Ridgeway Yoga

How's everyone doing?
All are welcome to my hatha yoga classes at Woodcote Village Hall when they start again in September, whether you're coming along for the first time or you have practised before. Both classes offer options to work more strongly or more gently, and include breath work (pranayama), postures (asana), sometimes a few sun salutation variations, a little meditation, and always relaxation at the end to help the body and mind assimilate all that has gone on in your practice🧘‍♀️🧘🧘‍♂️🙂
Tuesdays 6th Sept-18th Oct, 6.00-7.15pm, £8 drop-in or £49 for the 7-week term (a £7 discount)
All classes are at Woodcote Village Hall this term.
Wednesdays 7th Sept-19th Oct, 7.15-8.30pm, £8 drop-in or £42 for the 6-week term (a £6 discount) (NB NO class Wed 12th Oct)
Please note: the 2nd class of term on Wed 14th Sept is at Goring Heath Village Hall, on the main road (B471) between Pangbourne and Woodcote, in Whitchurch Hill opposite St Johns Church and the recreation ground. Postcode RG8 7NY. It has a car park. Drive slowly, as if you blink you'll miss it!

This week's classes, the last of the term, are cancelled, as I have Covid. Please check your email regarding refunds. We start back again on Tues 6 and Wed 7 Sept. Enjoy the summer, stay safe, and see you in September🧘‍♀️🧘🧘‍♂️

Tonight's class is cancelled due to the extreme heat. Dedicate your time at home instead to a seated breath meditation, followed with a long Savasana. Remember, you are a human being, not a human doing or a human acting. Restorative yoga: changing the world one savasana at a time 🙂🧘‍♀️🧘🧘‍♂️

Photo credit: Robert Beijil

Thank you Ruth at MooYoga for covering classes last week when I was away. This week we're back at Woodcote Village Hall on Tuesday 6-7.15pm, and Goring Heath Village Hall on Wednesday 7.15-8.30pm as we centre ourselves with some cooling practices during this warm and sunny weather 🌞🌤 ☀️
💦 Please bring drinking water with you in case you need it 💦

Quick reminder that tonight's yoga class 7.15-8.30pm is at Goring Heath Village Hall on the main road (B471) between Pangbourne and Crays Pond/Woodcote, in Whitchurch Hill opposite St Johns Church and the recreation ground. Postcode RG8 7NY. Car park beside the hall.

Unfortunately the class on Tues 14 June is cancelled, with apologies. Perhaps try a little home practice instead. Start with a warm up and see where it takes you 🧘🤸
(All other classes are due to go ahead as planned.)

Classes this term start tomorrow!
Tuesdays, 6.00-7.15pm, 7 June - 26 July
An 8-week term, £8 drop-in or £56 (an £8 discount). All classes Woodcote Village Hall except 14 June, at Goring Heath Village Hall*.
Wednesdays, 7.15-8.30pm
15 June - 27 July, a 7-week term, £8 drop-in or £49 (a £7 discount)
Classes on 22 June and 13 July are at Goring Heath Village Hall*.
*in Whitchurch Hill on the B471 Pangbourne - Crays Pond road, opposite St John’s Church, Whitchurch Hill, RG8 7NY.

Lovely to share a little Festival Calm yoga this morning for . Thank you for inviting me, thank you for coming everyone, and enjoy the rest of your day!
🧘🧘🧘

A quick reminder: no yoga class this evening (Wed 11 May) as it's the monthly British Modern Military History Society event in the main hall. Instead, roll out your mat, have a blanket ready to cover you to keep warm, set a timer for 20 minutes and lie in Savasana (relaxation pose). Some people like to have a scarf lightly covering their eyes, or use an eye pillow. Sometimes it's nice if you have two eye pillows to allow them to rest gently in your upturned hands. Enjoy this time you have given to yourself. You deserve it, and you are worth it.

[Image credit: Robert Beijil CC A 2.0]

It's been brought to my attention that there has been a road traffic collision this afternoon Tues 10 May on the Reading Road between Crays Pond and Goring on Thames and the road is closed (16.40). Please allow sufficient time for an alternative route to Woodcote if travelling from Goring or Streatley to class. Holding those affected in our thoughts this evening.

Classes begin again this week at Woodcote Village Hall. Tuesdays: 26 April – 24 May, 5-week term, £8 drop-in or £35 (a £5 discount). Wednesdays: 27 April – 25 May (NO class Wed 11 May due to another hall booking), £8 drop-in or £28 (a £4 discount). All welcome, get in touch if you'd like to come along.
Face coverings until you are on your mat are now optional, however as Covid19 cases remain high you may wish to continue wearing them as you arrive and leave. Bring warm layers and a blanket to help keep you cosy for relaxation too.
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A quick reminder: no yoga class this evening (Wed 9 March) as there is another main hall booking. Instead, take a seat, in a chair or on a block, if the latter with legs extended or ankles crossed. Set a quiet alarm for 10 minutes, lengthen the spine, relax the shoulders away from the ears, then rest your hands palms face up or down on your thighs or knees. Eyes can be closed or gaze downwards. Then, without changing it in any way, observe your breath without judgement, noticing where in your body your inhale begins, and where your exhale begins, how it changes. When the alarm sounds, turn it off. Notice and enjoy the moment of peace and calm you have created, and continue with your evening.

Classes begin again tomorrow evening, Tues 1 March 6.00-7.15pm, and Wed 2 March 7.15-8.30pm at Woodcote Village Hall. Tuesdays: £8 drop-in, or £42 for 6-week term (a £6 discount). Wednesdays: £8 drop-in, £35 for the 5-week term (a £5 discount) NB no Wed class 9 March. All welcome, get in touch if you'd like to come along.
Face coverings until you are on your mat are now optional. Please remain considerate of your fellow yogis. Bring warm layers and a blanket to help keep you cosy for relaxation too. All welcome.

Gentle reminder: no yoga on Wed 9 Feb, due to another regular monthly hall booking. Perhaps instead try a home practice, and dedicate it to someone you love or loved dearly. I shall be dedicating my usual class time to my kind and generous dad, born in 1930, died in 2007. He would have been 92 on 09/02/22.

CHOIR sings OM SO HUM Mantra (Must Listen)

In this week's classes we thought about Santosa - contentment - as a touch point throughout our yoga practice. In maintaining a compassionate, positive attitude, we can cultivate acceptance of what happens and learn from it. We can see the gift in the present situation we are in: one may have aims for the future, but the progress for growth in today’s class is enough. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the niyamas, of which Santosa is one, are the 2nd of the eight limbs of yoga. They turn inwards, and concern the right attitudes to cultivate with regard to oneself. We concluded with the so ham (or hum) mantra, connecting with our breath, and with those and the world around us. Sharing the following with the classes via email today, I thought it would be nice to share it more widely. With thanks to the choir, and to Meditative Mind for sharing it on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA4XX15xatk&t=23s

CHOIR sings OM SO HUM Mantra (Must Listen) OM SO HUM MANTRA with EPIC CHOIR @ 432Hz'So Hum is derived from Sanskrit and literally means "I am That" . it means identifying oneself with the universe or ...

A gentle reminder that there is no yoga on Wednesday 12 Jan, due to another monthly hall booking.

Happy New Year! Classes begin again this evening, Tues 4 Jan 6.00-7.15pm, and tomorrow Wed 5 Jan 7.15-8.30pm at Woodcote VillageHall. Tuesdays: £8 drop-in, or £49 for 7-week term (a £7 discount). Wednesdays: £8 drop-in, £35 for the 5-week term (a £5 discount) no class 12 Jan, 9 Feb. All welcome, get in touch if you'd like to come along.
To help keep you and your fellow yogis safe, please wear a face covering until you are on your mat. Bring warm layers and a blanket to help keep you cosy for relaxation too!

Regretfully this evening's extended yoga class (Tues 14 Dec 6-7.45pm) is cancelled, following the updated guidance for village halls. I will certainly try to reschedule a longer class for sometime in the New Year, when hopefully things might have eased again, and when we might be in need of some rejuvenation and positive thinking for 2022! If things ease, term restarts on Tuesday 4 Jan, 6.00-7.15pm, in the main hall at Woodcote Village Hall.
Keep safe everyone, look after yourself, seize the day, do the things you like to do, and have a Happy Christmas 🎄

When it gets very busy it's good to make space for some extra time for yourself, to give you a store of energy to help get you through the busy times. My last classes of 2021 on Tues 14th and Wed 15th Dec are now half an hour longer. You'll still be able to leave at the normal time if you wish, but for those who'd like stay longer, we'll have some additional restorative poses.
PS No extra charge :-)

Looking forward to exploring the 2nd chakra, the Svadisthana (sacral) chakra to help bring our emotions into balance at this week's Tuesday class 6-7.15pm, in the main hall, Woodcote Village Hall, Reading Road, Woodcote, RG8 0QY, though sadly NO yoga on Wed this week.
Image: Skangel99, CC3.0

Looking forward to meeting again this week as classes return on Tuesdays, 6.00-7.15pm, and Wednesdays 7.15-8.30pm, in the main hall at Woodcote Village Hall, Reading Road, Woodcote, RG8 0QY. Both are mixed ability, all are welcome. Please get in touch if you'd like to attend. £8 drop-in, by card reader or exact cash.
Photograph taken 13 October 2021, at Stourhead Gardens, Wiltshire.

A quick reminder that there is NO class this week on Wed 13 Oct, due to another regular hall booking. Tuesday's class remains the same, 6-7.15pm. We're then back as normal next week (19th, 20th) then we break for half term.

Delighted to share that in addition to my Wednesday night class 7.15-8.30pm, from next week I shall be teaching on a Tuesday evening too, following in the footsteps of Vanessa Lynch and Jan Baker. Tuesdays, from 21 Sept, 6.00-7.15pm, Woodcote Village Hall, Woodcote, South Oxon. All welcome. £8 drop-in, exact cash or card payment. Contact me via this page if you'd like to find out more. Many Omms and I look forward to meeting you on the mat!

A quick reminder that there is no yoga this Wednesday (8 Sept). We return next week. Instead, perhaps enjoy some slow sun salutations to honour the warmth and the magical autumn light that the sun brings as the earth turns towards the nurturing seasons.

A quick reminder there is no yoga class this evening (Wednesday 25 August). We return next week, Wednesday 1 September, 7.15pm-8.30pm, Woodcote Village Hall, Woodcote, Oxfordshire.

A quick reminder that there is no yoga class this evening (Wed 4 August) at Woodcote Village Hall, but there is a class next week on Wed 11 August. Instead, create your own yoga practice whilst watching TV by sitting on the floor with or without supporting your back by the wall, chair or sofa 🙂