Frequently Asked Questions

 

What do I need to know before coming to a class?

What is yin yoga?

In Chinese medicine yin refers to the feminine. Yin deals in quiet, in dark, in calm, in stillness. So yin yoga is the grounded, slow partner to the fast paced yang asanas more commonly practised. Where yang asanas promote activation, motivation and physical strength, yin counters with the calm, introspective emotional strength. Both are important of course, but in trauma recovery and somatic based exercises for emotional release, self compassion and connection, I prefer the yin approach. The extended poses of a yin class allow the body to respond very differently than it would to the same pose performed in a fast paced flow. Now that's not to say that yin, by it's inherently gentle nature, doesn't foster strength. The body responds just as much physically to a yin pose as it does to a yang flow, but the motivations and outcomes are different. In yin we move past surface level muscle strength into the deep tissues and fascia. Holding the poses for longer, and with the use of props, we give the muscles time to relax into position which then allows for activation of the deeper tissues beneath. When the muscles are doing the work all the time it is a hard place to get to without intentionality, so yin becomes a useful tool for emotional release, allowing stress chemicals to be metabolised by the body and ultimately removed from the system. Your yin class will include meditation, mindful poses and grounding, all to allow the body and mind time and space to reconnect with each other.

What is yang yoga?

Think of the usual fast paced, strong asanas you see at a "normal" yoga class; warrior flows, sun salutations, anything that activates the body or mind. Of course yang has it's place, but other than using an initial yang flow to aid our yin I will not be using yang type exercises in my classes. This is because I find them too activating for trauma or eating disorder sufferers and too confusing and distracting for those with ADHD; we can end up with overstimulated nervous systems or sitting in personal judgement rather than moving towards the space within us that allows for calm.

What is aerial yoga?

Aerial yoga involves traditional yoga poses performed with the aid of a yoga hammock. Of course it can span a range of athletic abilities, with full on gymnastics achievable at higher levels of strength and flexibility. The aerial yoga we perform in these classes is much simpler and until we are ready to progress further will be suitable for complete beginners.

What can I expect from an aerial class?

We begin on the mat stretching out specific body parts to prepare them for the unique challenges of the hammock. From here we progress to conditioning exercises, using the hammock as an aid as we take our mat exercises to a deeper level. Building strength in this way is fundamental to progressing within aerial yoga. From here we move into an aerial yoga pose or simple flow that we will master together as the lesson progresses. You will still find meditation and grounding within an aerial yoga class but the focus is on concentrated, decisive and structured movement. In this way aerial really makes you focus; I have spent hours on the hammock mastering poses without a single thought other than of the pose itself. The ADHD sufferers out there will understand the importance of that statement. As too will those with trauma or in ED recovery - clearing the mind is one of the biggest benefits of aerial yoga.

It is my belief that in the very nature of mastering something that feels challenging, aerial is also extremely useful for those suffering with trauma or eating disorders. We can translate our struggles into what we can face, in the moment, on the hammock and we can build faith in ourselves that we can overcome and achieve. 

What should I wear to a class?

Whilst yoga clothing is a useful thing to wear when you are doing yoga (it helps me as a teacher guide you better by noticing pose alignment more easily), I am very aware that anyone struggling with trauma or from an eating disordered background can find clothing choices extremely disconcerting, so much so that it can put you off a class entirely. So please hear me when I say the most important thing is for you to be comfortable. That includes mental comfort as well as physical. So of course jeans won't be the ideal item of clothing for you to wear when stretching your body in certain ways, but if wearing said jeans gets you on the mat in the first place then do it. Realistically clothing without zips or clasps that could cause you discomfort while you stretch are better, so if leggings and a t-shirt are out of the question for you, think in the direction of a comfy jumper and tracksuit bottoms instead.

When it comes to aerial yoga clothing does play a more important role. Here the leggings and t-shirt option is a better one. Full length tops and bottoms can help mitigate some of the discomfort of the hammock against your skin as we push the poses further and progress in our aerial ability. With aerial specifically jewellery should be avoided. But this can be advised at the beginning of a class if you are at all concerned.

What should I bring to a class?

Your comfort is my primary concern. So if you need to bring a blanket, a hot water bottle, a flask of tea... do it.

I completely understand that everyone's relationship with food is different, so whilst food will not be on offer at the classes I respect that you know your body well enough to know that if you need a snack or a sandwich on hand then you must do it. Please just bear in mind other people's potentially challenging relationships with food as you enjoy it.

A full water bottle is always a good idea, and time spent on the mat is always shoe-less, so if you need an extra pair of comfy socks, bring those along too (non slip preferred if you have them). I will teach barefoot, weather permitting, and will always quietly encourage you to practise barefoot also as there really is something to feeling the ground beneath your feet. 

Finally bring an open mind. One of the reasons I want to keep this donation based is to allow those that would be otherwise on the fence a chance to explore a different healing modality for themselves. Trust yourself well enough to know whether this is something that resonates with you, and if it is why not give it a go? Through this gentle exploration mindset we may just find something that brings a moment of calm into our lives.

Why yoga? When my problems are so big and so real?

Of course yoga is just one tool we can use. And I would never tell anyone to opt out of the structured care that has been prescribed for them. However, I can tell you from personal experience that this kind of yoga has been a game changer for me. Yoga brings with it groundedness and a mindfulness that can follow you into your day. It fosters inner awareness, which leads to self trust, self respect, self compassion and ultimately self love. It brings with it total presence; the past and the future don't exist for that time spent on the mat, so we can simply be. For some this is a nice hour or so, once a week, for themselves. A little self-care moment. For others it opens the door for more presence and more stillness, which breeds yet more presence and more stillness. That is what it did for me, after decades of noise, which is why I now offer it in the hope I can help others too.

But what about my ADHD? I can't focus long enough to meditate!

Oh I hear you!  And as a result the meditations I use are the grounding, noticing kind rather than the walk through a forest kind.  Through yin we have the added tool of using a pose to anchor the mind into the body, which allows you to meditate without realising you're actually doing it.  Also, remember it's ok if your mind wanders.  Minds do that, and it is in the acceptance of that that we can really accept ourselves for the beautifully unique beings we all are.

 

Why the combination of ADHD, trauma and eating disorders?

This could get convoluted so bear with me.  Eating disorders are a form of trauma.  They can be caused by trauma.  They can be caused by ADHD.  ADHD can cause trauma.  Trauma can manifest as ADHD identical symptoms.  Trauma can cause eating disorders... The three are linked and very often an individual suffering from one may suffer another, or all three.  All three suffer from an unquiet mind, a struggle to be present and all three benefit from self compassion and grounding.

Why do you focus on specific areas of the body?

Yoga, taken simply in it's asana form, offers an interesting way to exercise. There is a pose for just about every part of the body and that's before we even bring the mind into it. When dealing with trauma, ADHD and eating disorders there are several areas in the body that store emotions and tension. It is these areas I incorporate most into my asanas so there will be a lot of hip opening and heart opening exercises. I am very aware that, for example, trauma can often be accompanied with digestive complaints, back issues, headaches, insomnia, etc. so I would love to hear some of the common issues individuals are facing so that I may tailor the poses we use in class. Feel free to get in touch before a class if you think this could be of benefit to you, or we can discuss this further within the group in a class setting. You may find your question resonates with everyone else around you and we can ultimately heal together.

What do you mean when you say this is a safe space?

Everyone is welcome here regardless of age, gender, race, social status, body size or life history. This is a non-judgemental space and respect for each other is paramount. Consent will always be asked before the use of oils or touch and individuals should only share personal information if they feel moved to. I will never push you beyond what you are able in the moment to give and ask that you treat yourself with similar love and respect. I will be on hand for about 30 minutes after each class if you feel like you need to talk about anything that has challenged you within the class.

As you leave each class I encourage you to question "how can I continue to nourish myself today?". With these classes I hope to provide so much more than an hour or so of simple movement. Over time I hope that you too will see how the lessons can be applied to every aspect of your life bringing mindfulness, self love, self compassion and self respect into every corner of your heart.

Why do you use aromatherapy?

Have you ever noticed how uplifted you can get when you smell a certain smell? The invigoration of freshly cut grass for example. Scent has power. And when it comes to healing it is simply another tool we can use. The use of rose essential oil for example can really help with opening the heart chakra, which is what many of the poses I include in my classes are designed to do. The scent recruits another one of our senses into our yoga practise helping us to be more present and more mindful. Of course, any oils I use in my classes are by consent only so do not be put off by this if you have an aversion to smell or touch.

Who are you?

I am Shanon, and at the time of writing this I am 44 years old. I was officially diagnosed with ADHD a few months back but the penny dropped for me a couple of years ago now. I have spent a lifetime dealing with depression, which I finally realised 5 years ago was caused by childhood trauma. And as these things often do, the whole lot came to a head in my 20's when the first of my many eating disorders surfaced.  I have done the therapy, the CBT, the counselling. I have taken the antidepressants. I have read just about every book going. I've watched the documentaries, the youtube offerings, the facebook and instagram reels. I've signed up to the trauma, self love and eating disorder events. I've listened to the podcasts. I've joined the support groups and been to peer group offerings all over the world.  I even left my world behind a decade ago in desperation, to travel and volunteer my way out of my personal hell. I have meditated in temples and pushed my body through yoga sequences and struggled through breath work sessions and mindfulness activities wondering "why am I not healing from this yet?". I have tried and tried over and over again.

 

None of it worked, yet all of it informed who I have now become.

 

I finally found somatic movement and yin yoga, which in combination with my ongoing (but often frustrating) meditation practise actually allowed me my first foray into a peaceful mind for decades. And that's when I felt like I finally had all the pieces to this confounding puzzle. As I built on my own personal practise it dawned on me that this really was something very important to offer to others. So I booked my teacher training and headed to Koh Phan-gan, Thailand in 2024 to learn first aerial instruction and then hatha, yin, yang to yin and tantra yoga, all from a trauma informed mindset and all experienced within a body and mind that knows trauma, ADHD and eating disorder hell.