yoga , Yoga in Daily Life, Gertrude st yoga

I like to practise yoga as a student for my own self education. I have known Yoga in Daily life since I graduated in India and my teachers and academy were affliated with them in Australia. Although I still try to frequent Yoga in Daily life, it has become more difficult since they dont have permeanent premises anymore. I did do a workshop that was a fund raiser for a community program recently. Gita's sessions are worthwhile as the program is well balanced with asanas and counterpostures. All are attainable and geared to participants. I always learn a new variation for my teaching practice. Gertrude yoga favours yoga flow with traditional asanas flowing into modern variations. Yin yoga, the holding of postures has improved my shoulder mobility as for other parts. I have done several inversion workshops with Gertrude. They had inversion sessions during this recent month of my practise I also attended Satsang for a bit of philosophy but Im not so compassionate and prefer empowerment, where people take control of their lives rather than my help, sympathy and pity. Iam more inclined towards empathy, understanding the condition and pain.

Guests

Did a couple months with Guests in Thornbury which was excellent. I adapted easily, as the locks are very familiar from Aikido. Great training, revived my sense of warrior, restablished my rolling skills. The techniques are more for martial arts than self defence. Yet confidence in your ability is always the winner.

 Beach Retreat .......Gippsland  Dec 4-11..........2025

5-7 people at accommodation..........House..... 5 min from beach, Nature park at back

Locals may join activity

Limited places.......

register interest with

magicmovements2001@yahoo.com

ph  0448524408

Come and enjoy morning yoga and evening self defence.

Enjoy beach activity other times such as snorkelling, swimming ect 
Pricing can be fully catered with 3 meals or by days and contribution.
Family room, couple or single room or bunks in Bungalow available.

There is a Vline bus so easily accessible from Sth cross station
Please register interest and days to secure your place and receive price list.

pricing contact magicmovements2001@yahoo.com
Discount available with contribution such as helping with meals, laundry, cleaning, layout design.
Children are welcome 

You can choose 1 to 7 days.  Pricing is accordingly.

Programs

Self defense for women, seniors, children

yoga for all levels

Other programs which can be scheduled

Sticks....long staff....broom stick for house safety

Dance with martial arts movement......fun 

You will need to bring own yoga mat, stick and perhaps other equipment decided at booking

Studio temporarily closed

 2024 

The studio in Melbourne was closed as the director travelled overseas and engaged in Wing Chun, Aikido and Judo in Europe. The latter of 2024-25 minor renovations were undertaken and will soon open again with an admin worker.

Magic Movements will endeavour to progress martial arts movement in the performance arts and establish a local martial arts club network interested in this mission.

The studio is now open again and students are attending the practise (June 2026)

 Have been OS and did a little training, just to convince myself, I can still do it.Some wing chun in England, Jodo...An effort trying to keep up with the professionals. Judo in Malta. Aikiki Aikido,that was wonderful, not having trained that style many years. Rolling is always a treat for me.

 Yoga has kept me sane all these years and through-out covid. It continues to sustain my immune system to combat covid and its mutations. 

yoga pushes/carries the life source...energy(prana) to give the body life, vitality, flexibility, strength, structure, composure....the ability to be and do...relief from stress. Prana is transported to areas of the physical body not reached by normal movement.

Yoga works on other level of self, mental, emotional, spiritual. Self awareness and mindfulness has been included in psychology as a well-being strategy. It has originated from yoga which is written in the ancient Sanscript language of India.

Asana is the postures which begin to release the body from tension and stress and directs prana to certain areas and organs of the body.

Pranayama, the breathwork, focuses on the breath which is the first element and quintessential to physical life. It is the most substantial way that prana( vital life force) enters the body

Yoga Nidra is relaxation techniques. We all need to learn how to let go and give our body permission to relax; complete stillness is a key.

meditation takes us to higher levels of awareness and spirituality reaching a peaceful bliss....freedom from everyday thought and worries. If you can find complete nothingness for even an instance, it will rejuvenate you.

 http://magicmovements.blogspot.com/     buttons and labels for background to yoga and my initial course. Many other workshops have been completed over the years but these blogs were, more so, used to document martial arts training. 

Most recently (July2022) I did a worshop on Bandhas(locks) with Yoga in daily life...swamaji Gopal. There are many benefits from these locks, when released bandhas blast prana internally directed to certain areas, organs and tissues of the body.

I find,the hand and foot bandha relieve the pressure on the wrist and ankles during yoga practice                    

 Have been doing Ninjitsu with a young sensei who's understanding of the Japanese terminology is well developed. To his credit to make such an effort with language as it really is essential to a better understanding of the technique. It is a combination of Judo and Aikido and varies from other Ninjitsu that I have engaged with. very limited experience. Will be doing a few different styles for a while as I have an idea about performance(theatrics)

 Two years of lock-down and thought I should retire. But no I'm thinking of growth so that it employs 1, if not 2 people. So started training to see if I still had it.

 My website has been removed so will take the opportunity to update soon...It's on the list

Wonderful to be out of lockdown and started to engage in Krav Maga (no art, all street combat) and a spot of shudokan Aikido. Aikido training programs are very different in the sense of beginning techniques but the advanced all come to the same techniques with slight variations. Perhaps the founders of schools have put their preferred methods of execution/delivery as they experienced the combat training.

More importantly did a project with dance ..choreographing martial arts movement, difficult because of the level of experience of the participants.....They cottoned on very well but weren't really interested in it as dancing the tarantella and theatre sports......understandable, they didn't really come into it for the martial arts...yet it was a beginning to break into that field

5-5-2020
Were all in covid19 locked out of our activities...training being one of my most valued.
February I was very appreciative to Wing Chun Bing Fa Kung Fu Academy for allowing me a month of training to see if I was upto it, having aged somewhat and injury  since I was a Wing Chun student. It has been many years since I trained William Cheong style Wing Chun. The repetitive drills instill a standard defence finishing with a direct bombardment of continuous blows. Still there is always value in learning different strikes (sao) and strategic applications. Wing Chun has a name for every form of the hand and how it can strike. I found that standing thru-out entire sessions a little difficult for my back. Perhaps there will be another time if they allow a sporadic student.I still hold wing chun concepts very central to my strategies.
never fight force with force, centreline...watching the elbow needs much more work from me.

I attended one session back at Aikido before we were all home grounded for our own health and more so that of others.

Really looked for a new club for judo last year but maybe I'll have to die my hair for youth. Not such a good idea as I dont need any more injuries from that sport. Perhaps I could assist with children.

In my isolation, I'm maintaining my yoga practices to develop asana progressions from simpler posture to more challenging versions. Half heartedly doing the arm balances as well

Forgot folks, always forget to enter my yoga training, teaching. So because of the knee and foot injury, I've decided to start working on my hands. Very foreign for me who has been very balanced on my feet. I under took a series of arm balance sessions. My biggest obstacle is desiring to work on my hands rather than feet. I'm working on it, occasionally!

 I started training with a new aikido club, perhaps March-July. Very apprehensive about eye moreso than knee and foot but by July I felt like an aikidoka again; confident that the rolling wouldn't affect the lens in the eye. A youthful club and somewhat objectionable to be regarded a junior, never the less it is advantageous to go back to basics especially with the training variations and my deductions of the differences. A lesson in humility is worth regarding. I hope I get better at it. Tis difficult to crawl when you can prance; pretend ignorance when you've been training these arts as long as I have. I appreciate that only the wise will learn from me whilst engaging in the orchestrated combat.

Back to Judo and I'm avoiding lifting people. I feel comfortable in the basic throws and trips. Have to gain language again. Pokes in the eye are a hazzard, yet I've done that myself in niwaza randori. Very cautious of the injuries until I get confident again and I hope someone reminds me of my limits; as I tend to add another injury, Aging is another precaution, I should admit to myself.

Neglect of post is conscious bearing
So it is Aug 2018
managing to train Judo and yoga but knee feels worst for wear unless I strap it and that prevents certain movement. Judo is very casual but off balancing is of interest and many techniques I could still learn to keep me active. Finding my own ways thru the combat is a challenge.
MM has a new program which introduces dance to the schedule
Just to remind u all, I'm still doing it all

The end of 2017and still have not posted.
I managed a month of Systema and back to Judo saturday mornings.
Great to be training again but very wary of the knee. Will do some Aikido next year but will certainly miss Aikikai as it is my preferred style. Rolling backwards and forward as an escape is an artistic skill. Once , when heavy armour was worn, it was probably the only way warriors, Oopps Samurais, managed to get back up after they were knocked down.

Managing to teach Magic Movements again but will venture into different programs and activity in the new year.......perhaps a little alternative

Already Oct 2016
Had a very eventful year in martial arts

Back into Judo,

 still find the challenges in technique, movement and off balance. I wonder why I like the armbars and strangles when I really wont be teaching or using them. Well, it is still part of knowledge and understanding which converts to developing my practice.

 

Russian Systema 

managed a month August. I'm sure I had a hairline fracture in the upper rib due to not wearing a push punch, letting it penetrate. I guess I wasn't expecting the intensity. Having a fight with two monsters ie the lemon tree and kiwi vine didn't help the healing but all is well now and the monsters flourishing. Was also great to refresh tactics like face smears

 

Went to Aikido summer school in Tassie and did Tenchi farm, We still did all the training eventhough evacuated because of bushfires. At summer school I did the last 2 days with the Japanese guests...very detailed lectures, I would have liked more practice. I

spent the next 4 months at different dojos from my regular....good experience but difficulty with distance and time.

June 2015- Jan 2016

So both Systema (1mth) and Judo (5months) season passed last year and I haven’t written a word.

My annual month of Systema was great training; applying the wave to dissipate and project energy into force. Having to receive strikes that penetrate is tough but a welcomed experience. Also the warm-ups…. tensing, release and breath control have much significance for me.

I always feel perhaps Judo is not relevant to me at my age and don t compete but it’s challenge and the myriad of throwing, tripping, sweeping techniques still makes it interesting. This year, I was thown off the deep end having to skip a grade and so perform more techniques. Also learning the names of techniques in grading is a worthwhile task as names hold keys, if you understand their meaning. I guess the skipping of a grade was due to my years of experience with the club. I can’t walk on my hands but I can certainly strangle or arm bar an opponent. As for the handstands, I may get the incentive to take on the challenge. Being a Capricorn I prefer my legs grounded to balance.

It is Aikikai season and a very difficult year it is going to be. I have to change dojos because I dont feel appreciated or welcome. This means my routines will change and travel time and cost will increase, an unwanted necessity…. Another impediment to continue grading. Since Oct I have undergone much stress due to allegations.

I nearly didn’t go to summer school in Tassie but I had already made plans with a couple of friends.

I attended 2 days of summer school with the Japanese Shihan Kuboto. The seminars were listening intensive rather than practical, there was a little practice. Hearing the difference in interpretation of Aikido was worthwhile,  focus on the details of the basic stance, ( hamoni) and laughter is the best medicine. DO I NEED A LAUGH! Tenchi farm training was also great with Shihan Tony Smibert, The Belguim Shihan, Lui, and the other senior teachers. Executing variations is daring to find the samurai, even if Iam a Ninja!

Jan-June 2015

Unbelievable, survived another season of Aikikai. Each year I feel that I cant stomach to go back but I've been with this club so long. Maybe that's not a good reason to continue attending a venue which is a purga! I did enjoy another venue I attended but it is too inconvenient with time and traffic. unfortunate!
Never the less, I did a grading, more so to self check my techniques and make a conscious effort to bring features to awareness. My joy is just to engage in the combat, politely sequenced at the dojo.
There is an Aikido near me but they don't forward roll. I do have a preference for Aikikai because it allows capturing energy flows and movement without stagnating the movement with step by step instruction. Anyway below a poem that came out of the experience. I guess I get pissed off when people like to explain aspects I learnt 10 or more years ago.

Helpful people

helpful people like to rule the roost

quick to identify imperfections
to cook the goose
chard and flavoured with their pride
bewilder you aboard a magic carpet ride
where ego dwells to haunt the cove
disguising honour with goodwill

 accept their help

for they know better
their advice is what matters
they don’t wait to be asked                                 
pray for feebleness
prance to mark
lance authority from the shining knight
compromising your intelligence to their inferiority

 

a shoulder of comfort to support the cripple
but really they’d like to suck your nipple
strip you naked
so they can educate ur ignorance
respect their piety
accept their pity

so put your ego aside

and fuel their pride
helpful people dont need to be asked
they offer goodwill
ram goodness with god's lightening charge


Systema time












 

July - Dec Judo session 2014

The latter part of 2014 was dedicated to Judo. Chris was only there for the my first 2 weeks. He has started a club of his own. All the faces were new at Western Judo as I had missed 2013.
I fear randori as my knee dislocates from a previous injury there. When it does, no matter how slightly, I can feel the injury for a few weeks...probably soft tissue bruising.
We have a champion instructor again. I enjoy the difference in training from previous instructors as each has a favoured technique to extends my knowledge and precision. Females are few and far between but at least there was one other. I was awarded another yellow belt. This is my second at this club. Status and respect is so dependent on belts at most martial arts;years of experience don't seem to matter too much.


Decided to do a week of Vin tsun, which I would formally call Wing Chun. Some introductory classes to re-awaken awareness of the concepts. Elbows in and forward intention in readiness for the opportune time to strike, seems to be the focus of the week. Elbows-in is also important in conserving force for a direct linear strike rather than loosing power with round about strikes which need shoulder power. Elbows-in allows hip power to generate the strike. Also you can control a person by directing their elbows as done in Aikido

Next week I begin Aikikai but have decided to change the class I will regularly attend.
 

Another season of Aikikai ends in disappointment

July 2014

Finished my annual Aikido season(6 months) in June, disappointed in myself and the club. I was hoping to do another grading but was messed around with the recommendation. I had discussed the recommendation at the start of my season (Jan) and I thought it was approved.  Unfortunately he wasn’t present to sign my papers the week before grading and didn’t turn up to the grading. Having to run around to find someone to sign on the day was quite embarrassing. I felt a discrimination and treated with no regard. I had not organised anyone else. Considering I arrange my timetable to attend his class weekly, I would expect some respect as an adult and having trained with this club for over 15yrs, known them 25 yrs. Respect due  would be to discuss the matter. I wont be attending his classes again. I train regularly, at least twice a week for double classes. For the last month before the grading, I trained up to 4 times a week, double classes.

Aikikai has a weird way of grading people. You have to put yourself forward and request to grade. No-one encourages you and most feedback is derogatory rather than beneficial. I wonder if that’s the way of the warrior, being a masculine domain. I consider myself quite proficient at this martial art. Often when I train with people I feel they perform the orchestrated movements but have no control over their uke (opponent). Admittedly, to perform Aikido, there needs to be a degree of co-operation.  It is not a self defence or for street fighting. It is truly an art form derived from the battle field of samurais with swords. I guess that’s what I love about it; capturing people’s energy and disposing of them. I look for the martial, control and combat in the techniques. I feel in control.

Went to Mount Hotham weapons training in April 2014

A poem for  the Hotham sunrise training

And so once again upon mountain summit

the warriors swing swords and strike sticks

 in orchestrated combat for glory of the samurai

slicing thru the clouds along forsaken ground

ascending, descending over clumps of grass, furrows

perhaps stepping over burrows

 in chase of their uke

who’s at their swords mercy

They brave the cold and dark ending night

trampling through the breath of a  blowing wind

 to roost in silent meditation

hoping for a glimpse at the sungod’s wake of day

But the fog smothers the dawn peek into a bed of smoke

upon a sheltered slope we engage in pretend battle

aikidoka dont bear their chest this year

rather shed the coldbite

sipping delightful red wine

reminince in the cosy shelley

Russian Systema

May 2013 I was in Siberia and trained Russian Systema.
This is a report that I wrote for the club

Russian Sistema

I have been very fortunate to train with Dimtri's Skogorev’s club

Training Systema in it's country of origin was of great value to my understanding of this combat system.

Background information on it's origin and lineage provided a history of the contemporary practices and masters

Tthe concept of the wave to generate energy and power has advanced  further an understanding, particularly of;

 1/ throwing strikes with the wave produced from the hips through the body core to the limbs (arms and legs) in fast and effective strike response.

2/ keeping limbs relaxed so they could be whipped out by the wave

3/allowing energy to be absorbed by the body and transferring it to attack

 focus of  training in Novosibirsk

∞musclular development and core strength was central to the fitness component of training

∞rolling and moving along the ground

∞responding to knife attacks and disarmament of opponent

∞defending attacks by a series of offensive movements

Awareness of improving certain skills

Training on a wooden floor brought  to mind .the importance of control in rolling rather than leaping into a roll and banging onto the floor . Bruising indicated where the floor was hit too hard

Continuous movement of lower arm from the elbow can generate strikes from many directions.

Covering of the opponents fist with your hand  gives an advantage to return a strike.

 The students at Novosibirsk were Inclusive and allowed training to your capacity. I received many gifts which made me feel appreciated and welcomed.

Accept my gratitude for allowing my participation.

Anita