June 2026 Newsletter – Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

June 21st marks the Summer solstice, when the sun has reached its zenith and stands still, the tipping point before the slow slide back to the cold and the dark. This is the moment when we experience the longest day and the shortest night. Like the sun, we are at the peak of ourselves energetically as we fill our long warm days and evenings with action and enthusiasm.

Traditionally, midsummer bonfires were lit on beacon hills in towns and villages, and were kept burning all night. This one was one of the few times a long burning hearth in the home (and remember the hearth was kept alight as it was the energy for cooking and heating) was put out to be relit using the flame of the midsummer fire. The hearth fires would then be kept burning into the months to come, holding back the coming of winter.

A Yagya (or yajna) is a sacred ritual in Hinduism in which worship or offerings are made into a consecrated fire. The offering maybe wordly goods or as subtle as knowledge or meditation; whatever the case, it requires a measure of self-sacrifice. This would be accompanied by the chanting of Vedic mantras. Sometimes done as a daily practice or prayer, or for specific rites, rituals or ceremonies. Yagyas are performed for various purposes, including spiritual growth, health, prosperity, and the removal of obstacles. The fire acts as a medium to carry the offerings and prayers to the deities, invoking their blessings.

In The Bhagavad Gita, yajna is set out by Krishna as a basic action necessary to life, and those who do not perform some kind of selfless service find no home in this world or the next:

“Some aspirants offer material sacrifices to the Gods. Others offer selfless service as sacrifice in the fire of Brahman…some offer wealth, others offer sense restraint and suffering. Some take vows and offer knowledge and study of the scriptures, and make the offering of meditation. Some offer the forces of vitality, regulating their inhalation and exhalation….” Chapter 4. Sutra 25-30

Long languorous evenings, barely turning into true night, have us wanting to stay out late, light fires or barbecues, and feel the magic of the evenings outside. Celebrating the joy of warmth and light, we know, of course, we can’t hold back winter, and we can’t capture midsummer. It is as fleeting as all the other moments of the year, but we can make sure we soak in it, sit in it, feel the warm air, smell the smells of summer, enjoy the abundance of nature all around, hold the feeling within and tend it like the hearth fire for as long as we can, and maybe make an offering…

New Teacher: Jane Hutchins

I would like to welcome Jane Hutchins to the centre. She has recently passed her assessment to be a teacher of Iyengar yoga, and will be offering Iyengar yoga on Thursdays 4.30-5.45 pm, starting on the 23rd of July.
You can find out more about Jane and her class here.

Introducing EarthWise Natural Health with Sarah Burt

Many of you will already know Sarah Burt through her work at the Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre as a Naturopath and Iridologist over the past decade. She has been working as a Naturopath in Dorset for twenty-seven years, treating many patients over the years for a vast range of ailments using herbal plant medicines to get them well again. She would like to share her latest project, using her many years of experience, bringing the same approach to a wider audience.

EarthWise Natural Health is a range of practitioner-formulated herbal tonics, each one designed to support a specific area of health — from calming the nervous system and restoring energy to easing digestion and supporting hormonal balance. They’re made using organically grown botanicals with a long history of traditional use. These have been formulated with anyone in mind and are safe to take alongside most medications. (For example, those on blood pressure tablets, HRT, etc.)

The website is also home to a growing library of videos, blogs, and free guides to help you understand what your body is telling you and how to support it naturally. Those of you who are interested in any aspects of health will find this library of content a wealth of free information.

You can take a free 2-minute health quiz and get a personalised recommendation based on your symptoms: Take the Quiz.

Sarah is offering our yoga community 10% off all products with the code: EARTHWISE10, valid for 1 month. It’s a wonderful way to dip your toe into alternative ways to heal the body that do not involve pharmaceutical medicines, so do take advantage of this offer!

Workshops

We still have many wonderful workshops to look forward to this month before the centre begins to quieten down for the summer. Here is a selection, plus all our regular monthly workshops:

Saturday 6th June Nature Harmonics – with Sian Parsons
Nurture Harmonics is a heart-led wellbeing offering that supports babies, children and families through nurturing, connection-based sessions. Blending baby massage, baby yoga, sensory experiences, relaxation, and gentle emotional wellbeing practices, it creates calm, supportive spaces where families can bond, build confidence and feel held.
Find out more

Saturday 13th June Awakening Truth – with Magdalena Atkinson and Ruth Mitchell
In this fourth workshop, you will be inspired by Gene Key 59 and the frequency of Transparency — moving through the fears that keep you hidden from yourself and others, and into a genuine embodied experience of who you really are. This will be a small, intimate group.
Find out more

Saturday 13th June Hypopressives
Hypopressives is a life-changing breath work and movement practice that restores function in the pelvic floor and core. The unique breathing technique and specific poses improve prolapse, leakage, pelvic pain, diastasis recti, dysfunctional breathing patterns, poor core function and posture.
Find out more

Saturday 13th June Lunar Light
Lunar Light is a 2-hour immersive experience that combines the magic of the New Moon, the deep healing of Reiki, and the integration of sound—all designed to help you manifest with clarity and power. N.B. This workshop is normally on a Friday evening, but is on a Saturday evening this month!
Find out more

Sunday 28th June Roots To Rise
A 1-day introduction to Family Constellations and Energy Mapping with Integrative Embodiment Practices – Exploration of your energy field to find clarity around a chosen theme or relationship in life, love or work. with Dominique Preston and Nicola Moss.
Find out more

Looking ahead to July

We are delighted that leading Advaita teacher, Derek Thorne, is visiting the Yoga Centre again on Saturday 18th July. Deeply established in the teachings of Advaita Vedanta, Derek is able to bring clear, insightful and inspiring vision to these timeless teachings and to articulate them with clarity and flair.

This public meeting is open to all genuine seekers curious about their true identity and the spiritual reality of this experience. Derek will be talking about “The Nature of Reality” and the wonder of Advaita (not two).
Dorchester Satsang – Vedantarama

The session will include discourse, simple guided meditation and the opportunity for Q&A. Suitable for all levels of experience.
More details here

Looking further ahead, we are very pleased that Dr Kausthubha Desikachar will be returning to the UK as part of his European teaching schedule.

Two seminar days will be offered at Dorchester Yoga & Therapy Centre:

Saturday 26th September - Samantraka Yoga-sādhanā  
An introduction to Yoga practice with mantra An experiential introduction to the use of mantra within Yoga practice and its role in supporting breath, attention, and inner orientation.

Sunday 27th September - AṢṬĀṄGA | The Eight Limbs of Yoga  
Exploring the limbs of Yoga as a living and practical process. A practical exploration of the eight limbs of Yoga and their relevance within modern life and practice in the Viniyoga tradition.

These seminars are open to teachers, therapists, trainees, dedicated practitioners, and those interested in exploring Yoga more deeply within the Viniyoga tradition.

Soak up all that June and the yoga centre has to offer.

Namaste,
Sharon et al