Online Pop-ups Over Autumn/Winter

Combat darker, dreicher days with cosy, relaxing and uplifting guided home practices…

I’ve decided to put on a few online pop-ups at different times from my regular weekly classes (see the Timetable page for those). I will aim to vary the times/duration/content so I hope there will be something for everyone. I will add to the post below as the autumn/winter progresses.

Yoga Nidra Sundays 7^th and 14^th January 8pm. By donation – raising funds for UNICEF Children in Gaza Appeal. 

Scroll down to see feedback from the last online Yoga Nidra in December!

All welcome, no previous experience needed.  Yoga Nidra is essentially a longer guided relaxation. There are different kinds, but if you already do yoga, you’ll be familiar with many typical elements from the shorter relaxations at the end of general yoga classes (e.g. body scans). When I’ve previously done online Yoga Nidra sessions, they last 25-50mins, depending on the Nidra style.  People always tell me afterwards they can’t believe how quickly the time went, and how relaxed they felt!  

• The Zoom Meeting Room will open at 8pm sharp and we’ll begin by ten past. 
• After you’ve joined the Meeting Room, you can choose whether to have your video on/off, then make yourself comfortable in any position, whether supported Savasana, seated, or lying in another way – including in your bed if you want to drift off to sleep straight afterwards.
• Make sure you’ve thought in advance about how you want to lie, and have all your comfort items to hand – blankets, eye pillows, cushions, bolsters, chair to put your lower legs up on…Whatever suits you best.
• You may wish to go for a walk or do some yoga or other exercise before the relaxation.  
• Plan to take it nice and easy afterwards – no leaping off the floor and getting in your car to drive somewhere!

On 7^th January, the Yoga Nidra is an adapted Satyananda Yoga one. This tradition includes Sankalpa – setting an intention – in the form of a short, positive, present tense statement, e.g. ‘I am calm and strong’, ‘I am good enough’, ‘I am relaxed’, or whatever you choose. There is a guided body scan, and the Nidra also includes suggested visualisations of opposites and sensory images, e.g. light/heavy, the image/taste of an apple, etc. Some people like visualising and some don’t, and it is entirely up to you whether you choose to do the visualisations or not. Give them a go if you’re happy to.

The Yoga Nidra on 14^th January will be the same style as the one on Thurs 14th Dec, i.e. drawing on the traditions of the Himalayan Institute. The type of body scan rotation I use most often at the end of general classes comes from this tradition, so will be relatively familiar to you.  A full Yoga Nidra in this tradition often includes long periods of silence whilst focusing on your breathing. Tonight, these silent pauses will be a maximum of two minutes. The Himalayan Institute rotation draws on the chakra system, which is not usually directly mentioned in short body scan rotations, but I will refer to it tonight during this Nidra.

Yoga Nidra Thursday 14th December 8pm. By donation – raising funds for UNICEF Children in Gaza Appeal. SOME FEEDBACK FROM THIS SESSION:

“All I remember was the initial information, and then I resurfaced from a deep dreamless rest.  Completely tranquil and refreshed.”

“That definitely worked for me. I had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages. My resting heart rate was down at 55. Thank you for making it so good.”

“I found the Yoga Nidra deeply relaxing. I couldn’t believe how quickly the time went – or rather I was in a state where time seemed to stop rushing past and the focus became solely about breathing. I like the fact there was a ‘ritual’ of setting up my room, lighting candles, getting everything cosy – something I am unlikely to do on my own. I’m more likely to lie in bed and listen to a Nidra online, which is fine, but there was something very special about doing the session with others and hearing your – now familiar- voice!”

“I was just so peaceful, I didn’t want it to end! I wear a Fitbit tracker which also monitors sleep. It gives you a score…and first time ever that night I got 91 and excellent! I slept so well, and yet immediately after the Nidra I didn’t feel particularly tired and didn’t need to go to bed early!”

Yoga Saturday 16th December 4pm. By donation – raising funds for UNICEF Children in Gaza Appeal. This yoga session has a theme of ‘Stars & Moons’ and is open to all experience levels. We will be working from: supine-lying, seated, a short time on all fours, standing, and a short time prone-lying. There will be a 5min ‘settling in’ period at the start and 10-15mins guided Shavayatra relaxation at the end. The session will last around an hour and a quarter (to an hour and a half, maximum). You will need your mat, a blanket and perhaps a yoga block (or similar), plus any comfort items you like (eye pillow, bolster, head cushion, etc.).

Props Playshop, 4.30-6.30pm, Sunday 29th October. A chance to enjoy and explore many different ways we can use a yoga belt to strengthen and stretch. As many of you know, I love a longer session, which allows time to warm up, try plenty things, and have a delightful guided relaxation too. Open to all levels of experience and fitness, this workshop will involve supine, standing and prone movements/exercises, but no weight-bearing on wrists or knees (i.e. no Cat Balance, Planks, Down Dog, etc.). You will need your mat, a yoga strap (or equivalent, such as a long resistance band or dressing gown belt) and optionally two blocks (or equivalent such as cushions) plus a blanket for the relaxation. This two hour workshop costs £20, payable on the 29th. Concession spaces at £10 are also available for those currently experiencing financial hardship, thanks to ‘pay it forward’ generosity from two of my yoga regulars. If you have any questions or wish to book a space and get the Zoom invite/link, please email me.

Feedback following the 29th October Playshop:

“I think doing 2 hrs is really satisfying…if that’s the right way to put it! Don’t think I could go back to classes that only last an hour.”

“The extended session flew by. Good to have some new ways to work on shoulder, hip and leg stretches.”

“That was absolutely brilliant!  Can’t believe 2 hours could pass so quickly!  First time in a long time I almost drifted off in the relaxation.”

“My shoulders felt a lot better after this. I enjoyed the yoga belt work particularly.”

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Email me anytime, if you have suggestions or requests for additional Autumn/Winter online sessions!

Join a yoga or pilates class from home or holiday accom this July!

Regular classes or regular routines up in the air for you this summer? We often slip out of our usual routines during the summer months. Even if that’s mostly in a good way, courtesy of holidays away, or light sunny evenings at home, we can end up feeling surprisingly stiff, achy or stressed as a result. If you’ve ever been taught by me, you are welcome to pop along to my online Yoga and Pilates classes this summer. Several of the regulars who usually come from home have also at times joined us online from hotel rooms or AirB&B!

I teach Pilates on Sundays 5.30-6.30pm and Yoga on Mondays 5.30-7pm, both via Zoom. I provide a recording, of me teaching the session, to everyone who has come to the class. Recordings can be accessed as often as you want for the next 6 days. You can see more detailed class info on the Timetable page of this website.

I know many people prefer in-venue classes to attending an online class. Both types of class have their pros and cons. Click here to read the top reasons to give an online class a go.

The following comments were all sent to me last month by people who currently come to my zoom classes, about why they wanted me to keep teaching them during July, and/or why they thought you might want to come along too.

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“Really love the online classes, I can really feel the difference it makes to my entire body. Sometimes after a busy day it’s a struggle to find the energy but it’s always worth it.  Thank you.”

“Thank you so much again for the zoom Pilates and Yoga classes, Catherine. ⭐️ They really are tremendous ⭐️”

“Zoom Pilates/Yoga with Catherine has helped me become stronger, more flexible and more able to do balances! While no physical adjustments can be made, Catherine’s observations and suggestions are just as good as at an in-person class. And it’s fun!”

“Thanks so much for continuing our Sunday Pilates.  I love your classes. They are challenging, beneficial, and enjoyable.”

“I’d be very keen for July zoom Pilates to be on, if you have the numbers. Makes such a difference to my cricket and golf longevity!!”

“Sunday evening online Pilates is a relaxing way to end the weekend, when you may have been working in the garden, going out for walks,  or sitting in the sun too long.”

“I admire your lessons because they are so well prepared! I was a teacher most of my working life, and I remember the time it took to prepare lessons. So, thank you for preparing your lessons and blocks of lessons so well, and according to our needs.”

“I’m really enjoying doing online blocks like this. The sense of improvement is much more noticeable! And tonight the self-satisfaction was amazing. I’m glad we didn’t hold side plank for long but was so pleased I managed it! I can still remember a time when I couldn’t lift my hips off the ground! “

“I find I sleep better after an online class.  I slept like a top on Monday night after yoga and that is such a rare event at my stage of life that I really notice it when it happens!”

“It is so much easier to turn up online, and also saves on travel time!  If the IT side of it is off-putting, rest assured that it is all very straight forward.”

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Send me an email if you’d like to come along to any of our summer sessions. Pets always welcome too!

Festive Season & January Timetable

Read on for the menu of in-venue and online Yoga and Pilates classes, from now until the end of January!

NAIRN SPORTS CLUB:

Fundamentals of Pilates, four week course, 9.15-10.15am,Tuesdays. Dates: 10/1, 17/1, 24/1, 31/1. This course is suitable for you if: you’ve never done Pilates and fancy trying it; you’ve done Pilates in the past, but are feeling ‘rusty’; you’ve done a little Pilates, but want to learn more about good technique & alignment, in a small class with an experienced teacher. You can find a longer description of Pilates here. This course will focus on a particular sequence of Pilates exercises. As the block progresses and you become familiar with the sequence, I will add variations and repetitions, to ensure you are challenged at an appropriate level for you as an individual. By the end of the course, you’ll know some key exercises which feature in all styles of Pilates. You’ll have improved in technique, so you’re able to work harder into exercises you’ve done throughout the block. And you’ll have had fun, as well as a safe, effective workout! Book via Nairn Sports Club.

Yoga, 9.30-10.30am, Thursdays.  Dates: 22/12, 29/12, 5/1. I’m covering Laura’s ongoing weekly class on these three dates. On my cover days, it will be in a similar format to my regular Friday class and also to the content/level taught by Laura. I will not be teaching the same class plan on Thursday + Friday, so those of you who regularly go to both classes each week will still get variety of content! Book via Nairn Sports Club.

Yoga, 9.30-10.30am, Fridays.  Dates: 23/12, 30/12, 6/1, 13/1, 20/1, 27/1. This ongoing weekly class begins with a gentle dynamic warm-up to mobilise joints and muscles. We go on to explore slow-flowing sequences and classic yoga poses, which develop strength, mobility, balance and coordination. Breathing techniques are also taught, and every session ends with a short guided relaxation.  Suitable for all levels of experience including beginners (gentler and more challenging options are always offered but be aware we work on our mats from standing, seated, all fours, and lying positions).  Please contact me if you’d like more info about class content; and contact Nairn Sports Club to book your place.  Club members and non-members equally welcome.  

REGULAR ONLINE WEEKLY CLASSES VIA ZOOM:

These two online classes are primarily intended for people who have done yoga or Pilates with me previously in a face-to-face setting. Your booking payment includes access to recordings of each class, viewable for up to 6 days after the class, for those who wish to do the class again or go over particular sections of it.

Monday Yoga 5.30-7pm.  Dates: 9/1, 16/1, 23/1, 30/1. Cost: £13. Block booking reduction: £10 per session only if advance booking three or more sessions in one bank transfer payment.  Book directly with me; please see the Booking tab of this website for more information.  Free ‘pay it forward’ spaces are available in this class for anyone currently experiencing financial difficulties.  

Sunday Pilates 5.30-6.30pm.  Dates: 8/1, 15/1, 22/1, 29/1.  Cost: £9. Advance booking the full block of four sessions in one payment is £32.  Book directly with me; please see the Booking tab of this website for more information.  

EXTRA ONLINE CLASSES FOR THE NEW YEAR:

Early Birds Online, 7.15-8am. Please note there are no recordings of these classes and there is no requirement to advance book individual sessions. Once you have the link from me, you can drop in any morning you want and pay £7 by bank transfer afterwards. Alternatively, you can advance book a Class Pass at £30 which entitles you to come to all the January early bird classes.

Tuesdays 10/1, 17/1, 24/1: Shared Practice.  The shared practice session is free to attend. It is not a class – I will be doing my own personal practice to music, not teaching. You are welcome to take inspiration from what I’m doing, or do an entirely different practice, as suits you. These sessions are a lovely way to start the day. I’ve run them several times before, so if you want to know more about them, click here for more info.

Wednesdays 11/1, 18/1, 25/1: Pilates/Yoga. We will focus on easing out stiffness, mobilising and energising our bodies, stretching and strengthening, with the option of using light weights (around 1kg each; or a couple of tins of beans will do fine) in some exercises.

Fridays 13/1, 20/1, 27/1: Yoga.  We’ll spend half an hour moving (mobilising our joints, easing out stiffness, warming up and stretching out) and 15mins in comfortable seated or reclined positions (for guided meditation/relaxation/breathing exercises). These total times will be divided in different ways depending on the session content (e.g. there may be 5mins learning a breathing exercise at the start, or midway – and correspondingly shorter or longer Savasana at the end).

There may also be further ‘pop-up’ online sessions added in January, e.g. Yoga Nidra evenings and 2hr Weekend Yoga Treats. If you have any requests for ‘extras’ please let me know!

HIGHLAND YOGA COLLECTIVE:

Seated Yoga, 1.30-2.15pm, Wednesdays.  This gentle, effective chair yoga class is led by a rota of HYC teachers on a voluntary basis, which allows the sessions to be free or by donation.  Please see Highland Yoga Collective for full information and to book your place.  The class is on every week; I teach two of the sessions per month.  Upcoming sessions which I am teaching are: 11/1, 18/1.  

Yoga & Pilates Pop-Ups in Nov/Dec: shorter & longer sessions; in-venue & online; mornings, afternoons & evenings!

A broader menu of yoga & pilates options is on offer this November and December.

My regular classes continue as usual. They are: Mondays 5.30-7pm Yoga via Zoom; Wednesdays 1.30-2.15pm Chair Yoga in Highland Yoga Collective; Fridays 9.30-10.30am Yoga in Nairn Sports Club; Sundays 5.30-6.30pm Pilates via Zoom. Full info about these classes can always be found on the Timetable page of this website.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER EXTRAS:

Weekend Treats, Online via Zoom. Immersing yourself in a longer yoga session is a delightful way to spend a winter afternoon! These 2hr sessions are £17 each, or £30 total if advance booking both. Replay recordings of these sessions will be available, to those who have booked in, for c48hrs after the session.

Saturday 3rd Dec, 3.30-5.30pm. ‘Garuda’. The full version of a popular class I did earlier this year, themed around the mythological King of the Eagles. We’ll begin with a settling practice involving Garuda mudra and a relaxing breathing exercise. We will then work from supine, standing and prone positions (i.e. there is no weight-bearing on wrists or knees). No all-fours weight-bearing does not mean ‘unchallenging’! The session will include focused strength and balance work. But as always, you’ll be encouraged to practise at a level of effort appropriate to yourself, and variations will be offered throughout. And of course, in a 2hr session there is time for a luxuriously effective guided relaxation at the end…

Saturday 10th Dec, 3.30-5.30pm. ‘Energising Slow Flow’. In this session, we will initially flow gently through a standing warm-up of the whole body, followed by working through potentially stronger flowing variations of Cat/Cow, Low Lunge, Planks & Downward Dogs, and a couple of rounds of Sun Salutations. In other words, there is weight-bearing on hands and knees – but if you are familiar with using a chair to do alternatives (e.g. Warrior 1 instead of Low Lunge, Half Dog and Plank with hands on chair, etc.) you are very welcome to do so. We will end with standing, then supine, flow sequences. And of course, in a 2hr session there is time for a luxuriously effective guided relaxation to finish!

Pilates ‘Semi-privates’ in my Fishertown studio, Tuesdays 10-11am. A ‘semi-private’ falls between a general class and private tuition. It is more affordable than private tuition, but with a maximum of three in the group, it is a much more bespoke experience than a general class. There is more individually tailored content and feedback than in a large class; and most people find it easier to ask questions about particular techniques or exercises than they do in a general class setting. There are sessions on: 15/11, 22/11, 6/12. You can book any or all, at a cost of £15 per session. These are matwork Pilates classes in which the content will be designed to be appropriate for the specific individuals booked in. Please make sure you’ve read my booking and cancellation policy here. (Once you’ve booked a place, it can’t be refunded/transferred to another date – but if you realise you can’t come and wish to give/sell your place to a friend, that is fine with me, providing your friend can manage the same sort of class as yourself, and you’ve let me know about the substitution).

Four weeks of Early Birds Online: 7.15-8am Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays. Getting moving in the mornings, in the company of others yet in the cosy convenience of your own home, is a fabulous antidote to winter blues – it can improve mobility, lift mood and energy levels, and set you up well for the whole day ahead. All sessions are 7.15-8am. A Class Pass (entitling you to attend all 12 sessions) is £48, which is a fantastic bargain if you’re planning to come to more than half the sessions. You can join individual classes at £7 per session, which is a better option if you plan to attend fewer than half the sessions. Let me know if you want to receive the Zoom link/invite. You don’t need to book specific dates in advance – you can get the link then simply drop in any morning you’re free, paying £7 by bank transfer that day if you’ve not already paid for a Class Pass. Please also note these sessions will not be recorded.

Tuesdays 15/11, 22/11, 29/11, 6/12: Yoga Movement & Meditation. We will spend around half an hour mobilising our joints, easing out stiffness, warming up and stretching out, so we’re ready for about 10-15mins of guided meditation/relaxation/breathing exercises.

Wednesdays 16/11, 23/11, 30/11, 7/12: Pilates/Yoga. We will focus on easing out stiffness, mobilising and energising our bodies, stretching and strengthening, with the option of using light weights (around 1kg each; or a couple of tins of beans will do fine) in some exercises.

Fridays 18/11, 25/11, 2/12, 9/12: Yoga Slow Flow. A less ‘wordy’ session, in which we’ll be moving through gently dynamic warm-ups then some more energetic flowing sequences. I will speak as needed, but this one is more about watching and flowing along with me, and of course doing your own versions and modifications as you prefer!

Autumn Extras

I’m excited to be able to offer some extra pop-ups this season! Read the details below then email me to sign up for any you fancy trying. My plan is to continue any of these which prove popular throughout the rest of the winter.

My regular weekly classes can as usual be seen over on the Timetable page.

IN-VENUE:

Pilates ‘Semi-privates’ in my Fishertown studio, Tuesdays 10-11am. A ‘semi-private’ falls between a general class and private tuition. It is more affordable than private tuition, but with a maximum of three in the group, it is a far more bespoke experience than a general class. There is more individually tailored content and feedback than in a larger class; and most people find it easier to ask questions about particular techniques or exercises than they do in a general class setting. The first two sessions of these will be on Tues 25th Oct [and Tues 1st Nov]*. You can book either or both, at a cost of £15 per session. These are matwork Pilates classes in which the content will be designed to be appropriate for the specific individuals booked in. Please make sure you’ve read my booking and cancellation policy here. (Once you’ve booked a place, it can’t be refunded/transferred to another date – but if you realise you can’t come and wish to give/sell your place to a friend, that would be fine with me as long as your friend can manage the same sort of class as yourself, and you’ve let me know about the substitution). *The 1st Nov session is fully booked.

ONLINE:

Getting moving in the mornings, in the company of others whilst still in the cosy convenience of your own home, is a fabulous antidote to winter blues – I find it reduces my stiffness, lifts my mood, and sets me up well for the whole day ahead. All sessions are 7.15-8am. A Class Pass (entitling you to dop in to any or all sessions) is a great bargain at £24. If you know you can’t make it to many, an individual session costs £7. I will send out the Zoom link for the morning sessions on Monday 24th Oct, so let me know before then if you want to be on the list (if you’re only coming to one or two, you don’t need to book specific dates by then – you can get the link then simply drop in any morning you’re free, and pay by bank transfer that morning. Please also note these sessions will not be recorded).

Tues 25th Oct: Yoga Movement & Meditation. We will spend around half an hour gently moving our joints, easing out stiffness, warming up and stretching out, so we’re ready for about 10-15mins of guided meditation/relaxation/breathing exercises.

Wed 26th Oct: Pilates/Yoga. We will focus on easing out stiffness, mobilising and energising our bodies, stretching and strengthening, with the option of using light weights (around 1kg each; or a couple of tins of beans will do fine) in some exercises.

Fri 28th Oct: Yoga Slow Flow. A ‘less taught’ session, in which we’ll be moving through gently dynamic warm-ups then some more energetic flowing sequences. I will speak a little, but this one is more about watching and flowing along with me, and of course doing your own versions and modifications as you prefer!

Tues 1st Nov: Yoga Movement & Meditation. We will spend around half an hour gently moving our joints, easing out stiffness, warming up and stretching out, so we’re ready for about 10-15mins of guided meditation/relaxation/breathing exercises.

Wed 2nd Nov: Pilates/Yoga. We will focus on easing out stiffness, mobilising and energising our bodies, stretching and strengthening, with the option of using light weights (around 1kg each; or a couple of tins of beans will do fine!) in some exercises.

Fri 4th Nov: Yoga Slow Flow. A ‘less taught’ session, in which we’ll be moving through gently dynamic warm-ups then some more energetic flowing sequences. I will speak a little, but this one is more about watching and flowing along with me, and of course doing your own versions and modifications as you prefer!

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY:

I’ve had several requests for longer/weekend sessions. I love doing these myself, but seem to have a lot on at weekends in Oct/Nov. However, I’ve blocked out in my diary two dates for longer online yoga sessions in December – Saturdays 3rd and 10th December, 3.30-5.30pm. Please ‘save the dates’ for now, and I will let you know details nearer the time…I’ve got two quite different sessions in mind to share with you…

Pilates semi-privates and online morning sessions will continue in November and December if there is sufficient interest – so please do join me for some of the first eight sessions outlined in this post, if you want them to be available longer!

I look forward to doing yoga and Pilates with you soon, Catherine