"Refuse to carry the burden of mental and moral weaknesses acquired in past years; burn them in the fires of your present divine resolutions and right activities." -Paramahansa Yogananda
INJOY YOGA in North Canterbury, New Zealand
Offering SMALL, personalized YOGA classes ARE in FERNSIDE and Rangiora unless otherwise stated.
SOME CLASSES ARE PRE-REGISTERED with some casual openings.
All classes are Beginner friendly and welcoming to experienced practitioners.
Please email if you are interested in coming to a class: cAll 021 871 818
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ON GOING CLASSES
(breaks for holidays) Monday 5:15 - 6:15pm PREGNANCY Yoga pre-registered (only runs when Wed. class fills) Monday 6:30-7:30pm Mixed Hatha Yoga, Rangiora Hospital (RH) pre-registered Wednesday 6:15 - 7:15pm Mixed Hatha Yoga, (RH) pre-registered Wednesday 7:30-8:30pm PREGNANCY Yoga (RH) pre-registered Classes are in the new addition, classroom 17 behind the glass hallway at Rangiora Hospital. See workshop page for upcoming workshops or Retreats page for upcoming retreats. |
Marina brings in her 30+ years of therapeutic bodywork, anatomy and physiology assessment experience to the class. At times she may give hands on encouragement for alignment or influence a sense of surrender of the self to allow the pose to work effectively. If you have pain or injury or physical challenges and want to experience improvement, these classes may help you, especially for back, neck, shoulder and hip issues.
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Hatha Yoga is a system of pranayama (breathing practice), physical movements through normal range of motion and strength building poses that affect the physical, mental and emotional body. In ancient times it was taught one on one and not as a group practice, to prepare the student for long periods of meditation. All physical seated poses and movement practices of yoga, especially when combined with breath, fall under the umbrella of Hatha yoga. Different teachers have coined names for the style of practice they have refined (ie. Kripalu, Integral, Iyengar, Power, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, etc.). On an entry level, physical (Hatha) yoga creates awareness of physical body and personality (emotional/ mental bodies). This can lead us to awareness and sensitivity of the subtle worlds beyond the physical/personality as the student develops. Most forms of modern hatha yoga practices, especially those that have influenced the Western world, can be traced back to Tirumalai Krishnamacharya who tuned into the individual and gave them a practice that would benefit their karma best. Many of those whom he gifted with individual practices took their practices to the world and attached their own name to it. The Yoga that I teach is Yoga for the western mind and so western terms are often used.
Beginner's Sunrise Yoga is a breath focused, basic yet strength building, warming, sequential style of Hatha yoga. The room is kept comfortably warm which enhances suppleness in the muscles and allows the body to move more freely. The poses are linked by a series of postures called vinyasa and combined with rhythmic ujjayi pranayama (breath).
Gentle Hatha Yoga looks at overcoming the limitations of the physical body through a harmonious sequence of poses combined with conscious breathing practices. Emphasis is on posture. Restorative practices are explored.
Pregnancy Hatha Yoga is for 2nd or 3rd trimester women. It is a scientifically designed class to prepare the body for the birth process and nourish a positive experience of pregnancy. During the childbearing process a woman's body is immersed in the creative energies. It is important to acknowledge and honour this. This form of Yoga is a well-rounded style of Hatha (asanas, pranayamas, bandhas) Yoga. The focus is on heart centered teaching with emphasis on breath, spinal alignment, development of self awareness & mother’s intuition, and connection with the baby. TESTIMONIAL: “I really enjoyed your classes, and I feel they prepared me for what's ahead more than the official ante-natal classes I attended! You created a lovely atmosphere in every class.“ Zoe H, Prenatal Yoga student.
Mum and Bubs Yoga is a gentle class for mums and babies to help her recovery from the childbearing year, re-establish a yoga practice, or establish core strengthening including the pelvic floor, and postural habits. Some infant massage techniques will also be shared. Babies should be 3 or more months old.
Restorative Hatha Yoga is a slow paced class emphasizing breathing and supported holding of postures. A profoundly relaxing system that seems to 'reset' the nervous system. The effects can linger on for days. These are integrated in the Hatha Yoga series each term. It may include indepth instruction on breath, prana, koshas, doshas and chakras.
CORE integrity is a new class where we explore fascial lines of tension and ease to create a stronger foundation. This mostly floor based yoga series will work with the fascial lines (Thomas Myers - Anatomy Trains, and other inspired research) to create equality in function and more fluidity in movement by working through old injury/habit patterns and increase core strength and stability.
Retreats
Yoga is an 8000 year old science. It is not a religion. Daily practice can unite our dualistic nature into a unified greater sense of Oneness with all life instilling an overall sense of kindness. It is thought that Yoga asana practice was originally designed to allow the body to settle into a deeper sense of stillness for long periods of time so that meditation practice can be extended. It was an internal study of the movement of energies and consciousness, thus it is evolutionary to the individual and wellbeing of the society. The connection between breath and consciousness is profoundly explored. Retreats allow for an integral connection to one's self. Explore the tranquility of nature, and the renewal effects of daily integrated yoga practices. Natural therapy at it's best! During the course of each retreat there are periods of silence (free time) to allow for self reflection. Sitting quietly or slowly moving silently through nature is encouraged. Locations for retreats vary.
Mantra yoga is practiced in a state of stillness to allow the consciousness to move into the inner (subtler) planes of consciousness. Mantra practice, which is the tuning into Sacred sound, is respectfully followed by a significant period of silence to allow the invoked energy to come into our conscious being. The Western personality best integrates the Sacredness of this practice with silence. This is an advanced form of yoga taught at a beginner's level.
Yoga Nidra is a technique in yoga where we systematically calm the senses and go into a deep state of relaxation. It begins with the breath (pranayama). As the breath slows so does our thinking and as the practice deepens we may become familiar with a rare state of consciousness.
The guided practice of Yoga Nidra is sometimes called meditation. Yoga Nidra begins with pranayama (breath), then dharana (concentration to remain awake) then pratyahara (the withdrawl of the senses) which are the preparatory steps towards meditation (dhyana). Meditation is not normally practiced in the reclined position as it tends to lead to the subconscious state rather than a superconscious state such as meditation.
It is my sense of humour that calls it "pajama yoga" because participants are often so deeply relaxed that they sleep very well following the process (hopefully not during the process!). Please join us to discover the long term benefits of this practice.
MEDITATION is one of the branches of the yogic tree and the most important for development and expansion of the consciousness, especially in this age of materialism and other distractions. There are many, many kinds of meditation and many techniques. All start with Pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses and few get beyond this without much effort and practice. However, through simplicity, perseverance and an inner connection to the Divine energy, we can restructure our internal mechanisms to create a practice that provides stability and balance to our life. The position of the spine is important for meditation that is why an upright position is recommended for practice. When the spine is horizontal the consciousness is most likely to stay in a subconscious state.
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Chakra Yoga class pictures
Testimonial by Jackie Gardiner, former student in gentle Hatha class:
"I am a retired Physiotherapist.
I tried to keep reasonably fit by going to a Gym 2 or 3 times a week for abut 12 years doing weights and cardio exercises. Before that I used to bounce on a trampoline type lymphasizer doing exercises to music most mornings at home. On reaching 80 I realized my joints were stiffening and no longer very flexible so I decided to give Yoga a go !
I joined a Gym class which combined Yoga with Pilates and found I was absolutely hopelessly out of my depth it was far too fast and full of wonderfully fit young people whose athleticism was far beyond my capabilities. Everyone was very kind BUT !!!
Finally I have found Marina !!
I am amazed by her profound knowledge of Anatomy, by her care and the attentive and the way she constantly corrects postures and positions, by her helpfulness in adjusting blocks and bolsters so that one can achieve a modification of the required posture. Really she is a MASTER !!
Her classes are small so that one receives a lot of individual attention. I wish I had found her when I was 43.
I am on my second course with her and already I have more ease of movement. Marina continues to challenge and encourage me and her classes leave me with a great feeling of well being. I have actually increased my range of movement.
Marina has a very kind and caring personality with a wacky sense of humour.
I would be happy to speak to anyone who is contemplating joining a Yoga class in Canterbury."
"I am a retired Physiotherapist.
I tried to keep reasonably fit by going to a Gym 2 or 3 times a week for abut 12 years doing weights and cardio exercises. Before that I used to bounce on a trampoline type lymphasizer doing exercises to music most mornings at home. On reaching 80 I realized my joints were stiffening and no longer very flexible so I decided to give Yoga a go !
I joined a Gym class which combined Yoga with Pilates and found I was absolutely hopelessly out of my depth it was far too fast and full of wonderfully fit young people whose athleticism was far beyond my capabilities. Everyone was very kind BUT !!!
Finally I have found Marina !!
I am amazed by her profound knowledge of Anatomy, by her care and the attentive and the way she constantly corrects postures and positions, by her helpfulness in adjusting blocks and bolsters so that one can achieve a modification of the required posture. Really she is a MASTER !!
Her classes are small so that one receives a lot of individual attention. I wish I had found her when I was 43.
I am on my second course with her and already I have more ease of movement. Marina continues to challenge and encourage me and her classes leave me with a great feeling of well being. I have actually increased my range of movement.
Marina has a very kind and caring personality with a wacky sense of humour.
I would be happy to speak to anyone who is contemplating joining a Yoga class in Canterbury."
