on being lost at sea

This human life leads us on all sorts of twists and curves. We never know what's coming, even though we try to predict. Even if the weather man lets us know its going to snow, we cannot experience how cold that snow will make us feel until the time has come. 

The path of yoga is equally full of twists and turns. You feel sure of your progress and then years down the line you may ask yourself : "Have I been doing it wrong all along?" and of course there is no clear answer, because of course, there is no right or wrong way. Nevertheless a good teacher will help to guide you through uncertainties when it comes to practice. 

Because of the very nature of our being: inquisitive but easily confused, a great teacher is as clear as the sky. Except that even the sky has clouds sometimes. And oh! it just started to rain!

The greatest teacher of all is the body , it is here to lend us clarity and I can tell you why:

Anatomically we stack, we arrange and we align. Due to this alignment there is a stability in the physical body. We are not shrinking in certain areas, we are not collapsing internally. The channels that distribute not just energy, but also fluids: blood, lymph, etc. are not compressed. There is literally a greater flow. When the energy is free to flow emotions arise.

Emotions are literally energy in motion and they allow us to feel. Through our continuing practice, engaging the breath more consciously we are able to process rather than repress the emotions that arise. We go through them rather than jumping over them.

And when we process our own emotions, we allow them to surface and express themselves, we eventually allow them to drift on and then we begin to see more clearly. This is a clarity of mind that cuts through our previous confusions. 

If we could but remember these stages then a greater wisdom could develop. A true wisdom, one that learns from the past rather than returning to it

So where to go with your confusion? when you are lost at sea? go to the anatomy, stack, arrange, practice your asana and swim through whatever arises. 

look out for upcoming courses that will set you on a stable path of progress

anantãsana

A word on one of my favourite poses. Anantãsana, side lying leg raised, perfectly stable, perfectly relaxed. This posture encompasses the principles of "sthirasukham" that we look to achieve in each of our asanas; Steadiness and ease.

Perhaps in lay words we could talk of it as the balance between strength and flexibility in a pose. People come to yoga who are too stiff or too bendy. People are hard and people are soft. We tend to overstretch or to under stretch, but to find that balance? this is to be truly present, no less.

Ananta was the name of the serpent king who, coiled up, provided a resting place for the lord Vishnu, Ananta needed to provide a bed that was both soft and steady enough to support the reclining god. It is also the word for 'endless' or 'infinite'.

When you adopt anantãsana, your centre engaged for stability, your heel reaching out to infinity, your under side body pressing into the floor without stiffening, your eyes so soft as your gaze turns within: you are present in infinity, because as soon as you're not: it all comes crashing down.

Can we practice this full presence in all the other asanas as well? May swift grace be with you

kama, true pleasure

I'm not one to dip into the depths of yoga philosophy and extract simple nuggets of wisdom to satisfy our superficial tastes but this time I'll gladly make an exception. The Ishayas' commentary on the Yoga Sutras ('Enlightenment') is a beautifully effortless discussion, so easy to read as it is shared with us by an awakened being.  On discussing the 4 purposes of this human life it is made clear that these are naturally conducive to our final liberation, liberation itself ('moksha') being one of the purposes.

'Kama' is also one of the purposes our our human lives. 'Kama' sometimes translated as pleasure (yes, as in kama-sutra) is not to be confused with the pleasures to be sold, pleasures associated to guilt and to greed but pleasure that is of itself conducive to liberation. Many practitioners are at this level in their yoga. They practice for the pure pleasure of practice. There is no ulterior motive to practice, an asana once performed does not crystallise, it dissolves as soon as it has expressed itself.

I believe most creative pursuits when practiced in this spirit are pure 'kama' and more than worth living for. And when the fruits of our 'kama' are shared they serve to uplift others. If we are distracted in our practice however, if we feel there is somewhere to reach in this physical realm, this world of illusion, then our very purpose falls short. Follow your 'kama' in all you do and see how you get on. 

my theory of relativity & the lack of inherent existence

Over a year ago in what I perceived to be an act of bravery I volunteered to give the speech at my family's annual reunion dinner. If Mark Zuckenberg, I figured, who is the same age as me,  can raise squillions through public speaking, through this lens, talking to a dozen inebriated Scotts would be a doddle.

Of course my body would tell me otherwise, public speaking being one of the horrors that strike fear into many a mortal (minus the Zuckenberg species) on a very physical level: terrifying. The thing is the brain is constantly reappraising situations: constructing often beautifully intricate narratives to support our sense of self. The problem is that none of it is true!

For example, I may feel jubilant and triumphant about having built a glistening new website when the thought drifts into my mind that at my same age, Alexander the Great had conquered half the world. I swiftly put myself back into my small little box where victories are put into perspective just to ensure no swelling of the head.

But of course, everything is relative and when we compare instead of sharing human achievements we will continue to be part of the lowest common denominator.

On the yoga mat it is the same story: last week we felt heroic at sustaining garudãsana without a wobble and today we are crestfallen at the fact that we can only hold it for a minute. We want our bodies to be stronger, more limber and more perfect than they already are because of course time is passing and god forbid us from staying still. Except that perhaps we're completely and utterly wrong; perhaps the point is not this; the point is ever shifting like time itself.

Perhaps if we were to still, really still, even for a moment; become one-pointed, we could come to realise that it's not all about yesterday, today and tomorrow, it's not about age or about time; it's about depth.

Being in the now is an expression that is currently mocked; of course it is! if we were to be in the now within our current framework, we would be observing a continuous reel of nonsense that our mind creates to keep us in distraction. By being so caught up in it we wouldn't even be able to observe, we're fully identifying with this faulty perception.

Being in the DEPTH of the now is something different; it's taking the plunge to seeing beyond the nonsense, which is a scary place where there's nothing to hold onto: stuff keeps being taken away, but it's also a hilarious place, and sad, and exhilarating, and desperate and everything all at once. So go, explore! Let this exploration be your yoga.

Sit holding in your mind a situation (i.e: a future speech) and observe the emotions (i.e: terror) that arise and then shift to being just with the feeling, let it act out. If this practice brings up reactions that are too strong to handle, definitely seek out a trusted teacher. Transformation is around the corner.

My family dinner has been postponed so my speech making will have to wait: phew. I will keep you posted on that one! I'll probably be as old as Bob Marley when he gave his One Love Peace Concert. 

authentic yoga

One of the books I often find in my hands and one of the few I have ever deemed worthy of laminating by hand for containing the following words, I highly recommend it:

"At the core of Yoga is the realization of the trascendental Reality itself, however it may be conceived. This aspect of the yogic work is not at all obvious when we watch someone perform complicated postures with great flexibility and elegance. To be sure, many Western (and Eastern) practitioners are themselves not particularly aware of the spiritual dimensions of Yoga. Without it, however, Yoga remains on the level of a pastime. The traditional purpose of Yoga, however, has always been to bring about a profound transformation in the person through the transcendence of the ego (my bold). It is therefore good to remind ourselves of the purpose of authentic Yoga."

Buy it to read on

march with SYC (Secret Yoga Club) at Trasierra

Last year I was drooling over images on social media posted by @secretyogaclub, apart from organising events with two of my favourites (Leila Sadeghee & Rachel Johnston) it seemed such a wonderful concept and such a treat! as befits the mysterious plans of the universe it turns out the beautiful founder Gabrielle and I met many moons ago in India with my guru Ruth White so not only had we made that initial contact in auspicious circumstances but she too had her eye on Trasierra and Hill Yoga retreats.

So without further ado I present to you the next dates for Hill Yoga in collaboration with Secret Yoga Club: 16th-19th March

The programme :

730  meditation - fruit & herbal teas

8-930 morning yoga followed by delightful breakfast

morning hill walk

2 nourishing and delicious lunch

430 tea & yoga related talk

630-8 evening yoga 

830 dinner

Gabrielle teaches a graceful flow yoga and I shall be there with core and alignment cues that will empower you to grow in your practice. 

Do contact me for further information or contact SYC directly

flights to Seville with Ryanair, Easyjet & British Airways are approximately 2hr 20mins from London airports

Abundance for the New Year

It's that time of year again. When we turn within and set noble intentions for the year to come. I've always been a fan of new year's resolutions. I think they are immensely powerful, even if you crack straight away,  the imprint of your will is deep and will resurface with renewed power next time round.

We also tune back into our resolutions from a different perspective. This resolve in yoga is called 'sankalpa' and we would do well to set a clear intention at the beginning of our practice sessions.

A few years back now I set the intention to not say a bad word about another and it served me very well. It caused me to reflect on what it was that I despised in others and to see these things as a reflection of my inner state of agitation. Surely I slipped , but the choice to be mindful is paramount here. Surely enough I now find it easier to see the good in people and I am a happier person as a result.

I would like to share a few tips that have helped me when it comes to setting these important resolutions

We live in an age of conspicuous consumption and though we could all agree that we would do well to waste less, we could also admit that its as if we've been programmed to consume ; so add 'more' to your list!  Our minds are mechanisms that consume insatiably, we consume information at a reckless speed and though short, sweet aphorisms are potent beyond measure we need to fill the spaces in our lives ; so add life enhancing activities, people and places, in my book this means: yoga, yoga and more yoga!

This year when you write your resolutions notice whether its the word 'more' or the word 'less' that is more prominent

Make your intentions stand out, make them different from last years, if your resolution is to give up smoking why not instead: take up pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), if your resolution is to eat less junk, why not instead: drink a delicious green smoothie first thing in the morning. Swear less? say I love you MORE. Stress less? stretch MORE. Wake up earlier? go to bed earlier. Use the computer less? make MORE eye contact with people.

In Spain we eat 12 grapes with the 12 bells that herald the new year, this symbolises abundance. 

its very more-ish

Happy 2017

yoga in a tight space

As someone who loves to travel, visit friends and move about I often find myself sleeping on floors, kids' bunk, squeezy attics and generally awkward little spaces. I am also someone who (clearly) loves their yoga and can't live without a daily practice. I have had to navigate a lot of interesting spaces in my time and I would like to share a little of what I have learnt over the years.

The most important thing is to assess your situation first of all. Be realistic, if the ceilings are low; urva hasthasana is going to be a frustrating experience. if the floor space is narrow lying twists will need to be done with bent knees not straight legs. Work out what postures you can modify and which you should immediately put aside for a time when you have more physical space. 

You will be able to practice in a way that suits your circumstances even if you don't have a mat and the floor is too slippery for ardho mukha svanasana. 

I find it helps to make a bit of a plan, look for the elements you can incorporate into your practice and build around those. For example if you have enough space to separate your feet but not as wide as you need for trikonasana, think about a practice that builds up to parsvottanasana.

Begin by doing a few rounds of cat-cow to stretch out the spine, practice uttanasana to free up the lower back, uktakasana to build stability in the legs and gomukhasana to stretch open the shoulders. Then progress into parsvottanasana and wind down with malasana and baddha konasana. There are thousands of variations you can think up.

Standing one legged balances such as vrksasana are good to practice if you're staying in a room where the floor is strewn in lego, you can clasp your foot behind your back in natarajasana preparation to get a nice quadriceps stretch and preparation for back bend. Ustrasana can then be practiced using the hands to support the lumbar initially. Most spaces can accommodate child pose in some form. 

If the ceiling is particularly low you could use it as a fulcrum for standing back bend as long as you don't crunch into the lumbar vertebrae you can lengthen and stretch the front of the spine deeper than without this support.

Walls are always wonderful to stretch against. Stand about a foot away from the wall and stretch arms overhead, place your hands onto the wall shoulder width apart and pull hips away from the wall causing the hands to slide down the wall, this way the whole mid line of the front body will elongate and the chest and shoulders can open without strain.

To finish a practice you need to work out whether you have enough space for savasana. A good alternative would be supta virasana followed by supta baddha konasana. A little longer than usual in a seated meditation will ensure you are able to cultivate that ultimate state of harmony. Try to make the best of these opportunities to explore your pranayama practices, for example nadi shodana (alternate nostril breathing)

I'd be happy to help you build a practice that suits you, contact me with any questions and good luck in yoga!

self practice: pratyahara

Yesterday evening I had the honour of leading a workshop on self practice. I say honour because for me teaching yoga is and always has been just that. I say honour because it IS an honour and a blessing and is in a sense out of my hands ; the source of my teaching being divine inspiration.

During the workshop we talked about the various stages of practice and also the art of sequencing, linking one pose to the next, the order and so forth. For me this sequencing has always come about from experience, careful planning but primarily ; inspiration. 

I was inspired to talk about the 8 branches of yoga, the sequential map of the yoga path. Each branch leads onto the next and yet being attached to the same tree means they are as important as each other. 

The 8 branches of yoga (astanga) are a beautiful map of the journey we are taking. Once we establish ourselves as generally good people, behaving well to ourselves and to others (yama, niyama) we progress steadily in our asana practice, creating a stable foundation for our wellbeing. The stillness that emanates from this stability allows us to develop our pranayama also, the energy levels are equalised through these subtle but deeply powerful breathing practices. 

When it comes to self practice I want to draw attention to 'pratyahara' ,the fifth branch of yoga, often translated as withdrawal of the senses, but which I prefer to think of as a retraction and a turning inwards. In our self practice we have the opportunity to turn the senses in on ourselves and develop this inward listening, this inward seeing and this inward sensing. 

We taste the flavour of our mood, we feel the texture of our breath, the subtle pulsations of the various organs and their correlates. Pratyahara is the gift of self practice. Unlike in yoga class where our pace is not our own in self practice we can truly go where our body asks us to go.

This in no way means that you don't need to go to class anymore in fact rather the contrary. By developing this inner sensing you will get so much more from your classes, you will respond and adjust quicker, the senses are sharpened in this infinite inner space. 

May swift bliss be with you

energy levels - the gunas

Yoga shows you how you relate to your inner world; this is the first connection we make. Connection to how we are feeling, connection to how we are doing...

Connection to the natural rhythms of the universe, to others, to the outer world that is but a reflection of the inner world.

According to the traditions of yoga and ayurveda we can tune into different rhythms and be governed by them. Life passes through different energetic states known as gunas and we would do well to learn a bit about these as they can be really quite enlightening.

When we shine this new perspective onto our moods and those of others we can wake up to a different reality, one that requires our participation rather than our resistance. Matter too is a form of condensed energy and so is also governed by the gunas: the food we eat, the places we inhabit, the objects we attract...

My beautiful friend Xochi Balfour, aka the Naturalista has included an extensive piece I wrote on the gunas on her blog, so do click here for further reading. 

May you be enveloped in sweet sattva!