Pick Me, Pick Me | Why I Struggle with Social Media as a Yoga Teacher

I've been thinking a lot about social media lately. Not because I've suddenly decided it's all bad, or because I'm about to disappear from it altogether. But because I've become increasingly aware of the way it changes how I feel about my work. Before last week, I'd already written this blog. At ... Read More

The Suitcase of Shoes | What 13 Forgotten Pairs Taught Me About Want, Need and Happiness

I'm currently reading Less by Patrick Grant for my book club.It's an excellent book. Thoughtful, provocative and, as it turns out, terribly timed. We've just seriously decided to sell the house, which means every cupboard, drawer and forgotten corner is slowly being emptied. Donald disappeared up... Read More

The Lost Art of Doing Nothing

I spent part of my holiday sitting in a river. Which, now I write it down, sounds as though I'd fallen in. I hadn't. It was entirely deliberate. I wasn't swimming. I wasn't reading. I wasn't taking photographs. I wasn't talking. I wasn't even meditating. Just sitting. I found a patch of warm sand... Read More

Borrow My Morning Routine

There's a part of my day that almost nobody sees. Actually, that's not quite true. Around thirty people see it every weekday morning. Everyone else is usually still asleep. People often ask me why I get up at five o'clock. When I say 'ask' I actually mean 'accuse'. At least, that's what it sounds... Read More

Pulling on Threads

Before I went to Slovenia, I wasn't sleeping very well. Not because I was worried about travelling. Not because I was worried about flying. I was worried about yoga. More specifically, I was worried about all the things that needed doing before I left. I still had my normal workload. Classes to t... Read More

Yoga Spotlight on .......Julie Atkins

So it’s my BIG 60th birthday year, with lots of celebrations & still some more planned with family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues …..some I’ve grown up with & known for over 50 years, very special! I’ve always loved to cook & bake, I am happy in the kitchen trying new recipes, cooking for ... Read More

The Secret Gift of Summer

When I was little, my older sister used to play schools with me. She was the teacher, obviously. One day she made me learn a poem by heart. More than fifty years later, I can still recite it. In winter I get up at nightAnd dress by yellow candlelight.In summer, quite the other way,I have to go to... Read More

What If It Rains?

Every year, without fail, somebody asks the question. "What if it rains?" They're talking about outdoor yoga, of course. It's a sensible question. Nobody wants to spend an hour in downward dog while slowly turning into a soggy sponge. The answer, by the way, is that if the weather is dreadful, we... Read More

I Cleaned the House for Nothing

Last night, just before I went to bed, I received a message from my friend Stacey. Stacey and I met in Seoul, South Korea in 1997. We were both teaching English, both a long way from home and somehow, despite being very different, became close friends. Nearly thirty years later we're still friend... Read More

What Actually Changes When You Start Doing Yoga Regularly

What Actually Changes When You Start Doing Yoga Regularly People often ask what changes when you start doing yoga regularly. They’re usually hoping for something like: You become more flexible. More relaxed. Glide through life like someone who definitely drinks herbal tea on purpose. Some of that... Read More