Yolanda Pettinato

Yes, the practice of Yoga and Meditation brings strength, stability and balance to your mind and body – and in turn is uplifting to your spirit. As your practice develops you will also become more aware of automatic habits that are no longer serving you, and you can change or just let go of these habits. As well, you will become more confident, which means less fearful about change (which is inevitable in everyone’s life).

It was once thought that the practice of Yoga made muscles longer alone, but it’s now been discovered that the poses make them wider, and the act of stretching actually feeds back information to your central nervous system. This in turn stimulates your muscles to become stronger around a point of weakness.

The practice of Yoga helps to improve your overall strength and posture whilst calming your mind and nervous system. Those who are regular practitioners of Yoga will firmly espouse this fact. It’s also why more and more people are discovering this fact for themselves as they embark on their Yoga journey. I constantly receive wonderful email messages from all around the globe from those who find that just practising to my DVDs (30 mins) a day is making such a difference to their lives.

Research is also showing the health benefits of Meditation practice. It’s now been discovered that a huge percentage of doctor visits are stress/anxiety related. The proven de-stressing power of Meditation practice may be the key for a lower incidence of illness. Also people who meditate report a greater level of happiness regardless of what’s going on in their lives. Other known benefits of Meditation include a decreased sensitivity to pain and improved emotional health. The practice of Meditation assists one to manage stress which brings forth increased productivity and resilience.

What more is there to say… Yoga and Meditation – yay!

Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) Mallacoota beach with Paddy & Polly, March, 2013

Oh how lovely it was to get away from the noise and dust of the week long Formula ’1′ Grand Prix car racing extravaganza - which is literally held in my back yard. Getting away from the busyness of city living (which I do love) and into the peace and quiet of the birds and trees in the most natural environment of Gypsy Point. Surrounded by the Croajingolong National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Kayaking and fishing on the remote Genoa River, with almost no one else around except the odd Kangaroo (wallaby) striding past on land. Then cooking and eating our catch each night… amazing!  Also a daily visit by a pre-historic looking Goanna (who we named Garry) was quite a treat indeed. He was serene, inquisitive and fearless - checking us out and then going to sleep clinging onto the trunk of a tree.

There was no TV or Internet or Mobile Phone access, which added just so much to the positive peaceful experience. Also no cafes, restaurants or shops - so Yoga and Meditation were firmly on the daily agenda, along with reading and afternoon siestas. We had a few excursions into the lovely fishing inlet/town of Mallacoota for provisions. Whilst there a visit to the beautiful beach for a walk with our pooches Paddy & Polly (where this photo was taken).

The wonderful benefits of being surrounded by nature, eating heathily, practising Yoga and Meditation, and getting lots of rest – true bliss!

Vrksasana (Tree pose) with the Matterhorn in the background… whilst hiking in Switzerland, May, 2012

I am continually inspired by the many messages I receive from within Australia and many other countries around the world. These messages are from people who have taken the time to sit down and write to me. I have never met or even spoken to them, but they find much inspiration from practising Yoga and Meditation with my DVDs and CDs, and they want to tell me!

I am always so very deeply touched by these messages as they come from a very deep place within the person writing them. These messages often speak of years of depression, back pain, and low self esteem, or maybe a very low period in their lives. I have had many messages from those who have even shed multiple excessive kilos/pounds in body weight. Somehow they have all come across my publications, and their lives have positively changed… because they have taken on the discipline of actually practising Yoga and/or Meditation with my DVDs and/or CDs.

I very much recall when I voice-recorded my publications, as these words also came from a very deep place from within me. I have personally used these very words to heal myself on so many occasions over many years. Fortunately these healing words have been caught in time within these recordings. Hence they have also positively affected so many of those who use my publications.

Those who continue with the practice of Yoga and Meditation, may not realise how they can become an inspiration to others. This is certainly the case with my classes. Those who have been attending for so many years are very inclusive and encouraging to newcomers. Their kind and encouraging words have such a positive effect, which greatly assists them to continue with the their practice.

Be inspired by the practice of Yoga and Meditation and do share your inspiration with others, as you might just positively affect their lives too!

Namaste, Yolanda

Gratitude

This new year do consider starting with ‘thoughts of Gratitude’. Studies have proved that focussing on gratitude will bring much joy to your life!

We live in a very materialist world and we can often get so caught up with always wanting more. I often remind myself of the saying ‘less is more’, and the older I become, the more this saying becomes more meaningful.

Also, at some stage during my day I like to take a moment to consider what I am truly grateful for. I am talking about the little things… roof over my head, shoes, food, heating, cooling etc. We only have to watch ‘world news’ to see how many have to get by with so little.

Bringing to mind thoughts of gratitude requires practice. So perhaps a new year resolution could be ‘I bring to mind thoughts of gratitude every day’ when I get out of bed. Also, as you close your eyes at night bring to mind all you are grateful about for the day that has just ended.

Another good habit to cultivate… bring to mind the word ‘gratitude’ when you start your daily Meditation or Yoga practice. Those who attend my Yoga classes will have become well aquainted with this habit, as we do it before every class.

Be grateful and enjoy!

Paddy & Polly getting ready for Christmas!

Wow! I can’t believe that it’s only 6 weeks until our Christmas holiday season starts. It’s been another wonderful year of Yoga and Meditation practice and I am looking forward to spending the holidays down by the beach. Hoping to have lots of visitors come and enjoy the wonderful fresh air of Mt Martha on the Mornington Peninsula (down under). Attending to our vegie garden and catching lots of fish with my partner John will also be part of our holiday therapy.

As usual I will be doing my regular practice of Yoga and Meditation, and going on walks with our darling pooches Paddy and Polly, who are just so funny and loving. John says he is most happy when I give him the same amount of love and attention I give to them!

This is an excerpt from the American Yoga Journal on Wisdom… animal companionship is a wonderful way to connect not only with a pet, but also to a deeper sense and understanding of the self. According to Susan Chernak McElroy, author of ‘Animals as Teachers and Healers’, when spending time with animals, “we feel how it is to be in the moment fully, to play with utter abandon, to bring our whole self to an encounter with another.” Animals can teach us how to be present, spontaneous and most importantly, how to give and receive unconditional love.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me messages over this past year (from all around the world) in appreciation of my Yoga and Meditation publications… with much gratitude from me!

Finally, do consider continuing with your Yoga and Meditation practice over the holidays so you can be ready for a great healthy start to the new year.

Special day of Healing ‘Forgotten Children’

This is a very special photo of yours truly with my sisters. We came together for a special day in Sydney to receive the Australian Government national ’sorry’ for the ‘Forgotten Children’… children who spent much of their childhood in orphanges. We have all come such a long way since our many years of great struggle and horrific hardships during our young lives.

Much of my own healing has come from the (good habit) practice of Yoga and Meditation… hence the healing manner in how I teach my classes and the words I use on my DVDs and CDs.

Further, I have also continually embraced the habit of repeating ‘positive affirmations’. This is a habit I taught myself as a young child when life was almost too hard to bear. I would repeat positive statements to myself to help me feel better. They were mostly based on my day-dreaming about a better life, and they literally helped me to survive.

Over many years I have continued repeating various affirmations to myself (and writing them), and I have since recorded the best of the best of these affirmations on my CD ‘A Well Within’. Listening to them regularly is uplifting and a wonderful way to stay centred and balanced. Those who already have and listen to my CD often say it’s worth its weight in gold, as it lightens up their lives.

Also, you can write your own affirmations, as many people have done for eons. Just think of something you really want and write it down in a simple one line sentence. Make sure it’s clear and positive, and it needs to be written as though you already have it (even though you don’t have it… yet!). A couple of examples are… ‘I exercise for 30 mins a day’ or ‘I have reduced the serving size of my meals by 1/3′ or ‘I make sure to laugh for some reason every day’ etc.

Good luck and enjoy!

A backwards bend in beautiful Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy

There is something quite wonderful about bending backwards, especially the feeling of standing upright afterwards. In fact we don’t bend backwards quite enough in our daily lives, and as the years roll by we start to lose length in our spine. Just the simple act of bending backwards every day will do wonders to relieve back pain, strengthen your back and improve your posture.

As you can see from this photo, I found this lovely wall whilst on a recent holiday in Europe. It was perfect, being about hip height and totally stable. I could push away from it with my hands, bring my hips forward, lean back and hold for a few breaths (Yoga pose: upward facing dog… ‘Urdhva Muhka Svanasana’). Thereafter, with my hands still in place, slowly straighten up, take a few steps back, draw my hips and shoulders back away from the wall, draw in my belly and push away from the wall for another few breaths (Yoga pose: donward facing dog… ‘Adho Mukha Svanasana’). This will take somewhere between 4 - 10 minutes, depending on how long you want to hold the poses.

You can do this anywhere and anytime, and some of the best props are in your home. Try the kitchen bench, especially gripping the kitchen sink or the back of the couch as these are really good stable props. You could also use your desk at work, and you can leave your shoes on, just as long as they are not high-heels. Also there is no need to take your head back at all, so only do this if it feels ok for you. Remember to listen to your body, take care and just do your best… but no need to overdo.

Once you are upright again, jiggle around a little bit to loosen up. Those of you who use my home practice Yoga DVDs ‘YogaEasy’ and ‘Yoga2Easy’, you will have learnt ‘Dolla Dolla’ which is the perfect jiggle around. When you have finished, just notice how much better your posture is, and how you are feeling? You might like to ‘reply’ to my blog and let me know.

Wishing you good health & joy!

Namaste, Yolanda

This is one-year old Charlie and he is the grandson of my partner John.

It’s such simple little things that bring him so much joy, and when he beams his amazing smile, it fills everyone around him with joy too.

How wonderful would it be to have a life full of joy?

For some people this seems such a difficult task, and I used to be one of them. The hardships of my life felt like such a heavy burden. It has taken me quite a long time to really feel joyful.

As we travel this great journey of our lives, we will have many losses and disappointments. However, if we learn to foster the habit of joy in our lives, we might just find some joy even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Finding joy in life is just another habit we need to develop. We actually have to think and act joyful. Possibly the greatest joy one can receive is when they are bringing joy to others. Also discovering what brings you joy is imperative. Just some of the many things that bring me joy are very simple and holistic… like growing veggies, cooking and fishing with John, playing with our dogs Paddy and Polly, and my daily practice of Yoga and Meditation.

I remember participating in a philosophy course many many years ago, and one of the very early homework tasks was to ‘see beauty’. With sheer delight, I could not believe how much beauty I could actually see when I put my mind to it. I had not actually considered that one could see beauty in so many things. It was a very joyful and uplifting experience, and this learning has stayed with me ever since, but I do have to continue the practice of ‘seeing beauty’.

So do consider developing this wonderful habit and allow joy to fill your life.

Wishing whoever reads this blog much joy!

Warmest and Namaste, Yolanda

Now that we are all back from the summer holidays (down-under), it’s a good time to think about your intentions for 2012.  Remember it’s important to say what you want, rather than repeating what you don’t want. Consider what’s not working for you or something you are not happy with. Then think of how you would like it to be… and picture this outcome in your mind and write it down. Keep it simple and easy and remember ‘less is more’, so don’t overwhelm yourself. Perhaps you wish you could get up ½ hr earlier, so you might need to go to bed ½ hr earlier to achieve this. Therefore the intention will be ‘I am in bed by 10pm and up at 6am Mon-Fri’.

One of the most positive changes you can make to your life is to bring some calm (relaxation/meditation) as this brings clarity. You might need to cut something out to make this special calm time for yourself… aim for 20 mins.

Exercise is essential to keeping healthy… so aim for 30 mins of exercise each day (or every 2^nd day) in some way, as this is wonderful for self-esteem and confidence. Make sure you can do the exercise outside if the weather is lovely or inside your own home if not, this way you will succeed with this intention.

Consider the incredible benefits of just eating smaller portions of food if you want to lose some weight. This is a wonderful intention and it’s much more successful than yo-yo dieting.

Even if you succeed at just one intention, this will then become a new habit!

Anyway, as I always say ‘just do your best’… and remember to appreciate and enjoy yourself.

Namaste, Yolanda

Let go and have a ball!

This is my little pooch Paddy… and he really does know how to do just that.

As 2011 comes to an end, it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the year that was.  So much would have happened… some good and some not so good.  If we have gathered upsets, disappointments or resentments along the way, this is a good time to ‘Just Let Go’ and dust off.

Start the New Year afresh with positive thoughts and attitudes which will serve you and strengthen your spirit.  If you can manage to take just 20 minutes each day and Meditate on the words ‘let go’, repeating them over and over (a mantra), this will do wonders for your Mind, Body and your Spirit.

The most important power you will ever have is your own Personal Power… self mastery.  This gives you the ability to muster courage, forgive and/or accept others, make good decisions, adapt to change, see things clearly… and generally feel good about yourself.

A simple daily practice of Yoga and Meditation is truly transformational.  Feeling strong and flexible and calmed will bring forth many benefits for a happy and healthier life.  Further, you can achieve this regardless of the weather or where-ever you may be.

Happy New Year!

Namaste, Yolanda