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Class changes & retreats coming up

The new term has bought some exciting shifts here at Centred Space.
I’m teaching a retreat in Dalyan, Turkey from 30 September, back in the UK on October 9, so the following classes will not be running:

Hanover Community Centre:
Mondays 30 September & 7 October, Saturday 5 October

Boulder Brighton:
Tuesdays 1 & 8 October

Online @ charlottewattshealth.com:
Wednesdays 2 & 9, and Thursday 4 October

All classes and massage treatments resume on October 10th.

In my absence, do take advantage of the special offers for online yoga, where you can practise pre-recorded and live classes:
www.charlottewattshealth.com use code WH100 for a FREE MONTH
www.heartandbonesyoga.com use code HBLeo for a MONTH for $1.

And if you’re getting massive FOMO, you can come with me to Crete in April or Turkey in September of 2025, where I’ll be teaching yoga in the most beautiful, relaxing settings. Come with!

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A vibrational new treatment

I am delighted to introduce you to a new vibrational treatment that I’m offering as part of my traditional therapeutic Thai massage practice: Tok Sên (hammer energy lines). Gently tapping a tamarind mallet on differently shaped wooden hammers onto the body releases muscle tension and relieves pain. It also improves circulation, promotes healing and energetic balance as well as being deeply relaxing and meditative.

Tok Sên also stimulates the ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) which releases dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, as well as improving function in parts of the brain involved in social cognition, self awareness and satisfaction.

Get in touch to book your appointment

Book Massage

or read more…

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30 Days of FREE meditations

Do you meditate? Or do you struggle to find time/settle/or even engage with the idea?

In conversation with a dear friend the other day I recognised a familiar pattern: her neurodiversity makes it difficult for her to start and maintain practices, but because she knows it would be beneficial, she then gets stuck in loops of ‘failing’ to start/continue/focus and then feelings of self blame.

Sound familiar?

How about rather than ‘failing’ to start/maintain a formal meditation practice, bringing meditative awareness to little moments in your day. Start with something simple; like getting dressed.

* As you stand in front of your clothes to choose, tune in to how your body feels right now? What do you need: warmth, coolness, comfort, ease, practicality, joy…? This is tuning in to your body in the present moment.

* As you get dressed, notice how it is to move into your clothes. How the fabrics feel against your skin. More opportunities for embodied awareness and connection.

* You might even extend this to feelings of Metta (lovingkindness) and gratitude to the folk who made your clothes. Even deeper, this may inspire more awareness and compassion, could you practice ahimsa, non-harm, in the way you buy clothes; not supporting companies that abuse people or planet, buying less/more ethically? There’s a little moment of enlightenment for you right there.

The possibilities to connect to the present moment, yourself and others are right there in that daily activity. Meditation tick ??

If you’d like a little inspiration to get you into formal or informal meditation practices, Charlotte, Leah and myself have recorded 30 15-minute daily meditations for you over at charlottewattshealth which are FREE throughout August uaing code WH100 at checkout. That’s one a day, exploring what mindfulness might look like for you, how to connect to your breath, developing curiosity, beginner’s mind, not over identifying with our thoughts, being patient, experiencing without interpretation and fostering trust.

I would love to hear the ways you find to be more meditative in the everyday? Perfect for the school holidays!

Access 30 days of FREE daily meditations here and use CODE WH100 at checkout.

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Scar tissue therapy

I’m delighted to now be offering specialist scar tissue therapy. 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 referred 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.

Get in touch to book via email.

Book Massage
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Pride + Joy

Leo & Lou

I’m super-excited to be co-hosting a special afternoon retreat as part of Pride month this year, with Lou Thomas. Pride + Joy will be a restive opportunity for the LGBTQIA+ community and their friends and family, to slow down, connect, and rest with yoga and massage.

Venue: Hanover Community Centre
Date: 2-6pm Saturday 9th June 2024

Find out more and book here

We’re also being supported by the wonderful Bird & Blend teas, who are kindly providing us with delicious Chocolate Digestive tea for the afternoon.

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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 brea@heartandbonesyoga.com to register. This workshop will fill up fast, please book as soon as possible.