Growing Through Vulnerability

I’ve been putting off writing my monthly newsletter for a couple of weeks now, simply because I couldn’t focus on what to write about in this month’s article. I listlessly flicked through the Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, hoping for some drop of wisdom to jump out, but nothing pulled me in. I was too distracted

Walking the walk

I’ve recently returned from a one month ‘solo’ walking and camping trip from the midlands to Cornwall, carrying all of my belongings in my backpack, with the aim of visiting as many sacred, ancient sites along the way. The obvious question is, ‘Why on earth would I want to do this in February?!’ It is

An essay on darkness and light

Last December I attended a week-long writing course at the brilliant Schumacher College in Totnes with Jay Griffiths running the writing side of things, whose book, ‘Wild: An Elemental Journey‘ made a huge impact on me back in 2013. The course was entitled ‘Tender is the Night’ and the theme was exploring darkness, on all

Introduction to the chakras – and a chakra opening yoga sequence

NB This sequence appeared in my most recent monthly Frond Yoga newsletter.  If you would like to join my mailing list and have information of upcoming UK classes, workshops, detox day retreats and international retreats then please get in touch via beckymay@frondyoga.com. In yoga philosophy, we are comprised of more than our visible ‘flesh and

Country-hopping

Wow, it’s been ages since I last updated the blog with the latest tales from our travels.  In explanation of my absence, I’m plumping for that brilliant yogi excuse – living in the present moment! What I mean by this is that I’ve so very much enjoyed being switched off from the internet, with its

Blowing a gale

Post written on 04/03/16 This post is brought to you from the beautiful little mountain town of St-Vallier-de-Thiey in the maritime Alps, around 30km north of Cannes. Following immense indecision after our breakdown in Italy, in the end we tossed a coin to decide which direction to head – east to Greece or west back

Going inward…

You may not know this, but when I’m not teaching yoga I am often to be found out and about saving fluffy little critters (and some not so fluffy) as part of my other role as an ecologist. So, summer is always super busy for me – I’m dashing around in my wellies, chasing dormice

Autumn Cleansing…

Autumn is the time of year when nature has a good old clear-out.  The trees ditch all their dead leaves and any fruit that’s not been nabbed shrivels up and falls off too. Why does this happen? Why can’t the poor trees keep their coat of leaves during the chilly winter months, when surely they

Talking Point – Why ahimsa has to start with yourself

“Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting.” William Shakespeare (Henry V) In Patanjali’s eight-limbed explanation of yoga, which he sets out in his key yoga text, The Yoga Sutras, the first limb is the ‘yamas’, which are five ethical principles that we should try and follow in our daily life. Ahimsa

Sign of the times

It’s late and I can feel the soporific stodge of chapattis and the guilty warmth of red wine swilling around my stomach (we’re just back from a leaving do). Bed is looking veeery comfortable right now. I had big intentions to write up today’s shala conference notes and perhaps provide a few gems from the advanced experiential anatomy