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Lent Archives - Original website

Mar 12
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A week of #peacocktreelent

Well done everyone and thank you SO much for getting involved with #peacocktreelent. You’ve amazed, inspired and amused us with the things you chose to give up – from coleslaw (yes, really!) to your car, technology, the daily mail on-line (ha!), packets of haribo . . . to name but a few – WE SALUTE YOU! Here’s a look back on some of your Facebook and Instagram posts – click on the images to read the comments that accompanied them.

DAY 1 – Letting go

Original Fran is a self-confessed peanut butter addict, so we were VERY impressed when she announced what she would be letting go of… “As anyone who knows me will attest, peanut butter is my very favourite food in the world and I would live on it if I could. So here we go! No peanut butter! For 7 whole days! I hope Miss Lilley and the Peacock Tree Yoga crew all appreciate how difficult this is for me!!”
Our Head of Communications, aka CommuniKaty, chose to go without her daily chocolate fix… “Last bit of lovely dark chocolate for a week. . . I’ll be doing seven days of ‘Lent’, with with Lilley Harvey and the Peacock Tree Yoga gang, starting tomorrow (Monday 6th). If you fancy joining in, go to the blog (link below) or search #peacocktreelent on Facebook and Instagram, and be inspired by lots of yogis and yoginis practising non-attachment!”
Robert Bailey told us, via Facebook, he would be “Giving up coffee for the week”, but admitted that “it hasn’t been quite as bad as I expected so far” and was keen to point out that “the worn off Bialetti man on my espresso pot wore off in transport taking it on holiday and not from excessive use (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it)”. Yeah, we believe you, Robert!!
Lou spoke for so many of us when she confessed to watching a bit too much telly…
We LOVED this decision to give up excuses! Almost as much as the flowery headband!!
Ann Elliot, one of our Over 50s students, vowed to “stop using the Internet unless absolutely necessary”. Happily, she considered it necessary to send us this photo via email!!
I coudn’t let you go through this alone… “You’re giving up… I’m going without dairy, which means no cheeky lattes between classes, and no Yorkshire Gold served in my favourite key cup alongside a couple of dirty digestives each morning!”
We had a lovely email from Colin, who gave up ice cream and headed to the mountains with friends. “Ive not forgotten my yoga practise”, he assured us.

DAY 2 – Motivation

“This should be pretty self explanatory! No Peanut Butter = much better chance of channeling my inner Marilyn Monroe and squeezing my arse into my gorgeous vintage swimsuit come summer!” #peacocktreelent #vintagevixen #iwilllooklikemarilynifitkillsme”
I was motivated to go dairy free by the idea of being able to do my yoga practice without sniffling! Being pregnant means having over-reactive sinuses – add lactose intolerance to that and you get much congestion!!
We think that delicious looking dinner deserves Lou’s mindful eating!
“I’m motivated by wanting to be the healthiest version of myself as I enter my thirties later this year. Oh, and Beyoncé. Always Beyoncé. #bzz #nonattachment #byetoexcuses #motivated”
“One day without chocolate done, six more to go (who knows, maybe I’ll carry on after #peacocktreelent has finished…but let’s not get carried away with bold statements yet, eh?). So, on to day 2 and the theme for the day: Motivation. I’m motivated by the desire to be free of desire! I want to receive emails like the one in the screenshots below and not click on the deliciously tempting bait. I want to be stronger than the voice that says DO IT!!”
Ann Elliot told us her motivation for getting offline was “to stop time wasting by ‘surfing’ websites just for interest.”

DAY 3 – Alternatives

“So I’m now onto day 3 of #peacocktreelent and the theme ‘Alternatives’ is rather fitting, because I’ve just made a batch of these raw chocolate balls, to see me through the rest of the week. They’re ruddy lovely and potentially as addictive as the dark choc I’m trying to avoid! Here’s the recipe in case anyone’s interested: http://madeleineshaw.com/videos/raw-chocolate-balls/ – they’re really easy to make. A bit too easy actually……..”
New Fran’s alternative to her usual hot chocolate sounds like something we could all benefit from!
Alternatives to peanut butter?? “Anything!! Ha, just kidding. Going for healthy eating. Chicken, salad, rye bread and Longley Farm cottage cheese (the best cottage cheese ever!!). And a BIG coffee!! #peacocktreelent #stuffed”
“My alternatives to nicorettes, coffee and newspapers” – Baz Buchanan.
Simple as that! Good attitude, Millie!
I’ve been enjoying some super alternatives to the usual cow’s milk dairy I eat and drink! And, thanks to you helpful lot and your comments on my Day 3 post, I now know all about the myriad other alternatives to cow’s milk! Thank you!
If we can see past temptation, there are some lovely things waiting for us.
Our daily themes are really just a way of sparking your creativity – you can interpret the brief as you wish, which is exactly what Sikose did so stylishly!

DAY 4 – Temptation

CommuniKaty: “And so Day 4 of #peacocktreelent arrived, and with it the theme of ‘Temptation’… A good day to post this photo of the ENORMOUS selection of dark chocolate available in French supermarkets. Oh la vache!!”
Such strength and resilience in the face of temptation, from my friend Sikose!
Way to go, New Fran!
“How’s your #peacocktreelent going, yogis?”, I asked on Day 4. “Run into any ‘Temptation’ yet? I have!! The chocolate balls I give to my pregnancy yoga students are a weekly treat for me too. Not this week though. No. Definitely not. . .” http://peacocktreeyoga.com/yoga-classe…/pregnancy-yoga-york/
Lizzie Mould made a tasty suggestion beneath my Facebook post about the tempting chocolate balls… “These are dairy free!!”, she exclaimed.
We have such tremendous reserves of strength and determination, as Lou’s Day 4 update shows.
Ann sent us a quick update, before the lure of the internet kicked in! “Temptations (photo attached) – magazines , offers in the post and lots of emails encouraging you to ‘take a look’ – received 21 yesterday!”

DAY 5 – Support

“It’s going so well for me,” I reported on Day 5 of #peacocktreelent, “largely thanks to all support I’ve had – my nice husband has been out hunter gathering lots of almond milk, I’ve had a lovely vegan lunch with one of my favourite yoginis, and have even been given dairy-free gifts!”
No support necessary! Lou was actively enjoying her break from the TV!
The latest from CommuniKaty… “I’d really, really like a piece of chocolate – especially right now, after lunch, with a small coffee. Thank goodness I have the support of Yam Solo, who’s also given up chocolate for the week and is having to make do with large hunks of banana cake instead!”
So lovely to see the support between Lou and Deborah in the comments on this post.
Lou posted a lovely update on the evening of Day 5…
THAT’s what it’s all about!!
Fran nails the Peacock Tree ethos in one statement.

DAY 6 – Benefits

I posted a video on Facebook and Instagram on Day 6, after sneaking into the Acomb studio for a a moment’s sassy cat in the sun…
Life-changing stuff! Absolutely LOVE this, Lou!
What finer outcome could one hope for.
Sikose just sailing through Day 6!

DAY 7 – Insights

We made it! Day 7 of #peacocktreelent arrived, along with the theme of ‘Insights’. If there’s one thing that really stands out from our week of Lent, it’s the yoga you all do off the mat – you’ve really bowled me over with the way you’ve taken on the Lent challenge. And what an extraordinarily supportive school we have! THANK YOU EVERYONE! Keep shining bright!
We couldnt agree more, Sikose! Wonderful to have your participation – thank you for sharing your revelations and insights – your entire journey!
Wow! #peacocktreelent seems to have had a life-changing effect on Lou! Just goes to show how a little bit of mindfulness can go a long way…
Feb 27
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Launching into Lent with Peacock Tree Yoga (#peacocktreelent)

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Lent is traditionally about giving something up (more on non-attachment in a moment…), and we definitely think that’s a good idea. But this year, we’re asking you to commit to doing something too: We’d like you to keep us all up to date with how it’s going, and help create a supportive and encouraging community, by using #peacocktreelent on your social media posts.

PTY rob yoga kula blog photo 6

Let’s support each other OFF the mat, too!

As practising Christians will know, giving up something we enjoy, but which is not necessary for our survival, is a central part of Lent. In recognition of the 40 days and nights Jesus is said to have spent fasting in the desert, believers go without for the same length of time – ending their ‘penance’ just before Easter Sunday.

Lent and non-attachment

Going without something we like but don’t need is a familiar concept within the world of yoga too. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, ‘aparigraha’ (not being possessive – over objects or people, for example) is listed as one of the codes for living known as the Yamas. The Yamas, which focus on matters of the self (small ‘s’) and what we should avoid doing, sit alongside five Niyamas, which are more about our behaviour in the world and how we should behave.

Find out what happened when Steve gave up technology for a month

As yogis, we can use Lent to practice not wanting things we don’t need, thereby removing our attachment to them – as discussed in our blog, Spring clean your mind for Lent. It doesn’t really matter what we choose to give up – only that it is something that has the ability to cause us distress if it is taken away – something our minds have become ‘sticky’ towards.

Marking Lent with Peacock Tree Yoga (#peacocktreelent)

Giving something up isn’t easy. But it can be made easier by having a supportive network around you. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve with our social media campaign. We want to build the same vibrant, friendly community online as we have in our classes!

We’ll share our experiences – our frustrations and revelations, the highs the lows – in the form of images on Facebook and Instagram, and we’ll group our photos by tagging them with #peacocktreelent (please do this – it makes it a lot easier for us to find your photos and videos!)

Of course, you’re welcome to get started as soon as you like – we know many people will want to begin on Wednesday 1st March, when Lent officially begins – but we’ll be online, sharing our own Lent pictures as well as daily ‘prompts’, from Monday 6th – Sunday 12th March.

Get creative!

Tulsi drinking a babychino before the start of #peacocktreelent

Tea? Coffee? Babychinos? What’s your weakness?

Throughout that week, we’ll include ‘prompts’ in our own posts, to help give a focus to the images you post. So on the first day, for example, the prompt will be ‘What I’m giving up for Lent’. You might simply post a picture of a bag of coffee. Or, you might choose to post a picture of an empty cup, a coffee cup stain on a table, or a selfie in which you’re holding your favourite (empty) coffee mug.

The comment you add to your photo, should you choose to, might also give us some insight into your experience of Lent – so on the first day, for example, you might tell us what you’re giving up for Lent and why, or explain how reliant you’ve become on that thing. Whether you include a comment or not, please remember to use the tag #peacocktreelent!

Get ahead…

For those of you who might want to plan ahead (apparently this is a thing on Instagram), or at least have an idea of the sorts of moments you could capture and tag with #peaocktreelent on Instagram or Facebook, we’ve listed the prompts below. You don’t have to use them in chronological order, or at all, however – other moments might come up that reflect your experiences better, after all.

  • Mon 6th: Letting go (what you’re giving up – a habit, a behaviour, a type of food… More ideas here
  • Tue 7th: Motivation (what’s motivating you to do this?)
  • Wed 8th: Alternatives (how you’re filling the gap)
  • Thur 9th: Temptation (moments when you’ve been close to falling off the wagon)
  • Fri 10th: Support (friends, family, clubs and groups that are helping you stick to your Lent goals)
  • Sat 11th: Benefits (examples of how sticking to your Lent goals is benefiting you)
  • Sun 12th: Insights (what your Lent goals have taught you)

Any other business

Below are a few other important bits of information about our week of social media Lent support. If you have any other questions, please do send them to us (email is best) and then we can add the information to the page and everyone can benefit from your inquisitive nature!

  • You can carry on using #peacocktreelent for the entire 40 days of lent, if you like! – we’ll continue to be inspired by you!
  • You can use other #s alongside ours if you’ve committed to another challenge, such as the Trussell Trust’s #40in40 challenge.
  • There’s no limit on the number of posts you tag with #peacocktreelent.
  • Oh, and if you’re giving up social media for Lent, print this blog / take a screenshot ASAP, capture your experience on camera throughout the week commencing Monday 6th March, and send your photos to us at info@peacocktreeyoga.com !
Mar 22
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Spring clean your mind for Lent!

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Imagine what it would feel like to not want anything…

We’re not talking about the things we need to survive, like food, shelter and warmth. Rather, the things we desire – the ‘perfect’ dress, the latest iPhone, that lovely butter with salt crystals in it…

Being free of desire – and the resulting discomfort or pain we experience if that desire is not fulfilled – sounds liberating, and it is! But getting there does take effort. If you’re prepared to put some effort in (and the 40 days of Lent is the perfect opportunity to do so) keep reading.

Why do we have wants and desires?

Spring clean your mind

It’s beautiful – but your happiness is not dependent on it.

In life, we mistakenly think that our happiness is dependent on external factors, such as:

  • Where we are – school, home, work, the local watering hole…
  • The people around us –and what they all do and say!
  • Our possessions – the car we drive or the clothes we wear, for example.
  • What we eat – from the flavours we crave to the aesthetics of fresh produce.

And because we believe that our happiness is dependent on these external objects, we develop minds of attachment towards them – which makes us want them.  On the flip-side, we sometimes think our happiness is threatened by certain people, things and places, and we develop minds of ‘aversion’ towards them.  Minds of attachment and minds of aversion are very uncomfortable, as we ‘loop’ the same destructive, ‘sticky’ thoughts again and again.

How our minds work (and why it’s a good idea to Spring clean your mind for Lent)

It’s easy to mistakenly identify something as a gateway to happiness. We see an object – a beautiful item of clothing, let’s say – and our mind exaggerates what we perceive to be its good qualities. We imagine how good we’ll look in it, we imagine ourselves at events wearing it, what people will say about us... and our mind becomes ‘sticky’ towards it. We want it, have to have it, begin to formulate plans to sneak off and get it… And if that item is sold out when we go to buy it, we experience suffering, we feel loss.

What’s happened is, we’ve given that object power. Before we saw the dress, its existence was of no importance to us – it had no power over us.

How to remove an object’s power

We regain control over objects by practising not feeding our desires, and Lent provides us with an opportunity to do that – to install some self-discipline, to embrace a degree of austerity. It gives us a framework for the work we need to do to free ourselves from our attachments and to create a peaceful mind.

Spring clean your mind

Tap into your Tapas!

We can use the Yogic concept of Tapas to inspire and fuel our efforts, too. As one of the five ‘Niyamas’ (things we should do – The ‘Do’s’, as opposed to the ‘Yamas’, which can be summed up as behaviours we should avoid – The ‘Do not’s!’) Tapas refers to the fire we have within us that allows us to practice mental discipline, to get things done, to do what is good for us and the people around us. In short, Tapas gives us the power – not the objects!

Make a promise to yourself, to Spring clean your mind

Spend a bit of time contemplating what things you identify as sources of happiness, and choose one to give up for the duration of Lent. It could be any of the examples listed above, even something as seemingly innocuous as milk in tea. The point is, if you want it, try not wanting it – exercise your mental discipline! And tell the people close to you what you’re doing – it’ll help you stick to your guns.

Along the way, you will experience a sense of ‘mind friction’. Whatever you’ve chosen to give up, the next time you’re faced with temptation, your mind will be cross with you. Notice that, but don’t react. Tell yourself, “Thanks for that, but right now I choose not to have any.”

In time, your desire will fade and your mind will become more peaceful. You will experience a sense of liberation And that’s where you’ll find the kind of happiness that can’t be taken from you.