Blossoming!

At this time of year I often hear the lament that the blossom or the magnolias are so beautiful, but so short lived. And honestly, I think that is why the blossom and magnolias are so wonderful, it is a brief window of time where those trees shine so brightly, look so stunning, that it simply would not be sustainable to do that all year. And I suspect that if cherry blossom bloomed all year or even for half the year non stop we wouldn’t appreciate it half so much!

Acceptance and impermanence are both significant themes in yoga. On a very immediate level you might find yourself in a pose that is tricky for your body, or one that you find you would rather avoid. However, you can find with the help of your breath you can stay there, in that pose for a while even when your mind or body is resisting! Revolved triangle is this pose for me. Oh and toe stand – oh I so hate toe stands! In your yoga practice you learn to accept that this is a position you are in, you don’t love it, but it will not be forever. You may well be delighted when you leave the pose, but you might also find that when you look back that the pose might have been exactly what you needed for your body or mind.

Part of the beauty of yoga is about how you translate the on the mat experience to off the mat. Just like when I am in a revolved triangle pose, I sometimes find myself in situations I do not always want to be in – life is like that! But remembering impermanence – that nothing stays the same forever, can help to anchor you through that turbulent time. And like the gorgeous magnolia trees and cherry blossoms, every situation eventually shifts, changes, ends. Equally this applies to the moments are wonderfulness in life, not grasping to hold onto something fleeting leaves us to simply enjoy that moment!

One of my favourite readings that I have used in Yin Yoga and Restorative classes goes:

Life is amazing. And then it's awful. And then it's amazing again.

And in between the amazing and awful it's ordinary and mundane and routine.

Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary.

That's just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life.

And it's breathtakingly beautiful

(LR Knost)

Spring corner aka Sprng Altar: Easter, or Ostara if you follow the wheel of the year, is all about new life, the eggs, the chicks, the bunnies, the flowers. The return of the light and the warmth. Recently I have started creating little seasonal arrangements on my desk. A selection of lovely things from the season. For Easter I have some sparkly eggs my daughter and I made together – they are beautiful to look at, but also they hold the memory of the time, conversation, laughter and love we shared when we made them together. I add some candles and some flowers from the garden. I also have some adorable tiny Eastery gifts and crafted delights that have been gifted to me by lovely friends and yoga students, some crystals – mainly chosen for their spring colours, and as always some candles. I will add to it as I find things in nature as the season rolls on. You can add whatever speaks of the season to you! It is a lovely seasonal act of mindfulness, of watching the season shift and grow, of acknowledging where we are in natures cycle and with acknowledging and accepting impermanence.

Spring at Emma's Yoga Hut:

Thursday 2^nd April

Online bedtime guided meditation. Picture this: its 930 at night and you are cosy in your favourite pyjamas, tuck yourself up in bed and click a link to join our LIVE bedtime yoga nidra – switch off your camera and mic, put your device on do not disturb and be lulled into sleep with a blissfully restful Yoga Nidra. Live Yoga Nidras are a very different experience to the pre-recorded. And a recording of a Yoga Nidra you were present for holds a different energy too. You will have access to a recording of this Yoga Nidra for 4 weeks. £7, online 930pm – 1010pm on the Thursday evening at the start of the Easter bank holiday weekend.

Friday 17^th April

April Alternative Night Out! If you enjoyed our Alternative Christmas Night Out then join us for our April night out! Beautifully gentle, inclusive yoga to ease stress and tension from the body, a seasonal yoga nidra to ease you even further into rest which will flow into a soothing soundbath. When we gently come back to the room we will enjoy grounding treats and oracle cards. The most calming, restful and nourishing start to the weekend imaginable. 600 – 745pm £25pp ECRC

Friday 22^nd May

Seasonal Soundbath for May bank Holiday. By late May we are on the cusp of summer, so nearly there, and we are deep in the month of burgeoning flowers in gardens, meadows and parks. Join us for a restful seasonal sound bath where we take time to rest in the flower filled gateway of summer, surrounded by flowers and fairy lights allowing crystal singing bowls to gently guided you into a deeply meditative state. Followed by blissballs, fresh fruit and oracle cards 630 -745pm £22pp ECRC

I hope you get to take time to bask in the impermanence of spring!

With love,

Emma xx

(Emma runs Emma’s Yoga Hut in Earley. A teeny garden studio for nurturing holistic small group yoga. She is a yoga student and yoga teacher and has practiced yoga for nearly 30 years. She trained with the Traditional Yoga Association right here in Reading between 2016 and 2018 to achieve her 500 hour yoga teaching accreditation. She has additional teaching qualifications in Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. She is an Internationally Accredited Sound Bath Facilitator and specialises in singing bowls. She teaches Chair Yoga classes at local community centres where there is almost always a coffee and a chat after class. Emma is passionate about getting the beautiful benefits of yoga out to as many people as possible, and she tries her best to practice yoga every day, but avoids toe stands and revolved triangle pose way more than she should!)