Meet the Teacher: Elissa Jordan

Today's episode of "Five Questions" features yoga teacher Elissa Jordan, her favourite things and Canadian spelling. Elissa teaches Power Yoga Elements (Mondays at 5.30 pm) and Power Yoga Dynamics (Thursdays at 5.30 pm).

1. What is your favourite thing about yoga?

Without yoga I live at the polar ends of life's spectrum: too much/too little, too fast/too slow, too high/too low. Yoga brings me right to where I need to be.

2. What is your favourite yoga pose?

At the moment? Supported supta bhadda konasana. Aka bound angle pose on a bolster.

3. What is your favourite thing to teach?

Attitude. For example: don't take yourself or your yoga too seriously. Laugh a little. Especially when you fall down, especially when it's not going the way you think it should.

4. What is your favourite posture to teach?

Down dog. NO, no, forward bends. Which, technically - down dog is a forward bend. So, right - forward bends, final answer.

5. What is your favourite thing to do other than practice and teach yoga?

Cycle. Or read (anything I can get my hands on), write (not as much as I should), watch movies (from rom-coms to the NZFF, but nothing scary), travel (over 40 countries so far), run (a few 1/2 marathons), walk (long walks, like the Heaphy track or Abel Tasman and the like), drink tea (lots of tea), drink wine (mostly New Zealand wine), bake cookies and cakes (they turn out well so long as I follow the recipe), write for my wine blog (read it at www.wineylittlebitch.com), cycle some more (all about the cycling), eat out in Wellington's amazing restaurant scene (om nom nom), watch LOLs with my love (and eat chocolate). Oh, and cycle.

Meet the Teacher: Neva Poletti

Joining us today for our "Five Questions" series is yoga teacher Neva Poletti. You'll find her leading Power Yoga Elements on Wednesday evenings at 5.30 pm.

1. What is your favorite thing about yoga?

Connection. That it takes us into a humble internal space where all our external concerns melt away into insignificance, and reminds us of our essential connection with nature and all humanity.

2. What is your favorite yoga pose?

Each yoga asana (pose) serves us with a different emotional and physical perspective, energy, strength or healing quality, so I have no preferred individual asana - they all complement, explain or support each other to create a whole. However, if I had to choose I'd be tricky and say tadasana (mountain pose) - as this posture signals that a yoga asana practice is about to begin . . .

3. What is your favorite thing to teach?

1. Trust, in that our greatest teacher is found within. 2. Acceptance, of ourselves, and of those around us.

4. What is your favorite posture to teach?

I most enjoy teaching how to connect the breath and mind to each posture, discovering how there is no "final arrival" into a posture, as each can be permitted to organically grow and deepen with micro-adjustments of the breath, mind and body. I also enjoy teaching the techniques of flow between each asana, how beautifully natural and seamless transitions between asana can become.

5. What is your favorite thing to do other than practice and teach yoga?

Anything relating to my passion to observe the details around me. I'm a nature lover, so a walk in the bush or on the coast - noting wildlife and nature's shapes, sounds and colors - lifts my spirits and evokes the child in me. Watching foreign films with insightful reflections on humanity, or meaty documentaries. Cooking, as the best meals are always home-made with fresh ingredients and a whole lot of love.