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1st In-person classes - 25th July!

20/7/2020

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Equilibrium Yoga Classes
We're excited that we will be opening our doors again on 25th of July, both in Peterborough and Huntingdon.
 
The first session in Peterborough in person will take place on Saturday 25th of July and in Huntingdon on Monday 27th of July.
 
We've put together a timetable taking into consideration the results of the survey where we listened to your voice, the availability and willingness of the teachers to come to the studios, cleaning times and general logistics around the changed reality due to covid. We think we've come up with a great solution: a good mix of different styles and teachers at times you told us you preferred, in-person and live-streamed sessions with your favourite teachers, new teachers and guest teachers from all over the world, including a regular live streamed Yin Yoga class on a Tuesday morning with South African yoga teacher Ridwaan Lockhart from 4th of August. We understand that the timetable is not perfect and that your most favourite class or teacher might not be on the timetable or at a time you like. We welcome any feedback, and will consider it for future changes.

What we have put in place:

To embrace our new changed world, here is what we have put into place:
 
  • Limited client numbers per class: 8-10 people in Peterborough and 4 people in Huntingdon.
  •  Live streamed classes to enable those of who can't or don't want to come in in-person.
  • Reduced number of classes to provide more physical space per student. We're opening the folding partition between studio 1 and 2 in Peterborough, which means that we can currently run a maximum of 2 classes per night there.
  • Longer change over times to clean key surfaces, including the floors in the studios, which means some classes will be 75 vs. 90 minutes.
  • One way systems through the centres.
  •  Increased ventilation. The temperature in the room will be kept around 22/23 degrees and the windows will be ajar.
  • Even though the current regulation has suggested 1m plus for social distancing, we will for August at least stay with 2 meters between mats to provide a safe and comfortable environment for you to relax.
  •  Even though we have increased costs and reduced capacity, to support you we've decided to keep our prices for August the same and honour existing membership contracts, also as a thank you to all of you who have been supporting us through this difficult time. In September there will be a very small increase in price, although we'll still absorb most of our increased costs ourselves.
  • Pre-booking and pre-payment only, so that we don't have to handle cash or cards in the studios. If you have a OAP/student/corporate discount this will now be available online, please contact Jenny on [email protected] to get it set up. We have a changed cancellation policy in place. Please see below for further details.
  •  Credits on accounts can be used online also. Put your drop-in or class pass into the cart and go to payment. Then click "use credit" and you will be able to pay or part pay your purchase with the credit that's on your account.

Our timetable

Here is an explanation about the timetable:
  • When a class appears as "Forrest Yoga - Open" and the location shows Huntingdon, it means that this class is held in-person in Huntingdon. If a class shows as live-streamed, it is a live online class, even if the location says Huntingdon or Peterborough. With your membership or pass you can access live-streamed and in-person classes both in Peterborough and Huntingdon.
  •  To check out all live streamed classes, make sure you choose "All Locations" and then go to the service category at the top of your screen in mindbodyonline and choose "Live Streamed Classes". All live streamed classes have a little logo next to them.
  •  From 25th of July, all online classes are delivered through mindbodyonline directly. You will receive a link 30 minutes prior to the start of the class. Only if you have not received the link 30 minutes prior to the start of the class, contact us.
  •  ​We're still in the process of developing a video on demand option. Please bear with us and we will send you more details once it is up and running, which will hopefully be in 2 weeks-time. These are pre-recorded classes and can be accessed at a monthly subscription fee of only £15.

What we need you to do:

Here is what we need you to do for the in-person classes:
  • Come to the centres already in your yoga gear. There will be no changing room facilities in Peterborough or Huntingdon. You will not be able to use the showers in Peterborough either.
  • Please be on time. You need to be ready on the mat when the class starts. We, unfortunately at this moment in time, cannot allow late comers. If you are late, unfortunately we won't be able to allow you in, but you will still be charged.
  • Bring your own props. We hire out equipment at £1 a mat and also £1 for strap, block and blanket. The fee is there to cover the cost of cleaning props and washing blankets after each use. If you book a 6 beginner course, the price now includes the prop hire.
  • The studios will open no earlier than 15 minutes before the class starts to minimise contact. After using the hand sanitiser provided, taking off your shoes and checking in at reception, go straight into the yoga room and fill up the spaces from the back. Please keep your socks on while going through the centre or bring some indoor shoes. No street shoes permitted beyond reception. There will be tape on the floor to indicate where mats need to be put. Strictly no more than 1 person in the reception area. While waiting, please keep 2 meters apart.
  • Even though there will be toilet facilities, we encourage you not to use them and let either the teacher or Jenny know if you have.
  • After class, please take all your stuff and leave promptly, so we can start the cleaning for the next session.

Our Terms & Conditions

Our Terms and Conditions have changed: IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ:
 
  • For live streamed classes: Cancellations can be done free of charge until the start of the class. No shows must be paid for.
  • For in-person sessions: We've made our policies more flexible to recognise the increased uncertainty that is currently present. We've reduced our cancellation period from 24 hours to 3 hours. Cancellations up to 3 hours before the start of the class are free of charge. With less than 3 hours, you will not be able to re-use your drop in or session from your pass. Members will incur a £3 charge for cancellations with less than 3 hours-notice or for a no-show. This is due to the very limited amount of spaces we have. No exceptions made.
 
Memberships: If you are currently a 12 monthly member and you'd like to cancel your membership, please contact us by 30th of July. You will be able to cancel your membership free of charge with immediate effect. After that, the regular terms and conditions apply to your membership, i.e. 12 monthly commitment or if you have been a member for 12 months already, a 30-day notice period.
 
We're currently unclear about mask regulations, so please bear with us and we will send you some further information once we have an update.
 
Our landscape has been continually changing and we're constantly reviewing best practices, governmental regulations, recommendations by UK Yoga Alliance and expert advice. Please bear with us as we are navigating this increasingly more complex terrain.
 
We very much feel that in these times yoga is an incredible tool to stay grounded and centred with strong boundaries enabling us to have compassion for others without losing ourselves.
 
We hope through these measures we will create an enjoyable experience for teachers, therapists and clients alike and provide a space where we can come back home to ourselves in a peaceful and restful way.
 
Our thanks go to all of you who supported us through this pandemic by showing up online and buying drop ins, memberships and passes. Thank you all also for your kind words and your encouragement during these challenging times.
 
Walk in beauty
Sandra
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Opening Our Doors!

14/7/2020

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Picture
​This is a pre-announcement that we will be opening our doors both in Huntingdon and Peterborough on 25th of July. Please bear with us as we are finalising the timetable and processes, so that we can enjoy being at the centre safely and responsibly.  
 
We cannot wait to see you in person. We will continue with our live streamed classes, too, in case you can't or don't want to make it in person.  
 
Please bear with us as we are pulling all information together. You will get a very detailed update on Friday.
 
Huge thank you, as always, to all the people who have been supporting us.  
 
Walk in beauty
Sandra
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"The Wrestler"

8/1/2020

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The Wrestler
Like the previous years, Brian and I went skiing to the same place we always go to. We took a private session with the same instructor we had before. As a side, it made me realise how important a good teacher is for learning, thinking differently and for experiencing joy in the activity.
 
On multiple occasions the instructor told me to straighten and relax my arms more and to keep them closer to the torso using minimum effort for the turns. He named my rather ungraceful position "The Wrestler". It totally made me laugh and of course it reflects the way I often wrestle with life instead of being at ease and trusting the process. It's fascinating that how we do one thing, we do everything. My personal intent for 2020 is to be more at ease and not to wrestle on my skis or in life.
 
Walk in beauty and with ease
Sandra  ​
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The Golden Middle

7/11/2019

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The Golden Middle
Last weekend I taught a three day continuous education programme for yoga teachers. One of the emerging statements, which had a lot of gravity, was: "the middle is difficult".  
 
Throughout this week I have been feeling that this is so true for many people including myself. It's easy to move one way or another. The middle ground is so much more difficult, since it requires feeling into the body a lot more. Going to one extreme or another does not require sensing into the body; these responses are often more habitual and guided by our head and ultimately seeking some sense of control. Being German I like things to be neat, black and white and generally I enjoy order. It's however in the less defined areas, in the grey ones where we can find the most growth and a lot of creativity - and most importantly a sense of contentment and equilibrium.
 
Hang out in the beautiful middle!
Sandra  ​
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​Transitioning into Autumn

20/8/2019

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​Transitioning Into Autumn
As we are transitioning into autumn with the weather starting to change and the nights drawing in, I feel it's a good time to reflect on what we can let go of. In the four directions, a ceremony we do in Forrest Yoga, autumn is placed in the West. It's the location of where the sun goes down, where things come to an end and also where death resides. It's the season where the trees shed their leaves and prepare for winter. It's the season of letting go.
 
I've started to read Marie Kondo's book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying". The author suggests that the first step in tidying is to "discard" and the criteria to choose whether to discard an item or not is: "Does this spark joy?". It's so simple and yet so profound. She says that if an item sparks joy, keep it, if it doesn't, throw it away. One of the ongoing learnings for me is to make my life simpler and I'm very excited and curious about applying this principle to more areas of my life.
 
What is it in your life that you can let go of? What does not spark joy in your life?
 
Tidy in beauty.
Sandra
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ongoing personal development

13/6/2019

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Ongoing Personal Development
As part of my ongoing personal development and process, I have been focusing on my anxiety that can be evoked over seemingly nothing. I get the feeling of losing my ground, of tightness in the chest, of ants in my whole body and a sense of restlessness and the urge to "do" or "fix" something. The cardinal rule for me is to stop and pause creating space versus going into a headless frenzy. And for sure not to write any emails at this point in time or make any major decisions.

I understand in myself that this reaction is not proportional to what is actually going on, but it is a "trigger" - as we call it in Forrest Yoga. When I manage to create the pause, feel into my body, notice the sensation and come back to myself, the situation looks very different and a lot more manageable. In that moment I have created perspective.

 
Ongoingly, to cultivate a sense of calm and groundedness and inner peace I have been working on what author and researcher Brene Brown calls "swimming in your own lane". She talks about how we can be pulled out of our body by comparing ourselves with others; she likens this to swimming in a lane next to somebody else and trying to adopt their rhythm and strokes. At the end we are breathless, out of tune with ourselves and very inefficient. It's about staying in my own lane, focusing on what it is that I'm doing and what is important to me; of course taking inspiration and learnings from the world around me, but essentially staying concentrated on my own values, what has integrity for me and my own priorities. Staying in my own lane also extends to limiting my use of social media: as much as it can be inspiration and creates connection, it also can trigger separation and disconnection within myself.
 
Walk in beauty on your own unique, wonderful and mysterious path!
 
Sandra
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Turning 40

11/5/2019

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Equilibrium Yoga and Well-Being Centre - Turning 40
This Sunday I'm turning 40 years old. As much as I don't see it as a turning point, I very much perceive it as a distinct marker. I've been contemplating a lot about the number 4 and what it means to me at this stage in my life. Coincidentally, my husband and I also had our 4th wedding anniversary on the 1st of May of this year. The number 4 is the number of completion - of full circle. There are four directions, four seasons, four phases in the moon. It symbolises arriving and a strong foundation.
 
After the teacher training in Peterborough, I taught workshops and then went on holidays in South Africa. It always takes me a while to step out of work mode and to arrive at a quieter space in myself where I'm more connected to nature and myself. Initially, the space caused me anxiety, before a deep sense of peace opened up for me. In that moment, I realised that at times in very subtle ways I'm feeling like a victim; I feel that something is imposed on me and I have to react to it without having a real choice.

​On a very mundane level, this is how I handle emails. I feel that they are just coming in without me having any control over it; becoming a victim to technology. When my therapist suggested that I don't check my emails for several days and just let the out of office message do its work, I nearly had a heart attack, but I gave it a go. It was the most liberating experience and it deeply shifted something in me. I did not feel that there was this invasion of my space, but when I sat down to reply to emails and work my way through my inbox, I actually felt ready to do that - with a sense of inner authority and agency. Not surprisingly I was also more efficient at it. It had a profound experience on me moving me out of the victim to a place where I could stay connected to myself, have a sense of authority and stay in a calm place even when outer things were chaotic.
 
I have now decided to give myself a gift for my 40th birthday: no emails on two days of the week and additionally be more mindful not to check my emails twenty or thirty times a day, but to decide when I'm in a good enough space and have the time to actually answer them. I feel that this a very important, even though seemingly small, step to arriving more fully in myself.
 
Walk in beauty!
Sandra
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​Overwhelm

9/4/2019

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Equilibrium Yoga & Well-Being Blog: Overwhelm
I have written about the experience of overwhelm in the last blog, but I've been very compelled to write some more about it, because it is something that is so prevalent in myself and also in the people I work with.
 
Last week the first half of the Forrest Yoga Teacher Training finished and one of the things I always tell trainees at the end is to leave enough space to digest the content and the experiences of the programme. Often, the tendency is to get back home and into a routine as quickly as possible. There is no downtime or in body psychotherapy terms there is no "downswing". The nervous is continually fired up without chance for the body to actually absorb what has been learned and experienced. There is not enough space to absorb fully and get nourished. Creating space and keeping that space is something I continually have to pay attention to. It is not something that comes natural to me.  
 
As one of the people I work with very aptly said:  
"My heart's desire is for lightness, simply "being" and joy."
It's about leaning back more into oneself and resting in order to live life to its full.
 
Rest in beauty!
Sandra
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What is happening right now?

7/3/2019

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What Is Happening Right Now?
One of the things that fascinates me the most is an emerging pattern in myself that is mirrored back to me by the people I work with. At the moment, I can see a lot of overwhelm - in myself and in my clients.
 
Last week I took some time off and noticed that on day two and three I started to get edgy and restless. Even though I was on holiday with my family I started to think ahead and go through a mental list of a million tasks that I needed to do when I got back. And I feel that is very much how overwhelm gets created: thinking ahead, feeling the gravity of what is to come with no opportunity to do anything about it in that moment in time. For me, it's not when I do things that I feel overwhelmed, it's when I start overthinking, overanalysing and thinking ahead, which creates a sense of paralysis and/or anxiety in my body. Often a perceived lack of time, resources or skill for all that needs to be done is a deciding factor, too. There is a dose of feeling helpless sprinkled in there as well. When I was on holiday, I kept reminding myself: Right now, I'm on holiday and that is what I'm focusing on. When I'm back at work, that's when I work.
 
One of the most important tools to stay out of overwhelm is to focus on what is moving through the body in this very moment. The question of "What is happening right now?" is very useful in feeling one's body and anchoring oneself in the present. In Forrest yoga the basic moves of activating the feet and Ujjayi breath are great ways to sense into the body, too. Moving the body, like in the sun salutations, can also be a good method to move out of freeze or anxiety.
 
When we are present there are limitless possibilities and we have the opportunity to create new approaches to old issues (Dan Siegel, The Mindful Therapist). Being mindful is "avoiding premature closure of possibilities".
 
We really don't know what's coming next, so let's lean into what is happening now and trusting that we have the resilience and skills to deal with what is to come and by doing so, we will stay out of overwhelm.
 
Walk in beauty and with presence
Sandra
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Big internal "yes"

1/2/2019

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Equilibrium Blog - Big Internal
I have mentioned several times in the previous blogs that last year was a year of a lot change for myself, but also for my clients. Often, I felt that I was resisting the change and thoughts like "it should not be that way" or "I should not have to deal with this" came up. There was a tightening around the changes that were out of my control.

A sense of entitlement or righteousness also crept in. I felt that I had put so much work into things and I was not reaping the benefits or received the gratitude I was owed. This in turn left me with resentment and exhaustion. My therapist has been suggesting for the last couple of years to give life situations a big internal yes. I never quite understood fully what she meant by that. At the beginning of the year, I had this massive realisation in my body what it really means to internally say "yes" to what is happening. When I deeply say "yes", my heart opens up, there is a lightness around my buttocks and sacrum and a softening around the neck and jaw.

​This year I have made a decision to truly accept what is coming my way and to embrace what life is giving me. The transformation has been incredibly profound and I feel there is a lot more flow and energy, as well as joy, in what I'm doing. I'm trusting life and the process even more and have been experiencing a lot more support in my work, but also in my life in general. It has opened up possibilities that go beyond what I could have wished for or could have ever imagined.

 
I encourage you to stay present with what is and to embrace what is coming your way and to give life a big internal "yes".
 
Walk in beauty
Sandra
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Equilibrium Yoga & Wellbeing Centre Peterborough: 31-32 Aston Business Park, Shrewsbury Avenue, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 7BX
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