THE PROCESS of shifting attention from the large and/or final movement, the outward shape of the asana to the micro moves, deeper muscles, mindfulness and the quality of the breath …
DO YOUR BEST
WHAT DOES ‘DO YOUR BEST’ MEAN? You hear it at school, home, work. Is it just a filler? Something people say when they don’t know what else to say? It …
IT IS NOT IN OUR NATURE TO BE STILL YET ‘STILLNESS’ IS OUR ESSENTIAL NATURE
Are you suffering from a lack of Stillness in your practice? In the consistency of our Bikram Yoga sequence there is SO MUCH FREEDOM to explore Stillness ‘in’ and ‘not …
YOGA MATTERS IS A ‘NO TOUCH STUDENT’ YOGA SCHOOL.
Just to be clear. YOGA MATTERS IS A ‘NO TOUCH STUDENT’ YOGA SCHOOL. Someone recently asked me to physically move them into a position for which I declined. Not just …
What does Kahlil Say?
Book Posing ~ Bookasana ~ Had a few conversations with people this week about favourite books! Too hard to pick fave; makes my head spin as only a book lovers …
Your Health is Your Wealth!
“they’re gonna stick a needle in us when we’re 90 and make us live longer, whether we like it or not” This lil’ funny was on furlough for the past …
“In knowing nothing, life is most delightful”
“In knowing nothing, life is most delightful” {Publilius Syrus} or to put another way IGNORANCE IS BLISS! Let us not get distracted here by ‘proofs’ of knowledge’. We are not …
Padahastasana YM Stylie ~ stripped back posture
After first backward bend we will still be moving in the Sagittal plane to a posture that is amongst other things, a mild inversion. BUT we pause first {immediate or …
Free Your Fascia !
Recommended reading for anyone involved in mindful movement therapy practices: Way back at Bikram TTC 2001 Bikram brought in some engrossing teachers from other spheres to do workshops with us …
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO STICK YOUR NECK OUT!
DIAGNOSIS: Firstly, This blog is not about the neck that has symptoms neurological or otherwise. The instructors at YM are Yoga instructors and are not qualified to assess pain. If …
12/4/21 Guidance & Protocols Still With Us
So. 12/4/21. ‘GUIDANCE’ IS STILL WITH US. Risk Assessments, Mitigation Plans and Protocols are STILL WITH US and Gov’t still expects us to promote: …“PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND CLEANLINESS… AT THE …
Daydream Believer
When I’m practicing Yogasana my mind is 100% ‘IN THE MOMENT’. This state did not come easily; it took a while at outset of practice to develop this strong body-mind …
The Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Aah dusting: an excellent way to re-acquaint yourself with classics; THIS ONE has had its 3 readings 🙂 first early 90s and it truly DID bring big CHANGE to my …
December 2020
Blessed YM Yogi Friends, This year had so much to distract, the whole planet in on the ‘confusion’; no one exempt from the negative pandemic effect either physically, mentally, emotionally, …
WE DON’T USE THE BODY TO GET INTO THE POSE. WE USE THE POSE TO GET INTO THE BODY.
Don’t mess with knees. You know I’m always ‘banging on about knees’ in class 🙂 . At YM we promote ‘HONOUR YOUR KNEES’. They do so much for us, we …
HOW does Bikram Yoga relieve chronic pain?
We are Yoga Instructors. Although expensively and extensively trained we do not set ourselves out to be anything other than Yoga instructors. We are both qualified Yoga Therapists with 43 …
Speaking of ‘Adages’ and ‘Edges’…
“IF YOU CAN YOU MUST” ~V.~ “JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD” ~ Sometimes I feel like… I am speaking in adages in class and taken …
CONTAGION ‘MITIGATION’ PLAN
****scroll down to see 26/8/21 ‘Stage 7’ update**** We are so happy and excited to be able to WELCOME YOU BACK to our little Yoga school. To help you feel …
EVERYone smiles in the same language!
‘National Smile Month’ 18May-18June primarily has an oral hygiene focus thus ‘improving the quality of your smile’. It has reminded me of a story I’d like to share ~ A …
~WORRIES OF A LOCKED IN BIKRAM YOGI INSTRUCTOR~
15/4/2020 ~ My teaching skills are disappearing! Whilst the ‘Dialogue’ is ever present fundamental structure of our classes I NEVER know what I am going to say from one class …
LOCK DOWN. DAY 1 OF 83.
Nobody could have planned for this (although Bill Gates said in 2015 we should have; the documentary at the end of ‘28 days later’ said we should have 😉 ). …
~ KNOW Your Yoga Origins ~ Standing Bow Pulling Pose ~
‘Standing Bow Pulling Pose’ (Dandayamana Dhanurasana) and its predecessor ‘Lord of the Dance’ (Natarajasana) are nowhere to be found in the pre-modern texts of Yoga. The development of physical postures in hatha yoga were largely seated …
The Art of War
March @ YM is for WARRIORS!!! Ahhh Love FebYOUary!… BUT! Onward MARCH! 😉 ~ the start of Spring, the clocks change again, time to celebrate the Irish in you 😉 …
HOW NOW 2020?
WHAT.a.year. It has been MASSIVE in terms of our Yoga community locally AND globally. The world in its changing feels freefall and less predictable at the moment; where will we …
OMG 30 Degrees ~ INTRODUCTION by Trisha
You already have reaffirmed in your mind that you can have a physicality and you can choose to get in your body and MOVE IT TO WHATEVER ITS LIMIT IS. …
YM Bikram Challenge
***DATES FOR DIARY*** Monday 18 to Sunday 24 NOVEMBER 2019 *** 7.BIKRAM.CLASSES.7.DAYS.CHALLENGE. *** ~170~ (Yes! One Hundred and Seventy!) People have COMPLETED a Bikram Yoga Challenge with YM in 8 …
‘out of office / gone to Yoga Matters’
picked up ‘Business Life’ local mag at airport {Sep19}; ‘twas the cover that caught my attention “DUTY OF CARE, ITS TIME TO FACE UP TO STARK STATISTICS ABOUT EMPLOYEES MENTAL …
LOCK THE KNEE (‘LTK’)
Our classes are mixed with ‘knees’ of all sorts! healthy and otherwise AND lately a few who have nothing wrong with their knees but who are fearful of Lock the …
~ OMG Yoga Therapy ~ 6 Class Course ~
We are born to live in balance. Harmony is our natural state yet daily we strive to recreate a harmony that is already present at the very core of our …
No Devices in Yoga School
Sometimes we have to home in on the ‘etiquettes’ what they are and why we have them so people can work on the same page as us if they wish… …
Good Things Come in 3s !!!
3 THINGS CANNOT BE HIDDEN! Is it THE SUN, THE MOON and NEW BEGINNINGS??? OR is it INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY ~and~ SUMMER SOLSTICE ~and~ FREE YM! Yes! OF COURSE on the …
Yoga Ethics ~ Part III ~ Niyamas (Observances)
Remember from Part I & Part II we are focusing in on how you can apply Yoga ethics when you are at Yoga school and on your mat. The Niyamas …
Yoga Ethics ~ Part II ~ Yamas (Restraints)
Remember from Part I that we are focussing in on how you can apply Yoga ethics when you are at Yoga school and on your mat. The ‘Yamas’ are universal …
Raja Yoga ~ Part I – Ethics
THE TREE OF YOGA represents one of the 4 main Paths of Yoga ~ ‘RAJA’ or Royal Yoga. The Tree has EIGHT LIMBS or ‘branches’ (referencing Patanjali’s Sutras and ‘Ashtanga’ or ‘Eightfold’ …
Mad Mat Matters II
Meandering through a dept store in London this was sticking out (see pic) from a pile of mats and it drew my attention. It made me laugh ~ Yes! there …
Love is Like Breathing! You can’t ‘Live’ without it
Although hopeful, I know I am unlikely to persuade the pre-wedding party into the hot room on the wedding day for the ultimate de-stress. So, in the moment just before …
Have a little local Yoga Break in a nice room…
‘Having a Yoga Break’ (coming to class A LOT) Versus ‘Taking a Break from Yoga’ (skipping a class) Sometimes a rest from your Yoga can work magic (quality not quantity); …
Designed BY Universe, Shaped BY Life
BY nature we are asymmetrical beings; parts of our anatomy are asymmetrical (e.g. contents of torso). Some muscles are highly active whilst others have been inhibited; a loop effect creates …
Me? Acting/Bored with Dialogue? No Way!
My first Bikram Yoga class was like someone had finally turned the lights on.To some this might sound over the top (I am well aware that not everyone gets this …
Challenge Amy ~ 60 Days of Bikram
HEY! Miss AMY HALL, Please Stand Tall ! You rose in the face of your CHALLENGE So we now want to give ALL this CALL C’mon EVERYBODY let’s give Amy …
OM AIM SARASWATYAI NAMAHA
Have you heard of Judith Hanson Lasater? She is: an American Yoga teacher who has taught yoga since 1971 (the year I was born) an early student of BKS Iyengar and is …
BREAKING SYMMETRY
Have you ever heard the expression ‘if your gonna be tight be tight on both sides’ ? 🙂 Think about it! One sure way your body will be MORE vulnerable …
Lines of Energy
You can change a posture in an instant by creating a LINE OF ENERGY. You are a living being. You are a LIFE FORCE. In Yoga class we work to …
~ WE ARE GLAD & GRATEFUL~
THANK YOU to ALL who have kept us company this year. Our longer term practitioners hold glad space in our hearts but more have joined that space this year than …
BELLY UP PART IV ~ KNOW YOUR BELLY ~
I would like YM students to become more considerate of all the layers of muscles and organs* residing in this area. Use your Yoga to tune into the deeper abdominal …
BELLY UP PART III ~ RESPECT YOUR BELLY ~
It is hard to know where to start on this point. Harder still to know where the stop!! AGNI The fire of digestion resides in the belly area. It is …
BELLY UP PART II ~ SEE YOUR BELLY ~
AT THE BEGINNING of a Bikram Yoga Class in ‘Pranayama’ one of the standard phrases in the Bikram dialogue is ‘stomach in…depression of the abdominal wall…ribs stick out’ ‘RIB CAGE …
BELLY UP PART I ~ FREE YOUR BELLY ~
THE IMAGE: my belly is nearly 46 years old. My daughter resided and was nourished in there for 9 months. She arrived via c-section. She was 8.4lbs. Like many before …
Method in the Madness!
This post might help you when explaining to friends/family how a Bikram Yoga class works 🙂 A Bikram Yoga class is not the place for deep meaningful explanations about all …
feeling your Yoga
A YOGA POSE IS A LIVING THING. Not set in stone. Your pose is ever changing. It expresses differently from personality to personality, body to body, history to history, class …
~ FEEL V. FORCE ~
After 2 posts about ‘seeing’ your Yoga I thought I better ‘Yin’ it out with a couple of ‘FEELING’ your Yoga post :). Its all about balance 🙂 : Sometimes …
~ MIRROR MIRROR ~
Do you obey what your eyes show you or do you feel your Yoga? Some might say feeling your Yoga is King but as a beginner the reality can be …
Don’t Nourish the Flourish
More experienced students taking places in front few rows please/should be aware of the newbies placed behind them and try to lead by example: remembering not to insert extra movements/quirks/flourishes …
Responsibility; the Road Less Travelled
BIKRAM YOGA IS, amongst many other things, about strength, flexibility, balance and stamina which contribute HUGEly to one’s overall health and fitness. This is a challenging beginning Yoga class and …
~ YOGA and the MATTERS of ETIQUETTE
This is another tricky but necessary post to write because some of the issues highlighted are completely avoidable if one preps for first class by reading the information on the …
Stiff As a Board V. Bendy Like a Pretzel
My friend remembered a conversation we had recently and tagged me in a clip yesterday (attached https://www.facebook.com/BarcroftTV/videos/1052132741466371/) and… it got me thinking… 🙂 Walk down the street and look closely. …
Yoga For Drivers – Ahimsa
It’s no secret that the hardest ‘Yoga’ to practice is all that is NOT on your mat – don’t forget you don’t practice for the glory of the pose; you …
One Quick Fix Coming Right Up…
‘How little time do I have to spend in order to get maximum benefits’ seems to be the burning question these days. Guidelines from government health organisations seem to lower …
The Hidden Challenges of ‘Doing a Challenge’
The guidelines on our site give advice on how to prepare for a YM Challenge… ‘ensure work is not going to make extra demands on you… plan your social life …
Illuminating… Sit Up
If you don’t practice Bikram you might wonder how complicated can a Sit Up be? It’s a Bikram Yogi thing folks! Only the Bikramites out there will be interested in …
A Bikram Yoga journey can go something like this…
First class… Pranayama. OMG I feel so silly! What is that funny SOUND they are all making? Their all so serious! I want to laugh. 10 minutes in: my ARMS …
Yoga Matters Manifesto
As you LOOK into the eyes of your reflection and KNOW these are the eyes of your teacher, you REALISE there is nowhere to hide. Your smartphone can’t help you …
My Bunny. Again.
THOUGHTS FROM A VINTAGE YOGI ABOUT HER RABBIT (again) ~ YOGA GETS BETTER AS YOU GET OLDER!!!. I spent much time in the past working on some postures that tend …
Bikram Yoga and Weight Loss addressed
Bikram says ~ ‘You’re never too old, never too bad, never too late and never too sick to start from the scratch once again.’ I’m going to add ‘Never Too …
When Does My Teacher Practice?
Q: DOES YOUR YOGA TEACHER PRACTICE ? Hello Beautiful Yogis, the short time before and after class at the studio can be very intense, checking people, settling new people, dealing …
The Power of Words
WORDS HAVE A VIBRATION All speech creates energy that radiates out to the world helping to create the atmosphere we live in. I do believe that our body and mind …
Illuminating Standing Resting Position
STANDING. Simple in itself but more to it in a practicing Yoga scenario than you might think. I remember having conversations with fellow Bikram Yogi’s on my training and over …
Once Upon a Midnight Dreary…
Watched ‘Simpsons’ last night (yeah this is what I do when I get a night off :)) and Homer’s version of Poe’s ‘The Raven’ and of course it got me …
How a YM Challenge ends…
~CHALLENGE DAY 10~ Q: “HAVE YOU EVER FELT THE LONGING FOR SOMEONE YOU COULD ADMIRE?” Ayn Rand. A: “LOOK IN THE MIRROR.” Trisha Thomas. To round up this particular Challenge …
Stop Trying So Hard and Get Back In Your Box! said no Yoga Teacher ever.
True: the hardest part of my job is trying to get people to cease ‘over’ posturing and exhausting themselves in the process but that aside… What is more important? Showing …
Never Be Afraid of the BackwardBends !
~BACK PAIN CONSIDERATIONS for your Bikram Yoga practice~ DIAGNOSIS: Firstly, the instructors at YM are Yoga instructors and are not qualified to assess your pain. If pain is severe or …
OM ~ The Original Mantra
In Yogic thinking the first word was OM, the first vibration and sound from which all others emerged. There is no literal translation of OM; its three letters A, U …
Bone Matters
We work on the 26/2 diligently, a group of people in our unique bodies. We regulars know it is clearly not one size fits all. In this post I am …
You Are Breathing Your Alive. You Are Not Breathing Your Dead. RIGHT?
You are barely breathing your still alive! It’s AMAZING! We come into this world on an Inhale and we go out on an Exhale; surely that is all we need …
Thumbs Up!
Whist I was tightening up all my bits preparing for Part I Utkatasana today I suddenly became excessively aware of my THUMBS! I feel them, any movement, they feel strong, …
Yogi Trisha Thomas ~ 7 answers to 7 questions
I have been practicing Bikram Yoga since July 1998 with a 4 year hiatus somewhere in the middle. I took it up because of insomnia (see my piece on ‘girl …
The Running Man of Jersey III
Found Jersey’s running hero exploring the max on his way towards Egypt 🙂 ; still time to: donate on his just giving page; keep up with him on his RTR …
The Running Man of Jersey II
Having finally convinced my daughter that there really IS a man running around Jersey every day this week 🙂 I am still struggling to get my own little brain around …
The Running Man of Jersey I
Things to do for free in Jersey this week ~ stone building at Stinky Bay, backward bending at The White House, draw in the sand at The Beach, hunt for …
I Am Awesome Yogi
So folks, I’m psyched! After an amazing weekend in Brighton (I even got a glimpse of their naked bike ride!! Woohooo (ok more than a glimpse 😉 possibly more than …
Bad Bunny !
Notes from a trip to meet Mary Jarvis Snr Bikram Yoga Instructor… So anyway, whilst in Brighton I asked MJ to take a look at my ‘Shocking Rabbit’ 🙂 (just …
Q. What does a Yoga teacher do when they need a break?
A. Take more Yoga 🙂 Q. Where? A. Brighton, Bikram inthe Lanes (a change is as good as a rest!) Q. With Who? A. Mary Jarvis teacher extraordinaire 🙂 Q. …
Wax On. Wax Off.
I’m a lazy kinda person you know. Or at least I have the potential to be lazy; I kinda fantasize a lot about putting my feet up and veggin’ on …
Cut Your Toenails BEFORE you Come to Yoga Class !
YOGA TIP OF THE DAY: TO AVOID INJURY IN YOGA CUT YOUR TOENAILS BEFORE YOU COME TO CLASS ! If you have been practicing Yoga a while you might be …
Come Back to Your Yoga Practice
~ ! We’ve missed you shiny happy people! ~ It is always hard to find the right words for something that is essentially experiential. Words are limiting; my explanations seem …
How To Get The Monkeys Out Of Your Temple
Your Body is a Temple 🙂 . It’s where you live, love, learn, dream. Sadly, you may also be sharing it with a few squatters. Yup. The monkeys. A little …
“Let go or be dragged” Zen proverb (I think)
I DO like to employ a bit of Zen 🙂 ; as much as you can square anything off with Yoga you can round things off nicely with a little …
“There are many possibilities but the expert has few.” ~ Suzuki
QUESTION TIME: You all know my thoughts on keeping an open mind to receiving teachings from new/different teachers, yes? But WHAT ABOUT THE WISDOM YOUR OWN BODY HAS TO OFFER? …
PRAISE YOU
So much praise at YM… WHY? PRAISE YOU 1: Yoga is not about rewards and yet there is so much praise going on in the Yoga room; what is all this …
An Ounce of Practice …
PRACTICE is the only way to develop your Yoga to bring about the benefits. CONCENTRATION is required in the pose. Conscious setting up a REGULAR BREATH (Pranayama at the beginning) …
“Through practice success is obtained; through practice one gains liberation.” ~ Pancham Sinh
And we are ON! No theory in sight; just a GALORE (!) of PRACTICE (so with my personal freedom I have taken the liberty 😉 of making up a new plural …
Yoga Homework
Put some “Yoga” in your journey to YM… Om Shanti 🙂
Step Right Up For the Trip of a Life Time
Have you time to take a Bikram journey to explore the unknown Self and discover untapped possibilities within? A VITAL HEALTHY BODY is a prerequisite for the journey of life. Health …
Shaking & Shuddering
So. Bikram Says: “Your willpower must say “no” when no is required. When presented with a difficult choice your determination must lead you to say “Yes I will” {if yes …
Life is Difficult
Hello. I love ‘journey’s; and constantly re-checking that I am on the right journey and not at the wrong destination! I am going to blatantly paraphrase the first paragraph of …
I LOVE SATSANG
While it does require some discipline to practice alone I would like to share with you why I think the shared class experience is so important too. What is “Satsang” …
Notes from Darren: Top Ten Tips for Newbies
These tips are written with the ‘new to Bikram’ Yogi in mind. For those more experienced? no harm to refresh your memory but you will probably have already integrated these …
How to approach your practice…
The sequence performed as a ‘whole’ is what maximises benefits. Practicing the sequence nourishes and invigorates the entire body and mind as well as enabling one to access their own …
Where to Find Peace?
Attendance at YM classes can be high and with a lot of bodies comes a lot of energy and activity. YM does value and appreciate serenity, calm, quiet and peace …
Can I Practice Bikram Yoga When I am Pregnant?
Unless you are in a ‘high risk pregnancy’ category then YES, indeed you can practice Rajashree’s Pregnancy Yoga (modified Bikram) when you are pregnant. It was developed with maternal health …