An afternoon of Gentle & Restorative Yoga for Rest, Refuge and Renewal
“It's very important that we re-learn the art of resting and relaxing. Not only does it help prevent the onset of many illnesses that develop through chronic tension and worrying; it allows us to clear our minds, focus, and find creative solutions to problems.” (Thich Nhat Hanh)
Resetting oneself through yoga has always felt important, but now it feels absolutely vital for all of us to find practices to navigate the uncertain times in which we live, and find ways to stay grounded and centred. More than ever, we need the ability to reset, renew and to find refuge in our practice. We live in an ever-accelerating world in which we are bombarded by information during all of our waking hours. This has a huge impact on our nervous system, in turn affecting our sleep, our digestion and more. The importance of resetting ourselves, of taking time to slow down, to come back to our physicality and to release deeply-held stress has become even more crucial for maintaining a sense of balance and harmony. It is vitally necessary for our well-being.
This workshop will give you simple, reliable and effective ways for restoring a much-needed sense of physical and energetic integration to your being. In this workshop we will explore gentle and somatic movements, breath work and restorative yoga, all of which will allow us to release some of our mental load; give us a healthy distance from whatever current dramas may be unfolding; and the clarity, lightness, and ease that come from working deeply accumulated tension out of the body. Through focused attention to movement and consciously freeing the breath, we can begin again in this new month with renewed clarity and presence of mind. Restorative yoga is a practice designed for deep renewal, allowing us to unplug, unwind, release and let go, tapping into the source of renewal within us all. We’ll come into longer-held poses in which the body is supported and made comfortable by the use of props to promote relaxation, calm, and quietness of mind. The goal of restorative practice is to increase feelings of safety and release in order to elicit the relaxation response in the parasympathetic nervous system. We’ll end the afternoon with a deeply restful Yoga Nidra practice.
In unplugging from our outer lives for an afternoon, we will give ourselves the chance to plug into our own breath, our own awareness, our own inner being. We will emerge recharged, nourished, and bolstered to meet our lives anew from a more rested and grounded place.
About Sarah:
Sarah is an enthusiastic and dedicated yoga practitioner and an experienced and qualified yoga teacher, committed to making yoga enjoyable and accessible for everyone.
She has been practising yoga since 2001, teaching since 2006, and has completed over 800 hours of training.
She has been teaching pregnancy yoga for over 12 years and feels honoured to have worked with and supported many hundreds of women during this special time of their lives.
Sarah truly believes that everyone can benefit from yoga, whatever their background or current physical condition, and her approach to teaching is one of warmth, encouragement and care and is always tailored to an individual’s needs.
Her aim in every class is to enable people to find more space, peace and balance in their body and mind.
Venue: The Canvas at St Margaret’s House, 27 Old Ford Road — E2 9PJ
Access: If you have any access needs of which we should be aware, please let us know. Entry to The Canvas is step-free, but the toilet is not accessible. If you require access to an accessible toilet, please get in touch with us on 020 8980 2092 or email emily@stmargaretshouse.org.uk so we can arrange this for you.
Dates: Sunday 1st February
Time: 3.30-5.30pm
Tickets: £25