Injury

The past week has been overshadowed with the fact that I have had a wrist injury. It has been diagnosed as RSI and i have had to pull back and rest it COMPLETELY. So, NO YOGA for eight days now! It has been incredibly frustrating and I am starting to feel like a lazy blob!

I have worked with injury before, and have always practised through it, with an awareness of what my body is telling me to do. Not so this time. I have had to rest up as I can't actually put any weight on my wrist at all. I did a gentle practice last week and ended up straining it in various poses, so have decided to back off completely.

It has been a difficult lesson for me. I am trying to enjoy the rest, but I miss my daily practice. I had some acupunture with my mum yesterday and I am hopeful it has helped - though I am not sure as I am reluctant to put it to the test for fear of further damage.

It has been hard to teach with this going on and I have had to pull back on adjustments in a few poses.

Thank you all for your patience; hopefully I will be back to full strength before the week is out and can give you all the Supta Kurmasana adjustment that I am sure that you have been missing!

After last weekends strenous walk and activity, we decided to opt for a restful weekend in the city.

It was, however such a beautiful sunny day on Sunday that we couldn't resist a walk up near Aberfoyle. We did one of the forestry walks in a magical woods called 'Fairy Knowe'. The scenery in the area really is magical.

I always find it difficult to return to the city after a taste of fresh country air. I have dreams of setting up a retreat centre in the country and offering weekend yoga retreats. Hopefully, I can one day realise this dream. I just need to win the lottery.

I still have a couple of spaces on the retreat in Andalucia. If anyone would like a week of yoga, sun and beautiful food, let me know asap.

A weekend in the VW camper

Another active weekend up North. We took the camper van to Inverary on Saturday and climbed a Munro. It was Andys' birthday weekend so we had a gorgeous meal at the Loch Fyne hotel, followed by an extremely cold night in the VW.

Not satisfied with the ardous walk up Ben Vane on Saturday, we climbed another mountain on Sunday and spent an hour looking for the summit. Our search was in vain and we are still non the wiser as to how to reach the top of Ben Venu!

By Monday I could barely walk and I was less than enthused at the prospect of doing Andys' birthday surprise present; 'Go Ape' - an adventure playground for adults, complete with Zip slides and Tarzan swings. Great fun, but utterly terrifying! I was glad to get down from the tress, but felt that I had faced a fear or two.

So, in all a whirlwind of a weekend. My practice was painful yesterday; my muscles are aching from top to toe.

Another reminder for the Thursday 6pm led class.... the class on Thursday this week ( the 16th) is at the Yoga Room again. From next week we are at the Drill hall again as per usual. See you all there!

Another active weekend

The Friday Yoga Room class was subbed by my very capable cover teacher Polly whilst I took part in a Vegetarian cookery class in Glasgow. It was so refreshing to be the student and to be learning something new and different. I enjoyed the class immensely, but I have to say the quantity of food that was cooked and then consumed was excessive and I felt positively portly afterwards!

Sunday was a day of activity; to try and work off some of Friday’s indulgence!

Andy and I attempted the John Buchan way in Peebleshire. The weather was fantastic; it feels like spring is finally here and the hills are bouncing with new born lambs. We broke the back of the walk and did 10 miles in total. Then straight to an Indian restaurant to consume the calories that I had worked so hard to lose.

I am utterly exhausted this week and my practice this morning was more crawling than jumping. So, feet up for me this afternoon to prepare for a night of teaching and jumping around.....

A wee reminder: to anyone attending the Thursday 6pm class this week; it will be at the Yoga Room - not the Drill Hall. See you all there:)

RO x

I turned the grand old age of 34 on Sunday and was whisked off to the Highlands for the weekend.

After a wonderful day in Oban and a night in a fantastic hotel, we were awoken at 6.30am on Sunday morning. Bear in mind, also that the clocks were put forward one hour, so it was actually 5.30am! Happy birthday to me!

This early start was all in a good cause; we were doing a ‘Sea-fari’ trip to look at the whirlpools of Corryvreckan. Sadly, we didn’t see any proper whirlpools, but we had a very exciting high-speed boat experience. We also got very wet and cold in the process. I was pleased to reach dry land and to warm up. Several cups of hot tea later, I was ready for activity two; walking a section of the Kintyre way. Although I was tired from the day’s exertion, we managed half of the planned venture before turning back. It was here that we were met by the two wee fellas in the picture. I stumbled in to my mums caravan that evening and slept for 10 hours on Sunday evening!

I am feeling well refreshed today from the country air and weekend off work and my practice this morning was glorious. Two others joined me and I would like to reiterate what I have said to my clients before…. The studio is now open for Ro-yoga clients from 8am – 10.30 ( ish) on Tuesdays and Thursdays for self practice. Please join me!

Aberdeen

I spent the weekend teaching in the ‘Granite city’ of Aberdeen. Thanks to a noisy neighbor at the hotel I was staying at, I had a restless night. After approximately four hours sleep I wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders!

I can, however survive on very little sleep. I found a reserve of energy to guide the group through a bandha workhop; looking specifically at: jump-ups, the jump- through and handstands.

They were a lovely and very fun group to work with; full of life and up for anything! I left feeling utterly inspired by the wonderful hospitality shown and also by the fact that this amazing practice is now so universal and fast becoming so accessible to all. When I started twelve years ago it wasn’t nearly as wide spread and it is wonderful that so many places like ‘the Spot’ are opening to share the beauty of this practice with all.

The studio reminds me very much of what I have created at he Yoga Room; a space that is small and friendly and has a sense of intimacy that you rarely find in yoga centres these days. Sadly, so many places have become hugely commercial, teaching huge classes meaning that very often the integrity of the teaching is compromised.

Congratulations to Gill for cultivating this wonderful studio and I do hope to return very soon!

New term

The new spring block starts this evening and it is heartening to see that, in difficult times, all classes are extremely busy. Apologies to those of you that couldn’t get in for your class of choice; you need to be quick of the mark for most of the classes.

It seems that the popularity of yoga in the midst of a recession is just set to grow. I am sure that people are fed up with extortionate gym memberships and the monotony of the treadmill.

I have just read an article in the Wall SJ which outlines the increase of yoga amongst city executives as a means to manage stress. It is enlightening to see that all types of people are turning to yoga in a bid to combat their stressful lives in the 21^st century.

The fact that you are reading this means you already know of the benefits of yoga and as such are better equipped to handle stressful situations .Congratulations!

Om Shanti

Ro x