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COURSE CONTENT
PRĀŅĀYĀMA
Prāṇāyāma literally translates to breath extension, but prāṇāyāma is not simply breath work alone. Prāṇā is our vital life force, and so we’ll learn ways to connect with this part of ourselves through more than just our breath. Breath is just the beginning.
MOVEMENT
Move your body, and be guided by the energy of our intention. Begin to observe how and when stress shows up in your body, and what this feels like for you. Explore how the āsana (postures) can help you to self regulate during stressful situations. Learn how the teachings actually land in your body, and how you can honour this with intention.
MEDITATION
Explore the world of meditation in a way that demonstrates just how accessible this practice can be, as a way of acknowledging and witnessing the noise, rather than trying to ignore it or “remove” it. Meditation is not about “clearing your mind”, but rather noticing everything we bring with us into the practice, and consciously choosing how we engage with it.
COMMUNITY
Connect with like-minded souls, also on a journey of conscious and committed self-care. Whether you recognise a few faces or connect with someone new, there are friendships to be made, and our growing community to be a part of.
TIME TO REST
We are all so time poor! This course gives you the space and time to just exist, to just be, to just rest. Time to journal over a hot cuppa after each practice, with dedicated journal prompts to help you make sense of, and acknowledge what came up during your practice.
ASTROLOGY
Dip your toes into the world of astrology, and discover how the phases of the moon can influence our energy. Notice how this learning influences how you consciously choose to show up in the world.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
DATES & TIMES
This in-person four week course runs from 6pm - 8pm. Full attendance is vital, please do not sign up if you cannot commit to the full four weeks:
Thursday 4th March
Thursday 11th March
Thursday 18th March
Thursday 25th March
LOCATION
Location details to be provided soon!
WHO IS THIS FOR?
Alchemy of Rest is for everyone who struggles to find more balance in their lives, and feels like they are constantly on the go. We live in a world where active productivity, and workaholism is rewarded, and yet rest is a vital part of this! It is not something we have to earn or that we have to justify to ourselves to feel like we “deserve” it.
COURSE OUTLINE
Week 1: Alchemy of Rest begins under a balsamic moon; our first encounter with surrender and rest! Learn about the vagus nerve, the true meaning of prāṇāyāma, and how to self regulate during times of stress, overwhelm and anxiety. We start by reconnecting to our breath and understanding how to actively shift ourselves out of fight, flight or freeze, and into rest and digest. Setting an intention for the next four weeks and close with some journaling time to reflect on what came up for us during this week’s practice.
Week 2: How do you talk to yourself? We build on last week’s practice by understanding the psoas muscle, how this is connected to prāṇāyāma, and learn how to honour what our body needs in the moment. Exploring the new moon phase, and how our intentions can also alchemise as we grow. Bringing prāṇāyāma (breath work) and āsana (movement) together, whilst also developing awareness around how anxiety impacts our internal dialogue.
Week 3: Being present, and learning to sit with the discomfort the first quarter moon phase brings. Experience the most delicious yoga nidrā (guided meditation), designed to help you connect with how anxiety and overwhelm shows up for you, how it manifests in your mind and your body, and how you can build a foundation of empathy for yourself during these moments. We revisit prāṇāyāma this week and understand how this is linked to our internal dialogue.
Week 4: It all comes down to kindness. Our final practice falls under the full moon, so take this moment to show yourself compassion, kindness and gratitude for prioritising YOU, and your need for balance and rest. We bring everything together, and all the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit into place. Practicing prāṇāyāma, āsana and meditation, really showing up for the version of us who needs to be held and loved during those moments of stress, anxiety and overwhelm in order to prevent it developing into burnout.
YOUR TEACHER
Hiya, I’m Samantha; a Cymraes, lesbian, yoga teacher based in Chichester. I’ve been practising yoga for 16 years, and teaching for six of those! I am a published author with City & Guilds, an ex-Beauty Therapist, and college lecturer, and have been working in the wellness industry for almost 30 years. Blending my vast knowledge of wellness and how the body works, with yoga practices that are designed to encourage autonomy, I strive each day to build community through yoga, in a world that is actively trying to isolate and divide us, further.
I teach vinyasa, hatha, restorative, yin, mandala, and chair yoga, with a clear focus on breath work, movement and meditation. All specifically designed to help people to connect to the flow of prāna around their body, and give them tools to navigate the challenges life throws at us.
With a keen interest in astrology, and yoga philosophy, I love weaving stories into my practices, that honour the traditions and roots of yoga, whilst also encouraging people to have fun, listen to their body, and find joy in deepening their own personal practice beyond the shapes we make on the mat.
Yoga has brought a whole community of amazing people into my life. Learning the language of the stars over the last few years has empowered me to take back control of my life, and step into the truest version of myself.