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Autumn Equinox – a season of shedding, balance and rest

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The Autumn Equinox is the third most powerful day in the cycle of the year. This is the start of the season of shedding, balance and rest and the focus on our next Sunday Soul Session.

Once again the days and nights are of equal length and so too we reflect upon balance in our life. Hark back to the Spring Equinox 6 months ago. What did balance mean to you then? What does it mean to you now? Has there been a shift in any direction in your life?

As we start to lose our hours of daylight, we realise how precious it is. This is the time to embrace the dark so try to make the most of the twilight at dawn and dusk. Twilight is a potent time of day when our breath feels more noticeable. 

Shedding is seen now in our tree friends as they lose their leaves, which in turn nourish the earth, creating rich chocolate cake compost. Trees send all their energy down into their roots to draw up nutrients and moisture that come with the approaching winter rain. Trees have learnt to rest, wait and nourish themselves. So should we! Our evergreen trees instead have to keep trucking on and perhaps this is why they can have shorter lives. 

Shedding for humans means standing back and assessing:

Do I need/want all this stuff?

Do I need/want to work this much?

Do I need/want to be in this group/class/social media/ committee?

Do I tend to do things out of expectation from family/work/society rather than what I genuinely desire?

Just as the trees rejuvenate after a season of shedding, so do we. A good question to ask yourself if “Does this nourish me/my family/my relationship? Yes we all need to work, be clothed, pay the bills, eat and also we need to feel inspired, foster a sense of wonder and connect with like minded beings. Search for what nourishes you. This then strengthens you from the inside and makes you stable and balanced. 

The Equinox is usually the end of the Harvest season. All the last of the life force in the plant is going into swelling fruit and setting seeds. I always feel so grateful for all the abundance in the garden and even more grateful when all the preserving and freezing is over. The almost deafening cricket chorus every night is a potent reminder that life is short, make it count and be thankful for all that you have. As you collect any seeds in your garden, you might like to ponder any new directions that might be bubbling up with all the space you are creating. What will these seeds incubate into over the slumbering winter?

If you feel like joining me for an afternoon embracing the yogic practices for this season, then book in for the Equinox Sunday Soul Session on March 23rd 1-5pm. This 4-hour retreat afternoon includes herbal tea, tasty snacks, kundalini apana for releasing, acu/restorative yoga for the lungs and large intestines, pranayama for balance, lush and long yoga nidra. We do a practicum for making nourishing kitchari for happy tums, and herbal incense to clear the air. Set yourself up for the cooler months ahead. This session is in-person only and koha.

Summer Reads 24/25

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Somehow another year has rolled by and here we are again, frantically packing bags, watering gardens and stuffing books into boxes to take to the beach. Here is my yearly round up of books that have inspired me, cheered me up, distracted me from a year of shitty politics, but also awakened my imaginal realm to create a better future. I have finally entered the 50’s+ club of wearing reading glasses and it is fabulous. Now I can read teensy print without falling asleep ! Reading is therapy and as you can see below, it is a whole category!

Books for merging hearts, minds and hands – These are the books I reach for when I want to get out of my head and play.

The Untamed Thread – Fleur Woods. I love this book, it reminds me of happy hippy days stitching on the road, at campsites, festivals and on the tube. Stitching for the pure pleasure of colour, textures and mucking about. Also a great inspiration to ruffle about in your yarn and fabric stash and PLAY…

One pot, pan, planet – Anna Jones. Simple and tasty recipes that bypass weird ingredients, too much faff and a huge load of washing up. Yes, just one pot, just one pan or just a baking tray! Give this to your beloved for Christmas and settle back to be fed and know there will be diddly squat dishes. This book is the very opposite of Ottolenghi recipes!

Reading Therapy – I am not a fan of cheesy self help books and I really intensely hate affirmations, so you can read this section without peril. All these books have helped me and others to recognise patterns and change gear.

The joy of saying no – Natalie Lue. Perimenopause generally activates the No gland but why wait for that. Which category of people pleaser are you and how can you stop doing this without being riddled with guilt and fear. Just say No.

Waking the Tiger – Peter Levine. If you want to understand trauma in the human animal, then this is THE book. If you want a more practical application of his work, then dive into The Call of the Wild by Kimberly Ann Johnson. We can compare canine snarls together!

Atlas of the heart – Brene Brown. Most humans in a survey could only identify three emotions that they experienced – angry, sad and happy. This book explores a further 84 options and defines what it means to be human. If we cannot label our emotions, then we are limiting our experiences and the capacity to build connection with ourselves and others. Expand your map and be fully human.

Blast my mind wide open – we all need to launched into a new paradigm, or dip our toes in at the very least. These books are here to say open your eyes, your mind and your heart – wake up!

Nidra Shakti – the power of rest by Uma Dinsmore-Tuli. My teacher spent 8 years writing this 800 page encyclopaedia which I heartily recommend to any nidra practitioners and facilitators. If you want to fathom the history of yoga nidra and delve into the research of how and what it can be used for, then look no further. Plus it is so huge that it can double as a yoga block. You can order it here

Dreams of Awakening – Charlie Morley. This new edition of how-to lucid dream is powerful and easy to read. It is now recognised as a new tool for healing trauma and PTSD but can also rocket you into new realms of creativity. Breakfast conversation is whole new experience after reading this book.

The unsettled – Richard Shaw. As a seventh generation Pakeha I know what it feels like to hold some uncomfortable truths about my ancestors. I also know what it feels like to be completely aware of all the inconvenient stories that are buried away out of sight. This book is about this journey of uncovering and fathoming what to do with what is uncovered. It is unsettling but I believe a personal hikoi – to step out into a long march of understanding.

If Women Rose Rooted – or indeed anything by Sharon Blackie. This writer taps into my Celtic DNA and fills my cup with magical stories, wild women and the remembrance of connection to land. However, her calls to reclaim guardianship of land are universal to all cultures and all lands. Rise up and stand together for a better future for all beings.

Nerding out – some favourite science reads to prattle about to anyone who will listen

How to speak whale – Tom Mustil. Animal communication fascinates me, having spent much of my childhood at whale strandings, cavorting with dolphins, bird nerding in estuaries and having a bird hospital in our laundry. We are now at the cusp of animal translation, but are we ready for what they might say?

The Metabolism Reset – Lara Briden. Hormonal changes throughout the life span of women can create quite a rollercoaster for the ability to metabolize food. Have you discovered you are lacking in zing , vim and zest for life? If so, then this book explains how to get your energy back, reverse insulin resistance and be a happy camper.

Refreshingly fluffy – books for when you just need to read something to distract or for pure fun.

Nightbitch – Rachel Yoder. Ok there is nothing actually fluffy about this book but it will knock your socks off. I read it in one weekend and I still shake with laughter recalling just one line. Do yourself a favour and gobble it up in one chomp.

Death at the sign of the rook – Kate Atkinson. Jackson Brodie is back with another murder mystery. Perfect for Christmas or anyone who has had to endure a ghastly murder mystery evening.

Moonlight Market – Joanne Harris. I am not normally a fantasy reader but this was enchanting during covid recovery. Maybe the fevers helped?

Romantic Comedy – Curtis Sittenfeld. Behind the scenes peek into what it takes to write comedy skits for late night telly. This was a real page turner during a camping trip sucking up loads of lantern batteries.

Enjoy your summer break and please let me know what YOU have loved reading. I’m all ears for any hot tips.

Viva your vagus nerve

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This four-week series is for everyone! We all have a nervous system, and we all have our default settings. Plus, we all have our tendencies to hang out in one particular branch of it as a stress response or a coping mechanism. Ideally, we can easily adapt and respond to most life situations as needed. However sometimes we get stuck, and then we habitually wear a groove. What may have worked for us in the past no longer serves us so well, and our circuits get a bit fried, frazzled, frozen or even burned out.

Since the vagus nerve “wanders” through so many organs and systems within our body, this stress response can affect our sleep, digestion, heart and liver function, blood pressure and circulation, our metabolism and immunity and even our breathing. To woo your vagus nerve is to respect your body and your mind, wrapping it in a blanket of loving kindness. Are you ready to snuggle up?

The good news is that yoga and breathwork are one of the best ways to calm and nourish your nervous system. However, if you learn to recognise YOUR specific nervous system responses then you can tailor your practice to support YOU. Maybe your fast paced vinyasa or slow yin is not the winning recipe for you all the time? Wouldn’t it be great to develop your practice to support you in all the seasons of your life?

This series helps you to assess your vagal tone, befriend and understand your personal responses, learn proactive and responsive tools to prevent overwhelm and lead you back to a place of safety. Many of these tools are simple things that you can do throughout the course of your daily life and do not require elaborate techniques, special yoga outfits or vast amounts of time. Best of all you learn to build your own programme and tweak it to suit your circumstances. This means that what you learn today can grow with you as you move through your life ahead. Each week weaves information and practical tools to support your body and your mind so that you can learn to self soothe and regulate.

There is much overwhelm from all that is happening in the world, here in our own country and within our homes, schools and workplaces. We need the tools and skills to keep trucking along and find the golden moments whenever possible. Come along in person or on zoom and feel free to pay whatever you can afford if cashies are tight. We gather on Wed October 30, Nov 6, 13 and 20th 7-8.30pm.

First Light

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The season of First Light snuggles in between the hibernation of Winter and the full-blown glory of Spring. It is that in-between time when it is still cold and sometimes grim but there are signs of Spring emerging all around us. This year Spring seems to be coming early with my daffs already in full bloom, plum blossom bursting open and the ducks already making sneaky nests.

We often step into this season feeling pretty jaded, getting over lurgies or just the effects of cabin fever and netflix binging. First light is here to gently nourish and restore your vitality at your own pace, steadily nurturing our organs and nervous system, and clearing our minds and surroundings of clutter. This is not the time for hard core detoxes (actually never in my books!) or boot camp bullying (absolutely never!) This is all about nurture with the carrot rather than the stick! Just like the tender crops need frost cloth and daily checking to survive and thrive, we too need tending and support. The yoga practices include lots of modifications so that they can be accessible to all.

If you fancy a holistic approach to clearing your mind and surroundings while sprucing up your health then the First light 6-week spruce up might be the seasonal medicine for you. We support the elimination organs – colon, kidneys, liver, skin and the lymphatic system to do their job keeping us healthy with yoga, breathwork, meditation and recipes. We experiment with munching on edible weeds, home sprouting, blending herbal teas and discovering the best times to drink them. Along the way we tackle some spring cleaning with recipes for natural cleaning products and herbal body care so that you can get rid of all the nasty chemicals.

If this sounds like your cup of (nettle and peppermint) tea then join me in person, live online or via a recording. You get a weekly email with all the ideas and invitations, so you are welcome to do all, some or nothing! We start on August 13th and run through until Sept 19th. Further details are here and you can book in here

Sleep is my friend

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I have always been an odd sleeper. I was born as the sun rose out of the sea and perhaps that marked me as someone who wants to grasp the day and chase the light? Apparently, I rarely seemed to sleep as a baby, but would happily lie in my cot and smile every time my parents sneaked in to see if I was asleep yet. Throughout childhood I had bouts of sleepwalking, and experienced nightmares that I can still remember. However, I was also very happy occupying that space in between sleep and wakefulness – it was such a ripe place for my imagination to roam.

I discovered in adulthood that I can easily awaken from the slightest noise of a leaf rustling on the porch but can sleep through a raging storm and a party next door. I can happily “social nap” at a party, festival or in a park, and have weeks of delicious deep sleep. But when Perimenopause gate crashed earlier into my life than expected, things had to change. It was the ultimate thief of my sleep and the bringer of anxiety and truth serum dreams. This was when I knuckled down and finally learned the art of sleep and how to tend this garden of rest. What is this mysterious place where we scoot off to for a defrag and reboot? Why does it feel so deathly if we miss out on enough sleep? How can we ensure that we get better and deeper sleep for our health and sense of wholeness? 

Sleep is my Friend is a 4-week yoga therapy module to explore Rest and Sleep, because examining Rest is a vital key to discovering good Sleep. We learn how we can unwind from the colonisation of our natural sleep cycles and reframe our sleep habits. We appreciate how we need to woo ourselves for a good sleep with little cues throughout the day – we cannot simply DEMAND sleep at the end of a stressful day.

This course uses the tools of breathwork, restorative yoga, yoga nidra and adopting the practice of night journaling for deeper appreciation of what is actually happening with your sleep and night adventures. We discuss partners and pets, dealing with snoring and getting real about “sleep divorce”. We also explore Chi cycles and Moon cycles as a way of framing our life to make space for Being as well as Doing. We also learn some simple dream awareness techniques so we can appreciate this liminal world as a place of insight. Bedtime becomes a place to look forward to and an opportunity to nurture yourself even on those nights where sleep is elusive. Stop dreaming about getting good sleep and wake up to finding the tools to help you get there!

This four-week module starts on Wed May 15th 7-8.30pm. You are welcome to attend in person, on zoom or simply receive a recording.