When a rest is as good as a change

I was telling Hubby about recent experiences of sitting practice and the feelings of frustration that arise, turning recent attempts into something of a patient sitting out, a waiting for this to pass, to resolve itself in time. I feel OK with that, for me it's no big deal in the grander scheme; I've been... Continue Reading →

November 17, 2016 2

Sitting and standing

"Don't teach if you're tired or not feeling well" my teacher advised us during TT. I'm sure this is overall good advice, but a little hard to put into practice in the real world. Especially for me. I'd got a good early night, definitely not feeling well. Just low-level stuff. It could be a cold... Continue Reading →

October 13, 2016 9

Morning meditation

I have a slightly fragile morning meditation habit -- reignited thanks to daily TT routine which I've tried to continue with. This morning was threatened with derailment of a mundane kind -- Hubby being noisily up and about and an impending grocery delivery to the house to fit around... Not to mention me feeling tired and... Continue Reading →

September 20, 2016 6

Finding the silence

When I first learned meditation it was in a community centre. We sat in the gym and tried to filter out the loud noises from the kitchen on the other side of the wall. People often laughed at the perceived impossibility, but it was actually a great way to learn focus and means now that... Continue Reading →

July 27, 2016 1

Getting comfortable

I really enjoyed the restorative yoga class last night. I'm getting more used to letting go, 'inviting the pose' as the teacher puts it, rather than trying to get somewhere -- or indeed fervently wishing I was somewhere else entirely! Maintaining concentration is still really hard, but I'm more conscious of physical sensations and unnecessary tensing... Continue Reading →

July 23, 2016 1

The colour of judgement

I am picking up a minor theme of class recently where the teacher reminds us to observe without judgement. Since I came to yoga āsana from mindfulness practices, this notion isn't a new one to me and I often like to think that I'm getting pretty good at it, that I'm pretty aware of the... Continue Reading →

June 27, 2016 3

Talking-to-the-plants-yoga

I've been trying to have a day or two without yoga. It's been a bit intense recently and I'm feeling a bit wary. Or do I mean chary? Either way, I thought consciously stepping back for a short time might be no bad thing. It's weirdly harder than you think! Yoga seems to have permeated my... Continue Reading →

May 29, 2016 4

Savouring the moments

I'm currently having an emotional wobble, trying to ride the sweet spot between the warm glow of nostalgia and the darkness of melancholy. I've been with old friends these past few days -- such sweet reunion and now such sad farewells. During this time we've had coffee, drunk wine, and shared lunch, dinner, and breakfast -- and done yoga! We've relived our youth... Continue Reading →

May 21, 2016 4

Sunday is not the day of rest

Before Yoga found me and took a hold of me Sundays meant this: a lazy lie-in, followed by a cooked breakfast (with lots of bacon!), an afternoon nap, and then a slightly miserable evening involving alcohol in an abortive attempt to avoid thoughts of work the following morning. OK, so this is a slight exaggeration or simplification,... Continue Reading →

April 24, 2016 7

Sleeping my way to enlightenment

Physical practice this week has been a bit of a bust. I accompanied Hubby to a Hot Power class at the weekend, because he wanted company. But the teacher came and asked me if I was OK during the class and again after the class because I spent so much time lying down! It made... Continue Reading →