Hearth and Soul NZ

15/10/2026

I have a beautiful few days at home now, settling in, gardening, resting, soaking. From Monday, it's back into the swing of things and the next couple of months have got some yumminess attached.

Firstly...at The Sanctuary here at home...
There's a reset package available that combines Soul Chats, tarot and massage and runs over 4 or 6 weeks.

Package one - 4 weeks - $490
Week 1
Start with an intention setting Soul Chat (30 mins), and a 60 minute massage.
Week 2 and 3
Dive into weekly massage to give your body a beautiful dose of connection.
And, each week I'll send you a reading - the 20ish minute check in - audio recorded and dropped in your inbox of choice.
Week 4
Finish with a full Soul Chat and 60 minute massage.

Package 2 - 6 weeks- $710
Week 1
Start with an intention setting Soul Chat (30 mins), and a 60 minute massage.
Week 2 through 5
Dive into weekly massage to give your body a beautiful dose of connection.
And, each week I'll send you a reading - the 20ish minute check in - audio recorded and dropped in your inbox of choice.
Week 6
Finish with a full Soul Chat and 60 minute massage.

I'm still available for Soul Chats ($95), massages ($95 an hour) and the check in reading dropped in your ĺinbox ($35). And there's massage vouchers available for Xmas too.

Hello Sunshine Studio I'm back from Monday. Remember there's no classes Friday so make the most of Monday and Tuesday. I'm also teaching the Saturday 10am Yoga next week.
Monty will be in all the classes.

The Friday night specials are sneaking up too. More on those next week or check out MindBody from November 6.

Deep blessings from ne and Monty tail wags

11/10/2026

A very special new moon tarot reading, recorded at Yulara, about 20km from this big incredible rock.

Listen to New Moon general reading 11 10 26 by Natasha Mathis on

Yoga teacher and creative

08/10/2026

The rim of King's Canyon, Northern Territory.
There's something indescribable about standing on what was once the sea floor, in a land so, so ancient. Yesterday, a river whose course has changed a metre in the last 350 million years: The slowing of time as we crossed.

This trip is pleasure, joy, and the profound recognitions of the last six months having time to settle in. To care for my neurospicy self is like learning to live all over again. It is beautiful and occasionally sad - yesterday swinging my legs while sitting at breakfast and hearing a younger me getting told off. There are things I had put down to being taught manners, that braced and contained ways of soothing a constantly overwhelmed nervous system. I swung my legs gently, rhythmically and playfully; reclaiming.

To all of my fellow late bloomers (nod to a fabulous podcast), be kind to your self as you navigate this. There are those moments of deep grief and wild joy and holding them simultaneously is a whole experience.

Tomorrow - my first sighting of Uluru 🩷

04/10/2026

Traveling tale
There are moments where I just know I'm going to be right place, right time. Then there are moments where the universe confirms this radical assumption.

The theme song for this trip is Solid Rock by a band called Goanna. I heard it in Perth back in high school days, and the story is that the artist had a profound experience at Uluru. It played at an event a couple of years ago and I knew, just knew, that it was time to go to Uluru.

This morning, mistakenly taking the long way to Bay 75 to catch the bus to the airport, I'm just a little fizzy by the time I clear security. Of course, even running late, I have time for breakfast: Autistic Virgo giving her ADHD brain just enough dopamine while ensuring I'm not a complete basket case when I get to my Gate.

As I wait for my coffee, the Cafe starts playing...

Yep...

Solid Rock by Goanna.

Next stop: Alice Springs

29/09/2026

It will be a very special tarot night next Wednesday.
Mandy Tiffen, astrologer extraordinaire, is hosting this month while I'm away. Monty will still be in the house. Bring your cards, your curiosity, and readiness for some belly laughs.

Come and explore the intersections of tarot and astrology through the elements. Enjoy that community vibe that is part of Be Different Studio, Napier by Clare Babbage and give Monty some loves.

This night will be cash only so $25 to Mandy.
6-8pm
Upstairs from Chantal's on Hastings St, Napier.

28/09/2026

Today...because then I'm officially on holiday until the 19th.

4 beautiful classes Hello Sunshine Studio
10am Slow Flow
11am Yin
5.30pm Slow Flow
6.30pm Yin

Monty will be in all four 🐾

This holiday is such a long awaited joyful celebration of simply being me. I've thought about how to describe this state, a lot. So many of those rehearsed conversations that are a classic of my brain; and I'm noticing an interesting phenomenon when I talk to actual people about happily flying solo - celebration. I love that I am surrounded by women who celebrate the joys of traveling solo, of paying the single supplement on the tour, and of being solo. There's no 'oh, you'll meet someone', there's just celebration and I love that. The truth is, I don't want to meet someone. I've had great loves in my life. Now, it's time for me, and this trip is...mmm...yummy.

Oh, and Monty is in beautiful hands with a wonderful house sitter doting on him while I'm away.

I'm back on the mat and in the sanctuary from October 19.

25/09/2026

There's an idea that floats about in spiritual teachings, and I use float deliberately, that is about blooming where we are planted. Various teachers are attributed to it and it can be found in the yoga teachings as santosha - contentment. But...and it's a big but...it doesn't mean putting up with sh*tty circumstances. It doesn't mean not repotting yourself when you outgrow your space. Far from it.

But spiritual bypassing can easily glorify the concrete and forget the struggle, or see the struggle as worthy and the ample garden as less. Suffering for the sake of suffering is just silly, and often linked to ego - 'look at me doing all these austere practices joylessly'.

It's is ungrounded spiritual practice, practice seeking to leave the ground, the earth, the messy stuff of life for transcendence. It floats about and often glorifies inequity, injustice, and how screwed up the world is as proof of the illusion of the world. Illusion??? I don't think suffering is an illusion. And I don't think the profound teachers who taught about suffering meant you could bypass it on your way to enlightenment. That's why Mother Teresa as often found washing pots in the kitchen, Radhanath Swami dishing up the lunch.

And not joylessly.
Far from it.
Some of the biggest smiles and laughs can be found right there in the kitchen.

So please plant a luscious garden.
Please break the pot that is containing you.
Please laugh.
Find joy.
Find pleasure.
Bloom ecstatically.
And fight the patriarchy/inequity/injustice while you're at it.

20/09/2026

With the full moon at the end of the week, and Spring Equinox in the middle, it's a powerful week for contemplating. I am definitely one for saying we need more contemplation in our lives - time just sitting with nothing much going on, letting thoughts land. My favourite places for contemplation: tucked up with Monty in a patch of sun; a spot by the sea; a middle distant pause in the garden that turns into sitting for a while; a Cafe lingering solo coffee with an open journal and no agenda...

This week is the week I get to say I'm fully booked until I go away (woohoo) so if you want a Soul Chat or massage, bookings are open from October 19.

I'm teaching some loveliness Hello Sunshine Studio before I leave, of course,
Monday
10am Slow Flow
5.30pm Power Flow
6.30pm Slow Flow

Tuesday
10am Slow Flow
11am Yin
5.30pm Slow Flow
6.30pm Yin

Friday
9am Slow Flow
10am Yin

Next week I'm teaching the Monday and Tuesday sessions above. Then it is bon voyage across the ditch for some fabulous contemplation time.

It's a Taking Yoga Deeper weekend this weekend so lots of yoga deliciousness ahead. If you've wondered about this, the next course will be across 2028 and now is a great time to have a chat with me about preparing, what you might be looking for and all the wonder of the 12 month journey itself.

So what about 2027? I'm starting to design a couple of shorter courses, and some beautiful day retreats for the coming year. I'll keep you posted.

Blessings for a beautiful week!!!

19/09/2026

Monty ran for the couch as soon as his lead was off, looking at me like I was mad to be taking a photo.
The drops were luscious by the time I came inside.
A perfect yoga day.
9am Power Flow
10am Slow Flow
(covering these morning sessions)
3-5.30 Cacao and Yoga
Yummy Hello Sunshine Studio