yoga philosophy Archives

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) is a medical condition that affects the way the brain and body communicate, leading to a range of physical and neurological symptoms. These can include non-epileptic seizures, motor problems like weakness, paralysis, or involuntary movements, as well as difficulties with balance, coordination, bladder and bowel function, and speech. People with FND

Understanding Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): A Guide for Educators Continue »

educators, FND, functionalneurologicaldisorder, mental health, mindfulness, teens, wellbeing, yoga, yoga philosophy

Mar 26 2026

Cikitsā: a different language for healing

Classroom Resources and Tools, Guides, Teen Yoga

There is something slightly uneasy about the word therapy. Not because it is wrong, nor because it has not brought relief and understanding to many, but because it carries with it a particular orientation: one that can, at times, locate the problem within the individual and the solution in an intervention. When we bring this word into the

Cikitsā: a different language for healing Continue »

community, mental health, mindfulness, yoga, yoga philosophy, yoga values, young people

Mar 18 2026

The Silent Refusal: Young People, NEET, and the Return to Being

News & Organisation Updates, Teen Wellbeing

There is a growing silence among our young people. It is not loud, not rebellious in the ways we have learned to recognise rebellion. It does not march or shout. It withdraws, it pauses, it lingers in the in-between. And we have named it NEET — Not in Education, Employment or Training — a label

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adolescent wellbeing, meaning and identity in adolescence, mindfulness, NEET young people, tamas rajas sattva explained, teens, yoga and social change, yoga and young people, yoga philosophy, yoga philosophy for modern life, yoga psychology for teens, yoga values, youth disengagement, youth mental health crisis

Feb 15 2026

The Subtlety of Being Rather Than Doing

All Blog Posts, Teen Yoga

I watched our cat the other morning, sitting quietly beside what used to be a lively rat’s nest. She wasn’t pouncing, prowling, or even particularly alert. She was simply there — present, steady, unhurried. Within days the rats had relocated. No drama, no battle. Just the quiet influence of her being. I’ve seen the same

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awareness, being vs doing, embodiment, inner calm, mindfulness, personal growth, presence, stillness, yoga philosophy, yoga practice

Oct 31 2025

Listening To The Super Conscious–

All Blog Posts, Guides

Listening to the Super-Conscious: Yoga for Young People So much of life as a young person is loud. The noise of school deadlines, friendships, social media, expectations, and the constant hum of “what’s next?” can be overwhelming. We spend so much time in the buzz of doing, reacting, and comparing that it’s easy to forget

Listening To The Super Conscious– Continue »

consciousness, inner wisdom, meditation, mindfulness, silence, social media, spiritual growth, stress, teens, yoga philosophy

Oct 31 2025

Where Is Your Energy Going? Understanding Brahmacharya for Young People

All Blog Posts, Classroom Resources and Tools, Guides, Parent Support, Teen Yoga

By Charlotta Martinus In a world that constantly demands your attention—scroll here, swipe there, binge this, do more—have you ever paused to ask: Where is my energy going? This is a question at the heart of an ancient yogic principle called Brahmacharya—a Sanskrit word often misunderstood, but deeply relevant to young people today. What Is Brahmacharya, Really?

Where Is Your Energy Going? Understanding Brahmacharya for Young People Continue »

attention, brahmacharya, digital wellness, energy management, mindful living, self-discipline, social media, teens, yamas, yoga philosophy

Oct 31 2025

The Art of Letting Go: Overcoming Hindrances to Self-Care Through Ishwara Pranidhana

All Blog Posts, Classroom Resources and Tools, Guides, Teen Wellbeing, Teen Yoga

by Charlotta Martinus Self-care is often spoken about as something simple: take a bath, go for a walk, pause for a deep breath. Yet for many of us — teachers, parents, young people alike — caring for ourselves can feel surprisingly difficult. Even when we know we need rest, something inside resists. We keep pushing,

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burnout, ishwara pranidhana, letting go, niyama, rest, self-care, surrender, teachers, wellbeing, yoga philosophy

Mar 29 2021

Thought for the Day 29th March 2021

News & Organisation Updates

Coming to the end of Lockdown and of what feels like a year of isolation for many, will be a big moment for most young people. When we are young, our natural tendency is to seek company and role models, breaking with old structures, trying out risky behaviours and finding out

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adolescence, COVID, isolation, lockdown, mental health, risk-taking, social connection, wellbeing, yoga philosophy, young people

Jan 23 2021

Thought for the day 23rd January 2021

News & Organisation Updates

With eternal rain, wind and dreary, cold days, it is easy to understand why some of us feel “under the weather”. In yoga we tune into Nature’s rhythms; time of day, the weather, the season, our monthly cycle and our age. All this informs us how to behave, whether we should be energetic or passive,

Thought for the day 23rd January 2021 Continue »

Ayurveda, energy, mindfulness, nature rhythms, rest, self-care, wellbeing, winter, yoga and seasons, yoga philosophy

Jan 24 2019

Community

News & Organisation Updates

Today I am celebrating my 53rd birthday with 30 people. This event makes me aware of community, as my friends and family come together to blow up balloons, cook, pick flowers, make coffee and lay the table for 30 guests from near and far. In a world which deifies the individual, the word community has

Community Continue »

belonging, celebration, community, connection, human connection, individualism, social wellbeing, togetherness, values, yoga, yoga philosophy

Dec 11 2018

Shining the light on yoga in schools – Part 2

News & Organisation Updates, Yoga in schools

Welcome back! Here’s part 2 of Netia Mayman’s presentation from Instil. Make sure you’ve read part 1 before continuing… “Understanding where we have come from helps us to know where we are. In order to explore the question I listed the sustained changes (not the ones cancelled wholesale with changes of government) that have taken

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21st century, curriculum, education, education history, Instill, pedagogy, schools, teacher, training, wellbeing, yoga in schools, yoga philosophy

Jul 27 2018

Thought for the day

News & Organisation Updates

According to one of the most ancient texts, yoga is about avoiding future suffering. It does this in many ways. When we train our body to be fit and healthy we are less likely to fall ill. When we train our mind through meditation and special breathing techniques, it is less likely that we suffer

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avoiding suffering, body health, breathing, daily practice, meditation, mental fitness, mindfulness, Patanjali, yoga philosophy, yoga sutras

Mar 23 2018

Yoga off the mat

News & Organisation Updates

When I hear of the students in Bath supporting their lecturers, I reflect on the first principles of yoga. Since the referendum to leave the European Union, the voice of young people has become more succinct. After what feels like decades of silence, it seems that this generation is engaging more in politics and the

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activism, Brexit, citizenship, community, political engagement, social responsibility, values, yamas, yoga, yoga philosophy, young people

Jan 20 2018

Belonging

News & Organisation Updates

Hearts come home at Christmas – embroidered delicately on one of my Christmas decorations, made me ponder, made me reflect on belonging. It has come up a lot for me recently. My father died a few years ago, my sister lives far away as does my mum, my boys are slowly leaving home and I

Belonging Continue »

belonging, Christmas, community, connection, family, human needs, identity, loss, wellbeing, yoga philosophy

Nov 10 2017

Thought for the day

News & Organisation Updates

Yesterday in my village, big red poppies popped up on lamp posts along the pavements. Remembrance day- it is with mixed emotions I gaze at these reminders of bloodied battlefields and realise how lucky we are to live in a time of peace. Every year on the 21st of September we celebrate the World Peace

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community, history, mindfulness, poppy, reflection, Remembrance Day, wellbeing, World Peace Day, yoga and peace, yoga philosophy

Oct 30 2017

Ministry of Presence

All Blog Posts, News & Organisation Updates

If you had a voice, what would you say? Young people were asked this question and answered: We need to learn independence in a good way, we need to learn how to say “no!” and make a good choice for ourselves, despite our parents or other influences. The young people are looking for guidance in

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community, emotional support, guidance, independence, listening, parenting, presence, teens, yoga philosophy, youth needs

Feb 24 2017

Yoga vs Christianity among parents

Yoga in schools

“Yoga cannot open people’s hearts to God” says Pope Francis. There seems to be some confusion, which cannot be ignored. Is yoga a religion? Is it contrary to my Christian faith? Does the word God even feature in yoga classes? Lets be clear! Yoga is a philosophy, a science of well-being, pre-dating Hinduism, Jainism and

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christianity, inclusion, misconceptions, numinous, parents, pope Francis, religion, spirituality, yoga and religion, yoga in schools, yoga philosophy

Nov 27 2016

Yoga from a priest’s perspective

All Blog Posts, News & Organisation Updates

If, with your religion, your aim is to deepen your relationship with God, then this will unfold in a pace with you getting to know yourself. The way I see yoga, other than making your body feel more soft and flexible, is that it will also soften up the tensions between the body and the

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body-mind connection, christianity, flexibility, God, priest, relationship, self-knowledge, spirituality, yoga and religion, yoga philosophy

Jan 26 2016

Soul Food

News & Organisation Updates

On our Teenyoga courses, the students often ask me, “how come you are so passionate about yoga for young people?” The answer is simple, “ When we observe such suffering and we have a solution, why would we not offer it?” In Book 2:16 of Patanjalis Sutras, it is written ” Heyam DUhkham anagatam” “The

Soul Food Continue »

dharma, motivation, Patanjali, purpose, suffering, teaching yoga, yoga passion, yoga philosophy, yoga sutras, young people

Jan 15 2015

The Revolution is here!

Yoga in schools

Teaching young people yoga, sometimes I am aware of a clash between my values and the values of the school or the establishment I am teaching in. I suggest to my students the ideas of collaboration vs competition, love vs fear, self care vs pushing the boundaries. Sometimes I have to be careful how I

The Revolution is here! Continue »

acceptance., anxiety, Brockwood park, collaboration, competition vs collaboration, education, fear, Krishnamurti, love, love vs fear, mindset, new school, peace, revolution, schooling., schools, self-care, stress, teens, teenyoga, yoga and education, yoga philosophy, yoga values, young people and education, young people education, youth, youth yoga