Hello All,
Update on Class Credit for Block Booking payments.
Just a reminder Aura Yoga with Geri will not be offering credit transfer of pre-paid classes from one month to the next.
If you’ve paid for a block of sessions and you don’t attend:
Please use your credit that month at another class.
If I cancel a class I will credit that session at next block booking or refund.
Or you can opt to pay £7 per session.
Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support.
Aura Yoga with Geri enjoyed a SUP Yoga session at the beautiful lake near Cwmbrân last weekend.
The weather was kind, the air fresh, the water welcoming as we stretched, inverted, balanced , breathed, relaxed and nourished our souls thanks to the expert tuition of Yoga with Kitty.
Of course a visit to the panoramic cafe was a must afterwards. The salads are wonderful and are adorned with edible flowers
There’s only one more scheduled SUP YOGA session at this location scheduled for this season.
Please check out the Watersports Centre online to find out more or to reserve one of the many activities on offer.
I’ve decided to not offer Hatha Yoga on zoom at combined Live class on a monday 6-7pm.
Unfortunately the sound, picture, lighting quality is poor at Plas Mawr Community Centre and I feel I’m not providing a quality yoga experience.
Apologies for any inconvenience.
If you are in credit I will happily refund or you can transfer to an in person class if it’s accessible to you or use in the Aura Yoga & Homoeopathy Shop.
I will continue the meditation class combination 7.15-8.15pm for next week monday, subject to bookings.
Thank you for supporting the classes.🙏🏼🙏🏼
Did any of you watch the ‘Sex, Myths & Menopause‘ documentary presented by Davina McCall on Channel 4 last night? #davinamenopause
In my mind it was a very open and informative look at peri-menopause, menopause and beyond. Certainly a conversation starter which is so important as there are many symptoms related to this stage of life that are often overlooked by medical professionals.
Diane Danzebrink at www.menopausesupport.co.uk #makemenopausematter is a champion campaigner and advocate for us women, offering so many resources and support.
Thanks to Diane Danzebrink and several other ‘Menovists’ Menopause has been added to the Curriculum in schools in England. There is also a petition at change.org campaigning for better menopause care for everyone.
At www.pausitivity.co.uk there’s a poster campaign, translated into several languages, to highlight some of the many symptoms of menopause, and spread the word globally, to reach out to those who may be suffering in silence.
Menopause Cafe is another wonderful opportunity to connect with others who may be experiencing symptoms. In 2018 I attended my first Menopause Cafe and it was a real ‘game-changer’ for me as I was able to express myself, share my symptoms with like-minded souls, hear their stories, and meet so many inspirational women. In fact, I was so inspired, I’ve been hosting Menopause Cafe Blackwood since 2019.
#menopausecafe
I recently attended #Flushfest21 online – a fantastic weekend celebrating womanhood at every stage of life but mainly focusing on peri-menopause, menopause and beyond, with a plethora of ace speakers, so much information on offer, along with comedy cabaret and belly dancing.
My peri-menopausal journey has also resulted in me contributing a chapter on ‘The Benefit’s of Yoga’ in a wonderful, frank, informative book on ‘Surgical Menopause’, the brain child of the amazing Helen Kemp. #surgicalmenopause #NYTM #chemicalmenopause #prematuremenopause
I’m grateful to Davina McCall for highlighting the impact of the mental health issues often related to the climacteric stage of life. #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek2021
I would have liked to see more focus on the many other useful things available to support women navigate their symptoms such as nutrition, exercise, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, homoeopathy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), walking, wild water swimming, talking therapies, creative writing, etc.
Let’s keep the conversations going to help educate, spread awareness and create the change to banish this often taboo subject. #menopause #perimenopause #WomensHealth
I feel so privileged to be part of this wonderful new book – Surgical Menopause #NYTM @SurMenoNYTM edited by the brilliant Helen Kemp
It is to be published around the 8th April 2021 but my preview
copy arrived in the post recently and is such a great resource for those contemplating a surgical menopause, post-surgery and beyond, as I see many women suffering symptoms at the Menopause Café’s I host, in Aura Homoeopathy Clinic and Aura Yoga with Geri classes many years later.
The stories of these 12 women who all went through very different experiences of surgical menopause are inspiring, informative and empowering.
I wrote the chapter on the benefits of Yoga.
There is also a section dedicated to ‘what might help?’
Why not pre-order your copy now?
#perimenopause
#menopause
#surgicalmenopause
#internationalwomensday2021
#climacteric
#menopausecafe
Our online soiree was well attended by glamorous ladies and gents. We had feather boas, high heels, smart shirts, sequins galore and lovely dresses. The drinks varied from San Pelgrino Limonata, to Prosecco with raspberries, cocktails and mocktails galore.
Our wonderful quiz host used a wheel of fortune type app to offer us a choice:
We had so much fun, often with side-splitting laughter. It was great to discover hidden talents, learn more about each other, relax and have fun off our yoga mats. I particularly enjoyed the singing a few lines of a song from a well-known Musical for us to guess the name of the Musical and mime a film title. Some of the stories were hilarious. Our challenges included balancing a teaspoon on the nose, using a banana to make a pretend phone call, balancing a cushion on the head for 10 seconds.
I had anticipated that we’d finish early and there’d be a rush to end the event to don our pyjamas but I was wrong. It left us all wanting more as it was the perfect prescription for the pandemic blues.
I was glad for a rest after the last round as I was expected to answer questions (general knowledge is certainly not my strong point), tell a story, truth, challenge and strike a yoga pose – several in fact!
We had a tie for first place quiz prize so I was pleased to present a £5 Aura Yoga & Homoeopathy Gift Voucher to each of our worthy winners.
We’re hoping our next online soiree scheduled for Friday 19 Feb 2021 will be just as good or even better.
I’m hosting this event as a big “Thank You” to my Aura Yoga with Geri students and because we enjoy spending time together.
Yogapedia.com defines the Sanskrit word ‘KULA’ as a “community”, “clan”, “tribe” a “community of the heart”. “This kula, or community, of yogis is considered sacred because it is a group of people who come together freely, with intention and a shared sense of purpose.” This definition describes what I refer to as my ‘yoga family’, perfectly.
Some Photos from our earlier Parties
Last term we enjoyed a Christmas Advent theme whereby each week we adorned a particular theme. There were lights, sequins/sparkle, animal print, Christmas accessories, Christmas jumpers and fancy dress. Most students embraced these and each week was filled with a great deal of fun and laughter. I dressed as a pirate and Beyonce. It was the perfect prescription to lift our spirits and soothe our souls during ‘firebreak’, ‘lockdown’ and living life in the Covid19 Pandemic.
Thankfully, I’m able to continue to run a few yoga classes via ‘Zoom’ and I’m eternally grateful to those students who continue to support these sessions, especially when there are so many other yoga classes available online.
At the start of each ‘Zoom’ class we enjoy up to 15 minutes time to chat and I take the register. There’s lots of chat – shared experiences, joy and sorrow, coping strategies at this time. Every class is friendly and supportive with lots of fun and laughter. I’ve created a What’s App group for each class and we regularly keep in touch this way – sharing quotes, jokes and photos.
Lockdown 3 is certainly taking its toll, on the majority of us, as its ongoing, currently with no end in sight. We are missing our family, friends, freedom, holidays and our Aura Yoga with Geri social events. We do like to party!
I’m quite a frugal soul but last year I bought not one but three new dresses for a wedding, however, it was cancelled so the dresses remain in my wardrobe. I miss dressing up in nice clothes, high heels, jewellery, wearing make-up and doing my hair to got out to eat, drink, dance and be merry. I love dancing.
Then I decided to host a Soiree for Cocktails, Quiz, Song and Dance. I’ve applied my self-tanning lotion and decided on my outfit. At this week’s online classes we’ve been discussing the forthcoming event and what we plan to wear. I’m not quite sure how smoothly it will run however I know it will be memorable and fun.
I will let you know how we get on and perhaps share the quiz and some photos if you would like?
Alert Level 4 Lockdown will remain in Wales for at least another 3 weeks
Aura Yoga with Geri classes will continue via Zoom as timetabled below.
Monday 9.30-10.30am & 7.00-8.00pm
Wednesday: 9.30-11.00am
Thursday 7th, 14th, 21st January 2021 6.15-7.15pm
Thursday 28th January, 4th & 11th February 2021 6.30-7.30pm
Please contact me directly to reserve your place or complete and submit the new yoga student questionnaire.
£5 per session
Aura Homoeopathy Clinic will continue online via FaceTime, Skype, What’s App and Zoom.
Please check out my website for further details or message me directly to book a no-obligation 15 minute chat.
Aura Yoga with Geri Meditation is hosted by me, the most unlikely of meditators, as my mind is naturally very restless. Regular Meditation practice has transformed my life. In my youth I was plagued with anxiety, worry, stress, digestive issues, skin problems, insomnia and fear that was so self-limiting.
Would you like to regain mastery of your mind?
Our minds already know how to naturally retreat from the stress and strain of our frenetic lifestyles and the many environmental factors that impact us deeply.
Mindfulness and Meditation may offer a retreat from these feelings, emotions, sensations and symptoms. Now more than ever we need to regain control of our mind, breath and body. This pandemic and lockdown life is directly impacting our mental health as well as our physical well-being.
Mindfulness and Meditation has so many benefits that ultimately help restore balance, harmony, equilibrium to us physically and emotionally.
We begin each session by focusing on the correct way to breathe, recognising how we hold tension in the body and mind and how to release it.
Breathing in expands the muscles of the diaphragm down and out. Simultaneously we then amplify the tension in your body by making fists, scrunching your toes up, stiffness in your limbs. Drawing in life giving Prana (life-force/vital force/universal energy) into your body, flowing into your organs, bathing your entire body and cleansing it.
When we exhale we push the diaphragm muscles in and up, possibly allowing the air to flow from your open mouth, sighing the breath out. Simultaneously we let-go and release the physical tension you’ve amplified. Perhaps visualising fatigue, anxiety and exhaustion being expelled from your body.
In this way the lungs fully expand, air rushes into them, then is vigorously expelled.
After a minute or two of breathing this way you will notice a difference.
Do you remember the Mary Hopkins song “I’d like to teach the world to sing, in perfect harmony”?
Well I’d like to teach the world to meditate in perfect harmony.
Do come and join me on Thursday 7th, 14th or 21st January 2021, 6.15-7.15 pm via zoom, £5 per session.
Please contact me directly to book your place.
#meditation
#mindfulness
#yoga
#pranayama
Due to the Welsh Government imposing a national lockdown in Wales 🏴 from this Friday 23rd October 2020 until midnight 8th November 2020 our proposed classes for next term will be postponed a week.
We will provisional begin our next term on 9th November (if lockdown restrictions lifted by then)!
I will continue via zoom Monday 7-8pm the Wednesday 9.30- 11am class w/c 2nd November.
Some of you are £5 or more in credit from week’s sessions I cancelled this term. This can be carried forward or used for other sessions.
I’m happy to run more online classes too subject to demand.
Stay safe and well.🙏🏼