Downward Facing Blog

Regulation Before Resolutions

Mindfulness | Tuesday 27th January 2026

I might be spending far too much time on Instagram recently, but to be fair, my feed is mostly yoga teachers sharing their learnings, and the occasional skincare ad. So I think it's ok. Anyhow, I was recently prompted by a reel from Kate Lister, where she shared how she transformed the overwhelming New Year resolution list into a framework for regulation. She managed to articulate very clearly and simply something I've always felt but never managed to describe as well as she did. For the past few years, every New Year's Day, I have tried to explain the distinction I make between resolutions and intentions in order to invite my interlocut...

Keep in touch

Don't miss out by subscribing to the mailing list and receive an email when a new article is published on the blog.

Mindfulness | Wednesday 31st December 2025

Don't Skip The Rebound

One of my teachers, Stewart Gilchrist, said in an interview he posted on Instagram recently that yoga invites you to reflect on a few questions about yourself: Who am I? What am I doing here? Where am I going? And that most people aren’t ready, at first, to dig that deep. So yoga lures them into that self-reflective space by making a promise: if they keep ...

Mindfulness | Thursday 7th September 2023

Perfectionism is a mask of shame

Today's a fire day and I'm teaching a yin class tonight. As always, I try to reflect and think about which message I want to convey during my class. I use the discipline of my students - showing up on the mat - to help them practice intentional self-reflection. Fire is associated to the 3rd chakra - Manipura chakra. This is the seat of the ego and it invites us to reflect on our sense of power and self-worth. Our capacity to overcome obstacles and our sense of purpose. A lot of emotions...

Mindfulness | Tuesday 21st March 2023

How to Find Balance

For several years now, every time I set an intention for my practice, I set the intention of finding balance. Because I’ve learned that this is the only sustainable state that allows me to be at peace, enjoy life and properly take care of myself and my community. That may sound selfish and self-centered, but if experience taught me one thing, it’s that you can’t pour from an empty cup. I have way more positive impact around me when I am, myself, in a good place. P...

Mindfulness | Wednesday 24th March 2021

Adapting is our nature

If yoga taught me anything it's that balance is key. If you take your body for instance: it always adapts to get back to a balance state. It adapts its temperature when climate changes, it adapt its vision when the light varies, it adapts its musc...

Mindfulness | Monday 1st June 2020

Quarantine reads

Personally, I love to read. There are few things I enjoy more than some quality time alone with a good book. It’s a great way to expose yourself to new ideas, learn about something that interests you, or just get lost in a compelling story. And, g...