Tag: Yoga in Rugby

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NEW Summer Yin Yoga Mini 3-Week Series

Yin Yoga Summer Series

This summer, I’m bringing something new to the mat—a three-week Yin Yoga mini series with a focus on deep, functional stretching for the parts of the body that tend to hold on to tightness: hips, spine, shoulders.

Whether you’re a regular mover or spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, we all have areas in the body that can feel a bit stuck. Yin Yoga offers a way to gently work into those places using long-held, floor-based postures that target the connective tissues—helping to release tension, improve circulation, and support healthy mobility.

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Heart Work: Exploring Backbends on the Yoga Mat

Wheel

Our latest yoga series is called Heart Work. Over four weeks, we’re focusing on a trio of backbends including Bow, Camel, and either Bridge or Wheel — giving ourselves time to build strength, mobility and confidence.

Backbends can feel uplifting and energising, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. Some days they feel open and spacious, other days a bit awkward or emotional. That’s all part of the process. These poses ask quite a lot — not just from the body, but in how we respond to what comes up.

To support this, we’re drawing on a helpful idea from the Yoga Sutras. In Sutra 1.33, we’re encouraged to practise four attitudes to help calm the mind and create more ease in ourselves:

“By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the unkind, the mind retains its undisturbed calm.”
(Yoga Sutra 1.33, translated by Sri Swami Satchidananda)

Putting this another way:
– Joy in the success of others
– Friendliness towards those who are happy
– Compassion for those who are struggling
– Equanimity towards those who challenge us

These might sound simple, but they’re often far from easy. Feeling genuinely happy for someone else’s success, or staying balanced when someone tests your patience — these are big asks on a tough day. But this is why it’s called a practice, not a perfect. We’re learning how to soften, how to respond rather than react, how to stay steady even when things get stirred up — both on and off the mat.

Seated Cow
Camel
Bridge
Wild thing
Wheel
Backbends in Houlton
No Caption

Backbends have a way of bringing things to the surface. They ask us to lift, to open, and to trust. That might feel exhilarating. It might feel vulnerable. It might feel like both, all at once.

So whether you’re exploring backbends in class or at home, the invitation is the same: take your time, stay connected to your breath, and notice how you respond. You don’t need to force anything. Let the pose meet you where you are.

Heart Work is about creating space — in the body, in the mind, and in the way we approach ourselves and others.

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Sun Salutations: A Simple Way to Get Going

Sun Salutations

I was checking the weather forecast and saw that temperatures are set to rise here in Rugby – hooray for that! I’m looking forward to more time outdoors, pottering in the garden and enjoying a barbecue or two, and feeling the sun on my face. And it got me thinking about sun salutations.

They’re such a regular part of yoga classes – especially in vinyasa or flow-based practices – that it’s easy to go through the motions without thinking much about them. But have you ever wondered where they actually come from, or why we practise them?

The name Sun Salutation comes from the Sanskrit Surya Namaskar, meaning “salute to the sun.” In ancient India, the sun was seen as a vital source of energy and light – both physically and spiritually. People would rise early and offer prayers or movements in honour of the sun, as a way to welcome the day and connect with something bigger than themselves.

The flowing versions of sun salutations we’re familiar with today have more recent roots. In the early 20th century, yoga teachers started blending traditional postures with breath-led movement to create something dynamic and accessible – a way to build heat, focus the mind, and shift energy. Over time, this evolved into a staple in many modern yoga classes.

What’s lovely is that there’s no one “right” version. Sun salutations come in all sorts – from simple, gentle flows to more energising and complex sequences. Some include lunges or twists, others are tailored for slower days or beginners. You’ll even find styles that build in restorative pauses or focus more on strength. There’s something very adaptable about them – they can suit your energy and needs on any given day.

They’re not always at the start of class either. Sometimes they weave into the middle of a sequence, and sometimes they’re left out altogether. They’re a tool – a way to link breath and movement, to feel your body waking up, to create a steady rhythm. Like much of yoga, they’re there to support your practice – not define it.

Why do we keep coming back to them?

Sun salutations offer a lot, in a short space of time. Practised regularly, they can help to:

  • Warm up the whole body gently and effectively
  • Strengthen and stretch muscles from head to toe
  • Connect movement with breath, which can calm a busy mind
  • Improve circulation and encourage deeper breathing
  • Ground you in the present moment, especially on hectic days

So whether it’s sunny outside or not, sun salutations can offer a moment to move with purpose and presence. A way to shift from thinking to feeling. From rushing to arriving. And maybe that’s reason enough to roll out your mat and have a go!

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Balance Isn’t Always Still – Hand to Big Toe Pose

Balance, as it turns out, isn’t always still.

There’s a moment when you lift your foot and extend it forward in hand to big toe pose – Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana – that feels like anything could happen. You might hold steady and breathe through it… or you might wobble, laugh, and have another go.

When I first started practising this pose, I thought the aim was to stay perfectly still, like a statue. But over time, I’ve realised that real balance isn’t about freezing in place – it’s about responding, adjusting, and staying present through all the little shifts.

This pose has taught me a lot. About patience, focus, and letting go of the need to get it “perfect”. Some days my leg lifts easily. Other days, I bend the knee or use a strap and just work with where I am. It’s all part of the practice.

A Few Benefits of the Pose

Physically, hand to big toe pose is brilliant for:

  • Building balance and stability – especially in the standing leg and ankle
  • Stretching the hamstrings and calves
  • Strengthening the core muscles
  • Opening the hips and improving control in the lifted leg
  • Sharpening focus and concentration

It’s one of those poses that works both body and mind – grounding and uplifting all at once.

So, if you find yourself wobbling – on the mat or in life – know that it’s all part of the process. Balance isn’t about being perfectly still; it’s about finding your centre even when things shift.

And each time you fall out of a pose and come back in, you’re not just building strength in your body – you’re strengthening your ability to adapt, stay grounded, and keep going. That’s the real practice.

If you’re interested in joining my Weekly Flow Classes, they’re currently fully booked until 3rd June. To get early access to new class openings, join my mailing list and be the first to know when bookings are available. I don’t send a ton of emails – just the important stuff.

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The Yoga Pose I Avoided for 5 Years

There’s a pose I didn’t teach for five whole years.

Not because it was advanced. Not because it was risky. Just because I didn’t like it.

Firelog pose—also known as Agnistambhasana or double pigeon—was my nemesis. Every time I practised it, I’d feel tight, stuck, awkward. So I quietly left it out of my teaching, class after class, year after year. And because no one asked for it, I never questioned it too much.

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Are you Looking to Join a Yoga Class in Rugby?

Looking for a yoga class that suits your energy? Whether you want to move and challenge yourself or slow down and relax, we’ve got two great options—Dynamic Flow and Flow + Chill. Both will leave you feeling good in your body and mind.

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Focus on: Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

In our current yoga series, we’re delving into Garudasana, or Eagle Pose. This graceful pose invites us to explore balance, focus, and release. Over the series, we are peeling back the layers of this pose, discovering its physical benefits, mental challenges, and its beautiful symbolism as a practice of grounding while soaring.

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Getting Your Mind in the Right Place: A Journey into Mindful Yoga

Yoga can often feel like a mix of separate parts— asana (postures), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation. But what if they could seamlessly blend into a single mindful experience? That’s exactly what Perry Lewis’s one-day hybrid course with the British Wheel of Yoga, Getting Your Mind in the Right Place, explored. I attended virtually.

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10 Things To Know Before Your First Yoga Class

The idea of going to a yoga class for the first time can be daunting. If you’ve always wanted to join a yoga class but are too nervous to try, read these tips to help set your mind at rest.

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My logo for Gemma Murphy Yoga

I’m excited to share my new logo. A big thank you to those who helped me come up with this design!

I wanted a logo that reflects the journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and inner peace that we all experience through yoga. The central figure in a meditative pose represents our individual paths toward personal growth, reminding us of the strength we cultivate through our practice.

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