I’ve been teaching a drop-in class at a local yoga studio for the better part of a year now. It’s not a big commitment on paper—one class, once a week—but something profound has begun to unfold. A handful of students have shown up semi-regularly, two or three times a month, which means I’ve been able …
Yoga and Politics: What Responsibilities Do Yogis Have in Shaping Society?
Two things constantly call to my heart—yoga and shaping society—what you might call politics or political engagement. So let’s talk about yoga and politics, but first a snapshot of my interest in politics. My political journey began early—I was elected student rep on the Board of Trustees in high school. At university, I initially aimed …
Trust your Desire • How I Ditched My Safety Net & Invested $4K in My Yoga Journey
I ditched WINZ, flew to Bali for a YTT & bet $4K I didn’t have on my future because I knew to trust my desire. Let me tell you a story. It’s mid-2014. I’d been a single parent for just over three years, on the Sole Parent Benefit while building my business to support my …
New Zealand’s Best Transformational Festivals
Transformational Festivals – What are they? My definition is that the purpose of the festival is not just to entertain, or party, but also to have a transformative effect on participants. If there are workshops like yoga, meditation, personal development, growth-orientated, green-focused, breathwork or education-focused, then it’s likely a transformational festival. If the organisers share …
The Golden Ticket Game & The Gift Economy
I’m playing a new game for fun, and it involves golden tickets and the gift economy. Here’s how it works. There are five Golden Tickets, each with a unique serial number. Anyone who is in possession of a Golden Ticket can book a session with me in return for dāna. Every time a Golden Ticket …
Reflections on Operating Within the Gift Economy via Dāna
Oh dāna, that virtue referred to within Buddhism and Tantra teachings where we practice opening ourselves up to freely give with generosity and to therefore receive the benefits that accrue from this experience. I’ve deliberately been leaning into operating from dāna for a number of years now, as part of using a mixed model for …
