Yoga Philosophy
Nobody is “Doing” Yoga; as Practitioners, We are Seeking it…
We are often fond of saying that yoga isn’t about asana and has little to do with being on the mat, but if that’s true, then what exactly are we doing? Certainly it’s fair to say that for most of us, that’s what it is. Some people even fear it because we have all been […]
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Have you ever been guilty of this?
A few insights emerged this week and I found my mind heading back about 17 years or so when I had a very interesting friend in my life whom I had met at work. This was all before Facey and social media, but she was a very social girl, if a little unconventional, and loved bringing people together […]
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How Yogasana Works!
I always tend to offer poses and exercises that are more accessible to the majority in class, so we don’t usually practise this asana – bhujapidasana (swing) pose as part of a sequence, although we may do subtle variations of it in a more doable way that simply recreates the subtle yet powerful activations. Either […]
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Once Upon a Time I Met a Monk…
Unsurprisingly (or even surprisingly perhaps in the Insta world we live in), even though I look pretty peaceful in this image, believe it or not, I am not meditating, Truly. I am just posing for a photo (and it is a nice photo, thanks Nev). It’s one of the most pleasing things to be able to do; sit […]
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Most “Yoga” Experiences Don’t Happen on the Mat..
You may have heard people say they don’t like “yoga”. Perhaps they maintain an idea that it’s “not for them.” Maybe it’s something you have said! What is really meant by this though, is that it has thus far proved elusive and simply hasn’t been found yet. Of course in its true sense, “yoga” is for everyone – who […]
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What Do You Do When You Are Feeling Flat?
We all go through feelings of blah from time to time and sometimes it can seem as if there is no rhyme or reason. I don’t know if that’s entirely true, but it may be that it’s just difficult to identify a specific cause. For lots of us, there are so many thoughts and feelings […]
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What is the Difference Between Doing Our Best & Striving to Be Better?
In between the rain and yoga class evenings this winter, you’ll generally catch me down at the beach, walking the dog and running number two son. I’m rarely disappointed with the vista; lots of beautiful sunsets, amazing colours and a sense of peace and space. But every day, even from this exact same angle is different […]
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The Guts of it….
How many everyday sayings that relate to some kind of emotion come back to a physical feeling in the tummy? – I had butterflies in my stomach – I felt like I had swallowed a lead balloon -I felt sick with fear – It was like being kicked in the guts – What’s eating away […]
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A Little Bit of Yoga History #3 – Astanga: The Eight Limbs
(Image by Coby Jones) So what exactly does the word “astanga” mean? In accordance with Patanjali’s yoga sutras, the definition of the sanskrit word “astanga” is “eight limbs” and Astanga-Yoga consists of eight components. Patajanli is sometimes described as “The Father of Modern Yoga (you can read my short piece about him here). According to Patanjali the eight limbs of yoga are: Yama […]
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A Little Bit of Yoga History, Part 2
The harder and more intense the physical challenge, the higher the standard – and I am not just referring to yoga practise here -the more time and effort is required to maintain it. Hence, in my experience, many high level Astanga-vinyasa practitioners and teachers seem either to be men or women without children. In fact, it’s fair to say I’ve met many along the way who probably had some kind of family income as they didn’t seem to have to earn a living.
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