Uno yoga!

We have family visiting which is a joy. We're scattered quite widely across the globe so times together are precious. We're all anglophone but of different flavours and I love how this reveals so many differences in understanding beneath a common language and similar enough cultures. For example a really fun dinner time conversation last... Continue Reading →

August 13, 2018 2

Updating my preferences (nothing about GDPR!)

"The greatest obstacle to the practice is one’s own prejudices based on one’s own preferences" हानमेषां क्लेशवदुक्तम् ॥२८॥ hānam-eṣāṁ kleśavad-uktam ॥ PYS 4.28 I'm contemplating this sutra a lot recently; it’s the backdrop to my practice. It’s intrigued me since my teacher first introduced me to it. What are these preferences? In the physical body?... Continue Reading →

May 24, 2018 4

It’s not on my list

"Did you do any yoga while you were away?" my teacher asked me. I gave a ambiguous response -- confused, not quite believing this was a real question. "So what exactly did you do while you were away?" this time from my boss, and I gave a slightly more considered answer, because after all he... Continue Reading →

April 6, 2018 2

Crowdpleaser

My teacher wonders if he's wasting my time in the monthly private we have. I wonder if he is trying to tell me I'm wasting his time... I'm slow to move, low in confidence, lacking the perspective to sift through my confusions. Perhaps I'm missing the point in yoga? I feel mired in all the... Continue Reading →

December 16, 2017 4

What gives?

A friend of mine asked me recently how my classes are going. I didn't know what to say -- they just are. I show up and do my best, my students show up and do their best. It's all good. I find (slightly contrary to expectations, so it must be true!!) that I really love... Continue Reading →

November 22, 2017 2

Defining practice

One of my yoga friends asked me recently if she could take me out for coffee: she had something she wanted to ask me. I assumed it would be a request for a favour of some kind. But no, it was advice she wanted. She started off the conversation a little shyly, then launched into... Continue Reading →

October 2, 2017 5

Practice time

When people ask me how long I practise yoga each week, I'm usually pretty evasive, second-guessing the response I think I'll get. I usually down-play it, since most people look perturbed at the idea of daily practice. And even in the company of serious students/teachers I also hesitate to make my practice sound too heavy... Continue Reading →

June 12, 2017 1

The secret formula

I saw one of my teachers recently whom I haven't seen in a while and perhaps only a few times since TT. We had a great chat after the class he gave. He asked whether I was teaching and because he's one of those quiet steady types with eyes that see right into you, I found... Continue Reading →

March 24, 2017 3

Equal parts of hope and doubt

I had lunch today with a fellow new graduate. She wanted to talk through the questions she's asking herself right now about teaching. It felt funny with her seeking my perspective on this. She has much, much more yoga experience than me (not just more years, but wider experience of different traditions) and her teaching... Continue Reading →

March 16, 2017 1

The new morning habit

I met with a fellow new graduate this week. We caught up on life and work, and of course yoga. We both admitted feeling a bit disconnected with our practice recently. "At least you've been doing it, though" was her comment to me. For reasons of life changes and injury she's not been practising at home... Continue Reading →