Baggage train

I’m not a big fan of yoga teacher trainings. I pretty much hated my 200 hour end to end — which (I hasten to emphasise) says much more about me than about my patient teachers. I think they did a good job in 200 hours to set us up to be safe, competent enough, rooky... Continue Reading →

October 24, 2020 2

The privileged view

I remember the first time I encountered the idea of one’s physical posture reflecting one’s mental state, current or past (i.e. whether a reflection of stuff of the moment or a deeper expression of past experiences of whatever sort). It really made me angry. And afraid. I felt as though I was laid bare under... Continue Reading →

October 16, 2020 0

About town

I ventured out one day this week, walking right across town, west to east. All of three miles! It was the deepest into urban space that I have been in the past six months or so of lockdown. I have avoided concentrations of people and enclosed spaces; I simply had no need of them. I... Continue Reading →

October 8, 2020 2

Hands down a great class

I went to class with my regular teacher this week for the first time in a month, maybe more. It’s strange that in pre-corona life I used to spend pushing 5 hours with him each week and now it’s down to one at best. And that hour feels a little painful — or least tainted.... Continue Reading →

October 3, 2020 1

Chasing the challenge

I’m starting to write this in the evening time, but I’m almost too tired to sit up (or slump on the sofa) to write, maybe too tired to think coherently. I’ll likely to have to finish writing tomorrow. My whole body is aching and I think it’ll be early to bed for me. Why? I... Continue Reading →

August 15, 2020 2

Soft heart practice

Saturday morning class. An effort to get out of bed and roll across the hallway to where my mat and camera is set up. The strange world of online yoga. Some days it’s difficult to be a student like this; it would be easy not to bother. But I don’t escape my teacher’s eagle eye,... Continue Reading →

August 9, 2020 1

Vacanam Madhuram

When I take yoga class at home I use earbuds, so only I can hear what’s going on. Hubby got fed up with having to endure an hour at at time of a yoga teacher’s instructions. He’s not keen on yoga teachers — despite living with one! 🙂 I can see why it might be... Continue Reading →

July 4, 2020 1

Scars

I’m spending more time outside these days. In the past office life would have meant the whole day indoors, with just a short walking commute in my work-clothes. Lockdown means I’m working from home but relieving the intensity and stress with lunchtime walks in the nearby fields or some yoga in the park when work... Continue Reading →

June 15, 2020 1

Texture

My mum and I are in the habit now of exchanging photos from our respective self-isolations. We share some details of what we’ve seen on our daily walks, our one form of outdoor entertainment. Today she sent me pictures of some sawn tree trunks. She had found them beautiful. She commented on the shapes and... Continue Reading →

June 14, 2020 8

Screen time

I’m used to spending hours at a screen — I’m an office worker after all. Homeworking in iso times is no different. Except that it is! Screen time is more intense since it’s not leavened any longer by face to face meetings, corridor chats and all those small encounters I used to enjoy in the... Continue Reading →