Shine Yoga & Pilates with Dawn

Shine Yoga & Pilates with Dawn Yoga Alliance Professionals Senior Yoga Teacher. Level 3 Mat Pilates Instructor. Level 1 & 2 Sound Healing Practitioner at Sound Bath Kent

In previous lives I was a corporate PA in the City of London and a SCUBA diving instructor/dive centre manager in various far-flung locations around the globe. My love for yoga, and the realisation from my time as a diving instructor that I had a knack for teaching, drove me to the Arizona desert to immerse myself in a yoga teacher training in September 2010. From there I went on to teach group an

d private classes at boutique resorts, leisure centres and vacation villas in the British Virgin Islands, and private classes in Grand Cayman, alongside working as a dive resort manager. After hanging up my dive instructor fins, I moved back to the UK. I teach group and private 1:1 classes full-time in and around Gravesend and Kent. My usual yoga class style is a fusion of Hatha and Vinyasa with much emphasis on breath, sensation and alignment. I teach Yin Yoga regularly too. And chair yoga/fitness for those that find it difficult to get down on the mat. And while a little Pranayama, Meditation and Yoga Nidra/Relaxation is an integral part of all my physical classes, since the advent of COVID I now have many more requests for a full class of these more mindful practices from students that want to use yoga to help them alleviate stress and anxiety issues. I also run regular yoga day retreats that coincide with events in the Wheel of the Year. I love the variety that teaching yoga brings to my days. And the blissful look on my students’ faces as they emerge from Savasana (Relaxation) never fails to bring a smile to my face! In January 2019 I became qualified as a Level 3 Mat Pilates instructor and teach regularly in the same area. My Pilates classes are based on the traditional methods laid down by Joseph Pilates, the founder of the Pilates movement. I use Pilates balls, resistance bands and other props in my classes to deepen the Pilates practice. I also teach standing/chair Pilates for those that find it difficult to exercise down on the mat. I have an easy, casual style of teaching. I don’t take myself too seriously and encourage the same from my students.

Even on holiday — especially in the heat 🌞 — a little yoga goes a long way.This is my little shaded yoga hideaway 🧘‍♀️🌿—...
22/07/2025

Even on holiday — especially in the heat 🌞 — a little yoga goes a long way.

This is my little shaded yoga hideaway 🧘‍♀️🌿—just enough space to roll out my mat, breathe, and move with intention.

Just 10–15 minutes can shift everything.
☀️ In the morning, I flow through energising movements like Sun Salutations, Warrior II, and a few rounds of Crescent Lunge with gentle backbends — they open the heart and energise the body.
🌙 In the evening, I keep it slow and grounding — seated forward folds, hip openers, and supported twists, with long, steady breaths to wind down.

It doesn’t have to be a full hour. Show up as you are. Let your practice meet you where you are 💛

“A little each day is better than a lot someday.”

🌀 Did you know Pilates was originally called “Contrology”? 🌀Back in the early 1900s, Joseph Pilates developed his method...
17/07/2025

🌀 Did you know Pilates was originally called “Contrology”? 🌀

Back in the early 1900s, Joseph Pilates developed his method not just for dancers or elite athletes, but for everyone — from soldiers recovering in hospitals to everyday people wanting to move better and feel stronger.

He believed that true strength comes from the mind-body connection — and that when you learn to move with intention, everything else falls into place. 💫

✨ The aim? Not big muscles — but balanced, coordinated, resilient ones. ✨

Pilates was first used to help people recover and rebuild after injury, using hospital bed springs for resistance (which later became the Reformer!). That’s why it’s still so adaptable today — gentle or strong, beginner or experienced, it meets you exactly where you are.

Whether you’re:
✔️ Looking to build core strength and improve posture
✔️ Coming back from injury or managing chronic tension
✔️ Wanting to feel more grounded, mobile, and strong in your body
Pilates is for you.

It’s not just about exercise — it’s about learning to move well, so you can live well.

🌀 Come try a class and feel the difference for yourself — your body will thank you. My class schedule is here: www.bookwhen.com/shineyogaandpilates




🎶 Spot that slightly unusual instrument in the top of this photo? That’s the Windsinger — an odd-looking therapeutic ins...
17/07/2025

🎶 Spot that slightly unusual instrument in the top of this photo? That’s the Windsinger — an odd-looking therapeutic instrument I use in my sound baths.

💫 It may not win any beauty contests, but when moved through the air, it creates a deep, buzzing hum - almost like a sonic breeze — stirring your senses and awakening something ancient within you. I use it to shift energy, clear space and guide you into deep presence.

☸️I often play it between the grounding depth of the gongs and the clear tones of the singing bowls — it acts like a soft thread weaving the whole sound journey together, helping your nervous system glide smoothly from one vibration to the next.

The Windsinger has roots in ancient instruments like the bullroarer, traditionally used in sacred rituals to shift energy, call on spirit, and move between worlds.

🌀So next time you hear that mysterious buzz dancing through the room, you’ll know — that’s the Windsinger, doing its quirky thing!

☀️ Too Hot to Flow? Your yoga practice doesn’t have to go on pause during this current heatwave 🥵 You just need to cool ...
01/07/2025

☀️ Too Hot to Flow? Your yoga practice doesn’t have to go on pause during this current heatwave 🥵 You just need to cool it down. Here are a few ways to keep your practice going while staying refreshed:

❄️ Cooling Yoga Poses & Practices:
1. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)
A gentle hip opener that calms the nervous system. Try it with a bolster under your spine and an eye pillow for deeper relaxation.
2. Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall)
This restorative inversion helps reduce swelling in the legs and promotes circulation without heat buildup.
3. Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
Forward bends are naturally cooling and introspective. Keep it soft and restorative by using a strap or bending the knees.
4. Cat-Cow with Deep, Slow Breathing. Focus on slowing your breath to cool the body and calm the mind.

🌬️ Breathwork for Cooling:
• Sheetali or Sheetkari Pranayama (Cooling Breath)
These traditional yogic breathing techniques literally help lower your body temperature.
• Sheetali: Inhale through a curled tongue, exhale through the nose.
• Sheetkari: Inhale through the teeth with lips slightly parted, exhale through the nose.
Practice 5–10 rounds in a quiet, seated position.

🌿 Other Summer Yoga Tips:
• Practice during cooler parts of the day—early morning or after sunset.
• Stay hydrated before, during, and after.
• Use props for support—restorative poses are your best friend.
• Avoid intense hot yoga styles or prolonged sun exposure right before practice.
• Dress in light, breathable clothing.

Your practice can adapt with the seasons—just like you. Embrace slower, soothing movement, and let your mat be a place of cool retreat from the summer blaze. 🌞🧘‍♂️

🔥 Pilates Core: It’s More Than Just Abs 🔥When we say “core” in Pilates, we’re not just talking six-packs. We’re targetin...
25/06/2025

🔥 Pilates Core: It’s More Than Just Abs 🔥

When we say “core” in Pilates, we’re not just talking six-packs. We’re targeting your deep stabilizing muscles—the powerhouse of your body. 💥

🧠 So what is your core in Pilates?
Think of it as a cylinder that includes:

🔹 Transverse Abdominis – your natural corset
🔹 Pelvic Floor – supports your organs & spine
🔹 Multifidus – deep spinal stabilizers
🔹 Diaphragm – key for breath & control
🔹 Obliques – twisting, bending, stabilizing
🔹 Glutes – yep, part of your core too! 🍑

💡 Why we target them:
Because everything stems from your center—balance, movement, posture, even how you breathe. A strong, coordinated core reduces back pain, prevents injury, and makes everyday movement more efficient and effortless.

🌀 In Pilates, we don’t just strengthen the core—we train it to fire properly.
The result? Stronger movement, better alignment, and a body that works smarter, not harder.

✨ Your core is your center of power, stability, and control ✨

🌞Summer Solstice: A Time to Shine from Within🌞Today marks the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year and a powerf...
21/06/2025

🌞Summer Solstice: A Time to Shine from Within🌞

Today marks the Summer Solstice - the longest day of the year and a powerful turning point in the rhythm of nature. 🌿✨ Spiritually, this day symbolizes light, abundance, clarity, and the fire within - it’s a perfect moment to align with the sun’s radiant energy and set new intentions.

To honor this time, many yogis gather as a community to complete 108 Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar) - a flowing series of yoga postures - as a gesture of gratitude to the sun and a moving meditation that connects breath, body, and spirit 🙏🏼☀️

But why 108? 108 is a sacred number in yoga, astronomy, and spirituality:
*️⃣There are 108 energy lines (nadis) converging at the heart chakra.
*️⃣The distance between the Earth and the Sun is roughly 108 times the Sun’s diameter.
*️⃣Mala beads used in meditation have 108 beads, guiding us through a complete spiritual cycle.

Through these 108 salutations, we can release what no longer serves, stoke our inner fire, and open ourselves fully to the light, transformation, and growth this season brings.

How many Sun Salutations will you manage?!

✨ The Power of Affirmations ✨Setting affirmations is more than just positive talk—it’s a daily reminder to your mind and...
18/06/2025

✨ The Power of Affirmations ✨
Setting affirmations is more than just positive talk—it’s a daily reminder to your mind and soul of what truly matters. When you repeat affirmations, you’re reprogramming your mindset, building self-awareness, and inviting intentional energy into your life.

Start with gratitude—the foundation of abundance. 🌿
Here are 4 affirmations to help you cultivate it daily:
1. “I am grateful for the abundance in my life, big and small.”
2. “Each day brings new reasons to be thankful.”
3. “Gratitude opens my heart and attracts joy.”
4. “I find beauty in the simple moments.”

Say them. Feel them. Live them. 💫

🌿 Who would be interested in a 6-week Yoga Foundation Course locally? 💫If you’re curious, new to yoga, or looking to reb...
16/06/2025

🌿 Who would be interested in a 6-week Yoga Foundation Course locally?

💫If you’re curious, new to yoga, or looking to rebuild your practice after a break, it would guide you through the fundamentals of yoga—breathwork, alignment, key postures, and building confidence on the mat—in a supportive and beginner-friendly space

🧘‍♀️ No experience would be needed—just an open mind and a willingness to move and breathe.

👍🏻 If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, feel free to comment below or message me directly for more info! I’d really appreciate your feedback while I explore the idea 🙏

Please tag a friend who might like to join too 💛

☀️I’ll be joining forces once again with Emma Churchill and Sound Bath Kent to bring you a wonderful “Summer Yoga Day Es...
22/03/2025

☀️I’ll be joining forces once again with Emma Churchill and Sound Bath Kent to bring you a wonderful “Summer Yoga Day Escape”. A fabulous opportunity to switch off for the day to restore and revitalise the mind & body, and to replenish the soul 🌻

🌿Set in Nurstead Court’s permanent marquee surrounded by the Meopham countryside, you’ll look out over lush green pastures where horses graze as you practise yoga, stroll through fields and woodland on a silent meditation walk and be soothed by the delightful healing sounds of gongs, Quartz Crystal & Tibetan Singing Bowls, Chimes and Sounds of Nature🌳

☯️Included in the cost are two complementary physical yoga practices - Yang & Yin, Sound Bath by Sound Bath Kent, Meditation Walk, and a short mindful art-based workshop. And there’s CAKE 🧁

Lunch is not included – bring your own to eat on the lawn (weather permitting).

📅 Sunday 13th July

🕙 10am-5pm (arrival 9.45am)

📍 Nurstead Court, Court Lane, Nurstead, Meopham DA13 9AD

💷£65 Early Bird until 22 June, £75 thereafter

🎟️ BOOK HERE: https://bookwhen.com/shineyogaandpilates/e/ev-saix-20250713100000

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I am a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and member of the Yoga Alliance UK. Trained in Classical Hatha Yoga, I also teach Vinyasa Flow, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Partner Yoga, Chair Yoga, Pranayama (breathing control) and Meditation. Among the many benefits of yoga are increased flexibility and muscular length & strength, improved posture, respiration, energy & vitality, lower anxiety, stress & blood pressure levels and better sleep. People seem happy and smiley when they leave class!

I am a Level 3 Mat Pilates Instructor and teach using the traditional methodology set down by Joseph Pilates, the founder of the Pilates Movement. My classes will strengthen the core muscles, lengthen & strengthen the other major muscle groups, improve flexibility & joint mobility, posture, coordination, balance and body awareness.

Classes are suitable for all abilities. I provide modifications and progressions for most Yoga poses and Pilates exercises, allowing students to work at their own level and progress at their own pace. Class sizes are small, allowing for more personal attention.

Information about the group classes that I run in the Gravesend area can be found in the Services section.