Indyoga

25/11/2025

A much needed message and a beautifully delivered TEDx talk by a fellow YTT yogi Emma Smallman. Thank you for sharing the power and transformation of Yoga in, and out of, prison.

This subject is exactly what needs to be discussed around labels; not just for the incarcerated, but for all humans. Labels and of course judgement, can be hugely detrimental to progress, to possibility, to opportunity, to being.... well, more than we all are in that moment or in our past moments, good and bad!

Moving beyond a label is a way to connect first of all to oneself, as we both did in our Yoga Teacher Training in Morocco, (which was a complete pleasure to meet Emma and chat about all things prison and of course yoga in prison). Giving ALL of the people we meet the time to talk, to share, to reflect and to those people on the inside, and even a person who has taken a life. They don't deserve or need our judgement, they don't need a label, they don't need our unconscious bias of who we think they are. They are more than that, they are more than their worst moment.

When I first met someone in prison who took a life, the life of their sister, we talked face to face sitting in armchairs as if we were having a chat over coffee. They were friendly, well-mannered, polite, and smart. As Emma describes in the TEDx talk... they looked 'normal'. As I looked in their eyes, they didn't look to me like they could kill someone. They too were serving a life sentence and had made a decision to change their life around, had made a decision to do better than they had done in the past, and to do more for others. To move away from the label their family, the media and the judge had given them. Who am I to judge them further?

Yoga can, and often does, change a life, it may even help to prevent someone from taking a life. Keep up the amazing work you do for those who need Yoga and dance in their life!

What if we saw people not as their past labels, addict, criminal, offender, but as humans capable of change? Drawing on 16 years of experience in the justice...

24/11/2025

🧘🏻 How does the chakra system support modern day life?

☸️ These subtle life-force energy wheels are located in specific areas that trace the spine. And can support daily life as a practical framework for holistic, emotional and energetic well-being. Guiding you to physical and spiritual health.

💚 The heart chakra is number four, at the centre of the chest. By understanding and balancing this chakra, one can enhance self-awareness and navigate toward a sense of feeling love, empathy, understanding, patience, compassion and kindness for oneself and for others.

💚 I LOVE!!!

23/11/2025

☯️ The only Yin Yoga class in Boroughbridge!

🐌 Yin Yoga helps to focus on a meditative and passive practice, with slow, gravitational release, encouraging practitioners to turn inward and observe their breath and physical sensations.

💻 Book your place at Momoyoga.com/Indyoga

boroughbridge

22/11/2025

🐬 One legged Dolphin!!

💚 Now I personally LOVE this asana…. What about you, a lover or a hater? Does it challenge you a bit too much, is it beyond your abilities just now or do you give it your best shot?

✅ Let’s break it down with tips for success:

1. Maintain an engaged core

2. Spine, including a relaxed neck, long and aligned

3. Press down through your forearms, away from the floor, avoid dumping

4. Avoid collapsing through the chest and lift shoulders away from ears

5. Use your breath to support the posture

21/11/2025

😤 I heard a lot of heavy breathing and moans in classes these past few weeks… why??? Arms shoulders, core, strength and flexibility work!

💪🏼 Yoga might feel comfortable most of the time, but poses like dolphin and single-leg variations require strength, focus and control. The upper body, torso, shoulders and core sequences will always find a way of challenging body and mind!

🧠 When faced with difficulty, our brains try to hold us back. Our Sympathetic nervous system kicks in and the thought of ‘I can’t do it’ is often enough for the body to listen and respond with ‘I can’t do it’.

🐬 With a peak posture like dolphin in a sequence, and then some single leg dolphins and bunny hopping single leg dolphins our brain has gone in to defence mode during physical challenge or difficulty.

✅ A positive mindset gets you a whole lot further than you think it will. Having a CAN DO attitude is where you trust and have faith in your abilities, and of course knowing your ability, as well as belief in your inner strength toward accomplishment and success.

🤗 Yes…. I know some asana or strength work may be out of our reach, I get that, and some of them are for me too.

🐬 But I want you to know you can push past that with a proactive mindset. Let’s approach challenges with a playful and fun CAN DO attitude - like dolphins riding waves with their pals! This will take you and others around you, your pod, so much further in your goals.

☯️ Next week, we’ll be taking it easy in our last week of the month with some slow and stretchy side, upper body sequences.

15/11/2025

This is where I'm going to be in December!

15/11/2025

🧘🏻 How does the chakra system support modern day life?

☸️ These subtle life-force energy wheels are located in specific areas that trace the spine. And can support daily life as a practical framework for holistic, emotional and energetic well-being. Guiding you to physical and spiritual health.

💛 The Solar plexus chakra is number three, at the centre of the core, at the naval region. By understanding and balancing this chakra, one can enhance self-awareness and navigate toward a sense of feeling inner strength, confidence, boosted self-esteem and courage.

🧡 I DO!!!

14/11/2025

🌊 November Sessions at Calmwater Bay! ❄️

Sunday 23rd November – Farnham Quarry, Knaresborough

🕥 10:30–11:15 am Open Water Swimming
🏄 11:15–12:00 pm Paddleboarding (SUP)
🎿 12:00–2:00 pm Skiing / Wakeboarding

📞 +44 7790 543869 for info or to book your slot.
Let’s make a splash this winter! 💧

14/11/2025

☯️ The only Yin class in Boroughbridge!

🐌 Yin Yoga is a slower-paced, and often considered more relaxed, style of yoga that involves holding seated and reclined postures for extended periods, between 2 to 10 minutes. This allows the body to target deep connective tissue like fascia, ligaments and joints for increased range of motion and flexibility. I say ‘a more relaxed style of yoga’ loosely, as finding complete stillness for a number of minutes is challenging enough for our monkey mind and fidgety body.

Yin Yoga helps to let go of tension in larger muscle groups and to focus on a meditative and passive practice, focusing on slow and steady gravitational release, encouraging practitioners to turn inward and observe their breath and physical sensations.

📆 Join me on the mat, Mondays at the Methodist Hall, from 18:00 – 19:00.

💸 £100 for a block of 10, or £11 single classes.

💻 Book your place at Momoyoga.com/Indyoga

📧 Let me know any questions and I look forward to sharing Yin Yoga with you soon.