Julia Daker at Calm Armour Yoga

06/04/2026

Most of the time we don't notice our breath - it just happens. But if we were able to really observe it, we would notice that people around us are breathing in a variety of different ways. For example, when people are in "fight, flight, freeze mode" they may be doing something called "thoracic breathing" - shallow and rapid. The body is preparing for action and needs a sudden burst of oxygen - but when that action does not happen, this type of breathing is counterproductive. It makes us feel even more stressed.

The good news is, we can calm ourselves down - just by learning how to control our breath. We can learn different techniques to help us cope better with all sorts of situations. I teach these as an integral part of my classes and I use them often in daily life - particularly when things don't quite go to plan. I'll be talking about these and demonstrating them in future posts.

I wish I'd had had this knowledge years ago when learning to drive - it took 5 attempts to pass my test because I was shaking so much I could barely change gear! Luckily I got there in the end - but it could have been so much easier.

30/03/2026

Not every yoga class is the same. I've spoken to friends in the past who tried one yoga class, hated it, and never tried another which is a shame. Yoga is such a vast practice - you can have really fast paced classes, you can have those which are aimed at perfecting some of the really difficult poses and you can have slower, more reflective classes like mine. My classes usually start with some breathwork (there are multitudes to explore, all offering different benefits) then we do some poses (these are to stretch the body and they make you feel amazing) and then we finish with "Savasana" - a resting pose which you can enjoy while listening to a meditation, yoga nidra or guided visualisation.

27/03/2026

I’m really looking forward to starting classes in just a few weeks at Dunfermline Learning Campus. It’s a lovely space and feels just right for yoga.

A big thank you to Gemma on the Events Team for all her help in getting things set up.

You can now find full details on my website, but please get in touch if you’d like to know more — email, text, WhatsApp or a quick call, whatever suits you.

Bookings are now open, and I’m offering an early bird rate of £5 per class for your first two classes (advance booking and payment required). It’s a great way to come along, perhaps with a friend, and see if my style of teaching feels like a good fit for you.

21/03/2026

I’ve been avidly watching the wonderful Professor Bryan Cox again. I love binging on documentaries. Who knew that the universe is so full of chaos? It puts both Dallas and Dynasty to shame - let alone Eastenders. It’s like a massive soap opera - planets, suns and even galaxies crashing into one another. And there was me thinking that the night sky was peacefulness personified! I’m covering a friend’s yoga class on Tuesday - think there is going to be some star pose and some moon salutation in there…

17/03/2026

Yoga is so much more than just a fitness class.

Of course, it helps to tone and strengthen the body — and it’s a wonderfully natural, weight-bearing form of exercise too. But what makes yoga truly special is what it does for the mind.

It gives us space to quiet the mind's chatter, find a sense of balance, and build real focus — the kind that helps us navigate life’s challenges with a little more steadiness and ease.

13/03/2026

I’m really excited to be starting my new evening yoga classes at Dunfermline Learning Campus (Old Muirhouses Road site) from Wednesday 6th May.

It’s a fantastic venue — modern, welcoming, and with a lovely community café on site, so you can enjoy a coffee or tea before or after class if you fancy.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing a little more about what you can expect from the classes and some of the wonderful benefits yoga can bring.

I’d love to see you there.

04/03/2026

With Yoga Journal – I just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers! 🎉

16/11/2025

Sunday mornings are lovely aren’t they? (Well depends on your work schedule!) I’m spending mine in “yoga mode” practicing a Cat/Cow variation sequence I found for my own practice. I’ve adapted it for my audience of tonight at Amy Solon’s wellness centre. Elements Centre for Wellbeing

13/01/2025

One of my favourite Mantras.

Wishing you and yours a happy new year. More Yoga, Better World. lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu is a Sanskrit mantra that loosely translates to "may all… | 11 comments on LinkedIn

17/11/2024

This time last year I was all set to hang up my leisure centre boots and head off into a different type of venue. But I had just started my hypnotherapy course and it seemed like a bad time. This year I have done it - I handed in my notice at Fife Leisure on Saturday and I am looking forward to growing my teaching in a different direction. I am clearing out my garden room so that I can host a new online Saturday morning, "come in your pajamas if you like", class. I'm also looking at venues in or near Kinross for a face to face class - on a Wednesday or Thursday night. Let me know if you are interested in coming along or if you know a good venue.

16/11/2024

If you feel stiff and achy perhaps the last thing you want to try is yoga. But as I often say to my customers, you do not need to be flexible when you start - but you may well find you become more flexible as you go on. When I went to my first yoga class I could not reach my toes, my heels were way off the ground when I was in downward dog and sitting in a cross legged position was true torture. But as I persevered, I realised that it did not matter, no one was looking at me. The others in the class were too engaged in their own practice. And class by class my body decided to give in. I was 47 when I qualified as a teacher, I have arthritis in my shoulder and neck but the lack of pain I experience is something I put down to yoga. The type of yoga I love is thoughtful and respectful of the body - and accessible for people of all yoga abilities. Whatever your age, body type or ability, find the right teacher that teaches the kind of yoga you want to do - and then enjoy it!

04/11/2024

"If you listen closely some morning, when the sun swells over the horizon and the world is still and still asleep. You might hear it, a faint noise so far inside your mind that it must come from somewhere, from light rushing to darkness, energy burning towards entropy, towards a peaceful solution. Burning brilliantly, spontaneously, in the middle of nowhere and you, too, must make a sound that is somewhat like it, though that, of course, you have no way of hearing at all." I love this poem by George Bradley. At this time of the year seeing the sunrise doesn't require getting up so early - we might see it on our way to work or when we go out to walk the dog. Each sunrise is different and the vastness of the sky reminds us that each day is full of possibility.