Sonja at Zenistry

05/09/2026

In a few weeks I’ll be guiding a new 8‑week mindfulness course, so I’ve been revisiting the practices, the teachings, and—most importantly—my own lived experience with them. One of the first things we explore is autopilot: that very human tendency for the mind to do its own thing without asking permission.

Sometimes autopilot is helpful. If someone chucks a ball at your face, you want your body to react before you’ve even had time to think.
But when something causes irritation, hurt, or frustration… that’s where mindfulness becomes a game‑changer.

It teaches you to notice the moment you’ve slipped into reaction.
That tiny flicker of awareness is the doorway.
Pause.
Breathe.
Choose how you want to proceed.

What action supports your wellbeing—and the wellbeing of everyone involved?

Will it happen perfectly every time? Of course not. We’re gloriously human.
But maybe it happens when it matters.

PS: Reminder that I have a regular community mindfulness group that's open to anyone and is pay what you can. The next one is on the 19th of September.
Link: In insta bio or https://www.myyoga.place/service-page/mindfulness-meditation?referral=service_list_widget

Sonja x

05/09/2026

Here's (I think anyway) an interesting thing to share. (This is not sponsored content or anything, just my own musings here !)

I've been wanting to get a fitness tracker for a while now but I don't like the idea of yet another screen beeping and buzzing and flashing. Anyway, there this new little tracker that has no screen. Hooray! So I got one the other day.

It uses a coach feature that's an AI. Coach uses "conversation" to help you set some goals, you can also ask it to add food or exercise to your diary etc.

During the set up I told it I am ND and am very very careful about how I spend my energy.

Earlier today it logged a short walk back and , as always, it asks me where my energy levels are at. The below screenshots show the content it generated.

Now, I know not all AI is good and lovely, and there are certainly many aspects to consider. However, this is fantastic.

No more " get up and move no matter what" messaging, but an actual plan that supports my wellbeing.
This is exactly the kind of thing that's been sorely needed in these apps.

Resting and recovering is just as important as exercising ❤️

04/09/2026

POSE LAB: CROW | 4TH OCTOBER | 9AM | My Yoga Place, Ayr

Fancy learning a pose that has no real application in real life but is incredibly fun and (let's be honest) looks cool AF?

Come and join me on the 4th of October 😁
A whole class dedicated to crow with plenty of time to experiment. Face plant pillows provided 😘

See you soon?

Sonja xx

Booking link: https://www.myyoga.place/booking-form?referral=weekly_timetable_widget

03/09/2026

"May you be free of fear” is a phrase often used in Metta meditation* — the Loving Kindness practice that teaches us to soften, open, and meet the world with compassion.

Last night, after a beautiful ballet show with a friend, we found ourselves talking about joy, community, and doing the things that make life feel full. And it struck me:

The only reason I was even there — soaking in the music, laughing in the car on a rainy night — is because I stopped letting fear run the show.

For years, fear of rejection (hello, RSD*) made even giving someone a compliment feel overwhelming. It was lonely. But when I finally looked underneath that fear, I found something simple and human: a desire to be liked, to be loved. And once I understood that what I offer others is theirs to receive however they choose… the fear loosened its grip.

Letting go opened doors. New friends. New experiences. Ballet nights. Soft conversations. A life that feels wider.I wish that freedom for you too — truly and completely.

May you be free of fear 💙

*For more info on Metta meditation, this link is pretty decent: https://www.lionsroar.com/metta-meditation-guide/
*RSD or Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria is a common symptom of neurodivergence. Read more about it here: https://thinkadhd.co.uk/adhd-and/adhd-and-rejection-sensitivity-dysphoria-rsd/

02/09/2026

Sometimes a single line at the end of something you read hits harder than the whole piece. This morning, it was a reminder that everything is impermanent — and honestly, it stopped me in my tracks.

It made me think about expectations, especially the quiet belief so many of us carry: that we should be striving for happiness all the time. And how that belief can actually make us feel worse.

Most of us aren’t walking around in a state of joy. Happiness isn’t a permanent setting — it’s a moment, a spark, a little flash that comes and goes. What we feel most of the time is something much gentler: content, neutral, “fine”.

So why the obsession with being happy? What if life got easier the moment we stopped chasing a fleeting emotion and allowed ourselves to simply be where we are?

Because “ok” is valid.
“Neutral” is valid.
And “sad”, “fed up”, “a bit upset actually” — all valid, too.

We don’t have to push any of it away. We can let our feelings tell their story, even when it’s not a pretty one. We don’t have to force happiness. We don’t have to pretend.

And still — happiness will come back. It always does.
Not constantly. Not on demand.
But eventually.

Happiness is still possible. Just maybe not right now.
And that’s completely, beautifully fine.

01/09/2026

Grab a space for Thursday's classes! Start off your day with a fiery power flow or chill out at lunchtime. Even better: do both! 😁
Link: https://www.myyoga.place/booking

Sonja x

01/09/2026

Not long now! Hope you've been practising 😁

🍂 108 Sun Salutations for the Autumn Equinox 🍂

Join us at My Yoga Place on Sunday 20th September at 2pm for a meditative community flow through 108 Sun Salutations, marking the moment of balance as we move into the darker half of the year.

You can do all 108, a set amount, or team up with a friend and take it in relay — however you take part, you'll be moving as part of something bigger.
We're raising funds for Megan's Space, an Ayrshire charity working to prevent the needless loss of young lives to su***de, reduce self-harm, and promote mental wellbeing in young people.

Suggested donation £20 — but pay what feels right for you. 💳 Donate here: https://buy.stripe.com/9B68wQd9K0sm4wY2pZfrW00

Book your place: https://www.myyoga.place/service-page/108-sun-salutations-autumn-equinox

31/08/2026

What a strange question.
Of course it does… right?
Well—kind of.

In yoga, we ask our bodies to do things they don’t normally do: balance on one leg, flip upside down, place limbs in unfamiliar angles. And many of us (me included!) just assume our body will magically know what to do. That’s a pretty big expectation.

Take Warrior 2.
It’s a “basic” pose, but nothing about it is actually basic.
Wide stance, one knee bent, chest to the side, arms stretched long… plus all the tiny actions layered on top:

- Press the outer edge of the back foot
- Engage the back leg
- Front heel lines up with back arch
- Knee over ankle
- Glutes switched on
- Shoulder blades down
- Chest open
- Gaze forward

That’s a LOT for a body to “just know.”

So how do we make it easier?
Preparation.
We break the pose into single actions and practise them in simple positions.
Stand with your feet slightly apart and explore just one thing—like pressing the edge of your back foot into the mat. Notice what switches on. Notice what shifts. That’s your body building a record of the action.

This becomes even more important in arm balances and inversions.
If you practise the actions of the pose while you’re not upside down, your body learns the map. Then, when you are upside down, your breath stays steady, your mind stays calm, and your body goes, “Ah yes… I know this.”

And suddenly, the pose that once felt impossible has a little more ease in it.