Although yoga as a practice is therapeutic, there are significant differences between a yoga teacher and a yoga therapist and between a yoga

The malls are already saturating us with Christmas jingles and we're trying to juggle present shopping with planning meals and holidays and what to do with the kids and pets. How would you like to approach the silly season? Stressed or calm? I know what I would prefer! Leaving a visit to this relaxed inner space until after Christmas may mean that you fall into a heap during your holidays. Who wants that? I am reminded of how our senses are constantly bombarded with stimulati

To teach and sense as a yoga teacher requires a relaxed concentration. A kind of go with the flow intuition, while maintaining a sharp awareness of constant somatic feedback from the group. Feelings in the room rise and fall. The emotional climate is always changing yet supported by the security of mindfulness. Beneath the obvious asanas and pranayamas shines individual experiences. I remind the class to ‘make the practice your own’, reassuring them that their efforts, as far

Life is too short, we should all move more slowly. - Thich Nhat Hanh Being calm in life's fullness is certainly a challenge. But taking a moment out of your busy day to breathe with awareness and reconnect to your body, and simply feeling into whatever is there without any judgement, is easier than you think. Close your eyes for a minute now, and notice how your body feels. Notice if there is a call to 'not waste any time' or the need to 'push on'. Simply observe this, as it

I was once told that certain spiritual masters in Tibet used to set their teacups upside down before they went to bed each night as a reminder that all life was impermanent. And then, when they awoke each morning, they turned their teacups right side up again with the happy thought, ‘I'm still here!’ This simple gesture is a wonderful reminder to let go a little more now autumn has arrived, to celebrate every moment, and to have a sense of gratitude for the simple things in l

So you’ve become a regular yoga class goer, but the momentum is occasionally broken by family sickness or work commitments. You have the space at home for your yoga mat, but can’t seem to get down to it. I can hear myself saying to my two boys, ‘if you want to be good at something it requires practice and practice and practice!’ Easier said than done, right? But it’s true, a yoga practice is just that … a practice. So here are some tips to get you regularly downward dogging o

Do you ever feel like your whole life has prepared you for this moment? A moment where you have a chance to step up and shine or soldier on like a warrior? What helps you through difficult times? I feel like my past experiences have prepared me for this week’s challenges. At least that’s what I feel. I hope that I’m right. And if I’m not, then it’s only me who’s unproductively judging myself! And so on reaching the top of my mountain walk today, I see the grass is overgrown,

A quiet mindful space The malls are already saturating us with Christmas jingles and we're trying to juggle present shopping with planning meals and holidays and what to do with the kids/pets. How would you like to approach the silly season? Stressed or calm? I know what I would prefer! Leaving a visit to this relaxed inner space until after Christmas may mean that you fall into a heap during your holidays. Who wants that? I am reminded of how our senses are constantly bombar