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Scar tissue massage therapy

I’m really delighted to now be offering therapeutic massage for scar tissue. Whether you have c-section, mastectomy, top-surgery or other scars that you would like to work with, this is deeply healing work. We all know from experience that the visible scar is just the tip of the iceberg, both physically and emotionally.

You might have: corded or knotted, toughened and desensitised tissue that causes pulling and refered pain in your back, hips, shoulders etc because the whole body is connected, and post-surgery reconstruction gathers and pulls on surrounding areas. It may effect more deeply on the mobility of your organs. And emotionally, there may be trauma around the surgery itself that creates patterns of holding, leading to pain or dissociation.

Scar tissue therapy is gentle, slow and respectful, working at a pace that allows you to feel agency. It is deeply effective at sensitively shifting the scar tissue, to improve texture and sensation as well as profoundly healing.

I can work appropriately with you on your scar directly post-surgery to help healing from 3 weeks post-surgery to very old scars that hold stories.

Book Massage
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April day retreat

Barcombe yoga day

Gentle, nourishing yoga, walking countryside meditation, Thai massage and delicious vegan lunch in tune with the seasons.

When: April 28 (spring moving into summer), 10-4pm
Where: Barcombe Village Hall
Cost: £85 per person (£160 for 2 people booking together).

Spend a luxurious morning exploring quietening, somatic, meditative movement, expanding breath awareness and creating space for deep rest and reset of the nervous system in tune with nature and the shift of seasons (within ourselves and in nature).

We will be served an incredible vegan lunch (gluten free, please let us know when booking if you have any allergies) cooked by creative chef Lynne Mason @theveganexperienceuk. Importantly, there will also be pudding! All veg will be provided by local organic farm, Barcombe Nurseries. Please state when booking if you have any further dietary requirements.

We will then take a silent, meditative walk (weather allowing), followed by an afternoon of simple shared Thai massage techniques to ground ease out tension.

Not to be missed, this will be a day of soothing the senses and feeding the soul.

Email to book

Feedback from previous day retreat:
“Just to say how thoughtful the day was in every way, a recognition of the human being and all our individual needs – you noticed and noted all of them. From our needs to drink, to be alone, to be silent or chatty, to listen to ourselves. Everybody and every body was welcome to just be.” Anya

“I just wanted to say thank you so much for such a wonderful day on Sunday. I don’t ever remember feeling so calm and so regulated. I arrived home feeling very serene and realised just how far from that state I live! Also, for showing us how powerful it is to be given permission to be ourselves. I never realised just how much my nervous system would love that too. I could feel my whole body giving such a sigh of relief. I could just be me.” Pippa

“I slept so well Sunday night! Thank you so much for providing such a restorative day.” Nola

“On Sunday night I slept for 9 hours straight, it was the best sleep I’ve had in a long long time, thank you!” Kim

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heart + bones RESTival

Rest, breathe, move, and laugh.

Enjoy a day devoted to all things rest and restoration for your nervous system. You’ll unwind stress and tension with gentle movement, self-massage, guided relaxation, and somatic practices to feel more grounded and connected within yourself.

Your day retreat will be supported and guided by four of Heart + Bones online studio teachers: Leo Taylor, Atifa Ismailmiya- Balding, Lou Thomas, and Brea Johnson.

We expect this event to sell out so make sure you book your spot as soon as you can!

A delicious lunch and snacks will be provided.

when:
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10
time:
10:00AM – 5:00PM
where:
THE STUDIO, BRIGHTON
cost:
£115, VEGAN LUNCH AND SNACKS INCLUDED

Contact [email protected] to register. This workshop will fill up fast, please book as soon as possible.

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Restive season starts here

As I’m writing this, I’m recovering from some lurgy-induced rest, but don’t wait for your body to say ‘no’. Why not reframe what can be an unnaturally stressful and over-energised time of year (not least for women, who still statistically carry most of the mental load and much of the labour burden of giving everyone the ‘perfect Christmas’).

At this time of year, nature is resting, quiet.
You are part of nature.
REST!

Here are some supportive ideas to help you get into the restive spirit:

1. 12 Days of Recovery & Restoration Why not join me and Charlotte for 12 Days of Recovery & Restoration. Use code WH100 at checkout to receive a whole month of FREE online classes, meditation and supportive whole health webinars that are perfect for inspiring more restful tones for your nervous system.
2. Be gifted and gift consciously Save everyone the arduous task of Christmas shopping for more stuff, and book a voucher for a massage, yoga classes or a mini-retreat for early next year.
3. Challenge samskaras Samskaras are habits – personal or social too – that couse suffering. Ask of everything you feel you ‘should’ do to make everything ‘perfect’ for everyone:
Does it bring joy equivalent to the labour involved?
What have been your mnost ‘perfect’ moments; could you have constructed them to be so?
Is it a social construct you need to subscribe to or could you be free of it?
4. Practise gratitude. Regularly recognising and ‘logging’ (you could keep a list/journal/jar) of even the smallest things that you feel grateful for (especially those that cost nothing) soon adds up to noticing how many little moments of joy and connection we have.
5. Verbalise appreciation. When you see someone who looks great, tell them. When somebody does something kind, thank them. When you notice someone making an effort, remark on it (rather than the outcome). Appreciation is infectious and spreads joy.

On that note, thank you all for your support and kindness, for being part of my yoga and massage community, you are all so appreciated. Happy restive season everyone, I’ll look forward to seeing you all in 2024, classes resume on January 6 2024.

Much love,
Leo xxx

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Come with me to Turkey!

Never mind Christmas turkey, why not come to Turkey with me next September?

Yoga & Mindfulness Week
with Leonie Taylor & Charlotte Watts
Grenadine Lodge, Turkey
Sep 30th-Oct 7th 2024

This week will be dedicated to guiding you to feel calm, connected, restored, rejuvenated and content.

Mixing mindfulness within yoga practice and through meditation space and personal exploration is a profound and enjoyable way to let go off the stresses of day-to-day life.

This yoga hotel is really lovely, with great service and truly lovely staff. The swimming pool is big enough to properly swim with a small bar beside the pool, which also serves snacks and amazing fresh pomegranate frozen juice ‘slushies’. It also has two yoga shalas which overlook a pomegranate field, which is where the yoga sessions will take place and a Turkish tree house where students can relax.

Dalyan village is situated on the small river that joins the lake to the sea and the yoga hotel is situated in the conservation area between the village and the beach. There are hotel bikes you can use for a lovely (and flat!) 10 minute cycle into town. This means you can either completely escape or enjoy this lovely town with beautiful river, cafes and great shopping if you want…. The beach is a 15-minute bus ride or you get get there by river taxi from town – there is turtle sanctuary at one end.

Find out more

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2024 yoga dates

So many exciting yoga and Thai massage mini retreats to look and book forward to in 2024:

Jan 14, 2-6pm at Beechwood Hall: Celebrating positive transition through menopause with art journalling, yoga & self massage with @wildartjournaling_ £50/£85 for 2 booking together.

Feb 18 & April 28, 10am-4pm at Barcombe Village Hall, yoga and Thai massage, connecting to nature through meditation and vegan feast courtesy of @theveganexperienceuk. £85 or £160 for 2 booking together/booking both dates.

Feb 24 Make it Flow Festival – I’m offering a Thai massage workshop at this wonderful day of creative and wellbeing activities.

May 31-June 3 Yoga Camp Sussex for a weekend full of incredible yoga, wellbeing, craft and nature sessions for all the family.


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Yoga Camp Sussex

I am delighted to be teaching again this year at the wonderful Sussex yoga weekend, Yoga Camp Sussex near Sheffield Park Gardens, Sussex, on May 31-June 3 2024.

A nourishing weekend of incredible yoga from a host of experienced teachers from a variety of different modalities, with craft and nature activities for children of all ages, delicious catering and optional camping.

For more information, day and weekend passes, click here

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Make it Flow Festival

I’m delighted to be offering a Thai massage workshop at the first ever Make it Flow Festival, on Saturday 24 February, at St George’s Church, Kemptown, Brighton; a day filled with creativity, mindfulness, and inspiration.

The Make it Flow Festival is a unique opportunity to explore the concept of flow and discover new ways to connect. The day is divided into three parts (one in the morning and two in the afternoon), with 10 two-hour workshops happening in each slot.

Once you have bought your ticket, you get to choose up to two craft workshops and one wellbeing session, from over 20 practitioners.

Your day will be bookended with two inspiring keynote talks by artist & disability campaigner Alison Lapper & Times bestselling author of ‘Breath in, Breath out’ and breathwork coach Stuart Sandeman (aka Breathpod!)…

Tickets for the Make it Flow Festival are limited, so make sure to secure yours early. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to awaken your creativity, find your flow, and connect with others.

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Welcoming in Autumn

After a wonderful mini retreat on October 15 – exploring the element of wind / Vata (ayurveda) / Lom (Thai medicine), as we transition into Autumn through fluid, slow, warming movements and breath; an incredible vegan feast prepared by Lynne at The Vegan Experience, with incredible seasonal vegetables from Barcombe Nurseries – I will be organising a deep winter retreat and would love to hear from you if you’d like to join me.