As you probably already know, London is an exciting, vibrant and often noisy city. However, if you look hard enough you will also discover that it also has a quiet side. Writer, Siobhan Wall, has compiled a guide to quiet corners in and around the capital (some better known than others) and Yoga Mama are pleased to announce that we have been included in the book. Siobhan encourages Londoners and visitors to the city to wander away from the crowds and discover calm amid the hustle and bustle. Quiet London is a guide to over 100 quiet corners in and around the capital, bringing together a mix of peaceful gardens and green spaces to lose oneself in, and places that inspire rest, relaxation, meditation and mindful contemplation. We are honoured to have been chosen among a select group of quiet corners in London. Why not come along and find out for yourself? Our studio is located in a peaceful and tranquil environment in the heart of Putney, south-west London. Quiet London i

This is a great image that really shows why posture is important, and why people working at computers should be especially mindful. Carrying around a 42lb head is going to hurt. Tuck that chin in and lengthen the spine. Thank you to The Putney clinic of Physical Therapy for displaying this on their notice board.

I recently did a 2nd series Ashtanga yoga adjustment clinic with Nancy Gilgoff in Berlin. Here Nancy shows how to crawl up from lotus position when learning this pose-She also recommend practicing lotus legs whilst in headstand, to gain strength and find the lotus without using your hands- Nancy is nearer to 70 then she is to 60-what an inspiring woman she is. 

by Fleur Borrelli, nutritionist at The Putney Clinic of Physical Therapy The skin and the brain are intricately linked. Both produce the same hormones and neurotransmitter substances. In the skin, serotonin should be converted to melatonin which acts as a natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. It is no wonder, therefore, that the skin condition psoriasis is linked to both depression and anxiety disorders (1) . A lack of nutritional cofactors such as vitamins B6 and B12 may prevent this conversion in a biochemical process known as methylation. Geographical latitude may also influence incidence of psoriasis as beneficial sunlight is also needed to produce melatonin (2) . Overuse of sunscreens and lack of exposure to the sun will also inhibit the production of vitamin D, vitally important for the integrity of the barriers of the body which include the intestinal lining, the blood brain barrier, the synovial lining and of course the skin (3) . The function of the barriers is

No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again. Buddha

By Cherie Lathey, senior yoga teacher and director of Yoga Mama Many skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and atopic dermatitis can be triggered by or, indeed, made worse once an outbreak is present by stress. Some suffers will become self-conscious and even depressed which then causes a circular negative effect on the condition. Practising yoga and meditation can have a really positive effect on both the mind and body. We know helping to relieve stress can help to alleviate some of the symptoms or aggravating factors of skin conditions brought on by stress. While I am not suggesting yoga and meditation alone will cure psoriasis, it can definitely help. A gentle yoga practice and breathing techniques can have a profound effect on how we manage stress, and how we perceive ourselves in the world. Helping to balance moods and enabling a positive connection to the body by letting go of the negative feelings that might occur when a skin condition is present. Gentle poses

It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection. Bhagavad Gita

Rasa Vinyasa Prana Flow with Shiva Rea Venue: Cecil Sharp House * Date: Sunday 21 to Wednesday 24 September 2014 Time: 8:30am to 5:45pm each day Cost: £485 About the workshop The word 'rasa' has many beautiful meanings: in the arts, rasa is the transforming “taste” that brings inner satisfaction to the beauty of dance, music or painting. Within yoga and Ayurveda, rasa is our “inner juice” associated with longevity, joy, devotion, and flexibility. Without rasa, it is said, our experience of yoga and life, becomes “dry, rigid, routine”. Experience a full-spectrum yoga practice intensive into the art of RasaVinyasa™- an approach to sequencing vinyasa yoga drawing from yogic arts, tantra, and ayurveda. In this four-day teacher training intensive, Shiva will offer the theory and practice of Rasa Vinyasa by exploring three consummate rasas: Vira (strength, potency), Sringara (divine love and sensuality) and Shanti (living peace). We will explore the power of alch

Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Buddha

Kino makes this look so easy. This is also the way my teacher teaches this pose.