I have long been interested in exploring and working with the body. Since being a teenager coming into my body through movement has been a way of connecting with and resourcing myself. I have taught yoga at Bodywise in Manchester for many years now. During this time both my personal practice and approach to teaching have ongoingly changed and evolved. It has been important to me to see the practice as a process of enquiry, exploration and creativity. My approach these days could perhaps be best described as Somatic Yoga. How I practice and teach tends to be quite slow, giving time and space and exploring sensations and returning to presence.
For some years now I have also been drawn to also exploring less structured somatic /embodied movement approaches - allowing movement to arise from listening to impulses within the bodymind rather than from an external form. In particular I love the practice of Authentic Movement, a little known but very rich embodied relational movement practice. It’s a bit like doing the metta bhavana through movement! Whether through movement or meditation I am really interested in discovering how the body can be a 'doorway' into listening to ourselves and can help us find a deeper, more open, easeful relationship to ourselves, others and the world around us.
These retreats combine introductory meditation teaching with yoga. The supportive atmosphere of the retreat allows us to develop and deepen both practices, and understand how the two augment each other. Both meditation and yoga teaching will be suitable for complete beginners.
For more information read the retreat information sheet.
Each day we will explore how the body can be a 'doorway' into listening to ourselves and take us into a deeper, more open and easeful relationship to our experience. We will offer guided and improvised movement explorations; for example how is it to feel ourselves made of the earth, to inhabit and breathe our bones and find the movements stories and images they hold.
Our explorations over the week will include movement, stillness, dance, drawing, dialogue and poetry.
These retreats combine introductory meditation teaching with yoga. The supportive atmosphere of the retreat allows us to develop and deepen both practices, and understand how the two augment each other. Both meditation and yoga teaching will be suitable for complete beginners.
For more information read the retreat information sheet.
Nature is for many of us an important source of spiritual nourishment in an increasingly busy world. On these retreats we will combine traditional Buddhist teachings with the simple practice of spending time walking in the rich and beautiful landscapes that surround Dhanakosa. Guided walk options will be available to suit all levels of fitness.
For more information read the retreat information sheet.
These retreats combine introductory meditation teaching with yoga. The supportive atmosphere of the retreat allows us to develop and deepen both practices, and understand how the two augment each other. Both meditation and yoga teaching will be suitable for complete beginners.
For more information read the retreat information sheet.
Each day we will explore how the body can be a 'doorway' into listening to ourselves and take us into a deeper, more open and easeful relationship to our experience. We will offer guided and improvised movement explorations; for example how is it to feel ourselves made of the earth, to inhabit and breathe our bones and find the movements stories and images they hold.
Our explorations over the week will include movement, stillness, dance, drawing, dialogue and poetry.
These retreats combine introductory meditation teaching with yoga. The supportive atmosphere of the retreat allows us to develop and deepen both practices, and understand how the two augment each other. Both meditation and yoga teaching will be from first principles and will be suitable for complete beginners.
These retreats are open to all. They are suitable for both beginners and those with more experience but no previous experience is assumed. All these retreats include introductory meditation teaching and periods of silence.
These retreats combine introductory meditation teaching with yoga. The supportive atmosphere of the retreat allows us to develop and deepen both practices, and understand how the two augment each other. Both meditation and yoga teaching will be from first principles and will be suitable for complete beginners.
These retreats are open to all. They are suitable for both beginners and those with more experience but no previous experience is assumed. All these retreats include introductory meditation teaching and periods of silence.
Creating a space for expression, movement, spontaneity and playfulness. Engaging our capacity for sensing, for listening deeply to the body's wisdom. Finding our own dance and developing an embodied consciousness. Through guided and improvised movement sessions, hands on bodywork, Authentic Movement and meditation.
No previous experience of bodywork required.
For more information read the retreat information sheet.
Yoga is essentially an awareness practice. It has the potential to help us to re-inhabit our bodies, to listen to our bodies` wisdom and to meet ourselves as we are with kindness and sensitivity. We will have periods of collective silence during the week to support going deeper. The retreat is open to those with a regular yoga practice who have previously attended a week long yoga and meditation retreat.
These retreats are suitable for people who have been on retreat before and who have a regular meditation practice. They are more intensive than introductory retreats.
