If you’re anything like me you’re  probably cringing as Valentines day approaches with all its tacky cliches, unrealistic expectations, and the way it divides us into the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.  It seems to me that this has nothing to do with love and everything to do with consumerism and ego.

Do you wear Mala beads?

I wear my malas everywhere… for me they are a constant reminder to stop, breathe, and to pay attention to the moment.

I’ve collected malas in my travels throughout India and Bali and each holds significant spiritual meaning for me.

Mala is a Sanskrit word which means garland, however it is much more than a beautiful adornment, a mala is a powerful and symbolic tool for meditation.

Have you ever asked yourself why you practice yoga? Not the reasons that the ‘experts’ tell you but what YOU personally get out of it.

It might be for your physical body, perhaps you want to be strong and flexible.

It might be for your energetic body, perhaps you yearn to be full of vital life force.

When I first started practicing Yoga in the late 80’s it was with the Iyengars who were very strict about alignment and the way one should fold blankets. There was certainly no sound or chanting! I always refer to that part of my yoga journey as my army days:)

I knew in my heart that there was more to yoga than the angle at which my foot was pointing.

Yoga Nidra is a Sanskrit term meaning “yogic sleep”. 

It’s a deep relaxation technique sometimes referred to as body scan meditation. It is often prescribed as an effective way to calm the nervous system and promote deep quality sleep. For this reason it is popular with those who experience insomnia.

If you’ve been to my yoga classes or workshops you will know that I always begin by inviting you to create a Sankalpa, which is to set an intention. I love this ritual because it’s a reminder that your yoga doesn’t just happen on the mat.

When all our chakras are balanced we can access the liberation found at the crown chakra, Sahasrara. This is where we experience total connection, deep peace, unconditional love and tranquility.

Ajna the third eye chakra is our centre of intellect, wisdom, intuition and insight. We can develop these qualities with meditation, in particular visualisation which can be very powerful as a way to change our cognitive wiring to transform unhelpful mind states into more supportive ones.

The elements of vibration and sound resonate here as we express ourselves to the world. Vissudha is the centre of communication and the intention here is to express ourselves clearly, truthfully and authentically.

The heart chakra is the centre of connection and compassion. It’s from the heart space that we relate to other sentient beings, to nature and to the cosmos. It represents our innate sense of compassion and unconditional love.