Starting new things is exciting. There's so much to learn, there's so much potential and the possibilities seem endless. Starting yoga is no different. The initial learning curve in yoga is all about getting the poses right, trying not to hold the breath and figuring out what 'being present' actually means. This phase in our practice is [...]
Our mind is still a mystery. Despite using it our whole lives, we haven't yet found the user guide let alone the remote to switch it off. And while modern science is constantly making new discoveries about the brain, the mind or consciousness is still so mysterious. The oldest books in the world (the Upanishads) [...]
When people ask me if I've been busy lately, I say 'Nope'. I'm not being rude, it's the truth of who I am and what I stand for. I've written before about why I don't do busy. And I'm still writing about it. The biggest myth is that being busy = being productive. Or worse, that being [...]
It doesn't matter if you're ready or willing. At some point in our lives, we all take a ride aboard the Emotional Roller Coaster. And all we can do is hold on tight, clench our jaw and bear it. The general ups and downs of life are more like a merry go round. I’m talking about the [...]
I have an embarrassing habit I need to confess. I often buy things I don’t use. It’s terribly wasteful, I know, but sometimes I can’t help myself. I’ve bought equipment I've never used Books I’ve never read I’ve paid for training courses I haven’t finished It’s a terrible waste. And the one thing all these [...]
The hardest part of any contemplative practice (Yoga, Meditation, Embodiment, Intimacy) is tolerating ourselves. It's not finding the time, being disciplined or finding motivation - for me, the challenge is being intimate with myself and tolerating what arises in that intimacy. Basically dealing with my own shit. Because there's nowhere to hide when you go [...]
There’s the yoga you can see, and the yoga that you can’t see. Initially the emphasis of our yoga practice is external. The body, the poses, building strength and gaining flexibility. But as our practice matures, the focus naturally shifts to the internal. Often people are surprised at how much internal focus there is in [...]
The thing I love about teaching yoga is seeing the transformations in people. Practice diligently for 12 months and it will change your life. But the question I get asked the most is "How exactly does it work"? What makes yoga so life changing compared to Pilates or the gym? Firstly, the yoga poses are [...]
Harder, better, faster, stronger - or so we're often lead to believe. But in our fast-paced lives when we're in a hurry for everything, are there merits to slowing down, doing less, becoming soft? You bet. And that's what Yin yoga offers, the perfect antidote to stress, anxiety and general busy-ness of life. In my [...]
Whenever I feel like I'm not making enough progress in my life I'm reminded of bamboo. Before bamboo shoots up, it takes its time to establish its roots. What appears dormant for years is actually growing beneath the surface. Bamboo plants take about three to five years to establish their root system. In this time [...]