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november/december 2017yogajournal.com.auOf course, you can fi nd more yoga outside the studios and
dedicated businesses, although it’s beautiful to practice
in a focused space. Even Darwin gyms are starting to see
the importance of practices supporting mind and soul as
well as body, with many including yoga or meditation
classes amidst their group fi tness classes. Teaching at the
Gym@CDU and Fernwood Fitness, it’s wonderful to see
people connecting with yoga in addition to their exercise
programmes.
If you’re a yogi moving to town, a visitor looking to
continue your practice, or a local looking to start or get
back into yoga, I promise there is a class with a teacher
and style that will suit you. If you’re looking to immerse
yourself, Agoy Yoga, Darwin Yoga Space and Darwin
Yoga and Meditation all run workshops and retreats
throughout the year, giving you an opportunity to
spend even more time with your chosen practice.
I look forward to seeing you on the mat sometime!DARWIN YOGA SPACE
My fi rst ever yoga classes were at Darwin Yoga Space in Coconut Grove,
where I learned to do yoga the Iyengar way. I can still remember Carole,
the owner, walking around the room fi ne-tuning our alignment in her
precise, warm manner. Nearly 12 years later, I take a class with the lovely
Dominique who guides us through a strong warm-up, followed by some
deep backbends. My uncooperative back normally wouldn’t enjoy backbends,
but with the assistance of a variety of props, I fi nd myself sinking back into
Ustrasana with ease, and lifting lightly up to Urdhva Dhanurasana, instead
of my usual struggle. It’s a beautiful space — somehow cool despite being
open to the outdoors, with a beautiful garden just outside. It’s at the end of
the class that I realise that there’s no music playing, just the sounds of the fountain from the open door. As we move
into Sirsasana, I appreciate that Dominique comes to check on me. She helps me set up with props for supported
Shoulderstand, and I make a mental note to use more in my own practice — my neck feels fantastic. Darwin Yoga
Space is Darwin’s oldest studio, and it’s easy to see why it’s been such a success. And if you were wondering, Carole
is still teaching. I was too nervous to try her Level 3 class after such a long break from my Iyengar practice, but I plan
to go back!
If you go to a morning class at Darwin Yoga Space, afterwards you might head around the corner for brunch at
Eat at Martin’s, another Darwin mainstay where you can fi nd delicious vegetarian and vegan food to feed that
post-yoga hunger.
DARWIN YOGA
AND MEDITATION
At the start of kirtan, Ben from Darwin Yoga and
Meditation tells us that meditation doesn’t have to
be hard — that chanting is a simple and joyful
meditation practice in itself. As I join my voice
with those around, I think he might be right.
Since I fi rst tried kirtan, I have always found it a
beautiful, peaceful practice. Tonight we are led by
Ben on guitar and his wife Kalindi on harmonium
through a series of devotional mantras. I feel my
heart lighten and an old emotional wound heal
a little further. Our group is a diverse one of
different ethnicities, genders and ages, but we
are united in bhakti. We break from kirtan for
curry, prepared by our wonderful hosts Kings
Wholefood Artisans — Palmerston’s fi rst solely vegetarian/vegan café! There’s nothing better in my opinion than
feeding the body as well as the soul. Ben and Kalindi make sure to check in with all their bhakti yogis, and connect
with everyone as we eat. I defi nitely feel part of the community, even though it’s been a while since I’ve joined them.
DYM have transformed Darwin’s yoga community for the better, from hosting regular kirtans, teaching affordable
community classes and organising Darwin’s Yoga Day Festival. They are beautiful, humble souls who humbly desire
to share the practice that they love with everyone.Emily is a yoga teacher from Darwin
who lives by the philosophy that yoga is
fun, and everyone can do it. When she’s
not teaching vinyasa, hatha, aerial, acro,
seniors, teens, or aqua yoga you can find
her playing computer games and hanging
with her cats.