Recently I was chatting to someone about their yoga practice & I asked  what style of yoga was it? In his gorgeous Geordie lilt he replied, ‘I don’t know, it’s just yoga.’

This reminded me of my own journey of discovery around the time I did my yoga teacher training – that yoga wasn’t just ‘yoga’, there are in fact many different styles.

So to help you work out which style might suit you best, here’s a little run down of the most popular traditions.

Hatha yoga

This is an old system and relatively easy for beginners to access. It explores basic yoga postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) to bring peace to the mind and body sometimes used in preparation for meditation. It is generally slow, gentle and relaxed with the poses being held deliberately and for longer than in other styles. You may not work up much of a sweat in this class but you will feel longer, looser and more relaxed.

Vinyasa yoga

This is a flow style class whereby the instructor will lead you through one posture to the next continually, often linking the standing poses through sun salutations. It is a dynamic class synchronizing the breath with the movement. No two classes are generally the same and you will work up a sweat and feel it.

Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga yoga was bought to the modern world by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in the 1970’s. There are 6 different series of poses, each of which are always practiced in the same order moving fluidly from pose to pose. It is typically physically challenging and fast-paced and not really aimed at the beginner, unless everyone is starting at the same point together. Like vinyasa every movement is linked to a breath.

Bikram yoga

This style of yoga was introduced around 30 years ago by Bikram Choudhury. Like Ashtanga yoga, Bikram yoga always follows the same sequence of poses. There are 26 poses in Bikram practiced in an artificially hot room around 40 degrees centigrade with high humidity for 90 minutes. It is a physically demanding class where you will sweat like never before. Like marmite, you either love it or you hate it. It was designed to emulate conditions in India where yoga originated and it is claimed to flush out toxins. Choudury himself is a controversial character, living a luxurious lifestyle funded by the success of his ‘Bikram’ brand of yoga and suing anyone who dares to use the name and not present the exact 26 poses in the correct order. Thus, many studios will offer hot yoga where the conditions in the room are hot and humid but the sequence of poses is different in each studio.

Iyengar yoga

‘Invented’ by B.K.S.Iyengar one of yoga’s original and authentic yogi’s. A typical class involves the poses being held for much longer than in other traditions to intensely explore the subtleties of each asana and pay attention to the foundation and alignment of each pose. Props are often used such as blocks, belts, blankets and chairs to accommodate individual’s limitations, tightness, injuries etc so that the student can move into a posture gradually and with precision. As such this is a great choice if you have a chronic condition or injury.

Anusara yoga

John Friend developed this style relatively recently in 1994. It is a deeply spiritual practice based on the belief that within us we are all filled with intrinsic goodness, we all hold our own Buddha nature. Physical poses are used to open the hearts of students allowing their grace and goodness to shine through. Classes are sequenced utilizing Friend’s Universal principles of Alignment and are a vigorous workout for both the mind and body categorized around the 3A’s: attitude, alignment and action.

Power yoga

This style is not dissimilar to Ashtanga whilst accessing elements of Vinyasa flow yoga too but it is not a determined series of poses, so each teacher will devise their own sequence. It is a more accessible style of yoga to most in the west than Ashtanga which is often seen as a more ‘purist’ style and is popular in many studios. In this class you will work hard and feel it. It is not so spiritual.

Kundalini yoga

Kundalini yoga repeats movements, dynamic breathing techniques, chanting and meditation designed to awaken the energy at the base of the spine allowing it to navigate through each of the seven chakra’s. Introduced to the west by Yogi Bhajan this style of yoga is quite different to the others due to its repetitive focus on breathing techniques and energy flow in the body. Not for the faint-hearted!

Yin yoga

A slower paced style of practice where each pose is held for several minutes, 2 minutes or more. You are encouraged to find your edge in the pose, commit to holding the pose in stillness & then open into the pose, release & let go, find the space if you will. This passivity in itself can be quiet challenging especially if you are not used to holding poses for such times. Yin opens the tissues, tendons, ligaments & fascia inside the body, whilst being quite a meditative style of practice. It was founded in the late 1970’s by Pauline Zink, a martial arts expert and I think the interesting thing is the link between martial arts and yoga, the mental discipline and flexibility necessary for both.

Restorative yoga

This is a gentle, passive, relaxing style of yoga. Students relax and release into a pose or a stretch with the support of blankets, bolsters and blocks in order to completely let go. Poses are typically held for 2 minutes at least. Despite the seemingly inactive approach, this style of yoga is actually fairly advanced and demanding. It can feel emotional to engage in one pose for an extended period. These classes are great if you are slightly injured and don’t want to put your body through a more dynamic class as well as being a fabulous way to relax and soothe yourself after a stressful week. A restorative class can be as rejuvenating as, if not more so, than a nap.

So now you are equipped with the right knowledge to go forth and practice, whether it be exploring a new genre or just feeling confident when perusing the studio or gym timetable, now you know vaguely what to expect.

If you would like to practice yoga with Alex her YouTube channel offers free short classes for everyone & is available here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

Alternatively all of her classes are streamed on live on Zoom, for more information message her at alex@alexbannard.com

Free resources are also available on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AlexBannardYogaMindfulness

And her website is www.alexbannard.com

Alex is based on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds & has been sharing her love for all things yoga & mindfulness for almost a decade, not just in the UK but also around the world. Her mission is to help everyone discover a more mindful way of living & to encourage them to embrace regular self-care practices for a happier & healthier way of being.

Get THE SUPPER CLUB MURDERS by Victoria Dowd, WINNER OF THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE  (Hoorah)  for only 99p / 99c.

The phones are out, the roads are flooded, and now the murders have started.  Everyone is trapped, and Ursula Smart, along with her mother, finds herself with another perplexing crime on her hands.
Discover a charming mystery series that’s perfect for fans of Richard Osman, Agatha Christie and Sophie Hannah.

The Case of the Missing Faces by Michael Leese  00p/99c  (arghhh – really?? Yes, read it and turn those pages)

A man’s body has been discovered in a disused warehouse. His face has been completely removed.
He’s not the only one — this is the second body to be uncovered. Both victims supplied military equipment to the government.  Hooley and Roper have a serial killer on their hands, and he’s threatening national security.

The Red Red Snow by Caro Ramsey. A cracking jacket yet again. £1.99/$2.99

Eric Callaghan is stabbed to death at a crowded Christmas Ice Show.   Murdered in plain sight. No clues and no known motive. The hunt for a killer who leaves no trace is on.

Constable around the Park by Nicholas Rhea £1.99/$2.99

It’s original, it’s funny . . . one of life’s little pleasures.” Yorkshire Post and Frost Magazine will second that.
What does the future hold for Constable Nick?  He’s just passed his exams and currently stands next in line for a promotion. Until then, it’s business as usual on the Aidensfield beat.  But when a dog unearths a human leg, things take a much darker turn.

THE AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE ROLLING IN . . .

Steve Parker’s CHILD BEHIND THE WALL has been selected as a finalist for the Page Turner Screenplay Award.

Plus, last week Kerry Buchanan was nominated for the Page Turner Book Awards 2021 and Victoria Dowd was nominated for the UK Crime Book Club Book of the Year award.

Fabulous news all round.

Find out about the many books Joffe Books have on offer: here

Figure – St John Passion , Cloth Fair, Barbican, EC1A 7JQ

Figure inaugural concert, St John Passion, Sept 2021 – courtesy Oliver Bowring and Musicarta Media 3.

Could  St Bartholomew be a more perfect setting, for this most majestic of works? Beautifully lit stone pillars with Norman and post reformation architecture to delight the eye, and a rendition of St John Passion to delight the ear.

Figure are a newly established historical performance ensemble based in London, bringing music of the past to life, through the modern understanding of the instruments, in their new home at St Bartholomew the Great.

Seeing so many musicians and singers together, served to remind, just how much we had missed live music during the various Covid lockdowns.

Sitting in such surroundings it was easy to get lost in the glories of Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion, but the instruments intrigue, not least the Theorbo and the wooded flutes.

Figure is a youthful ensemble, but no less accomplished for that, with many having played at the Proms, Wigmore and Festival Halls and Glyndebourne, and one could not doubt their passion and ability as they brought the piece to life.

It would be quite wrong to pick out any of the principals, as they were each wonderful both in voice and facial expression, but Claire Lees who stood in at the last minute, sang with such aplomb it would be remiss not to mention her. Similarly, Frederik Waxman, who conducted with a lightness that belied his authority.

The melody ricocheted off the stonework filling the space with an ecstasy, this was music to be feasted upon and feast we did. I freely confess to having actual goosebumps, such was the quality of the music and singing.

I am thrilled to be able to tell you that the second concert by Figure will be Mozart’s Serenade No 10 for Winds ‘Grand Partita.’ on Friday 19^th November 2021 at 7. 30pm with a running time of 1 hour. Tickets are priced £15 (£10 concessions) and can be purchased at www.figureensemble.co.uk

To possess such talent so young, to play with such maturity and with a long career stretching ahead of them can only bode well for us music lovers.

Bravo.

David Kovats Gallery – Barnabus Lakatos Gelleri – Arriving into something new

You could easily walk by the David Kovats Gallery, at the Drury Lane end of Long Acre, at least you could, if it wasn’t for the arresting art in this latest exhibition with works painted on 2m x 2m canvases.

Artist Barnabas Lakatos Gelleri, a queer artist, the son of a bishop, who became an artist to be free to express himself how he wished, through his art.

Although Barnabas is gay, and is part of a Queer Art collective, this seems almost incidental to his work and more a political statement. It is his choice of colour, an almost Gaugin palette, that first grabs the attention.

Bull under a Tree

All his work in this exhibition features bulls (Barnabas is Taurus) and snakes,  (not for their biblical symbolism, but that for him, they represent many aspects of life including, knowledge, temptation, and sin)

Both the snakes and the bulls have a benign, almost Japanese anime quality, soft, feminine facial features, in an array of citrus colours of lemon, pink, orange, mauve and turquoise.

Catch the Snake

Barnabas works with the medium of acrylic with brush strokes, spray paint and Japanese ink, creating a layered almost 3D effect.

On two canvases the artist has deliberately left an area, one in the shape of a dagger, unpainted. Barnabas treats this as a deliberate pause, similar to a silence sometimes found in music, but here intended to pull the viewer up and allow for reflection on what has just been seen.

Fighting Bulls

David Kovats, the owner of the gallery is no less interesting. As a child at Kindergarten in Hungary, he and the other children could choose a recognisable symbol to act as their signature. Some chose an apple or a flower, a bee or a tree it was the child’s imagination that guided the choice, and these symbols would even be sewn into clothing. David’s father was an art dealer and so it was perhaps inevitable that David would choose a price tag as his symbol and his own artwork would be taken to his father’s gallery, complete with his signature price tag.

David became an art dealer and supporter of the arts, looking for new talent and bring them to a new audience. David opened a gallery in Hungary and then worked at Sotheby’s before opening his own gallery in London’s Covent Gallery.

Sadly, because of the restrictions of Covid, Barnabas has not been able to visit his very first exhibition, but if you are walking through Covent Garden you should certainly make a detour, as I suspect that this particular artist is going to come to prominence, and this is an opportunity to see him at the start of his career.

The exhibition is open all week including weekends but must close on October 3^rd

For more information:
David Kovats Gallery
80 Long Acre, Covent Garden
London, WC2E 9NG
https://davidkovats.com/

England, 1444. Three women challenge the course of history…

King Henry VI’s grip on the crown hangs by a thread as the Wars of the Roses starts to tear England apart. And from the ashes of war, the House of Paston begins its rise to power.

Led by three visionary women, the Pastons are a family from humble peasant beginnings who rely upon cunning, raw ambition, and good fortune in order to survive.

Their ability to plot and scheme sees them overcome imprisonment, violence and betrayal, to eventually secure for their family a castle and a place at the heart of the Yorkist Court. But success breeds jealousy and brings them dangerous enemies…

My favourite genre to read is without a doubt historical fiction, The Royal Game is the first book I have read that is set in the medieval era, O’brien beautifully brings to life not one, not two but three strong female characters. It is a gorgeously insightful, inspiring and courageous read and I find myself impatient to learn the fate of the Paston family.

If you want to delve into the past and be transported to England almost 600 years ago then I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Royal Game.

Lots of news today from Joffe Books, so let’s get to it: Seconds to Die by Rebecca Bradley is Joffe’s Book of the Week, and has all the twists and turns required of a bestseller:  a killer who sends drawings of the murders he will commit.  A detective who will do anything to stop him.

At only 99p/99c to celebrate the launch.

And yet more:

Murder under the Bridge by Roy Lewis. 99p/99c

Meet Arnold Landon, mild-mannered history buff turned amateur sleuth. Really truly, a fabulous read. I gulped it down. And what a jacket.

“Assembling layer upon layer of details . . . Lewis brings an insidious cleverness to his latest offering . . . canny enough to keep us enthralled.” Publishers Weekly

“The skilful Mr Lewis has made Arnold Landon an unforgettable character.” New York Times

Quiet Neighbours by Catriona McPherson 99p/99c

After a horrendous year, Jude buys a train ticket to the last place she remembers feeling happy.  A bookshop in the Scottish Highlands.  Sometimes the place you run to is even more dangerous than where you came from . . .

Collateral Damage Paul Bennett  99p/99c

The very title summons a chilling suspicion. An innocent hurt? Whaaat? So let’s have a look …

Nick Shannon knows what it’s like to be on the inside. He has the perfect experience for a job in the Fraud Squad, it’s just a shame that the cases thrown his way are about as stimulating as watching paint dry.

But now things are about to explode. I should say so. Behind the sofa with you. Duck!

MORE EXCITING NEWS.

The Joffe Books Store is here.  Joffe Books wanted to create one space especially for its readers where we can discover the work of Joffe’s authors, all in one place.

Ta ra… Roll of drums … Enter the Joffe Books Store which  allows us to browse all our old favourites, discover exciting new reads, shop for box sets and more. With Christmas on the way – oh yes it is, this could save time all you readers as you bustle in from the shops, and want to collapse over a cuppa, having plodded around shop after shop. Here it is, made easy for you, just one  convenient location.

Joffe Books Store UK    Joffe Books Store US

Visit the store today and tell Joffe  what you think.

And finally:

Join Joffe Books authors Margaret Murphy and Susanna Beard for a full day of exclusive events at Perfect Crime Festival 2021!

Margaret and Susanna are joined by some of the biggest and most exciting names in the world of crime writing to discuss how Liverpool as a city inspires crime writing and why are we fascinated by the murderous mind. A fabulous list of speakers including Ann Cleeves and Sophie Hannah and many many more. A feast of authors, a great time will be had.

Book your tickets here today.

September 11^th 2001, a date where  many people around the world know exactly where they were and what they were doing.

I was nine, my mum picked me up from a after school club and we went to a friend’s house where we all  watched the horror unfold on TV, I remember the broadcasters’ screams as they witnessed the second plane strike the twin towers, I struggled to understand what I was seeing, the smoke, the shock in my parents’ faces, the horror, the fear. I wondered why it was happening, what did all of those innocent people do to deserve their fate  as they started work for the day? Suddenly everything seemed to have changed in my life.

In the years since I have watched a couple of documentaries with stories from survivors and eyewitnesses. Initially I wanted to write about the unsung heroes of that fateful day but morally I felt I couldn’t do so as everyone in their own way was a hero; some ran up the stairs towards the danger in a effort to save as many as they could, some did everything in their power to help strangers get to safety, some dug through the mountain of debris to help save someone’s life, some stayed calm and listened to the heart-breaking phone calls from those trapped above the fires and relayed messages to their loved ones.

Our Frost Magazine editor was at an auction sale. The sale stopped, people went home in silence, raw with shock. Her husband was in a meeting with Americans nearby. They rushed to the airport. What did it all mean? everyone thought. What? What was going to happen?

In 2008 I visited New York City and one of the many places I went to was Ground Zero, which was at the time under construction as the memorial was being built. Unlike the other stops on my trip, it was not full of hustle and bustle and crowds of people. It was quiet and sobering and incredibly emotional. I struggle to find the words to describe exactly what it was like , unless you have been there it is something you may not understand.

So many changes, but I speak of only those I experienced: before 9/11 as I flew out to America, it was not necessary to have a ticket before walking around a airport or to wait at the gate, passenger ID’s were not checked prior to boarding a plane and the only item that people had to remove when passing through security was loose change. Airport staff did not need background checks prior to employment and checked baggage was never scanned.

But most importantly for that nine year old that was me, is that  from that age I  realised our safety is not a given, because up until that moment this child named Natalie had assumed the rock like foundations on which her life was lived were assured forever.  Out of the blue , I realised, everything can change as it did that day.

I also learned that this is when the rebuilding begins… Life resumes. We go on. 

9/11 is a day that I will remember for the rest of my life. It was a day  that stopped the world, one that showed the worst and the best in so many.

Images courtesy of Kim Knight.

“a weighty and wonderful addition to any bookshelf”

Do you need to see a doctor if you have a water butt? What’s the proper response if someone knocks you up? Is it correct to go to the stationer’s if you have no lead in your pencil? Our language is confusing enough for the British, so imagine what it must be like trying to understand us if you’re not from these Isles. English is chock-a-block with idioms, colloquialisms and slang – see what I did there?!

Well, Marshall Hall, an American resident in the UK, has over many years collected hundreds of phrases and compiled them into his ‘Britspeak for Yanks’ lexicon Blimey, I’m Knackered!

Split into chapters, the book is a delightful way to discover over 1,200 genuine down-to-earth differences between the two nations’ languages. It doesn’t just explain, it educates with factual references throughout. All done in Marshall’s calm and witty style – and he doesn’t shy away from the naughty bits!

There are intermittent illustrations by Mark Cowie, enhancing what is already a perfect book to dip in and out of. The hardback has 348 pages – making it a weighty and wonderful addition to any bookshelf.

Published by Imbrifex Books – available now in Hardback and ebook

Email BlimeyImKnackered@outlook.com

Facebook @MarshallHallAuthor

Instagram @MarshallHall15

Photo credit: Peter Thody