This newsletter covers July and August as I step back and take a break from organising classes and events until September. There is a stillness to July and August that I love as we leave the giddy heights of midsummer behind us and the flurry and blossoming extravaganza of Spring and early Summer. The world seems to pause, offering a moment to look back to the beginning of the year, reflect on the intentions set, and ponder all that has been achieved so far.
There is a maturing, a deeper shade of green, the canopy closing, the outdoors is calling us, and nature is inviting connection. For me, this is a time for rest and relaxation, lying in the garden, or on the beach, swimming in the sea or pottering on my allotment; these are some of my most relaxing times.
A reminder to check your teachers’ holiday times and the calendar, as the centre is quieter through the Summer. Although some teachers will take a break, we seem to have more going on than we normally do at this time of year.
A welcome to Hannah of Wild Lotus Holistic Healing, who is offering Morning and evening Sound Workshops and small group or individual sound and Reiki therapy sessions in July and August. You can find out more here.
New Therapist: Loulou James
We also have therapist Loulou James joining us in the therapy room. Her work centres on natural back care and spine health, not only as a structural concern, but as an integrated expression of how we move, adapt and respond to life. Many people come to her for help with back-related symptoms, but her work often extends into improvements in breathing, mobility, emotional regulation and a greater sense of internal coherence. You can find out more here.
Looking ahead to September
Basics and Beginners 8 week Short Course in Pilates with Sharon Morgan. Katie Pitney will be back again, offering her massage in the therapy room.
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
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 Hypopressivesis 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.
April started off with a joyous Easter weekend and the start of the 3 Year Viniyoga Teacher Training Course taught by myself and Kim Burnham, part of which included the seminar of Subtle Energy taught by Dr Kausthubha Desikachar.
It was a joyous and mindboggling explosion into the traditional teachings of yoga for our students, and Kim and I were left with feelings of deep gratitude for the honour of teaching such a fabulous group of amazing students, and also to be so lucky to find ourselves in a deep tradition of authentic learning with Dr Kausthubha Desikachar, the grandson of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya.
Gratitude
Gratitude is an essential part of yoga in spiritual practice, fostering inner peace and joy. In Patanjali’s Yogasūtras-s, it aligns with Santoşa (contentment), one of the 5 niyamas.
Samtosat anuttamah sukha labhah Sutra 11.32
From long-lasting contentment arises unsurpassed happiness (as opposed to the temporary happiness we acquire from the pursuit of more and more possessions). This teaches us acceptance of the present and all that we have, and it goes nicely alongside Mudita (appreciation).
One of 4 attitudes to develop if we want to change our behaviour for the better is feeling happiness for other people’s success, not just our own.
Daily gratitude rewires the mind towards abundance, dissolving negativity and attachment. It nurtures humility, deepens connections, and strengthens resilience. By embracing gratitude, we cultivate a heart that radiates love, aligning with the yogic path toward liberation and inner harmony. Quite simply, a daily practice of gratitude will make you feel lighter and more positive.
There are many ways you can practice gratitude:
Be grateful at mealtimes for the food you have and the company you are in to share it.
Make being grateful part of your physical yoga practice, firstly being able to do it, and also cultivating the commitment to do it.
When we realise all that we have to be grateful for, it can bring about a feeling of wanting to give back to the community, such as volunteering or simply doing a good turn here or there.
If you find it a difficult practice and are struggling, try journaling in a small notebook or have a gratitude jar, placing any written notes in it so that in times when you are feeling negative (and this is all of us), you can pull out some positivity to read.
Part of your morning or evening practice can be expressing gratitude to specific people, especially if they are no longer alive or don’t live near you. You can meditate on certain people who have been in your life, and thank them for all you have received or learnt from them.
Last month, I found myself helping a family member with a gratitude list who was struggling. Within the centre I heard the word gratitude expressed many times by different teachers: in the Vedanta workshop Marj Snape expressed deep gratitude for being drawn into a spiritual path, Sarah Ryan expressed deep gratitude for the Sanga of the Yoga Sutra Group, Rachel Tapping expressed gratitude to be able to offer her Lunar Light Moon workshops, and I have heard of my students acknowledging this wonderful weather and the delights of Spring, the beauty of Dorset and the abundance all around us.
Soil to Soul
Mark Sparrow, therapist and farmer, offers humanistic, integrative therapy here at the yoga centre every Thursday in our therapy room. His therapy is rooted in empathy, depth, and ecological awareness, which he offers alongside running an organic farm with his partner in North Dorset.
These two strands of his work come together in Soil to Soul – day and weekend nature-based retreats held at his farm. These retreats invite participants to slow down, listen deeply, and reconnect with their place in the web of life.
Within a carefully held space, guided walks, time with animals, sensory practices, and opportunities for reflection are woven together with hands-on experiences working with plants to make simple food and medicine. Together, these elements support a deepening awareness of the animacy of all beings and encourage more reciprocal ways of relating to all of life.
Farm-grown and foraged meals are provided throughout, and optional camping offers the chance to immerse yourself in the Dorset countryside fully.
Forthcoming events:
Saturday 6th June – one-day immersion
Saturday 13th to Sunday 14th June – weekend journey
I would like to introduce a new member to our Therapy team, Wilfred van Dorp – Feldenkrais Practitioner & Natural Health Consultant. Wilfred van Dorp has been practising the Feldenkrais Method full-time for over 35 years and is one of the most experienced practitioners in the UK. The core of his work – some 80% – is Feldenkrais, with a particular focus on Functional Integration; movement neuroscience with directed attention to create lasting change in how people move, feel, and function.
Wilfred also holds a Degree in Nutrition, is trained as a Homoeopath, and has studied tonic herbs for 40 years – bringing a genuinely integrated perspective to health and wellbeing that is rare in any single practitioner.
Carol Thwaite, who offers Reiki and Tuning Forks in the therapy room, would like to do an introductory offer of £20 for 1 hour (instead of £45) for the month of May. You can contact Carol here.
New Beginnings
With the new beginnings of Spring, it has been so lovely to hear young voices in the centre with the start of Kim Burnham’s Children’s yoga classes on Mondays, and the small cries of babies in Kim Jones postnatal yoga on Tuesdays. We are pleased to have Sian Parsons offering her Nature Harmonics Workshop on Saturday, May 2nd, 10.30-12.30pm. This is a workshop that supports babies, children, and families through nurturing, connection-based sessions. Blending baby massage, baby yoga, sensory experiences, relaxation, and gentle emotional wellbeing practices, which creates calm, supportive spaces where families can bond, build confidence, and feel held. More information here.
May we all practice gratitude throughout May for all we have.
There is a shift in nature, everything feels like it is coming alive, the days are getting lighter, there is a rising energy in us that matches the outside world… If you are not feeling like this, don’t worry! In Ayurveda, this isn’t surprising. Ayurveda is the ancient science of healthy living, originating in India, alongside yoga.
In Spring, instead of feeling energised, the body and mind can feel heavy and slow, almost as if you’re moving through mud. Motivation can drop. Even a yoga practice you normally enjoy may take a lot more effort.
In Ayurveda, three fundamental energies and qualities govern physical, mental, and emotional health, and they are the 3 doshas: kapha, pitta and vata. Derived from the five elements, these forces regulate all bodily functions, and everyone has a unique combination of all three.
The Dosha Kapha
Spring is dominated by the dosha Kapha, which has the elements of earth and water. Kapha is defined by qualities such as cold, heavy, stable, moist, and dull, and these qualities naturally increase in Spring. When these qualities accumulate, they can create a sense of heaviness, stagnation, dampness, and sluggishness in both body and mind.
We can counterbalance these feelings by changes to our yoga practice, our diet, and our daily life. In asana practice, there can be adjustments with the pace, breath, and intention, to rediscover the lightness and vitality that Spring is meant to bring.
To bring Kapha back into balance, you need to introduce the opposite qualities: heat, lightness, mobility, and sharpness. You may still practice the same asanas, but your approach and attitude need to change.
Rather than slow or grounding practices, spring calls for a more dynamic, invigorating, and intentional style of yoga, one that lifts your energy rather than settling it further. Spring is not the time to push yourself harshly, but it is a time for activation, heat, movement, and stimulation. Practising Surya Namaskar at a slightly faster pace, waking before 6 am, brisk morning walks, stronger asana with twists and backbends, sweating once a day, and spending more time outside.
A Spring Diet
Your diet needs to follow the same path: warm, dry, light, and spiced foods; spices that kindle the digestive fire; and a lighter evening meal. The rich soups that felt comforting in January now feel heavy. Large portions feel unnecessary. You start craving something lighter, fresher, slightly sharper. That shift is natural if you listen to your body.
Traditionally, Spring was a scarce season. Stored foods were running low. The fresh harvest hadn’t fully arrived yet. Bitter greens were often the first foods available. Many of these greens appear naturally in early spring. Nettles, for example, are one of the first wild greens of the season and make delicious soup.
Nature moves from building… to clearing. If you follow your instincts, kapha begins to move. If you ignore it and continue with heavy, sweet, damp foods such as cakes, pastries, large dinners, and mainly sweet vegetables, then stagnation will continue to deepen.
Balancing Kapha
Balancing Kapha isn’t about a burst of motivation or about restriction; it’s about steadiness. A morning structure that activates you before the day takes over. Meals that match the season. Movement that builds warmth. It’s about consistency. This is where rhythm becomes powerful. When your nervous system has structure, stagnation starts to move.
For me, I know Winter is behind me, as I taught my last Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra workshop yesterday. Thank you to those who have joined me over the past 6 months. These workshops won’t resume until October, when we slip back into the season of rest and recuperation. My teaching, too, changes with the seasons. If your life is not quite ready for the seasonal change, we still have plenty of nourishing and gentle classes, Yin with Chrissie Haskett and Toni Franklin, Sound Baths with Arianna Puran Udini and Nicki Greenham, Restorative Yoga with Tracey Boast, and a new Mindful Meditation and Self Hypnosis Fortnightly class starting on Friday, the 17th April with Lucy Bowtell. Find out more here
If your energy is rising with Spring and you are ready for transformation, we have some wonderful workshops to look forward to: Magdalena and Ruth are onto their 3rd workshop of the Awakening Series, April’s workshop is called Awakening Rebirth, and you can find out more here.
And Arise From Within: a meditation and healing workshop with Rachel and Lucy. Find out more
Luna Light: Rachel and Lucy also start their monthly moon workshops with Reiki and sound. Find out more
Ashtanga Vinyasa Workshop: Ness Sherry’s Astanga workshop this month is on Satya – truth. Find out more
Kim Jones has a new Postnatal 5-week course starting on Tuesday 14th April 10.00-11.00 am, and after Easter, Kim Burnham starts her children’s weekly yoga classes. You can find out about these on the classes page.
Looking ahead to May
Sian Parsons is bringing a new workshop, Nature Harmonic sessions for families, to the yoga centre. Her first Nurture Harmonics workshop will be a Beltane celebration, you can find out more here.
We have all our usual workshops as well in the list below, come and join us to find your balance and your Spring!
Namaste, Sharon
April Workshops & Courses
Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th, and Monday 6th April – 9.30-5.00pm Subtle Anatomy with Dr. Kausthubha Desikachar For those who are not able to attend this full weekend seminar, there is an option to join day one; this can be approached as either a revision or a standalone introduction to the themes of the seminar. Please contact Kim Burnham at kim_mackie@me.com
The days are feeling longer and lighter, and all the joy and beauty of Spring is beginning: snowdrops, daffodils, and primroses will make way for bluebells, wild garlic, red campion, and the fresh, vibrant greens of new growth.
Sun Meditation Go outside at dawn and greet the sun, Think about how the dawn stretches from pole to pole, Think about the earth’s position side on to the sun as it makes its annual orbit around it, Marvel at the universe we are part of Feel the warmth of the sun on your face, Feel the sun getting stronger and stronger.
As we welcome the Spring, we have two workshops to celebrate the Spring Equinox.
Sian Lalita Alcock offers her Spring Equinox workshop, a half-day retreat where you are invited to embrace balance, transformation and renewal. Through gentle yoga, mindful movement, healing, meditative yoga nidra, reflection and ritual, this workshop will mark the turning of the wheel of the year.
Arianna Puran Udini is offering a Spring Equinox ‘Chanting For Peace’ and ‘Venus Gong Soundbath’, harnessing celestial energies by chanting a beautiful Mantra for Peace, and then relaxing and enjoying a beautiful Gong Sound Bath… Venus is particularly associated with peace, harmony, loving self acceptance, and serenity, all qualities we need more of now.
New Workshops
A big welcome to Lucy Warwick, who brings us a new workshop, Hypopressives, which is a 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. You can find out more here.
In February, Magdalena Atkinson and Ruth Mitchell had a wonderful first workshop, ‘Awakening Inner Gifts’, exploring Gene Keys and transformation. They have added three more workshops to continue their work. Their second workshop in March is called Awakening Freedom. Each workshop is a sacred container for transformation rooted in one gene key and its unique potential.
Maxine Craig is offering another workshop, Stillness in Motion – Zen, a half-day retreat. Experience the invaluable nature of ‘Zen’ with this invitation to return to centre and rediscover the quiet that resides within you.
Guiding you gently through traditional practices to explore true mindfulness, the art of knowing the present moment.
Whether you’re just curious about Zen, or have been walking the path of practice for a while, this experiential workshop welcomes everybody, offering insight into how we can gain direct access to, amongst many things, better overall physical health, mental clarity, emotional stability and empathy, and a deepened sense of connection to all things.
Helios – Movement Under the Sun
On Tuesday, 31st March, we are collaborating with Dorchester Arts with Helios, a new touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram. Measuring seven metres in diameter, the artwork features a detailed imagery of the Sun’s surface.
Family Yoga with Sharon Cox-Button Exploring body and mind, with movement, sound and relaxation inspired by the sun for all the family. Session runs: 5pm – 5.45pm.
Qi Gong with Tim Button Learning a qigong routine called the “Ba Duan Jin” which is good for both physical and mental health, and is accessible to most people. Mentally, the exercises require concentration and focus, which can take us away from everyday concerns. Session runs: 6pm – 7pm
Yoga Under the Sun with Sharon Cox-Button The Sun was a great inspiration for ancient yogis. Come and explore your body and mind with traditional yoga techniques: movement, breathwork, chanting, meditation and relaxation. Suitable for all. Session Runs: 7.30pm – 9pm. All sessions will be accompanied with the Gong played by Arianna Puran Udini.
The 30th March is the first of our Open mornings for the new children’s yoga classes starting in April. Kim is offering four Open mornings in the Easter holidays to come along and try her children’s yoga classes. These will start on Mondays after the Easter holidays. Find out more here.
Uncomfortable Truths
We come to the last of our 8 Uncomfortable Truths that we have been looking at each month.
8. If they really wanted to, they would!
Are you still waiting for your phone to light up with their text, or maybe they told you they had to call you back and left you hanging? It hurts to realize that people you love and care about may not always feel the same way about you. The wiser approach is to come to terms with it sooner rather than later, so you don’t end up wasting your time. If you need to force someone to make an effort to keep a relationship alive, be it romantic or platonic, you are better off not having them around at all. Yes, it is painful to admit, but you need to let go of those partners, friends and family members who take you for granted and don’t see your value. Instead, go to where you know you are loved and appreciated.
It is always better to be honest with ourselves about how we feel and what it all means. Living in denial of our problems and flaws is not going to do anyone any good, and staying stuck in our problematic ways will get us nowhere in life. It might feel scary, difficult and overwhelming to confront our issues head-on, but the only way to get past our problems is to get through them, and at the end of the day, an uncomfortable truth is much better than a comfortable lie.
Yoga Therapy has also come to be recognised as an effective complementary treatment to support those with mental health issues. Meditation is one of the more effective tools of Yoga to strengthen the mind and help alleviate many of the symptoms of mental health issues.
Enjoy March,
Sharon
Looking ahead to April
Three year Viniyoga Teacher Training The 3rd to 6th April 2026 is the first weekend of the 3 year Viniyoga Teacher Training course taught by Kim Burnham and me. To become a Yoga teacher is to step into a path of responsibility, enquiry and transformation. It is an opportunity to engage deeply with one of the most ancient and sophisticated disciplines of human understanding; a tradition that is both philosophically profound and practical in daily life. More than a collection of techniques, Yoga is a process of inner refinement. It supports physical vitality, emotional balance and psychological stability, while guiding us towards deeper insight and self-knowledge. In doing so, it invites us on a journey towards the heart, the inner source of wisdom and creativity. Through this process of self-understanding, we become capable of guiding others. The teacher of Yoga does not impose change but facilitates growth, supporting individuals in discovering their own strength, balance and clarity.
If you have been considering Yoga Teacher Training, we can still fit in one or two more participants, so contact Kim or me if you would like to know more. Of course, many people take a teacher training course not to become a yoga teacher but to access the amazing teachings and undergo the process of transformation for their own development. You can do this training without wanting to be a yoga teacher!!
Subtle Anatomy of Yoga From the 4th to the 6th of April is a 3 day seminar, Subtle Anatomy of Yoga, taught by Dr. Kausthubha Desikachar. It is part of the teacher training course if you have signed up for that, but it can be taken as a standalone course. For details, see here.
Moon Manifesting Reiki Baths Rachel Tapping and Lucy Bowtell are bringing a new monthly workshop combining 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.
Each month, you can learn about the unique energy of each moon phase and zodiac sign.
It’s possible to be fooled by the bare trees, cold nights, frosty mornings, and grey skies, but the days are lengthening, and the earth is showing signs of change and an approaching Spring. The spectacular hazel catkins, snowdrops carpeting woodlands and borders, lesser celandine, water aconite, primroses, and the dazzling early daffodils. Blackbirds are singing and staking out their homes. For those who suffer in the darker days, the lighter evenings bring comfort. Some of our teachers (me included) have been lucky enough to have been training in Chiang Mai, enjoying the warmth and the light.
February is a month that traditionally is about the heart, and there is a reminder to nurture yourself and open your heart when we look at the
8 Uncomfortable Truths You Need To Accept!
We have reached number 7:
You can’t love someone else until you love yourself first!
Yes, it may sound cliche. However, there is a lot of truth to be found in this saying. Because no matter how hard you try, no matter how perfect your relationship or your partner may be, no amount of affection or love can fill the void in a person who doesn’t love themselves. You need to have a good relationship with yourself filled with honesty, knowledge, acceptance and compassion. Otherwise, none of your romantic relationships will ever work out. Or worse, they might even become maladaptive coping mechanisms for you and make you more dependent, needy and insecure.
We have many beautiful workshops, and day retreats for you to nourish and love yourself, and help you prepare for the year ahead.
Friday, February 13th, 7 pm Angelic Love Date. Make a date just for you. Spend an evening with the harmonies of the tuning forks and a little Angelic Love in this special nurturing Valentine’s Sound Healing. With beautiful candlelight, all you need to do is lie back and listen to the specific harmonies of the forks. It’s a soothing experience to feel nurtured in mind and body. Find out more
Saturday 14th February, 10.30-12.30 pm Exploring Year of the Fire Horse with Ness Sherry’s Ashtanga Vinyasa workshop, exploring movement with meaning — moving with clarity, rhythm, and intent, rather than rushing or forcing. Find out more
Sunday 15th February, 10.00-4.00 pm The Becoming. A Day Retreat with Lucy Bowtell and Rachel Tapping, A nurturing yet powerful day designed to support deeply restorative inner work without pressure or force. Find out more
Saturday 21and Sunday 22nd 10.00-6.00 pm Root to Rise: A weekend of Embodiment & Family Constellations. It’s more of an experiential workshop weekend than a retreat weekend, with Dominique Preston and Nicola Moss. This gentle and spacious weekend invites you to embark on a transformative journey, exploring both your inner and outer worlds, creating space for more peace, clarity, and possibility in your life. Find out more
Saturday 21st February 2.00-5.30 pm Awakening Inner Gifts with Magdalena Atkinson and Ruth Mitchell Participants are guided through a series of energetic practices, Higher Self connection, collective belief work, and sound (gong and singing bowls), all held within a grounded, supportive group setting. The focus is on experience rather than analysis, allowing insight to arise naturally through embodiment. Find out more
On Saturday 7th 11.30-2.00 pm Kim Burnham and I have our second Open Day for our 500 hour Viniyoga Teacher Training Course that starts in April. This is suitable for anyone who has a teacher training certificate but wants to go deeper, for anyone who wants to train as a teacher deeply rooted in classical yoga, or for anyone who wants to experience a personal journey of self-awareness, empowerment, and healing. Please come along and find out more
We have had some beautiful weather this Xmas period, hopefully it has enabled you to have more time outdoors, to admire the beautiful skies at sunrise and sunset, time to observe the tiny signs of growth and activity, snowdrop shoots, hazel catkins peeping between tangled growth, early broad beans, the odd bumblebee… but mostly there is just peace and quiet!! Plants and animals are tucked away resting, roots firmly down, laying firm foundations for the new year ahead. For us too, it is a time for calmness and reflection. Close your eyes, breathe. Even just 5 minutes is so beneficial.
This is a time for reflection on the past year, to let go of anything that hasn’t served you, and then plant the thoughts, the seeds for the year ahead, to make your new sankalpa, for all that you wish for. To grow the future you desire. For life doesn’t just happen to us; we create the world we want. It’s that simple. You either take what has been before and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to trip you up constantly.
The choice does not belong to fate; it belongs to you.
In our newsletters last year, we started looking at “8 uncomfortable truths” we need to accept, by Kausthubha Desikachar. We have reached number 6:
6. Happiness is not a destination!
Happiness is a state of mind. You won’t find it waiting for you somewhere down the road, someday in the future. It is not something you will magically find when you finally get married or land your dream job because happiness is a journey, not a destination. If you can’t find happiness where you are now, you won’t find it anywhere else. Not until you give up the idea that happiness is anywhere but here and start being more grateful for what you have and where you are right now.
Start each day with gratitude for all that you have.
If you find it difficult to stick to a daily yoga practice, of either asana, or breath, mantra or prayer, maybe take a one to one with one of our teachers to help you make a suitable practice, or come to a class or workshop to kickstart you back into your own practice.
Stillness cloaks the land as we enter December; earth energy is under our feet. This time of stillness, this time of darkness, is a time to do nothing much!!! The earth energy draws down the life force of trees and plants, nourishing their roots and supporting them in a well-earned rest. The long hours of darkness encourage us to do the same.
A time to focus on the internal limbs of yoga, the last 3 of the 8 limbs of Patanjali’s yoga.
Pratyhara – sense withdrawal, being disconnected from the usual external objects, following the inward movement of the mind. Dharana – concentration – one chosen place of focus. This may be tangible, eg a candle or firelight, or conceptual, eg peace. What is important is that it is an appropriate focus that supports us. Dhyanam – meditation, this is when dharana is sustained on the same focus so that a more intimate connection develops between the meditator and the object.
Winter is our natural rest and restore. The need to rest so that we can rise again, the cycle of life. As the outer world surrenders its light, the inner world can sparkle and shine, and make space for healing inside.
These dark days of the year have been celebrated with many festivals and temples since ancient times. All looking towards and celebrating the return of the light. We have two events to celebrate the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year:
Many of our teachers and therapists will take time off this month for a well-earned rest, but we still have lots available to help you wind down, so check the events below.
Have a peaceful, joyful and restful time, and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2026.
Sharon and all
Looking forward to the New Year
We hope to celebrate the 10 years that Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre has been open, so watch this space for events.
April 3rd is the start date of the 3 year Viniyoga Teacher Training Course with Kim Burnham and myself. We have another Open Day on February 7th 2026, if you would like to find out more.
“Winter is the slow-down. Winter is the search for self. Winter gives the silence you need to listen. Winter goes gray so you can see your own colors.”
We are now in the dark part of the Wheel of the Year. Samhain has been celebrated, a truly old festival where the worlds of the living and the dead were deemed closest, a festival of how we view death and how we honour our ancestors. In the UK, our clocks have been put back an hour, the nights are drawing in, and the dawn comes a little later each day. Nature is turning inwards – the world around us has turned into beautiful shades of yellows, oranges, reds, and browns, and the first storms of winter are with us. In the hedgerows, there are sloes, rowan and hawthorn berries, rosehips, and small animals rustle in the leaf litter. The trees are shedding their leaves and turning their energy inwards to survive the harshness of winter. They do so knowing that the wheel will keep turning and Spring will return. If you look carefully, on many trees you will see the buds tight, waiting for Spring to come.
There is a stillness in nature, an internal focus that is taking root to take us through the winter. We need to do the same, rather than feel the frustration of the bad weather and the short days. Enjoy the stillness and the tranquility that it brings, the insights from reflection that bring understanding and wisdom, and a renewed sense of purpose. Follow a natural path, live a more watchful existence, slow down, breathe, open your eyes, and look with wonder at the beauty of Autumn and prepare for Winter.
The third chapter of Patanjali’s yoga sutras starts with the internal limbs of yoga, the last of the 8 limbs: dharana, dhyanam, and samadhi (concentration, meditation, and complete absorption). The meditative process of these practices can be used over time with different objects of focus. It is a deep, profound enquiry to gain mastery over and deepen the connection to an object.
Sutra 111.5 Tad jayãt prajňā āloka From its mastery, dawns the light of supreme knowledge.
Uncomfortable truths
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!
A no-risk policy is the biggest risk of all!
Quitting is for winners……sometimes!
This month is number 5.
5. Success requires making difficult choices!
You only have a finite amount of time in a day, and anything you do is a choice about how to spend it. Will you catch up on emails or meet your friends for dinner? Will you spend an extra hour at the office, or will you go to watch a movie? Do you have times when you switch off the phone and the emails? You also have to be a person outside of work.
Navigating that balance requires an endless series of decisions. And without making such difficult decisions, you can be assured that success won’t come easily, both in work and in play. There is almost no situation in life where success will come to you easily. You won’t see the hard work successful people put into their lives. Life is a lot of hard work, but also, more importantly, difficult choices as well.
We had our biannual teacher’s meeting last week. It’s always difficult to get everyone together, as there are 22 regular teachers and those who bring the occasional workshop. And that doesn’t include the wonderful folk who offer treatments in the therapy room. I like to think our teachers’ meetings are a little bit different than the usual; this year we had a sauna, a shared curry, and a fabulous pistachio and strawberry cake made by Toni Franklin. A time to thank all our wonderful teachers for their commitment, professionalism, and dedication to their students and the yoga centre.
Enjoy the beauty of this month, and take some quiet time for yourself.
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away; Lengthen night and shorten day; Every leaf speaks bliss to me Fluttering from the autumn tree. I shall smile when wreaths of snow Blossom where the rose should grow; I shall sing when night’s decay Ushers in a drearier day.
Ten students completed their 500-hour Viniyoga Therapy UK training in September under the guidance of trainer Dr. Kausthubha Desikachar. Four of them are teachers at the Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre. It was an honour to have Sir come to Dorchester as he travels around the world teaching yoga in the tradition of his father, T.K.V. Desikachar, and grandfather, T. Krishnamacharya, and so it felt very special for him to visit our town.
A rigorous, transformational 3-year course, the ending corresponding with a new moon solar eclipse and the Autumn eclipse. The energies of balance, shadow, and renewal converging all together. A reset point for us all. The eclipse asks us to release old stories and patterns of behaviour, the equinox restores harmony and balance, and the new moon plants the seed of what comes next. The Therapy course has been a reset point for all of us training; this cosmic event can be a reset point for us 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!
A no-risk policy is the biggest risk of all!
This month, we look at number 4
4. Quitting is for winners… sometimes!
Life is a game of finding the perfect balance between putting yourself out there and knowing how and when to quit while still ahead. Because, despite what you have been told all your life, quitting can be a good thing too. Knowing when to stop, changing direction, and leaving behind a negative situation will save you a lot of heartache as you grow in your path. So think long and hard about which battles are worth fighting and give up anything else that no longer serves you. Don’t quit because it is hard. Quit because it makes you unhappy, because it is no longer working, and because you deserve better.
New Class – Rocket Yoga
We’re excited to welcome Helen Hayek back to Dorchester Yoga Centre this Autumn. Some of you will remember Helen as she taught a Men’s Yoga class a couple of years ago. Helen is a Yoga Teacher, artist, and pottery teacher who brings her creativity and love of movement into every session.
Helen will be teaching Rocket Yoga on Mondays at 5 pm (45 minutes). Rocket is a fun and fast-paced style of yoga set to pop music, making it light-hearted, energising, and easy to follow. It’s a brilliant way to start your week — and yes, it’s beginner-friendly! You can find out more here.
Pushing Hands Workshop
Pushing with the Principles of Classical Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan.
This is a great opportunity for those with some previous knowledge of pushing hands to look at the principles behind pushing hands rather than focusing on the techniques. Although understanding techniques is important, few students develop a clear understanding of how to use the principles of the Yang family system to develop internal power (Peng Jing). With this, you can neutralise techniques with minimal effort and reach a state where any movement with intention is an effective counter. You can find out more here.
Finally, a reminder that my Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra workshops start back this month. Pilates workshops start back, and Arianna is back with her Gong and singing bowls.
Enjoy the colours of Autumn, get cozy, and enjoy all we have to offer.
