I think most of my readers by now take it as a given that the yoga I teach is pretty far removed from “classical yoga” (whatever that might be, not the time or place to hear that debate again).  To me the roots of yoga are the creation of a union between breath, body and mind and really, any mindful, controlled movement practice works.  In both my teaching and my practice I bring yoga, pilates and dance moves, slowly, carefully and mindfully onto the mat. It’s what feels right and the students who need that kind of practice will find me, those that prefer to stand on their heads will find the teacher that is right for them.

Today’s flow is really nicked from classical mat Pilates.  I’m a huge fan of Pilates.  Yoga is something that has been a constant throughout my life but a large part of my heart lies in Pilates, mainly because it is so much kinder to the back. It was Pilates I practised right through studying for my Masters and I’m not sure I would have got through without it (one memorable lesson sticks in my mind when I cried throughout after deciding to change the main thread of my thesis about a month before hand in – my Pilates teacher understood, she was writing her PhD at the time!).  What I don’t like about Pilates is that it does just seem to start suddenly, and then an hour later, finish.  There is no centring practice to begin or final relaxation.  Which is why I like to combine the two….

This little flow will strengthen shoulders and core.  Enjoy

Start in all fours.  Draw the navel into the spine and draw the shoulderblades into the back of the body.  As you exhale start to take the buttocks back towards the heels, spreading the sitting bones.  As soon as you start to feel the tailbone tuck under stop – you want to keep a flat back.  Inhale back  to all fours, but rather than just swing back to all fours using leg strength, push down with the palms and use the shoulders and arms to pull you back.

Exhale raise the right arm alongside the ear.  Inhale back to all fours.  Exhale the left arm alongside the ear.  Inhale back to all fours.

Repeat the whole sequence 3-6 times.  It makes a good alternative to cat/cow or sun salutations.

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Friday’s blanks courtesy of Lauren.

1.   Blogging is a great way of sharing thoughts, stories, recipes and sequences.  What did we do before it was invented? Actually speak to each other?

Readers, I’m taking the weekend off.  I’ll see you all on Monday with episode 2 of Suburban Yogini TV.

I went to a Pilates class last night run by my friend Katrina, who is also a yoga teacher (so honestly it’s pretty far removed from the Pilates if you are a sort of Body Control Pilates type – but it’s exactly the sort of Pilates I like – we use Ujjayi breath – very un-Pilates!!). I find I have to go to Pilates every couple of weeks for so to just check in with my alignment again. Alignment and physiology are so important to my yoga practice.

Katrina was talking about the changing of the seasons – I know she finds this time of year as depressing as I do. She said we all have a tendency to close in on ourselves, to want to hug ourselves – whether that be actually or metaphorically. So to counteract this we did an “opening out” practice. Lots of chest/shoulder/hip openers. Lots of grounding. Lots of strength.

And it felt gooooood!!

Since I got back from teaching on the retreat in Turkey last year I’ve been trying to work out where I’m going with my career. As some of you know, teaching a retreat in the sunshine on the beach had been the height of my ambition. After it happened, as early as the plane trip home I felt deflated and directionless.

I’ve carried on teaching, I’ve carried on reading, I’ve carried on going to yoga training days. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job with a passion, I’m just looking for something else.

I had two directions. I could either go back into academia and write my PhD or I could pursue the health and fitness avenue.

I mulled it over, I drank a lot of cups of tea and then I realised that right now I’m not ready to face academia again. If one could write one’s PhD without the politics of academia (and Cambridge University is like an Agatha Christie novel there is so much lying, gossiping and backbiting) it would be wonderful. But one can’t.

So to cut a long story short I have decided to pursue the health and fitness route further. I am already a qualified yoga instructor and yoga therapist and Level 3 on the Register of Exercise Professionals, so the world is my oyster in terms of where I can go from here. Because I already teach and have my Anatomy and Physiology Diploma (which I’m going to do the Refresher for), I can branch out without having to do the hours and hours of supervised teaching and anatomy exams.

So I have decided to train to teach Pilates as well. Personally I think yoga and pilates work well together (not in the same class obviously, I mean from a teaching perspective). As my yoga practice and my teaching become slower, deeper, working on subtle energies, so I feel I need a more dynamic and anatomical challenge. It’s also another string to my bow workwise/clientwise.

I will do the eight week intensive once we move to Cambridge next year. In the meantime I have to do at least 30 hours with a Pilates instructor.

Now, I did a lot of Pilates in the past, but haven’t had a teacher for a couple of years since my old teacher went back to Australia. So I went to my first class with my new teacher yesterday. Oh My God I’d forgotten how hard Pilates is! I ache and ache!

But it’s a new challenge, a new step on the career ladder, another step in getting my body back to full health and another step for Project Fitness.