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

Have you ever had a panic attack? That scary, intense feeling of panic can cause a range of symptoms including shortness of breath, heart palpitations, dizziness and muscle tension. Panic attacks are really common, with up to 35% of us having them at some point in our lives, and can be a reaction to periods of stress or illness. A little bit of fear is normal. It keeps us alert and actually makes us feel whole. The problem starts when this fear becomes persistent and starts t

Devoted to living a balanced and moderate life, the scope of one’s life force becomes boundless. Sutra 11.38 Remember what it felt like the last time you overindulged in some sensory way. A late night at the computer, an evening coffee, a violent movie, a few drinks, a heavy meal. How was your energy barometer for 24 hours after? I am sure you have noticed how dumbed and overstimulated our children’s senses are after just an hour of computer games. When our senses connect wit

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

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

I am often asked whether or not yoga can help with weight loss. Moving into my late forties I can understand how quick we can be to judge ourselves when the bulge appears to grow. But judgement gets us nowhere. Yoga encourages us to move beyond the popular expectations around body image. It gets to the source of our movement and eating rhythms. It helps us unravel and observe those behaviours that may be stopping us from feeling at home with ourselves. And it helps to reduce

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

Abiding in generosity and honesty, material and spiritual prosperity is bestowed. Sutra 11.37 On occasion, you may admire something someone else has that you do not; a better car, a longer holiday, a different relationship. It’s interesting to be aware of how much power that original thought can have, by growing into the sense of ‘not having enough’. The Yama of Asteya ‘Asteya reminds us that greediness that goes beyond the resources that we actually need, robs us of our abil

Dedicated to truth and integrity (Satya), our thoughts words and actions gain the power to manifest. Sutra 11.36 Sometimes being silent is the wisest action, even though silence can sometimes be seen as aggressive in our society. Your words are so powerful that often you do not realise the benefits or consequences they bestow on others and ourselves. Even though your actions appear to be pleasing, your thoughts behind your words may be something different. The Yama of Satya B

Embracing reverence and love for all, we experience oneness. Sutra 11.35 We all realise the great health benefits that come with a regular yoga practice, such as reduced anxiety and depression and more vitality, but it is not necessarily a recipe for lasting happiness. On the mat, you experience yourself from the inside out, and begin to see the connection between how you think and feel and your outer reality. You also begin to notice that there may be a gap between where you