YogaTalk

Practical reminders for ordinary splendour

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PLANET WONDER

I don’t mind sounding corny – some things just can’t be said enough:

Our home planet is unique…

Close enough to our sun to be warmed, but far enough away not to be scorched…

Half-days basked in light and half-days cooled in shade…

So much potential for life – this earth could be heaven. How lucky we are. 

Here are some personal thoughts on how experiences of everyday wonder can help lift us from the swamping rigmaroles of personal life. I think of it as giving things a yogaturn. Because…

Because, it’s just so easy to get wrapped up in our own little world.

I got bogged down this summer. A health crisis was consuming too much energy; I could manage to teach well enough but had no creative urge to write. Small things got to me. I could get anxious about the least thing and, in the continuing rainless weeks of baking heat, I did not thrive.

One day, we couldn’t bear the screeches of our neighbours’ grandchildren on their trampoline, swings and slide. With no quiet indoors we went out to escape the noise.

On the market, two blokes stood smoking as they faced into the hatch of the little snack bar. They seemed oblivious of our efforts to get served, as we manoeuvred forwards and back to avoid their clouds of smoke.

We headed for the clean air of the hills, escaping with the curlews on the hot scorched moors.

Soothed but hot and thirsty, we then took refuge in the coolness of a favourite pub in trendy right-on Hebden Bridge. The place was busier than we’d ever seen it. People with drinks wandered uncomfortably from room to room looking for seats. Two ladies eating pickled eggs and drinking wine were comfortably sprawled across all the bench seating for three tables at one side of the room. I managed to squeeze up next to a guy’s big rucksack which he did not move from the seat; he and his stuff were monopolising a space which could have seated five or six. He looked the sensitive type but clearly wasn’t!  I couldn’t help noticing that the book he sat reading was called “Higher Consciousness”.

How come people seemed so uncaring and oblivious to each other’s needs?

I like to people-watch. I learn a lot. Normally I’m upbeat in observation with a light-hearted yogaturn overview – but not that day. I longed for planet simple, where social interchange was always easy, caring and thoughtful.

I often head off to the hills in my heart and mind – it helps me see a bigger picture which is more compassionate and kind. But not that day. I just felt annoyed. Husband said I needed to get on the yoga mat, and he was right. Getting on the mat does always seem to sweeten life and set things right. I had been unwittingly sinking into my own realm of the unwell, yogaturns somehow slipping away in my preoccupation with personal affairs and health.

These yogaturns are for any time, whatever our situation and however we’re feeling – we just sometimes need reminding.

Selfish and defensive behaviour are often rooted in uncertainty, ignorance and fear.

Remembering this is in itself a yogaturn, which helps us feel compassion toward the inconsiderate or unkind, at times saving us from our own knee-jerk reactions.

Yoga helps us raise a more attuned self-awareness which is not self-obsessed.

Remembering this is another yogaturn, so we don’t take ourselves too seriously and can have a light-hearted default mode, even if we’re not in a good place at the time.

I like to lie down on my back on the yoga mat, semi-supine, open-handed, arms out wide. Eyes closed, I imagine a starry sky on a clear moonlit night. Having seen such skies and felt sublime I can invoke those feelings once again, purely through memory.

Letting such wonder be part of the ordinary everyday is yet another yogaturn. It uplifts and enriches life.

When I remember to gaze up at the heavens , I’m overwhelmed with wonder at this vast display of space and time.

Such feelings bring a shrinking sense of self without denting self-esteem. We can be reminded of our own short transient life without fearing its end.

Gobsmacked by starlight, I know that I am but one of similar billions, with each of us a tiny part of this boundless ever-changing universe. Such feelings humble me, helping me feel more connected to others and our world.

Perhaps the word ‘awe’ is overused today – but not felt enough.

Feelings of wonder, awe and the sublime are not so rare – they can just easily be missed or overlooked.

It’s not necessary to visit exotic locations, have bucket lists with bungee jumps, be an astronaut, blow our mind on drugs… to be uplifted by a transformative experience.

Such feelings come at different levels, take varied forms and induce a range of emotions. But all will help steer us away from self-preoccupation.

Shared experiences of awe and wonder can help people bond, to have more respect and love for our home planet and for each other.

Soaking up all the small wonders of our daily life adds up to an awful lot of awe… Reminding myself and others of this is the reason for this blog.

“It is one of the greatest glories of this universe that the common and inconspicuous life of ordinary men contains a thousand daily opportunities for spiritual splendour.”

From Seven Schools of Yoga. By Ernest Wood, 1931 

Here are some suggestions for wonder-triggers:

  • Look at an insect up close.
  • Don’t miss a chance to get out in the natural world.
  • Visit a cathedral or some similar awesome building or engineering project.
  • Expose yourself to be blown away by someone’s creative talent, music or art, from the past or the present.
  • Close your eyes and conjure up memories of awe and wonder, evoking similar feelings just by remembering them.
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SILLINESS

After a couple of very serious blogs, I found myself thinking I need to bring a little silliness into my day. Not tricky for me. I love a little silliness. I may have mentioned before, and often say this in the yoga class when faced with many serious and sombre faces looking back at me, “There is just not enough silliness in this world”.

I believe we have become too grown up and forgotten the freedom of our childish and innocent ways.

I love a little humour, in fact, I love a lot of humour. Within most of my daily tasks I inject some witty comments or ridicule (usually of myself) and laughter.

I love a giggly yoga class. I can find myself giving the instruction to lift the corners of the mouth – the reaction of my students never fails to amuse me as it dawns on them that I am asking them to smile. It always creates a chuckle or two. The joyous reaction of having a good old roll around in happy baby (Ananda Balasana) can lift the mood on a rainy day. We can take ourselves too seriously can’t we? Laughter is great therapy.

I attended a meditation session recently. It was all very reverent, lots of delightful chanting and serious nodding of approval. The last chant got underway – all very lovely – but the tune seemed to be turning a little ‘country and western’!!! When it was over, choosing her words carefully, my friend kindly pointed out that it was more like a rendition of ‘ You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille’. The place enjoyed minutes of uproarious laughter and fun. The session ended with lots of love and smiles all round.

If you haven’t already, go and create a little silliness in your day…. Then smile and be joyous that you did.

Love and silliness – Joy 🙂

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RESISTANCE

Have you ever wondered why, when someone asks something of you, you say no when really you wanted to say yes but just couldn’t bring yourself to do it? Or you find yourself doing something you really didn’t want to do because you just couldn’t say no?

It happens to everyone at some time or another!

Are we resisting or pushing back because we feel we have no option, by agreeing to do something we have no desire to do – or are we resisting what we need for ourselves. Do we even know the difference?

Our busy lifestyles these days give us no room for thought. Our minds are full of information, things to remember, jobs that mustn’t be forgotten. Kit and I often call it the ‘monkey chatter’ In yogic terms the ‘Vritti’ when the brain won’t stop working overtime and the list gets longer but there’s no space to make sense of it all. We become overwhelmed and anxious, not knowing what to do first, our sleep is affected which makes us tired and inefficient. So the downward spiral continues.

How do we make it stop?

I would say this wouldn’t I but one answer is to get down on the yoga mat, taking the focus away from the chatter. Focus on the gentle soft breathing, relaxing the mind and the body. If the body refuses to stay still, try a walking meditation or a soft and slow yoga practice. As the mind wanders, acknowledge the thought, then park it and bring the attention back to the breath. This can be a real challenge for many of us when the chatter is so loud it drowns out the clearest logic. Don’t give up on yourself.

Resistance can be both the ying and the yang. We can inadvertently resist the things that are good for us, or control it and use that gift to help us bring some positive change to our behaviour patterns.

Yoga off the mat can be just as valuable as yoga on the mat. Finding the balance is the tricky bit. We don’t always have to be physically still to enjoy the practice of stillness and meditation. Take a moment here and there to offer the mind a little space. Sometimes resisting the urge to carry on with the immediate task – taking a moment from time to time to adjust, to enjoy, to breathe, to notice the everyday splendour in the smallest of things. For me, it gives a sense of purpose for our very existence.

 

 

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JUDGEMENT

Why do we do it? There’s no denying it! We judge ourselves for our actions, we judge our partners and friends for theirs, we even judge those who we don’t even know. We say they’re too fat, too thin, too brown, too silly, and so on and so on…..

As discerning human beings with opinions and intellect we constantly make decisions and choices. It’s part of who we are. Decisions are an important part of everyday living. We live better lives because of them….or do we?

Sometimes our inner decision-making skills are off kilter, for all sorts of reasons. We forget to ask ourselves why we feel something is better for us. We find ourselves caught up in wanting to make decisions and choices for others because it’s our own preference, not theirs. We justify it by saying “It’s for their own good” or, “I know what’s best for them”. Effectively taking away the power to make decisions for themselves. I pose the question – Should we do this?

No doubt, there are times to look after our children or loved ones that are in need of care. But being lost to the capability of keeping themselves safe enables us to take on the role of ‘keeper’ or ‘parent’. When we notice changes occur and they are stronger and more capable, we can choose to back off from our temporary role.

As the receiver of this kindness we may begin to rely on others to take care of all our decisions, becoming less responsible for our own actions and happy to pass on this mantle to anyone who will accept it for us.

As the giver do we feel comfortable to continue to fulfil a desire in us that makes us feel needed, unaware that we are taking someone’s independence away from them – albeit with their blessing and consent, even their gratitude.

It can become obvious in the yoga class. A regular cue of mine is to take things easy, not doing anything that doesn’t feel appropriate or backing off when the body decides it has had enough. In truth, few people are aware of their bodies and what they need or feel. They are mostly happy to push through a degree of pain in order to achieve what the teacher is asking of them. In other words, ‘Let the teacher decide what’s good for me’ – opting out of taking the decision to be responsible for themselves.

There is no better reward as a teacher to see a dozen different students doing a dozen different things from the same instructions – all of them independently aware that their bodies are requiring something slightly different at that moment in time – without competition or enquiry. Not so much on other occasions.

The yoga class is the perfect environment to get in touch with the responses and reactions of the body and mind. To be aware that the mind and all its chatter can be so bossy it takes over and doesn’t always allow us to feel what’s best for us. It makes us compete with ourselves and others. It makes a poor judgement call, feeding the ego rather than the soul. We can use the term ‘Ahimsa’ (Sanskrit for non-harming or non-violence) to bring our awareness back to the relevance of the here and now, empowering us to make the best judgment call for ourselves. To know that judging others or making judgment calls for them is not always the kindest thing to do. In practicing Ahimsa and awareness we can be in a more informed place to decide what’s best for us. By example, help those close to us to be responsible for their own decisions, supporting their choices to encourage confidence and personal growth.

The reward may not be as instant but over time it’s a win/win. We then have confident and well-adjusted family and friends around us to support us to make our own choices when we face challenges, rather than make poor decisions for us.

I hope this blog has been as thought provoking for you as it has for me. Giving ourselves space for thought before we rush in and inadvertently force our judgment on others may be one of the kindest ways of practicing our yoga off the mat.

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TICKETTYBOO!

Here are some thoughts about feeling fine with our here and now… which as it happens, is the yogic concept of santosha. What does this mean, and how can it be useful?

Santosha/samtosa/santosh/santosa is something of a pause… a way of taking in how we are, so we can then respond well to whatever’s happening at the time.

Sanskrit words don’t always seem to have obvious English equivalents, which can cause misunderstanding.

‘Santosha’ comes from san meaning completely or entirely, and tosha meaning acceptance or contentment. The concept is not however about resignation or passive fatalism. Santosha is a practical means for positive change.

Santosha concerns noticing the interplay between our present moments, thoughts and feelings: and how they then influence our subsequent responses and decisions.

It helps us see ourselves and our circumstances more clearly, free from misapprehension and self-deception. This allows us to make wiser choices about the direction we take – knowing how and where we are gives us a clear starting point.

The clarity which santosha brings comes from letting go of fears, which cloud our judgement.

Yoga considers that human nature is essentially happy, but irrational fears can sap this joy, commonly leading to suffering.

Fears can root us to the spot, making us hold on too tightly. They can make us defensive. They can make us want to flee. They can fuel an urge to try and control things. But the only thing I can really control is… me.

But when anxious, we’re hardly going to self-manage well!

Santosha helps ground us in the present moment, reducing anxiety about future situations – which may or may not materialise. We’re then more likely to make wiser decisions, with positive outcomes. Then, the future will seem brighter and we’re less likely to cause pain – to us or others.

Through santosha I feel at ease with myself, more fearless and clear-sighted, less wrapped up in my own needs – more likely to manage myself both unselfishly and well.

It feels like a relief to me, very much a physical sensation… a soft exhale through the mouth, a letting go of any struggles, as if making room to breathe more wisdom in…

The smell of gorse or juniper; the sound of boots crunching on sparkly snow; lying on the grass admiring passing clouds; the scent of lilac and the colour of the flowers; the roar of Tarn Beck on a hot day before plunging in; sitting in timeless meditation.

A sense of peace, and release… not having to bother trying to control the uncontrollable.

Life comes in waves of change. Highs and lows, joys and sorrows, all are part of living. Nothing ever stays the same.

Santosha helps us to embrace life, to handle change, reducing the desire to escape, or to keep things the same. Less wishing we were in a different time or place. Less yearning for sensory pleasures. Less thinking, ‘I’ll be happy when…’

As I get older I notice more how the Fridays seem to come round ever quicker.

Awareness of time passing, the faculty of memory, knowing that there is a future: all are part of being human. I think of santosha as a friend… who offers timely reminders if I’m missing too many precious present moments by dwelling in the past or wishing my life away.

If I know how to restore my equilibrium, I’m not so troubled when I notice my mind ‘doing its thing’: chattering away about what will happen tomorrow or what happened yesterday!

As santosha has come to feel more familiar, I’m able to cultivate it consciously when it doesn’t come unbidden.

And so, like many other yoga concepts, it’s a simple, useful, practical and powerful tool.

Why not take a few minutes now to sense it yourself…

Rest your hands

Let go of any tensions

Exhale softly and deeply through the mouth

Imagine yourself stepping back, to see the bigger picture, to notice your feelings about the here now.

Picture yourself feeling peaceful and fearless.

Breathe in endless possibilities and positive change.

Close your eyes and settle into the moment

On these pleasant spring mornings I often breakfast very early, on the swing bench at the back of the garden. Sometimes santosha creeps up on me, and I hear the birds sing to me: ‘Enjoy!’ ‘Enjoy!’ ‘Enjoy!’

So I do!

 

 

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NEW BEGINNINGS

Here are some thoughts about habits, followed by a few simple ideas for how to make more good ones… and break the bad.

Chatting before class recently I remarked that we can make yoga practices out of many everyday things, and someone said…“Then I’m going to make a practice out of drinking gin!”

And yes, I suppose we could do such a thing, if only to appreciate it more and to better notice how much we’re actually drinking.

Whilst it made us laugh it also reminds me how sticky it is to navigate a course through life… when even overdoing the healthy things can ultimately cause harm!

This is when our yoga helps us recover an even keel and strike a better balance: for strength and flexibility both physically and mentally, being able to flex and not snap under strain, to think more clearly… and do things differently.

Our habits are as wide-ranging and individual as our nervous tics. It’s useful to be made more aware of them. Are they helpful? What influences these things we do so regularly that they’ve unconsciously ‘set in’, and we seem unable to manage without them?

Our brain is continuously making decisions on all kinds of levels. Don’t they say that conscious awareness is just 5% of the brain’s activity? Meaning that the other 95% is happening below our radar!

We can function easily on autopilot. It’s one reason for our species’ success – this ability to do one thing whilst consciously thinking about something else!

Being spared conscious involvement in mundane tasks frees up our brain for other things.

But freedom goes and troubles come when we’re unable to self-manage well. We can easily become confined by unhelpful habits and the old routines, living too much on auto – at the expense of self-awareness.

Making practices out of regular daily actions helps keep us fresh and wide-awake to our experience of living. Why not help restore the curiosity of our childlike self, unafraid to question everything? I mean not just our individual habits, but those which societies cultivate collectively.

Long-standing routines and religious or cultural traditions can certainly bring comfort and reassurance. Doing familiar things can sometimes steady us, making structure from life’s uncertainty and chaos. But we also benefit from nurturing our more attuned awareness.

Our life is such a sensory experience. We’re definitely pleasure seekers – beyond doubt! It’s just that some things are so enticing… and when caught up by moments of temptation we tend to forget that short-term gratification can lead to long-term pain.

Yes, we all have internal tussles. And with pleasure as a catalyst, trouble can easily brew.

I was reminded recently of something I too easily overlook… that emotion, not rational thought, is what drives even our unconscious decisions.

Humanity is beset by addiction, and with so many enticing things out there the problem seems to be growing.

But where once most addictions were for some food, drink or substances, now they are more likely to be behaviours; timeless ones like obsessive hoarding, cleaning, gambling, checking… and now with the additional modern examples such as: online gaming, binge viewing, social media, using mobile devices, checking texts and emails, or online ‘likes’.

It’s easy to see how people get stuck in their debilitating habits and behaviours. Maybe we hold on too tight because we fear change or letting go? Maybe we’re stagnating through inertia, apathy even, unable to think differently and move on? Imagine the false comfort of using a walking stick, long after a leg has healed.

But on a positive note: whilst it’s easy to drag ourselves down, we can also drag ourselves back up again – by knowing how to give things a ‘yoga-turn’. This means being unafraid and even amused to see all we do in a clearer, more kindly light. It takes all kinds to make our rich and diverse world.

Knowing how to self-help in a positive way is a purpose and cornerstone of yoga practice. We’re already acutely self-aware-emotive creatures. Yoga is about nurturing an awareness which is benign, beneficial, powerful and positive.

We’re each unique. Is there really such a thing as ‘normal’? What I regularly do is my ‘normal’, but to someone else… it may be just ‘weird’???

HERE ARE SOME HINTS ON HABITS:

Self-observe

Cultivate a skill in self-observation. Simply notice personal routines and habits, so we can distinguish between the benign, useless, harmful and helpful.

Try to spot influences and associations concerning particular habits, such as people, places, situations, moods and mind-frame.

Some ill-serving habits are less consequential, but some can cause great suffering for a person and those around them.

Decide

Recognise what change is needed. Are you breaking a bad habit? Making a new and positive routine? All of this? Choose your path and make a plan.

Set realistic goals and manageable timelines… half a day of doing this, three hours of not doing that… until the hours extend to days.

 

Visualise

Picture the future you. Imagine your life and how you will be with this new routine or when free of that particular habit. Bring this picture to your mind’s eye on a regular basis, especially when temptation is strong – until it passes. It will pass… everything passes.

 

Clarity

Aim to be free of self-deception. Have courage and be fearless in having definite goals. Are you adopting something new? Managing something? Giving something up completely?

Use tactics

Seek out situations which consolidate a new and positive routine. Avoid people or places you associate with bad habits. Schedule in new well-serving habits. Tag them onto existing routines – like going swimming on the way to work.

Keep trying

Long-standing bad habits are very difficult to shift; they’re persistent. Don’t give up when you slip up. Just start again.

Willpower gets depleted more easily at times of stress and strain. Resting helps renew it; like a muscle it gets stronger with regular exercise, which starts to seem easier.

Procrastination

While it’s true that good timing can help make or break a habit, it’s also true that the best time to start afresh is sometimes… NOW.

It’s your call to recognise which is the wiser deed – don’t delay or put off taking action when you know you’re falling back on excuses.

Accept support

Be unafraid to share your journey with those you trust. Be a good receiver of support. Be prepared to seek medical help. A burden is lighter when shared.

Patience and kindness

Practise self-compassion. Change can’t always happen overnight; adjusting behaviour patterns is rarely instant. If a stiff body has been sitting slumped for years, even the greatest will in the world can’t make it sit instantly upright.

Look after yourself

Value yourself. Focus on the healthy-living you. Incentivise yourself – give yourself credit and treat yourself well. Get plenty of rest – the world can seem a better place after a good night’s sleep.

Each moment that passes adopts the sense of a new beginning if we choose it to be so. For most of us the absence of awareness allows the mundane and habitual process to creep in, eventually setting the tone of our daily existence to the detriment of pleasure and freedom of thought and action. A balance of security and safety of everyday stuff coupled with excitement and autonomy to make alternative choices is surely one of the gifts of human intelligence. Having the confidence to delight in our very existence and ‘ring the changes’ can significantly enrich our lives…. If only we could recognise these choices are ours to make!!

 

 

 

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WAKEY WAKEY


There are times when life seems to take on certain flavours, often evoked by particular sights, sounds, tastes, smells and touch…

Here’s a blog about the senses… our unique senses, through which we experience the world.

These senses are a powerful stimulus for thoughts, feelings, and how we respond to whatever’s happening at the time.

With their help we humans have evolved to be the most dominant, creative, volatile and destructive creatures on the planet – after a few million years!

Our brain lives in its dark closed shell. Signals from the senses are its gateway to beyond. These signals, translated into the common currency of electro-chemical impulses, then permit us to adopt our own individual slant on the world.

Our senses collaborate:

Vision is a whole-body experience.

Touch influences how we see.

Sight informs what we hear, taste and smell.

When trying to remember something, some people reach for their glasses… in fact, I admit, I’ve done it myself! It’s that feeling that somehow seeing more clearly helps us think more clearly.

And whilst I am grateful for my glasses, I do resent having something stuck on my face!

I encourage people to manage without them on the yoga mat… to enjoy a more carefree experience. Make friends with that blurry, fuzzy world!

At home on bright days I like to go spec-less. Or go walking! Otherwise all the bits that need cleaning and dusting are far too apparent in the sunlight…

But my light-hearted way of putting off housework unfortunately mirrors what may in some become a problem – namely, dulling the senses in order to bypass pain, or closing our eyes and ears to things which don’t reinforce our opinions. We thus cheat ourselves of our natural vibrant awareness and impartiality.

Yoga practices can help us appreciate and evolve connections. For example, the way we breathe reflects the way we think and feel… and vice versa.

It’s good to be reminded that what affects one aspect of us will always influence the function of our whole self.

The way we practise on the yoga mat is a good pointer to how we are in general.

And sometimes in classes people wisely close their eyes. Why? To better savour their own experience, rather than be made hungry by what the eye sees – thus avoiding the urge to achieve the shapes that other bodies are making!

We can too easily believe our eyes, even if they tell us that white is black and black is white.

Our senses can drive us to unwise and illogical behaviours, make us susceptible to strange beliefs and superstitions. We humans are prone to bias, to adopting moral stances then bending facts around them.

First impressions don’t always serve us well in the long term, if based solely on how someone looks or sounds that day.

Our senses can trick us when in highly charged or emotional states of mind; when asked to recall situations imagination can easily replace fact.

In yoga misapprehension is called avidya. And a purpose of practice is to see ourselves and others more clearly – to remove the veils of illusion, which yoga names maya.

How easily our senses can deceive!

We sense things as solid, including us, yet all is space and energetic particles.

We sense we are still, yet we’re hurtling through space on a fast-spinning planet.

We sense that the world is flat, just because we can’t see past our noses!

Our collective senses lend us our perception of the world, from which emerges our own unique, individual reality… it’s a miracle!

Yet, like all else in the world, our senses are ever-changing; their quality comes in tides.

As surely as the moon draws the ocean, they will be affected by ill health, negative emotion, fatigue.

Yoga helps us to take care of ourselves, knowing that how we behave will affect the world around us.

Clarity makes us better managers of ourselves… so that our senses can serve, and not enslave us. X

 

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SELF-HEAL

Are you already a yoga convert? Have you ‘soaked up’ enough to feel some benefit… but still wonder what it’s all about?

I hope this blog will help to clarify a few things for all of us.

As a teacher, I’m able to observe how people respond in class, and how their experience of yoga influences their lives. I’ve been doing this for many years.

People seem to get the most from yoga when it’s clear and simple – when complicated, it doesn’t seem to help that much.

Being bendy and clever is irrelevant – it’s just not necessary to understand all the ins and outs, or to be able to touch your toes.

We come to know what yoga is and does when we start to personally feel its healing help.

We all appreciate that yoga is a very very old thing, and for many, from a distant culture. But basically it all boils down to simple personal experiences.

For most, the journey starts on a yoga mat. Irrespective of the style of yoga, it’s often on the mat that we start to appreciate its practical help in everyday life.

Yoga is commonly seen as one of the six major philosophies from the Hindu tradition… Hindu in its broad sense, meaning originating from a culture around the ancient Indus valley (hence the name India).

It has evolved from a rich and colourful tradition where lines are blurred between science, medicine and spirituality.

The words ‘whole’, ‘hale’, ‘heal’ and ‘holy’ all share a root with the Sanskrit word ‘yoga’, which implies to yoke, or to harness together.

The Sanskrit word ‘hatha’ can be interpreted as the breath of the sun (ha) and of the moon (tha) or any similar opposite polarities, such as male/female, light/dark, hot/cold, hard/soft.

Hatha yoga then, is the integration into a well and balanced whole.

Hatha yoga is a physical and sensory practice, because we live in the material world. And we can soak up its benefits from experience, without having to know all the history and background.

Am I wrong to think that whatever our roots, we’re all essentially pilgrims…? all searching for a way to live our transient human lives in a volatile world?

Yoga is a wonderful multi-tool and medicine box to help guide our experiences, to better manage ourselves.

Yoga helps keep me more joyously connected to the world – and less frightened of it! Teaching is just sharing this healing help. Yoga is an aid towards complete well-ness, because what happens within a person affects their function as a whole, and their behaviour affects those around them… and that influence then continues to ripple out into the wider world.

An National Health Service media unit came to film a yoga class in a club where I teach. Their aim was to promote health through self-reliance. Of course we were all pleased to be of help. Here it is… have a look yourself. X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FRUITS

Hello everyone!   And thank you once again for all your wonderful comments. We are both overjoyed and overwhelmed by the number we are getting. Apologies for not being able to respond to each one… there are just so many! They are very very helpful, so please do keep them coming, because they help keep us going in the right direction.

And Happy New Year! It feels so good to get back on that yoga mat after a few weeks break! Hope you can also begin the year by doing the same.

It’s also good to see the snowdrops… to be reminded, on dull winter days, of the coming spring; to remember that we too are part of nature, and that our own quickening endeavours can also ripen into fruits.

It’s obviously of benefit to have some spark and vigour, to feel light-hearted and in natural rhythm with ourselves. Feeling such benefit is certainly a motivation to take up yoga practices. Some benefits are instant, others creep up over time…

Perhaps one day we notice that some once-familiar ache has faded.

Perhaps our general mood is upbeat and we are not so easily dragged down.

Perhaps we feel more buoyant, less anxious, better able to counter daily knocks and scrapes without being thrown off balance.

Benefits can be numerous, coming in fits and starts, and not always apparent;

We might start with tiny steps, but, who knows?… these could become giant leaps! Why not THINK BIG!?

Be optimistic and stretch upwards like the snowdrop – from the cold earth into sunshine, out of darkness into light.

Yes, the benefits can be numerous – it’s better just to suggest a few.

Fruits of practice might make us more…

ACCEPTING… that whilst we may have little control over events, we can still have authority over the self.

Aware that, though our self-determination may be limited, how we react in an encounter will affect the outcome.

ADAPTABLE… better equipped to handle inevitable change – flexing, not snapping under strain.

Better able to weather storms, knowing when to cut losses by pausing mid-stream and changing tack.

Less inclined to let ill-serving ways set in with age.

APPRECIATIVE… and grateful for our unique world and life.

Not taking anyone or anything for granted – knowing that even seemingly mundane things can be most missed when absent.

ATTENTIVE… and mentally present in more of our moments.

Able to focus and become absorbed at will.

Recognising when and why short and poor attention span becomes a problem.

ATTUNED… more able to read and gauge the frame of mind of those around us.

Less likely to over-react. More skilled in how we respond, interact and intersect with the world.

Better at undertaking and completing tasks.

AWARE… wide-awake to experiences – making life seem longer because we spend less time in mental torpor.

Able to optimise and enjoy varying mental states such as absorption, daydream and meditation.

BALANCED… centred.

Better able to navigate a course between conflicting aspects of life; to reconcile what can feel like a wilful battle of thought versus feeling.

Freer of the urge to accumulate, less enslaved by desire or affected by strong emotion, able to let go.

Knowing what helps return us to an even keel when out of kilter – and doing it.

CLEAR-SIGHTED… unafraid to see all, including ourself, in the harsh light of day.

Impartial, less caught up in greedy self-interest.

Able to gauge when our pleasures will lead to pain in the long run.

COMFORTABLE… in our skin, able to make the best of our condition.

Knowing how to help free ourselves from muscular and mental tensions.

Able to think, feel and move with more grace and poise.

COMPASSIONATE… and helpful. Tolerant of others’ shortcomings, because we know how hard it is to recognise and address them in ourselves.

Knowing that if we sometimes find it hard being human, then so might others.

Unafraid to feel the inevitable contrasts that come with being human – and thus acutely aware… pleasure/pain, joy/sorrow, ups/downs.

CONFIDENT… but free from self-righteous arrogance and hubris.

Self-contained, less troubled by how others regard us.

Feeling entirely equal to, but no better or worse than anybody else.

Having less anxiety and doubt, less fear of failure and more courage in endeavour.

CONNECTED… within ourself and to the world.

Realising that what happens to one part of a living system affects its whole function; our actions will influence those around us, the effect spreading like ripples in water.

Able to link thoughts and feelings with consequent behaviour, and vice versa.

COURAGEOUS… able to face our fears, take responsibility in situations and rise to occasions.

Less prone to social pressure to conform, but living in a way that reflects our own values.

ENERGISED…vigorous.

In rhythm with natural cycles.

Able to optimise, direct and conserve energy, with less time spent in fruitless worry, and less holding on to tensions which can lead to ill health.

More buoyant, less drained by negativity when feeling under par.

FITTER… as healthy as we can be, because we feel inclined to desire and do what helps keep us fit and well.

FREE… whatever our situation, enjoying a sense of liberty that comes from being a more well-managed person.

Free of self-deception.

Able to make the best of what we are born with and into.

Having free will to react and respond wisely to daily challenges, hardships, harshness and critical situations.

FULFILLED… by how we live from day to day.

Living in a manner that suits our nature.

Able to distil maximum pleasure from everyday occurrences – making the most of life.

Living more in the present, yearning less for the future, dwelling less in the past.

GENEROUS… by default!

Having less self-interest, which frees us from the urge to control and accumulate.

More impartial, freeing us from jealousy and bitterness.

Able to share resources, even when limited.

Interested in the lives and welfare of others.

HAPPY… as a naturally regained default setting.

Able to enjoy sensory and sexual pleasures without doing harm.

Content to live by what will nourish us and help us to thrive.

Steadier – free from excessive moods and self-destructive tendencies which debilitate and drain.

Finding pleasure in others’ joys and fortunes.

More optimistic in general outlook.

HARMONIOUS…with less internal conflict, more sense of personal space.

Easily regaining a state of mental equilibrium.

A benign influence and a greater force for good in the world.

HUMBLE… modest.

At ease feeling simply one of many.

Comfortable knowing that life is transient.

Free of the self-righteous belief that ‘our way’ is right and others are wrong.

INSPIRED… creative, imaginative, deductive.

Inspiring others by example.

Finding that good ideas come unbidden into the mind, as if from nowhere.

Undertaking and completing tasks with more ease and less effort.

INTUITIVE… with emotional intelligence, better able to gauge and read ourselves and others.

Interpreting situations more wisely, better able to anticipate outcomes.

Having a feel for what is good and right.

KIND… feeling less fear and anxiety, leading to a kindlier life. Tender and never knowingly cruel.

LIGHT-HEARTED… inclined to take oneself less seriously.

Easily made to laugh or smile.

Having a lightness of spirit that uplifts us and helps others through darker times.

OPEN-MINDED… and open-hearted.

Not closed to wonder, new ideas, transformative experiences.

Believing that all kinds make our rich and diverse world – that mono-systems, without interaction, unaccepting of change, lead to a world which cannot thrive.

PERCEPTIVE… skilful in daily living – more judicious, fair, discerning and considered.

REFRESHED… benefitting from proper rest; busy, but with less frantic haste and stress.

Enjoying restorative habits.

Allowing oneself the time and space for plenty of pauses in daily action… stopping to breathe, to take stock, to notice life.

Viewing each day as a new opportunity.

RESPONSIBLE… accountable for our actions.

Self-reliant – but a good receiver.

Seeing when troubles are of our own making – not blaming others when a fault is ours.

Able to link thoughts and feelings with consequent behaviour, so we act more responsibly.

WISER… learning from daily experience.

Making choices which lead to better outcomes.

Less likely to repeat the same mistakes over and over.

More focussed on the greater rather than the personal good.

More inclined to be well-managed, happy, benevolent.

Enjoying a sense of ease in the self, with room to breathe and think and move, making space for our natural wiser self to emerge.

 

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BREATHE

STOP. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TRY HOLDING YOUR BREATH…

How long? Probably…   not… that… long.

That was just to remind us how breath is fundamental to life – when denied it we die, yet we can so easy undervalue it.

Our brain controls respiration automatically. The body breathes itself without us doing anything.  We don’t have to think about it, so we get on with life – which is obviously extremely useful!

So because we don’t need to remember to breathe it’s very easy to overlook it.

Yet how we are breathing from moment to moment directly affects our health and well-being. It affects how we think, feel and function.  This puts a lot of power in our control, so it is very foolish to overlook it… I hope this writing is a reminder for us all not to do this.

How well we are at that time is reflected in our manner of breathing.

An ideal respiration perfectly suits whatever we are doing. Some actions require more oxygen than others.

When feeling short of breath we might breathe through the mouth for a faster intake of oxygen, but generally we are designed to breathe through the nose.

The nose warms and filters the breath. The nostrils take turns to be dominant.

Certain physical factors can lead to mouth breathing, but it is also commonly a result of habit.

I am a habitual mouth breather, and sometimes to breathe through the nose can feel very claustrophobic!

Fortunately, better breathing patterns can be reclaimed with benevolent patience. I do try and notice, but at times such as during sleep I too easily slip back into my habit.

A person may be unaware how they are compromising their breathing by falling into such a habit. Or maybe they do know what harm they’re causing through a habit like smoking – but the urge to smoke has greater power than the desire to stop.

We can easily adapt to the unnaturalness of things like smoking.

Unnatural things can come to feel like normal. Addiction always has a price.

Adaptability is a positive human quality, but we can adapt to bad routines as well as good ones.

Quality and rhythm of breath affect mental state. An erratic breath can unsteady; a full deep breath can empower; a soft and long exhalation can calm the nervous system and help quieten the mind.

It is empowering to be aware of this, recognise when there’s a need for it, and put it into practice.

Poor breathing habits can creep up on us gradually. Then when muscles and fascia of belly and ribcage become stiff and resistant, the poor lungs will simply forget what a full deep breath feels like, because it just feels like normal, and the new normal is rubbish.

Better habits are easily rediscovered, with patience, with practice and a dollop of good humour to help make them stick.

The soft belly has associations with instinct and emotion – in other words, gut feelings.

We may tighten the abdomen whilst managing a stressful situation, then when the crisis has passed forget to let go of it.

Letting go of the belly during restful inhalation massages abdominal organs, exercises the diaphragm, and soothes and helps calm us – if we remember to do it!

Restoration can be rapid, but be prepared for the potential surge of strong emotion upon such unfamiliar releases of tension. Do not underestimate the power of the breath.

Fast and shallow breathing may be perfect for a quick response in urgent action, but continued for more than a short period it causes strain and malaise.

Breathing as if under stress long after stress has gone, will manifest in most unfortunate ways.

Living under chronic stress will kill us in the end.

Tragically, many of us do have poor and stressful patterns of breathing. I know this from personal experience and from teaching yoga.  It seems even more tragic when it’s avoidable.

One could spend a lifetime paying the breath little attention, unaware of the force we have within us.

Optimum respiration is much more than an efficient processing of gases; it is a key to health and happiness. All we have to do is appreciate and notice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SPLENDID REMINDER

Right now, Spring seems a long way off. The winter has made itself known. We’ve had snow, ice, rainy days and many early morning frosts. As I write this I am berating myself for being so ‘narrow minded’ for not noticing these gorgeous scenes. We have some of the most beautiful sun rises. The crisp and fresh days walking in the park is a sheer delight. The berries on the trees are at their best.

There’s no doubt that when the spring arrives it will be very welcome. However, I’m giving myself a nudge to remind myself of the splendour of all the ordinary things that are all around us here in this present moment. I don’t want to wish the days away, I want to notice what’s good in the here and now. In fact it’s the only thing that is a real certainty. A moveable feast of splendid moments – If we choose to recognise them as such.

The image used for this blog illustrates the point perfectly. Taken by my lovely friend Anne, looking through the window at the dark, winter evening of busy traffic. Just notice the colours, the contrast, the energy, and the cosiness of being in the warm and dry on the other side of the window.

We see things like this every day and let them pass by without a thought. No point in wondering what I’ve missed today – there will be so much more to see tomorrow.

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SCREAM SHOUT LET IT ALL OUT

If you were to ask me if I felt happy, my usual reaction would be to say yes. However, there is a subconscious thing that happens to me that I must be aware of. Often, if I stop to think, I can gauge my level of happiness by how much noise I make. Is this odd? Is it just me? I realised some time ago that a true sign of my happiness is indicated by me tending to sing out loud. I was inspired to write this because I was caught unawares today, singing out loud in the car park.

I was on the way to a yoga class – normal Tuesday evening activity, slightly buoyed up by the closeness of Christmas holidays looming and the infectious chit chat of festivities and parties.

Strangely I hadn’t even noticed that I was singing until a fellow enthusiast commented how cheerful I sounded. (In truth, my tone is questionable, so maybe he was quietly amused by my cringe-worthy squeaks).

I laughed it off saying there was a party happening in my head and I was just joining in! This is often the case if I’m honest.   BUT! It got me thinking…….

The action of making noise and hearing noise can really change the mood. I suppose it’s obvious if we think about it. We purposely listen to our favourite tunes and artists – the ones who really can sing – They lift our spirits, relax our brains, set us up for the lively night out or just tick along in the background offering some form of comfort or company.

If you’re like me you’ll often find yourself humming along quietly and before long, belting out the decibels as if we were on ‘Top of the Pops’. How good does that feel? Seriously good eh?

It’s brought back fond memories to me of when my brother and I used to drive along with the car windows down singing to the Eagles at the top of our voices. Wherever we went, we always arrived with a smile on our faces.

It’s not just the chemical reactions and release of feel good endorphins, but maybe the ability to express ourselves without inhibition, or even the change in tempo of our breathing. It’s kind of like exercising the vocals.

Whatever the combination of reactions in the body or brain, it certainly feels good.

Next time you’re tempted to let it all out, take a moment to notice how fabulous and free it feels. Take it to the mic and karaoke to your hearts content. It will make you smile…..and probably make everyone around you smile too.

La-de-da!!

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SEASON’S GREETINGS

Well it’s been quite a season. So busy ! Full of work, yoga, website stuff….. and life – getting along with things has been both challenging and rewarding in equal measure.

Respect and love to all of you who have read and commented on our blogs. Your responses have meant so much to us and are so appreciated. Those of you who have English as a second language deserve special thanks for your efforts.

Some of your comments may not be visible to you at the moment. If you can’t see yours, please be patient. There are so many that it’s going to take time to get to them all. We will get there eventually.   Massive apologies for not replying to each of you individually but there aren’t enough hours in each day. Please be assured, they are all read. We just can’t tell you how much your input and support means to us.

For those of you who celebrate Christmas – Merry Christmas to you. For those who don’t, we hope you have a wonderful winter festive season. Stay safe and warm with your families and friends and share your love and kindness with all those who deserve it – and maybe those who don’t!

Kit and I live in an area of in the North West of England where there is a huge diversity of cultures, all of which enrich our lives and create a better place for us to live in and give us a greater understanding of the world outside our little ‘Burnley Bubble’.  Our tolerance and acceptance of differences can only help to make the world a better place to be in.

Much love and best wishes for a prosperous, peaceful and happy new year.

For the locals, we will be starting a new weekly yoga class on the 18th January at The Exchange Project (St Johns in Colne) 6 pm. Come and join us if you can. We would love to see you and share a little yoga. All are welcome.

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SNORES AND SNOOZZZ….ES IN THE YOGA CLASS!

Oh, what heavenly ease, sliding between wakefulness and sleep… at least until we hear the sound of snoring and think, “Uh-oh, that’s me!”

If you often fall asleep in yoga relaxations, I hope this blog will inspire you to also try such practices at those times when you’re more likely to remain awake.

Momentary brainwave shifts between waking and sleeping states are part of savasana relaxations: a form of meditation, but with greater chance of falling asleep, simply because we’re lying down.

Now, yoga is a light-hearted business, where we hope to take ourselves less seriously. And whilst there will be occasions when we completely fall asleep, our aim is actually to remain awake… sometimes easier said than done!

And sleeping is not the only obstacle to relaxation practice… savasana can be a challenging pose in other ways until we’re used to it.

In a class situation it’s a position that requires trust, especially for those who feel vulnerable. Some will find it hard to settle, lying eyes-closed, open-handed and on their backs.

A benefit of not drifting off is that we’ll feel more alert and energised afterwards.

Why? Because such practices help relieve us of draining nervous tensions, freeing up energy for other tasks.

I’m in a privileged position when teaching yoga.

If I’m perceptive enough I can gauge people’s mental stress.

If I’m skilful enough I can show them how to help themselves feel both engaged in their practice and at ease.

Many of us are, unfortunately, chronically knackered, frazzled and unable to relax unaided.

So it’s really no surprise that hard-pressed people fall asleep easily, once they drop the effort of holding on and begin to let go.

Releasing tension is always a step in the right direction.

Lack of rest is a common cause of suffering. It denies us an opportunity to recharge and heal.

Our nervous system has evolved to be primed for switching quickly into fight-or-flight when needed. But it’s slower to shift back to a restorative state. Nobody thrives in emergency mode, or with one foot always on the pedal.

Yoga helps restore homeostasis to a beleaguered nervous system.

The right practice will bring equilibrium and balance body systems, relieving nervous tensions, general ailments and malaise.

Sometimes we need reminding to exercise, literally, our patience, compassion and sense of humour in practice.

And hopefully, having felt the energising benefits, we’ll be inspired to keep practising… and wonder how we ever got by without it!

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VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

Here are some thoughts on being stuck in ruts, and some ideas for getting out of them.

It’s easy to get stuck in ruts. They can creep up slowly like frowns and bad tempers, unnoticed until they feel like part of us (they aren’t!)

When the rut is deep as a ditch and our mind set has narrowed…

Maybe we’ll resign to it because it’s been suggested that, “we’ve made our bed and now we must lie in it.”

Maybe we’ll grow to like it because it feels safe and familiar.Or maybe we don’t know we’re in it because we can’t see beyond it.

Our brains have cognitive bias, say the scientists.

Good for survival, but it makes us prone to prejudices. We look for evidence (I told you so!) to support and validate our beliefs.

If we like being told we’re correct (who doesn’t?) we’ll tend to read, watch and listen to what tells us we’re right. It reinforces our conviction.

We might even prefer to be right than to be kind.

Lack of awareness certainly makes for a view which is limited and narrow. And this is reflected in all aspects of us: in what we think, feel and eat, in how we breathe and move, and in what we then say and do.

I like practical tasks like digging. I used to love running until neck and knee problems put paid to that…

So dodgy knees took me off to my first yoga class (age at least 31) and I’ve never looked back.

Oooh… it was so nice to be moving like that again, with such variety. Again! (yes, again!) It was both new and familiar, like some distant childhood experience freshly restored.

I think children do stuff (call it yoga if you like) to help themselves, but the travails of life tend to come to the fore, and it becomes obscured.

Without awareness in ageing, we can easily become set in our ways.

I was really quite shocked as a yoga-class newbie to find how limited my body had become.

Yet I was hooked… I got a mat and started home practice.

Years have passed, but I’m still as keen (even more so!) I’ve stuck with yoga because the methods work, plain and simple.

Yoga refreshes me. It reassures me that whatever’s happening I always have options, and this stops me being defensive or feeling backed into a corner.

I went to yoga to soothe my knees, but I gained a way of life.

I feel spacious and stronger both physically and mentally – more likely to flex in the wind than to snap under strain.

What I did on the yoga mat started to percolate into my everyday life – as if being on the mat was practice for being off it.

I was literally discovering how to exercise compassion.

It affected my whole function.

Fears, especially about the future, can easily creep up on us. We humans have developed the capacity for self-awareness. It’s a price we pay for being the planet’s most dominant (destructive too) and bossiest occupant.

We’re mortal and we know it, and this is a common cause of trouble within and between us.

We’re emotional creatures (not knocking it!) living in a messy world where change is constant.

Uncertainty can riddle us with behavioural biases which we build into walls, because it seems rational at the time (they’ve all got it in for me!)

Blinkered vision and fortress mentality mean loss of equilibrium: a mind-set gone belly-up.

Yoga helps remove skewed views and misapprehensions. It’s like physical and mental decompression for times of pressure.

When we’re skewed, all the wonderful stuff we can do on automatic – helpful habits, happy routines, positive coping strategies – can vanish, or worse, morph into hindrances.

Sometimes life just feels too complicated.

Carefreeness has melted away and we just feel like scarpering!

I’ve heard people call our present digital age a post-truth era, because we’re awash with fake news and misinformation.

Our computerised lives are increasingly ruled by algorithms. And if we’re not discerning this can compromise our freedom.

And where we do feel we have choice, decisions can be difficult, as it’s so hard to tell fact from fiction, and truth from lies.

Joy and I see more and more people coming to yoga classes because they’re frazzled.

It’s no surprise that people are distracted, lose keys, lose tempers, get defensive, behave badly, get stuck in ruts, put themselves under pressure… or blame others for their troubles when the fault lies with them.

Don’t forget that yoga (and any tradition concerned with restoring harmony in our wonderful but troubled world) comes from the experiences of people seeking a bit of peace for themselves, often under hardship and in violent times.

History has a habit of repeating itself.

Many do seek peace but find it hard to live in peace.

Harmony can only endure between us when we have some measure of peace within us.

And yoga is a helpful means to restore this.

Isn’t it brilliant to find a means to help us feel spacious? To find breathing space, with more room for thinking and moving? To realise that we’re more likely to explode with laughter than with rage?

Yoga methods shed light on our options so we can then make better choices.

Open-mindedness helps us see more clearly, further, and from different viewpoints. We can then imagine how it feels to walk in someone else’s shoes.

It takes all kinds to make our wonderfully rich and diverse world.

In nature, monoculture struggles where diversity thrives. (We are nature!)

Variety is most definitely a spice of life.

Try these simple and light-hearted ways to help you counter ruttishness:

  • Drink from a different mug
  • Go barefoot when possible
  • Listen to a different radio channel
  • Wear more of your clothes
  • Use the other hand when cleaning your teeth
  • Eat different foods
  • Use the other ear when on the phone
  • Change a routine
  • Use a different locker (if applicable)
  • Break a bad habit – or just notice that you do it
  • Sit in a different chair, or on the floor
  • Smile at people more
  • Take more interest in people’s lives
  • Stand on one leg now and again
  • Practice yoga… and next time you’re in your yoga class, try placing your mat somewhere different!
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STARTING TO STOP

Here are some personal musings on my ‘stop’ practices – how they came about, and how they still help to save me from my sometimes reckless self.

There are some in our practice suggestions, they’re extremely helpful; try some yourself?

My natural enthusiasm can make me excitable, sometimes impetuous. This has landed me in the soup more than once!

And yet some of my best decisions have been spontaneous. Perhaps they were made by a more perceptive, more attuned self.

What I now call my ‘stop’ practices have been gradually forming over years. They are my own attempts to restore equilibrium and tap into this right-minded self.

I think of these ‘stops’ as conscious pause from action: breathing space to reflect on something specific or nothing very much, which can take only moments.

A pause is as natural as breath, but unlike breathing we can forget to do it. A pause can ‘reset’ an overwrought brain back to a restorative default mode, like a pleasant daydream.

At times, life may seem too busy to stop… so we don’t, which is a shame. When not-stopping becomes the norm, a habit is formed.

When we start to feel the benefits of a regular pause, it seems crazy that we haven’t done it more. But then we’re human – complex and, yes, a bit crazy!

Sometimes we need to consciously practice something we’ve neglected, until it’s part of our life again.

Regular stops can make us more skilled at improving our mind-state. This skill is especially handy when the mind is anxious and we lack mental equilibrium.

Sometimes a short pause is all that’s needed to produce better immediate responses.

It creates mental space for a wiser choice – as against a knee-jerk reaction, which may be later regretted. A mental space to step into, helping us to do or say the right thing; a chance to step back and see the bigger picture, or even to turn and choose another direction. Of course ‘think before you act’ is a wise maxim, but when we’re not in the best state, responding in a wise and measured way isn’t that easy.

I find my stops so useful that I pass the method on whenever I can… call it yoga – or plain common sense!

In hindsight I can see how it all started. My stops began to form in early childhood. I can see my teenage self – chewing sixteen times, pausing, then swallowing, because (and guess what, it still happens!) she bolts her food like a gannet. She snacks whilst she’s waiting for a snack. When eating one meal she’s thinking about the next. And she’s quite capable of finishing the whole packet – bang, it’s gone! What was that about a pause?

Our past colours our present; our present colours our future.

The river of instant sensory gratification runs right through me, and it can easily break its banks.

Childhood compulsions can grow into habits, leading to needy, addicted adults.

So, managing desire is obviously a big part of yoga.

Small personal challenges are part of being human – but the scale can vary a bit!

The child breaks a toy, the adult crashes a car. The child has a tantrum, the adult commits murder. The children have a gang fight, the adults wage war.

Aiming for a more attuned self-awareness will help our self-management, making better citizens and a more harmonious world.

Some stop practices come from my early childhood. STOPPING TO THINK ABOUT SOMEONE is a personal favourite and stems from my catholic upbringing, where stops for reflection and prayer featured much.

I never liked the religious tendency to mark anniversaries of deaths, but I love my mother’s version, which focuses on the living: think of someone for whom this day is important, and say a wee prayer.

The prayer seems more potent if you say it at the exact time of a situation – (marriage, starting a new job, a medical procedure, imminent birth, imminent death… the list is long.)

I still like it and I still use it.

Children tend to adopt the behaviour of the adults they mix with.

As a child I learned from my mother the joy of ordinary daily splendour.

But, (like her in fact) I was much preoccupied by anticipation of future gratifications – birthdays, holidays, Christmas, or just some sweets. That’s why I now dislike the expression, ‘something to look forward to’.

Much of my personal yoga is about countering any yearnings and dissatisfaction with present situations.

Dissatisfaction is big, big business. Advertisers and media thrive on it… convincing us that we’re somehow broken, so must need fixing, that we need a makeover, that our job is boring, our home is inadequate and in the wrong place, that we won’t be happy till we escape to the country!

Yoga helps toward a clearer, less skewed picture of ourselves and the world we occupy. And one way of starting this is by stopping.

STOP PRACTICES

A red dot stop practice to improve present state of mind

A red dot stop practice to think of someone

A red dot stop practice to look around

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LOVE

 

I like to think I’m a resilient individual. Coping with life, working hard – but doing the things I enjoy, getting on with my daily tasks without much of a thought, automatically going through the motions without too much challenge.

It’s only now and then I stop to think how lucky I am. I move with ease, I speak and people understand me, I listen to music and the many sounds around me, I jump in my car and zip off to anywhere I wish.

In themselves, these tasks serve a purpose. They fill my days, allow me to choose how to live my life. But what’s the real purpose? Certainly some of this is pure selfish satisfaction for my own pleasure.

If I venture a little deeper into myself I realise the superficial flitting about and being busy is more the sugar coating on the underlying substance of why I am who I am, and how I have come to be in the place I exist – materially and spiritually.

I could remove the belongings and pretty stuff from my home – It would still be home (maybe not as colourful). I could take the car out of the equation – I would still be able to get around (maybe with a little inconvenience). I could take the family and friends out of my life…… I would be lost in a world of despair!!!

I’ve come to realise that it’s the love and companionship of those close to us that contributes so massively to who we are and gives us purpose and reason for being in this world. Those we care for and those who care for us. That makes me feel like the luckiest person alive. Even when the foundations are rocked and the doubt and anger creep in when we feel we have been unjustly treated, it’s the loved ones around us who help us to pull ourselves together, and the strength from within that puts us back on an even keel.

All of that coupled with that delicious and most worthwhile time spent on the yoga mat. Looking inward, asking questions of ourselves and listening to the genuine responses of the mind and body.

The knowledge of having someone who loves us gives us confidence and reassurance. When they can’t be around us, it’s the love we have for ourselves that keeps us safe and secure. It seems the latter is harder to achieve.

Love and acceptance for ourselves can be just as vital and is just as important as the love we give to others and receive back. It allows us the freedom to be who we are without judgement or recrimination………THE SIMPLICITY OF BEING LOVED!

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BROKEN

Everything I do these days seems to involve doing it better, making it bigger, finishing it faster! Everyday turning into a race to the finish line. I’ve even started to compete with myself. I do something, then beat myself up for not doing it sooner / better / quicker.

Good grief!   (In the words of Charlie Brown).

We are encouraged to live better, eat healthier, exercise more and so on and so on….

These are all very commendable goals, but the constant underlying message is “I’m not good enough… I need to do better”

The message is reinforced through various media over and over. If I didn’t know better I’d be thinking I was broken!

I’m not perfect, striving to be so plays into the hands of negativity. Perfection is unachievable. I will however strive to be the best I can be at whatever I do. Beyond that I will accept what I am and my capabilities – or lack of them – and be happy with that. Safe in the knowledge that I am not broken and don’t need fixing!!!

Accepting our limitations doesn’t make us lazy or poor at setting goals to aim for. It means we can be joyous about the things we can do. The confidence this brings can only encourage us to choose our own goals. It’s within our own gift to ourselves to dream as big as we want.

That doesn’t sound broken to me!

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RAISE YOUR DAY

Begin your day well with one of our practices, such as the one that’s called “UPON WAKING ” – which you do without even getting out of bed!

“Music will raise your day”, I once heard a radio presenter say.

“What a lark! What a plunge!”… exclaims one of my favourite characters, Virginia Woolf’s youthful Mrs Dalloway, as she throws open the French windows and plunges into the morning.

Sometimes these two expressions are my first waking thoughts.

Sometimes I wake up with a real sense of responsibility… literally. But it’s not such a bad awakening, in fact I’m grateful for the reminder – that whatever the day brings, what really counts is my own response.

We are not in control of our destiny or of other people. The only person I can endeavour to manage is me. And so my yoga practices and a sense of humour continually come to my rescue. They show me how to better manage myself… from the very start of each fresh new day. I like to think this way. Even when life feels daunting, it still seems exciting. My day can go either way – raised or ruined – depending on what I think, do and say.

Joy says there’s not enough silliness in the world, and I agree. I like trying to lighten my heart whatever is happening. I like to try and raise my days, then maybe if I’m lucky, to help others raise theirs along the way.

It’s easy to get out of bed the wrong way and proceed like that through the course of a day. Doing a practice upon waking helps nip things in the bud before the day gets going – especially if we wake up apprehensive and nervous, with the feeling that storm clouds are looming.

It’s helpful to be light-hearted, whatever is happening around us.

It can be helpful not to take ourselves too seriously – even if this takes conscious practice. This helps us see ourselves more clearly – so we can better manage our responses, allowing us choices.

It’s so very easy to be miserable – a positive choice can make the difference between a raised or ruined day.

Click here to read UPON WAKING practice

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CLOUD GAZING

This week has been a fabulous week for the beautiful weather here in the North West. We’ve been able to enjoy clear blue skies and sunshine – what a treat!

It never lasts for too long though. On the bright side, every cloud……… and all that.

Clouds can be spectacular. Playing out in the garden, dreamily staring up into the clouds takes me back to childhood. I would often lay staring at the sky watching the clouds form animal shapes, only to then see them floating away and forming something else in its place.

The shapes are long forgotten and those summer days long gone. What remains is the feeling of elation and fun when I repeat this childish act and see a new cloud animal forming in the sky. I am that child again!

What a special and treasured feeling. It reminds me that I need not take myself so seriously all the time.

Today the clouds are moving so swiftly I hardly have time to see things before they are blown away into oblivion…….I’m off, can’t stop in case I miss something wonderful in that big old sky of ours!!

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LESS IS MORE

I have been practicing yoga for 42 years and am still amazed by the moves I can get my body into – or not! Throughout the journey of learning and experimenting I have come to realise that the more advanced yoga is how little I need to do for the benefit it can bring.

I often tell my students, ‘Do less – it’s more advanced’ but I’m not sure they believe me. Let’s be honest, why would they. The media is full of ‘extreme yoga’ – shapes to put the body into, asanas to impress. Yoga isn’t about that. For me it’s self-enquiry, introspective inspection, intentional movement and the binding of the movement with the breath – the very stuff of life.

One of my favourite quotes from Housman, ‘The stuff of life to knit me blew hither, here I am’ One clever dude! He was right. We are a product of our environment, experiences, influences and activities. They make us what we are. Let’s recognise it and take pleasure from the knowledge. The self-enquiry from this gives us the insight to enjoy or make changes to the here and now – whether on the mat or observing ourselves as we go about our daily business.

David Beckham sings the praises of Shona virtue, superstar yoga teacher and his personal trainer. I agree with her view that the high intensity training and sweaty gym sessions do more to stress the body than improve the well-being of the mind or body – both are inextricably linked. One really won’t improve without the other. We need to increase our dopamine and serotonin levels and decrease our cortisol levels. In our speak – feel better and less stressed. The best yoga teachers allow you to find the right moves to help you to balance these neurotransmitters and hormones in your own body rather than impress you with the shapes they can get themselves into. I’m not sure that’s even yoga at all!

For me, yoga is a lifestyle. We are deluding ourselves if we think that an hour a week at the local class will transform our body and our lives, however it’s a start and if we treat our bodies with the respect they deserve by eating well and living well, we can at least contribute to the well-being we would like to achieve.

It takes me back to my eternal message of ‘let’s enjoy the journey’ – forget the goals and the end game and take each moment for what it give us and enjoy that ordinary splendour. It’s what it’s all about.

 

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CHANGE

I’m on my annual summer holiday, sitting by the pool and observing how me and my family respond to change of environment and how we react negatively or positively to it. Personally I have been smiling and laughing at all the new things I have witnessed and experienced, such as different food, wine and surroundings – but the two men in my life, Simon, my husband and Henry, my son, have been grumpy and I think a little distressed by the changes. What was expected I wonder? New country, new food, new surroundings!! Was it a shock to the system or just the reluctance to accept anything new? I’m guessing both. Looking for things to be unhappy about , like the air con. not working – it is now after less than 24 hours of being here and being offered alternative accommodation for the first night to compensate – all perfectly reasonable and acceptable!!

So here we are by the pool and I am reflecting happily that the plane didn’t crash and I am enjoying the company of the local feline population after giving them all of Henry’s pork – on the strength that they need it more than he does!

I’ve just read an article in the Telegragh by Jim Khalili where he states that ‘all TV documentary makers are obsessed with journeys’. Well, sorry Jim, so am I. Who cares about the end game / the destination? The journey takes as long as it takes, leads us to our conclusions, feeds our desires and let’s face it, we can’t get there without the journey. It reminds me of a conversation with my son last week, an academic genius (biased mum view of course) unsure about his future. He looked shocked when I said ‘forget the end game and worry about enjoying the journey as that’s most certainly the best bit’. The inadvertent message all his life has been – we expect you to do well because you’re clever – such pressure! In truth, it doesn’t matter what he does as long as it fulfils his needs, puts food on his table, pays his rent and most importantly, he can enjoy the lifestyle he has chosen for himself. In my view he is lucky to have the choice. He has travelled the world to date with his most recent employment and is now looking to fulfil other needs in his life.

Do we seek the pleasure or task… or does it choose us? I don’t know. I do know however, that acceptance of change or lack of it makes a difference to how we view the world and our lives. Our positive experiences allow us the ability to accept and embrace change for what it is so we can enjoy the journey and all it brings. Or we don’t accept and let the negativity get the better of us, causing us to withdraw and maybe feel a little disappointed or afraid. The small shift in perspective allows us some discernment and power to choose what we do along the way.

Our goals and expectations can mislead and distract us from the pleasure of everyday, taking those everyday splendours of the small things in life, or rejecting the very small pleasures that make the journey of life worth living. Visit the lifestyle website of our friend Sarah who explores the extraordinary chaos of everyday family life and enjoys every moment it has to offer.

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BED YOGA !

It’s summer! It’s morning! I’m refreshed after a good night’s sleep. I was soon off last night with the fresh air of the wide open window and a session of yoga nidra and relaxation yesterday evening – my eyes were already heavy when my head hit the pillow.

This morning they opened lazily as the breeze stroked my face and the birds were entertaining with their usual dawn chorus. My body wanted to move but it felt too soon to get up and on with the day. Yoga was on my mind so I began shuffling around under the covers.

The shuffling morphed into lengthening, the lengthening morphed into curling, the breath turned softer and longer as the movement became fluid as the body reacted to each subtle change.

It became a morning practice on the bed which was so softly supportive.

I hit the day for real with a renewed calm disposition which stayed with me for the rest of the day.

Have a go next time you wake early and feel it’s too soon for the day to start.

Happy bed yoga-ing!!!!   Is that a word…….?

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BEST FOOT FORWARD

Let’s get straight to the point. What I’m thinking is… throw the shoes to the back of the cupboard!! ‘Have I lost my senses?’   Maybe I have, or maybe I’ve just gone to sleep. Let me explain…

Consider what it feels like when you cover your ears, they don’t work properly, the sound is muffled. In other words the sense of hearing is dulled and the sensitivity is lost.

Imagine the same scenario with your feet. Put on a lovely comfortable pair of supportive shoes. The result is the feet are so cosy they go to sleep. They have nothing to do, no ground to feel, no heat or cold sensation. In other words, they’ve stopped having to bother. We may even work harder to search for sensation by stamping or hitting the ground harder in order to compensate. This can have the knock-on effect of creating tension or damage in the joints.

SET THEM FREE!

Kick off the shoes and socks, walk along that lovely shag pile that cost a fortune. Let the wool tickle the toes. As the feet feel what is beneath them, enquire where the weight is. Feel the toes spread as the weight shifts to the front of the feet. Feel how much they are able to bend when there are no shoes to stop them.

Take it to the beach for the wow factor or walk on the early morning dewy grass before breakfast. This will wake up the feet and let them feel again.

Clearly it would be poor advice to say no to footwear completely. It’s obviously not a good look with the interview outfit or at the busy shopping centre. We need to be aware of the hidden dangers of walking on unsuitable surfaces or being hurt by sharp objects. Let’s do it when we can. There’s nothing like the feeling of the ground beneath the feet or feeling the earth rise up to meet us as we walk. So feel your feet on the ground and let the floor be your friend.

 

(Inspired by my deliciously very touchy feely feet and an article I listened to by Leslie Kaminof)

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