Full confession! ⚠️ I'm not a believer that "everything happens for a reason" I don't understand that sentiment at all. Everything happens. Acceptance helps- but I don’t need to white wash it. I can't always see the "reason"- or the reasoner- who's reasoning this stuff?! . Nor do I celebrate every experience as necessary so "I can be who I am today". Perhaps there are other iteration's of ourselves that would be just fine- more easeful even, without some of the harrowing stuff we've been throug...

Struggling to get yourself/ students easeful enough in downdog? When the poses we think of as the foundation are hard, we can still find more easeful versions- eg work each "action" separately & then add them together. So arms over head or work hamstrings lying down/ standing forward fold with bent knees etc. . We can also tweak the pose to see if there's a more easeful version available. . Here's some ideas 💡. Have you tried any of these? What else works in your experience? . Next week Monday...

I am genuinely happy to announce a giveaway & #maybemindful week next week. Like a “challenge” but more supportive with no pressure to show & tell! Just a chance for me & some wonderful teachers here to share practices for real life & people! . @lauragilmoreyoga @taraleeyoga @rachelsamuels2019 @doctoryogi @livinglotusonlineofficial - will all be offering ideas/ poses/ practices that mean yoga for us- not trying to squeeze ourselves into a “yoga” that doesn’t fit. . So pls give them a follow ...

Often there's nothing "wrong" with the body as such, when we are not enjoying a pose. Say the back aches in a backbend. We may have a particular movement pattern which we repeat through the day- & again in the backbend, & the body of nervous system would prefer some variability. It's wants something new! . It's been shown that by altering out movements, giving new input to the nervous system we can sometimes alleviate pain. Because that pain is modulated by the nervous system. . It also might gi...

You know those days when nothing goes to plan! Sometimes simple is best. A single sun salutation (ish) with added flexion & extension to the spine/ hip/ knee etc. not a big morning practice but it definitely makes a difference. . It's great to have a plan, to be ambitious, to dream of a long practice whatever that is for you. But sometimes life has other ideas. . It's even more brilliant to be adaptable & still find some time to be with oneself, body, breath, mind. . As a mum of a child who wa...

Our bones respond to movement- specifically by strengthening in response to weight bearing. So if we load the body more bones, like muscles, get the message to stay strong & maintain density or become more dense. . Although we often hear yoga is good for bone health we really need more impact or weight to exert force to affect bone density. We can either not worry about it & do mellow yoga, with some weights work elsewhere. . Or perhaps adapt with these Ideas for yoga: 👌🏽Add x20 jumps per pra...

These variations including anti- aging yoga, & a happiness guarantee (kinda almost maybe) 😜. At least there's a lot to be said for mixing it up & trying new things in practice: . 1. The dive & push variation shared includes a great chance to develop some "power" moves- this is the element of "strength" or force production that we tend to lose first with age. The ability for fast dynamic movement. Let's keep it going! . 2. We can vary the way we move which is great for the body. Repetitive moveme...

I often think the real backbends prep happens in the hip flexors & shoulders! 🦛 The Shoulders give access to the thoracic spine & Hip flexors allows the lumbar spine to lengthen. . Here we start in reverse table- the flexed hip- knee to chest, keeps a "neutral" pelvis as we lift- so that the glutes can work & lower spine lengthen. The modified purvatanasana means we can really work the lift in this reverse plank & enjoy the work of the backbody to lift up. . Then we glide to lift into a backbend...

A combination of core, twist & flexibility, the sort of delicious efficient movement we love. 🖤 . The first version is a great starting place with no. 2 as an optional extra. 😜 . I found myself playing with these in practice today so thought. I'd share them from a better filming day! 👌🏽 . In the meantime I'm loving the luxury of movement & stillness. Of time to pause this long weekend in the UK. . I hope you're well wherever you are. Love to hear what you're up to. . @dynamicflowyoga @alicesyog...

A chance to wake up from top to toe with a short, sweet practice. We drop into the rhythm of the can breath from the opening movement. 🦶🏽 . It's such a pleasure to settle the mind in body awareness- even for a few minutes makes such a difference- right?! . I also love this sort of sequence as an opening- especially for a short class/ practice.👌🏽 . Foot work combines with breath/ spine/ shoulders etc. . We sneak in a little hip inner rotation as well as outer. A side length & squish. Some bal...

"Take a deep breath" is such great advice! Unless it just makes us breath "harder" or "higher" in the body. If we ask Ourselves/ students to breathe deep, often we replicate more of what we are already doing. 💗 . For many this may be a breath pattern that relates to stress, to a shallow chest breathing pattern. . Our autonomic nervous system & breath are so closely related- and breathing is one way to consciously regulate the nervous system. The key to our inner being if you like! 🔑 . To maximi...

A playful challenging balance sequence, great warm up for standing splits or splits pose. Or enough just in its own! . There are some little tweaks here that make all the difference- tip toes on the leg in downdog gives access to lift the raised leg high. Then we lower the heel for some extra "stretch". Yum! . Stepping into utthitha hasta (hand to foot 🦶🏽 pose) with a straight leg from parsvottanasana (pyramid/ side forward fold) is a fun way to play 😜 . Then there's the circling back into half...