Newsletter 24.2.26

Dear Yogis and friends,

I hope you are all enjoying this lush weather! While Port Douglas is quiet with only a few visitors, yoga classes have been well attended, which makes us all so grateful and happy.

We have a few changes on our timetable and sadly we will be saying a fond farewell to our dear fellow teacher , Alana. 

Yin has been established at the Shala since Mia first started the class at our old venue in the Saltwater building. It was a popular class from the start as yin is very much needed as so many of us are tired. Tired from our busy schedules and responsibilities, tired from the constant pressure to perform at our best with little or no ‘down time’. Alana took over the class a couple of years ago and Wed evening class is popular and firmly part of the Shala’s timetable.

Wed Yin at 5.30pm will continue with new teacher Antonetta  Russo. My Mossman class will know Antonetta well as she covered my class for 5 weeks while I was away. We are so delighted that she has decided to join us teaching at the Shala as she has immense knowledge and experience of yoga to share.

Huge gratitude to Alana for her beautiful and caring classes and we wish her so much love and prosperity on her future journey. Please take the opportunity to join one of her classes before she leaves mid-march. There are also a few copies of Alana’s beautiful book ‘Love Letters to the Soul” which she has signed , at the Shala.

Noeline is taking a restorative class every Thursday at 5.30pm at the Shala, we are so grateful that she has committed to this offering each week as she shares her knowledge of resting and restoring the body. This means we have a class on each weekday evening , making yoga available to all you hard day time workers! A perfect way to rest and reset at the end of each day.

Kirtan will be on at the Shala in March – Date to be confirmed

This is a joyful and uplifting experience of sharing voices and loving energy together . Kirtan is part of Bhakti Yoga – yoga of Devotion. It is a traditional practice of call and recall ( chant and re-chant!) of heart felt Sanskrit mantras.  Many of you are familiar with chanting mantras and this will be an opportunity to learn a few more. Judy, one of Han’s students, will be leading the session with her beautiful voice and harmonium.

This is a ‘by donation’ practice to help with travel costs as Judy will be traveling from Cairns and as a show of appreciation of her time and knowledge. I will advise date as soon as its confirmed.

Announcing a 2.5 hr workshop on Sun 19 April

Metta Breathwork – a journey into the heart with Sri Ganesh and Maliya (Janesh and Malin are returning to the Shala after last years’ amazing workshop on Art of Love) a synthesis of Ayurvedic wisdom, conscious breathing, and the gentle power of self-love.

Rooted in the principle of metta, loving-kindness, this practice invites you to meet yourself exactly where you are. Each breath becomes an act of compassion, a bridge between the mind and the body, and a reminder that love itself is the most healing medicine.

 The Practice

The session weaves together: 

• Conscious connected breathing

• Mindful body awareness

• Loving-kindness meditations

• Heart-centered awareness tools (practices to shift from the thinking mind into the heart space)

• Radiating loving energy exercises (tools to invite others into your compassionate, loving energy field)

• Deep rest and integration

 The experience is guided, safe, and nurturing - allowing emotions, memories, and tension to be released with compassion rather than effort or force.

Benefits

• Calms the mind and balances the nervous system

• Releases emotional blockages and old patterns

• Cultivates self-acceptance and inner peace

• Strengthens connection to the body and present moment

• Increases vitality, clarity, and joy

• Awakens the heart’s natural capacity for love 

Metta Breathwork is not about forcing change or reaching a goal. It is a return to home - to your body, your breath, and your heart. By honouring the wisdom of Ayurveda, the guiding forces of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, and the medicine of loving breath, every session is an opportunity to meet yourself fully, cultivate compassion, and awaken the quiet strength and love that have always been within you.

Although this is a while away, we are offering an early bird discount of 20% for the first 10 to book with payment.

Cost is $45 (so $36 for the early birds) Be quick as this will be very popular.

You can reply to this email to book or message me.

Much love and oceans of peace,

Lesley