I hope this blog post finds you well and you are enjoying the slowing down and cosying up of Autumn into Winter?
I am writing this because I am unbelievably excited to announce the first ever Emma’s Yoga NOT in the Hut event! On Saturday 20th January from 1330 – 1700 I am running a midwinter yoga retreat – a whole afternoon of yoga, community, and cake at a truly beautiful venue in Mortimer - just 15/20 minutes away from Earley called the Soul Barns.
If a blissful escape into the peacefulness of a whole afternoon of yoga (and cake) sounds like it would be your happy place then please read on for more details!
It was about a year ago when I first thought it would be lovely to run an entire afternoon of yoga – some asana, some guided meditation, some tea and cake, some all round deeply relaxing, lovely escapism and nourishment. I looked at all sorts of places trying to find the right venue for this, somewhere soothing and beautiful and not too far away. I looked and looked to no avail, and eventually stopped looking and just placed it in the hands of the Universe and waited for the right thing to appear. And it did. The Soul Barns are such a beautiful, peaceful space. The gorgeous barns are newly converted into a very lovely wellness centre, lots of natural light, underfloor heating (perfect for a midwinter yoga retreat!) and all with a beautifully calm vibe. See them here: www.soulbarns.co.uk
Our retreat will be rooted in the theme of midwinter and the need to slow down and care for ourselves. January is a pretty meh month, the sparkly lights and buzz of the festive season is gone - along with any down time you may have had over Christmas, its a long, dark month with not a lot of excitement. It is literally the mid-winter and as such we should be resting, leaning into the cold and dark and allowing ourselves the luxury of slowing down, doing less. You will see all of nature doing this. This slow down happens simply because nothing can bloom all year round. Leaning into the cold and the dark of mid-winter, embracing slowing down, taking the opportunity to retreat a little from the pressures of modern life is absolutely essential for our well-being. The quietness this brings allows us time and space to step back, see things a little more clearly and find our path forward.
Arriving at 13:30 for a 13:45 start, we will begin with a welcome circle, and move into a beautifully intentional yoga practice themed around deep nourishment and relaxation – we will flow through poses which stretch and release into the whole body, offering nurturing release to the body, which will then in turn will let our central nervous system pass on the rest and repair message to every part of us, so we can begin to heal and restore in a fundamental, holistic way. After our yoga practice we will take a pause for some tea and, as I might have mentioned earlier, home made cake. Thus fortified we will settle in with soft blankets for a longer guided relaxation in the form of a blissfully restful yoga nidra. Soothing aromatherapy will aid our rest and relaxation here. We will end with a short closing circle and then take our rested and relaxed selves out into the night at around 4:45 / 5pm.
Because Emma’s Yoga Hut is all about small group yoga and creating little communities, this is a small retreat, enough space for just 12 people. It feels very important to keep this field trip true to the spirit of Emma’s Yoga Hut – so, not only is it a small retreat, but we will also obviously have plenty of fairy lights too!
The price for this afternoon of midwinter nurturing yoga retreat is £50.
Here is a link if you would like book onto the Mid-Winter retreat: www.emmasyogahut.co.uk
Here is a link to see the lovely Soul Barns in Mortimer where we will be spending the afternoon: www.soulbarns.co.uk
Please contact me with any queries, and I hope to see you in January if not before!
With love,
Emma xx
(Emma runs Emma’s Yoga Hut in Earley. A tiny garden studio for small group yoga classes. She is a yoga student and yoga teacher and has practiced yoga for over 25 years. She trained with the Traditional Yoga Association right here in Reading to achieve her 500 hour yoga teaching accreditation. She has additional yoga teaching qualifications in Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Emma loves creating a peaceful yogic escape from everyday life, offering those who come to the Yoga Hut a soft, safe and serene place to land through her yoga offerings.)
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