The Yoga 100
To mark the occasion of my 100th Off The Mat newsletter, I’ve put together this list. It’s 100 things worth knowing. Tips, insights, ideas, and some other random bits and pieces in there too. This is not a definitive list, it’s by no means exhaustive, and it’s not in any particular order. It’s my observations, the things I think are worth paying attention to…
1. Read Eddie Stern’s ‘One Simple Thing’
This book is one of my most read. It explains it all, and goes a long way to explaining what’s going on when we do yoga.
2. Kit that works - Manduka Pro mat
We’ll get in there now and talk about mats. I’ve tried the somewhat iconic Lululemon mats, the sticky mats, and nothing feels quite as good as the Manduka Pro (or Prolite) It’s got the goldilocks effect going on - not too sticky, not too slippy, not too soft, not too hard. There’s a reason it’s so prolific.
3. Golf ball under the foot
Go lightly to begin with, but a minute rolling a golf ball under each foot can be an absolute game changer.
4. Food - find what works, be prepared for that to change
There’s a lot of fierce opinion on diet, and you might find something that works for you. But be ok with that changing. Especially as your practice develops and grows. Being well nourished and full of energy is more important than making that bind in Marichyasana D
5. Do something else - yoga in a vacuum isn’t healthy
Balance yoga with other pursuits. When the only thing you look forward to, or are working on, is your yoga practice, it’s easy for a bad day to feel heavy. Spread the enthusiasm into other areas too.
6. Scott Johnson’s Stillpoints podcast is an education
Scott has had some of the most experienced, influential and generally interesting guests on his podcast. As a body of work, it’s pretty extensive. Go check it.
7. Read ‘The Bhagavad Gita’, it’s rite of passage
No teacher training is complete without the consumption of the Bhagavad Gita. It has a lot to give, to ponder, to question.
8. Check out Pushpam magazine
Pushpam is a journal put together by Hamish Hendry of Astanga Yoga London. The first few issues are out of print, but the journal covers various themes around yoga practice. Find it HERE.
9. Watch On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace film
Supremely shot documentary exploring yoga from photographer Michael O’Neil. Watch the film on YouTube, though it has Portuguese subtitles, so you can’t work out a small section near the end speaking to some sadhus - unless you speak Portuguese that is.
10. Workshops - do them
Workshops are a great way to go a bit deeper and understand more of what’s going on on the mat. Maybe it’s technique, perhaps it’s yoga philosophy, either way, they enhance your practice.
11. Read ‘Breath’ by James Nestor
Crazy insightful exploration into how we breathe, and what the implications of consistent mouth breathing does to our physical and mental development.
12. The David Swenson book is a must have
I think one of the greatest design elements of this one, is the spiral bound spine, so you can lay the book out in front of you as you start to learn the sequences. His short forms and modifications are also solid gold.
13. Renunciation: Coming back to yourself
It’s easy to start using your yoga practice as an escape from reality. But this can go a little awry if we use it as detachment and numbing. Rather than misusing the practice to hide from things, see it as a way to return to yourself, check in, and remember where you’re at, how your body actually feels, what your values really are.
14. Mad props to the props
I can’t condone the use of props enough. They’re often the faster route to opening, and more often than not, make things more comfortable.
15. Go to the wall
In line with using props, don’t overlook the wall as a prop. It can help with stability and balance, but can also be pushed against to find engagement, or leaned into for support. Nothing beats lying down with your legs up the wall.
16. Slow the fuck down
A lot of yoga tends to be quite ambitious these days. The striving to accomplish difficult postures, to start second series, to press into handstand. To be quite honest, sometimes we need to not try so hard, to get out of our own way.
17. Cut your practice when you need to
It’s easier said than done when you have built discipline into your yoga practice, but it doesn’t have to be a full practice every day. The old adage, ‘less is more,’ comes to mind.
18. But keep practicing something
Maybe it’s just doing standing, maybe it’s a few surya namaskar A, perhaps it’s just a short sitting practice. It’s good to move, to stop, to find stillness each day.
19. Six directions
There are only six directions to really focus on in postural yoga: up, down, left, right, forward, backward. Keep these directions front and centre, and as we expand into these directions, we will create space and stability.
20. Kit that works - Manduka travel mat
So I’m flying the flag for team Manduka. The travel mat is such a great one to have because you can fold it up and the creases will still drop out. You can pack it into a rucksack if you are going away for the weekend, without the need for a cumbersome mat bag. Good grip, not much support.
21. Take rest days
If you’re down the rabbit hole with a dedicated ashtanga practice, make sure you take rest days - at least one. I know very few that stick to 6 day a week practices long term. Most people I speak to encourage an extra rest day, even if that means a very dialled down practice. Also, a rest day after a great practice can be just what the body needs.
22. More exhale
In general, almost everyone can benefit from more exhale. The tension of holding onto some of the breath can be restricting, and if we can expel that last bit of air from the lungs, we usually find more movement, space and softness.
23. Work with opposites
Think about expansiveness. Taking up space. In forward folds, we lengthen the body and reach forward, think about the shoulders moving in the opposite direction. If the front shin is pushing forwards in warrior one, push back into the outside edge of the back foot. Opposites help us maintain stability.
24. Cover the eyes - pillows, towels Iyengar blankets
When you can, cover the eyes to block out natural light. My favourite thing to do, or have done, is a folded Iyengar blanket wrapped around the head with just a small gap over the nose to breath. There’s something about the weight, the blackout darkness of the eyes, and the muffled seclusion as the blanket covers the ears. Even an eye pillow or hand towel draped over the face significantly enhances savasana.
25. Focus on your own practice
One of the most widely repeated pieces of advice, but for good reason. Check out the guy floating through his practice, sure. But be very aware of your wandering focus. Of course you are going to notice what’s going on around you, but try not to get too hung up on someone else’s mobility.
26. Check out Alan Watts
Iconic British philosopher, theologian, speaker. He was around in the hippy hey-day of California, but his essays and recorded talks are still as brilliant and eye opening as they were back in the 60s. Here’s a taster of his work. But be warned, it’s a black hole you might not come out of for some time…
27. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
As soon as you are interested in going deeper into yoga philosophy, or just want to understand what yoga is all about, this is ground zero, 101 reading if you will. However, it’s probably not the first book I’d recommend diving into, but perhaps the second or third.
28. Maintain momentum
Getting started is one thing, but in order to build habit, we need to keep momentum. Maybe that’s resisting looking at our phone when we hear it buzz halfway through standing postures, perhaps it’s carving out regular time for our practice. Momentum is everything.
29. Read ‘How Yoga Works’ by Geshe Michael Roach
This is perhaps the most gentle and entertaining book in the essential yoga reads portion of this list. It actually envelopes the sutras in a story that could so easily be a prime time Sunday evening series. Like some kind of yogic Downton Abbey, or Malcolm in The Middle (find your own level here, but just understand that this is a beautiful, easy reading book) This may actually be the first book I’d recommend reading if you’re getting curious about yoga.
30. Don’t push too hard
You shouldn’t be fighting your way into postures, or building too much heat in the body too early in your practice. Show some restraint, go easy on yourself. Try not to get so jacked up and tense, otherwise you’ll never find the softness needed for certain postures.
31. But don’t be too soft and passive either
We need to engage certain muscles for support, to build strength in our movements, otherwise be leave ourselves vulnerable. We don’t want to be hanging off our tendons, or if we’re hyper-mobile, risking dislocation.
32. Find the sweet spot
The middle ground between effort and ease. We find it in a lot of balancing postures. Arm balances, headstand. Often, it’s a knack of weight distribution and shifting balance, as opposed to brute strength.
33. Build heat, but not too much
When the body gets warm, it becomes a bit more supple. The muscles stretch and there’s a bit more elasticity going on. We’re less likely to have an injury. However, if we overcook ourselves too early, and break a sweat prematurely, we could run out of steam before we get where we want to go.
34. Look after your knees
Seriously, these things take a long time to recover, and they won’t give you a lot of warning before they go pop. Go slow, take your time to open up the hips and ankles.
35. Plug into Sigis Mondi
This guy brings proper photography and cinematography skills to the yoga canvas and has collaborated with the great and the good of ashtanga. Check this short filmed in the old shala in Mysore.
36. WTF is ashtanga toe?
Ever heard this term bandied about? Other practitioners complaining about it? Perhaps you’ve seen people in the studio or shala with tape wrapped around their big toes. Ashtanga toe happens through repetitive pushing into the big toes as you roll forward on the tops of your feet for upward facing dog. Through repetition, and when it’s hot and humid, the friction starts to split the top layers of skin on the toe, which create tiny flaps of skin that can pull and tear. It’s a pain in the ass, but we all get it at some point.
37. Try different teachers
When you find a teacher that works for you, it’s good to commit. But doing other classes or workshops with other teachers, from different modalities of yoga can be super insightful.
38. Kit that works - Yeti Rambler water bottle
These things are insulated, so if you ice the water down, it stays cold, which is more than wanted if you’ve been practicing yoga anywhere hot. It’s also tough as shit.
39. Develop a self practice
Led classes are great. You get to hand the keys over to someone else, and you can switch the mind off onto auto-pilot. But it’s so much more empowering to develop a self practice, where you have the confidence to move through postures in a considered manner. You start to own your practice, and will probably be more inclined to practice more often.
40. Change perspective
Sometimes it’s good to pull back and adjust your focus. It can help you direct your attention into areas you might have overlooked.
41. Give things time
Sometimes things will fall into place quite quickly, other times, you might get stuck on a posture for months, even years - I’m looking at you marichyasana D, kapotasana, eka pada sirsasana, the list goes on. Be ok with the fact some postures may never even come. The practice will humble you every single day, but if we’re patient, if we approach things with a little grace, good things often come.
42. Watch Mysore Magic video
Starting to get interested in this whole going to Mysore thing? Check out Mysore Magic. Most videos are on YouTube, the full series is on Vimeo
43. Spreading, rooting, make contact with the floor
When you start to work through standing postures, think about spreading, rooting, finding that solid base beneath the feet.
44. Let gravity do it’s thing
It’s a force that works in our favour. When we remember it’s there, we can let go, soften and sink.
45. Discomfort
Don’t shy away from it. The more time we spend easing into discomfort, the greater our comfort zone becomes.
46. Kit that works - Bose Soundlink 2
If you’re teaching yoga, then the Bose Soundlink 2 is a pretty epic Bluetooth speaker with very good bass for the lower end sounds. I can’t speak for other brands and models, but this one has done me well in many different settings.
47. Feedback - sensation vs pain
Sensation is ok, it allows us to feel something in a pose, it’s good feedback. But pain is too much. If the feedback is too loud, it might blow the speakers…
48. Get down with the yamas
Get to grips with these. Read different interpretations of them, then draw your own conclusions. I cover them in my Off The Mat book ;)
49. And also the niyamas
The third limb of ashtanga, that go hand in hand with the Yamas above. These observances help inform a considered approach to the world. Again, also in my Off The Mat book.
50. But don’t overlook the kleshas
A lot of attention is given to the Yamas and niyamas, but the kleshas often take a back seat in the pantheon of touted yoga philosophy. These are the obstacles that get in the way of us knowing who we truly are…
51. Learn some basic anatomy
Understanding how your body functions and moves is useful for any mobility practices. At the very least, it’s going to allow you to understand some of the cues and explanations your teacher might be throwing out there.
52. Don’t overlook pranayama
It’s easy to get caught up in all the postures, but without the breath, we’re fucked. Conscious ujjayi breathing, some nadi shodana, it doesn’t have to be much, but the benefits are manifold.
53. Clean your mat
Mats get minging and with dark colours being the go-to, it’s not always going to show up. Clean your sweat infested mat regularly, and it’s gonna look, feel, and most importantly smell nicer. So don’t be in such a hurry to roll your mat away - give it a spray and a wipe first.
54. Kit that works - Adidas football shorts
I’ve had all kinds of different brands over the years, from old stretchy boardshorts, to those from dedicated yoga brands like Prana and Lululemon. However, none come close to the cheap Adidas football shorts that have no pockets. They come in around £14 and they’re the most flexible, light and breezy shorts going. Never restrictive. 100% my go-to for yoga.
55. Be disciplined
It kind of goes without saying, but if we can frame our practice sensibly as a discipline, we can perhaps make peace with dragging ourself to class, or onto the mat on days when sitting on the couch seems infinitely more appealing.
56. You’ll build a habit
It’s through discipline. Showing up. Stepping onto the mat time and time again, that we begin to form a habit. If you want to get an insight on habit building, check out the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, or sign up to his weekly email HERE. (I never miss it)
57. Flow
It’s a good idea to consider flow, a concept cemented in modern psychology thanks to Hungarian- American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Flow is that state of relaxed high performance. When time slips away and you become lost in the task at hand. However, in order to get into this dreamlike state, we need certain things to happen. We need to have a seamless balance between challenge and skillset. Which is why we might be ‘in the zone’ right up until we hit a pose we are struggling with. The eight criteria to achieve flow state, according to Csikszentmihalyi, are below. It’s easy to see how yoga fits in here…
Clarity of goals and immediate feedback
Intense, focused concentration on a specific task
Balance between skills and challenge
Sense of personal control and agency over the task
Loss of reflective self-consciousness
Time distortion or altered sense of time
Consolidation of action and awareness
Autotelic experience (i.e. flow state is intrinsically rewarding)
58. Play
Fuck around with a handstand, crow, an obscure arm balance. See how it feels to move around in a squat. Try not to be too linear with your movements.
59. Read my Off The Mat book
I made this little book to slide into your back pocket, yoga mat bag, backpack. It has some musings on yoga, as well as info on the Yamas, niyamas, kleshas and 8 limbs of yoga. Fresh insight for some, a little memory-jogger / reminder for others. You can find it here.
60. Maintain autonomy
Establishing trust with anyone is a process, none more so that with a teacher. But even when you have built up your trust, it’s important to maintain autonomy, understand your own limits, boundaries, what you’re comfortable with. This naturally plays into the Bikram, Pattabhi Jois scandals, but that autonomy can also protect us from injuries, burnout and our emotional wellbeing too.
61. Follow @bay_jitsu on Instagram
Yoga meme king of New York
62. Be consistent
It depends what we are practicing for, but adaptation comes through repetition. Consistency is key.
63. But don’t be too dogmatic
Yoga has been shown to be a very positive thing in peoples lives. But the dose needs to be kept an eye on. You don’t have to do a long practice six days a week, and if you’re modifying or skipping bits out, that’s cool too. Just be mindful of ‘why.’
64. Listen to Marcus Veda mixes
If you’re looking for long seamless music to do your practice to, then check out Marcus Veda’s yoga mixtapes on SoundCloud. He’s the guy who taught me how to make my own. I have a much smaller public library of mixes HERE. Have at it.
65. It’s not all or nothing
When it comes to yoga, take only what you need. You can come back for the rest later if you feel you want it.
66. Remember why you practice
This is likely to change over time, but when you’re strapped for time, or can’t see the point, it’s good to be able to have something to cling onto, to remind you of why you practice. To be more agile, to prevent back pain, to be able to run around with the kids, to surf more comfortably, to be calmer and handle daily stresses better. It could be all, or none of the above.
67. Temperance
Learn to exercise a little self-restraint. It might feel as though more of this thing that we love would be a good thing, but sometimes this addictive trait can get the better of us.
68. Yoga is not always relaxing
But on the other hand, yoga isn’t always relaxing, despite what tired stereotypes might have you believe. There’s balance at play. Sometimes we have to put in some hard work.
69. Remember, you have to be able to walk
As a teacher always said to me, doing deep postures is all well and good, but being able to walk is more useful.
70. Follow @incorrectmethod on Instagram
Hits the nail on the head every single time. Find her here.
71. It’s all in the hips
Tight hips have a lot to answer for. If we can slowly create some space in the front (hip flexors) and the back (hamstrings) we can create a bit of a buffer. Suspension if you will. That way, we can handle any bumps in the road without wrecking the chassis. Yep, that’s right, I just referred to the body as a chassis like some 1980s issue of Viz.
72. Find devotion
There’s something quite beautiful about devotion. The idea of doing something with love, loyalty and enthusiasm, whatever it is, can have a really positive knock-on affect to other parts of our lives.
73. Read the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Look, it’s heavy going, but if you’re interested in going deep, swallow this thing.
74. Remain curious
Being inquisitive is what can help us rediscover, redefine and find newness in poses we could easily take for granted. Shit’s different every single day. Life leaves an imprint on our bodies, so staying curious lets us resume the task of unpicking, understanding, seeing what’s what each time we step on the mat.
75. Take a restorative practice
Change it up once in a while, in all honesty, we could all do with more restorative practices in our lives. Look for slower hatha classes, yin, Nidra, or restorative Iyengar.
76. There’s always a struggle pose, be ok with it
It’s good to have difficult postures to grapple with, to try and figure out. When we are working on a problem like this, we find ultimate focus, the subtle movements of the body, the slight adjustments, the extra movement that comes with the breath. It’s like a little Rubik’s cube to spend time with whenever we practice. That element of being humbled every time we roll out the mat.
77. Get yourself a nice blanket - winter is cold
A good weighty blanket is the icing on the cake after practicing yoga in the colder winter months, especially here in the UK. Treat yourself to a cosy one.
78. Everyone will fart in class at some point
You are going to fart in a yoga class at some point. The person next to you is going to fart at some point. Shit, I’ve farted while teaching. But seriously, no one cares. Trust me. No. One. Cares. Let rip.
79. If you’re into incense, Temple of Incense are the one
I’ve been burning Temple of Incense’s gear pretty much exclusively for the past couple years. The quality, burn time and fragrance is just next level. I’m selling them up at Bad Hand Studio these days so you can collect after class.
80. Some yoga classes can be busy
Popular classes can sometimes book out quick, especially during winter months. So don’t sleep on getting yourself booked in. If you’re feeling anxious or slightly agoraphobic about a busy class, know that there’s a certain element of anonymity that comes with a packed yoga room. Sometimes that’s quite nice.
81. Your mats will be close
There will be occasions when there’s not be a lot of space between mats, but it’s ok. If you can roll out your mat, you’re gonna be ok. Remember, people stagger themselves when doing certain poses. If it all feels a bit too much though, just check in with the teacher to see if there’s a quieter class on the schedule.
82. It’s ok to say no to an assist
Some days we’re just not feeling it. It’s not like if you say no to an assist one time, that you’ll never get one again. Teachers get it. They don’t know what’s going on on the inside. “Not today,” “no thank you.” Maintain that autonomy.
83. Read ‘The Untethered Soul’
Something of a spiritual classic, but this book has a great way of reframing things. The seat of the witness is something that can really help with observing our patterns and behaviours.
84. Yoga helps you understand yourself better
When else would you spend dedicated time to see what state your body is in, decipher which limbs are stiff, or tight. We’re paying attention to physical and emotional feedback, and because of that, we start to understand ourselves better physically and psychologically.
85. Yoga can help your running/cycling/surfing
You knew that though, right? All the tightnesses that comes with sports that require linear movement patterns, we can slowly start to wring them out on the mat, with benefits directly linked to your other pursuits.
86. And be more comfortable
If there was one reason to do yoga, it’s to be more comfortable in your body. Who doesn’t want to be more comfortable? Whether it’s sitting in a chair, climbing out of bed, or putting on your shoes. We are not uncomfortable by design.
87. It’s through repetition that we get adaptation
I’ve mentioned this already in a round about way. It’s what makes ashtanga so beautiful. Doing the same postures every time allows us to see where we are changing, making progress. Or where certain injuries or stiffnesses have impacted the shapes we make on the mat. If we want to see change, we need to be consistent.
88. Progress isn’t linear
One step forward, two steps back. Sometimes that’s the way it goes. Try not to get hung up about it.
89. Explore the Purple Valley videos
There are some super insightful videos from Purple Valley Goa. You can find them on YouTube and they feature a ton of people from Mark Robberds, Joey Miles and Stu Girling, to John Scott and Kino McGregor. Find them HERE.
90. It’s ok to still get pissed off
“Pretty fucking stressy for someone who does yoga all the time.” It’s not a cure. Life is hectic. People are dicks. Forgive yourself. Yoga takes the edge off, even if we don’t immediately see it.
91. Read ‘Yoga Dharma’ by Hamish Hendry
Remember the journal I mentioned earlier called Pushpam, well publisher and Certified teacher Hamish Hendry also wrote this awesome little book called Yoga Dharma, which gives you the essential details, the key points on everything from the Bhagavad Gita, to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. It’s still in print too. Get it HERE.
92. Take some Iyengar classes
It’s not for everyone, but then again nothing is. But there is so much to glean from Iyengar, no matter what type of yoga you normally practice. Enter this rabbit hole and you’ll start to pick up on finer, subtler details you might never have even contemplated. Sometimes, though, you might wish you never asked. “Maybe I CAN’T do triangle pose after all…”
93. Don’t get too hung up on hand stands
They’re fun, but it’s easy to get sidetracked from practice in pursuit of the upside-down.
94. Or the fancy transitions for that matter
They look impressive, and they’re certainly something to work on, but they’re not the main event. Don’t let them get in the way of your practice, and also be careful not to deplete your energy prematurely.
95. Kit that works - Zettle
If you’re teaching independently, then the Zettle from PayPal is kind of essential. Allows you to take card payments super quick and easy, with small fees.
96. When we get new postures, remember we have to give them back
It feels great when we get a new pose, but as we slowly accumulate them like some kind of Pokemon card, at some point or another, we will have to say goodbye to them. It’s all impermanent. It’s so easy to get focussed on linear progress through the series. To get to the next level. But we don’t get to keep postures, and it’s the wrong way to measure yourself and your practice.
97. Tiger Balm
Old school, tried and tested favourite of yoga students all over the world. The smell is almost comforting. Feeling sore, whack some of this on. But if you’re consistently walking into the shala smelling of Tiger Balm, then maybe you need to back it up a bit.
98. Read ‘The Old Man and The Sea’ by Ernest Hemmingway
Old dude is seen as kinda washed up. He goes to sea and catches a huge fish, but… Almost gave the book away. There’s a lot of metaphors for life in this short book. But many that segue into yoga.
99. That spray bottle in the studio…
If you’re wondering why it’s there, it’s to help get your arms and legs all slippery for garbapindasana. This is the quintessential ‘tie yourself up in knots’ yoga pose, and most people need to lube up for it. Sensible people working on this pose bring their own so it’s within easy reach when they need it.
100. Cultivate a mood of ease
Even when we are exerting effort, if we can keep that mental mindset of ease, we are going to retain some softness in the body and hopefully find that balance between effort and relaxation, that flow state. We need to remember to save some of our energy for the rest of the day and not spunk it all on our practice.