No Time For Yoga....Think Again.....

December has been a really busy month - I think it is for everyone.  School plays to attend, things to do for school fairs, presents to buy, house to decorate etc. I also had my first workshop to plan for which included hand making 25 eye pillows, oh and my youngest child became ill with chickenpox, so that kept me rather busy making sure he was happy and comfortable.  This is in addition to all my regular class plans and usual day to day stuff.  I love being busy and thrive on it but sometimes you can be tipped over the edge and feel completely snowed under.  This can be when your yoga practice can fall by the wayside and be forgotten for a while.  But this year I was determined that I would keep up with my daily practice however busy I found myself to be.

There was one particular afternoon when I thought I just had to leave my yoga practice and get on with the other 'stuff' but after some thought I decided to do a short 20 minute practice.  After doing my practice I was energised, bubbling with ideas and creativity and seemed to get everything done in about half the time it would normally take me.  That 20 minutes commitment to keep on with the daily practice really paid off, if I hadn't have done that, then maybe I would have been flitting about from one job to the next without completing anything.

So doing your yoga practice is NEVER EVER a waste of time, apart from all the physical and mental benefits, it can actually make you more effective with your time management, can focus the brain and tease your creativity back to life!  I seriously believe it to be true.  It is a commitment, but you and all those around you are sure to benefit from a refreshed and revitalised YOU - full of energy, ideas and FUN!!! 

My advice would be to schedule in your yoga practice, don't feel you have to do a full-on long session of practice.  This can end up demotivating you if you don't get time to do the amount of yoga you had planned - keep it flexible and remember ANY yoga is better than NO yoga.........

www.yogiclaire.com

What The Class Members Say.....part 5

1. How long have you been practicing yoga?

I first started practicing about 40 years ago.  I took it up again about 3 years ago and now practice regularly.

2.       What do you feel you get out of your yoga practice? 

Practicing yoga always helps in coping with stressful situations.  I always feel better (calmer) after my regular yoga class - especially after a hectic day.

 

3.       How do you feel your life has changed since you have been doing a regular yoga practice?

I feel much fitter and stronger.  My outlook is more positive.

 

4.       What is your favourite posture and why?

I love doing wide-leg forward bend - it is a lovely stretch.

 

5.       What would you say to someone who is thinking about attending yoga for the first time and a little afraid to take that first step?

Because yoga is not competitive, it is easy to go at your own pace.  You start benefitting right away.  It's a great way to deal with stress.

 

 

Questions kindly answered by one of our regular class attendees who hardly ever misses a session!  Thanks to Marjorie Kilbey x

 

 

www.yogiclaire.com

What the class members say.....part 4

1. How long have you been practicing yoga?

4 months

2.       What do you feel you get out of your yoga practice? 

Relaxation, it removes tension from every part of your body! 

 

3.       How do you feel your life has changed since you have been doing a regular yoga practice?

I feel like I'm more level-headed in all aspects of my life and I now understand how to deal with stress. 

 

4.       What is your favourite posture and why?

Child's pose, I feel safe and protected and it allows me to focus my mind so that it doesn't wander.

 

5.       What would you say to someone who is thinking about attending yoga for the first time and a little afraid to take that first step?

There is no need to feel apprehensive, my life has improved dramatically since starting yoga.  It gives you some time to focus on yourself and allows you to carry the level-headed and relaxed mind into other aspects of your life.

 

 

Questions kindly answered by one of our youngest class members, but someone who shows great maturity and obviously understands yoga completely even in the short time she has been practicing.  A joy to read - thank you April Quinn x 

 

 

www.yogiclaire.com

What the class members say.....by Mary aged 95!

Mary - aged 95 doing her spinal balance pose - Upavista Konasana B



1. How long have you been practicing yoga? 

Since Autumn 1976.  So 37 years!!

2.       What do you feel you get out of your yoga practice? 

It has heightened my awareness of everything, mainly health and diet.  It eases tension especially when driving (yes I still drive).  I have made some valuable friendships in the classes.

3.       How do you feel your life has changed since you have been doing a regular yoga practice?

I have enjoyed yoga in so many different classes and locations in the UK and abroad - the highlight being named student of the year in 2006 at Alston Hall on one of the yoga days run by Lancashire Adult Learning.

4.       What is your favourite posture and why?

I love spinal balance - although it's not very elegant!!  It takes strength, balance and flexibility.

5.       What would you say to someone who is thinking about attending yoga for the first time and a little afraid to take that first step?

Start and then never stop doing yoga!  It helps maintain a good posture which is so important - there are far too many 'humpy backs' around - not a pretty sight!!  Yoga is such a marvellous thing, even if you are incapacitated, just do the movements in a chair.

 

(questions kindly answered by my dear, lovely friend and class member, Mary Brewer Aged 95) who continues to inspire me and the other class members :)
 

www.yogiclaire.com

 

What the class members say.......part 2

1.       How long have you been practicing yoga? 

Almost 2 years

2.       What do you feel you get out of your yoga practice? 

It's helping to keep me mobile and it's challenging me to attempt postures and exercises that I wouldn't do at home on my own

3.       How do you feel your life has changed since you have been doing a regular yoga practice?

I now have strategies for dealing with the stresses and strains of everyday life - breathing exercises, shoulder and neck exercises.

4.       What is your favourite posture and why?

I like forward bends because I have discovered I can do them!  Also because I can really see myself improving with practice.

5.       What would you say to someone who is thinking about attending yoga for the first time and a little afraid to take that first step?

Be brave and do it!  It doesn't matter how little you feel you can do at the beginning, you will improve.  You have nothing to lose and lots to gain.  I always feel better after class and miss it if I can't go.

 

 

(questions kindly answered by one of my Friday morning class members)

www.yogiclaire.com

 

What the class members say.......Part 1

I am hoping to provide some of you with some inspiration to get back to a yoga class or to begin your yoga journey.  I am going to be publishing some answers to a questionnaire I gave out to my lovely class members about their yoga practice and what it means to them.  Here is the first one - enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

1.       How long have you been practicing yoga?

On and off for 40 years. Gaps in years when my children were younger or when I’ve had too many commitments to go to classes. About 20 years in all.

2.       What do you feel you get out of your yoga practice?

I feel relaxed yet energized. I feel good about myself. Probably because I feel I’m taking responsibility for my own health and fitness. I think I can sum it up better how I feel when I don’t do weekly classes for a long period. Sluggish, lazy, a bit de-motivated and definitely creaky

3.       How do you feel your life has changed since you have been doing a regular yoga practice?

 Well, I’ve always been healthy and have no medical issues really, but now I’m getting older (62) I notice that I can’t join in conversations with people my age about medical problems or compare medication. Is that a downside? Don’t think so.

4.       What is your favourite posture and why?

Rag doll and forward bends. They just keep your back so supple. Also, any poses that make you stand up straight. This forces you to think about your posture.

 Also the warrior. This makes me feel strong

5.       What would you say to someone who is thinking about attending yoga for the first time and a little afraid to take that first step?

Maybe try a few classes and see how you get on with the level taught in each one. Also, teachers have different approaches, and you need to find a teacher that you respect and want to emulate.

(E.g. a teacher who bullies you into poses because they think it’s good for you although you may be capable, may not really be your style)

Also, you can pick up yoga on holiday, say in a local class or on a beach (sorry that sounds a bit superstar-ish but hey, why not)

You can pick it up any age. It’s never too late. You can’t do that with a competitive or speed based sport, so you would never feel at a disadvantage,  classes are almost always sociable and friendly.

You don’t need any expensive equipment. Very little initial outlay at all

The very best thing is that you can arrive at a class with the weight of the world on your shoulders. Well that’s how is seems, and afterwards think…. Now, what was I worrying about?

Eleanor Hamer  (Friday morning class member)

 

www.yogiclaire.com

 

Never Stop Learning.......

I am delighted to say I have just received my certificates from the last two courses I have studied.  It’s been quite a long and challenging slog as I have been incorporating as much physical yoga practice as possible to compliment the theory I have been studying.  I believe it is imperative to do as much practical training as is possible.  Anyone can pick up a book and start to memorise facts, but to put it into practice is when the real learning, understanding and transformation begins.  Needless to say it is worth it, as human beings I think it is natural for us to want to learn and explore throughout our whole lives.

Hatha Yoga Teacher (Advanced)

This seemed an obvious choice of course for me as I found myself needing to delve deeper into all aspects of yoga - especially philosophy.  In this course I studied the roots, history and philosophy of Yoga, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the Eight Limbs of Yoga and also covered Vedantic philosophy and Ayurveda.  I studied more advanced postures, including safety aspects, teaching points and guidelines for physical, mental and spiritual benefits.  The use of pranayamas, mudras, bandhas and kriyas were explored, as well as meditation techniques, mantras and the connections between asanas and the chakra system. 
(This course has been awarded a Level 4 NCFE accreditation)

Yoga Therapy – Level 3

I began this course with the study of digestion and nutrition, this was written by Rosalind Sinnett SRN. I also studied first aid and hygiene and then studied further therapeutic treatments using basic shiatsu and remedial massage. The course continued with the study of cellular dynamics, response mechanisms, neurology and reflex action. The course also involved control techniques and treatments for common conditions.  My aim is to integrate this knowledge into my teaching, to bring further benefits to my yoga class members.  It was certainly a very challenging course with some concepts which really engaged and enthralled me throughout!

I hope that continuing my studies I can evolve and become a more effective teacher, of course yoga teaching is not an academic subject and really all we do as yoga teachers is try to pass on what knowledge and experience we have gained to others.......

www.yogiclaire.com

Keep on Keeping on........

No one wants to think about getting old, how life will be for us as elderly people.  I regularly have conversations with my oldest class member Mary (aged 95) about how important it is to keep on with the practice. "You just have to keep moving" says Mary - in fact this is almost a mantra for her!  She has been doing yoga for so many years - constantly and consistently getting back on her mat.

I wish I could take her round to all my other classes, introduce her to all the other class members, some of them in their late teens and early twenties and I want to say "Look at Mary - follow her example, don't wait until it's too late, make yoga a habit for life!"  In fact any kind of exercise regime is obviously good for us but yoga is something sustainable, it can be modified for all the different periods through your life.  During illness, pregnancy, old age, an activity to do with your children, even to help you though hard times and bereavements.  Oh and remember yoga is not just asana (postures), sometimes practice may be meditation, yoga nidra or the yoga of selfless service if that is what you need.

I love welcoming young and some not so young new members into my classes and enjoy hearing how much they enjoyed the session, but often after a few weeks they stop coming.  In my heart I hope I ignited a spark of interest in yoga in them and hope they have kept on with their practice at another class or even at home.  What I fear is that they have abandoned the practice, thinking they may come back to it at some point.  It makes me want to shout - "keep at it - sometimes it will feel like an effort to get to class, sometimes you might find a session boring, sometimes you might decide you don't gel as well with your teacher as you first thought - but just find another teacher!  Please don't give up!!"

When I teach my senior classes, I can see how much yoga has enhanced their lives, how much easier everyday life is due to the fact their joints and muscles are more comfortable.  I admire their stoicism during difficult times and know that yoga has given them this precious gift of being able to cope with whatever life throws at them.  This gift is available to everyone - it is our choice whether we accept it and keep practicing, or if we leave it for another day..........

www.yogiclaire.com

The One Flaw of Woman....

For those of a Hindu faith - this time of year sees a celebration termed as Sharad Navarathri, this is a time when feminine power is celebrated.  Coincidentally we have also seen the young teenager Malala Yousafzai speaking out about her continued fight for education for girls in her homeland, even after the horrendous injuries suffered at the hands of the Taliban.  It has prompted me to dig out another reading from my Mum's vast collection.

She has read this in her yoga classes for many years and it is one which I do on occasions when I am not feeling too emotional, as I know that when I read it, it makes me want to cry!!  I am unsure who originally wrote this piece but will happily credit the author if anyone knows who it is!

The One Flaw of Woman

By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his sixth day of working overtime.  An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"  And the Lord said, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her?  She has to be able to run on cups of tea and left overs, have a lap that can hold four children at one time; have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart and she will do everything with only two hands"

The angel was astounded at the requirements. "only two hands - no way!  That's too much work for one day.  Wait until tomorrow to finish"  But I won't the Lord protested. "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart" 

The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord"  "She is soft" the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough.  You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

The angel moved closer then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek.  "You have a leak in this model"  "That is not a leak," the Lord corrected, "That's a tear!"  "What's the tear for?" the angel asked.  The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride."

The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord.  You thought of everything!  Woman is truly amazing!"  And she is, women have strengths that amaze men....

They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.  They smile when they want to scream.  They sing when they want to cry.  They fight for what they believe in.  They stand up to injustice.  They don't take no for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.  They go without so their family can have.  They love unconditionally.  They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.  They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.  Their hearts break when a friend dies.  They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.  They have compassion and ideals.  Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

Please share this with your wives, mothers, sisters and any other special women in your life to remind them how amazing they are - because if there is one flaw of woman it is they tend to forget their worth......whether it is something on a grand, global scale, or something within the family or local community - this is for all the women out there working tirelessly for others :)

www.yogiclaire.com

Start Where You Are......

First off I have pinched the title from one of my favourite writers/teachers, Pema Chodron, she has the ability to write simply and effectively without sugar coating anything but making everything in life make sense.

'Start where you are' seems like an obvious statement - where else would you start?  You can't move back or forward in time and start then!  But sometimes we don't want to accept where we are and to use a cliché - we want to run before we can walk.  The same is true of yoga practice and also teaching of yoga, you have to start where you are - you cannot be an experienced yoga practitioner or teacher in an instant, or maybe in a whole lifetime......so just start, that is all you need to do.

Recently I was chatting to my Mum about our yoga teaching and I mentioned to her how I cringe when I think back to my first teaching experiences (just covering a few classes for her to begin with) that I was barely scratching the surface, just teaching a few poses that I was reasonably confident with and really just feeling my way through.  When I compare the classes back then to my classes now (which I also question at times) I feel these days the classes have much more of my own yoga experiences and practice woven through, along with the several years of teaching experience I have so far, but I am always left feeling there is so much more to learn.  My Mum then reminded me of a class she taught right at the beginning of her yoga teaching career, I reckon it must have been about 1985 and I was in the class (aged 11 or 12 at the time) and she played some really upbeat 80s pop and the yoga postures were sequenced rapidly together, I can remember really building up a sweat!  This was the height of the 80s aerobics trend and she said she felt that it needed to be 'jazzed' up in order to sell the idea to people!  Back then yoga was not really a mainstream practice.

Of course pretty soon she settled into teaching her very traditional yoga classes, with waiting lists of people wanting to join, but she too had to start where she was then.  She is still teaching yoga and the classes are no longer accompanied by Bananarama and Duran Duran songs!

So remember when you begin your yoga practice (or anything for that matter) you just have to start where you are, things will inevitably change and you will most probably look back and question decisions you have made, but remember all we have is now, there really is no point in looking back, or too far forward for that matter.  Just start where you are........take that initial step and begin.......

Growing Up and Dealing with Change......

As we slip into September, I can already taste a bit of Autumn in the air!  I know everyone will be blogging about the change of season and I dare say I am bit early with this observation but I can definitely feel a change in the atmosphere.  I have always loved the transition from summer to autumn, it always signifies change.....going back to school, summer holidays just a distant memory, time to get the woolly jumpers out - I do love a snuggly jumper!  For me this year it seems altogether more significant, my youngest son starting school, my eldest son moving into the juniors and I am adding a parent and toddler yoga class to my schedule. 

It will be so strange with both boys at school, more time to plan my classes, more time to study, more time for my own yoga practice.  I am also feeling the need to de-clutter the house, I tend to feel I can think more clearly when the house is clutter free and my desk is not hidden amongst papers.  I don't know a great deal about Feng Shui but I know the basic rules are if something is broken either mend it or throw it away, and if you haven't used something in a long while then get rid of it.  This is fine for things like an unused fondue set or an old sandwich toaster but I struggle a little with things like baby blankets and toys that the boys have played with a lot.  I realise that I need to practice some 'non-attachment' to these items, but I am a sentimental old soul!!  I have done really well getting rid of our wheelie bug bee toy which my eldest had since he was one and then my youngest used too.  My other half convinced me to put it on eBay and sell it.  It was quite difficult for me to do this but the lady who bought it seemed so delighted that I felt really good about some other kids getting as much joy out of it as my children had  (but I still miss that little bee sometimes, he had been around us for 7 years!)

I do have a box of treasures, things which I cannot throw away, the little cards from the hospital from when the boys were born, their first sleep-suits, many books and photos.   In my opinion it is ok to keep these things so we can look at them when the boys are all grown up and remember all those special times.

Being human involves times of change, nothing stays the same and for the most-part I do love the excitement and challenge of change.  As human beings I think we need it for our spiritual growth and development.  That said, this particular period of change seems very significant for me and a little sad as my babies are now not babies any more and are growing up fast, so my mission now is to do my best to help them to cope with the challenges of change in their own lives so they can welcome it and not fear it........and perhaps not be as sentimental as their silly old Mum!!!

www.yogiclaire.com

Ashtanga Workshop on a Rainy Tuesday.....

A rainy Tuesday in Manchester - a day I have waited for since May when I booked myself on the Ashtanga workshop in Manchester with Kino MacGregor.  It seemed like fate that she should come and run a workshop 10 minutes away from my home!

My first knowledge of Kino was when I embarked on my Ashtanga practice about 3 years ago - having practiced Hatha Yoga since being a child and consequently training as a Hatha Yoga teacher I gravitated towards Ashtanga as a way of challenging my self practice.  I bought the Kino DVD and also did a course to learn the history of this particular discipline.

I realised that what I really needed to do was to get to a regular Ashtanga class but with teaching Hatha yoga and being a full time Mum - there just wasn't the time, so self practice was my best option at this point in my life.

My self practice was very sporadic but I made some progress and complimented the Ashtanga style with regular Hatha practice and also further study and work on my meditation as well as my own teaching.

So yesterday came the day of the workshop, during the lead up, I had many self doubts about whether the workshop was really for someone like me......in one of my classes I teach chair yoga to seniors, my other classes are a gentle, slow approach to yoga, but Ashtanga a very strong practice!  I have attended a few Ashtanga classes, but was I deluding myself that I could fit in with the Ashtanga yoga crowd?

The Hindu temple in Whalley Range is a lovely building, I immediately felt relaxed as I entered, I noticed many people had come to the workshop in groups, but I was attending alone.....however there were lots of smiles and I felt the buzz of how excited people were to be attending the class.  I suspect  most of the people there were like me and had watched Kino many times on her You Tube channel to learn new techniques and deepen their practice further.  For some people who find it difficult to get to classes this is a good resource, but it is so important to try to get to classes and workshops whenever you can to experience the energy and challenge of a live class and have an experienced Ashtanga yoga teacher to guide you.

The workshop was geared towards strength, an area that I really need to work on in my practice, so was perfect for me.  I have reasonable flexibility and part of me (probably my ego) missed doing some deep hip opening work, but that is not the area that needs quite as much attention (I need to work on some 'non-attachment' to those hip openers too!!)

Kino was as lively, charismatic and informative as I expected her to be and I have never known 3 hours pass so quickly.  It has really encouraged me that Ashtanga yoga IS for me - even though I am 40 years old and struggle to maintain a consistent Ashtanga practice.  It has inspired me not to just concentrate on the postures and the aspects of the discipline I CAN do but to work more on the areas I am lacking - like strength and technique.

On reflection I think booking myself on the workshop was me testing myself, if I felt out of my depth, like a square peg in a round hole - then perhaps Ashtanga yoga was not for me.  But as tough and challenging as it was, I have learned I am more capable than I thought and I feel that I do not have to wake up at dawn everyday and do the full primary series, it is entirely appropriate for me to break the practice down to work certain areas and just fit the practice into my busy life as best I can, to work towards being the best person that I can be.......

www.yogiclaire.com

 

Escape to the Mountain Top.......

I used to wonder if I could be a real yogi and still live a normal busy, family life.  After all if we are to practice all the 8 limbs of yoga not just the 'asana' (posture) part then we need to be fully engaged in all those other aspects of being a yogi. (see below list)  But as time has gone on I realise it can be possible to practice all eight limbs of yoga whilst being fully engaged with young kids, parents, friends and everyone I come into contact with.  In fact yoga can enhance all those other aspects of life, and it is wonderful and sometimes very challenging to weave ALL aspects of yoga into your own busy life.

I like to think of my everyday life as a busy market place, a hustle and bustle of activity, dashing from one place to the next, preparing meals, planning classes, studying etc. But then when I am doing my own yoga practice, it feels like time out from the rat race.  It feels like a trip away from 'it all' - like a peaceful journey to the mountain top, returning fully refreshed and invigorated ready to take on the world once again.  The yoga practice also serves as a regular reminder to live a yogic lifestyle whilst in the busy market place of our lives.  To engage fully with our kids and our friends and family, to allow and cope effectively with changes and fluctuations in our lives, knowing that we have the relevant tools to deal with stressful situations.

So your little trip to the mountain top may be the sanctuary of a busy city centre yoga studio, it may be your local church hall yoga class, or maybe it is your self practice in your own garden or living room.  Wherever your yoga space is and whatever form your yoga takes, perhaps gentle pranayama and long deep postures, or invigorating and challenging dynamic yoga, it can enhance and enrich your life and shows us the importance of taking time out - even if sometimes it is only 10 minutes a day.......

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

1. yama: moral and ethical restraints - social discipline
2. niyama: observances - individual discipline
3. asana: posture, seat
4. pranayama: control of the life-energy through breath
5. pratyahara: mind withdrawal from senses
6. dharana: concentration
7. dhyana: meditation
8. Samadhi: superconciousness or union with the Divine

www.yogiclaire.com

Super Squidgy Super Healthy Brownies

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love baking especially with the kids.  I am always on a quest to come up with healthy, delicious treats for the family and love to put vegetables into cake recipes!  This year has been fabulous for courgettes and I am lucky enough to have a courgette plant in my garden so here is a lovely recipe for brownies.  They are very, very moist and are sweetened with a small amount of honey and by the prunes.  You cannot taste the prunes or the courgette but they give them a lovely texture.  Also super healthy with the addition of coconut oil and seeds, they are dairy free and gluten free.  You can leave out the honey and then they are great for diabetics too!

Super Squidgy Super Healthy Brownies

100g shredded courgette

80g soaked prunes
250ml water
3 tablespoons seeds of your choice (can be milled or used whole)
115g coconut oil
50g cocoa powder
80g gluten free flour (or almond/coconut flour)
Half Teaspoon Salt
Half Teaspoon Baking Powder
Desert spoon honey

1.     Use a food processor with blade attachment to whizz up the courgettes and the prunes

2.    Add the water, process for a few seconds

3.    Add the coconut oil – I used it when slightly soft but not in liquid form

4.    Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and cocoa powder

5.    Fold the wet into the dry mixture, fold in the seeds, then the honey

6.    Pour into a greased tin (line with grease proof paper as well)

7.    Bake on about 180 degrees for about 20 minutes

8.    Enjoy – these are super squidgy but super healthy and are gluten free, dairy free and suitable for diabetics

You can make lots of substitutes in this recipe, beetroot instead of courgettes, add nuts and chocolate chips for more indulgence!  Just use your imagination....

www.yogiclaire.com

 

Combat Stress with Mindfulness

 

Understanding the theory behind breaking the stress response is great, but it doesn’t mean anything if you can’t put it into practise. Breaking the cycle of your thoughts can help you to feel less stressed and less anxious. We do have the power to get ourselves out of the cycle at any moment, without having to resort to the same old tools which are often unhealthy or counterproductive. The challenge is - it’s much easier said than done.

There has been some amazing work on the brain changes that come along with mindfulness training, these studies suggest that the most effective way to dissociate from our anxious thoughts is to focus in on our moment-to-moment experience. Mindfulness, teaches us simply to observe our thoughts and sensations in a nonjudgmental way – but this can be difficult at first, and a little abstract.

One of my favourite Buddhist quotes is “Wash every pot like it’s a new born baby” It really encapsulates the idea that even the most ordinary, everyday task can be turned into an experience.  I used to be the queen of multitasking – almost challenging myself to do as many things as I could.  I found taking care of my babies really challenged this – if you have a new born demanding to be fed then everything else takes a backseat!  Seems we are back to baby references again! 

Now as my yoga practice deepens and I try to become more present in my yoga – so it spills out into everyday life.  When I am doing what some people would think of as boring, menial tasks like hanging out the washing, I take my time, I breathe in the air, noting the scents on the breeze, the feel of the air against my skin.  It all seems so simple but when you put it into practice – just living and experiencing each moment of your life as it arises, then it does bring a sense of stillness and calmness and will balance out those other moments of chaos which will still arise in your life. 

www.yogiclaire.com

 

 

The thrill of a good book!

I am pleased to say that now my children are a little older I now have a bit more time and inclination to read.  I feel that the world of books has opened up to me again after being closed for a while as I cared for my young family.  I always knew I would come back to this much loved pastime and during the time when my kids were very young, I was studying, so was reading text books - but that is not like proper reading is it?  For the pure pleasure of it...... 

My wish list on Amazon is so long now, I am not sure I have enough years left in me to read each book, but the interesting thing is the types of books that are on there.  I am not sure if it is my age, whether it is becoming a Mum or whether it is my deepening yoga practice.  Whereas at one time I would be found reading crime novels and thrillers, now my book collection and wish list has books on psychology, religion, history, all forms of spiritualism, reincarnation and lots of other stuff.  I think there might even be a book on Quantum Physics in there.  So I have been considering buying a Kindle (or some other electronic book reader) to try to save a bit of money in the long run, but I am wondering if the reading experience will be the same, not having a real book to hold.  The thrill of the discovery of an interesting and intriguing looking book in a charity shop or a new book being delivered by the postman, finding that the person who had it before me has left some interesting bookmark or cryptic note inside (I always buy second hand).  I will just make a few clicks and there the book will be - the whole experience may well leave me feeling cheated.  Or am I just old fashioned and nostalgic.  I remember trying to prop up a Nancy Drew book so I could read it whilst eating a packet of fruit pastilles at the age of about 10, no such problem with a Kindle!!

Well for now I'm going to wait for a little while before I invest in a Kindle, I am going to continue to indulge myself in real books, well maybe until there is no room left on the book shelf.......

Yoga Highlight of the Week!

Some would imagine that for a yoga teacher, a highlight of their classes would be getting someone into headstand for the first time, or achieving an excellent break-through in trikonasana. But for me this week, someone falling asleep in my class was my highlight.

This particular lady is a spritely octogenarian, having lived a very full life so far as a teacher and mother. She has been attending my class for about a year and does her best each week.  But she struggles as she is rather deaf and the room we use for yoga has terrible acoustics and my voice tends to echo around and become distorted.  This causes her a bit of stress as she feels she maybe missing some crucial instruction.  I have tried my best to reassure her and she stays in good humour throughout, but I still sense her frustration.  During her relaxation her head is bobbing up and she is looking at me constantly as she thinks she has missed some important part of the relaxation instruction.

However, this week, I looked over as she lay in savasana - her body completely relaxed, sweet smile on her face, but no tension, no twitching, no bobbing head.  She had managed to relax enough to fall asleep.  Yes I know one should avoid falling asleep in relaxation/yoga nidra/meditation but for my seniors I make all the allowances they need and if they feel relaxed enough to fall asleep then I feel my job is done!

www.yogiclaire.com