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 ...

I am quite aware that people secretly think I'm a 'crazy guinea pig/rabbit lady' and if there's any bunny or piggy memes on Facebook or Instagram, I know who's going to get tagged in them!  Like many of you out there, my pets are family to me. Ever since I was tiny, there's always been a pet of some kind on the house - guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, hamsters, chicken, ducks, fish - even had a pony as a kid but obviously, that didn't live in the house!  Before you think it, no I haven't/don't live on a farm either! Aside from all the wonderful aspects of their personalities and the hilarious things they do, my pets are a way of helping manage my mental health.  Knowing that there is a small creature that is completely reliant upon you to get up every day and ensure its basic needs are met, is a great way to keep yourself motivated and on track.  The companionship and unconditional love you get from a pet is also invaluable; they don't c...

Last night, I addressed the theme of  ' ahimsa ' in my yoga class. Ahimsa is derived from Sanskrit and essentially means "not to injure" and to behave with "compassion".  Whilst most of us (me included) are very good at being compassionate to others, we often fail to accord ourselves with that same level of compassion and love (again, me included). I had a very frank conversation with someone this week about their perception of me and how it differs from my own.  I feel that I am a very independent person - self-reliant, resourceful etc. - but they said that whilst that is the case, there is also a side of me that does tend to ignore or discredit my need to be nurtured.  It wasn't the easiest conversation I've ever had but it was certainly one that I am finally ready to hear and to accept. Acting in accordance to the principle of ahimsa means allowing compassion and nurturing into all areas of our lives. It could mean living in a way that is ...

Unless you've had your head buried under a rock or something similar, you've probably heard something about 'Law of Attraction' or 'Cosmic Ordering'.  I first heard about Cosmic Ordering years ago when Noel Edmonds discussed how he had used it.  I paid it some attention and actually had some minor success - 'ordering' a seat on the tube or a parking space for example.  However, when I failed to win the lottery after 'ordering' it, I just gave up! Law of Attraction is something that I suppose I've subconsciously been aware of but only recently started to embrace into my everyday life.  The basic premise behind it is that like attracts like; positive thoughts attracts positivity, whilst dwelling in the negative leads us to experience more negative behaviours and incidents.  This does not mean that every time you have a 'down' thought you'll suddenly be inundated with terrible occurrences but it really applies to how you actual...

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...