The penny drops's podcast

In this new episode, I'm sharing a discussion with Lilly Balch from the Space Studio in Clapham, London and the Morning Ritual Podcast.  In this conversation with Lilly, we mainly discuss how to rest, relax, and restore – including issues related to insomnia and sleep.  These states may sound similar, but they are not.  Together, we explore how they differ and how each one contributes to reaching...

The final exploration on this breathing journey through the body is the head. When we breathe, the beginning and conclusion of the flowing breath are held within the head as air passes through the nostrils, connecting us to the surrounding space. Yoga philosophy believes that inhaled air carries 'universal energy', akin to a life force or prana. Conversely, when we exhale, we release 'biological e...

In this fifth episode, 'Touching the Body with the Breath', we connect with one of our body's busiest and most sensitive parts– the throat. The meditation in this episode is a soothing practice using a quiet inner sound. This breathing technique, combined with a peaceful focus on this fragile area of our being, allows us to receive what we crave most: tranquillity and calm. Please note: If you wan...

In this fourth episode, 'Touching the Body with the Breath,' we discover something that is always within us, but that is sometimes suppressed and forgotten: the Silent Breath. It manifests itself in the most secret and sacred area of our body, near the heart and inside our chest, and can be found only if we listen carefully. Your reward in finding it is peace! Please note: If you want to receive L...

In this third, 'Touching the Body with the Breath,' we learn to meet the most grounded area in our being, the Navel. It is our powerhouse; when we feel turmoil and overwhelmed, we can find refuge in this trusted home. Please note: If you want to receive Laurent's e-book, 'Touching the Body with The Breath', please join our mailing list, and we will email it to you at the end of this series.

In the second part of the series, 'Touching the Body with the Breath,' we delve into the most concealed, timid, and reserved section of our spine: the tail, also known as the coccyx. We explore its spiritual significance in yoga practices like pranayama and meditation, and how it can symbolise security, groundedness, and stability. Enjoy observing your tail dance! Please note: If you want to recei...

In part one of the series, 'Touching the Body with the Breath', we mindfully explore our body's central structure, the spine, using the classic spinal breathing technique. It has a simultaneous impact: grounding and elevating, which create a sense of balance and equilibrium in our being. Please note: If you want to receive Laurent's e-book, 'Touching the Body with The Breath', please join our mail...

In 2023, I eagerly put pen to paper to craft a little book, sharing a compilation of my own favourite meditations that unite poetry with Body-Breath Connections. Today, I've chosen to present this book and its six chapters on The Penny Drops podcast. In this trailer, I introduce the series and explain the content of the six short episodes. Please note: If you want to receive Laurent's e-book, 'Tou...

In this episode, Laurent speaks with Tess Mabbit-Mair, a mother of three boys and a Yoga Pregnancy specialist. Tess shares her pregnancy and birthing journey, discussing her experiences and how she developed a supportive, practical, and straightforward toolkit of techniques derived from yoga, breathwork, meditation, and deep relaxation – known as the SEED program. This warm, candid, and grounded c...

In this episode, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Aneta Idczak, a Trauma-informed Somatic Teacher and Coach, for her exciting new podcast: "Through a Trauma-informed Lens – Exploring Soma, Psyche, and Soul." Several years ago, I delved into the world of trauma-informed approaches with Aneta, and our collaboration has since flourished. I've been honoured to participate in her annual virt...

In this episode, Laurent speaks about the benefits of shifting away from our ingrained habits of thinking frontally all the time, which can burden our bodies and minds. Instead, he invites us to develop an awareness of the back of our body, which enhances the mind-body connection. By focusing on this area, you cultivate a deeper relationship between your physical sensations and mental state. Payin...

In this episode, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Lilly Balch from the Morning Ritual Podcast, a dedicated meditation podcast that provides listeners with reflections and techniques for inner peace. During our collaboration, we discussed embracing a slower pace in yoga, movement, breathing, meditation, and daily life. By consciously letting go and doing less, we explored how it can lead...

Pranayama and meditation are deeply rooted in the yoga tradition. Together, and with other tools, they contribute to progressively more profound levels of meditative experiences. These tools are described in Pantajali's Eight Limbs of Yoga. It is interesting to see where pranayama is positioned on this list. It is placed after the physical yogic experience (asanas) and before the subtler practices...

In this episode, Laurent explains the difference between external respiration (normal breathing) and internal respiration (cellular breathing). Although each of those different ways to breathe has specific roles in keeping us healthy, they are inseparable and feed each other. The meditation in this episode shows us the way toward a deep place within ourselves and connects us to cellular breathing....

In this episode, Laurent offers a short meditation to connect with our vital force, the breath. This calming and explorative breathing technique can give us a sense of presence and a deeper awareness of how we feel in this moment. It helps us to gain a feeling of ease and makes us more acutely attuned to our body and being. Laurent understands the importance of teaching how to connect with the bre...

This episode is the first of a series of three talks about the practical and classic steps to learn in Yogic meditation. In this recording, Laurent explains the importance of learning how to internalise and rest our senses before we start exploring the deepest stages of meditation. After speaking about the essential art of Pratyahara (the withdrawal of the senses), you will experience a relaxing a...

In this episode, Laurent offers a 30-min simple deep relaxation yoga Nidra (conscious sleep meditation), which intends to rest the body and the mind for rejuvenation and building gentle energy. Laurent's simple guidelines and practices suggest bringing peace and calm into the most profound part of our being to encourage growth, recovery and strength. This practice is designed to be accessible to a...

Have you ever heard the beautiful sound of chanting in Sanskrit? Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-European language of India used in Hindu scriptures and classical Indian epic poems. The beauty of its sound has the power of enchanting and calming the mind and the soul! In this fun episode, Laurent meets Elena Jessup, a native New Yorker who has been teaching Sanskrit to children and adults for over twe...

In this episode, Laurent speaks to two guts and digestive health specialists: Beth Jeffries, a registered and nutritional therapist and health coach and Samantha Koch, a gut health and wholefood advocate. Together, they speak about the importance of keeping our gut healthy and its relationship with mental health and give some tips to improve wellbeing and be happy in life. Beth Jeffries blossomwit...

In this new episode on The Penny Drops, Joey and Laurent discuss equanimity, compassion and mindfulness joyfully and with humour to bring fresh insights and understanding to those self-explorative and meditative techniques. Expect some Aha moments! Dr Joey Weber is a lecturer at the University of Bolton. He researches and studies equanimity to improve mental health, and he spent many years in a re...

Have you ever told yourself I am too old to do this? Or I can't move that way because my body is stiff or hurts? In this episode, Laurent speaks to movement and fascia specialist Caz Hitchcock who doesn't believe that we need to stop moving or being mobile and flexible because we passed fifty or sixty or seventy years old. As she says it herself, 'it is totally rubbish!' and she explains why. She...

In this episode, Laurent had the privilege to meet one of the grand dames of British yoga, Senior yoga teacher Ruth White. She shares her memories of her long practice with her teacher B.K.S Iyengar and gives her insights into how yoga must be felt and understood. Ruth has been teaching a quiet and precise physical, breathing and meditative practice for over twenty-five years in the UK and Interna...

This 45-minute extended meditation was recorded during Laurent's Early Morning Meditation class. In this episode, we are travelling through the body and our sensory world. This explorative meditation allows us to open and free our senses to reconnect and experience life and the world around us afresh.

In this episode, Laurent meets Daniel Simpson, the author of the famous history yoga book "The Truth of Yoga". Daniel is a scholar from the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and SOAS in London. The conversation was about yoga as an ancient tradition and how it is perceived and shared in the context of modern yoga. Most importantly, Daniel and Laurent speak about the origins of Pranayama, its purpose...

In this episode, we connect to the beautiful and subtle fluidity and primal movement of the backbone in our body, the spine.  During this meditation, we are discovering that the spine is like a living and energising creature constantly moving and undulating under the influence of the breath and other movements and pulsations coming from our being. These intimate and embodying sensory reflections a...