The smell of anonymity

In that way of coincidences several people have talked to me recently about the phenomenon of ASMR, the phenomenon of noises evoking particular responses individuals. I think this can get weird quite quickly, but at a simple level it's a familiar idea that certain sounds or smells can take us to another time or place,... Continue Reading →

February 1, 2020 5

Cosmic chasm

I got my hair cut recently. I feel really different, not quite myself. Well, this wasn't just a regular little haircut, this was a once-every-few-years epic haircut. I had a whole foot length of hair chopped off. I'm feeling kind of lighter and more buoyant but I'm also a little sad. My hair might be... Continue Reading →

November 27, 2019 2

One two, buckle my shoe

One, two buckle my shoe I wake up from my after-work nap and it's completely dark. The absolute last thing I want to do is go out. I could so easily transfer my tired body from the bed straight to the sofa for the evening. But instead I put on my yoga clothes including ridiculous... Continue Reading →

November 1, 2019 0

Postal vote

This past week seems to have been a week of difficult communications. My day job involves firing off emails in all directions and although I pride myself on taking care with the clarity of my communication, it's still very functional stuff. I'm just doing a job, trying to be efficient and effective. In my personal... Continue Reading →

August 30, 2019

Under examination

Remember my Sanskrit exams earlier this year? I wrote at the time about the small support network I gathered around myself as I put myself forward for these exams, feeling very much out of my depth but with a determination just to try and see what came from it. I tried to enjoy the accelerated... Continue Reading →

August 17, 2019 6

Holiday pleasures

Before I left for my holiday my yoga theme in practice and teaching was about examining preferences. I was mostly thinking about how to learn to let them go, following the philosophy that preferences are a cause of suffering, preventing one achieving the equanimity that the Bhagavad Gita teaches yoga to be. Now I'm on... Continue Reading →

August 16, 2019

Invisible handstand

Some months ago I remember playing a private game in class, seeing if I could remain invisible to the teacher. I remember feeling smug that I'd got through the standing sequence without attracting any attention, while the students around me were given hands on assists or specific instruction. At the very moment when I was... Continue Reading →

July 27, 2019 0

Mini me

I spent time this weekend playing in my parents' garden with my little niece. She's four and a half, full of energy and apparently fearless. She loved rolling down the slope where my brother and I used to do the same thing several decades ago. She revelled in doing a run-up to perform multiple forward... Continue Reading →

June 16, 2019 2

Old ways, new ways

I got out of town this bank holiday weekend for a workshop plus kirtan. I've kept my yoga experiences pretty close to home for some time now, since my last visit to a new teacher was a bit more than I bargained for. Long story short: it's made me reluctant to leave the safety bubble... Continue Reading →

May 27, 2019 0

Change is hard

My boss in the office often tells me that change is hard. My yoga teacher tells me the same. Change is the name of the game right now, in both worlds corporate and yoga. And they're right: it is hard! In yoga I am trying my practice a new way. Sure, it might not end... Continue Reading →