When you stop to notice your breath, do you feel how fast and unaware you’ve been moving through your day? Even in the cosy sluggishness of winter, the thrust of life and the pressures of achievement chip away at presence: with kids, with partners, with the things that matter most in life.
In a life rattled by overwhelm and disconnection, what I have learnt over the years is that yoga shows up as a strategy to create more presence. And the bi-product of presence is…drumroll, feeling calmer, more aligned and ready to step back into the demands of life.
Have you noticed how nature doesn’t have to work at this presence? Similarly, when we step into nature and get absorbed into it with awe, we too become that presence. Unlike nature, we humans have to practice presence to be in it, and the more we practice it, the easier it becomes to embody it.
This Friday’s Restorative Yoga class as part of the Winter Online Series is inspired by the presence of nature: just before Imbolc, a quiet threshold in the wheel of the year. Beneath the frozen earth, life stirs gently, reminding us that awakening begins in silence. In our practice, we will honour that same rhythm within ourselves, observing subtle sensations and the gentle currents of energy that move through the body.
Restorative Yoga is a practice of surrender and support. With props and long-held postures on the floor, we create a safe space for the nervous system to soften. From a yogic perspective, this is a practice of pratyahara—turning inward, withdrawing from external distractions, and reconnecting with our inner landscape. Physiologically, it nurtures hormonal balance, digestion, immunity, and mental clarity.
This class is an invitation to pause before the outward surge of spring, to rest, to feel, and to sense what wants to awaken within you—without force, with gentle awareness. It is also an opportunity to let go of the long help tensions and emotions of winter before the awakening of spring.
Online Winter Restorative Yoga Series
🕯 Friday 30th January
🕯 7:00–8:15pm (UK time)
Book your space below. For this offering, I have opened 3 community spaces for those that need a lower rate right now. No explanations or questions asked.
I look forward to resting with you.
A short pause you can take right now
Read this til the end and then practice it in your own time.
You can do this seated or lying down—whatever feels most supportive right now. Let your body be held by the chair, the floor, or the bed. No need to change anything.
Then notice:
Where do you feel the breath most clearly today?
Is it shallow or full? Rushed or slow? Smooth… or a little jagged?
Now place one hand on your belly, the other on your chest. Let the breath arrive as it is. No correcting. No deepening. Just witnessing.
After a few breaths, see if the exhale naturally lengthens when you stop interfering. Often, this is the moment we realise how fast we’ve been moving—how little space we’ve given ourselves to truly arrive.
Stay here for three or four breaths longer than feels necessary. Let that be enough.
This simple noticing is presence. And presence, practiced gently and repeatedly, is what allows the nervous system to soften and the body to remember how to rest.
Something to inspire
Lately, I've been immersed in the enchanting pages of Rosie Steer's Slow Seasons. She paints this time of year as a canvas for introspection and retreat, a season where the world seems to pause and breathe. Steer captures the essence of this quiet interval, describing it as a moment brimming with potential and hushed promises, a reminder of our humble place within the grand tapestry of nature. Yet, within this stillness, there lies a glimmer of hope—the rejuvenating spirit of the coming year. In her chapter on Imbolc, she unveils delightful secrets, sharing recipes for crafting candles and concocting marmalade, each a celebration of warmth and renewal.
With warmth,
Sarah Leyla