Oxfordshire Hatha Yoga

28/09/2026

Ok new angle to classes? What do you think???🤔

28/09/2026

Today was beautiful misty morning and a nip in the air to welcome in Autumn season!. A good reminder to pack your blanket and warmer clothes for yoga! Have layers to peel as we warm up with the sequences and poses but good to cosy up for the Savasana or relaxation and a fleece for the breath work and stillness.

Most folk say the relaxation is the best bit of our sessions! Give yourself the reward of relaxation after you've worked through the class, which changes weekly so you and I don't get bored. Welcome to Try out and see how class suits you and borrow a mat if a beginner or you've buried yours?

Best relaxation is coming up with the Saturday morning Yoga and Sound relaxation. Perfect reset for the season. Saturday 10 October in the Old School. Do have a browse of the website.
Namaste

25/09/2026

Found my old Bernard Leach text book, that I’d searched the second hand bookshops for my Ceramics BA hons course in my 20’s! Nice circle to have the book with a cuppa in hand painted bone china mug from when I had my studio in London, & my current hand thrown pieces for wild flower vase and nibble dish!

I even found my typed & bound dissertation on the progression of pottery & opportunities for women from 1920s across 60 decades. Phew glad essay writing is a long way behind!

25/09/2026

Worth popping in diary!

Three breathtaking full moons are on the way to light up our night skies! 🌕✨

From the vibrant orange of the Harvest Moon to the late-autumn glow of the Beaver Moon, the next few months are bringing an incredible celestial show.

🌾 September 26 — The Harvest Moon
As the famous first full moon of fall, it lights the way for traditional late-summer harvesting.

🏹 October 26 — The Hunter’s Moon
It signals the time to prepare for winter, historically aiding hunters tracking game through cleared fields.

🪵 November 24 — The Beaver Moon
This supermoon is traditionally named after beavers actively preparing their winter dams before the freeze.

Don't miss these beautiful full moons!

24/09/2026

So beautifully put, compassion to anyone feeling this hurt namaste

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”

•
Such a beautiful explanation of grief by Jamie Anderson.
Isn’t this a powerful sculpture. It’s by Hsieh Tong-Liang
With love
Fiona
www.earthmonk.guru

22/09/2026

I forgot my yoga pants last week but luckily wore comfy jeans with lots of stretch! Being comfortable is vital in yoga, so wearing layers as the season gets cooler, and jeans best avoided! All Welcome to friendly local classes.

Why not Try Out? Come and see how suits, then cheaper block or drop in when work/family/life allows. Borrow a mat

Tonight Tuesday 6.45pm -8.15pm
Letcombe Regis village Hall
so do come along if you fancy a balanced Hatha class with moving, breathing and calmness. Reset for the week with full savasana and let go of all that clutter in the grey matter, or at least some of the clutter! Welcome to join anytime and drop in if commitments a little unpredictable.

Wednesday 9.40 -10.45am
The Beacon, Wantage.
Mindful Yoga class is in Great way to start your Wednesday with yoga to revitalise and find your calm place. Time to get into poses if you are beginner starting out or coming back to yoga after a lapse?

21/09/2026

Our world so needs peace, with today let’s move into the chants for peace, Shanti in Sanskrit. The longer ‘Shan’ then a clipped ‘Ti’ repeated three times, then pause with your inbreath and enjoy the single Aum. The group’s sound forms a lovely vibration, spreading from our hearts out into the world.

We will be chanting Shanti across the week as an easy way to create your sound and focus your intention:

Shanti Shanti Shanti Om

I always appreciate my few brave men in yoga classes as their deeper tone really brings a resonance to our chant. Om is spelt AUM with each of the sounds creating a full rounded sound. I sometimes complete breathwork or close class with a simple OM Shanti to bring that connection.

Happy Vernal Equinox to you all

Although Zoom cuts off the chant we will be sharing across the ether in tonight's Online yoga class. Hop on for 6pm and join us?

18/09/2026

Oops! Forgot to pack yoga pants! 🧘‍♀️ Luckily I’m wearing baggy jeans and with belt removed I can get into poses…

17/09/2026

It was moving to hear two young siblings share how the square or box breath helps to ease their anxiety or anger. As carers to their disabled brother, the Country File programme focused the great work of their local hospice does supporting all the family. Sometimes we all need to give ourselves a moment of mindful breathing to calm and steady or dissipate those demons in the grey matter.

Why not give yourself a moment of ‘time out’ before that coffee or tea break? Placing a hand on your heart and second on your diaphragm just beneath the ribs, helps us to feel the breath move deeper as notice the lower hand gently pushed by the expansion of the belly making space for the lungs to expand. To often we shallow breath only in the upper section so encourage your breath slower and deeper.

Gently count 4 as you breath in and equal 4 count to exhale. As that becomes comfortable allow the natural pauses to lengthen: Having inhaled for 4, pause with the breath in the body, Then exhale for 4 and again pause before you inhale. A great tip is to slightly pull in your tummy muscles as exhale and that feels a easier to pause empty of breath. Once the pauses feel fine extend the time.
Work at your pace, maybe you need shorter count of 3? Start with just noticing the pause and without force or strain invite the pauses to lengthen.
When you are ready the full square
Inhale count x 4
Pause full count x 4
Exhale count x 4
Pause Empty x 4

Never work with breathwork if you are headachy or under-par, and always check how you feel, soften off if too much. On a bad day to just notice your breath and placing your hands on your body, can be a comfort or Ahimsa, loving kindness to ourselves.

16/09/2026

What's your Go-To to keep your heart, body and mind fit and happy? Mine, to balance out all the yoga, is swimming, although might be moving back to indoor pool as definitely getting nippy first thing. Then I love walking, although I suffered with such painful knee, quads and calves after over enthusiastically we stomped up Mayrhofen mountain. We choose to visit the higher hut without knowing how brutal the route back down was. Yoga helped me ease out those very painful muscles but boy I did a good impression of John Wayne with my hip swing wide stride to get down stairs!

We have been sharing in class what we all do to ensure cardio fitness. Aiming to meet the recommended 20minutes at least three times a week. A wonderful mix of hobbies and fun suggestions to honour

Here is what a few of us do:-
💛 Swimming whether local lakes, trip to sea (always a challenge from landlocked Oxfordshire!) or local swimming pools. Have you tried the Lido's off Abingdon Road, Oxford and in Abingdon?
💛 Early morning walk to wake up mind and senses
💛 Walking the dog with fast bursts and then time for required sniffing time
💛 Runners, joggers and a few brave folk just started Couch to 5K
💛 Salsa dancing and keep-fit/dance classes
💛 Cycling, both commuters and a weekend long distance club cyclist
💛 Daily yoga of sun salutations with star jumps and squats to keep heart rate up

Lots of folk also doing some weight lifting to keep bones strong and healthy too. You may have noticed I offer the option to jump into poses to encourage strengthening your bone density but always choice to step or bunny hop if you prefer. With yoga we are holding our body weight in poses like downward facing Dog and planks but good to actively work with weights to gain more power and stability.