Spring is in the air, can you feel it? The weather is still pointing towards Winter but the energy feels different…something is stirring and on its way! Seeing my first daffodil bloom has confirmed that for me!

I’m excited for Spring, like many of you are too when I asked around last week’s class, but I also feel a tinge of grief that it’s over. I like the dark and getting cosy at home. I like the slower pace. I know some of you have enjoyed the slow rhythm too with our Winter Yoga practice. There were a few ‘ahh’s around the room when I announced we were moving on to our next 6 week evening Yoga theme as of this Tuesday and it’s going to hold a Spring energy! 

Mindful Stargazing

Saturday 7^th March 7pm – 8.30pm at

Ipstones Memorial Hall, ST10 2LD.

Our Wisdom Keeper for this event is astrophysicist and Zen teacher,

Dr Mark Westmoquette. Mark has written several books and has featured in a number of well-known publications. Join us for this exciting evening that combines science, astronomy, contemplation and mindfulness for the whole family.

Wow, it’s a bit wild out there today isn’t it?! Rain, wind, sleet, we have it all! I hope you’re all keeping warm and cosy. 

Here is your class update as promised - the heating is still broken at Werrington VH. A plumber has been to take a look but it’s not fixed as yet. I called several local village halls yesterday but I’m afraid they were already booked for this evening so I’ve taken the decision to cancel our class for today. I’m hoping the heating will be fixed by Monday for our class then but again - I’ll update you all via my socials, Yoga Community WhatsApp group and this newsletter. 

I’m hoping everyone’s start to 2026 has been smooth. Mine hasn’t been that way! Lots of coughs, colds and sickness in the house over January including one of my dogs! It’s been a challenge to say the least as we have had to navigate one day at a time and change plans constantly. I’m hoping for a steadier February but with the news of broken heating on the first day of the new month, who knows! More lessons in going with the flow. My Yoga and gratitude practice has been invaluable since the start of the year. No matter how turbulent things have felt, they have been my anchor. There is always something to be grateful for, no matter how small. 

I’m sure many of you have seen the weather forecast.

I’ve decided to cancel today’s 6.15pm class at Werrington even though no snow is visible yet it’s looking imminent! I don’t think any of us will be able to relax wondering what is happening outside the hall even if we were okay to make it there. 

Stay warm and cosy everyone. Hopefully I’ll see you on Monday instead as I’m really looking forward to a good catch up with everyone and a nice Yoga practice together. Luckily I managed to catch my Ipstones Yogins this week, on Tuesday where we enjoyed the first class of 2026 together. 

Conscious Communication
Friday 20th February 6.30pm at Trinity Church, Leek. Staffordshire.

Our Wisdom Keeper for this session is Paula Charnley from Embodied Transformation - a Psychotherapist and teacher of Focusing with a background in Non-Violent Communication.
 
This workshop will set you on the way to communicate better with yourself and others.

How are you all fairing after the past week? Christmas can be a mixed bag of emotions for a lot of us… I hope you’re all finding some joy and peace even if it’s in the smallest ways. 

We are 6 buffets in here in our family, with more to come! I’m sure I’ll definitely need the upcoming gut health session by the end of the holidays!

I can’t quite believe I’m writing this, but we only have a few classes left of 2025! 

I personally feel it’s been a profound year. A year of tying up loose ends, completion and with that clarity coming forward.

It’s a useful process - looking back over the year - consolidating lessons learnt and taking the opportunity to celebrate all the wins and steps forward we’ve taken. 

During our Following the Flow classes - we’ve met at thresholds through the year to do just this. To look back, acknowledge the present and feel into the right, heart led way forwards. 

Love Your Gut!

Friday 30th January 6.30pm at Cheddleton CC. 

For this session we are joined by Wisdom Keepers Lily - a dietician who specialises in gut health and the microbiome, and chef - Elle who loves to create high fibre, nutritiously dense meals that taste amazing. 

Come along and bring your apron as Lily guides us through the science and background to great gut health and Elle leads a live cookery workshop where we get hands on to create some delicious delights to take home.

I’m not going to lie, I do love Christmas but our nervous systems can take a bit of a battering at this time of the year, which is why I’ve teamed up with a local Reflexologist to offer an afternoon of Wellness Reflexology. 

This is a hands on learning experience where you will hear about how this ancient healing system works and how you can use it for yourself and with your family to improve your wellness, reduce stress, relieve pain, improve sleep along with a multitude of other wonderful benefits this complementary therapy offers. 

The session will be led by Victoria Mitchell, an experienced clinical reflexologist and Chi Medics practitioner. There will be time to ask specific questions and of course to try this therapy for yourself. 

We are offering this as part of our Earth School Staffordshire Moorlands initiative on 
Sunday 23rd November 3.30pm - 5pm
at Bradnop Village Hall. 
All are welcome, adults and children alike. 
The full details are shown below including how to book your place. 
We would love to see you there if you can make it. 

Wellness Reflexology

An afternoon of learning and experiencing this ancient healing system.

Sunday 23rd November 3.30pm – 5pm at Bradnop Village Hall, ST13 7ND.

All are welcome from children aged 5+ to adults, to join us for this event with Victoria Mitchell, a clinical Reflexologist and practitioner of Chi Medics.

Come along for this introductory experience into the world of this complementary therapy, that can balance energy flow, relieve tension and restore our nervous systems.

Arrival 4pm on Friday 12^TH June 2026.

Farewells 2pm on Sunday 14^th June 2026.

Caernarfon, Wales.

We invite you to join us for a whole weekend of Yoga to unwind, meditation to de-stress, good food to nourish and soul to soul connection to inspire and transform.

Welcome to our Return to Nature Yoga Retreat!

Our venue is set amongst 18 acres of gardens, meadows and woodlands with views of Eryri mountains and Llyn Nantlle. The space consists of comfortable twin rooms with shared bathrooms, our private Yoga studio and communal places to relax. All food is freshly prepared on site each day and is made with locally sourced and home grown biodynamic produce. The kitchen team take pride in offering seasonal, nutritious food made with love, care and imagination.

Today sees the start of our next 6 week evening Yoga theme which is inspired by the Moon! One of my all time favourite Yoga practices that I love to do at this time of the year now the Moon is our main source of light as it leads us further and further into those darker days. I know this can be a dread and feel like a difficult time for a lot of us, but the dark can be a wonderful, nurturing place if we can just embrace it. 

Come and join us for our gathering of Following the Flow - Yoga to connect with the seasons on 19th December 2025, 7pm - 9pm, at Ipstones Memorial Hall Staffordshire.

Exchange: £16.50

With all this letting go and completion, I can now focus my energy on the projects that feel good and right - one of them being Following the Flow - our next evening is coming up on Friday 31st October where we explore the energies of Samhain and our ancestors. You can find the details for this below.
And another project that is feeling good and right is Earth School Staffordshire Moorlands. This initiative has been born from a really good place of wanting to ‘be the change we wish to see’. Please do come along and support our events. 

We have our next session this coming Friday 17th October and I would love to see you there. All are welcome - adults and children alike.

Friday 17th October 6pm – 7.30pm at Bolton Gate Farm, Weston Coyney. Staffordshire

Come and join us for an evening walk with conservationist Amy Dutton, who shares her love of creature spotting and ID, and exploring the dark.

All are welcome to this session as we build your trust and love of the dark, showing our children this is not a place to fear, but rather a place of so much life and potential.

We will be looking for bats before they start their hibernation and getting up close with moths as we see how a moth trap works.

Why are moths attracted to the light? Why don’t they just come out in the day if they like the light so much?

What owl sound is that?

What do bats like to eat?

How can I attract more wildlife into my garden?

What can I do to help support and sustain life after dark?

Lots of questions we will hopefully find the answers to in this Earth School Staffordshire Moorlands session!

Earth School Staffordshire Moorlands is an initiative that aims to provide the local community with knowledge on a vast range of Earth based subjects which will widen understanding and perception of the land on which we live and inspire future guardians of our wonderful planet.

Our curriculum covers lessons from soil quality and allotment planting to navigation and star constellations. There is a blend of community learning, spirituality, Earth care and Self-care. Our events are open to families with children aged from 5+ and adults alike. We are a nomadic group, travelling around the Staffordshire Moorlands, meeting on a monthly basis. Come and learn new skills through human to human connection and sharing knowledge as a community so we can all grow together.

Exchange: £15 for an adult. £20 for a family of 3 or less. £25 for a family of 4 to 5

Pre booking required.

Come and join us for our gathering of Following the Flow - Yoga to connect with the seasons on 31st October 2025, 7pm - 9pm, at Ipstones Memorial Hall Staffordshire.

Exchange: £16.50

Some of you may remember that last September we came together to take part in the Deepak Chopra’s 21 days to abundance. During September we are really supported by Nature to ‘count our blessings’ and plug into abundance and gratitude rather than scarcity and miserly ways. Nature is providing so much nourishment for us at this time of the year - September is harvest season - fruit, berries and nuts are ripe for picking and hopefully the veggie patch has provided a glut of goodness for you to enjoy long into the Autumn. Traditionally this is the time to show our thanks and what better way than to come together as a community and share all the goodness we have in life! And another bonus is that it’s completely free to join! 

Finding Your True North Yoga Retreat.

Arrival from 4pm on Friday 16th January 2026. Depart 11am on Sunday 18th January 2026.

You are invited to join us for a weekend of solace, realignment and relaxation in the peaceful Derbyshire Dales.

Held in a beautiful, remote landscape with the sound of the nearby river, there will be daily Yoga practices, guided meditations and bedtime Yoga Nidra’s to prepare you for sleep. There will be opportunities to craft and time to meander through the local countryside and cosy up in our luxury accommodation.

I hope you’re all enjoying the late Summer vibes. Our dogs have been enjoying rolling around in the golden fields, we’ve been enjoying the juicy blackberries and finding what I think are the biggest acorns we’ve ever seen!

I keep getting sniffs of Autumn on the air and with it September and the start back to school is now not that far away. 

With the new academic year nearly here, plans for Earth School Staffordshire Moorlands are being released. I’m excited to share that the doors are opening even wider from this September to welcome the WHOLE community! This offering is no longer just for families - everyone is welcome to come and learn with us!
One of the main points from the feedback received was that people with no children had an interest in the sessions but couldn’t come along as children had grown up and left home or they were living a child free life so I now invite the Wisdom Keeper to select their audience so there will be sessions just for adults, just for families and for everyone. I’m hoping it helps to make the initiative more inclusive and allows the learning on offer to spread its roots even further.