In England our lockdown rules change again on Monday as part of the easing of restrictions. We will be allowed to socialise indoors and hospitality venues can offer indoor service. Hugging will be also officially permitted, with some advice on frequency and contact time š Itās actually coincidental that Iām visiting my parents this week,... Continue Reading →
Being vocal
One of my close friends called. Her mumās dying in hospital in US. She hasnāt been able to travel to visit her because of Covid restrictions. When I answered her call, she told me āI just wanted to hear your voiceā. So we chatted a bit about nothing much, there being nothing really we could... Continue Reading →
Feeling the love
It was my birthday recently. My second lockdown birthday. The idea was a bit grim, not what I expected ā not again! Ordinarily Iām a big fan of birthdays ā I feel as though we should celebrate our own birth ā but I had a hard time getting into the mood on this one. When... Continue Reading →
Love from the inside out
Until relatively recently I used to watch myself practise and not recognise myself. Who was that strong girl who moved through vinyasas with grace and ease? Where was the girl with dark rings of exhaustion under her eyes, the unwashed hair (simply too much effort), and the cautious movements that anticipated pain and weakness in... Continue Reading →
Feeding the wolf
They say the wolf that grows bigger and thrives is the one you choose to feed. Lately Iāve been taking care what I āfeedā. Or to put it another way Iāve been taking care how much I listen to the inner critical voices (the wolf inside of me), lessening the amount of fuel I give... Continue Reading →
Yoga conversations
I had a lot of āconversationsā about yoga today, albeit in a lockdown kind of way. A stranger wrote to me asking for advice. They know I teach part time and they asked me how I could do this, and didnāt I feel divided because I wasnāt a full time yogi. For them yoga was... Continue Reading →
Circle of support
I heard someone say the other day that youāre never alone when youāre practising yoga: whenever you step onto your mat anywhere in the world, day or night, you can be sure that someone somewhere is doing the same thing. The idea was that although yoga is inherently a solitary practice, youāre not really going... Continue Reading →
Soft heart practice
Saturday morning class. An effort to get out of bed and roll across the hallway to where my mat and camera is set up. The strange world of online yoga. Some days itās difficult to be a student like this; it would be easy not to bother. But I donāt escape my teacherās eagle eye,... Continue Reading →
Corona birthday
So it turns out Iām now 45! Iām pretty proud of that! Today I am happy to be alive; it wasnāt always so. Today I delight in my body, its health and strength and adaptability; it wasnāt always so. But Iām not really looking back at past darkness. Nor am I extending my hopeful vision... Continue Reading →
A good telling off
I donāt like being told off. āDonāt shout at meā I often say to my husband. āIām not shoutingā he usually retorts and at some volume. Heās from a more adversarial family than I am, whereas when I was a child, we never raised our voices. Ever. Well, I did as a teenager.... But I... Continue Reading →