Re-treat yourself

My French retreat is now fully booked for the year, but there are a few spots on our September Rewinding, yoga and wild swimming retreat outside Bath, UK, September 13-15/16 2024.

Here are some pics from last year's Rewinding weekend. For more details see Autumn retreat 

Recharge and Unwind

A Soulful Summer Yoga retreat in FRANCE

July 18-July 22 2024

Who fancies escaping to recharge those inner batteries? Join me over a 4-night, 

5-day soulful Yoga and Meditation retreat in a converted medieval farm, deep in the beautiful countryside of the Loire Valley.

You'll be treated to a revitalising mix of warming, transformational yoga and workshop-style sessions to inspire and develop your personal practice, balanced with nourishing somatic awareness movement, yin and restorative yoga to allow you to go deeper and truly let go. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the practices and the amazing French countryside surroundings for a truly sublime summer celebration.

   

YOGA

Arrive on Thursday 18th – settle in, then enjoy a nectar-infused gentle flow to tease out knots in the tissues and aches from your travels, before a freshly prepared Vegetarian/Vegan dinner.  

Over the coming days you’ll experience a range of styles with a different anatomic and philosophic focus threaded through, but all dancing around the theme of boosting vitality, unravelling tension and recharging ourselves.  

Each morning, we’ll explore different forms of pranayama and meditation, including gentle flowing Yoga & Qi Gong inspired movement meditation outside and barefoot - if weather permits ;) – before a long flowing practice to invigorate and inspire. Enjoy a well-deserved breakfast and chill or play time before lunch. 

Afternoons are free to explore the beautiful area - take a trip to local medieval market towns and chateaux, including a gorgeous one just across the field! Visit the river or tour a vineyard, or just relax in the gardens of the converted farm, swimming in the heated outdoor pool, relaxing muscles in the new sauna, or reading in a hammock in the orchard.

Early evening yoga will vary between workshop-style sessions, flow and restore, or yin/fascia releasing movement and Yoga Nidra depending on the group energy.

During our time together there will be a full moon which we will celebrate with a full moon flow, gather for songs and stories around a campfire and meditation under the stars. 

ABOUT THE FARM
The 700-year-old farmhouse has been lovingly restored over the past 30 years. In total there are four converted barns which can sleep up to 15 guests. There are five bathrooms, all shared. There is also a brand new canvas stretch tent in the garden which makes for an amazing outdoor practice space, a yurt on site which is often used as a meditation space.

Hammocks are hidden amongst the trees in the fruit orchard. There is also a private 16m heated swimming pool, sauna, a games room with pool and table tennis tables. Wifi is also available.

PRICE

£699 per person (private room for one)

£599 per person (for friends or couples sharing double or twin rooms) 

Non refundable deposit of £200 to secure your space* Remainder eight weeks before start of retreat.
Payment plan available. *Unless you can pass the place onto someone else. 

INCLUDES 

Four night's accommodation, three freshly prepared vegetarian meals a day – vegan and other dietary requirements catered for, please ask, and please let us know of any allergies. Food is locally sourced, organic where possible — some salads come straight from the farm gardens. All of the yoga (8 sessions minimum) meditation and Nidra. Equipment provided, but please bring your mat if you prefer to use your own.

EXTRAS 
Your travel to and from the retreat is not included, or insurance. There will be optional excursions throughout the week so please bring additional Euros for extra drinks, meals outside of The Farm, chateaux entrance tickets, and any taxi fares. 
French wine and beer will be available, although at an extra cost (there is an honesty chart on the fridge which is paid for at the end of your stay).  

SPREADING THE GOOD VIBES
​The venue is a social enterprise – the owners set up a charity in 2005 to help those in one of the World's poorest countries to become healthy, educated and self-sufficient. A portion of each retreat will be donated to African Vision Malawi – a non-profit charity helping orphans and vulnerable people in rural Malawi.
For more info please visit ​www.africanvision.org.uk

GETTING THERE
The Farm is located in the picturesque Loire Valley, in between two historic medieval towns, Chinon, and Richelieu.
*By train
Trains go to Tours, where you change trains to Chinon 15 minutes away. We can help co-ordinate taxis /pick-ups nearer the time. 
*Driving - From Caen, Le Havre roughly 4 hours; 3 hours from Paris and about 6 hours from Calais. 
*By air: 

Tours or Poitiers Airport are equal distance and cab share is easiest. We can help co-ordinate. 

* All Yoga and meditation practices will be suitable for all abilities – with inspiration and encouragement to help you progress and deepen your practice wherever you are.  Modifications and alternatives will be offered for injuries and health issues, and challenges for those who want more.

​The daily routine will offer free time – with most activities in the morning and late afternoon before dinner. Afternoons will be yours to use as you wish. We will aim at keeping silence on wakening until after the morning meditation session. ​ 

MORE info or BOOK your space HERE  

and see https://www.retreattothefarm.co.uk 

Raise your voices, hearts and funds for Turkey and Syria

Sometimes it's impossible not to feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness when devastating events take place such as the series of Earthquakes hitting Syria and Turkey. Feeling sorry and a sinking sense of despair and sorrow for those involved, just doesn't seem enough. But we can do things, including keeping the topic in the air so those aware feel loved and held by the wider community, and even more importantly doing something practical to help survivors. 

Coming together as a community helps to hold each other, those in our neighbourhoods with families and friends caught up in the disaster, as well as the many, many unknown who need urgent and ongoing support.

Many of the studios I teach at are holding events to raise awareness and money. Myself and fellow ARC teacher Joelle Green are holding a Flow and Song event aiming to raise funds to help those whose In Turkey and Syria whose lives have been devastated by the recent earthquakes.

Join us for an evening of gently flowing yoga and Kirtan, raising our hearts and voices as well as funds for those who have lost family, friends, homes and livelihoods. With more than 40,000 deaths and numbers still rising, it's the least we can do. 

We are supporting the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) to help survivors with clean water, food, shelter and medical treatment.

Come join the community Saturday March 4th, 6.30pm-8pm at Yoga At The Arc at the Angel, Islington, London.

We start with centring breathing practice, move through a gentle, heart focused flow with me, before being lead through a Kirtan session of songs and chants lead by Joelle Green and her harmonium.

All levels welcome. Saturday March 4th 6.30pm-8pm, sliding scale donations

Book via Yoga At The Arc

Yoga, Mindfulness and School kids

Tools for life should start at school - my findings

Today's papers (July 13th) have been reporting research declaring that mindfulness lessons are wasted on teens. "Giving teenagers mindfulness lessons at school to boost wellbeing is largely a waste of time, a major UK study has found" said the BBC and The Guardian ....

You may be aware that 85 UK schools have been offering teenage pupils mindfulness sessions as part of a trial to gauge whether it was worthwhile introducing it across the board, and so far sessions have been dismissed as ineffective by staff and 'boring' by kids interviewed. Although interestingly teachers found the mindfulness tools useful for their own wellbeing. That phrase Education is wasted on the young, springs to mind ;)

Well, I can't help wondering if it is how the  mindfulness sessions are offered and delivered. I have seen incredible results - witnessed and commented upon by staff. I truly believe that all children benefit from learning to move with awareness, paying attention to their breath, and finding tools to focus, calm themselves and help themselves relax. 

As a yoga teacher, for me mindfulness is part and parcel of what Yoga is – doing whatever you are doing with awareness, finding tools and techniques to help slow the breath, clear and calm the mind and help you focus. I do not teach mindfulness alone but it is of course always present in my classes.

As well as my adult /general population classes, I teach yoga sessions in inner city secondary schools as part of enrichment offerings, mainly for sixth formers. The pupils who sign up for classes choose to come - they could go to a range of other activities, so I am grateful that they do choose to come and keep it up and classes are busy. I have also taught weekly yoga sessions in primary schools, and some sessions for secondary school SEN students.

Of course every single pupil present doesn't stay mentally present for the duration of the class, and there are a fair amount of giggles and trying to put off their classmates, but there are amazingly points when everyone does the same thing - the posture, breathing exercise or sequence that I am teaching! There are times when everyone seems totally engaged and focused in that moment! 

We always start with pranayama - breathing exercises, helping the youngsters to observe, track and feel the breath in their bodies, not necessarily a complicated pranayama but it can be. There is always a detailed class plan, but it is a dynamic one, as you really have to be prepared to gauge the children's moods and make the most of them, move more to less, change pace and shift the energy as needed. 

I always find that getting the children to move through varied asana (poses) is important, some teens do not have any physical activities in their day and posture, digestion and general health can be affected just through that. Some of them moan and others love to try more challenging things and are very capable and encouraging to their peers. Some students are involved in other sports and like to find ways to release hamstrings, to avoid injuries in their chosen sport. They always love to hear why they are doing something, which again is a tool to help them pay closer attention and think what their body needs. K Pattabhi Jois, who developed and popularised the Ashtanga Vinyasa method of yoga in the 1940s (a dynamic, fairly challenging, strength building style originally developed for young boys) maintained that you can draw students in with movement closely linked to breathing and awareness, and then the other aspects of yoga would naturally fall in place. Personally, I think that almost everyone needs to move and release their limbs and stiffness before they can sit in quiet contemplation or even sit comfortably.

However, so many secondary school kids find it difficult to sleep and all seem to enjoy the Savasana, and guided relaxations. It can take a while to get everyone settled and then for many to stop fidgeting, looking around, annoying their neighbour or just moving, especially and understandably in classes for children with special education needs. At one recent SEN class, there were a couple of students who just could not settle for final relaxation, were out of sync with the rest of the class and as the allotted time was ending they all finally just stayed still and silent. As it was an SEN class I had school staff present and the lead teacher just looked around in amazement and you could feel the warmth of her smile. She just indicated that I could let it continue and the following session allocated even more time! It can really help when you are working with a good team. 

When I ask my six form students what they like the best or if there is anything they want to work on, do more of, they all beg for a longer Savansana! Many tell me they try a guided relaxation to calm themselves before an exam for when worried and use some of the techniques to help them sleep.

It's certainly not a huge investigative research, but I have seen positive changes within the room and cover the course and know there is something to be said for giving youngsters tools to calm themselves and assess their moods and stress levels, which they can take off the mat and into their lives. Helping them to pay attention to the breath can do that, how can that be a waste? 

Re-treat yourself

Soothe your soul

A yoga retreat is a chance to explore, expand and develop your yoga and meditation. It can be whatever you want it to be, deeply nurturing, relaxing and a chance to unwind and chill or space for you to really push yourself, taking your practice to a new level.

The word 'retreat' means to go to a place of safety and security where you can take stock, and that sums up the essence of a retreat in my view. A place where you can feel held by the teacher, the community of fellow yogis and the space, so you can be yourself, find out what you need right now.

On my retreats I love to offer more rather than less, so early morning meditation, outside where possible, before a longer session of asana, and then again a long session in the early evening before dinner. The time in between is yours though expect at least one gathering after dinner, whether to tell stories and sing around a campfire or take in the dreamy stillness of the surroundings during starlit meditation. And yet there has to be space, room for self indulgence, time for visits or chilling with a book in a hammock or by the pool.

For may people just the chance to breathe in fresh country air and feel dewy grass under bare toes transports them from the everyday cycle of life to the spaciousness of being able to listen in, think quietly and absorb.

My summer retreat this year is in mid July (21-25th) in the beautiful surroundings of the Loire Valley, across the field from a chateau - the retreat space itself was once outbuildings serving the chateau. It has belonged to the same family for at least 25 years, and over the years they have lovingly restored its creating a welcoming and beautiful space, with a choice of areas for practising :)

Get in touch if you fancy a chance to rewind, restore and perfect your practice whatever that means to you, with home-made vegetarian food (vegan options), in the company of a friendly bunch of like-minded souls. Bring a friend or join solo, you're welcome whatever you decide.

**There's an early bird price for this booking before end of April! £505 pp sharing; £645 for sole occupancy. All food, yoga and accommodation...

Read more about it and see more photos  French retreat

To book or other queries Get in touch

Yoga on water

SUP Yoga (Yoga on a Stand-up Paddleboard) is one of my favourite things to do. Moving, sitting, breathing and meditating on a board on sparkly water is a truly special experience.

For me it really brings you back to the over-arching idea that every time you get on a mat, you come with a beginner's mindset. It should be fresh and new, and approached with a spirit of curiosity and exploration, whether it's your fifth or 500th yoga session. 

When you get on a paddleboard to do yoga, no matter how experienced you are, you are immediately reminded that it will be different today. Coordination and balance change daily – and perhaps you may be aware of that while practising on your yoga mat or with your feet on sand or grass, but you certainly will get a better grasp of your inner 'weather' and balance when you practise on a board. 

SUP Yoga is instantly humbling and great fun... it's hard not to smile broadly when you are out on water with birds, possibly fish all around, and the feel of breeze on your cheek as well as the gentle rocking or moving on the water (depending on whether you are on calm landlocked water or the sea). You genuinely feel at one with nature. 

It's a superb way to help improve focus, help you tune into your breath and like all yoga uplifts the mood. Those near North London can come and join me for sessions – 2022 sessions begin May 2! Join me Tuesday mornings for Sunrise yoga - 8.00 am (it's actually after sunrise, so will be a little warmer than when the sun is just peeping through!). It's an amazing time to do yoga and get yourself focused and balanced for the day and the light is beautiful early morning.

 

Book through the gorgeous Lucie Norris who set up SUP yoga sessions at the Reservoir a few years ago. Those familiar with the reservoir will know there are open water swimmers doing their thing – in a different area! When the water is warm you will not mind slipping in or may even be desperate to get in! But the aim is to keep you on your board ;) You do not need a wetsuit, regular yoga clothes, shorts or comfy togs are perfect, but make sure you bring warmer layers, a towel and clothes to change into in case!

To, ahem, whet your appetite.... this is what doing SUP yoga on the reservoir looks like:

Those near North London can come and join us for sessions from May.

Lockdown blues - the dance will go on

So many people are struggling right now, because of the Covid situation. I have just today had several conversations (all virtual) with students who are feeling low, lethargic or lost as in a fog. If you're in the northern hemisphere, add in the cold, wet, damp and darkness around and it makes it all the more miserable. The first lockdown, here in the UK, unbelievably almost an entire year ago, was at least novel; it was sunny, spring was happening, and we could get outside. We also had no idea of how long it would go on and the toll it would take in terms of lives lost, and the ongoing detrimental affects on jobs and mental, emotional as well as physical health. Yep, it's not been a good time for many people.

Anxiety is not surprisingly on the rise. The World Health Organisation, in 2020, said that one in 13 people worldwide are suffering from anxiety, and anxiety and depression often coexist.

Is there an end in sight? To the winter here, certainly. Snowdrops and shoots poking through the mud show that the next cycle of renewal is underway. Nature finds a way, the never ending cycle of death and rebirth goes on, and we can feel a turning. As for the epidemic, who can say, but vaccine programmes are underway. Being able to get out and meet people, friends, family will be amazing.

As for lifting our spirits, now? I can't just say, 'hey, do some yoga and everything will be fine'. Of course it won't, but moving the body is one of the recognised ways to alleviate anxiety and depression. (I'll come back to this!)

And here's a thing, like many of us, as a yoga teacher I find myself wondering if I should come across as endlessly upbeat to help foster that positivity that is so important in turning things around, Or, admit that it gets to us all, and you know, it's ok to say we feel down, acknowledging what's coming up for us, what we are feeling inside, is part of the healing process.

There are so many elements of yoga at play here. For one the Rasas - flavours, or tastes of life in the Tantric yoga tradition. There are 9 – joy, love, courage, peace, wonder, as well as anger, fear, disgust and sadness and together they weave a rich tapestry of life's experience. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by one particular emotion or flavour of life, we have to work out what we can take from it or at least accept it as part and parcel of who we are, in order to move on and appreciate the full beauty of our lives. 

The dance of Shiva

Remember we are dancers in the continual cosmic acts of creation and destruction. Which reminds us of the dance of Shiva - creating, sustaining – the balancing act – dissolving, concealing and revealing grace. Each cycle will surely end and a new beginning arise, and yes there is a lot of fog in the mix too. We have to learn to make it all part of the dance. And if we don't like the tune we are dancing to? 

Yoga tools

According to research there are tried and trusted ways that we can soothe our nervous system and help change the tune of the dance that we find ourselves in. Of course one of these includes music, or at least singing or chanting.

Ashley Turner, a yoga teacher and psychologist, points out that we can create our own cycles, often negative, interpreting feelings and events based on part experiences. We need to interrupt this pattern of negativity to change the cycle... and we can do this by toning the nerves that affect our nervous system (particularly the vagus nerve which is a conduit between the brain and the body's major organs) and so train the nerves to send good signals and positive vibes.

How?

1 Breathe - taking deep belly breaths, calms and tones the vagus nerve. You can simply place a hand on the belly and aa hand on the heart and concentrate on breathing between the two or just feeling the belly softly rise on the inhale and fall on the exhale.

2 Move the body - particularly through spinal flexion and extension and undulation  - such as seated spinal movements, or rolling cats  - arching and extending the spine on all 4s  

3 Chant - singing or chanting are exceptional ways to tone the vagus nerve – researchers at Harvard University recommend doing both – moving the spine and singing or chanting – before focussing on the breath.

Of course I'd add doing yoga even for 20 minutes at least 3 times a week (if you can't manage a daily commitment!) because you always feel better after yoga. Add in back bends, such as prone cobras and salabasana, and bridges to help lift the spirits and counter the continual forward bending particularly of this past essentially tech-communication driven year! And if you are up for it, why not add in Natajarasana – the lord of the dance pose, an uplifting standing backbend, with or with a belt or use of the wall.

Personally I have a strong meditation and gratitude practice. Sometimes it can be hard to find something to be cheerful and thankful for, but there's always something even if it's I'm alive, whoppee.

Below: Backbends, start small, and warm up the back chain of muscles with cat, cobra, and salabasana

Add lunges and variations

Keep hips forward and tone inner thighs -  

Keep neck long; try not to twist as you enter and exit posture.