Yoga Off The Mat - The Movement For Modern Life Podcast Kat Farrants

During our lives, we might encounter a range of bigger transitions such as changing jobs, entering a new stage of life, moving and illness. But there are also more subtle transitions such as shifting from work to relaxation, the beginning and end of the weekend and returning from a holiday. Transitions, even exciting ones, can be daunting. They are filled with uncertainty and without always being conscious of it; we sometimes avoid them and what comes up for us for during them.



Transitions in yoga

In yoga, we also encounter transitions, for example between time on our mat and the day as a whole; the period at the beginning of the practice before we start moving, and the period of rest at the end. With a home practice it can be especially tempting to cut out these parts. We might feel restless or find it difficult to stop and feel an urgency to move on. There are also the transitions during our practice. One example is how we get from one posture to another and how we move during our flow. Again during those times we might witness a tendency to rush through and to want to get into the posture as quickly as possible. We might feel a resistance to slowing down, exploring the space in between postures as well as holding the postures themselves.



The Challenge of Transitional Space

There may be several reasons we are uncomfortable with the transitional space in life and in our yoga practise. We may have become so used to having a direction and targets that it feels unfamiliar just to be and let the experience unfold more gradually. The transitional space can sometimes feel endless and we might feel anxious about being feeling lost and directionless. During transitions we often have time for more reflection but perhaps feelings and thoughts might appear that challenge assumptions we have of ourselves, how we live and relate, and in yoga how we are approaching our practise and what we really want from it.



Pause and rest to connect

To manage the the transitional space we often set ourselves goals. Goals can provide a sense of control in the face of the unknown. Everything can then be evaluated and defined in terms of outcome and achievement. In our yoga practice, we might start targeting postures and become fixated on being able to do a certain posture in a certain way. As a result however, we might be less connected to what is actually happening in our body. We might not be aware for example, that we are overusing or underusing certain parts of our body or that a part of the body is starting to feel strain.



That’s why taking rest poses during our practise can be so important. Not just to rest, but to pause and take a moment to more fully connect with how we are feeling and how we might want to approach our practise. Something I often ask myself in the transitional space during practise is, “how can my practise meet me where I am right now?” We can ask the same in day to day life when we take a moment to slow down and pause – “how can life meet me where I am right now?”



Less attachment, more curiosity

When we become less attached outcomes, we can start to fully embrace the journey both in life and with yoga. Our whole experience starts to open out. Take the example of walking around day to day. Often, we are so focused on our destination (getting from a to b) that we remain unaware of what is happening around us. We might not notice the subtle shifts of seasons, the changing colours and smells and others changes to the environment. We might not notice someone who needs our help.



One thing I find helpful is to vary my walking routes. Rather than take the same route that tends to keep me on autopilot, I find consciously choosing a route that is guided by how I am feeling keeps me more connected and present in the experience of moving to my destination. I start to move slower and I become more curious.

In this interview with MFML, founder of Urban Kitchen and a nutritional scientist, Toral Shah, shares her thoughts on the impact of nutrition on health and wellbeing, particularly on chronic lifestyle diseases. Discover the role nutrition plays in health optimisation, prevention of disease and in reducing the risk of disease. We also explore the importance of protein, supplements and eating a variety of foods, as well as coping strategies for difficult times.







Find out more about nutrition for sleep in our blog from Toral.

What can yoga and Buddhism teach us about joy, both for ourselves and others?







“The Brahma Vihara help us create a capacity for these qualities which open our hearts and gives us insight into the very challenging truth that nothing is permanent.”







In this episode, Mimi Kuo-Deemer shares her thoughts on yoga and buddhism. She talks about some of the lessons we can take from buddhism to help keep us happy, healthy and on track mentally. Mimi explores the Buddhist concept of Mudita, which is sympathetic joy; the antithesis of competitiveness and individuality. How can that concept help us get through trickier times and awaken our hearts to interconnectedness and letting go?







In this episode you will find out about...







The Brahma Vihara - divine abodes or boundless states (4:30)







* What are Brahma Vihara and what do they cultivate? * The opposing characteristics and how they affect us.* The role of meditative practices. * How these virtues can influence our mind, behaviour and relationships.







Mudita (20:00)







* What is Mudita and sympathetic joy? * Why we should let go of comparison and envy. * How can we focus on cultivating generosity?* How does this link to Daoism?* Book Recommendation: Loving Kindness by Sharon Salzberg







The Practice (30:00)







* How to start with the meditative practice of the Braham Vihara. * The importance of a steady consistent practice. * To whom should we extend these qualities and why.* Medicine for social conflict and healing divisions. * The common sources of suffering.* A buddhist’s interpretation and explanation of the Brahma Vihara. 







Awakening the heart (44:00)







* The difference between the brain and the heart. * Dealing with paradox.* Accepting impermanence and letting go.* Recognising interconnectedness.







Taking it into real life (54:40)







* The role of movement in understanding the Brahma Vihara.* Noticing impatience and suffering when moving on the mat. * The benefit of slow movement. * The challenges of instant gratification.







Do you want to explore all our classes, including more from Mimi? Check out all our classes for FREE for 14 days here: https://movementformodernlife.com/chooseplan







Discover Mimi's classes on the Brahma Vihara here: https://movementformodernlife.com/yoga-class-1371-buddha-teachings-yoga-for-sympathetic-joy

How can yoga and ceremony help us release from emotional trauma?







“Our emotions have a chemical component, so part of what we teach is how to have some responsibility for the chemistry running through our bloodstream.”







Emotional trauma sits in all of us, but we can shift it. In this episode, we talk to Ana Forrest and Jose Calarco to get some insight into the power of ritual and ceremony for enhancing our yoga practice, which can then act as a release for emotional trauma from the body.







Ana Forrest founded Forrest Yoga, which combines the precision of Iyengar and the flow of vinyasa, but it also focuses on emotional and physical release. It’s an antidote to modern life! Ana has a pioneer spirit, so she talks about what it’s like going against the prevailing truth, how we can find our own way in the world and explore our life’s path. 







With Jose Calarco, we delve into the importance of ‘vision quest’ and how music and ceremony are integral in helping us to heal.







In this episode you will find out about...







Yoga and Emotions (8:30)







* The impact of holding emotions in* How to take responsibility of the chemistry we run through our bloodstream * The importance of changing emotional patterns for relationships * What is ceremonial vision quest? * How we can access and light up our whole brain through yoga and music * The role of music in healing * What can we learn from indigenous communities?







The individual and the community (17:00)







* The importance of discovering what feeds your spirit * Why we should interact with our community * Why the responsibility of self-development is a personal journey, but we should never go it full alone. 







Rituals and ceremony (21:00)







* Ana and Jose’s daily rituals * The importance of taking pleasure in and connecting with nature * How to navigate misinformation * Why taking care of the planet is crucial to our survival * Using challenging times as your own personal ceremony to elevate your life 







Trauma (35:30)







* How do we carry trauma and emotions in our body? * Why bringing in new patterns is essential * The spirituality of a physical practice







Breaking the ‘rules’ (42:20)







* Why we should question authority and explore new possibilities * The importance of being brave and pioneering * Using creativity and inspiration to make something your own * The importance of learning and honouring your practice  * Growing discipline to create paths to happiness 







“You need to experiment, because you’re never going to grow with anything unless you experiment with it.”







Do you want to explore all our classes, including some from Ana & Jose? Check out all our classes for FREE for 14 days here: https://movementformodernlife.com/chooseplan







Discover more of Ana & Jose's classes on Movement for Modern Life here: https://movementformodernlife.com/yoga-teacher/anaforrest







Find out more about Ana & Jose here.

How can knowledge of our anatomy help us learn to increase our awareness and pay attention to our intuition?







“Our bodies make our decisions, and our minds simply catch up”







In this episode, we talk to Scaravelli inspired yoga teacher, Catherine Annis, about more than just functional anatomy! We discover the intrinsic link between our body and our minds through exploring our feet, our psoas muscles and our vagus nerve. So, this conversation is about the mental and emotional side of a deep physical practise; how can being aware of our bodies increase our awareness as we move through life? How can playing with our yoga practice fine tune our intuition?







In this episode you will find out about...







Scaravelli Yoga (2:40)







* Who is Vanda Scaravelli and what is Scaravelli Yoga? * The influences of Iyengar and her rebellious ideas!* Breaking through the rigidity of traditional practices* The freedom to change your thinking* The importance of agency to explore - does the teacher always know best?







Creativity and Functionality (12:00)







* Why we should be creative in our practice and explore our bodies * The importance of functional movement* Yoga as a tool to engender a change of state rather than exercise







The Psoas and our Emotions (17:00)







* The anatomy of the psoas muscles * How our organs and diaphragm can impact the psoas* The importance of hydration! * The link between the SI joint, the pelvic floor and the QL muscles* Tips to relieve the SI joint* The importance of regular movement and mobility







The Magic of the Feet (30:00)







* Why need to take care of our feet and maintain flexible foot joints * How ‘tight’ feet can impact the rest of the body* How shoes dull our sensitivity * The importance of feeling pleasure through our feet * Being mindful while walking 







Yoga and Awareness (43:00)







* How increasing awareness in our body can help us make better choices in life* How can awareness impact our relationships with others and the earth? * The problems with big boots and disconnection!* The role of the vagus nerve* How breath awareness can be an effective tool for calming our nervous system* The importance of play and listening to our intuition * Moving from being taught to taking responsibility for our bodies and experiences 







“Work your feet for global peace!”







Do you want to explore all our classes? Check out all our classes for FREE for 14 days here: https://movementformodernlife.com/chooseplan







Discover more of Catherine's classes, including those on the psoas and feet, on Movement for Modern Life here: https://movementformodernlife.com/yoga-teacher/catherineannis







Find out more about Catherine here.

How do the philosophies of yoga and Buddhism interrelate?







“We can’t avoid the hot and cold of life, but we can work with how we experience suffering and we can find a way out if we believe we deserve it.”







Buddhism is something which fuels Adam’s practice and teaching, so in this episode, so he shares his interpretation of the teachings and how they have impacted him. Specifically, he explores the Buddhist Paramitas; what they are and how we can live by these qualities. He and Kat also discuss how yoga and Buddhism are interrelated, what they have in common and why there seem to be so many similarities between the two philosophies. 







In this episode you will find out about...







How are yoga and Buddhism connected? (4:50)







* What is yoga?* What is Buddhism and how does is differ across the world? * The cross-pollination of ideas which have influenced both practices * How ancient and modern hatha yoga draw inspiration from Buddhism and other philosophies * How Adam discovered yoga and Buddhism* The nature of suffering and how yoga and buddhism can help overcome it 







Qualities to cultivate (23:30)







* * The inspiration behind Adam’s latest series of yoga classes* What are the six Buddhist Paramitas? * What is an awakened being and can we get there?* How do the paramita’s link to the Yamas and Niyamas? * The importance of enthusiasm and discipline, and finding the middle ground







The individual and the community (36:00)







* The importance of starting in a place of positivity, energy and worthiness * How to connect to yourself and other people * Should we focus on the individual or on others? * Thich Naht Hanh and activism * What is a Tonglen practice? 







Meditation (44:30)







* What is meditation?* The difference between concentration and insight* Can we really call yoga a ‘moving meditation’?* How internal and external focal points can help us in being mindful 







“I want to find the middle ground, where I can really push myself to do things but do I really need to go that far? What is that about?”







Do you want to explore all our classes? Check out all our classes for FREE for 14 days here: https://movementformodernlife.com/chooseplan







Discover Adam's yoga and Buddhism classes on Movement for Modern Life here: https://movementformodernlife.com/yoga-class-1363-slow-flow-for-wisdom







Find out more about Adam here.