Author: Gemma

Over the last five weeks, Inner Compass has been about finding our way, not by having all the answers, but by learning how to listen more closely.

That theme ran through the whole practice. In our Flow classes, we worked towards an expansive Half Moon. In Dynamic Flow, we built towards Seated Compass Pose. Both shapes asked for balance, awareness and a willingness to feel our way into something, rather than force it.

Each week explored a different part of that journey. We began with finding centre, then moved into choosing direction, meeting resistance, adjusting course, and finally keeping moving forward.

Taken together, these themes reflect something at the heart of yoga. Yoga does not promise a clear path or a life without uncertainty. What it does offer is a way of coming back to ourselves. To the breath. To awareness. To the quieter voice beneath all the noise.

That is really what Inner Compass has been about.

How do we pause long enough to hear what is true?

How do we move forward without needing the whole map?

How do we stay present when things feel hard?

How do we adjust when life changes?

And how do we keep going when the path ahead is still unfolding?

On and off the mat, this series has been an invitation to move with more awareness, honesty and self-trust. Not trying to have everything figured out, but learning that guidance is often quieter than we expect.

Sometimes it is a pause.

Sometimes it is a breath.

Sometimes it is a small shift in direction.

And sometimes it is simply the willingness to keep listening.

For me, that is what Inner Compass has been about. Not finding one final answer, but building a steadier relationship with your own inner knowing.

And perhaps that is enough. Not the whole map, just a way of coming back to yourself, again and again.

Join me on the mat in Houlton, Rugby. Booking page is now live for yoga in June and July!

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Frequently Asked Questions

By the time Friday arrives, many of us are carrying the week in our bodies.

Long hours at a desk. Time spent driving. Screens, meetings, school runs, work demands, life admin, and all the little things that add up without us really noticing.

You might feel it as tight shoulders. A stiff lower back. A sense of being folded in through the chest. Heavy legs. A busy mind. Or simply that feeling of arriving at the end of the week a little more tired and tense than you would like.

That is exactly why I have created Rise + Stretch, a new 6-week summer yoga series designed to help you begin Friday feeling more open, mobile, grounded and ready for the day ahead.

A Practical Morning Practice for Real Life

Rise + Stretch is not about pushing harder, achieving complicated poses, or adding another pressure to your week.

It is a steady, mixed level morning yoga practice designed to support the way you live, work and move.

Each Friday morning, we’ll use a blend of accessible yoga movement, mindful mobility, stretching, breathwork and myofascial release to help ease tension and encourage freer movement through the body.

The focus is simple: to help you feel better in your body before the working day begins.

Why Friday Morning?

Friday can be a strange point in the week.

You are nearly at the weekend, but you may also be feeling the build-up of everything that has come before it. The body can feel tired, the mind can feel full, and posture can start to show the effects of a busy week.

An early morning practice gives you the chance to pause before the day gets going.

Rather than arriving at Friday already depleted, Rise + Stretch gives you one hour to breathe, move, release tension and reset.

It is a way of saying: before I give my energy to the day, I am going to take a little time to look after myself first.

What to Expect

Rise + Stretch is a mixed level class, with options offered throughout so you can work in a way that suits your body and energy on the day.

Across the 6 weeks, classes will include:

Gentle mobility for the spine, shoulders and hips

Stretching for areas that often feel tight, including the chest, hamstrings and back body

Accessible yoga movement to build strength, steadiness and ease

Simple breathwork to support calm and focus

Myofascial release to help ease tension and encourage freer movement

A steady pace that leaves you feeling refreshed rather than wrung out

You do not need to be especially flexible. You do not need to be advanced. You just need to be willing to give yourself that hour.

Who Rise + Stretch Is For

This series is ideal if you spend a lot of time sitting, driving, working at a screen, or generally feeling like your body could do with a bit more care by the end of the week.

It may be especially helpful if you:

Feel stiff, tight or folded in by Friday

Carry tension in your shoulders, neck, back or hips

Want to improve mobility and posture in a practical way

Would like a morning class that helps you feel calmer and more energised

Prefer a steady, supportive class with options rather than pressure

Want to build a regular movement habit over the summer

This is yoga for real bodies and real life. Supportive, practical and designed to help you move well for the long term.

Why a 6-Week Series?

A one-off class can feel wonderful, but there is something powerful about committing to a short series.

Six weeks gives you enough time to build a rhythm without it feeling overwhelming. You get a regular Friday morning reset, and your body has the chance to become more familiar with the movements, stretches and release work.

It is a simple summer commitment to yourself.

One hour a week.

A little more space in the body.

A steadier start to the day.

A supportive way to move into the weekend.

Class Details

Rise + Stretch: 6-Week Summer Yoga Series
Starts: Friday 12 June
Time: Fridays, 7.30am to 8.30am
Venue: Townsend Memorial Hall, Clifton-upon-Dunsmore, Rugby, CV23 0DJ
Style: Mixed level yoga, mobility, stretching, breathwork and myofascial release

Bookings are now open for the full 6-week summer series.

Spaces are limited, so please book your place if you would like to join us.

Book your space for Rise + Stretch here

If life has been feeling a little full lately, I’ve just released a new date for Lifted: Gentle Yoga, Yin, Myo + Nidra Reset.

I’m really happy to be sharing a new class with you: Rise + Stretch!

This new weekly class begins has been created as a gentle, supportive way to ease into the end of the week. It’s a space to release tension, improve mobility, and give your body some much-needed care after days of sitting, rushing, working, and doing.

So many of us carry the effects of modern life in our bodies. Tight shoulders, stiff hips, a tired back, that slightly crumpled feeling that can build through the week. Rise + Stretch is my answer to that. A calm morning practice to help you soften some of that tension, move more freely, and feel more like yourself again.

The class will include accessible yoga movement, stretching, breathwork, mindful mobility, and elements of myofascial release. Nothing complicated, just simple, nourishing practices to help you breathe more deeply, stand a little taller, and head into the day feeling lighter and more grounded.

It’s a welcoming class, suitable for all levels, including complete beginners. Whether you come because you feel stiff, want to support your posture, or simply need a steadier start to your Friday, you’ll be very welcome.

When and Where?

Fridays, 7.30 to 8.30am
Townsend Memorial Hall, Clifton upon Dunsmore, Rugby CV23 0BD

Booking Opening Soon!

There will also be an early-access waitlist, and everyone on the list will receive 25% off when booking opens. After signing up, keep an eye on your inbox and confirm your email address so I can make sure you receive the early-access details (check spam/junk/promotions if it doesn’t appear).

I’m really looking forward to welcoming you to this new class!

Earlier this week, I found myself staring at my calendar. Meetings, deadlines, reminders – all tangled together. At first, it felt overwhelming. But then I realised it wasn’t chaos at all. It was just a picture of a full life, full of different paths crossing through one week.

That idea of crossing paths has been the heart of our four-week yoga series. We started by noticing the left and right sides of the body, how they sometimes move in different rhythms. Then we explored opposites—strength and softness, effort and ease—learning that two seemingly contradictory experiences can exist at the same time. Last week we practised gathering the strands, weaving them together rather than trying to juggle them.

This week is the culmination: finding integrated strength. Think of a plait. One strand alone is weak. But when strands cross and weave together, they become strong and resilient. That’s what we practise in yoga—not forcing everything to be perfect, but noticing how the body, breath, and mind can support each other.

In class, the movements cross the body, spiral through the hips, and wrap through the arms in poses like Eagle and the flows we revisit from week one. Each repetition gives your body a chance to integrate what you’ve been learning. And off the mat, that same principle applies. Life rarely offers straight lines. Strength comes from learning to stand at the intersections, to move gracefully where different paths meet.

It’s not about untangling everything. It’s about holding the crossing paths with awareness, patience, and a little curiosity. That’s where real strength lives.

It started with one of those everyday moments. I was making a cup of tea and realised my mind was already somewhere else, caught up in a conversation that hadn’t even happened yet. My body was in the kitchen, my mind off doing its own thing. I’m guessing that feels familiar.

Over the last few weeks in our Rugby yoga classes, we’ve been exploring a simple but transformative shift: yoga is a practice, not a performance.

Choosing practice over perfection means showing up with curiosity and patience, rather than chasing a “Pinterest-perfect” pose. It’s about being kind to yourself on the mat, especially on the days when your body feels a little less flexible or your mind a little more crowded.

It Starts With Presence

Simply arriving, pausing, and noticing your breath is enough. Yoga isn’t about “getting it right.” Self-awareness matters far more than judgment; every moment on the mat is an opportunity to tune in and ask: How am I actually feeling right now?

Letting Go of the Comparison Trap

It’s easy to glance at a neighbour or look in the mirror and decide we aren’t enough. Yoga invites us to notice those thoughts without believing them. By focusing on the sensation of the breath and the internal “feel” of a movement, we swap criticism for awareness. When you stop comparing, the practice becomes truly yours.

The Wisdom in the “Wobble”

We’ve also been celebrating our mistakes. Shaky ankles, losing your balance, or forgetting a sequence. These aren’t failures; they are information. A wobble shows you where your edge is.

• A lost breath shows you where you’re forcing.
• A fall is just an opportunity to get back up.

Think of the Japanese art of Kintsugi, where broken pottery is mended with gold, celebrating the cracks rather than hiding them. In our class, our “cracks” and wobbles are often the strongest and most valuable parts of our journey.

Effort Without Force

There is a delicate balance between effort and ease. There’s a world of difference between trying and forcing. When we meet a pose with curiosity, adjusting where we need to and breathing through the challenge, we grow without creating tension or frustration.

Trusting the Long View

Progress in yoga rarely happens in leaps; it happens in quiet, microscopic shifts. Every breath and every pause accumulates. By trusting the process, we learn to celebrate the journey itself rather than obsessing over a destination.

Yoga is about returning to yourself, moment by moment. It is an invitation to meet your mind and body exactly as they are today.

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Join me on the mat

If you’d like to explore this kinder, more curious way of moving, I’d love to welcome you to one of my classes here in Rugby or to one of my special retreats. Whether you’re a total beginner or have been practicing for years, there is always room for a little more “practice” and a little less “perfection.” Doors open for booking onto my next block on Sunday 1 February.

After a long day of sitting at a desk, leaning over a laptop, or rushing through household chores, it’s easy for the body to feel locked. Your shoulders ache, your hips feel tight, and your calves might feel heavy or sore.

If you enjoyed my previous post on Myofascial Release (Myo or MFR), you’ll love this deeper dive. We’re exploring why this practice feels so restorative, how you can try it at home to rediscover a sense of ease in your breath and body.

What Exactly is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial Release is a gentle way of working with fascia, which is the silvery, web-like connective tissue that wraps around your muscles, joints, and organs.

Think of fascia as the body’s internal suit. When it’s healthy, it’s supple and fluid, allowing your muscles to glide smoothly over one another. However, everyday habits like sitting for long hours or holding onto stress can cause this tissue to stiffen.

Fascia exists in three main layers:

• Superficial: Just beneath the skin.
• Deep: Surrounding your muscles and bones.
• Visceral: Supporting your internal organs.

When we are dehydrated or sedentary, the fluid within these layers can become thick or sticky, similar to how honey stiffens in the cold. MFR uses tools such as massage balls, foam rollers, or even your own hands to apply slow, steady pressure to these areas, encouraging that fluid to flow again.

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Why Does Fascia Get “Stuck”?

Fascia is designed to be slippery. Problems arise when it loses that glide and starts to feel bound. This usually happens for three reasons:

1. Dehydration and Stillness: Without movement, the gel-like fluid in your fascia thickens, making your body feel heavy.
2. The Stress Response: Our fascia reacts to emotional stress and physical injury by tightening up to protect us.
3. The Cycle of Tension: Once fascia is restricted, it can irritate nearby nerves. The body responds by tightening even more, creating a cycle of chronic stiffness that lingers long after the original stressor is gone.

Understanding Myofascial Dysfunction

Most of us will experience some form of myofascial dysfunction at some point in our lives, in one way or another. It can happen for all sorts of reasons—anything that disrupts the usual balance between muscles and the fascia around them. Sometimes the cause is obvious, like an injury, surgery, or illness. Other times it’s something small, like changing your running shoes or increasing your training a bit too quickly.

When this happens, the body doesn’t move as smoothly. Posture can shift, movement can feel stiff or restricted, and you may notice certain areas that feel tense or “stuck.” These sensitive spots are often called trigger points, and they can appear almost anywhere in the body.

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Top 6 Reasons to Love MFR

1. It Eases Deep Muscle Tension Daily life places a lot of demand on our bodies. MFR helps soften tight, overworked areas, allowing the “armour” we often carry in our shoulders and back to finally melt away.

2. It Improves Your Flexibility and Range of Motion When the fascia is restricted, it acts like a tight bandage around your muscles. By clearing the “fuzz” between these tissue layers, your joints and muscles can move through their full, natural range with much less effort.

3. It Targets Those Stubborn Trigger Points Most of us have tender spots that feel like hard knots. These are often trigger points, which are sticky patches of tension. MFR helps release these specific areas, often easing discomfort that has radiated to other parts of the body.

4. It Boosts Circulation and Recovery The physical action of applying pressure and rolling encourages fresh blood flow and tissue hydration. This supports the body’s natural recovery process and can help reduce the soreness you might feel after a workout.

5. It Breaks the Cycle of Chronic Stiffness When fascia is tight, it can irritate nearby nerves, causing the body to tighten even more as a protective response. MFR interrupts this cycle, helping the body realize it no longer needs to stay in a state of “high alert.”

6. It Builds a Deeper Mind-Body Connection Unlike a fast-paced gym workout, MFR requires you to slow down and feel. It’s a meditative practice that teaches you to listen to your body’s subtle cues, helping you cultivate a calmer, more mindful connection with yourself.

Try It at Home

Here’s a simple way to start:

1. Pick a spot: Focus on an area that feels tight, such as shoulders, calves, hips, or lower back.
2. Choose a tool: Use a massage ball, foam roller, or even a rolled-up towel.
3. Apply gentle pressure: Lean or press slowly into the area, breathing deeply, and notice what your body feels.
4. Stay a moment: Hold tender spots for 30–90 seconds, or until you feel a gentle release.
5. Support yourself: Cushions, blankets, or blocks can make the practice more comfortable.

Curious about what it’s like to try Myofascial Release for the first time? Check out my earlier post, where I share my personal experience and the feeling of a deep, full-body massage. It’s a friendly introduction showing just how easy it is to start incorporating MFR into your daily self-care.

My newest Lifted experience is all about slowing down, quieting the mind, and finding a sense of spaciousness in your body and breath. Gentle yoga, Yin, myofascial release, and Nidra combine for a truly restorative experience. This session is fully booked, but join my mailing list to be the first to hear about the next dates!