February 2017 newsletter

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Welcome to our February newsletter. The weather may be gloomy and cold but in the yoga world there is plenty to lift the spirits and warm the hearts.

As ever, please check out the studio calendar and classes pages on the website for more details. There are workshops and monthly classes below.

Best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at the centre.

Yogathon in Prison

We start with an inspiring piece written by our Yoga Sutra’s teacher Sarah Ryan who was involved in a yogathon in Guy’s Marsh prison:

“On January 26th Shaftesbury yoga teacher Sally Rainbowchild organised a Yogathon in Guy’s Marsh Prison where she teaches yoga regularly. Having earlier sent her my passport details, I turned up that morning and was let in. If you have never entered a prison, it can be quite intimidating, and it was very reassuring to see Sally’s beaming face on the other side of the door lock!

She took me to the gym, where it was taking place. The first session had been led by an inmate who has already taught over 80 hours of yoga, and has signed up for a Yoga Teaching Diploma correspondence course. He has been in prison for 8 years and is hoping to be transferred soon to an open prison, and then to be released in the foreseeable future – when we said good bye, he said “See you on the outside”.

I looked at the twenty-odd prisoners and prison officers on the mats: I knew that some had practised yoga quite a lot, and several had never done it before. I had just under an hour. I had a strong feeling that I wanted to use sound, but at the same time was wary of putting off beginners. I did a simple practice, using asana with breathing, sometimes putting two different ones into a short sequence. When people lay down for relaxation, I talked a little about the beautiful concept of shantih – of how it means ‘peace’, not in the sense of finding a perfect island somewhere, but ‘remaining undisturbed even in the midst of chaos’. I then said that I was going to chant it, and they should just let the vibrations flow around and through them. I chanted just three of four times, but the sound filled that great hall. It was a very special moment.

People like Sally are doing wonderful work. Giving prisoners and officers the chance to experience yoga is so valuable and a significant boost to our society.”

Sarah Ryan

Thank you Sarah for your write up, I have heard from other volunteers involved in the day that the sound resonating around the gym was powerful and healing!

February events and workshops

We have lots of our own powerful and healing workshop and events for you over the coming weeks, especially if you need some space in a chaotic life!

Baby Massage Drop-in with Sharon Cox-Button

Mindfulness drop-in with Jem Shackleford

Gong Bath with our Kundalini teacher Arianna Moretti

“The Gong is the first and last instrument for the human mind, there is only one thing that can supersede and command the human mind, the sound of the Gong. It is the first sound in the universe, the sound that created this universe. It’s the basic creative sound. To the mind, the sound of the gong is like a mother and father that gave it birth. The mind has no power to resist a gong that is well played.”
Yogi Bhajan, Master of Kundalini Yoga

Valentines’s Heart Energy Workshop with Dr Susan Phoenix

Holistic Yoga Day with Duncan Hulin

Baby Massage Course (new 6 week course) with Sharon Cox-Button

Reiki monthly share group with Karen Giles

Yoga Sutras monthly with Sarah Ryan

Alignment Flow Classes with Victoria Boast

Japa and Sound Healing with Stuart Harvey

 

Looking ahead to March:

 

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Silent Yoga with Leanne Jones and Shush Sounds

Mindful Self-Compassion with Karen Duarte

Yoga and the Chakras with Isabelle Taylor

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

And an early insight into April

Transformational Breath introductory workshop

  • Saturday 1st April 1:30 – 4:30pm
  • More information coming soon

Transformational Breath® is a profound self-healing technique which has at its heart the power of conscious, connected breathing. It is cutting-edge breath work, which is safe, natural and easy–to-learn.