April 2018: On Opening
Today, 7am from 25 April 2018
Can you believe we are at the end of the fourth month of the year? The shy Spring has arrived and with it, an opening of the body. I cannot believe it is over a year since I began teaching! At the end of March, as a nice surprise to mark this, my husband, who is an excellent designer, gave me a logo. It shows my love of the moon, yoga as union, sun salutation arms, opening up and framing the possibilities our practice gives us. Do you like it? What else do you see in it?
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What I have been watching
YouTube is so full of videos it is often overwhelming to consult if I have an injury, or need clarity on a pose. I have given up on that and, instead, I try just to be patient on my mat and give myself to Rosina, Kia or Radha, my teachers. Occasionally, however, I stumble on something extraordinary and John Scott’s Ashtanga Yoga Led Primary Series is precisely this. As a teacher, I marvelled at how precise his instructions are. I have taken one or two cues from him!
YouTube is so full of videos it is often overwhelming to consult if I have an injury, or need clarity on a pose. I have given up on that and, instead, I try just to be patient on my mat and give myself to Rosina, Kia or Radha, my teachers. Occasionally, however, I stumble on something extraordinary and John Scott’s Ashtanga Yoga Led Primary Series is precisely this. As a teacher, I marvelled at how precise his instructions are. I have taken one or two cues from him!
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What I have been reading
I feel grateful to know some amazing yogis, many of whom will feature in these newsletters. I met Eleftheria Lagoudaki in Crete in the summer of 2015. I connected with her instantly; I recognised a lot of her history, as a dancer and Ashtangi. Eleftheria always makes me listen to what she has to say, be it silly or serious (she can do both, she is a balanced yogi). In the recent controversy regarding the KPJAYI teachers’ list, she was calm and shared the writing of Angela Jamison, an Ashtangi and academic from Ann Arbor in Michigan. The reading is only for those who like to read, and to read especially about yoga. There is a lot of it, but it is lucid, articulate and incredibly beautiful.
I feel grateful to know some amazing yogis, many of whom will feature in these newsletters. I met Eleftheria Lagoudaki in Crete in the summer of 2015. I connected with her instantly; I recognised a lot of her history, as a dancer and Ashtangi. Eleftheria always makes me listen to what she has to say, be it silly or serious (she can do both, she is a balanced yogi). In the recent controversy regarding the KPJAYI teachers’ list, she was calm and shared the writing of Angela Jamison, an Ashtangi and academic from Ann Arbor in Michigan. The reading is only for those who like to read, and to read especially about yoga. There is a lot of it, but it is lucid, articulate and incredibly beautiful.
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What I have been thinking about
On Friday 20 April, I attended a session with my yoga philosophy teacher James Boag. I could not stay the whole weekend as I was performing with Esther Ferrer as part of Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art but the two and a half hour session on the context for Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga system seemed to me even more full of gems than usual. It is very inspiring for my own Sutras course. This has stayed with me:
On Friday 20 April, I attended a session with my yoga philosophy teacher James Boag. I could not stay the whole weekend as I was performing with Esther Ferrer as part of Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art but the two and a half hour session on the context for Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga system seemed to me even more full of gems than usual. It is very inspiring for my own Sutras course. This has stayed with me:
Your experience is your own responsibility; you are sovereign of your actions. Yoga is the practical means to reinstate this sovereignty.
In yoga, you don’t need to be anything you are not.
James will be back at Merchant City Yoga in Glasgow, and also teaches elsewhere in Scotland. Do go to his classes if you can. They are wonderful.
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Classes
My regular open classes are back and I also have new short course offerings. At the Arlington Baths (61 Arlington Street Glasgow G3 6DT), as part of Rosina Bonsu’s programme, I will be offering open classes on Thursdays:
My regular open classes are back and I also have new short course offerings. At the Arlington Baths (61 Arlington Street Glasgow G3 6DT), as part of Rosina Bonsu’s programme, I will be offering open classes on Thursdays:
- 7.45 – 9.00: Ashtanga Yoga and Pranayama, £11 full price | £9 concession or included in the 8 class and unlimited cards.
- 18.35 – 20.30: Assisted Self-Practice (Mysore), £11 full price | £9 concession or included in the 8 class and unlimited cards.
I will also continue to teach students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Tuesday short courses
- 1, 8, 15 MAY 19.35 – 20.50: Fundamentals of the breath and asana practice. £40/£35, booking required.
- 29 MAY, 5, 12 JUNE 19.35 – 20.50: The Yoga Sutras. £40/£35, booking required.
I may also be able to announce some free classes in Glasgow’s city centre soon, so keep an eye on my facebook page for details.
Keep practicing, keep moving toward the light.
