The Yoga Leopard

23/05/2025

Like a story?! Me too!📖

Many moons ago, I did A level RE, and as part of that we studied Hinduism. I used to love learning about the stories involving the different Gods and Goddesses, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to have it! It's got all sorts of weird and wonderful illustrations that depict the various yoga poses I teach, and the stories behind them. I love animals and obviously I love Yoga - so I'm in heaven with this book! I might just have to read these stories in Savasana sometime!🤓

My current favourite poses are Pigeon (aka Swan), Frog and Crow! I also like a Lizard and an Eagle!

Many poses (e.g. Pigeon) are known by a different name in Yin Yoga - this is to give Yin Yoga an identify all of its own.

I love to call Pigeon 'Chippin,' as this is how my son (who is now 16!) used to say Pigeon when he was little!!!😂

My class is suitable for beginners and long practising yogis! I give lots of variations - so you can take from it what you want, and skip anything that doesn’t suit you! My motivation is to have fun; not take myself too seriously and build strength and flexibility in mind and body.

I teach Yoga every Monday (not usually bank hols. Monday May 26th is TBC - watch this space!) 6:15 - 7:15 pm at St Nicholas’ Hall, the United Reformed Church in Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury.

Message me for further details 🐆🧘‍♀️🤗🙋‍♀️

19/05/2025

Join me tonight 6:15 - 7:15 pm at St Nicholas’ Hall, the United Reformed Church in Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury.

Tonight's class is week 2 of my 4 week rolling programme = a five minute guided meditation, followed by a strong vinyasa flow 🐆

My motivation is to have fun; not take myself too seriously and build strength and flexibility in mind and body.

My class is suitable for beginners and long practising yogis! I give lots of variations - you can take from it what you want, and skip anything that doesn’t suit you!

Message me for further details 🐆🧘‍♀️🤗🙋‍♀️

14/05/2025

Both of my kids are knee deep in GCSE and A-level exams 😳😳😳
Aside from all the obvious things like eating well, getting enough sleep, getting fresh air, drinking water, etc. when you feel stressed, a great pose to take is ‘Legs up the wall.’

You can do this on a mat in the middle of a room with your legs literally in the air!🦵🏽🦵🏽You can also try it with a block at the bottom of your back, which is really lovely. But my favourite way to do it is like my son is demonstrating here, with your legs actually up against the wall, as it takes the weight of your legs and it’s so relaxing ☺️The trick here is to siddle up to the wall from a seated position; get one of your buttocks sort of up against the wall, then swing your legs around and up! I like to close my eyes and have my arms either side of me with my palms open. I often do this pose if I feel stressed or I can’t sleep, as it’s really good for lymphatic drainage and stress relief.

Maybe line yourself up against the wall with your stressed out exam-taking kids and see how it feels for a few minutes 🤗 If you can - try it for 10!
❤️

13/05/2025

24/08/2023

This is how your body should look in plank - but horizontally obvs and the leopard 🐆tail is optional 🤣🤣🤣 Push those shoulder blades out towards the sky when you’re in plank!
It’s such a good idea to sort your upper body alignment out in half plank first to avoid shoulder and lower back injuries before progressing to full plank, and whilst you build up your upper body strength. We go to plank a lot in Ashtanga because of all the vinyasas we do 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽😅😅😅

I’m carrying on as normal this bank holiday! The United Reformed Church, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, 6:15-7:15pm every Monday. Message me for further details 🌞🧘‍♀️🤩

12/08/2023

Full plank preparing to lower down and take a back bend (Cobra or Up dog). The lowering down bit is called Chataranga 🤓
I won’t be doing this for a while owing to my hernia repair surgery! 😤😖But I will be instructing you on how to achieve that and talking you through the many vinyasas that we do in the Ashtanga sequence 🤗🤩
A vinyasa is a series of poses linked by the breath. The phrase ‘take a vinyasa’ means going to full or half plank, lowering down (Chataranga), taking Cobra or Up dog, then coming to Down dog.
You don’t have to vinyasa from full plank, you can go from half plank where you drop your knees. That’s the place I’ll be starting from to build back up to my full practice in a few weeks! Not that I’m counting the seconds until I can get back to it or anything! (Oh my god I am!) 😤🙏🧘‍♀️🐆

Message me for further details of my beginners Ashtanga class that I teach every Monday 6:15 - 7.15pm at the United Reformed Church in Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury 🐆🧘‍♀️🙏

03/08/2023

I am recovering well from my recent emergency hernia operation but can’t return to my normal exercise routine for another 4.5 weeks!!! 😤😤😤
Health is wealth as my friend told me last night 🤗🔮🧘‍♀️
Therefore, I will be mainly instructing rather than demonstrating until I’m safe to return to full blown Yoga Leopard! Thankfully, as an ex primary school teacher of nearly 20 years, I’m used to this and can talk the hind legs of a donkey!!!!!! (Why is there no donkey emoji?!!!!)🤣🤣🤣

Message me for further details of my beginners Ashtanga class 🐆🧘‍♀️🙏

26/07/2023

I’m in quite a bit of discomfort, as the hernia was about 2 inches above my belly button, so it’s quite hard to get up and down.

I’m trying to take advice and do nothing for two weeks so that I can make a full recovery! Finding it all very frustrating! Thanks for understanding and see you on the 7th 🐆🧘‍♀️🙏

19/07/2023

I made some affirmation/intention cards the other day to offer to my yogis for times when an intention just won’t spring to mind 🤗 We always start the class by setting an intention to focus on throughout the yoga sequence, (or it can be a dedication to someone). Sometimes it’s an intention to carry through with you for the rest of the week or even longer.

I am very into positive affirmations and gratefulness, as after losing my Dad suddenly (nearly five years ago now!) I went to quite a dark place.

Whilst having a bit of time off work, I read The Secret and then The Magic by Rhonda Byrne. These books really changed my life for the better as they are all about the power of positive thinking and gratefulness, which changes your outlook, the energy you radiate towards others and gets you feeling so much more optimistic and hopeful about life.

The Magic is her second in that book series - it’s a guide to a 28 day gratefulness challenge which gets to you think about all sorts of things you wouldn’t normally feel gratitude for. Once you’ve done this you’ll automatically find yourself listing things you are grateful for without even thinking about it and it will make you feel really positive.

When you feel down, you might feel like you have nothing to be grateful for so it’s really good to think of things like: ‘I’m so grateful for my legs because they take me where I want to go!’ Giving a reason for why you are grateful for something is even more powerful in lifting your mood.

Try and challenge yourself to think of five things you are grateful for each day and I guarantee your spirits will have lifted by the time you’ve thought of your fifth one! 😸

I sometimes go to sleep listing things I’m grateful for and why, and it helps me to drift off feeling really happy and guess what… grateful 😇🤗

You can always find something to be grateful for even if it’s just a body part or an appliance, or even the bed you are sleeping in, or the sheets, or the pillows! (Stop! Stop! It’s too much!!! Do you know the film?!🤓🤣)

The one above is my favourite- a bit wordy and very big headed but it’s strong and empowering and a great intention to have about yourself! 🤗🐆🧘‍♀️

19/07/2023

I made some affirmation/intention cards the other day to offer to my yogis for times when an intention just won’t spring to mind 🤗 We always start the class by setting an intention to focus on throughout the yoga sequence, (or it can be a dedication to someone). Sometimes it’s an intention to carry through with you for the rest of the week or even longer.
I am very into positive affirmations and gratefulness, as after losing my Dad suddenly (nearly five years ago now!) I went to quite a dark place.
Whilst having a bit of time off work, I read The Secret and then The Magic by Rhonda Byrne. These books really changed my life for the better as they are all about the power of positive thinking and gratefulness, which changes your outlook, the energy you radiate towards others and gets you feeling so much more optimistic and hopeful about life.
The Magic is her second in that book series - it’s a guide to a 28 day gratefulness challenge which gets to you think about all sorts of things you wouldn’t normally feel gratitude for. Once you’ve done this you’ll automatically find yourself listing things you are grateful for without even thinking about it and it will make you feel really positive.
When you feel down, you might feel like you have nothing to be grateful for so it’s really good to think of things like: ‘I’m so grateful for my legs because they take me where I want to go!’ Giving a reason for why you are grateful for something is even more powerful in lifting your mood.
Try and challenge yourself to think of five things you are grateful for each day and I guarantee your spirits will have lifted by the time you’ve thought of your fifth one! 😸
I sometimes go to sleep listing things I’m grateful for and why, and it helps me to drift off feeling really happy and guess what… grateful 😇🤗

You can always find something to be grateful for even if it’s just a body part or an appliance, or even the bed you are sleeping in, or the sheets, or the pillows! (Stop! Stop! It’s too much!!! Do you know the film?!🤓🤣)
The one above is my favourite- a bit wordy and very big headed but it’s strong and empowering and a great intention to have about yourself! 🤗🐆🧘‍♀️