Yoga Warrior

19/01/2023

Today the world woke up the devastatingly sad news of the passing of a true yoga warrior, Melanie Castleman..... Mel, you inspired so many of us - as students, as teachers, as free spirits. Your radiant smile, infectious laugh, and soothing voice reminded us to be playful in our approach to life, on and off the mat, and your influence gave me a love of arm balances and has guided my own teaching style to this day.
You played an instrumental part in the Yoga Warrior studio, as it did in being a part of you, and to watch as you moved on to make your mark on the world with your abilities as a yogi has inspired and will continue to inspire many others.

The indelible imprint you have left as you blazed your trail will remain forever and the stars will shine brighter with your spirit among them.

Rest in beauty, as you have walked in beauty.

Gen x

29/11/2022

A gentle reminder about why you are utterly exhausted…

No one I know began this year on a full tank. Given the vicious onslaught of the previous two years (let’s just call it what it was) most of us dragged ourselves across the finish line of 2021… frazzled, spent, running on aged adrenaline fumes…

We crawled into 2022 still carrying shock, trauma, grief, heaviness, disbelief… The memories of a surreal existence…

And then it began… The fastest hurricane year we could ever have imagined. Whether we have consciously processed it or not, this has been a year of more pressure, more stress, and a race to “catch up” in all departments… Every. Single. One. Work, school, sports, relationships, life…

Though not intentionally aware, perhaps hopeful that the busier we are, the more readily we will forget… the more easily we will undo the emotional tangle… the more permanently we will wipe away the scarring wounds…

We can’t.

And attempts to re-create some semblance of “normal” on steroids while disregarding that for almost two years our sympathetic nervous systems were on full alert, has left our collective mental health in tatters. Our children and teens are not exempt. The natural byproduct of fighting a hurricane is complete and utter exhaustion…

So before you begin questioning the absolutely depleted and wrung-dry state you are in- Pause. Breathe. Remind yourself of who you are and what you have endured. And then remind yourself of what you have overcome.

Despite it all, you’re still going. (Even on the days you stumble and find yourself face down in a pile of dirt).

Understanding brings compassion…

Most of the world’s citizens are in need of a little extra TLC at the moment. Most are donning invisible “Handle with care” posters around their necks and “Fragile” tattoos on their bodies…

Instead of racing to the finish line of this year, tread gently. Go slowly.

Amidst the chaos, find small pockets of silence. Find compassion. Allow the healing. And most of all… Be kind. There’s no human being on earth who couldn’t use just a little bit more of the healing salve of kindness.

With love
Naomi ♥️

26/03/2022

💜

06/03/2022

Thought for the week ahead……
There seems to be a lot of anger and frustration around us at the moment - whether it’s the change in seasons, the political situation locally or internationally, the planets or just fatigue at crap we are dealing with every day - and it is sometimes good to vent or be able to do a yoga practice to clear our minds, but being able to pinpoint the source of the negative emotion(s) by taking a moment to reflect is the true path to healing.

10/02/2022

31/07/2021

Teacher training fun on our final intensive weekend!
Can’t believe this journey is nearly over…..

30/06/2021

Isn’t it profound, how we never know when the last time we do or experience something in a point in space and time will be…
This is a pic of one of our last morning classes at our studio in Rosebank.
Notice the light that streams in, bathing the studio. In mid-winter, we had no need for heaters, thanks to the gorgeous Jozi winter sun and the north-facing aspect of the studio. This is the legacy of who hand picked this space some 15 years ago and is all but impossible to replicate - trust me, I‘ve looked!

As in all things in life, we eventually have to move on - sometimes we leap forward, sometimes we are dragged, and other times we are pushed.
Walking out for the last time from this sacred space that has been such a part of my life these past 14+ years has been met with so many conflicting emotions ….. like so many other studios and businesses, COVID has indeed knocked us for 6 and keeping a yoga studio going in these times has been a massive challenge.
For so many students and teachers alike, this space has profoundly changed the lives of those who practiced, learnt, and/or taught here over the years. To others it was an anchor through the turmoil of life and it all it has thrown at us. For some they only came to discover this space in its waning weeks or days……

But the closing of one door - through forced lockdown coinciding with a natural break in tenure - allows for others to open….. while we retreat online for now, we will be back in some exciting locations to continue this journey of yoga with you. As our lives have changed, so too has our way of creating space for yoga.

Thank you to everyone who has walked through this space over the years and more so to those who have persisted in the age of Corona. It is for you that we endure and we will overcome. For the special souls who know how important yoga is for them, now more than ever, we will ensure that we recreate the sacred space through our passionate teachers and special energy you bring, wherever it will be……