A friend recently popped in to visit Molly and I with her two toddlers (2 & 3) and we set about trying to occupy them all in the garden with some painting. In a bid to avoid a meltdown and also ‘enjoy’ as much of a ‘peaceful’ cup of tea as possible, we resigned to giving up and just letting them paint on anything, including Molly’s playhouse, the stone tiles and themselves. Sure, what’s a little mess? I can always clean it up later, I thought.
“Is it dinosaur juice?” asks my 2.5 year old daughter, Molly, looking warily at the smoothie I’ve just made using my new fandangled NutriBullet blender.
“Nooooo.” I say. “Try some.”
“YUCK!” she says loudly. “Marshmallows please mummy.”
If there’s ever a recipe for grabbing the bull by the proverbial, then I find it’s a shot of second trimester pregnancy hormones. Yes, there’s nothing like the good old ‘nesting’ syndrome for peeling you off the sofa and making you want to make things happen.
Now that the fog of trimester one and its all day morning sickness has finally lifted, that’s exactly what is happening to me. I find myself wanting to create things. Actually craving the possibility of completing some home improvements. Gardening. Making small talk with strangers. Having the urge to buy new gadgets. Yes, it’s amazing what having another small bean growing inside you does to your brain, never mind your body.
Dear yoga practice: I miss you.
We used to be great friends, but lately I’ve felt you slipping away.
I want to be honest and tell you that I’ve been harbouring strange feelings towards you, to the point that sometimes I can’t be bothered to work at our relationship anymore. I know this sounds harsh, so I’m reaching out to you. What can we do? We used to have a great thing going. Do you think we can get this back?
Roll up, roll up! Get your fast track to enlightenment right here!
(Pre requisites: headstand, handstand, forearm stand, proficiency in every yoga arm balance and deep backbend and the ability to touch your toes, preferably with your head on your thighs.)
Gulp. If the path to being a yoga student or teacher were ever to be judged on our physical prowess, many of us would give up before our feet had even graced the mat. Yet over the last decade, the flurry of social media, magazine articles and more have whipped the yoga world into somewhat of a frenzy – rarely a day goes by without something popping up that can either make you feel totally inspired, or let’s face it, downright inadequate. And for those of us who really desire to follow or even teach this wonderful practice, how do we stay committed when the yoga bar seems to be set so high?
If you’ve ever attended one of my classes then you will know I always love to start the practice with some words that have touched or inspired me – a quote, a short mantra, a quirky reading – something that jumped out at me and made the old grey matter light up!
I’m rarely without my notebook that is now jammed packed with yogic scribbles. I’m often asked about these little quotes, so I thought it was about time that I listed some of my favourite, inspirational offerings…
