Report from the Canterbury-Tasman Branch: August 2009

On Sunday 28^th June the Canterbury-Tasman branch had a wonderful afternoon with Mark Bouckoms.

We came together to experience Shadow Yoga, a style Mark is teaching at his studio in Sumner. 

“Shadow Yoga deals with the intricate manifestations of the shadow and their significance both inside and outside the human organism. The teaching of the Shadow School is based upon the ancient Hatha Yogic texts. This type of practice has been adapted from the range of human activities including martial arts, dance and crafts of life, and from the plant and animal kingdoms.” (quote from www.shadowyoga.com)

Mark shared his experiences of the practice of Shadow Yoga. He talked about  the concepts of Shadow Yoga and taught us the first form of this technique. We all felt very fortunate to experience this kind of yoga as it brings hatha yoga into a new light.

On Sunday 9th July Trish Dye shared her experiences of her journey to Peru.

Trish went on a shamanic journey organised by the Four Winds Society, an organisation founded by Mexican doctor Alberto Villoldo after he came into contact with shamans from the ancient Inca tradition of the Peruvian Andes.

In regards to the yogic concept of Gaia, Trish noticed that the Peruvian shamans teach the same awareness. The relationship we have with ourselves on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level mirrors our relationship to the earth. For all the people who listened to her talked it was very nice to get reminded of yogic principles again and to see that the many different paths all lead to  union. Trish reminded us to treat ourselves as sacred all the time, as we then transfer this sacredness into our lives.

The Canterbury-Tasman Branch will hold another personal and professional development day on Sunday 4th October 2-4 pm. The topic will be an in-depth look at relaxation with four Christchurch teachers.

Doreen Lehmann