On a recent podcast*, Blindboy discussed the creative process with his guest, singer/songwriter Sinéad O’Connor as he interviewed her about her new memoir.** Asked about how she writes her songs, Sinéad responded that her subconscious really does the job for her. She sometimes wakes to a snippet of a song in her head and realises […]
It’s said that to be happy, we need someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to. Since March 2020, many of us might struggle to easily tick all three boxes, whatever our circumstances were before. When it comes to loved ones, working from home and lockdown means that while we’re forcibly […]
As a confirmed Ashtangi, I never thought the day would come when I’d be extolling the virtues of a yoga style involving floor-based poses, held for several long, slow (sometimes very slow) minutes. But here I am, the one who ran screaming from non-dynamic forms of yoga, ready to tell you why I now embrace […]
At last! An accessible read for anyone interested in yoga philosophy. As those who’ve explored it know, the subject is vast, sprawling and complicated, full of concepts that can be challenging for the western mind to grasp – never mind convey to others. And while every Yoga Teacher Training student will have the Bhagavad Gita […]
A quick scroll through Instagram yoga hashtags could have you thinking that the ability to audition for Cirque du Soleil is a prerequisite for practising yoga. While some of the poses on display are wonderful to look at, others are downright scary (or even dangerous), and have little, if anything, to do with yoga. It’s […]
Another post, another new book to write about. It’s not like I planned to follow up a book review with yet another book review, but what to do, when not just one but two fantastic (and badly needed) yoga books rock up on the doorstep in the space of a fortnight? Last week, it was […]
In the 20+ years that I’ve been practising, I’ve accumulated a fairly hefty library of all kinds of books on yoga theory, practice, anatomy and philosophy. But none is of such sentimental value to me as this one. This is my beloved copy of David Swenson’s “Ashtanga Yoga, The Practice Manual”. As you can see, […]
Full disclosure: these do not fall under the heading of squeaky-clean, sugar-free vegan treats. But there’s a lot that’s healthy about them, and anyway, I’m a great believer in the old adage that “A little of what you fancy does you good”. Students at my Sunday morning Mysore class (ah, remember the days when we’d […]
Time was when to find a yoga teacher, you had to make your way to India and seek one out through word of mouth. These days, you can probably find one within minutes of your home. And if you can’t, you can choose a teacher that you like the look of from anywhere in the […]
Long before Coronavirus forced yoga lovers to roll out their mats at home rather than visit their favourite studio, people struggled to get in the habit of self-practice at home. But if you’re serious about yoga, you’ll know that it’s what you do on your own mat, in your own space, that really informs and […]