On Friday we had the baby and family expo at Kings Court Mall and there I was promoting pregnancy yoga. I had some of my yoga mats on display and someone who claimed to do yoga came up to enquire about the price of the mats. The mats sell for R500. A lady, quite indignantly, asked why the mat was ‘so expensive’. In short: the mat is much cheaper than what you would pay in shops or online and there are a number of reasons why it’s a wonderful yoga mat, but when I got to the part that one of the … [Read more...] about When did we stop caring?
About Tanya Kemp
Yoga No-No’s (warning – read only with a sense of humour)
Yoga is an ever growing trend and with that comes an interesting addition to the existing yogic culture. Yogi’s aspire to being open and accepting, non-judgmental and kind . That is what the practice through the body ultimately try to teach us, but let’s be real….we’re just human. There are certain things going on in yoga classes these days that are simply unbearable and its time to name them with the hope of eradicating them altogether. So yes – Yoga is about acceptance and non-attachment – and … [Read more...] about Yoga No-No’s (warning – read only with a sense of humour)
What do you practice when you practice yoga?
While I appreciate the fact that most people who come to yoga, do so for reasons related to fitness, strength building, improving flexibility, and sometimes relaxation, I always think it so important to emphasize that the physical aspect of yoga is really just a very small part of the practice. I know – its GREAT to feel the physical changes in your body when you practice yoga regularly. Who doesn’t love to lose weight, see their body getting stronger, toned, more supple and not to mention being … [Read more...] about What do you practice when you practice yoga?
The Amazing Alternative Route to (swiftly) Healing a (severely) Broken Ankle
Yoga and meditation has for centuries proved its amazing contribution to healing - physically, mentally and spiritually. Here is the story of a PE women who experienced this first hand. Lynne Cooper is an amazing woman. I gathered this from brief interactions with her over the first few months I got to know her while she was practicing yoga at my studio. When she left to go on her yearly trip abroad, I never imagined that she would come back being anything other than revitalized and rested. … [Read more...] about The Amazing Alternative Route to (swiftly) Healing a (severely) Broken Ankle
My Controlling Nature – and how I intend to release It
In yoga – you should never TRY to be more flexible. It is completely counterproductive. Achieving flexibility comes with letting go – NOT trying/controlling. Trying causes you to tense up. It means you’re holding on inside– thinking that by working and trying so hard – you control the outcome. It’s the furthest thing from the truth…. ever. You will never get more flexible by controlling how your muscles work. You need to let go for flexibility to kick in. I repeat – you need to let go…. The … [Read more...] about My Controlling Nature – and how I intend to release It
Yoga beats a New Years Resolutions
As we enter the last week of January, 93% of people who have made new years resolutions would have abandoned them. In fact – most of the 93% would have abandoned their resolutions after just one week. It has me wondering if some of us still even remember what our resolutions were. There is an inexhaustible pile of literature out there about how to set better, more realistic and achievable new years resolutions and this article is not one of them. While I believe its good to want to change … [Read more...] about Yoga beats a New Years Resolutions
Being “Right” is Far Inferior to Being Connected
I’ve always said that one of the most valuable lesson from travelling is beginning to understand that there really is space for (many) more than one way of thinking, doing and being. What one culture accepts as paramount for survival, is completely irrelevant in another – rendering our ideas of what we ‘have to do’, ‘have to have’ or how we ‘have to be’ completely subjective and open for scrutiny. There are very few of our absolute beliefs that – if we let them go – will have us DIE. We hold … [Read more...] about Being “Right” is Far Inferior to Being Connected
Wellness Trends to Pay Attention to in 2014
In 2013 Port Elizabeth was found to be one of the healthier cities in South Africa. In 2014 I would love to see some trends take us from health to overall wellness, incorporating physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Because we’re worth it. Here are my thoughts on which wellness trends we need to be aware of: 1. Juicing, and particularly Green Juice, (or blending) is not just for cleansing You don’t have to wait for your body to be dead beat and sick before you start … [Read more...] about Wellness Trends to Pay Attention to in 2014
10 Questions to Ask Yourself at the End of the Year
Do yourself a favour this year and don’t allow 2013 to just roll into 2014. Take a few minutes or even better, a few hours, to look back and reflect. You have one life. Make it count. You’re worth it. Take stock of 2013 without beating yourself up about what you did or didn’t do. Simply use the reflections in 2013 as a platform to set yourself up to be your absolute best – again – in 2014. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself at the close of 2013 to set you up for a happy, balanced and … [Read more...] about 10 Questions to Ask Yourself at the End of the Year
Reflections on a Yoga Festival
I find myself in the picturesque little town of Greyton in the Western Cape. Its situated at the foot of the Overberg mountains and we, over the course of three days, have been blessed with both sunshine - allowing us to bask in its powerful, yet soothing rays- and rain, breaking the heat and allowing relief to yogis and nature alike. We "get it" more here - we are all connected. The Yoga Sanga festival (sanga meaning "gathering") is just that - a glorious and joyous gathering of about 200 … [Read more...] about Reflections on a Yoga Festival
Your Yoga Questions Answered
There are often many questions around yoga circling around and when I put it out there for you to ask the questions – you responded. So here are my honest and most informed responses to those questions! I’m not naturally flexible. Will it get better with doing yoga and will I ever be as flexible as some other yogis? Whether flexibility is genetic or not is an ongoing debate. Some people have more flexibility to start with and this is most probably because of the fact that they have used a … [Read more...] about Your Yoga Questions Answered
Letting Go of the Past – A Powerful Ritual to Show You How
We find ourselves again in December - ending the yearly cycle of 2013 and standing at the door of a new beginning, a new year, a new cycle. A time to reflect, evaluate and set intentions to do things differently. A time to stop and appreciate the things we do well already. In nature there are a number of cycles – ways in which the earth find ways to renew itself. The cycle of day to night, the moon cycle, the solstices. In our own bodies the most basic yet vital cycle of breath teaches the … [Read more...] about Letting Go of the Past – A Powerful Ritual to Show You How
25 Quotes to Inspire Peace, Power and Happiness
In an ideal world we would always feel happy, at peace and in touch with our own personal power – that is our true nature after all. We were never meant to feel persistently restless, lost, unhappy and/or disempowered and while we might find this hard to believe – we do have within us all the tools and mechanisms to achieve a general underlying state of power, peace and happiness. Yes – we will experience trials and tribulations – but the trust is that these are tossed in to the mix of life – … [Read more...] about 25 Quotes to Inspire Peace, Power and Happiness
For Fast Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down
As we approach the end of the year, it seems everyone shifts into overdrive and life moves even faster than it does usually. Considering how fast paced life is on any given day – it becomes almost scary how much we begin to expect of ourselves. It is perhaps therefore no wonder that in recent weeks I have noticed more than ever, how the yogis who practice at Heal. Love. Yoga need and appreciate the downtime during practice. It has never been unheard of for people step onto the mat and with … [Read more...] about For Fast Acting Relief, Try Slowing Down
‘Tis the Season to be Grateful
When it gets to this time of the year I tend to dedicate my personal yoga practice to practicing gratitude. In the practice of yoga we have the option to deepen the practice by dedicating it to some purpose or to just bring our full focus and awareness onto a particular subject – such as gratitude, love, an affirmation or perhaps some aspect related to our religion. The way in which we move in yoga allows us to bring whatever we focus on right into our bodies – with very powerful effect. In … [Read more...] about ‘Tis the Season to be Grateful
