Don't 'Keep Calm and Carry On'... fall apart and build yourself back up!!!

I've been thinking a lot about an article I read on 'why lying broken in a pile on your bedroom floor is a good idea' and a yoga student of mine summed it up last night. We live in a culture where we are proud to 'Keep Calm and Carry On', despite the challenges we meet along the way. We try not to burden others with our problems and we try our hardest not to let the cracks show. But she agreed with me that this is the worst possible thing to do! It teaches us that we shouldn't feel sad, confused, unhappy or whatever we are feeling that isn't 'perfect'. It teaches us that if we do feel like this we should pretend that we don't so that other people don't see our vulnerability. But sometimes that vulnerability is our strength. It is true, honest, real, and facing up to it allows us to accept it. 
Rather than 'carrying on', allowing yourself to break down is empowering because it allows you to build yourself up again, and that's when the fun starts! My favourite line from a song is 'when you have nothing you have nothing to lose'. Embrace it because when you are broken, when you have nothing... you have all the possibilities and nothing holding you back!
There is a Hindu goddess called Akhilandeshwari, 'The Goddess of Never Not Broken', who teaches us this important lesson. She is in constant flux, breaking apart, spinning herself into a whirlwind in an attempt to get closer to God, and riding a crocodile as a symbol of the fear inside us, our reptilian brain. Rather than give in to this fear she rides it. And rather than hold it all together, she embraces the breaking apart and uses her fear to literally ride forward in her life. 

So, I don't think 'Keep Calm and Carry On' is a very good mantra! Fall apart, embrace the fear, and move forward every time!!! Life isn't about carrying on it's about change, and without challenge there wouldn't be any change.

life instructions from a 95 year old

I stumbled upon this today and it made me smile. Unfortunately I don't have any grandparents left, but do teach 'older' people all the time and their wisdom is very similar to this...

Yoga Behind Bars

As most of you know, I am passionate about working with people who most teachers don't want to... especially those with issues!!! I have followed 'Yoga Behind Bars' for a while, but just stumbled upon this little clip which explains what they do a little clearer. Take a look, it's amazing! Definitely something I would love to do more of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gD1pkmAT6A

This clip shows it brilliantly, unfortunately I can't seem to embed the clip so I hope the link works!
Yoga has become so fashionable recently, and sometimes I think this can put off people who are not so 'fortunate'. I love that it is being offered to people who really need it, and that it's calming and transformative powers are being felt by people who would never normally have the opportunity to experience it! Check them out... www.yogabehindbars.org/

Rooftop yoga

Every now and then you go somewhere and it feels like home. I haven't worked out if it's a result of the people or the place, or both. I felt like that as soon as I got to Jah Shaka in May, and so being invited back to teach yoga last week was a blessing. Yoga and surf seem to go hand in hand, and teaching at a surf camp reminds me how much I love both! 

For those of you looking for a little escape check out jahshakasurf.com. I can't recommend these guys enough; awesome villa, amazing food, friendly staff and lots and lots of activities from moonlit surfing to mountain biking. Whether your a seasoned surfer or a total beginner there will usually be some waves for you to play on! 
Fingers crossed I'll be out there again soon teaching more yoga in the sunshine!

Another way to fly...

The last few weeks seem to be about learning to have fun whilst doing yoga! I love yoga for the way it makes me feel calm. Focusing on my breath and movement has become a way to tune out of the buzz of life and tune in to how I'm feeling. However, sometimes it's good to just let go and laugh!
I had my first try at aerial yoga yesterday, and again I'm hooked! It's an amazing way to stretch out, as you are allowing gravity to help your body to release into poses. It helps to relieve muscle tension, improves circulation and core strength. 
I love the way that yoga is being combined with other things like acrobatic, silks and slings to make it more fun and challenging. Whilst I know that it is not so much about 'focusing my mind and quietening the chatter', it has opened up a whole new door into body works for me, which I am loving... hopefully I will be able to share this all soon!

Acro Yoga FUN!!

Last weekend I attended a work shop in Acro Yoga and Thai Massage, and totally loved it! For those of you who haven't tried it, Acro Yoga is simply a mixture of yoga and acrobatics. The style that I tried also blends Thai Massage and therapeutics, which sits well with the more therapeutic yoga that I teach regularly.
When practicing Acro-yoga you practice with other people, either as the base, flyer or spotter. When you are the base you have to make sure your body is strong and secure to support the flyer, and as the flyer you use balance and core strength, allowing gravity to do the rest of the work.The spotter keeps you safe!!! The practice reminded me of being a child balancing on my sister's feet before she catapulted me across the room! 
 I'm hooked... watch this space for more Acro fun, and potentially some classes in Cornwall soon!!!

Planking on a Pole!

As some of you have noticed, I have been covered in more bruises than usual over the last few months. This is not as a result of a new found violent streak, but a discovery of the joys of 'pole fitness' classes. I decided that, as much as I love yoga, I wanted to do something that used all my muscles, strengthened my core, allowed me to meet knew people, challenged me, but most importantly made me laugh!!! I really wanted to do Acro Yoga (watch this space....!) but couldn't find classes in Cornwall so instead I joined Vixystrawberry Pole School. I absolutely love it and would definitely recommend people try out Vicky's classes, she's a great teacher. It works really well alongside a yoga practice as it uses your muscles in a very similar way, and it's just fun! 
 
For more info and course details check out Vicky's face book page
https://www.facebook.com/vixystrawberry.poleschool?ref=ts&fref=ts

This is just the beginning of my pole adventure, but here's a little picture to give you an idea.... side planking a pole... never thought I'd be able to do that in a million years!! 

Be What You Be

  Be What You Be -  

We are loving this song and the little 

reminder that all you have to be is you. 

Stop trying and just be what you be, in all that you are...

  

Positivity
I spent the afternoon creating positivity boards with a mental health group today, and thought I would share it. Positive and creative visualisation is used by a number of people, including athletes who regularly use it to enhance their performance. It's a way to focus the mind on what you would like, how you would like to feel, what's important to you, where you see yourself going etc. 
One of the hardest things in life is knowing what you want or what makes you happy, so taking some time to think about this is a powerful way to help you achieve it. How are you meant to get what you want unless you know what it is you want? And how are you meant to be happy unless you know what it is that makes you happy?!! Creating something visual and tactile also helps to make this seem a little more real, and gives you something to keep focusing on. If you haven't already, try it!!

An Unexpected Journey

I just got back from an amazing trip to Peru, walking the Inca Trail and then exploring the wonderful country. As always, when I travel I am reminded of how life just flows into place when you are open to situations, don't worry about them and just let them happen, and also slightly amused by the unexpected way that journeys tend to unfold! Ironically, on the plane journey home I was able to watch The Hobbit: an unexpected journey, which left me with a few little quotes I think are worth remembering:

 “Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!"

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”  

and finally, my favourite 

“Where there's life there's hope.”

tomorrow

loving this song, with the perfect little message.... 
'so while you wait for the sun to rise again, think of us dancing in the rain'
I saw a quote along these lines at a center I was teaching at the other day, and hearing it in the song today confirmed to me... sometimes you just have to dance in the rain, and maybe even jump in the puddles ;-) 

Happy New Year!! For obvious reasons, it's always a good time to start a fresh, make new goals/aims/resolutions and put the last year behind you. 

These words just seemed like a simple reminder of the best way to do this... sometimes you may even want to let go of the last book and pick up a whole new one!!