Diary of a Yogic Mummy

Just a few days to go until Christmas and things are getting about as busy as they can be in this yogic mummy's life. Unlike many people we don't wind down for Christmas he we speed up! The winter season is in full swing with snow in ambundance and work loads massive. Whilst others arrive on holiday and our chidlren are on holiday we work even harder. Christmas in our house is far from conventional especially this year as we are having a real electic group of people for a buffet christmas feast, we will be skiing and snowman making, i will be taking some time out to meditate and practise even on Christmas Day and also reconnecting with my family whonare rarely near me at this time of year and of course watching amazed as my children enjoy the surprises and magic of Christmas. I love this time of year though but it is always just a touch too frantic however i never forget to offer huge gratitude to the universal energy for everything we have. Caring sharing hugging loving b

What does a yogic mummy do? Everything that every other mummy does the world over and tries to slot some yoga practise and meditation into her life and daily routine... at the same time as not having a 9-5 job and working all the hours god sends. Hey ho! But boy are we full of prana! So this yogic mummy has as ever been full on not only with paris trip, teaching, Winter season preparations and major snow clearing! But she has also been trying to find a way to practise that can balance and enhance her life and life style at the moment. That is propabaly the crucial part of our yoga practise in any form - using the tools given to us to create the harmony that our daily routine or physical activity of the day may be throwing off balance. Using asana practise to ground or energise, meditation to revitalise and replenish is not only nourishing but also becomes YOUR yoga practise. A personal journey of union. That is really all we can aim and hope for - its not a bad thing more a great on

It is already mid November where has the time gone? I am staggered with A) how fast the last weeks have gone B) how much i have manged to do in the last few weeks We have moved from Ardeche to Savoie girls, cat, lock stock and barrel (well actually not as i am now duscovering the things i have forgotten) and we have set up in the mountains for another season. The weather is totally stunning up here and i will post a photo tomorrow to show you the absolute beauty of this part if the world. The girls have settled back to school in Tignes i am working like a trogan and heading up to Paris again next week for filming and meetings, classes have started and all is now after a few flakey days settling down....... We celebrate Christian's birthday tomorrow with the girls and no doubt the X factor.......and probably a good glass of wine......perfect!

Back at home after another few days away and I am coming down slowly from a travel and yoga frenzy as well as a business whirlwind. It has been such a massive few weeks in October with yoga classes, shows, festivals, retreats, business meetings, promotions, photo shoots..... and now I am home and we have only 10 days to go before we move back to the savoie mountains and the Winter season starts!.....so my girls are on holiday which also presents a challenge but it has been lovely this afternoon to get into the garden and clear leaves, see them running and playing in the Autumn sun and generally feel good to be alive out there. Garden tasks and computer/yoga madness aside my girls are the constant reminder that home and and loving and sharing world with them makes all the hard work just so worth it.  Whilst in London it was a real treat to spend the saturda with my Mummy at the yoga show sharingg my world with hers - they are so different in many ways! She really enjoyed it and thought

16th October 2012 So a few days at home to replenish the family batteries and change clothes/bags before heading up to Paris for the first ever Yoga festival in Paris.... 19th -21st October 2012. I have a little stand to promote my yoga and also the site www.yogachezmoi.com and it should be  a full on yoga jamboree! Last week was a very full but amazing week spent with the monks of the Sainte Presence Monastry near Redon, Brittany. Beautiful moments of sharing prayers and meditation, yoga sessions and discussions about spirituality today and how it can relate to our every day lives and most of all a lot of laughs. Let noone tell you that a monastry is a dull and austere place we had a right laugh! The one thing monks do not do is  take themselves seriously! The journey home was just fabulous and a wonderful evening was spent with my friend Lisa and American yogi lost a little in paris at the moment. Life could not be fuller as last night saw me rehearsing for a concert planned for

If someone had told me that I was going to be doing a photo shoot for a magazine cover even a couple of years ago I would have said "me, never! who would want be to do that!" but Esprit Yoga magazine have done just that and I went up to Paris with my hair suitably blow-dried to a studio and spent over 3 hours in variations of pigeon for the advanced sequence in the March/April edition and another 40 minutes in different poses for the front cover. I emerged slightly shell shocked with subtle pink lipstick on into the Paris night ... relief .... then followed 3 days of intense yoga practise, teaching and a few glorious sessions with Elena Brower (over from New York) and Marc Holzman (just baack from LA) ... such a treat to spend time with them and dip into a whole realm of different experiences after a rather off the grid Summer down here in the Ardeche. Paris was as evere busy but as always strangely romantic and beautiful..... Looking forward to going back there soon Home

Its been an amazing week of Chakra Namaskar Prana Flow yoga with Shiva Rea near Montpellier and some great activity - bike rides, walking, kayaking, swimming and even a little beach time yesterday - back to reality now and at home working hard. The girls are just fine and the cat blissfully unaware that I have been away. Just a few days and then off to Paris for photo shoots, workshops and meetings......looking forward to a few hours of chilling this evening with my girls. Love and light to all

September 13th - My Mummy's birthday It has been a challenging year and particularly Summer for a raft of reason and on a personal (and often emotional) level as well as physically and spiritually. My Mummy has been an ever faithful supporter, voice of wisdom, gentle but firm in her encouragement, a wondeful granny, an always available ear, company secretary to my latest venture and probably my biggest fan. I love you Mum and know that no matter what happens you will always be there for me. I only hope that I can follow your footsteps and that one day my daughters want to write the same things about me. Massive virtual hugs to you on your birthday. Love Charlotte

Tuesday 11th September And yet another full day on the computer, in the garden, the gites, yoga-ing and of course being mummy..... School meeting this evening which was great if long sorting things out for this accademic year. Good plans afoot - I wish I was at school again! Beautiful yoga session this afternoon watching the gentle rain fall into my needy garden and this morning I was blessed by an amazing run in the chestnut woods surrounding my home. I live in the most incredible area and it just helps you to breath, find peace, live inside. I am not sure if my girls realise the paradise they have every day of their lives.....both are now tucked up in bed and I will be following shortly! Love & light to all

Monday 10th September Ooooffff We have returned from our holidays (just great to have a few days by the beach/sea), the girls have finally after over 2 months of no school gone back to school, Melodie has turned 9 and the birthday festivities have finally finished (completed in a big party/sleepover/treasure hunt etc....) and Mummy can at last get onto tackle the vast list that has been accumulating for weeks. We are still blessed with great weather donehere in the Ardeche and thankfully for both us and the guests the Summer seems to have carried on. Just amazing to cycle around the Ardeche roads through the heavily laden chestnut trees today with the warm south wind blowing and the scenery just breath taking. I am truly blessed.... Yoga in the garden on my return And school pick up - " had a great day Mummy" thank you Dinner all went even the broccoli and now both girls are tucked up in bed and I will not be long behind them. I am single parenting this week with Papa

2 more days of hard work to go before a week of chill out on the beach at Gruissan Plage, South of France..... And couting!

Saturday night and a debut performance for Ailes de Pappillon - we will improve - but such a great experience. A special thanks to Ralph a fab german guy who sang and played brilliantly and let us sing and play with hime until the wee hours.... great fun singing Price, Tag, Dancing Queen, Killing me Softly.... and of course an funny variation of Highway to hell! 2.30am and I finally fell into bed - such fun!  to be repeated sooon.....

Life never ceases to be full and full of great moments....yoga in my garden on Thursday evening was a pure delight was some great yoginis, the sounds of Yoga Sol and album brought together by Shiva Rea with a great Summer Time version, nature's evening harmony with evening birdsong and the children running around the garden with innoncence flying in their hair! Friday and a fabulous bike ride in the Ardeche mountains, a swim in the pool to cool down from the ever increasing heat here, a rehearsal full of excited girls dancing to Its Not About the Money and a gently evening with the kids and the neighbours children and Over the Hedge. Juggling that and yoga practise, cleaning gites, booking for new weeks to come and the new web site....life is very far from being calm and dull. And tonight for the first time I am singing in my newly formed band Ailes de Papillon with Nick at Cafe Flo in St Pierreville....ooof!!!! I am certainly blessed with some fabulous activities and a full age

Beautiful time with my girls and their papa yesterday at the beach in St Sauveur - thank God for chill out moments like those. True pleasure... a real moment to cherish! Here's to many more namaste

13th August 2012 I totally love where I live but sometimes I smply forget to look around me and REALLY appreciate it. So the last few days I have tried to do just that practising yoga outside and thoroughly enjoying the deep blue skies, the heavenly clouds, the clean air. I have been out on my road bike and really taken in the views (see the photo opposite), I have been out running and breathed in the Summer air, and I have spent time with the kids in the garden and pool..... we even managed to fit in a photo session for a kids yoga document I have wanted to put together for some time (again see the photo of my nephew and daughter doing some fab back bends and meditation!). Here in France we are now about 6 weeks in to the LONG holidays and actually not too bad.... a craft session today in the courtyard resulting in some great frames decorated in sparkles and colours and tomorrow we head to the river for some beach side yoga, a picnic followed by dancing and music.....bring on the r

Gosh when was the last time I posted some messages so today 8th August 2012 its hot and sticky, the kids are at the pool shouting with delight and I am about to join them before some yoga fun in the garden. Juggling the school holidays is always tricky and no more so than when you are trying to work as well but I am at the very least trying to be there for the kids when it matters. Yogic life continues and each day I find that time to go and sit, practise and be at one with myself and the world around me. My home is a very special place and the place I live in during the Summer an incredibly beautiful space to deeply enjoy nature..... I have just bought a road bike and yesterday took it for a spin up the mountain - the views were simply stunning! so.... the pool is calling.... I will be posting a little more regularly from now on in for those who read this.... the next three weeks are going to be wonderful with lots of yoga things afoot - a trip to Chamonix for the Lole Yoga mee

Offf namaste!!!!!  How busy can one yogic Mum be? It has been manic the past couple of weeks and is now culminating in a yoga retreat at my place so full on with yoga, cooking, walking and kids everywhere!  A great atmosphere, not enough sleep - sleep who needs it!???? - but lots of pranic energy. The place in the Ardeche is looking wonderful and the rain has brought a green colour I haven't seen here for ages - nature really needed a good drink I suppose. Nothing like working around your children thoguh as they really understand what you do - no marbly office, tutti frutti icecream and franck sinarta for me (for those Clarisse Bean lovers!) take care all. namaste

May 8th 2012 oooffff Well its been a frantic end to the Winter season and life is as evere full on! Thank goodness the garndparents are on hand for another few days to help out. Yoga is still around daily but has to be a balancing act between lugging the garden debris around and my salutations. Still the garden is now tamed and the girls are revelling in their new found freedon outdoors! Actually managed a walk with my best Ardeche friend Leslie this morning - such a treat - and despite the rain it was simply breathtaking the views, seeing the kestrels and buzzards flying high and walking along with her goats! Unique and fun. It has also been a joy to practise yoga in my courtyard with the clematis in full bloom and at its finest. And Christian has been a star helping out as ever in the garden. Off to Valence tomorrow for a  romantic afternoon and evening of cinema, bistro supper and a hotel. ahhhh the Ardeche... and soon we will be able to fully enjoy where we are! namaste

Gosh it has been a while and this entry will be short as life is BUSY at the moment & I have to squish my practise in before the girls come home and I go out to teach. The end of the Winter season is nigh, eatser holidays next week for my girls, the Ardeche beackons....like just keeps on pushing me forwards with projects a plenty and LOTS of yoga things happening in France. love it. The girls seem happy to have had their season here, skiied, played, laughed, eaten lots of chocolate and lived to the full. I am busy with them, yoga and all that life is offering! Love and light to you all namaste

Wondeful if somewhat full week with family, kids, sun and skiing! Absolutely fab weather and children in awe of their grandparents. 2012 has all the ingredients of being an amazing year for both work and play..... I am hoping to embark on my bhakti yoga sadhana this week as part of my 200 hour teacher training with Shiva aand I start with my Bhakti yoga path practising from the heart as I flow through my vinyasa sequences. I am hoping the children will follow me more this year and practise with me more and more - I do at least share what I do with them and hoping that will rub off on them naturally....the week ended with a great ski for all the family in different directions and then together and lunch at La Place in Tignes namaste and here's to another great week

Goodness it has been an age since I have logged in a written an entry but life has soooooo busy for us all here with work, the Christmas festivities and school holidays, the heavy snow falls making normal life a bit tricky and of course work on the new web site. The girls are flourishing and are both enjoying skiing, sliding in the snow and are generally a pure delight to behold. melodie is growing into such an amazingly thoughtful little girl - holding her cousin's ski poles for hime on the drag lift today was just so sweet to see. Clementine is a pint sized character and keeps us on our toes testing my yogic and non yogic patience to the hilt! Christian is surviving the Winter work load and the girls but only just - sleep and some pece and quiet would be a treat for him I think... and me? well very long days and very often late night working typing uploading writing..... Saraswati's creative juices are flowing at the moment but I could do with a little more sleep. Thank goodn