Why I Teach by Gurumantra Kaur

Why I Teach by Gurumantra Kaur

by Devinder Kaur1 Comment
When a student comes into the studio, whether it is for the first or hundredth time, it brings a warmth to my heart. I know that they came to me seeking to become healthier and happier. I greet my students by asking them how they are doing, how the day has treated them, and if they have any problem areas they have noticed lately. This allows me to sense their energy, and choose a Kriya that I know will benefit everyone’s mind, body and spirit. Each day, each session, is driven by the energy that’s brought into the studio. Regardless of the stresses and various states of mind my students may be in to start, the sessions always progress in very much the same way. As they warm up, I watch as they close their eyes, and start breathing long and deep. Their breathing and movements come together as a group, as if to support one another. Already, I can see...
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PranaShanti is Turning 7 – Celebrate With Us!

PranaShanti is Turning 7 – Celebrate With Us!

by Devinder KaurNo Comments
This October 6th, PranaShanti celebrates our 7th anniversary at 52 Armstrong in Hintonburg! Over the better part of a decade, the neighbourhood has grown into a vibrant, diverse community where people love living and practicing yoga. As yogis, we look to the meaning of significant numbers (numerology) rather than waiting for a number ending in 5 or 0 to have a special celebration! Seven is a number that consistently shows up in cultures and religions as being particularly meaningful.  For example, there are seven heavenly virtues in Christianity, seven colours of the rainbow, and seven emblems of the Buddha. Seven has a special significance for our anniversary, since numbers correspond to the Chakra system of what yogis call “the subtle body”, or subtle energy system. The seventh chakra is the crown chakra, which represents enlightenment, bliss and spirituality. When Kundalini energy rises during our yoga practice (represented by a coiled snake at the base of the spine), it rises through all seven...
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Retreat to go Forward by Devinder Kaur

by Devinder KaurNo Comments
Physicist Max Planck, said “when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” This happens with a Yoga retreat. Yoga Retreats create the perfect environment to take a step back and see our true selves, to watch our thoughts and the behaviours that hold us back. In as little as a few days we can start changing the way we are living by going beyond our ordinary routines. On retreat there is time and space to do things just for you. Many people on retreat take this as a time to make conscious change. If you are reassessing your life in any way, thinking of a career change, moving, going through a divorce or experiencing the passing of someone close, then attending a yoga retreat is a healthy and supportive way to gain deeper understanding and insight. It can help you build courage and strength to create positive change. Dietary and other changes can happen more easily...
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Kundalini Yoga has touched every particle of my being

Kundalini Yoga has touched every particle of my being

by Devinder Kaur1 Comment
To those of you who may not know about Kundalini Yoga, or wonder why you should take a class, or better yet kundalini yoga teacher training, let me enlighten you on my personal experiences. My name is Gurumantra Kaur, and I am a Kundalini Yoga instructor, and owner of Yogi Strong. After being diagnosed with anxiety and severe allergies from my surroundings, in 2004, I began looking for a Raj Yoga, a royalty yoga, as a holistic approach to address my issues. I discovered Kundalini; and it is just that: royal. Once I started, I couldn’t stop the snowball effect that Kundalini had on my life. My anxiety lessened, I was breathing easier and more deeply, and stress no longer affected me like before. I needed to know more, and thought “why not try teacher training?” Later, after talking to some of my peers, I found that many people were in the same boat as I had been; desiring to be...
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Healing Sciatica through Ashaya Yoga®, by Todd Norian

Healing Sciatica through Ashaya Yoga®, by Todd Norian

by Devinder Kaur2 Comments
I've helped many students heal their sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which originates in the low back and runs down the back of your upper leg bones, the femur) using the Four Essentials of Ashaya Yoga®: Open, Engage, Align, and Expand. Most sciatic pain arises from standing, sitting, or walking with poor alignment; the feet are turned out and the thighbones are forward and externally rotated. When the femurs are forward of their optimal placement, the muscles of the lower back contract and can pull the lumbar spine into a flattened position. Tight hamstrings further exacerbate the flat back condition. When the natural curve of the lower back is lost, the spinal discs squeeze posteriorly (the back of your body) and can press on nerve roots. The First Essential, Open, is the act of softening and remembering your connection to the healing power of the universe. You open to a bigger energy and let go of self-limiting beliefs. In so doing,...
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What do stacked stones mean for mindfulness?

What do stacked stones mean for mindfulness?

by Devinder Kaur3 Comments
As we look forward to our autumn programming, we're always happy to have Dr. Kim Sogge back to the centre. Dr. Sogge brings a wealth of experience and information to her mindfulness-based courses, and this year we've expanded upon her original Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course and will also be offering her Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion Course. Whenever we start spreading the word about these beneficial offerings, we look for our favourite pictures that communicate a sense of mindfulness. We are mindful in our choosing - while we love pictures of peaceful-looking people sitting on docks or in wooded landscapes, we want to cultivate the understanding that this is a practice for your daily life. You do not need to escape the city, your job or your family to cultivate mindfulness, and so for promotion, we turn to the stone stack. You may be confused though! After all, what's a stack of stones got to do with a mindfulness-based stress reduction course? It's a great...
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The Joys and Benefits of Teaching Kids Yoga

The Joys and Benefits of Teaching Kids Yoga

by Devinder Kaur4 Comments
“Here comes Yoga! Hi Yoga! Yay ... it’s Yoga!” Bright, smiling eyes. Tight knee hugs. Tiny high 5's. Occasionally I will get an Anjali mudra greeting coupled with an enthusiastic "Mum-aste!" This is the reception I receive each week at a local Montessori school. These are the voices of toddlers, precious souls around two years old who know my name, I'm sure of it, but to them I'm just "Yoga". Big boots to fill! I teach to all ages, but my children’s classes, whether they are for toddlers or young teens, are the highlight of my week. Children derive huge benefits from yoga. Physically, it enhances their flexibility, strength, coordination, and body awareness. In addition, their concentration and sense of calm and relaxation improves. Yoga calms down their highly stimulated central nervous systems, which in turn allows better concentration on schoolwork and other activities. By practicing yoga, children exercise, play, connect more deeply with their inner life of motivations and emotions, and develop an...
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Chair Yoga: The Benefits and Surprises of a Supported Practice

by Devinder Kaur3 Comments
Chair yoga is an incredible experience for both students and teachers.  Students who don’t believe they can exercise or improve their overall heath find accessible, rewarding techniques; and teachers find incredibly devoted, grateful students who cannot make it to traditional classes. The journey for myself began by wanting to share yoga with my grandparents who were in their nineties, and I needed to come up with ways to adapt the techniques to suit them.  At the time I had never heard of "chair yoga", but it seemed like a natural way to adapt yoga for people in their early 90’s.  After a chance meeting led me to taking over a class at a senior’s residence, my student base grew from these initial two!  We started with a  monthly class and the residents kept protesting until it was offered weekly.  Their devotion to the practice and its results was second to none, and it had nothing to do with being family. Over time I've realized that chair yoga...
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