Barriers and hurdles

I was at a workshop at the weekend in London with a fancy American teacher, someone whose published work I really like. It was a fascinating afternoon and I learned a lot, even though it was more a very long led sequence than a workshop as such. There was no time for questions or discussion, unfortunately. I... Continue Reading →

February 20, 2017 3

Validation and witness

"I give you permission NOT to do full Chaturaṇga each time". I wondered at this comment from my teacher in class today. Do people really need this permission? Do they feel some necessity for this action in every vinyasa? If they do, would the validation of the teacher make a difference? I wonder... I don't do... Continue Reading →

December 18, 2016 6

Come on, ego!

My teacher's theme in class at the moment is driving me a bit mad. It's a good theme -- of course! -- but I'm finding it too hard to process; I don't want to hear it. He circles round the idea of ego and effort and honesty. Today was about 'unveiling', letting go all the accumulated cr*p from... Continue Reading →

October 18, 2016 0

My whispering heart

I bumped into a friend today who asked me how my early steps in teaching were going. I told her about the practice class I'd just done with two teachers at my local studio, getting ready for teaching a charity class there later in the week. The mentor teacher had offered me some quite amazing... Continue Reading →

October 11, 2016 6

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

Affirmative

A quick word from my TT whirlwind, to capture a moment, although I am too tired for careful words. Stay with me, dear readers. So many affirmatives these past few days: You are beautiful. Your meditation really moved me. I enjoyed the poem you read. I love it when you leave your hair down. The colour pink really suits... Continue Reading →

August 3, 2016 2

2 days in

Ok super-quick post -- just because friends have been asking... I'm two days into teacher training. I am already Tired (note the capital T). But also Exhilarated (also a capital!). It's been amazing to start in baby steps (increasingly quick ones today) to teaching one other person some simple stuff. So many small difficulties, so many... Continue Reading →

July 2, 2016 5

Yoga in my dreams and nightmares

My favourite daydreaming topic at the moment is my upcoming teacher training. It's never far from my thoughts, and I have been indulging in some epic fantasies about how great it's going to be: the luxury of such an exclusive focus on yoga, the effect it will have on my practice and on me as a... Continue Reading →

June 13, 2016 11

Feedback along the way

In Sanskrit class I'm noticing less feedback from my teacher. He used to be quick to correct mistakes or offer help. Now he gives me longer to figure it out myself, and he no longer offers any encouraging noises while I'm puzzling through the words in a sentence out loud. I'm to assume that silence is good.... Continue Reading →

May 6, 2016 3

Where do I want to be

Do you have a favourite place in class? Mine changes all the time. Back, front, middle, near the radiator, near the door, next to the really good person, next to the most friendly person... Last night I did back to back classes -- a small challenge to myself or a little exploration of myself. How... Continue Reading →