Well, let’s get this blogging lark off the starting blocks, shall we?

It’s October, autumn has arrived in all its beautiful glory.

A little less overburdened professionally and we can take some time out to recharge our batteries whilst still enjoying some warm sunny days, breathe in lots of fresh air and take in plenty of vitamin D.

Autumn is the time of the year I need to recharge my batteries, store up some energy for the winter months just around the corner.

If the past couple of years has shown us anything is that we need to be careful with our own health, both physical and mental health. It’s been tough on many and we are no exception. The Covid Years gave us lots of free time. Once the novelty wore off it became important to find some structure to the days. Yoga provided that.

I am mindful that I don’t want to come across as holier than thou. My yoga included plenty of grunting, achy muscles and swearing under my breath. It also never included fancy yoga gear and expensive props. But yes, I felt calmer, my sleep was better and I felt much less guilty enjoying a glass of wine in the spring sunshine because I had structured my day around regular online yoga lessons.

In fact, it had such a profound effect on me that one fine spring day I decided it seemed a good idea to enroll into a Teacher Training Programme to become a yoga teacher. Before the sun went down I’d found an online course, booked my spot and paid. I had all the time in the world.

One year on, here I am. Freshly qualified. During my studies my vision became a little clearer. If I am totally honest, I am not so keen on the fast-paced style of yoga. The defeatist in me sees all the postures I can’t do, rather than acknowledge the strength it has allowed me to build up. The imposter in me doubts I’ll ever be able to talk a student through a flow when I am trying to control my own breathing. And I know that is not what you’d expect a yoga teacher to say, but I am pretty convinced it is what every yoga teacher has thought or still thinks on a regular basis.

And in general, much as I still feel like I did in my mid-twenties, I am really not. My thirties and forties have passed, and all that experience and knowledge provides me with different needs for yoga. I crave the ability to quieten my mind, to put aside stress. I need to be able to trust my body will keep me well and in good health.

Medically we all know we must keep moving, right? Use it or lose it. The big words like osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, cancers, heart disease are all uttered in the same breaths by experts when they talk to us about the importance of leading an active life.

Even without those, when we age, we face other topics; loss of parents and other loved ones, children flying the nest, menopause, changing body shapes, anxiety, stress, loneliness. My interest in yoga is much more about finding out what lies behind, and how we can find the solutions within rather than attacking yoga as a way to prove to others how great we look in a bit of lycra.

So there I am, fledgling yoga teacher with some specialist courses bolted on like how I can safely take you into a pose, but more importantly get you safely back out of it again, but also how breathing can help you get through the day and night and how a good stretch will help you improve your flexibility and strength.

If you can’t do your laces up without groaning, or you need to sit down to put your socks on, if you frequently have indigestion, get the hump when your other half falls asleep before you do, if you are sick to the back teeth of all your menopause symptoms, or anything that you’d rather not carry with you on a daily basis, within reason, why not send me a nudge. Maybe we can find a way for you to become the best version of you.

And just to prove that there is a proper yogi lurking inside me, let me just share these words that I am sending to you in kindness

May you be happy
May you be safe
May you be peaceful
May you be well