January Jump Start Yoga Workshops 2017

Autumn Yoga Programme 2016

TBC

REMINDER: We are currently on holiday! Our Autumn Yoga Program will begin at the beginning of October 2016

REMINDER: Next week (w/c 22nd Aug) is the last week of classes until the beginning of October when our Autumn Yoga Program will begin. Mounira x

We are going on holiday! No yoga classes week commencing 8th August 2016

Reminder: No yoga classes next week -  w/c 8th Aug 

Classes starting up again on Monday 15th August 

Namaste, Mounira x

International Yoga Day 2016 - Hawley House, Margate - A picture tells a thousand words!

The event was a sell out and we had such a brilliant day! Thanks to everyone who came along and contributed. We'll be sure to organise another one soon. 

International Yoga Day Workshops 2016

BOOK HERE

Smorgasbord of yoga taster sessions in Margate - UN International Yoga Day Workshops - Sat 18th June 9-5pm

UN International Yoga Day Workshops

Saturday 18th June 2016 at Hawley House, Margate

Step into a new space and experience yoga in its many wondrous forms! Share a special day with us at the very lovely Hawley House, a new yoga studio and events space in Hawley Square, Margate; we be celebrating UN International Yoga Day 2016 with a cosmic smorgasbord of yoga taster sessions just for you. Sessions will be delivered by Jill's Yoga, Cliffs Yoga, Openspace Yoga and Dani Batchelor Dance. Here's a taster of what the day will hold.....

• Yin Yoga
• Acro Yoga
• Scaravelli Inspired Yoga
• Meditation and Chakra Yoga
• Vinyasa Flow Yoga
• Yoga Nidra

The booking link and full information will be live soooooooon! Save the date x

Slight changes in our Spring Timetable

The spring timetable will run from Tuesday 31st May - Friday 29th July

	Classes
Monday	7-8pm Yoga Basics Hawley House 41 Hawley Square Margate CT9 1NY
Tuesday	9:30-10:30am Yoga Flow Hawley House 41 Hawley Square Margate CT9 1NY
Friday	12:30-1:25pm Zen Express Lunchtime Yoga Hawley House 41 Hawley Square Margate CT9 1NY

New - Spring Yoga Timetable is Here!

New Spring Yoga Timetable - East Kent - Margate

Spring Timetable - Tuesday 31st May - Friday 29th July 2016

	Classes
Monday	7-8pm Yoga Basics Hawley House 41 Hawley Square Margate CT9 1NY
Tuesday	9:30-10:30am Yoga Flow Hawley House 41 Hawley Square Margate CT9 1NY
Friday	12:30-1:25pm Zen Express Lunchtime Yoga Hawley House 41 Hawley Square Margate CT9 1NY

Summer Timetable - Monday 1st August - Friday 9th September 2016
Autumn Timetable - Starts Monday 12th September

I'm so delighted to announce my new spring timetable in East Kent after such an incredible yoga journey around Australia and Bali. See my previous blog posts to catch up on this if you haven't already.

For full details of how to book. Click here! Places are limited so don't dilly dally.

Other dates for the diary

• June 18th 2016 - International Yoga Day Workshop at Hawley House, Margate

And don't forget that I'm available for private/small group yoga sessions too! 

Australian Yoga Journey Part 3 - The Art of Self Love and Yin Yoga in Bali

The art of self love in Bali

So welcome to part 3 of my Australian Yoga Journey. After such an incredible outback experience I fancied some R&R in Indonesia; and seeing as Bali is so close and coined the yoga/spa capital of Asia, it seemed very rude not to. I booked for a week and ended up staying for a month - you just never know what's round the corner! #movinwithmygrooves

After being there for a few days it really struck me that the Balinese really know how to relax and look after themselves. They are polite and pleasant people with a real passion for the good things in life such as beauty, relaxation, self care and adornment. And they always seem to be smiling too!

So I extended my stay from a week to a month and got down to some serious retreat, rest and relaxation (for research purposes of course!). I spent a lot of my time doing yoga here and here and being so inspired by the teachers I met. I learnt a lot about the joys of deep yin yoga, about the art of being playful and having fun in Ashtanga style yoga class (they can seem so serious, competitive and even gruelling sometimes). I experienced so many different yoga classes, each teacher offering something so utterly unique; it really touched me and gave me an opportunity for growth and insight. I am so blessed.

I also spent a lot of my time having massages overlooking rice fields watching the tropical rains, sitting with the village locals and watching the sunsets over the Indian Ocean, eating some great local seasonal food, watching locals climb coconut trees (it's much more entertaining than you could ever imagine), swimming with tropical fish in the sea, drinking avocado juice (don't judge until you have tried it! It's delectable) and daydreaming. My own perfect self-made retreat in the name of self care and love.

 It sounds a bit self indulgent perhaps, or maybe not, but having really experienced the process of de-stressing and taking some time out to perform acts of self love for healing, I can now see that it is a necessary part of life and everyone should make more time for it. Self love is something we need to consciously practice - and you don't need to travel to the ends of the earth or spend lots of money to do it. It can be done in small ways at home and all that's required is commitment. It could mean saying 'no' to yet another social arrangement so that you can have a quiet evening to yourself to connect inside, taking the time to research and buy healing nutritious food or creating some social time with a good friend. Self love is about being in the moment, about being in love with you and about connecting to and honouring your higher self and it's needs - whatever they may be.

Yin Yoga in Bali - What is yin yoga?

I am mad about yin yoga at the moment. I can't get enough of it... and I did loads of yin yoga classes in Bali, so I just had to share this with you. For those of you that don't know what yin yoga is then here's a short intro.Yin yoga involves passive and static yoga postures that take place mainly on the floor, and are held for 3-10 minutes. Yin energy is a passive, feminine cool energy associated with the moon, so a yin yoga class will naturally reflect those qualities. Yin postures  aim to soften the muscle, connective tissue and facia mainly around the joints to increase flexibility and 'space', which results in increased movement in the joint.  In a yin class the focus will be on meditation, breathing, tuning into the body and listening; being with your feelings and the sensations in your body.

I loved the fact that yin yoga took me to a quiet deep place within; this had so many beneficial effects for me both on and off the mat. It's helped me to listen to, name and accept how I feel right now in each moment, to really use the breath to overcome and transcend an uncomfortable physical or emotional sensation, to create space both mentally and physically and to sit still. And the ecstatic euphoria  on release of a posture is absolutely unreal. I'll be running a deep yin yoga workshop this spring so look out for information.

My Australian yoga journey comes to an end

My epic antipodean trip has come to an end and what a journey it has been; from Melbourne studio reviews to jet lag yoga, a huge life changing yogic journey across the outback, to Bali for yin yoga and acts of self love! So many adventures and insights. I hope you've enjoyed sharing it with me. I'm looking forward to applying all that I've learnt in my new timetable of yoga classes coming soon so look out!

Mounira x

Coming soon.......

• April - Brand new spring timetable of yoga classes in Kent, UK
• Spring 2016 - Yin yoga workshop Kent, UK
• Sat June 18th 2016- International Yoga Day celebration for everyone! Kent, UK

Links

Take care of yourself at this amazing retreat run by friends of mine coming up in May 2016. 

Read about the art of self love here and here

Read about yin yoga here and here 

Dreamtime in the outback - Yoga philosophy and the road trip of a lifetime

So welcome to part 2 of my Oz yoga journey as promised. After a wonderful  time reviewing yoga studios, dealing with jet lag through yoga and visiting family in Melbourne, we started our 4000km drive across the red centre to Darwin. From Sydney up the coast to Brisbane via Byron Bay (which is always a pleasure), and then a sharp left turn into central Queensland through cowboy towns, cattle stations, mining towns and then eventually into the Northern Territory; from Frying Pan Creek to Tennant Creek, and up past the lush tropical hot springs in Mataranka before arriving in Darwin. A glorious 4000km journey.

The road trip started as any outback road trip should; with a 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert' soundtrack on at full blast and arms waving jubilantly in the air.......but it rapidly developed into something different and quite unexpected. As we pushed into the 'empty' outback and left 'civilisation' behind - as the 'noise' and landscape paired back, the gargantuan azure skies, 365 degree horizon and hauntingly beautiful vistas put a big fat spell on me. It was as if I had been hypnotised into a lovely magical silence.

As the journey developed I was literally lulled into reflection and observation. In yogic terms this can be explained through 'Niyama' (personal observance) as per limb one of the 'Eight Limbs of Yoga' as set out by Patanjali's scriptures. With particular reference to 'Svadhyaya' (Self study), and 'Isvarapranidhan' (Celebration of the Spiritual) To find out more about Patanjali's 8 limbs of yoga see the links at the end of the article. I was bearing witness to this strange bleak wilderness -  fully humbled. I noticed the beauty in small simple things like interesting quirky cloud formations, soft pastel colour-glows in the sky, the flight of massive lone eagles across the open sky, virescent spinifex, the odd wonky telegraph pole, huge families of termite mounds on the horizon like glowing Gaudi spires or Giacometti statues between soft prairie-like grasses.

Termite Mounds NT, Australia

Litchfield National Park NT, Australia

I do voluntarily retreat into meditation twice a day normally, but this was a hugely different process; I felt like I had been spontaneously transported into a special place that exists between heaven and earth and it was a very physical feeling linked with the landscape; being so, so far away from 'civilisation' gives one such a strong sense of nature and the cosmos; everything familiar started to fall away a little and I was suspended for a while.....

I started to mentally reference Sara Maitland's amazing book, 'A Book of Silence', and Robyn Davidson's book 'Tracks'; both women had a fierce determination to exist alone in the wilderness and in silence. They both had a fascination, as I do, with pairing back, simple living and what it evokes within us. This experience is synonymous with so many spiritual practices and experiences since the beginning of time. Yoga being one of them, and of course Aboriginal Dreamtime being the very first and the most important in this context. It is totally awe inspiring that the aboriginals have survived and flourished in this unforgiving landscape for thousands of years,

"The Dreamtime is the Aboriginal understanding of the world, of its creation, and it's great stories. The Dreamtime is the beginning of knowledge, from which came the laws of existence."

Dreamtime describes the connection to the land, to nature and to the spirit. It is described as a never ending entity where sacred sites link the past and the present, the people and the land. The Dreaming, or 'Tjukurrpa', also means to 'see and understand the law' as it is translated from the Arrernte language. Dreaming stories pass on important knowledge, cultural values and belief systems to later generations through song, dance, painting and storytelling. 

Aboriginals have the longest continuous cultural history of any group of people on earth, and before European settlement of Australia, there were around 600 different Aboriginal nations. I spent some time on my journey saluting the people of this land, and felt so honoured to have had a tiny glimpse of what Dreamtime means. I have never been in a place where the landscape and it's energy has had such a profound effect on me.

Aboriginal nations NT, Australia 

I returned feeling humbled, ever so spacious in mind, body and soul, and very, very grateful for everything. A small, deep subtle change had occurred within me - the kind that make your hairs stand on end when people talk about the power of road trips and travelling.It's a place on earth like no other.....I seriously recommend that you go.

Full moon NT, Australia

The journey ended with a refreshing dip in the Mataranka hot springs; a gift from heaven after the dry hot outback.....and then some more beautiful family time in Darwin.

Mataranka Hot Springs NT, Australia

Look out for part 3 of my Australian Yoga Journey where I'll discuss the art of self love and yin yoga in Bali.

Peace out - sending love from the outback,

Mounira xxx

For further information about yoga philosophy, classes, events and workshops please see  & Mounira Almenoar - Yoga Health Wellness here & Margate Yoga Collective on Facebook here.

Learn more about dreamtime  here

Learn more about 8 limbs of yoga here 

Sara Maitland 'A Book of Silence' here

Robyn Davidson's book 'Tracks' here

Blue Mountains, NSW Australia

*Photo credits Greg Anderson

Australian Yoga Journey - Melbourne Yoga Studio Review & Yoga for Jet lag

Northern Territory, Australia

Me and my yoga mates down under!

My epic Australian yoga journey will start in Melbourne and last for eight weeks. It will include a life changing 4000km road trip deep into the outback from Sydney to Darwin.....oh and a month in beautiful Bali; any sensible yogini seeking all things yoga, health and wellness would, especially seeing as it's so close to Darwin (2.5 hour flight). I'll be documenting and sharing my journey in three blog posts over the next few weeks. Here's a taste of what's on offer to inspire your desire for travel, exploration, wellness and adventure:

1. Melbourne yoga studio review - Review of Melbourne's best yoga studios  - Yoga for jet lag
2. The wonder of the outback  - Dream time stories - Yoga philosophy - The story of an epic journey
3. Beautiful Bali - The yogic art of self care, love and surrender in Bali - Yin yoga explained

So come and share my Oz yoga journey with me; learn more about yoga philosophy, yoga practice and styles, aboriginal dream time, the art of self love, yin yoga and yoga for jet lag...... and much more.

I am lucky enough to have yoga students all over the world, and this blog post  is especially for my lovely Melbourne lot! Or for those who fancy travelling to Melbourne in search of yoga classes - you never know! 

So, I arrived in Melbourne on new year's day with crippling jet lag feeling really discombobulated after a 24 hour flight and such a dramatic change of climate; from a deep dark UK winter, to the height of summer in Melbourne. December 2015 had been challenging for me and I fancied a kick start to my usual personal practice so went in search of all things yoga; I was keen to see what Melbourne had to offer so I visited and reviewed two very different yoga studios.

Yoga Studio Review 1 - Breathe Pilates and Yoga Studios - 289 Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Breathe Studios, Melbourne

This spacious, serene, top floor yoga and Pilates studio offers a wide array of classes for all levels. Clean, airy and white washed throughout you'd never believe you were nestled right  in the middle of the CBD, and only 5 minutes from Flinders Street station. The studio sells itself as 'Melbourne's favourite yoga and Pilates studio' and I can see why.

I received a first rate welcome here. The receptionist was expecting me; I had conveniently booked online an hour prior to arrival with yoga studio app while having lunch in the nearby National Gallery of Victoria. I was greeted with fresh olive leaf tea and a gargantuan puffy sofa to sit on - lovely!

I felt really comfortable here. The atmosphere was very serene and relaxed; sometimes, especially if you are a beginner, it can be intimidating entering a yoga studio for the first time. The changing rooms however were disappointing after such a wonderful foyer area! They were small, a bit sweaty smelling and without lockers - hey ho you can't have it all.

The studio was well equipped, spacious and had no mirrors, which some people prefer. As a yoga teacher I always prefer having a mirror to check my alignment, but it's such a personal thing. I took a 75 min open level flow class, which was a mixture of flow combinations and then Hatha poses at end. It was really well paced and the flow combinations, including the fallen angel pose which I really enjoy were terrific. We performed spinal twists, cobra poses and inversions which are all great for jet lag (see links at the end for more information on yoga for jet lag). The youngish teacher was superb at offering options for varying levels; it's hard to get it right especially in an open level class. The musical accompaniment was pleasant but too low in volume to be fully appreciated which was a shame. The relaxation at the end of the class was ample to sooth my jet lag. At the average price of $25 per drop in class  it offered a well executed and well rounded class. If you have 2 weeks to spare then $33 will buy you unlimited classes for 14 days which is phenomenal (introductory offer only); by far the cheapest I have seen in these parts.

Despite being mainly a pilates studio the yoga was good; and I was concerned about this at the onset. It really is somewhere to 'breathe' in the busy city centre! If like me, you combine every outing with a potential yoga class, then this is the studio for you being so close to Melbourne's cultural area and Flinders Street Station. Check it out here!

Yoga Studio Review 2 - One Hot Yoga - 36 - 48 River Street, South Yarra, Melbourne

One Hot Yoga Studio, Melbourne

One Hot Yoga Studio, Melbourne

One Hot Yoga Studio, Melbourne

One Hot Yoga was a somewhat different experience. The introductory blurb on the studio website stated the following: 

"One Hot Yoga is a contemporary studio that separates the core teachings of yoga from the cultural practices that have historically surrounded it, such as offerings, chanting, Sanskrit, mystics, deities and gurus. Our name reflects our accessible, evidence-based approach."

I must say I was a bit concerned about their claim. I was taught that yoga is a way of life, and 'yog' in Sanskrit means to join or to connect, so anything that aims to 'separate' raises suspicion for me. Yoga originated in India, and its core teachings are so utterly entwined with the culture; in my eyes it would be impossible to separate the two. I'm guessing that in doing so they are aiming to create a yoga identity for the 'urban-hippies' (as I like to call us - yes it takes one to know one!) riding on the glorious wheel of anything wellness related (with eastern spiritual origin of course), but with western packaging - for the hip and sophisticated crowd of South Yarra that perhaps take comfort in more scientific, as opposed to 'new age' approaches. But hey, it's all semantics really and the proof is in the pudding.

The studio is located in a warehouse in the backstreets of south Yarra. It's a very cool location and a wonderfully designed space; this studio has attitude. It's slick, designer and minimalist, with polished grey concrete floors and sexy sultry lighting. I wasn't surprised when I discovered that the whole concept was the brainchild of an architect and yogini couple. The changing rooms are also great; spacious, luxurious, stylish and comfortable with big lockers - always a plus.

My welcome  here was somewhat perfunctory, and a little intimidating, however there was a queue of people behind me waiting to roll out their mats and begin pre-class stretching so I'll forgive them for this. I attended a lunchtime warm yoga flow class at $25 drop in (for a 2 week introductory unlimited trial you'd pay $50), which offered lots of opportunity for twists and satisfying stretches to aid my jet lag (click the link below for more information about yoga for jet lag). The teacher offered lots of great warrior combinations which really helped to ground me after 24 hours on a plane. The class soon ended with a short but sweet sivasana. 

Overall I enjoyed the class, but it felt a little impersonal and more like a demonstration than a class; again perhaps this a personal preference. I guess some folk enjoy being able to 'switch off' and 'internalise' during their lunch break yoga class, however, I would like to have sensed that the teacher was quietly tuning in a little more than she did. When I teach, my multi-sensorial antenna are always 'pinged' up, and seeking information for my feedback-class-modification-student-needs teaching loop - gasp. The timetable as a whole looked pretty good, and consisted of their signature slow hot flow yoga class, power flow, and yin - all, either hot or warm!

One Hot Yoga is definitely worth the visit if you like hot yoga, and just simply just for its architecturally luxuriant surroundings! I only attended one very short lunchtime class there, so it's hard to get the big picture here. The studio is trendy and modern, albeit a little self aware, but it's perfect for a winters day in Melbourne when you need a dose of yoga and warmth. Check it out online here

 The second installment of my Oz Yoga journey will document my 4000km road trip across Australia. It will cover yoga philosophy and aboriginal dream time in the magical Australian wilderness where the land is all. Join me for this magical journey and learn about ancient yogic scripts and Australian dream time stories.

If you are interested in learning about yoga for grounding and jet lag, then look out for Margate Yoga Collectives* new timetable of events and classes, or my blog Mounira Almenoar - Yoga Health Wellness. You can also take a look at this article and this one too.

I'm off to put another prawn on the barbi. So long for now! 

Mounira x

Outdoor yoga in Melbourne

Take Some Time for You - Yoga Workshop - POW Thanet

Howdy! In the midst of my Oz Yoga Journey (which I'm busy writing up to share with you all) I must just let you know about this exciting workshop that I'm running as part of Pow Thanets International Women's Day programme 2016. I'm so delighted to be a part of this amazing project. Please join us.

Take Some Time for You - Yoga Workshop

Sunday 13th March 2016 13:30-15:00

At Cliftonville Community Centre, St Paul's Road, Margate CT9 2DB

£8/£6 *All profits for this workshop will go to Oasis domestic abuse charity. 

Exploring the healing nature of yoga practice and its ability to bring us into our bodies and to the core of our being, encouraging a creative and empowering experience. Open to all. Please bring your own yoga mat.

Booking: Please email mouniraalmenoar@hotmail.com to book your place. Places are limited.

For full workshop and programme information please click here or go to www.powthanet.com