Christine Poole Yoga

17/07/2026

Yoga Classes start again 20 July
All welcome look forward to seeing you

10/07/2026

NEW TO YOGA?? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.Here is a little guide through everything you need to know so you can start your yoga journey on the right foot.Yoga is a vast practice and with so many different styles it can be daunting to know where to begin. Like any movement based modality these days there are lots of options available, each with different intentions, boasting different benefits and suited to different abilities. I know what it is like to be in an unfamiliar space, with new faces and feel like there is a whole new language to learn. Often our insecurities and fear of the unknown create obstacles that prevent us from experiencing something different. So I want you to feel as comfortable as possible so you feel like you're part of the family.

What happens when you book into a class?? First the class can be adapted for your specific needs. This means I can accommodate your experience, injuries and desires for challenges. In this way a class can be created just for you with just enough repetition to keep you progressing and just enough variety to keep your practice fresh. The mats are generally laid out and the props also, this means you can turn up and relax, settle on the mat without any stress. Please feel free to bring your own mat if you prefer.
A unique distinction between yoga and any other forms of exercise like Pilates Crossfit or Gym Classes, is that it provides you with a feeling of unity between body, mind and breath. Each class has a specific theme and invites you to tune into your thoughts and feelings and learn more about yourself. From Mudra, to mantra, to movement, everything has a deeper meaning that contributes to a magical experience. My focus is that you as a student get what you need. I am always available to answer questions, concerns or to get feedback

My first question for a new student is: What are you looking for from a yoga practice?
Maybe you are looking for rest, relaxation and meditation? Maybe looking for strength, mobility and flow? Maybe you aren't sure what you are looking for but want to get your breathing sorted or be able to put your socks on? The classes progress each week through human developmental patterns.

What is a yin class?
This style of yoga is intended to release the connective tissues of the body as well as create nourishment and space in our joints.The focus is on rest, relaxation and release of tension.Poses are held for longer to create a deep stretch. It is a stillness based practice where postures are held, fully supported by props.Yin yoga has strong roots in Eastern philosophy. We utilize knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine to stimulate the flow of chi through the 12 energy meridians. This class allows you to slow down and focus on being more mindful of your body, your thoughts and your breath.You leave feeling like you have had a full body massage. Your batteries have been completely recharged.

What is Vinyasa Flow yoga?
This style of yoga is intended to strengthen and mobilise the muscle tissues of the body as well as create a sense of focus and balance. Explore a more active practice that builds strength, mobility and heat. Move through a series of postures held for a shorter time, to create a flow that moves with your breath. The term Vinyasa means to place in a special way-so generally these classes will focus on a specific area of the body or work toward a “peak” pose. This style is more dynamic and depending on your level you can expect heat and even sometimes a little sweat.

I’m not sure what I am looking for…..
Become a yoga tourist. Pop along and try out a class. Meet me, and then decide for yourself if yoga suits you. Maybe you will feel very different on the inside.
How many times a week should I aim to practice?
I always say something is better than nothing. Some practice once a week, others come when they have time. It doesn’t really matter, whether you are a dedicated practitioner or a weekend warrior, you will feel the benefit from a yoga practice. The key with anything is regularity. Progress is always noted when we are consistent. If you have injuries or limitations that might aff ect your ability to join the class I can help and adapt the class for your specific needs. Most injuries can be comfortably accommodated.
What do I need to bring with me to my first class?
Just yourself and a water bottle. You may wish to bring your own mat but I do have them. Any props and equipment needed for the class I supply. If you can arrive 5-10mins before your first class so I can catch up on any injuries you may have and answer any of your questions.I would absolutely love to help you start on your yoga journey if you are feeling ready to give a class a try.Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have on the following links
Phone: 0211896113
Facebook: christinepooleyogaEmail: [email protected]
Namaste Christine

06/06/2026

ITS NOT JUST ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS
Why Muscle Loss Sabotages Your Health After 50

Most of us know that it’s important to build and retain muscle strength to keep our bones strong and prevent osteoporosis.
And yes, that matters. A lot
But here's what almost nobody talks about; your muscles are quietly running one of the most important jobs in your entire body - processing blood sugar.
After you eat a meal, your muscles are responsible for absorbing about 80% of the sugar from your bloodstream. Think of them as your body’s biggest ‘“sugar sponge.”
The more muscle we have, the more efficiently your body handles blood sugar. The less muscle we have - well,that sugar has nowhere to go.
And that’s where the trouble starts.

Here’s Why That It Is Vital for Your Long -Term Health
After age 50, most of us lose about 1% of our muscle mass per year - and muscle ‘strength’ drops even faster, at 2.5% to 4% per year.

That doesn’t just make you weaker. It means your body is losing it’s primary tool for keeping blood sugar in check.
And it gets worse. As muscle shrinks, it also produces fewer chemical messengers called myokines - tiny signals that help regulate your metabolism, reduce inflammation, and burn fat. Less muscle = fewer of these protective signals circulating through your body.
This is one of the hidden drivers of metabolic syndrome - a fancy name for a long list of changes that slowly undermine our health as we get older .

The One Factor That Increases Your Risk of Chronic Diseases
Metabolic syndrome is not a disease ..It is a preclinical condition that dramatically increases the risk for all major categories of chronic diseases: Diabetes, heart disease and stroke, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia, and cancer.
These chronic diseases affect some 75% of the population as we get older. And they are the leading causes of death.
So yes, it’s a whopper

Most People Don’t Know they Have It
Metobolic syndrome is not a rare, obscure medical issue. Most people don’t even know that they have it! But it is extremely common. After 60, more than 56% of adults meet the criteria.

But its Not All Bad News!!. Here’s The Good News.
The chronic diseases linked to metabolic syndrome are decades in the making. So, if you can start early enough, there are many things you can do to enhance your metabolic health and change your long term age trajectory.Yoga can be one of the most powerful ways to enhance our long term metabolic health.Yoga improves metabolic health by enhancing digestion, stimulating endocrine glands, reducing stress and building muscle through active poses.

Effective asanas include.

~Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutes) Which raises heart rate, improves circulation and aids digestion.
~Navasana (Boat Pose) Tones the abdominal muscles and strengthens the core, helping to stimulate digestive organs.
~Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) Opens the chest and stimulates digestive and abdominal organs.
~Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) Stimulates the adrenal glands, boosting energy levels.
~Setu Bandasana (Bridge Pose0 Energizes the thyroid gland , which regulates metabolism
~Ardha Matseyendrasana (sitting Half Twist) Massages abdominal organ , supporting digestion and detoxification
~Uktasana (Chair Pose) Engages major muscles in the legs and core, increasing metabolic activity.
~Plank Pose (full and Side) Build total body strength and increase internal heat
~Viparita Karani (legs up the wall) A restorative pose that helps calm the nervous system, reducing stress-related metabolic issues.
How Yoga restores Metabolism
Stimulating Endocrine Organs: Backbends and inversions boost thyroid and adrenal health.
Reducing stress (Cortisol) Yoga decreases stress hormones that cause abdominal fat storage.
~Increasing Circulation deep breathing and movement increase oxygenation and blood flow to tissues
For best results practice at least twice a week and pair with a healthy lifestyle

Hope you found this interesting and helpful
Namaste Christine

05/06/2026

Yoga class tomorrow 6 June at 9am community hub Port Waikato. All welcome. Vinyasa flow class to strengthen and mobilise muscles and tissues of the body as well as create focus and balance. Love to see you then $15pp

30/03/2026

09/01/2026

YOGA CLASSES Port Waikato 9am Saturdays
Come join me for a class at the Community hub Port Waikato
$15 pp . Bring a mat if you have one. Would love to see you there.

19/08/2025

LETTING GO OF THE NEED TO PLEASE
During my early years my decisions were governed by other people's perceptions of what my life should look like. Doing the right thing and making sure ‘everything happened at the right time.’ A great deal of my choices stemmed from expectation, whether school subjects, friendships, extra-curricular activities, university degrees, professional roles, travel destinations, house ownership, relationships. Interestingly I spent more time focussing on projections of myself instead of my true self. Not once in my late teens or early twenties did I ask myself ‘what do I want my life to look like?
So much time was spent in the pursuit of the aesthetic. How do I want others to perceive me? After perfecting the ability to match these expectations I realised I had completely invented this person and convinced myself that was who I was. Able to exist in my busy life, with a full schedule, fulfill my athletic practices, adhere to my strict diet and smile everyday in order to be ‘that perfect person.’ Until suddenly I wasn’t. I wasn’t happy.
I was far from it. For the first time in my life I felt like I had woken up. I had asked myself ‘what do you want’. Instead of what does everyone else want of me? I let go of the expectations of doing ‘the right thing, at the right time, looking perfectly perfect on the way’.
“I'd been doing everything to please everyone else, and some imaginary me,” - Jolene Stockholm.
It was only from that place that I realised the great pretending act wasn’t needed anymore. When you realise that you aren't happy with your life you are living it is the most liberating feeling. So many of us are living in a time warp of social media searching for likes and follows, caught in the vortex of wanting to please. Searching to be better, work harder, appear to the outside world as successful. What does that even look like? Why are we all looking from outside of ourselves to the inside with judgement and self-deprecation, instead of from the inside toward outside with compassion and kindness?
Socially we are primed to be self critical perceptions driven by the aesthetic of what other people expect us to look like or how we are supposed to behave. What if you let go of the need to meet this aesthetic and made decisions that empowered your own happiness? We all have responsibilities and obligations, but we also have a head on our shoulders, two feet on the ground, a heart in our chest that beats without intervention. Allow yourself to reside on the inside, where the aesthetic is obsolete.
Where you are human and I am human and you feel and I feel. And the warmth of your own happiness is tangible. In yoga we talk a great deal about the ‘heart space.’ I like to think that in this space there is an imprint, and your imprint is unlike anyone else’s, inside it swells and shrinks in times of joy and sadness. When you visit the inside, free from judgement your imprint grows, your sense of self seems magnified. When you forget to listen and focus attention on the exterior too long your imprint starts to wash away. Just a projection of yourself remains.
When it becomes faint, transparent and floating in space, you start to question your sense of self, feeling lost in the sea of expectation. Letting go of attachment to an aesthetic allows you to turn inward and nourish your own imprint. Gift yourself a life free of judgement from external minds and eyes. Drop the need to please. It is not serving you or those around you. Start to feel, really feel.
Namaste Christine

03/05/2025

Yoga Classes Port Waikato and Pukekohe. All levels welcome.

04/01/2025

NEW YEAR NEW INTENTIONS
There's just something about a new year. A fresh start. A blank page. An opportunity to begin as you wish to continue
It’s my absolute favourite time of the year. As though the entire ocean expands before me, it represents endless potential and fills me with hope.

Beginning is as important as continuation. Placing the first footing, finding firm ground and creating your own intention. Over the past few years my intentions have become less grand, less about achieving great feats and less likely to render me paralysed by over-commitment. Rather they have grown more modest, they have become quiet undertones, hues that I wish to colour my days. I find with subtle intentions there is less self-imposed pressure and therefore fewer disappointments. My intentions have become a word, a phrase, or a feeling. A touchstone that reminds me regularly to return to the life I am trying to cultivate.

This year my words are;

HEART-LED. SURRENDER. GRACE.

These are Intentions in their own right. But together they are ways of living , states of being, guides to feeling, that take me closer to the person I want to be. They are gentle focus points that invite my attention to the qualities I am actively trying to embody. They are not resolving any part of myself that is broken or needs fixing. They are not rules or regulations that require adherence. They are not terms that require punishment if not met. They are simply a quiet reminder of the rich and abundant life I am seeking.

Something interesting unfolds when our life is free from force. We relax. We realise that everything we have been seeking outside ourselves is already present within ourselves. When we connect with that feeling our focus is inward instead of outward. And we shift to a place where everything is a blessing instead of a treat. Every experience and encounter is an opportunity to learn, grow,and reaffirm our intention, instead of meeting someone elses expectation of us. When we live from this place we surrender our incessant need to control everything and everyone around us and we embrace what is. Until we embrace what is, we cannot realise that life is actually happening for us instead of for us. And when we learn from each experience and incorporate learnings into our behaviour, we are graciously becoming the person we were meant to be.

So perhaps this year we depart from the old model of choosing something to fix. Maybe instead of resolving lifes ‘problems’ we choose to tread gently and create an intention to guide our attention in the direction we would like to tread.

Happy 2025
I wish you a year filled with joy, love and being fully in the present moment

18/07/2024

SHADES OF GREY
Right and wrong. Good and bad. Healthy and unhealthy. True and false. Rich and poor. Perfect and imperfect. Healthy and unhealthy. Happy and unhappy. Black and white.

For the duration of our younger years we are raised to believe these extreme contrasts are all that exist in life. We label, categorise and box people and things into these categories, as if everything is black and white. But what are the implications of this ‘black and white’ thinking on our state of mind, our overall health and happiness.

It is quite simple to participate in a two dimensional way of thinking. Life is simple that way. When there are just two opposite concepts to grasp, right and wrong, true and false, rich and poor, success and failure, there is far less need for analytical thought. But the majority of us spend most of our lives navigating this ‘grey zone’ between these contrasting ideas. As a result we never feel satisfied, we never feel like we are enough and we are often left feeling that because we aren’t one way or the other- where do we fit in?

Interestingly we live in a world now where living a life somewhere between rich and poor- perfect and imperfect-happy and unhappy, is deemed average, mediocre or embarrassingly pedestrian. We are all consciously or unconsciously striving for this life of the perfect body, the happy home, the right car, the perfect partner, the wealthy bank balance, the restrictively healthy way of life, the job that reflects our true passions. Indeed we are all so perfect when we project ourselves on the internet… but does this reality even exist outside of print media or the online environment?

I was fortunate to be raised by two loving parents who told me I could do anything I wanted to do, I could have anything I wanted to have, provided I worked hard for it. These ideas were well intentioned. And they were all well and good until they weren't helpful anymore. This black and white thinking saved me quite well, until I entered the unforgiving real world when I left home. I worked hard, then harder still. I did all the ‘right’ things. I kept ‘healthy,’ I ‘budgeted,’ I made ‘good friends,’and everything was going ‘perfect.’ Until all of a sudden it was going less than perfect.I couldn't understand–I did everything right, this couldn’t have been my fault, I followed the rules and I did what I was told? My falling short of success automatically became in my mind immense ‘failure’.

Did I fail? Not really. Simply put, I just didn't succeed in the way I had envisioned. But it was definitive black and white thinking that was so detrimental to my mental health it eventually resulted in a serious bout of depression. I put myself in the box with a big label on it saying: ’I'M A FAILURE’. I sat in that box for a long time trying to figure out how it all went so wrong. Along with feelings of being a failure came perceived loss of influence, loss of potential income and wealth, loss of living the right life. I was miserable.

It took a long time for me to realise that all that had happened was that I entered the “Grey Zone’. It wasn’t that I did badly, It wasn’t that I did exceedingly well, it was that I was ‘good’. I had never just been ‘good’ before. It was heartbreaking. I think sometimes it’s easier to deal with complete failure or complete success than it is to be perceived as mediocre or run-of-the-mill. But you know what- most of us are living these wonderful ‘normal’ lives and there is nothing wrong with us.
Most of us worry about money, most of us struggle with fears of not being enough, most of us sit between happiness and unhappiness on a daily basis, most of us eat cake and feel bad about it, most of us feel naughty if we don’t exercise, most of us tell white lies to protect the people we care about, or relieve the pressure of an already hectic life, most of us feel failure at some point in our lives, most of us look in the mirror and think thoughts far short of perfection, most of us move through life in the middle ground- the grey-zone- where we just deal with being a fallible human being.

I’m not saying don’t strive, I’m not saying don’t bother working hard because you are never going to make it where you want to go. I AM saying, leave the self criticism behind, leave the comparisons behind, and leave the black and white thinking behind. When you can realise there is two dimensional self chat underpinning your behaviour, your thoughts and your feelings remind yourself that life is actually a journey in shades of grey, nothing is ever black or all white.

See you in class; Namaste Christine