What an honour it has been to be part of the ashtanga yoga community sharing a week of yoga with the wonderful Sharath Jois here in London. Meeting new people, seeing familiar faces, and even practising next to my daughter on one occasion. Sharath was truly happy and shiny (which was very contagious)  and even taught a short pranayama at the end of the led primary class on two occasions (which I personally have never experienced with him before). He said that you could use this pranayama if you were stressed or angry... perhaps he thinks us Londoners need it! :-) He laughed a lot. My daughter Cally had her hands apart in virabhadrasana 1 and I could hear him saying "close your hands" and knew he was talking to her. I reached over and pushed them together. He whispered to me "is she yours?" and laughed (he later said he thought we looked very similar). We were two in a very large group. I'm sure everyone in the room has taken a bit of "Sharath sunsh...

Whoa, what a week I have had... Last Friday my teenage son backed a heavy bit of German motor car into me, resulting in some heavy duty bruising on my legs. Shoulder, elbow and wrist injuries were also part of the deal too. On Saturday I had treatment on these and called Hamish at Ashtanga yoga London to see if he recommended that I still attend the week long workshop with Sharath. He suggested coming as the yoga would "help with the healing". I expressed my concerns at having to modify my practice and that - having never practiced yoga with Sharath before - he might go too hard on me. I couldn't have been more wrong! Sharath took me under his wing (along with many other students) and gently assisted me into my backbends. A light gentle touch which conveyed "I'm here, it's okay", softly encouraging me on the way. By day two or three I was up on my own and he quietly said "very good". By Thursday I was feeling much stronger and finding m...