Meditation is a key practice that is mostly skipped over, simply because of how difficult it is to both still the mind and remain upright. Here I offer a practical way of introducing a daily chakra meditation to your life, together with practices that will not only cause the mind to centre and become still, but it will also set you up physically for a new way of being in the world...

If the hips or lower back feel stiff, tight or painful in postures, the chances are that you habitually support yourself with a holding pattern of the psoas and/or illiopsoas muscles, and if you do that in an unbalanced way (if you are right- or left-footed), it leads to scoliotic holding patterns to compensate. Knowing this does nothing to help you, because trying to 'open' or 'stretch' these muscles will simply cause them to resist your efforts. The problem is that they are being given the job of supporting you whatever you are doing (including trying to stretch them). The solution is simple - take the job of support away from them by giving yourself other ways of supporting yourself. This will lead to an intense strengthening of muscles you probably don't even know you have (because they are currently not needed), but the good news is that this 'other way' can become effortless, because the muscles I am talking about are naturally take part in both support and breathing (IF you are not holding yourself up with the hips and spine). The first part will give you the direct experience of what it actually feels like to let go of the Psoas family of muscles, and what follows will develop the support you need to replace it - support that relates to the breath and the ground beneath you.... Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and share it wherever you like. The full version with deeper exploration and appliction to standing is available for all premium members on the the 'Yoga Solutions' pages (linked in the members area)

There are two very unusual vertebrae in the neck that are related to expression and thought - and moreover whether you are free in these vertebrae or not is dependent on how you are interacting with the world! On this short Yoga solutions podcast, I explain what I mean by this as well as give you a direct physical exploration of how you can liberate natural movement between head and neck, and awaken the thoracic spine so that neck and shoulders no longer need to suffer from the job of holding you up all day... Enjoy! and click the like button if you find some benefit. The full hour-long class exploring this topic will be available for all premium members later on today on the 'Yoga Solutions' page. (You can browse memberships and their benefits on the side-tab on the member's area here)

Hips are quite a tricky thing to understand because what people understand as 'hips' depends on where they 'feel' them. Articulations of the hips involve how the thigh bones, pelvic bones, and the sacrum all move relative to each other. Tightness/difficulty in the hips is a result of holding patterns between these things (all permutations), which is always because of how you hold yourself up. Freedom in the hips relies on each component part of this intricate set of joints being free to move in the way 'it prefers' without any particular part of it being left responsible for catching and holding your weight. Here is a bit more of an explanation of what we are looking for... a taster for what I will be working with on this weekend's Saturday morning deep dive workshop on Zoom (You can book a place here - discounts for members)

Many teachers recognise the importance of the breath in posture work, yet breathing practices (aka pranayama), are mostly practiced 'separately' because it is considered as 'advanced' compared to posture work. However, if we are free to explore how the breath is naturally involved in active support whilst preparing for a posture, it makes complete sense of the pranayamas. And understanding the nature of the pranayamas make sense of the posture! If you really allow yourself to absorb everything I share here on this 20 min class, I believe it will shift your practice in a direction that you will love! You may not recognise it immediately, but you take this on for a little while, it could well be one of the most significant short classes you've ever done! Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave any comments you have, which I will be happy to respond to. LAST CHANCE DISCOUNT ON MEMBERSHIPS (ends this Thursday night): Browse what's on offer in my Members Area : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/members-area Join me this Saturday for my regular online Yoga deep-dive (10:30am start on zoom) : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-events

A regular question i get is about how to be free in the shoulders... but whenever I run workshops in new places with large groups of people, one of the things not asked is 'how to reach up with the arms during sun salute'... Yet absolutely everyone in the room is lifting their arms with their shoulders and neck when they come up... which is exactly what gives them the tight shoulders in the first place. Here is a 5 minute short class that will get you to understand how shoulders are supposed to move, leaving you totally free in the spine and neck, so that shoulders can actually relax when your arms are all the way up..

Sitting upright is really quite tricky for many people - and if so seated forward bends are even harder. Here I show you why and what you need to do differently if you want to 'get' seated postures. Enjoy! Click the like button for me and share it anywhere you like. If you want to work with me, there is currently a more-than-50% discount on my memberships (varying for different levels of engagement). This ends in September 2023, but what ever price you sign up for is locked in for the duration... https://www.acquaviva.yoga/memberships

Dog pose is such a ubiquitous 'in between' posture in flows and the like that it is rare for people to spend any time finding out if there are better ways of doing it.. here I offer you a broken-down-into-parts approach, so you can feel how best to use your arms and legs so that the posture does what it is meant to do for you... All paying members get the full version of this under the 'Yoga Solutions' link in 'Resources for members'... And I have plans to offer even more value for premium members (new series on specific postures, and monthly online 1:1s included). The prices of various premium memberships will be going up in September. So if you have been thinking of joining, your best bet is to do so now and the old (ridiculously cheap) prices will be locked in for you, together with the new benefits that are coming next month.... www.acquaviva.yoga/membership

Triangle (all versions from all traditions) is quite a difficult posture in terms of 'finding the yoga of it'. The bigger wider versions of it can only really be enjoyed and understood whist using a plethora of blocks and other supports - without which the practitioner is likely to strain and pull on their spines (wide angle triangle is notorious for 'causing' sacro-illiac distortions which can become devastating injuries). The clue that you're not doing a particularly useful version of triangle posture is when the front leg hip is holding on like crazy whilst you move yourself into and 'hold' the pose. Here I offer an approach to a modified version of the posture that might give you a direct somatic experience of what it's supposed to feel like (intense, but light and pleasurable) Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment if you found it useful. And help me out by sharing it anywhere you think people might benefit. The full class version of this is available to my premium members on this website (Silver membership is currently very low cost and gives you access to hundreds of 'yoga solutions' mini-classes on a plethora of subjects.) Membership prices are going up very soon, so if you want to have ongoing access to the inspirations and guidance I share, you should lock in the low price for your membership whilst it is still available. www.acquaviva.yoga/membership If you would like a discovery call with me, or have a question about your body and your practice, you can book 15 minutes with me for FREE at www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online. I regularly put on a Saturday morning workshop (10:30am start) on Zoom. It's interactive, and I run these centred around a cohesive theme of practice, and offer individual on-screen participants guidance as we go through the class. You can book to drop in to any of these, or attend with up to 100% discount depending on your membership level. www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-events Other events... I'll be teaching at the World Yoga Festival (Friday 3pm and Sat 11am in the Water tent) I hope to see you at something soon! Marc x

It is regularly stated that the physical practice of yoga is only a part of what yoga is, but even by those that say this, it is treated as 'separate' from other practices like pranayama and meditation. And by those that prefer meditation or breath-work, the physical is even relegated to a lower status than the 'higher function' practices of meditation, and its gateway practice pranayama. This is a huge mistake, that leads to an entrenchment of the experienced separation between body mind and soul that leads people to yoga in the first place. The avoidance of the physical is an avoidance of learning how to actually apply the realisations that arise from pranayama and meditation to real life. Unless the body is in harmony with the mind and breath, then no amount of 'control' of these things will cause a real-life manifestation of the change that is being sought after. I started my yoga journey with a desire to 'fix my body'... but I soon realised that my body was complaining because of the way I felt about and interacted with life itself. The body's complaints were not my body 'going wrong' - it was complaining in a very straight-forward fashion about simple things like having to hold me up; it didn't like it when doing things made it harder to breathe; and old issues like my neck and lower back would flare up when I didn't like what was going on in life around me... Before I became aware of the relationship between what my body was telling me, and my own feelings/actions/behaviours/ideas about life, I could easily persuade myself that I was 'right' to think what i think, do what i do, and believe what I believe. I could persuade myself of anything that suited my personality as it was without any need for change. Which of course made any kind of real change impossible. Once i discovered this relationship, I knew that really, I had no idea what was real and what was some mental construct I had learnt/adopted from someone else of decided for myself to suit my agenda. BUT, in applying principles of practice - ideas that i had, like 'kindness' - to my physical practice, I could directly DISCOVER what the real meaning of the word is... Because if kindness to my body during action should help it heal, then if I wasn't healing, it was the meaning of 'kindness' that I was applying that needed shifting - until it worked, because then the body would heal and I would understand what kindness actually is, rather than what I have pre-decided it means. In the recording below I share something of my own story and a longterm healing of a mild scoliosis that felt to be the source of a plethora of postural issues that got me to begin my journey over 30 years ago. And how the process of discovery through practice and deep self-inquiry has led to an understanding of things based in reality rather than opinion and bias... and to a life where I get more comfortable, and in many ways younger in my body as I get older. I also share a little something at the end that shows how the breath is the vehicle for marrying up intention with the natural body in movement. Enjoy! coming up: *Saturday morning workshops as usual (on Zoom 10:30am start) *A rather special 1 week yoga retreat and holiday in Turkey (starts July 10th - spaces available) The week will be centred around pranayama and its application to real life and practice. * I am teaching at the World Yoga Festival in August.

THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF 'YOGA SOLUTIONS' ... Developing a true somatic experience and practical understanding of what they actually are, together with relevance to your life, health and state of being... 'Chakras' are spoken of as if they are a universal experience that some people feel 'in tune with', and others see as a belief system rather than anything of practical use. During this morning's pranayama I gained some insight that I wanted to share with you, because it may help you gain some clarity of your own about the areas of your body that they relate to, and how it is that 'bringing a chakra into balance' can be beneficial to both state of mind and physical health. On the 'Yoga Solutions' below, I touch on the Sacral chakra/pelvic organ area, and go deep into the Solar plexus. And if I get enough positive feedback I will continue next week with other vital areas. (this particular one is the FULL Yoga Solutions session ~ 40mins or so, usually reserved for premium members). For anyone already into the chakra system, this will give you practical ways to intensify your experience as well as understand it. And for those of you that are 'anti-woowoo', this will give you something practical to hang your hat on, so you can discover for yourself why 'Chakras' have been incorporated into the system of Yoga for mind-body health... Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment if you found it helpful. I am happy for you to share this around wherever you see fit. And if you do enjoy it, you might want to consider trying out Silver membership so you can access the full class version of it, together with ~ 200 or so 'Yoga Solutions' mini-classes (which will include the full versions of the ‘Chakra series’ as I do them) : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/membership You can sign up for Silver for a 1-week free trial, then its just ~ £1/week for a brand new class every week, as well as access to over 150 of my previously recorded sessions on-demand. (Cancel any time) And if you want to take things deeper with me, most Saturday mornings, I put on a 2.5hr interactive workshop on Zoom (£27 drop-in … free for Gold and Platinum members) - usually centred around or developed from my current current Yoga Solutions theme, but always tweaked to meet the needs of the onscreen participants ((you can also book a view-only place for just £15… recordings available to anyone that books whether you attend or not). Latest workshop info: https://www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-events If you are drawn to working with me , but would like to see if we are a fit, you can book a FREE online 15 min consultation with me here : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online And that is also the link for directly booking a 1-1 session with me (all levels of experience welcome from absolute beginner to seasoned teacher) Coming up: Huzur Vadisi, Turkey July '23: 1 week retreat with myself and Tuesday McNeill World Yoga Festival August '23: Long weekend real yoga festival in beautiful countryside

A definitive understanding of how to permanently free yourself of ongoing nagging neck/shoulder pain and the tiredness that this brings... Many people get neck/shoulder stiffness or pain, and the reason is simply because we spend all day every day holding the head in space with those muscles... The head has an important role in you deciding where to move to in space, but here, I explain how the atlas, the very first vertebra of the neck, can be released so that the head's weight can always be given down through the axis of the spine, regardless of what you are doing, leaving your neck and shoulders free of any weight-bearing responsibility. I also give you something to practice, that will write this way of moving into your nervous system... If you ever suffer from stiff neck and shoulders (or just have a kind of tiredness that makes you want to be inactive all the time) this practice will make you feel free and light… Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment if you found it helpful. I am happy for you to share this around wherever you see fit. And if you do enjoy it, you might want to consider trying out Silver membership so you can access the full class version of it, together with ~ 200 or so 'Yoga Solutions' mini-classes : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/membership You can sign up for Silver for a 1-week free trial, then its just ~ £1/week for a brand new class every week, as well as access to over 150 of my previously recorded sessions on-demand. (Cancel any time) And if you want to take things deeper with me, most Saturday mornings, I put on a 2.5hr interactive workshop on Zoom (£27 drop-in … free for Gold and Platinum members) - usually centred around or developed from my current current Yoga Solutions theme, but always tweaked to meet the needs of the onscreen participants ((you can also book a view-only place for just £15… recordings available to anyone that books whether you attend or not). Latest workshop info: https://www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-events If you are drawn to working with me , but would like to see if we are a fit, you can book a FREE online 15 min consultation with me here : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online And that is also the link for directly booking a 1-1 session with me (all levels of experience welcome from absolute beginner to seasoned teacher) Coming up: Huzur Vadisi, Turkey July '23: 1 week retreat with myself and Tuesday McNeill World Yoga Festival August '23: Long weekend real yoga festival in beautiful countryside

Many people end up hurting their lower backs through some kind of physical labour whilst being bent over - and I am no exception. I strained my lower back doing some DIY... and when I noticed my own fear reactions together with the 'normal' attempt to 'relax' so things didn't hurt, I realised that this standard response was doing me no good whatsoever. So I had a word with myself (I have solutions right?) and did some practice on the day of injury - following my own understanding and honouring of the notion that 'the body is intelligent' in order to unravel the issue. And it worked ! The next day I was back to DIY without any problems ... in fact the following day I was more balanced, and stronger than before the back-strain happened. So here I share both the thinking behind what I did together with the intention behind, and 'how to' details of, the simple practice of balancing on one foot in order to release the issue... You don't have to have a strained lower back to feel the benefits of following this, and if you do ever suffer from that, this will give you a get out of jail free card when it happens... Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment if you found it helpful. I am happy for you to share this around wherever you see fit. And if you do enjoy it, you might want to consider trying out Silver membership so you can access the full class version of it, together with ~ 200 or so 'Yoga Solutions' mini-classes : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/membership You can sign up for Silver for a 1-week free trial, then its just ~ £1/week for a brand new class every week, as well as access to over 150 of my previously recorded sessions on-demand. (Cancel any time) And if you want to take things deeper with me, most Saturday mornings, I put on a 2.5hr interactive workshop on Zoom (£27 drop-in … free for Gold and Platinum members) - usually centred around or developed from my current current Yoga Solutions theme, but always tweaked to meet the needs of the onscreen participants ((you can also book a view-only place for just £15… recordings available to anyone that books whether you attend or not). Latest workshop info: https://www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-events If you are drawn to working with me , but would like to see if we are a fit, you can book a FREE online 15 min consultation with me here : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online And that is also the link for directly booking a 1-1 session with me (all levels of experience welcome from absolute beginner to seasoned teacher) Coming up: Huzur Vadisi, Turkey July '23: 1 week retreat with myself and Tuesday McNeill World Yoga Festival August '23: Long weekend real yoga festival in beautiful countryside

De-bunking the norm... There is a reason for the 'inhale up/exhale down' instruction that makes 'doing' yoga postures easier for the mind and body, giving the impression of 'flow'. However, that reason is more to do with habit and stress, than it is to do with the natural flow of a body and mind in harmony with each other in action. Lifting to breathe, and collapsing to release the breath is kind of how we do things when we are both stressed and tired, and practicing yoga in this way entrenches this behaviour into our movement. Here I guide you into an experiential understanding of how the breath itself can become the source of support and free movement, simply by adjusting your intent, at the specific moments of arrival and release of the breath... (full 1hr class version available to all Premium members here) Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment if you found it helpful. I am happy for you to share this around wherever you see fit. And if you do enjoy it, you might want to consider trying out Silver membership so you can access the full class version of it, together with ~ 200 or so 'Yoga Solutions' mini-classes (the full version of this one is about an hour) : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/membership You can sign up for Silver for a 1-week free trial, then its just ~ £1/week for a brand new class every week, as well as access to over 150 of my previously recorded sessions on-demand. (Cancel any time) And if you want to take things deeper with me, most Saturday mornings, I put on a 2.5hr interactive workshop on Zoom (£27 drop-in … free for Gold and Platinum members) - usually centred around or developed from my current current Yoga Solutions theme, but always tweaked to meet the needs of the onscreen participants ((you can also book a view-only place for just £15… recordings available to anyone that books whether you attend or not). Latest workshop info: https://www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-events If you are drawn to working with me , but would like to see if we are a fit, you can book a FREE online 15 min consultation with me here : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online And that is also the link for directly booking a 1-1 session with me (all levels of experience welcome from absolute beginner to seasoned teacher) Coming up: Huzur Vadisi, Turkey July '23: 1 week retreat with myself and Tuesday McNeill World Yoga Festival August '23: Long weekend real yoga festival in beautiful countryside

'Inner space' is a description of a purely somatic experience that most people only have when resting and happy.... Here I give you a way of providing that for yourself directly, simply by using your hands for support. 'Inner support' is similarly a description of a somatic experience that will mean very different things to different people depending on what efforts and tensions they are accustomed to... So I also offer an approach to the same thing as above (as your starting point) to set things up so that the breath itself can give you the most natural inner support you can develop (through the breath), which in turn offers you a strength that leaves you free in your movements through space... Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment if you found it helpful. I am happy for you to share this around wherever you see fit. And if you do enjoy it, you might want to consider trying out Silver membership on my website : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/membership ... I take these Yoga solutions subjects and build on them to make at least a full half hour guided practice (this is available later on in the day for all my premium members) . You can sign up for Silver for a 1-week free trial, then its just ~ £1/week for a brand new class every week, as well as access to over 150 of my previously recorded sessions on-demand. (Cancel any time) And if you want to take things deeper with me, most Saturday mornings, I put on a 2.5hr interactive workshop on Zoom (£27 drop-in … free for Gold and Platinum members) - usually centred around or developed from my current current Yoga Solutions theme, but always tweaked to meet the needs of the onscreen participants ((you can also book a view-only place for just £15… recordings available to anyone that books whether you attend or not). Latest workshop info: https://www.acquaviva.yoga/workshops-... If you are drawn to working with me , but would like to see if we are a fit, you can book a FREE online 15 min consultation with me here : https://www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online And that is also the link for directly booking a 1-1 session with me (all levels of experience welcome from absolute beginner to seasoned teacher) Coming up: Huzur Vadisi, Turkey July '23: 1 week retreat with myself and Tuesday McNeill World Yoga Festival August '23: Long weekend real yoga festival in beautiful countryside

We all have preferred ways of being upright, and our breath follows suit - OR we have preferred ways of breathing, and the way we become upright is determined by this. Most ways of becoming upright involve lifting with our spines (but definitely NOT the only way). Here I unpack this relationship to uprightness and breathing, and show you how you can use either (perfectly natural) pattern as a starting point to discover the 'yoga' of it... ie, how you can use the breath to discover a way of releasing into uprightness through an elongating spine, following a release of breath and tension.... Enjoy! Tap the like button for me and leave a comment to let me know how it went down for you. Share this around wherever you like. And if you do enjoy it, you might want to consider trying out Silver membership on my website (www.acquaviva.yoga/membership)

Something you can do lying down that will make a huge difference to your face, jaw and sense of calm... This was lifted from today's Saturday morning workshop ... join me live on Zoom (most Saturdays)

Here I explain the reason for any difficulty you might have in 'balance postures' or the even more misleading instruction of 'holding balances'. And i show you exactly the small shift in perspective and understanding that should make things much simpler... A full half hour guided practice will be available later on today for my premium members ( www.acquaviva.yoga/membership ). For ~ £1/week (Silver membership) you can get a weekly class on my 'Yoga Solutions' subjects, as well as access to over 150 previously recorded sessions. If you are drawn to working with me , but would like to see if we are a fit, you can book a FREE online 15 min consultation with me at www.acquaviva.yoga/book-online And that is also the link for directly booking a 1-1 session with me (all levels of experience welcome from absolute beginner to seasoned teacher) Live interactive workshops on Zoom every Saturday (10:30am-1:00pm) for the more intrepid body-mind explorer... anyone looking for the gateway to real and lasting change. www.acquaviva.yoga/workshop-events You can also find my in-person events this link ... coming up: Huzur Vadisi, Turkey July '23: 1 week retreat with myself and Tuesday McNeill World Yoga Festival August '23: Long weekend real yoga festival in beautiful countryside.

Yoga Solutions: There is a familiar principle in Scaravelli inspired yoga of 'gathering together ' before 'opening out'. It is an idea that makes zero sense to the 'stretch' camp of yoga, and is often misinterpreted by those familiar with it as a kind of 'contraction' so they enjoy 'opening out' after... Here I try and make practical sense of the thing... what you are actually trying to do AND why it works. . A full half hour guided practice on this topic will be available later on today for my premium members (www.acquaviva.yoga/membership ). For ~ £1/week (Silver membership) you can get a weekly class on my 'Yoga Solutions' subjects, as well as access to over 150 previously recorded sessions.

I I was doing my mail out for tomorrow's workshop and I found myself contemplating my own thoughts on and relationship to self-care. I think we would all agree that regular self-care of body mind and soul are all necessary for things to evolve in ways that we recognise as an improving quality of life. Over the years I've also become increasingly interested in why it can sometimes be so difficult to prioritise such pursuits. Life will continually present us with reasons for putting self-care low on the priority list - an indulgence for 'when we have time'. But in reality, all the imperative tasks and agendas that drive us on a daily basis are severely hampered when any part of the body-mind-soul trinity is at odds with any other part. I know through repeated experience, that when I have had a good practice, I can think more clearly so I make better decisions, I feel good in my body so I feel like doing what needs doing, and if it feels like I am walking my natural path, then I can be myself in company, and sleep easy at night. For me, my Yoga offers me all of this in one activity - but only if I put in the time to practice. And still, even though yoga is huge part of my life, there are times when I find it difficult to bring myself to do the very thing that I know would put things right (usually when I am stressed). It's actually why I chose to become a yoga teacher. For me, without the desire to share my discoveries with others, it would be all too easy for me to postpone self-care to 'when I feel like it' (which in reality is when I need it least). So I have always been very grateful to all of you that choose to turn to me for 1:1 advice and support, or join me in my weekly workshops - you motivate me to put in the time for myself so that I can always teach from an authentic and inspired place. And having real solutions to common-place physical restrictions would be meaningless to me if I had no-one to share them with. So firstly, thank you! But each of us need to find our own motivations for taking the time we need to unite body soul and mind. The purpose of Yoga is NOT to get good at yoga. I like to think of Yoga as something that is meant to support you in whatever it is you want to do with your life - and if you can make that association, you will have all the motivation you need to put in the time you need for true self-care. If you allow me to guide you, your mind will be taking part but it can relax as you assign it to following my guidance. The body should become clearer, simpler and more comfortable as I show you ways of doing things that honour how it best works. And the soul will no-doubt celebrate the fact that you took the time to sooth and repair its two louder companions. And sometimes, the reduction of noise can allow the soul's whisperings to be heard more clearly. So do join me for something so I can help, but when you find the motivation and time to regularly attend to these things for yourself, you have began to master the art of self-care.

I needed to put something together for a workshop I will be doing in Barcelona in October... And I found myself explaining things in the simplest and most common-sense way, that taps into the most fundamental reasons that any of us are drawn to practice in the first place..... If you are going to be in Barcelona around the weekend of 24/25 October this year, get in touch with Pete Loggie for details of the workshop. Much love Marc x

A live recording of a workshop for the World Yoga Festival.. (1.5hrs - full class)

LETTING GO OF RIGHT VS. WRONG " To traditional thinking, breath retention and most other pranayama practices would be considered too advanced for initiates. My belief is that the only real qualification for all levels of yoga practice, is a drive and desire for change, a mind that is willing and humble enough to allow it, and a person that is willing to continuously 'begin again' until change becomes the simple flow of being." - Marc J Acquaviva - I wanted to share today's Yoga solutions broadcast with all my members, so I have posted it here on the Blog. I begin the session with talking about non-attachment to the 'rules' we learn.... Rules have a purpose, but unconsciously or dogmatically sticking to them, can keep us away from understanding the real reasons behind them, and away from the next breakthrough that is waiting for us ... So on this session I guide you through a practical exploration of the nature and purpose of breath retention in practice. Enjoy!

This is a 15 minute clip from a recent 'Yoga Solutions' Broadcast where I describe the life journey that leads to the physical and emotional limitations most of us experience as we grow up - and how the practice of yoga needs to become a journey that is centred on returning us to a state of innocence... (there is also a short practice guide at the end to show you how to do that!)

This is a recording of my teaching on a CPD workshop for the British Wheel, taking practitioners into a different mindset and intention in practice. Appropriate for all dedicated explorers of the mind-body relationship.

I don't usually talk anatomy because, as interesting as it might be, as a model for movement it can become thoroughly misleading. But If you want to understand why you might be 'stiff' or have tight hamstrings/hips/shoulders/back, here's an anatomy lesson for you that makes sense of it all as well as what you actually need to do to change things (and its nothing to do with manipulating connective tissue) #connectivetissue #fascia #yogaanatomy #cuttingoutthenonsense #yogasolutions

1. Surrender the mind to your heart, & your weight through your touch, From within allow space from the ground. 2. If you find you need space, then meet the space behind you, to either side, and when you meet above, let go from up to down... 3. With your hands and feet, gather your bones to the centre. The spine, the spaces within & your touch, must all come close together. 4. Give the spine & breath to your base, from hands & feet - thread through space, Then this rhythm can flow with no holding in place. 5. But when you feel you can float, trusting the space all around ~ 6.Just pause, with the breath ... guide the heart to the centre, Then just give back, through your spine - to the ground. - Marc J Acquaviva - ©2020

Here is the recording of my teaching on the World Yoga Festival online August 2020. The title of the workshop was 'The innate wisdom of the body' and it involved a gentle 1.5 hrs of guided practice and Q&A (always with practical answers) .. enjoy!

The more people I talk to about this, the more I feel I am tuning in to something that is actually happening... Ever since the the world has gone into lockdown, I have felt a shift in the air that seems to be more than just about 'getting through this'. For years now, decades even, there has been a kind of growing acceptance of and complacency about the unreality of how things are done and presented to us. We accept that the images we see on tv and even on social media are a filtered and photoshopped representation of people's lives that has no relationship to reality, but that somehow we are supposed to aspire to achieve. That advertisers feed us untruths so that we will buy the product, that politicians lie for political gain, and that if you can come up with a workable argument for why you are right, then that's good enough - that winning the argument is more important than getting to the truth. That the people that clean our streets, look after our sick - that key workers get paid less because their work is considered 'unskilled'... Recently in my experience, the people I get to speak to and work with these days, seem to be waking up from the zombie life of permanent striving to achieve some elusive and fictitious goal. There was total awareness of the fact before, but I know for myself, there seemed to be no other alternative. But now, all of a sudden, the whole world has seen what would have seemed impossible before - the world just stopped because it had to - and it was a decision. People were in shock of course to start with, but with this little bit of time into it, I am seeing acclimatisation to this new level of space and time and a new awareness evolving with it. I am not particularly political myself because I have felt as disempowered as everyone else in terms of having any real effect on this external world. However I have long thought that the only thing I can make any difference to, is myself - my own thinking, my own actions. I got this idea from my yoga. Just before I came back to yoga as an adult, I was a mess - I felt I had no say in my own life and that the way my body was suffering was because 'it' was falling apart and failing me. Not long into my yoga journey, I realised that my noisy painful body was simply reflecting the noise and pain that I was experiencing existentially. I couldn't do anything about external circumstances, but I could make myself feel better. The methodology was the 'Scaravelli inspired' imperative to 'listen to the body' itself and creatively follow the cues I was getting to make things better - ideas like 'self-kindness', 'natural movement', were there, but what these things actually meant, could only be discovered in practice - as in, I had an idea of what it meant, but as long as I was attached to the idea, nothing particularly changed. The time that I knew I had found what such a thing might mean was quite simply when it worked (ie - when the knee actually stopped hurting and felt as light as it did when I was a child; or when the anxiety in my breathing ceased and the mind became as quiet as the breath etc.) It was the beginning of a relationship to my body, where I could test out the truth of my own perceptions and interpretations of things simply by applying it to practice - and my body would inform me of what was real and what was illusory. And what's more, this awareness began to expand into life itself. I began to develop a broader view of things where I understood that the only thing I could really influence was my relationship to the world, and that by doing so, my perception of reality shifts, and that if it shifts in a useful direction, then I directly experience more ease, grace, energy and strength. When I began teaching several years later, the truths offered to me by this universally available source - the body - yielded results for other people's bodies too. I could help in ways that surprised people. But my help was on a structural level, in that I could cause harmonious relationships for people at places of disharmony and dysfunction simply because my own developing body-map knew how it went. And I kind of presumed that the new relationships they were experiencing in their bodies would 'speak' to them in the same way. Some people became enamoured with the fact that what I offered worked and continued on through the process that brought them to a place of understanding the language of their own bodies - and it inevitably led to big shifts in their own lives. But many were disturbed by the fact that it worked, because when I offered the reasoning behind it, the ideas contradicted what was understood. The complaint of 'so I have to unlearn everything I know?!' was commonplace. My answer was always 'no - that would take too long - but if you temporarily let go of what you know in favour of turning up to what is, then what you know will transform into something more accurate'. And for my two decades of being dedicated to sharing my work with people, the hardest part of the work has been in simply communicating with people, rather than their bodies. Bodies always responded favourably, but if the person was in disagreement, I would watch them replace the disharmony in the body and complain at the returning discomfort. With those people I had done nothing useful. I have since realised that what they were protecting at a deeper level, was the identity and the life they had built for themselves. And the minor compromises in these things that were being reflected in the body were simply not loud enough for them to challenge the whole establishment of their lives. And really - who am I to implement changes that are not wanted ?! So very gradually, I learnt to allow people to stay with their physical discomfort if they preferred it to existential discomfort, whilst continuing to offer the principles behind the work that I knew would eventually lead to an answer for them. Change would happen for them, when they were ready, and when there was a change of mind. Over the last year or so, I feel something in the world has been changing anyway - I have found that brows are less furrowed when I talk about what works for the body-mind relationship - things that I would have spent all day explaining before, are heard and understood as common sense. It could well be that I have been continuing to change and have become clearer in my communication, but it has certainly felt like the world is beginning to join me in the way I look at things. The upshot of it all is that over this lockdown, it seems people are getting real... They have time to assess their lives and their relationships, and more than ever before, the idea of 'finding out who you really are' is becoming a practical consideration rather than a luxury you can imagine embarking on once you've achieved your goal. This might be why I have experienced a sudden upsurge of people wanting to work with me on their yoga practice. And I have to confess that I am loving this new level of self-valuing in people. Since early days of my practice, I have thought that if only everyone took the time to be in communion with, and listen to their bodies, instead of defining their lives by the bull**** out there that masquerades as reality, that the world would transform overnight. If I had a magic wand and could get hold of the influencers and world leaders, and persuade them to feel the effect of their actions on their own bodies, and show them what self-kindness involves - most of the nonsense that keeps the poor poor, and the undervalued in their place would simply fall away. Because once you directly feel the effect of your own actions on your own body and understand it as such, it's almost impossible to continue hurting yourself. And once you see this equation in action, it makes it impossible to cause anyone else harm. But I do understand that this is a fantasy sourced in my early-days way of thinking. In reality, the best I can do is continue share my findings with those that are (increasingly) called to work with me. Those keen to discover who they really are at an essential level will come, and those that wish things to stay as they have been will keep their distance - which is of course their absolute right. I am happy about this - I don't want to persuade anyone to change, I only want to help those that are authentically in a process of self-discovery for themselves. I am no longer reliant on 'helping' others to prove my own reality to myself, and something in that shift is allowing people that already look at life in a similar way to seek me out. I have always before felt I belong to a time other than the one I live in, but recently, this has no longer felt true! So I say bring on this new era! I am grateful to be alive at this time and I find myself in a state where I am looking forward to what my next breath brings. Which brings me to my latest offering... The Sacred breath - its a carefully crafted online course to support you in your discovery of the choices and possibilities of your own breath. You'll find it under 'Online Courses'... And I've made it half price for the rest of May 2020 as a celebration of my birthday (I am one year off from 60 and I've never felt better in my life). Enjoy!

For me I almost feel guilty because of how much I am enjoying myself in this new versions of the world - I am loving the quiet, the clean skies when I look up, and the pollution-free air when I take a breath in... last time I heard this much birdsong was more than half a century ago when I was a child. And  right now, the way I see it is that we have a unique opportunity - the usual noise and flurry of life has forcibly ceased for what is likely to be a relatively a short while. And I can't think of a better use of this time to get real, and get down to the sort of practice that is really going to change the quality of our lives for the better. This for me is the entire point of practice. My adherence to this intention over the last 3 decades, together with applying the idea that   "if it doesn't work, then I haven't understood "  as a measuring stick for my own interpretations, have both led me to re-evaluate established thinking about common placed ideas. When I first read Patanjali's Sutras (20 years ago on the TT course I was attending), I was blown away to discover that these qualities, qualities I thought were my own interpretation of the 'Scaravelli-inspired' approach to practice, that they were all there, in black and white, and organised into an ever expanding list of 'things to attend to' in order to discover the true nature that is yoga ( I. Yoga is now,  II. Yoga arises when the movements of the mind still.   III.  At other times, the witness identifies with the mind's movements ....) The language of most versions I found was a little dry for me, but I felt the dryness was more to do with translation and cultural influence. And for me the meaning of these sutras spoke directly to my own experience of practice. I didn't go on to become a scholar on the subject because Patanjali's sutras (and any other traditional sources that I tapped) were all things I could assess and interpret  through the body's responses. My way of doing things has led me to developing my own methodology in practice and teaching, which I used to call 'Creating the Conditions' , but currently refer to as the 'Enviro-Somatic' approach - because it works by shifting the way people relate to the earth and space around them, and the outcome is a different sense of self through the body. And these are the sort of things that have put me in a position to run my own TTs, as well as sharing my work with other Schools, and now I am being invited to teach online workshops for the British Wheel and Yoga Scotland.... I am actually getting really ridiculously busy, busier than I have been most of my life, but I seem to have so much energy, and of course I think its something to do with my practice, which I currently find I have MORE time for, despite my current busy-ness. But I also feel that this time when we have all been dropped very hard into something new, for me there is something about it that actually feels a bit closer to reality. Its a time for all of us to get real with ourselves.

Firstly, I want to express compassion for everyone who is overwhelmed and anxious as a consequence of the Covid-19. Please reach out if Marc or I can help in any way. I have been genuinely heartened by the acceptability of expressing mental health issues online and I am hopeful that the conversation around mental health will change permanently as a consequence of this crisis. My Process of Letting Go I want to share my own process of the reality of lockdown. I am deeply saddened not to see my clients as most of my work is ‘hands on’. I really enjoy my therapeutic work and it feeds me to see people heal and be part of their process. I’m so lucky to be with Marc who is an ever-willing practice client so the exploration of my work continues. However, I felt utterly exhausted once the decision to close the schools was made. I strongly hold the opinion that action should be taken as early as possible and I was really emotional as the decision making process unfolded nationally and internationally over the news channels. I wanted to keep up to date with the current guidelines (even if I disagreed with them) and reach out and connect with community both online and locally. I’m not alone in feeling fear, which is really draining and consequently I just slept as much as I needed, which was a lot! Allowing deep rest gave me space for recovery and healing from the stress of the past few weeks. Connecting with Community I know many people are facing financial stress and for me, I’ve chosen the path of acceptance and asking for help if I need it. I appreciate that’s easier said than done, but I’ve noticed an outbreak of mutual support and community spirit and for me, joining the local support group has eased my shock and I can help my neighbours rather than feed my negative spiral. Following My Heart Now that I have allowed myself deep rest and connected with my community, I confess I am loving this time of retreat. I’m not working from a list or a timetable in any shape or form. I’m allowing myself to sleep or nap as I want (no school run is amazing!) and seeing what I am drawn to in any moment. I haven’t written a list of things to do, there are always things to do, because this time is really unique and I’ve seen it as an opportunity to literally follow my nose moment by moment during the day. Having given myself some time, creativity arises naturally. I have already made another 5kg of sauerkraut (I really love cabbage), revitalised my yoga practice, planted my sprouted broad beans and made a sourdough starter so I can make some bread with a magic ‘no knead’ recipe I have found, read books that I’ve had on my reading list, given myself treatments, practiced my cursive as well as the obvious Netflix option, which I indulge in without guilt. Things that I thought I didn’t have time for suddenly are options for a week open to do as I please. The good things in life take time and right now I have that in abundance. I’ve carted my bread making equipment around 4 houses during my recent house moves and it makes me so happy pull it out to make a loaf of bread that will take about a week to create. Who knows, I might even be able to develop a skill so I can knock one out with ease when my work schedule returns. Or not, who cares? It’s about being in the moment and savouring the flavour of what I bake. I have a shared garden and I’m truly blessed by the consideration shown by my neighbours ensuring only one family is using the space at a time. I’ve got a garden plan on my fridge that I created a few weeks back and instead of becoming driven and goal orientated to ‘make it happen’, I’m experimenting with just seeing which part of the garden calls me and watering the seedlings. Looking Forward What I’m most looking forward to once the lockdown is lifted (as well as squeezing my family of course!), is continuing the friendships I’m forming locally as we support each other through this time. The connectedness, communication and care reminds me of growing up on a London street in the 1970s. This is something special we can take forward and grow for whatever life throws at us individually or collectively. Maybe I will also be able to bring some of the spaciousness I’ve found in this retreat into my daily life.

5 minute Yoga Solution (from 5th Nov 2019): what is strength?? Arm strength without strain: Crow, Cobra, Wheel

A little guide of what's coming up : Marc offers a series of guided pranayama sessions, and Abigail wraps the day up with a meditation and some video guidance on a digestive cleanse. Below are the videos in sequence. The best use of this is to practice the Pranayama in the mornings, and end the day with the Meditation. You can do this at the pace of each guided pranayama/day for a full cleanse, or if you would rather take your time, practice as you like with each until you are satisfied. Your Spring Cleanse Pranayama Day 1 - AM : True presence through the Breath Fire Breath (finding natural central support from the release of the breath) Sitkari (finding heart-centred openness to space) ...... Contra-indications: All Pranayama practices are meant to be breathing CHOICES that are all natural expressions of being. Restrictions in these choices are an indication of physiological/emotional conflict. The answer is still to practice but looking for an absence of conflict in the practice - ie. you must look for the PLEASURE. If you have any digestive/pelvic organ dysfunction, it is incredibly important to back off your efforting in practice to a level that makes it entirely pleasurable. The pleasure means that you have found a more harmonious relationship, therefore more accuracy. Then with practice, increasing the drive behind it will only increase the pleasure and the healing. Day 1 - PM: Sati Mediation (witnessing thoughts as they arise) and Golden Light Meditation with Abigail Acquaviva Day 2 - AM: Spring Cleanse Pranayama. Uddiyan Bandha, Nauli and Sitkari - internal space and occupying space - expression! with Marc J Acquaviva Day2 - PM: Dynamic Meditation with Abigail Acquaviva Day3 - AM: Spring Cleanse Pranayama A review of days 1 and 2: Breath Awareness, Fire Breath, Sitakari Then: Viloma inhale (ladder breath), and Antara Kumbhaka - pausing of the breath (I mis-named it as kevala kumbhaka - which is a pausing with of the emptiness of breathing). with Marc J Acquaviva Day3 - PM: Heart Meditation (in 3 parts) with Abigail Acquaviva Day 4 - AM: Spring Cleanse Pranayama: Kapalabhati (shining skull) and bringing yoga/pranayama into the rhythms of daily life. Also, to finish today's session, I will put together morning practice for you that involves simple movement tied in with the pranayamas we have worked with so far. with Marc J Acquaviva Day4 - PM: Meditation in day to day life - walking meditation with Abigail Acquaviva Day 5 - AM: Pranayama - Mahahpranayama/Mahaprnayamasana Ujayii with Marc J Acquaviva Day5 - PM: Guided Meditation to Meet your Higher Self with Abigail Acquaviva

As promised, here's some written guidance about things to consider before commencing a fast of any kind and plus a video at the bottom of this page. Choosing What's Appropriate Choose an appropriate time of year. The turn of the season (Spring or Autumn) is an ideal moment. Mid-winter is very harsh and not recommended. Get clear about your responsibilities (children, work) and your health needs. Check with your doctor if you have any health issues. Some medicines need to be taken with food for example. Similarly, if you have to operate any machinery (including a car) a few days of lighter meals is more appropriate that a liquid only diet. Only fast as much as is appropriate for your life right now and know you can eat again at any time. It’s not a competition. Preparing in Advance If you are going to have a liquid only intake for a few days, reduce your intake of food for a few days before and stop all meat and milk. Make yourself a hearty vegetable stock or buy some miso soup in advance. Get some probiotics (not milk based), sauerkraut liquid, either homemade or not pasteurised if bought. Micro Max from the Really Healthy Company is another probiotic I’ve used while fasting and that I recommend. Blue Green alge is another great supplement while on a liquid diet for highly absorbable nutrients, it’s a proper superfood. My house is full of teenagers so junk food gets hoovered up in a blink of an eye. If you have any tempting sugar/fat laden foods that you want out of your sight line I suggest taking them to a foodbank. Make yourself a nest, be close to a bath or sauna if you have the opportunity. You will feel cold and these will be soothing. A hot water bottle against the belly at night will help you sleep. You will be more tired but have more difficulty falling asleep. Get some good books, not too academic as you will be less clear in your head and films are great but not too violent. You will feel surprisingly vulnerable. What Eat and What Not to Eat Plan what you will eat at the end of your fast. THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT this is an opportunity for your digestive tract to rest and it will let you know when to start eating again. I will put up some recipes for foods to have if you are just eating lightly, any of those will be suitable first foods. I go for soup, lightly steamed or sautéed rather than raw as a gentle return to eating. Start with small amounts. For both the liquid and lighter food fast drink: Lots and lots of water Broth will sustain you better than water Ginger tea is really warming, it’s the emperor spice in Chinese medicine and clears the pathway for other herbs and spices to work more effectively. During both the liquid and lighter food fast, avoid the following: Nightshades (potato, tomato, aubergine and peppers), mushrooms, onions, pulses, beans, grains, citrus fruits, sugar, refined foods. Coffee, tea, alcohol and cigarettes. Beware that some herbal teas are diuretic, like camomile and not appropriate. I will expand on coffee withdrawal in another post. During the 5 days of lighter meals, eat: Fruits except citrus, raw or unpasteurised sauerkraut, leafy greens, fennel, squash, root vegetables except potato, avocado, sprouted seeds, nuts and seeds. Raw food is fine but might make your belly sore, soups, lightly steamed and sautéed vegetables are also good and the warmth might make them easier to digest. It's Not a Competition Keep in mind that this an opportunity for your digestive tract to rest. You can connect with your inner wisdom of your body so take really good care of yourself and let any ideas of dieting, weight loss or anything that might make you feel negative or low. This is a self nurturing, loving practice to do for as long as feels right.