Kids' yoga is taking off at the tennis club, following the introduction last summer during the multisports camps. Kids really enjoy the mix of fun and focus and finding novel ways to practise together. Some like the more active parts of the session best, and some really prefer the meditation and relaxation at the end: all clearly enjoy it as they keep coming back. This year we added sessions to the Easter sports camps and this summer we've added an extra day each week, now on Wednesdays and Fridays in July and August.

Beautiful! I'm still feeling my sun salutations from yesterday, not just in my muscles, but within myself. I decided to focus just on this simple vinyasa, sometimes pausing to breathe awhile, sometimes being lead by the breath straight from one asana to another. Deeply focused, deeply connected. The one thing that can take away the thoughts that are constantly jumping around my mind these days, like naughty little monkeys. Helping me to stop daydreaming changes that are outside of my control.

I'm looking forward to the warmer, dryer months so that I can take my regular practice outside again. There is nothing more lovely than to be in amongst nature, hearing the birds sing, feeling the sun on your face as you float through your practice. Click on the picture to enjoy the clip.

Friday night saw me frantically whizzing back home for extra mats after several more girls than I expected arrived for their relaxation evening at Addlestone Guides. We started with savasana and focused breathwork. After a little mobilisation and a few rounds of Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutations), we started our main asana (posture) practice. We had some giggles along the way and rounded off with some guided relaxation, complete with eyebags for those who wanted them. Just 45 minutes to have them feeling completely chilled out.

It was lovely to see how enthusiastic the girls were to try yoga and meditation and there were quite a few questions at the end, and some girls showed me poses they've seen before. A fun evening spent with some lovely young ladies. I look forward to seeing some of them at the new teen yoga classes in the spring

After an initial trickle of stories last year, there seems to be an outpouring now of articles and research concerning how yoga, meditation and mindfulness can improve mental health, not just in adults, but in children and teenagers. In the last few days alone I've read about schools in San Fransisco and in Toronto that have implemented programmes that are providing demonstrable results, and adoption of these programmes is snowballing. By demonstrable, I mean happier children who are behaving more appropriately, willingly, it seems.

This is really great news, especially when you consider that, according to The World Health Organisation (WHO) there are around 350 million people in the world who will suffer from some form of mental illness during their life. And further, according to the WHO factsheet, almost 50% of mental health issues begin before the age of 14. Frightening stuff. So it's great to see the momentum building, and more and more children and young adults being given access to tools and techniques that can help to improve their mental and physical fitness.

PHOTO: Rene Johnston / Toronto Star (c)

Come and join our yoga for runners workshop on Saturday 25th January. This is an informal session, suitable for beginners or experienced yogis.

Yoga can really support your running and fitness goals. Not only can you build strength, stamina and flexibility, it allows you to totally relax, which further aids recovery from your training or competition schedule.

£15 for bookings in advance, £20 on the day.

Don't fancy sweating it out in an aerobics class, or getting outside in the wind and rain? I don't blame you! Or maybe you'd just like to do something to support all the other activities you are doing...

Why not try the new beginners' yoga class, an informal environment to learn the basics and give you confidence to join any 'all levels' classes or practice at home. Starting Sunday 12th Jan at The Scout Hall Weybridge.

Hatha yoga combines physical exercise and mental discipline, with the goal of integrating and invigorating both body and mind. It is an excellent way to develop muscle tone and increase strength, flexibility and endurance, and is particularly good preparation and/or recovery from other sports, as well as helping to maintain good overall health and combat the stresses of work and modern life.

The stretching in yoga is an excellent way to reduce the effects of stress on your body. Many postures apply gentle pressure to internal organs, stimulating the flow of blood and lymphatic fluid through the tissue. This, combined with controlled breathing with your movements, leads to you feeling invigorated and relaxed at the same time. You do not need to be flexible or fit to practice yoga, it is suitable for all ages and body types. Please contact us for more information. If you have any specific medical conditions please check with your GP and arrive 5 minutes early (or call beforehand)  to ensure your yoga teacher is aware and can offer you appropriate alternatives throughout your practice..

See you there!

As we get into party season (I have 3 this week, lucky me!) it occurs to me that my feet and legs are going to suffer as I go from barefoot (as much as possible) to high heels. I decided to be a little proactive and went in search of a yoga routine that could help me cope with all the partying. Here's a nice little one from Tara Stiles... enjoy!

but oh so funny (do not watch if you have a sensitive nature). Enjoy
Yoga Bitch!

This latest piece of research into the benefits of yoga for people suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is great news. The study by researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Disorders found that lung function, shortness of breath, and inflammation all showed significant improvement after patients completed 12 weeks of training. This was a small study, but it should be enough to help kick off funding for more in depth research.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) predicting that COPD will become the world’s third leading cause of death by 2030 (apparently 64 million people had COPD and 3 million people died from it in 2004), this is going to cause not just a great deal of pain and suffering, but massive cost to countries in terms of health care and benefits. We need to take note...

Sun salutation anyone?

I read this interesting article about how yoga is helping people in prisons around the world. Some Oxford University research shows some interesting results between a yoga group and a control group (doing exercise). This must be really rewarding for the yoga teachers and is clearly wonderful work.

I can’t help wondering though, if yoga can help transform lives in this way for prisoners, some of whom have had very tough and, let’s face it, unpleasant lives (some of their own doing through poor choices), then what would happen if we dared to teach yoga to children? All children I mean, not just the privileged few. How many of those prisoners could have perhaps made the different choices, despite their environment and situations they found themselves in, that would have enabled them to avoid prison in the first place. Yoga isn’t the answer to everything. We need education, we need to pull people out of poverty, and we need to ensure people have somewhere they can call home, somewhere safe and warm to sleep. And we need to discourage the throwaway, consumerist, selfish behaviours we see across all classes within our society. I’m not suggesting we all walk around in natural fibres, eating beans and stop dreaming of the latest PC games or throw away our mobile phones, but toning down the greed would be good. Developing a self confidence that is based on who we are, not what we have would be good. For us all. Just a thought.