Well, here we are, a week into our campervan road trip and so far it’s been, um – challenging! After many, many obstacles, delays and literal spanners in the works in the UK, we finally set off last Wednesday a month later than planned, barely able to believe we were at last on our wayContinue reading "Teething problems…"
Expanding into sparseness
Today I woke to the monochrome beauty of a snowy morning and felt my usual childlike excitement at the world having changed so dramatically whilst we slept. I pestered my partner into wakefulness and soon we were striding through the cold air, red-cheeked and puffing steam from our mouths. We stopped and stood for aContinue reading "Expanding into sparseness"
Going inward…
You may not know this, but when I'm not teaching yoga I am often to be found out and about saving fluffy little critters (and some not so fluffy) as part of my other role as an ecologist. So, summer is always super busy for me - I'm dashing around in my wellies, chasing dormiceContinue reading "Going inward…"
Autumn Cleansing…
Autumn is the time of year when nature has a good old clear-out. The trees ditch all their dead leaves and any fruit that’s not been nabbed shrivels up and falls off too. Why does this happen? Why can’t the poor trees keep their coat of leaves during the chilly winter months, when surely theyContinue reading "Autumn Cleansing…"
Bringing the yamas into daily life
This summer I've been running monthly workshops to delve a little deeper into the subject of yoga. The theme of the workshop series has been the 'yamas' - the code of good personal ethics set out by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras text, which form the first limb of the eight limbs of yoga. AlongContinue reading "Bringing the yamas into daily life"
Why going on a yoga retreat is actually doing everyone a favour… ;)
I’ve just returned from another wonderful yoga retreat week in Turkey, where I was once more struck by the magic of what occurs on these yoga weeks. I’ve taught many week-long yoga retreats now, and my favourite thing is always watching the group members gradually relax, unwind, unfurl and blossom through the week, as theyContinue reading "Why going on a yoga retreat is actually doing everyone a favour… ;)"
The Recent History of the Living Yoga Tradition
Whilst in India, I was struck with how the cultural heritage and history of yoga and the lineage of yoga teaching is placed in high esteem amongst those teaching and practising yoga there. This inspired me to write the following article, which aims to explain where the yoga we practice in the west largely comesContinue reading "The Recent History of the Living Yoga Tradition"
Talking Point – Why ahimsa has to start with yourself
"Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting." William Shakespeare (Henry V) In Patanjali's eight-limbed explanation of yoga, which he sets out in his key yoga text, The Yoga Sutras, the first limb is the 'yamas', which are five ethical principles that we should try and follow in our daily life. AhimsaContinue reading "Talking Point – Why ahimsa has to start with yourself"
Posture Focus – Keeping the shoulders safe in chaturanga dandasana
I realise I haven't been on the blog since I returned from India. So much to talk about, I don't know where to begin! So, whilst I gather my thoughts, I'm just updating the blog by adding some of my past newsletter articles as I like to put them on here so a wider readershipContinue reading "Posture Focus – Keeping the shoulders safe in chaturanga dandasana"
Surrender
Well, it has definitely happened. India has well and truly got under my skin, despite myself... Since Chris left I've felt pretty introspective, as though I'm trying to process all the things that have happened to me over the last crazy five months. Something has definitely shifted. I've been fighting surrender for so long, clingingContinue reading "Surrender"
frond yoga with Rebecca May 