REVA YOGA, New Plymouth Videos

Our 8th Birthday feels different this year, no cake, no parties, just some deep reflection and a whole lot of gratitude for the journey that has been. Thank you all for being here for the ride ♥️

There’s an old saying that we become who we surround ourself with. Choose your people wisely, the ones with the kind hearts, who share loving words, who keep your flame burning. The ones who you know you can count on to bring an umbrella when it rains and who give you their spare jacket when you get cold. The ones who sub for you when you fall over in the middle of the game, the ones who ask what you need to be the greatest version of you, the ones who say yes to playfulness. Choose the ones who cheer you on, the ones who say let’s make it happen together, the ones who you just know will always show. These are our kind of people and we’re pretty grateful to be surrounded by the best of the best. Love you team ♥️ @sevamandeepyoga @yasamanyoga @natasha.m.mason @efreezie10 @findafeatheryoga @thesoulfulone.yoga @zara_brouwers @anaula_81

Movement is healing. And yet so is stillness. Sitting still allows you to peer into the looking glass of your soul self and ask who lives there? And in the looking, the mirror breaks. The self you thought you were is shattered into a million tiny fragments. It hurts. But through the fracturing the light is found. The part of the self that doesn’t break. Because it can’t. It won’t. For it is already whole. The light only knows oneness. It is of itself and therefore so are you. Healing asks you to pick up the pieces slowly and mindfully. But only the ones you really cherish. And put them back together in a way you haven’t seen yourself before. Mended by care, compassion and love. The construction of the self changes over time, it is not outsourced, it is built from within. And therein lies its resilience. Healing is rebuilding around the inner light to create a warm home where you are never alone. A new place, that’s really an old place, a very old place, that you had forgotten you had known.

It’s been a very special journey to birth REVA with Casie from @designgarage Casie designed The Wellness Project logo over 7 years ago, she is a student, a support person in our business adventure and someone we are thrilled to have as a friend. Just like everything about REVA this transition has been about embracing community, connection and closeness. Casie not only understood our ‘why’, she felt it and believed it. Thank you Casie, it has been an utter pleasure to create this new brand alongside you, knowing that it’s not just a name for you but a river that you also bathe in. You have helped us bring REVA to life. Through this tearful, joyful birthing REVA is claiming her form and we adore everything about her identity.

She honours her heritage, she’s rich in meaning and she’s ready to be known as she truly is. Let us introduce you…

Riding the wave of change today, and everyday. As we feel into the flux that comes with being human. Our practice helps us not only move with flow but find the strength and softness within it. There is always the presence of both- the engage and release, the give and take. Nothing is surer than the change. And sometimes it will take your breath away. We practice to condition us for life, to find a rhythm where the breath can settle into itself and the body can meet itself, then the mind’s preoccupation with change as painful dissipates. Change simply is. And pain is just an experience of intensity giving birth to something new.

Showing up authentically can be straight up terrifying, especially at the risk of rejection or criticism. But it’s a risk worth taking, especially when authentic living is the bed rock of well being. When we have self esteem, purpose and vitality we can navigate even life’s greatest challenges with a strong sense of self. Like having an internal compass we are deeply attuned to. If we don’t dare to be ourselves we take the greatest risk of all, living life as someone else or worse, for someone else. We shrink ourselves down, break ourselves apart, package ourselves up as some palatable version of who we are. In the end we never meet who we are destined to be. When weexist to appease our pleasing is self-harm, we are being dishonest and often behave incongruently with who we really are. Finding an undisputed sense of origin and authorship can be wild ride but it brings us home. No longer do we need to ‘fit’ into some outer construct of how to show up, look, live or behave. No longer do we seek external validation or acceptance to feel worthy. Our self-worth is defined by our alignment with our personality, values and spirit. The journey of becoming authentic asks us to be deeply self aware, develop unbiased processing, nurture close connections with others and culture vulnerability, openness and honesty. We’re not here to emulate. We’re not here to walk in the shadow of others footsteps. We have a social and ethical responsibility to be more of ourselves. If you’re on the ‘path’ and ready for revelation, our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training begins first weekend of June and is not only a life shaping experience it is a programme founded on accessing and expressing the inner resource that is the authentic self. Peel back the layers, peer inside and meet the you that rests contentedly within. Expressions of interest close next week. For more information check out the link in our bio.

The waves of life keep shifting and so we keep paddling. The peaks and troughs around us naturally create tidal undulations within us. Thoughts and emotions surf through us, particularly during times of uncertainty. Sometimes we can feel like we are being pulled under by the vacuum of a whirlpool so our practice builds the strength of mind we need to nit only stay afloat but navigate in a forwards direction. With time we become skilled at paddling instead of becoming submerged by life’s challenges. Good paddling requires even strokes, consistency and rhythm. That’s why we show up to practice even when the swell is flat. Then when the waves are crashing we can stay in our waka and keep our synchronicity despite the environment feeling out of control. ____________ Whakataka te hau ki te uru. Whakataka te hau ki te tonga. Kia mākinakina ki uta. Kia mātaratara ki tai. E hī ake ana te atakura. He tio, he huka, he hautunga. Tihei mauri ora. ____________ The west wind has shifted and the south wind has dropped. The land bristles and the sea has goosebumps. The first rays of a red dawn pierce the night. Revealing snow, ice and frost from the mountains to the sea. I bind myself to this. Translation by Sir Joseph Williams ____________ Keep going x

‘The Path’ is convoluted. From a young age we are taught that life is a sequential series of progressions. But as we age we begin to understand that life is non-linear. Just like energy, it seldom travels in a straight line. Sometimes we turn left, sometimes we turn right. Sometimes our direction is up, other days it is down. Sometimes we meet a roundabout that takes us all the way back to the beginning. But the path is ours and ours alone. No other feet can walk it. Whether it’s paved, whether it’s cobblestones, whether it’s a muddy dirt track that has you siding down steep embankments. Whatever it feels like underfoot trust that you have the tools to meet every fork in the road with intuition and discernment. Each fork bringing with it a new choice and each choice bringing you closer home to yourself. Wherever you are on your journey know that at this point in time you are right where you belong. Keep going.

We are so excited for our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Trainees about to begin their journey! This beautiful Training Manual has taken 6 months of love to produce and would not have been possible without the help of some very talented people. A huge thank you to Maddie and Casie @designgarage for your help with formatting and printing, Gina @gina_fabish for your beautiful photography and of course to our incredible team Erica and Robbie for being fabulous models and co-teachers. We can’t wait to dive in to all this goodness at the stunning Pukeiti Lodge next weekend!

What is it to Surrender? The ego loves to control and in doing so creates boundaries which limit our lives. Surrender is wilful acceptance or complete letting go. It is the process by which we yield to a power greater than ourselves. No longer clinging to outcomes, no longer strangling life, no longer fixed in our desires or viewpoints. Our hands soften, our hearts open and our spirit expands. Spiritual surrender releases us from all suffering, because pain only arises when we resist. When we say 'YES' to the universe that exclamation reaffirms energetically that life is working for us, not against us. As we relinquish control all fear dissipates and complete trust permeates our energetic body. Faith then allows us to align with the natural flow of life. That 'flow' connects us fully with source energy and a deep knowing that everything in the universe conspires to support us. The flow becomes a powerful river and we are carried by its currents in the right direction. Life is able to move through us and we are able to be moved by life. The practice of surrender allows us to expand into our true nature...a timeless, infinite and joy-filled being. A being that knows without doubt or question that 'thy will be done'.

If you’ve been feeling a little emotionally overwhelmed, know you are not alone. There’s a lot to process at the moment. We’re practicing allowance and giving ourselves permission to experience each feeling as it arises without letting it overcome the moment. We thought you might enjoy a new 45 minute flow up in the Online Studio for the Heart and Small Intestine Meridians. This one is sure to help you to navigate this highly emotional time with love and compassion, whilst buffering you against the heat of anger and hatred. Trial our growing online class library free for 7 days or sign up for just $19/month and cancel anytime. https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/

At the moment our online platform is more important than ever. It enables us to keep connected with the clients who are unable to join us physically in studio. The beauty of technology is that crosses the boundaries of space, time and affordability, giving everyone the opportunity to keep Yoga as a touchstone in their life. Over the past two years we have grown to love filming, editing and sharing this practice virtually. In the early days it was something we resisted; it felt forced, foreign and even unyogic. But with time we have grown to love the joy and abundance that is found through this new way of communicating ideas and movement. By working through that friction we have discovered a whole new world of opportunity. We have clients all over the region, the country and even the globe joining us virtually through our app and website portal. Whether you are a busy Mum with little time to yourself, travelling for work or have made the decision not to participate in the vaccine pass system, you can still enjoy your time on the mat with us. Our latest practice invites you to transform with Shiva, as you labour and birth this new way of life. Lord Shiva reminds us that each contraction is in fact an invitation to open. Each ending in fact a new beginning. This is a 45 minute sequence that builds heat, balance and creates a deep sense of release physically and emotionally. We have a FREE 7 day trial available for all students or you can subscribe for the Summer for just $19/month and cancel anytime!🤩 https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying I will try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher It’s a momentous day in our history today and if you are grieving know you’re not alone. The reality is our small country has a very long way to go in our pandemic journey, we are really just setting out across this vast ocean of the unknown. If that’s difficult to make peace with and you feel like you’re ready to give up before you’ve even started, we have a lovely new sequence up in the online studio that will provide you with some solace. Journey to 'Bird of Paradise' through a slow and considered sequence that helps you build endurance. The theme of this practice is centered around 'going the distance' just as birds do when they migrate thousands of miles across the ocean to distant lands. Many of whom have never visited their destination before, they simply follow their deeper instincts and feel directed by their natural compass. This is a helpful class when you are feeling despondent as it cultivates strength in both body and mind. https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/

Practicing with us from home this weekend? We have a new 45 minute flow available in the online studio that invites you to take a great leap into the unknown. Approach hanuman with strength and stability, actively lengthening hamstrings, hip flexors and quadriceps. We are all perched on the edge of a precipice about to take a great plunge into the abyss below. We are leaving behind life as we know it and the feelings of unease are palpable. All we have left is trust, a deeper faith that what lies beyond is bliss. Hanumansana invites us to be courageous and brave as we navigate this time. Sending all our clients and friends strength for the week of change ahead❤️ For a free 7 day trial of our online studio follow the link below to sign up! https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/

When the world feels like it’s on fire we can find coolness and calm through the practice of Yin. We have a beautiful new 60 minute Yin class available in the online studio that focusses on the Bladder and Kidney Channels. In Chinese Medicine these lines form the Water element. Water offers us great salvation and solace in times if change. It also empowers us with courage when we would otherwise feel fearful. In the east the water element is closely linked with our autonomic nervous system and our stress response. We can down regulate and reduce the impacts of overexertion, fear and busyness when we tend to this pair of meridians. We are all experiencing a huge level of strain at the moment. The ongoing global pandemic, combined with being over worked, under staffed and grappling with unprecedented increases in living costs have all had an enormous effect on our wellbeing. Know that if you’re tapped out you’re not alone. We’re all feeling it and it’s beginning to really take its toll. The bladder channel is often referred to as the battery of life, when we support this meridian we give ourselves time to plug back in and recharge. The best way to fight fire is with water, not more fire. So take a moment, take a breath and set aside some time to slow down. Follow the link below for a 7 day trial of our online studio 🖥 https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/

An update for all our beautiful clients after yesterday’s announcement regarding the imminent introduction of the ‘traffic light system’ 🙏 Love and light to you all at this time. Zara and The Team x

It’s easy to forget that we were born from nature. Our roots are humble and animalistic. Over time we have developed into very complex beings with ‘higher intelligence’. That evolution comes its own set if challenges. Our large brains mean we occupy the world of thought much more than our primal predecessors. We have a lovely new sequence up in the online studio to help you ground in your raw nature. Reconnect with your roots through a hip opening series and descend from thinking mind into the feeling body. We can learn a great deal from watching animals in their natural habitat because they are immersed in the ‘here and now’. They surrender to their environment and become at one with the eco system that they are part of. They adapt, they respond and they find a way to live in peace with their surrounds. Nature can show us the way home, out of the prison of our minds and into the present moment where life is lived. Link in our bio for a free 7 day trial, or subscribe for just $19 per mont and cancel anytime! https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/

Nurse The Vagus Nerve We have a lovely new Yin Yoga class available in the online studio to help with frayed nerves. Utilise breath work and an intelligent sequence of postures to down regulate the nervous system. This practice helps you to understand the Vagus Nerve and cultivate resilience through improved vagal tone. When vagal tone is low we often feel reactive and easily triggered. It also takes a much longer time for our system to recover from stress and return to our relaxed baseline state. But when Vagal tone is high we are much more adaptable, we also bounce back quickly and easily from stressful situations returning to a calm and centred place with ease. We have a FREE 7 DAY TRIAL available for all new students with us👏 Enjoy via our Online Studio and stream on your laptop, TV or mobile. https://www.wellnessproject.co.nz/online-classes/