It's easy to look at social media and make the assumption that everyone else is literally 'living their best life' and that you are somehow lacking because in comparison, your life doesn't look so shiny and perfect. However, this is simply not the case.  Social media is a filter; we generally only share the things we are proud of, or that we know will paint us in a certain kind of light. With my job, there comes an expectation that I am superfit, am always doing deep and meaningful things like meditating, eating healthily, smashing out complex yoga poses in awesome locations etc. etc.  The reality is that yes, I do do most of these things, but it is very much within reason!  I do eat healthily but I like a doughnut or chocolate; I go to the gym, run or do yoga 6 days a week if I can because it keeps me balanced; I meditate most days but sometimes I forget; and I do sometimes do a random yoga pose but it's very rarely somewhere cool! Most importantly thoug...

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...

Easy Pose If you’ve got a knee injury this may not be as ‘easy’ as it seems…it can be modified by sitting on a yoga block or rolled up blanket. The benefits of this pose include: relaxation and stilling of the body quietening of the mind opening of the hips strengthening of the back through sitting upright stretching through ankles and knees Contraindications of this pose: knee or ankle injuries

Three Legged Dog This is a nice pose to transition to when you feel like your downward dog is strong and balanced. The benefits of this pose include: strengthening of the arms stretching through the hamstrings stretching through the hip flexors of the lifted leg improving balance helps to still and quiet the mind Contraindications of this pose: high blood pressure issues with wrists, i.e. carpal tunnel syndrome

If you’ve just started a running plan or schedule, well done!  Whilst running may have initially seemed reasonably uncomplicated – put trainers on, go for run – the more you get into it, the more things you discover!  Here’s 5 things I wish I’d known before I started running: Choose the right trainers 1.   Get the right trainers.   I think all of us have started running in whatever trainers we already owned, irrespective of whether they are gym trainers, running trainers or the trainers we have had at the back of the wardrobe for the past 5 years. As you start getting more serious about running and increasing your distances, it’s really important to ensure you are wearing the right kind of footwear.  Everytime I get new running shoes, I go and get my gait analysed as I know my running style changes with the distances I am building up to or the speeds I am working towards.  For example, I used to over-pronate when I ran.  This means that as ...