At the heart of the mountain

“So, does anyone have any questions?” the teacher turned her face to look around the room, deliberately taking everyone in, no-one excluded. That’s her way. There was a silence. Perhaps the other students were as blown away as I was. We were on the last day of a week’s retreat, with 4 hours of yoga... Continue Reading →

May 24, 2025 2

Wild and precious life

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" I remember a teacher reading this Mary Oliver poem in class. It was years ago when all the physical movements and big ideas in yoga class were fresh and new to me -- it was exhilarating and it was terrifying.... Continue Reading →

April 13, 2025 0

new student, old student

I went to class in a yoga studio. Hubby thinks this cannot possibly be eventful or newsworthy. “You’re a yoga teacher!” he laughs, “why wouldn’t you go to yoga class?” Ha ha, of course any teacher would find lots of reasons why not, and not so long ago one of my teachers gently chided me... Continue Reading →

February 21, 2025 0

Begin again

Back when I met with my teacher regularly, I used to enjoy telling him what I was working on in my practice, what was interesting me, what I perceived as the challenge to address, how it evolved over the months until it turned into something different. The sharing of it was a key part of... Continue Reading →

January 18, 2025 1

Summer visit

One of my teachers visited me over the summer. It was a bit unexpected, in the middle of a very busy week, but I made time. I wanted to spend time with her. She is good for me. I can feel how my system relaxes in her presence. I down regulate. I’m sure I can... Continue Reading →

November 4, 2024 2

General public

I had a small gynae procedure yesterday. It might have been ‘routine’ for the clinical staff but it was a pretty extreme experience for me and way more painful than I was expecting. At one point one of the assisting nurses told me to ‘do yoga breathing’ as she could see I was struggling with... Continue Reading →

September 10, 2024 1

Flower power

I’m in a supported pigeon pose, nicely set up and feeling comfortable in my body. There’s the right amount of firmness in the bolster I’m lying across to allow my body to yield, subtly but distinctly over time. I feel sensations change in my body, a little more stretch here, a slight reactive tightening there...... Continue Reading →

August 5, 2024 2

Maha prana

I’ve started including a bit more pranayama in my classes. It’s not something that featured prominently in the classes I attended myself so I’m a bit slow to incorporate it much in my own teaching and lack some confidence in doing so. But suddenly everything I learn about yoga seems to emphasise the nervous system... Continue Reading →

April 29, 2024 3

Courage!

At university when I was struggling to complete my final exams owing to a double combo of ill health and a painful wrist injury my tutor sent me a note (haha pre-email days!) that said ‘courage -- in a French accent’. I loved it. I think of it still when things get tricky. It made... Continue Reading →

April 13, 2024 7

The wise soul’s capacity

I’m still somewhere in the weird, uncharted territory of the grief cycle as it pertains not to an actual death but from a loss of a relationship, namely breaking up with my long-time yoga teacher. It’s not a socially-acceptable kind of grief and likely sounds all cultish and dependent and creepy to anyone not in... Continue Reading →