Maha prana

I’ve started including a bit more pranayama in my classes. It’s not something that featured prominently in the classes I attended myself so I’m a bit slow to incorporate it much in my own teaching and lack some confidence in doing so. But suddenly everything I learn about yoga seems to emphasise the nervous system... Continue Reading →

April 29, 2024 3

Courage!

At university when I was struggling to complete my final exams owing to a double combo of ill health and a painful wrist injury my tutor sent me a note (haha pre-email days!) that said ‘courage -- in a French accent’. I loved it. I think of it still when things get tricky. It made... Continue Reading →

April 13, 2024 7

The wise soul’s capacity

I’m still somewhere in the weird, uncharted territory of the grief cycle as it pertains not to an actual death but from a loss of a relationship, namely breaking up with my long-time yoga teacher. It’s not a socially-acceptable kind of grief and likely sounds all cultish and dependent and creepy to anyone not in... Continue Reading →

February 28, 2024 2

My dream run

I’m having a lot of dreams at the moment, bad dreams (nightmares even) from which I wake up in a sweat with my heart beating hard, sometimes just a sense of unease or sometimes full-on panic. My first moments of consciousness swirl me back into reality, pulling me out of some strange situation or emotional... Continue Reading →

February 4, 2024 6

Social media lineage

I saw a thing on social media today. Looking at it one way, it was just a dumb marketing message. Looking at it another way, it was a teaching from my teacher’s teacher on the three things that make a good teacher: A lineage connection – A good teacher is part of a lineage and... Continue Reading →

January 22, 2024 3

Upside down joy

I’ve written before how I could swear my handstand trainer has a degree is psychology. He seems to know the right thing to say, how to motivate and encourage even while remaining super-strict about form and attention to detail. Now that I’m a bit wiser or more experienced with physical trainers (not just lofty yoga... Continue Reading →

January 13, 2024 5

Life saver

Years ago (when we were all younger!) my teacher would often do a breakout time in his vinyasa class to allow people to practise handstand against the wall. He would come around the room ensuring everyone was working to their level and had an appropriate challenge. When he got to me he kindly asked “can... Continue Reading →

December 30, 2023 5

Yoga magic

The choreography of a group yoga class is always a dance between the instructions of the teacher, the harmony of the group, and the needs of the individuals. I often introduce a bit of ‘controlled chaos’ in my class -- aka offering variations, modifications and alternatives, especially if we get anywhere near a ‘peak pose'.... Continue Reading →

October 10, 2023 2

A Narrative of Ease

I was messaging a teacher recently about her upcoming classes and workshops as I tried to decide which to attend: should I make a weekend of it, involving intercity travel, and overnight accommodation for a two day teachers course which would be very worthy and useful? Or should I just pop to London for a... Continue Reading →

October 5, 2023 0

Counting

He taught me not to kill spiders just because I am afraid of them. I’m thinking of that now as I make my morning coffee. There’s a spider that’s set up home in the join of the wall to the ceiling. It’s right above my head, as I spoon coffee into the pot. I’m thinking... Continue Reading →