You Are Perfect

Dear Yogis,

Last weekend I attended workshops with Kino MacGregor. She’s a super star of the yoga world. I often play her CD of yoga chants in class when I teach. She’s funny and lovely to learn from, and here’s how the first workshop started: ‘Each person is born perfect. The purpose of the practice is to recognise that true spirit, not to accumulate postures – a sort of materialism when it comes to poses. Your worth doesn't depend on achieving a posture. If you operate from a sense of wholeness, the outcome is already whole. If you operate from the perspective of accumulating postures then you will never have enough to be whole.’  

Greek Yoga Retreat

Come with us! Take the last spot!

Here’s a recommendation from last year: "It was fabulous to go on a proper yoga retreat, I've been disappointed in the past and it put me off going for a while!! Both Tania & Lisa, the yoga teachers, were phenomenal, really knowledgeable, passionate, encouraging and awe-inspiring!! Covered lots of different types and aspects of yoga, I could go on and on……..a testament is that most of the class of 2015 are booking for next year, including me!!”

Home Studio

There are still places on Monday’s two classes next week. One is from 6.00-7.00 and the usual one is from 7.30-8.30. On September 1st I’ll reintroduce the Thursday class.

Event

Next Thursday evening, 18.00, in Whitehall Gardens there is a yoga event to raise money for St Martin’s in the Field homeless charity, The Connection. All you need to do is take your mat and enjoy yoga in the Autumn evening. The teachers, Dora and Lisa say it’s: ‘a 60 minutes DONATION-BASED Yoga Class that welcomes all ages & all levels’ and ‘There is absolutely no stress about being new to Yoga’. bit.ly/2bFApuL

Hit & Run Physio

Oh the pain! I think it’s easier to be hit by a car and it’s certainly quicker! However, the elbow and the expertise are hugely appreciated and I’m looking forward to being pain-free with the physio’s help. My homework includes bridge pose with glutes engaged. Many yoga teachers instruct that bridge and wheel should be practiced without engaging the glutes – which I never really understood. The physio is very, very clear that glutes need every opportunity to strengthen, especially for a commuter cyclist like me as “cyclists don’t use glutes”! Here’s a very detailed article on the subject of glutes-or-no-glutes in backbends, in case you’re interested.

Off-Piste Yoga Paradise

Dear Yogis,

Last weekend’s workshops I attended with Danny Paradise were so much fun that I urge you to book yourself a place if you ever get the opportunity. We started in the traditional ashtanga way and soon went off-piste (suddenly we're in ‘Bird of Paradise’!). He said: “Yoga practise is play; it isn’t dogma” and he handed out more and more yoga poses like giving sweets to children. We were greedy and excited to try more. He emphasised: ‘Yoga is designed to create independence and freedom. There is no guru. There is no intermediary. These techniques are designed for you to create mastery in your own life’. He was fun and deep at the same time, as it should be.

Home Studio

Next week the classes in my home studio are all full with waiting lists so I have added an extra class on Monday at 18.00-19.00. You can book as usual through the website. If it suits you, I’ll keep that class at that time.

Greek Yoga Retreat

A month from now, on September 12th, we will be practicing for the first time in the open, under a Greek sky, in Kythera. Our guest teacher last year told us that Kapsali Bay, shaped like an ‘Om’, has healing properties. I believe him! Lisa and I have agreed on a timetable and I will be sending that out to those who are coming and to you if you are interested. One more place has become available so you can take this opportunity to treat yourself to a week of yoga in the warmth and friendliness of Kapsali Bay. If you are planning to take a holiday on your own this is perfect for you. Most of our group are solo travellers.

Yoga Podcast

As usual, I find Lucas Rockwood a really easy, informative and entertaining listen. This week he talks about how to appeal to men and get them to practice yoga. Does gender dictate fitness preferences? What are the differences between how men and women keep fit? His guest talks about strength training that yoga can’t provide - that nothing in yoga mimics the pull-up or rowing motion with resistance. He says yoga should be only one component of your fitness routine. www.yogabody.com/episode-215-guys-yoga/

Next week

After my hit & run last year, the solicitors have agreed to provide physiotherapy which starts next week. The therapist promises to be tough! That probably means he’ll use the dreaded elbow in my painful points... and I think next week’s Friday Email will be comic.

Cat on a Mat

Dear wonderful Yogis
I often get asked about yoga mats. The majority of you cope manfully on slippy gym mats! Here are the ones I use in my home studio:

Calyana caught my attention at The Yoga Show last year. I was in a workshop and was incredibly impressed with the thickness, grip, and how delightful it felt. £50 but they probably will be cheaper at the Yoga Show.

Atmananda is the expensive one. I was given the first one by the NY yoga teacher/mat designer. It has hand and feet outlines, a line for the 45-degree angle of the foot in warrior poses and it comes in three sizes. It's heavy, though, but I think it's nice if you want to inspire your home practice. £75

Lululemon’s ‘Un Mat’ was given to me in a really beautiful and unexpected act if generosity and it subsequently inspired lots of yogis in my classes to get one. It's thin and designed to go on top of the gym mat. It has a grippy side and a smooth side. It's very light. I think everyone who bought one loved it. If you do a free class at a Lululemon shop, you get to try out their mats. £42

Home Studio

You can try the mats here in my home studio. Book a class! Have a go! Classes this month are on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. As I write this, Monday and Tuesday (the yin-like classes) are full. At the moment I’m not teaching on Thursday evenings in my Home Studio while so many of you are on holiday. This means you can have a private class at that time or get me into your workplace and have a go at a corporate class with your colleagues. 

This week was slightly blighted by cancellations. Please understand that I can’t fill a spot with only an hour’s notice of a cancellation – much less 10 minutes notice or simple no-shows  I can’t use my waiting list which is a shame.  

Greek Yoga Retreat

Our Yoga Adventure is in just over a month from now. Now is the time to pay in full if you haven’t already! I have updated this website to give more details including a description of the level of difficulty and a new review of last year.

From Paradise

Dear Yogis,

Next weekend I’ll be doing workshops at Triyoga Camden with Danny Paradise. It’s a name only a yoga teacher could have! He’s a student of Pattabhi Jois, the teacher everyone calls ‘Guruji’ who codified Ashtanga Yoga and taught many westerners in the 70s. Danny Paradise’s first teachers were two people I have practiced with, David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff. (Apparently he introduced Sting, Madonna, John McEnroe and Paul Simon to yoga!) I’m really interested in all of the original Ashtanga teachers. They have such a length of service and a beautiful humanity and acceptance. If any of this is faintly interesting to you, please join me.

Greek Yoga Retreat

The countdown to our Greek Yoga Retreat adventure has started and there’s one place left. Right on cue, as I write this, an email came from one of the participants last year who is now back in her homeland, Australia. She said: ‘I absolutely loved all of the workshops we did! Being able to practice all of the complex moves like that really helped me...  I think the real benefit of the retreat is the depth it gives to your yoga practice. Before I had participated in classes and had really like them but not really understood what’s going, why we do them and even the proper way to do things.’

The retreat dates are Sunday 11th September to Saturday 17th. Knowledge of the Primary Series is expected. For more details, get in touch and/or check out my website: www.goodtimesyoga.co.uk/greek-yoga-retreat

Home Studio

The lovely thing about the classes in my home studio is the introductions that are made and the support people give each other. People find what they have in common: trials in life or in yoga, they complain about work or celebrate each other’s successes, some bring along a posture from a gym yoga class that they couldn’t understand and we break it down and make it more manageable. We talk about parents and/or children or whoever we’re looking after. People bring partners, family members or friends to share the class. We take plenty of time after the class to leave – it’s a languid affair. No one jumps up after ‘Namaste’. Getting off the mat, chat and banter, putting shoes on and then off into the evening can take up to 40 minutes! It’s really sweet. It couldn’t be more different to yoga in a gym or studio.

At the moment I’m not teaching on Thursday evenings in my Home Studio unless there is a demand for it. This means you can have a private class at that time or get me in to your workplace and have a go at a corporate class with your colleagues.

Free Yoga

Lululemon in Westfield, Shepherds Bush, has free yoga every Sunday at 10.30-11.30. They provide yoga mats and just ask that you get there 15 minutes early. Pretty good, eh! (All Lululemon stores have yoga classes in the store). bit.ly/29Ef9WG

Whatever you do this weekend - yoga, London-Surrey 100, beach rugby on Finsbury Square -have fun!

October Yoga Show in London

Dear Yogis,

The October ‘Yoga Show’ guide is out! Here it is; have a look. http://bit.ly/2afTFzc I definitely think we should ALL sign up for ‘YogaBeats Infamous Chocolate Tequila Rave’ with David Sye and have some outlandish fun. It’s on Friday 21st October and it’s £15. It’s too much fun to miss. (Be warned... we have to hug each other!) I had a quick glance at the guide and here are some teachers I’d be interested in taking a class with: Celest Pereira who is wonderfully positive; Tara Stiles who is a bit of an international star and yoga businesswoman; Cat Alip-Douglas who is a legend in the Jivamukti Yoga world; Dj Goldie who is... Dj Goldie; and Marcus Veda whose classes at Triyoga and The Light Centre I love. You can also have an ‘introduction to the world of Aerial Yoga’... and plenty more.

Greek Yoga Retreat

A couple of you have expressed an interest in taking up the place that has become available on this year’s retreat in beautiful Kapsali, Kythera. For those of you who want to know a bit more about the timetable, a brief summary is that the morning class will be an ashtanga/vinyasa class with me; we have a guest teacher who will take us through the whole of the ‘Primary Series’ (hold onto your hat for that!) and Lisa is planning her afternoon workshops on The Spine (backbending), Arm Balances, Transitions and Yoga Philosophy. 

The retreat is from Sunday 11th September to the following Saturday, 17th. The cost is £650 - flights and daily meals are not included but accommodation, transfers and incredible yoga classes and workshops are. For more details, get in touch and/or check out my website: www.goodtimesyoga.co.uk/greek-yoga-retreat

Gym and Home Classes

The Friday morning class at Eden Fitness will remain at 9.30am. There has been an attempt at changing the time and a bit of confusion. It’s over. Nothing changes.  My new class on Wednesday at 2.30 is a lovely slice of Friday Morning Yoga in the middle of the week. It has about half the turn-out of the Friday class which gives it a different flavour. 

In my Home Studio, the Monday and Tuesday classes are always in demand. By Wednesday the weariness of the week seems to have kicked in. For the time being I won’t be holding Thursday classes as so many of you are on holiday. I’ll bring it back as soon as the demand is back. This means you can have a private class at that time or get me in to your workplace and have a go at a corporate class with your colleagues.

Free Yoga

There is free yoga in the park this summer courtesy of Yoga West, our very own west London yoga studio. bit.ly/28RXg3C . Tomorrow, Saturday 23rd July from 2-3:15, is with Toni Ferguson. The classes are held at Chiswick Back Common, just opposite Hack and Veldt on Turnham Green Terrace. Keep an eye out for the Yoga West banner and colourful yogis.

Core Blimey 2

Dear Yogis,

I get asked about core strength a whole lot. Here is a great programme on the subject from Lucas Rockwood. I have talked about him before. I like his style and his information and I hope to get over to Barcelona to practice with him sometime. In this programme about integrated core strength he and Dr. Sarah Ellis Duvall, a physiotherapist, talk about all the lovely things to do with core: diastasis recti for men and women, forward head posture, ribs jutting out/spinal extension, thigh joint pain, pelvic floor issues, 90-minute Mula Bandha, head alignment, the way the body should ‘stack’... Don’t get overwhelmed; it’s really a nice overview, that’s all, that will give some clues. Lucas gives is a link to more core information from his guest and the programme ends with questions people send to him. It’s a lovely programme. http://bit.ly/29lSUyo

Home Studio

This week I won’t be holding a Thursday class but I’ll resume the following week if there is demand. The other three days tend to get booked pretty quickly.  As I write this, Monday already has four people. I was incredibly proud of one of our yogis this week who told us all about practicing yoga to aid recovery after suffering crushed vertebrae. The bravery of some of the people I teach is magnificent.

Gym Yoga

To members of Eden Fitness in Ealing; the Friday morning class has reverted to 9.30. No change after all. My new class on Wednesday at 2.30 is looking forward to seeing you there too!

Free Yoga

There is free yoga in the park this summer courtesy of Yoga West, our very own west London yoga studio. bit.ly/28RXg3C . 

Not Free But Fun    

Triyoga is holding yoga classes on the roof of Selfridges in its ‘alfresco summer series’. ‘Classes are for all levels and include a nourishing breakfast of avocado on toast and fresh fruit juice to enjoy afterwards.’ This happens every Tuesday till 30th August 2016 at 10.00 - 11.00am. It costs£20 pre-booked online or £25 on the door. http://bit.ly/29mixjS

Core Blimey!

Dear Yogis,

I had an interesting experience at the weekend in the Second Series workshop with Chris Croft in Exeter. I was pretty unwell and had bad stomach pains. This meant little connection to my core. I’ve heard it said that yoga without Mula Bandha (pelvic floor lift) and Uddiyana Bandha (abdominal engagement) is faking yoga. Boy, that’s pretty harsh and I wouldn’t live by that saying! However, it really struck me when I couldn’t get into headstand. I had absolutely no connection to my core and no ability at all to get into a posture that I’ve been doing for many, many years. It was very humbling and very instructive. Teachers are always talking of the importance of core engagement but when it is taken away, a different perspective appears and greater understanding of postures.

Home Studio

You’ve been sending me some really wonderful feedback about classes with me or about yoga in general. I’ve been really inspired. I wonder if you would give me permission to post these comments on the website or if you could write them there yourself. Yesterday, my favourite rugby player left a restorative yoga class here in my Home Studio saying he felt ‘like a god’! That’s pretty spectacular for a number of reasons. He suffers panic attacks and has had ‘three horrendous days’ of attack-suffering, staggering to class every day, twice on Wednesday, to try to get through it. I’m amazed and humbled and uplifted by his example.

International Yoga Day

It continues! My dear friend and fellow Greek yoga retreat teacher Lisa Lischak is one of the teachers in Sunday’s ‘Yoga Celebration Day at Stockbridge Town Hall from 10am-6.30pm. There will be lots of different yoga styles on offer including Thai yoga massage. bit.ly/1Yr5ouW

How to Please Your Yoga Teacher

This is a survey I conducted for International Yoga Day. I asked yogis from my classes past and present to help me compile a Top Ten list of How to Please your Yoga Teacher. Here's what they said:

The list so far:

1.    Identify your right and left correctly! If your teacher instructs the class to lead with the right foot, try your best to lead with the right foot Failing that, get a GPS-equipped mat.

2.    Enjoy the class. Teachers respond to grins or laughs... or groans. Enjoy plank! If you don't, pretend or you'll have to do more.

3.    Bring a friend, partner or family member. Teachers love it when you put your faith in their class and bring someone special.

4.    Teachers like it when you use yoga props. If you are struggling, it's not cool to have the teacher run around the class getting blocks and belts for you.

5.    Get your game on! Do your best. Concentrate. Meditate. Play your A game. They love good effort. 

6.    A shower before class pleases everyone, not just the teacher. Freshly laundered gear is a good idea. Smelly feet are never a good idea.

7.    Checking your mobile phone during the class is not yoga. Don’t answer a call. Don’t rush out of the studio saying ‘I’m in my yoga class’!

8.    Falling asleep in Savasana and snoring loudly is quite funny. It's OK though. 

9.    Don’t say “I’m not flexible enough for yoga”. The teacher will roll their eyes.

10. Your teacher thinks you’re amazing. You should too. (That one is from me!)

Secret History of Yoga

Dear Yogis,

The new on Wednesday after class got off to a wonderful start. Eleven yogis for a 2.30 class is absolutely amazing and I know it will build. When I started the Friday class it had a regular 11-14 people. It is double that now. Just a note about the Friday class... Management need to know if you would be happy to move the class forward to 9.15, or earlier. It’s your class so please let your voice be heard.

International Yoga Day

I had a great IYD on Tuesday. I taught  a new class with new yogis and some complete beginners. I’m told that the class inspired a couple of converts. It just couldn’t be better. One guy said he didn’t realise yoga was such hard work! Would more guys turn up if they knew it was a chance to show off the biceps? 

I wonder if you managed to catch this programme on Radio 4: The Secret History of Yoga http://bbc.in/1YsapDx . The programme discusses the roots of modern yoga with Dr Mark Singleton who wrote one of my favourite books: Yoga Body. It’s a lovely half-hour listen

Workshops

This weekend I’ll be at a workshop in Exeter huffing and puffing my way through an Ashtanga Second Series Intensive. I’m aching at the thought. There are places left if you want to hot-foot to Exeter: bit.ly/28VXabE . Whereas the first series is called the Yoga Chikitsa, meaning yoga therapy because of the cleansing and toning, the second is ‘Nadi Shodana’ which is nerve cleansing. Hmmm... on the agenda is ‘putting the leg behind the head'. I think major surgery might be involved!

Free Yoga

There is free yoga in the park this summer courtesy of Yoga West, our own west London yoga studio. The first one is tomorrow, 25th June, 2-3:15 pm with Christian Coelho. He’s an absolutely wonderful teacher. 

Greek Retreat

Thank you to those who have either paid up in full or have made your next instalment. I can’t wait to get out there and teach in the warmth of the Greek sun. There are still people who are interested in coming and, of course, you are very welcome. Pop me a line and let me know if you have any questions.

Home Studio

By the time I write my Friday email, places are already booked for next week. If you haven’t tried a small, tailored class, come and have a go. It’s a great environment for complete beginners or advanced Ashtangis. Drop me a line if you have any questions about what evening might suit you. 

NEW CLASS

Dear Yogis,

I have a new gym yoga class starting today! It’s at Eden Fitness in Eaing where the demand has been high for more yoga. The new class will be at 2.30 every Wednesday. It’s a trial run for three months and it’s at an odd time... but we can make it work. I’m a big fan of Eden Fitness and it’s the only gym I teach in regularly. The Friday morning class was my first regular class after qualifying as a yoga teacher. It has been an absolute joy to teach there and see the numbers double in size.

International Yoga Day

It’s on the 21st which is next Tuesday. This weekend there will be a lot of free events, the biggest of which is at Alexander Palace. David Sye will be taking a 30 minute session and he’s worth checking out – he’s such fun, though he won’t have the tequila for this session! Here is the day’s showguide: bit.ly/1V0v3Vt

Father’s Day

Our newest Ealing gym, Tribeca in The Mall, invites you to bring a father for free this Sunday. This applies to all classes but there is a Total Beginner Yoga class at 12.45 for just 45 minutes. Email hello@tribecastudios.co.uk with the name, number and email address of the dad. There are two days left of Triyoga’s offer to bring a dad. Details here: bit.ly/1P9LRrr

Workshops

This Sunday I’ll be doing an inversions workshop at Yoga West with Christian Coelho. It’s £22.50 for two hours from 14:00-16:00. Come with me – especially if you’ve never experienced a workshop before. bit.ly/1q3WvHD

Greek Retreat

Many of you have either paid up in full or have made installments. We have only a couple of months left so please make sure the payment doesn’t come as a shock at the end of August. There are still people who are interested in coming and, of course, you are very welcome. Pop me a line and let me know if you have any questions.

Home Studio

Plenty of loveliness in my Home Studio this week including a private session which was mostly about core work! Wow! After that I fed some of those postures into all of my classes. Every week in every class you inspire me.