Yoga Odyssey

In a different life I spent years studying Homer's Odyssey. It's an epic and it's in Ancient Greek, so that's why so many years were needed to achieve even my simplistic understanding! Dressed up as an adventure story, it's ultimately a poem about nostalgia -- a longing to return home, a bittersweet sense of something lost infused... Continue Reading →

March 18, 2017 6

Equal parts of hope and doubt

I had lunch today with a fellow new graduate. She wanted to talk through the questions she's asking herself right now about teaching. It felt funny with her seeking my perspective on this. She has much, much more yoga experience than me (not just more years, but wider experience of different traditions) and her teaching... Continue Reading →

March 16, 2017 1

And music sets me free

Some time ago now my teacher -- who doesn't demo much in class -- came and took side angle alongside me, exaggerating his breathing so it was audible to me; I matched my breath to his and all of a sudden he'd exhaled the front hand right down onto the ground, although mine usually mine stays in a... Continue Reading →

March 14, 2017 2

Country mouse yogini

I committed the ultimate London yoga studio faux pas -- I spoke to people in the changing room!! I had had a great class. ...Well apart from two name calls from the teacher during class which I found slightly embarrassing -- being asked to translate Sanskrit after the opening chanting (of course not a chant I... Continue Reading →

March 10, 2017 4

Ways of seeing

I saw an old friend in London this weekend (in between a yoga class and the final day of the Paul Nash exhibition at the Tate -- what a great day!). We had lots of wonderful conversation. One thing that struck me was her comments about her ageing body. She's just about to turn 40 and is... Continue Reading →

March 8, 2017 0

Tired of tired

I've seen a couple of news items recently about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Two different research teams coming up with different hypotheses about what triggers abnormal fatigue. Both firm in their message that this is a physiological, not psychological, condition. There's even some hint of a drug treatment... perhaps. The New Scientist piece was even accompanied... Continue Reading →

March 1, 2017 6

Mantra-asana

I boldly offered my teacher some unsolicited thoughts recently about how to chant the mantra we're working with in class at the moment. I should probably refrain from doing that, but it was interesting to receive a comment back about how the mantra changes with time, as he repeats the chant. I wonder how much chanting... Continue Reading →

February 28, 2017 4

The silence of yoga

I was introduced to the concept of mauna this week. Silence, the silence that underlies everything, the real essence and heart of things. Not just an absence of noise, but something more profound. Something essentially beyond description. I wonder: is the practice of yoga just about learning to get comfortable with this quality of silence, the essential loneliness of existence? And perhaps... Continue Reading →

February 26, 2017 0

Optimistic hopping

Spring is in the air -- I've even opened the window during home practice today. I'm feeling a bit uplifted. I had a wonderful one to one with my teacher this week and it's perked me up as always and inspired me. I had optimistically hoped to be handstanding like a pro after some dedicated attention, but... Continue Reading →

February 24, 2017 5

Barriers and hurdles

I was at a workshop at the weekend in London with a fancy American teacher, someone whose published work I really like. It was a fascinating afternoon and I learned a lot, even though it was more a very long led sequence than a workshop as such. There was no time for questions or discussion, unfortunately. I... Continue Reading →