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Mind Body Messenger
Issue #18, November 2004
Keeping Up with Heather…
What a whirlwind adventure I have had since I last wrote this column. It’s only been six weeks since I returned to Australia, but a lot can happen in just six weeks. For those of you in Canada, autumn is in full force, and with Thanksgiving and Hallowe’en under your belts (literally!), there is just the long build-up to Christmas now before the end of another year. Here in Australia, things are heating up as summer fast approaches. School is winding down, holidays are being planned, and here in Queensland, air conditioning has become a priority. But, before I get to where I am…I must tell you about where I have been.
For the first three weeks of stay here in Oz, Christopher and I traveled with my mother Evelyn and my aunt Monika along the east coast. We enjoyed some time in Sydney, exploring galleries and attractions, attending ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ at the famous Opera House, and delighting in the beautiful wines and Australian cuisine. We then traveled north to Airlie Beach, known as the Gateway to the Whitsunday Islands, and boarded a beautiful luxury catamaran for four days with two other couples, our skipper, and his first mate (no, it wasn’t Gilligan). Being in the midst of all that crystal blue water was an awesome experience. There were occasions when I was lying on the deck, and it was as though the rest of the world melted away to leave just the sky, the ocean, and me.
During our four-day sail we visited Whitehaven beach, a pristine white sand beach that ranks in the top three beaches in the world. We did some bush walking on a few of the Whitsunday Islands. We snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef. And, we did lots of critter spotting in the sky and in the sea as eagles, osprey, turtles, and fascinating fish made regular appearances. We even followed some whales one day, and Chris had the good fortune to have a dolphin encounter. I have never sailed in an ocean before, and I felt as though I was made for it. I could have spent many more days on the Jaspurr, but it was time to depart for Brisbane. So, after another night in Airlie Beach, we flew down to my adopted city for two days of hiking, sightseeing, walking along the river, and of course laundry.
After our brief stay in the river city, we drove down to Byron Bay. It is located on Cape Byron about 3 hours south of Brisbane, and is the eastern-most point in Australia. We stayed in a beautiful villa on Watego’s beach, and delighted in morning walks around the cape and lighthouse spotting dolphins and whales. For those of you who have hiked with me, you will be amazed to know that I turned a 45 minute walk into a 3 hour excursion by stopping every few steps to admire the wildlife. By far the slowest walk I’ve ever done, but well worth the patience.
From Byron Bay, we flew out to Alice Springs into the deep red heart of the country. The town of Alice Springs, I must admit, wasn’t my favorite destination. However, we hiked around Simpson’s Gap and Standley’s Chasm, which were powerful experiences that reminded me so much of hikes I’ve done in the Oak Creek Canyon of Sedona, Arizona. We also explored desert culture at the Desert Park and the Cultural Precinct. Learning about the history of aboriginal art will stand out as one of the best parts of my own experience, but then, on to the best of the best, Uluru.
For our last Australian Adventure, we drove our HUGE Landcruiser five hours through the desert to Yulara to spend some time with Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). I loved the idea of the spaciousness of the desert. I had anticipated the feeling of being in the midst of the vast emptiness, and had pictured it many times in my imagination. However, from what I was learning, the desert isn’t empty at all, but teaming with life that the casual observer often overlooks. I now see that the desert is a great curiosity; immense, dangerous, and filled with camouflaged and venomous creatures. But if you know how to make use of what’s available, it is a place that shelters, nourishes, and supports. There is such a dichotomy in the creatures of the desert. There are the gigantic venomous snakes, the great skulking lizards, and the dingos just waiting for you to make a false move. But on the flip side, there are tiny colorful fairy wrens that seem as though they have just flown out of a cartoon. There are adorable little nocturnal rodents that hop and pop and bound around in the most laughable manner.
What I’m getting at here is that the desert is full of contradictions. But the greatest contradiction is the flatness of the land, interrupted by the giant monolith Uluru rising so high that from an hours drive away we could see it towering in the sky. There is no way to describe the experience of being with ‘the rock’ that isn’t trite and clichéd, so I won’t bore you with my own interpretation. It is something that must be experienced personally. What I will say is that it was magical and powerful and peaceful beyond anything I could have expected, and it won’t be the last time I visit those old friends. My curiosity has been piqued by my visit, and there is more for me to experience.
But, not this trip, it was time for Evelyn and Monika to head back to Canada while I flew back to Brisbane to embark on the next leg of my journey. I’ve been in Brisbane almost three weeks now getting my bearings, connecting with old friends and clients, buying a car, and generally getting back into the Aussie swing of things. Shortly I will be heading to ‘Kairos’, a farm owned by great friends where I will be spending some time over the next few months writing, teaching, and coordinating my first yoga teacher training program. I am also embarking on a new adventure of creating yoga CDs. I will be offering customized yoga and meditation programs on CD to private clients both past and present, and a series of yoga programs for students of all levels to enjoy. I will most certainly keep you all posted on this next exciting endeavor. In the meantime, I do hope that wherever you are, you are enjoying the season, hot or cold, to it’s fullest.
Namaste, Heather.
Your Words; Your Wisdom.
Last month we asked you for your favourite books and videos for your continued personal growth. Here are your picks:
Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis
Miriam Nelson
From the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy,
Tufts University
ISBN 0-399-52856-3
The Liver Cleansing Diet
Sandra Cabot, MD
Women’s Health Advisory Service
Published by SCB International
ISBN 0 646 27789 8
The DaVinci Code
Dan Brown
Bantam Press
ISBN 0593 052447
Heather’s latest picks:
The Mystical Path to Cosmic Power
Vernon Howard
Parker Publishing Company – Reward Classics
ISBN 0 13 609909 0
A ‘how to’ text for the mystical path. One of the
best books I’ve ever read, and providing that you can manifest
a copy, it will serve you well.
Life of Pi
Yann Martel
Random House Canada
ISBN 0676 97377 9
Am I the only one who hadn’t read this yet? If you are also
a late-reader, this fable is entertaining, creative, and highly
personal. Send me your thoughts when you reach the end…
Finally, I will add my endorsement to
“The DaVinci Code”. I finished it about
5 minutes ago, and found the subject matter to so closely follow
my studies in yoga, metaphysics, and the Rosicrucian Order as to
remind me that this is no coincidence. The books you are reading,
the people you are meeting, and your enhanced intuitions are no
accident. We are most certainly involved in a global attunement
to an entirely new kind of energy; a new phase of consciousness
that masters such as DiVinci helped to draft into the blueprint
of our future. Wondering what the fuss is all about? Get yourself
a copy and, as they say in Oz, get stuck in!
Thoughts on…Change
Then the time came
when the risk it took
to remain tight in a bud
was more painful
than the risk it took to blossom.
Anais Nin
You must be the change you want to see in the world.
Live as though you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as though you were to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi
Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens.
The sleeper must awaken.
Frank Hebert
The pace of change never slows,
even when we’ve convinced ourselves it will.
Memoirs of a Geisha,
Arthur Golden
If we don’t change, we don’t grow.
And if we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.
Gail Sheehy
It is not necessary to change.
Survival is not mandatory.
W. Edwards Denning
If you don’t like something,
change it.
If you can’t change it,
change your attitude.
Never complain.
Maya Angelou
Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.
Brendan Francis
To change and to change for the better are two different things.
German Proverb
Upcoming Events in Australia
Yoga and Fitness
Heather is currently offering sessions in Brisbane and will be visiting Toowoomba over the next few weeks as well offering 'Jump Start' fitness packages, personal training and private/semiprivate yoga sessions. To book a session, please contact Heather. As well, there may be an opportunity for a weekly yoga class in Brisbane, depending on numbers, so if you are interested in attending, please contact us to let us know of your interest.
You can reach Heather at: Email heather@yogatrinity.com
or Tel 0404 739 277
Workshops and Healings
Personal Magnetism will be held in Toowoomba over three nights in November. The Energetic Healing Diploma program will be held over two weekends in Canberra in December and Self Mastery One will be offered for the third time in Toowoomba in January. Private Consultations will be available as Christopher visits each city, to arrange your personal session, please contact Chris at:
Email chris@yogatrinity.com
or Tel: 0410 139 050.
Yoga For Mind and Body
Part 9
The ninth in a series of columns offering yoga postures for men, women, and children to practice at home, school, on the road or in the office. With special thanks to Ross Pottinger of Wink Photo Design in Brisbane, Australia for the photos and the support in this project. And many thanks to Louisa Dick for taking part in the project. Do check with your health care practitioner before beginning a yoga practice. Many postures are not suitable for pregnant women, people with joint replacements, those with hypertension or other medical conditions. If you have a posture that you would like to see in this column, I welcome your suggestions. Namaste, H!
 To Begin: Stand with feet together and parallel. Place your hands on your lower back for support. The Pose: Inhale and lengthen through the back of neck and lift through chest and ribcage, exhale and open hips, belly, rib-cage, chest and throat until there is a soft curve through the front of the body. Breathe deeply as you maintain the posture.
To Intensify: For advanced students, clasp hands overhead with shoulders broad.
Breathing: Breath deeply and naturally throughout the pose. It can be challenging to take full yogic breaths, but with practice you will be able to breath deeply into the belly, ribcage and back during the pose.
To Modify: Maintain hands on hips, minimize backward bend and focus more on lifting through the front of the body and establishing a lengthening of the lower back.
Focus: Keep weight balanced
between heels and toes. As you become more proficient at the pose,
try to move your weight into the point just in front of the heel.
Be sure you don’t ‘collapse’ by maintaining
length through the back of the body. Imagine you are lengthening
both the front and the back of the spine.
Cautions: Those who suffer
from lower back pain should ensure that they keep hands on hips,
and focus on lifting and gently engaging abdominal muscles to support
the back as it stretches. Always follow this pose with a forward
fold.
Benefits: Develops suppleness
of spine. Opens the front of the body. Re-energizes after long periods
of sitting.
Philosophy: Openness, Salutation. Opening the front of the body can make us feel exposed and vulnerable, but through that vulnerability we become strengthen and we grow taller.
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