Free To Think

What’s Happening This Week in Class?

For mat-based students, the first part of this term is all about Pawanmuktasana (energy block release).

In the highly regarded, seminal book “Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha” by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, we are told that “the Pawanmuktasana series is one of the most important groups of practices that has a very profound effect on the human body and mind and is thus a most useful tool for the yogic management of various disorders and maintenance of health.”

As with all three Pawanmuktasana practices, this week’s practice – The Digestive Series – encourages us to better understand the meaning of asana by developing an awareness of the movements of the body and the subtle effects these movements have on all our layers of being.

Meanwhile, in chair yoga, we shall be focusing our attention specifically on opening up the side body in order that we might create more space in the lungs to breath, and encourage energy to flow more freely throughout the body and mind.

If you would like to come along to class, or for more information, you can contact me, Sarah, in the following ways: Telephone/Text/WhatsApp: 07817623330; email: [email protected]; Facebook: Free To Think; Website: freetothink.co.uk.

Thank you to all of the wonderful peeps who have sent me birthday wishes. You are all fab, and I have had a lovely day! 💖

An absolutely stunning bouquet given to me by my Bourne afternoon class. Thank you so much everyone!

Just to remind all mat-based Free To Think yoga students that this week is a yin practice, so don’t forget your extra kit! If you need a reminder of what to bring you can find details at: https://freetothink.co.uk/?s=props&submit=Search and if you would like to know more about yin yoga, you can head over to my blog post “Surrendering Into A Yin Practice” at: https://freetothink.co.uk/?s=yin&submit=Search

And in our chair-based yoga sessions, we shall be taking care of our Hips and Knees in a practice that will encourage a balance between strength and flexibility and we strengthen, mobilise and stretch the fascia around these vital areas of the body.
See you there everyone!

yin | Search Results | Free to Think Surrendering Into A Yin Practice Posted on January 20, 2024 by Sarah Have you ever experienced that sense of bliss as you sink into a pose, feel your body open out towards its edges, and then remain there in the moment as you slowly release, and release, and release? If you have, … Continue readin...

This week at Free To Think Yoga our Chair-Based classes will be focusing on how we can create a healthy and happy abdomen and why that is so important. If you are coming along to one of my mat-based classes, we shall be creating more space and flexibility in the Four Corners of our body, which are the Hips and Shoulders.

If you would like to know more, you can head over to my blog post at:
http://freetothink.co.uk/2024/03/18/whats-happening-this-week-in-class/

And, please remember all constructive feedback is most welcome!

What’s Happening This Week In Class? | Free to Think What’s Happening This Week In Class? Posted on March 18, 2024 by Sarah This week in our Chair Yoga class we will be focusing on our abdominal organs, and reflecting on how often we think about all the work that happens tirelessly in our abdominal region, day in, day out? We tend to only notice whe...

When we turn our focus inwards, we have the opportunity to shine the light of conscious awareness on the things that might otherwise have been left unnoticed in the darkness of the unconscious mind/heart/soul 🙏

The foundation of our practice this week will be our physical, mental and emotional core. When we connect with these aspects of our Self, we are connecting with our Manipura Chakra. This is our energy centre of power, heat, determination, strong self-belief, high self-esteem, confidence, physical and emotional strength, mental clarity, joy and a healthy appetite for food, life and all the good things that life can, and does, offer.

We shall try to let go of any self-criticism or judgement and focus on what we can do, rather than what we can't, as we stimulate the core through all our layers: body, breath, mind, wisdom, bliss!

This is a message for all Budding Chair Yoga Students in the Crowland area!

There will be a second one-off Introduction to Chair Yoga Session at Crowland Community Centre on Tuesday, 13th February, from 4:00pm-5:00pm. The cost of the session is £8.00. This is likely to be the last introductory session, and if there is enough interest, it will become a regular class. So if you are interested, do please put your name down and come along!

Emphasis is given to a warm and friendly atmosphere. We will practice at a pace that suits every body, and everyone is welcome to come along and try it for themselves.

To reserve your place, or find out more, please email me at: [email protected]

Would you like to delve into some traditional yoga practices, apart from the usual asana, pranayama and relaxation? Would you like to explore the world of mantra and deepen your experience of meditation?

On 16th February, I shall be joining the wonderful Kate Tushti-Tingey for an evening of Chanting, Meditation and Chai (there will also be cake!).

This event will be held in a warm and welcoming space in Long Sutton, and depending on interest, further events can be held in Bourne or Crowland. (If you can come to us, we can come to you!)

Sangha means community, and we shall experience the joy and the energy that is co-created through the practices of Chanting and Meditating together. It is a truly wonderful experience, and one that you are invited to share with us.

If you would like to know more you can contact either Kate or me.

Further details can be found here:

Pop Up Chanting, Meditation & Chai Class - Tushti Tingey Yoga Chanting, Mantra, Meditation with Kate Tushti and Sarah Kemp at Scout Hall Long Sutton suitable for everyone

Throughout this week's practice we shall be attaching an affirmation to each of our postures. If you would like to know how this can benefit our practice, you can click on the link below, which will take you to my post entitled Fostering a Deeper Connection to Your Practice Through Affirmation.

I hope you find it interesting, and I look forward to seeing you on your mats!

https://freetothink.co.uk/2024/01/29/fostering-a-deeper-connection-to-your-practice-through-affirmation/

Calling all my lovely yoga students ...

Don't forget it's a yin practice this week.

If you need a reminder of what to bring, I have a post on my website, all about which props to bring to class and when, and you can find it here:

https://freetothink.co.uk/2023/08/09/what-do-i-bring-to-class-and-when-do-i-bring-it/

And if you would like to know more about yin yoga take a look at my post entitled Surrendering Into A Yin Practice:

https://freetothink.co.uk/2024/01/20/surrendering-into-a-yin-practice/

Looking forward to seeing you all, and enjoy the rest of your weekend! 🙏

Surrendering Into A Yin Practice | Free to Think Surrendering Into A Yin Practice Posted on January 20, 2024 by Sarah Have you ever experienced that sense of bliss as you sink into a pose, feel your body open out towards its edges, and then remain there in the moment as you slowly release, and release, and release? If you have, then you were proba...

So much of our stress is caused by us wanting things to be a certain way, and not accepting things as they actually are 🙏

Radical Acceptance rests on letting go of the illusion of control, and a willingness to notice and accept things right now as they are, without judging...

And this is what happens when students get together to 'play' at the end of class! Thank you ladies, it was fun watching you have fun ☺️ 🙏

Yoga at Peterborough Cathedral with the Moon Under Mars 🙏

It was lovely last week to be back together in class for a whole new year of yoga. It was heartening to see so many mats rolled out for practice, and to welcome faces old and new.

There are so many ways in which we can embody our yoga practice, and this term we shall be focusing on a different perspective each week.

Last week we began by exploring how we might let go of things that no longer serve us through "Releasing". Letting go of the old, the outdated and the unhelpful allows us to make space for the new, the desired for and the hoped for. It encourages change and a growth mindset, and it is a helpful focus during any yoga practice. We can release through the breath with a sigh, we can release through the body with a stretch, and we can release from the mind with mantra, affirmation, meditation or mindful walking.

In contrast, this week is all about discovering our experience through "Listening". When we create the time and space to focus inwardly towards our Selves, rather than outwardly towards the world, we may discover a whole universe of unexplored territory. Listening encourages Svadhyaya, which is self-study and self-reflection, and through svadhyaya, we find we can tune in to the rhythms of body, breath and mind, and really "hear" what is being revealed to us. As we become more proficient at tuning in, we find that we begin to learn a great deal more about what makes each of us so individual, and yet so connected.

To join us, you can email me at [email protected] or text, telephone, WhatsApp on: 07817 623330.

See you on your mat! 🙏

Seen today:

Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence.

Ahead of my Introduction to Chair Yoga session in Crowland, from 4:45pm-5:45pm, on Tuesday, 9th January, I thought I would share some interesting facts about chair yoga.

It is a form of yoga that is perfect for the less able.

It is traditional yoga, with the aid of a chair.

You can remain seated throughout the whole session.

It can be gentle, or not so gentle, and is easily adapted according to ability.

It is suitable for any age or ability.

It is practiced in welcoming and non-judgemental environment.

The aim of yoga is to allow things to happen in their own time,
without force, self-criticism or judgement.

It can be silent or loud, introverted or extroverted.

It is an opportunity to practice with others of similar ability.

Many yoga practices do not have to be changed, as they are naturally carried out in stillness some of these practices are:

Pranayama (breathing);
Mindfulness;
Meditation;
Relaxation;
Visualisation;
Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep);
Mantra (vocal or silent repetition of one or more words);
Mudra (hand and body gestures);
Bandha (locks or seals);
Philosophy.

It can be a lot of fun!

The session will take place at Crowland Community Hall, Broadway, Crowland (no stairs to navigate).

No need to bring anything with you, just wear loose clothing.

Space will be limited, so please let me know if you are planning on attending:
Telephone/Text/Whatsapp: 07817623330, email: [email protected], or facebook: Free To Think

This is the story behind how I ended up teaching in Crowland ... And a little thank you thrown in to all of my wonderful students!

Yoga Returns To Crowland | Free to Think Yoga Returns To Crowland Posted on January 4, 2024 by Sarah 2015 – And we haven’t changed a bit! I am so excited to be teaching in Crowland again. I originally began to teach there after a conversation with a gentleman by the name of David Grundy, who I met at a networking event. We were chattin...

Well, the response to our reinstated class in Crowland has been fabulous. In fact so fabulous, it has already morphed into two classes, and spaces are filling fast. If you haven't emailed me to book your space, please ensure that you let me know which class you would prefer to attend. In place of the original class (from 7:00pm-8:15pm), the revised times are as shown below:

Early Class: 6:00pm-7:15pm.

Later Class: 7:30pm-8:45pm.

Could you please indicate, by Friday, which class you wish to attend, in order that I can allocate places, in case anybody else contacts me!

The time for the Introduction To Chair Yoga Session remains the same: 4:45pm-5:45pm.

Looking forward to seeing you all on your mats or chairs!

With thanks and warm wishes 🙏

"Your unhappiness ultimately arises not from the circumstances of your life but from the conditioning of your mind." - Eckhart Tolle

To everybody who said that they would like to come to Yoga on the 9th January, or expressed an interest, but have not yet confirmed:

If you would like a place, could you please email me at [email protected], as places are now very limited. Can you please not just turn up, as that may cause us to be too overcrowded to practice comfortably. If need be, I can split the class into an earlier and a later class, as long as I know how many are planning to attend. You can come along for one or two weeks before you have to decide whether you want to commit to the remainder of the term. For more information, or to reserve a space please email me at the email address above.

Thank you, and A Very Happy New Year to all of my Crowland Students, Past, Present and Future 🙏

(Photo below taken just before Christmas - the Stalwart Few who were able to make the last class!)

🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

Thought provoking...

And so another year comes to an end, and how better to celebrate our last lesson of the year, than with Restorative Yoga and chocolate! A huge thank you to all of my wonderful students. As always, it has truly been a pleasure. See you in 2024!

Yoga Classes are returning to Crowland, from Tuesday, 9th January 2024, 7:00-8:15pm!

And ahead of a new Chair Yoga class, there will be a one-off, Introduction To Chair Yoga session on Tuesday, 9th January at 4:45pm-5:45pm, £8:00 per person. So, if you would like to experience Chair Yoga and some of its benefits for yourself, come along and find out more.

For more information about Chair Yoga, you can head over to my website: http://www.freetothink.co.uk and go to my blog entitled "Have You Ever Wondered About Chair Yoga?"

New Year, New Intentions, New Venue, New Habits!

Emotional agility versus emotional rigidity. Which would you prefer? x

The gift and power of emotional courage Psychologist Susan David shares how the way we deal with our emotions shapes everything that matters: our actions, careers, relationships, health and happiness. In this deeply moving, humorous and potentially life-changing talk, she challenges a culture that prizes positivity over emotional truth an...

Members of our Free To Think yoga Group may have spotted a post by David Grundy this morning which was about using a rainy day as an opportunity for an extra yoga practice.

David's post caused me to reflect on how so many of you have shown commitmment to your practice, and in some cases, you have extended that sense of commitment to me as well, and for that, I thank you.

For each of you, your dedication to your practice will have gifted you many benefits over the years and, since March, some of you have been diligently collecting and performing the wide range of different yoga practices that I have been offering. By now, some of you will have collected over 60 individual yoga practices. These practices include asana, meditation, visualisation, pranayama, relaxation and nidra. We have explored yang, yin, restorative and somatic asana practices as we experience our practice from the inside out. We have grown in confidence with our connection to body, mind, breath and spirit as we breathe, move, pause, breathe, move and pause. We have discovered release through the body and the breath, and peace in the stillness ...

All of this, and so much more, happens when we simply roll out our mat and place our Self on it. The mind and body and innate Self are cleansed, nourished and nurtured.

Despite not being able to practice in our individual yoga communities, some of you have shown a real
determination to keep our sense of community going by sharing your yoga experiences in our Yoga Group page, by email, and on this page. And so, despite the distance between us, we continue to weave the subtle threads of communication into the richly patterned and colourful fabric of our yoga community.

I know that I have missed you all. All those cheerful pre-yoga catch-ups and post-yoga reflections. How gratifying it is to still be able to share them with you from a distance - once again thank you. Communication and community - how interesting that those two words share the same stem!

As we move into the colder months, there will be more rainy days and more opportunities to evolve our practice. So please keep sharing and communicating. Although we may practice alone on our mats, we still have the bonds of friendship that we have forged through our mutual love of yoga, that we share in our hearts.

In love and friendship, Sarah

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Jack Kornfield is one of my favourite philosopher's.

Karma, Intention & Wise Speech - Jack Kornfield Karma, Intention & Wise Speech People often struggle to understand karma. Karma is simply the law of cause and effect, and in our lives this law of cause and effect depends on our intention. To understand, notice how the motivation or intention preceding an action determines the future karmic result...