Yoga and Plantar Fasciitis Plantar fasciitis* is a condition that lots of people suffer from but don't know quite what to do about it. You know, some doctors recommend surgery or injections or painkillers which are all fine but I believe that those kind of extreme interventions could possibly be avoided if you are willing to invest the time and effort to do some regular and consistent foot yoga that will help you in working your feet and understanding your feet better.   So if you want to understand your feet better and possibly avoid having to go down those routes read on...   So first of all, you need to know for yourself where and how you're using your feet. Most of us, since we were very little, have worn shoes and socks for most of our lives.  Save a few short months in the summer when maybe we go barefoot our feet have been closeted and contained for decades.   And by containing them we are limiting their potential.  We just don't use t...

  Yoga is moving meditation How it can improve your mental clarity and wellbeing I've been meditating for many years.  Having had the priviledge of being on meditation retreats and workshops with many wonderful teachers including Adyashanti, Gangaji, Jack Kornfield, Jeff Foster, Byron Katie and even spent a weekend with the Dalai Lama in London many years ago.  I have to say though that with HH The Dalai Lama,  I didn't meditate much as I kept falling asleep!  For me yoga and meditation are one and the same.  Yoga is a moving meditation. For all the ways in which meditation can help are added to the fact that you move (slowly) too.  As we age however, it becomes increasingly more and more difficult to sit in meditation for some people, especially if they have joint pain.  This makes them unable to cross their legs, in constant pain, such a busy mind.   That's why a yoga practice that is mindful movements of body and mind is so helpful. M...

  Forest Yoga   Doing Yoga Outdoors in Nature Trees are living, breathing partners to humanity. Our inhale and exhale are in rhythm with each other and spending time in the forest, amidst the towering trees; is a wonderful way to reconnect to your own nature.  Forest bathing, also called shinrin-yoku,  a practice that originated in Japan in the 1980's, is becoming more and more popular as a way to go back to our roots.  Reconnecting us to a time when we lived in the forests, spent more time in nature and were more in tune to the rhythm and cycles of life.  How do you do yoga outdoors in nature?  Taking your yoga mat into the garden or a park is a possiblity.  In the summers  teach yoga in my garden and a class for our local municipality in a local park.  I teach about taking time, exploring the body and especially the joints in order to rejuvenate and restore function and mobility.  And if you feel a little more adventurou...

The Problem If You Are Hypermobile and Doing Yoga. Top Tips for Hypermobile People   The main problem of hypermobility and yoga is rooted in the misconception that yoga is about stretching.  It's not.  WHHHAAAAT ?   Yoga is not about stretching?    No. it's about connection.  The root of the word yoga means joining, union and connection.  Where in our body do we connect to ourselves?   Through our JOINts.   Often why I refer to my work as the JOINT RENEWAL SYSTEM (TM) is because when I call it YOGA people get all sorts of images in their minds...  There is absolutely NO NEED for anyone to move their body this way in order to stay healthy, active and go about their lives feeling good, relaxed and easy in their body.    I totally respect the young flexible women and men who want to play and explore these advanced poses.  But as most of my students and clients are not looking to do fancy poses, it's very ...

If you have knee pain, first of all you will need to check it out with your Dr. and check that you have the go ahead to practice yoga.     This blog in no way is a substitute for any medical advice. Okay medical disclaimer done. The thing about knee pain during yoga is that you need to be very vigilant to see if the yoga is causing the pain, or if is highlighting pain that is already there.  There is a big difference.  If your knee has already some restrictions, some injury or tightness, then a Joint Renewal (TM) practice will help highlight those issues. It will bring a focus and spotlight onto the knee and the knee pain, but in a good way. It will show itself to you more clearly.     Then your practice can help you address the knee pain in a holistic and healing way.   However,   there are lots of yoga practices that you will need to avoid, because unfortunately they can actually create more pain,   even injure your ...

 A few days ago a friend called me.  It was only 8pm on Vancouver Island, but she was calling from Findhorn, Scotland - I knew it was the middle of the night there and immediately thought something must have happened.  "Kathy!" she said,   "I have some terrible news, the CC and the Sanctuary have been burnt down.  It appears to have been arson, the fires are still raging, there are six fire fighter crews here, but there's nothing to do to save them".  The Findhorn Community was my home for over twenty years.  I met my husband there.  We raised our two children there. We build an eco-home there.   My connections and friendships go long and deep.  So many beautiful happy memories.  These two buildings that were torched were the hub of community life.  Social gatherings (pre-covid days) and meals and parties were all in the Community Centre (or the CC as it was affectionately known).  And the main Santuary, a simple...

 When thinking about making a change in your life, when you really want transformation…  You are probably making 3 big mistakes.  First  mistake is that you underestimate what it takes to change.  Second mistake is starting at the top of your list with the least important thing that you need to concentrate on And the third mistake is completely avoiding the biggest and most important  foundation of all change.  Change comes from within.  Be the change you want to see in the world.  You are what you believe.  Yes, the most important foundation of all change is MINDSET.  MINDSET is everything.  The pyramid diagram is adapted from a guy called John Wiseman who used to be an SAS (British Military Special Forces Unit) operative and has written a book on the SAS and why they are world renowned for their ability to survive through pretty crazy situations.  What’s that got to do with yoga?  Yoga is all  about peace ...