Sharath said "new asana new pain" last week in the conference here in Mysore. Anyone who practises Ashatanga yoga can probably relate to this.   I think practising some "old" asanas with a new approach can also create pain (both physical and emotional)... In my experience, if we stick with it and trust in the process, we can overcome some of of this pain (both real and imagined). He also said he took two years with one pose. I would love to know what pose that was, but I am not quite brave enough to ask. :-)

My daughter Cally is taking part in this year's London Marathon in aid of the World Wildlife Fund. This is a huge task for her as she is an inexperienced runner. The interview below in which she tells us about her preparation was originally posted on The Putney Clinic of Physical Therapy blog and I thought I would share it with you all. :-)   A beginner runner's account of Marathon training On Sunday 13th April, the 34th edition of the Virgin Money London Marathon will take place. The 26-mile route, which starts in Greenwich Park and Blackheath and ends in The Mall, attracts elite athletes from all around the world, as well as thousands of runners raising money for their favourite charities. One such runner is 23 year-old fashion graduate Cally-Siân Lathey from Putney, who is also a patient at the Clinic. She will be participating in this year's Marathon on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund and has kindly agreed to tell us about her preparation for the event. ...

Some of  my favourite photos of life in Mysore, India

I survived a 4.30 am led classes here in Mysore. Thats it! :-) I missed last Sundays led class because I was still awake at 2am and due to get up at 3am (it didn't happen). So when my alarm went off at 3.15am and I had had at least 6 hours sleep, I was on it! By the time I reached the shala at 3.45am-ish, there were lots of people sitting outside the gates in the road (yes, in the road). I had been told there would be the "gate keepers", those who sit facing out into the crowd as though to keep a watchful eye on proceedings and the rest of us facing them as though expecting a sermon. It is a very surreal sight. The calm friendly group sat peacefully together turns into something quite different as the shala lights come on and the gates are opened  (imagine the Harrods sales but with yoga mats instead of posh handbags). I decided to put my mat in the lobby and not run the gauntlet of the shala. This turned out to be a great spot for me and was, in fact, the fir...

I really like how David Kiel Anatomy talks. Here he discusses Janu Sirasasa and my nemesis pose, Setu bandhasana. I would highly recommend his adjustment DVDS too (if you teach and like to adjust students of all abilities).

I have been here in Mysore at KPJAYI for 9 days now. This is my 3rd trip to Mysore and thus far my most introspective. The shala is VERY busy but the energy is quite calm. There are lots of students waiting in the lobby area to be called to practise in the morning, again a very calm and civil bunch of yoga students (or perhaps I am more calm and civil :-)). Time is a funny thing here. No-one seems to stick to it. The cleaner said "I will come at 11am on Friday" she came at 1pm on Saturday. The man who fixed the internet problem said "Madam, I will come at 7.15pm on Friday"; he showed up at 10.15 on Saturday (at least the quarter past the hour was consistent in his case). Time goes really fast or incredibly slow; it can sometimes feel like a twilight zone. Sharath is on excellent form; smiley and happy and moving around the shala in his usual nimble way. His mother Saraswarti no longer assists him in the main shala (although she still teaches in her own shala). ...