While volunteering for a citizen’s committee on suicide prevention recently, I met one of the very few yoga instructors in Fiji, Ilana Burness. She expressed an interest in being interviewed on Mornings with Marilyn, so I said, of course, and here we are, highlighting her yoga journey and what she brings to her students. Let’s hear from Ilana, and be sure to watch the live interview as well – Part I and Part II.
Marilyn: Ilana – tell us how you got into yoga, and what are its benefits.
Ilana: I started doing meditation (dhyana) about fifteen years ago, which is one part of Yoga. Through brahma Kumaris Raj Yoga seven day course, I found out about them through hatha yoga class with Dhan Gauri Patel. I got into yoga and meditation purely out of interest to calm my monkey mind, as at the time I was stressed through studies at university.
The benefits of yoga are many. Yoga:
- Improves flexibility
- Builds muscle strength
- Improves posture
- Protects your spine
- Betters your bone health
- Helps you sleep deeper
I attended a two hundred hour teacher training run by Mark Whitwell and Urban Family (an American NGO focused on peace-centered activities around the globe) in September 2017. Mark my teacher learnt hatha yoga from living with the “Father of Modern Day Yoga”, Sri Tirumalai Krishnamarchya and his son, T.K.V. Desikachar for over 20 years. Mark also spent time with the famous Indian philosopher, J. Krishnamurti who helped him to adapt his yoga teaching for everyone.
It was not until January this year, that I started teaching and had only one student. I teach hatha yoga, focusing on asana (poses), pranayama (focused breathing) and meditation (dhyana).
I follow five principles:
- The body movement is the breath movement. During yoga postures, the movement of body is consciously linked to the movement of the breath and felt to be the same movement.
- Breath begins and ends the movement – Breath starts slightly before and finishes slightly after the movement. The breath initiates (begins) the body movement.
- Inhalation is feminine, exhalation is masculine–Basically inhale is from above and exhale from below.
- When teaching yoga, I teach simple breath with movement and these body movements enable students to then connect with their breath naturally. Breath is the key to yoga.
- Asana allows for pranayama, and pranayama allows for meditation. Meditation arises as a gift and cannot be forcefully practiced.
Yoga sequence starts with postures, then leads to regulated breathing techniques, followed by meditation. Meditation is not on its own, but happens naturally after postures and pranayama.
Based on what students have shared, the benefits include they sleep deeper, and a few with joint issues have had improvements and posture has improved.
Marilyn: What is the demand like for yoga in Fiji? How many yoga teachers are here?
Well fifteen years ago, there would have been three yoga teachers. Now I think there’s over five. Demand is slightly higher than before but Fijians are still more interested to do high intensity work outs like go to the gym, zumba or aerobics. Fiji’s health and fitness culture has stemmed from aerobics and attending aerobic classes at the local gyms, based on my own experience. For example, I use to attend aerobics as a teenager at USP gym, it was popular then. At present, zumba and other fitness regimes like body pump or boxfit are now popular. I think that Fijians love these fitness regimes as they want instant/fast results, i.e. to lose weight and have a nutrition plan, of which some fitness instructors offer, to provide clients with a meal plan. I have also had a few students ask me if yoga will help them lose weight. I think that yoga in itself is a holistic practice which if done regularly, can make you lose weight, so weight loss is an effect of yoga. Again, i’m not advocating yoga over zumba…yoga really is a lifestyle and spiritual discipline that when practiced regularly leads to a holistic lifestyle change including losing weight.
How can local folks find you and how much do you charge?
I have classes at Suva Physio centre usually on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5.30-6.45pm. I charge $15 per session. They can contact me though my Facebook page,
Ilana’s Heart Yoga.
Do you provide any other services – currently or in the works?
Yes, I am planning a yoga and stress-reduction retreat. Watch my Facebook page for updates.
What are you looking for – how can the Mornings with Marilyn community help?
I would love to partner with like minded people, for example, at present I’m looking for an experienced facilitator to work with on a retreat I’d like to organize, focusing on stress management through lifestyle change like yoga and meditation.
I see your program as a great communication tool for my small business…to get the word out about yoga and its benefits to Fijians. Plus to provide myself with a voice, as I find that using social media is not enough as a marketing tool.
You mentioned to me earlier that you’re aiming to go vegan. Tell us what motivated that decision and what benefits you anticipate.
Well, yes it’s long term. At present, I do eat fish and eggs. My mum was diagnosed with stage 4 Lung Cancer in February this year. The doctors gave her three months to live and pushed her to do chemo, which she’s not doing due to its toxicity to the body. Since then, Ive adjusted my diet leaving chicken and processed sugar, and I’ve lost eight kgs. So going vegan would be out of my concern about lifestyle disease such as cancer. Note, my grand aunt from mums side also had cancer, throat cancer but she never smoked.
The benefits of going vegan would include: feeling healthier inside and out, taking animal rights and environmental awareness to a whole new level, being a role model for those who are aiming to go vegan and being vegan really ties in with my vocation as a yoga teacher.
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Ilana’s experiences show us what is possible through yoga and dietary changes – her presence is serene and she is experiencing weight loss as she pursues a vegan diet.
Contact her for more about her yoga offerings.
What are your experiences with yoga and dietary change, or are you yet to begin? The holidays can be challenging –
contact me if you’re ready to experience and sustain a positive transformation in your wellbeing.
Ilana came to yoga through meditation, and was motivated to pursue a vegan diet to avoid cancer and improve her overall wellness.
