Did the Yogis Understand Pain Science centuries ago?! And how does yoga actually ease pain?  The pain came about right after a car crash - we were tucked into the side of the lane waiting for the collision from a car which was out of control & moving fast. I remember after waiting for the tow- truck and thinking my back didn't feel good. A week later- it was still painful to walk, a month later- I had started to avoid longer dog walks. A year later- still there. I have been to the physio, seen the doctor, and been back to the physio. Nothing wrong! Some muscle tightness but nothing ma ..read more

You are tootling about your day- prepping class or just having a cuppa when our of nowhere- the looming shadow of self-doubt threatens to engulf you, making you question your worth, abilities & even your career. When it comes to marketing yourself or nurturing your career, you hesitate, not sure if its worth keeping on going. But here's the truth: it's a common struggle, and it's experienced more by those who are capable than those who are not!  Let's delve into what imposter syndrome entails and how we can combat it. I've been there, struggling with confidence despite my kn ..read more

Recently one of our trainees asked me ‘’Why bother taking a 300-hr course to become a 500-hr registered teacher when you can already teach with a 200 hour qualification’’?  I get it, it’s more work, more money, perhaps you are not earning much from yoga. But being a 500-hr registered teacher is different. It makes you stand out way more from the crowd!  It’s fantastic to see our 200hr graduates do SO well straight after their training with us. I’ve heard from so many that they already have full classes, often in smaller towns/communities where yoga is in high demand, but even those i ..read more

The whole “functional” movement sales pitch has been rolling on for some time now. More than ever I notice the overlap in yoga with schools describing their practices as “functional yoga”. But what does it even mean? The main point as far as I can tell is to undermine the movement practices which are, well, presumably dysfunctional. The functional guys are keen to emphasise that their exercises promote movements that we use in daily life. Whereas yoga uses bizarre movements - asana -  that are not helpful for daily life. 1. Don’t switch criteria when you don’t understand the role of asana ..read more

Introduction The first thing that is surprising is just how complex it all is!  There are 2 main categories of hypermobility: Joint hypermobility - may affect one or more joints A systemic, genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) of which there are 14 different recognised types. According to which systems of the body are afffected.  Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the body's collagen production. This condition can manifest in various ways, and while many people associate it with extreme flexibilit ..read more

In practice yoga has been identified with privilege- olden days we have the Brahmins (higher social caste) & men, nowadays often predominantly white, relatively wealthy women. But the ideas it advocates have always been radical, the practices a way to experience a reality undefined by prejudice. Let's see how! Recently there has been a very beautiful reel audio on social media- you may have heard it. A female voice describes: “Asana, just one of the 8 limbs of yoga, teaches us discipline….” It’s a fantastic attempt to encourage us to broaden from asana. But is discipline really t ..read more

5 Surprising Aspects of Hypermobility & Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Introduction: The first thing that is surprising is just how complex it all is!  There are 2 main categories of hypermobility: 1. Joint hyper mobility- may affect one or more joints 2. A systemic, genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) of which there are 14 different recognised types. According to which systems of the body are afffected.  Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a rare genetic connective tissue disorder that affects the body's collagen production. This condition can manifest in ..read more

By Rachel Samuels This was a great question that put me on the spot at an open evening earlier in the year. I couldn’t think in the moment, as it’s something I hadn’t previously considered. The answer I gave at the time was on a practical level, such as being organised, read material in advance, etc.  After some time to reflect, here are my thoughts in answer to that question.   Know that you are enough! Do not question whether you should be there or whether you made the right choice. There could be many reasons why you feel this way such as your age, size, your yoga experience/knowl ..read more

  ...we are masters at discipline and deny ourselves our deepest truths. Recently there has been a very beautiful reel audio on social media- you may have heard it. A female voice describes: “Asana, just one of the 8 limbs of yoga, teaches us discipline….” It’s a fantastic attempt to encourage us to broaden from asana. But is discipline really the role  asana plays? Let's look at the Patanjali 8 limb system- there are other models of yoga with different anga/ limbs. In the Patanjali Yoga Sashtra (sutras), the role of asana is to expand our awareness BEYOND dualities. I know from ..read more

Five Things you want to know about Fascia! 1. Fascia is a communication system Fascia is the “connective tissue” that creates the structure for muscles, the framework for organs and that connects every element of the body, as well as creating the sheaths that separate distinct organs. However the whole multilayered web of fascia is woven through with nerve endings that gather information within the peripheral nervous system and convey the information to the central nervous system- the spine and brain. These nerve endings vary in form and function- one type you may already be aware of are the m ..read more