YOGA WEEKENDS THIS YEAR

Johanna and I are excited to announce that we are going to hold three yoga weekends next year. We had such a great time at our last one! Thank you to everyone who joined us.

The dates for next year are:

18th - 20th of March 2016
11th - 13th of June 2016 (please note Monday 13th June is a public holiday)
16th - 19th of September 2016

Yoga classes will be held at the lovely Old Kirk hall. It worked beautifully last time. We will gather at our beach house for our shared meals again too.

The format will be the same for each one, but the yoga and meals will change according to the season or theme.

Friday
6.30 - 8.00am YOGA at the Old Kirk
8.15am BREAKFAST at the cottage (optional take home breakfast)
5.30 - 7pm YOGA at the Old Kirk
Take home dinner

Saturday
7.00 - 8.30am YOGA at the Old Kirk
4.30 - 6.00pm YOGA at the Old Kirk
7.00pm DINNER at the Cottage

Sunday
7.00 - 8.30am YOGA at the Old Kirk

We always have such a lovely group of people to our yoga weekends and they are most enjoyable! The yoga is suitable for all - a balance of gentle restorative postures and stronger, grounding sequences with a constant focus on the breath.

The meals are always vegetarian, wholefood and nourishing. Sharing a meal is such a lovely way to chat to others and they are a highlight of our yoga weekends.

On Friday morning after yoga we will enjoy breakfast together at our beach house. If you are a Yamba local and need to go to work we can make you a take home breaky instead. Friday evening will be a take home meal served up at the Old Kirk. We will leave Saturday morning free for you to relax in one of  Yamba's fabulous cafes. Saturday evening we'll share a meal again at our house. It will be a three course vegetarian dinner followed by a Satsang or a group discussion on a meaningful topic.
The weekend will finish after the yoga class on Sunday morning.

If you are traveling to Yamba we are very happy to help with transport and accommodation.

If you would like me to hold you a spot or have any other questions please let me know.

Dates:
18th - 20th of March 2016
11th - 13th of June 2016
16th - 19th of September 2016

Cost:
$300 per person
Includes five yoga classes, one breakfast, two dinners and the group discussion.

I really hope you can come!
Sarah

Summer holiday classes

 I will be holding some yoga classes in Yamba over the Summer break. Some will be at the Yamba Surf Club and some will be at the chapel at the Stella Motel (the old star of the sea).

Monday 21st December 5.30pm at the Surf Club
Tuesday 22nd December 5.30pm at the Surf Club
Wednesday 23rd December 5.30pm at the Surf Club

Monday 28th December 5.30pm at Stella chapel
Tuesday 29th December 5.30pm at Stella chapel
Wednesday 30th December 5.30pm at Stella chapel

Monday 4th January 5.30pm at the Surf Club
Tuesday 5th January 5.30pm at the Surf Club
Wednesday 6th of January 5.30pm at the Surf Club

I will have plenty of mats, but it was a little busy last year, so if you have one please bring it along!
Looking forward to seeing you then.

$15 per person.
Classes are one hour.
Suitable for all levels of practice.

Yamba Surf Club is on Main Beach, Yamba
Stella Motel is 17 Clarence Street, Yamba. The Chapel is to the right of reception

Our yoga weekend to welcome Spring...

We had such a lovely time last weekend. As always we had a fabulous group of people!
Here are some pictures - we regretfully didn't get many people shots!


This beautiful little hall is the Old Kirk. It was our lovely yoga shala for the weekend. Perfect! 

































  

  

Here is Jo leading the group in a Donna Farhi organ scan. It was amazing.
 







































































These are our homemade spelt crackers with nigella seeds and sea salt. We served them before dinner with a sweet potato and white bean dip.

Wholesome chocolate tea cake.

 

Our dessert... Decadent wholefood! Fresh pineapple served with coconut and labne ice cream and a panella and macadamia praline.

The beautiful view of the sunset from the cottage.

The Cottage all set for the discussion with Jo.

The group enjoying dessert. Our meal was a 'whole food feast' as opposed to a detox. Hence the bottles of wine!

Yoga weekend to welcome Spring

My sister Johanna and I are going to be holding a yoga weekend together in early September.
It will be wonderful to have Jo joining me this time. She has just finished studying yoga at Sukha Mukha in Bronte, knows all about permaculture through Milkwood and creativity through Shillington College . We have had lots of discussions about how these are all related to yoga in many ways. Which shouldn't be surprising as yoga is really just a reflection of life!

As you may also be aware Jo has just launched Make Do Co. This is her platform to bring her various interests together.  Have a read of the articles and listen to the interviews.

Over the weekend Jo and I will alternate teaching the yoga classes. They will be on Friday morning and evening, Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning. The classes will be open hatha suitable for everyone. As it will be the start of Spring the yoga asanas will be tailored to this time of year, however we are also going to be exploring the chakras in a little more detail.

Dinner on the Friday night will be a take home meal. It will be a nourishing vegetarian 'bowl' meal. You can order another meal to take home for family too if you wish.

Dinner on Saturday night will be more of an affair! We will host you all at our beach house, serving up a three course homemade vegetarian meal. It will be wholefood and balanced but a celebratory feast!

And the fun part! Saturday evening will also include a talk/discussion by Jo. The topic will be based around living to your values. Starting with key values and purpose, and will work out to what this looks like 'tactically'. We will look towards yoga, spirituality, permaculture and Ayurveda. It will be relevant to everyone - individuals, businesses and families.

"We so often hear that we can Do anything! Be everything! but what does that really mean? And is this really something we want?

As part of our Spring yoga retreat we will be considering the idea of what it means to live to your values. How can we reconnect to our core values and design a life that meets our deeper needs? We'll be looking at the many suggestions in yoga and other philosophies, as well as considering how to achieve this practically. There is no pressure to partake - simply sit and listen, or jump in on the discussion when you feel ready. You will leave with new ideas to consider, and possibly some action points to make life sweeter, easier, and more fulfilling."

You will be able to take part in the chat as little or as much as you like - it will really just be a more deep and reflective dinner party conversation! However you are sure to leave with lots of new things to consider.

We are going to leave breakfasts for everyone to do as you please. There are lots of great cafes in Yamba to get a healthy fresh breaky, or stock up at the deli and make it yourself.

Dates: Friday 4th September - Sunday 6th September 2015
Venue: The Old Kirk at the Yamba Museum (yoga classes) and 26 Queen Street Yamba (for the Saturday evening meal)
Cost: $270 per person
 
Please contact me if you'd like to come.
Sarah

Saturday afternoon classes

Hello yoga friends,

I am really looking forward to getting back into some yoga. It will be great to see everyone again!

I am going to be holding a Saturday afternoon class for the next 5 Saturdays. They are the 27th June, 4th July, 11th July, 18th July and 25th July.

The class will be from 3-4pm at The Old Kirk which is at the Yamba Museum, just near the Golf Club. It is such a beautiful space. 3pm on a Winter's afternoon it will be lovely in there. It's not huge, so come early to enure a spot. It will be very cosy with a few of us!

The class is $15 per person. I'll have plenty of mats, so just bring yourself!

Hope to see you then,
Sarah

Two classes in December 2014

Monday 29th December 7am-8am
Tuesday 30th December 5.30-6.30pm
Yamba Surf Life Saving Club
Main Beach, Yamba.
$14 per person.

Hope to see you then!
Sarah 

Angus Ford-Robertson Sydney workshops 2014

As well as the two retreats, Angus will hold two one day workshops at the charming old stone building, ‘Gunyah’ at Watsons Bay.
The fascinating workshops are designed so that you can attend one or both. The day will begin with a one hour yoga asana class led by Angus to quieten the mind. After this, Angus will teach the key skills of mindfulness meditation, bioengergetics, the theory of yoga and how to implement this knowledge in your daily life. You will leave the course feeling calm, content and with more clarity and an inner stillness.

For absolute beginners to experienced practitioners.

13TH & 14TH OF DECEMBER
9AM - 4PM
WITH ONE HOUR FOR LUNCH

‘THE GUNYAH’
335 OLD SOUTH HEAD ROAD
WATSONS BAY NSW

$90 FOR ONE DAY
$150 FOR BOTH DAYS

Contact me if you'd like to come!
Sarah

Angus Ford-Robertson Australia Retreats 2014

 

Orange mousse tart

The mousse in this tart is made with cashews. There's lots of these in raw vegan cooking. It's amazing how creamy the cashews become.

You can experiment with flavours depending on what's in season or what you feel like.

Berries look amazing as does mango. Passionfruit, cherries or even banana would be fun to try!

The crust can also be varied. I included raw cacao in this one, but you can omit it. This one has dates and goji berries which help it to 'stick' but coconut oil will do the job too if you want to have it less sweet. Of course you can vary the nuts you use too.

Cacao crust

2 cups of almonds (preferably activated)

1/4 of a cup of raw cacao powder

A pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons of goji berries

About 8 pitted medjool dates

1 teaspoon of cinnamon (it brings out the chocolate taste)

1 tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil

Line a round spring form baking tin with plastic wrap. Overlap a few sheets for strength, and make sure there's plenty over the edge.

Place the almonds in a food processor and blend until they have broken up. Next add the remaining ingredients and pulse to combine well. Mix with your fingers and if it sticks together it's ready.

Tip the mixture into the tin and press down so it's evenly spread and compacted down.

Orange mousse

3 cups of raw cashews soaked in water overnight

2 cups of coconut cream

1/2 a cup of extra virgin coconut oil (warmed a little so it is liquid)

1/2 cup of raw honey, maple syrup or use brown rice syrup for a more neutral sweetness

The juice of one lemon

The juice and zest of one orange, and just the zest of another

A pinch of vanilla powder

A small pinch of sea salt

To serve

Slices of orange (use the one you zested)

Raw cacao nibs

The cashews cream up best with a high speed blender but I just used my regular one.

Place everything in the blender and process until its creamy (it may be a little grainy if you're using a regular blender). 

Pour the mixture over the crust and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours to allow it to set.

After two or so hours (it's fine to leave it longer if you need to prepare it in advance), take it from the freezer and place the orange slices on top of the cake. Scatter some raw cacao nibs over the top and you're ready to serve.

Purple Sauerkraut

This is delicious! Here is an earlier post on some of the health benefits.

Purple Sauerkraut

1 purple cabbage, cored and shredded
1 tablespoon of sea salt
4 tablespoons of whey (or just use another tablespoon of salt)

To make whey, pour a tub of organic natural yoghurt into a muslin cloth and hang over a bowl to drain. The whey is the liquid in the bowl. Keep the curds in the muslin cloth to use as cream cheese.

Rub the salt into the cabbage, squeezing with your hands to release liquid. Add the whey and continue to massage well until there’s plenty of liquid.

Transfer the mixture to a mason jar. Use your fist or a meat pounder to compress the mixture and release any air. The liquid needs to cover the vegetables.

Leave a couple of centimetres from the top of the cabbage as it will expand a little.
Seal the jar and leave it on the counter for about three days to ferment. The process will be a little faster in warmer weather. After three days check for taste, you want it to be tart but still crunchy. Move to cold storage to slow the fermentation process down.

Quinoa felafel with kale salad, tahini dressing and purple sauerkraut

This a variation of one of our dinners at my recent Easter Yoga Retreat.
The quinoa in the felafels makes them lighter, but can also make them a bit crumbly and a little on the dry side. The creamy tahini dressing seems to balance this nicely though so have plenty to serve!

Sauerkraut goes really well with this salad too. Not only does it taste great, but it also helps you digest the chickpeas which can sometimes be tough on the belly! Sauerkraut contains lactic-acid which helps break down proteins and aids the assimilation by the body. Here is another post on fermented vegetables.

For the retreat I served the felafel as a stack with warm roast sweet potato as the weather was a little cooler than planned! They are also great served with red cabbage or lettuce cups to act as a wrap. Pile everything in the leaf and wrap it all up.

Or you can just pile them over a salad as I've done here.

Quinoa felafel with kale salad, tahini dressing and purple saurkraut

Felafel
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1 small onion, chopped
About 4 shallots, chopped
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons of ghee (or coconut or olive oil)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of almond meal (or use flour)
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

Place the chickpeas, onion, shallots, cumin, lemon juice, ghee and salt and pepper in your blender. Process until it still has some chunks to it, but resembles a paste. Add the bicarbonate soda and pulse again. Pour into a bowl and stir in the quinoa and sesame seeds.
Shape into small balls and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with extra ghee and bake for around 20 minutes.

Kale salad (add any extras here! Herbs, rocket or any other green leaves you have)
A bunch of kale finely chopped
A quarter of a green green cabbage finely chopped (or use a red one if you're not serving saurkraut)
1 cup of activated or toasted sunflower seeds.

Simply toss everything together and stir through generous amounts of tahini dressing.

I had some avocado and tomatoes so I put then in too.

Tahini dressing
1/2 cup of tahini
1/4 cup of maple syrup
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds or nigella seeds
salt and pepper to taste
A dash of smoked paprika is also an option.

Place everything in a jar and shake well. If it's too thick then just add some water and shake again.
Serve it through the salad and dollop over the felafels as you serve.

The purple sauerkraut recipe is here.
 

Winter yoga retreat with Amanda Fuzes - senior yoga teacher from Prana Space Rosebay

 In July, I will be having Amanda Fuzes to hold a retreat in Yamba. This will be great! Amanda is a Senior Yoga Teacher & Teacher Trainer from Prana Space in Sydney. I studied my teacher training with her - I love her classes... she can teach you some great yoga tricks!
The weekend is open to all levels of practice, but I would particularly recommend this one to more advanced yoga students. It is a great opportunity to really extend the boundaries of your asana practice and break through obstacles holding you back. There’s LOTS of yoga this weekend so you will feel amazing.

The workshops will be held at Star of the Sea.

Contact me if you’re keen!

Thursday 3rd July
Arrive and settle into accommodation
4.30pm Yin welcome class
6.30pm Dinner

Friday 4th and Saturday 5th July
6.00am-8.30am Meditation and yoga workshop
Breakfast
Leisure time
4pm-5.30pm Optional advanced practice
5.45pm Yin class
7.30pm Dinner

Sunday 6th July
6.00am - 9.00am Meditation and yoga workshop
9.30am Final breakfast

Cost: $790 - Includes 3 nights accommodation, all yoga workshops, two brunches and two dinners.
Cost without accommodation: $590
Yoga only option (no food or accommodation): $455

Millthorpe and Orange Yoga

I have moved to Millthorpe! It's a lovely little town just near Orange.

I will be holding yoga classes in Millthorpe on Monday evenings 7-8pm, and Friday mornings 7-8am at the School of Arts Hall on Victoria St (Just across from the School). $15 per class, or buy 10 classes for $50.

Private classes are also available. I have a great little loft perfect for up to 3 or 4 people, or I can come to you.

Easter yoga retreat Monday 14th - Thursday 17th April 2014

It's time for another yoga retreat!

Seven yoga classes, four clean, healthy breakfast and two delicious vego dinners is just what you'll need the week before Easter.

This time the classes will be held at the Chapel at Star of the Sea. It is such a beautiful, peaceful space - perfect for yoga.

We will start the day with an early morning yoga class to awaken and energise. After yoga we will head to a cafe for a healthy breakfast.
The days are free to spend as you please. Massage, beach, shops, read a book (or if you really have to - you can go to work!).

The evening yoga classes will be a little longer than the mornings. This allows plenty of time for asana, pranayama and a lovely long savasana. We will also do a candle gazing meditation one evening, and restorative yoga class another.

On Monday and Wednesday evenings I will serve you dinner on our verandah at our beach house. Think candles, yoga tunes and yummy vego food. I think a raw chocolate dessert is necessary in time for Easter too!

The classes are suitable for all levels of experience. If you are visiting Yamba, the rooms at Star of the Sea are ideal. For other accommodation options, please contact me.

There is also the option to just do yoga, and skip the meals.

Looking forward to seeing you all then!
Sarah

Dates:Monday 14th April 6.00- 7.00am +  breakfast and 5.30 - 7pm  + dinner
Tuesday 15th April 6.00- 7.00am +  breakfast and 5.30 - 7pm
Wednesday 16th April 6.00- 7.00am +  breakfast and 5.30 - 7pm  + dinner
Thursday 17th April 6.00- 7.00am + breakfast

Venue:
The Chapel
Star of the Sea Convent
Clarence Street, Yamba NSW 2464

Cost:
7 yoga classes, 4 breakfasts and 2 dinners: $250
7 yoga classes only (no meals): $120

Current classes

 I will be back teaching classes at the Surf Club starting this Thursday 12th December until Thursday 9th of January. They will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5.30pm.

As always, classes are suitable for all levels of experience and $12 per person.

See you there!
Sarah

Summer Cooking Class. Cool, Raw and Refreshing

I am very excited to be holding another cooking class at Kitchen to Table in Yamba. This one is preparing food for Summer.

These classes are so much fun! I hope you can join me...

Wednesday 8th January 2014 at 10am

Kitchen to Table, 22 Coldstream Street Yamba.

To book your place, contact Kitchen to Table on 02 6646 1577 or send them an email.

Sydney workshop with Angus...

 

 

Non-Violent Communication

Image sourced from Etsy

 Communicate mindfully. Resolve conflicts. Express yourself fearlessly. 

Non-violent Communication is one of the areas Angus will be teaching during his workshops in Yamba and Sydney. It may be a new topic to some, so I thought I would shed some light on it.

According to Angus, non-violent communication (NVC as it's known) is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. This is due to its relevance to all of us - communicating is something we all do everyday time and time again. While some of it is positive, communication can often create misunderstanding and frustration, as we cannot clearly state what we truly want to say and feel.

NVC teaches that for centuries, our culture has taught us to communicate and think in ways that result in conflict. Unfortunately, while subtle or underlying, much of our communication is competitive, judgmental or demanding.

During the workshop you will learn how to communicate mindfully, without causing a fight! People who have learned NVC have found that they have a deeper understanding, can communicate honestly and feel more connection with others. You will learn techniques to transform conflict into outcomes which satisfy both parties. 

The workshop is based on the best-selling book of Dr Marshal Rosenburg. It is fascinating... The skills are described as revolutionary, yet simple. They can be easily assimilated into everyday situations. I'm sure you can think of a scenario at home/work/school where NVC could be used!

I'm sure you will find the workshop interesting, challenging and inspiring. 

Contact me if you would like to come along and learn more!

One day work shops with Angus Ford-Robertson

 

As you know, we are very excited to welcome London-based, international yoga teacher Angus Ford-Robertson to Australia.

As well as the week long retreat in Yamba, Angus will also be holding workshops in Yamba and in Sydney.

The Yamba workshop will be for one day, and held on Saturday 7th of December, 10.30am until 4.30pm at Star of the Sea Convent.

The Sydney workshop will be over two days, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th of December, 10am until 4pm. They will take place at The Bay Room in Double Bay. The workshop will be structured so you can attend one or both days.

Both workshops will cover aspects of Hatha yoga, mindfulness and Non-violent communication.

Physical/body work in will take place in the morning, with more breath, mind, meditation and energy work in the afternoon. In Angus' words - Mindfulness and Non-violent communication are hot topics in the UK at present!

Make the most of this fantastic opportunity for you to explore a number of techniques for deepening self awareness and to living mindfully and consciously.

Angus has a keen interest in helping his students to  experience the joy of mindfulness. We hope you can join us for a weekend of inspiration!

Please contact me if you would like to know any more information or to secure your spot.

ABOUT ANGUS 

Angus began teaching meditation in 1999 when he was invited to teach in UK Prisons by the Prison Phoenix Trust. In 2001 he qualified as Yoga teacher in Canada, trained by the Sivananda Organisation. Since then, he has been founding Director of Battersea Yoga, a thriving Yoga and Meditation Centre in London; and taught internationally at spiritual centers around the world.

Much of his teaching is informed by his time spent with Eckhart Tolle and Ajahn Sumedho at Amaravati in the UK; two spiritual giants on the world stage.

With regards to the physical practice of Yoga, his style has been influenced by Donna Farhi, Faustomaria Dorelli and Scaravelli.

Angus is a qualified practicing Clinical Hypnotherapist and holds a Diploma with the London College of Clinical Hypnosis. He is a Member of the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis and specialises in the treatment of stress-related conditions.

He is employed by the National Health Service in the UK to provide specialist meditation and mindfulness courses.

Fermented foods #2. Milk Kefir

Have you heard of kefir? An easy way to describe it is that it is similar to drinking yoghurt. Like all fermented foods, it has been around for a very long time, and was used as a method of preserving milk.

As I mentioned in the previous fermentation post, this traditional method of food preservation enhanced the goodness of the food, as opposed to modern methods which are detrimental.

Milk kefir is made using fresh dairy milk and kefir grains, which act as the starter. Kefir grains aren't grains at all, but a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY). They look like little cauliflower florets made from jelly!

The benefits of kefir are numerous. The beneficial bacteria in kefir helps to restore the inner ecology of the body. While it is similar to yoghurt, it contains completely different micro organisms and many more strains of bacteria as well as yeasts. While they are both helpful with keeping the gut healthy, kefir is far more potent so more beneficial. Kefir also is a great source of calcium, B vitamins, protein, enzymes and amino acids.

amino acids, enzymes, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus - See more at: http://bodyecology.com/digestive-health-kefir-starter.html#sthash.6JhvRagf.dpuf

amino acids, enzymes, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus - See more at: http://bodyecology.com/digestive-health-kefir-starter.html#sthash.6JhvRagf.dpuf

Although milk kefir is made from dairy, some people with an intolerance to lactose can consume kefir. This is because most of the lactose in the milk is consumed by the live cultures during fermentation, converting it into lactic acid.

There are many studies supporting the benefits of fermented foods and the health of the gut, which in turn means the health of the whole body. These range from skin health and digestion through to autism in children and cancer prevention due to it's immune enhancing and anti inflammatory properties. The latter is very interesting - but also a big promise and a very lengthy and in dept conversation! Let's get to that one later!

Kefir is particulary beneficial for people who have been taking anti-biotics as it restores the natural (and beneficial) gut flora which are harmed by antibiotics.

The consistency is thicker than milk but not as thick as yoghurt. More like a milk shake! It has a lovely tart refreshing (but acquired) taste. It can be made more tart and almost effervescent  depending on how long you let it ferment and dependent on your taste. I think it's best plain, but kefir can also be blended with fruits, honey, vanilla or other natural sweeteners if you wish.