The Perth Yogi

After a week off teaching I’m so glad to be back on the mat this morning guiding my yogis. 🧘🏻‍♀️
The beautiful thing about pausing is the gratitude of returning. 💫

Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world.
Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.
- Rumi

“Change is not only inevitable, but always happening. When you truly embrace this concept of change being constant, the only thing left to do is grow, detach, venture inwards, touch the spirit and find your source — the one responsible for keeping you grounded through the ever-changing seasons of life.” — Julie Weiland

COMMUNITY - We are called to be strong companions and clear mirrors to one another, to seek those who reflect with compassion and a keen eye how we are doing, whether we seem centered or off course.
We need the nourishing company of others to create the circle needed for growth, freedom and healing.


📸 This photo is from my teacher training when we visited a water temple in Ubud - The sacred springs of Pura Tirta Empul.
An inscription dates the founding of the temple at the site to 926AD.
It’s Bali’s sacred pool of purification.
I remember when I was here performing my purification ritual I set intentions for my year, to be a year of change and transformation. Intentions that I would call in and create the life I wanted to lead. Intentions that I would no longer settle. I can confidently say all those things happened that year and it was my most transformative year yet.
It was such a magical experience, enjoyed with the most special community of people.

Flashback to this time last year in Bali ☺️🙏


A lot can change in a year. Most things are merely just temporary. Thoughts, emotions, experiences, moments. That’s why it’s so important to practice gratitude, and also embrace the unknown.
Life is so incredibly fluid and in another years time things could be totally different again.


That’s something that my yoga practice definitely taught me. Some days I show up to the mat and I flow with ease, others it’s more difficult. Some days my mind is calm and still. Others a noisy mess.
Every day something new, but you continue to show up and meet yourself where you are at.


What’s something your practice has taught you? 👀💛

Yoga has truly changed my life.
I said this to a student the other day and she asked me to elaborate.

Well... where to begin.
It’s been such a monumental part of my healing.
Through yoga I have discovered the truth of who I really am, and learnt how to connect to myself.
I have uncovered my creative and personal power.
I learnt one of the most valuable tools, how to stop and listen. To myself.
I discovered that you can cultivate peace amongst chaos.
I developed a deeper sense of love, compassion, and kindness for myself and for others.
I learnt acceptance, and that I am enough.
Yoga revealed to me true unity, connection and community in such a beautiful way.
I learnt to cultivate the essence of true presence and awareness.
I uncovered my energy, & my inner guidance; and learnt how to be brave enough to tune into it and allow it to guide me.
Yoga taught me how to trust myself.


A practice where we say namaste at closing because we honour the light, love, truth, beauty and peace within all of us.
In sharing these things we are united, we are connected, we are one.


Yoga is so much more than a physical practice. It’s a life science, a way of living.
There is no winning, no end goal, no end to the practice.
It’s about showing up for yourself, with no expectations.
Coming to the mat to feel, not accomplish.
Striving to be the best version of you that you can be.


What does yoga mean to you? Share with me below, I’d love to know! 🙏

〰️ Wild thing 〰️ Camatkarasana 〰️
My favourite asana!


Sanskrit translation:
Camathara - surprise, miracle
Asana - pose


One poetic translation of this posture means “the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart”. This translation reflects the joy you feel in this pose, as it stimulates the heart chakra (anahata).
Practicing this pose is said to bring feelings of love, peace, acceptance and confidence. By leading with the heart we live fearlessly and without restraint.


For me, on top of all these beautiful things it makes me feel free!


A beautiful heart/chest opener which in turn opens the lungs and shoulders. Assists with strength building in upper arms, shoulders and upper back, and also opens the front of the legs and hip flexors.


Do you have a favourite yoga asana?
💚Share below!

We hold so much tension in our bodies without even realising it.
These days in our western world being stressed is the ‘norm’, and honestly this fact doesn’t bring me any joy.
Living in a state of stress and unease doesn’t do us any favours and it’s seriously detrimental to our health and well-being.
What does bring me joy though, is sharing the tools to learn how to balance our bodies and minds.


⚡️🌬Try this simple exercise:
Wherever you are right now, close down your eyes and take a deep breath right down to the base of the ribs. Exhale gently out your nose and do this a few times.


Inhale and move your attention to your jaw, is it tense?
As you exhale, focus on releasing that tension.
Inhale - move your attention to your shoulders
Exhale, roll them up to your ears and release.
Inhale - focus your attention and your direct your breath to your hips,
Exhale - and release that tension.


Keep your eyes closed and spend a minute observing areas you may be holding tension in the body, and see if you can use your inhale and exhale to find some release.


Then - notice how you feel after completing this simple exercise.
My guess is, you’ll notice the difference. [👇Feel free to share this in the comments I’d love to hear from you!]


You just taught your body how to release stress & tension and your parasympathetic nervous system is thanking you right now.
Through the practice of yoga we train our bodies to convert tension and stress into strength and stability by taking that time for ourselves to step away from the daily grind and onto the mat.
We get to combine movement and exercise with with self compassion and awareness and learn to strengthen the link between body, mind & soul.
What also happens when we learn to counter balance stress and tension, is we become more equipped to tolerate stress. You begin to build resilience. .
I think I speak for everyone when I say we all have some stress & tension we could let go of.


Will I be seeing you on the mat this week? 🧘🏻‍♀️

I had a student ask me a great question after class the other day…
Why do we roll to the right side after Savasana?


I thought it was such a great question and I wanted to share the answer with everyone. Everything in Yoga always has a purpose, and Its a multifaceted answer as there are actually lots of benefits!


BACK HEALTH - Rolling on to your side before sitting up from a supine position is good for your back.

ORGANS - Less pressure on the heart. Physiologically, the left lung is said to be smaller because the heart is on the left. The liver is on the right side and is the largest and heaviest internal organ so rolling to your right means your heart remains open allowing natural blood pressure to reach its potential state of homeostasis. For pregnant women its actually best to roll to the left due to more open circulation from heart to placenta allowing more blood flow and nutrients to the baby!

ENERGETICALLY - In reference to Indian and Chinese medicine, our body contains over 72,000 energy channels called ‘nadis’. These energy channels contain your prana or life force. This is actually a pretty complex and detailed subject that’s fascinating; but the short of it is the left side of the body represents feminine, cooling, calming, yin energy. Your left nostril is on top when laying on the right side and hence has a calming effect. .

Do you have a curious yoga question? Something you’ve always wondered? Or maybe you have learnt something really interesting. Share below is love to hear from you! 💛🧘🏻‍♀️⚡️

〰️Anjali Mudra 〰️
& the significance of hands to heart center 🙏
.

What is a Mudra?
Yoga mudras are gestures that signify and generate many kinds of energy and positivity, they also assist with directing the flow of energy within the body.
Mudra in Sanskrit means to seal or close and our five fingers represent the five elements within us. The thumb represents fire & universal consciousness. The index finger represents air and individual consciousness, The middle finger represents connection (akasha), The ring finger represents Earth, and the little finger is the element of water. Mudras assist with creating balance between all of these elements within us.
.

🙏 Anjali Mudra 🙏
The cantering action of bringing your palms together and/or to heart center in yoga is something that’s performed quite a lot, this action is known as Anjali Mudra.
Anjali Mudra is used in combination with the Sanskirt greeting Namaste – translating to “the divine in me, bows to the divine in you” as they share a common meaning of expressing love and gratitude.
A posture of composure signifying returning to one’s heart and also acknowledging divinity of others; used as a sign of respect, and a greeting of either hello or goodbye however with much deeper significance.
Anjali in Sanskrit represents “divine offering” – anj, meaning “to honour or celebrate”.
The joining of the palms signifies connecting the right and left hemispheres of brain and represents unification.


One of the beautiful things about yoga is the deep meaning and purpose behind every single action you take.
Once aware of the meaning you can then bring intention to your actions. 🧘🏻‍♀️
With intention you begin to create your state, and when in Anjali mudra may you feel deep appreciation, gratitude, and love for yourself and everything surrounding you. 💫

〰️Warrior II 〰️ Virabhadrasana 〰️ veer-ah-bah-drahs-anna


Named after the fierce hindu warrior Virabhadra, an incarnation of the god Shiva.


A deep hip opener that strengthens and tones glute and thigh muscles,
Strengthens the arms, abdomen, ankles and arches of the feet,
Opens the chest and shoulders, improving breathing capacity and circulation,
Stimulates abdominal organs and healthy digestion
Increases stamina, endurance, balance & concentration
Can assist in relieving backaches
.

Alignment prompts:
✖️Place back foot parallel to short edge of your mat at a 90 degree angle, line up heel to heel.
✖️Strengthen back leg and press outer heel into floor.
✖️Front ankle and knee stacked, shin perpendicular to floor.
✖️Keep a close eye on your front knee, making sure it isn’t collapsing inwards – should be pointing out to little toe a smidge.
✖️If possible, bring front thigh parallel to floor.
✖️On an inhale extend arms parallel to floor with palms facing down, stretching the arms away from the space between the shoulder blades, parallel to the floor.
✖️Stack shoulders directly over hips.
✖️Avoid leaning the torso over the left thigh:
✖️Keep the sides of the torso equally long and the shoulders directly over the pelvis.
✖️Press the tailbone slightly toward the p***s.
✖️Ribs in and towards navel. Core gently engaged.
✖️Turn your gaze to look out over the front fingers.
.

🌟 Tip - Once you’ve got this pose down, challenge yourself to hold the pose for ten breaths while keeping your front thigh parallel to the floor.
Use your ujjayi breath as you stay with the pose.
🌟 Additional Tip – Be playful, don’t take yourself too seriously!

Hey 👋 I’m Bianca - The Perth Yogi!


I’m so glad you’re here!
I can’t wait to share all things yoga and connect with you through this platform. 🧘🏻‍♀️
I’ll be sharing lots of yoga related content including pose information, breathing techniques, benefits, anatomy information, and much more so stay tuned!


There are many reasons I love yoga, one reason being yoga is for everyBODY.
There are almost endless benefits - too many to list on one post that’s for sure. 💫


Not only are you moving the body, you’re controlling the breath and activating your parasympathetic nervous system; whilst systematically balancing strength with flexibility.


It’s the ultimate holistic workout. 💪


You don’t have to be flexible to do yoga, but working on your flexibility is important for many reasons!
Flexibility = less tension in the muscles, ligaments and fascia.
Which means less strains and pains, less risk of injury, and actively working on releasing tension from the body.


If you have tried yoga, or practice yoga - I’d love for you to share what yoga means to you, and a favourite pose below in the comments section! 👇👇👇
Or - maybe you want to give yoga a go; if that’s you pop an emoji in the comments!