Yoga with Ishtar

"If I didn't have my yoga accounts, I wouldn't be on social media"

For years I've said this.

Whenever I'd toy with the idea of deleting my social media accounts, people would invariably tell me that I couldn't possible run a successful business without them.

Maybe they're right (although I sincerely hope not!). But with most things these days I find myself coming back to this question:
'does this add to my energy or take away from it?'
and for too long, Facebook and Instagram have done the latter.

So I'll be closing these accounts towards the end of this week.
"But how will we hear about classes and updates?" I hear you cry.

Fear not fellow stretchers... I present to you the magic of email!

From the end of this month I will begin to send out monthly newsletters (of sorts) with updates on classes, offerings and a few general thought ramblings. If you would like to be added to this email list, please pop a message saying so to:
[email protected]
I'm grateful for all your engagement on these platforms in the last few years. It's been fantastic to make this journey with you.

With this new step forward, I'm not closing the book, just turning the page.

I hope to see you there!

We talk about finding balance a lot in yoga and in wellness culture. On the mat we strive for handstands and dancer poses, we teeter precariously on one foot holding our breath till the moment we tumble out, cursing our lack of stability while others gracefully return to the earth.

It filters through to our day to day living too. Our rest and work need to be balanced. Our plates. Our workouts. Our alone time. Our productivity. We spend our days walking a narrow tightrope, desperately trying to find the perfect one-size-fits-all ratio for our lives.

The thing is, it doesn't exist.

What's balanced for me is not balanced for you.

And even at that, what's balanced for you today may not be balanced for you tomorrow.

Our lives are constantly in flux. Our needs are always changing.

The perfect balance doesn't exist.
Instead of balance, I've recently been leaning into finding harmony.

My own harmony. Between MY mind and MY body. Harmony that changes from day to day, from moment to moment and doesn't rely on other people's ideas of what a "well balanced" life should look like.

It isn't about a 50:50 split or a strict schedule. It isn't about rigid rules to live by, timetabled days or sectioned off plates. It's about asking myself and my body what it wants and needs each day.

Harmony is personal. No one else can know what harmony looks like for you. It is a deep, authentic connection between mind and body. It is a listening and an answering. A union of needs and wants.

Forget balance. Find harmony. Seek out connection and union within yourself.

After all, isn't that what yoga is all about?

PATREON ANNOUNCEMENT!

Ok I'm finally catching up with the times and setting up a Patreon page for Yoga with Ishtar.

Beginning from October 1st I will be offering 3 tiers for patrons:
• €5 per month - 1 x meditation recording a month
• €10 per month - 1 x meditation recording & 1 x yoga video per month
• €25 per month - 1 x meditation recording & 4 x yoga videos per month

Recordings and videos will begin from October 1st but you are, of course, welcome to sign up as a patron and support before this date.

I'm new to the platform and to offering content online so feel free to pop over any suggestions, requests or questions.

Looking forward to practicing with you!

Yoga with Ishtar is creating yoga, meditation and massage tutorials | Patreon Become a patron of Yoga with Ishtar today: Get access to exclusive content and experiences on the world’s largest membership platform for artists and creators.

Move like you love your body

On the mat. Off the mat.

Your body is communicating its needs to you. Listen to it, respect it and move in a way that shows it you care.
Is your body asking for more, for less? For a different pace, a different angle, a different energy?

These bodies we live in know when they want to move. They know when they want to stretch and sweat and rest.

The kindest and most loving thing you can do for your body is to hear its needs and honour them.
Your body is beautiful and amazing exactly as it is. I know I say it all the time but I really, truly mean it.

Show your body love and kindness and you cultivate love and kindness within yourself. You are worthy of that. Your body is worthy of that.

Move (and rest) with the love that you deserve. Always.

Would you comment on someone's body in a yoga class? Would you pass a remark on their physical appearance?

Well, it may come as a surprise to you that not just in the studio, but in all situations, it's not ok to talk about somebody's body.

As much as you like to think you do, you don't know their story. You don't know what their relationship with their body is like. You have no idea how they'll internalise what you say, whether you mean it positively, negatively or neutrally. It's simply not ok.
And here's another zinger. The same goes for conversations ABOUT other people too.

I'm in awe of how many folks somehow feel it's ok to talk about other people's bodies to me.

When you say she's beautiful because she has an hourglass figure, we hear, to be beautiful you need to have those curves.

When you say he's self conscious because he's "bigger", we hear, being in a larger body is something to be ashamed of.

When you say you're obviously a woman because you have big breasts, we hear, to have a large chest means to be a woman and to be a woman you need a large chest.

Drop the body description. Please.

You know what you can say instead?

They're beautiful, self conscious, a woman, attractive, full of energy, happy, depressed, fun loving....
.. Literally anything. You don't need to describe their body to make it valid!
It can be a tricky habit to get out of, believe me, I know. I grew up in this appearance obsessed culture too!

But it's an important habit to break.

People are so much more than their bodies and who they are has very little to do with how they appear physically.

By all means, share a person's wonderful qualities with me (or with them), just don't make it about their body!
Share some of your favourite non-appearance related compliments below
⏬⏬⏬

When was the last time you moved your body purely for the pleasure of it?

I don't mean following a workout because you think you should or going on that run because you feel guilty for not.

I mean sticking on a song and bopping about simply because the movement brings you joy.

Jumping in the sea to feel the invigorating splash of cold water on your skin.

Rolling out your mat and stretching into a pose just because it feels really, really good.

Are the movements that you engage in bringing you happiness or simply staving off guilt?
Joyful movement is different for everyone and changes from day to day, moment to moment.

Don't let anyone else tell you how your body SHOULD be exercising. Not a personal trainer, an Instagram influencer or even a yoga teacher. Your body knows better than anyone how it wants to move. It'll tell you when it wants to stretch, when it wants to sweat and when it wants to rest. All you have to do is learn to listen.

Next time you engage in movement ask yourself, is this bringing me joy? Does this feel good in my body? Does my body want to move this way?

If the answer is yes, go right ahead. If the answer is no, find something that gives you a yes. Your body is worthy of feeling good. It is worthy of pleasure.

You are worthy of joyful movement

The phrase, "landscape of the body" has always been in my vocabulary but has only recently really struck a cord with me.

Nature has always been a place of calm and peace for many of us. Woodlands and rivers for me in particular hold a quiet, unassuming beauty and it's always been somewhere I've felt comfortable retreating to in times of uncertainty.

In contrast, navigating the hills and valleys of our bodies can often feel quite treacherous. We spend so much time refusing to accept our lumps, bumps and curves that the terrain is often unknown and ever changing and feels, at times, as though we're charting new territory with a faulty compass.

But instead of trying to deny and control our bodies, taking a moment to step back and really admire the beauty of their landscape can be transformative. Moments like this are a little reminder that our bodies are a part of nature. The stretchmarks, the cellulite, the softness and all those perceived "flaws" are all as beautiful and natural as the trees in the forest or the bubbles in a stream. They're one and the same.

It's time to celebrate the beauty and diversity that nature offers us. We wouldn't condemn the oak leaf's shape for being different to the pine's or curse the robin's wings for being shorter than the eagle's. So let us show the same appreciation for the beautiful differences we as humans embody.

I am not beautiful like you. You are not beautiful like me. We are beautiful like ourselves. And that is the beauty of nature

Your body is not 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 anything
Your body is not just a meat suit.
It is a miraculous, beautiful extension of who you are

Your body is not just a home.
It is a living, breathing part of your being

Your body is not just a vehicle.
It is an amazing, fundamental piece of you
Your body is not 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 anything

Own it and embrace it for the wonder that it is, that you are. Let every breath be a celebration of your lungs, every stretch a celebration of your muscles, every sensation a celebration of your skin.

Without it you wouldn't be here. You wouldn't be you

And you are amazing

Your body us not 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 anything because YOU are not 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 anything

You are you and that is something worth celebrating

Have you journaled?

I know, I know. I can feel you rolling your eyes. Believe me, I've been there. I spent years convinced that journaling was some new age, hippy dippy b*lltish. And maybe it is. But you know what? It works!

Creating space to write about your thoughts, your feelings, your experiences is powerful. Making time to ask yourself potent questions without the pressure to divulge your innermost thoughts to others is eye opening.

I've been working a lot on my relationship with my body in recent months and have found that taking time out with pen and paper has been immensely helpful.

Some journal prompts that have helped me are:

• My body feels joy when _____

• I feel most at peace with my body when _____

• One thing I love about my body is _____

• If your body could speak, what would it say to you?

• Write a thank you letter to your body
Before you recoil in horror at the thought, I humbly suggest taking out a notebook and committing yourself to one line. If more comes, great. If not, no problem. Just give yourself the opportunity and see what happens.

Your findings and thoughts are welcome below but, of course, there is no pressure to share. This exercise is for you. For your body. Ask it questions, listen to what it has to say and learn from the answers

Remember, your body is on your team!

Bad body image days happen. No matter how much work you do on self acceptance and body respect, it's inevitable.

We often make the mistake of thinking that body love and body acceptance mean you spend your life in a perpetual state of jaw dropping body confidence. As wonderful as that sounds, in real life, it's not realistic or possible for the majority of us.

Some days you are going to feel s**t about your body. Some days you are going to be unhappy with what you see in the mirror. Some days you're going to wish you could be different

That's ok

Body acceptance is about noticing these feelings and choosing to respect your body anyway.

Body love is about recognising that you DON'T love everything about yourself in this moment but choose to treat yourself with kindness regardless.

Even if your body does not look the way you or your family or society says it "should", it is still worthy of rest. It is still worthy of satisfying food. It is still worthy of 𝙟𝙤𝙮𝙛𝙪𝙡 movement.

Treat your body with the kindness and respect it deserves. It's your home. It is amazing and wonderful. It is beautiful as it is. It is enough

A beautiful trip away to West Cork

No formal movement, plenty of food. Still a good, healthy person

Take breaks, rest, reset. It's just as important as all other forms of self care

And you're worthy of it

What a year to be doing exams eh?

Delighted to get my Holistic Massage certificate in the post today and honoured to be named Massage Student of the Year

Thank you Carella Beauty Training for the skills, knowledge and support you gave me from day one. It was fantastic to train with such an amazing school and such a wonderful group of people ❤

And a big thanks to all the bodies that let me practice on them throughout the year too!

We've all heard phrases like, "you are not your body", many times in the yoga community.

While yes, I can understand the sentiment behind them and that they can be helpful in certain situations, there comes a time when we have to face the truth. And the truth is that this body IS you.

No, it's not the entirety if your being, it doesn't define everything about you, but your body is a fundamental, essential piece of who you are.

I think a problem for so many of us comes in seeing our bodies as separate to ourselves. As merely a tool or vessel in which we have the misfortune of inhabiting.

This is not true. Your body is as much a part of you as your thoughts, your dreams, your memories.

Instead of something outside of us that we can use and abuse, shrink and starve, push past its limits and ignore its signals, our bodies are a part of us that require just as much love and attention as our minds. Caring for ourselves involves caring for our bodies because without them, we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't be us.

When your body rests, you rest. When your body feels pleasure, you feel pleasure. When your body feels pain, you feel pain.

Treat it with kindness. Treat it with love. Because your body is a fundamental piece of the beautiful, amazing, wonderful puzzle that is you! Without it, you wouldn't be you

Excited to take part in this workshop on Race, Ethnicity and Yoga with Yoga Hub on Saturday.

These last few months have really brought to light the racial inequalities and injustices that are present all over the world and in our yoga studios

I am very much still a student on this aspect of my journey but I am dedicated to learning, listening and using this knowledge to support those around me, on and off the mat

Delighted to have this book arrive in the post this week. A guide to asana, breath work and meditation and the adjustments and variations available to make it accessible to all.

I promise to continue to expand my knowledge and skills to be able to offer yoga to all bodies.

These words by Octavia Raheem speak volumes.

Unfortunately today, in a society where body size and shape seem to be revered above all else, it's all too easy to turn a beautiful practice such as yoga into another form of self punishment.

Yoga (or any other movement practice for that matter) should never be used for the outcome of changing your appearance. Your body is beautiful just as it is.

If you have health based goals, fine! Can you incorporate them into something fun and explorative while bearing in mind that you can't predict someone's health by the size/shape of their body?

If you don't have health based goals, also fine! Are there ways in which you can move your body to find joy and ease?

What brings you peace of mind? What helps you relieve stress? And if it is not movement in this moment then that's fine too. Find stillness!

When we let go of the needless desire to change our bodies we can learn to accept and love them just as they are.

We are worthy of that.
Our bodies are worthy of that.

Make the conscious choice today to let movement (and stillness) be a celebration of the body you have. It is beautiful, and enough, just the way it is

As I work on rebuilding the strength and mobility in my shoulders, I'm constantly reminded that patience and acceptance is key.

It's natural to want to rush, to get where you want to go as quick as possible. I can remember the ability I once had and I want it again. Now! On the surface this may seem to make sense but in reality, it was this striving that got me to the point of injury and pain in the first place.

Progress takes time. It takes patience and, above all, it takes acceptance. Acceptance of where you are at this point in time and acceptance of how far you have left to go.

This is as true for large, sweeping aspirations as it is for small, daily acts. When you approach your mat, what is your goal? What do you hope to achieve?

Whether it's flexibility, strength, peace of mind or anything else, instead of focusing on the finished products, can you look to cultivate gentle awareness of these qualities in each movement?

Can you accept what your body is capable of in this moment?

Can you be patient with the thoughts and feelings that present themselves?

It may sound incredibly simple in theory but, in practice, can be infinitely challenging.

Today, when you notice yourself striving and pushing forward, slow down. Pause. Breathe. Notice what you're feeling, accept where you are and move forward gently, with patience and in kindness.

A gentle reminder to myself and to anyone else who needs to hear this

Your body is not your business card

Your body does not determine your worth

End of story

A few days ago, in my Instagram stories, I shared a post by Evolna outlining the idea of the movement map, created by the ever amazing Marie Janicek.

The map allows you to visually assess where your movement practices fall on the spectrums of order/chaos and creativity/structure. Each person's map will be different based on what activities they practice and in what way they engage with them.

This afternoon I created my own personal movement map. I took time to really consider how my practices make me feel, in what way I approach them and why I move the way I do. Some placements came as a surprise, others felt quite intuitive.

What I didn't foresee was the difficulty I had in finding a spot that was right for yoga. I eventually came to the conclusion that it felt appropriate to place it right in the centre of the map. And maybe this in itself is a clue as to why I love it so much.

For me, yoga can be the perfect balance of order and chaos, of structure and creativity. What's more, each day that I practice, depending on my mood, my energy and my intention, what happens on the mat is different. Some days my practice is highly creative, other days it feels good to settle into structure. Today I could move satisfyingly through an ordered ashtanga sequence while tomorrow I could allow my body the freedom to move in unpredictable and unexpected ways.

Maybe yoga fits somewhere different for you. There is no right or wrong, better or worse. My practice is my own and yours is unique to you. What is interesting about this exercise is that it gives us the opportunity to evaluate our relationship with movement.

Does the way we move our bodies align with our values?
Does it feel good?
Are there areas of the map that we would like to spend more time in?
How can we make this happen?

I invite you to create your own Movement Map and use it as a tool to ask yourself some of these questions. Feel free to refer back to the original post on Instagram by and be sure to check out 's page for inspirational intuitive movement

Stepping off the scales and onto the mat

Dear student,

I've spent more of my life than I care to admit obsessed with the scales. I've used any means necessary to manipulate and shrink my body. Food, running, climbing, martial arts, yoga. I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with any of these things but it all comes down to your intention behind them.

It saddens me to think that yoga, which began as a beautiful practice in which I could explore movement and discover the possibilities of my body, slowly turned into another form of punishment. And it breaks my heart to know that I'm not alone in this by any stretch of the imagination.

As I begin to heal my relationship with my body and with movement I'm slowly learning to reconnect with the essence of my practice, the spark that guided me to the mat in the first place.

This journey is a long one. A lifelong one. It's challenging and humbling but it's rewarding beyond belief. I hope that, as I move forward, I will be able to share this connection and authenticity in my practice and in my teaching.

I'm grateful for this opportunity to reassess my values and remember what is important to me

I'm grateful for the chance to slow down and discover my practice again

And I'm grateful to you, my students, for your gentle patience as I explore how to offer myself and this practice to you in a more genuine, real way.

I look forward to returning to our shared practice with a renewed sense of love, kindness and respect for every one of our bodies, minds and beings as a whole.

Until then,

Your teacher and forever student,
Ishtar

A gentle reminder that if you're exhausted today or simply don't feel like moving, you don't have to.

Self care is more than physical. Some days it can look like a workout or a stretch on the mat. Other days it can look more like curling up on the sofa with a movie (or 5).

There is no shame in choosing to care for yourself. There is no shame in choosing not to move your body. There is no shame in choosing you every day.

Fill your life with 'shoulds' and 'musts' and your body and mind will eventually fight back. Show yourself kindness and compassion and your body and mind will thank you for it later.

Photo from the amazing book 'The Sun and her Flowers' by Rupi Kaur

Reimagining vriksasana/tree pose

Root. Rise. Grow.

Your body is not like mine.

Your body is not like your friend's, your mother's, your brother's. Your body is not even like your body of 6 months ago.

Your body in this moment is uniquely yours.

Your body is wonderful in its uniqueness and wonderful exactly as it is, regardless of your shape, size, gender, ability, skin colour.

You do not need to change your body!

We get so caught up in this need to compare and fix and alter our bodies but I promise you, these things are so, so irrelevant to living a happy, healthy life.

Next time you roll out your mat can you ask yourself honestly why you're doing it? If the answer is to change anything about your appearance - STOP!

Your appearance is the the least important and least interesting thing about you.

Instead, next time you step on your mat, or into a dance class, or onto the running track set yourself the intention of moving your body just for the joy of it. And if that activity cannot bring you joy, then that is not the activity for you.

Movement should be a glorious celebration of what our bodies can do. Not a means of punishment or comparison.

Explore movement - different types, speeds, intensities, locations, times of day, company. Keep what you enjoy, drop what you don't. Life is too short! Enjoy as much of it as you possibly can

If these last few months have taught me anything it's that we are social creatures. We thrive in community, with our tribe, supporting one another and lifting each other up.

Now, more than ever, it's important that we learn to ask for help when we need it and offer help when we see others in need. Reaching out for support is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of our innate understanding that we, as human beings, belong in connection with one another.

In seeking and offering support we recognise our strength both as an individual and as a group. Finding support in our communities, our homes and on our mats not only lifts ourselves up but lifts those around us up as well.

Never feel afraid to ask for help. It bonds us, connects us and makes us human

Today 5 years ago was my last day of yoga teacher training with Samadhi Yoga, Dublin. In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago, in other ways it feels like it was just yesterday.

All I can say is that I'm so grateful. I'm grateful for the amazing teachers I've had the opportunity to work with and learn from. I'm grateful for my own transformation and development over the years, both on and off the mat. I'm grateful for my students who have allowed me the honour of being part of their journeys.

I'm so grateful to be able to share something that I genuinely love with others and for the opportunity to grow and learn while doing it. So thank you to family, friends, students, teachers and everyone who has made that possible. I wouldn't be the person I am today without you. Thank you

How are you looking after yourself this week?

How are you showing yourself kindness?

How are you acting out of self love or self respect?

Feel free to share below

A short and gentle sunny morning stretch for you guys.

Some dodgy camera work and a rogue, flailing branch but hopefully enjoyable regardless.

Have fun!

Sunny morning stretch A gentle sunny morning stretch. Enjoy!