Diary of a Yogi: You Do You

As well as practicing and thinking about Yoga, I spend a lot of time on the Internet. (That, and some bad physical habits, is the legacy of 10 years with an IT company). “You do you” is a phrase I see a lot in responses to people who are fretting in some way about Yoga. Maybe it’s their first class, and they’re worried everyone is going to be looking at them. “You do you”. Read More

Teaching Yoga: a New Experience

The Spiralling Crow Teacher Training was exclusively intended to further my own personal practice, as it turned out terribly difficult to find another place abroad that would give me a comparable feeling of trust, comfort, joy and challenge. After I completed my training, I organized two classes in my departments in Oxford and two for family and friends and I thought that’s it for now. Read More

Diary of a Yogi: You Deserve It!

Share news of something nice – a new job, an exciting trip, or even the purchase of a particularly pleasing item of clothing – and you may get the response “You deserve it!” It’s often an entirely sincere reaction, because who doesn’t want their friends to enjoy life? Read More

Diary of a Yogi: The Other Anna

I don’t have a doppelganger, or at least, not as far as I know. But the other day I ended up in class with someone of the same name – another Anna – and this added a whole new (and surprising) dimension to that day’s practice. Read More

Yoga for Stress Relief

It is an unfortunate truth that most of us will undergo periods of signficant stress at different points in our lives. Wherever this stress comes from, be it ones job, relationships, health or elsewhere, it can be tricky knowing how to relate to and deal with it in a productive and balanced manner. Quick fix solutions abound in adverts, but it can often be equally tempting to just ignore it. However, a growing body of research suggests that yoga and meditation has significant stress-reducing benefits. Read More

Intimidated by Labels?

Vegan and gluten free creations often look super delicious when featured online. Just when they have you convinced that you must make the food immediately after returning home, you discover a long series of steps and a collection of fancy ingredients that generally don’t live in your cupboards. Read More

Jedi Fight Club

Esak Garcia is renowned in the Hot Yoga community as a teacher who has dedicated his life to yoga. Jedi Fight Club (JFC) is the name given to intensive training camps held by Esak during which students immerse themselves in their yoga practice through additional classes, discussion and workshops. In 2014 I attended the first JFC weekend at Yogavenue, which was also the first JFC held in the UK! Read More

Diary of a Yogi: The Accidental Yogi

Ask ten different people why they started praticing Yoga, and you’ll hear ten different stories. Everyone has their own reasons for coming to class or getting on the mat at home, and everyone has their own way of practicing. Read More

What is Hatha Yoga?

As a Hatha teacher I am often asked this question, and the answer is a little complex! From Ancient times. The term ‘Hatha Yoga’ has been used for over a thousand years to describe a methodology for preparing the body for higher levels of consciousness. The body is purified and energy is balanced using Yoga postures (asana in Sanskrit), breath control methods (pranayama), and bodily cleansing techniques (shatkarmas), so that the practitioner is ready for meditation. Read More

What is Cross Flow?

Cross Flow is everything I love in one class. Challenging, but leaving you feeling exhilarated, it’s a sweaty, smiley power hour! We start slowly, breathing deeply and grounding ourselves before flowing through sun salutes to warm the body. After this, elements from Cross Fit are introduced. Expect sets of squats and lunges to build stamina and strength – amazingly beneficial for your yoga practice. Read More

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