A Somewhat Regular Blog Series #10

I’ve had “write blog post’ on my to-do list for a few weeks now so it feels good to finally sit down and write one! Obviously not a whole lot has changed since my last catch-up, but it’s still good to check-in and reflect on time passing. The world has felt quite “heavy” for the last few weeks with the continued global pandemic, mounting uncertainty and the announcement of a lot of closures of gyms and yoga studios here in Dubai.

Along with the rest of the world, the killing of George Floyd and resulting Black Lives Matter movement has caused a huge (needed) shift in the conversation, and a need to step back and critically examine racism, privilege and the brands and creators we support. I’ve been taking the time to donate, research, read and talk (both online and offline) and know that this work is a lifetime’s worth for it to really make the difference we need. I encourage you to visit + bookmark Ella’s page of resources here which are being updated regularly and which have been hugely helpful.

Doors Closing

Sadly, but not entirely unexpectedly, the gym I’d been teaching yoga classes at full time since October is not re-opening it’s doors post-lockdown. It’s very sad to know that I won’t see my students or some of my colleagues again and to not have known that the last class I taught was just that. As someone who before now never really enjoyed their job (putting it mildly…), it feels extra sad to have this happen at the first role that didn’t give me “Sunday scaries” and one where I viewed my colleagues as friends. 

It’s also been sad to hear of one of my favourite Dubai yoga studios, Urban Yoga, closing its doors too. Urban was the first yoga studio I discovered in Dubai and I still remember walking in that first time and feeling so relieved to have found somewhere that felt like home after an unsettling first few weeks here.

Yoga Teaching + Training

I am still teaching online and I will be for the foreseeable future while my students want to practice with me! I’m now almost at full capacity teaching classes and some of my students have been working with me for nearly three months now. It’s been so nice to see their progress and to hear how the practice has helped them physically and mentally during these uncertain, constantly shifting times. I’ve been teaching my parents once a week too and have to give a special shoutout to my father who is 63 and can now do a tripod headstand!

I’ve also taught three online group classes to raise money for rescue animals here in the UAE which has been such an amazing experience. As teachers, it is so important not to work for free unless it is a cause which is extremely close to your heart which is 100% the case with these classes. There is really no better feeling than sharing your practice while raising funds for a worthy cause. I’ll post the next charity class on my Instagram so that you can join if you’d like. 

Three weeks ago I started my 95 hours kids’ and teen’s yoga teacher training online! It’s been really interesting learning how to adapt my yoga teaching for kids and getting to try out kids’ classes for myself. I am definitely not a natural “kid person” but I’m looking forward to have a way to interact with kids in a fun manner, and to be able to teach my friends’ kids whenever I next see them! I’ve also signed up for my 50 hours pranayama and meditation teacher training in August which will hopefully be in studio! 

Summer Goals

The months seem to be going by very fast at the moment so rather than monthly goals I have some general summer (i.e. before September) ones:

• read at least one fiction book per week, and read more from authors of diverse backgrounds (I’ve purchased so many books on my Kindle but still finding it hard to find reading motivation)
• make another recipe from The Green Roasting Tin – I’ve loved the two I’ve made so far (gado gado and baked gnocchi) and need to attempt number three very soon
• take more time to practice with my yoga teachers – as a teacher it’s so important to still have a practice but hard to find that balance when your own teaching (and earning) often has to come first
• donate another bag of my unworn clothes to charity – lockdown has resulted in my wearing yoga wear 90% of the time…so not much change from before lockdown!
• support my favourite independent businesses by slowly venturing out of the house for brunch, or ordering for collection

Reading/Watching/Listening

Reading… My favourite book of lockdown so far has to be The Likeness by Tana French, I read her first book In The Woods as part of my bookclub but was told by a fellow member that her second book was even better and it was! It has echos of one of my all time favourites, The Secret History, while being very much it’s own story. Set in Dublin, the author has such a talent for a sense of place and atmosphere. And it’s part of a series – I’m spacing them out for in between harder reads.

For my bookclub I read Spinning Silver (young adult-ish fantasy with strong female characters – loved), Buddha Da (Glaswegian dad turns to Buddhism – a quick but forgettable read) and How The Soldier Repairs The Gramophone (wanted to love but found it really hard to struggle through). 

Watching… I haven’t really watched much at all recently! The season finale of Killing Eve fell a little flat for me and I gave up on the Tiger King mid-way through the series.

Listening… I’m enjoying my friend Shreerag’s podcast Project Passion where he interviews a range of people on how they are pursuing their passions while in lockdown and beyond. He interviewed me a couple of weeks back so look out for my episode soon! 

Ok, that’s all for today! What have you been enjoying lately? How is life in lockdown or post-lockdown treating you?