The Notebook
A NEW SEASON OF 3-HOUR WORKSHOPS IN BRIXTON
By Paula |
JOYFUL & OPEN: A YIN & YOGA NIDRA WORSHOP Saturday 19th October 2019 | 2.00pm to 5.00pm | £35 / £30 concession Venue: Yoga Point, Brixton A portion of the proceeds from this workshop will be donated to local charity Brixton Soup Kitchen. Starting with this Autumn Yin & Yoga Nidra workshop I will be…
#7pmSwitchOff – How does Blue Light Affect Sleep?
By Paula |
“Light is the most powerful cue for shifting the phase or resetting the time of the circadian clock. In an evening, the blue light that emits from devices (including TVs) suppresses the natural production of melatonin – the hormone you need to feel sleepy – and plays havoc with your body’s circadian rhythms making it…
#SavasanaSeptember
By Paula |
Savasana for 20 minutes. Every day. For 1 month. If I suggested that you put your lengthy to-do list to one side and lie down for twenty minutes right now, what would your response be? This September marks 5 years since I embarked on my #365Savasana Project (which I wrote about at the time for…
New Classes in Brixton
By Paula |
Starting from Wednesday 4th September I will be teaching two new classes in at Yoga Point in Brixton. Yoga Point is an independent local yoga studio established in 2010 and I’m really looking forward to teaching in this wonderful space. Here are the class details: YINYASA (11.30-12.30) This class is a meditative combination of flowing…
NOURISH – Late Summer Health for the Stomach & Spleen
By Paula |
The pair of organs associated with the Late Summer in TCM are the digestive organs of the Stomach and Spleen and the element is Earth. Earth represents nourishment (both physical and emotional), grounding and abundance. In functional terms the Stomach (yang organ) is responsible for receiving and breaking down food while the Spleen (yin organ)…
Teaching Restorative Yoga: Fundamentals Part 1 – A Workshop for Yoga Teachers
By Paula |
Saturday 2nd November 2019 | 9.30am to 5.00pm | £97 Early Bird Price, £127 thereafter. UPDATE – This event is now SOLD OUT. If you are interested in attending please get in touch at ucanyoga1@gmail.com to be the first to know about future workshop dates. Whether you want to teach restorative classes or one-to-ones, incorporate restorative…
Nurture & Nourish: A Late Summer Yin & Yoga Nidra Workshop
By Paula |
Saturday 7th September 2019 | 2.00pm to 4.00pm | £25 Join me for the fifth in my series of seasonal workshops. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are Five Elements that are central to nature’s cycles and are reflected in the cycles of our bodies. Late Summer is TCM’s fifth season and is particularly significant…
Happy & Bright: A Summer Yin & Yoga Nidra Workshop
By Paula |
Saturday 15 June 2019 2-4pm at Embody Wellness, Vauxhall Join me for the fourth in my series of seasonal workshops. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are Five Elements that are central to nature’s cycles and are reflected in the cycles of our bodies. Fire is linked to Summer and the Heart and Small Intestine. In…
Clear & Energised: A Spring Yin & Yoga Nidra Workshop
By Paula |
Saturday 23rd March 2-4pm at Embody Wellness, Vauxhall. Tap into the energy of Spring at the third in my series of seasonal workshops in London. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are Five Elements that are central to nature’s cycles and are reflected in the cycles of our bodies. They are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire…
Calm & Renewed: A Winter Yin & Yoga Nidra Workshop
By Paula |
Saturday 2nd February 2019 2-4pm at Embody Wellness – £25 In Chinese Medicine there are Five Elements central to its philosophy – Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth – with each element linked to a specific season, organ system and emotion. Water is linked to Winter and represents our will and courage; just as water…
Joyful & Open: A Late Autumn Yin & Yoga Nidra Workshop
By Paula |
Saturday 10 November | 2.00pm to 4.00pm | £25 Join me for this upcoming seasonal workshop at Embody Wellness in Vauxhall. In Chinese Medicine there are Five Elements that are central to nature’s cycles and are reflected in the cycles of our bodies. They are Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth, and each element is connected…
Loving Kindness Meditation – Cultivating Compassion for Self and Others
By Paula |
What is Loving Kindness Meditation? Metta Bhavana is the original name of this practice originating from the Buddhist tradition, which can be practised by anyone regardless of religious affiliation. Metta means (non-romantic) ‘love’, kindness, or friendliness: hence ‘Loving Kindness’ for short. Bhavana means ‘development’ or ‘cultivation’. Research shows that Loving Kindness meditation has numerous benefits from reducing…
Knitting for Stress Relief – Stress Awareness Month
By Paula |
Did you know that April is Stress Awareness Month? One of my favourite ways of to manage stress (besides yoga!) is knitting. I’m a newish knitter, currently making this cowl (pictured) to practise knitting in the round on double-pointed needles. I find the process of knitting meditative and calming. Not only is it brilliant learning…
May You Be Well
By Paula |
Loving-Kindness (Metta Bhavana) Meditation Metta – (non-romantic) love, friendliness, kindness Bhavana – cultivation or development To begin your meditation, find a comfortable place to lie down or sit. Your eyes can be open or closed. Start by offering Loving-Kindness to yourself by reciting silently several times: “May I be Well, May I be…
Yin Yoga: Half Saddle Pose
By Paula |
If the full version of Saddle Pose feels too much then give Half Saddle a try. Like the full version, Half Saddle can also be a satisfying stretch for the quads and hip flexors. This pose also provides a gentle opening of the front body, a release for the upper back as well as extension…
Winter Yin Yoga: Saddle Pose
By Paula |
In this short video filmed at Embody Wellness in Vauxhall I am showing you Saddle Pose. On an energetic level this yin posture stimulates the Kidney and Urinary Bladder meridians – associated with the Winter season – and also the Spleen and Stomach lines. Here I’m using a bolster propped up on two blocks to…
A Second Restorative Yoga for Depression Workshop
By Paula |
Restorative Yoga for Depression Workshop – Saturday 3rd February 2018 2.15-4.15pm at Embody Wellness After a number of requests I am repeating this workshop. If you missed it last time or think this may be of benefit to someone you know, here are the details. No previous yoga experience is necessary: Depression can impact our…
Meditate Advent: Can You Give Yourself 5 Minutes?
By Paula |
December can be a crazy month for many of us so it can be even more important to find ways to press pause during your day. If you haven’t started a meditation practice but would like to (or if your practice has gone by the wayside and you’d like to re-start), then why not join…
Warming Yin Season Tea
By Paula |
Try this simple homemade spiced tea. Now that we are very much into the yin time of year I’ve been craving warming food and drink. I have been really enjoying this warming tea that is so simple to make. If you’d like to give it a try for yourself here is the recipe: 4-5 cardamon…
Restorative Yoga for Depression
By Paula |
Restorative Yoga for Depression Workshop – Saturday 25th November 2017 2.15-4.15pm at Embody Wellness Depression can impact our entire being. What we think about, how we feel, how we behave, all altered as dperession creates a state of dysrgeulation in the nervous system. On a physiological level, the whole body, including the respiratory, digestive,…
Autumn Yin to Rebalance
By Paula |
In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Autumn represents the Metal element, which is related to the Lung and Large Intestine Meridians (located in the upper body, shoulders, arms, torso). Imbalanced Metal Chi or Qi (energy) in the lungs and large intestine can manifest as allergies, colds, low immunity and an inability to express emotions, particularly sadness.…