DIET CONFESSIONS OF A YOGI!

I only have one rule when it comes to dieting and that is DO NOT DIET! My outlook on healthy eating and nutrition is very simple. Do what is right for YOU and be balanced in your approach. Unless you have a specific medical condition that requires a prescribed diet, don’t follow a faddy, mass produced diet by somebody selling books to make money!! Every BODY is different and if you listen to your unique, intelligent, perfectly designed body – it will tell you what it needs and when it needs it. Okay, my rant is finished...phew! Now onto the fun stuff!

Throughout my life, my relationship with food has been complicated and challenging.  As my parents will tell you, the word ‘fussy’ doesn’t quite cut it when describing my childhood eating self! I basically lived on chicken and peanut butter and jelly for 15 years!  Then in my late teens/early twenties I went through quite a few phases of disordered eating, even though at the time I thought I was being ‘healthy’.

Since then I have learned a LOT about nutrition, healthy eating and most importantly about myself. I know what my body needs, what foods agree with it and those that don't. I have become very in tune to how my body changes throughout the month, and through the seasons. Today I can whole heartedly say that I eat a healthy, well balanced diet that nourishes my body, my mind and my soul. I think there is a lot of truth in the theory of ‘soul food’ and as corny as it may sound, I believe that when food is prepared with love, care and attention it brings comfort and healing on a deeper level.

My inspiring teacher and fabulous fellow trainees!
From Right: Nick, Julie, Steph, Jason xxx

Our delicious lunch!
 Lentil dhal, kale and beetroot salad, hummous, sun-dried tomatos and mozzarella balls, prawns and samosas.

On that note, I thought that I’d share with you a few of my super healthy store cupboard staples. These are items that I use on a regular basis (most of them daily) and could not do without!

COCONUT OIL (and extra virgin coconut oil):

This is my superstar ingredient! I use it for pretty much EVERYTHING including as a skin moisturiser and hair conditioner!!! In the kitchen I pretty much cook, sauté, fry, and bake everything I can with coconut oil.

The health benefits for using this amazing oil are too many to mention here (which is why i've linked all of the main headings for further information), but a few of the main ones include: hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, and increased bone strength.

These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and it is extremely soothing internally and externally. If you take anything away from this blog...let it be this star ingredient! Go out and get some Extra Virgin Coconut oil and give it a try, I promise you won't be dissapointed!

GHEE:

Ayurveda places ghee, or clarified butter, at the top of the oily foods list, as it has the healing benefits of butter without the impurities (saturated fat, milk solids). Ghee lubricates the connective tissues and promotes flexibility and modern science tells us that ghee also harbours phenolic antioxidants, which bolster the immune system.

I use ghee in cooking whenever I would use ordinary butter, but in baking I most often prefer coconut oil for the sweeter taste. I even make the kids omelettes with ghee or put it on their toast!!

NUTS,SEEDS AND NUT BUTTERS:

 

These little babies are the perfect high protein, high energy snack! But I put them in any dish I can think of, starting with my porridge or cereal in the morning, to stir fry’s, pasta dishes and muffins and cakes!!  We eat them whole, ground and I adore RAW nut butters (cashew and almond being current faves!).

If you, like me, get low blood sugar and a bit shaky between meals, a few oatcakes (or any of your favourite crackers will do) with a bit of nut butter and seeds sprinkled on top will keep your energy levels balanced and keep you feeling awesome until lunch time!

SEAWEED:

My amazing Canadian uncle has just sent me a massive box of gorgeous mixed seaweeds, and I am desperate to find recipes to try all of them (please send any that you may have!). On a regular basis I use Dulse and Nori flakes in most of my savoury dishes, and last week I even made carrot muffins with dulse flakes – which were so yummy!

Like the other super foods listed above, seaweed has many amazing health benefits: weight control, blood sugar regulation, source of many minerals, and a fabulous digestive aid. If you haven’t tried seaweed before, just add a bit to your cooked rice or pasta dishes...instead of adding salt!!

MIXED GRAINS:

Most mornings we (the children and I) sit down to a bowl of ‘magic porridge’, which is a super fuelling mix of grains, seeds, nuts and oil (yes, oil!). This is probably the healthiest bowl of porridge on the planet but also delish, here’s the recipe if you fancy giving it a try:

½ cup per person of Mixed grains: quinoa flakes, spelt, oats, buckwheat flakes1 cup rice milk or coconut milk
2 tbsp mixed ground seeds, nuts and goji berries
1 tbsp while sunflower and pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp Udo’s choice Oil (another truly amazing super oil!)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
*Raisins or berries optional
sprinkled with a bit of Stevia and cinnamon on top

KEFIR:

Kefir is called the ‘champagne of milk’. It is raw cultured milk that is super creamy and thick, like a milkshake, but has a slight effervescent bubbly taste. It is renowned for its gut healing properties, so is fantastic for Candida, IBS, digestion, colitis etc..

We drink it most days (the kids love it!) but it is quite pricey so just a small amount daily is all you really need (1/4 – ½ cup is fine!).

KALE:

Curly kale is my absolute favourite green leafy veg – especially this time of year! I make a huge Kale salad every week and have it in the fridge so it’s on hand for a quick lunch or snack.

Kale is a fabulous natural detoxifier. It helps lower cholesterol, an amazing source of fiber and Vitamins A,C, and K...and many many others!

Quick Kale Salad:
1 large bag of kale (remove woody stems)
1 carrot or beetroot
pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Cherry tomatoes halved
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ lemon juice
pink Himalayan crystal salt to taste

Massage oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt into kale. Then mix all ingredients together – it’s that simple and SO yummy!

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (with mother):

You’ve all heard of the apple cider vinegar diet I’m sure!! Well that isn’t why this fabulous ingredient is on here, but Beyonce sings its praises (apparently it helped her lose 20lbs!). I use apple cider vinegar (raw, unfiltered) in dressings, marinades, porridge, and in baking!

It’s health properties include: fighting Candida, aiding in weight loss, treating diabetes, balancing cholesterol, healing the gut lining, healing skin conditions, boosts immune system, reduces sinus infections and sore throats...and the list goes on...give it a try – it tastes delicious and will make such a positive addition to your cupboard.

PINK HIMALAYAN CRYSTAL SALT:

this little gem is one of my fave’s, although my husband thinks it’s utterly ridiculous  that we spend money on pink salt; I will let you decide for yourself! I’m not sure what I love more, the fact that my salt is PINK or that it is a truly remarkable ingredient that I get to use every day!!

Himalayan pink crystal salt originates from the primal seas of millions of years ago, where life began. Dried by the sun at a time where pollution did not exist, Himalayan pink salt is completely pure and contains every mineral and trace element found in the human body. The mineral particles in pink salt are totally natural and so tiny that they are easily metabolised for the bio-chemical functioning of human cells. Because of this, Himalayan pink salt is one of nature’s most effective natural balancers.

Pink crystal salt helps to restore and balance the body’s energy, rebalance acid-alkaline levels, dissolve and releases crystallised deposits, helps breakdown heavy metals such as mercury from dental fillings and cadium from smoking and everyday pollution. Crystals salts are extremely versatile and can also be used to flush the sinuses to prevent runny and congested noses and sinus infections, used as an eye bath to restore moisture to dry eyes, for inhalations to help breathing, as a cleansing bath that has the same detoxifying effect as a three day fast, and for rejuvenating beauty masks and wraps to treat skin, joints and cellulite.

I use TWO forms of this salt: fine grade salt for cooking and course grade for my indulgent bath soaks!!

I truly believe that the more you get to know yourself, the more you understand what foods nourish your own body and what foods are more of a challenge to the body.  I take a lot of care into what my family and I eat and although we are not 100% organic, nor are we vegetarian I find comfort and solace in knowing that we are eating a diet full of nourishing whole foods.

Just one last note...

The above ingredients are my super foods and I love them dearly...but please don’t get me wrong, alongside these beauties you will still find some chocolate, wine, the occasional steak and even fish and chips!!  As I said at the start, I believe a healthy diet is all about BALANCE and doing what is right for you! And yes my friends chocolate will always be right for me (although RAW chocolate is my absolute favourite indulgent treat!)

It's all about Perspective

On Sunday, we had our second teacher training course. After spending the last few days reflecting on what I had learned from the session, it has become clear to me that a message of ‘perspective’ appeared over and over again albeit in very different ways. I am thankful for being open to these teachings and learning from them as I truly feel that the lessons I discovered from Sunday's session will be invaluable in guiding both my teaching and personal yoga practice. What’s even better is that I have noticed a real change in my daily awareness. There has been a subtle shift in my ‘thinking’....a true change in perspective.


It all started as we began to learn how to give adjustments. I taught  Virabhadrasana II(Warrior II) to the rest of our small group, once everyone was in the pose, I began to  walk around the room and give the appropriate adjustments. I looked at each person from the front and made sure that they were in good alignment and doing the pose correctly. As this was my first 'go' at doing this, and as my fellow trainees are seasoned yogis, I only briefly glanced around the room and gave a few small adjustments where needed.


After each 'practice teach' we have a quick round of feedback. This time, our teacher pointed out that not only is it important to look at people from the front, but also to look at them from the side and from behind. Getting the full picture of the person in the pose will highlight where they may need a bit of tweaking. In addition to this, he suggested that it is also helpful to assess the class as a whole by standing in the corner of the room and taking everyone in from a distance. This little bit of distance creates space and gives the teacher a wider perspective to work from, which can be helpful for assessing where your attention is needed most. These two bit of feedback may seem simple, but I now realise how essential they are to teaching effectively and efficiently.

Over lunch we were discussing our homework, which had been to study the Yamas (universal morality) and Niyamas (personal observances), set out by Patanjali as part of his Eight Limbs of Yoga. I had been struggling to get my head around the Niyama: Tapas (disciplined use of our energy, or right-effort). I mentioned that I found it difficult not to feel guilty if I let my home practice slip or wasn’t able to attend class for one reason or another that week (and destructive feelings such as guilt, are certainly not what want when practicing the Yamas!).

It was made clear to me that Tapas can be achieved through doing all of the normal things we do every day, such as looking after and caring for children, being a good wife and friend etc...as long as we are directing our energy and paying good attention to what we are doing (remaining present), then we will be practicing Tapas throughout the day.

Having this highlighted, made me realise how important it is to sometimes take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I often become so focussed on one thing or the small details, that I become blind to the bigger picture. Of course, the little things we do every day are important and we should take care to do these with care and awareness. However if we  maintain a broadened outlook whilst engaging in these daily tasks, we will have a more balanced perspective and therefore appreciate and even ENJOY doing the simple things, rather than getting bogged down by the details!

As I go about my day, I try to remind myself that truth or reality is changeable and relative at all times. It is about how you SEE it, how you percieve it, rather than WHAT it is. This is true in yoga practice: one day I might be stiff and sore, the next day flexible and open; Or when looking after the children; Many days are fun and playful, others seem long and taxing; and also within relationships, which are sometimes full of love and intimacy and other times are draining and challenging. "The same wind blows on us all", it is not our life circumstance that determines our happiness or inner state of being, it is our perspective on what life brings our way.  

If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, take a minute to step out and observe the beautiful blue day sky or  the deep, dark, starry night sky. Recognise and appreciate that it is bright, clear, beautiful and immeasurably vast. These observations remind us that we are just a tiny dot in the infinity of the universe. This does not mean that we are irrelevant, insignificant or unimportant - Quite the opposite!! Appreciating the interconnectedness of all things, and of our role in that interconnectedness, is the key to finding true inner peace.

Namaste. x


“Small adjustments often bring about the biggest change” ~L.W.R

 "We create the world with our thoughts and our perceptions.' This means that the only thing we know about this world we are living in is how we perceive it." ~Buddha

"We all have the ability to respond in any manner we choose. A respons-ability to react to whatever comes our way" ~ L.W.R


 

Home practice? Give it a try!

At the end of a long day after running around after the children, cooking, cleaning, wiping noses, and more cleaning (two toddlers makes for a lot of mess!), I am always exhausted! Once I’ve finally put the munchkins to bed, getting my yoga mat out is often the last thing I WANT to do, but the first thing I really NEED to do. There are many days when I’d so much rather just grab a glass of wine and snuggle up on the sofa to watch the One Show (i've got a thing for Matt Baker ;-).

Monkey #1

Monkey #2

I must admit, I often hear those pesky voices in my head saying “go on, it’s been a long day, just put your feet up and relax!” and they sometimes do win me over...because let’s face it, some days REST is just as important as maintaining a good yoga practice. BUT on the days when I do get my mat out, I can confidently say that I ALWAYS feel more grounded, renewed and restored - and you can't beat feeling like that!

The first thing I do at home is create my practice 'space’. I light candles, closed the curtains, put on some music (if I'm in the mood), and roll out my mat. I begin in Childs Pose (Balasana), to become more grounded and focussed and to let the tension from the day just melt away into the ground. This is the time when I dedicate my practice session, whether it be as simple as focusing on feeling the breath in my body, or as specific as releasing positive energy into the world to send to a friend who's having a tough time. Either way, both of these rituals serve to focus my-Self and bring me into the present moment.  

I often base my home practice around the poses that I am most comfortable and adept in Triangle Pose(Trikonasana),  Warrior 1, Warrior 2, a variety of Twists, some backbends if I need an energy boost in the daytime, and as I generally practice in the evenings, I always include some Seated forward bends to calm my nervous system and get ready for sleep. I then try to incorporate a few poses from class that week that i’ve found challenging and want to work on. This week it's been Half moon pose and  Revolved trikonasana. 

Warrior 1: Virabhadrasana

Full Wheel Pose: Urdhva dhanurasana

Single leg forward bend: Janu sirsasana

  Surprisingly, my home practice sessions are where I often have the most ‘breakthroughs’ in terms of advancing in a pose, and also feeling at ease and confident in mypractice. Practicing at home is a completely different experience to being in a class, led by a teacher. At home you really need to 'tune into yourself' and really listen  and TRUST the teacher within. You don’t have to be ‘advanced’ in yoga to start a home practice all you have to do is be willing to trust yourself and listen to what your body needs and can do in the present moment.

My main ‘rule’ for practicing at home is that I practice ‘intuitively’ and do what my body feels it needs to do on that day. I never push myself too far and I always try to maintain focus on my breath and staying present.

In class, as I am under the guidance and supervision of a teacher, it is safe for me to push myself and work against that outer edge of resistance. It is here, under the watchful eye of my teacher that I can really test the boundaries of my ‘self’. This is safe because my teacher is able to asses my alignment and make any adjustments that will prevent injury and ensures that I am practicing safely.  At home, I feel it is most important to just listen to the ‘flow’ of myself and enjoy the practice for what it is and where I am at this moment.

If you’ve ever contemplated starting a home practice....my only advice is to GET YOUR MAT OUT and GO FOR IT. You will be amazed at how quickly your ‘inner teacher’ will come out and show you the way. Before I started practicing at home, I was paralysed by the fear that I just wouldn’t know what to do and couldn’t imagine my session would last even more than 10 minutes!! But that first day, when I laid out my mat, I was amazed at how quickly a half an hour went by!  Now an hour can feel like the blink of an eye, and I am just disappointed that I don’t have more time to dedicate to spending on my mat.

If you’d like to give home practice a try, here are a few tips that i’ve found have really helped me:

1.)    If you are an absolute beginner, make sure you go to a few classes or get a good DVD to learn the basics (I really like ShivaRae’s DVD’s)

2.)    Practice what you know! Once you feel comfortable doing a few poses....keep working on them! You can never really fully ‘master’ a pose, there’s always room to improve...so keep practicing the basics and when you are ready, you can build on those and advance your practice organically.

3.)     Create a space. Make sure you clear away an area (tidy up those toddler toys!) and have a clean space with room enough that you don’t bump into furniture ect. Make the space ‘sacred’ by lighting a candle, putting on music...whatever floats your boat. You don’t need a lot of room (my living room is tiny!!) but just enough so that you feel free enough to practice without distraction.

4.)    Remove ALL distractions! Unplug the phone/turn off your mobile phone!!! This is your time to just be...phone calls and texts can wait!

5.)    JUST BE. Even if you only have 10 minutes a day to practice. Give yourself over to that 10 minutes. A little every day is better than 2 hours once a week. If you commit to making your practice part of your daily routine, you WILL start to feel the benefits of yoga. A true sense of Inner peace will permeate your being and you will feel WONDERFUL.

6.)    Leave all judgements aside. Accept yourself where you are. Where you are at this moment is exactly where you are supposed to be. The body you have at this moment, is exactly the body you are supposed to have. Embrace it, discover it, celebrate it.  

Namaste (I salute the light within you).

*If you have a minute, watch the video link to 'Namaste'. It's very funny - I'd love to be part of his congregation!

Stressed, tired, or just need a little TLC? Look no further...Thai Yoga Massage could be for you!

As those who know me can attest, I am a bit of a ‘massage junkie’ (that has previously been in the receiving rather than the giving)! I often feel cheated unless the therapist really ‘works’ on my body. I want to feel the knots and tensions melt away... none of that airy fairy gentle stuff for me!  I love the whole atmosphere of getting a massage; candles, relaxing music, the permission to ‘switch off’ and just relax for one whole indulgent hour. After a treatment, I expect to come out feeling renewed, rejuvenated, calm and fully pampered!! Bliss!

For Christmas my dad bought me a gift certificate for a Hot Stone Massage. It is said that by using the Hot Stone’s, we are meant to be able to relax 4-5x quicker (not sure how they measure that one but so be it!). Well, after my first Hot Stone treatment I literally felt like I was walking on clouds and for the next few hours nothing (even two energetic children!) could bring me back down to earth! At that moment I had thought that I had found the epitome of all massages.... but that was only until I had my first Thai Yoga Massage.

After taking Nick’s yoga classes for a few months (he is also fully train in Thai Yoga Massage), I decided to book an hour long TYM session (again - thank you DAD for the gift!!). This was a first for me and I wasn’t really sure what to expect, especially as there are many misconceptions swirling around the Western world about this type of treatment (sorry guys, there are no ‘happy endings’ given here!). For those of you have are not familiar with Thai Massage, it is deemed ‘Yoga for lazy people’. The therapist uses different parts of his/her body (thumbs, fingers, palms, elbows, feet) to dissolve problem areas or energy blocks in your body.  It is a very deep but relaxing way to open up the body, bringing physical and mental harmony and restoring the body’s natural balance.

When I walked into the room, the atmosphere was perfect:

ü  Candles

ü  Soft music

ü  Comfy mattress to lie down on (in Thai Massage you lie on the floor rather than on a massage table)

I was even brought a lovely cup of herbal tea! However there was one BIG difference....I was instructed to keep all of my clothes ON! (Thai Massages are done fully clothed so if you do decide to have one, make sure you wear loose, comfortable, clothing.)  I had never had a massage with clothes on before so felt extra dubious about how beneficial this was really going to be for me. However I must admit that it did put my mind at ease as I didn’t have to worry about how the upper thighs looked (girls, you know what I mean!) nor did I have to struggle to stay concealed under the miniature towel other types of masserus often give you to cover up with!  

So for the next hour, I lied down on the mat, completely LET GO and allowed myself to experience the MOTHER of all massages. From the minute Nick started working on my feet, I knew there would be no going back to traditional ‘rubbing type’ massages. I had found a truly holistic approach to massage therapy and it ticked all of my boxes:

ü  Energising

ü  Relaxing

ü  Restorative

ü  Healing

Could this get any better? Well...it does! The big surprise for me was that there was another box that had been ticked which I didn’t even know was important to me or could be achieved through massage.

ü Caring

When I got home, John asked me how the massage was? The only thing I could say (apart from AMAZING!) was that, "I felt very CARED FOR". 

The feeling I had is this: it is like when you are away from home for a long period of time (maybe for the first time after going to college/university or from being abroad) and you return to your parent’s house. Your mum gives you a hug, makes you a cup of tea, does your washing, cooks you dinner and runs you a bath. Then you just sit and relax in your cosy, familiar surroundings. Sounds amazing doesn’t it? Well, this is exactly how I felt after receiving my first Thai Massage (thank you Nick!).

I have to be careful not to promise too much! Please remember that this was MY experience and the feeling of euphoria that I had was due to a combination of factors.

·         Finding the right practitioner for YOU. It should be someone who you feel comfortable with and feel you can trust. 

• In order to get the most out the massage, communication is SO important (making clear how the pressure is, if you are experiencing any pain, etc..)

·         Being OPEN to what comes up during the massage and not judging any feelings, emotion or physical tensions that arise

·         And in my personal experience, staying PRESENT throughout the session. When the mind wanders bringing it back to focussing on the present moment (rather than planning what you are going to have for dinner that night!)

 I felt such a strong connection with this type of massage that I decided become certified in TYM! Now when I give a massage I feel that I am truly helping people by created a loving, caring and safe environment for them to release and relax. I get so much joy from being able to work away blockages and deeply held tensions. On a more esoteric level, I can often feel a process of genuine healing begin – for me, this is the beauty of Thai Yoga Massage.

I am only one-third of the way through my training, and so far it has been a real source of joy and inspiration for me. I never thought I would enjoy giving a treatment such as this (ask my husband, I huff even when asked for the slightest back rub!!), but I look forward to every practice session and always finish feeling more energized and refreshed myself (another unexpected benefit)!

If you feel inspired to book a massage, have a look at Nick’s website: www.nicholasbarrett.co.uk. And if you are a Tunbridge Wellian and wouldn’t mind being a guinea pig for me to practice on, get in touch and we can sort out a date!

Think well. Live well. Be well.

Kelley x

Mens sana in corpore sano “A sound mind in a sound body”

Finding My Voice

We begin each yoga class by chanting three Om’s (pronouncedA-U-M) followed by the Invocation to Patañjali. This allows us to invite the presence of Patanjali into our practice and receive his blessing. The first time I did this, I found myself feeling very self-conscious. I am not overly familiar with Sanskrit (especially pronunciation!) and I always hate the sound of my own voice (despite having a career in public speaking, lol)!  As time has gone on, I now feel quite the reverse. The invocation has grown to be the grounding force behind my practice, always bringing a sense of calm and focus*.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I have a small but very powerful ritual that I do in the car on the way to class. Before doing yoga, I always set my intention for that days practice.  I do this for many reasons but primarily to focus my attention and create a purpose for my practice other than the purely physical.  My intentions are often as broad as ‘keeping an open heart and an open mind’ or can be as specific as dedicating my practice to someone that is going through a difficult time or who has inspired or influenced me.

 One of my most common dedications is to my beloved Professor from University, Larry Rosenfield who sadly passed away over the summer.

My Socrates, RIP L.W.R

Larry was my first true mentor and to whom I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude towards for being the first to teach me about the true meaning of ‘being present’. I mention Larry here for two reasons:
1) to introduce him to those of you who are not familiar with what an impact he has had (and continues to have) on my life. He will be featuring in this blog quite a bit over the coming year!
2) Larry taught me the art of living in the present moment and finding my ‘inner voice’. He was the main inspiration behind my pull towards discovering my SELF and opening to my passion for yoga.

Larry used to teach us the importance of reflection and of paying attention to the ‘Aha moments’ in life. You know the feeling...when the light bulb goes off and you see something clearly for the first time.  ‘Aha’ moments don’t always have to pertain to the BIG realisations in life, often the smaller realisations are the most powerful.

My first ‘aha’ moment of yoga tt is this:

My first actual teaching experience (I volunteered to lead the group in the first Sun Salutation) was a complete disaster.  I literally couldn’t speak never mind give direction on where to move the body or when to inhale and exhale!! I experienced a complete mental block and froze! I did manage to muddle through but it was completely disjointed and riddled with nerves. Here’s what struck me almost immediately...
When I do yoga, especially poses that I am fairly adept in, I DO NOT think (it’s taken me a long time to get here and a LOT of practice to do so). My brain switches off and I move into an innate way of moving, breathing and being – which to me is part of the essence of doing yoga. It may sound obvious, but I now realize there is a massive difference between DOING yoga and TEACHING yoga.

From this point forward I am going to have to learn how to think, and speak, while doing yoga at the same time. This might sound simple...but it’s like explaining to someone how to walk in very precise detail, it isn’t something that comes naturally to explain because it is something that we just ‘do’ without thinking. Finding my yoga teaching voice is my first challenge. In a way, I will be bringing the ‘inner voice’ that i’ve worked so hard to discover and start sharing it with others.

Just as the Invocation now comes naturally to me at the beginning of practice, I hope that my ‘teaching voice’ will one day come naturally too. When that day comes I hope that I can help others (as Larry helped me) connect with their Inner Being and learn how to come into a state of pure presence during practice and throughout their daily lives.

Namaste. x

(*coincidentially I wrote my first draft of this yesterday and then went to class directly afterwards, and for the first time since i’ve been attending Nick’s classes, he forgot to start the class with the Invocation!  All of his regulars noticed that the atmosphere in class was completely different than usual. Once we realised we hadn’t done the Invocation, and then stopped to do it, from that point forward the class was more visibly grounded and calm.)

                               

The beginning...

As my first yoga teacher training course approaches this Sunday (my wonderful teacher is: www.nicholasbarrett.co.uk/) I have many mixed emotions. Anticipation, excitement, a little bit of nerves, and a significant amount of self-doubt (this is always my biggest challenge!) but most of all I am extremely GRATEFUL for having this opportunity. This is something that I have wanted to do for so many years now, and it feels ‘one day’ everything just fell into place to make my ‘dream’ a reality. I couldn’t be more thankful for being where I am right now (and to those very special people who have helped to make this happen for me!).

My hopes for becoming a qualified yoga teacher are to deepen my own knowledge, understanding and experience of yoga and to then be able to share this sacred practice with others. As challenging as it may be, I am going to embrace each training session with a fully open heart and mind.

When the idea of creating a blog first came up my immediate response was, “there’s absolutely no way that I’m going to do that”. But after letting my thoughts settle, I have realised that this defensive reaction was simply down to fear. Fear of being judged. This is a very personal journey for me and sharing it is something that will take a lot of courage. But if an honest account of my experience can shed even a tiny ray of ‘light on yoga’ for even just one person, then it is worth it.

My hopes for keeping a blog are simple: I would like to share this experience with close friends, family, those interested in yoga teacher training, and anyone else who might like to discover a bit more about yoga in general. It will also be an honest platform for me to record my journey - a journal.

So my friends, if you are interested in reading, I ask you to please come with an open mind. You may not agree with all of my thoughts, reflections and discoveries, but I hope that by sharing my journey with you, a little bit of the inner peace that I find in yoga will be shared.  And please feel FREE to make comments or ask questions along the way!

Bring on Sunday....i'm ready!

Lots of love to you all. x