Yogashona

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Yogashona

Yoga and meditation classes based in Newton Stewart, Scotland. Connecting with students locally and �500 hrs Yoga Scotland teaching diploma.

(2013-2015)

�Certified vishoka meditation teacher. Himalayan Institute (2019-2020)

For more detailed info on all current class options and to book please see the website.

15/07/2025

Yoga therapy might not be what you imagine, so I hope this example helps to illustrate more about what’s involved.

In particular I want to highlight how there’s no mention of any physical postures here because while they can play some part, they’re not always a main focus.

Also worth sharing that this particular lady had never done yoga before and yet was able to do yoga techniques that gave her amazing results.

You are unique and no one else will have quite the same presentation of symptoms and lived experiences. The whole person framework is what sets yoga therapy apart from more traditional healthcare models by offering a tailored, individual approach to your healing journey.

If you’re ready to take the next step and chat about what yoga therapy can do for you drop me a DM and I’ll get back to you asap.

🕊️🧡

11/07/2025

If you’re not sure whether a yoga class or yoga therapy is the right thing for you then I hope this post helps you get a bit more clarity.

Have you tried both? Let me know in the comments what the main differences you found were.

And let me know if you have any questions either in the comments or drop me a message.

If you know which is for you and you’re ready to start then there’s space in my weekly classes for you.

and I have two yoga therapy spots available to start right away. These can be in person or online.

Send me a msg to chat and I can help you get started.

🕊️🧡

02/07/2025

It’s Kirtan’s time again this weekend. 🎶🗣️😁

When we chant mantras we are using the sound of our voices to connect to the present moment.

It’s a way of guiding your awareness to a place that is quiet and still so that thoughts don’t grab you so deeply & emotions don’t wipe you out so completely.

We’ll be connecting with our hearts and voices at 7pm on Sunday at The Quarryman’s Art Centre in Creetown. Come as you are, all welcome 🙏 🤗

22/06/2025

DAY 2 INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY FESTIVAL

What a weekend that’s been!

So much love and gratitude to all the incredible souls who’ve come together with us over the past two days to celebrate our love of yoga and enjoy some truly inspiring and diverse practices. 🥰

See you at the next one. 😁

🕊️🧡

21/06/2025

DAY 1 INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY FESTIVAL

So much love & gratitude for the beautiful day we’ve spent together today.

Tomorrow we’ve got even more to look forward to :

10 - 11:15am Morning movement
11:45 - 1:15pm Hatha Yoga Breathing
2:15 - 3:15pm Yin & Relaxation
3:30 - 5pm Sound of Silence Meditation

Tickets are still available at the link in the comments if you want to join us.

🕊️🧡

19/06/2025

Join us at the International Yoga Day festival 🧘🏻🙏🪷
Sat 21st and Sun 22nd June ‘25

A two day celebration of yoga and our wonderful community and the first event of its kind in our local area.

7 expert teachers will lead you through a variety of yoga practices, workshops and discussion over the course of the weekend. You’ll deepen your connection to Self, revitalise your body & mind and nourish your heart & soul.

Whether you can indulge yourself in the full weekend, can make time for one day or want to pop in and try a single class and have a cuppa with us - you’ll find a ticket to suit your schedule.

You’ll find the booking link in bio and in the comments.

We’re looking forward to bringing you these beautiful practices & connecting with you over the weekend.

🕊️🧡

06/06/2025

🔥🔥Tickets for the upcoming 2 day yoga festival are now on sale!! An early bird 10% discount is available until this Sunday at 6pm.

Don’t miss this incredible weekend of yoga brought to you by a host of incredible local teachers, therapists and holistic experts.

Link in the comments and you’ll find more details on what you can look forward to on the event page.

03/05/2025

I used to think that inner peace happens when you fix your thoughts.

Meditation wasn’t for me because my head was all over the place. Stillness was unbearable. I was a lost cause - so I avoided it.

Instead, I thought I could replace the bad thoughts with good ones. Repeat positive affirmations. Screenshot a thousand inspirational quotes and ta-da ……. I’d be a better person & inner peace & calm would be mine!

But the mind is too clever for that.

You can’t think your way out of thinking, worrying and overthinking some more.

It’s like trying to put a fire out with oil.

True inner peace begins not when you silence the mind but when you stop identifying with it.

The ancient yogis called it Avidya - the root of our suffering. In the simplest terms it’s a bad case of mistaken identity.

Like the soap opera that we’re completely invested in - we’re hooked on the plot lines that are playing out in our head.

It’s only by developing the courage to be still that you’ll start to see the stories for what they are.

Thoughts are just thoughts - until you take them personally and decide to make them mean something.

Inner peace and clarity is not something you achieve.

It’s something that reveals itself when you stop interfering.

“THE COURAGE TO BE STILL” starts online on Wednesday 7th May.

If you’re a beginner, have dabbled in class, have got out of the habit, or you feel like your existing practice needs a refresh, then this 8 weeks will give you the yoga practices, resources, support & accountability you need to develop a successful, sustainable meditation practice that works for you. Without the struggles or worry if you’re doing it right.
Movement, breath work, deep relaxation, Vishoka meditation, self reflection, Q&As, and a supportive community to share your journey with.

All sessions are live and online with replays so you won’t miss a thing.

Wk 1 Preparing for stillness
Wk 2 Cultivating awareness
Wk 3 Embracing emotions
Wk 4 Overcoming distractions
Wk 5 Being with discomfort
Wk 6 Personalising your practice
Wk 7 Deepening intuition, unlocking creativity
Wk 8 Trusting the process

🕊️🧡

You can register with this link:

https://yogashona.heymarvelous.com/product/84625

29/04/2025

We don’t just hear sound we feel it.

Music can lift our mood, bring back memories, move us to tears and touch our hearts.

Yet few of us actually participate in music - we tend to turn on the telly or the radio or pop on some headphones and listen. We hover on the sidelines with singing bowls & sound baths.

Chanting, using your voice, being the creator of the sound & music and becoming absorbed in the vibrations has a profound and beneficial effect on the body, mind and emotions.

It positively affects neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, that influence mood. Dopamine influences focus, concentration, memory, sleep, mood and motivation. Serotonin impacts mood, sleep patterns, anxiety and pain.

Singing in a group, helps us feel connected to other people because of the production of the bonding hormone oxytocin.

Singing synchronizes breathing patterns to promote relaxation and reduces the hormone cortisol the stress hormone, and studies have shown that rhythmic singing together makes the hearts of the singers accelerate and decelerate simultaneously.

Sound and mantra dampen down the non stop noise of the mind, settle eruptive emotions and allow us to tune into a deeper reality of being.

Tensions and anxieties are soothed away, and you can feel uplifted, joyful and at ease with everyone and everything.

In kirtan, we come together as a group and chant simple mantras that have simple melodies, usually accompanied by a harmonium. Other instruments such as drums or shakers or guitars can be incorporated too.

As the leader, I sing a line of the chant and then the rest of the group sing it back in the same rhythm. This call and response pattern continues for five or ten minutes as I gauge the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the group.

Come join us for my favourite evening of the month:
Kirtan happens this Sunday, 4th May @ 7pm
Quarryman’s Art Centre, Creetown
No need to book
£10
Everyone is very welcome 🙏

🕊️🧡

27/04/2025

What if I told you that meditation changes the structure, connectivity & age of your brain?!!🤯

Studies show that on average, long-term meditators have brains that look 7.5 years younger than non-meditators (2016, Department of Neurology, UCLA).

As we age the brain naturally shrinks in volume. We might struggle with remembering words or names, have decreased attention span, or a decreased ability to multitask. Neurons begin to die, and the cells also produce a compound called amyloid-beta. This is what is typically associated with Alzheimer’s.

Mid-life is when aging processes are known to become more prominent, and studies have looked at brains aged 50 and beyond.

They found that, at age 50, brains of meditators were estimated to be almost a decade younger than those of the control group who did not meditate.

In addition, the study found that for every additional year over 50, meditators’ brains were estimated to be an additional 1 month and 22 days younger than their chronological age with significantly higher volume compared to non meditators.

Meditation alters brain function in powerful ways and other studies have shown that certain areas of the brain, like the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, undergo significant changes with consistent meditation practice. This is what leads to overall enhanced cognitive function, improved memory, emotional regulation, and stress resilience.

Not only does meditation have immediate benefits for mental clarity and emotional balance, it’s also beneficial for brain preservation, protects against age-related degeneration and shows a consistently slower rate of brain aging throughout life.

If you’re a beginner or your existing practice feels stale, then my upcoming 8 week online course will give you the yoga practices, resources, support & accountability you need to develop a regular meditation practice that works for you. No more “am I doing it right?”

Starts Wed 7th May live & with recorded replays so you won’t miss a thing.

DM me any questions & I’ll send you the outline & joining info.

🕊️🧡

16/02/2025

Wow! Wow! Wow! The feedback from the last event was incredible ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And so I’m thrilled to be bringing a regular monthly gathering to our community. 💫

The word “kirtan” stems from a Sanskrit root that means “to cut through.” It’s a call and response form of chanting that’s a practice for cutting through the incessant noise in our heads, for connecting to our hearts and connecting to the moment through sound.

With regular practice over time, you may notice that thoughts don’t grab you so deeply and emotions don’t wipe you out so completely.

🗓️ We’ll be bringing our voices and hearts together again on Sunday 2nd March at 7pm.
No need to pre book, just turn up.
Don’t forget to pop the rest of the dates in your diary 📔

I’d love to sing with you there 😊

🧡🕉️

Address

Telephone

+447587815719

Website

http://www.yogashona.co.uk/, http://www.yogashona.heymarvelous.com/

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Our Story

I completed my 500hr teacher training diploma with Yoga Scotland between Sept 2013 and June 2015. I began teaching during my training and have been steadily adding classes to my weekly schedule since. As well as the general classes, I also offer a chair based class, a beginners class and classes for the students and staff at the Douglas Ewart High School. Everyone can do yoga and there’s something available for a range of needs and abilities. I will also do taster sessions when invited by local groups. Your yoga practice is about you and where you are right now. My teaching style reflects this as I offer variations and modifications throughout to make the postures accessible while encouraging students to practice safely and to their own level. You might just surprise yourself with what you can achieve. In each class we bring together the body, breath and mind through asana (physical postures), pranayama techniques (breathing) and guided relaxation. The general theme of the class varies each week and is presented through a range of postures in a structured and balanced format. You will leave the class feeling both relaxed and refreshed. Developing a regular yoga practice will improve your physical and mental health and wellbeing. The awareness and techniques that you learn on the mat can be taken off the mat to help you navigate the ups and downs of daily life.

Classes run on a 6 week block basis for the purposes of payment and I offer two payment options. Either pay up front for each block, or just pay as you go on the weeks you can make it. Cash or online payments are accepted. Booking is essential as class sizes are limited by the room size.