Sarah Rush Yoga

Lotus mudra is a reminder that the lotus flower rises in muddy waters - symbolic of our growth and resilience when we move through difficult times. Today is the ancient festival of Beltane as well as the Full Flower Moon. Together, they mark the threshold between spring and summer, when the world becomes fertile, alive and in full bloom. Traditionally this a time associated with creativity, desire, and the fullness of life symbolised by the union of the May Queen and the Green Man. Ancient Rome held the festival of Floralia at this time dedicated to Flora - the goddess of flowers, spring and fertility marking the renewal of life.

Beltane reminds us that we, too, are part of nature’s cycles inviting us to notice what energises us, what awakens us, and where we may be ready to stop holding back and fully step into life.

In my dream life, I live in the woods away from the hustle and celebrate these ancient festivals living in alignment with the earth but in reality there are days I don’t even look up at the sky, let alone notice the phase of the moon as I constantly race between one thing and the next.

However busy and loud the surface level noise is this time calls us to remember, to reconnect and come back.

So maybe you’re not marking today with a full on ritual under the stars but you can set an intention to pause and take a breath and remember that even when we’re caught up in the busyness of modern life, these cycles are still happening. The moon is still rising. The earth is still turning. Something is still blooming and we can always pause, even briefly, not to some ideal life in the woods—but to ourselves, exactly where we are.

Because even in the busiest, most modern version of our lives… the ancient rhythms are still there, waiting for us to remember.
And when we do—even briefly—it can change everything.

Timetable from Monday 20th April ♥️

With the hideous news of war and the Epstein files this week I’ve been reminding myself of all the good in the world and actively seeking evidence to stop me running away to live in the woods forever.

It really didn’t take me long - I saw a woman teaching people to read for free in Portswood library on Tuesday - she was so kind and patient. It moved me so much that I told her I hoped she knew how kind she was and, I’m blaming this on the full moon that day, then burst into tears. A librarian appeared and gave me a tissue and a glass of water and patted me on the shoulder, although I made a note to self to not return for a few weeks out of embarrassment, evidence again of the kindness that is there if we look. On Wednesdays and Thursdays I work with volunteers at Citizens Advice who give so much so that’s a win. Even on a good day it’s stressful and distressing to witness the suffering of those who come in, but they come each week and give their time. In the UK there are more foodbanks than Mc Donalds now - all mainly staffed by volunteers.

Our practices this week will be focusing on kindness as the Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield states “ If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete” . Practices to soothe and nurture you through mindful movement with breath drawing inspiration from the Buddhist teachings around metta.

Monday’s class is 6-7.15 at St Mark’s Shirley - lots of space plus car parking available. Booking link in bio

This post comes from my heart without any assistance from TW*T GPT

I’ve been thinking about marketing lately because I don’t really do any. I genuinely believe if I work on my energy my classes are busy. I have been teaching for 15 years now and this does seem to be the case. In terms of a marketing strategy, however, trusting the universe is a start but putting something on Instagram occasionally and knocking out a flyer or two probably won’t do me any harm.

So I am really grateful for the work I’m doing at the moment with on my marketting as it’s helping me to focus on what I am offering and why. All a yoga teacher can ever share is their practice and , whilst I’m inconsistent on social media , I do show up every day for my yoga and meditation. If I don’t it doesn’t take long before I’m bouncing off the walls and burning out.

My nervous system is often dysregulated and always has been ,but I don’t always notice, so my practice is only ever about regulation - through breath, mindful movement and stillness. Despite the endless posts on insta from the sorted perfect people who think being “good” at yoga is showing off their athletic prowess in a pose (yawn) especially on a beach (bigger yawn). I know I’m not the only one. There are currently 131,000 women in the UK waiting for an ADHD diagnosis. I won’t be joining the queue because I can’t sit still long enough and anyway I don’t think it’s a disorder but rather a rational response to a world that’s too loud, too fast and too overstimulating. Practices like yoga help quieten the nervous system, slow the pace, and create space to reconnect and give the mind a break from being constantly “on.” It’s only from this space can we begin to truly heal.

So that’s why I do yoga and if that appeals I’d love to see you. Send me a message if you’d like to try my Monday class for free 6-7.15 in Shirley, Southampton.

I was never really a Madonna fan. I think I switched off somewhere around Living in a Material World as it epitomised the hideous greed of the the eighties a bit too much for me. However when I turned the radio on yesterday and heard Open Your Heart, I took it as a nudge from the universe - like a cosmic instruction or something . So I tried my best and managed it for about a minute — feeling gratitude for another day noticing the small good things present and then the news came reminding me of the prick in America playing a game of risk on the global stage.

Some days, opening your heart isn’t easy and as I work for Citizens Advice twice a week now where people don’t come in to tell you their lives are wonderful I do have to dig deep some days.

So once again I thank the goddess for my yoga practices - not as an escape, but as a way to regulate my nervous system — to slow things down, breathe and feel my feet on the ground again. It gives me just enough space to look up, to look around, and to remember there is still good here.

Most people are kind and we do have collective power when we come together in community

So some days take more effort than others and maybe just opening your heart for a few steady breaths is enough to let a little hope back in.

Today my heart opened when I saw a woman buy a coffee for the homeless man at the station, I supervised amazing volunteers at Citizens Advice and I am off for a pizza tonight with my mates - lucky lucky me.

I hope your heart is well and truly open today ❤️

My all time favourite David Bowie died ten years ago today so it seems right to be taking inspiration from my favourite Bowie track (yep pop pedants - I know it’s a cover!) Fill your heart from Hunky Dory

As we move deeper into the darker, colder months the song invites us to “Fill your heart with love today.” Not yesterday or tomorrow but here and now.

At this time of year, when energy naturally drops and old memories or self-doubt can rise to the surface, these lyrics invite us to come back to the present moment. Bowie asks us not to “play the game of time,” reminding us of the teachings of yoga and Buddhism that tell us suffering grows when we cling to the past or worry about the future—because those stories live only in the mind.

This week we will move through heart-opening movement, breath, and mindfulness creating space to soften, to reconnect with compassion, and to remember that we can light our inner spark even when the world feels cold.

When I started teaching Yoga over 15 years ago, I used to feel like Delboy at this time of year smiling inside at the prospect of being a millionaire this time next year as so many newbies turn up for class.

Of course the reality is that by end of February numbers drop again and we fall into our old habits if our reasons for coming to yoga are to “get fit” or some other goal or resolution, generally coming from a place of not being good enough.

I can’t speak for other yoga teachers, especially not the shiny happy full of light ones , but the practices I offer invite you to come as you are because you’re already perfect and there’s nothing to fix or improve.

As an alternative to the goal directed, pushing forward BS we can buy into at this time of year my classes this week invite you to slow down and bow into who you are right now exploring what receptivity means in our body and mind.

Tonight sees us moving into a bigger space at St Mark’s school in Shirley - I’ve totally loved teaching from home over the past 5 years but can’t fit any more people in so I’m really looking forward to expanding our REAL LIFE community as we move into the new year.

Flow and Restore class Mondays 6-7.15

This time next year Rodney …..

To book a class see here

https://www.sarahrushyoga.com/book-online

Timetable from January 2026

NEW community class begins Monday 5th at St Mark’s school in Shirley 6-7.15

Man that was good. Just done yoga on a roof in Barcelona.

I practise yoga most days but don’t get to class enough - it’s magic being with others, breathing and moving together and despite not understanding a word the teacher said I always leave feeling full of hope. If we all did yoga there’d be a lot less friction.

Our theme for October is hope. Not the kind of hope that floats above reality like a wishful thought or naïve optimism but as a conscious choice in how we choose to show up in the world. Working on warrior poses to build strength, backbends to open our hearts and forward folds to surrender and let go of control. Every pose is a chance to meet ourselves again. This is where hope lives—not in the s**t show playing out there but in the courage to choose how we respond in this moment - right here right now.

In a world where despair can feel louder than hope, it’s easy to think of it as a nice idea but hope is one of our greatest strengths. Hope is the courage to breathe deeply even when the air feels heavy and you don’t know which way to turn. Hope is not passive - it’s a practice of remembering that you belong to something larger than you and you can trust in it’s unfolding. With each new breath we have a chance to begin again
and in this way it’s a practice of hope.

Back next week for full timetable plus a pop up moon class on Wednesday in the beautiful

To book a Southampton class see here https://www.sarahrushyoga.com/book-online