This has been a Summer to be truly immersed in nature, with so much wonderful weather. I hope you have been able to enjoy the outside. I have enjoyed sitting in my garden and in Borough Gardens, swimming in the sea, camping, walking, and gardening; hopefully, it has been nourishing for you.
The energy of Summer is high, and there may be a relief for some that the days are becoming shorter, that the rain has finally come, we can begin to slow down, and maybe start tackling a few indoor chores!
We often think earth and nature is outside us, yet earth is as much within us as it is outside. Our yoga practice helps us access the earth within us whenever we choose, through sound and meditation. So if you haven’t been able to get out much, or when the winter months come, we can still access the earth. Through slow stretching and forward bending, and relaxation. Our planet Earth has a frequency, a series of octaves that has been measured by modern science as ranging between 7.83Hz and up to 150Hz when earth is particularly active. We can tap into that frequency through sound and meditation, through being present in our bodies, through chanting or listening to certain music. This grounds us, calms, stabilizes, and soothes us.
“This is not our home, this hectic hurry of life,
This fast-lane pace, switching, speeding, spinning.
We were made to dwell in the slow unfurling of a rose,
Or at a point where the seed breaks open
To send forth the first wakening root tip.
We are breath and the slow tide of earth’s
Reaching for the bright moon”
Catherine Pawson
500 hour Viniyoga Teacher Training Course 2026-2028
Kim Burnham and I are offering a free Open Day, to come and find out more about our 500 hour Viniyoga Teacher Training Course, which we are starting in April 2026. The training will take place over 3 Years, a complete and authentic Viniyoga® training, which originated from the teachings of Professor T Krishnamacharya and ‘Sir’ TKV Desikachar, and further developed by Dr. Kaustubha Desikachar, who is the son of ‘Sir’ Desikachar.
Join a deeply immersive and transformative journey into the heart of classical yoga.
- Connect with the deep roots of yoga philosophy and practice
- Gain skills to teach 1:1 and group classes
- Experience a personal journey of self-awareness, empowerment & healing
- Learn how yoga supports physical, mental, and spiritual transformation
Want to know more? Book a space to come and meet us at our open day, Saturday, October 25th, 10.30-1.00 pm.
New Classes
We have lots of exciting new classes starting this September, as we settle back into our routines. If you are already established in a class, please recommend them to friends, family members or your clients if you think they would be suitable.
We are glad to have back a Sunday evening class at 5.00-6.00 pm called Body Flex and Flow with Maxine Craig, “A special fusion of Yoga, Tai-Chi inspired movement, & Pilates set to uplifting & motivating music”.
Our chair classes are very popular, for those who have difficulty or prefer not to work floor-based, and so we are pleased to offer another chair class. Chair Pilates with yoga and pilates teacher Kim Jones, Mondays at 9.30 am.
More about our pilates classes
Fred Burnham is starting a class called Natural Tuesdays. Fred is inviting you to embrace the transition into a new season with a series of 9 progressive sessions designed to help you wind down from the busy summer months. Tuesday evening at 7.45-8-45pm
More about Natural Tuesdays
Ness Sherry is taking over my 12.30pm Friday Mixed Ability class. It will still be a class suitable for beginners and those with some experience, renamed Yoga Energetics. A spacious, considered practice designed to help you release tension, reconnect with your body, and calm the nervous system.
More about Yoga Energetics
Ness is also offering an Ashtanga Immersion Weekend on the 13th and 14th of September.
Find out more here
And finally, a new early morning Pilates class with Sharon Morgan: Wake Up Wednesday 8-9 am.
View Sharon’s timetable
New Therapist
A big welcome to massage therapist Jon Crossley, who is joining our therapy team. Jon caught my eye as he trained at the same excellent school as I (BCMB) when I was a massage therapist.
Find out more about Jon and what he will be offering
A no-risk policy is the biggest risk of all
In previous newsletters, we started looking at eight of the most uncomfortable but essential truths we all need to accept in life, written by Dr Kausthubha Desikachar.
- The only one who can change you is You!
- Only you can give yourself closure!
This month we look at number 3
- A no-risk policy is the biggest risk of all!
Are you convinced that playing it safe and staying in your comfort zone is the smartest thing to do? The truth is, it is not because living in constant fear of failure, hurt, and disappointment also means missing out on some of the best and most beautiful things life has to offer. As the saying goes, you have to risk failure to succeed and risk heartbreak to find love. Taking risks is essential if you ever want to experience worthwhile things like love, friendship, passion, and adventure. These things all come at a cost, but the price is considered much better paid than living a life full of regrets.
“We remember how to break open to beauty,
To stand weeping in our own magnificence
Even through the grief of it all,
To breathe and to cry and to split
our whole being in one smile”
Catherine Pawson
From Thursday 18th to Sunday 28th September, we have the final 10 days of The 3 Year Viniyoga Therapy Training, with Dr Kausthuubha Desikachar, which some of our teachers are doing. There will be some disruptions to the weekly timetable, but as always, the centre will be full of the energy of Vedic chanting and yoga philosophy. We look forward to welcoming you to the Autumn term
From Sharon and all
September Events
Friday 5th 6.30-7.30 pm
Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button
Sunday 7th 2.00-4.00 pm
Meditation and Energy Workshop – Illumination With Lucy Bowtell
Friday 12th 7.00-8.30 pm
Tuning Forks For Stress Relief with Nicki Greenham
Saturday 13th 10.00-11.15 am
Slipslidin’ Away Pilates Workshop with Sharon Morgan
Saturday 13th 10.30-3.30 pm
Ashtanga Immersion Weekend with Ness Sherry
Saturday 13th 10.30-11.45 am
Yoga Sutras with Sarah Ryan
Saturday 13th 12.00-1.00 pm
Vedic Chanting with Sarah Ryan
Saturday 13th 1.00-4.00 pm
Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low
Sunday 14th 10.00-12.00 pm
Ashtanga Immersion Weekend with Ness Sherry
Friday 19th 6.30-8.00 pm
Sound Healing With Crystal Bowls with Ellen Wells
Saturday 20th 2.30-5.00 pm
Yin Yoga Workshop with Chrissie Haskett
Sunday 21st 10.00-4.00 pm
Sacred Heart Meditation and Energy Retreat with Rachel Tapping and Lucy Bowtell
Friday 26th 6.00-7.30 pm
Yin Yoga With Toni Franklin
Saturday 27th 2.00-3.30 pm
Reiki Share with Peter Griffiths
Looking ahead to October
Arianna Franklin is back with two Sound baths, one with her Venus gong, which has just been restored to its final glory, and one with her Crystal Bowls. We are glad to have her back.
As we head into the darker half of the year, my Sunday Restorative and Yoga Nidra workshops start back at the end of October. Sharon Morgan’s monthly Short Pilates workshops also resume.
“Somehow, in the process of trying to deny that things are always changing, we lose our sense of the sacredness of life. We tend to forget that we are part of the natural scheme of things.”
~ Pema Chodron ~