Diary of a Yogic Mummy

How to tackle the guilt of being away? So October has been a huge month of travel and work terminating in several days in London and Paris concluding the shows for 2013 with London. Intense to say the least. Returning to the Ardeche for a very full on 48 hours of sorting the garden, packing and moving back to Savoie for the girls return to school on Monday. Monday am school - new classes for both girls, canteen tickets bought and sorted, back the flat to sort the god knows how many bags, boxes etc... speedy descent to Bourg to collect their bus passes and do some shopping - the cat was starving (and shell shocked)! So we are now at Wednesday and I am finally getting back on track with the computer jobs, back into the routine of school and homework here and yes its snowing already! Before I head back to the Ardeche in a van to collect more stuff to cram int the garage etc.... I am getting up to date on my sites... yes absent Mummy or not? Difficult not to feel guilty when

It has been just manic the past two weeks with so many trains, métros, cars, different beds, chit chatting, promoting, liaising, teaching, working, not too much playing but lots of smiles, hugs and did I mention the travelling? How many times did I empty the battery of my iPhone and how many different places did I connect from..... And no I am home at least for a few days before I head to London for yet more days of yoga and meetings.... October is such an intense month and I sometimes forget just how beautiful it is in the Ardeche at this time. Today the sun shone bright and strong, I mowed the lawn and listened to the birds and practiced yoga in the beautiful October heat with the leaves turning colour almost as I practiced and the chestnuts fell all around me. And my girls? Well they enjoyed a Mummy and shopping day yesterday and I enjoyed seeing them smiling, laughing and playing. Home .....

ooooffff Its been a massive few days and still the yoga festival to come I have fitted in my bedtime stories from a monastery, a café, dinner with friends and a train As this travelling yogini Mum heads around France to spread the yogic word and keep things buzzing for her web site and yoga world. It is a whirlwind of events, exchanges and travel - I know the sncf back to front now! but the residing thing that keeps coming out is how much love you can spread by simply being in front of people, taking their hand, smiling and sharing.... I am heading to Paris to just that this weekend for the Yoga Festival then I am heading straight back down to do that very same thing x 1000 to my girls missing them terribly love you ... love you more ... love you most

Mummy how long are you going away? Such a hard thing to hear and explain to children who have no real concept of time but know that you are going away for a good for days. And boy this time its a long trip...Bordeaux, Paris, Redon, Nantes, Paris de nouveau...... Ooooffff even i am tired thinking about it And being seperated from my babies, trying to stay connected to them and to myself and my practice as i travel is a real challenge So i had an idea Every evening i phone up when Clémentine is tucked up in bed and Mélodie can listen in. They give me the ingredients for a "make up story" and off i go. I close my eyes and tell them a story i know they will love with magic and horses and secret passages and a Mummy who is there with them in the story and i can feel their eyes lighting up as they travel with me along the make up way... As we fly through the air or play with wolves or chat under fruit trees to horses that talk It is simply so special to share those moments

September and an Indian Ardeche Summer It really has been just too manic to think straight. Finally this week I am getting through the pile of paper work, getting my head around the different school forms, club des sports documents etc... that need completing for this rentrée scolaire and yes of course trying to practice and juggle in my travels and work load. The girls patiently wait for me to tap away on the computer and I have to say I thoroughly enjoy the moment we get to snuggle infront of the X factor to watch people singing the heart and soul out. It is never easy trying to juggle being a parent into our busy lives and especially when you are not always around. The Ardeche is beautiful but it is such a long way from where I often need to be. Why do you need to go to Paris, Bordeaux, etc.... ask my daughters and in fact my Mum. Because despite the age of technology you can't beat a good face to face, a lunch or a tea together to sort things out. Human contact is just soo

The role of Mummy... what are we really supposed to be? Sometimes I feel like I am supposed to live up to ALL of the expectations of not only my children but of my parents and society too. What if we can just be happy to be the Mummy that we are? I am not my Mummy and never will be . I have echoes of my childhood in me, I teach my children to be polite, honest, say please and thankyou, wash their hands before they eat, do their homework .... I am trying to teach them life values and some basic life skills - cooking, eating healthy, reading to expand the mind, keeping clean, the value of money and working hard. Biut I am also teaching them to sing, laugh, dance freely in the garden, express themselves openly with respect.... I am not however a great stay at home all the time Mummy - I love my children and will always love them but I am not the Mummy that is constantly behind and with their children. Its just not me nor my role. I believe that I can still be me, a woman, a huma

Its the Summer Holidays but tan aside Ihav to say I have not really had a chance to notice My poor children are left a little to their own devices - although with a large garden, a pool, a trampoline and enough DVDs to start a shop I have to say they haven't noticed! It is height of seaso in our gites, the garden is looking splendid, its hot and yes I am practicing daily as well as running, swimming and cycling so not just working but boy am I working too! So many things happening at the moment I could soooooo do with assistance. Christian is ably helping in the gites of course but I need someone to take hold of ly life and go charlotte its ok I will do this for you.... will you? really? I cry tears in my eyes.... then I wake up :)))))) Anyway daily I kiss my increasingly tanned and in my eyes beautiful children and marvel at what I have created daily I thank God for the special gifts and challenges he has given me daily I sent out love.... after all its all we can d

There is nothing more sweet than seeing your children sleeping so peacfully in their beds away in their dreams and their innocence except for seeing them wake up sleepy eyed, beautiful beyond description reaching out to put their arms around you and hug and kiss you in that fresh morning energy. My little Clémentine turned 5 this week what an amazing moment 5 years ago both of us were in trouble and after Clémentine was born so tiny and I was rushed away into emergency surgery and did not know if I would see her first let alone her fifth birthday. But here we are and I am soooooo grateful for that! What a great day we had with cake, music, sunshine, pool time and laughter Happy Birthday little Clémentine.....

Holidays..... Its always an amazing moment for me and my girls to pack our things, hopes, and dreams into the back (and front and sides) of the car and head down south for a fez days of camping and beach. We love the whols thing! The idea of being able to create a whole fun space in a campsite that then just about fits into the car is already pretty amazing! Arriving and being able to cycle to the beach and spend the day running in the sand and the waves just makes it all the more special. This year was no exception as we headed down to Gruissan plage near Narbonne for a few days of chill out beach time with my friend Nathaly and her daughter Elea. Valuable lessons were learnt by all about patience, respect and the tantrums of 5 year olds, 10 year olds and teenagers.... essentially all the same just in different sizes! Both Mums apart from in a couple of occasions stayed cool and managed the tent putting up and down, punctures, tired children and the desires and needs of all ages

It has been an amazing month for yoga events... My cooking retreat in the Ardeche was a great success and I loved having the yogis here with wonderful spicey smells coming out daily from the kitchen. Paris and filming with Arthritis - yoga sessions for those suffering with Arthritus and pain and then onto the Rochelle for the first ever yoga festival - YogaSurAtlantique which was a fantastic event and then returning via Paris and meetings wit Mika de Brito to discuss te world of yoga in France as it expands and explodes to the surface before trekking down to Biarritz for the meet-up Place Bellevue (and it is) and the launch of their new shop and studio. Caroline Belliard gave an amazing class and we all loved the sunny vibes donw there. The only bummer - my car broke down and is still down near Bordeaux (sigh does that mean I need to go down there again to the coast yeh!!!!!)! The girls are thrilled though as I am now sporting a rented Fiat 500 which is the collest car ever!

I have learnt over the years to expect the unexpected. Planning and control can only get you so far and can sometimes even be a hindrance especially if the planning leads to inflexibility and stiffness, the inability to change and learn, bend and be flexible to all eventualities. My beautiful friend Lisa taught to love life and appreciate every moment you have, unpecting the unexpected become the norm for her as she learnt about her cancer just 2 weekes after giving birth to her forth child Alex and then fighting and living with cancer for over 9 years until it finally beat us all. Lisa also taught me that within the unexpected wa the very special and precious gift of time. Little sections of present moment to be enjoyed to the full, precious shared moments, special instances on our own or with friends and family. The gift of time is an incredible precious and valuable one- one that you can take for yourself, not selfishly but with full appreciation that the time you are "ta

Wellicious have posted my article on Ayurvedic retreats and yoga in the Ardeche    http://www.wellicious.com/wellblog/2013/04/29/ayurvedic-cooking-yoga-put-inside-what-you-hope-to-get-out/

Life has been more than hectic of late as one season closes and another begins The Winter is now a distant memory and we are busy getting the Ardeche property ready for retreats and Summer guests - endless days of weeding, cleaning, painting, replacing broken things, shopping...... Thank God my parents are here and Dad is busy cookng away and Mum is looking after the kids - well they both are. Such a God send I don't what I would do without them.... The ardeche is just an amazing place to ressource yourself and despite the had work the pace is different and we are slowly shifting into Summer mode The children have changed schools down frm the 28 kid classrooms to about 14 in the whole school and seem happy enough in their new surroundings I have stopped teaching in the evening which makes the pace of my life so much softer thank goodness - wee all need to get smething back to be able to give and we are getting used (as is our cat) to the space we suddenly have after living

Amongst many other things this is what I have been up to recently in my attempts to promote the festival..... Thanks to Benoit & Alex http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bChO98QnOP0 Enjoy

For thse who know me you will know that my body has been quite an issue over the years and if anyone had told me I would be photographed in HD in a magazine doing yoga poses I would have said you are mad! But in the March edition of Esprit Yoga you can see me doing the advanced sequence of poses and preparation for mermaid pose. I hope you like them - go and buy the magazine if you are in France...... Life continues to be manic as I progress with the festival, web site, the school holidays (thank god for Mélodie and her independance and the amazing Village des Enfants in Val) ..... can I get any busier? No; But is it all well and lenty of fun projects afoot too Who said being a yogini was about meditating and chilling out all the time? I have never been busier or happier!

Incredibly beautiful but busy times Times to reflect on life have to happen as we move and sometimes rush through life but it is possible to take time out whilst staying in the flow of life! Try it its great

February 12th 2013 I would love to b wrirign way more on the blog here for you but between ill children (and husband), working scjedule through the roof, my own practise (and oh yes I do keep this up) and trips to Paris I am finding the time hard to track down. So here is an amazing poem by the great Anis Mojgani   Shake The Dust This is what I am doing at the moment in the few moments I have to do something great and good for myself Feel blessed, feel alive, open your arms with trembling fingers maybe and grab the world and all is offers Shake the Dust http://answers.yahoo.com/ question/index?qid= 20111205115726AAcMmms Enjoy!

Early February There are times in life when things just get a bit too much but I have had to be strict with myself and remind myself that no matter what is going on and how busy I am I have to always come back to my practise. Come onto to my mat, breath, be and practise. The challenges of life just seem easier, things just seem far better et easier to cope with. Finding space and solice in silence, finding energy in simply breathing my way through Suyra Namaskar, just essential to anyone's general well being. So roll out your mat and join me! namaste

It is quite simply a mad time for me work wise, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. I am totally flat out and yet I am still reasonably calm, zen and grounded! Why? Because each day I find some time - even if just a little - to meditate, practise, talk to friends, hug my children and be in the present. Sooooo important to feel that connection no matter how busy or insane one's lifstyle is cherish any little present moment gifts you are given. They are precious and should never be ignored or taken for granted. Taking tile out even for 15 minutes a day is not selfish it is the absolute best way to remain grounded and i touch with who you are, it reduces stress, allows you to restore and be an even better Mum, sister, parent, friend, teacher...... Find space...... cherish it Namaste

Rebirth for 2013 As we arrive at the end of this challenging year we can all be responsible for small and major changes in the universe around us. As we decide to change and vibrate differently in our own lives and in our interactions with those around us. Despite the global challenges and the foreboding messages that we have been approaching the end of the world, the world we live in is still an amazingly beautiful place. We can choose to stay in the dogma and negativity of the media and the general mélé of the world or we can choose to take this « end » as a new begginning, one where each and every one of us can live life to the full, with just a little more love and gratitude, with just a touch more lightness, with loving kindness emitting from the heart. If each and every one of us decides to live like this we start to affect those around us, the things we do, the things we decide not to do. Our small impact has a ripple affect and we can create small waves that permeate o