On the threshold

It's the day before my two week Teacher Training intensive. Just to remind myself what yoga is all about (and to get out of the crowded house!) I went to the 2 hour vinyasa class this morning. It was wonderful! Yes, it began as one of those days when I show up full of doubts... Continue Reading →

July 31, 2016 4

I am nothing on my own

I logged onto my work email this morning with a slightly heavy heart. Last day in the office before 2 weeks off means a lot of loose ends to tidy up and work to set straight. Plus this week in general feels like wading through treacle. I feel dull with no energy. And yoga class... Continue Reading →

July 29, 2016 0

Finding the silence

When I first learned meditation it was in a community centre. We sat in the gym and tried to filter out the loud noises from the kitchen on the other side of the wall. People often laughed at the perceived impossibility, but it was actually a great way to learn focus and means now that... Continue Reading →

July 27, 2016 1

Can I be of assistance?

I chuckled inwardly when one of the student teachers referred to our teacher giving 'adjustments' in class. He corrected this to 'assists' as a better word to describe what he offers! I guess the word says much about how you view the role of the teacher and how you approach āsana. We talked a little about when as... Continue Reading →

July 26, 2016 6

Are you sitting comfortably?

During Yoga Teacher Training I have spent a lot of time sitting on the floor for morning meditation (or 'sitting practice' as my first meditation teacher called it with characteristic non-attachment to results!), listening to lectures, having discussions etc. I'm relatively comfortable here (delicate hamstring aside), but it was interesting watching bodies around me trying... Continue Reading →

July 25, 2016 5

For crying out loud

We touched on crying in class recently in Teacher Training. My teacher asked me to talk about my experiences -- not about my own breakdowns (of course!) but a time when I was next to someone who was crying hard during class. No quiet weeping either, but some full-on gasping, heart-wrenching sobbing. The other student teachers asked me what I... Continue Reading →

July 24, 2016 4

Getting comfortable

I really enjoyed the restorative yoga class last night. I'm getting more used to letting go, 'inviting the pose' as the teacher puts it, rather than trying to get somewhere -- or indeed fervently wishing I was somewhere else entirely! Maintaining concentration is still really hard, but I'm more conscious of physical sensations and unnecessary tensing... Continue Reading →

July 23, 2016 1

Seismic yoga

Practise, practise, practise is the message I'm getting from my teacher right now. Not my own practice, my teaching practice. He encourages me to get used to verbalising instructions so the words aren't a foreign language in my mouth. This is surely right and I'm happily muttering instructions to myself as I wander to and from... Continue Reading →

July 21, 2016 3

Back to earth without a bump

Back to work today after 2 long weekends of Yoga Teacher Training and a bit of holiday between times. I wasn't looking forward to this very much. Last night my head was full to bursting with new ideas and facts after fours days of philosophy and anatomy study; today it was all meetings and a very... Continue Reading →

July 18, 2016 2

Yearning for the beloved

Last week while I was in Greece Hubby and I were talking about our favourite time of day. We agreed that (at least when we're in the Mediterranean) it's the early evening. The moment when the work of the day is done, the temperature's cooled off a little, and the freedom of evening beckons. The light changes... Continue Reading →