Ally Armstrong Yoga

It’s a busy week at ! We’re facilitating trauma-informed yoga and mindful movement sessions for several of our community partners, including some brilliant young people , carers with , women at , and staff/frontline workers through the Belfast Trust. Also writing lots and lots and lots of grant applications 😂

All so exciting! Follow to up to date on all the things!

yoga

We’d love you to join us for a day of free wellbeing activities to celebrate the official launch of Belfast Community Yoga! There will be yoga for all ages, mindfulness crafts, and much more.

Drop by for a bit, or stay for the day.

All events are free, open to all, and absolutely no yoga experience is needed.

DETAILS
2 Royal Avenue, Belfast City Centre
Friday, 9th June, 2023 — 10am - 1pm

SCHEDULE
10.15-10.45 - Chair Yoga
11-11.30 - Yoga for Rest
11.45-12.15 - Yoga for Toddlers and Minders
12.15-12.45 - Yoga for Carers and Workers

Throughout the day, massage treatments, homeopathy consultations, and mindful craft sessions will be available. Tea and coffee will be provided, as well as light nibbles from Yallaa Cafe.

ACCESSIBILITY
Yoga sessions will be trauma-informed. Movements will be gentle and options will be given throughout the practice for participants to choose what feels best for them. Wear any comfortable clothing, and there is no need to bring a yoga mat.

Entrance to the venue is on flat ground and there is an accessible toilet on site.

RSVP
Please RSVP via the Eventbrite link in my bio, or by emailing us at [email protected].

This event is hosted by Belfast Community Yoga and funded by the National Lottery Awards for All.

I’m so excited to share a project I’ve been working on lately with and .

We believe everyone should have access to practices that support their mental, physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. With funding from The National Lottery, we are delivering yoga programmes in partnerships with some incredible community groups throughout Belfast.

As facilitators, this project weaves together our backgrounds in peacebuilding, community development, trauma-informed practice, and of course, yoga. We can’t wait to see what emerges.

We’ll be announcing a special event to celebrate our launch very soon. We’d love to you follow us and to share with your friends and networks!

Embodied Dignity ~ a free event happening next Tuesday, 6th December from 1-2.30pm as part of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Festival.

Join me and for a chair-based practice of movement, centering, and rest. We’ll explore what it feels like to experience dignity in our bodies, and how we might cultivate more of these experiences for ourselves and our communities.

This practice will be trauma informed and is open to all.
This is a free event but booking is essential. You’ll find more information and a link to book in my bio. We’d love to see you there. ✨

TAKE CARE / embodied self care through trauma informed yoga and somatics

Join me for an afternoon practice where we will begin to explore the intersection of embodiment and care. You’ll be invited to nourish your body through movement, breath, and rest. The gathering will take place in person in Belfast (I’ll share location details upon booking) and will involve gentle yoga and somatic movement. No experience at all is needed. ✨

The first gathering will be on Sunday, 23rd October from 2-3.30pm, £15 per person. There are limited spaces available so get in touch if you’d like to join.

Friends - if you’re interested in practicing with me, this is my current yoga teaching schedule. I’d love to move and breath and slow down with you. Booking via .

Sunday, 11am / SLOW FLOW at YQ East

Monday, 5.30pm / VINYASA at YQ South

Monday, 6.45pm / BEGIN at YQ South

Tuesday, 7am / VINYASA at YQ East

Wednesday, 7pm / BEGIN at YQ East

I’ve been thinking lately about the connection between self and collective care. Working in both the non-profit and wellness sectors, what I sometimes see is an overemphasis on collective care in one and an overemphasis on self care in the other. I often find myself swinging to one extreme or the other. I’m really interested in exploring the interconnectedness of the two. ⁠
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Gabor Mate talks about this idea of compassion fatigue - that we get physically and emotionally exhausted when we focus too much on caring for others. He reframes it beautifully and says that showing compassion to others is one of the most deeply human things we do. Maybe instead of burning out from being too compassionate to others, we burn out from not being compassionate enough to ourselves. ⁠
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In an exploration of balance and connection and care, I’ve been focusing on the following:⁠
Preparing and eating lots of nourishing food (hello soup season). ⁠
Taking my herbs and adaptogens and vitamin D. ⁠
Scheduling time away (see you next week, London!).⁠
Offering my energy to work that makes mind-body practices more accessible to all. ⁠
Indulging in slower mornings. ⁠
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What about you?

Hey friends👋🏾 Happy Saturday! I thought I’d do something outside of my comfort zone today and offer a little introductory post. Here are a few things you may or may not know about me. ⁠
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- I’m originally from Waco, Texas (yes, that Waco). My husband, Jonny, is from Belfast and three years ago we decided to move here. It hasn’t been the easiest move (hello pandemic), but I’m loving the ways Belfast is starting to feel like home. ⁠
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- I’m an Enneagram 8, Ta**us sun/Virgo rising, and INTP. I’m also obsessed with personality tests. ⁠
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- I’m a mixed race, Black, cis gender woman on a journey to reclaiming all of myself. I recognize that I exist at multiple intersections of privilege and oppression and I’m in a continual process of learning and unlearning what that means and how I want to show up in the world. Befriending my body has been the most important part of this work, which is a big part of why I teach yoga. ⁠
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- I am a pretty avid reader and love book recommendations. My recent faves have been Deacon King Kong by James McBride (fiction) and Holding Change by adrienne maree brown (non-fiction). ⁠
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- I love to cook. I’m not much of a recipe follower, there is always a random vegetable fermenting in my kitchen, and I love using the amazing local produce here in Ireland to create delicious and nutritious meals for myself and friends.⁠
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Your turn! Tell me something about you!⁠
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[Image: Me, sitting on my sofa wearing a black jumpsuit and smiling at the camera.]

Next round of Begin classes starting next Sunday evening!🧘🏾‍♀️✨

October offerings.
Moving into the new month at the end of the week, we have a number of offerings for you.
Yoga Begin October starts next Sunday. This is a 4 week course with aimed at taking you through the yoga fundamentals to build your confidence and ground your practice.
This is especially for those of you who are newer to yoga.
This Friday sees the second in our monthly couples childbirth preparation workshop with Gill Bann].
This monthly workshop works in tandem with our regular pregnancy class to support birthing partners prepare together.
Monday 4th also sees the second of our new Womb Time/Me Time class with Gill Bann] .
Suitable for mums once they have had their 6 week postnatal check, this gentle mummy focused class is an opportunity to also meet other new mums.
Alongside of these lie our regular timetable of classes for you to enjoy.
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I have some upcoming projects that I am so excited to share with you soon. ⁠⁠
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Several of these offerings have been in the making for a while now, and it feels like time and energy are aligning to begin sharing with others.⁠⁠
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I’m passionate about the possibilities of wellbeing and embodiment for collective liberation and healing. I’m excited to be in the process of co-creating some spaces for exploring these ideas and practices. ⁠⁠
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If you’d like to be kept up to date, send me a message with your email address and I will add you to my newsletter list (that is, as of now, non-existent but will be a real thing soon). x⁠⁠
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[Image: A white wall in my living room, with outside light reflecting on a monstera plant in the corner of the photo.]

Join me on the mat this month~
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Sundays, 11am / Slow Flow ⠀⠀
Sundays, 5pm / Begin Course
Tuesdays, 7am / Vinyasa for All
Wednesdays, 7pm / Beginner Flow
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Classes are held at where you’ll find the coziest vibes and the coolest art like this piece by . YQ is also running a special for the month of September so it’s the perfect time to start or come back to your practice. More info in the link in my bio xx

‘Begin’ / a four week course to support the start of your yoga journey
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Yoga is a practice that has helped me and so many others to live a more centered + connected life.
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If you’ve ever considered trying yoga, I’d invite you to spend the next four weeks with me exploring some of the key elements of a yoga practice. Each Sunday evening in September, I’ll be facilitating a series of classes where we’ll explore breath and movement and break down yoga shapes in an accessible way.
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Classes will be held in the beautiful studio from 5-6.15pm on September 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th. More information and a link to book is in my bio. Xx
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It’s been so lovely to be back in this beautiful space this week, moving and breathing together.
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You can join me Tuesday mornings at 7am for Vinyasa Flow, and Wednesday evenings at 7pm for Beginners Flow.
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I’m also teaching a four week course for beginners exploring the foundations of a yoga practice. The course will run each Saturday morning in June from 9.30-10.45am.
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I would love to see you on the mat!

‘Begin’ / a four week course for beginners to support the start of your yoga journey
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Yoga is a practice that has helped me and so many others to live a more calm and centered life, more in connection with myself and the world around me. And that is certainly something we could all use more of these days.
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If you’ve ever considered trying yoga, I’d invite you to spend the next four weeks with me exploring some of the key elements of a yoga practice. Each Saturday morning in February, I’ll be facilitating a series of classes where we will explore breath and movement and break down yoga shapes in an accessible way. My hope is that these sessions will support you in establishing your own yoga practice.
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Classes will be facilitated via Zoom, 9.30-10.45am GMT on April 10th, 17th, 24th, and May 1st. Recordings are available if you’re unable to join live. More information and a link to book via is in my bio. Xx
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Art by
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The sun is coming.
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I’ve been loving seeing the days get a little longer each day. This week on the mat, we’ll be exploring how to embody the energy of Spring — openness, newness, light.
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Tomorrow’s practices will focus on the side body. We will move through shapes and rhythms that help us to both lengthen and strengthen — and to get the breath flowing with more ease, moving with the light and breath and energy of Spring.
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I’d love for you to join me. For all you early birds, I’m teaching a ‘Vinyasa for All’ flow — 7.30-8.30am . Or if evening is more your style, I’m teaching a donation-based ‘Slow Flow’ — 5.30-6pm, just send me a message for the zoom link. Also, recordings are available if you can’t make the practice. Hope you see you on the mat! xx
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Slow Flow // Starting next week, I’ll be offering a 30 minute yoga practice on Tuesdays from 5.30-6pm (GMT). This practice will focus on mindful movement to help soothe your nervous system and feel good in your body.
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Classes will be donation based (pay what you can) and facilitated in a trauma-informed way, meaning that choice, autonomy, and comfort in your own body will be emphasized more than getting a particular shape “right”. Movements will be gentle, so even if you’ve never practiced yoga before you’ll be able to jump right in. I’d love to share a bit of collective self-care time on the mat with you.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’d like to join, send me a message and I’ll send you the zoom info. If you’re interested but unable to join live, I’m happy to share a recording of the practice with you.

I’m so excited for my newest offering at . Starting this Saturday, I’ll be facilitating a four-week beginners course called ‘Begin.’ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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If you’ve ever considered starting a yoga practice, but have held off for whatever reason, I’d love for you to join me in this new course. Classes will be gentle, approachable, and will cover some of the foundational aspects of a yoga practice - hopefully leaving you feeling confident in a vinyasa flow class. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Each class will focus on breath, technique, and flow. Elements of yoga philosophy and self-care will be woven in throughout the course. Here’s an idea of what the course will look like: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Week 1 - Establishing the Breath / Ujjayi Breath
Week 2 - Building the Foundation / Standing Postures
Week 3 - Exploring Transitions / Sun Salutations
Week 4 - Connecting the Dots / Vinyasa Flow⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Classes will held on Saturdays - 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th of January from 9.30-10.45am. The course will be facilitated via Zoom with recordings available if you’re unable to attend live. Investment is £40 for all four classes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Feel free to message me if you have any questions at all! x, Ally

From My Home to Yours // Even though we can’t share a physical space at the minute, you can still practice with me online Tuesday mornings at 7.30am. Roll out of bed and join me for a feel good flow. And, if you can’t join live the class recording will be emailed to you so you can practice whenever suits you over the next 24 hrs. Book online ✨🧘🏾‍♀️

Vinyasa for All / Tuesdays, 7am,


I’d love for you to join me! Message if you have any questions at all✨

How Yoga Helps Heal Trauma: A Q&A with Bessel van der Kolk Trauma, says Bessel van der Kolk, is the residue from the past as it settles into your body. So it needs to be healed through the body as well.

Today I asked a room full of 15 & 16 year olds to share how they were feeling using a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the most anxious, mad, sad, and/or scared they’ve ever felt and 5 being all good, totally chill. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

All but a few all said they were at a 1 or 2. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

As hard as this is for us as adults to cope with, it is also really terrifying for the young people in our lives. I have no easy answers or solutions, but I do have some resources around stress, emotions, and social emotional health I’d be so happy to share. Please feel free to message me. A great starting place is - their YouTube channel had loads of free yoga sessions for both kids and teens. Could be a great addition to your new home school routine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Sending you all lots of love.

We are all experiencing so many losses right now- of work and play, of daily routines and big events, of health and connection, of security. All of our different losses are real, and sad, and also terrifying. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Collective empathy might get us through the coming weeks and months. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Feel what you feel and allow others to do the same. Check in on your people, especially those who are vulnerable. That includes your friend with a hidden illness, and your friend who is self-employed, and your friend who is a single parent with no childcare once schools close, and your friend who lives far away from home. Do what you can to regulate your nervous system. Walks help. Deep breathing helps. If you need something, perhaps find out where to buy it locally. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Stay safe and well. We’ll get through it together.

Sunday Flow // Starting tomorrow, join me for a feel-good flow at GymCo Finaghy.

I’m thrilled to be spending a few days this week learning more about trauma, yoga, and interoceptive possibilities through the Trauma Center, Trauma Sensitive Yoga program. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I never cease to be amazed by human resilience in the face of trauma, and the chance to hold space for connecting with the wisdom of the body is such an honor. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

If you practice yoga, you know that it’s good for your emotional well-being. That’s what brings many of us to the mat in the first place. Science is now confirming what we intuitively know with more and more research emerging that links yoga and positive mental health. One particularly exciting theory is the Polyvagal Theory.

The vagus nerve is our largest cranial nerve. It starts at the base of the skull and connects to our respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems. It plays a part in regulating heart rate, the parasympathetic response (aka rest-and-digest), and even facial expressions. It gives us those gut feelings about safe places and people. Essentially, it is the mind-body connection we’ve heard so much about.

The health of the vagus nerve is referred to as ‘vagal tone’ - the theory is that those with a higher vagal tone are more resilient to stress than those with a lower vagal tone. Lots of factors affect vagal tone, including trauma, stress, and inflammation. Research suggests that yoga might increase vagal tone through deep breathing (especially those slow exhales), moving and humming with others, paying attention to bodily sensations, and stimulating the vagus nerve through a variety of postures.

May you be happy ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
May you love and be loved deeply, ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
generously and unconditionally ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
May your love be expansive ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
May your soul feel at home ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Metta Prayer from ✨💕

Today was a really lovely day of facilitating yoga. I spent the morning with a group of young people in the m-power project at who absolutely loveee yoga, and the afternoon with a group of GPs for their practice-based learning at the Holywood Arches Health Centre. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We typically end yoga with the word ‘Namaste’ which essentially means, ‘the light in me sees and honors the light in you.’ Thankful for this practice and for those I get to practice with. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Yoga is a activity.

This is beneficial for all of us, but especially for kids and teens who are in the midst of some pretty major brain development. By engaging the whole brain, yoga can help to improve focus, concentration, and executive function. Yoga also uses the mind-body connection to regulate the nervous system and the body’s response to stress.

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Teen Yoga | Wednesdays, 4pm at Yoga Quarter

Through mindfulness, movement, and relaxation we’ll explore ways to build social and emotional health in a fun, supportive environment. Join me! Book online or just drop in.