New research is bringing yoga one step closer to becoming a medically recommended treatment for depression. Findings show that yoga practice can help reduce symptoms of the condition, which is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States and worldwide, with around 16.1 million American adults alone experiencing at least one […]
On June 21, Indian yogis made international headlines when 54,101 of them practiced together on Mysuru’s Race Course to celebrate International Yoga Day for the third time. Whilst it didn’t quite make a world record, it has put Mysuru on the yoga map for more yogis than ever before. Where is Mysuru? Mysuru, otherwise known
It’s easy to feel SAD at this time of year. And no, I don’t mean actually sad (boohoo), but the mental health condition, Seasonal Affective Disorder. According to the mental health charity MIND, the reasons for why people suffer from SAD during the autumn and winter months is unclear, but a combination of the effects of
Kevin Flee is the founder of @diaryofachubbyyogi a warts-and-all, often hilarious, Instagram account charting his yoga practice. This YogaLondon graduate is also a yoga philosophy junkie, rock and roll musician and loves to diffuse the tension in a yoga class by talking about bums and bits – it works every time. 1. What brought you
“Spilling your guts”, “gut instinct”, “listen to your gut” – the gut has long been linked to a deep decision-making process. Amazingly, these sayings are more than metaphors, as this complex organ literally does function as another ‘brain’ in the body. Recent research has found that there are more than 100 million brain cells in
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a Japanese word meaning ‘universal life energy’ and is a beautiful system of natural healing that can be particularly beneficial for yoga teachers. Founded by a Japanese Buddhist, Dr Mikao Usui (1865 – 1926), in the late 19th century, Reiki has evolved as a result of his research, experience and dedication. What
We might not always have to fall to stand up. We might not always have to make mistakes to learn lessons. But sometimes we do need a jolt to bring us to our senses. Sometimes we do need to burn and rise from our ashes to grow stronger and wiser. A while back, I made
Stressed? Busy? Juggling too many balls? Trying to tick off an endless ‘to-do’ list? This seems to be most of us, especially if we’re lucky enough to live in the buzzing capital city of London. What with work, family, a social life, and the mental load that comes with that trio, it’s easy to let
The yoga of finding joy in the midst of suffering. The capacity to feel joy is a gift we all possess. You only need hear a baby laugh to know that the ability to be joyful is a natural and innate thing. But, life being life, we all inevitably go through periods where we can
As my YogaLondon training wisely taught me, teaching yoga requires linguistic and physical flexibility. As a keen poet and writer, this is one of the things I love most about yoga, and when words flow seamlessly around the physicality of poses, it’s a kick like no other. However, some days vinyasas can feel like the
