Jules Yoga London

🚴‍♀️ I'm a HUGE fan of Marvel Agents of Shield. There's often an IG golden nugget in most episodes, but this one is really worth a mention.

When applying these steps to every aspect of your life, the first step is usually the toughest, and we know in our hearts that the second step will be a little easier and so on.

🚴‍♀️ Recently for me clipping both feet into my pedals has been a big step. I had a sideways fall a while back when the cleat in my shoe got stuck in the pedal and wouldn't release as I came to a stop.

Cycling inside on a static trainer is great, but the experience of cycling on the road requires 100% concentration, and reassurance that before you stop, you have a process as you approach the traffic lights and its done in the correct order:

🚴‍♀️ Release the foot cleated into the pedal ready to lower to the ground
🚴‍♀️ Lower the gears to make it easier to cycle away promptly
🚴‍♀️ Relax the body and breathe...
 
For regular outdoor cyclists, these points may seem so blooming obvious, but we all have to start with tiny steps to (re)build our confidence.

May you be inspired to take new steps in the right direction today.

With kindness and love, Jules 🧡x💜

🧘‍♀️ I'm talking about creating yoga inspiration.

If you're a teacher, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing again? Do you...

✨ Take a class with a senior teacher you admire who will challenge you?
✨ Review your deeply-researched posture profiles for a reminder of stages long forgotten?
✨ Think outside the posture stages box and focus on therapy easing - Sciatica for example?

We can get stuck in our own ways of teaching that are comfortable and do not challenge our mind or body, let alone our students!

As long as you can recognise the time when YOU need to be inspired, then you will continue to inspire your yogis.

Online teaching is great to work with a variety of teachers to learn new approaches. And I've been very lucky this year to meet up with senior teachers face-to-face which has given my teaching a spark of renewed creativity.

If you feel tired of your existing lesson plans and haven't altered your style of teaching for a while, then ask yourself the three questions above.

May you continue to inspire your yogis and keep them coming back for more.

With kindness, inspiration and love... Jules 🧡x💜

🐶 It all started about 30 years ago when Andrex had a coupon offer for their soft puppy dogs which I collected for our daughter Lauren who was then three years old.

Before long I had friends and family collecting their toilet roll coupons for me and we amassed many puppies in all sorts of form - pencil case, nightdress case, and of course pocket size.

I'm still not sure where the plastic glasses came from but they fitted this one and it's been with me ever since.

🐶 Coming back to the post, this puppy (Poppy BTW), is NOT a lucky mascot. I'm crazy in many ways but I do not believe that a mascot of any kind will help you achieve your goals. The danger of believing in a lucky mascot is what will happen to your skills, your mental state, or your life(!) if you lost it?

Poppy is a bit of fun and pocket-sized for a cuddle. Over the years, she's been freediving, strapped to handlebars on lengthy cycle rides, steady in Downward Facing Dog on a yoga mat (of course!), she's held up Pisa (yes we all take that photo!), and she's been a comfort to hold when away from home and loved ones.

🐶 The entire puppy collection has been reused by our two granddaughters 30 years later which brings me much joy.

Remember, you're never too old to hug a soft toy for a feel-good feeling! As long as it doesn't hold power over you that you couldn't achieve without it.

🐶 Do you still have a soft toy that brings you comfort? Oh, I do hope so!

With kindness, joy, and love - always, Jules 🧡x💜

What's your mindset like about preparing or being ready for opportunities as they arise and making your own luck?

In my 28-years as a PR & Marketing professional, my response to new opportunities was always an enthusiastic 'YES!'

In fact, it was saying yes to the question that started my career, "Would you be interested in a PR role?" I said yes and then called a friend to ask 'what is PR?' OK, I hadn't quite planned for this, but someone thought I could do it and then with a bit of planning I found I was rather good at getting IT stories in the press.

Why is my luggage weight so close to the allowance before we go on holiday? Because I prepare for most scenarios: needle and cotton, tweezers, magnifying glass - you might think it strange to take these items on a freediving trip, but they all came in use when a sea urchin spike broke off in a buddy's foot!

Gosh, that was lucky! Well yes, because I prepared for the scenario even though I had no experience of it happening before.

Being lucky is a mindset. I guess in my mind I have already prepared to be lucky and therefore see opportunities where others might pass them by.

Fun fact: I danced on the stage at the London Palladium with Leo Sayer when he was at the height of his career (BIG pop star in the mid-70s) as I happened to be dancing about near the front row, he put out his hand, I grabbed it and leapt on the stage and stayed to help him finish his song!

Some people may consider me overly anxious. I consider myself a planner for most eventualities. I see luck in my life every day. In fact, we have a framed card on our wall which says 'We just might be the luckiest people alive.'

May you prepare for and recognise opportunities then watch how luckier you become.

With kindness and love, Jules 🧡x💜

🤗 Let's face it, if it was up to us we'd probably stay in our cosy/safe familiar life and poodle along at our own pace. Or would we?

🤨 What was your attitude towards change pre-pandemic? Are you an embracer, or do you fight against change until you have to give in?

😵 It's that seven-year cycle thing again. Our life choices lead us onto different paths, some of which we wholeheartedly throw ourselves into and, under the influence, become a new person. That's great if the new path is good for your health, body and mind!

😊 When I think back about what I've embraced and how easy the sport becomes your whole world, it makes me smile: Sailing (8 years), Pole fitness (3 years), Bikram yoga (3 years), Scuba diving (5 years), Freediving (5 years), and cycling (5 years and counting.)

🙄 For me, as a new sport comes along, the old one fades into the background - something has to give!

🥰 I've learned something new about my character along the way and built on each stage. All of the learning disciplines for the above sports have led me to become the patient, caring, enthusiastic yoga teacher I am today.

😄 We are all capable of change, but never lose yourself along the way. Learn from your mistakes, build on your treasured memories of the people that you used to be, and who you have become.

With kindness and love, Jules 🧡x💜

Durga is the Warrior Goddess of Protection and Inner Strength, she is the goddess that ignites me to make a change when I need it the most.

I first came across the supreme Hindu goddess in 2018 while reading Sally Kempton's highly informative book, Awakening Shakti, the transformative power of the goddesses of yoga. Shakti - is the primordial cosmic energy, and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the universe.

One would turn to Durga for guidance as a last resort as her transformative power only appears when she is asked for help. When 'enough is enough!' Or an unexpected setback stops you in your tracks and you can't see a way through, around or over the situation.

Durga manifests as a surge of courage, a "Yes, you can!" that forces you to stop and be inspired to take a new path.  You have asked for her help and you can learn to follow her lead and recognise the Shakti's agenda for your personal growth.

I felt a strong sense of connection to Durga when I visited sacred places in Kathmandu, Nepal during Durga puja (the annual nine-day festival) in October 2019, and even more so when embraced in a cave carved in stone dedicated to Durga in Mahabalipuram, South India in January 2020.

On the rare occasion when I need to ask for help, I feel the spiritual awakening of Durga igniting me into action and giving me the strength I need for the decision I have to make.

To quote Sally, "When you feel caught in one of those moments - when your personal will seems blocked by immovable objects or when you want to move in a new direction, but don't know how - consider that it might be a signal from the Shakti. Then consider sitting for a few minutes in meditation and using your imagination to bring yourself into the presence of Durga."

May you connect with a goddess that ignites your strength.  Jules 🧡x💜

In need of a mantra to get you out of bed each day? This is a great one, and oh so true.

I captured the quote from a t-shirt I saw in a shop window. Just reading the message made me smile.

Since David and I took early retirement on 6th September 2021, our 'projects' have significantly changed!

Gone are the deadline-driven projects which kept us occupied for 40 years, and in their place are lists of to-do's around the house - eek!

And then I read this t-shirt and thought, I AM the project!

I've now created a new project list where every to-do added is towards making me happy, calmer, and fitter.

I've still got to work through the other lists, but knowing that every day as I awake that I've got my greatest project to work on as well, life is looking up.

Wishing you kindness, love, and a list of new projects dedicated to making you happy... Jules 🧡x💜

🕉 You may have chanted OM and been fortunate enough to feel the vibrations of the universal sound resonate through your entire body and mind.

🕉 Why does this sound make you feel SO relaxed?

🕉 Chanting OM provides you with a mental reset. It's a mental reset with scientific backing. A study published in the International Journal of Yoga found that chanting OM reduced activity in the limbic system, the part of the brain associated with stress and emotions, and can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

🕉 OM is more than the start of our practice, more than an invitation to begin.

🕉 The symbol and word represent the divine thread that runs through the universe. It is a reflection of that energy, and by practising, repeating, and meditating on OM, we can begin to understand and connect with that divinity.

🕉 The symbol points us to 'the Highest' and its purpose is to move us closer to Life itself - to trust in and be supported by Life's currents.

🕉 Find a quiet space, inhale, and breathe out the sound OM. And repeat. Dedicate five minutes for seven days and see how you feel.

🕉 Through repeating the mantra OM, may you connect with your inner being and surrender to Life's currents.

With kindness, gratitude, and love, Jules 🧡x💜

PS: If you are looking for an online chanting class to start or widen your Sanskrit knowledge then I can highly recommend Vedic Chanting teacher Wendy Haring. I've enjoyed thought-provoking insights and discussions with Wendy since January 2020.

🧠 Ah now you've explained how easy it is to do, I can simply crack on and meditate!

Ah, if only it was THAT simple!

I recall saying to someone 20 years ago when I was a yoga newbie, 'oh how I wish I could meditate, but my mind is too busy!'

It took years to realise that you'll only benefit from meditation IF you have a busy mind to quieten down!

For my morning meditation I like to use the app InsightTimer - as of this morning I'm on Day 1274.

That's a lot of meditations!

They haven't always been deep and meaningful, but those that have been, have revealed clarity and a peaceful feeling throughout my mind and body.

As I publish this post I'll probably be meditating in a queue at Gatwick. I'm off on a yoga retreat to Palma, postponed from Sept 2020, with the BWY DCT Zoe Knott. Oh, I need this trip!

With patience, a peaceful mind, and love - always, Jules 🧡x💜

PS: I did my best to find the author of this quote, but I recall jotting it down while watching a British gangster movie! I didn't write down the movie.

👍 Self-confidence stems from the belief that we are valued for who we are. It does not depend on the good opinion of others and we can build it for ourselves.

Confidence is not fixed: it can desert us just when we seem to have everything going for us, and it can drive us when we've nothing left to lose.

If we're lucky, our parents will have helped to lay a foundation for confidence, but building and sustaining it is a lifelong project.

I didn't learn an optimistic attitude from my parents, they were born in the 1930s and had lived through a World War. Their mindset was to work hard for everything you want and you might get lucky along the way.

So, I had to develop self-confidence.

My tactic from secondary school age was to say 'yes' to an opportunity even if I didn't know where it might lead.

Of course, I had a few no so good experiences. But 95% of the time by calling on my courage and taking the risk, I took another step up on the ladder of life and my self-confidence improved.

You have to believe deep down in your heart that if you commit to doing something positive for yourself you will create self-confidence. 

Sometimes, when my confidence is wavering, I slap on some lippy, take big deep breaths, and leap into the situation. It's not let me down yet.

With kindness, self-confidence and love... Jules 🧡x💜

🕉 How's your optimism lately? I'm probably like you, my level of optimism can change depending on the weather!

📌 Notice how much happier you feel when you can sense the sun shining on your face

📌 Notice how much happier you feel when you can see your hopes becoming a reality

📌 Notice how much happier you feel when your dreams start to come true.  

I have always been an optimist. Even in the darkest of times, I have believed that something positive will come from the experience.

May you be optimistic even on those days when it's cloudy or raining, and see the positivity for the future.

With kindness, love, and optimism, Jules 🧡x💜

👣 Walking slowly and consciously with every step are the two key factors to your walking meditation.

👣 Perhaps if you're on your way to the park, you might like to walk mindfully to your destination, identify a patch of grass, take your shoes off and wiggle your toes to feel the grass beneath your feet.

👣 Relax your arms at your sides and move freely, coordinating your inhale and exhale with your steps - that'll slow your stride down a little more.

👣 The destination, distance, and pace are all incidental, as each step is your single-pointed focus is on what you are doing.

👣 Let your heel touch down lightly, roll through the foot to your toes, and repeat with the other foot. Does one side feel lighter/heavier than the other? What can do you to equal both sides?

If you're in a safe and private place, perhaps you'd like to close your eyes as you walk. How does that feel?

🏖 You don't have to go to the beach to walk in the sand, earlier in the year we bought our granddaughters a sandpit and although it's a short walk(!), the sensation of toes in the sand is almost like being by the sea!

May you find peace and contentment with the ground beneath your feet, Jules 🧡x💜

🧘‍♀️ I was recently on a short retreat with the highly sought after yoga teacher Zoe Knott.

⭐ Why is she highly sought after? It's because her classes and workshops often take you on a journey towards a peak posture which you don't always see coming! Her classes are usually filled with teachers keen to hear a golden nugget of a cue to use with their students.

🧘‍♀️ Over the years I've heard many 'Zoe-isms', and this one came when 20 of us were in Bridge Pose. As the minutes ticked by, I wondered if Zoe had forgotten about the pose while she told us a short story. After what felt like FIVE minutes, I whispered to a nearby yogi 'was she still in the room?' Zoe then quipped "Know that very soon you'll be releasing the pose, hold for two more of MY breaths!" The room erupted with laughter and yes of course we all held the pose right to the end.

😲 My face in the photo was taken last week at Alton Towers with my daughter Lauren and granddaughter Aurora. I was on the ride called Thirteen - lots of loops, into a black tunnel, dropped 12 feet, and then out of the tunnel BACKWARDS!

😂 When I saw the photo I laughed out loud because this was exactly how my brain felt when Zoe said "Hold for two more of my breaths!"

🧘‍♀️ May you be blessed with a yoga teacher that challenges, and gives you as much joy, as Zoe does. Yes of course I now use this line in my classes, and now you can too!

Wishing you kindness, new challenges, and love... Jules 🧡x💜

🧠 That's a tough question, as sometimes I can be in all three places within the same minute!

Since March 2020 we've had plenty of time to reflect on the PAST, of our freedom to go anywhere we could afford, and be with friends and family without having to wear a face mask.

Perhaps it's been too uncomfortable or fills you with anxiety to be focused on the PRESENT time.

But as our lives begin to return to a new normal, we can look to the FUTURE with hope make positive changes to how we live.

🧘‍♀️ From a yoga perspective, I enjoy reflecting on the PAST when it comes to the knowledge I have gained over the years, both mentally and physically. 

And being in the PRESENT when I'm learning, teaching, or preparing lesson plans to teach!

As for the FUTURE, I'm not making any changes yet from teaching online vs going back to a hall. I may reconsider in 2022 but for now, for me in answer to the question, the PRESENT is the place where my mind mostly sits.

Living in the PRESENT, focusing on the people that you love and those that love you has to be the best place to bring you the biggest smile.

May you be blessed with happy, present times.

With kindness and love, Jules 🧡x💜

A line inspired by the Dan Zadra quote, but actually told to me first by my dear friend Rina.
〰
I bet you have a friend that when you tell them something you are worried about, they do their utmost to offer ways on how to sort it. Crumbs, I think I'm describing me doing that too!
〰
Often, it's through speaking about a worry to a trusted friend do you see a variety of solutions that just might work.
〰
For almost 50 years my friend has shared my worries and remembered them long after I've forgotten them. She cares that much.
〰
When she recently spoke this line to me, I could almost see the weight lifting from her shoulders, as if her worries had been lifted along with the words.
〰
🧡 First, I hope that you have a friend with whom you can share your worries and they with you.

💜 Second, I hope as the sun rises on a new day, it brings you new hope and ideas to solve your worrying situation.

🧡 Third, I hope that your worries diminish.

With kindness, patience, and love... Jules 🧡x💜

🐯 A few years ago I had the rare privilege of going behind the scenes at Regent's Park London Zoo to feed the tigers!

😨 Were you scared? Of course, I was scared! And even though they were safely behind a cage, my hand was still shaking when the big cat took the meat off the fork!

😃 Did I want to do it again afterwards? ABSOLUTELY! I was happy to take the bucket of food and feed him all afternoon.

❓ Seeing these photos in my Facebook feed recently had me thinking about other things I've been scared of, asked 'what if?' and thankfully talking myself out of the negative mindset in time to experience a treasured memory which, in turn, changed the direction of my life.

Not all experiences have been as memorable as this one, but when I think of what I would have missed out on if I had stopped at the first obstacle:

🤿 SCUBA diving (pre-Freediving) - in the training I couldn't put my head under the water with a mask on, open my eyes and breathe through a regulator. It took 2 hours before I could do it!
🚴‍♀️ Cycling - I've had a few falls and scrapes over the years. I still have sweaty hands scared of going downhill fast. But at least I don't sit on my brakes as much as I used to.
🧘‍♀️ Yoga - I was so nervous teaching my first class in 2016, my sweaty hands shook and I had to constantly refer to my notes. Once the first class was over, I knew this is what I wanted to do.

❓ If you're deliberating overdoing something and the negative voice in your head says 'Ah but what if...?' Think about what you might miss out on by not going for it. That ought to change your thought process!

With patience, determination, and love - always, Jules 🧡x💜