Heart Chakra of the World

Dear Yogis.

I found out some lovely things about Glastonbury at last weekend’s Yoga Connects Festival: that Glastonbury is the Heart Chakra of the globe (who knew?); that howling at the full moon after Omming at the universe is normal; that hugging is preferred to shaking hands. Hanging out in a field with yoga nomads, sunscreen and vegan food is an excellent way to spend a weekend. You meet teachers who get invited from country to country, perpetually travelling to antique lands and foreign fields to teach. I made a resolution to go to more yoga festivals.

I have two new recommendations and if you get a chance to study with the following, please have a go.  Jim Tarran taught a beautiful, fun class entitled ‘Experiential translation of yoga philosophy’, quoting yoga sutras and ancient texts. Stewart Gilchrist, for the fast-paced and energetic, similarly quoted constantly but like a man possessed. He said that we may find practice physically hard but that is because we are stuck in Anamaya Kosha, the gross body. We aim to practice with the Pranamaya Kosha which is the breath and the energy body which we feel pervading and surrounding our physical body. True that! As usual, it was a privilege to practice with Ambra Vallo and Eugene Vegan Butcher (see attachment below).

Home Studio

There are loads of spaces left next week and lots of cancellations these days so last-minute bookings might also be possible. Come along. It’s less hot and we can put in more energy. This week we explored the Intermediate Series for a change. (Just a caution; when booking online click the 'Complete Booking' button and whitelist emails that come from the @simplybook.me.)

Summer Training

Yoga West has started it’s Yoga in the Park sessions held on Chiswick Back Common, Turnham Green Terrace. Triyoga has teamed up with lululemon to offer a series of free Sunday morning yoga classes at their Chelsea and Regent Street stores.

Yoga in the News

I teach yoga in a few companies so I found this from The Entrepreneur interesting: “How Can You Reverse Your Company's Work-Life Imbalance? Through Yoga.” It says employees’ expectations of the work environment have changed and bosses have to keep up. It’s not parking spaces or free food or old-fashioned perks that are needed but “a change from within” via self-improvement, happiness, sanity and implementing yoga values.

I once worked at The Telegraph as a sub-editor. We called the paper The Hurleygraph. Here’s an article that shows why.

Enjoy your weekend.