Lotus pose. The holy grail of ãsana. In so many Instagram pictures and usually showcased on the mat next to you during class. But will you get there one day? Maybe, maybe not… I Have a Dream Think back to when you started yoga. Which poses did you really want to be able to do? What […]
Our scapula, or shoulder blade, glides around on the chest wall allowing the complex movements that we use in our asana. It plays a vital role in keeping the scapula firmly fixed on the chest wall. Here is how to activate, strengthen and make the most of this important muscle in your classes. The When and
I wish I had a pound for every time I have told my students to ‘listen to your body’ – it’s just one of those things yoga teachers say, isn’t it? It slips off the tongue so easily, but what does it really mean? Listen through Ahimsa Listening to your body starts with ahimsa –
Were you scared this Halloween? Whilst witches, mummies and vampires may no longer scare us (not as much as our credit card bill) they do represent the unknown darker side of life and those fears can still catch us unawares. And those fears can lurk even in our yoga practice. I’ve had many poses over
Do you know what the highest reported reason for being off work today is? Stress. You might be thinking, “Yeah I’m not surprised, life is stressful!” But it wasn’t always this way. Go back five years and stress, just like any other mental health related symptom, was barely mentioned, let alone given as a reason
There are many myths about healthy eating. Marketing, trends, and misinterpreted research often generate confusion and contradictions. Here’s the truth behind seven food myths: “Gluten free products are good for you” Coeliac disease is an autoimmune diseases caused by intolerance to gluten. Only 1% of the population in the UK has coeliac disease. Still, going
It’s your regular weekly vinyasa class, packed with students and suddenly, that former student who was pregnant walks in. She’s had her baby! Great and now…..what do you do? What are your post-natal techniques? How do you adjust for this new mom? Here’s some clues – This is generally what’s happening for that Mum: She’s spent
Yoga is a perfect art. It leads to physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It takes many years to master the poses and a lifetime (or two – or three) to become a truly realised yogi. But if there was one thing that could, possibly, make yoga even more perfect – it would be chocolate. And
One of the worst things about this current crisis and the lockdown, is the loneliness. Loneliness is one of the number ONE factors in deciding life expectancy and can shorten a person’s life span by around 15 years. This extraordinary fact shows how social interactions are not only pleasurable but essential for life. Part of
Ok, the title of this piece may be a little optimistic, but I really do think that we can challenge our way to a different life. A case in point is our Beginning Yoga-thon hero Rob, who this week is coming to the end of his challenge: attending a class a day for the whole
