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Deep rest to reconnect to your true self
Facilitator: Mel Skinner
Take a break from the treadmill of modern day life, and give yourself the gift of rest and relaxation on this retreat day with experienced yoga teacher Mel Skinner. Expect deeply restful restorative yoga and yoga nidra, inspiring and heart-warming poetry, and time connecting with nature. By releasing stress and tension, we can access a place within us that is already whole and at peace – all are welcome regardless of experience.
Event time: Sat 19th Oct 2024 at 9:30am - Sat 19th Oct 2024 at 4:00pm
- Gentle and healing restorative yoga
- Deeply restful yoga nidra meditation
- Mindful nature-based creative activities
- The chance to share and listen to inspiring poetry
- Delicious and nourishing home-cooked food
Participants Will Gain
- Time to release tension from both mind and body
- The chance to reconnect with an inner sense of peace and calm
- The experience of “not-doing”
- A feeling of wholeness and self-acceptance
Rest is Radical
The stresses and strains of everyday life can begin to take its toll on our physical, mental and emotional health, and despite our good intentions to prioritise our self-care, we can often find ourselves feeling exhausted, numb and depleted.
This retreat day is designed for everyone looking for the chance to deeply rest their mind, body and soul, and return back to life feeling refreshed and recovered.
The day will begin with a welcoming circle, and gentle yet effective restorative yoga to open and stretch your body, taking you out of fight or flight and into a restful state of being. We will have morning tea and snacks, followed by nature-based creative meditations, either outdoors, weather permitting, or in Hawkwood’s Woodland Sanctuary. Please bring pen and paper for this.
After this we will enjoy a nourishing lunch, followed by time sitting together in circle and sharing inspiring poetry and quotes, and there will be at least one yoga nidra meditation throughout the day. If you are new to yoga nidra, you are in for a treat – this is a deeply restful meditation which supports the nervous system, hormonal system and immune system.
By giving yourself permission to rest, you are telling yourself that you matter. You will be guided gently into deeply restful states with experienced and compassionate teacher Mel Skinner, and leave with a lasting sense of inner peace.
Hawkwood
Hawkwood is a stunning Grade II listed 19th Century country house, surrounded by 42 acres of sustainably managed woodland, farmland, and gardens. Set in the heart of the Cotswolds – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – it is a sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. With a diverse selection of nearly 150 courses, there’s plenty to choose from, including courses in transformative leadership, future thinking, inner life, music and the arts. Our programme of courses is led by experienced tutors and leaders in their fields.
What Is Included
During your healing day workshop, you will get to enjoy fresh, delicious home-cooked lunches and all refreshments! Our food is prepared daily with love and care by our experienced in-house kitchen team here at Hawkwood.
Additional Activities
- Mindful walking through our woodland trails
- Meditate in our Woodland Sanctuary
- Go on a hike and explore the Cotswolds AONB
- Discover surrounding charming market towns
Testimonials
“Mel is a gifted teacher, I am very grateful to her. This course has been transformative.”
Matthew, previous participant
“Mel is a wonderful, empathetic and skilled yoga teacher. She also sets an inclusive and non-judgmental, non-competitive environment, which is not always the case in the world of yoga.”
Barbara, previous participant
Price Options
£105 Day Course
Related Events
Practical Information
Participants to bring yoga equipment (please see list below). Please also bring a journal/notebook, pen, and any poetry/readings they would like to share with the group.
*yoga mat
*yoga bolster (can substitute with pillows)
*yoga bricks and blocks x2 each (can substitute with pillows)
*blankets for warmth - 2-3 is ideal
*yoga strap
*eye pillow
*cushion for head
Note: Mel can provide some equipment, please email direct at mel@melskinneryoga.com to request equipment. Mel will also have blankets to sell.
Mel Skinner
Mel has been teaching yoga since 2014, and in that time has taught classes, workshops, retreats and teacher training courses to groups as well as working one-to-one with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, low self esteem, chronic fatigue, menstrual difficulties and more.
Mel has been an active contributor to the online resource Yoga Nidra Network, writes her own blogs and has contributed to the Yoga London blog, writing on practical philosophy. In September 2020 her first book, Rest Is Radical, was published by Aeon Books.
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Hawkwood is an educational charity providing courses, facilitating training and offering venue hire, set in a stunning location in the Cotswolds.
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