We seem to have fallen on our feet with our accommodation. The owner, Prashanth, is a yoga student of BNS Iyengar – not to be confused with the recently deceased legend that is BKS Iyengar. Both BNS and BKS Iyengar were students of Krishnamacharya (that must have made for confusement in class) and BNS IyengarContinueContinue reading “Wussy westerners”
Category Archives: Yoga
It starts with a dream…
“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world.” Buddha So, it’s almost here. It began with what felt like an impossible, whimsical dream, then it became something I dared to talk about to people and, a few years on, finally it’s happening. In justContinueContinue reading “It starts with a dream…”
Autumn clear-out
For as long as I can remember, I have loved having a good old sort-out, especially of my wardrobe. When my three sisters and I were little, around once a year my mum would herd us into a bedroom, at the centre of which would be a huge mountain of all of our combined clothes.ContinueContinue reading “Autumn clear-out”
Jumping-through negativity
Last Saturday I ran my first jump-through workshop. For those who don’t know, the jump-through is a dynamic linking sequence that is used between postures in ashtanga and vinyasa krama yoga. I had deliberated for a long time about whether it was a good idea or not to run the workshop. I wanted to pass onContinueContinue reading “Jumping-through negativity”
It’s all in the balance…
This Thursday sees me running the first of my monthly ‘yin’ style yoga classes, with long-held, supported postures and a slow, meditative pace. This might seem a strange thing for a die-hard ashtangi to be doing, but I suppose that is the point of this post. We need both the yin and the yang. TheContinueContinue reading “It’s all in the balance…”
Mysore the social leveller
Just back from a great session of Mysore-style self-practice at my local yoga studio (the wonderful Stonemonkey) after a bit of time away from group classes and I was musing about why I love the Mysore approach so much.For those who don’t know, ashtanga yoga originated in the city of Mysore in India, and was createdContinueContinue reading “Mysore the social leveller”
Anatomy Focus – how do we engage moola bandha?
Hmmm, where to start?! Moola bandha is a vast subject, much debated and discussed in the yoga world at every level, from its purely physical uses to its energetic functions and beyond. It even has its own well-known book written all about it. When you’re new to yoga it can be a difficult concept to getContinueContinue reading “Anatomy Focus – how do we engage moola bandha?”
Mindfulness: why ‘coming back down to earth’ is a good thing
“Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child – our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” Thich Nhat HanhAll too often we live in our heads: in our fantasies of how we would like toContinueContinue reading “Mindfulness: why ‘coming back down to earth’ is a good thing”
Posture breakdown – tadasana (mountain pose)
Tadasana teaches us how to stand properly, and therefore also how to breathe properly, and is arguably one of the most important postures in yoga. It teaches us body-awareness, improves strength and balance and allows us to explore energy flow through the body. It is also a wonderful opportunity to connect with your breath and the earthContinueContinue reading “Posture breakdown – tadasana (mountain pose)”
Anatomy focus – how back-bending is also chest opening
It is an anatomical rule that when certain muscles in the body contract to achieve a particular action, another group of ‘antagonistic’ muscles will stretch; you cannot have one action without the other occurring. In back-bending, muscles in the back, such as the erector spinae and trapezius, contract, meaning muscles on the front of theContinueContinue reading “Anatomy focus – how back-bending is also chest opening”
frond yoga with Rebecca May 