The Story and behind the scenes of Nurture and Nourish
Our signature and much loved offering Nurture and Nourish has grown and evolved over the past years to be something treasured by myself and our regulars. It started back in 2019 as “The Relax Club”, where a small group met in person once a month on a Sunday at a local community centre . We practiced simple Restorative Yoga with cushions, blankets and pillows brought from home, followed by a Yoga Nidra practice. It was a delight to teach and everyone loved how relaxed they would feel at the end. However, I felt it needed to up-level to support more people, go deeper into the ancient teachings and address the specific challenges we have all faced the past few years.
So, we moved to a beautiful Barn venue where I now have the facilities to also offer online, making it more accessible. We now provide all the props, cushion Pilate mats, bolsters, blocks and bricks, but of course if cushions from home is preferred everyone is welcome to bring whatever makes them feel most comfortable! We offer eye masks, relaxation sprays and essential oil rolls to buy to make the experience have a special touch. The new location is also nestled in the countryside so it is more quiet and offers us the healing energy of nature.
These sessions are so dear to me and there is a lot that goes into each offering to make each one unique and from the heart. Here is a little taste of what goes on behind the scenes and how our sessions come to materialise on the evening. As well as, what magic is going on and my intention to help us tap into the healing capabilities of our own bodily wisdom.
First off, I bring together a combination of my training, personal experience and insights, as well as whatever is inspiring me at the time. Perhaps a book I am reading, a podcast I’m listening too or whatever I am currently studying. My professional experience of being a Hatha Yoga Asana teaching, A Pranayama teacher ( breathing and energy practice), Ayurveda Wellness and Health training and Reiki all come together in a yummy mix feeding into the planning process.
My aim and particular interest is to really down regulate everyone’s nervous system. Which means to bring us into a healthy state of our parasympathetic nervous system. We all live in a world of being over stimulated, over scheduled, over subscribes, all of which creates an internal world of thinking we always need to be on the go, do more, watch time, worry and so on. Leading to an excess of adrenaline and other hormones/ chemicals that pump through our beautiful bodies in a large amount just to cope with the pace of life. When we slow down, find quiet and tap into our healthy state of parasympathetic nervous system, we can begin the process of healing and processing mentally, physically and spiritually. This is an opening to our vitality.
On the day, I ensure I am relaxed and full of good prana (energy) so I can hold space for everyone to feel calm and safe. We call this co-regulation. So, on the day of nurture and nourish, I do not make any other plans other than the event and my own self-care. I have my own little ritual for the day, I will go for a swim outside, listen to a Yoga Nidra practice, meditate, read through the session plan and of course eat something delicious ( for those who don’t personally know me, nourishing and yummy food it huge for me! I am a big food lover ).
Next is preparing the space, I arrive a hour before we start : lighting all the candles, incense, setting up the props. I cleanse the room with palo santo ( a anciet wood), a processes called “smudging”. I draw the Reiki power symbols in each corner of the room to create a space of healing, protection and calm. I’ll sit and sing a Yogic mantra quietly to myself. Then I wait for all the lovely people to arrive and we have a beautiful 2 hours together.
It has been fondly nick-named by a few of our regulars as a glamorised nap, replenish and renew session, monthly self-love gift, monthly re-set. I’ve also been informed that one of the lovely ladies, Sue, checks her fitbit and every session it has logged her as being in deep sleep for the majority of the session, this affirming to me the deep healing qualities this practice can have. We have some snoozing, sometimes some tears, sometimes a few giggles and sometimes big hugs. But, it really is just one of those things where words will never do the experience justice, so if you havn’t already, I highly recommend you come along and try a session yourself!
Any questions, I am always happy to answer.
I hope we will meet soon at one of the nurture and nourish sessions.
With love
Sarah
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