Goodbye Nutella — it was nice knowing you

It was a landmark moment a few weeks ago when I finally threw out the half-eaten jar of Nutella in the kitchen cupboard. I can't remember when I last ate it; I've long favoured this bizarre paste made with brazilnuts and cocoa. It tastes a bit earthy, like some long-lost, slightly grizzled distant relation to... Continue Reading →

July 22, 2015 4

Their needs, my needs

These past few days I've been at a conference, so each day has been all about talking to delegates. And I've given a presentation. Plus I've had breakfast and dinner each day with a colleague who definitely likes company more than I do (what is wrong with eating alone, I ask myself?). Being with people... Continue Reading →

July 20, 2015 2

Relax, I’m a first-aider!

I'm now a trained first aider! I recently completed a three day course with the St. John's Ambulance, a charity in UK that provides first aid training for the public and sends volunteers to attend sporting events and suchlike. The course I went on was really well done and I met some interesting people there. We were... Continue Reading →

July 15, 2015 4

Metronomes and breathing in yoga asana

My teacher often says that yoga is just about breathing and that asanas are just an extension of this. It’s one of those things I hear, but my brain can’t quite compute. Intellectually I think I get it, but experientially not so much. I mean I know that pranayama is one of the eight limbs... Continue Reading →

July 12, 2015 8

Giving and receiving: some recent experiences of yoga adjustments

Ever since I started practising with a teacher who's very hands on in class I've wondered about the role of adjustments in yoga asana. I've deliberately not read much about the theory, though I get the impression adjustments are a highly contentious issue, given the potential for harm -- whether physical or psychological. For now I’m... Continue Reading →

July 11, 2015 4

The injury count

I'm now more than 48 hours after my immersion finished, so I reckon I can tally up the damage without anything further coming unpleasantly to my attention: my physio tells me that tendons have a latent period, meaning that you can't tell if you've upset them until two days after practice. While some friends were really... Continue Reading →

July 8, 2015 0

atha yoga anusasanam? now my yoga starts?

So I completed the 3 day immersion I was fretting about so much. And I've been trying to figure out how to write about it in a reasonable sized blog post... but I can't! It was just too much of an experience to boil down to anything sensible. Plus my heart, mind, and body are... Continue Reading →

July 7, 2015 5

Not waving but drowning

My three day yoga immersion is approaching and I have to say I am scared. What felt at the time of booking like a bold step forward now feels like a blind leap into the unknown. I guess the metaphor of an immersion requires you to be out of your depth. And for this babycrow... Continue Reading →

July 2, 2015 3

Respect for my mum’s yoga teacher

Yoga teachers are amazing people. I've practised consistently with less than a handful of teachers in the almost two years that I've been practising. OK two years is not a long time, but I am ultra-picky about who I would put my trust in and offer my respect to. And I do have experience of teaching... Continue Reading →

June 29, 2015 2

Sharing my practice: yoga with a friend

Two mats are better than one! A good friend of mine is becoming increasingly interested in yoga -- probably because it features in almost every conversation we have despite my best intentions not to inflict yoga on all those around me. She should stop asking me what I'm doing at the weekend/evening/lunchtime... It always involves something yoga-related. She's... Continue Reading →