Tourist manners

It's funny being such a tourist for a while. I'm not very used to it. Childhood holidays were pretty low-key affairs and usually in quiet, more rural locations with only occasional forays into the larger towns to see the museums and cultural sites. Now I'm in central Rome in the height of summer. Everywhere I... Continue Reading →

July 20, 2019 0

Using less plastic. Period.

I was amused by the timing of this story about the development of a menstruation emoji. It's part of a movement to help women feel less ashamed of their monthly bleed. Of course the news coincided nicely with my own period. And I'm making my own innovations this cycle: I'm trying out reusable (washable) sanitary... Continue Reading →

February 11, 2019 8

Observation

It seems to be all about observation at the moment. Trying to see (or feel) with more clarity and dispassion. Less drama, less judgment. I've been trying to prep for a private with my teacher, which is always a time for reflection and evaluation, but I'm trying hard within this work not to find myself... Continue Reading →

May 28, 2018 7

Loss and gain

Am I the only healthy person who lost weight over Christmas? Not much (nothing to worry about!), but I don't ever drop weight, nor do I try to, so I'm quite surprised. It's not just the number on the scales though, my jeans don't fit any more. Actually they've started to hang so low on... Continue Reading →

December 30, 2017 11

Rat catcher

The ethical dilemmas presented by my yoga practice never end. Recently it’s been the expected stuff about material choices and diet, with a bit of concern about cultural appropriation thrown in. It is the latest western yoga craze after all. 😉 And then a phone call today took me by surprise. It was one of... Continue Reading →

October 1, 2017 1

Vegan diet, vegan life

When I was in bi-lingual Montréal recently I quickly figured out the difference between végétarien (vegatarian) and végétalien (vegan) on menus. Except that I then realised it's not quite that simple and there is also a French word végan. I think I'm right in saying that végan goes beyond diet and refers more to lifestyle, avoiding... Continue Reading →

August 18, 2017 4

At whose convenience?

As well as adapting my yoga practice to travelling, I'm also adapting other behaviours. Diet is of course an area for compromise. In the city the veggie options were great, and I totally fell in love with one local restaurant in Vancouver. It had two versions of everything: one vegetarian, one full-on vegan. I'm hoping... Continue Reading →

July 28, 2017 4

Springtime — the start of something

Spring is a great time of year for new beginnings. So much more so than the start of the calendar year, I think. New Year with its traditional guilt trip of resolution-making and self-improvement seems serious; springtime by contrast feels fun and optimistic. Turning over a new leaf in various ways (no pun intended) simply feels... Continue Reading →

March 27, 2016 0

Drip, drip, drip

I'm confessing a bad habit: I often drink only half glasses of water when I'm at home. I leave the half-drunk glass somewhere and when I remember it, I throw the water away and start afresh. Hubby joked a while ago about charging me for this as a contribution to the water bill he pays! But... Continue Reading →

March 2, 2016 7

The hunt for ethical yoga pants

It comes to all of us doesn't it: that moment when you start evaluating your yoga clothes not so much for how they make your butt look but for what impact their production has on the environment. I'm not claiming any particularly high morals here, but there is something a bit iffy about going to yoga class... Continue Reading →