YTAA Recognized

The Trinity Yoga Teacher Training program has been recognized and registered with the Yoga Teachers Association of Australia.  This registration means that upon completion of our Level I and II programs, graduates will be eligible for registration as a YTAA Approved Teacher.  YTAA membership gives access to group insurance rates, advertising and networking opportunities, continuing education, and of course recognition as a knowledgeable and competent instructor.  Fitness guidelines are changing, and soon all instructors wanting to teach Yoga in fitness facilities in Australia will have to carry YTAA registration, so we are happy to be offering this option to instructors so that they can begin/continue to share Yoga in both studio and fitness environments.   For more information on YTAA visit www.yogateachers.asn.au 

2008 Schedule

For details on any of our programs visit www.yogatrinity.com or contact heather@yogatrinity.com 0406 784 878

January: 

Advanced Yoga Teacher Training - Canberra

Level II (120 hours) includes Ayurveda, Trinity Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Adjusting and Assisting, Partner Yoga, and more... Registered YTAA 320 hours

February-March:

Yoga Teacher Training - Blue Mountains

A comprehensive residential retreat offering you a month of living a Yogic lifestyle, daily study and practice, and upon completion the designation of Registered Yoga Instructor.  Registered Yoga Alliance 200 hours.

March-April:

Self Mastery I - Cairns & Townsville

Both cities will be hosting this illuminating 7-evening program to assist you in cultivating greater awareness and relaxation in everyday life, and becoming a conscious creator of your reality.  Go beyond "the Secret"

Contact: chris@yogatrinity.com for details.

June-October 2008:

Yoga Teacher Training - Canberra

A comprehensive part-time non-residential Teacher Training program offered over a series of weekends.  Registered Yoga Alliance 200 hours.

November/December 2008:

Yoga Teacher Training - Blue Mountains

Level I (200 hours) 30 day Residential Retreat

Upcoming Classes with Trinity Grads

I will not be teaching group classes until I return from Retreat in April, but I can highly recommend upcoming classes with some of our Trinity Grads.  For those of you in Canberra,  here are a few teachers who have classes beginning in the New Year:

Danielle Jolly: Ashtanga and Hatha classes in Hughes and Hackett.  Visit www.jollyfrogyoga.com for details.

Lou Nulley: Hatha and Restorative classes in Tuggeranong staring in early Feb.  nulley@optusnet.com.au 

Merryn Lee Perez: Small, intimate classes in Farrer for all levels.  Note: classes do book up quickly... boutiquefitness@netspeed.com.au  

Thoughts On... Celebrating Action 

Don’t be one of those people who say tomorrow, next week, next month, next year……Start celebrating your existence right now, this very second.  And don’t stop celebrating until they publish your amazing eulogy in the New York Times.  Remember, life is not just an occasion, it is THE occasion!  Rise to it…..

January 2008 – Issue 55

• Keeping Up With Heather:  Resolutions and Meditations
• Bits and Bites:   Free Audio Meditation Downloads, New Trinity Grads, Macrobiotic Cooking
• Article: Music for Yoga and Other Joys
• Thoughts On... Celebrating Action
• Updates:  YTAA, Yoga Teacher Training, Self Mastery I Townsville, Cairns, Upcoming Classes with Trinity Grads

Keeping up with Heather

Hello Friends,

Happy New Year!  I do hope you are all enjoying these first days of the New Year.  Perhaps you, like many others, are busy establishing resolutions and setting goals and making plans.  The New Year is always a favourite time of year for me, to look back and reflect on the past year, and to begin to create my plans, hopes and wishes for the year to come.  In this effort, I have set my own resolutions and am very much looking forward to a year of growth and sharing and learning.  

In this first Messenger of the year I am excited to announce that after many years of hoping and planning, I have taken another step in achieving one of my long-term resolutions - to make Yoga more freely available to people around the world. In this endeavour I have recorded some audio meditations that can be downloaded for free from my website, and I hope that you enjoy them. 

Before I say anything more about that project though, I would like to extend my gratitude to Sara and Larry for all their help, support and generosity in making this project a reality.  Sara and Larry have, in the 8 years that I have known them, demonstrated such sincerity and kindness and generosity of time and resources, as to become two of my greatest role models in life.  It is due largely to their influence (and my family's of course) that my own New Year's resolutions are to give more, share more, and do more to enhance the lives of those around me.  My resolutions for this year include:

1) Volunteering my time in any way that I can to be of service to my community.

2) Create more opportunities for teachers and students to share and explore Yoga.

3) Learn how to be a better friend to Self, others, and to Earth.

I can only hope to live up to the example of some of the amazing people that have graced my life thus far, and repay my debt of gratitude in any way that I can.  

And, of course, I look forward to hearing from you, and what you have planned for this year.  May we all enjoy a year of great joy, learning, sharing, and receiving the many blessings that our communities and our world have to offer.

Wishing you a Jubilant January.

Namaste, Heather

Our Meditation Room Goes Audio!

As mentioned above, with the help of some generous friends and my amazing webmaster I have posted 4 free audio meditations on www.yogatrinity.com.  You can visit the Meditation Room, and download these meditations for free, copy them, forward to friends, and enjoy as often as you like.  On high-speed they will each take about 7 minutes to download, and instructions for download are posted on the site.  The meditations are:

1) Guided Relaxation: a practice that focuses the mind on relaxing the body. Ideal for anyone's daily relaxation practice.

2) The Wave: A breath-focused meditation to enhance relaxation and attune to the subtle power of the breath.

3) Unwinding: Utilizing a few simple Yoga postures and following a guided meditation to release, renew, and relax.

4) Present Moment Meditation: An exercise in letting go of the fluctuations and restlessness of the mind, and discovering the magic of the present moment.

I do hope you enjoy these guided practices. I look forward to hearing your feedback, suggestions, and comments.  

Congrats Grads

After a month-long retreat in the (often rainy-always spectacular) Blue Mountains, we are so very proud to announce a new class of graduates from the Trinity Yoga Teacher Training Program.  These teachers have not only demonstrated great skill and clarity as teachers, but have greatly enhanced our lives and we are grateful for their friendship and their influence.   Congratulations to all of you, and we are all looking forward to supporting you as you go out into the world to share Yoga!

Australia

 Diane Bauer, Murwillumbah, NSW Australia  d47@aapt.net.au

Annelies Douglas, Tewantin, QLD, Australia anneliesmdevisser@msn.com 

Dagmar Feser, Wuerzburg, Germany dagmar_feser@web.de 

Yukiko Itahana, Tochigiken, Japan  hanayuki_itako@yahoo.co.jp

Hadie MacLeod, Bracknell, Tasmania, Australia hadie@inorbit.com 

Annica Mynax, Kangaroo Island, Australia mynaxa@hotmail.com 

Lou Nulley, Canberra, ACT Australia nulley@optusnet.com.au

Sara O’Donoghue, Melbourne, VIC, Australia minamina78@yahoo.com

Catherine Potter, Broulee/Bungendore/Canberra, Australia cspotter@gmail.com

Jane Smith, Melbourne, VIC, Australia  jane@meklronics.com.au

To find any of our Trinity grads in your neighbourhood for classes, private sessions or support, visit www.yogatrinity.com/instructors. 

Fun With Macrobiotics

A friend has recently introduced me to the sassy and spectacular teachings of Jessica Porter, a macrobiotic chef, educator, and hynotherapist whose recipes, cookbook, and blog are hilarious, inspiring and highly informative.  For those of you in Toronto, Canada, you can join Jessica in cooking classes, or for those of you around the world you can enjoy her book "The Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics".  Visit www.hipchicksmacrobiotics.com for more.

Music for Yoga and Other Joys

This is the title of one of my favourite Yoga/Devotional CD's by Jai Uttal, and it is a favourite among my Yoga students as well.  There is something so soothing and restorative about the gentle music and soft Sanskrit chanting on this CD.  I often have students after class asking what music I was playing, so I thought that I would compile a list of some of my favorite music for Yoga and Other Joys.

I was recently updating my "Facebook" page (yes, even Yogi's do Facebook) and I realized that other then a few Canadian musicians I discovered listening to CBC radio, the only music I listen to is considered "Yoga" or "spiritual" music.  To me, this music is ideal for Yoga, but also for cooking, reading, working, and relaxing to.  Devotional music brings a peacefulness to your environment, soothes your over-stimulated nervous system and quiets the restless mind.  To create an atmosphere of relaxation, calm, and peacefulness wherever you are, try the following devotional musicians and enjoy the benefits of this blending of instruments, voices, and intentions.

Swaha - Salutations (a great Toronto Kirtan band led by Meenakshi (Marla Joy) and Ron Reid (owner of Downward Dog)  You will also enjoy Meenakshis solo disc Prayers.

Jai Uttal/Ben Leinbach - Music for Yoga and Other Joys

White Swan Yoga Masters (a compilation of great kirtanists) Volumes I & II are both great

Krishna Das - A master of the Kirtan, all of his CDs are awe inspiring.

Deva Premal - One of the better known devotional singers, her CDs are widely available, and all are fantastic.

Donna Delory - A former backup singer for Madonna, she can be found in a lot of compilations, and with her own disc.

Prem Joshua - Water Down the Ganges

Rasa - Devotion (my favourite CD for Thai Yoga Massage)

Other favourites include Mantra Girl, Liquid Mind, Robert Gass, Phillip Glass, and the ingenious Ravi Shankar.  Devotional music can be found in most Yoga studios, esoteric book stores, mainstream music stores, and of course online.  Enjoy!