peaceful little bushwalk. It was then, that the tears started flooding in, sadness so heart wrenching, it felt unwarranted by anything I’d experienced in my ‘real life’
This wild, wonderous woman walked into my life almost exactly 12 months ago, it was one of those moments where you just CLICK, you speak the same language and sing the same songs. Claudia has an infectious passion for yoga and has inspired literally hundreds of students through our Beginners Courses.
If you want a taste of this Italian Bella, you can catch her Monday 12 + 7pm and Tuesday 6.30am.
Here's the scoop from Claudia Scalisi...
It may not feel like it quite yet, but autumn is just around the corner. There’s a stack of things we can do to make the transition into dewy mornings and falling leaves a little smoother. Yoga teaches us to unite our attention to not only our bodies but also to the body of our Earth so let’s take a leisurely stroll down Ayurveda lane.
1. Stop eating on the run! By eating mindfully and seasonally, we can quickly balance excessive Vata, which dominates autumn and can cause us to feel rushed, scattered or flighty and makes skin and hair brittle and dry. So it’s time to start phasing out cold, raw foods and bring more warming foods into the mix. Go for root veggies and indulge in pots of chai or Vata tea.
2. Make your yoga practice a nurturing time to listen inwardly and move at a meditative, rhythmic pace. After the warm months our bodies can feel stronger and more flexible than ever, it’s important to refrain from pushing as we transition into a new season muscles and joints become less mobile more susceptible to injury. Although I love to use oil year round, this is its prime time! Organic Sesame oil is great for balancing vata dosha. Practice self-massage to keep body tissues super supple and moist.
3. Time to cease multi-tasking, sorry ladies! Write down your ideal daily, weekly or monthly routine to balance sleep, eating, yoga, love and work. Get in the groove of loving your mini rituals (they don’t have to involve chanting or incense, can be as simple as a sunrise cuppa) and embrace going slow. When Vata gets out of balance we can easily feel anxious and worried but when we take time to move mindfully through the day spontaneous inspiration bursts forth and creativity flourishes.
Enjoy the grounding effect of intentional routine; enjoy time in nature, bear witness to the magnificent changing face of our collective home, enjoy nourishing your body and those you love with abundant gratitude, compassion and delight.
What are your fave rituals to enjoy autumn? Share with us the comments below!
I feel like Compassion needs a total brand overhaul. It has all sorts of sad connotation attached to it, Compassion isn’t soppy, martyr-like or for the faint hearted. It’s a joyous celebration of the fact that deep down, underneath all our stories, we are made of the same stuff. Being compassionate is essentially being a nice human, which sounds simple, but requires huge commitment, the capacity to laugh, not at but with each other.
If you’re anything like me, you’re totally over New Years resolutions – how trite do they feel? We’re getting a yogic infused upgrade and setting Sankalpa. This is about getting crystal clear and realizing your purpose, shifting the focus from what needs to be “improved” to what we wish to create for our outer life and what we want to cultivate inside. Sankalpa is igniting your passion, willpower and making this year radically worthwhile.
You all know how much I've been swooning over these super delish candles of late, this week I took some time out with Nicky Sandover, founder of Perth-based, soy wax candle business, Coconut Gypsy.
Some friends have been grossed out when I explained this puppy to them but when you think about it, pads and tampons are actually revolting. So, lets get real and talk periods for a sec. This thing is WAY better for your hoo-haa (did you know, they put heaps of chemicals in tampons that actually make you bleed more – so you have to buy more…!!!) WAY better for the environment, cheaper in the long run and WAY less hassle (you almost forget that you’ve got your period) All you do is pop it in, in the morning, over the day it will fill up and you can take it out up to 12 hours later – depending on you flow. Clean and Simple. Life changer. They retail for about $50 and you can grab them at Royal Beauty in East Perth or the pharmacy on Newcastle/Beaufort cnr in Northbridge. You’re welcome.
I’ve been through my fair share of green powders and this one is my all time fave. I used to think that having a heap of ingredients n a green powder meant that it wasn’t as potent but now I understand the body loves variety and there’s no fillers in this little baby. So it’s full of green leafys, seaweeds, aglaes, sprouts, grasses and berries. And it works to support detoxification, the immune system, liver, kidneys, blood, bones, colon, pancreas, muscles, brain, regularity, circulation, and longevity….so, it pretty much does everything. AND it actually tastes good! I just add it to my cold-press juice or smoothies. Available at prana health foods at Subiaco station markets and iherb.com
I’ve always wanted one and after getting used to sleeping on super firm beds through India, I just could not go back to smooshy cloud like spring mattresses. Aside from the benefits for the spine and overall sleep hygiene, I sleep deeper, wake up easier and enjoy longer periods of undisturbed sleep. (Also, really awesome if you or your sleep buddy suffer allergies or sensitivities) I got a futon made of 100% cotton which is outstanding, best investment of the year fo’ sure. I got mine locally at Brett’s Futons all made in WA.
Julie Andrews eat your heart out!!
1. get your skin ready to bare; if you ‘re not already using one these bad boys get on to it! This will be your bestie leading up to mini-dresses and bikinis. Dry body brushing boosts circulation and removes dead skin cell, all you need to do is take about 5 minutes before you shower, using long stroked toward your heart <3
2. ramp up the morning yoga; this is the wisest time of year to work up a sweat and get things flowing in your practice, while the mornings are still cool. Spring is all about renewal and cleansing and when we don’t do this thoroughly, the heat of summer can be overwhelming and may deplete our prana lifeforce.
3. get super sun savvy; ok so here’s the thing. Sunscreen is toxic, it’s terrible stuff (do your research) unless your using an organic one. I LOVE using natural oils that have a SPF of their own. Raspberry seed oil has an SPF of 30+!! and I’ve found that a combo of cacao butter, grapeseed oil and macadamia oil does the trick pretty nicely. Obviously in Perth you don’t want to be sitting out in the sun all day, but some vitamin D is essential for us to feel happy inside. Check out iherb.com for heaps of organic and cold pressed oils.
4. Lighten your load; start embracing smaller and lighter meals, like I said Spring is about cleansing so this is a great time to jump on the juice bandwagon and cut heavy grains and proteins. We use 80% of our energy digesting so when we give the gut a break we have way more pizazz to move n groove n heal.
Check out our latest upcoming events for November and December here, we have oh-so much to celebrate and share with YOU!
All my love, yogis
Amanda
Time. Kick that “time poor” mentality out of your sphere and give yourself specific time-out (or time-in?) Human culture has evolved around the cycles of nature, with festivals and ritual to honour the inward pull. At the time of winter solstice (late june/early july) it is a particularly rich time to set an intention to be still.
Space. Creating physical and internal space to just Be. Often times we need to get right out of our everyday surroundings to gain greater perspective and clarity. Taking a step back from the norm can be an inspirational and nourishing way to shake things up and see clearly what we want to do, who we want to be and where we want to go. Creating external space can open up the floodgates to internal spaciousness and peace.
Talalla Beach, Sri Lanka
Nature. Nothing beats recharging our little urban souls in the hugeness and simplicity of nature. Whether it’s a quick ocean dip or immersing in a tumbling waterfall, getting in touch with water, fresh air, sacred ground, solar and lunar currents is like a big hug from Mother Nature. Reconnecting to what’s real and bearing witness to the ever-changing cycles of nature is a real game-changer.
Sadhana. The Sanskrit word for self study. It may sound confronting or maybe enlightening, but all this time and space calls for a moment to have a little look inside. The ritual of retreat is to enjoy reflective yoga practice, reading, writing and meditation. Let’s do it.
Unplug. Think of this as your opportunity to do some energy conservation. This might mean a digital-dextox or that might mean conserving your personal energy supply. Living simply, with the rise and fall on the sun and eating locally is a wonderful way to minimize your impact on the planet as well as on You!
I often think, we’re never going to get more hours in the day, so we have to change our perception of it. Each day can be a ritual from sunrise to moonrise, I’ve found that incorporating pauses through the day, noticing the in-betweens slows down the flow and makes every moment way juicier.
Want the ritual of retreat for yourself?
Click below for all the juicy details
Talalla Beach, Sri Lanka
Our dear friend Claire from This is Lifeblood is shares our love for inspirational book, life changing reads - have you checked out our Yoga Library yet? Read on to grab an insight into this Radiant chicas bookshelf....
Books, books, books! I love books. I have always been a massive book worm. If you’re anything like me, you’ll have a list of ‘To Read” books that you’re constantly adding to, never quite getting to the bottom of, before another one jumps up on your radar! And we wouldn’t have it any other way, would we?
I’m definitely a non-fiction, autobiography kinda girl (although I do love Harry Potter), as I go wild for a life lesson, an incredible story, a snippet of truth that Makes Life Better. So today, I thought I’d share 10 books that have changed my life, in some way or another. Just for fun, I’ve listed them in the order I initially read them. Although for most of them, I’ve gone back again and again… Enjoy!
1. The Liver Cleansing Diet by Sandra Cabot
Struck down with severe liver inflammation at 17, this book was my bible as I learnt all about food as medicine and the healing power of whole foods. I still refer back to it, 10 years later (really – 10 years?!) regularly for simple and easy to understand wisdom, recipes and inspiration.
2. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I read this book while I was travelling a few years ago; I read it in India BEFORE traveling to Italy, so I did things a little backwards to Liz, but holy heck I love this book. The story-telling, her vulnerability and hilarity, the characters and the TRUTH and the way you see yourself in everything she writes… Gilbert is the bomb.
3. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
How many people’s ‘journey into self’ begins with this book? I’m betting on a bunch. I remember the promising feeling I had buying this book, that things were about to change… I was definitely not disappointed. Louise Hay is a goddess and this book is a must read.
4. The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Llama and Howard C. Cutler, MD.
I took this book with me on a yoga retreat to Bali in 2012; a week that turned out to be a real game changer for me. I’d bought it second hand, so there were a few pages missing (!!) but it didn’t take away from the powerful concepts in this book. Lessons I needed to learn (the inevitably and importance of suffering, for example) at just the right time.
5. I Quit Sugar by Sarah Wilson
Without a doubt, of all the books I’ve read on What To Eat and How To Eat, this one stands out for me. It’s not just the food (and it’s definitely not just about the sugar), but more-so the gentle and playful, PRACTICAL attitude that Sarah brings to deciding what to put on your plate. She’s my hero.
6. The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle La Porte
Danielle La Porte is my hero too. I’ve read this book a few times now and each time I’m guided to something new; for anyone with creative dreams, a fire in their belly, a story to be told… This book will get you moving – with soul – quick-smart.
7. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
I struggled with this book at first. I think you need to be in a certain place to read it… But when I did melt into Tolle’s words, I was mesmerised. This book is truly like coming home; it’s like remembering. It’s expansive and life-changing and you won’t ever see the world the same after finishing it. A read over-and-over again book.
8. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed
Want a book (or an Author for that matter) to ignite your desire to put pen to paper? Read this book. Strayed’s brutal and beautiful writing style is addictive, astonishing and awe-inspiring. This book is real and strange and lovely and fucked up. I dig it.
9. Money: A Love Story by Kate Northrup
This. Has. Changed. My. Life. I’ve had such an irky relationship with money (particularly over the last few years) and Northrup has helped to iron out some stuffy old beliefs I had around money BIG time. She’s delivered a wicked set of practical, soulful tools, insight and advice that have actually (truly) got me excited about budgeting, tracking, saving and spending my money. So grateful for this book!
10. Women Food & God by Geneen Roth
I read this last week while I was in Bali (an interesting choice considering I was basically eating my way around the island), and damn I wish I had this book when I was 22 and battling big time with my body. While I’ve already make some big shifts re: intuitive eating, losing the scales and reduced the food obsession to a fraction of what it used to be, there was definitely a lot of aha! moments surrounding emotional eating, FEELING our feelings (rather than eating them), meditation and presence in regard to food that I found extremely useful and enlightening.
So there you have it – 10 reads that I highly recommend. Have you read any of these books too? What books would you add to the list?
Claire Baker is a certified coach and mentor, passionate writer and speaker and author of ‘She Is Radiant: Your 6-Week Wellness Adventure To Get Glowy & Feel Rad’. Claire guides vibrant young women as they get from where they are, to where they want to be – in their health and life, blog and business.
With a background in visual arts and business management, her gorgeous clients (from all over the world), experience greater confidence, improved relationships, more joy and clear complexions. They throw out the scales, book the flight, launch the blog – and fall back in love with their life.
Through her honest and empowering blog and unique coaching packages, you can consider Claire your personal advocate for living an energised, playful and heart-centred life.
Come say hi at This is Lifeblood, her online space to share her passion for all things nourishing, soulful and creative. You can also find her on hanging out on Facebook,Instagram and Twitter @_clairebaker_.
Amanda Noga from Yoga Alchemy | Soul Cleanse Series - Part 1
Amanda Noga is a kind-hearted, funny and soulful woman / yoga teacher. For the longest time, Amanda and I were pen pals. I could sense her relaxed and welcoming energy just through the emails she'd fire my way and when I finally met her in person, I wondered how I would make her my new best friend.
Since then, we've spent hours chatting, laughing and making stupid jokes. We talk yoga, the way water tastes better out of glass bottles, business and love and she's even shown be how to do fishtail braids which I still don't quite understand. She's one of these super modest teachers who knows so much and has experienced a trove of learnings, done heaps of travel and self-discovery, yet still keeps it real, grounded and accessible. I kind of love her.
I am beyond thrilled that she's a key player in the Soul Cleanse Urban Retreat. Get to know Amanda a little better by peeking through our chat below.
What does it mean to Soul Cleanse?
Our Soul is the part of ourselves that is constantly calling us to go deeper, to shed our layers and live in alignment with our true, divine nature. To Soul Cleanse is to take time to clear the clutter, the noise, the fears that cloud our intuition and deepest knowing.When we dive deep it can be a fiery adventure. As we burn through these layers, it's vital to take time out to get quiet, be nurtured and recharge so we can emerge renewed.
What are some of the most nurturing things you're currently doing to keep yourself in alignment?
For me, this time of year is all about nourishment and going inward so there is a lot!! I am loving my self massage with Ayurvedic oils to balance dry winter skin & stiff body! Drinking loads of spicy tulsi chai tea with coconut milk and reading yummy inspirational books. Getting warm with dynamic yoga, getting quiet with sitting meditation & mantra and reflecting with my “free-flow” writing practice.
Tell us about your delightful and heart warming studio, Yoga Alchemy.
Alchemy is almost one year now and she’s growing into a little urban sanctuary! I love that the space is so warm and as soon as you step into the studio all of the busyness and noise of the city outside seems to drop away. The process of Alchemy is all about transformation and we are loving sharing this practice with our community and watching their paths unfold.
We offer a range of yoga classes as well as workshops to educate and support students in taking their yoga off the mat. It's so exciting to integrate yogic lifestyle through the food we eat, creativity, environmental activism, community - this is where the magic happens!
What are you most looking forward to with the Soul Cleanse Urban Retreat?
Community!! It sounds kinda cheesy I know but there is something really potent that happens when we come together to practice and be real about who we are. I have had many wonderful experiences practicing in big groups at various festivals in India and America. I’ve found that even if we don’t speak to our yogi neighbours, there’s a strength that comes from a supportive group, intentionally allowing our true selves to be revealed. Hopefully we can create a space for that to ignite.
What are your big dreams for the next year?
I have some exciting projects in the pipeline. I love being a student of yoga and I am constantly learning from inspirational teachers (and life inself!). I’m currently in the process of studying with Shiva Rea, undertaking her advanced teacher training which is just so rich and juicy. It’s so cool to share these gems with the students at Alchemy and have the space to play and be creative!
I’m also hoping to get back to beloved India for my fifth pilgrimage. I’ve learnt so much about myself from my travels to the home of yoga. I love the colourful craziness - it forces you to let go and get real!
Click here to register now!
