Practising sauca (cleanliness) with the hairdresser

I tend to get a bit esoteric when I address the yamas and niyamas. It's part of my tendency to over-think and intellectualise that often means I skip over the obvious and jump to the obscure if I possibly can. The (ni)yamas I think about the most are the ones my brain doesn't understand. I've temporarily... Continue Reading →

May 30, 2015 1

babycrowyoga hits the newsstands!

I am super-excited to have a small piece in omyoga magazine this month! Brace yourself, regular readers -- it's about my hamstring! It's a bit of a whimsical piece written in the style of a love letter, but there's an underlying serious message about how we treat our bodies (or how our ego perceives our... Continue Reading →

May 28, 2015 10

When even restorative yoga class is too much

I felt totally bleurgh today. Nothing dramatic, nothing life-threatening. Just an M.E. day. How does that feel? It's boring to describe, but basically like I've run a marathon, have jet-lag, with a dose of proper flu on top. The longer, and slightly more boring, version is something like: severe headache making me feel sick, muscles feeling... Continue Reading →

May 22, 2015 5

Time out with Patanjali

Happy monthi-versary to me -- it's now just over a month since I started back attending yoga classes after a few months off with injury. I just realised this and can hardly believe it's been so little time. A real case of time flying. It made me think that I should pause, take stock of the... Continue Reading →

May 20, 2015 4

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday me! I'm 40 today. I thought I'd get the number out of the way up front. If I say it quickly enough, maybe we won't any of us notice it... My day started beautifully across town in my home yoga studio. My first two-hour class in a long while. Perhaps even the first of... Continue Reading →

April 19, 2015 3

Figuring out how to feed myself

Figuring out what we both want to eat is keeping me and my hubby on our toes at the moment. I can genuinely say that we both have a curious interest in my evolving dietary preferences. I guess that's academic training for you -- we make an experiment or intellectual study out of anything! I really enjoyed... Continue Reading →

April 18, 2015 0

Is yoga blogging a selfie in words instead of pictures?

My last days in Greece are at Delphi, known to the Ancient Greeks as the centre of the world: the myth is that Zeus sent two eagles off in opposite directions and they crossed paths at Delphi, so Delphi was called the 'navel' (omphalos) of the world. Cue many comments from my husband about 'navel-gazing'... Continue Reading →

March 27, 2015 8

Eating in Greece — or “when in Rome”

I wrote recently about 'flexitarianism' suggesting that this could be viewed as an approach to eating and nourishment that adhered the concept of ahimsa (non-violence) by being mindful of what was appropriate in any particular situation, although not applying consistent food rules like vegetarianism and veganism. Being away from home and in a different country naturally disrupts one's diet (i.e.... Continue Reading →

March 20, 2015 1

Enjoying sufficiency — on and off the mat

Being away from home with limited possessions, clothing, books, company, and vocabulary even has paradoxically made it easier to focus on what I have, rather than what I don't have. On this trip I often feel that everything is simply sufficient, all that is required. Amazing preparation and uncanny packing abilities or just my state of... Continue Reading →

March 16, 2015 3

On stopping half-way

If you read my last post you'll know I'm in Greece for a while. We've left Athens now and are staying for the next week or so near Sparta, in the Peloponnese. It's very dramatic scenery, with snow on the mountains still, and we have lovely cosy accommodation that already feels like a home away from home.... Continue Reading →