April 23 newsletter

Yoga Therapy class photo of pupils in Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

For the past 10 days the yoga centre has been full of the sounds of Vedic chanting as myself and two fellow teachers Kim Mackie and Arianna Moretti have been immersed in the first seminar of a 3 year Viniyoga therapy training taught by Dr Kausthubha Desikachar and chant teacher Sarah Ryan (who teaches our monthly class of Yoga Sutras of Patanjali).

In many traditional cultures the use of sound is a significant aspect of spiritual practice. In Indian tradition sound is exalted second only to the Supreme.

The term “Veda” implies “that which can be known”, it is a vast collection of hymns, the authoritative source of many significant schools of Indian wisdom and philosophy, they expound upon the practical ways of meeting human needs while living meaningfully, and lead to personal and spiritual transformation.

There are several benefits of reciting the vedas. The mantras within them are powerful sounds which when produced in the right manner and with the right intention produce specific vibrations in our body. These vibrations have the ability to positively influence our physiological state, thereby improving physical, mental and emotional health. They also bring the mind to complete attention, making it a meditative process in itself.

It is an intense training including all the wide range of yogic tools: postures (Asana), breath regulation (Pranayama), meditation (Dhyana), dietary recommendations (Ahara niyama), lifestyle suggestions (Vihara niyama), chanting (Mantra) visualisations/affirmations (Bhavana), energetic seals (Mudra) symbolic gestures (Nyasa), and self enquiry (Svadhyaya). By undergoing this intense journey teachers may then facilitate others in the journey towards self-empowerment, healing and personal transformation.

For this training we have been joined by students from the USA, Israel, Spain and Germany; a wonderful International community chanting and learning together.

There is still a chance to join this Yoga Therapy course if you are interested, you can contact Sarah Ryan email: saryan6630@googlemail.com


The clocks have changed, Spring has Sprung, we have it all to look forward to.

We wish you a Happy Easter and remind you to check the calendar to see when your teachers are taking an Easter break.

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


New Classes and Courses

 

Mixed Ability Yoga Class with Katie Pitney (suitable for beginners)

  • Friday mornings 9.00-10.15am.
  • More about Mixed Ability Class with Katie Pitney

The first class will be the 21st April and you can email Katie on bodyofgrace108@gmail.com if you want any more information or to book a place.

5 week Post natal Yoga Course with Kim Jones

6 week IAIM Baby Massage Course with Sharon Cox-Button


Classes, Courses and Workshops: April

Restorative Yoga for Deep Rest with Tracey Boast

Saturday Soundbath with Bex Leonard

Postnatal Wellness course begins

IAIM Baby Massage course begins

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Drum and Chant with Magdalena Atkinson

Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

Gong Bath: Overcoming Your Stress with Arianna Puran Udini

Yoga Sutras with Sarah Ryan


Looking ahead to May

Women’s Retreat

  • Mindfulness, Qoya and Journalling with Victoria Smisek

“You are the gardener of your mind,
and you are sowing seeds every moment of every day
with the thoughts you think and the actions you take.
The seeds you plant today will determine tomorrow’s harvest.
Choose mindfully.”

~ Unknown ~

March 2023 newsletter

Aesculus hippocastanum

Our March newsletter is a celebration of the two wonderful Horse Chestnut trees that have graced Dorchester town centre for many years, companions outside the Yoga Centre since it opened.

They have guided us and our practice through the seasons for nearly 8 years.

From the excitement of the vibrant green new shoots in Spring, the glossy mature darker leaves of Summer, and the exuberance of the amazing white flowers with a yellow to pink blotch at the base of the petals. The fruits that develop from these flowers are green spikey capsules containing nut-like seeds which of course we know as conkers.

With the trees being eye level to the yoga centre it was absolutely fascinating to see the flowers slowly turn to these seeds, and fatten into hard shiny conkers. Then there were the beautiful Autumn colours, and watching the leaves fall to finally the stark bare branches, occasionally covered in snow.

I know that many of you will really miss these magnificent trees, but even in their ending they continue to teach us.

As well as the cycle of Spring to Winter it teaches us the cycle of life. We feel sadness, grief, we have to practice non attachment as we let them go, and then we look forward to new life, of the new trees that will be planted by The Town Council and that we will have the delight of watching grow.


Spring Equinox

A moment of balance will occur this month. On the 20th March the earth will be half in shadow, half in sunlight. We are all looking for balance in our lives, but the spring equinox reminds us that balance is not a stable state, the moment of balance is brief in any extreme, a tiny sliver of time. Moments later the energy of Summer will get stronger, the evenings longer, the bursting of shoots more vigorous.

Like standing on one leg, we have to concentrate our mind,  we have to work at it, practice and more practice, and always adjust to the constant changes.

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


Classes, Courses and Workshops: March

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Introduction To Iridology with Sarah Burt

Prepare to Birth Confidently with Kim Jones

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

Drum and Chant with Magdalena Atkinson

Yoga Sutras with Sarah Ryan

Yin Yoga with Chrissie Haskett

Break Out of Your Depression – Gong Bath with Arianna Puran Udini

Iyengar Workshop with Cheree Low

Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Yoga Therapy Course with Kausthub Desikachar

Reiki Share with Karen and Wrio

 “Life is made up of a collection of moments that are not ours to keep.

The pain we encounter throughout our days spent on this earth comes from the illusion that some moments can be held onto.

Clinging to people and experiences that were never ours in the first place is what causes us to miss out on the beauty of the miracle that is the now.

All of this is yours, yet none of it is.
How could it be? Look around you.
Everything is fleeting.

To love and let go, love and let go, love and let go…it’s the single most important thing we can learn in this lifetime.”

~ Rachel Brathen ~

horse-chestnut-bud

February 2023 newsletter

We have had another snap of very cold weather but I have been amazed at the dedication of our students who have turned up on the coldest, frostiest days and nights with such enthusiasm. Thank you.

stuart-blanket

It seems that we are desperate for our sangha, our yoga community, especially after the cruel periods of lockdown.

Lockdowns created isolation from our social and working worlds. The latest report from MIND states that:

“… Isolation and loneliness have made people’s mental health worse – with young people particularly badly affected. Similar can be said for older people especially those in care homes. The unintended consequences of removing activity, family and social interaction from the elderly may be more serious than the direct disease consequences of covid.”

Coming together to share our hearts and minds, is what makes us glad to be alive, whether it be yoga, our reading group or walking the dog with a friend.

Dr Kausthub Desikachar says in his latest viniyoga newsletter:

“… In a time when we are driven by a consumer culture where we tend to put products before people, it is a timely reminder that we need to change this and put people before products. Coming together to connect with our hearts and experience the authenticity and presence of each other is far more valuable than the hoarding of products in our closets…. It reminds me of why my father T.K.V Desikachar chose the title of his book, The HEART of Yoga…as it is indeed the heart connection that is the centre of life. A heart connection to those who matter to us, a heart connection to life and a heart connection to the divine.”

There are still a few places left on Dr Kauthub Desikachar’s 3 year Yoga Therapy Course starting here at The Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre on 16th March.

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


New Class

Saira Francis doing yoga
We are very pleased to welcome Saira Francis to the Yoga centre. She has been teaching in Dorset for many years and we have finally found a slot for her to come and join us.

She will be teaching a Vinyasa class on Mondays 7:45 – 9:15pm. Please contact her if you would like to join her class.

Looking ahead to March

eye-detail
Sarah Burt is offering a short introduction to Iridology, with the view of running a longer course in the Autumn if there is enough interest. Iridology, the study of eyes to diagnose health, is a fascinating subject. And Sarah Burt, who has more than 20 years experience in this field as a naturopath, will have lots of useful tips to keep you healthy.


Workshops and Events: February

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Free Yourself From Fear Yoga Workshop with Gong Sound Bath with Arianna Puran Udini

Yoga Sutras with Sarah Ryan

Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low

Holistic Yoga with Duncan Hulin

Saturday Soundbath with Bex Leonard

Drum and Chant with Magdalena Atkinson

Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Menopause Yoga Workshop with Kim Jones

Shakti Dance with Magdalena Atkinson

Restorative Yoga For Deep Rest Tracey Boast


“The success of yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.”

~ T.K.V. Desikachar ~

January 2023 newsletter

Welcome to 2023!

We welcome you back to our centre, after the break. We encourage you to come back mindfully. It is so normal for us to hit the ground running in January, stop for a Summer break and then on until Xmas, where inevitably many people crash!

Unlike the birds, flowers and trees, we are forever on! But let the natural year guide you. January is a very good to place to start!

If you look outside, you will find there is very little activity. Lots of plants and animals tucked away, conserving energy. It is a time for laying foundations for the year ahead, from a place of rest and recuperation.

So continue to take opportunities for calm and reflection wherever you can find them.

Close your eyes, breathe deeply, enjoy the peace and quiet. Cook stews, sleep more, dream and make plans, lay the foundations for your year to come. The light will come soon enough, don’t fight the darkness!

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


New classes and courses

Classes

 

Courses

 

 


Workshops: January 2023

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low

Restorative yoga and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Drum and Chant with Magdalena Atkinson

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Sarah Ryan


Pilates Classes on Sundays with Sharon Morgan

Pilates for balance, bone health, menopause, mindfulness

  • Sunday 15th 9.15-10.30

Pilates for flexibility, strength, and functional mobility

  • Sunday 15th 10.45-12.00

Explore Pilates

  • Sunday 15th 12.15 – 13.30

Yin Yoga with Chrissie Haskett


Pilates Classes on Sundays with Sharon Morgan

Pilates for balance, bone health, menopause, mindfulness

  • Sunday 22nd 9.15-10.30

Pilates for flexibility, strength, and functional mobility

  • Sunday 22nd 10.45-12.00

Explore Pilates

  • Sunday 22nd 12.15 – 13.30

Restorative Yoga For Deep Rest with Tracey Boast

Shakti Dance  with Magdalena Atkinson

Reiki Share with Karen and Wrio


 

Pilates Classes on Sundays with Sharon Morgan

Pilates for balance, bone health, menopause, mindfulness

  • Sunday 29th 9.15-10.30

Pilates for flexibility, strength, and functional mobility

  • Sunday 29th 10.45-12.00

Explore Pilates

  • Sunday 29th 12.15 – 13.30

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher


Looking ahead to February

We have Duncan Hulin from the Devon School of yoga coming to teach one of his wonderful holistic yoga days on the 11th February.

  • Booking is essential as this is always popular.

Arrianna Puran Udini who teaches our Kundalini classes and Gong workshops is offering some extended gong workshops in the Spring.

  • The first one will be on February 4th, Releasing and Overcoming Fear.
  • Please keep an eye on the website for up and coming information

“Yoga is an exercise in balance. Practicing yoga allows us to create harmony and balance in our bodies and minds,
and learn to live with ease.”
~ Amber Wolf ~

December 2022 newsletter


Half of the teachers at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre
At our last teachers meeting in September we grouped for a photo. There are 24 of us in total; there are 13 in the photo as 11 teachers couldn’t be there.

We have been operating throughout this year offering a wide range of classes. We would like to thank you all for supporting the centre, attending our classes and workshops and generally making the centre feel like a positive and calming place in Dorchester. 

Not forgetting our 15 therapists offering their wonderful services in the therapy room, if I can ever get them all together I will hopefully get a photo of them too!!

From us all,  we wish you a Reflective Winter Solstice, a Merry Xmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Yoga reverse chair pose

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


December Garden Meditations


Give yourself time this Xmas for reflection and meditation.

Step into your garden or the countryside around you and sense the peace.

Everything is going to sleep; mammals are tucked away, perennial plants die back to their roots and insects snooze in hollow stems or piles of dry leaves. Feel the slumber and think about the fact that nature needs this period of deep rest, and that we are part of it, and we do too. We are at the darkest end of the year, when there is more night than day. 

Step out in the early evening as night falls and look up at the stars and think about how the piece of earth on which you stand now is tipped way from the sun and towards the dark and the cold. Look up into the eternal night sky, look back to the beginning of time. 

And know also, as you gaze into the endless dark and cold, that we are at the turning point of the year. After the Winter Solstice this month, the northern hemisphere will start to slowly tip back towards our warm, welcoming, lifegiving sun. The gardens, the creatures and the plants will immediately sense it and within weeks will start to rouse themselves. 

This point in the year may be the darkest, but it is a moment for great hope and rejoicing. 

It all gets lighter after this. There is much to look forward to.

river frome in dorchester in winter



Classes, Courses and Workshops: December

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Sarah Ryan

Qoya with Vikki Smisek

Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low

Saturday Soundbath with Bex Leonard

Restorative Yoga for Deep Rest with Tracey Boast

Om Shanti/Kirtan with Magdalena Atkinson

Yin Yoga with Chrissie Haskett

Candlelight Winter Solstice Yoga with Kim Jones


“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.
To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy,
is to have the real spirit of Christmas.”

~ Calvin Coolidge ~

November 2022 newsletter

Halloween, Costumes, Bonfire Night, the time of year is awash with lights and fire and spooky excitement. As our  skies darken and our clocks change I will be celebrating the older festival of Samhain. The 31st October is the night when the worlds of the living and the dead were deemed closest and the souls of the departed were said to return for one night only.

red funghi in woodland

The theme of this festival is how we view death and how we honour our ancestors. Themes of death and resurrection are common in old myths and legends as people come to terms with the onset of winter.

Winter was a time when inevitably people had to face their own mortality, as not everyone would make it through the harshness of the season. We don’t think like that in our modern life indeed some might say we have created an unhealthy distance from thoughts like these. But the presence of death is still always around, is it is a natural part of life.

The dark evenings bring us a time for stillness and reflection, to remember those we have lost. Maybe with a fire or a lighted candle and an internal focus to sustain, bring understanding and wisdom and with that a new sense of purpose. The days are for slowing down, breathing, and opening our eyes to the beauty of Autumn.

woman playing musical bowls autumn woodland

Just like last month, a lot of our workshops are  slow, nurturing and sustaining, helping us adjust to the time of year. They will help you as you balance the light and the dark, the slowing down and the busyness. Enjoy whatever you choose.

people doing restorative yoga pose woman doing restorative yoga pose

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


Looking ahead

Some of you may remember Vikki Smisek who taught Qoya at the centre a few years ago.

She is back from her travels and is offering a workshop on Saturday December 3rd.


Workshops: November

Pilates for Endurance with Sharon Morgan

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Sarah Ryan

Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low

Restorative Yoga with Sharon Cox-Button

Menopause Yoga with Kim Jones

Saturday Soundbath with Bex Leonard

Pilates for Menopause with Sharon Morgan

Pilates for Balance with Sharon Morgan

Om Shanti/Kirtan with Magdalena Atkinson

Birth Preparation with Kim Jones

Yin Yoga with Chrissie Haskett

Restorative Yoga for Deep Rest with Tracey Boast

Gong Bath with Arianna Puran Udini

Reiki Share with Wrio Russell

Shakti Dance with Magdalena Atkinson


In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me,
an invincible summer.
~ Camus ~

October 2022 Newsletter

We have just celebrated the Autumn equinox.

The autumnal equinox as defined by astronomers usually occurs between September 22nd and 24th, the time when the sun is directly over Earth’s equator. This means everyone across the globe gets a day and night lasting approximately 12 hours each. For the Northern Hemisphere, the September equinox marks the first day of autumn. On the other side of the equator, the Southern Hemisphere, the Autumnal equinox marks the onset of spring.

equinox in sky with lines of sun movement

On the day of the equinox observers all over the globe will see the sun rise from the direction of due east and set in the direction of due west.

Astrologer Pam Gregory says equinoxes cause cracks in the Earth’s magnetosphere and open up portals for higher frequency energy to flow in. The ancient peoples knew this and that is why they always held ceremonies around this time.

She says “… just focus on creating more love in your world. If that becomes your focus you will guarantee that you are on the highest timeline going forwards. So many of us are coming together regularly in powerful groups to create something more beautiful than we have ever known. Every time we come together in like-minded groups we create an energetic hologram to add more form and substance to the Earth.  See every new wave of energy that comes in as a stepping stone towards a better world.”

red brown and yellow autumn leaves on tree

Whether you see the Autumn equinox through the eyes of an astronomer or an astrologer or both, it is also a time to be thankful for the abundance and fun of the long Summer days, it is a time to slow down, be less busy, enjoy the beauty of Autumn, and the cosy dark evenings, eat warm and nourishing soups and stews and for our yoga practices to have more yin and restorative practices to bring about the balance that we need in our lives.

woman doing yin yoga pose against wall

The first week of September we were extremely lucky to have Dr Kausthub Desikachar teaching about Yoga For Healing. His simple and beautiful summary to the weekend was:

1. Regulate your breathing
2. Delight in your life
3. Stay connected to the Divine in your heart

For those yogis of you with “The Heart of Yoga” by TKV Desikachar, you will find this summary in one of T. Krishnamacharya’s beautiful manuscripts, “Yoganjalisarum”  towards the end of the book.

The weekend also launched the Viniyoga Yoga Therapy training which will start next March at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy centre. You can read about this in the section below.

We hope you are enjoying your regular classes. If you haven’t got yourself back into your yoga stride for whatever reason, there are still places available in many classes. Please see the classes page on the website or drop us an email if you need help choosing the right class.

We have lots of wonderful nurturing workshops for you this Autumn.

Embrace the changes, enjoy the colours, the changes in nature, food, clothes, slow down and be kind to yourself.

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


Viniyoga Therapy Training | UK | 2023 – 2025

Viniyoga® Therapy Training | UK | 2023 – 2025
SELF EMPOWERMENT & HEALING THROUGH BODY, BREATH, MIND & SPIRIT

This course will offer in-depth training in applying the holistic principles of Yoga as a complementary healing system. It is most suited for those who want to become Yoga Therapists and those who wish to develop individualised complementary Yoga Therapy processes for students with different ailments or health concerns.

By undergoing this intense three year training, students learn about the therapeutic aspects of Yoga so that they may facilitate others in the journey towards self-empowerment, healing and personal transformation. It will also provide trainees an excellent opportunity to develop their unique strengths as healers.

The main person delivering this training program will be Dr Kausthub Desikachar. This is the first ever Viniyoga Therapy Training offered in the UK! Please click on the link below for more information about this event

 


Classes, Courses and Workshops: October

 

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Yin Yoga Workshop with Chrissie Haskett

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Sarah Ryan

Iyengar Yoga with Cheree Low

Better Balance Beginning Pilates with Sharon Morgan

Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

Om Shanti/Kirtan with Magdalena Atkinson

Birth Preparation Workshop with Kim Jones

Restorative Yoga for Deep Rest with Tracey Boast

Saturday Soundbath with Bex Leonard

Gong Bath with Arianna Purna Udini

Shakti Dance with Magdalena Atkinson


It is not arrogant or egotistical to feel good inside.
You had nothing to do with it.
It’s simply the honest response to clearly perceived reality.
~ Erich Schiffman ~

September 2022 Newsletter

We hope you have had a wonderful Summer and maybe like us, enjoyed yoga, tai chi or pilates in some different or unusual locations. We would like to share some of our photos with you:

Phew! Yoga never stops!

As we settle down to our Autumn routines, and come back to our weekly classes we have lots of changes to share here at the Dorchester Yoga and therapy Centre.

Nikki Oakley is established in her Re.Form Pilates studio. If you haven’t seen her yet, pop your head around the door and say hello, she is very happy to explain all that goes on behind the poster!

We have two new teachers: Helen Daniel and Rosy Kearney. A warm welcome to them both.

Helen is offering Yoga for Blokes which is exactly what it sounds like! Rosy is a newly qualified British Wheel of Yoga teacher and she is taking over the Beginners Yoga Class on a Friday morning at 9:00. Jez Culley was teaching this and is taking a break in beautiful Croatia; we wish her wonderful travels and thank her for all her teachings.

There are quite a few changes to the timetable from September onwards so check it out to see what is on and make sure your favourite classes are still where you thought they were.

We are always open to suggestions if there is something you don’t see and would like.

All our regular workshops are back, the gong baths and sound baths, yin, restorative and Iyengar with a few new special events too!!

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


New classes starting in September

Yoga For Blokes with Helen Daniel

Beginners Yoga with Sharon Cox-Button

Beginners Yoga with Natasha Hope

Gentle Yoga with Helen Heger

Qi Gong and Tai Chi with Tim Button

Beginners Yoga with Rosy Kearney


Classes, Courses and Workshops: September

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

The Yoga of Healing with Dr Kausthub Desikachar

Gong Bath with Arianna Puran Udini

Menopause Workshop with Kim Jones

Restorative Yoga For Deep Rest with Tracey Boast

Iyengar Workshop with Cheree Low

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

Reiki Share with Wrio Russell

Better Balance Standing Pilates Workshop with Sharon Morgan

True yoga is not about the shape of your body,
but the shape of your life.
Yoga is not to be performed;
yoga is to be lived.
Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been;
yoga cares about the person you are becoming.
Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose,
and for it to be truly called yoga,
its essence must be embodied.
~~ Aadil Palkhivala ~~

July 2022 Newsletter

June has been a busy month at the yoga centre!

We had an amazing three day seminar with Dr Kausthub Desikachar on cakras.

 

It was very powerful and a deeply insightful way of looking at health from a non Western medical point of view. Those of us who took part were powerfully and deeply affected by it.

We are delighted that Kausthub will be back in September with a weekend workshop on The Yoga of Healing. Read the details of the Yoga for Healing workshop here.


We had a wonderful International Yoga Day on June 21st, when we offered free classes morning and evening.

All the classes had a sense of calmness, they were nourishing and gentle, from the peace chanting at the beginning, to the gong bath at the end, whether it was asana, breath work or relaxation, maybe a reflection of the times we find ourselves in, but everyone seemed to float home lighter!

Thank you to all the teachers who offered their teaching for free, thank you to the students who came and supported us. 

The seminar and the yoga day together raised £217.50  for four different  charities: The Horse Course, The Freedom Programme, The Refugee Council and The Network for Animals. Thank you to all who donated. It was especially lovely for the teachers to enjoy one another’s classes, which we don’t really get the chance to do.


Nikki Oakley giving therapy
We are also very excited to announce the addition of a Classical Pilates Studio which is being adapted in one of our therapy rooms.

Nikki Oakley will be joining us from August with her studio apparatus. More on that below.


SO… Phew! … Deep breath…

Enjoy the beach, the beautiful countryside, gardens, friendships, appreciate life!

1.33 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras reminds us:

Develop friendliness (maitri) towards those who are happy, compassion (karuna) to those who are suffering, appreciation (mudita) of those who do good, and non-judgementalism (upeksanam) towards those engaged in ignoble actions… and then the mind will find tranquility (prasadanam).

We hope your yoga classes continue to feed you through the Summer months and the newsletter will be back in September with all the Autumn news.

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


Pilates Studio comes to DYTC

Nikki Oakley will be joining us from August with her studio apparatus. The studio apparatus is based on Joseph Pilates original designs, with each piece having its own speciality for every body-type. The apparatus uses springs of varying degrees of tension and resistance, helping to strengthen and lengthen muscles, develop the “powerhouse” (the deepest core muscles), joint stability and overall flexibility.

Each session is personalised to suit the needs of the individual and the reasons for coming to the studio are varied; some people come to manage injuries, for others it is their first time participating in any kind of exercise programme, and for some, who are already athletes, it’s an opportunity to really improve and develop further.

Nikki Oakley, the owner of Pilates Re.Form has been teaching and practising Pilates in and around London for the past 25 years. In 2013 she opened her own studio in
Hertfordshire and then in July 2021, spurred on by the Covid Pandemic, Nikki and her family fulfilled their lifelong dream of selling-up and moving to Dorset.

Nikki is offering FREE 1:1 taster session to DYTC students

For further information and to book your FREE taster session, please


Two new classes for July

Breathe Deeply with Al Beale

Beginners Yoga with Natasha Hope


Classes, Courses and Workshops: July

Breathing and Yoga Nidra with Sharon Cox-Button

Rajadhiraja Yoga with Jez Culley

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Sarah Ryan

Reiki Share with Wrio Russell

Saturday Soundbath with Bex Leonard


“Wear gratitude like a cloak
and it will feed every corner of your life”
~ Rumi ~

June 2022 newsletter

Happy June

Yoga class doing side balances

We have a busy June at The Dorchester Yoga and Therapy centre, but then it is a busy time of year as we fill all these long light days with activity!

Make sure you get the right balance of yin and yang. Chrissie Haskett’s Yin workshop will do just that – “nurture the energy of the Fire Element, the Element of summer in the Traditional Chinese system of medicine”.

We are very excited to have Dr Kausthub Desikachar giving a 3 day seminar on the Cakra-s.

cakra image

This three-day immersion course will provide a solid platform for serious practitioners to explore the topic of Cakra-s in depth. I am sure it will be amazing.

Dr Kausthub Desikachar is known for his remarkable knowledge and his ability to present the ancient teachings in a way that is both profound and applicable for modern day practitioners. He will also offer an hour of Peace Chants and an Introductory seminar on his Yoga Therapy course which he hopes to run in 2023.

kausthub photo

We reach Mid -Summer, the longest day of the year and the day that yoga is celebrated all around the world.

For International Yoga day this year we are listing a whole load of free classes, we hope you will come along and join us and bring your friends and family! Please keep an eye on the website and all events will be listed there.

As ever, the details are below and in the calendar – please check it!

With best wishes from Sharon and all the teachers and therapists at Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre


New / changing classes

We have three new classes starting soon

‘Breathe Deeply” with Al Beales

Beginners Class with Natasha Hope

Tai Chi and Qi Gong class with Tim Button

Magdalena’s Om Shanti  and Shakti Dance workshops will finish for the Summer, but she will host a drumming and chanting evening at Ringstead beach on 25th June from 7:30pm onwards, please contact Magdalena for details: 07796 656969. Bring drums and food to share!


Classes, Courses and Workshops: June

Exploring Our Energy Centres with Dr Kaushub Desikachar

Vedic Chants For Peace with Dr Kaushub Desikachar

Rajadhiraja Yoga with Jez Culley

Introduction to Yoga Therapy Course with Dr Kaushub Desikachar

Pilates Masterclass with Sharon Morgan

Mini First Aid with Sue Fisher

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Sarah Ryan

Yin Yoga with Chrissie Haskett

International Yoga Day


“When you listen to yourself, everything comes naturally.
It comes from inside, like a kind of will to do something.
Try to be sensitive.
That is yoga.”
~ Petri Räisänen ~