calmersoulyoga

4️⃣ YEARS A YOGA TEACHER 🧘🏼‍♀️ ✨️

It's my yoga-versary today! I celebrated with a 7.15am hot hatha class this morning with my gorgeous students at 🤪 with a cuppa and chat afterwards which is the loveliest way to start a Friday! 💖

I had no idea four years ago where this journey of teaching yoga and meditation would take me, the amazing people I would meet along the way, and the fulfilment sharing my version of the practice with you all would give me.

The truth is, four years ago I was in going through of the darkest nights of the soul 💔 I cried 4 times on my first weekend of teacher training! But teaching has held me and healed me over this period. I am unsure how I would have navigated without my classes to hold me steady.

I wouldn't still be here teaching four years later without the support of my yogis, especially in such a crowded wellness space. You have so many options to care for your wellbeing these days, I am ever more honoured for each person that gives their time, trust and cash to Calmer Soul Yoga 🤩

Throwback photos to the *first ever* class I taught after qualifying, which would then become my staple summer garden yoga class. My wonderful friends supported me and we did a little photoshoot with the apple tree afterwards. Almost straight away I realised that teaching breathwork and meditation were as, if not more, important to me than the asana, and so I followed this path.

💫 With thanks to..
for pushing me to do that first class and the lending of the garden, truly my happy place 🌳
🙏🏻 The kind and fun ladies I trained alongside ❤️
for his wise guidance
💗& my long-term students, for your fantastic support of me and our friendships!

.and myself, for consistently showing up week after week come rain or shine, for four bloody years! 🥳

PS. Yoga is on this Sunday morning in the garden, I shall bring cake!

FREE Summer Solstice Ritual
🌞 108 Sun Salutations At Dawn

🌅 Following last year’s 108 dawn sun salutation practice, I am facilitating a celebration of the longest day of the year on Sunday 21 June from 5.30am along with my beautiful fellow teacher

✨️ Performing 108 rounds of sun salutations on the solstice is a traditional, meditative practice to honour the light and tune into the rhythm of nature. This year, we are shortening our flow so it is more manageable, and takes less time to complete.

Practicing together in a group intensifies this energy, and being outside totally connects us to nature. I would love to see you there, invite your friends and join this special celebration 💫

Come and join in for as many rounds as you like! Skip out rounds for rest when needed, and modify as required. You will be guided all the way by Meg and I. The point is to come together at dawn and honour our sacred practice, not to worry about making it to 108 rounds 😚

🕟 Sunday 21 June, 5.30am
📍The Secret Yoga Garden, off Waterfurlong in Stamford
🙏🏻 108 guided sun salutations, in rounds of 9 with rests inbetween
👖Wear comfortable clothes, bring a mat and water. There's plenty of shade if it's a sunny morning
💸 FREE

🎟 To book a space, go to the link in my bio.

Please note this event is weather dependent, light rain will be tolerated! We have a cabin for storing belongings.

The Secret Yoga Garden reopens this Sunday 🤩

A little hidden pocket of calm... tucked away amongst the trees and open skies 🌿☀️

The Secret Yoga Garden is a space to step away from the noise of everyday life and take a little time for yourself. A place to breathe more deeply, move more gently and reconnect with yourself in nature. It's our 5th season practicing in the garden, can you believe it! 🤪🙏🏻

Join us for yoga and meditation:

☀️ Sunday mornings, 10am-11.15am
🌙 Wednesday evenings

🔗See link in bio for timings and booking

Whether you’re completely new to yoga or have an established practice, you’ll be warmly welcomed exactly as you come. Just bring your mat, water bottles and layers (just in case the weather surprises us).

📍Check the pinned post on my page for the location

I’d love to see you there! 🤍

☕️ Open invitation to join us for a coffee after practice

PURE ORA STUDIO 🌈

The studio has been GIVING every Wednesday evening during the spring. We have had a couple of massive rainbows and some incredible sunsets 🌇 😍

I am all for interrupting the class briefly to go and stare at the sky 💓 Thank you crazy, unpredictable English weather!

Such a gorgeous space for our practice (and, yes, we do still work hard most of the time 😂)

HALASANA - Plow Pose

Great for the back and the circulation 💞

Pose pointers:

🤯 Tuck the shoulders underneath before entering to avoid compressing the neck
🤚 Arms should be out long with palms on the mat
📚 Use blocks or a pile of books to bring the feet onto if the floor is too low
👣 Flex the ankles to lengthen the legs and ground through your toes
🤔 Keep space between the chin and chest - and don't hold the breath!

Join me on Wednesdays to prepare for peak poses like Plow, and practice safely. My aim is always that students can take the poses at home with confidence 👌

🌱 Spring Yoga and Meditation classes 🌷

My schedule of classes for March/April are now live and available for booking 🥰 If you, like me, prefer a slow start to the year and await spring to start acting on goals and intentions, now is the perfect time to join me 💫

Drop in: £12
4-class pass (valid for 6 months): £40

⏰️ Please note, classes run for 1 hour 15 minutes, including at least 10 minutes of savasana for deep relaxation. This is a sacred part of closing our practice which requires a little extra time to be enjoyed 😌

My inclusive classes are safe and comfortable for all levels, abilities and genders.

We usually have a theme during the class; stay tuned to this page for more information over the coming weeks!

I'll see you on the mat 🙏🏻

🐫 USTRASANA GARUDASANA 🦅

This intermediate level pose, demonstrated by dedicated student Sandra, melds the heart opening qualities of Camel with the hip and shoulder stretches of Eagle 💫

As always, a really good warm up and use of prepatory poses (half camel, low lunge, shoulder activation, forward folds) are necessary before attempting this balancing backbend.

Interested in exploring some of the more unusual poses, learning about yourself and connecting with your body? Join my inclusive yoga, meditation and relaxation classes every Wednesday at 7.15pm at Pure Ora Studio, Stamford 🙏🏻

🐛 BABY GRASSHOPPER 🐛

Dedicated student Cinzia showing this pose so beautifully 😍

But how did we get here? Lots of twists, hip stretches/activation and hamstring strengthening:

🔸️Seated knee dips and leg lifts
🔸️Marichi's pose (seated twist)
🔸️Baddha konasana (butterfly pose)
🔸️Sphinx pose with leg lifts
🔸️Pigeon pose

With more challenging poses for the body, like this one that involves twisting in front of the knee and fully engaging the legs, preparation is always the way in 🙏🏻

I love secretly teaching a whole class based around a peak pose that no one knows is coming until the end 🤭🤭 and seeing the look on your faces when the pose is understood or achieved gives me all the warm and fuzzies 🤗

You'd be surprised at what you can do... once you've properly warmed up and prepared for it 💖

FEBRUARY
(Oh my goodness January actually ended!)

Join me every Wednesday night for classes 7.15pm-8.30pm.

Movement, breath, guided meditation and deep relaxation 😌

It's what we all need as winter begins to wane.