On World Peace Day, I wanted to take some time out and think about what the idea of peace really means to us on a day-to-day basis. The dictionary definition of peace offers us two versions; firstly it means the freedom from disturbance or a state of tranquility; and secondly, it means a state in which war is non-existent or has ended.  It is not my area of expertise to discuss the second meaning and although I wish that version was a reality for us all, sadly at the present time it is not. Instead, I'll focus on that first definition. Freedom from disturbance - well that sounds rather lovely doesn't it?  Peace and quiet, the mental space to do what we want without being annoyed or distracted by any outside interferences.  How realistic is that really? This week, I spoke to some of my yoga students about how sometimes we have to craft that space for peace and tranquility even in the most difficult of environments.  When we are stressed or in the midst of a noisy and d

Growing up, we're constantly told 'practice makes perfect'.  It's a mantra that we find ourselves repeating even into adulthood; work hard at something and you'll reap the rewards. For many aspects of our lives, this may well be true.  We focus our attention on getting better, on the final outcome and the sense of fulfilment we achieve when we reach that point.  The education system in this country is one that constantly measures and tracks improvement, turning young people into a piece of data rather than recognising them as the wonderful individuals they are (ok, as an ex-teacher don't get me started on that - I could rant for hours...). When it comes to yoga however, it doesn't matter how much you practise, I'm afraid you'll never 'complete' yoga or become 'yoga perfect'.  Why? Because yoga isn't about the destination. Sorry folks, but as cliched as it may sound, it's about the journey! Ok, thats probably simulata