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 ...

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...

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 ...

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...

This week I have been doing some work in the corporate sector, helping workers find some peace and calm in their busy days... Stress, anxiety, depression...sadly, they are all on the rise and finding ways to relax and recharge appear to be getting harder and harder.  Being busy becomes a kind of currency or badge of honour - how may times have you said 'sorry, I can't I'm just TOO BUSY ...' in the last few weeks, days, hours? If all the things consuming your time and causing you stress were to be miraculously stripped away right now, what would you fill your time with?  What would your passion in life be?  Would you travel? Would you spend more time with friends, family, pets? Would you take up any new hobbies or just dedicate more time to the ones you already have? Would you look after your health and wellbeing by exercising more or starting a meditation practice? Just consider for a few moments what your answers would be to these questions...and then conside...

Finding space to relax in our busy lives never feels particularly easy.  Here's 5 simple ways you can add a little bit more 'chill time' into your day... Meditate .  You don't have to attend a meditation class (although they are a great way to learn and meet like-minded people), you can instead download apps onto your phone, listen to YouTube or even buy a guided meditation CD. Move . Yes you read that right!  One of my favourite ways to relax and chill out is to actually get moving.  I see running as an active form of meditation and love getting out of the house into nature, allowing the focus on physical movement to help deal with any mental or emotion stresses or anxieties. Yoga .  Another form of 'active chill', yoga asanas (movements) are performed with mindfulness and class finish with a lovely savasana (relaxation) session, where you get to lie on the floor and feel your whole mind and body relax.  You could try Restorative Yoga, which is d...

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...

Today is the Spring Equinox where, theoretically, we experience equal hours of daylight and darkness. It is a wonderful time to ditch the things in your life that no longer serve you.  Consider the notion of spring cleaning; traditionally, this is a time to sweep away the clutter and accumulated 'stuff' from the dark, winter months in readiness to welcome the lighter days and warmer weather. This notion of cleaning could, and should, be extended to our bodies and emotions. By removing the habits, thought processes and behaviours that are no longer working for us, we make way for those that do. We often hear people talking about going on a detox diet and, whilst it is very important to consider what we are putting into our bodies, this is something that we shouldn't see as a short term fix - a week of following a juicing diet will not miraculously solve all your problems!  Being more mindful about what we eat, what we think and what we do is a more realistic and hea...

One of my loves (aside from eating, running and yoga-ing) is reading.  In fact (and this is a random little fact for you), I even have an MA in Literature. So, with today being World Book Day, I thought I'd share a few reading ideas with you.   My first suggestions for World Book Day... Raise Your Vibration by Kyle Gray Light Warrior by Kyle Gray  My second World Book Day recommendation has a yoga theme... The Bhagavad Gita Rumi's  Selected Poems My third World Book Day choice comprises of a couple of books about the body’s healing system.  The Heart Speaks by Mimi Guarneri   Extraordinary Healing by Art Brownstein Make the most of this snowy weather: snuggle up on the sofa with a nice cup of tea, a blanket and enjoy a great book!

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 ...

Running towards a goal: London Marathon 2018 I' ve been really lucky to secure a ballot place for the 2018 VMLM.  I’m so excited as I used to live in London and watch the marathon runners go past.  It’s also always been a dream of mine to do a marathon but I’ve never been sure I would have the time or tenacity to complete the training. I’m going to start a series of posts focused on my training and what I have learnt/am learning along the way.  Hopefully, this will be helpful to anyone else considering taking up running or increasing their distances. I already run so am not starting from scratch (thank goodness!).  If you are completely new to running, there are lots of beginners schedules and ‘couch to 5k’ plans to try, such as  this podcast based one  from NHS Choices.  It’s worth having a look at the different options and seeing whether you would prefer to follow a schedule on an app or podcast instead of a printed out plan.