Edvard Munch on Yoga

Dear Yogis.

Is the freezing temperature making your body ache or hunch up or just feel downright reluctant? Practicing yoga in the wrong temperature is not any kind of path to enlightenment for the body or spirit. However, skipping yoga practice only encourages more stiffness in the joints. Even if you don’t feel like coming to class, you could just move through the various joints; from rolling the shoulders to rotating the ankles and everything in between. This is called Sukshma Vyayam (Subtle Yoga). It’s a style that was invented by Indira Gandhi’s controversial yoga teacher. Here’s a list of seated things you can do . If you have energy, here is a standing version! It's nice for arthritis sufferers or stiffness after a long run/workout. You might like it

Home Studio

Classes were pretty full this week (until the snow came!) Many places are already taken next week so I have added a 6.30-7.30 class on Thursday. If there is demand, I’ll keep the extra Thursday class. My lucky little studio is welcoming more new yogis, and current yogis are bringing family members and friends. The atmosphere grows more and more lovely. You can book classes here.

New Teacher

Claudine Van de Vyver trained with my teacher, Valentina Candiani, and has taken my classes at Eden Fitness. I’m proud to say that she has her own class now at Virgin Active Fulham on Tuesdays at 0645.

Yoga in the news

The Mail has an article about how yoga is the best remedy for back pain. I hesitate to include the Daily Mail (!) and their analysis of how back pain originates is ridiculous. It also doesn’t take 6-12 months to reduce back pain! In fact, I wish they’d asked a yoga teacher to write the article, but at least the article headlines the beneficial effects of yoga.

Free Yoga

Lululemon in Westfield, Shepherds Bush, has free yoga every Sunday at 10.30-11.30. They provide yoga mats and they just ask that you get there 15 minutes early. Pretty good, eh! (All Lululemon stores have yoga classes in the store and the new Regent Street store has meditation classes). You can see their events on here Facebook, whether you use Facebook or not.

Attached

Attached is the most accurate diagram of hamstring anatomy I have ever seen.