Prana Love

PRANA LOVE YOGA - WEEKLY UPDATE - 12 JULY 2026

Hello all

How has the week been? For most of us probably a mixture of pleasant and unpleasant.

It is quite the profound moment when we start to acknowledge that life will not always be pleasant ... when we shift to an acceptance and even an expectation of the bumpiness in the road. Maybe not quite planning for the potholes that swallow cars, as this will create too much dread .. but rather balancing our expectation of what lies ahead.

This doesn't make the obstacles and curved balls less challenging, but it can certainly take the sting out of how we respond to the unpleasant .. simply by not expecting everything to go smoothly.

But hey .. there is no pass mark with this shift in mindset ....it can be that we only get it right 5% of the time and we never really become an expert because just when we feel we have mastered it ... that is usually when we hit that car sized pot hole ... almost as a way of saying ... "don't get to ahead of yourself" .. "there is no such thing as masters or gurus of the enlightened".

However, we can practice letting go of expectations ... particularly those that have notions of perfection or a plan that must not go wrong. Just the intention of letting go of expectations can feel like we have unburdened a huge weight.

And to me, the space we gain by letting go of wanting a smooth ride, opens the door for us to see each moment a little differently .. perhaps with a little more patience .. little more trust .. not only trusting the flow of the universe but also trust in our own resourcefulness to navigate through the ups and downs and meanders of the path unfolding before us.

And as per the invitation at yesterday's outdoor meditation practice, we should also be looking out for opportunities to offer ourselves kindness ...and inviting the broken parts into our awareness .. into our hearts for some nurturing, rather than just praising that which is working and good.

I love Ullie Kaye Poetry's poem "Intertwining" which says it beautifully. (See photos in the post)

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**** Outdoor Mindfulness Meditation with Headphones ****

What a beautiful morning it was yesterday!

The setting at Small Bay park is just magical and we were blessed with a chilly but still morning ... with the glorious sun warming us up just at the right time.

It was the 2nd outdoor meditation with headphones event and both times I have had such amazing feedback. So, I am going to consider scheduling it as a monthly event .. what do you think? If there is a reasonable interest then I can arrange the regular hiring of Silent Music 's headphones.

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**** Awakening the Heart Retreat - 7–9 August | McGregor *****

My friend Thomas, who some of you will know as an amazing musician and sound healer, is hosting a retreat soon. Thomas is a gentle, compassionate soul and I know that this retreat will be so very nourishing.

Please contact him directly if this is calling you.

Here are the details:

Thomas from Home of Bliss is offering an intimate weekend retreat exploring compassion, self-awareness, and reconnecting with yourself through contemplative practice.

Over three days you'll experience gentle mindful movement, meditation, breathwork, reflection, cacao, mantra, therapeutic sound journeys, and practical teachings in a small group.

If you're longing to slow down and reconnect, you can find more information and book by speaking to Thomas 0826864140 or email him [email protected], or visit his website, www.homeofblisswellness.com for more information.

(See images for the retreat poster)

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**** Midweek Mindfulness Pause - New Online Offering ****

I have had such wonderful interest and encouragement about the new offering that I am planning. Thank you so very much to those who have helped to spread the word.

If you have not yet watched the video that explains the offering and if you would be willing to share the details within your networks, please go to any of these links. However, if you work in the corporate world, I would appreciate it if you could mostly share or comment on the LinkedIn post:

LinkedIn Post
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michael-o-rourke-418a8128_mindfulnesspause-employeewellbeing-ugcPost-7477013220483031040-KTGv/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAXaiRQBwmPfBtEMqxKylvfr1IGcPz1qFnM

Facebook Post
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LS3KuQQMq/

A little more detail about the timing and pricing:

My plan is to launch this offering at the beginning of August. This gives me a few weeks to do a bit more marketing and planning.

As mentioned before, this is primarily aimed at corporate organisations as an employee wellbeing service, however the pricing also caters for individuals.

Here is the indicative pricing, that of course is always open for discussion and negotiation:

Even though the offering is a once a week online mindfulness pause, the pricing will be a fixed monthly fee, regardless of the number of weeks in the month. This is to reduce the billing complexity and allow for fixed payments / debit orders.
** Corporate Organisation - over 1000 employees = R2750 per month
** Corporate Organisation - under 1000 employees = R1750 per month
** NPO's, schools, addiction recovery facilities, etc = R1000 per month
** Individuals signing up in their personal capacity = R250 per month
** I will also offer this service free to some institutions who are already being of service to communities that are in desperate need of wellbeing support. You are welcome to make recommendations in this regard.

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***** Silent Walking Meditation on the Beach *****

As many of you know that the Silent Walking Meditation on the beach is one of the most popular events that I facilitate and I keep getting asked when the next one is.

Mostly this event has taken place about 4 times a year. I am checking out dates and long term weather predictions ... which in Cape Town is a bit of an oxymoron ... and will let you know when the next one is likely to be.

So watch this space ...

**** WhatsApp Broadcast List Groups are no longer free ****

Up to now I have used WhatsApp broadcast groups to send out updates and event notifications.

This past week this service has been terminated and now you have to pay to send bulk messages, which seems like a bit of a cheek .. but anyway.

So, two things:
If you usually receive the regular WhatsApp messages, about the beach yoga and other updates, you will probably not get these messages for a while, until I figure out a suitable solution..
Please can you indicate if you would like to continue to receive WhatsApp notifications, about events and other offerings, and if so if you would be comfortable joining a new WhatsApp group that I will probably need to create

As always, I am hugely grateful for the support and kindness I receive from you all.

Much love and blessings
Michael
0826503397

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Set it aside, allow yourself to recharge.

*** Institute of Mindfulness South Africa (IMISA) - Online Training ***

Would you like to learn how to share mindfulness practices? Are you looking to deepen your own personal practice?

Applications are now open for Cycle 6 of the IMISA Sharing Mindfulness in Context Training Programme, commencing 1 August 2026.

Designed for practitioners, educators, health professionals, community leaders, and others interested in sharing mindfulness, this professional training pathway equips participants to bring mindfulness into their work and communities in ways that are ethical, inclusive, trauma-sensitive, and grounded in the lived realities of the communities we serve.

The programme integrates personal practice, experiential learning, theory, supervision, and supported teaching practice within a compassionate learning community.

If you're looking to deepen your mindfulness practice and develop the skills to share mindfulness in meaningful, real-world settings, we invite you to apply.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://mindfulness.org.za/imisa-training/imisa-training-pathway-sharing-mindfulness-in-context/

Table Mountain Love Note Strolls - 08 July 2026

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Not everyone who starts over is running away.

Some people are simply making room for a version of themselves they've never had the chance to become.

There's nothing wrong with outgrowing your old life.