Yoga - BodyMindLife

Learn, laugh, sweat, strengthen and connect! Tune in to our blog for the latest in health, wellness, insights, upcoming community and social events, workshops and teacher trainings.

What are the Yoga Sutras?

Posted October 22, 2018

There’s so much more to yoga than what happens on the mat. The Yoga Sutras were penned by possibly the most famous yoga philosopher Patanjali between 2,000 - 3,000 years ago. These 196 Sutras or threads of knowledge that can be used as guide to find an enlightened life - one filled with happiness, purpose [...]

A simple guide to yoga backbends

Posted September 11, 2018

Ah, backbends. An essential practice in yoga and one of the most divisive. With a few exceptions, students either pepper their practice with as many as possible or skip them in anticipation of the inevitable discomfort. The benefits of backbends in yoga Backbending opens our heart chakra and the postures work to build our courage [...]

How to Stress Less

Posted August 2, 2018

As the Yoga Sutras say, the purpose of yoga is to calm and still the fluctuations of the mind. Yet if you’re like us, sometimes the practice feels like it does the opposite as we struggle in postures or find our thoughts floating elsewhere. Senior yoga teacher, psychotherapist and GM at BodyMindLife Mandy Scotney shares [...]

What is Yin Yoga?

Posted June 20, 2018

On the surface, a Yin practice might seem uneventful. In Yin yoga, one of many types of yoga, sequences are a series of slow, long holds and mat-based postures that stretch out the connective tissues and fascia in the body. It’s a practice for all level of yogis. Unlike Vinyasa and other yoga styles, in [...]

What happened after The Transformation Project!

Posted June 8, 2018

Last month we completed a second round of The Transformation Project. It’s our take on a 30 day challenge and we created it to measure how our lives can change when we commit to our practice. The rules of the project are simple. Participants aim to attend five yoga or Pilates classes each week, keep [...]

What is Vinyasa Yoga?

Posted June 6, 2018

As if the term yoga isn’t intriguing enough, there are many different kinds of yoga to choose from - Ashtanga, Hatha, Iyengar, Bikram… the list goes on! We’re all about Vinyasa Yoga at BodyMindLife. Vinyasa Yoga can be described as movement linked with breath. It’s a dynamic practice that’s often more playful than other styles [...]

Props aren’t just for beginners!

Posted May 30, 2018

“When I first started yoga I was reluctant to pick up the props. Somehow I felt that using them was a sign of weakness or a giveaway that somehow my practice was lacking.” - Mandy Scotney These days, I hardly ever step onto my mat without at least two blocks. I’ve learnt that props are [...]

Why you need to do more Yin

Posted May 29, 2018

All life embodies yin And embraces the yang, Through their union Achieving harmony. Tao Te Ching Our life’s are a dance of yin and yang, yet for most of us the scale is often tipped farther into yang, leaving us with strong bodies but stiff joint, continuous niggles, busy minds and in a state of [...]

How to do a Chaturanga Dandasana with Vicki Smart

Posted May 28, 2018

Vicki Smart on how to reap the benefits of this foundational pose and avoid common mistakes. Whether you're in your first Vinyasa yoga class, or your 1000th, you've probably heard Chaturanga Dandasana cued more than once. Sometimes called Chaturanga, low plank or four limbed staff pose, this formidable posture is one that requires some refinement [...]

How to do crow pose or Kakasana with Noelle Connolly

Posted May 28, 2018

“What if I fall?” Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” Erin Hanson There’s an art to Crow pose or Kakasana in yoga. Even for more experienced yogis, it can be tricky to lift your body into this challenging arm balance and feel confident when you’re there. But it’s worth the work. Once you’re [...]