Tag Archive for: yoga classes

Yoga Myths: 3 Things About Yoga That Aren’t True

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Yoga has been growing in popularity for the last few decades but there are still a few things that hold people back from giving it a go. We love life and live yoga as it has so many benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing. 

1. Yoga is only for people who are flexible and fit

Yoga is something that you do for yourself, to help your mental and physical fitness, you’re not comparing yourself to anyone else, you just have to concentrate on your own abilities and needs. Start slowly, with a beginners class or workshop and try to build up your abilities through regular practice. Whatever your aim, whether you’re hoping to get fitter through yoga or use it to practice mindfulness and find some mental space, you can work within your abilities. 

You don’t have to be super bendy right now, your regular practice will help you improve your flexibility. Neither do you need to be young to start practising yoga. Whatever age you are, you can work at your own pace. The practice of yoga needs you to combine, flexibility, balance and power and even if you need to work on one or two of these areas you can take the time to do so. Perfection isn’t necessary and you’re not comparing yourself to anyone else, you are on your own journey. 

 

Free Yoga Class Bundaberg

2. Yoga is just for women

Believe it or not, but Yoga was originally taught and practised by men only but its popularity in the western world was driven by women and the yoga studio has felt dominated by the girls. These days men can still feel a little apprehensive about taking part in a yoga class but they needn’t worry, these days a class will almost always have several men taking part.

Yoga can be really effective in building strength and muscle, it can be a complementary part of a workout regimen or a stand-alone way to gain a little focus. In the Flow 60 yoga class, we practice of flowing from one posture from another, concentrating on your breathing as you go. Unwind 60 is popular with beginners as it is gentle and focuses on the alignments in the asanas (poses), it is beneficial as it concentrates on the mental as well as the physical fundamentals of yoga. 

You can start with one style and move on to something more challenging as you progress in knowledge and fitness.

3. Yoga is a religion

Yoga isn’t related to any formal religion, it’s more of a philosophy of keeping your mind and body healthy by giving you some space to breathe. 

The practice of yoga is for everyone. Whether your lifestyle is green smoothies and long walks, or chaotic and full of kids, taking a moment to recharge and nurture yourself is good for everybody. Old, young, male, or female there is a place for you in a yoga class. You will enjoy connecting with other yogis and appreciate the positive energy of a group yoga class.

The spiritual aspect of yoga centres around the idea of the joining of body and spirit in fostering a wholesome relationship with yourself, your environment and others. 

 

Ready to give yoga a try? Click here to claim your FREE $25 Yoga Gift Card to use for any of our yoga classes, workshops and retreats!

 

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: How yoga helped recover a long-lasting shoulder injury in less than a year.

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If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Invigorating. I’m 36 years old and I work as a Client Support Officer in Disability Employment Services and also a pole dance instructor. I had pretty strong shoulders beforehand due to years of pole dancing, however after sustaining an injury to muscle in my left shoulder I was still left with niggling pain even after it had healed.”

“After 12 months of practicing yoga, I noticed the pain has stopped and I feel stronger than ever.”

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I started over 12 months ago after attending the 3hr Yoga Base Camp workshop in 2014 with Carmen. I love feeling challenged, I love to see the progression in my practice and I love how I feel afterwards. ”

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(2014 Yoga Base Camp in Bundaberg, Queensland)

How often do you attend yoga classes?

“After completed the 2-week Yoga Challenge in 2014, I was been able to attend two classes a week before I have changed my job. I miss attending more often. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the yoga retreat in Koh Samui this year and it was a fantastic experience. It was such a precious experience to practice yoga in a beautiful part of the world but I really felt like I connected and made some lovely friendships with the other participants, Carmen and her family. ”

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(2015 Yoga Retreat in Koh Samui, Thailand)

What is you next goal or challenge?

“I’m working on the transitions from pose to pose.  As being able to transit from Crow pose and Chaturanga. I’m also working on handstands, I do as instructed in class but I do kick up when I’m practicing at home and I have noticed some progression…..although I’m a very long way off being able to just lift up into it as Carmen so brilliantly demonstrates in class. I’m still working on accomplishing my first tripod headstand .” ;-)

“It really is harder than it looks but is also quite gentle on the body. Yoga is definitely something for all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities.”

“Carmen is an amazing and inspirational woman!”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“You will feel awkward for the first few classes but Carmen guides you through your journey very gently….and it is YOUR journey.”

Rebecca Spencer
Millbank, QLD

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: A city girl who moved to Bundy for her love.

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If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Grounded. I just turned 35, I moved from Sydney to Bundaberg 2 years ago after I met my fiancé. I work as a sales assistant at haight and Ashbury and help my fiancé with his own business ‘Just Tinting‘.”

“I truly can say I’m a better person, I handle life better, I feel happier and I can breathe better.”

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When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I continue to practice as i like the way I feel during and after class. I start practicing yoga in Sydney for some time with my friend who is a yoga teacher. I have tried different yoga classes but I couldn’t find one that I enjoyed until I heard about Carmen who is from Sydney and she moved to Bundaberg. Since then I feel like I have been practicing yoga forever with Carmen.”

Carmen is my number one inspiration as I can see how hard she works to be able to do the poses and how hard she works to run a business be a mum and a wife. I feel like other regular yogis inspirer me as well as I can see how practices equals progression so I guess I inspire myself when I achieve something new!  ”

How often do you attend yoga classes?

“I try to practice as often as I can I even challenge myself to do every class in the week which I have achieved but as a rule if I get to three classes a week I’m happy but most of the time I manage more it just depends on what’s going on in my life! ”

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(My first 30-Day Yoga Challenge, It was amazing and proud of myself! )

What is you next goal or challenge?

“My main focus is do not fear anything in yoga I worry I will hurt myself when I’m upside down! I’m still working on the tripod headstand I feel I can physically achieve this but fear gets in my way! ”

“I like Carmen’s way of teaching I find her class to be strong but gentle and I love her sense of humour!”

 

“Carmen is a fantastic teacher of yoga i believe she was born todo this she is very knowledgeable, tough and kind at the same time.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“I believe Carmen is a genuine person that wants the best for her fellow yogis. You will always feel welcome in the classes with the lovely teachers from Love Life. Live Yoga.”

Melisa Godbee
Burnett Downs , QLD

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: A young girl discovered Yoga in her early 20s.

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If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Inspiring. I am 22, I am a front office manager from one of the motels in Bundaberg. I started practicing Yoga in 2014. It is just simply what I love doing now, I started feeling and seeing the benefits in yoga. I feel amazing, will only continue to improve and grow in my yoga journey.”

“Yoga has taught me a whole new way of being. I learn to relax and manage stress. Yoga teaches me to control my breathing which helps me control my body and stay focus.“

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I started practicing yoga with Carmen in late 2014. I can definitely feel that I am getting stronger, my mind is so much clearer through regular practice.”

How often do you attend yoga classes?

” I am doing 2-3 classes every week as well as all the workshops and yoga challenges with Carmen. I have also just booked my first yoga retreat with Carmen in Cambodia next year!”

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(I completed the 30-Day Yoga Challenge with Carmen! Yay!)

What is you next goal or challenge?

“At the moment I am mainly still working on the basics to build a strong foundation like deepen my forward fold and warrior poses as I feel that I need to have the basics right to be able to move forward in my practice. I like to work on my inversions(headstand/tripod headstands), I like the feeling of being upside down. Improving my core strength to be able to control my inversions well. It is important to me that through asana, I can see just how powerful and purposeful my body is. Yoga is one of the few things that bridges my body and my mind. I would like to step out my comfort zone, and challenge my body. I have never stood up and really done something that I REALLY enjoyed before, especially any physical activity because I was not active when I was young. I have found a new me and being able to spread my wings through regular yoga practice. It’s an awesome feeling, I am very proud of myself.”

“Carmen is AMAZING! She is very helpful, kind and truly beautiful. It is so lovely to be around her.”

 

“Carmen is very inspiring me with her strong practice and all the things that she can do with her body, simply beautiful control and confidence. (whilst talking and teaching us all through it!) ”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“Don’t just give up after the first couple of classes, give yourself some time to get to know well about yoga. It is hard at the beginning but your body will thank you in the future.”

Kirsten Neller
BUCCA , QLD

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: A wonderful self employed lawyer sharing her experience

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If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“One word to describe yoga is Compassion. I am 51 and a self employed lawyer. Since I have started this more regular yoga practice I feel much more confident about growing older. ”

“I can feel my body able to do things better now than when I was in my 30s and 40s.“

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

” I started practicing yoga with Carmen in April this year. Whilst I have been dabbling in yoga for many years I feel that I have only just started really learn yoga since finding Carmen’s classes. I have so much more to learn and every class takes me a tiny bit further on the journey.”

How often do you attend yoga classes?

“I like to attend classes at least three or four times a week when I am not out of town for work. I know that there are women in their 70s and even 80s who still practice yoga. I admire that tremendously and I want to be able to still practice yoga into my 80s if I am fortunate enough to still be here. I have been a very busy professional with all the usual stresses and pressures that come with that and with having a busy family. That kind of life ages us and makes us short tempered and too tired to enjoy all that we work for. Yoga has given me back my own sense of self and a feeling of wellness and peace.  I have learned that just one hour of yoga can cut through all the craziness of life and that 10 minutes of savasana is the best thing any woman can do for her self and her wellbeing.”

What is you next goal or challenge?

“I am not yet ready to claim that I can actually do a tripod headstand, but I know that I will be able to do it in the future. I have been in the pose near the wall and this was a milestone. It felt great. Carmen’s classes take us further than we think we can go. Her passion for inversion poses and her enthusiasm has changed my expectations of myself. My current goal is to master Bakasana. (I want to stand up on my surfboard – so bakasana will help with that too.)”

“Carmen is the strongest person I know. She has an amazing ability and it is inspiring to have her as a teacher.”

“Carmen is very encouraging. I feel I will never stop learning in her classes and I never want to stop learning.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“Classes from Love Life. Live Yoga offer something for each one of us, no one is under pressure yet there is always the invitation to go further.”
Susan O’Sullivan
Moore Park, QLD

8 Things to Consider When Practicing Yoga

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1) Avoid coming to class with a full stomach

It is best to wait 2 hours after eating to practice yoga. You may have a light snack like a banana prior to doing yoga. When you have a full stomach, not only are most yoga poses uncomfortable, but blood supply is funneled to your stomach to process the nutrients from your food, leaving your muscles shortchanged on the energy they need for a successful practice.

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2) Don’t forget to breathe

Focus on breathing. Simply breathe in and out through the nose, maintaining a slight contraction in the back of the throat. The first thing you need to think of especially in the challenging poses.

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3) Avoid pushing yourself too hard

Being honest to yourself and avoid to push yourself too hard. Yoga should never feel painful. If it starts to, back off. Yoga is all about awareness, about listening to your body’s subtle signals, and responding accordingly.

wheel pose

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4) Empty your mind

It is hard to clear our mind and not to think of the things are happening around us. A lot of questions are keep floating in our head all the time. One of the top reasons why people practice yoga, is to learn to make an effort to quieten their mind. Sacrificing both your form and the mind-body connection that comes with a focused practice. By concentrating on your body and your breath, you can help tune out the distractions in your head.

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5) Don’t rush into advanced poses

Being able to complete the foundational ones helps to ensure you have the strength, balance, and flexibility needed to tackle more advanced moves. When you rush into advanced poses, it’s very difficult to hold the correct posture, meaning you won’t use the right muscles, and you can risk injury. Remember, the basics poses are great strengtheners in and of themselves. Try to take advantage of them.

headstand

 

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6) Don’t compare yourself to others

People are practicing at different levels in every class. “Every body is different, and yoga is about treating your individual body,” Focusing on your body and allowing yourself to grow your own practice. It is your journey, you choose to where to do and enjoy every moment.

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7) Find the right yoga class with the right instructor

There are a wide range of yoga levels and styles out there that may or may not suit your needs and preferences. I believe everyone is searching for different types of yoga to practice, some people are looking for intensive yoga practices but others prefer relaxing and gentle. Take your time to find the right class and check with the instructor if you are not sure.

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8) Enjoy the cool-down

By focusing on stretching postures and deep relaxation, the cool down can help prevent muscle soreness, enhance flexibility, and slowly lower your heart rate and blood pressure to prevent dizziness. Normally we will do some easy spinal twists and few seated poses. There are always just a few minutes left in class for Savasana. It is usually the last pose done and the most important part of a yoga practice. So allowing yourself in this precious moment to let go your thought and enjoying this final relaxation.

savasana

 

Namaste,

Carmen Lee-Schneider

 

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE: An inspirational new yoga practitioner sharing her experience

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If you had only one word to describe what yoga is to you, what would it be?

“Peacefulness. I am 38 year old woman who lives on a property in the bush, outside of Bundaberg. I am a Mother, first of my two teenage children, and second I work as a Teacher Aide in a Prep-Year 12 Campus, where I manage the Resource Room & School Library. When not tending to my children or at my work, I spend time maintaining my property, tending to my vegetable garden & caring for all our animals – cattle, horses, dogs & chooks.”

“I always leave a session feeling like I am walking on water and I have new energy.”

When did you start doing yoga and what makes you want to continue?

“I started practicing with Carmen in April 2014, during the Easter School Holidays. I continue to practice yoga because it makes me feel good. I always leave a session feeling like I am walking on water and I have new energy. When doing yoga I use that time to concentrate on me and to let go of everything else outside of me. The time is used getting to know me & where I am at, going inside myself, feeling me, loving me, being me.”

How often do you attend Carmen’s yoga classes?

“I attend classes twice a week. If l lived closer I would definitely attend more often. Since I started practicing yoga regularly I feel more balanced in all areas of my life. I have better clarity (my mind is clearer) and my body feels more alive. I listen more to my body & work with it. I am more in touch with myself. I have lost some weight, my body is becoming more toned in areas, I feel stronger within my mind and body, and I am more aware of my posture. I feel healthier.”

What is you next goal or challenge?

“I am presently working on the tripod headstand and the crow. I like to challenge myself because it is fun and it feels great within myself each time I achieve a small step towards a pose. When I find balance it is a good feeling, to be able to get there and hold the pose in a controlled manner. It takes a lot of ones own discipline. I attempt these poses because they teach me control, to listen to my body & it is a good feeling. My daughter also encourages me because she is a great believer in that everything is possible. The first time I managed to do my first tripod headstand, even though it is only at one of the first stages, it made me feel ecstatic. I was over the moon about it because at one of my very first yoga lessons, Carmen showed us how to do a tripod headstand and I couldn’t even put my head on the ground. I had fear that I was going to topple over, I never thought I would be able to lift my feet up off the ground if I could never get my head down. At the moment I can only hold the tripod headstand at a beginner stage for a short period of time, but I find great achievement in this. I feel good inside myself and have gained confidence that one day it is possible that I will do a tripod headstand all the way with my legs straight in the air with total control.”

“Carmen is magnificent. She is like a breath of fresh air. Carmen is inspiring, energetic, patient, understanding.”

“Carmen has inspired me greatly in my yoga journey. Through her inspiration, encouragement, experience and knowledge, I have gained faith that with patience and practice I will be able to succeed at learning new poses and building on them to different stages. Just to watch Carmen completing different poses and flows is inspirational. Carmen is magnificent. She is like a breath of fresh air. Carmen is inspiring, energetic, patient, understanding……she is truly wonderful. She takes the time to assist you in different poses at whatever stage or level you are at on your yoga journey. Carmen is an inspirational, amazing yogi.”

Would you like to share something with those who might be thinking about doing yoga in the near future?

“If you haven’t done yoga or attended one of Carmen’s classes then now is the time to do it. Don’t just attend one class before you decide whether it is for you or not, attend a couple of classes and give your body time to adapt to this wonderful new journey. I remember attending one of my first classes thinking “Oh no this is too hard.” But I have overcome that fear, to breath through different poses and learned to work with my body and where I am at in my journey. Everyone is different and we should learn to appreciate that.”
Brenda Grills
Bundaberg, QLD