Do you practice Mantra? Do you sing? Do you chant? Sacred sounds have long been practiced to change states of mind and elevate consciousness. It is part of the yoga practice that has been passed on to us. Sound and song capture something vital in our being and you can feel a physical change. Watch a gospel choir. They know it.

Do you hear teacher instructions about engaging bandhas (Mula, Uddiyana and Jalandhara) and tune them out? It isn’t a surprise if you do. Using bandhas is very much like getting used to postures: they reveal themselves only when the body is ready, that is, when you gain enough openness and steadiness in a posture to spend five breaths exploring it. To recap, Mula Bandha is the pelvic floor lift, Uddiyana Bandha is drawing in and lifting the lower abdominals, Jalandhara Banda is lowering the chin and lengthening the back of the neck.

A yogi told me after a stretchy class that she gets bored in Downward Facing Dog. She always goes to classes that don’t include sun salutations! Quelle Horreur! And yet, secretly I know exactly what she means.... but isn’t that the point? We’re trying to conquer the chattering mind, not give in to every whim and reluctance.

Did you know that you’re not supposed to drink water during Ashtanga practice? It made me laugh this week that a yogi who never drinks in class, or pauses in any way before Savasana, drank copiously. Well! If you’ve just tumbled out of your Peloton class, that’s understandable. However, it recalled a yogi who stopped every three-to-five minutes for a drink. It made me wonder why the prop was needed; what in the mind was so strong that practice had to stop so often.

I’ve been wondering how I can support your practice at home. It’s hard to get onto the mat if you think in terms of an hour’s practice or doing a memorised routine. The important thing, as my teacher David Swenson always says, is to get onto the mat. That’s the first victory. OK, then what?

Did you know that BKS Iyengar was born in the middle of the Spanish Flu pandemic? Iyengar's mother had the virus during pregnancy and Iyengar was born in December 1918, six months after the ship carrying troops back from the war in Europe docked in Bombay with its unwanted viral cargo. Before long the Ganga and all rivers across India were clogged up with corpses. India lost six percent of its population.

How is lock-down treating you? Are you OK? Are you frustrated? Have you experienced loss? Are you experiencing uncertainty? We’ve been at this for over three months now and it’s worth being gentle with your idea of being you and how you’re handling life with Coronavirus! The practice of yoga and mindfulness brings you closer to thoughts, feelings, and mind-habits and encourages you to observe your experience. This is what yoga wants to gift to you, not the flawless Triangle Pose or picture-perfect touching of toes! Observing is how we move towards non-attachment and freeing the mind.

Vein health: when do we ever talk about things that go wrong with the veins?! Veins feel pressure and our one-way valves might break down. Gravity has something to do with it but also sitting or standing for long periods of time mean your legs are getting the rough end of the deal. Doctors often tell people to put their feet up for lower-leg swelling or vein problems.

Breath is a special thing. At George Floyd’s funeral this week it was given special mention: ‘Genesis II said that God formed man… they say he breathed breath, the breath of life to make him a live human being, which means that breath comes from God. Breath is how God gives you life. Breath is not some coincidental kind of thing that happens. Breath is a divine decision that God made’.

Someone wrote to me and asked if my attitude to yoga practice was a purely physical pursuit and, if so, he wouldn’t be in touch again. It made me smile. The debate about physical-OR-spiritual is really something we don’t need to worry about.