Letters from the Mat

Stories to inspire your journey in Yoga and Lifestyle Medicine

Topics:

The Wild Self

The Wild Self

- an observation on nature, belonging, remembering - City girl in the African Bush, August 2026 “We must learn to read the subtle tracks of the body, the way it relaxes and opens when something feels right, the contraction and tightness when we are not where we are meant to be… Bringing attention... Read More

Chang Park | THU AUG 27, 2026

Vuoi Fare Yoga?

Vuoi Fare Yoga?

What a 365 Duolingo streak has taught me about practice. 365 Days of Practice I've been learning Italian on Duolingo for a year now.  If you don’t know what that is, it’s a language learning app headed by a cute green owl that has somehow become a pretty good global teacher.  This week, I reache... Read More

Chang Park | WED JUL 1, 2026

37 Degrees

37 Degrees

Observations on a week of heatwave Too hot, Too ColdWhen I got home last night, I was absolutely spent. Sitting down to draft my Friday newsletter, I thought to myself... 'Sack it, I'm way too hot to write this email.' Only that's not what I was thinking at all. What I was really thinking was, '... Read More

Chang Park | WED JUN 24, 2026

Saying I Do

Saying I Do

A student asked his master,“What’s the difference between liking and loving? If you like a flower you simply pluck it, if you love it you water it every day.” -   Attrib. to Osho Wedding Season A couple of weeks ago, I attended a magical wedding in Tuscany.  It was one of those impossibly beauti... Read More

Chang Park | WED JUN 17, 2026

Getting to the Point

Getting to the Point

Voice Note Queen  I got sent this message on a group chat 👆- yes, yes, I know.  A window into my signature style of voice messaging.  What could be said in a minute, I usually take five.  Perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of one of these from me or someone else and thought - Just get to th... Read More

Chang Park | TUE MAY 19, 2026

A Hip Story

A Hip Story

Hip Issues Over the past year or two, I've had a hip problem that simply won't resolve. It's not terrible. Just... there. A persistent, low-grade grumble I didn't ask for. I've seen an osteopath. Had massages. Done yoga, stopped yoga, reconsidered the ways I was practicing yoga. Visited doctors f... Read More

Chang Park | WED MAY 13, 2026

On My Radar

On My Radar

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” — Carl Jung When I got back from Spain this week, I went more or less straight from walking the Camino into a cancer education half-day.  Re-entry to reality. The first talk was about sarcoma, a rare f... Read More

Chang Park | TUE MAY 5, 2026

Big Yoga Conundrum

Big Yoga Conundrum

“The Bird of Paradise alights only upon the hand that does not grasp”- John Berry I gave a presentation to my colleagues earlier this week about Lifestyle Medicine - a topic I care deeply about.   As I prepared, I could feel the familiar urge rising in me: do it well, do it properly, make it land... Read More

Chang Park | TUE APR 21, 2026

Six Years On(line)

Six Years On(line)

Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much. 1st April 2020.  I am shut in my bedroom, isolating during the peak of COVID-19, wondering what on earth was going to happen next.  I’m sure you remember that strange time too.  The uncertainty, the isolation.  The rapid shift of everything... Read More

Chang Park | TUE MAR 31, 2026

A Hero Lies In You

A Hero Lies In You

Walking past the trees this week, I’ve found myself peering closely at the magnolia buds pushing skyward, adorning the recently bare branches.  They seem to have appeared almost overnight, but of course, they’ve been preparing for this moment for weeks, gathering energy and waiting for the right ... Read More

Chang Park | THU MAR 5, 2026