Forge your own singing bowl 🔥 Join us as we host a very special 3 day workshop with bowl master Ton Akkermans to create your very own, absolutely unique singing bowl imbued with your own personal intentions and energy ✨ For any questions or to reserve your space please contact bravefishyoga@gmail.com or joanie@singingspheres.com ✨ Please note; places are limited so book quickly to avoid disappointment 💙

Information for our upcoming September retreat, hosted at the amazing @casafuzetta in beautiful Olhão ☀️ Six nights luxury accommodation, delicious veggie/vegan feeds prepared fresh daily, daily yoga & meditation practice with additional lectures 💙 We’re thrilled that we will again be joined by the amazing @natasharyanrehab who will be on hand to soothe your tissues, work through injuries or offer consultations and body assessments. We can’t wait to explore this great practice in more depth with an amazing group of people in a beautiful environment 🤩 For inquiries, to book or to just explore our shiny new website (love and gratitude always to @cradleearthmarketing), click the link in our bio, share and spread the joy! BIG love 💜

When the shala takes over the house 😂

We have exciting NEWS! It's been a long time in the making but we are so excited and proud to be sharing our NEW website with you all! Get to know who we are and the yoga we love to teach, and keep up to date with news of retreats, trainings, workshops and lots more to come! https://www.bravefishyoga.com/ As always, we would be so grateful if you could share the love and links with friends, family and yoga lovers in your communities around the world! And finally a MASSIVE thank you to @ladycasgrav for the original design (you have THE EYE) and @beccy_cf at @cradleearthmarketing for all your hard work (and patience) bringing our vision to life!! BIG love!!! Clare and Daisy

A cosy set up for a blissful sound bath held at the end of a beautiful yin and Neijing Tu workshop held on Sunday. Thank you to everyone who joined us, we can’t wait for the next one!

DREAM TEAM 💙 Thank you so much to @natasharyanrehab for working your magic on our tired yoga bodies during our most recent retreat. Tash has a background in Sports Rehabilitation and Combat Sports and has worked with professional athletes and sports teams across the country (& now professional yogins 😎🤓). We are firm believers in taking a varied holistic approach to self care and body work. Combining your movement/exercise practices with massage therapies (etc) will help to keep you moving and feeling great. Tash’s diverse repertoire of treatments not only helped to soothe our tight tissues after 4+ hours of yoga and meditation a day, but also helped to heal old injuries and maximise the efficiency of our body movements within the practice. We are thrilled to announce that Tash will be joining us for our 2023 retreat in Portugal!! Details for our 2023 retreat coming SOON. Keep your eyes peeled!

That’s a wrap on the Brave Fish Yoga 2022 Retreat 💙 WOW! The love and connection between this fantastic group of humans over the past 5 days was something SPECIAL, MAGIC, JOYOUS! Our endless gratitude to you all for your presence and effort on our way to FREEDOM 💙 Freedom in our practice, freedom in our bodies, hearts and minds and freedom in our lives 💙 What a journey. We love you all. Tat Tvam ASI 💙 …..see you next year?

DAY 4 & 5 💙 Can you feel the LOVE?? . . . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogaretreats #yogaretreat #wellnessretreat #wellness #yoga #meditation #mindfulness #yangyoga #yinyoga #yin #functionalyoga #healing #love #loveyoga #yogainspiration #feelthelove #collective #casafuzetta #portugal #olhão

DAY 3 💙 . . . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogaretreats #portugal #olhão #casafuzetta #wellnessretreat #wellness #yogaretreat #yoga #yangyoga #yinyoga #yin #loveyoga #yogainspiration #meditation #mindfulness #mindfulmoments #magic #magiceverywhere #love

DAY 2 💙 Beautiful Yogins . . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogaretreat #yogaretreat #yoga #wellness #wellnessretreats #loveyoga #meditation #mindfulness #yangyoga #yinyoga #yin #yogateacher #sunrisemeditation #love #collective #functionalyoga #connection #casafuzetta

Brave Fish Warriors Walking the Dragons 💙 Leaving no one behind

Olhão Retreat DAY 2 💙 . . . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogaretreats #retreat #yogaretreat #wellnessretreat #wellness #casafuzetta #casafuzettaretreat #luxuryretreats #yangyoga #yinyoga #yin #dynamicmovement #healingjourney #collective #nourishment #freedom #meditation #mindfulness #mindfulmovement #organicfood #localchef #portugal #travelportugal #olhão #travel #lifestyle

Our Shala for the next 5 days ☀️ What a gift to be here with our collective, known and new 💙 SO MUCH LOVE 💙

The gift of our lives being able to share the wisdom of this sacred tradition together 🖤 Thank you @vervefestival for an awesome festival, @mmartinyoga for capturing this beautiful moment (and for your amazing classes!) Repping @heartprint_cambodia #allmindsmatter #enough T-shirt. We love you and you are with us always 🖤

W O W ✨ Thank you! We really felt the love at VERVE. Thank you so much to everyone who came and flowed with us, it was a privilege and a gift to share space and energy with you all. Gratitude to our hosts @vervefestival and to all the other talented teachers and space holders 🙏🏻 BIG LOVE, Tat Tvam Asi 🖤

“Stillness is not the absence or negation of energy, life or movement. Stillness is dynamic. It is unconflicted movement, life in harmony with itself, skill in action.” - Erich Schiffman . . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #functionalyoga #yogaconnection #livingyoga #meditation #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogalife #mindfulness #yogateacher #yogalove #yogaeverywhere #breathe #love #connection #community #environment #yin #yinyoga #stillness #skillinaction

Daoist movement to FREE YOUR CHI ✨ Come flow with us at @vervefestival on The Verve Stage, tomorrow at 11.45AM - 12.55PM! LOVE, always 💚

Feeling is believing 🪄 Do you believe in magic? And no we’re not talking about the magic that comes with witches and wizards… but life’s daily magic that lives in and all around us. The universal and animating energy that breathes life into you, me and every living thing. The magic which connects us to each other. There, at your finger tips. C H I ✨ Catch us at the @vervefestival, this Saturday, on The Verve Stage, at 11.45am - 12.55pm to move with magic 🪄

Yoga. Anywhere, any time, your way ✨ Yoga lives in us, all around us and doesn’t have to look any one way. Whether it’s carving out five minutes for a sit, mindfully moving your body or observing your responses to what’s happening around you, it’s all yoga and it’s ALL good. So today, what does your yoga look like? ✨

Cambodia friends and students! Half our team, Daisy, is back in Siem Reap, for a short time only!! 🖤 Brave Fish Cambodia is back for a special Yang Yin class on Wednesday 13th July from 6-7.45pm, hosted by our friends @heartprint_cambodia. All of the money from this class is going directly to @heartprint_cambodia and the amazing work they do within this community. The class will be $5 for the session but, if you’re able and would like to donate more, the support is always welcome. Khmer nationals come for free 🖤 Spaces are limited, so booking is essential. Location will be announced on the day of the practice. Gosh, is it good to be back. BIG LOVE 🖤🖤🖤

Normalise colouring outside of the lines in your yoga practice ✨

Lately, it’s been hard to make sense of the world… Because, how can we make sense of a world where money, greed and power overshadow love, compassion and kindness? A world where violence and aggression are the default response rather than forgiveness and the effort to understand one another’s lived experience? How do you make sense of a world where we should all be safe, protected and valued, and yet this same world was built upon, upholds and perpetuates white supremacy, racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism… leaving you to think… who really is safe, protected and valued? But to let the brokenness of the world overwhelm us would not be helpful or skilful (though it’s not easy). Instead, we can investigate what does make sense and allow that to be our anchor. List the things you know to be true and real… The things you can hang on to in turbulent times. The things that turn your world the right way up again…. What do you hold on to? 🖤

“To find your way, you will need courage. Lots of it. If you don’t have it, fake it until you make it. Soulshapers are artists, but they are also warriors. It is no easy feat to shape the inner world. You need the heart of a lion to overcome the odds. You need to fight for your right to the light.” - Jeff Brown, from ‘Soulshaping’ Wednesday night Warriors doing the work⚡️

BALANCE BENEFITS! Aside from looking cool 😎 balancing is incredibly beneficial for the body and the mind. Balancing… 🖤 Improves focus, coordination and proprioception 🖤 Works stabiliser muscles, strengthens the core and improves joint stability 🖤 Improves reflexes and ability to adapt quickly to changes in body position 🖤 Engages the brain as well as the body 🖤 Helps maintain good posture and keeps us upright 🖤 Builds on functional strength Studies also show that a good balancing practice can help us to recover from injuries quicker and may even prevent them from happening in the first place! AND, there is a direct correlation between our age and our ability to balance (less as we get older). Therefore, regular balance training not only keeps you healthy, but keeps you young too! Can’t balance?? Don’t give yourself a hard time! This, like most things, is a skill we can develop! Don’t know where to start? Try balancing on one leg whilst brushing your teeth… a balance a day keeps the doctor away! Happy balancing!

When you exercise the body are you able to find joy? Forgiveness? Celebration? Healing? Freedom? Or does it feel more like punishment? We can sometimes forget how intimately connected our physical, emotional and psychological worlds are, especially when it comes to exercise. But, the last time you walked the dog, danced around your kitchen, picked up your kids, jumped out and down out of excitement, you were moving your body. Functionally, and JOYFULLY! Sometimes, the thing standing in our way of exercising the body is all the other narratives attached to it. Sometimes, we just have to move. To get the blood flowing, the energy channels open and the lungs working. It doesn’t have to look any one way. So dance, play, laugh until your abdominals hurt… let go of all the expectations, all the shoulds and should-nots, and bring the love back into your movement practices!

FUNCTIONAL FRIDAY! Let’s talk ttttt-TORSION… 🌀What it is, how it can show up in our yoga postures and what to do about it (spoiler alert: NOTHING!) Who has heard or experienced ridiculously specific cues relating to the hands and feet in a yoga class? “Your index or middle finger should be pointed forward in downward dog”, “toes and heels together”, “line up the arch of your back foot with the heel of your front foot in warrior 2”, “plant the foot at a 45° angle”… the list goes on 🥱 Worse yet- who has had their hands and feet physically adjusted into awkward positions to achieve the ‘correct alignment’? 🤢 This post outlines why we must consider skeletal variation, torsion included, when teaching yoga. Ignoring the unique structure and stories of each individual is not only outdated, but also harmful. As always, our endless gratitude to @paulandsuzeegrilley for their continued studies, and the incredibly helpful, valuable and enlightening resources available on www.paulgrilley.com. You have transformed the way we practice and teach yoga. *Please note; there may be a number of other factors at play, torsion is just one variant of potentially many. Happy exploring!!!! Don’t forget to like, share, and save- the functional revolution is here!

Sometimes the start of a new week can be an overwhelming time. Societal conditioning, pressure and expectations set by ourselves and others can make Mondays the perfect villain. But you have the chance to be your own superperson!! You have power enough to shift your perspective and meet this Monday, and every moment after, with an open heart and open arms to the endless possibilities and lessons of this new week. We may not have control over the calendar, but can control how we respond to the world around us and how we hold ourselves as we meet our moments… ALL of them. So go forth! And meet this Monday as you mean to go on… Skilful is the new sexy! . . . . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #yoga #yogaconnection #livingyoga #meditation #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogalife #mindfulness #yogateacher #yogalove #yogaeverywhere #breathe #love #connection #community #environment #mindfulmoments #mindfulmonday #mindfulness #meetyourmoment #skillinaction #monday #mondaymotivation #travel #cambodia #siemreap #motherdaughter

Grateful for this body that holds the soul. Grateful this heart and it’s capacity for boundless love. Grateful for this mind and the answers it seeks. Grateful for this life. Grateful for you. 🖤 What are you grateful for? . . . . . . . . . . . 📸 @intheshadeofthebanyan #bravefishyoga #gratitude #gratitudepractice #lovelife #yogaconnection #livingyoga #meditation #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogalife #mindfulness #yogateacher #yogalove #yogaeverywhere #breathe #love #connection #community #environment #yogapractice #loveyoga

Practicing yoga with your daughter. A series…

FUNCTIONAL FRIDAY! There is a common misconception in yoga practices today that we can bend backwards at our thoracic spine. Your thoracic spine is made up of 12 vertebrae to which your ribs attach and is often referred to as your ‘upper/middle back’. Unlike your cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower) spine which are better designed for mobility and where a great deal of extension may occur, the structure of our thoracic spine limits our range of motion that can occur there, instead providing stability for the back and protection of the heart and lungs. When we better understand the biomechanics of the body, not only do we reduce the risk of injury in our practice, but also maximise the efficiency of the practice. Instead of pushing parts of the body into positions or functions they are not designed for, work with the body and see how that opens up your practice. The next time you’re in a back bending posture, bring attention to the different sections of the spine* and notice the differences in feeling and range of motion between them! Happy bending! *Functions of the various sections of the spine: Cervical: Supports the skull and allows for wide range of head movement Thoracic: Protection of vital organs Lumbar: Weight bearing and mobility (less than cervical) Sacrum: Connects the spine to the pelvis Coccyx: Tail-wagging 🐕

In our classes recently, we have been discussing the importance of our set-up and our transitions into and out of postures. It can be easy to neglect the time before and after the pose in our rush to get into and out of it. However, these ‘in between’ moments hold a lot of power and wisdom and should not be overlooked. Disciplined and mindful movement helps to reduce our risk of injury, and allows for our practice to be more than just a sequence of individual postures strung together. Rather than just ‘going through the motions’, we engage the heart and mind to support, protect and liberate the body. And this is how; Before performing the asana, take the time to ground and establish yourself. This is an excellent opportunity to set an intention for the pose or the movement you’re about to undertake. This is powerful and what differentiates movement practices born from wisdom traditions such as yoga or Tai Chi. The transitions hold the wisdom of the pose before and allow us to connect to how and WHAT we are truly feeling in the moment. We can learn a lot about ourselves when transitioning between postures or coming out of a posture. If you are coming out of a yoga pose like a slingshot (no control), this is a pretty good sign that you have gone beyond your edge and are at risk of injuring yourself. Not only that, but our transitions or rebounds (yin) offer us the opportunity to enjoy the results of our efforts and observe the redistribution of blood and chi in the body. @paulandsuzeegrilley tell us that “our Yoga lives in the rebound” and we also believe this to be true! So, when you next step onto your mat (or patch of grass), take the time to connect to every aspect of your practice. Feel ALL the feels and see if you can notice the difference! Tell us about your experience!

A sign of a good teacher is that they consider themselves a student first and always. There is so much to learn (and unlearn) about the S/self, the world and how we move through it. So, be curious! Investigate, challenge, explore and engage in important conversations because this all leads to greater awareness. And when we have more awareness, we have more CHOICE! Choosing skilfully, creatively and mindfully in the moment rather than based on old narratives, filters of bias and habit. What are you learning (or unlearning) at the moment, and what do you notice about yourself in the process? 🖤

This time last year we were already in the full swing of our first ever 200 hour TTC! We can’t believe how fast the year has gone and are so proud of our students who are forging their own teaching path ✨ But that’s not all! We’re working on some really exciting projects and can’t wait to share our news with you all… stay tuned!

The earth is our first body. Therefore, it stands to reason that; the more disconnected we are from the earth, the more disconnected we are from  ourselves. So, how can we nurture this connection to both body and planet? Commit to stillness. Commit to softness. Commit to silence. Notice what happens when you stop. Over time, the hard lines of your body become softer boundaries… Until the earth becomes your body and you become the earth. Until we once again understand that there is no separation. And then, once we understand this divine truth, we commit to skilful action. Commit to honouring and protecting the earth. Knowing that in doing so, we are honouring and protecting ourselves. Tat tvam asi.

There’s this magical feeling in a yoga pose, where you can sense the spine energetically moving in opposite directions, just as the branches of a tree reach up into the sky at the same time as its roots plant down into the earth. 🌳 From the waist downwards, gravity helps to anchor us into the earth (or into our postures), helping to stabilise the body and ground us. Simultaneously, the upper part of our spine extends and reaches upwards, effortlessly holding our head above our shoulders and releasing tension throughout the spine. Energetically, this is prana vayu (upwards lifting energy) and apana vayu (downwards rooting energy) at work. But, somewhere in the middle of this… between the lightness of the upper body and the heaviness of the lower body there is a weightlessness… A trust in the body and a confidence within the posture. An understanding that; we, like the tree, are just an expression of nature. And nature has been doing her thing successfully and effectively for a verrry long time. So the next time you come to your practice, trust the process. The natural process. Grow and ground at the same time and feel the magic. ✨

She’s off! Mother Brave Fish is off to the motherland! A sacred pilgrimage to the source, India, to visit the place where Krishna spoke to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. A voyage of devotion for us all. Thank you. Tat Tvam Asi 🖤 For regular Brave Fish, classes will remain on as normal with Daisy!

Your daily reminder 🌿 Thank you to our lovely student @fattercatpat for the multifunctional pencils. Who doesn’t love a gift with a message! (Want to know what the other one said?!)

Interested in joining a Brave Fish class but not sure what to expect? At Brave Fish we offer two styles of practicing (and sometimes a combination of the two), based on the interconnected and complimentary principles of Yin and Yang. Whether you’re looking for a dynamic practice (yang ☀️) or if you’re being called to slow down (yin 🌙), classes at BFY are taught functionally, offering plenty of options throughout and are open to all abilities. We understand that our yoga extends far beyond the physical asana practice and it is incredibly important to us that we respect and honour the roots of this tradition. Therefore, we work hard to ensure that the philosophical, spiritual and social teachings that are fundamental to this practice are woven into every class. What good is an open body if our minds and hearts are closed, right?! You can also expect a whole lot of love, fun (probably some bad singing), community, care and SPACE to be exactly who YOU uniquely are in the moment, offering the necessary tools to make your practice the best practice to serve YOUR body, heart and mind! For more information or to book, ping us a direct message or email bravefishyoga@gmail.com. We hope to see you on the mat! Blessings and BIG love 🖤🤍

Earth Day, Every Day 🌍🌎🌏 Thank you for your abundance 💙💛💚

Today is a brand new day that has never been touched! And with it brings the reminder that THIS (and every) present moment offers us the beautiful and powerful opportunity to be NEW in the NOW. ✨ So, how will you meet this moment? 💚

Close your eyes. Breathe deep. Breathe again. Hold your heart. Come home. Come home to your heart. There is space enough there. For healing, for transformation, and for love. For love and for love and for love. ✨

What does it mean to be seen? Is it acceptance? Is it presence? Or just simply being acknowledged? Is it all those things and more? If a person only sees some parts of you whilst ignoring other parts of your identity, is that truly seeing you? Having recently read ‘Beyond the Gender Binary’ by @alokvmenon, something they wrote really resonated with us; “Conditional acceptance is not freedom”. This is true, not only in our lives and how we present in the world, but can be applied to our yoga practice and the yoga spaces we find ourselves in. Teachers- are you truly seeing your students and the plurality of possible identities they embody? Is a person only worthy of a space in a yoga class because they fit the normative narrative of what it means to be a ‘yogi’? A term that was once reserved for the most dedicated of practitioners, now appropriated, diluted and white-washed to mean something else entirely. White, Slim, Cis-Gendered, Heterosexual, Able-bodied*. It is a gift to be seen. It is also a very sad reality that some of us are seen (and accepted) more than others. As practitioners of yoga (or as a person who is mindful and skilful), it is our responsibility to sit with ourselves and recognise the internalised biases we hold as a result of society’s conditioning, so that we may reject those harmful narratives and truly see each other and only then, hold space for one another. This is the work. Knowing who we are and seeing people for who they authentically are is powerful. We will need power when dismantling the systems designed to separate us. Conditional acceptance is not freedom, and freedom is not freedom if we’re alone. *We’re not ignorant to identities we embody/represent. We recognise our own positionality in society due to the intersection of our identities and the power and privilege we hold because of that. We’re here for collective liberation.

Sky’s the limit 💙

Functional Friday! One of the amazing things about yoga is that it can be done anywhere, anytime with nothing but the body, heart and mind. However, that is not to say that the use of props and equipment is not a valuable way to enhance your practice. A core tenet in a functional approach to yoga is that props can be used to either increase or decrease the stress in the target area. Whether your supporting the body to accommodate for injury or you’re trying to get more out of your pose, equipment is a useful way to tailor your practice to meet your needs and is a wonderful way to make yoga accessible for all. Neither is more or less advanced, it’s just simply different. Believing yoga and the people practicing it should only look one way is harmful and restrictive and doesn’t take into account natural human variation. Not only are we all different to one another, but we ourselves are different every time we come back to our practice. We’re here to drop expectations of what yoga should look like, and instead embrace the limitless possibilities of a yoga practice that serves the unique needs of every individual. Using props is just one way to do this. Oh and don’t forget how handy WALLS are when incorporating props into your yoga practice! Tell us your favourite way to use equipment in your yoga practice 👇🏼 Picture taken from the Archetypes Workshop Series.

When you walk out of your yoga class feeling like an absolute boss 😎

Functional Friday! How do you Side Dragon? In a functional approach to yoga, we concern ourselves with how our yoga feels as opposed to what it looks like. Not only does this foster a greater sense of internal literacy, but it also creates space for personal choice which is both empowering and liberating. A few years ago, we heard a teacher say “just because a teacher cues it doesn’t mean you have to do it” and that really hit home. Your yoga practice, is exactly that, YOURS. A teacher is merely a guide to help provide the framework for our own exploration and discovery. So, our advice to you… follow the feeling. The body knows. It will show you. And never forget… Personal CHOICE… being able to choose, is a privilege and a gift that should not be taken for granted. On the mat, and certainly off of it! Happy playing!

Happy international women’s day to all women and allies, everywhere! Honour the lived experiences that have shaped YOUR story of what it means to be woman and understand that every woman has a different story, as we stand together in solidarity. Today and everyday, know your potential and your power⚡️🌪

There are a few spaces available for our Sept/Oct Retreat coming up this year!! Hosted in the stunning setting of @casafuzetta; 4+ hours of yoga and meditation every day (plus additional lectures), delicious food and an amazing company of like minded people to share this incredible experience with. We cannot wait!! For more information or to book, email us at bravefishyoga@gmail.com LOVE

Some snaps from the Archetypes workshop series! 📸📸 Thank you to everyone who has joined so far, for your courageous exploration, shape-making and radical yoga thinking! We are stoked for the next instalment of the series; Caterpillar on Sunday 13th March. There are just a few spaces left for each archetype, so be sure to let us know soon if you’re interested in joining the Functional Revolución! As always, endless gratitude or @paulandsuzeegrilley, whose continued studies and teachings have transformed our understanding of the body and this practice. LOVE

Who else could sit and watch this all day?! We love how the smoke dances through beams of sunlight as the surrounding plants soak up the same rays ☀️ Forever reminding us of magic moments in Sri Lanka and Cambodia 💚

Your body, your way ✨ . . . . . . . . . . . . . 📸 @suziewomble 💙💙 #bravefishyoga #functionalyoga #skeletalvariation #humanvaritation #yogaconnection #livingyoga #meditation #yogapractice #yogainspiration #yogalife #mindfulness #yogateacher #yogalove #yogaeverywhere #breathe #love #connection #community #environment #paulandsuzeegrilley

FUNCTIONAL FRIDAY! Have you got the bones for it? 😉 In a functional approach to yoga as taught by @paulandsuzeegrilley, we understand that person’s unique skeletability (proportion, orientation & torsion) will ultimately determine their points of compression when practicing yoga (or any other physical practice). Hard compression (where bone meets bone) is the ultimate restriction to a person’s range of motion. Daisy’s ability to perform this variation of Utkata Konasana (yang)/Horse (yin), as pictured, is not just because of time spent practicing yoga, but is ultimately due to the fact that her BONES allow it. To illustrate and emphasise the point (every person’s bones are different and therefore, how each person moves and practices yoga will be different), we have included two photos demonstrating the differences in bone proportion in two healthy human beings (totally normal and expected human variation). The first image demonstrates differences in shape, size, depth and angle of the left hip socket of two different pelvises. In the second image, we can see how the inclination of the neck of each femur is different as well as the shape and size of the greater trochanter and head of the femur. The differences presented here are just some of the contributing factors to a person’s ability to abduct the femur (as shown in the first photo) comfortably or at varying degrees. The moral of the story? Don’t compare yourself or your practice to others. It’s redundant and at the end of the day, it all comes down to your bones. Huge gratitude to Paul and Suzee Grilley for these teachings and for sharing the many helpful resources to assist in our yoga studies and practice. These photos are available to everyone and can be found on their website https://paulgrilley.com/

An essential part of being a skilful person is recognising that we, each one of us, are part of a larger whole. Call it community, collective, spirit… As @drmunaabdi says human beings are creatures of connection, but we are having to navigate the world within systems and structures designed to keep us disconnected. The truth is we are bound to one another (even to the people we haven’t met yet or may never meet). Without each other we will fail and fall, but together, we will rise and we will fly 🦋

Hello shadow self, I feel you. I see you. But the pain I used to feel when I met you is now replaced with love. The shame I used to feel is replaced with compassion and understanding. I feel you, I see you and I love you, because I now know that; what defines this light of mine, is the darkness that resides here too. Tat Tvam Asi, You are it, And I am that too.

We’ve got you 💙

Vanda Scaravelli said in her book, Awakening the Spine, “to be sensitive is to be alive”, which is a sentiment that we try to embody in every practice and beyond. What we mean by that is, when we cultivate an authentic relationship to our bodies and practice, we have greater opportunities to meet, understand and connect to the world around us and, therefore, move more skilfully through it. There are still spaces on our Archetype Workshop Series, running Sunday afternoons, 2.00-4.30pm beginning Feb 20th. For more information or to book, email bravefishyoga@gmail.com.

Functional Friday! 🎺 In yoga, there are four major restrictions that affect the way in which a person might practice yoga. Tension, Compression, Proportion and Orientation. Tension is the state of being stretched, Compression occurs when the tissues are being pushed or pressed together, Proportion refers to the shape and size of a person’s bones and Orientation is the way in which two planes of the body move in relation to one another. Today, we will be exploring how the proportion of the humerus (bone of the upper arm) or the vertebrae of the spine may affect a person’s ability to perform a headstand comfortably, or AT ALL. But, as we’ve said before, studies vary because people vary and so this example is just ONE of the many possible reasons why a headstand may feel great for some and not good for others. Look at the photo of Clare and Daisy. You can see that Clare’s elbows extend above her head, whereas Daisy’s head extends higher than her elbows. If you were to flip these two upside down (see second photo), there would be a lot more pressure on Daisy’s head/neck as the proportion of her vertebrae is different to that of Clare’s. This clearly shows us that, though two people may look the same on the outside, the reality of how those people feel on the inside may be very different…. And.... we’re RELATED! 
So, what do the Daisys of the world do? Choose another option to invert the body (and gain all the same benefits), e.g, Effortless Inversion, Shoulderstand/Sea Grass. Or, use equipment to help lift the shoulders and relieve pressure from the head, neck and shoulders. You could use an inversion stool (cat not included), or if you don’t have one of those, tower a few blocks/big books about shoulder-distance apart and with the support of the wall, kick up. You can also add a small towel or pillow as a cushion beneath the head, too! Happy inverting Brave Fish!

Enjoying the blessings of Surya over the last few days. Even the Brave Fish fur babies came out to sun bathe. What a gift it is to play outside and feel the warmth and energy of the sun! Is it too soon to say that spring has sprung? ☀️🌱🌷🌼🌸🌿

Yoga makes us feel…. Weightless ✨ Using only one word, comment below on how yoga makes YOU feel👇

Why don’t skeletons like parties? … because they have no BODY to dance with! Ba dum chsssssh 😂 Don’t worry, Dougie, we’ll dance with you! Just another healthy reminder that although Dougie’s skeleton is the same as his manufactured friends… YOUR skeleton, and ours’, and the next person’s are all absolutely UNIQUE. Of the (approx) 206 bones in the body, NO two are exactly the same. So how you move, walk, dance and practice yoga will also be unique! The revolution is here, let’s throw off the bonds that restrict us and liberate our practice!

Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything - anger, anxiety, or possessions- we cannot be free. Rest in Peace, Thich Nhat Hanh 🖤 thank you thank you thank you

Functional Friday! The acromion process is a boney projection found along the spine of the scapula, however, the shape size and location of the acromion process is different on every person due to entirely normal and natural skeletal variation. The shape, size and location of YOUR acromion process may limit your range of motion in movements such as clasping your hands behind your back or reaching your arms above your head. Though this bone might be small (or big, or long depending on your skeleton), it’s potential effect on the way in which a person practices yoga and performs asana is mighty! So, where could this manifest itself in your yoga practice? Downward dog
Wheel Any overhead grip (i.e Pigeon, Bow, Dancer) Chaturanga Sphinx …BUT, studies vary because people vary! Your skeleton is absolutely unique… every single bone in your body is different, and therefore, the way in which you move and practice yoga will also be different. If you are feeling restricted in any of the poses listed above, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t make you ‘bad’ at yoga or a ‘failure’ in the poses, it may just come down to the bones you were born with! So, if something doesn’t feel quite right, if you are experiencing pain or discomfort, or you feel as if you are fighting your way to get into the pose, these may be subtle (or not-so-subtle) messages from your body asking you to adjust or find a variation. Here are simple yet effective ways to transform your practice; experiment with the distance between your hands or position of the arms, use equipment such as a yoga belt to act as an extension of the arm (NOT to be used to bind the arms together), or, find another variation! Happy exploring from your friendly functional yoga nerds at Brave Fish Yoga!!

I’m happy even before I have a reason I’m full of Light even before the sky Can greet the sun or the moon. Dear companions, we have been in love with Life For so very, very long. What can we do now but forever Dance! -Hafiz

Dreaming of the days spent studying the Bhagavad Gita at the magical Kingdom of Angkor ✨

Play with shapes that make your body sing and your heart smile! At BFY, we are always inviting our students to experiment in their practice in order to discover movements that best serve their unique structure. We all walk differently, dance differently and move differently so of course the way in which we practice yoga will also be different! Now is the time to break free from the strict dogma of modern aesthetic based practice and instead, embrace and celebrate all that makes you, UNIQUELY, you!! Keep your eyes peeled for a functional workshop series coming SOON! 📸 @suziewomble

Big shifts are happening here at Brave Fish Yoga... the completion of first ever 200hr TTC, another Yin training on the horizon and the re-opening of our U.K. studio in just two days! As always, it’s a honour and a gift to be walking this sacred path together. A Tiger and a Dragon. Tat Tvam Asi. You are it, and I am that too.

Don’t mess with GuruJi... ESPECIALLY when she’s got a hold of a walkie talkie!

Always the best day of the retreat... Karma Yoga day! Calling yourself a yogi goes so far beyond chucking on your favourite pair of Sweaty Betty’s and turning up to a yoga class 3 times a week. As GuruJi would say that’s just a “Spiritual Hustle”. Being a true yogi is about the work you do OFF the mat, too... how do you take the lessons you learn in your practice out into the world? Karma yoga or selfless service is about realising we are not alone in this world and that there is work to be done! So how can we be of service to each other & to this planet? Because if you’re going to talk the talk, you better walk the walk, too. So proud of our yogis, on this 40+ degree day up in the Northern Frontier in Cambodia, truly showing up for their global community, and the generations to come. LOVE!

Daily reminder to love yourself like you mean it, to hold company with yourself so sacred that you would never feel alone, to speak your truth and be brave. I love you, I love you, I love you. ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ Captured on this year’s Karma Yoga Day up in the northern frontier with @theplfcambodia

Highlights from the Cambodia Retreat 📸 . . . Shots from our epic jeep tour to Kulen Mountain with @indochineexploration . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogacambodia #bravefishcambodiaretreat2019 #yogaretreat #yoga #motherdaughteryoga #tour #adventure #explorecambodia

Just another day doing what we love! An epic jeep tour to Kulen Mountain with the tribe 💛 . . . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogacambodia #yogaretreats #tribe #collective #motherdaughter

GuruJi off to class!!

What an EPIC start to the retreat! Water blessing, fire circle & a whole lot of love! . . . . . . . . #bravefishyoga #bravefishyogasiemreap #bravefishyogacambodia #bravefishyoga2019 #yogaretreats #yoga #dharma #tribe #love

All set up ready for the first class of the Brave Fish Cambodia 2019 retreat! 💪

The Brave Fish Mother, Daughter team has Instagram!! #yoga #partneryoga #yogateachers #srilanka