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