In the 20th century, Indian yoga masters were first publicly gracing mass audiences and enticing followers in the West and a reawakening of ancient knowledge was unravelling.Since that passing of time to now, a vital gap exists in many understandings of yoga presently. Those practices and theories brought benefits but no guarantee of the complete liberation promised by these original messengers of the teachings. Perhaps because a language and cultural gap existed between the poetry of the sages and their lack of appreciation for the troubled people they would be extending their compassion and wisdom to.Simon travelled and studied with Iyengar, Desikachar & as well other such greats as mythical Himalayan masters, making India a second home after discovering yoga as a young biology student in the 1980s. He went on to cofound the Synergy yoga school in Australia. A research scientist before becoming a master yoga teacher, he also trained as a physiotherapist at the turn of the millennium.He has EVOLVED the yoga practices with those complimentary sciences over time, synthesising the essence of the teachings and bridging the gap between body and mind with a detailed and practical understanding of psychology and physiology. Otherwise, one might attend to loosing the essence of contemporary help with a fixation on tradition. What emerges is a effect based approach to yoga which is very different to conventional 20th century styles and their continuation into modern vinyasa in the main.Though not formally trained psychotherapeutically, his experience with tens (or hundreds) of thousands of students privately and in public settings worldwide allows Simon to share remarkable insights into how our emotional state and physical activities relate. Our conversation makes tangible, the oft-pseudo scientific claims made about subtle Indian energy systems.This conversation would be especially beneficial for yoga teachers & space holders who aspire for additional tools to add to their trauma informed belts, and to those who would like some expansive information about adapting practice for individual people with presented temperaments.Particularly, delving into neuromechanics in such contexts as the Polyvagal theory devised by Stephen Porges and Deb Dana, Simon starts us off with an overview of the nervous system which in its simplicity is also elegant. He points out important aspects, about how we can first approach. If you're familiar with these concepts already he demonstrates importance by drawing parallel the autonomic and somatic systems to the so-called conscious and subconscious mind.In this talk we cover some of the key concepts about how it comes to be that our perception shapes our reality. This conversation makes the intangible, practical and it is a true honour to share our conversation with you.https://simonborgolivier.comBreath with Georgie interview with Simon:https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=gplAkOcmdtABook – Layayoga – Goswamiblackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780892817665pilgrimsonlineshop.com/layayogayou can visit yogastef.com/podcast for more conversations of this kind and interviews with yoga teachers and enthusiasts helping to connect back to the essence of physical practice

Stefan Camilleri kindly shares his personal story of back pain, and his journey to healing through yoga and becoming a teacher. A chronic pain cycle led him to consider medical interventions such as burning nerves. Given his own father's wheelchair bound condition from failed spinal surgery, he chose another way and pursued the labyrinth of postural yoga as a route to healing. He now demonstrates a wise and responsible voice which guides prospective teachers in the synergy style and with a primary consideration of healthy and safe postural awareness.We touched on the origins of modern postural yoga from the perspective of our shared origins of teaching as "the only male teacher on the timetable".Our host briefly mentioned how appropriation happens in the yoga world. He claimed it as an entitlement as master's of the universe, in that statement was inferred all humans. This led us onto the questioning of Western culture's desire for intense exercise and the conclusions we're able to interpret.The benefits and drawbacks of Yin yoga.We get into Simon Borg-Oliver's evolutionary yoga journey and how this non-mainstream approach is often interpreted as so radical, it's not yet currently widely accepted.Disclaimer: Host Yogastef was asking about pulling the knees into lotus, not as a recommendation but expecting it would be picked up as a hazard in a response which in fact went in another direction. Clarification; Yogastef does not recommend going into lotus unless it can be done without the use of the hands.Stefan Camilleri and Yogastef discuss supplementing the Synergy practice with other exercise forms. And how intense exercise may be the 'Soma of the people', as we try to decrypt that balance between what is wanted and needed from a physical yoga practice.We talked about how we try to utilise NVC (non-violent communication) principles to convey a somewhat upstream effort to share the benefits of Synergy yoga's approach in light of the misconception many people have that yoga practice is a physical act. We learnt from each other in this conversation, such a great exchange. It was a special privilege to hear about the quality of Stefan's trainings which you can discover here https://lankayoga.lk/200hr-yoga-teacher-training-sri-lanka/

Malva shares her perspective of Synergy and Simon's teachings alongside and in the context of her wider yogic quest to find the bright lights and the refined teachers before they're gone.From a spiritual sense that continuously drew her to return to the sound of Aum chanting and the Iyengar invocation, to Shadow yoga and underground ancient Indian martial art, Kalaripayattu. Malva discussed the power of silence, discipline and stillness that draws her to the teachings of Shadow Yoga's originator, Sundernāth (aka Shandor Remete) discipline of Guru Sri Matsyendranath.She has a sense of seriousness and dedication in her yoga philosophy and challenges that for her, it's not about feeling good, but moving through the discomfort during self discovery.Though Synergy is not her primary choice to practice, she utilises the approach effectively in specific circumstances with choice students having completed Synergy teacher training.