Yoga with Gail

18/02/2026

18/02/2026

On the 5th of March, are hosting a wonderful free live music evening in Colchester celebrating incredible female vocalists performing songs by inspiring women singer-songwriters and composers, along with some of their own original pieces. They will also be supporting us with a raffle and bucket collection. 💜

What we do for women experiencing domestic and violence is often overlooked because migrant women fleeing abuse often have no recourse to public funds, meaning they are not able to access a refuge or council support.

In this area there is often just RAMA who finds them a safe place and pays for food for them and any children while we make applications to get them access to public funds. It’s quiet and important work, and we are always glad to be able to help.

Click this link for tickets 👉 https://surl.li/rhwche

28/01/2026

The Franginpani Flower is so beautiful. It is the national flower of Laos.... a symbol of sincerity and joy. Girls wear them in their hair and there are photos of them on the sidewalk. If I see them growing by the side of the road I put one in my hair too 🏵

The first picture is a mural here in Luang Prabang, and then I found a Franginpani Flower and walked around with it (I pick up beautiful leaves in England)

The Franginpani grows around many of the Buddhist temples here in Laos.

Buddhism is the prominent religion in Laos and the Franginpani Flower in Buddhism represents the transient nature of all life.

Everything in existence is fleeting, constantly changing from one moment to the next. The belief that all things are in a state of flux challenges our common experience and understanding of reality.

The momentary nature of existence means that everything is interconnected and constantly changing. 

Through mindfullness meditation in Buddhism, practitioners observe the moment-to-moment flow of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations. By recognising that each thought or feeling is transient, practitioners develop a sense of detachment, allowing them to experience life without being overwhelmed by it. The practice of mindfulness helps cultivate an awareness of the present moment and allows individuals to see things as they truly are—impermanent and constantly changing.

27/01/2026

The body knows things before the mind catches up...

A trembling along the skin, a travelling current moving along the spine, pulsing energy at your fingertips, tightness in your chest or butterflies in your stomach.

Try to be the witness to your internal landscape with it's myriad of sensations and emotions.... without judgement. Become the watcher, exploring with curiosity and loving kindness.

I WONDER WHAT MY BODY KNOWS?

WHAT IS SHE TRYING TO TELL ME?

Taking time to connect with your body in this way helps to regulate your nervous system.

22/01/2026

I was excited and happy to find a yoga class here in Luang Prabang. However I found myself unexpectedly nervous in the morning.... another country, a yoga studio I hadn't attended before... and there were no photos or info about the class or what to expect. Except "beginners welcomed".

The class I attended was lovely and I really enjoyed it. There was a form I couldn't do but I modified it for myself. I love attending other classes and being a student ❤️

And this made me think about the people who come to my classes back home, who have already practiced yoga and those whose maybe it is their first time 🧘‍♀️

I am always availabe and happy to answer any questions you may have about my classes and how the practice can be adapted for you.

If you are someone who has gone to a yoga class and it wasn't the right fit for you, please try different styles and different teachers.

There is a yoga practice for everyone and every body. Asana (forms) are not sacred. They can be adapted. Yoga is there for you and your body. Not for your body to "fit" yoga.

My last training at the end of 2025 was 40 hours with 3 days in person in London with Accessible Yoga School... making Yoga accessible for every body. And so I strive to make my classes accessible for all.

When I return home in March, I am making plans for a separate Adaptive yoga class, for those less able. And fir those of you who think you can't do yoga but would like try.

Let me know if you are interested 😊🧘‍♀️🙏🌻

18/01/2026

Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

It's white colour symbolises the purity of Buddhism.

Chalermchai Kositpipat, its creator, wanted to design this place as an earthly incarnation of paradise, a spiritual refuge inviting humans to rise above material concerns.

He put in over THB1 40,000,000 of his own money.

It is a work in progress and expected to be completed in around 2070.

It's a very special place and definitely a must see if you're planning a visit here.

ัดร่องขุ่น

11/01/2026

An interesting read ....

When we understand that how we move and align our bodies is not a primary cause of pain, we can break free from the outdated and unsupported movement “rules” and alignment-shaming we’re often taught. This applies both in the yoga world and in our society in general.

What causes low back pain? We often hear that bad posture, poor alignment, moving incorrectly, and loading our spine the wrong way are the causes of low back pain. But pain science research refutes these popular beliefs! Today, we'll look at a new study that examined the relationship between load an

25/12/2025

In times of great change and global uncertainty, we are sometimes at a loss to find stability and peace within. Yet, we are supported endlessly by the wisdom of the ages. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu is a mantra of power that assists us in our spiritual evolution and acts as a blessing for the world.

I learnt this beautiful mantra in Rishikesh, India and I love it so much as it just sums up everything I feel about living on this amazing planet we call Earth.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu or लोका: समस्ता: सुखिनो भवन्तु is a Sanskrit mantra which means:

“May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”

Gail 🌻

19/12/2025

So much was going on for me in this pic. I was 12. I was doing drugs and drinking. I was being exploited and r***d. I thought it was all totally normal. Cool even.

Delayed onset trauma is where we only become traumatised once we process and recognise what has happened, and can happen years/decades later.

It’s completely normal and very common for women and girls in abuse. You often don’t even know what you are being subjected to, and if it is normalised, minimised, or even glorified, you might not have any specific trauma responses whilst it is happening to you, it all comes later on.

This means you can ‘appear’ to be ‘coping’ or ‘unaffected’ by whatever it is that is being done to you in the moment, but you can later on process and reprocess what was really happening, and then become distressed, traumatised and feel totally crushed by it all.

This journey of processing your own trauma can come at any point in your life, and it can happen over and over again.

A trauma informed anti-pathology approach to this is vital - because this is totally normal. This is not mental illness. This is not a disorder. You can be retriggered and need to keep reprocessing for years, and it’s natural.

Interestingly, the international research on child sexual abuse and exploitation actually shows that the majority of kids being abused will use ‘positive’ coping mechanisms like working harder at school, trying to be ‘good’, being quiet, engaging in sports etc - which means no one notices!

We only get taught that children being abused show ‘negative’ coping mechanisms - but these are actually comparatively rare. It’s much more common for kids to normalise abuse and cope with it by just conforming, or by seeking positive affirmation and validation at school and home.

So if you have even an *inkling* that a child around you is going through something, don’t expect or wait for ‘negative’ coping mechanisms, behaviours, or disclosures - they might not come for decades.

And if any of this applies to you - remember that delayed onset trauma is natural, very common and completely rational. This is not something to pathologise or diagnose.

All my love,

Jess x