This is an opportunity for those with a regular yoga practice. It is above all, a day of experimentation and fun and its aim is to reinforce the fundamentals of selected inversions. The hope is that it will help overcome any barriers you may have about trying new inversions and it will push through plateaus encouraging a more intelligent practice. Do not be put off by ‘it’s not for me because I am not good at… I am frightened to ….. I will feel ……. These are wonderful challenges that are there to liberate us and connect us to the courage we all have. It’s play, it’s fun and above all it is allowing us to step a little further into what we are capable of achieving.

You will learn the following foundations and practice:

• Fllating & pressing - the keys of bandhas and compression

• Handstand - develop the knowledge of how to train your handstand

• Flexibility & mobility - Learn different methods of stretching to develop both strength and flexibility in postures, such as front splits and general shoulder mobility

Prerequisite

Some experience in arm balances: Bakasana (crow), and Parsva Bakasana (side crow),
*Tripod Headstand and Sirsasana (headstand/forarm)
*Working with Pincha Mayurasana and/or Handstand against the wall
*Urdhva Dhanurasana (wheel pose) - can be the foundation ie before lift.

£85 - includes very light lunch.

This is a powerful and joyful deep dive for experienced yogis and non-yogis alike.

The day will cover the 8 limbs of yogic philosophy.

Do you want to thrive? Do you want to be comfortable with the uncomfortable? The ancient yogis had the answers. This millennia old, tried and tested philosophy can have a practical impact on our life NOW. It offers guidance, motivation and easy applicable tools. If we are aware of the benefits of kindness and truthfulness and can use our energy in a positive way, we not only enrich ourselves but everything and everyone around us.

AT A GLANCE: we will cover:

• Attitudes and beliefs for balanced living.

• Physical practice for balancing the body.

• the use of breath for managing emotions.

• concentration to calm the mind.

• resting in awareness.

• group reflection and taking action.

We will come together in community to learn about our attitudes to ourselves and others and how to make actionable commitments leading to more compassionate and balanced living. We breakdown a simple physical practice that will lead to feeling at ease in our bodies. We will explore how breath can either energise or calm the body and help us manage our emotional states so that we are able to sit in stillness and connect to our true Self.

Following this there is a period of deep relaxation and sound immersion.

We end the day with the opportunity for shared group reflection, questions and insights.

There will be a light lunch of salad and fruit and tea, coffee, juice and biscuits are available throughout the day.

WHETHER YOU HAVE NEVER HAD ANY YOGA EXPERIENCE BEFORE OR HAVE A REGULAR PRACTICE OVER A LONG PERIOD, YOGIC PHILOSOPHY IS A DEEPLY, ENRICHING AND PRACTICAL FRAMEWORK FOR LIFE.

Cost: £70 on line or £65 cash/BACS

Forward bends, both standing and sitting have many benefits. We can create space and length in the spine and reduce and release compression. They have an inward nature which can lead us to a deep meditative space and to introspection. Equally they can be challenging especially if we are stiff or have tight hamstrings. This workshop will stress the importance of alignment so that we avoid over stretching or hunching - something many of us do when working at a computer.

Forward bends can be a way to meet resistance and to find new ways of acceptance and of experiencing ourselves. The aim of the workshop is to help us discover and cultivate and deeper and richer yoga practice, allowing us to approach forward bends with new ease and insight. There is a tendency to force stretching - forward bends are not about how deep you can go but instead how far you can release. There is no struggle, no force to get to a position which we imagine we should be in but rather to wait for the body to be ready. With this attitude, it will surrender to the moment. We can notice the experience this and use the breath to let go and in so doing we honour the body and let it unfold at its own pace. You will find that you will go deeper than you imagine. This is the principle of Ahimsa, one of the five yamas which includes to do no physical harm.

Cost: £25

Emergent Men invite you to a full-day transformational experience to dive into the depths of your masculinity. Participating in rituals and experiencing brotherhood creates a supportive community where men can connect with others who share similar experiences and aspirations. Allowing men to tap into their personal power and cultivate strength within their masculine bodies. Focusing on both our individual and relational experiences, we will go through a series of exercises, practises and sharing over the day.

This is your opportunity to share, to heal and to grow; to step up as a man into recognition of your empowered self. We are excited for you to join us on this experience and lovingly anticipate welcoming you into the space.

More information to follow. Please email if interested. Booking will be available shortly.

Kelly Adlam is running a one day Restorative Retreat. Kelly offers both in person and online Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching. She will be discussing ways to improve your general health and look at how to cultivate a positive attitude towards both our external life - work, family etc and our bodies (intenra world). This is open too not only her regular clients but to everyone.

Lunch will be locally grown products mainly from Studio Britford vegetable garden. The yoga is gentle and restorative and advice will be given on how to develop an easy daily practice.

£95/person

This workshop is for anyone who wishes to have a day of curiosity and reflection. Guided by Sarah, Natalie and Tim you will experience a range of modalities that are both gentle and highly effective. We recommend that you bring a notebook and pen to take note of any insights you may gain through this day of reflection and self discovery.

We are very fortunate in having Natalie Kearney, who works internationally as both a breath coach and trainer.

Join Sarah, Natalie and Tim for a day of exploration with yoga, gongs, breathwork and inquiry. A day to go inwards, release and relax into yourself in the beautiful natural surroundings of Studio Britford. We will look at what authenticity means to each of us and how our conditioning may hold us back from being ourselves. When we become aware of how we are all subject to conditioning, we gain more acceptance of ourselves and through this more joy.

Booking is essential. max 12 participants. Please contact Sarah for more information and booking inquiries - https://www.studiobritford.com/contact

Saturday 29th April 10am - 5pm

£99

10am-11am Gentle yoga to open the body and still the mind.

11am-11:30am Tea Break

11:30am - 1:30pm A Dynamic Breathwork session + Discussion on selected theme - Anxiety, Authenticity and how to befriend your inner critic.

1:30pm-2:15pm Lunch - simple vegetarian food

2.15pm -2.30pm - Garden self inquiry meditation

2.45- 4.45pm Breathwork - Gentle exploration + Meditation followed by gong immersion for integration.

4.45pm - tea and biscuits

A day of exploring how to play the gong and singing bowls.

Have you ever wanted to play the gong? Are you interested in learning how to play singing bowls? This workshop will be a playful odyssey into these remarkable instruments.

You will learn some simple techniques and gain experience in playing for yourself and others. This is a wonderful opportunity to play on the highest quality Gongs and antique singing bowls and to share this experience with others.

At a Glance:

·       How to approach the gong.  Attitude and deep listening.

·       Gong technique. Various strokes to use to bring out an array of gong sounds.

·       Playing for yourself.

·       Playing for another in a short one to one session

·       Singing bowl technique. With both wand and mallet.

·       Exploring the power of singing bowls on the body. 

This course is perfect for those who are just curious and would like a fun and interesting experience. It would also suit those who are interested in the field of sound healing and wish to get a taster or those who are trained in a different healing modality and are interested in incorporating sound  healing tools as part of their practice.

£65

An explorative, immersive and organic movement workshop.

This 2.5 hour workshop is led by Andrea, a Himalayan Hatha and Meditation teacher who encourages people to explore beyond the narrative of asanas to find an honest connection with their bodies.

This is a gentle interactive process that helps us navigate the inner conflict, stagnation and patterning we encounter in our mechanical daily movement. It allows us to free ourselves of what we perceive as 'right or wrong' movement allowing us to be open and inquisitive as to where the body is going to move next - the narration of our minds is side stepped and we move into the unexpected and the unknown. We erase the boundaries of what we think our bodies can do.

An opportunity to allow the body to unfold rather than instructing and controlling movement.

£39 and includes refreshments afterwards.

A creative and playful exploration into the enlivening effects of a variety of chanting and toning practices. Communal chanting powerfully raises our vibration and balances our fifth chakra, the seat of our authenticity and self expression. You will be introduced to overtoning, an ancient self healing practice that has been used for millennia by peoples all over the world. There will be a handout to guide you through the day.

We learn different forms of chanting - call and response, intuitive chanting that connects with our natural creative flow and finish with a global mantra prayer.

Participants are invited to bring their own lunch but we will be providing salad, bread, cheese, dips and fruit. Tea/coffee and snacks are available throughout the day. You will leave with a variety of approaches that will give you the confidence to develop your own practice. Chanting and toning enlivens the mind, body and spirit.

£65

This workshop is the first in UK and is led by Tim Byford. He has written:

Inhale deep….and as you exhale, let out a lovely breathy ahhhhhh sound. Inhale deep and ….ahhhhhhh. continue slow and deep breathing (you can drop the ahhhh now or just say it in your head) and check in with your posture. Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down and allow them to relax. Bring the corners of your mouth up creating a………….smile allow the corners of your eyes to crinkle with this smile…. And say to yourself ‘I am a wonder and deserve all the treasures of life’. As you smile and breath deeply repeat this affirmation a few times few times. ‘I am a wonder and deserve all the treasures of life’…………………………. now stretch your arms above your head and ……………..bring your arms down and release and relax fully with an ahhhhhhh sound and a little shake of the body. 

How was that? How do you feel?

Of course there is more we can do. However a lot can be done in 30-90 seconds and the engagement of body, breath sound and mantra/affirmation can be a powerful pick me up at any point in your busy day. And there is more.

Gong Yoga is a combination of movement, breath, affirmation or mantra and sacred sound. It is designed as a yoga for everyone. It does not contain any complex asana (postures) but rather simple accessible movement. It is designed as a reprogramming tool to escape the emotional wheel of karma and come to fully resonant health. It is designed to be super efficient. It is designed to lead the practitioner to their own totally intuitive form of yoga practice.

History.

Gong Yoga was created by Grand Gong Master Don Conreaux. It was born out of his extensive working with Both Kundalini yoga and Gong Meditations and, as mentioned above, was created with the intention of making yoga practice open to everyone regardless of age and physical condition. 

What the Morning will consist of.

The morning will be divided into three sessions.

1. Introduction and teaching of some basic yoga tools and an opportunity to do a quick and easy emotional self assessment and write your own personal affirmation.

2. A gong yoga session incorporating movement, breath, affirmation and sound.

3. A gong Bath.

There will then be an opportunity to share your experiences with the group, to recap and suggestions as to how you can apply what you have learnt in everyday life.

Important information.

The event will be conducted in line with social distancing guidelines.

Please where loose fitting clothes and bring with you your own water bottle.

Pre booking is essential.

£40

Natalia Ria is running a series of Women’s Circles around Europe and we are fortunate to have her at Studio Britford during the Autumn Equinox.

Natalia writes: “This circle is for women who want to reconnect with their feminine essence and belong with other women in a safe, nurturing container. Together, we’ll give and receive deep nurturing from each other, in body and soul, so we can melt our guards and fill our inner heart well with loving nourishment.

You are welcome as you are, Dear Woman. Do not wait until you’re healed, or less insecure, or more accomplished. Or whatever less or more you feel you need to be.

Come as you are.

And know that you Belong.

As you are.

Our Equinox Circle theme is Celebrating and Letting Go. As the light and the dark come into balance, on this day you will be invited to look at your year and harvest all the fruits of the work you’ve put into your inner life. We will celebrate with ritual and practices that help us receive the abundance of our beauty, strength, wisdom and courage. 

You will also have an opportunity to let go of what no longer serves you as you move towards the completion of the year. 

Our circle will include practices of:

* feminine nurturing touch

* chanting (sanskrit, english)

* conscious movement

• deep sharing in partner and small groups

• self-reflection exercises

Cost: £25 Proceeds to C-R-Y charity.

About Natalia:

Natalia Ria is an intuitive healer. She helps women who've had little to no emotional nurturing in their upbringing and often feel like they have to earn love & belonging by depleting themselves, find new levels of healing, strength, self-advocacy and confidence. Learn more about Natalia HERE:

https://nataliaria.com/about/
Natalia will be offering Intuitive Healing Sessions which incorporate tapping, inner child work, energy healing and intuitive guidance to heal the heart and release inner blocks. She will also be offering Body Nurture Sessions which fuse Thai Massage and Energy Healing to nurture and release tension from the body.

When: Sessions will take place at Studio Britford September 24th -27th.

Cost: £ 40/1 hour session

THIS ONE DAY WORKSHOP EXPLORES MODALITIES THAT WILL OPEN THE BODY AND MIND RELEASING STAGNANT ENERGY AND REVITALISING MIND AND BODY:

10am - 5.30PM

10am - 11.15am Dance/Movement Meditation. The day will begin with Claudia Schrick from Zurich who will guide us through a series of easy movement and  dynamic dance meditations. Her style of dancing has been inspired and influenced  by the  Hawaiian Hula Dance,  a form of dancing deeply connected with spirituality. In essence it is a philosophy of life closely aligned with nature, showing profound respect and appreciation for all living things and it is a combination of meditation, imagination and dance. 

Participants will be uplifting their energy with some freestyle dancing, guided by intentions as the body is invited to express thoughts with arm and hand movements. A person’s full potential is reached in this way because body and mind are symbiotically working together and supporting each other. The movements are repeated in a similar way that a mantra is recited. With repetition one dives deeper into calm. It is the expression of ones mindset though movement and is immensely liberating. Claudia is known as one of Europe’s most innovative teachers in this area.

11.30am -1pm Vinyasa yoga. This is suitable for everyone, both beginners and those who regularly attend classes. Each asana will have adaptations and the class will be slow, allowing those who wish to hold poses and focus on strength and alignment to do so whilst beginners may wish to do an alternative more relaxing pose. The class will finish with a 15 mins restorative/savasana.

1pm-2pm LUNCH. This will be vegetarian and most of the vegetables will be from the garden.

2pm-2.30pm. Walking meditation and guided sitting meditation. This is an opportunity to walk the new labyrinth which will be in the water meadow. We follow each other with conscious steps and enter and exit without repeating any of the path. This will take around 15 mins follow by a visualisation meditation in the Studio.

2.30-3.30pm Clarity Breathwork. An opportunity to experience the power of the breath and begin to dive into the sub conscious. It will be new to many of you and I encourage you to come to this session. It will be facilitated by Claudia and Sarah who are both fully qualified Clarity Breathwork Practitioners. Most of the time you will be lying down and there will be music so you are totally unaware of other people. It has without doubt been the most transformative modalities that both Claudia and I have done. There is more information on this website. There will be a short break between the next session.

4pm- 5pm: Gong Bath. Time to relax and feel the healing vibrations of the gongs. We know from research and experience that opening up the body with yoga and breath accelerates the healing power of the gongs as the body and mind reach deeper states of consciousness. Healing occurs when the body is fully relaxed and the mind is still.

5pm ..ish. Refreshments and teas. A time to ground and to chat to others at the end of this workshop. Claudia and I are there to answer any questions you may have.

COST: £80 including lunch.

TO BOOK: sarahemarten@gmail.com

“As you breathe in, cherish yourself. As you breathe out, cherish all Beings.” – The Dalai Lama

This is the last drumming evening of the year and falls close to one of the most creative points of the year - the winter solstice. We will set an intention and play improvised music together. It will be a celebration and all are welcome to come whether you come regularly or not. Please bring any acoustic instrument you wish; flute, guitar, strings or just come without and enjoy the energy. £10.

THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW FULL

This workshop is held by Sara Dennis but is now full. It will be for the whole of the body and will combine roller and ball work with stretching. The reward for this is a long relaxation at the end of the class.

 Please note with most fascial release work at the time it may not be comfortable and you will need to be able to weight bare on your elbows for short periods!

 This class is limited to ten people so please book early.

The first Chakra, also known as the Root Chakra (Muladhara Chakra) is located at the base of the spine, the pelvic floor and the first three vertebrae and is responsible for our sense of safety and security.

This workshop aims to increase a sense of safety, security, support, vitality and grounding on the mat and that we can then taken into our lives. We start with a chakra meditation followed by an asana sequence to develop strength and balance. We will be breaking down 2 arm balances and 2 standing balances.  There will bea review on the importance of bandhas (body locks that help the flow of energy) and why this locking up is so beneficial when yoga is apparently about opening.  

Deepen your awareness of your own energy through the meditation, Pranayama (Yogic breathing) and the asanas. All levels welcome. Limited to 10 people so please book. This is the start of a 7 workshop chakra balancing course running from September - December.  

£35/workshop per 3 hour workshop. Maximum number 10 people. Please book in advance as information sheets will be givn out afterwards. 

NOTE; THERE WILL BE A CRECHE - CHILDREN OVER 2 YERS CAN COME AND THEY WILL BE LOOKED AFTER BY TWO ADULTS. GAMES WILL BE ORGANISED AND THERE WILL BE DRINKS AND REFRESHMENTS AND THEY CAN ALSO RELAX IN THE KITCHEN AND TV ROOM IF THEY NEED A REST FROM GAMES. THIS ALLOWS PARENTS TO HAVE A BREAK!

Held once a month on a Sunday morning this next event will be an opportunity to herald the arrival of Spring after the rollercoaster of snow/warmth/snow.

Details of the sessions are in previous posts. This life-affirming ritual that allows for self-exploration and transformation through music and movement.

The sound tracks change each month and are specifically chosen to enhance healing and self knowledge. To have the opportunity to unplug from the visual stimulus that connects us to our surroundings, Trance Dance allows us to recalibrate our ideas and perceptions of time and space. Our normal compass - sight, is covered and we are enabled through the music to connect deeply with our bodies and with our Self. The seemingly intractable problems of day to day living recede as we delve inwards and the spontaneous movement of our bodies over-rides the chatter of our minds. The primary focus of Trance Dance is to heal on all levels. Unless we are at one with our mind, body and spirit in equal parts we cannot reach the equilibruim that allows us to be the joyful, healthy human we are born to be. 

£17/session. Please look at earlier posts to discover more. Limited to 14 maximum booking is essential. Wear comfortable clothes. We dance bare foot and there is underfloor heating.

PAST DATES: 1st December and 7th January, 4th February, 4th March, 8th April

If this is something that interests you please contact for further details. sarahemarten@gmail.com

BENEFITS

•  A direct experience and trust in the metaphysical healing powers we all possess.

•  Healing through the disappearance of lifelong patterns of disease-oriented behavior. 

•  An increase in the trust that Spirit is real and not just a concept or dogmatic tradition.

•  A leap into the adventure of exploring oneself without judgment or making oneself wrong. 

•  The wisdom that comes once you realize your immortality, which usually comes with taking responsibility for your life. 

•  The reduction of ego which is replaced by a willingness to appreciate and support others. 

•  A pleasurable relaxation into just going with the experiences of life. 

•  Incredible energy, excitement and aliveness.

•  The healing of breath-related illness such as asthma and other illnesses such as rheumatism and arthritis. 

•  The awakening of a personal Energizer and a return to deep, satisfying guiltless sex. 

•  An increased ability to see visual phenomenon and movement of energy in everything. 

•  A greater awareness of one’s inner world.

•  A general lightness, resulting from satisfaction and well-being. 

•  The experience of one’s body and physical form changing from this time to other times, from human to non-human. 

•  Perceptions dramatically transformed, the dancer often describing having entered another world.

Friday 13th BLISS

This workshop will help to connect mind, body and spirit, working these aspects of ourselves as a system of energy. This energy flow can be abundant or restricted, depending on our 'state of being' in each moment and this changes constantly. Yin yoga led by Martin Heather will bring us into our body and he will follow this with meridian yoga nidra so we can visualise and connect to these energy channels. The session will end with a gong bath to bathe mind, body and soul in vibrational healing. The aim of the workshop is find deep relaxation and restoration and to float out of the Studio with joy and in harmony with the Self. £30

Held once a month on a Sunday morning this next morning will be an opportunity to get temperatures rising in this coldness. Maximum number 14.

This is a powerful ritual designed to foster self-exploration and transformation through music and movement.

“The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being” - Carl Jung

Trance Dance is a unique blend of body movement, healing sounds, dynamic percussive rhythms, transformational breathing techniques and the innovative use of a blindfold or bandana - which together stimulate a 'trance' state that promotes spiritual awakenings, mental clarity, physical stamina and emotional well-being.

Driven by unique musical soundtracks recorded specifically for this method of healing, Trance Dance takes participants on an 'inner journey' not limited to our normal perceptions of space/time. Ritual trance journeys have been a vital part of shamanic and eastern dance cultures for thousands of years. Our contemporary approach to Trance Dance brings together the richness of these ancient rituals with some startlingly effective modern techniques.
Trance Dance's primary focus is on healing and spiritual evolution. By dancing within the seclusion of darkness participants discover parallel realities where solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems are possible. Through Trance Dance we disappear, becoming more like spirit, and simultaneously less attached to life's ordinary difficulties, making it possible at these moments to let these problems go.   £17/session. Please wear comfortable clothes. It will be in bare feet and the floor is heated. 

PAST DATES: 1st December and 7th January, 4th February

If this is something that interests you please contact for further details. sarahemarten@gmail.com