A pearl fisher in camouflage

Spoonies are masters of disguise. I sure know that with years of diligent practice I've developed the art of camouflaging how I feel: I only go out on good days, and the bad days spent curled up at home are invisible to everyone but my nearest and dearest. I sometimes don't even offer my friends the... Continue Reading →

October 14, 2015 7

Fitting in

A weekend with family. And with a cold. Difficult while I was away to find time, space, or inclination for asana practice. But I did because it's now weird not to (when did that happen, I wonder?). Physically I really needed a stretch for aching limbs, but more than that I wanted a bit of stillness and... Continue Reading →

September 28, 2015 4

Hooded crow

Today I've mostly encountered the world from under a deep black hood. It's been raining on and off all day and it seemed to be bucketing down each time I needed to be on the move, by foot. And the grey skies and bleak weather suited my mood, creating this sense of justified misery. See... Continue Reading →

September 22, 2015 4

Snakes alive!

So on the news there was a story about a lost boa constrictor that escaped from its owner's bath -- perhaps down the toilet. The general public are warned not to approach! I'm listening to the news on the radio as I spend recovery time in bed, feeling ill. But despite (or because of...) how ill... Continue Reading →

September 20, 2015 5

108 blog posts

108 is a symbolic number to some. So this could be a beautiful point in my blogging journey. I wish! Instead it's a moment that finds me bogged down in probably all the kleshas (the obstacles to the state of yoga) at once. I had a little abhinivesa moment (fear of death, or clinging to life) in class at the... Continue Reading →

September 17, 2015 2

Dying for the yoga class to finish

Hot tears leak unwanted from my eyes. They trickle down the side of my face and into my ears making the teacher's voice a little distorted. I'm lying in savasana, corpse pose. Some say it's their favourite yoga pose. How can that be? What do they find there that eludes me? Some say it's the... Continue Reading →

September 12, 2015 6

Practising yoga as “swimming in a culture of advancement”

I enjoy reading Christina Sell's blog, though I've never met her. She has an openness, almost rawness in her writing that I personally find very appealing and engaging. She wrote recently a couple of blog posts (first this and then a follow up here) about -- amongst many things -- the performance of yoga compared... Continue Reading →

September 11, 2015 4

The upside of power cuts

When I woke up this morning and looked at the alarm clock I smiled. As I turned on the lamp in the semi-darkness I grinned. I padded off to the shower where I positively gurgled in pleasure at the feeling of the hot water on my skin. Why so exuberantly happy? Because all these things depend... Continue Reading →

September 10, 2015 2

It’s not about me, it’s all about him

I got home from work yesterday and Hubby decided he'd like me to lead him through a yoga practice at home. No prep time, let's just do it! All things considered I think it went rather well! I've never tried to teach a vinyasa practice before (I've barely tried to teach anything before!) but I... Continue Reading →

September 8, 2015 1

Losing control

It was one of those magical practices when the yoga happens and all you can do is let it. Let the breath come in and go out, let my limbs find their shape in each asana, let my body feel where to go -- bodily sensations only, no brain involved. The teacher's words resolved themselves in my movements.... Continue Reading →