Intro Offer

Featured in WHO Magazine

 

Eliza Hayward Founder of Divine Flow Yoga and Lululemon Ambassador 

 

Yoga poses to soothe digestion and support the nervous system. 

 

The body is wildly intelligent, in how it processes, integrates and adapts in the ever-changing world. There is a lot to digest both physically and emotionally especially when the environment around us is fast paced, which can leave our fluctuating thoughts rapidly swirling in the mind. 

 

Those daily stressors pump the body with adrenaline, tense the muscles and affect the brain’s neurons. In turn this increases cortisol also known as the stress hormone and can upturn the nervous system, leaving us on edge and with the fight or flight system charged on. 

 

Research has found that overexposing the body to these demanding attributes caused by stress over a long period of time can affect our digestive system and its natural rhythms, and also affecting other areas like the function of our brain. 

 

Adopting a practice to bring awareness to the subtle body will help to alleviate health complications and discomfort caused by digestive issues. 

These restful postures can help to down regulate the nervous system and invite the body to remember its capacity to yield, restore and become more receptive to a mindfulness practice. 

 

Child’s pose – a sense of coming home to your body 

Knees wide to the edges of your mat 

Arms forward and pelvis heavy 

Just as much as you lengthen the spine, sense a possibility of expanding laterally as you breathe.

Lightly rest your forehead to the mat. Stay for 4-8 breaths and feel the breath massage the inner lines of the body.

 

Tip: for a restorative approach try using a bolster or pillows under your belly, chest and head for support. Relax the trunk of the body and enjoy the effects of gravity.

 

Cat & Cow – Flush the cerebral fluids of the spine to refresh 

 

From a neutral spine inhalation breath, surrender abdomen and lift tail

Exhale and push the floor away as lift up through the shoulders, rounding the spine and curling tail. 

 

These two gentle postures are paired together effortlessly moving the spine through two degrees of its rotation, flexion and extension. The movement massages lower organs, stimulates the kidneys and adrenals glands whilst creating a calming and emotional balance.

 

Tip: take deep breaths in and out through your nose. These core poses will massage your internal organs as you alternately compress and lengthen the intestines, bringing fresh blood to your cells leading you towards a healthy, happier gut.

 

Thread the needle – An internal adaptation that boasts a gentle exchange

 

From all fours thread your right arm under left so that shoulder and ear rest to the mat. Keep hips high and lightly draw the belly in to create some sustenance for the spine.

 

Stay for 3-5 breaths on each side. The depth of the twist can happen naturally as you exhale the breath.

 

Tip: those who suffer from any back, shoulder, neck or hip conditions should take care in this twist. Positioning a blanket underneath your knees can help to offer more support

Melting heart pose – The heart offers energetic priority 

 

Come onto your hands and knees as if you were moving into cat/cow pose. Shift your hips back and melt your chest and arms forward. Release your head onto the floor or a block and allow gravity to open your heart. 

 

Tip: Try to stay here for two minutes and breathe deeply to calm your mind. This relaxing pose offers a slight stretch of the belly, helping to ease any bloating. Get more from the pose by stretching deeper on each exhale and allow your belly to expand forward. To take out the intensity around the shoulders, take the arms slightly wider than shoulder width and bring a bend to the elbows.

 

Upward facing dog – start to gather yourself towards the pulse of breath 

 

From the belly, palms in line with lower ribs, engage legs, press through hands to lift chest, belly and legs off the ground. Stay for 3 breaths.

 

Stretches the chest and spine, creating suppleness in the back torso and abdomen, which stimulates the abdominal organs and improves digestion. 

 

Tip: the backbend can further rejuvenate the body, offering relief from fatigue. If a more subtle backbend is required, try Sphinx Pose. Laying on the belly rest the elbows directly under the shoulders. Forearms and hands run parallel along the mat. Stay for at least 5 long, expansive breaths.

 

Wind Relieving pose – mobilise the contents of your diaphragm  

 

Knees hug to chest and gentle pressure is applied to the entire abdomen.

Soothing as well as stretching the lower back and lengthening the spine. 

 

Tip: breathe consciously and hold for 4-8 breaths, inhaling deeply into the belly and connecting with the elements of nourishment and elimination. Both nourishment from good foods and regular elimination of waste create harmony of the body’s systems.

 

Supine Twists – Energise and Harmonise the body vessel 

 

Start with both knees in the chest rocking from side to side. Let go of the left leg and twist right knee over to touchdown or hover and extend right arm out to the side – optional: Allow gaze to follow. Stay for 5 belly breaths, allowing the body to feel rested and supported by the mat. To move toward a calmer state, stay and linger a little longer.

Repeat on the left side.

 

Tip; adjust your pelvis and feel the spine aligned. This will allow energy to transfer up and down the spine with least resistance.

 

The process of digestion can be eased with a brief moment of quiet and embodied practice. Pair these movements with a short daily meditation to develop increased levels of calm for the nervous system.

Images  – Ben Hamilton

Apply Now
Intro Offer

Radha Vine

Yin | Restorative | Yoga Nidra

Radha is a spiritual aspirant and yoga teacher with over 30 years of practice and teaching, rooted in the Satyananda Yoga tradition. She offers a gentle, embodied approach to every yoga class— including asana, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy — guiding students to explore presence, ease and awareness within their own body, mind and spirit.

Her work as a somatic practitioner naturally flows into her teaching. Drawing on private clinic healing sessions, Radha helps students tune into their bodies and individual needs bringing a compassionate and responsive energy to every class.

Through her life as a mother, mentor, and lifelong student of yoga, self‑study, and spiritual growth, Radha brings warmth, curiosity, and presence to her teaching. She encourages students to move mindfully, feel fully, and connect with their own inner strength, creating a safe and welcoming space for exploration and growth.

Olivia Kerr

Vinyasa | Pilates

Olly has been teaching and practicing yoga on the northern beaches for the past 10 years. She loves teaching and being part of the yoga community and is grateful for the friends, connection and lessons that she has gained along the way. 

Olly is passionate about helping people to move their bodies in a way that is wise and intuitive to them. She believes that movement is medicine and with each class her intention is for students to connect deeply to their body, mind and breath using strong but simple movements.

Olly is also a Chiropractor and has had experience working with people of all ages from all walks of life. During Olly’s chiropractic education she has extensively studied movement, physiology and the nervous system. She loves incorporating her knowledge into thoughtful movement practices. She is trained in Pilates, Vinyasa and Yin.

 

Elise Griffin

Vinyasa | Strength + Soul

With over 17 years of personal yoga practice and a strong background in the fitness and wellness industry, Elise brings a depth of experience, intelligence, and embodied understanding to her teaching. With a Bachelor’s degree in Sport & Exercise Science and more than a decade working as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and movement coach, Elise bridges the gap between strength, mobility, and mindful movement.

Elise discovered yoga as a powerful complement to her athletic training, and over time it became a central pillar in how she moves, lives, and connects. Her approach is informed by both science and lived experience, blending functional strength, breath awareness, and fluid sequencing. Her classes invite students to feel strong, capable, and supported – meeting their edge with curiosity rather than force.

Elise is deeply passionate about the way yoga supports not only physical health, but nervous system regulation, emotional resilience, and connection. Her classes offer a space that encourages students to build trust in their bodies and confidence in their practice.

Above all, Elise is committed to creating a welcoming environment where students can deepen their relationship with movement and carry the benefits of their practice beyond the mat and into everyday life.

Jess Verdier

Yin | Vinyasa | Pilates 

Jess is a Yoga and Pilates instructor with a passion for helping people move well and feel supported in their bodies and lives.

With an active background and a long-standing love for yoga and Pilates, Jess’s teaching blends functional movement, mindful awareness, and breath-led flow. Her classes are thoughtfully designed to build strength and mobility while also creating space to slow down, reconnect, and regulate the nervous system.

Jess is known for her calm, grounding presence and inclusive teaching style. She encourages students to trust their own intuition, honour their energy, and meet themselves with compassion, both on and off the mat. Her intention is to support students in feeling strong, steady, and more at home in their bodies.