Nikki Shilling now in Nelson Bay
Nikki Shilling now in Nelson Bay
About my yoga journey
Welcome everybody, my name is Nikki Shilling and I thank you for visiting this page. For as long as I can remember I have been interested in health, nutrition and exercise. In my early 20s, this interest lead me more towards the gym with the occasional yoga dabble. However, during this time, perhaps without realising that these ailments were stress related, I suffered from a number of non-serious health issues such as irritable bowl (IBS), headaches, poor skin, insomnia (since I was a small child) and sometimes panic attacks and chronic pain.
In 1998 I chanced upon one of the world’s most influential yoga teachers, Simon Borg-Olivier. In spite of the fact that he suffers from a degenerative condition of the spine, Simon’s body moves as gracefully as a young Russian gymnasts. With qualifications grounded in genetic science and physiotherapy, Simon is a living, breathing example of “keeping it real” and of what can be achieved or transformed if you adhere to the yogic path. Totally inspired and dedicated, I completed my first yoga teacher training certificate in 2001 and began teaching in 2003. I love and feel absolutely passionate about yoga so it is with great pleasure that I upgrade my qualifications regularly and undertake constant professional development in the form of workshops and training.
These days, my anxiety-related ailments are a distant memory and I feel blessed to live happily in one of the most beautiful places in the world with my partner and two amazing boys. My yoga school is small but successful which enables me time to maintain my own practice and authenticity. This practice includes making sure the needs of my young family take absolute priority.
So what is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient holistic system that practised regularly calms the mind and helps rejuvenate the body. The sanskrit word “yoga” means “to yolk” or “one”, suggesting that the state of yoga (an adjective rather than a verb) exists when our body, mind and spirit become one with the universal consciousness.
what is vinyasa yoga?
Vinyasa yoga is essentially a moving meditation that involves linking movement in and out of postures with the breath. Just like dancing, skiing or surfing, yoga requires a level of focus rather than what we normally consider to be concentration. For example, a sense of being in the moment or the “zone”. If seasoned surfers, dancers and skiers allow themselves to be distracted by un-related thoughts while they are doing what they do, it just won’t happen!
why practise vinyasa yoga?
Many of us who need yoga find it challenging because we feel we must be running, jumping or exerting ourselves to the max before it could possibly be doing us any good. We are used to being busy and find it difficult to be still when we are under constant attack from an endless stream of thoughts and chatter with which we tend to identify. In fact, most of us have no idea how much better we could feel because we are so used to living this way! During a vinyasa yoga session, movement is generally constant and there is little time to allow the thoughts to take over. Of course, like anything worthwhile, vinyasa yoga requires a little bit of time and a level of commitment if we desire the benefits. It may take a few weeks or even months before a new practitioner realises that yoga asanas, unlike many other forms of physical exercise, do not need to be performed with a degree of grim determination or competitiveness, but rather, should be modified for each particular body and always practised with a level of softness and calm on the inside. A massage for both the internal and the external body, yoga is at once, invigorating and relaxing, leaving the practitioner feeling refreshed and soothed with a sense of renewed optimism and joy.
Yoga from beginners to advanced
Enageist location
Enageist yoga is now based in Port Stephens, close to Nelson Bay. I currently teach two casual classes each week as well three six-week vinyasa courses. The yoga room is located at Corlette Community Hall, Corlette, Port Stephens NSW.
Nikki
mobile: 0415 538 589
phone : (02) 4981 9908
email : nikki@enageist.com
PO Box 182, Anna Bay 2316
Port Stephens, NSW
click here for My Yoga classes in Port Stephens