Feel the joy!

I remember a picture I loved, that really inspired me. I told my teacher about it when I was studying backbends with him. It was a beautiful image of a girl doing urdhva hastasana. An outdoor setting, she had loose hair pulling free in the breeze, there was glowing sunshine and her posture was one... Continue Reading →

April 2, 2025 0

On the homefront

One of the things sensibly impressed upon us in teacher training was about recognising the limits of one's knowledge, not to get caught up in wanting to help, or wanting yoga to help, and therefore over-promising or trying to over-deliver. We are not training to be physical or mental therapists (or magicians!), just yoga teachers.... Continue Reading →

January 10, 2017 4

All in season

The season is changing. Autumn is at the pretty stage: golden leaves that crunch pleasingly underfoot and there are still blue skies to enjoy and days warm enough to encourage me to walk more slowly, to saunter and enjoy the sunshine. The horse chestnuts are looking a little bit drab because they drop early, but... Continue Reading →

October 23, 2016 3

Doing it. Weird or not.

My teacher often catches me unawares with a seemingly plain comment that then echoes round in my head for days or weeks, or sneaks up on me way after the event with a new truth suddenly revealed. So it was today. I recalled his words to me during TT recently, a day when I'd left... Continue Reading →

August 21, 2016 2

For crying out loud

We touched on crying in class recently in Teacher Training. My teacher asked me to talk about my experiences -- not about my own breakdowns (of course!) but a time when I was next to someone who was crying hard during class. No quiet weeping either, but some full-on gasping, heart-wrenching sobbing. The other student teachers asked me what I... Continue Reading →

July 24, 2016 4

Is preparation everything?

I got home from work the other day with one thing on my mind -- that I was going to be home early enough for a totally indulgent, non-rushed, much-needed yoga practice. Time to be alone, away from any responsibilities to others, time for rebuilding myself a little after fragmenting, splintering a little, under competing... Continue Reading →

June 24, 2016 0

Facing the cobra — together

So finally (I wrote about this nearly a month ago!) Hubby and I looked together at his Bhujangāsana at his request. A big vote of confidence from him, given that all backbends scare him a lot, even tiny baby cobra ones. It turns out he was confused by his teacher's cue to imagine that there's... Continue Reading →

December 19, 2015 3

Trust me! Trust me?

Hubby asked me the other day if I'd help him work on his Cobra (Bhujaṅgāsana). We've yet to do this, but even the request has blown me away. He has a couple nerve issues at the moment and triggers pain really easily. For this reason I'm always wary of helping him with his practice and... Continue Reading →