My 2020 Story

Tier 3

Tier 3 – so no yoga classes in-person, because that would be bad, right?

Tier 3 means the gym can reopen – though no classes can take place. And yoga is an exercise class – right?

Well no – not right. Dru yoga is slow, mindful – and an opportunity for you to get out of your daily stress and into a calm place. Dru is meditation in movement – or mindfulness in movement if you prefer. Either way it has been shown to reduce stress and boost immunity. Dru Yoga for a Healthy Back relieves musculo-skeletal discomfort caused by sitting too long and standing with poor posture.

And why, exactly, have we been thrown into Tier 3 – with heavily built up areas like London in Tier 2? There are some pretty angry people around right now, and I don’t think they’ll be sitting back and just going with it.

What’s your Why?

How many times have you been asked that? – Why do you do what you do? – What motivates you to go to work or behave in a certain way?

I’ve often answered in a rather superficial way – enough money to look after the children, buy luxuries I want occasionally – my financial goals have never been massive. I always left feeling a bit non-plussed after answering that one.

This morning I was on a Zoom network event and the same question arose. And I suddenly realised why I do what I do – it’s simply to be the version of me that best supports my children: to remain healthy, a good role model and someone they can turn to for good advice.

As for working – the students who tells me that my classes fill them with joy and enable them to sleep better, move better and generally leave them with that relaxed yet energetic feeling. That’s what motivates me to teach.

My why is to leave each person I encounter feeling more joyous than before we met. Simple.

Freshly Baked Bread

One of the joys of this year – and there have been several – is a renewed love of baking. There is nothing like a freshly baked loaf to fill your morning with joy.

Getting out of bed and the first thing you do is boil the kettle in order to produce the right temperature of water ( one third boiling, two thirds cold – that’s what they used to say – and guess what – it’s still right!). A bit of kneading and settling the dough near a radiator.

An hour or so later, as the smell of almost-cooked bread fills the house, boiling the kettle and making that first glorious coffee. And finally cutting into the still hot loaf for breakfast.

Ah mornings – it’s not all bad.

Meditation Weekend 2

Part 2 of the Meditation course – and this time the focus moved from body awareness the the breath. A year long journey into the area of internal stillness, completing in the knowledge to teach this gift to students. I’m hooked.

How much potential there is within this body we travel in – so much to learn it seems never-ending. I heard it said that man has explored this planet – the lands and the oceans – as well as begun to explore the universe that surrounds us. But the journey inside – the depths of exploration that can be made – can be just as vast and just as fascinating.

It is fabulous to be able to do this course from home. Top tutors and detailed, organised content without having to travel to North Wales is truly a gift. This has been one of the best parts of lockdown.

Painting

I’ve been in this house for over 3 years – the plan was for about 6 years – until the teenager was old enough to depart for University. After all I chose to live here because of the proximity to the best school in the area.

3 years on I’ve done the kitchen, porch, office, lounge and bathroom – but the bedrooms remain untouched. So no more procrastinating – it’s time to make a start on those rooms.

I’m not the sort of decorator who gets stuck in and can’t stop until the job is done – this room has taken me all week, with an hour or so of work each day. Today was the blue wall.

I guess many would find this approach annoying – so much stopping and starting. But to me – each to their own. I’ll get there in the end and in the meantime also keep up with some less boring jobs!!

Officially Retired

With the passing of another birthday I decided to switch on my pension – I guess that makes me officially retired. It’s a bit of a weird place to be – another milestone that has an impact – not so much directly on the way I feel – but someone deep inside – what does that mean going forward?

Retired – redundant – no longer needed in the work place? Has my value decreased? – it that a strange perception?

A time to focus on what really matters – the message that still burns inside. The message that health matters more than stuff – and health is the responsibility of the individual; an asset not to be given away to someone else. Does that matter?

A trip away from it all to consider this new rite of passage would be lovely. Hopefully next year..

Prevention is better than Cure

I’ve been going around in circles for months – if not years. Learning this and that – but today it struck me what is the core of my purpose – Prevention is better Than Cure.

Sounds obvious? It is – but for whatever reason the great majority of people pay lip service to this idea. Thinking that maybe it doesn’t apply to them – and if anything goes wrong they’ll think about it then.

How many words were wasted telling people how to brush their teeth to prevent gum disease and dental decay? – a lot. How many people followed the advice? – not a lot. How many times did I have to listen to pleas to save the last couple of wobbly, calculus-covered teeth which the owner had suddenly decided were worth saving? – -more times than is funny.

The same applies to health. Our greatest asset. This body that we travel with for the duration of our journey in this lifetime. Why be so negligent as to allow it to slip into disrepair before you pay attention to its needs?

Prevention is better than cure. It’s time to shout it out.

Birthday Weekend

Saturday was my birthday. Lockdown style.

Past birthdays have been celebrated by going out salsa dancing every night for a week, or maybe a few days away. This one was different – in the UK we are in lockdown – so no hotels, family, dancing or restaurants.

So how did it go?

The partner presented his gifts early in the morning and made breakfast. Flowers arrived by delivery from the kids. Chocolates by post. More flowers by post.

The teenager made a cake and decorated it. My mum turned up with a card and gift in the afternoon. The student son turned up for the afternoon.

All in all – a lovely birthday. Maybe ate a few too many chocolates…

Outdoors Yoga

The sun’s out – and without a long to-do list today (well, other than a bit of painting of the teenager’s room and some general domestic-ing) it’d be rude not to, right?

It’s a Thursday afternoon in the middle of November. A time when, typically, you can guarantee the beach and surrounding walkways pretty much to yourself. Not lately though – the shops are closed and the good folk of the north have decided the beach is the place to be. Have we all been posting too many amazing pictures of the area?

A bit on the chilly side, the tide right in – but at the far end of the beach over a small rock climb – the most glorious spot on the sun.

My space.

Catching Sunrise

Lockdown2 – Day 7

The days are shorter and the sun rises at an almost civilised hour. I was awake at 7, the sky to the ease was a fabulous shade of red – and it seemed like a shame not to make the effort.

With sunrise due at 7:31, I could get down to the beach, capture the colours an be home in time for yoga at 7:45am. Sorted.

The colours had muted by the time I got there but at least the beach wasn’t too busy. An opportunity to play with the settings on my phone and take some shots. Bang on time the sun rose over the horizon – though behind a bank of clouds. Although not the most spectacular of sunrises, I wasa there. Like every day the sun was there. It’s good to know some things are constants!!

Once sunrise gets to after 7:45am I’ll aim to get my yoga from the beach – another new challenge/ In the meantime – yes, I did get back for class ..