Grant Dabb

Balanced Energy Yoga Teacher

Soon I will be 50 – half way there as I like to remind my kids!

In that first half I had a few adventures growing up happy in the ‘burbs of NZ, completed my education as an Optometrist, married Jackie, travelled overseas, settled, and made a home back here raising a family of three daughters. I built and sold a successful practice, nurtured mind and body, and developed a belief system that continues to sustain. All in all I have had a privileged and wonderful lifes.

A career in Optometry has been immensely enjoyable and fulfilling, especially working with vision and learning over the last 15 years.

I have an enduring interest in health and wellness, arising from an early interest in the martial arts, which has evolved into a regular yoga practice; and in the dharma and life from a Buddhist perspective.

I took up Yoga in 2003, to recover from a motorcycle accident, introduced by friends to my first teachers and the Ashtanga Vinyasa practice. I became enamoured of Yoga quite naturally and continue to practice daily (almost!). In 2009 I began a Wellpark Diploma in Ayurveda, but changed over to Yoga when the Ayurveda course was withdrawn. I graduate with the Diploma in Yoga this year – it has been totally rewarding and is providing a sound basis for the teaching I began this year. The core of the Diploma is the Satyananda/Bihar tradition but it covers quite a broad scope including history and philosophy, Patanjali’s eight-fold path, asana of course, basic Ayurveda and Abhyanga massage, pranayama, meditation and relaxation. Over time I have come to recognise unhappiness and disease (visual conditions included) not as entities of themselves, but as the outcomes or manifestations of something more fundamental and profound. And this has led me to explore more deeply how people become unwell and unhappy, and to enquire how one might engage with this to grow personally and to help others. For the next half of my life I am committed to explore what is inside.

I sold my optometry practice and have more time now for new learning. The confluence of this and other events has afforded me freedom to study again – disease wellness, happiness and discontent, and how they arise. A treasured find in 2007 was Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution (Robert Svoboda). Ayurveda jumped out at me as a path by which to grow personally and to help others at this fundamental level. My current teacher is Vincent Bolletta, who teaches from the Viniyoga tradition. Deconstructing the postures with him and understanding more deeply both asana and the breath has been a perfect complement to the dynamic vigour of the Ashtanga form. I believe deeply in the value of Yoga and want to share what little I know with others for all our good

Grant is currently a student of Vincent Bolletta and is completing a Diploma in Yoga at Wellpark College.  Grant sees Yoga as a complete system for the transformation of body and mind. Anyone willing to practice – old, young, weak or strong – will acquire a stronger, healthier and more flexible body, a clear, calm and more relaxed mind, and a means to unfold ones true potential. Grant is also a practicing optometrist with a special interest in children’s vision.

Grant teaches Yoga at the Balanced Energy Studio on Thursday mornings at 6.15am