Yoga4Wellbeing

Quick reminder before the term starts next Wednesday 😉 perfect weather for washing your yoga mat! Our mats get a lot of wear and grim from hands and feet. Give them a bit of love by a good wash and hanging in the sunshine before you put them to work again x

Last day of our month long posture course today. What a fantastic group! Everyone worked so hard and were really open to all the crazy, unusual exercises I put them through. Full on anatomy training ( with the help of our trusty skeleton and lots of elastic bands) helped to cement the work we did in the observational sessions. Well done all, you were a total pleasure to teach ❤️💕

Last individual workshop of the summer today. Our Qi gong/ yoga fusion. Thank you to everyone for being so open to challenging themselves and experiencing something new. From the positive feedback I have already received I think we might be doing more of this style of class 😊

Enjoy the rest of your summer break and see you back in class from the 4th September.

Arnie and I are nearly ready for the posture course tomorrow. We have beautiful new posture analysis sheets designed by Kat Horrocks which I can't wait to share with you all. Really looking forward to seeing/exploring our habitual posture patterns and creating individual protocols to improve them 💕

What an incredible Wellbeing Morning in Brooke today. Ballet, Pilates, Yoga and a Breathing workshop worked body and mind. It might have been a hot day but we all left feeling chilled and relaxed. Sessions were lead by ( in order of appreance 😊)
Aleksandra Ballet Teacher
The Continental Fox
Yoga4Wellbeing
Anna Meynell

We have already had some lovely feedback from attendees:-

"Just to say thank you for an amazing morning. The four of you are such good teachers"

"Thank you so much for today. I enjoyed last year but I enjoyed this year's more!"

"Had a great time this morning, thank you. A good balance"

Big thank you also to Marcella Emporium Norwich for the wonderful chocolate. The 54% dark and Gold Salted Caramel were out and out vote winners. Thanks also to Donna Simply Cupcakes for the yummy cakes.

It's not easy to come and participate in disciplines which you are not familiar with. Well done everyone for stepping out of your comfort zone to try new things 💕

Yoga Qigong workshop 21st August

One person has sadly had to cancel their space but has very kindly gifted it to anyone on low income. If you would like to participate please let me know asap.

At the end of every term I am reminded of how lucky I am to teach something I love so much. Even through lockdown my core group of clients still practiced with me on video or Zoom. We created a video membership which has over 400 hours of content. Some favourites have been viewed over 200 times!!! Our video library has now extended to a new corporate section which will continue to grow with the live classes we film each week.

Many people have worked with me for 15 years or more and I now consider good friends. With my 20th anniversary of teaching in Norwich next year and my 60th birthday fast approaching I am beginning to wonder what next? Continue to study? absolutely, continue to teach? in some capacity yes, however I am being consistently drawn to pastures new, so let's see what this summer training and time for reflection will bring.

I look forward to seeing some of you in the workshops otherwise enjoy your summer and hopefully see you in September xx

All Summer Yoga workshops and courses are now SOLD out 🙂
We only have a couple of spaces on The Wellbeing Morning on the 29th but other than that all summer events are FULL.

Thank you as always to everyone for your support xx

Quick update on Summer Class spaces. I know many of you are checking dates but as of this morning here are the remaining slots:-

July 29th workshop only 5 left
August 14th Weights only 4 left
August 21st Qigong/ yoga fusion only 5 left.

Please contact me if you would like to book any of the above.

Half term next week, our classes resume on 3rd June.
Enjoy your break ❤️ xx

Nice to hear the medicine behind our yoga practice being explained.alheit briefly. It seems modern research is just confirming what we experience from our practice. I wish we had a control group as 17 of my current clients have done 11 years or more of classes with me ( what and how would our health be now if we had given up?) Intriguing question.....

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley - Yoga - BBC Sounds How yoga can boost your brain and lower your stress, and even reverse signs of ageing.

Our Four week Summer Posture course in Brooke has ONLY 1 space left so get in quick. If you want to explore your posture patterns with me and Arnie ( the skeleton) to create a bespoke practice to help balance and re-establish better posture let me know asap.

Places are now booking for our Weights 14th August and 21st QI Gong/yoga fusion workshops too. There will be NO regular classes except the chair sessions during August.

There are still spaces available for our Wellbeing Morning on the 29th July but they are booking up so if you have called or emailed to book please ensure your payment has been paid to ensure your slot.

See you on the mat soon xx

Our summer workshop schedule kicks off with this collaboration event. I am joining forces with the lovely Aleksandra Ballet Teacher , The Continental Fox and Anna Meynell to provide a morning of movement, fun, relaxation and exploration. Of course there will be refreshments ( you know events I am involved in always have cake 😉).

So come and join us for a morning of ballet barre, pilates, yoga and breath work. No experience of any of these disciplines necessary.

Cost £50

Brooke Village Hall
29th July 8.45am to 12.45pm.

Email or message me to book and for full details.

I was sorting paperwork this afternoon to update client contact details and discovered that 5 of my clients will celebrate 19 years of yoga with me this year!! 😳 Maybe it's time for a party?
Congratulations to Amanda A, Anne B, Amanda B Carolyne and Diane you are amazing. Three of these ladies do more than one class per week so have clocked up more than 1,300 in classes and summer workshops ❤️ incredible commitment xx

Meditation comes in many forms.

Sitting quietly focused on our breathing. Following the air as it flows in and out of our nose.

Watching a flame as it dances and flickers against the wax of a candle.

Or smoothing clay to sculpt this sticky natural substance into intricate or amusing shapes.

I love all these forms. Each one gives me something but my newly awakened pottery hobby has also given me physical reminders of each two hour slot. Some smooth, some rough, some successful, some frustrating, some where the time has gone so quickly I felt an almost out of body detachment to the process.

Last night I made a hare. A sculpture challenge which I can't wait to see come out of the kiln. Yet with meditation we try not to hold on to expectations, we do the work and let go of results!!

So this is how I know enlightenment is not yet mine, as I await with a small hope that my hare will be complete, with both ears, his comical moustache and monocle.

One day I may just form the clay with my hands and not care about the outcome but not yet .......

Our outdoor studio for today's photoshoot. Lovely to finally meet Anna and Tasha who will be joining Aleksandra and I teaching at our Wellbeing Morning in July. We thought we would be indoors but the sun shone on this gorgeous meadow ready for our photos. Big thank you to Yury for his hard work on very wet grass to get what I am sure will be amazing pictures.

Full details soon ( I know you are all excited and have been asking to book already, it won't be long!!)

Sometimes I am astounded by my amazing clients. I have reviewed our YouTube channel statistics today. You guys have done 955 hours of practice since we began in lockdown.

Your favourites are Yin practices, full on flowing vinyasa and our meditative breathing sessions.

I can't tell you how grateful I am to be surrounded by these dedicated and passionate yogis. Here's to an exciting summer of real life workshops together.

Dates and details soon but so far we have a full morning collaboration Wellbeing Event on the 29th July,. Weights workshop, Four week posture course and a Qigong yoga fusion workshop in August.

If any of these sound good to you 😊 please send a message as I already have people asking to book!! The Posture sessions are limited to 12 and I only announced it in class this week and already have 6 asking for booking forms 🙏

Joy

I haven't posted in a while as so much has been happening that I was living it rather than writing about it.

I have been struggling for the last few weeks as many of my older clients have had health issues, , bereavements and general troubles. I have found myself being that ear to just listen and provide advice if I can.

We also lost a close family friend who I have known all my life. At their funeral I reconnected with childhood friends and playmates for the first time in many years. We talked a lot about our parents, the freedom we had to play outside and the closeness of our neighborhood.

All these things have made me feel very grateful for my family and friends. The support network that hold me up when I am sad or struggling with worries.

Grateful for new friends too that I have made through reconnecting with hobbies this year. Pottery and Dance classes have added new people to my life to inspire me and push me out of that comfort zone which, is so easy and attractive. It ultimately however allows your bravery to wither under it's thick comfortable embrace making you never want to leave.

I don't want to always be comfortable. I want to be challenged to find new edges of growth and power

So why Joy as the title today?

Well I received a phone call from a friend who I have been doing yoga with for almost 20 years. She has battled cancer for a while now and appears to have come out fighting on the other side I hadn't heard from her and had been worried there might be bad news but no, thankfully all good.

She was positively shining down the phone line. I could hear the smile and joy. Other people I know have come out of the same experience worn and bowed by the weight of what they have been through but not my friend, she is a warrior.

She reminded me that it is how we respond to life that shapes us. We have the choice to live fully now, with joy and exuberance. So take the class, eat the cake, take the trip you have wanted to do.

Let's not get to our old age and say,
" I wish I had done ....." I see too many elderly people sad and regretful.

We can act now to change our narrative.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break.

Thank you for the lovely feedback on the Christmas breathing video practice 🙏❤️.

Just a quick reminder that our new term resumes next week from the 8th. If you do not require your space please let me know asap as we have new clients waiting to join us.

See you on the mat xx

Today is the Winter Solstice. The beginning of Yule. Traditionally a time of reflection, being grateful for the good things in our lives and a time to make plans for when the sun returns out of this winter darkness.

As I prepare the house for Christmas I have been reflecting on this year. Unremarkable mostly, in the grand scheme of things but monumental in others! Challenging relationships, wonderful surprises and above all the knowledge that whatever happens in our lives, it is the people really close to us who matter most.

We may have many fair weather friends ( and relatives) that appear occasionally but then retreat into their lives and don't give us another thought. Then there are the special few who care deeply about our wellbeing and happiness. We share the ups and downs, the laughter and tears. These are the people I am truly grateful for. They are few in number but as precious as the fleeting warmth of the sun in winter.

So tonight as I light my solstice candle I send my love to those in my world that provide the light in my darkness. May you be happy, healthy and shine even more brightly xx

Just a quick reminder that the Yin workshop originally scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled. Unfortunately, we didn't get enough bookings to make it viable. Apologies to those who booked 🙏. Hopefully we will have more in the new year xx

This is my wonderful client Marie Claire. Please read what incredible work she and The Feed does here in Norwich. I have the pleasure of volunteering several times a year with The Bloom group which is part of this organisation providing free yoga sessions to an inspiring group of young women.

If you fancy a coffee and cake during your Christmas shopping days pop into their cafes to warm up and do good at the same time ❤️.

Well done Marie Claire and the whole team.

Meet The Team: M-C

We caught up with M-C and asked her a few questions to get to know her better.

How long have you worked at The Feed?

I've worked at The Feed for two years.

Tell us about your role.

I am the Community Engagement Lead and am based at The Feed's Social Supermarket and Community Café on Hall Road in Norwich. There are two parts to my role:

🔸 Supporting our members to start their own community projects. An example is the Rhyme Time group for toddlers and parents, which is already taking place active in two of The Feed's venues. There is also a community allotment project in its initial stages and other groups are in the planning stage.

🔸 Leading our 'First Steps' project. When a person joins the Social Supermarket, I get in touch and offer an appointment to meet. This is for members who would like some support to meet their needs and goals. This could be anything from cost of living help, support for their mental health, accessing a college course, help to find work. I can then link them up with organisations that can do some one to one work with them. It really can be anything. We have a great network of organisations that support people, including some who provide free, drop in advice in our Community Café.

There's lots more about support available to our Social Supermarket members here: https://thefeed.org.uk/our-projects/moreformembers

What do you like about your role?

I love engaging with people and being able to see their journey. They will often come to us with difficulties they are facing, but we have things to offer to help, or we find someone who can!

What's your favourite food in our cafes or on our catering menu?

Savoury - I love the mushroom stroganoff. Sweet - got the be the gluten free triple chocolate brownie. Scrummy!

Your dream meal - where would you go, who with and what's on the menu?

It would have to be Japanese food, probably in Shiki in Tombland because lots of Japanese people eat there, and it is really authentic. I'd go for sukiyaki, which is a Japanese hotpot. I lived in Tokyo for a while and I love the food. Who with? With Jeremy Corbyn, the grandfather I never met because he passed before I was born, Sarah Millican because she's hilarious and Bill Gates, to try and get him to donate lots of money to The Feed!

What do you do to relax?

I go to yoga, walk with friends usually around the fields where I live and watch my kids play football. I'm not sure the last one is relaxing but it is enjoyable.

Full moon from the other side of the world.
Barefoot living on island time.

Classes resume tomorrow 😃 looking forward to seeing you all and welcoming new clients to Bramerton xx

Last Summer Workshop tomorrow at 10am is SOLD OUT. New terms start next Tuesday 5th.

If you haven't confirmed your spaces for next term please let me know asap as we have lots of new clients wanting spaces 💕.

Every class is provisionally full at ALL VENUES!!

See you soon xx

Yin Yoga Workshop on Wednesday 30th now
FULLY Booked

What an amazing day! Our Mini Day Retreat was so well received. Lots of people open to trying disciplines that were unfamiliar to them. So many people who had never tried Yin yoga before, loved it. Incredible feedback messages from old and new clients already this evening ❤️. It was a treat to have the whole Willow Centre to ourselves enabling everyone to chat and connect. Huge thank you to Aleksandra Ballet Teacher Nutts About Pilates Hayley Pearson and not forgetting our chocolate tasting from Darkroom Chocolate. Tanzania was the run away favourite flavour!
Here's to the next event 😉

Last few spots left for next Monday 😊 get in quick if you would like to join us.
We also are including a Chocolate tasting from Darkroom Chocolate ( those of you who have attended my retreat days before remember their yummy vegan pastries, so you know how delicious their products are😋)

"The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's life. Rarely do members of one family grow up under the same roof"

Richard Bach, Illusions

This quote is something that resonates massively with me. My family is a small one. I am an only child, have wonderful second cousins but no one really in my generation.

Over the last ten years however, my generation of "family" has slowly emerged. Friends, old and new. Our children and now their partners are bringing new members into our "Herd".

Saturday night saw celebrations begin for 60th birthday. We hosted an Ibiza style party in the garden. We danced, we sang, ate pizza, pimped prosecco and laughed a lot. It felt wonderful to have all these people come together to celebrate. A group of souls who genuinely care about each other.

We may not always have the support of a large blood family who can help us in troubling times but if we are open enough, a new family will emerge to hold us close and warm our hearts.

Who is your family? They maybe nearer than you think ❤️

Quick update on our retreat day. HALF the total spaces are now booked/paid so please get in quick if you would like to participate.

After our Weights Workshop this morning lots of people expressed an interest so please don't wait to book as you might miss out.