Thought Of The Day
“No temporary failure, however disgraceful or humiliating, should ever be used as an excuse for giving up the struggle”
source: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
Pictures gallery

Marlene’s Writing & Qualifications

 

Marlene has taught and studied Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga for over twenty years, having received her certification from the Irish Yoga Association, and has supplemented her training through courses and workshops in Mysore, Hydrabad and Pondycherry in India.

Marlene was awarded an IYA diploma from the Irish Yoga Association (IYA) in 1990.

Marlene was appointed Tutor on the IYA Teacher Training Course in 1992 and tutored on five of the Associations teacher training courses. 

To date, Marlene has represented the IYA three times at the European Yoga Congress in Zinal.

She holds a Junior Iyengar Certificate and also studied with Jenny Beeken, Donna Holleman and Patabi Jois. Marlene facilitates her own yoga study programmes at Slí na Bandé. This programme has run continuously since 2000.

Marlene holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from DBS and a MSc in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from UCD.

 

Yoga Writing by Marlene

On the 13 and 14 of October 2018, in the Royal Hotel in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, the spiritual teachers Sraddhalu Ranade & Swami Nityamuktananda Saraswati gave a talk addressing the urgent problematic issues of the modern world titled YOGA FOR A WORLD IN TRANSITION.

Using this talk, I have attempted to structure and investigate some of the issues raised.

 

 

Hatha/Raja Yoga

It is difficult to describe what type of yoga Marlene teaches at Slí na Bandé. The straightforward answer is Hatha Yoga. This answer, however, is for most people as obscure as it is vague. Instructors usually define their style of yoga in relationship to the master or school that influences their teaching.

yogaroom

Yoga Room

Hatha is the school of yoga comprised by five main practices; asanas (postures/poses), pranayama (breathing techniques), kryas (cleansing practices), mudras (gestures for energy direction) and bandas (locks). The focus of Hatha yoga is to use the body as its tool in order to reap the benefits of each of these practices. Using the principles of Hatha as her foundation, and also drawing upon several philosophical schools in which yoga has been practiced throughout the centuries, Marlene has developed a highly individualized, interactive style of instruction.

In yoga theory or philosophical understanding and practice are inseparable. The philosophical understanding of the practitioner unavoidably informs the practice. A yoga practice thus far extends the time on the mat. In the Bhagavad Gita there is a verse that says ‘Yoga karmasu kausalam.’, meaning ‘Yoga is skill in action’. This for me is the essence of Yoga. A yoga practice is an expression of an understanding of life and therefore permeates all action. Yoga is action, skilful action. No action escapes Yoga. Yoga is evidenced in our political stance and our implication in all of life.
.