At the last workshop we looked at the third niyama, 'tapas', which is often translated along the lines of 'fiery discipline'. This is the quality that helps us to keep going when things become difficult. We all reach a stage in our practice after the initial love affair fades when our relationship with yoga isContinue reading "Bringing the Niyamas to Life – Tapas"
Bringing the Niyamas to Life – Santosha
As a quick reminder, the niyamas are five personal qualities mentioned in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras that we're encouraged to cultivate within ourselves, to help us on our yoga path. Building on August's article on 'saucha' (cleanliness or purity), we now move onto looking at the second niyama: 'santosha', which means contentment. Aah, the elusive contentment... IContinue reading "Bringing the Niyamas to Life – Santosha"
Detoxifying the mind
NB This article appeared in a newsletter to my yoga students earlier this year but at the time I didn’t dare to unleash it on the internet. But, today, I realised quite how pertinent it is to the topic of saucha, which I have just blogged about, and so again I man up and speakContinue reading "Detoxifying the mind"
Bringing the niyamas to life – Saucha
The niyamas are the second limb of yoga, as outlined in Patanjali’s yoga sutras. Along with the first limb, the yamas, these two limbs together form the ethical code of conduct that creates the foundation bedrock of the yoga path. If you use the analogy of the tree of yoga, the five yamas and fiveContinue reading "Bringing the niyamas to life – Saucha"
Flowing with the universe
As this year's five month travel stint draws to a close I reflect back on what I have learnt. Wow - so much! Every time I go away for an extended period of time, I truly do feel like I enter the 'university of life', receiving so many lessons and opportunities for growth. Of course IContinue reading "Flowing with the universe"
Vipassana – the magic of silence
I’ve recently re-entered the speaking world after having spent ten days sitting in silent meditation with around one hundred other people at the Dhamma Mahi vipassana meditation centre near Paris. Literally, all I did each day was sit on the floor and meditate from 4:30am until 9pm, with only a few short breaks for eating,Continue reading "Vipassana – the magic of silence"
Unveiling the heart
For the last month, my partner and I have been happily living on the side of a beautiful mountain in a remote part of northern Portugal. The reason for this change of address has been to try out community living for the first time, with a relatively new community venture called Merkaba Community. I’ve beenContinue reading "Unveiling the heart"
Saluting the Sun with a Surya Namaskara based Home Practice
June 21st saw this year’s summer solstice, which was made even more auspicious this year by falling on a full moon for the first time in around fifty years! There’s something very magical about this – a once or twice in a lifetime opportunity to see the ultimate yang symbol, the sun, share the skyContinue reading "Saluting the Sun with a Surya Namaskara based Home Practice"
Turning fear to love
Leading up to and since the EU referendum, there has been a great deal of fear swirling around the UK, as well as anger and sadness, both of which are fear by another name. There are also so many words and opinions swirling about that, until now, I’ve decided not to enter the fray. But,Continue reading "Turning fear to love"
Introduction to the chakras – and a chakra opening yoga sequence
NB This sequence appeared in my most recent monthly Frond Yoga newsletter. If you would like to join my mailing list and have information of upcoming UK classes, workshops, detox day retreats and international retreats then please get in touch via beckymay@frondyoga.com. In yoga philosophy, we are comprised of more than our visible ‘flesh andContinue reading "Introduction to the chakras – and a chakra opening yoga sequence"
frond yoga with Rebecca May 