In my toddler’s Sing and Sign classes we learnt a version of the “if you’re happy and you know it” song which addresses all the big emotions: if you’re angry and you know it stamp your feet; if you’re sad and you know it have a cry; if you’re tired and you know it go to sleep, and so on. I love it, because it’s a great way to teach children about emotions and also how to express them – a lesson we adults could do with reminding ourselves of. Continue reading
Tag: Energy
Yoga tips for better sleep
Difficulty falling asleep? Frequent night waking? Racing thoughts at night? Waking too early? Ruminating on problems and worries in the middle of the night? Chances are you’ve experienced one or more of these at some point in your life, and it’s safe to say you’re not alone. Continue reading
The power of pranayama
For various reasons, including this hot summer weather, my physical yoga (asana) practice has taken a back seat over the last few weeks and months. I’ve taken the opportunity to spend some more time working with my breath, revisiting familiar pranayama practices and exploring new ones. It’s been a wonderful reminder of the power of breathing for shifting energy, changing thought patterns, and finding balance and calm. Continue reading
Gunas and Doshas: How to balance your energies with self-compassion
Do you ever feel anxious and agitated but don’t know where to start to find calm? Or tired and depressed to the point of not feeling able to move? Here’s how exploring Doshas (Ayurvedic constitutions) and Gunas (subtle energies) can help you balance your energy levels with self-compassion rather than through forcing a change. Continue reading
Turn up the heat without saluting the sun: 4 alternatives to sun salutations
Don’t get me wrong, I love sun salutations – the flow, the full-body stretch, the generation of heat and energy. They can make a great yoga practice by themselves as well as serving as a go-to sequence to wake the body up in preparation for a longer practice.
But sun salutations are not the only option. Continue reading
The questions that led me to yoga teacher training
“We move in the direction of the questions we ask” – I love this quote from Margaret J. Wheatley. It perfectly describes the subtle ways in which we shape our lives, sometimes without even realising it.
Here are six questions that led me to start training as a yoga teacher – questions I’ve asked of myself, questions others have asked of me, and questions I’ve asked other people. Continue reading
How yoga therapy taught me to ride a bike and find my inner strength
I enrolled on a yoga therapy course to relax and recharge my batteries but I gained so much more than that. Here’s what I learnt about my yoga practice and myself. Continue reading