Welcome to my blog

I've decided to write a regular yoga blog so I can share my teaching and practice thoughts, and to help me to reflect and look at ways of keeping my teaching fresh. I hope you find some of it useful.

For each blog entry, I plan to mention something to ponder, something to practice that I've taught in my weekly classes and a little about my own practice. I promise not to go on, be too wordy or self righteous.

If I do, you can let me know …….

So ….. this weekend, I attended a great workshop with Liz Lark. I recommend getting to one of her sessions. She is a precise, positive and thoughtful teacher as well as an inspiring practitioner.

During our session she mentioned "Beginners Mind". Looking at postures with fresh eyes, ears and minds.

She's right, how often do we attend a yoga class and the teacher says we're moving into a posture, say Trikonasana and auto pilot switches on, right foot out left foot in, reach down, reach up an we're there. We might be thinking of the feet active, the muscles drawing up above the knee, and so on but are we really listening with an open mind to the body and being totally present? And if the teacher is approaching it a different way than we're used to, are we being open and receptive or secretly thinking "my way is best", or "my body won't do that", "I'm not strong enough", "my hamstrings are too tight"? There are numerous ways for our mind to get stuck in one way of thinking. I've thought all of the above at some time. If we're able to 'empty the bowl' as they say in Zen or empty the mind to 'allow', look with a beginners' mind, new things do become possible.

Which leads me onto my journey into freestanding handstand (Adho Muka Vrksasana). I say my, only because it's a posture I'm practicing every day and teach regularly. All the tips and stages of teaching I use in my classes I credit to my teachers, particularly Zoe Knott and Tim Steel.

I find it an exhilarating posture that gives an instant charge of energy like a natural cappuccino.

There are many ways to approach handstand, with different stages to suit all. I'm going to share some of the different ways over the coming weeks and keep you posted on my own personal practice.

This week we've been rocking weight forwards into the wrists and hands from Adho Muka Svanasana (dog). This helps to improve upper body strength and increase wrist flexibility and strength.

During the rocking forwards I encourage keeping shoulders down away from the ears (space between shoulders and ears) and aware of lower bandhas being engaged (abs and pelvic floor drawing in and up, particularly on the out breath). Then for those that want to take it further, walking the feet in a little and repeating. Until in Uttanasana (standing forward bend) and doing the same until feet start to lift.

In my personal practice, I've started 'allowing' a very slight lift off with the feet from the floor. At first it felt like I was literally glued to the floor. I've found looking with a beginners' mind really helps.

As you practice the rocking motion forwards into the wrists and hands see what comes up in the mind, then empty your bowl and look with a beginners' mind and have another go. Join me in lift off!

Oops, I think I've broken my promise already.




"Only our ideas block us from realising our true Self and fulfilling our potential as human beings". Dennis Genpo Merzel