Roman Polanski, Sinead O'Connor...
“the siblings from Succession!” our team shouted.
We didn’t even need to get to Kendall and Siobhan. Our answer ensured that we retained our title as reigning champs… of the Headteacher’s Quiz at the kid’s school!
That final round of the quiz involved finding the hidden link between the answers to a set of 4 questions.
I contributed to some of the answers for each set of questions, but was struggling to figure out the links. My mind was going off on some serious tangents.
Finally towards the last question I thought it might be helpful if I actually looked at the answers that we were writing down, rather than just discussing them. And it totally worked! Being able to see the answers focused my attention. It made me realise that I’m a visual learner.
I’m sharing this story with you, because it relates to my experience of being a yoga student. I practice without my glasses and rely on verbal instruction and the physical sensations of my body, so I had kinda assumed that I was mostly an auditory or tactile learner.
This realisation reminds me of the importance of using a wide range of teaching techniques to help yoga students in their practice.
As a yoga teacher we’re taught to use a variety of different methods to teach the class - verbal instructions, demonstrating, physical assists and landmarking (“turn towards the window” “face the entrance side of the room”, etc).
What are the learning techniques you find most useful in your yoga classes? As a student and/or as a teacher?
Please share, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
PS - Here are the answers to one of the set of 4 questions from the quiz:
1.) Sadie Frost
2.) Madonna
3.) Lucy Liu
4.) Rita Ora
Can you guess the link between them?
do it before you're ready
Have you thought about doing your teacher training?
It felt like the skies opened up and light was shining on me. Cue angelic music.
My teacher and friend Jean Hall was inviting me to her yoga teacher training.
I had been her student for years and was seriously committed to her classes at triyoga in Primrose Hill.
So when Jean promoted her retreat, it was a no-brainer. I booked a spot.
It was a magical weekend that changed my life.
But it wasn’t an immediate yes to her invitation.
I was so in love with the practice and worried that becoming a yoga teacher would change that.
And I also thought, I’m totally not ready yet.
I wasn’t, but I did it anyway. I trusted her and I trusted myself.
After 2 years of training I graduated in 2012 and much to my surprise, started teaching part-time right away.
There have been some detours, including a redundancy from my corporate job, but here I am teaching yoga full time, and about to host my first retreat.
And it’s such a gift, all of it.
Thank you Jean for seeing something in me. For helping me build that inner trust, so I could feel the fear, but do it anyway.
That’s our cohort and the now closed triyoga Soho.
we shouldn't have gone this way
…The next street over is easier, there’s more space on the pavement!
Yeah well, I’m trying this way to see if there’s somewhere else we can find along the main road.
I rolled my eyes and grunted.
That was the tone between my partner and I as we looked around for a restaurant for Father’s Day brunch.
We turned the corner and there it was.
What about there?
Oh, that’s new.
Hang on, I’ll check the reviews. 4.8 out of 5 from 700+ reviews!
Let’s do it.
And of course it was amazing.
I was so used to going a particular route, that when we didn’t, I got a little vexed and my hangriness took over.
But had he not taken us a different way, we wouldn’t have found our new favourite breakfast place.
Routines help us to feel safe and structured, so that we’re not in a constant state of overwhelm.
But they can sometimes hold us back.
Forming new habits, even walking down a different street, increases our neuroplasticity. This expands our capacity to respond and adapt to situations, and can give us a new perspective on ingrained habits.
No matter how small the change is, even if it makes you uncomfortable or frustrated, go ahead and mix it up.
You never know what delicious delights may await you on the other side
confessions of a self-proclaimed nerd
I wasn’t always this way.
I didn’t do very well academically in high school, I even had one teacher (who was genuinely well-meaning) say to me,
I don’t think you’re cut out for university, maybe try college instead.
And while I eventually did get into university, I was suspended after my first semester for having a low grade point average.
I took advantage of the suspension to get “real life” experience and worked as a receptionist at Unilever Canada. The best perk was discounted Dove products.
That job changed my perspective - I returned to University, paying for my own tuition, completed a 4-year Business Management degree in 3, finished my final semester in London and I’ve been here ever since.
Once I understood the value of pursuing higher education, I committed to it 100%. My biggest takeaway from university was the importance of always being a student - to keep learning.
New Way of Learning
I get a lot of my learning done these days via podcasts.
The first one I ever listened to was Serial: Season One in 2014, do you remember it?
Only 8 years later, it’s said there are over 4 million podcasts.
Some of my favourites include:
Feel Better, Live More - Rangan Chatterjee
The Marie Forleo Podcast - Marie Forleo
CTZN - Kerry Kelly
I have a bias towards yoga, wellness and business, though not exclusively!
What about you? Can you share with me your favourite yoga, wellness and business podcasts? Or maybe even blogs or websites?
I love geeking out on this kind of stuff!
resting stress face
Well, we finally made it to Toronto.
And with all the stress in the lead up to our departure (household norovirus and mandatory negative LFTs for travel), I thought it would be sensible for me to treat myself to a hot stone massage and a facial immediately after we arrived.
My massage was lovely, but the facial treatment was next level...
As my therapist went through the skin routine, there came a point where she was rubbing cream into my face for a long time and then I realised I was getting a FACE MASSAGE! It was unexpected and brilliant.
After my treatment I thanked her and said I didn't realise how much I needed it. To which she said,
"Yup, we all have stressed out faces."
Oh. My face is stressed out. My jaw feels tight, my brows are usually slightly furrowed and my eyes are tired.
Of course we have stressed out faces! It makes complete sense. We are living in a particularly intense time.
Embodiment practices, like yoga asana, are super helpful in supporting our health and wellbeing.
Our bodies and our minds aren't separate. What we experience in our mental and emotional states has a direct impact on our bodies.
When you're happy, there's a spring in your step.
When you're nervous, you have butterflies in your stomach.
When you're sad, your heart feels heavy.
When you're stressed, your body feels tight and tense.
In using our embodied practices, our awareness is directed into our bodies where we can feel into the sensations. These sensations provide information and it's up to you what to do with this information. It's empowering.
We can't think our way out of heartbreak. We can be with it, feel it, move it, transform it to create more space and freedom in our bodies, hearts and minds.
No doubt, it's courageous work. And we have the opportunity to do it in the community.
"An important update on..."
…the Soho studio
As soon as I read those words, I knew immediately that triyoga Soho was going to close.
The studio is located in Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street and minutes from Oxford Circus. The landlord has decided not to renew the contract, because the area is now mainly a restaurant hub, so soon this lovely little yoga studio will be just another Bill’s, or hipster cupcake place.
Shortly after I heard the news it was closing, I taught a class there. During the meditation I started tearing up, as the realisation hit home that a place that has transformed my life was about to vanish.
triyoga Soho was the place where:
I learned to practice my yoga - stepping out into the boozy buzz of Friday night after my calm blissed out class
I did my first yoga teacher training with my forever teacher and friend Jean Hall (hi Jean!)
I did my postnatal teacher training
Jason Crandell said to me, “You need to do my teacher training”
It's more than just a studio where I've fallen out of headstands or practiced my crow pose. It's a space where I felt seen and guided to where I am now, with humility and gratitude. And I’m really going to miss it.
There’s something about change that can remind you to pause, reflect and recalibrate. To remember impermanence.
triyoga Soho’s doors will close on 28 March 2022. If you’re in the area, please go check it out. It’s gorgeous - an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Central London.
And I’ll be teaching my last class there on Tuesday 22nd March. Check out my teaching schedule here.
my "top of" 2021 list
Who doesn’t love a “Top 8 of 2021” list? The following is a collection of things that have resonated with me throughout the year. While it doesn’t cover everything, I wanted to share some of my favourites with you.
Yoga & Meditation Trainings
Yoga & Activism: Off the Mat and Into the World - www.offthematintotheworld.org
Mindfulness Meditation: Cyndi Lee - www.cyndilee.com
App
Insight Timer - https://insighttimer.com/en-gb. Great for meditation. I use this app is for its timer feature which allows you to choose the start/end sounds (a soothing Kanse bowl rather than my jarring phone timer), but there are also guided meditations from greats like Ram Dass and Jack Kornfield.
Book
Wild Swans by Jung Chang. This book gave me a window into China's history, the horror and hardships my family endured and the bravery it took for them to immigrate to Canada.
TV Show
It’s a Sin by Russell T. Davies. It was also the Guardian’s #1 for 2021, don’t they have great taste!
Podcasts
“Feel Better Live More” by Rangan Chatterjee
His catalogue is vast and I’ve listened to a fraction but here are a few that have stuck with me:
Episode: 136 with Arianna Huffington - “Microsteps and Rituals to Help You Thrive”
Episode: 169 with Gabor Mate: “We are All Addicts”
Episode: 197 with James Nestor: “How To Transform Your Health Through Your Breath” (He has an early episode with James that I haven’t listened to yet #124)
“CTZN” by Kerri Kelly
I’ve just dipped my toes into her library but one that’s blown me away is:
20 May 2020: “Wellness Beyond Whiteness: Rev angel Kyodo williams, Michelle Cassandra Johnson, Seane Corn and Anasa Troutman”
*You’ll need Google Podcasts to open these links but you can use whichever podcast provider you have, just search for the episode number
Life Coaching/Business Development
Marie Forleo - www.marieforleo.com. She’s brilliant and the real deal.
Laura Belgray - www.talkingshrimp.com. She’s hugely influenced my writing, including these emails.
Barre Classes
Psycle at Home - www.psyclelondon.com. I love Rod and Maria. So much fun. And haaaaard!
Most streamed tune on Spotify
“Blinding Lights” by Weekend
That’s my 2021 summed up. Any favourites from the year that you want to share?
And to you, thank you for reading. This is the first year I started writing these newsletters and I couldn’t have done it without you. Seriously. They’d just be diary entries or half-baked thoughts if it wasn’t for you.
I’m an INFJ according to the Myer-Briggs personality indicator (bleck “judging”, I know) and publicly sharing my stories is hugely out of my comfort zone. But it’s because of your engagement and your support that I keep going.
Whether it was a smile, a new song to your playlist, an unearthing of a memory, I hope that there’s been some value for you here because there has been a tremendous amount for me and I'm grateful.
For me this year has been one marked by study and growth. My intention for 2022 is to focus more on creation and expression. Bring it on.
And then the tampons flew out of my bag
As I quickly collected them from the ground in front of a small crowd, and shoved them back into my bag, I was cracking up. So was my friend, waiting on the other side of the bag check at the Ally Pally fireworks.
The place was absolutely heaving, so we watched the display from closer than our usual spot, in front of the massive sound system. Having to crane my neck the entire time sucked, but it didn’t stop me from taking the opportunity to dance.
“I’m mad as hell. What. I ain’t going to take it no more. I’m mad as hell.”
MAH. Chemical Brothers. TUUUUNE. Had forgotten how much I loved this jam.
Fast forward three weeks and it was blasting in my headphones during my dishwashing-solo-dance-party, in the middle of what felt like an endless Covid self isolation.
With the virus rife in the schools, catching it had begun to feel inevitable. But still, I was Mad As Hell it had hit our family, especially as we’d been so careful throughout the pandemic.
The movement felt really good in my body. While I was sick, I had disconnected from it, spending time in my head spinning out. I used my tools - meditation, breathing, grounding, tapping - all of which definitely helped to manage the anxiety, but it can have a vice-like grip. And so this spontaneous purge of anger, sadness, frustration and fear felt liberating.
During the kitchen disco, I also had a realisation - we were experiencing the very thing that we’d been so worried about for the past 20 months, and we were getting through it.
We were lucky, our symptoms were relatively mild and our recovery has been quick. By no means am I spiritually bypassing - there’s no denying how awful the experience was, but I know that we’ve built some resiliency. And antibodies!
Takeaway from this newsletter:
Go and have a hard dance in your kitchen.
The Universe and Noel Fielding
Last Monday as I was walking home from the school run with a friend, I saw a man waiting to cross the road. He was wearing a bright pink fur jacket with spots. I immediately interrupted our conversation.
“Oh my god, look it’s Noel Fielding!”
The day before the first episode of Bake Off no less! Noel’s as flamboyant in real life as he is on TV - he isn’t capable of going incognito. And spotting him reminded me to write this newsletter.
Saturday 18th September was the last edition of the Guardian's Weekend magazine. I was the administrator for the Space section, interior design and gardening, from 2005-2007. (Thank you Kate M for the in!) This was my first real job in London and I felt like I’d hit the jackpot working at such a respected paper. I wasn’t especially interested in home décor but at the time it felt so glamorous to be working in the media. I remember going back to Toronto that Christmas and bringing a stack of papers to show off to my friends - I was especially proud of the Franz Ferdinand cover. Which I had zero to do with!
There was a special feature at Weekend which involved celebrities re-enacting famous television scenes for the cover. One day I heard the picture desk was going to shoot the cover, so I applied my 20-something bolshiness and asked if I could tag along. Do you want to know why I was so persistent?
It's me and THE MIGHTY BOOSH!! This is why I saw Noel Fielding last week. So I could share this pic!
Celebrity photo shoots aside - what I really want to say is thank you to Guardian Weekend, for giving me the chance to contribute in some small way to one of the world’s most important media voices.
Don't be afraid of the length of this newsletter, ok?
How was your summer? Did you stay local or did you venture further? Did you go ABROAD?!
We stayed in the UK, but left the city and visited the beautiful English countryside. The landscape and scenery was consistently breath-taking, but at times, the reception from the locals was as up and down as the Malvern Hills.
There was warmth from many people, to the point where my 7-year old asked, “why is everyone saying hi to you?” But we also experienced frosty silence and averted eyes during a Sunday pub lunch in a sunny garden - with the exception of one lovely woman who chased after us to return my scarf, dropped during our rather rushed departure.
The very awkward vibe at the pub (and from some of the people we encountered on our walks) went beyond “city vs country” tension. It was the energy of “us vs them” and it definitely felt like we were “them”.
(Disclaimer: I discussed it with my (white) partner that evening and he felt the same borderline hostility too...sorry babe, my fault!)
Yoga and Politics?
As someone who teaches yoga asana I wonder, who am I to share my political views? And while I grapple with the articulation of my thoughts, the correct language to use, and confront the fear that I may offend someone, I’d like to direct you to Bo Forbes’s article Why yoga + the body are social and political. She’s a Boston-based yoga teacher and psychologist who I’ve been following for over a decade. It’s a 10-minute read and a bit heady, but it's worth it. If you read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Stuck on Repeat
Scroll. Scroll. Like. Scroll. Comment. Like. Scroll. Smiley face. Heart. Scroll.
As I write this I can feel the activation of the muscle memory in my thumbs.
“...there’s no way of predicting when someone out there will reward you with their approval, so you’ll impulsively keep checking in, hoping to see those likes stack up.”
The Science Of Living by Dr. Stuart Farrimond
Ooh that’s a bit close to the bone. I’m not very active on social media these days but that quote nails it for me. I can’t predict whether someone out there will reward me with their approval. So I’ll keep checking and checking because:
“Social Media notifications cash in on the chemical currency of pleasure: dopamine”
The Science Of Living by Dr. Stuart Farrimond
I won’t go into a deep dive about my attitude towards social media but at the risk of sounding very 2009, it’s complicated.
“I can't deny the fact you like me. Right now, you like me!”
You may recognise the quote above from Sally Field’s 1985 Academy Award acceptance speech. And yes, I had to double check as I also thought what she’d said was “You like me. You really like me!”.
Her expression of unabashed happiness from being approved of by her peers takes a lot of courage (or obliviousness!). Sure there may also be a little tinge of desperation but let’s be honest, we’ve all been there! It feels good to be liked, approved of and celebrated, we’re relational beings.
Back when Ms Field gave her infamous (misquoted) speech, the immediate reaction was limited to those watching at the ceremony and the viewers watching at home. Feedback didn’t arrive until it was mediated through the next morning’s newspapers and TV news broadcasts.
Nowadays however public displays of vulnerability - whether they are to an audience of millions or an audience of one - happen via our phones and the feedback (or lack of) is immediate...
👍 ❤️ 😀 🥰 🤯 😂 🙏
And I can’t handle it!
Higher tolerance? Moved by Your Message? Or Just Having Fun?
Maybe it takes practice, until you can hammer out posts and tweets with little concern for feedback. Like a muscle that gets worked so that eventually we create new tolerance levels of simply not giving a damn what people think.
Or maybe it’s the wholehearted conviction that what you have to share will be of benefit to somebody else. That there’ll be a relatable point that makes your reader feel less isolated, to make them smile or even laugh. And that in order to get that across, you sidestep your ego and let the vulnerability be shared.
Or maybe I’m just overthinking it and should relax and have fun with it!
I’m going to try to get my dopamine hits from leaning into these more positive approaches to social media. But while I’m increasing my tolerance can you please like? 😉
My #1 Yoga & Meditation Pet Peeve
I have had the following exchange countless times with people who don’t practice yoga or meditation:-
Me: “I teach yoga and have been practicing for a number of years”
Person: “You must be so calm”
Me, “No, I’m really f**king not!”
Ok fine, I don’t say that out loud - my response is usually more along the lines of,
“Ha. Tell that to my kids!”
Self deprecation aside, I understand why someone might presume that one of the benefits of yoga is being calm, because it’s true. Yoga can make you calmer. It's the how and the why it makes me feel calmer which is interesting.
More Than Meets The (Third) Eye
One of my teachers, Cyndi Lee, once said that when you see a picture of someone sitting cross legged, backs of their hands resting on their knees, index finger and thumbs touching with a serene expression on their face, it’s likely they are ruminating over an exchange with a colleague, or thinking about what’s for dinner, or whether they remembered to pay their credit card bill.
Yoga and meditation are embodied practices that help you witness all of the stuff that’s going on in your head. All that mind chatter. But to not identify with it - to observe the thoughts and then return to the present moment, often using the breath as a tool to do this.
These practices have helped me to experience the human condition and all that comes with it - joy, happiness, bliss, sadness, frustration, confusion and then some. They’ve allowed me to be in relationship with these powerful emotional forces and mental fluctuations.
What Does That Have To Do With Being Calm?
When I’m stressed, my mind is scattered and I’m unable to focus on one thing. I feel fragmented and can see I’m about to go down a well trodden path of anxiety, reactivity, rage and fear. But there are also times when I can remember to pause. To remember what it feels like to inhabit my body, and be available to my breathing.
Calmness doesn’t come from a void of emotion or emptying yourself of thought. It comes from being familiar with challenging emotions and experiences and those moments of stillness and quiet. To be in balance. Calm comes when you find steadiness amidst the constant flux of thoughts and feelings.
Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go and tell someone off about the mess on the floor.
I keep on Fallin’...down the list - My needs, My self care.
How did that headline land in your body? Did I read your mind? Your needs are constantly being pushed down the list, or as my friend put it , “I’m not even on the list!!” And that’s because there are groceries to buy and meals to plan, the laundry to do (washing, folding and putting away), the dripping tap that needs to be fixed, the old clothes that need to be dropped off at the charity shop, and on and on it goes. All the things that are required to keep your household running.
Crossing things off your list can feel soooo satisfying. And these are things that you can control. They’re tangible - a part of your external environment.
Taking care of your needs on the other hand - well, this is all about your internal environment, where so much of it can feel out of your control. And feel unsafe because you’re out of your comfort zone. But unless you learn how to feel safe within yourself, how can you hold that feeling of safety in others?
Self Care or Self Indulgence?
The term self care was coined by activist and poet, Audre Lorde. The following quote is taken from her 1988 book of essays, A Burst of Light:
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
There’s a chance that the messages you receive about self care don’t carry the same weight and meaning as the above quote. Rather, they portray self care as self indulgence. Gwenyth Paltrow’s £60 Jade Egg anyone? (Pelvic floors are super important and are definitely an act of self care).
As Tom and Donna from Parks and Rec say:
Or maybe you grew up in a household where self care was never demonstrated. I can certainly relate to that. My parents never practiced self care. They were immigrants and their primary concerns were to keep a roof over our heads, keep our bellies full and get my brothers and I through education. For them, life was about survival - they left China after the Cultural Revolution and internalised the trauma and feelings of being unsafe.
And then there’s the pandemic
It’s impossible to minimise the impact that Covid has had on our day to day lives and mental health.
With all of the pain and suffering that is happening in the world right now, spending time in your own company and taking care of yourself could be deemed as self indulgent. But the reality is, looking after yourself has a ripple effect. It creates a shift in your inner state which has a positive impact on your family, friends, community and beyond.
Feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, depression, fear - they’re omnipresent. And you’re likely holding it all together. So with this in mind, let’s reframe self care as self preservation. As refilling your own cup so that you can give sustenance to others.
An interesting article in the Guardian about the evolution of self care.
Are you a Dabbler? Why Consistency Matters.
Living my best (yoga student) life
The first time I ever tried yoga was when I flipped through the pages of Rodney Yee’s Yoga: The Poetry of the Body. I was recommended the book while volunteering at a local TV station. I had yet to find a form of exercise that I stuck with (excluding Suzanne Somers Thigh Master) and thought I'd give yoga a try.
I dog-eared the sequences and started the poses, barely skimming the accompanying instructions. My most vivid memory from this experience was doing Downdog and thinking, "What is happening to me?!" Didn't touch the book again for a very long time, though I did bring it with me when I moved to London so it clearly made an imprint!
My first group class was at a local gym in Greenwich with a woman called Bernadette. While I don’t remember the class itself, I had the best night’s sleep that evening and that was enough for me to decide to go back every week.
After moving to Highgate I resumed my yoga classes at another local gym with a woman called Sharon. I was terrified of her but she was brilliant and I was hooked! I turned up every single week and eventually took classes at her home studio.
I then discovered triyoga in Primrose Hill which quickly became my second home. The two teachers I credit with profoundly transforming my yoga practice are Jean Hall and Nadia Narain, who helped me begin to learn to take my practice off the mat and into my daily life. But this didn’t happen overnight. I was consistent. I was disciplined. I practiced at least 4 times a week and it was the best!
Practice makes perfect? Not really.
Practice is a process. There must be consistent input for something to come into form.
Nowadays we’re in for the quick fixes - being told we can “Learn to do Handstand in 10 Days” or follow a “30 Day Challenge to Lose Weight”. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting either of these outcomes, my concern is these challenges focus on short term gains at the expense of a more gradual and nuanced understanding.
The best example that was given to me by another teacher of mine, Jason Crandell, was that you don’t go to two piano lessons and then expect to be able to play Beethoven. Same applies to anything that you want to learn, including yoga.
The point of sharing my own (abridged) yoga autobiography above is to press the point that I’ve been doing this for a chunk of time and I’m still deep in my studentship. And will be for the rest of my life.
Yoga is a practice of self-inquiry, self-regulation, and self-transformation - so you have to put in the work and do it consistently. This is known as Tapas, self discipline or “burning enthusiasm”. The magic happens in consistency, not from a one-off. This where you learn how to come into arm balances or inversions. This space is where you discover those old habits that are holding you back. This is where you fully feel the breath.
Whether it’s for five or ninety minutes. It all counts. Let go of the outcome and just keep showing up. That’s what matters.
TUUUUUUNE!
You may notice that I like to reference song titles or lyrics in my messages, and that’s my way of expressing my love of music. Other than that I tend to keep yoga and music separate. This is a personal preference, and I do think there are circumstances where music can compliment or even enhance the yoga practice.
There’s Kirtan, a form of meditation, which is chanting (usually in a call and response format). In my limited experience with Kirtan it has brought forward the most cathartic and joyful release of held emotions. I highly recommend trying it!
There are teachers who are really good at choosing music that’s precisely curated to their sequences, and teachers who have an ear for finding the right kind of ambient music for their classes. Without a doubt it’s a skill. One that I’m not sure I have…
As a yoga teacher, music pulls me out of focusing on my students because I’ll be thinking, “Do they like this song? Is it distracting? Oooh I think they like it! Ohhh no they don’t”.
I know for some, silence can feel uncomfortable, but as a yoga student, some of my most memorable classes have been when my mind was able to focus on: 1) the teacher, 2) on my breath, 3) movement, and 4) the sensations in my body. That’s actually a lot to pay attention to!
The visceral experience of music can be profound - the singing, dancing, swell of emotions, triggering of memories - there is nothing like it. But unless the music perfectly blends with the poses or fades into the background, it can be a distraction.
For me, there are already so many distractions running through my monkey mind, that if I have an opportunity to hone my attention and be fully present in what I’m doing, I’m going to take it.
Maybe at some point I’ll explore soundtracking my classes but for now, I’m going to park my DJing skills and only drop it like it’s hot in my comms.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, please comment below.
Sending big love,
Sue x
Ch-Ch-Changes
Monday saw us reach Step Two of England’s Road Map out of Lockdown. Did you finally get your haircut? (My appointment is 4 May). Grab a pint? Hit the gym? Not do much at all?
The roadmap indicates change. A shift from one state to another. You may feel joy, relief, hesitation, anxiety, and everything in between. Regardless of where you are on the scale, it’s all good and normal. There is power in understanding how you’re feeling during this process of change - “it’s the journey not the destination” is a well-worn phrase for a reason.
The same applies in yoga classes. When you change or transition, from pose to pose, there is information available to you. Some questions to consider, are you:
· Present as you move?
· Mindful of how you’re moving your body?
· In a rush to get out?
· Hesitant to leave?
· Breathing or holding your breath?
· Thinking “what is she on about?”
There are no right or wrong responses to these questions - whatever your answer, it’s useful information for gaining greater self-awareness as you transition from pose to pose.
The core idea is that change is constant, and being present to change provides us with a lens to learn something more about ourselves..
This is what I’ll be covering for the rest of the month of April. Transitions. I just love this theme, because while transitions are as important as the postures themselves, they are not usually explored in-depth during yoga classes.
To join any of my classes go to:
Upcoming:
This weekend I’ll be completing my Mindfulness Meditation Training which I am hoping to integrate into my classes. If all goes well, I may add standalone meditation classes to my teaching schedule. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness Meditation for the past few months and it’s been a game changer. That’s for another blog post though :)
You made it to the end. Thank you for reading!
x