Michelle Finlay Yoga

09/12/2025

Read my latest Substack 💚💚💚

Less new year, new you - more acceptance and honouring what is.

08/12/2025

Yoga won't necessarily fix all of your problems but it might help you become more aware of them.

Yoga is a practice of awareness. It's not a band aid or a pain killer, it's a revealer.

When practiced in accordance with the teachings, yoga will help you see reality as it is, not how you wish it to be or want to pretend it might be. If you're using your practice to escape reality, you're missing the point.

Think of a day when something has gone wrong. You scrape your car on the wall, you have an argument with a loved one and you get into trouble at work all within a matter of hours.

But you stuff it down and pretend you're fine to get through the day.

A yoga practice can help you feel what's really there. Help you to acknowledge that you're pi**ed off or upset. To see what's real in that moment.

It can take courage to turn towards uncomfortable feelings rather than run away from them.

Once you're aware that you're hurting or stuck, that's the first step to moving on and healing.

Let's chat - What has your yoga practice helped you become more aware of recently?

06/12/2025

Dogma in the yoga world is rampant. Instructions get repeated over and over and never questioned and it becomes a kind of gospel.

Hands shoulder width is one of those. I could name a million others.

At this point in time I've lost count of the amount of students who have had proper revelations in their movement practice from simply being given permission to go off script and break the rules.

From this example in Downward Dog to the person who's whole experience in chair pose shfted when they realised tucking their tailbone wasn't working for them.

Or the one who finally stopped experiencing pain in twists because they allowed their hips to move with the rotation.

Or those that can now actually balance in the warrior poses because they focused on putting their feet where they felt steady rather than where they were told they had to be.

I could go on....

Tell me, how has breaking the rules worked for you?

01/12/2025

What a beautiful day we had yesterday. 💚

It's always an honour to work alongside my dear friend Ali and share the practices we love the best with the people who feel called to join.

We've learned to trust that the day will flow as it's meant to. It's always a pleasant surprise to see what comes through as we begin to teach.

Of course, the energy was invitational. It was so heart-warming to see everyone taking what they needed from the day, and leaving that which didn't resonate.

Why didn't I get a photo of the incredible cake we had??? Bc it didn't last long enough! 🤣 If you weren't there you'll have to take my word for the fact that it was pretty epic!

Very special gratitude to Marcio at .studio for allowing us to use his very special, very beautiful studio space. If you're near to Farnborough - go check it out. A proper urban oasis!

We hope to do another one in the Spring. If you're not already on the email list for these - shoot me a DM. 🙏

26/11/2025

"You do you hun" it's something we tend to say when we don't necessarily agree with what the other person is doing.

But the truth is, we don't have to. Nor should we.

How boring would life be if we all thought and acted the same?

In a world where social media and algorithms can have us siloed off into bubble-like echo chambers where we have our own ideas and beliefs constantly affirmed, it can be easy to forget that not everyone sees the world as you do.

Yoga philosophy can help with this.

It reminds us that we are all individuals. We are all unique in our interests how we show up for life.

It speaks to the idea of - totally over-used word incoming - Authenticity. Being yourself - because everyone else is taken.

You can expect others to behave as you think they should.

You can get easily offended when your views don't align with theirs - think political conversations over the Christmas dinner table with family.

But this likely won't serve you in the long run.

Or you can lean into this teaching that we all have our own path to walk and unique perception and move towards a greater acceptance of those who think and do differently.

To become curious about why someone thinks the way they do rather than trying to convince them to see things as you do can be one of the most freeing things and a yoga practice rooted in acceptance of reality as it is can help you get there.

24/11/2025

24/11/2025

My go to when my neck feels tight.

Practice with awareness, really focus on a slow and gentle release of shoulders away from your ears.

Repeat as many times as you feel you need.

Simple and effective.

Let me know how it felt for you.

22/11/2025

Yoga for the 60 minute class. Yoga for the pretty 'gram reel.

Or an understanding of yoga in a way that helps you navigate the ups and downs and twists and turns of everyday life?

Are you ready for your practice to support you beyond holding poses and nailing tricky transitions?

Yoga for life.

💚💚💚

06/11/2025

Made my day when I got this news!

Chair Yoga at ELM Community Centre and Wellbeing Hub is coming back on Friday 9th Jan 2026!

See you there! 💚💚💚