In medias res

I met a work colleague for lunch today -- we see each other every quarter or so for a chat and something of a mutual check-in. She's the only person with ME that I've ever really talked to. I've always avoided fellow-sufferers. Too ill or too painfully brave to be with easily. She's been doing... Continue Reading →

October 16, 2017 1

Uncomfortable truth

Life has been full of physical discomforts recently. Terrible toothache at times so bad I was maxing out on various types of painkiller, and for the final 45 minutes or so before the next dose reduced to whimpering, foetal position pain. It’s nerve-related and there’s no relief to be had from that. Just an extended... Continue Reading →

October 14, 2017 0

Getting a handle on yoga

We've just got new internal door handles at home! Not big news in the grand scheme, but curiously significant in my small domestic world. We'd just been putting up with the style that existed when we moved in quite a few years ago now. Neither of us liked them one bit, but they were serviceable.... Continue Reading →

September 18, 2017 1

Far perception

Homework from my teacher this month has been to think about proprioception: how my body feels in space and how it makes me feel. I've just written him some rather convoluted reflections based on observations in recent practices. Such a range of feelings in my mind and my body, impossible to summarise. I'm sure he... Continue Reading →

September 17, 2017 2

What goes around, comes around

When I was a doctoral student, I heard someone's supervisor say that they were deliberately tough with their students because that's how it'd been for them when they were a postgrad themselves. It's the idea of what goes around, comes around -- but in a very negative way. Do unto others as has been done... Continue Reading →

September 16, 2017 1

Pioneering on and off the mat

The days that we spent out east in British Columbia were wonderful. It's technically a desert environment and the scenery was beautiful. It reminded me of parts of the Mediterranean: the desert sage brush looked from a distance like maquis and smelt a bit like it too. I was a bit frustrated that I... Continue Reading →

July 31, 2017 4

Subtle language

One of the funny things about being in Rome was not speaking the language. I'm not used to being in countries where I don't know the language at all (which says more about my limited travel than my vast linguistic abilities!). I flicked through a phrase book on the plane and then just went for... Continue Reading →

June 28, 2017 9

Grumbles and aches

I'm doing a lot of sweet-talking to my body at the moment, coaxing it to move, to loosen up, to come on a journey with me. All my muscles are hurting, some of them pretty uncomfortable, with old injury points reasserting themselves for no good reason. It's not an excess of practice, I think it's... Continue Reading →

May 30, 2017 2

And music sets me free

Some time ago now my teacher -- who doesn't demo much in class -- came and took side angle alongside me, exaggerating his breathing so it was audible to me; I matched my breath to his and all of a sudden he'd exhaled the front hand right down onto the ground, although mine usually mine stays in a... Continue Reading →

March 14, 2017 2

Barriers and hurdles

I was at a workshop at the weekend in London with a fancy American teacher, someone whose published work I really like. It was a fascinating afternoon and I learned a lot, even though it was more a very long led sequence than a workshop as such. There was no time for questions or discussion, unfortunately. I... Continue Reading →