Restorative somatic flow: A restorative practice that includes gentle somatic movement explorations and meditative awareness practice. 45 minutes of floor based slow flow starting with supported childs pose before moving into a variety of movements through the whole body and closing with rest for as long as you like. Props: You will need a bolster or firm pillow, ideally two blocks and a blanket or two.
Build strength with Babe: A practice for days when you feel you have energy and want to build some strength. This practice could be done with babe next to you, and for some portions baby could be in arms. We release through shoulders and wrists, move through springy lunges, squats, warrior two and twists before returning to the ground for a rest and an awareness practice to fill your cup weather you are in savasana, feeding or tending to baby’s needs.
Sneak to Peak: A guided creative flow that starts on the ground but sneaks into a peak sequence rather swiftly, giving you a whole body dynamic practice in 35 minutes. Explorative core work, balances, delicious wiggles to release through upper back and side body, and an opportunity to invert if you want it before closing with a forward fold, a rest, and sound. Enjoy!
Upper Body - Activate and Release: An hour dedicated to activating, releasing and re-sensitising through our hands, wrists, arms and shoulders. A nourishing practice that offers the fascia of the upper body a variety of movement flavours - tractioning, loading, playing with weight bearing and springiness and will get your heart rate up in moments to refresh and invigorate. Finishes with a delicious half plough exploration to find space through the upper back and side body.
Strong & Springy: A varied, whole body movement practice with a focus on cultivating springy strength. We start with a brief breath awareness practice, tune up through the hands and wrists and then get to a strong flow that incorporates side plank variations, twisted arm balances, hand stand hops and other movement patterns that will get your heart rate up, challenge your balance and build strength. We close with plough variations, bridge, and seated forward folds. A good one for when you need to move in a steady yet dynamic way.
The Gita and On Connection: A comparative study of the ancient wisdom of the Gita with a modern piece of writing called On Connection by Kae Tempest. I love it when a piece of new writing pulls on threads that have been explored thousands of years previously and feel the modern text massively supports the message of the ancient in this case. We specifically look at the instructions given by both texts in response to the question: so how do I remember? How do I re-sensitise? What is the first step? I highly recommend On Connection, it is beautiful.
The Gita - the manifestations of existence: This talk explores the way in which the Gita explains the interrelatedness of all things. Krishna (or existence itself) is attempting to describe all aspects of manifest reality and in the end confesses - ‘actually there is just no end’. This offers us another perspective on the idea of the macrocosm being held within the microcosm, and of self similar patterns repeating on every scale from microscopic to cosmic.
The Gita - Krishna as Existence: In this talk we discuss one thing that completely changed my understanding of the Gita. We explore what the character Krishna represents and how this reading gives us a clear way to practically apply the teachings of the Gita to our lives. We look at verse 34, chapter 9.
The Gita - Seeing the same Self in everyone and everything: In this talk we talk about practice as a process of sensory reanimation, or resensitisation so that we might be fully present in our lives. A helpful talk for if you are ever wondering - what am I even doing?! Why am I practicing? What’s the point? We explore verse 29, chapter 6.
Twisty Spiral Flow: A fun and creative spirally flow that works with twists in a playful way. Woven into the spiral flow we explore backbends and find spacious strength through the side body in preparation for half moon and side plank variations. Specific breath awareness explorations to find fluidity internally that translates into smooth movement articulation. Closes with a relaxation that you are invited to stay in as long as you like.
Yoga with Babe: A postnatal practice with a focus on regaining a sense of containment through the ribs as we move from the expansion of pregnancy and birth back towards centre. We start standing with movement that can be done with babe in arms, and progress into movements to support strengthening the back body, side bends, shoulder releases, dog pose and a rest at the end.
Wanna practice but just so tired: A slow floor based practice to support you when you are tired. Starts with a chest opener on blocks to invigorate and massage the upper back, moves into some breath awareness to rest and open the lungs, and closes with a twist and childs pose. Short, sweet, potent. Could be lovely to unwind before bed or to release after a long day at the computer or feeding a baby etc. A class for all and appropriate post natal practice. Props: 2 blocks
Attune to Inner Rythms: This practice invites a tuning into the multiplicity of inner rhythms that oscillate and bubble beneath the surface. We work with movement and stillness with a particular focus on opening strength and steadiness through the feet in balancing postures. Find a sense of containment and space through the ribs in a variety of contexts and explore crow pose, half moon, side bends and forward folds, with seated hip releases to settle into stillness before we rest and chant. Less instructions and more quiet time here. Enjoy!
Into post partum: A practice to honour your transition into post partum. This class can be done with your baby, and includes chanting, gentle movement, and awareness practices to facilitate presence even when attention may be oriented outwardly towards babe. You can do this class 6-8 weeks post partum or once you have had the go ahead from your midwife or doctor. Enjoy :)
Shiva Shambho: Calling to Shiva, remover of ignorance - the aspect of ourself that calls in remembrance of our pertinence to the bigger picture of existence and nature, when we maybe forget or feel small and lost. Maha (great) deva (god) and Shambho is another name for shiva. I learned this melody from Stephanie Snyder. Enjoy!
Sita Ram Melody variation: A beautiful and simple melody that I first heard from the wonderful Naomi Absalom. Chanting the names Sita and Ram. Sita and Ram, queen and king of the universe, masculine and feminine; the integration of both within us. Deeply in love, and many stories of losing each other and finding each other, just as we forget and then remember ourselves. A call to the deepest remembrance of who we are, a call to trust and faith and perseverance.
Integrating Flow - Vyana Vayu: A practice that explores a sense of integration and wholeness via the energetic flow known as vyana vayu. This is said to be the subtle movement of prana through our system that organises and connects, and can be sensed most clearly via the vascular system, the flow of our blood. This practice focuses on finding a sense of balance, and begins on the ground with supported bridge variations, supine tree pose and builds towards a strong and steady flow that cultivates a felt sense of continuity and inner spaciousness. Options to play with a variety of balancing postures including tree, half moon, standing splits and handstand should that tickle your fancy. Opens and closes with mantra and stillness. Enjoy!
