I’m writing this little letter to you in the glorious sunshine from my garden…gosh, it felt like the longest Winter ever! I think I missed Spring, but I’m grateful for warmer and drier weather, the luscious greens of the trees and abundance of colour that nature never fails to deliver at this time of year. Maybe it’s time to start thinking about Outdoor Yoga and a new Yoga Challenge for the Summer… I’ll keep you all posted :)

Read on for: Class Schedule; Events; Retreats; Muddy Stilettos Voting, and reflections on rest…

Thank you for all of your support over the last couple of months whilst I’ve been recovering and healing. Most of our practices have been fairly floor based, a bit ‘core-y’, standing balances, varied relaxations, a focus on two key meditations and Hakini Mudra. I have been working with all of these practices myself with a view to heal deeply, enhance self-awareness, self-limits and encourage deep rest. It’s been great to share them with you and receive feedback about how you’re benefiting from the practices too. The practices will evolve next term, as they usually do, with some new meditations, relaxations techniques, a new Mudra to explore and Mixed Ability Classes will start moving a little further into backbends and playful balances.

Class Schedule

Monday 5th June- Saturday 22nd July

*No Classes Monday 10th July - Sunday 16th July*

Mondays

9.30-11am Well-Woman Yoga

Tennis & Squash Club, Crackley Lane, Kenilworth

(6 Weeks @ £72 or £15 to drop-in)

12.15-1.30pm Well-Woman Yoga

Welford & Weston Memorial Hall, Stratford-Upon-Avon

(6 Weeks @ £72 or £15 drop-in)

7-8.15pm Hatha Yoga Online (6 Weeks @ £60 or £12 to drop-in)

Wednesdays

7-8.30pm Mixed Ability Yoga

The Kenilworth Centre, Abbey End, Kenilworth

(6 Weeks @ £72 or £15 drop-in)

Fridays

9.15-10.45 Mixed Ability Yoga

Tennis & Squash Club, Crackley Lane, Kenilworth

(5 Weeks @ £60 or £15 to drop-in) *No Class on 30th June

11-12.30pm Well-Woman Yoga

Tennis & Squash Club, Crackley Lane, Kenilworth

(5 Weeks @ £60 or £15 to drop-in) *No Class on 30th June

Saturdays

7.30-9am Ashtanga Yoga

Tennis & Squash Club, Crackley Lane, Kenilworth

(6 Weeks @ £72 or £15 to drop-in)

Well-Woman Yoga Events

We have two more Well-Woman Yoga Events this year at the lovely Leek Wootton Village Hall, catered for by Cafe Desa and with a special guest talk in the June event! Read on for more details…

The events nourishing Yoga practices will include: joint release (Pawanmuktasana); pelvic floor practices; static and flowing posture work (Asana); breath work (Pranayama); meditation; visualisation and deep relaxation (Yoga Nidra). Each event’s practices are influenced by the time of year.

The June event will include, variations on Surya Namaskar to energise, breath work to balance, cooling practices to encourage stillness and calm, and relaxation practices for presence.

Aromatherapy Expert Rebecca Tracey will be at our June event to give a short talk on aromatherapy oils and how our sense of smell affects us, our moods and our energy. I’ll also be selling her rollerballs at the events!

Rebecca Tracey runs workshops guiding you to create your own rollerball scent - she will be running this workshop at our November Yoga Retreat at The Cotswold Park Barns (see further details below)

November’s event will be also include the above practices with a focus on restorative postures and deep rest. There will be a lot of comfort and nurturing practices as we move into Winter.

Cafe Desa’s nutritious refreshments will be seasonally inspired!

The events are £50 each or £45 each if you book 2 events.

Do drop me an email if you require further information, or head online to book your place.

info@livingyouryoga.co.uk/www.livingyouryoga.co.uk

Saturday June 17th 2.15-5.15pm (5 spaces available)

Saturday November 4th 2.15-5.15pm (2 spaces available)

Well-Woman Yoga WEEKEND LUXURY Retreat

Friday 17th - Sunday 19th November 2023

The Well-Woman Yoga Retreat at the Cotswold Park Barns is an absolute treat of a weekend! You’ll be nurtured with carefully selected Yoga Practices to suit your needs, led by myself, including Flowing & Static Posture Work (Asana), Breath Work (Pranayama), Restorative Postures, Pelvic Floor Practices, Meditation and Yoga Nidra; nourished with delicious seasonal meals catered for by Health Coach Cynthia Tamraz, owner of Cafe Desa; be inspired and creative in designing your own essential oil roller ball, guided by expert aromatherapist Rebecca Tracey; an option to receive a wonderful massage or reiki treatment by the fantastic Andrea Ramus…all whilst being immersed in the beautiful, peaceful and private environment that is the Cotswold Park Barns. There is also the option to use the Hot Tub, explore the area’s beauty by foot or simply sit and read a book by the fire. Come and cosy up with us this Autumn…

If you’d like more information, contact me for the retreat booklet at:

info@livingyouryoga.co.uk

Muddy Stiletto’s Award Finals!

Thanks to your nominations, Living Your Yoga has made it to this years Muddy Stilettos Awards finals! Thank you so much for getting us this far! Now the voting starts again. It’s a bit easier to vote this time around ;) I’ve added the instructions of how to vote below.

Click this link: https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/vote
Enter your email
Choose Best Yoga/Pilates Studio
Select Living Your Yoga (Press Enter)
You’ll receive an email confirmation link - click on it..
You’ve voted for us :)
Thank you so much!

Public voting lasts until 11.59pm on 4th June 2023, with Regional Winners being announced on 13th June. The Muddy Stiletto Award is really something to support independent local businesses and celebrate them - it’s a really wonderful idea as it highlights the importance of community, commitment, support and the relationships between people.

The Importance of Rest…

I had to learn the hard way this year, that I wasn’t quite resting enough. Since collapsing in March due to overworking and being overwhelmed due to circumstances in my personal life, I really have learnt to carve out the time to rest, recover and reflect: and realise the importance of this. The fact that I tore ligaments in my ankle and was unable to walk, drive and run around like I usually would, literally forced me to sit still.

I quite like being still.

But I don’t have enough time for it.

(Does that sound familiar to anyone else?)

So now I make time for it. I use many of my yoga tools to support the valued rest that I now take on a daily basis. This may be a Yoga Nidra, a Meditation or a really supported Restorative Yoga position. I have spoken to, and work with many people that are experiencing or have experienced this ‘burn out’. ‘Burn Out’ is a real teacher - one that’s telling us that we’ve stopped listening to ourselves, and that quiet voice that is trying to tell you to say ‘No. I can’t do anymore. I just need to be still and quiet’ has been ignored too much.

So over the last couple of months, I’ve worked really hard in making little changes to take these rests and take time to reflect to really help recover and heal fully. Here’s a few changes I’ve made that may inspire you to help take a moment of rest - or maybe you do them already!

Bed by 11pm (this is hard for a night owl!)
Journal every morning and list 3 things that you’d like to achieve that day (this may be something like aiming to be in bed by 11! Or doing a 5 minute meditation that morning)
Drink plenty of water - a glass every waking hour is a good target.
Sit and drink your morning coffee/tea - without moving, just sitting.
Make a date with yourself to take that time out for you to rest everyday. Literally put it in your diary as if you have a work meeting. Practice your Nidra/Meditation/Restorative Posture here. If you can do this at the same time every day - even better.
If you’re in need of that coffee/tea - notice that you need it because you are tired - take rest instead or get an earlier night.
Reflect on one thing that you’ve done for yourself, to look after yourself, at the end of each day.

These are just a few things that I’ve started to do. They may seem simple or obvious to some, but for those that are just used to being constantly on the go/feeling pressured, making time for these things is a real challenge. That’s all for now.

We have one week left of term and I have some treats in store for classes this week - yoga treats of course ;)

Much Love,

Lucy xx

Ps. I came across the list below from Instagram that I find pretty inspiring - so I thought to share. It was originally on a post by @within.nutrition

I hope you find it interesting too.