Category Archives: Events

NEW WORKSHOP: Summer Solstice Yin Yoga

NEW WORKSHOP: Summer Solstice Yin Yoga

Saturday 18th June 2016 1.45-3.45pm at Embody Wellness, Vauxhall
Yin-Yang-Symbol-Embody
The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year and also marks the first day of (astronomical) Summer, the Fire season. The heat and energy of fire can energise, encouraging us to live life to the full, but it can also consume, bringing out our fiery temperament or leaving us drained – so it is important to keep this energy in balance. Consequently, this season can be a good time to reduce the intensity and heat of our yoga practice with slower practices such as yin. By being in the yin yoga poses for 3-5 minutes at a time we open the meridian lines (energy channels) and allow our Qi (energy) to travel more freely through the body.

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Summer is connected with the Heart and Small Intestine meridians. In this workshop we will practice a sequence targeting these meridians (with a particular emphasis on the upper body) to encourage balance in both body and mind.

Open to all levels except pregnant students.

To book your place please click here.

2016 Yoga Retreat Calendar

2016 Yoga Retreat Calendar

Relax and Restore Retreats at Florence House

Join Sally Parkes & I on our Relax & Restore retreats at Florence House

Join Sally Parkes & I on our Relax & Restore retreats at Florence House


(Re)Treat Yourself in 2016!

I’m looking forward to teaching on three more weekend retreats with Sally Parkes Yoga this year at the stunning Florence House.

Our first Relax and Restore weekend retreat of 2016 is 18th-20th March.

This retreat at Florence House in Seaford in East Sussex is a wonderful blend of Dynamic, Hatha and Restorative Yoga and Pilates.

Classes are suitable for all abilities as well as beginners. There will also be a delicious, healthy menu and plenty of time to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and stunning Sussex coastline.

There are also a range of treatments available including:

Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage
Holistic and Dermalogica Facials
Indian Head Massage
Pedicures and Manicures

For full details of this retreat and to book your place please visit Sally’s website here. You will also find the complete retreat calendar for 2016.

Read a review of our Florence House retreats by Miss Wheezy here.

Detox Yin Yoga at Home

Detox Yin Yoga at Home

Stimulate your gallbladder, liver and kidney meridians with Butterfly Pose.

Here I'm demonstrating Butterfly Pose

Here I’m demonstrating Butterfly Pose


Thank You to Everyone who came along to my New Year Detox Yin Yoga Workshop where we practised yin poses to stimulate the liver and gallbladder meridians.

If you weren’t able to be there, here is a pose you can try at home.

According to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) the meridians are the channels through which our Qi (energy) flows throughout the body. The gallbladder, liver and kidneys are all important organs in the body’s detoxification process. At this time of year when our minds often turn to detoxing, poses like Butterfly may be of some assistance.

In this pose the gallbladder meridian (running along the outer legs) is stimulated. If you bring the feet closer to the groin, then the liver and kidney meridians (running along the insides of the legs and groin) can be stimulated too.

As well as opening the hips and activating the thighs without straining the hamstrings, Butterfly provides a lovely stretch of the whole back.

To get into the pose:

– Sit with your back straight and legs in front of you
– Bring the soles of your feet together and allow both knees to fall out to the side (your legs should be in a diamond shape, so there is a significant space between your heels and hips)
– From here you can stay upright or begin to fold the upper body forward (allowing the back to round). Come forward as far as your body will allow without forcing or straining.
– If you are folding further forward, you may find some support under the forehead would be more comfortable. In this instance, you could use a block or bolster for support, or you may wish to rest your forehead on your hands.

Remain here for three to five minutes. To exit the pose, on an inhale gently uncurl back up to sitting.

If practising this pose seated is troublesome for your lower back or knees you can try sitting on a cushion or block and placing support under the knees. Another option is to try this pose against a wall (as I’m demonstrating in the picture below). I find this wall version can be very soothing for my lower back.
Wall Yin - Paula U Can Yoga

Enjoy practising this pose! :D

NB – If you are in London, I am teaching ‘Open Your Heart: A Yin & Restorative Yoga Workshop’ on Saturday 27th February 1.45-3.45pm at Embody Wellness. For details and booking please click here.

Recharge with Restorative Yoga

Recharge with Restorative Yoga

Relax & Restore Restorative Yoga Workshop – 22nd November 2-4pm at Embody Wellness

Restorative Yoga with Paula

Give Yourself Permission to Relax with Restorative Yoga

Give Yourself Permission to Relax

Join me for this calming and nourishing workshop which will introduce you to the principles and many benefits of Restorative Yoga. As we shift into Winter, the yin season, the emphasis of our practice will be to nourish and calm our selves, storing and reserving energy in preparation of the season ahead.

In Restorative Yoga (sometimes referred to as ‘active relaxation’) we consciously manipulate the nervous system to create ease. Props are used to facilitate relaxation by supporting the body in passive postures for extended periods (anything from 5 to 20 minutes). While the body is supported we can completely relax into each posture. This enables us to relieve the negative effects of day-to-day stress, calming the body’s “fight flight” response to facilitate proper rest.

For details and booking via the Embody Wellness website please click here.

Relax & Restore Winter Retreat

Relax & Restore Winter Retreat

Relax & Restore Winter Retreat 13th-15th November 2015
Florence House (exterior front)

Our regular retreat at Florence House in Seaford in East Sussex is a wonderful blend of Dynamic, Hatha and Restorative Yoga and Pilates. Facilitated by Sally Parkes and I, this retreat focuses on re-balancing both the body and mind.

Classes are suitable for all abilities as well as beginners. There will also be a delicious, healthy menu and plenty of time to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and stunning Sussex coastline.

I’m really looking forward to returning to Florence House this November! This is the last retreat I will be teaching on in 2015, so if you would like to join us please click here to book via Sally’s website.

Plus you can find 2016 Florence House retreat dates here.

Stretch into Stillness – Yin Yoga for a Calm Mind & Healthy Body

Stretch into Stillness – Yin Yoga for a Calm Mind & Healthy Body

Join me for my Stretch into Stillness Yin Yoga Workshop at Pop Brixton on 4th October

Join me for my Stretch into Stillness Yin Yoga Workshop at Pop Brixton on 4th October

Stretch into Stillness Workshop – Yin Yoga for a Calm Mind & Healthy Body

Sunday 4th October 11am-1pm at Pop Brixton

A Huge Thank You to Everyone who came along to my Introduction to Yin Yoga Workshop at Embody Wellness at the end of August. I’m excited to be teaching my next Yin Yoga workshop on Sunday 4th October at Pop Brixton as part of their Wellness Week from 27th September – 4th October. This pioneering new space, created with the local community in mind showcases the best and most exciting independent start-ups and new businesses from Brixton and Lambeth where they can share space, skills and ideas. And with my workshop taking place between 11am and 1pm, it’s perfectly timed for a spot of brunch/lunch at one of Pop Brixton‘s many tasty eateries! :)

Join me at Pop Brixton for Stretch into Stillness – Yin Yoga for a Calm Mind & Healthy Body.

An ideal complement to more dynamic practises which emphasise the “yang” tissues (e.g.dynamic yoga or sport training), Yin Yoga allows us to target the deeper “yin” tissues of our bodies. In this workshop we will let go of the striving typically associated with yang practices to slow down and meet our edges with awareness. As you move through each pose the meditative pace of the practice has a calming effect on the mind as well as the body.

For full details, FAQ’s and booking please click here.

Workshop: Introduction to Yin Yoga

Workshop: Introduction to Yin Yoga

Yin-Yang-Symbol-EmbodySaturday 29th August 2015 3-5pm at Embody Wellness

If you missed my last Introduction to Yin Yoga workshop at Easter, I am teaching this workshop again at Embody Wellness this August.

Yin Yoga is a quiet, meditative, floor-based practice where poses are held for several minutes. It is about softening and staying.

In this workshop you will experience some of the fundamental Yin postures, gain an understanding of some of the basic concepts and benefits of Yin Yoga, the characteristics of Yin and Yang nature and the value of a passive practice.

An ideal complement to more dynamic practices which emphasise the muscular “yang” tissues, Yin Yoga allows us to target the deeper “yin” tissues of our bodies, stimulating the energy pathways, or meridians and the deep connective tissues of the hips, pelvis, and spine in particular.

Suitable for all levels except complete yoga beginners and pregnant students. To book please click here.

And to learn more about Yin Yoga and it’s benefits, click here to read my article on the Embody Wellness blog.

Spanish September Sun

Spanish September Sun
Join us at the beautiful Hacienda Retreat in Andalusia

Join us at the beautiful Hacienda Retreat in Andalusia

Relax and Restore Spain Retreat with Sally Parkes Yoga 5-11th September

Join Sally Parkes and I in Andalusia for a week of yoga, Pilates, relaxation and delicious food.

Set in the beautiful Andalusian countryside with panoramic views of the Sierra Nevada and in an area of outstanding beauty and ecological diversity, this retreat offers a complete getaway from everyday life.

To find out more and to book visit Sally’s website here.

P.S. Still looking for an excuse to take yourself on retreat? Check out my 5 Reasons to Go on A Yoga Retreat article on En Route Traveler.

Get Your Om Back

Get Your Om Back

#getyouromback 31 Day Yoga Challenge from Sweaty Betty.

Here I'm showing some Cat / Cow Pose variations

Here I’m showing some Cat / Cow Pose variations for #getyouromback

Sweaty Betty’s 31 Day Instagram Challenge involves practising one pose each day (a different post for each day of July). I think this is a great way to start building a home yoga practice!

My philosophy behind U Can Yoga from day one has been and remains that you can find your own expression of yoga, that yoga is for anyone who wants to give it a try and experience its many benefits.

I am taking part and will be posting some pose variations and instructions on Instagram with the intention of sharing a few ideas to make these poses a bit more accessible along the way – e.g. some standing and seated versions for those of us who find getting onto the floor a challenge.

Find out how to get involved by visiting the Get Your Om Back page at Sweaty Betty’s website here. And find me on Instagram @ucanyoga1.

Spring Beginners Yoga Course at Embody Wellness starts in March

Spring Beginners Yoga Course at Embody Wellness starts in March

Sundays from 22nd March-26th April 2015 2.30-3.45pm

Beginners Yoga Courses at Embody Wellness - photo Embody’s yoga foundation courses are an excellent way to learn the basic principles of yoga and gain an appreciation of its many benefits. Running on Sunday afternoons for 6 consecutive weeks, this beginners course is a great way to introduce yourself to the practice of Yoga. Over the duration of the course I will be guiding you through the fundamental yoga postures with an emphasis on correct alignment and proper breathing techniques.

For full details and to book, please click here to visit the Embody Wellness website.