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

Groovy chanting

In my online Veda class recently we fell into a group discussion about the challenges of sending our chant recordings to the teacher, the vulnerability of being obviously sh*t at something and doing it anyway, the importance of feedback for correction as well as encouragement, the joy of being seen (or heard) especially in these... Continue Reading →

March 12, 2024 3

Life saver

Years ago (when we were all younger!) my teacher would often do a breakout time in his vinyasa class to allow people to practise handstand against the wall. He would come around the room ensuring everyone was working to their level and had an appropriate challenge. When he got to me he kindly asked “can... Continue Reading →

December 30, 2023 5

Asking for it

When I finished teacher training I asked the studio if I could teach for them. I didn't get a reply which I interpreted as you might expect. Fair enough. The last message I remember us getting as little trainees was that we were 'babies who knew nothing'. Not quite the graduation pep talk I was... Continue Reading →

April 15, 2022 4

Open invitation

Jon Kabat-Zinn (the father of secular mindfulness) could have been talking about yoga when he said "As long as you are breathing there is more right with you than wrong with you". But he wasn't. He was (as I recall) talking about living with a chronic illness and finding a place of positivity from which... Continue Reading →

February 17, 2017 4

Rollercoaster yoga

Practicing feels like a rollercoaster ride at the moment. One minute it's all hand waving and goofy grins, shrieking with excitement. The next my stomach drops out and I'm white-knuckling in fear, barely able to breathe. And then up and down again. Each practice unpredictably a peak or a trough. Because despite this disorientating unpredictability I keep... Continue Reading →

April 22, 2016 3

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday me! I'm 40 today. I thought I'd get the number out of the way up front. If I say it quickly enough, maybe we won't any of us notice it... My day started beautifully across town in my home yoga studio. My first two-hour class in a long while. Perhaps even the first of... Continue Reading →