Despite the term flying by, it feels like ages ago since I’ve connected with you all via the written word. I hope that you’re all keeping well and finding your yoga practice a great anchor in your health and wellbeing: physically, energetically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually!

I listen to feedback from our community about your practice regularly. I like to know what’s working for you and also what isn’t. Both in our group classes and a 1:1 capacity, I am told about how your practice has helped to support recover from illness, help to manage grief, create support in stressful periods of life, or simply allow you some time to switch off from everything else and take the opportunity to listen yourselves and to what you are feeling. The practice to switch off from all of the ongoings and noise around us, often allows us to drop in to our deeper sense of self, our inner wisdom, and hear what we really need…and perhaps work out how to create a space to be able to respond to ourselves.

I write this as I’ve been going through a lot in my personal life. It’s been incredibly challenging for me over the last 18 months or so - and the situation’s just seem to continue to intensify. I’m incredibly fortunate to have loving & supportive family, friends and a yoga community that keeps me going. And of course my practice.

My practices have expanded and deepened since my last blog, so I thought I’d share a little more about how Yoga, and other forms of therapy, help us to navigate, support and become a great anchor in our lives when we’re being challenged, put under pressure and maybe feel somewhat caged in by life’s circumstances. I don’t usually write about myself in these blogs, but thought to share how much yogic practices can really help.

Read on to find out more about Yoga as a form of Therapy and Healing; Next Terms Schedule; Well-Woman Events & Retreats; Newson Health & Dr Louise Newson’s latest book in Paperback; Health & Wellbeing Column (new column); Recent Training “The Pelvis Is Everything”; And a book recommendation …

Yoga as a Form of Therapy

Ashtanga Yoga has always been the practice that I return to. I danced around Hatha Yoga and various forms of meditation from the age of 14/15, but when I experienced Ashtanga Yoga at the age of 22, I felt a real sense of coming home to myself. Despite exploring so many different movement practices, styles of yoga and enjoying a variety of creative movement structures and play over the past couple of decades, I have always returned to my Ashtanga Yoga practice.

I hope that the practices that I share provide you with a safe space to always return to, and experience the feeling of coming home to yourself too. I encourage all of my students that attend my classes to choose at least one practice to take home with them and practice each day: something that resonates and that they can explore in their own time on a deeper level to reconnect with themselves. This is a really great healing practice.

Physically, for me, Ashtanga Yoga helps me feel strong, energetically I feel uplifted and grounded, mentally I feel a greater sense of clarity, emotionally I feel release, and spiritually I feel more connected to myself and my intuition. For me, it is like a mirror that shows me where I am at. Most of the time I arrive on the mat feeling pulled in so many different directions of what I have to do each day, but as I start to move through my practice, I have more moments where I can just be present and feel.

I practice Ashtanga four to five times a week at the moment. I practice in-person with my long-term teacher James Critchlow once a week. (I originally began his classes in my early 20’s) More recently I began practicing with another teacher as well, to help me deepen, develop and support my home practice. I came across Ashtanga Yoga teacher Adam Keen on his podcast. The first interview I listened to was with Ellen Johannesen with whom I spent an amazing week learning from at Purple valley in Tenerife in 2022. I listened to this podcast loads of times as I love how Ellen teaches: her approach and her knowledge about Buddhism and Ashtanga Yoga is just immense. As the podcast rolled on to the next episode, and the next, I found Adam’s enquiries and interviews really inspiring and felt drawn to attending his online Mysore Classes. After the first week (which is at a very generous introductory price) I felt so connected to my practice: it felt refreshed and I felt re-inspired. Adam is an authentic, encouraging and incredibly knowledgable teacher. I used to practice in the afternoons, or late at night, but now I generally start my practice online with Adam around 7am (after my coffee!) for anything between 30 to 90 minutes. It really helps me start the day and better cope with the challenges that arise. My practice has evolved and my enquiry has deepened, so much so, that I’ll be furthering my practice with Adam’s Ashtanga Yoga Online Course later this year which I’m very excited about!

I really recommend Adam’s Keen On Yoga podcasts and classes. For more information, and loads of really interesting articles on all aspects of Yoga, check out his website here: keenonyoga.com

I bookend my day with an evening Meditation practice. I’ve been quietly integrating and studying a Foundations In Teaching Mindfulness Meditation Course which was created by the late Michael Stone. I’ve studied many types of Meditation Practices from varying courses, led by different teachers, learned techniques from books and personal practice, but I wanted to find something that had a specific framework to work within to help me as I move through this challenging time in my life to help me process, explore and listen. The course was originally something I wanted to do for myself, but I have shared the beginnings of the practice in some classes, and individually, and have had really beautiful feedback. Practicing Meditation in the evening works for me: it closes the day quietly and with reflection. For me, the practice has been a great anchor and balances out my morning energising practice.

Anyone can practice meditation. At any time. You can sit or lie down, you don’t have to sit with your legs crossed. There are so many books and online courses to dip into to start your practice, even a short 3 minute practice can be beneficial. Start slowly with a realistic aim. Be kind to yourself.

I plan to develop a short online mindfulness course later in the year - I’ll keep you posted.

The course I’m currently doing is available through yogacampus.com where you can find a multitude of brilliant online and in person courses with fabulous teachers. I recommend having a look at what they have to offer - you don’t have to be a yoga teacher to attend all of the courses either.

As a Yoga Therapist, I often recommend my clients to other therapists that specialise in acupuncture, massage, counselling, nutrition, life-coaching, cranio-sacral therapy, reflexology to name a few. We all resonate with different practices individually, and with different people. We have lots of therapists in our community and I’m meeting more all of the time. I’ll be introducing a new therapist/health & wellbeing business in each termly blog - you may find something and someone that aligns with your needs.

Health & Wellbeing Column

I’d like to introduce Gaya in this newsletter. I’ve known Gaya for nearly 9 years now and she is an incredible woman that I’m really very honoured to introduce you to. Please read on to find out what she is currently up to and how she may be able to support you.

Gaya Neault is a Mum of two living in Kenilworth. She is nearing completion of a Level 5 diploma to become a qualified health and wellbeing coach. From a young age, she had an interest in how the body works, leading her to study Medicinal Chemistry at university. Her career included working as a QA manager, ensuring product quality for Lloyds Pharmacy.

For the past 9 years, she has been on a learning journey exploring her Ayurvedic heritage, understanding the body's functioning, the importance of gut health, and how diet, digestion, movement, lifestyle, and finding joy impact long-term health. She is excited to qualify as a health coach to share her knowledge and help people take ownership of their health and well-being to live energetic and healthy lives.

If you are interested in being a case study working with Gaya for either 4 or 6 weeks, please contact Gaya on 07779334478 or drop her an email: gayaneault@icloud.com

WELL-WOMAN YOGA EVENTS

We have two Well-Woman Yoga Events left this year. These events are really special and are designed for women to spend the afternoon being guided with yogic practices to release tension, encourage ease of mobility, enhance self-awareness, and take time to relax and connect with others in the community. As well as catering being provided by the fabulous Cafe Desa of Leamington, I invite an independent business that’s connected to wellbeing to each event. Our March event hosted Charlie, creator of F|lux Activewear, to talk and sell some of her range. Our next event in June will host a short talk with Gaya Neault who is developing her work as a Health & Wellbeing Coach (see her introduction above).

Well-Woman Yoga practices include: Joint Release (Pawanmuktasana); Spinal Release; Static and Flowing Sequences (Asana); Pelvic Floor Awareness Practices; Meditation; Breath Work and Yoga Nidra.

There are only a handful of spaces for both June and November Well-Woman Events this year - they have been selling quicker than I expected!

If you’d like to book both, please contact me directly as you will receive a discount, else head to my website to book your space online. Head to Book Classes at www.livingyouryoga.co.uk

WELL-WOMAN YOGA RETREATS

This October’s Well-Woman Retreat sold out in less than 24 hours, so I have booked to run three in 2025. March’s retreat has started to sell, June’s is half full and I’ve been receiving enquiries regarding November’s retreat.

Each Well-Woman Retreat includes a three night stay in the beauteous Namaste Barn in South Devon with 3 daily Yoga Practices, including Yoga Nidra; Nourishing Meals, Snacks & Drinks are Ayurvedic inspired or Indonesian inspired; Guided Foraging is organised; Women’s Health Talks available; Ayurvedic & Holistic Treatments available; Fire Pit Ceremony; Time and Space for You.

These retreats are designed for women that need some time to rest, reflect and restore. We spend so much time working, looking after others, keeping up with all of our daily, weekly, monthly tasks that time can fly by and we are just exhausted and wondering why we are doing what we’re doing! These weekends are an opportunity to unwind and reflect so that you are able to tune in and listen to your own needs: everything is done for you. There is space for you to attend practices, rest, read, walk, meet, talk and laugh with the community, and maybe feel inspired by the health talks, the meals, the yoga and the company!

Do drop me a line for more information or to reserve a space at info@livingyouryoga.co.uk

SUMMER TERM SCHEDULE

Monday 3rd June ~ Thursday 18th July 2024

Mondays (03/06/24 - 15/07/24) *no classes 1st July

Well-Woman Yoga 9.30-11am at Leek Wootton Village Hall, Warwick Road, Warwickshire, CV35 7RB *no class 10th June

Well-Woman Yoga 12.15 -1.30pm at Welford & Weston Memorial Hall, Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV37 8EF

Hatha Yoga 7-8.15pm Online Only

Tuesdays (04/06/24 - 16/07/24) *no class 2nd July

Mixed Ability Yoga 7-8.30pm at Parochial Hall, 28 High street, Kenilworth, CV8 1LZ

Thursdays (06/06/24 - 18/07/24)*no classes 27th June & 4th July

Ashtanga Yoga 7-8.30pm at The Kenilworth Centre, Abbey End, Kenilworth, CV8 1QJ

Fridays (08/06/24 - 12/07/24) * no class 5th July

Mixed Ability Yoga 9.15-10.45am at The Tennis & Squash Club, Crackley Lane, Kenilworth, CV8 2JS

Well-Woman Yoga 11-12.30pm at The tennis & Squash Club, Crackley Lane, Kenilworth, CV8 2JS

Head to my website to book your space, or if you’re booking two classes a week, contact me directly for your discount.

YOGA & NEWSON HEALTH

As Newson Health’s Yoga Teacher & Yoga Therapist, I was fortunate to be asked to provide all of the staff with mini office yoga classes last month. I created a short sequence of practices for posture awareness and inviting ease into the spine and pelvis; releasing joint pain and tension in the neck, hands, wrists and shoulders; and also some balance and breath work to support focus and concentration. Mini practices like these, that can be practiced in an office environment can just be the perfect tonic to step back from becoming overwhelmed with a workload, release mental and physical tension and help stress levels become more manageable. The staff at Newson Health work really hard in supporting so many women, so it was a real honour to be able to give something to them.

I was due to begin a 6 week Yoga Therapy For Menopause Course at Newson Health Wellbeing Centre. This is on the back burner at the moment due to my current schedule, but it is still going to go ahead at some point. I had received quite a few enquiries about running it online too, so I’m going to work out how to navigate both in-person and online opportunities. Drop me a line if it’s something that you feel you could benefit from and I’ll get back to you when I have confirmed my arrangements.

Dr Louise Newson’s latest book is now available in paperback! I was honoured to be asked to write a chapter in this book on how Yoga can support the Menopause transition. I will be bringing signed copies of Louises’s books to Well-woman Classes & Events this year - let me know if you’d like me to save one for you.

The Pelvis Is Everything

Judith kindly wrote me a note as I forgot to take one of her books to sign ;)

Last weekend I attended a training with Judith Lasater at Yogacampus in London. The whole weekend was centred around the pelvis, exploring and experiencing how the movement and positioning of the pelvis, both is asana practice and in life generally, affects every position our body moves or rests in. Usually when we practice yoga asana, the practice focusses heavily on the spine, but interestingly, we can move the spine in different directions and it doesn’t always affect the pelvis, but if we move the pelvis, it always impacts the spine. So the weekend was spent working from this perspective which was really enlightening and once again, has opened my mind to a different way of practicing and looking at posture work.

Something that I love about teaching yoga is working individually with students to best support them in exploring how a posture feels works best for them. The beauty of understanding and delving a little deeper into understanding the anatomy of our bodies, helps us understand (and accept) that sometimes are bodies just aren’t going to ever sit in lotus pose, or maybe we’ll never rest our head on the ground in a wide leg forward fold, because some pelvis’s just naturally won’t allow us to due to the size, shape and structure of an individual’s pelvis. But what we can do in a yoga posture is modify, maybe using props, so that you can find a variation of the posture to experience its benefits, and explore, if that’s something that works for you!

I find that the more I learn about yoga, the less I know! It always keeps me hooked :)

Huge difference between female and male pelvis (imagine how different we all are individually?!)

Finally I thought to close this newsletter (which is now very long!) with a really good book recommendation. I often share Yung Pueblo’s poems at the end of my newsletters as I just find them so thought-provoking and beautiful. I was really excited to buy his latest book, which is also thought-provoking and beautiful! It’s about his personal healing journey and how his meditation practice helped transform his life. There’s lots of really inspiring messages in this book: it’s a great read for self-reflection too as he ends each section with questions for you to ponder on. It’s a really easy read too.

“your immediate reaction

does not tell you who you are

it is how you decide to respond after the reaction

that gives you real insight

into how much you have grown

your first reaction is your past

your intentional response is your present”

Lighter. Yung Pueblo.