Back on the podcast train, in discussion with the delightful Celest Pereira. Listen here.
Rory and I really met whilst he was training to become a teacher. Prior to that, I in fact remembered seeing Rory in a few of my classes at Yogarise. Why did I remember him so clearly? Well, firstly, he was late to class (ha!), but secondly, having not had a chance to chat to him beforehand I had no idea how much yoga Rory had experienced, and I therefore very presumptuously wondered whether he had got lost on the way to the gym! I then watched him move with such grace and be totally committed to the practice, and it was so refreshing to see someone come to yoga with such openness and focus when they don’t ‘look’ like your typical green-juicing, crop-topping, Tibetan-bowl-banging Western yogi. The purpose of this series is to show that everyone can and should practice yoga in some form, and to show the breadth of people who practice. Rory describes not going to yoga because he couldn’t identify with anyone who was queuing up for class. How many other people feel like that?! We should be celebrating our diversity and making yoga accessible to everyone. Having got to know Rory better on his yoga teacher training, I think he embodies just that, and I hope you enjoy his story!
Who are you? Where are you in the world? What do you do?
Hey people I’m Rory, I’m based in Battersea, South London where I work as a youth worker and a yoga teacher.
Tell us more about where you work, and how you are supporting your community during this time.
I commit my time to working for two special charities. The first is Carney’s Community, that works with disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, with a focus on those involved or at risk of being involved in crime. I’m the Lead Youth Worker at Carney’s and it is my role to manage a programme of support and opportunities to our young people and their families; this involves providing mentoring and intensive keywork support, youth club, boxing and yoga sessions, running a bike workshop social enterprise, music studio sessions, educational workshops, trips and a food project called Fit and Fed.
The second organisation is Live Karma Yoga (LKY), which provides yoga classes that are truly accessible and affordable to all. Every class is a community class! Through their encouragement and long term approach, these guys have created one of the most diverse yoga communities out there, bringing a huge range of humans together to breathe and move. I teach Vinyasa Flow and Restorative yoga classes for LKY each week and contribute to their work with inmates and prison staff at HMP Wandsworth. My main class currently takes place on a Sunday at 6pm on ZOOM, come join :)
During the lockdown, our community centre is closed, but Carney’s and LKY are still providing support to young people and families through online yoga, boxing and cooking sessions, food parcel deliveries, as well as bespoke ongoing 1-1 support for those with mental health issues, learning difficulties and other support needs.
How did you get into yoga in the first place?
Yoga is for women isn’t it? The ones with bodies that behave like strawberry laces? I can’t touch my toes and I’m cool with that, so no thanks Adriene, I’d rather watch boxing highlights videos… This was my mindset three years ago. I didn’t know many people who did yoga and I couldn’t relate to anyone I saw standing in the queue for yoga class at the gym. I thought maybe it could be something I might discover when I was older or if I ever went to India again and didn’t get distracted by tasty curry..
Then, one Thursday evening, after starting work at Carney’s in January 2018, I attended the community yoga class, which takes place just outside my office door, so I had no excuse not to try it. About 20 minutes into the class, I was just saying to myself “damn, this yoga thing ain’t easy!”. By the end of the class, without wanting to sound dramatic, I had tears running down my face. It had given me an hour to be with myself and created a level of introspection that I don’t often get the chance to experience. I get something different from all the classes I’ve been to since, a good class really takes me on a journey, emotionally and physically, steadying my normally exhaustingly busy mind. I could go on here, but yeah.. just know I’m sure glad yoga presented itself to me when it did and I’ve been practicing it everyday since that first class.
And what made you decide to teach?
I was encouraged to do it by my friends and yoga mentors Zara and Eva (LKY), who presented me with a scholarship opportunity to train with Hotpod Yoga that I couldn’t turn down. I wasn’t sure what to say at first, I’m quite shy by nature and I don’t appear to fit the typical yoga teacher mould so I found it hard to imagine at first.. but I love to try new things, so in the words (and accent) of Kevin Hart, I thought to myself, WHY NOT?!
Turns out I love teaching and being able to guide people through the experience of a yoga class, so yeah… try things you are scared to do and accept the support of others who see potential in you!
What has been your most rewarding project so far?
Oh man, I’ve been lucky enough to be part of too many to pick one..
Are you a planner or a follow your gut kinda guy?
I think we all know what the right thing to do is in each moment, so I do my best to go after that choice, whether I feel like it or not. I do plan a little, but I don't get too attached to the plan.. life's a bit too unpredictable in my experience..
Who or what keeps inspiring you?
The ongoing work I’ve been doing with young people and families for the past eight years inspires and rewards me everyday. Seeing their ability to overcome adversity and flourish fills me with energy and hope. It’s a privilege.
Do you have a personal or professional mission? A message you are intent on sharing?
I think to create real change you have to be willing to give a part of yourself up to something greater than yourself. So whatever that thing is you believe in changing, be willing to sacrifice something to make it happen. Oh and always have hope, even if there is little evidence for the world you are trying to create.
Within yoga, I love it’s emphasis on looking inwards and developing yourself, so that you can go out into the world and give more to others - to become a better friend, mother, grandson, whatever it is. Here lies the power in yoga for me.
Any future projects you want to tell us about?
I’ll be continuing to progress myself and the community I am a part of through youth work and yoga as best I can. Check out @roryouthyoga @carneyscommunity @livekarmyoga on IG to see what’s happening.
Who do you love to practice with?
Live Karma Yoga - please check them out and discover what an accessible yoga community can do for people.
Hotpod Yoga - SO many great teachers and humans here -too many to mention, but these guys are all wicked.
Anastasis Tzanis - If you want to really progress your physical practice and understand your body and breathe to a greater level - he’s the man!
During lockdown, what is the best thing to:
- read - I haven’t read a book all of lockdown, how bad is that?! Podcasts have taken over that space in my life recently..
- watch - If you want to feel uplifted and inspired, I recently watched the docuseries, CHEER - There’s a character in it called Jerry who will give you life!
- listen to - all the tunes! Burna Boy is my current most played artist.
- do or make - I’ve been walking a lot more - so simple, so great for the body and mind.
Pauline is one of my friends from high school and is a keen yoga practitioner. She is one of the most stylish people I know, and has one of those smiles that just makes you want to be in on the joke! She is also the only person who can regularly give me a run for my money when it comes to talking! Pauline is bilingual French / Italian, so you will find the French and English translation side by side below (excuse any imperfect English, translation is not my strong point!).
Who are you? Where are you in the world? What do you do?
Qui es-tu? Oú es-tu? Qu'est ce que tu fais de beau dans la vie?
My name is Pauline Glaizal, I am a TV panelist that specialises in interior design trends, and I am the Head of Style for Made in Design, the French leader in online sales of design-led furniture and decor. MID was bought a year ago by the Groupe Printemps, so we are now working on widening our scope to include concession style areas in their large department stores.
Je m'appelle Pauline Glaizal, je suis chroniqueuse TV experte en tendance déco (chasseur de tendances) et directrice du style pour Made In Design, leader en France de la vente de design et déco online. MID a été racheté il y a tout juste un an par le Groupe Printemps, nous somme donc dans une dynamique d'ouverture de corners au seins des Grands Magasins.
For those who might not be so familiar with this area, what does your job entail?
Pour ceux qui connaissent moins cet environnement, en quoi est-ce que cela consiste?
The majority of my time is spent working for MID. My job is well rounded and is a mix of creativity and comms. As Head of Style, I look after the brand’s image, am responsible for the press side of things, partnerships, advertising, and I take the role of artistic director on photoshoots, on the unveiling of our new collections to the press, as well as on the creation of exclusive products or limited editions when we collaborate with designers or brands.
A large part of my work is to predict trends and discover new brands. I go to many trade shows, chat to design houses about their new products, go to presentations, etc… all so that I can find new interior design trends and gems (brands, designers, concepts). This will then allow me to create trend books (they help us to decipher new trends through mood boards) which will guide our buyers in their choices (choosing between products that will contribute to our overall image and those that will generate income). These books will also be a tool for our editorial team who work hard on our newsletters and online magazines. They will be used by our business to business team too so that we can develop smoother work ties with professionals (architects, procurement agencies, etc.), and finally they will be used by retail so that the physical sale points can follow the same direction and respond to our customers’ wants and needs.
I started working for TEVA déco four years ago, I have now done 90 shows!!! We film four episodes in a row, once a month, and I prepare my feature in my spare time… meaning at the weekend! It complements my work at MID beautifully, and I foster great links between both jobs. What I like the most is constantly discovering new brands, new designers etc… it is really rewarding. And of course, I love introducing these brands to the general public via the amazing medium that is TV, without forgetting the fact that getting the whole team together to film is really fun!
La majeur partie de mon temps de travail est dédiée à MID, mon travail est très complet et est un mélange de comm. et de créativité. En étant directrice du style je gère l'image de la marque d'une part, je suis responsable de la presse, des partenariats, des pubs, et d'autre part j'exerce un gros travail de direction artistique sur les photoshoot, les decors des présentations de nos nouvelles collections à la presse, les catalogues destinés à la presse, sur la creation de produits exclusifs ou en série limitée lors de collaboration avec des designers ou des marques.
Une grosse partie de mon travail consiste aussi à flairer la tendance et découvrir de nouvelles marques. Je parcours les salons pros du secteurs, je m'informe auprès des marques sur les nouveautés, je vais aux présentations presse etc...dans le but de dénicher les nouvelles tendances déco et des nouvelles pépites (marques, créateurs, concepts).
Cette veille me permettra de faire des cahier de tendance (décryptage des tendances avec des mood boards) pour guider notre service achat dans son référencement de produits (produits qui nous feront de l'image vs produits qui feront du chiffre), ces cahiers vont aussi être un outil de travail pour notre service édito qui fait un gros travail de newsletter et de magazines d'inspiration sur notre site, il servira aussi à notre service BtoB pour avoir une approche plus juste auprès des pros (archi, prescripteurs etc...) et enfin au retail pour que les boutiques/corners répondent au mieux à la tendance du moment et soient attractifs pour le client.
J'ai commencé les chroniques pour TEVA déco il y a 4 ans, j'en suis à 90 chroniques!!! Nous tournons 4 émissions 1 fois par mois, je prépare mes chroniques lors de mes temps creux, à savoir le weekend! C'est très complémentaire avec mon travail chez MID et je crée clairement des liens entre les deux boulots. Ce que j'aime le plus c'est d'une part d' être constamment confrontée à de nouvelles marques, des nouveaux créateurs etc..c'est extrêmement enrichissant, et d'autre part de pouvoir révéler des marques au grand public via ce super vecteur qu'est la TV . Les tournages où l'on se retrouve avec toute l'équipe sont de vrais moments de plaisir aussi!
How did you end up in this field?
Et comment t'es-tu retrouvée là dedans?
Despite my young age, I have already had many lives (!!), but my pathway actually makes sense. The one constant has always been design and interior decor. I studied in Milan at the European Design Institute where I specialised in event scenography. Naturally, I started my career as a scenographer in Milan in a small events company before moving to a larger business in Paris.
I very quickly decided to go freelance as I was not totally fulfilled: I was missing the creative side and direct customer contact. At 24 years old, I therefore decided to go solo. The beginnings were not always easy, but I held on tight and it paid off! For more than 8 years I worked as a scenographer and set designer in the world of luxury and fashion. I was represented by the Florence Moll Agency. My work revolved around building sets for photoshoots for fashion magazines, or high end advertising (like jewellery), as well as create the designs for store windows, create different worlds and sets for dinners, events, etc…
It was really intense, but I learnt a lot and refined my knowledge of fashion and particularly of vintage design. Then TEVA Déco arrived on the scene and helped to reveal my knowledge of contemporary design and decor, and this confirmed that this was the area I wanted to work in. I felt really inspired, and that I had something to bring to the table.
Made in Design arrived at the right point, and their offer of a position that allowed for a lot of freedom and creativity instantly appealed to me. Today, I keep developing through my encounters with incredible designers, suppliers, journalists, etc., and I tell myself everyday that I am very lucky! I was right to follow my instinct.
Malgré mon jeune age j'ai déjà eu beaucoup de vies (!!) mais finalement mon parcours est assez cohérent. Le fil rouge étant le design et la déco. J'ai fait mes études à Milan à l'Institut Européen de Design avec une spé en scénographie événementielle. Tout naturellement j'ai commencé ma carrière en tant que scénographe à Milan dans une petite boîte évènementielle, puis à Paris dans un gros groupe.
Très vite je me suis mise à mon compte car il me manquait quelque chose d'essentiel à mon épanouissement: la créativité et le contact direct avec le client. A 24 ans j'ai donc volé de mes propres ailes. Les débuts n'ont pas toujours été faciles mais je me suis bien accrochée et ça a payé! Pendant plus de 8 ans j'ai été set designer et scénographe pour le monde de la mode et du luxe représentée par l'agence Florence Moll. Mon travail consistait à faire des décors pour des photoshooting pour des magazines de mode ou des pub de luxe/ haute joaillerie, à créer les décors de vitrines et à créer des univers, des scénographies pour des dîner, des events etc...
Ça a été très dense mais j'ai appris beaucoup de choses, j'ai notamment affuté ma culture mode et design vintage surtout. Puis est arrivée TEVA Déco qui a révélé ma culture design et déco contemporaine et qui n'a fait que confirmer le fait que je voulais me rapprocher de ce domaine qui m'inspire vraiment et où je sentais que j'avais des cartes à jouer.
Made In Design est arrivé au bon moment et la proposition de ce poste très libre et créatif m'a immédiatement plu! Aujourd’hui je m'enrichis au quotidien avec des rencontres formidables avec des designers, fournisseurs, journalistes etc...et je me dis que j'ai beaucoup de chance et que j'ai bien fait de suivre mon instinct!
What does an average day (lockdown excluded) in your life look like?
Une journée lambda (sans confinement) dans la vie de Pauline, ça ressemble à quoi?
7.30am: wake up, breakfast etc. I get to work between 8.30am and 9am (I am lucky to live just 7 minutes away from work on my moped)
Emails until 10.30am (or yoga on Wednesdays and Fridays ;))
10.30am to 11.30am: meetings (suppliers, journalists, colleagues, etc…)
then off to a press presentation or production in my office until 1pm
1pm - 2pm: lunch break in the office kitchen with my Parisian colleagues (as company HQ is in Grenoble)
2pm - 3pm: looking for inspiration in magazines, Instagram, webzines, blogs, etc…
3pm - 4pm: emails / meetings
5pm - 7.30pm: (finally… no more emails!!!) production time!
7.30pm - 9pm: work drinks, presentations, etc… (basically customer relations)
9.30pm: pasta!
10.30pm: Instagram / podcast in the bath
11.30pm: reading, earplugs and bed!
Lever 7h30, petit dèj and co, au boulot entre 8h30 et 9h00 (j'ai la chance d'habiter à 7min en scoot de mon boulot)
mails jusqu'à 10h30 (ou yoga le mercredi et le vendredi ;))
10h30 - 11h30 rdv pro (fournisseurs, journalistes, collègues, etc..)
virée à une présentation presse ou production à mon bureau jusqu'à 13h
13h-14h pause dèj dans la cuisine avec mes collègues parisiens (le siège de la boîte étant à Grenoble)
14h -15h inspiration : magazines, Insta, webzine, blog etc....
15h -16h mails / réu
17h -19h30 (enfin tranquille, plus de mails!!!) production!
19h30-21h00 cocktail, présentation, etc....(en gros je fais des RP)
21h30 pasta!
22h30 Instagram / podcast dans mon bain
23h30 bouquin, boules Quies et dodo!
Day to day, who or what keeps you inspired?
Au quotidien, qui ou qu'est ce que t'inspire?
People! I think Instagram is a great tool to discover people’s creative talents. I love the Goodmoods account from which I draw inspiration daily. I also look at fashion closely. I always read the trend breakdowns on Vogue.fr and I look at fashion photography as well as luxury brands. I love the aesthetics of the world of fashion which is often quite surprising, but frequently portrayed with genius. I like the fact that it is sharp and really masterful.
Les gens! je trouve instagram un outil génial pour découvrir les talents créatifs de chacun, je suis inconditionnelle du compte de Goodmoods où je vais m'inspirer au quotidien. Je suis aussi très attentive à la mode et lis quotidiennement les décryptage de Vogue.fr et suis beaucoup de photographes de mode et marques de luxe. J'aime le beau et l'esthétique dans le monde de la mode qui est parfois traduite de façon surprenante mais très souvent c'est genial. J'aime le côté pointu, très maitrisé.
You spent a lot of time working as a freelancer, what was the biggest challenge?
Tu as passé une grande partie de ton temps en auto-entrepreneuse, quel a été ton plus gros challenge?
There were a few major stages, but I would say the biggest step was transitioning from sole trader to limited company. However, in day to day terms, it was probably starting TV work. As a set designer, I was used to being backstage… and all of a sudden I had to be in front of the camera. It is a real process of self-acceptance. It made me grow up a lot, and contrary to beliefs it is actually very humbling.
Il y a eu plusieurs étapes majeures mais je dirais que le plus gros pas que j'ai sauté était justement de passer de auto-entrepreneur à "société"! Si on parle de challenge à proprement parler je dirais que ça a été la TV. En tant que set designer j'avais l'habitude du backstage...Là, tout d'un coup il a fallu que je fasse face aux caméras. C'est un vrai travail d'acceptation de son image, ça m'a fait grandir et contrairement à ce que l'on peut croire ça rend extrêmement humble.
Do you have a personal or professional mission? A message you are intent on sharing?
Tu as une mission personnelle ou professionnelle? Un message que tu veux partager?
I don’t really have a mission, however I do have a moto that I have followed ever since I started which is: “where there is a will, there is a way”. It is important to believe in your dreams, give yourself the means to get there, and of course follow your instinct!
Je n'ai pas réellement de mission néanmoins j'ai un moto qui me suis depuis mes débuts qui est: "quand on veut, on peut". ll faut croire dans ses rêves, se donner les moyens de les atteindre et suivre son instinct!
Are you a planner or a follow your gut kinda gal'?
Tu as plutôt tendance à retourner le truc dans tous les sens avant de prendre une décision réfléchie, ou tu suis plutôt ton instinct?
I really rely on my gut…
Je me fis énormément a mon instinct…
Your favourite address in Paris?
Ton adresse préférée à Paris?
Muse, a timeless florist in Montmartre whose arrangements are like Flemish paintings.
Muse, un fleuriste hors du temps à Montmartre. Ses compositions sont comme des tableaux flamands.
And what about yoga? When and how did you discover the practice?
Et le yoga, quand et comment est-ce que tu as découvert la pratique?
I discovered the practice 11 years ago when I moved to Paris through an American woman who was teaching in her appartement. It was a very gentle practice based on breath and relaxation…. a bit too soft for me!
Where I really got hooked was with Muriel dal Corso who, at the time, was teaching in the studio of an Italian artist in the 11th. We would flow between huge canvases with paint still drying. It was amazing. I loved her take on dynamic yoga, and I was still at the stage of “physical yoga” as a way to exercise.
I then became a member at Klay which is a chic gym in Paris with some awesome yoga teachers who deliver different styles. There, I had a revelation: Ashtanga with my amazing teacher Yoshika whom we secretly call The Guru.
I have become totally in love with this discipline. I practise four times per week when my schedule allows it, if not at least twice. I swap between Vinyasa with the fantastic Miguel Maitreya and my classes with Yoshika.
With regular practice, I have been able to open my heart to the more spiritual side of yoga (I was very closed to it at the beginning). Equanimity also became a big part of my practice: learning how to manage emotions, stress, pain, being humble and grateful.
J'ai découvert la pratique il y a 11 ans en arrivant à Paris, une Américaine qui donnait des cours dans son appartement bourgeois. C'était une approche très douce basée sur le souffle et la détente...un peu trop mou pour moi!
Le vrai déclic s'est produit avec Muriel dal Corso qui donnait à l'époque des cours dans l'atelier d'une artiste italienne dans le 11ème. On faisait du Vinyasa entre des toiles monumentales et des palettes encore fraiches de peinture c'était génial. J'ai adoré son approche au yoga dynamique, mais j'étais encore au stade "physique du yoga" comme une activité sportive.
Puis je me suis inscrite au Klay une salle de sport huppée de Paris dotée de très bons profs de yoga exerçant différentes pratiques. Là ,j'ai eu une révélation : l'Ashtanga avec ma super prof Yoshika qu'on appelle secrètement La Guru. Je suis devenue complètement accro de cette discipline.
Je pratique 4 fois par semaine quand mon emplois du temps le permet, sinon minimum deux fois. J'alterne entre des cours de Vinyasa proposés par Miguel Maitreya (un excellent prof) et les cours de Yoshika. Avec la pratique régulière j'ai enfin pu ouvrir mon coeur au côté spirituel du yoga auquel j'étais très hermétique au début. L'équanimité a aussi pris tout son sens...gérer ses émotions, son stress, ses douleurs, être humble et gratifiant.
How do you find time to practise in a normal week?
Comment trouves-tu le temps de pratiquer dans une semaine normale?
At the beginning I struggled, I would always have a meeting or something… but then I understood that the discipline of the practice is intrinsically linked to my wellbeing, and therefore to the quality of my work. That is why I naturally progressed to making it an integral part of my diary. I practise in the morning from 8.30am until 10am twice a week if there are no emergencies, and then at the weekend on Saturday and Sunday morning if the night before was not too merry.
Au début j'avais du mal, je m'inventais des rdv pros etc., puis j'ai compris que cette discipline était très étroitement liée à mon bienêtre et donc à la qualité de mon travail. C'est pourquoi tout naturellement je l'ai inscrite dans mon emplois du temps. Je pratique le matin de 8h30 a 10h, 2 fois par semaine si pas d'urgence et le weekend samedi et dimanche en fin de mat’ si la soirée de la veille n'a pas été trop arrosée.
Who do you love to practice with?
Un studio, ou quelques profs avec qui tu adores prendre un cours?
Yoshika for ever! And Miguel at le Klay as that is where I tend to practice. I like the fact that it is a gym that offers multiple disciplines.
Yoshika for ever et Miguel au Klay car c'est là ou je pratique et j'aime bien le fait que ça soit un club où plusieurs disciplines se croisent.
Do you have a project you would like to share?
Un projet que tu veux partager?
I would like to go to India, but for the last two years destiny had been against me… so maybe something is telling me it is not a good idea ;)
J'aimerais aller en Inde...mais cela fait déjà deux ans que le destin s'acharne contre moi...donc si je suis mon instinct ça n'est peut-être pas une bonne idée ;)
During lockdown, what is the best thing to:
Et pendant le confinement, quel est le meilleur truc à:
read: “The Psychological Health of those who Made the World” by Patrick Lemoine… troubling!
lire : "La santé psychiatrique de ceux qui ont fait le monde” de Patrick Lemoine...troublant!
watch: “Top chef” (the French equivalent of Masterchef) to challenge yourself in the kitchen (my man made his first tarte Tatin which was too salty according to his current jury of one…!)
regarder : "Top chef"pour se lancer ensuite des défis en cuisine (mon mec a fait sa première tarte Tatin qui était trop salée selon le jury haha va savoir!!)
listen to: Décodeur podcast (if you speak French!) to know more about decor, and of course the sound of the birds to feel more connected to nature in this time.
écouter: Décodeur podcast pour être au top de la déco, et le chant des oiseaux pour profiter de cette pause pour se reconnecter avec la nature!
do or make: hands on stuff that we normally NEVER have time to do in our crazy lives, and of course yoga :)
faire: des activités manuelles que l'on a JMS le temps de faire dans nos vies à 100 à l'heure et du yoga of course :)
Suzie is one of these people that you instantly like! Not only is Suzie a yoga teacher, but she is also a talented tattoo artist and tattoo studio owner.
Who are you? Where are you in the world? What do you do?
I’m Suzie, a yoga teacher and hand poked tattoo artist. I live in East London with my scruffy jack russell -Peanut - and I run my own little holistic handpoke tattoo studio and treatment space near Bethnal Green called Trikona.
How did you get into yoga in the first place? And what made you decide to teach?
I started going to yoga about 10 years ago because I heard it could help you lose weight and in my 20s that was unnecessarily high on my list of priorities. I also had a pretty terrible bad back for a generally healthy 23 year old. So I started going to hot power yoga and quite quickly became addicted. About 3 months in I realised there was something more to this yoga stuff... and after a few years it had transformed every area of my life, made me want to take better care of myself, live with deeper awareness, be more kind to others... all of that good stuff!
What came first? The tattoos or the yoga? How did you start inking skins?
I did my first yoga teacher training 5 years ago. Initially I wanted to teach because I‘d never felt so alive in my life… and I wanted everyone else to feel that too.
After a couple of years I embarked on deeper self enquiry and soon realised that meditation and yoga were ways of expressing blocked creativity and accessing ‘flow state’. Yoga changed the pace and priorities in my life and I began using my time to reconnect with drawing and painting, practices which had been a huge part of my life and identity up until my mid-twenties when I got a bit lost in living for the weekend.
I’ve always loved tattoo and have collected a fair few since I was 18. In 2017 I randomly decided to buy a stick and poke tattoo kit off the internet. When I started turning my drawings into tattoos everything seemed to make sense and quite organically I began my journey with traditional tattoo. I began tattooing myself and pretty soon most of my friends were asking for them and within a couple of years I’d tattooed half the London yoga community!
I should mention I did do a cross contamination training once I realised this was becoming a ‘thing’! It’s not a great idea to start tattooing other people until you know your stuff!
How did you end up starting your studio?
I was tattooing from home for a while, I didn’t really expect so many people to want them and it was a bit of an unexpected unstoppable beast! There are rules however (for very good reasons) and you are not supposed to tattoo in an unlicensed premises.
Soon as I realised this I started visualising the type of place I wanted to tattoo from.
The typical tattoo studio environment has never sat right with me. The aggression and intimidation. The clinical feel. The disconnection from story and intention behind the tattoo. Tattooing from home had enabled me to provide a safe, private, calming space for my (mostly female) clients to enjoy a relaxing and often uplifting tattoo experience. Hand poke tattooing is quiet and slow, so I wanted a space which would honour the energy of this exchange and also house practices such as Reiki, yoga, therapy... so that tattooing is withdrawn from the masculine stereotype and re-homed as a holistic experience.
After keeping my eyes open and viewing some spaces over about 6 months I finally found my little steel container studio at Gossamer City Project, which is a home for creatives and start ups. It also has a few lovely holistic businesses such as wonderful Masaj and Relax Facials so it felt really good to be in the company of other mindful studios.
What has been the biggest challenge in starting or maintaining a business?
Taking the plunge and signing the 2 year contract was the hardest part. It felt like a huge risk and a big commitment. Luckily I already had a really strong base of clients, so I knew once I was up and running I’d be fine.
I had saved enough to fund the first couple of months, knowing I wouldn’t be able to actually begin working there untilI had my Special Treatments License from the council. It took about 2.5 months until I had the space up to scratch for the requirements of the license (my boyfriend was amazing at helping me fit it out properly), had my inspection, and finally had my license on the wall to begin working from my studio.
During those months of waiting I was tattooing from a studio which was over an hour commute away, teaching 11 yoga classes a week and stressing about paying rent for a studio I wasn’t using! I learnt to just surrender into everything beyond my control and trust things would settle soon. And of course they did.
After that the biggest challenge was knowing when to rest and stop working! I’m a workaholic so this is forever my thing...
Are you a planner or a follow your gut kinda gal'?
GUT ALL THE WAY
Who or what keeps inspiring you?
My parents have retired now but they ran their own successful small business which grew from my mum’s passion. They went from living in a caravan and washing in a bucket (no jokes) to growing a business which provided them with a beautiful life - not glamorous or extravagant, but more than enough. They’ve always hugely inspired me to be brave, work hard, be honest and trust what the universe serves you.
Do you have a personal or professional mission? A message you are intent on sharing?
To create a life of true substance, with permanence and legacy. That’s really my main vision that I’m keeping in mind at the moment. I haven’t figured out what it looks like or how to get there yet!
Any future projects you want to tell us about?
I want to move my life from the city to the countryside, and take my practices and my clients with me! I have a vision of yoga & tattoo retreats from my own little woodland hideaway... again I have no idea how to get there yet!
Who do you love to practice with?
Naomi Absalom and Ana Muriel have been my teachers for over 3 years and continue to transform and inspire and strengthen so much that I experience and share. I also love practicing my friend’s classes - during lockdown I’ve got into a really nice routine of doing my friend Annie Rice’s (@anniekinsrice) Tuesday evening class via IG live, to me her class is like a crumpet covered in butter its just perfect right now.
Favourite tattoo artists?
Talia Migliaccio, Faye Oliver for perfect botanicals and Nara Ishikawa who did my lioness tattoo on my wrist. All handpokers.
During lockdown, what is the best thing to:
-read
I’ve just finished the second Sally Rooney and I’ve just started Three Women.
- watch
Classic Disney films and the new Killing Eve series which needs to hurry up!
- listen to
Al Green, The Kinks, George Harrison, Four Tet, Caribou
Too many to list!
- do or make
I’ve been getting back into painting and have some big plans for some embroidery..!
Also endless plans for tattooing myself!
I have to admit, I am a little embarrassed at the amount of time that has elapsed since my last post… In these strange times, I have finally got a bit of time to share some of the things I have been wanting to write about for a long time. Let’s face it, we could all do with a bit of inspiration and championing at the moment, and so this is the beginning of a series of short conversations with yogis who inspire.
Allie Hill is the owner of yogahaven. She is a yoga business owner, teacher trainer, health food store owner, dog rescuer, incredible friend and was one of my very first teachers. Read on to find out more….
Who are you? Where are you in the world? What do you do?
Allie, founder of yogahaven. I live opposite Brighton beach.
How did you get into yoga in the first place? And what made you decide to teach?
I spent five years leading a very hedonistic lifestyle while living in Japan, the result was total burn out. I flew to Sydney deciding to take a year out and joined a swanky gym offering yoga classes. It was literally in my second ever yoga class that I had an innate feeling I wanted to teach. Pretty profound but true!
How did you end up starting yogahaven?
After working for Pure Yoga in Hong Kong I got the idea to open my own studio. I had no money but incredible determination, and despite being turned down for several loans from the banks I didn't give up on my dream. I finally got a loan via a government loan guarantee scheme and in 2003 yogahaven was born.
What has been the biggest challenge in starting or maintaining a business?
Ha! Nothing quite like CV-19 to knock you sideways. I quickly learnt to surrender. What will be, will be.
Are you a planner or a follow your gut kinda gal'?
100% Gut
Who or what keeps inspiring you?
The teachers and community at yogahaven.
Do you have a personal or professional mission? A message you are intent on sharing?
Don’t be afraid to take risks! Stay grounded.
Any future projects you want to tell us about?
yogahaven Croydon - halfway through being built until the lockdown!
Who do you love to practice with?
Any of the classes at yogahaven and currently our studio’s online streaming.
During lockdown, what is the best thing to:
- read
Women who run with Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola
- watch
Catching up on Peaky Blinders
- listen to
We are the Weather - Saving the Planet Starts with Breakfast (on Audible)
Brené Brown’s new podcast Unlocking Us
- do or make
Painting our baby’s nursery!!
Check in soon for snippets of inspiring people!
So this is it. You have made the decision, you are going to be a yoga teacher. Now what? First step, how do you pick a Teacher Training? I have recently been asked for recommendations multiple times, and it is pretty much impossible for me to answer that question beyond practicalities if you don’t know what it is you are looking for!
What does that mean?
Well, the first question I always ask is…. what type of yoga do you want to teach / train in? And mostly the answer is er…. yoga yoga? Don’t take me wrong, I had NO idea of the vast amount of yoga styles that were available to me when I did my first teacher training, but I see so many new YTT (that is Yoga Teacher Training for the uninitiated) students whom are vastly more educated than I was when I hopped onto a plane to Morocco, and I have found it serves them well. Go to different studios, try as many different styles as you can (even the ones you think you won’t like) and figure it out!
The second question is…. how long have you been practising for? Most YTTs will have a minimum requirement (usually a minimum of at least two years of consistent practice) before they accept you onto the course. Often they might make exceptions for dancers, gymnasts, athletes, and you might be fooled into thinking this is because ‘they’ve got the moves’, but it is really more to do with the fact they are used to communicating about movement, sensation and of course anatomy, so they can find verbalising the actual class a little more familiar. Two years… let’s face it, it is really the tip of the iceberg. Whilst you might be in a rush to get onto a training course, the more you know before you go, the more you will get out of it once you are there.
Why two years? Well, it is arbitrary, some will ask for five years of practice. I have had students ask me about TT after a week of practice!! It would be like saying you want to be a PT whilst only ever going for jogs. Once you become a teacher you need to be able to speak to and understand the complete beginner, but also the more experienced student (and by that, I don’t mean the contortion pro). It is impossible to do this if you have not grown in the practice yourself.
Now, let’s say you have narrowed it down to Vinyasa…. and you type into Google (other search engines do exist): “Yoga Teacher Training Vinyasa” and you find “About 7,960,000 results (0.61 seconds) “! Oh dear. An easy way to narrow it down would be to decide whether you would rather - or are able to - go away to a usually dreamy location and study intensively, or whether you would rather - or have to - study more locally, either intensively or over a longer period of time. Both Teacher Trainings that I am involved in offer intensive and week end formats in London, and for many people, this is a much more manageable (and often affordable!) way of doing things.
This might help you to narrow it down somewhat. What about ‘recognition’? I was convinced my TT had to be approved by Yoga Alliance. Now, let me tell you that for a training to be Yoga Alliance certified, all they need to do is tick some boxes to say they are teaching X amount of hours on X subject. I could have set up Yoga Alliance in my living room, i.e. it is not a regulated governing body. Yoga Alliance definitely has its place, don’t get me wrong, but knowing what I know now…. This would not be make or break. In my days as a yoga studio manager, I never bothered to check whether a prospective candidate’s TT was ‘validated’ by Yoga Alliance. These days, I would never bother to check if a training I wanted to do was accredited.
If you are doing a training with the idea of actually teaching, then you will need a minimum of 200HR training. Whilst you may be able to find work with 200HR (many people do), do be aware that this really is a foundation.
So you have narrowed it down to 200hr vinyasa trainings, in a location that suits you, in a format that suits you, now what? Who is teaching it? Would you rather your training be delivered by only a few teachers? Or would you rather have a training delivered by a large amount of teachers? Would you rather go with a teacher you know well? Or a big ‘yoga name’? It really is up to you! I would however say that superstar teachers often have large groups of trainees, and that this would be a pertinent question to ask when enquiring about your course. Will you be happier in a group of ten, twenty, or sixty? How will you learn best?
Do you know any teachers that took the training you are thinking about? Ask them about it! Go to their class, see if you like what they’re doing! Or the TT school might be happy to put you in touch with some of their old students. Many studios run their own Teacher Training, with varying degrees of quality, however you might find they are more inclined to employ graduates from their own programme. This can be a bonus, but remember, there never is a job for everyone!
And then, there is the biggie: why is it that you want to teach? Really? Don’t lie to yourself! Because the answer to that should really guide your choice. Do you want to share something deeply spiritual that you have encountered? Do you want to teach ‘yoga workouts’? Do you want to see your name in lights? And if it is the latter, there is nothing wrong with that, but there are many yoga teachers out there, and it is therefore important to be realistic about what you will do, how you will feel if that superstar is not you? Will you still love your job?
And now say you have done all of that! You finally go on your TT, and you have your certificate! Hurrah! Get teaching! Teach your dog, your mum, your imaginary friend, whomever it may be, but get some practice. Will you get work?
Let’s be honest…. everyone is a yoga teacher, right? Well, yes and no! It is a competitive place, especially in London, but you could set up your own class, teach privately, teach corporates, run retreats, specialise in corporate wellness, bring breathing practices to care homes, the list is endless! Every year, new teachers make space for themselves in studios and build their classes so the world is your oyster with some persistence and hard graft. We all need to start somewhere, and we all know Rome was not built in a day. Be patient!
How much will you earn? This question is surrounded by so much darkness it is quite phenomenal! One of the articles I came across detailed £15 000 to £60 000 per annum. That is a pretty wide range! Yoga teachers should be doing it for the love, not the money (because they don’t need to pay the rent, right?!), and it is therefore a bit of a taboo subject! Here are the facts… in London, most classes will be paid between £23 and £80 for an hour to 90 minute class depending on the format, location, number of students, studio, etc. Most studios will be on the lower end of that scale. Bear in mind that you will be a freelance (no paid holiday or sick leave) and will be responsible for your own taxes. Of course, there are other ways to earn money in the industry without teaching group classes, however it is important to have an idea of how you might live.
More importantly, once you settle on a training, wholeheartedly explore it. Be open to what is on offer and absorb as much as you can. You don’t need to change your life before qualifying, or even once you have qualified. Things often happen organically and you will find something that fits you just right.
Any questions? Hit me up!
It is only recently that, sat in a kitchen, glass of wine in hand, I was putting the world of yoga to rights and telling my friend and fellow teacher, that I have been getting a lot more hands off in class.
I remember the days, when all I wanted to do was learn these great assists.... times have changed.
So, what is an assist? You may hear it called an adjustment, but I think assist describes it as it should be... a hands on cue to take the student deeper in their experience of the asana (not necessarily deeper in the asana itself!), and occasionally to offer a correction. I love receiving a good assist, which is why most teachers cannot wait to get their hands on their students... they know the value that this work has. Sometimes, verbal cueing does not convey the message, and an adjustment embodies that trusting relationship that is built between the student and teacher.
So why have I been stepping back? One of those reasons has come from my osteopathy studies. As a healthcare practitioner, it is vital (and legally required) that I ask for consent from patients, so why do we assume as yoga teachers, that it is ok to touch our students without permission? I now always start the class with the opportunity for students to let me know if they do not wish to be touched or assisted, for whatever reason. That can remain in the domain of their privacy. Ahhhhhhh! That famous touch. How many trainings have I been on, that say: "An assist can be very powerful, some of your students may not have been touched in a long time, so you might be the only person to touch them" (as if you have the gift of healing)....!! Well yes, exactly, and there might be good reason for that which as a teacher we have no insight to, or any right to make assumptions about.
Some teachers will just ask to be told 'no' as they go to make the assists (each to their own, I can only give my own opinion), but how hard is that to do discreetly if your head is on your shins? If you are already being touched when you don't want to? Or if, as it has happened to me before, you have been taken so deep into the backbend that you are unable to breathe, and therefore no sounds comes out as you try to speak! And sometimes the student is trying to be kind. I have had many instances where new teachers have been unleashed in busy classes to assist. It is totally valid if they have been practicing on the teacher, other teachers, or are giving very light assists, but if they are giving deep hands on adjustments, it becomes very hard to say 'ouch' or 'no thank you' without shattering a newer teacher's confidence.
My background as a dancer means I LOVE a deep assist when it is given well, because I am used to that pushing and pulling, and I know how to soften into that, but I also know that the world of dance is not known to be kind to bodies... because often that world does not know any better! I often get asked if we covered anatomy in my dance studies: yes, but at such a basic level! If you knew the damage you could potentially do to yourself while refining your craft, there would be no one on stage! So as a yogi, where the aesthetic is only secondary, do I want to be a stretcher? Maybe... sometimes... but mostly to a very small panel of students.
I was recently teaching when I was called over by a student who asked: "can you stretch me in this pose?". My answer was no. Not because I couldn't, but because the very wording of the question told me that the student was completely passive in this interaction. I was going to do the work, put pressure on joints, whilst the student 'flopped about' in an already mobile body... because of course, it is rarely the less mobile folk who ask to be pretzeled into shapes (for one... that just doesn't work). So what could I offer this student? Ways for her to increase sensation, ways for her to work on creating more stability, not more mobility in the pose... yes! This interests me.
One of the reasons I am training to be an osteopath is so that I can help patients become pain free, but also involved and empowered in their vision of health, movement, embodiment, so why would I remove this from the students in my classes? Of course, I remain hands on, of course, I truly believe in the benefit of light assists that generally define the energetics or the direction of a pose, but do I think deep assists are for everyone? I would argue they are for the handful: those at that midway point between super mobile, and stiff as rod, between working so hard that everything is solid, and doing no work at all so that every action is passive... those students are a handful of people. And for the pretzels, assists often become about pulling back, creating stability, finding the more active, usually more challenging route (I used to be a pretzel, and it is so hard to learn how to work in the poses that come easy).
Mostly, asana becomes for me a chance to develop body awareness, proprioception, discipline and enjoyment in movement, meditation and breath in students. It should be empowering, not dictated by my hands. And I need to know that student's body, that student's temperament, and I definitely do not know that the first time they come into class.
My hands are still firmly on my students, but in a way, I hope, that fosters their independence, listening skills, and enough room for them to create their physical parameters in the practice. Above all, and this goes without saying, an assist should always be ethical and respectful of the student, the opportunity to say no, even if it is not offered, is always there.
Have thoughts? I would love to hear your ideas about this!
vastu-sāmye citta-bhedāt tayor vibhaktaḥ panthāḥ
Each individual person perceives the same object in a different way, according to their own state of mind and projections. Everything is empty from its own side and appears according to howyou see it. (PYS IV.15)
What is real? Is there an absolute truth? To each and everyone of us, there appears a narrative that runs through the course of our existence. It is our truth. But is it an absolute? Is our experience of the world the real Truth, with a capital T? Can we even be absolutely sure that when two people describe a green plant, they are truly perceiving the same colour?
This sutra tells us that our perception of the world is subjective. Whilst we may all see the same object (or prakriti, nature) our experience of it may be quite different. In a yoga class it may be an asana that appears incredibly hard to one student, and particularly easy to another. A person may be loved in countless ways by their partner, but be an enemy to their next door neighbour. In this perception of the world, our ‘truth’ is tainted by, this sutra tells us, our state of mind, our past experiences, and the way that these might colour our past, present or future impressions.
If we look to science (Journal of Experimental Psychology: General), the brain almost seems hardwired into this pattern! We think we see our surroundings, but our eyes can in fact only perceive sharply an area as small as a thumbnail on the end of an outstretched arm. The majority of us do not move around with this tunnel vision, and this is because... amazingly, “our nervous system uses past visual experiences to predict how blurred objects would look in sharp detail”!
As we start to understand that we see through the lens of past experience, karmas, opinions, we develop the knowledge that our reality is often a story we create for ourselves. In the yoga class, the asana is not inherently challenging or simple, our partner is not inherently delightful or unpleasant. These objects are “empty from (their) own side”, they do not carry these qualities. As seers, we project our past, our judgements (good or bad) onto them.
So how do we trust the world around us? By understanding that whilst our consciousness may fluctuate and change, that the object does in fact not change. Whilst our experience of the truth may be flawed by the interaction of the gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas), we know that if the object itself does not change, then there is a Truth with a capital T! Through the practice of yoga, we begin to shift our role as an opinionated victim of the fluctuations of the mind, to a simple but empowered witness. In this lack of prejudice, we become detached from the Ego, and experience the unchanging, the Truth with a capital T, enlightenment (or maybe truth with capital E!). In this freedom from tainted vision, we experience a shared, higher reality, in which we can become an active player of our daily life.
The play of the gunas is strong, and in the practice, there are many pitfalls, but simply with the understanding of this sutra, there is a cognition of our flawed, filtered vision. We start to shift our awareness to a shared, higher reality, and create a sphere in which we become an active participant. Through the assimilation of this sutra, we grasp the panorama of view points into our world, and gain the ability to be more compassionate beings: we may see four sides to an argument without having to take conflictual standpoint, we change our diet as we discern the perspective of fish beings, cows, etc.
Yogis are Truth seekers. Not so they can prove their righteousness, but to lead a compassionate and enlightened life in which the fluctuations of the mind quieten down to reveal Purusha: that shared unchangeable.
A recently penned article for The Power Yoga Company
As I write this, I am sat in the middle of the Gobi desert, surrounded only by herdsmen, a bunch of newly acquainted strangers and some camels. It is strange to think that after all the twists and turns that life provides, that is is yoga that brought me here.
As I reach my thirties, it seems that I have had many more lives than strictly required! I started out in France, moved to Leeds to pursue contemporary dance training in conservatoire then headed to London where I performed, partied, and worked as a bartender and waitress. I landed a job in events and became an event manager for three years with a spot of DJing thrown in here and there. In this time it was yoga that kept me sane and fit, as I was no longer free to attend professional dance classes. Eventually, it became an essential daily practice and something I yearned to explore.
Maybe I could teach? Maybe even do it well? Fast forward a few years and I now teach Rocket, Jivamukti, Vinyasa and Yoga Nidra, I qualified as a barre instructor, an animal flow coach, I manage a yoga studio and run my own retreats, I am learning to play the harmonium, and am even a mentor for new teachers!
When I first chose life as a performer, I chose a difficult life, but one that would be filled with passion. After feeling a little lost for a few years, I remember my Mum saying to me: “You know, for most people, a job is just that…a job!”. I refused to admit that I could spend most of my time doing something that I did not deeply care about.
As I embarked on my first teacher training, I was confident my life would change in the direction I already loved: movement and people. I never thought it would propel me with such force into a world where every door seemed open.
I try to be very honest about life as a yoga teacher. When people ask me about training, the conversation usually goes something like this: ‘Yes, getting the certificate is the easy bit. It doesn’t make you a good teacher… Teaching makes you a teacher”. I tell them to stick with the day job for a while, build their classes around it. It might turn out they enjoy practising but not really teaching. It might turn out that paying the mortgage/rent becomes rather complicated. It is important not to glamourize a world that can also be highly competitive somewhere like London. However, when your job fulfils you, it is a life that you would change for nothing.
I was lucky enough to get a lot of work, fast. With that came a lot of travelling. Over the years, I have refined my schedule to include less commuting, a day off, and only classes that I love (lucky me!). Some days it is hard to stand up in front of twenty people and speak (us teachers have the same ups and downs as everyone… broken hearts, grief etc), but mostly I leave class feeling energised and uplifted from the moments shared with my students. I rarely feel depleted by that energy. I love watching people discover, progress and have that Eureka moment.
In all of this, it has become clear that I have a huge thirst for learning. This has led me to travel around the world for teacher trainings, workshops and retreats. More recently, I have earned a place back at university to study osteopathy and have been plugging away at a new instrument. I have made meaningful connections across the globe with people who truly want to make a positive difference.
A few years ago, I became an ambassador for a sportswear brand that encouraged me to dream big. It was about going beyond any barriers that I could create (money, time etc.). They encouraged me to see that anything is possible. Despite not being easy, I have truly come to believe that we can indeed all create “our best life”. Although more than once, I saw my friends and family look at each other with that “here we go again” look across their faces – but it paid off.
I am so glad I persisted, and keep on persisting. Yoga has become much more than my job. It is my practice, my passion, it’s part of my diet, it gives me a voice for what I believe is right and just, it is my community and my family away from home. It is my root, my breath and my release.
And in that all-encompassing love for what I do, I find a total joy for life, an energy that allows me to give more, be more available, embrace every moment. Whilst my life is incredibly busy, and sometimes stressful, it is all for things and people that I love, and I can therefore do it with a smile.
As I rest my eyes on the camels in the distance, I know there was some part of the winding path that was always going to land me here, on this retreat, with my teacher, and these new friendships. Somehow, everything is just right, and I look forward to the future turns this path will surprise me with.
I feel really honoured to be part of the yogahaven family. My first teacher training was with them, and it was the beginning of a world of opportunity. Watch the newest video!
Here is a picture of my dad and I... roughly 5 years ago. Why am I showing you this? Well... Firstly, because my dad is a legend, but secondly because I am inexcusably and unashamedly a feminist. I was brought up in a world where being 'as good as' or 'better than' men, was not even a thing. It was not even a consideration, because... doh?! of course I was. Why would that even need to be said?!
I was brought up in a family, where I was told that if I wanted to be the next president, the next pioneering researcher, the next war journalist, then I could do it (okay, when I first suggested I was going to be dancer, that maybe did not go down quite as well, but the disapproval did not last for long!). The world was shown to me as being wide open with possibility. I never doubted that I could do it, and I never believed people would not support me on the way, because I grew up in a home where men and women were treated equally, and in a home where my father actively said: "we would probably be better off if we had more female political leaders" (readers... this is not a time to bring up Marine le Pen).
I was never taught to be scared of men, but after my Mum's eye of tiger fierceness when a man touched my bum on the escalator aged 6 (yes... 6), I was always taught to trust my instincts. If a guy seemed weird, he probably was, and I should change pavements. And that did not go just for men. It was people in general. And since then, I keep following my gut with people, but also in life. So far, it has served me well, although I suspect I have had many more lives (dancer, bar tender, event manager, DJ, yoga teacher.....), and more areas of study than most people by the age of 30. Trusting your gut comes with a lot of swerving.
Sadly, I realise not all women have grown up in this environment. Many women grew up in families where girls 'jokingly' were called slags, where women 'jokingly' were only good enough for the household, where 'jokingly' women could not park. We live in a world where as my father approaches a small child in the street to play, my mother or myself have to come running and promise he is not a kidnapper.
I believe women are equal. Different to men, for sure, but equal... and as I am surrounded by some great men, I also know (for a fact!) that many guys believe that too (hurrah!). Last night, I was lucky enough to attend the ever so inspiring Tania Brown's class in Dulwich (which I am honoured to be teaching as of next Thursday). Alongside the usual yoga types, walked in many mums, and their young daughters... but also dads and their young daughters and nieces. What an amazing, awesome thing to be doing with your kids. I was chatting to some of these teens, and they put up a good show of saying that maybe it was not so cool that their dads were there. I assured them that even if they did not think so now (which I don't actually believe), they would feel very differently in ten years time.
In many households, fathers are still the main bread winners. This often means, they don't get to be around so much. My dad made such an effort to spend time with me when he was around. We ran down the pavements being chased by crocodiles, we made plans to capture Father Christmas, he made up songs about 'Elodie jolie' that he played on the guitar over breakfast, but he was not there for dance classes, and I don't think we got much regular one on one dad and daughter time (although we definitely got family time). I would have loved, not only to practice yoga as a teen, but to practice yoga with my dad. I could not pay him enough to join my classes now (... hi Dad!), but I was truly moved to see those pairs of dads and girls moving on the mat last night. Doing the same thing. Feminism, equality, allowing your daughter to know that she is 'as good as', 'worth more than', 'the next superwoman' starts with simple stuff like this. Proving that men and women do the same, and are deep down, fundamentally made of the same stuff. Without forgetting the presence of amazingly positive role models such as Tania.
A piece of dance recently came to my attention as one of my friends was performing in it. Men and Girls Dance... The clue is in the title. It is so simple. We have made the relationships between men and girls so complicated and obscure... How can women not take that into their adult life?
Feminism starts at home. And I can feel that there is a wind of change blowing through the trees. This 'Swedish Dads' photography project by Johan Bavman goes to show that dads are missing out on that one to one kid time as well (and not just with their daughters).
I think we all know that dads want the best for their children. When they have daughters in particular, I truly believe that dads can rule the world by paving the way for their daughters to never even consider the possibility that they could in some way be inferior to men. Why should that even be on their radar? Dads have the amazing, and wonderful possibility to show their daughters that men are ace, and that men are not a**e holes. So whether that is through taking your daughter to yoga (and doing it with her!), whether that is playing football with her, learning to play an instrument... the power to change the world could (and is) in your hands.
Ahhhh it has been an interesting few days to say the least... Back in March, some of my fellow yoga teachers 'suggested' I join them for a half marathon in Birmingham! Birmingham? A marathon?! Running?! Nahhhh, I am alright thanks.
In truth, every year for the past... 3 or 4 years, I have made the resolution to run a half marathon. And failed each time. I hate running. With a burning passion. I get so bored, my hip flexors hurt, so beyond a 20 minute run once every six weeks to give myself good conscience, I think it is fair to say, I am not a runner. After years of failed resolutions, I concluded that I was not succeeding, simply because I did not really want to. So this year, 2016, no resolutions. Move on to March and this half marathon proposition... no thanks.
Fast forward to last week end, and suddenly I am saying yes. That same night, I go home, I book my spot, and the hotel, before I have the chance to change my mind. Day 2, I invest in running shoes, I get a training programme, and find out that half marathon prep should take 8 to 10 weeks. I have got 6.
Since then, I have been running three times a week. We are on the first run of week 2, and I have run an amazing (for me it truly is) 12km. I can't quite believe it. I still hate every second of the run itself, but I am thriving on the challenge. I am so stubborn that I just won't give up! I would secretly love to run. The simplicity of putting on some shoes and hitting the road seems so freeing, so I am hoping that this is a turning point.
Somehow, I put the success of these runs down to yoga. Yes, because my body is strong enough to sustain the effort, but mainly for the focus, the attention to the breath, the ability to regulate that breath. It has also become a key part of recovery. I have been sneaking in to some hot classes at yogahaven just after my run and the warmth helps my muscles stretch out, whilst the class itself helps to ease out the twinges and aches.
I have also been extra diligent with my myofascial release sessions. My trusty tennis balls come with me every where! Those of you who have come to the workshops, you will know it is bitter sweet... but so good! And I have been spending a lot of time in some stretchy poses for the lower limbs. Here are some of my favs for running recovery! Happy stretching, and wish me luck! Five weeks to go!
What is it to be human? That particular combination of utter weakness, and mind blowing strength. That possibility of being both at the very same time. Being able to be torn up, eaten up and simultaneously completely whole. For me, that is what being human is. And within that existence, there is the purely magical. The idea that anything is possible, that limits are a futile figment of imagination. Here are three films that deal with being human, in the most fantastic way possible. Fill your winter nights with AWE!
First up: 'Untethered' - Human madness and jaw dropping defiance!
Out of breath after a run around the block? Watch 'Unbreakable: The Western States 100'
And one you may have to dig a little further to watch. The beautiful 'Grazing the Sky', where the incredible meets the fragility that comes with being human. Happy watching!
As you know, I have been blogging for the lovely team at TruBe. My first article was all about the benefits of yoga, and why everyone, could do with some time on a mat!
"Yoga… It is everywhere! Your mum, your friends, and now even your brother is at it! So what is the deal? And why is everyone doing it?
What are the benefits of yoga?
It depends on the type of yoga you are practising. There are so many different and complimentary forms of yoga. From the most restorative like yin, all the way to some of the most intense like Astanga or Rocket.
A TruBe yoga session is a more dynamic form of yoga which means that you get the benefits of a good workout with added relaxation! Whaaaatt? Yes! Not only will you sweat from all the moving, but the deep breathing methods used in yoga are super balancing for your nervous system, leaving you to feel enlivened, poised and refreshed. Tuning into the details of motion and breath means you can really focus on being present so that the practice becomes similar to a moving meditation, taking care of both your body and your mind.
What happens in a session?
A yoga session usually starts with some settling. This gives you time to bring your focus inwards and shift your attention to the body and breath (rather than that huge list of phone calls you need to make in the afternoon). The next step is to start warming up the body with some gentle movement, maybe some core work, to move to the more challenging sun salutations. Once the body is really working, you will
often progress into backbends, before bringing the whole tempo back down with some stretching and some deep relaxation (called savasana). All of this can be adapted to your level of practice making it as challenging as you need.
What if I’m not flexible enough?
Yoga is not really about being bendy, and there are numerous modifications and props that can be offered to make the practice work for you, no matter how big or small your range of movement. Yoga has acquired that reputation because it is a great tool for increasing flexibility (and indeed, some of the very advanced postures really do require becoming a human pretzel). By increasing your range of movement, not only are you helping prevent injury, but you are also becoming stronger!You can read more about that here. It is so beneficial to the body and mind that sports teams and athletes are getting in on the action too, rugby players, marathon runners, triathletes, boxers… That’s right, yoga is not just for girls!
ow does yoga fit into My work out? I want to be strong!
Well, yoga is just the ticket! Even if yoga is not part of your daily fitness regime, see if you can incorporate it once a week, or on an active rest day? You are more likely to remain injury free, you will increase your movement range and your proprioceptive awareness, as well as making your shoulders and core super strong! It won’t be just muscly strong, but actually useful strong. All that practice pushes the body to really move three dimensionally, therefore challenging the muscles to create extra stability, especially once you start to get your feet off the floor (although that does take some dedicated work). So not only will you develop strength and make movement more efficient, you will improve your performance in other areas, whether that’s running, team sports or even weight lifting. And thanks to the calm mind and steady breath you will develop, you can be sure you will be able to go the extra mile. So get on your mat!
I get asked about the best mat time and time again! It all depends on the type of yogi you are! Read below to find out a bit more about what is actually out here!
– the Beyonce of mats: the Lifeform mat… Ahhh how we all wish we had a Lifeform mat. Beautifully made, super, super grippy, and with lots of clever markings to perfect your alignement, whether you are a more seasoned yogi, or a more green toed yogi, this one is… fierce! It does come with a price tag (presumably, Beyonce would too), but it is worth the money. They have lots of new colours too – so if pink was not your thing, think again. The only problem with this bad gal’ is that it is extra wide, and extra long, and therefore extra heavy. Not ideal to carry to and from the studio, it won’t even fit into a standard yoga bag. In a busy studio, it is also a bit of a cheat on your fellow yogis, as you will need to take up more than one ‘spot’ to fit you mat. Ideal for a home practice. Price tag: £100… Ouch!
– Still up there in the luxury mat department, and definitely my favourite: the Jade yoga mat…. Jade and I have a lasting love story. I bought it before I went on some intense yoga training and I have not looked back. Jade is a hottie, and it always feel like an occasion when I roll her out to practice. She is super grippy (mega grip, even in humid Thai jungle weather), and she is rather thick, meaning no bruised knees and elbows. If you are a sweaty yogi (yes, like me), then this is the one for you. It is pretty heavy, so if you have to get the tube to your local studio, you will need some determination, but Jade also do a travel version of the same mat which is worth a try. Not only is Jade very faithful to your hands and feet, she is also eco-friendly. Every mat purchased = a tree planted, made from natural rubber in the US, with no PVC. Price tag: around £60 depending on point of purchase. You can also get an extra long version for a bit more money, if you are the added length kinda person.
http://www.jadeyoga.com/store/home.php
– Similar to Jade, is the Manduka mat. Also eco-friendly, the Pro range starts around $85.
http://www.manduka.com/eu/shop/categories/products/mats/
– If like me, you love a good grip on your mat, then you could also look at Lululemon. The Mat is a great, grippy basic with a good amount of padding. For a brand that does not specialise in mats, this is pretty damn good. Price tag: £63.00
I am also a big fan of their travel mat. Mega grippy, actually absorbs sweat; I brought it to a hot class the other day to try it without a towel, and it only became saturated and slippery after an hour of practice. Great result. The (un) Mat is really thin, so you can fold it, roll it, and squish it into your bag or suitcase. Ideal if you live in a busy city and just want something that is yours to roll over a studio mat as it is so light, and it really does not budge. Firm favourite in the travel section. Price tag: £42.00
If you’re a hot yoga bunny, the Hot (towel) Mat has the same advantages as the (un) Mat but has a grip towel glued onto it! No more rumpling of the towel as you jump back and forth, lots of grip, and you can chuck the whole thing into the washing machine when you get home… win! Good for about an hour of hot practice. Price tag: £52.00
http://www.lululemon.co.uk/products/category/women-yoga-mats-and-props?pagesize=All
– For the smaller budget, or if you are not yet committed to yoga for the long run, go to Yoga Matters. Their Classic mat is a really great buy at £28.00 and even their Sticky Yoga Mat is a good find at £17.00. Go for this instead of your TK Maxx mat which won’t offer nearly as much.
https://secure.yogamatters.com/product/1427/all-yoga-mats.htm
– If you are tall, or a man, or even a tall man, then you will want the extra length. Just like a bed, you don’t want your feet hanging off of the edge. Price tag: £39.50
http://www.yogabloke.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Bodhi-Yoga-Mat-XL
– Finally, for the yogi who has everything, and is just after a bit of frivolity….I love this! Totally unecessary, and I have not tried it out, so I am afraid I cannot vouch for it, but it is so pretty. Magic Carpet mats start at $98.00… sigh at the prettiness, however not at the grippiness. This one is for the more restorative practice!
http://www.magiccarpetym.com/category/yoga-mats
You just have one thing left to do, get a mat, and get practising!