Making room for yoga

This is how our dining table looks. On a good day! It's pretty neat and organised, right? I mean you can see we have a table underneath the spread of books and laptop! Each evening I clear a thin slice free of books at one end so we can eat. Except, that is, on evenings... Continue Reading →

September 22, 2017 6

Remember, remember

I started my class this week by asking if anyone could remember what we'd been chanting the week before, a simple sutra, familiar enough to me now that it readily springs to mind or lips in particular situations. It can be something of an anchor when I feel drowning in a sea of new (half)... Continue Reading →

July 5, 2017 6

Grazie mille

Hubby's latest reason for calling me a weirdo (which he affectionately does over all sorts of things) is that I don't require him to buy me jewellery all the time! According to him this is how girls (and wives) behave. I think he's been watching too many American films, but he insists this is true.... Continue Reading →

June 25, 2017 3

Weird wonderful Wednesday

Wednesdays are weird days for me. It's the one day of the week when I work a half day in the office and then the afternoon is mine. Or Yoga's! 🙂 It's the time when I usually teach, and I also have time to work on some yoga-related writing assignments and maybe a bit of... Continue Reading →

May 31, 2017 4

Larkin’ about with my mum and dad

They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They fill you with the faults they had And add some extra, just for you. It's really unfortunate that Philip Larkin's words are echoing round in my head after a weekend with my parents! It seems super-ungrateful,... Continue Reading →

April 2, 2017 2

In praise of husbands — and KD

So I am BEYOND EXCITED that I have just booked tickets for Krishna Das's kirtan in London this summer. Anyone else going, I wonder? And I am also beyond excited that a beautiful friend of mine (lost for more than a decade, recently very happily reunited) is coming with me. She's new to KD, new... Continue Reading →

February 9, 2017 6

Incoming text message

When I finished my practice this afternoon, I spent a while crouching with one knee pulled up trying to massage my hamstring while the muscle was warm. I pulled it a bit recently (my tip: go super gently if you're cold, dehydrated and jet lagged and feeling impatient to get over the tightness of long-haul-hips!),... Continue Reading →

January 11, 2017 2

On friendship

I'm starting up my little bit of teaching again in a week and my thoughts are turning from my own practice to my teaching. I have a weekly semi-private with two former colleagues who sit on the edge of my friendship circle: we do a little bit of mostly in-office socialising, lunch and stuff. Ordinarily... Continue Reading →

January 9, 2017 2

Longing and belonging

We started in Paścimottānāsana. A strange sensation, never an opening pose surely? Brain started to question this, frustrations threatened. How could I be expected to take this shape without any warmup or hip work... But I'm here because I trust the teacher, that he has an idea he's exploring and offering, and who I am... Continue Reading →

November 11, 2016 5

Zen and the art of mother maintenance

My parents stayed for the weekend. I enjoyed treating them a bit and relaxing with those who know me in a special way. Conversations were mainly light and we had some good laughs, the generation gap not being stretched to breaking point. Sign of yogic flexibility off the mat perhaps!? Yesterday afternoon as my dad dozed... Continue Reading →