I'm self-employed so through necessity, I have to fit a lot into my daily routine. This includes time physically spent at work or teaching, time at home doing the admin side of my business - social media, accounts etc, time for myself, including working out, spending time with my friends, family and pets, and time for those boring but necessary daily chores. This does sound like I have a lot of plates spinning and in all honesty, I do, but it's just what works for me. Now, I'm not writing this post because I want to suggest I am some kind of superwoman (really, I'm far from it), but because people ask me how I manage it all and I wanted to share my secret for finding a good work/life balance... LISTS! Ok it's not that exciting or innovative but stick with me on this... I write a weekly to-do list, as I'm sure loads of you do too.  I start with the things I absolutely have to do that week. If things are time sensitive, i.e. I need to pay that invoic...

Ok so when you start yoga, people are ready to tell you all the positives - that it'll change your life, that you'll become more flexible/stronger/balanced - and all the negatives - there *may* be involuntary passing of gas, you might fall over when you try and balance, people might see your pants through your leggings - etc. etc. etc.  However, what they fail to mention is that probably the hardest thing to do is actually to pluck up the courage, book a class and walk through the doors. In a world where we spend copious amounts of our day to day life behind a computer screen, going out into the 'real' world and interacting with 'real' people is not always easy.  Especially if you're worried that those people are going to be toned gods and goddesses who weave their own clothes from yak's milk and discuss in great detail how to power up their root chakras.  Yes, yoga is a spiritual practice and to be honest, it is one of my bugbears when people just...

So this statement - or those very similar in nature - is one I hear on a regular basis and it's something I really want to address... There are two main aspects that need considering: firstly, can we separate the physical asanas from other aspects of yoga practice and secondly, should we? Many people start yoga in order to counterbalance their stressful lives and are introduced to yoga in classes where the physical aspect  - asanas - are prioritised. After 45 of minutes of sequenced movements,  the teacher then directs students to lie on the floor in silence for a few minutes before everyone rushes to roll up their mats and dive straight back into their hectic lives.  The prolific presence of yoga across social media has very much compounded this perception of yoga and understandably, the ability to contort oneself into pretzel-like shapes or hold oneself in seemingly superhuman arm balances appears to be the only goal of many new yogis. For a number of years, I...

It’s quite typical to spend your weeks and even your weekends, rushing about trying to get loads of things done and feeling utterly exhausted at the end of it all.  Even our exercise routines can be so fast-paced that they place added stress upon our bodies.  Restorative Yoga gives you an antidote to this fast-paced way of living and encourages you to slow down, rest and recharge. What is Restorative Yoga? Restorative Yoga is about working with your parasympathetic nervous system.  This is the nervous system responsible for, amongst other things, slowing the heart rate, digestion, conserving energy and allowing the body to recharge.  Its role is the complete opposite of the sympathetic nervous system (our ‘flight or fight’ response), which is a state that many of us find ourselves constantly dwelling in, whether due to work or lifestyle stresses. Restorative Yoga is a practice designed to help reduce stress and anxiety, and to help promote relaxation, ...