Autumn is here!
I know the summer was great, but now we can be thankful for Autumn: the season of red, orange and gold, an explosion of colour, nature's grand finale! I look forward to walking amongst carpets of fallen leaves as the air turns chilly and the body intuitively feels the need for warmer gentler practices and for more nurturing food. Although I also look forward to a hot chocolate sitting in front of the first fire!
In this newsletter I want to tell you about the new timetable and what is happening over the next month. Plus I want to share my feelings on Autumn, but feel free to skip them if you just want to go to the timetable info.
As you will see I have put together the Beginners Yoga with the Restorative Flow on Monday evening, so that there is only one class starting at 6.30 pm. This is because I feel that the beginners are now more than capable of joining the earlier class. It will be slightly longer maybe 15 mins to accommodate time to go through some basics and focus on one posture each week, just like we did in the Beginners Class.
If I have enough new people wanting to start another Beginners Course, then I would be more than happy to organise it, so let me know if you or anyone you know would be interested.
MONTHLY SPECIALS - booking essential
Sun 9th October: Sweat, Stretch and Surrender (Dynamic + Restorative Yoga)
This is an energising and warming practice to put us in a happy mood and make us feel strong balanced and relaxed. We start with Mindfulness of breath and then delve right into a dynamic standing sequence to work on strength and balance. We follow with a restorative and nurturing seated sequence which instead focuses on stretching, opening and softening the body. At the end, we will feel that we have had a good workout as well as a nourishing and relaxing practice. This is suitable for beginners who are quite healthy and fit or anyone who has done Yoga before
9.30 - 11.30 am / £15
Fri 21th October: Bliss Out- Yoga by Candlelight (Restorative Yoga - suitable for all)
This is a truly relaxing and nurturing practice in a beautiful studio with the fire burning and candles on. We start with Mindfulness of breath and slow movements to warm the body and ease us into a restorative practice when we hold postures for longer with the support of bolsters and blocks to release tension and stress and feel completely stretched, nourished and soft. A really heart warming and soothing practice. 7 - 9 pm / £15
Sun 6th November: Easy Like A Sunday Morning (Restorative Yoga - suitable for all)
This is a truly relaxing and nurturing practice in a beautiful studio to start your Sunday in style. We start with Mindfulness of breath and slow movements to warm the body and ease us into a restorative practice when we hold postures for longer with the support of bolsters and blocks to release tension and stress and feel completely stretched, nourished and soft. A really heart warming and soothing practice which will inspire you to have a really chilled out Sunday. 9.30 - 11.30 am / £15
YOGA WEEKLY CLASSES
MONDAY
6.30 pm Restorative Flow /Beginners
this is a slightly longer class where we move slowly, hold postures for longer and go through some basics
TUESDAY
9.15 am Fast Flow
a faster paced class suitable for anyone who has done Yoga before or has a good level of fitness (if you are a beginner, get in touch before)
THURSDAY
9.15 am Fast Flow
a faster paced class suitable for anyone who has done Yoga before or has a good level of fitness (if you are a beginner, get in touch before)
AUTUMN THOUGHTS
Autumn is a time for composting, a meditative rest which somehow becomes productive and rich in potential. If your life turned in to one long to-do list and as soon as you tick off one task you then move straight on to the next, it is time to pause. Now that the growth cycle of the year has reached completion, and as we enter the dormant, composting phase of the year, take some time to pause and reflect on what you have achieved this year.
In their book "Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World" Mark Williams and Danny Penman talk about the importance of cultivating a sense of completeness, which is a refreshing antidote to the one-more-thing-ticked-off-my-to-do-list frame of mind:
Take time to consider: what have you achieved this year? What do you consider to be your own personal harvest? Which seeds have grown, and which have not? Why have you been successful in some areas and not in others? How would you do things differently to ensure success next year? Who has helped you to achieve this and how could you thank them?
Meditation and relaxation stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for making you feel balanced and at peace.
So committing to a personal practice whether by coming to class or taking time in your day to sit still and stretch or breathe is a wonderful way to both express gratitude and also to cultivate a sense of completion and contentment. So happy practice!
Also in Ayurvedic thinking Autumn is dominated by Vata which governs the qualities of wind, air and change. So it is particularly important to
Stay Warm (light candles, take a warm bath, and drink warming drinks) .
Soften Up: Moisture dry skin (organic coconut oil to moisturise)
Get Outside: to be the Winter blues and SAD (seasonal annual depression), go outside in the fresh air and sunlight as much as possible (it is important to get our daily dose of natural mood-boosting vitamin D)
Sleep Well and Enough (our ancestors and animals sleep longer in winter!)
Nourish Yourself: what we put into our bodies should help us balance Vata: Warm, filling and nourishing meals, cooked with fresh, colourful and whole ingredients will help us feel our best throughout the colder months.
Move Mindfully: Cultivate yoga practice that moves mindfully and draws our awareness inward but at the same time move move move to keep energised, warm, and full of happy
Be Present: Instead of wishing the colder months away and looking forward to next Summer already, appreciate what we have right now. Autumn is naturally a beautiful time of year.
Spice It Up: Certain spices are great for balancing Vata . Cardamom – cardamom is a warming spice Ginger- improves circulation, very good for digestion, and is warming for the body
Cinnamon – helps to balance blood sugar levels (could help with that dizzy and light-headed feeling a lot of Vata types are prone to.) Cinnamon also helps boost blood circulation.
Nutmeg – Also great for digestion, nutmeg is warming and very comforting, especially for Vata types in colder months. Try them in warm nut milk!
HAPPY AUTUMN EVERYONE!