Practicing honesty

I see a lot of dishonesty going on in yoga. I don't mean this as a big name and shame piece. So not cool, and certainly not my place. I simply mean the petty dishonesties we all entertain in asana, in yoga (in life too, perhaps, but that's a way bigger topic). In last night's... Continue Reading →

May 6, 2015 4

My legs are amazing!

I'm standing up a lot at the moment. In my life I could easily spend 80% of my time sitting or lying down I reckon. But when you look out for opportunities to stand more -- and become less self-conscious about standing when others are sitting -- there are some easy changes to make. I was initially... Continue Reading →

April 28, 2015 0

What my toothache is teaching me about asana

So I've had toothache for a while now, and my dentist can't quite figure it out. She's put me on antibiotics, slightly out of desperation I think. I'm naturally trying to avoid the pain so I'm eating differently at the moment. I don't mean diet-wise. More in terms of my physical actions. So I'm eating... Continue Reading →

April 21, 2015 2

Why I love it when my muscles ache

Nearly 48 hours after my last class. I didn't think I'd been working my body too hard. I kept very firmly within my (new) limits - ahimsa to the hamstring! I'm loving being able to practice sun salutations now, though I suspect they are the least graceful ever executed and must be excruciating to behold -- but... Continue Reading →

April 16, 2015 2

Back to class

My alarm went off at 5.45 today -- not a mistake! I was up early to walk across town (no cycling allowed yet) to my yoga studio for MY FIRST CLASS IN 3 MONTHS! Excuse the shouty capitals, but I was just a little bit excited by this (as regular readers will have noticed!). And the... Continue Reading →

April 10, 2015 4

Me and my physio

It seems like a long time ago that I frantically asked my teacher for physio recommendations. Now I feel as though I practically have A on speed-dial! She's been great in helping me heal the damage to my hamstring tendons and very patient with me, despite the fact that she more often deals with proper... Continue Reading →

March 18, 2015 3

Walk, don’t run!

As a child I ran everywhere. And if I wasn't running, I was skipping. Not with a rope, just the basic hopping-twice-on-each-foot bouncing form of forward motion that you can only do un-selfconsciously until you're about ten years old. (Probably much earlier, in these more sophisticated days) I can still vividly recall the physical impatience I... Continue Reading →

February 13, 2015 2

breathe. feel. be.

breathe. feel. be. don't push. don't strain. don't let your attention wander. don't panic! breathe. feel. be. I've been following physio's orders and holding off asana practice for a couple of weeks, giving my hamstring a chance to heal itself. So first practice today. Yes, in some ways this feels like the first practice ever.... Continue Reading →

January 31, 2015 4

Thinking on my feet

Since seeing a physio about my hamstring, I've been following her advice: conscientiously doing my exercises patiently resting from asana practice and awkwardly attempting to minimize time spent sitting. I thought stopping asana practice for a while would have the greatest impact on my life. Actually I'm surprised by how cheerfully I've been able to comply... Continue Reading →

January 25, 2015 0

Yoga practice as a ‘keystone habit’

I've been having a very gentle couple of days doing very limited asana practice at home as I nurture myself and my unhappy hamstring. This was the candlelit view from my mat today: I've been moving slowly, exploring what causes pain and investigating how to modify poses to suit my current physical state. It's humbling and... Continue Reading →