When we think of yoga poses that take our body upside down, headstand and shoulderstand probably spring to mind first.
But there are lots of yoga poses that take our head lower than our heart that are much more accessible, and provide the same benefits.
In this blog post I show you 5 simple and accessible inversions and explain the benefits of going upside down.
Read MoreThis blog is about using a Yoga Belt. You can buy specific yoga belts, but any soft, non stretchy, belt will work or even a long scarf.
A belt can be a useful support for any yoga student to help you to support a yoga pose; find your way into a yoga pose more fully; and in restorative yoga, belts can be really helpful to help hold parts of the body so that the body can rest and enjoy the benefits of the pose without the effort of holding the pose
In this blog I share a few ideas on how to use your belt to support you in ten common yoga poses.
Read MoreIn this blog post I explain the acronym B.R.A.I.N.
It is a really useful tool to use when making choices, and is especially well known in the world of Pregnancy, Labour and Birth, when having to make choices can come quickly and without much warning. I’ve included a free B.R.A.I.N. card to print out to use at antenatal appointments, through labour, birth and postnatally.
B.R.A.I.N. can also be used by anyone for day to day, and more complex decisions. I invite you to have a read and see if this tool could be helpful for you.
Read MoreJanuary, a new start. Welcome to the new year.
If you’ve read my blogs before, you know that I am not one for new years resolutions. Why add more pressure to your life?
Instead I like to think of intentions. Intentions feel more gentle, they offer less chance for failure if we don’t ‘stick’ to them like resolutions. Intentions are a way to offer some direction, but with space for curiosity and time to explore the journey we we make our way towards them.
This year I’ve created a ‘Mindful Month’ to start the year. A little prompt for each day to find a mindful moment to re-connect to yourself, to take a pause, to do something that brings you some joy and as a result will bring you into the present moment. More happiness, less stress.
Read the blog here and access your free download to stick on your fridge…
In this blog post I continue to celebrate 10 years of teaching with the first in a series of ‘Ten Ways to use...’
This blog is about using a chair. You can buy specific yoga chairs, but any sturdy dining room style chair without arms will work just as well.
In this blog I share a few ideas on how to use your chair to support you in ten common yoga poses.
Read MoreYoga nidra means ‘yogic sleep’. It is an effortless yoga relaxation and meditation practice that anyone can do, by themselves with an audio recording or with the guidance of a teacher in person.
Yoga nidra brings you to a deeply relaxed state of mind and body, whilst you are still awake. This is the state between sleep and wakefulness (called the hypnogogic state in psychology), where you float between consciousness and unconsciousness, being aware of the resting state of the body and mind as it is happening in the moment.
Yoga nidra has been shown to be effective in supporting and healing many areas of body and mind including stress, tension, anxiety, insomnia, pain, trauma, addiction and PTSD.
I have found yoga nidra to be one of the best ways to relax and release my body completely, and one of the easiest ways to enter the meditative space. It really is effortless.
In this blog I offer ten reasons why you should try yoga nidra, and a link to ten free yoga nidra practices on my website.
Read MoreIn this blog post I continue to celebrate 10 years of teaching with the first in a series of ‘Ten Ways to use...’
This blog is about yoga bricks. After yoga mats, they are probably the most widely found yoga prop.
If you are new to yoga and got a yoga brick with your first yoga mat, you might have been wondering what it is for. If you are a more experienced yoga student you may be familiar with ways to use a brick in your practice.
In this blog I share a few ideas on how to use your brick for ten common yoga poses.
Read MoreWelcome to 2023! I'm looking forward to the year ahead with its seasonal rhythms, annual events and of course the unknowns, how will this year unfold?
A quick new year post for you where I share Michael James Wong's beautiful 'A Travelling Prayer' to inspire a gentle and mindful start to the new year.
Senbazuru - learn the Japanese tradition of mindfully folding paper cranes.
Folding a paper crane is said to bring peace, hope, healing and happiness. The practice of folding a crane brings mindfulness and pleasure through creating a little bit of time in the present moment.
Find out about Michael James Wong’s beautiful book about the tradition, and learn step by step how to fold your own paper crane and bring some mindfulness to your day in this blog post.
Read MoreEver since I can remember I have spent time on the beach looking for shells, pebbles, sea glass and treasures. It was a holiday ritual with my family every summer when we visited the Moray coast in Scotland, many happy hours were spent marvelling at what the tide brings in.
One of the little shells I look for is the European Cowrie, or in Northern Scotland the 'Groatie Buckie.' The process of gentle and mindful searching for these little shells brings peace and calm.
In my latest blog, find out how beach combing is yoga practice, and the significance of the cowrie shell world wide.
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