ॐ May-therhood ॐ

Yogi and Friend;

This newsletter brings you news of online and in-person events happening in May as well as some stories from our trip to Italy: about devouring pizza after our heroic Amalfi Coast hike of the Sentiero Degli Dei; the calming yoga retreat at Yoga in Salento and Purple Valley Tenerife, and how currently Dashiel, Calvin and myself are settling into our new home (our new address is at the footer!).

This letter is about resilience and strength; about transformative changes and asking for grace as one does so. Not always is the path straight - often there are hills, curves and segways, bi-routes and hardships.

April had me in tears some days and in utter joy during others - always these extremes around us. It is how we handle them is what makes us yogis.

How can life be so full of extremes? Even the calmest of people - the most balanced often get sidelined, how is it that we stay on-top of all the tasks, all the events, all the activities and with ease?

A daily practice sure helps - getting on your mat or magic carpet of activity just twenty minutes or even two hours every day - however long of a time you have - helps reset your inner self. It is about centering yourself amongst the frantic life around you; about entering into a conscious mindset that the practice of breathing provides, and carrying it with you throughout the day. When the shit (citt) hits the fan, it is as if a small voice says to you:

“Hey remember me! I am the quiet one - the one you saw earlier - don’t forget me I’m right here too! You got this, go back to me and breathe yogi: calmness, stability and freedom is all around you.”

Have a cuppa, sit down and enjoy my May newsletter. I hope to see you online or in person soon and thank you for reading. As always if links don’t work or you need to message me, respond to this newsletter and I’ll get right back to you.

Om!

Sarah, Calvin and Dashiel

April and May Online and In-person Events

Currently I am teaching:

Mondays 4 pm: Chanting Class: online only
Thursday 7 am Mysore: online and in-studio at Little Bird
Sunday 7:45 am Mysore: online and in-studio at Little Bird

Select Saturdays 7:30 am: online Led Pranayama and primary series:
Please note the dates: 29 April; 13 and 27 May; 24 June

Select Tuesdays 9:30am: Pop-up Ashtanga Class with Pranayama:
Please note the dates: 9 and 23 of May

Friday, 19 May 11 am: Pop-up Handstand Workshop Book HERE

Zoom Class ID and passcode

My daily classes are always accessed through zoom:

583 779 3991 with passcode Practice.

Click this link to access daily class

Naples, their Pizza and the Amalfi’s “Walk of the Gods”

There is something to be said about the food in Italy; the freshest plate of vegetables, the source of life right there on your plate fills your belly with joy. Sauces boast so much flavour you don’t need any extra seasonings; how the crust is so right, the pasta so lean, you devour it entirely wondering where it went in your belly…somehow you aren’t full after eating an entire pizza…or a bowl or pasta or even a salad too…

The boys and I spent a week in the Amalfi Coast in April just before the Yoga in Salento retreat. Since we had two weeks of spring holidays I decided a hiking trip would be more fun before the yoga retreat week, (and the same price as a week of holiday camp here in Ireland) so why not take the children hiking abroad?

We flew in and out of Naples which is a rather wild experience traveling solo with two small people juggling balls and running. I had them (kindof) at my side with my Italian pastries - the pistachio pastichote had them coming back when I couldn’t get them to come. The food and the atmosphere - both exhilarating - made getting to and from places a bit tricky; the lack of buses and insane roads had me in a disastrous form, however stressed I became - I knew my calm cultivated voice was near so I never had to worry.

Both boys hiked most of the Sentierodegli Dei - the walk of the gods - a famous trail in the Amalfi Coast. Calvin almost did the whole lot - Dashiel definitely. At the end our legs were noodles or what we called “chicken poxers” and we landed in Positano with the reward of devouring three pizzas in our bellies.

Yes that is right - us three eating three pizzas! After our hearts were contended, we had to get the 15 km back to Amalfi - however here is where the crux of our hike was - there were no buses; all were full. We had to gather a group of people to share a private taxi with us to travel back to our town - only 15 km cost us all a small fortune! I carried both boys to the AirbnB when we arrived in Amalfi - all “chicken poxers” gone and as always, I thank my body for the yoga I do, and the ability to carry both children - one on front and one on the back - the last 1 km to our beds. We left the house and noon and got back at 9 pm. I felt so grateful putting them in their beds and crashing into my own.

We could watch TV all day and look at the rain, play video games…OR we could devour a coast line with stories and giggles, memories and pains. I feel compelled as a mother to take my children to these wild and scenic places - no matter how challenging and strenuous - so that they can witness nature at her finest hour. I have my moments where I think maybe the hike was too big or wasn’t big enough, etc. At the end of the hike it is about having an experience where everyone thrived, cried, laughed and rejoiced. We did it all that day.

All the parents out there with small children who are reading, if you are thinking, “Should I go on a hike? Am I ready?

My response is, ”Yes you are!”

Here is your vision: plan to have them walk some of it (or all of it) and be prepared to carry them if and only when they need help. Sure an 8-mile hike may be difficult with 3-4 of the miles carrying your young one…however why do you do all those Surya Namaskars anyways?

We practice yoga to build strength and stamina to live fully and to be strong and fierce! Willing and brave, resilient! And willing to carry our kids to witness the walk of the gods! I found myself smiling bigger and brighter than ever as I watched them look over their shoulders asking:

”Are the gods watching us as we walk?”

”Yes sons, yes they are!”

Summer and Fall events in 2023:

25-29 July: Meadowlark Yoga Intensive and Workshop -
Spaces limited BOOK NOW
Edinburgh
Join me for 4-Mysore classes and a Saturday workshop

Last Retreat of this Year: YogApulia: 30 September - 7 October

6 SPACES ONLY REMAINING
YogApulia, Italy
Join me for an intimate, 12-person in-depth study in the southern region of Puglia, Italy.
Email me for details or click HERE.

Handstands for Champions

Often I see people working towards pressing up from the trini (third position) of Surya Namaskara and right after Utkatasana (“ostau up!”)…and maybe again when they chose not to put their feet down when jumping forward from downward dog back to the standing position (7th position in Surya Namaskar A and the 15th position in Surya Namaskar B)…

Why get up in the air? Why balance yourself amidst space and time? Is this just a trick or is there some value to choosing not to come down or buying time in space?

Join me for a handstand and floating class - 11-1 pm Friday 19 May. This class will be recorded so if you can’t attend the live workshop you can attend at your own later date.

Note - many people want to handstand…there is entrigue and curiosity to getting up - but how do we overcome the risk of being just on our hands….being weightless above the ground…and being able to navigate our cabooses over our heads with ease?

Learn how to handstand with ease and for some - even float without the wall; and if you don’t get it right during the workshop - maybe this workshop will give you a few tools to learn how one day.

All levels are welcome for this pop-up online workshop class. Book Here. Please note, if you are terrified of handstand, this class is just for you! All that is required is bravery.

ॐ Om śātiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॐ

Massive thanks to the retreat centres for hosting me this spring: Francesca at Yoga in Salento and Karolina with Purple Valley Yoga Centre. I was delighted to be invited and offer my teachings at these intimate retreats; thank you for yogis far and wide who joined me, I look forward to seeing you next year.

Mark your calendar for 2024:

Yoga Purple Valley Tenerife: 23-30 March, 2024
Yoga in Salento Italy: 4-11 May, 2024

New Home - New Start

Come visit us in Dublin, yogis! Kids and I are well moved into our wonderful home, boxes and bits all over the place, the place in shambles, we’ve only been here ten days or so - what is truly special is that it is just ours, just ours. Find us and come visit! Reach out and come stay, we are here for good. (Address below) We are grateful and joyful, delighted and light.

Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ!