Blog
How to take a day off
Just over 18 months ago I became a full-time carer for a close family member. Since that time, I feel as though I have had to re-learn what a day off means for it is more than not working or caring. I have approached it as a true rest day – a time where my…
What is yoga therapy and how can it help you?
What is yoga therapy and how can it help you? Yoga is the tool that I turn to first to support me through my life’s ups and downs. If I have an ache or a pain, I turn to yoga to stretch and ease. If I have mental or emotional turbulence, then I use yoga…
7 reasons to practice yoga in perimenopause
7 reasons to practice yoga in perimenopause The popular image of yoga is as a fitness trend which combines stretching, strength and movement. However, the true practice of yoga incorporates many different techniques and modalities from movement to breathing practices, from meditation to guided deep relaxation. I believe that the therapeutic application of these…
Five reasons why Thai Yoga massage is amazing
Thai yoga massage is very different from your traditional image of a massage and you might easily over look it as a treatment for yourself. It is a deeply therapeutic and holistic therapy and can help manage many common complaints such as headache, knee pain, back, shoulder and neck pain. It can also help to…
Five ways to fill your heart
Five ways to fill your heart Several months ago, I watched an interview with the “father of modern mindfulness”, Jon Kabat Zinn. He spoke about how in many eastern languages the word used for mind and heart are often the same. There is no difference between them. He suggested that the practice of mindfulness…
Rest a while longer…
Rest a while longer… In the middle of January, it can be easy to succumb to feelings of lethargy, low mood, and winter blues. Outside it is often dark, wet, and cold. The New Year has lost its newness. You might be lacking the motivation to maintain the momentum of a fresh start. I invite…
5 steps to wellbeing: yoga for radiant living
5 steps to wellbeing: yoga for radiant living Have you ever wondered how to take yoga “off the mat” and into your daily life? Do you want to develop your own yoga practice but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you would love to start yoga but can’t find the time?…
“Where ever you go, you take yourself with you.” *
The start of a new year offers a chance for a new beginning. It’s like a new book with 365 pages waiting for you to create your own best story in. After the indulgencies of Christmas, New Year is a natural opportunity to form new health and wellbeing habits such as eating better, exercising more,…
Green time
One of the most common pieces of advice that I give to people is to get out in nature and this applies not just for my yoga students and massage clients but to family or friends as well. The combination of movement, fresh air and nature is a potent but very simple mix for calming…
Mothering Yourself
Sunday will mark my fifteenth Mother’s Day as a mother and you would think that I would have got the hang of it by now, but actually I am far from it. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Mother’s Day. While it is always lovely to feel appreciated and valued I must…
New Beginnings
In the Pagan calendar 1st February represents imbolc a point approximately half way between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Despite the snow last week there is real evidence that the turning of the seasons towards Spring has begun. The days are noticeably longer, the trees are alive with birds, and the snowdrops are…
Knowing yourself…
Knowing yourself… When I teach yoga I often ask my students to notice how their body feels, how their breath feels, and how their emotions and mind feel in a particular moment. These reflections might be done at the start of a class or after a specific posture or sequence. Although this can be quite…
International Yoga Day
Around the world on the Summer Solstice (21st June) people will be celebrating international yoga day. But where did yoga come from, what is yoga and why do it? A very brief history of yoga Nobody knows exactly when the practice of yoga first began in India but it’s origins can be traced back to…
The wisdom of self-nurture
The wisdom of self-nurture Easier, calmer & more joyful When training as a yoga teacher, one of the biggest benefits I experienced came after a guided deep relaxation. While lying still and resting I was invited to imagine that my internal energy reserves were being fully recharged. This image really resonated with me at the…
I am an expert; I am also a beginner…
I am an expert; I am also a beginner… And yes it is possible to be both. In Buddhism the concept of a “beginner’s mind” is taught. This encourages the individual to engage deeper with their environment and experiences. A “beginner’s mind” is one which has a playful curiosity about the world around them. It…
I can’t do yoga because…I am not flexible enough
I can’t do yoga because… I am not flexible enough. I have heard this so many times over the years, and from a complete cross section of people, so I thought that I would let you into a little secret: yoga is actually really good for improving flexibility. If you have tight, tense muscles a…