Diary of a Yogic Mummy

I have become a statistic  Separated, two children and essentially a working single mum of two - more than common these days (sadly some would say)…. I have an amazing relationship with my ex and the girls father better probably than when we were married but the reality is I have become something I never really wanted to be. Yes I have always been strong minded, independent, dynamic but that does not necessarily equate to wanting to be alone bringing up my children. But weekdays and half the holidays that's exactly what I am. Juggling work, me time and the kids into a jammed day is rewarding but tiring and when you don't have someone to snuggle up next to on the sofa at night for a huge hug then it can get lonely at times…. But better alone than "map accompagné" as they say in French which mean badly accompanied. Yes, I am better, stronger, happier most importantly but I did have visions of growing old with my partner with all that shared past and experience y...

I have started to write a bi-monthly article in Esprit Yoga magazine… For all you French speakers out there here is the latest version or buy the magazine (if you are in France) or via their web site and enjoy...

So yes we have arrived in July and I realise I haven't written a thing since May. However I have been totally busy! It has been the most hectic two months ever with a massive move from my Gites in the Ardeche as they sold on 5th May back up to Savoie, workshops in Paris, school holidays and beach time fun and buying a new house plus renovating it (not totally finished). A massive whirlwind of events BUT Incredibly all is sorting itself out now and I have to thank my children for being sooooo good about the whole moving thing and my beautiful ex husband and friend for life Christian for helping so much with the renovations. It has all been quite a journey but I have practiced, prayed, meditated and thanked along the way and I am so pleased to say that my body and mind have coped better than even I could have expected. My new home is gorgeous and so homely and safe. The girls feel happy here and so do i Gratitude …...

OMG Time has just flown and been massively (and i mean massively) full on. So much going on and so many big things happening. The daily routine (do I even have one?) has just simply been there and been managed but life decisions and big life events and professional happenings have been flooding in my daily life… Thoroughly enjoyable but full on!!!!! The Val d'Isère Yoga festival…. the first two BLISS yoga festivals in Brides les Bains and Bordeaux…. selling my beautiful and beloved home and business in the Ardeche …. buying a new home … finishing a Winter season…. music auditions for Mélodie for collège and new school forms and hurdles to negotiate… and the school holidays with a family visit to Savoie to boot bored - I simply don't have the time!!!!!! Its been a roller coaster ride of a few months but life is good and full of happy challenges I have thanks to my yoga practice kept my feet and my head firmly on the ground and after the madness of three days in Pari...

This is not my article but it is sooooo what I have been going through recently and I couldn't agree more To all those that are in the midst of transition, guess that means everyone. Received this essay from a my friend  Niki Parker . About love, separation, divorce and uncoupling in a conscience, intelligent and loving way. Best thing I have read in awhile. Dr. Habib Sadeghi & Dr. Sherry Sami  on Conscious Uncoupling Divorce is a traumatic and difficult decision for all parties involved—and there’s a rguably no salve besides time to take that pain away. However, when the whole concept of marriage and divorce is reexamined, there’s actually something far more powerful—and positive—at play. The media likes to throw around the statistic that 50% of all marriages end in divorce. It turns out that’s accurate: Many people are concerned about the divorce rate and see it as an important problem that needs to be fixed. But what if divorce itself isn’t the problem? What if i...

OMG how can I fit more into a day with huge difficulty and how to deal with everything life is throwing at me? With difficulty … I have been juggling my kids, an incredible busy work time in resort and the run up to the Yoga festival in Val d'Isère which is proving a huge task with a mass of teachers turning up in a few days and hopefully a mass of students too. And its been tricky juggling everything with the kids, trying to be a good Mum, a good daughter, a good everything and the news that I have a cracked meniscus coupled with needing a new car an life throwing its max of challenges at me its been hard to think of me. So what have I tried to do? take baths practice be….. not easy! but I have tried and hopefully I am doing what I need to not easy but… life isn't easy and its a true test of our yogic skills if we can stay calm, centred and on the whole, ok! whilst life is throwing shit at you! much love to you all

2014 and galloping It has been a while since I penned a yogic mummy text but I have not been static. Life has moved into a pace I can only call frantic and the days are getting longer and nights shorter – ie I am eating into the night time hours to catch up on things I just have not been able to cram into the spaces of time I have. Life has changed rather radically as I moved out familiar surroundings and into a new home, as I started to share my children’s time with my husband and we both got used to being apart after 14 years together, as the Winter season has kicked in a pace with new students, rooms, time schedules and as all sorts of new projects get under way…… But despite all the change, late nights, tiring days there a few amazing and beautiful things that are surfacing and that make me realise a) I have made totally the right decision to act on the deepest truths within me and b) that I am extremely lucky to have the life I have. My relationship with my ex is...

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