Drunken Elephants And Boulders

Dear Yogis

On the plane from Madrid last week I had some negative feelings I had to get rid of. Perfect, I thought. I’m stuck here on the plane. Mediate! Even after five minutes I began to feel freer. Every time a thought of any type came along I said: ‘That is from the other me’ - the sabotage one – and it made me smile.

The metaphor of a story from Sunday School came to mind. (My mother was the teacher. No slacking!) After attaining buddhahood, the Buddha’s jealous cousin threw a huge boulder down a mountain, gathering speed, on course to kill him. It split and missed. He then sent an enraged and drunken elephant to kill him. It was pacified.

Isn’t’ this the definition of stilling the fluctuations of the mind – the whole point of yoga? The mind is full of wild elephants and boulders - simmering masses of feelings and thoughts gathering more of that endless ‘mind stuff ’as they roll down the mountain to destroy our ‘true selves’. The Buddha was beyond being victim to the mood swings and tides of emotion and he conquered the boulder. I conquered a tiny stone.

Home Studio

I’m sorry to say that classes are all booked up next week. There are more classes in the following weeks when I finish my training and come up for air. It’s absolutely lovely to come home after a wonderful day with David Swenson and pass on some of what I have learnt. I reckon my right foot will be behind my head by the end of the two weeks! Then it’s your turn!

Retreats

My lucky life took another chance turn recently when Psychologist Deborah Smith asked me to teach on her Happiness and Wellbeing weekend retreat next year in Devon in October. Take a look at the flyers attached. Next week I’ll have news of our Kapsali Yoga Retreat 2018; one week for all levels and one week for Ashtanga practice and workshops. Dates and details are being finalised.

Yoga in the News

This is a brilliant story from the Islington Gazette about an Islington yoga therapy centre for people with ‘conditions such as autism, cerebral Palsy and Down’s syndrome, as well as learning difficulties and terminal illness’. And, believe it or not, Yoga On Ice is coming to Clapham. We should give it a go!

Nerve Cleansing. Take Tissues.

Dear Yogis

For the next two weeks I will be studying with my Ashtanga guru David Swenson. The course includes philosophy, ‘community outreach’ and the Second Series.  In my classes we currently do the First Series together: we fold, twist, and ring-out the body while strengthening and gaining confidence. It’s called Yoga ‘Chikitsa’ and its goal is cleansing the body. The Second Series is called Nadi Shodhana which means (rather ominously) nerve cleansing. It comes along inducing self-doubt with its fearful backbends and challenging the emotions by working on the spine, pelvis and hips where all the emotions and chakras spin. I’ll let you know if my emotions release any kind of tidal wave from my eyes... and in which pose. Apparently that happens! And who knows what next week’s Friday Email will be like...

David Swenson is doing plenty of classes so I urge you to take a class and experience his teaching, his humour and kindness.

Home Studio

Classes are all booked up next week. (My training is from 7.30am to 5.30pm for the next two weeks which means the 6.00pm classes in my home studio have been deleted. Sorry ‘bout that!) Come in the following weeks in the run up to Christmas! And please let me know if you are unable to come in plenty of time for me to tell my waiting list.

Ealing Feeling

It’s nearly here - Triyoga opening in Ealing on the 27th. Check out their offer of 30 days for £40 and their free classes on November 25th and 26th.  You can view the schedule here and bookings open 8 days in advance.

Yoga in the News

Ealing makes it into yoga news this week. Ealing Today reports on Triyoga opening in Ealing. They also report that Skinny Kitchen is coming to Ealing, upping the vegan game in the area.

Here’s a lovely article from Oxford University Press called ‘5 facts that help us understand the world of early American yoga’. It’s pretty wacky! You’ll find a history full of scary mystics and superheroes, the influence of European fitness culture on yoga and yoga’s influence on early 20th century dance.  (Stewart Gilchrist, at the yoga show, talked briefly about the original postures and the ‘made up’ postures of the 20th century. The earliest postures are named after animals. The later ones, he said, were developed for the purposes of teaching Nazi guards and the Nazi fascination with yoga! Classes with Stewart are never dull.)

Do What You Love WIth All Your Might

Dear Yogis

I’ve been asked to write about ‘complementary exercises to do in conjunction with yoga’. Well! I’m in favour of all pursuits: running, boxing, climbing, diving... Find something that you love and do it with all your might. Get Addicted. Find devotion. Get injuries. Recover and do it again.

Of all the various yoga types you could try in order to improve postures, Aerial Yoga with my teacher Valentina Candiani will elongate the spine and give pull-up strength for the arms. Thai Yoga Massage has the attractive nickname “Lazy Man’s Yoga”. Steam and sauna! In the 90s I was a Spinning instructor, tightening my hamstrings with every class. I used to hang out in the sauna for ages and ages and ages in my quest to touch my toes.

If, however,  you want the transformation to be of the mind rather than/as well as the postures, you need to find a teacher who can lead you into the traditional texts; Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Some teachers such as Stewart Gilchrist quote from the great texts all the way through class. I feel as though I’ve had a counselling session when I do his classes.

Home Studio

I’m teaching Ashtanga both mornings of this weekend at Yoga West: Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, both starting at 8.30 and lasting 75 minutes. In my lucky Home Studio classes are pretty much booked but Thursday at 6.00 has a lot of free spaces. Please give me plenty of notice if you need to cancel so that I can contact people on my waiting list.

Training

I’m hugely excited that Triyoga is coming to Ealing on November 27th. They have an offer of 30 days for £40 and they will be holding a weekend of free classes on November 25th and 26th.  You can view the schedule here but bookings only open 8 days in advance. The centre will be in Dickens’s Yard behind the Town Hall. At last there’ll be decent vegan food in Ealing. I’m happy!

On Saturday 25th another student of my teacher/guru is holding a wellness event. AliceLovesYoga  will teach a mindfulness session, ‘Restorative Flow’, a veggie brunch and then a presentation of plant-based products.

Yoga in the News

This is a lovely article and I do agree with the Canadian Globe and Mail: Why pain has no place in a yoga practice. “Stop thinking about improving. You're there”! The article discusses the different between Functional and aesthetic yoga, one is for your health and one is for display and not necessarily for your benefit.

If you’re a foam roller this is a good article from Yoga International about the benefits and drawbacks of punishing the IT band in this way.

Stop A Cold In Its Tracks

Dear Yogis

I caught a short-lasting cold from a yogi last Friday. As we're coming into the sneezing season I thought I would write about whether you should practice yoga or not. My answer would be... da da dah, no! I know people drag themselves to work with a cold and I know our culture is to soldier on. Despite sick pay, people pressure themselves to go to work and get on with it. Yoga is different. No soldiers; no warriors!

Your body needs rest. It's usually impossible to breathe or focus anyway. Breath and focus is the definition of yoga! When exercising in sickness, energy is used by the muscles instead of going to the immune system for fighting off germs. Your cold will last longer. Avoid gym and studio classes. Hot, steamy yoga rooms will happily incubate germs, brewing them nicely in the air for others to breathe!

Here's something I always take and it stops a cold in its tracks; Samahan. It’s a variety herbs and spices and has a peppery taste. My grandmother used to make the home-made version known as Peyava. (Sri Lanka had a traditional medicinal practice before the Indian Aryuveda system was introduced on the island).

Home Studio

At the end of this month I’ll be training all day every day with David Swenson. Some classes are missing, therefore, from the evening timetable. However, there are plenty of spaces next week. Last week I put on an extra Tuesday class because all other classes were so stuffed. I’ll do the same next week if the same happens.

Also, I’ve taken on a couple of weekend classes at Yoga West, all starting at 8.30 and all 75 minutes. They are this Sunday 5th and next Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th. It’s a lovely space.

Training

And for those interested in Pregnancy Yoga, tomorrow is the first day of a class offered by a very dear yogi friend. Pregnancy Yoga will be on Saturday mornings in Leighton Hall. Contact Tzaddi at tzaddilove@gmail.com if you’re interested.

Yoga in the News

For the Royalists among you, the ‘Duchess of Cornwall: Older people should do yoga to keep supple’. Not much in the news apart from yoga with puppies, or goats or cats or beer!

Happy bonfire night!