Patience and Cowrie Shells

Ever since I can remember I have spent time on the beach looking for shells, pebbles, sea glass and treasures. It was a holiday ritual with my family every summer when we visited the Moray coast in Scotland, many happy hours were spent marvelling at what the tide brings in.

One of the little shells I look for is the European Cowrie, or in Northern Scotland the 'Groatie Buckie.' The process of gentle and mindful searching for these little shells brings peace and calm.

In my latest blog, find out how beach combing is yoga practice, and the significance of the cowrie shell world wide.

Meditation, Yoga and Wellbeing, Yoga PracticeSarah CloverNovember 10, 2022Meditation, mental health, yoga practice

How I make my classes accessible

Postnatal Yoga, Yoga and Wellbeing, Yoga PracticeSarah CloverAugust 14, 2022yoga class, yoga practice

Yoga is not about touching your toes

What I have always known is that yoga is not about touching your toes, despite the images we see of yoga in the media. There's a famous quote 'yoga is not about touching your toes, but what you learn on the way down'. Being flexible is not what yoga is about (although you might become more flexible in time) you might never be able to touch your toes (and it's fine whether you can or you can't) but yoga will teach you about where you are in your body. With each pose/position (done in the way that suits you best) you learn more about what your body can do, what it can't do, what it likes to do, what is a challenge to do, what is calming, what is energising, what feels good, what doesn't feel good.

In this blog post I talk about how I study, practice and teach yoga to suit each individual and why you don't need to be able to touch your toes to do yoga.

Yoga and Wellbeing, Yoga Practice, Yoga TipsSarah CloverJanuary 12, 2022yoga quotes, yoga practice, yoga tips

Rest and Digest

I love the autumn time, the leaves turning, the cosiness of the darker evenings where lights twinkle in warm homes and we can begin to hibernate. But autumn for me also comes with some challenges.

There’s a cycle to this rhythm of challenge and back to ease for me which I can observe. A cycle that usually lasts for a few weeks at time (but I sometimes notice it over days or longer over months). There’s usually a beginning, a growth phase, some status quo and then a challenge. Then back to the start again. I notice it in my activities, my nervous system, and particularly in my body and mind in the form of anxiety or overwhelm or tiredness. You may also recognise this in your own day to day life.

In this blog post I talk about what this cycle looks like for me, how I let go of challenges and the tools and techniques of rest and digest that work for me to get back to the beginning, to feel brighter and stay well. I also offer you a downloadable Yoga Nidra Practice – created in collaboration with my teacher Barrie Risman – to help you to let go of challenges this autumn and enjoy some rest.

A relaxation especially for new parents

In this blog post I invite you to take a moment to be with the miracle of being a parent, this is especially for new parents, but if you are a parent of any age child you may enjoy this practice too and you can adapt my words to suit. You can read the relaxation and follow my guidance as you read, or you can listen to the 5 minute MP3 link on the blog page and follow my voice.

How to find the right yoga class.

In this blog post I guide you through the types of yoga class you might find in your local area. There's a real spectrum of yoga, like music or dance there are many styles, some you will like and some you won't be so keen on. Depending on where and who a class teacher has trained with will influence how they teach.

I will guide you through some of the considerations you might like to make whilst deciding what class to try, what you should expect from a good yoga teacher, and when you know you’ve found the right class for your body and mind.

Yoga Practice, Yoga for Pregnancy, Postnatal Yoga, Baby YogaSarah CloverSeptember 27, 2021yoga class, yoga practice, top tips, yoga tips

Cautious or Can't Wait?

It's almost time for yoga classes to return to in-person. We await the next level of restrictions lifting on 17th May, and government confirmation that we can get back to practicing in a room together in England.

But how are you feeling about this? The reality is that we're not all ready to plunge back into closer proximity to others, and that's ok.

I spent a lot of time last autumn, working out a comprehensive covid policy and procedure for in-person classes. When we were not in lockdown, we came together safely and I felt confident hosting and teaching classes because this was in place and we all adhered to it. We could still chat, make social connections and enjoy being together. Mums and babies, and pregnant ladies could make those important networks and share experiences. Students commented that they felt safe and it was joyful to practice together.

In this blog post I talk about how I am feeling as we go back to class and how my covid policy and procedures can help you feel reassured. Whatever the individual journey we have had to navigate and wherever we are on the scale of cautious to can't wait I welcome you to class whenever you feel ready.

Taking up Yoga in Lockdown

If you are looking for an activity to support your physical and mental well-being during lockdown, yoga might be just the thing. More and more teachers are taking their classes online for their students, and there's a wealth of free online offerings to access as well.

There is a lot more to yoga than physical movement and the positive benefits that brings. Yoga is for everyone, no matter your age, gender, size, shape, flexibility etc. There are no requirements to practice yoga, there is always a style to suit you.

Read on to find out more about the benefits of yoga and how to find the best class for you.

Yoga and Wellbeing, Yoga PracticeSarah CloverFebruary 14, 2021yoga practice

The Wall

The past week has been tough for me. I hit a wall. Low energy, emotions running high, a definite sense of falling down a hole.

Usually my yoga practice, time and hugs with my family, taking the dogs out, teaching always lifts me up.

But this week I was depleted, how did I dig myself out?

Yoga and Wellbeing, Yoga PracticeSarah CloverOctober 16, 2020yoga practice

Change

We can all agree that the last few months have been the type of change to mostly instigate a sense of fear, anxiety, overwhelm and deep challenge. But we have navigated the changes. In one way or another we find ourselves here, now, emerging into... more change.

Perhaps this time change may be at a pace more of our own choosing. There is still plenty of unknown ahead of course, changes we may not be able to anticipate, changes that happen quickly. But at least we now have the benefit of some knowledge and we know that we have come this far and somehow we can navigate the hurdles.

So now we begin to make choices about how we deal with the next changes, what will the next few months look like for us? How will we navigate the next round of change as we emerge from lockdown?

Yoga and Wellbeing, Yoga PracticeSarah CloverAugust 5, 2020yoga quotes, yoga practice

Breathing Space Yoga Northwich - Occasional Thoughts Blog

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