What does it mean to ‘feel connected’ in yoga?

I'm working at home today. I consider this a huge privilege. It's a sign of trust from my boss and a vote of confidence from me in my team who are slogging it out in an open plan office while I'm tucked up at home. Although we're all working for the same overall ends on... Continue Reading →

August 10, 2015 2

Reading Kaminoff’s ‘Yoga Anatomy’

I've started reading Kaminoff's Yoga Anatomy again. I hope now that I understand a bit more overall about yoga I'll be able to get more benefit from it compared to a bewildering first perusal. I'm still in the front-matter and loving their notion of the body as laboratory for the exploration of what it means to be human and... Continue Reading →

August 9, 2015 7

Taking Hubby to yoga class

I think Hubby's yoga is awesome. He has some pretty uncomfortable physical conditions to work with, and he does so with such equanimity and acceptance that I sometimes slip into thinking that he's totally happy with the way his practice is. Really I know that's not true, but he deals with his limitations so consistently.... Continue Reading →

August 7, 2015 1

Brahman and bacteria

Class started today with the teacher asking what came before Siri. His rhetorical line was to trace back a sequence of ‘what came befores’. What was before the internet, before reference books, spoken language, sound, breathing… "What was before breathing?" I volunteered "anaerobic respiration" which got a laugh at least (I am in a very... Continue Reading →

August 4, 2015 4

Slightly green and I’m lovin’ it!

I hate planes and I hate airports! Holiday travel this year was by train and it suits me much better. I'd like to say it's my green credentials cutting down airmiles (I'm being inspired by the lovely blog A Lazy Girl Goes Green) but it's more selfish than that, based on my preferences and the ease... Continue Reading →

August 3, 2015 2

Pratyahara by the pool, with my ego (and others) for company

I retreated poolside this afternoon. I didn't want a swim, I just wanted some quiet mat-time. But we don't always get what we want. My mum wanted to come with me. She wanted to watch. She also joined in for a bit! Then Hubby came along. Partly I think to distract Mama. He took a few photos.... Continue Reading →

July 31, 2015 4

Guilty eating

I worked myself up into a small tizzy recently about telling my mum and dad that I'm not eating meat at the moment, given that we're all away for a week's holiday together. They are what you might call traditional English eaters -- meat and two veg and all that. Plus they regularly fret about... Continue Reading →

July 30, 2015 2

Doing nothing is doing everything

I think of energetic people as active, always on the move. Energy equates in my mind to restlessness. But paradoxically, the more energy I come to have, the more I discover greater depths of patience. More energy means I can move more, but it also gives me a greater capacity to be genuinely still. At... Continue Reading →

July 28, 2015 3

Hot holiday yoga

Yoga on holiday -- sometimes a challenge, but always a pleasure. A bit like yoga at home, now that I've put it that way! Yet holiday yoga always feels different. Why is that? Is it the warmth? Hmm, maybe, but my usual studio is far from cool, nor is my home on home practice days. It's certainly not... Continue Reading →

July 27, 2015 4

Sweet vairagya — cake and yoga

My teacher started class last night with a personal story. It was about wanting something, having it taken away, finding a way of accepting that — and then having it offered to you after all. It happened trivially, rather sweetly, to be about wanting a cake-trip to a favourite café. But it could have been... Continue Reading →