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A Nourishing Twist on a Classic: Black Rice Idli for Everyday Wellbeing

Nourishing meal with black rice idli, vegetable sambar and flax sesame chutney on a plate

A Nourishing Twist on a Classic 🌿

Today’s plate features a wholesome variation of traditional idli, enriched with black rice for an added boost of nutrition. Naturally rich in antioxidants, fibre, and essential minerals, black rice elevates this humble dish into something deeply nourishing.

Served with a hearty vegetable sambar and a homemade flax and sesame chutney powder, this meal brings together flavour and function beautifully. The chutney powder adds a lovely nutty depth while offering healthy fats, calcium, and plant-based goodness.

It’s a reminder that small, thoughtful additions—like black rice or seed-based chutneys—can transform everyday meals into something more balanced and supportive for overall wellbeing.

In yoga, we often speak about balance—not just on the mat, but in how we nourish ourselves daily. Meals like this support sustained energy, digestion, and overall vitality, complementing a mindful movement practice.

Simple. Wholesome. Nourishing

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Supported Knee & Foot Hover: Strength, Stability & Control

Woman performing supported knee and foot hover exercise on a yoga mat using a yoga brick

Lorraine, a dedicated student of nearly 19 years, demonstrates a supported knee and foot hover using a yoga brick.

This controlled exercise builds deep core strength, balance, and stability while promoting a strong, well-aligned body.

By maintaining steady alignment through the shoulders, hips, and spine, this movement encourages mindful engagement of the core and lower body. The addition of the yoga brick provides both feedback and support, helping refine control and precision throughout the exercise.

Whether you’re developing foundational strength or enhancing stability, this is a powerful movement to integrate into your practice.

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Practising at Home: Seven Weeks of Returning to the Roots

Woman practising a yoga balance pose on a green mat outdoors, surrounded by trees and greenery at a home in Kerala

A quiet morning yoga practice at home in Kerala, surrounded by nature.

Over the past seven weeks, I’ve been back in Kerala, staying at my parents’ home — a place that carries the quiet rhythms of childhood, family, and nature.

Practising yoga here feels different. The ground beneath the mat is uneven, the air is alive with birds and rustling leaves, and time moves a little more slowly. There’s no studio polish — just breath, movement, and presence.

This simple rooftop practice became a daily reminder that yoga doesn’t need perfect conditions. It asks only for attention, patience, and an openness to meet ourselves where we are. Being here has gently deepened my relationship with practice — not as something to perform, but as something to return to.

Sometimes, the most meaningful practice happens at home — in familiar spaces, surrounded by green, guided by breath.

This time at home has been a quiet teacher. If you’re looking to reconnect with your own practice — wherever you are — I’d love to support you through classes and mindful movement.

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Temple Stillness & a Nourishing South Indian Thali

Traditional South Indian vegetarian thali served on a banana leaf with white rice, sambar, rasam, dal, vegetable dishes, pickles, papad, and payasam in small metal bowls.
A traditional South Indian vegetarian thali served on a fresh banana leaf at Chithra Restaurant.

My visit to the Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple in Thiruvattar felt like stepping into history — the mossy stone steps, intricate wooden detailing, and calm surroundings gave the space a timeless presence.

After the darshan, my brother, sister, and I headed to Chithra Restaurant for a classic South Indian vegetarian thali. Served on a fresh banana leaf, the meal included comforting sambar, rasam, dal, avial, poriyal, pickles, crunchy papad, and a little payasam to finish.

It was a warm, homely meal — simple, nourishing, and grounding — the perfect way to complete a day rooted in devotion, connection, and quiet joy.

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A Morning of Stillness at Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple

Stone entrance of Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple with detailed carvings, a sculpted deities panel above the doorway, and trees surrounding the structure

Today I visited the serene Sree Adikesava Perumal Temple — a place where quiet devotion and timeless craftsmanship meet.

The broad granite steps lead up to an inner sanctum framed by exquisitely carved wooden beams and painted panels, while moss-covered sculptures and a canopy of tall trees lend the site a gentle, contemplative hush.

Moving through the temple grounds felt like stepping back into a living story of faith, art, and nature — simple, soulful, and utterly unforgettable.

As someone who teaches and practices yoga, spaces like these remind me how naturally the body softens and the breath deepens when we stand in the presence of stillness. The temple’s silence feels like its own form of meditation — grounding, spacious, and quietly uplifting.

May your day carry a little of this calm too.

✨🕉️

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A Taste of Home: Sattvic Tender Coconut Pudding From Trivandrum

“Traditional tender coconut pudding topped with Panjamritham served on a banana leaf plate.”

A gentle, soul-soothing dessert made from fresh tender coconut, offering a naturally light and hydrating sweetness. Paired with Panjamritham — a traditional blend of honey, jaggery, dates, ghee, and banana — this pudding becomes a beautiful balance of nourishment and indulgence.

Soft, cooling pudding + warm, rich Panjamritham = a sattvic treat that feels comforting without being heavy.

I enjoyed this beautiful dessert at Azad Restaurant in Trivandrum, sharing a calm, happy moment with my family while visiting home. Sometimes, food isn’t just taste — it’s connection, nostalgia, and a little reminder of where we come from.

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Walking Through Autumn’s Colours to My Yoga Studio

A peaceful autumn garden with colourful leaves, flowers, and a small pond leading to Smitha’s yoga studio.

The garden path to my yoga studio, glowing with the colours of autumn. 🍂

Every morning, as I walk through our garden to my yoga studio, I pause for a moment to breathe it all in — the crisp air, the earthy scent of the leaves, and the soft golden light that autumn brings.

The garden feels especially alive at this time of year. The trees glow in shades of amber and crimson, the grasses sway gently in the breeze, and the last flowers of summer offer their quiet goodbyes. Even the little pond reflects the season’s calm — still, grounded, and full of quiet beauty.

Autumn always reminds me to slow down, to let go, and to trust the natural cycles of change. Just as the trees release their leaves, we too can release what we no longer need — in our practice, in our breath, and in our hearts.

As I step along the path to the studio, I feel immense gratitude — for this space, for the practice of yoga, and for everyone who shares it with me. 🍁

Wishing you a peaceful, grounding autumn. May this season invite you to move with softness, awareness, and gratitude.

With love,

Smitha


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Celebrating Onam with a Traditional Sadya at Chill at Chillies

Smitha enjoying a traditional 23-dish Onam sadya thali at Chill at Chillies, a Kerala restaurant.

A joyful Onam celebration in early September with a 23-dish sadya thali at Chill at Chillies.

In early September, my heart felt so full — and not just from the food! 💛

I had the joy of celebrating Onam, Kerala’s harvest festival, with a traditional sadya thali at a wonderful local restaurant called Chill at Chillies. It’s on the Hatfield road, in St Albans.

Served on a banana leaf, this thali had 23 different items, each one prepared with so much care and flavor. From comforting curries and crunchy pickles to payasam for sweetness at the end, every bite reminded me of home and tradition.

For me, festivals like Onam are not only about the food but also about connection, gratitude, and abundance. The sadya is such a beautiful symbol of togetherness, sharing, and the joy of community.

It was so special to pause and honor this celebration — and of course, to savor every dish with a big smile! 🌿

✨ Happy Onam to all who celebrated. May this season bring you joy, prosperity, and peace.

With love and gratitude,

Smitha

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Bettina Finding Balance and Renewal with Plow Pose (Halasana)

Yoga student Bettina practicing Plow Pose (Halasana) during a restorative yoga session in welwyn garden city.

Bettina demonstrating Plow Pose (Halasana), a posture that rejuvenates the spine and calms the mind.

At Smitha Yoga, we believe yoga is not just about movement — it’s about creating space for balance, renewal, and presence.

In this photo, our dear friend and practitioner Bettina is demonstrating Halasana, also known as Plow Pose. This posture is deeply restorative, helping to:

✨ Stretch and lengthen the spine

✨ Relieve tension in the shoulders and back

✨ Calm the nervous system and quiet the mind

✨ Stimulate circulation and digestion

When practiced mindfully, Halasana encourages us to look inward, cultivating stillness and grounding.

🧘 “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”

Our classes are designed for every body — whether you’re just beginning or looking to deepen your practice. We invite you to join us in discovering the power of mindful movement and breath.

Come roll out your mat with us.

🙏 Book a Class Today

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Practicing in Kerala – A Return to My Roots

Rooted in Tradition, Growing with Yoga

Smitha practicing an advanced seated yoga pose outdoors on a purple mat at her family home in Kerala, India.

Each winter, I return to my parents’ home in Kerala, India — a place filled with peace, tradition, and the natural beauty that first inspired my yoga journey. Surrounded by greenery and quiet, I reconnect with the roots of yoga and the rhythms of daily practice.

This photo captures a moment of joy and presence on the mat, reminding me that yoga is not just about the poses — it’s about grounding ourselves, wherever we are.

At Smitha Yoga in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, I bring this spirit of connection and tradition into every class I teach. Whether in Kerala or here in Hertfordshire, yoga is my way of sharing calm, strength, and community.

Join me this season at Smitha Yoga, and discover how yoga can connect you to your body, your breath, and your roots.

Smitha 🙏