Happy New Year....reflections and anticipation
Happy New Year....reflections and anticipation
My New Year newsletter
photo credit - Moritz Knoringer
It’s that time of year again. When the party season has pooped and everyone is feeling a tad bloated yet finding their wallets a lot skinnier. It’s a time for reflection and musing on the possibilities for the next 12 months. So here are mine.
Shifting gears
It’s been a tricky couple of years and that’s probably an understatement. Without going into the world’s woes and issues (of which there are many) I, like many people I know, have been really re-evaluating how to live life and what I want and need in order to prosper and be happy.
I’m really proud and fortunate to have had a successful career in yoga spanning 22 years (yes it’s that long!) In that time I’ve opened and run a yoga centre (The Yoga Room, the first dedicated yoga space in Norwich), taught on the inaugural CamYoga teacher training in 2008, written and run my own yoga TTs including Embodied Dancer, written a yoga Ph.D. and taught many classes, workshops, retreats, and courses. All of which of course has been amazing and rewarding (although at times hard work and physically draining). So here I am in 2023, and although I love teaching yoga and sharing what I’ve learned, I no longer feel the need to have a great big ‘presence’ and be doing a hundred and one things in order to stay relevant or ‘up there’ with the rest of the yoga world.
I really want to make 2023 the year I focus on cultivating the things that make me happy, which are, in no particular order. Walking in nature (as we have sooooooo! much of it in Norfolk to choose from), spending time with my lovely boyfriend, friends, family, and animals, cooking healthy food (and some not so healthy!), studying and learning (I’m halfway through my Thai Yoga Massage training!) and finally getting down to something I’ve been wanting to do forever, write a book!
I want to continue to teach yoga, but in a sustainable and meaningful way. I will have some exciting news to share with you soon about new offerings in 2023 but for now, I will just say that I will be keeping things small and local…. Stay tuned for more about classes and some teacher refinement/CPD workshops I will be offering later this year.
Photo credit - Elliot Matthews. Burnham Overy Staithe
Spring Renewal Yoga Retreat May 5-7th
Save the date!
Last year I teamed up with the wonderful Dr Pema Clark to run a weekend retreat at Fishley Hall, a boutique venue just 10 miles or so from Norwich. We taught our own classes as well as team-taught a session or two. We also had amazing food courtesy of Julia Martin at Purple Plum Catering. We are so happy to be offering the same fab lineup this year, PLUS! Tom and his Sauna Box the mobile horsebox sauna with ice bath…
Retreat includes:
- Yoga and mindfulness meditation (7 sessions over the weekend)
- Sauna/ice bath
- Massage therapists (to be booked separately) Charlotte Nolan & Liz Naven both yogis and all round good eggs!
- Beautiful countryside and broads walks
-Healthy vegan/veggie food including snacks and hot drinks
Rooms are mainly shared but please ask about the single supplement. There are 8 in total and the venue sleeps 16.
Treatments are to be booked with the therapists separately. Please ask us for details on booking.
Date: May 5-7th
Full price: £375
Early bird price: £345 (if paid before 1st February)
Deposit: £100
Monthly payment plan: £100 deposit + £55 a month (5 months)
Please contact Pema to book.
Podcast
picture credit - Mohammad Metri
I’ve had a blast recording Season 1. If you haven’t managed to listen to all the episodes, worry not! I will be publishing a ‘best bits’ of all the interviews so far in the next week or so. If you haven’t already, do check out the last episode. I had such a wonderful conversation with Nadia Gilani, aka The Yoga Dissident. Her book The Yoga Manifesto: How Yoga Saved me and Why it Needs to Save Itself is a must-read. She is also coming to Norfolk in 2023 so you can meet her for yourself.
In 2023 I have more exciting and interesting guests lined up from all corners of the globe, all of whom want to share their insights and reflections on the yoga world.
I really do wish all my subscribers, listeners, and present and former yoga students a happy and prosperous 2023. I am excited for whats to come and look forward to connecting with many of you in one way or another.
Love,
Abby xx