Goma return to Glastonbury

I am thrilled that Goma will be returning to Glastonbury this Bank Holiday weekend. They will be performing sacred chants and mantras from India, inspired by their devotion to their guru, Babaji. I find their music utterly mesmerising and uplifting, from the opening notes one finds oneself absorbed into bliss. Highly recommended.
Event details as follows:

8pm Saturday 2nd May 2009, West Pennard Village Hall nr Glastonbury, Somerset

Sliding scale £6 - £10; £5 concs

Further information: call Uma 01749 812151

Follow this link to hear Goma sing Shiva Maheswara from their 1998 album River of Grace http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0grkLDaZlEk

Order Goma CDs online http://www.soundtravels.co.uk/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=goma

Thoughts on covering yoga classes

The yoga drop-in classes that I hold weekly in Glastonbury are the backbone of my work. I truly enjoy the mix of regular students and new faces and witnessing individuals progress.
Another aspect of my teaching is my work as a cover teacher, sometimes at the Shekinashram and more regularly at the Leisure Centre in Wells. I have become a familiar face to many of the students there and it is gratifying to be so positively received. What I appreciate deeply is how willing the class is to explore yoga from a different perspective with new ways of working.
Yesterday, for example, I introduced restorative pairwork to a group who had showed up for dynamic yoga.
Thinking back to my days as a student at drop-ins, I sometimes held mixed feelings when my regular teacher was replaced, often at no notice! More often than not, it afforded an opportunity to broaden my experience of yoga; I was first introduced to Patanjali by a cover teacher in a health club in South London.
Most of us look for and commit to one teacher as the surest way to advance. I admire those who can easily accept a temporary change of teacher. Moreover I take it as proof that yoga leads to flexibility and openness on all levels…

Can anyone do yoga, at any age?

I recently received an email from a lady in her '70's who is interested in returning to yoga. How wonderful. Vanda Scaravelli (pictured), whose method I have been absorbing for the past 3-4 years, practised asana well into her eighties.

Fortunately there are many beautiful pictures of Vanda and her graceful practice to encourage yogis at any age. Vanda's words are equally inspirational:

"There is no age for yoga. You can start at 70, 80, because if it's done with gravity, with the breath, you receive and you don't go against, and you will never damage the body. The first thing is not to fight yourself. Be ready to receive energy. Energy helps, breathing helps. There is no age."

And this week an enquiry regarding a teenager who is coming to yoga to help with posture, breathwork and relaxation.

I love to be reminded of the breadth of the practice of yoga, that it can encompass three or maybe four generations of student within a class. The important thing is to heed the call to yoga, whatever one's age.

To read Vanda's bio and an interview conducted by one of her longterm students click here www.estheryoga.com/vanda

Buds and branches

Just back from teaching the regular Monday night drop-in session in Glastonbury. It's Easter Monday and it has been a glorious weekend. We have enjoyed wonderful, warm sunshine, which creates instant feel good mood.

Many of us will have been out and about in nature, exploring the countryside or tending to one's garden. All around bushes and trees are greening up at Spring's insistence.

So in class today, we approached tree pose, vrikasana from a spring perspective, with a focus on our branches and buds, the arms, hands and fingertips. As the students settled into savasana and I extinguished the electical light overhead, it was thrilling to note that the sky was not yet completely dark. The lengthening days are our invitation to increase activity levels and send our our metaphorical buds and branches into the world, with boldness.

Spring clean your life, holistically!

With the days lengthening and warming, we can finally shrug goodbye to winter. For most this is an opportunity to shed heaviness and welcome in a lighter version, whether that be clothing, linens, food and drink.

From a holistic perspective we might look beyond the physical and declutter on all levels. Nonetheless we live in a material world and this is a good place to start. Be easy about it, start small with a kitchen drawer or your cosmetics bag. I've just culled my sock collection and I'm excited about the lovely space I have created. This sense of achievement will spur you ever onward!

On the emotional level, write a list of behaviours or attitudes that you would like to leave behind, such as self-blame or criticism of others. Choose just one and create an affirmation to counter your negative thinking, such as I forgive myself always, I allow others to be fully themselves. Pin your affirmation somewhere visible at home and leave it to percolate into your subconscious over the month.

Spiritually, create space by allowing time every day for personal practice, I suggest 10 minutes in the morning or evening to sit quietly with yourself and observe your state of being.