Diary of a Yogic Mummy

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