Le Wild Retreat is here!

March 2, 2016March 2, 2016Leave a comment

It is here!

It is happening!

We are going to France to soak up some of Europe’s purest prana and water this June 2016.

Join me and other like-minded balance-seekers for a week of nourishing food, yoga and fun in this stunning setting in nature. My aim is to have you feeling energised, refreshed and full of good memories.

We will be staying at a magical retreat centre hidden in a valley of interlocking spurs in the forests of Aveyron, in the south of France. An entirely secluded eco-run hamlet, our expanse of wild tranquility.

Retreat package is just £495 for all food, accommodation, yoga, meditation and walks. Flights are around £120 return to Toulouse, and I will arrange transfers to and from the retreat. Take a look at what to expect

Yoga in Nature

Nearby Lake Beach

Le Swimming Pool

Meditation in the Mint Field

Views from the Yoga Shala

Pizza and Bread Making Oven

Yoga Intensive Al Fresco

Yoga

The theme will be “wild” of course – the concept being that the closer to nature you are, the healthier you are. The yoga will have a “primal” flavour, based on the principles of Natural Movement and will be a blend of energising morning classes, and restorative evening sessions with meditation, and of course as many wild venues we can find to do our vogue warriors!

The yoga deck is the most stunning view, and meditation in the mint field is going to be very special.

With two yoga teachers for the week, both of us keen foodies as well as coaches, you won’t be short of support or encouragement either.

There is also a hot tub to enjoy in the evenings as well!

Food

An additional element will be that we will be learning and journeying through the chakras, not just in terms of the yoga, but also with our food. Inspiration from my new cookery book, The Chakra Kitchen!

We will be clean eating, and although not an entirely vegetarian retreat, vegans and those with special dietary requirements will be catered for.

We will be catering for ourselves, and I put the shopping list in to the retreat owners before we arrive, so we can all put in our orders as well as ideas into the mix. You can get involved as much or as little as you like in the cooking, but we hope for it to be an educational and experiential retreat, where we all learn from each other and create some special dishes, everyone getting something they like.

There is also a wood fired pizza oven and a Bar be Cue so they will be special evenings we will have together, and we will go out into Gaillac one evening to sample some of the local cuisine as well.

Logistics:

Arrive: Sunday 5th June 2016

Depart: Saturday 11th June 2016

I have looked at flights from Bristol to Toulouse and at the moment for those dates it is £124 return with Easyjet

Dep 5/6/16 15.45 Arr 18.30

Dep 11/6/16 16.15 Arr 17.05

There may be connecting flights from other local airports in the UK, and also some very cheap options from London Gatwick, City, Heathrow or Luton. Hopefully you can find an option that suits.

Accommodation:

The accommodation will be for 6 nights and all food will be included in the cost.

All are shared rooms however there is the option of The Pool Room (private room, bathroom and building) at a premium cost of £575 for the week.

Otherwise the cost of the retreat is £495 which includes accommodation, food, walks, and 2-3 sessions a week.

Transport

I will arrange your pick up from Toulouse airport once I have your flight details

I am also intending to hire a couple of cars to transport us around for the week so that we can go and explore the area and take trips into town as people wish. For this we will share the costs, the cars should work out at around £30 each for the week.

Venue:

You can see details of the venue here. It really is a special place, and in one of my favourite areas of France. I travelled here two years ago and is a must for nature and food lovers!

http://www.wild-retreats.com/

The accommodation will be for 6 nights and all food will be included in the cost.

All are shared rooms however there is the option of The Pool Room (private room, bathroom and building) at a premium cost of £575 for the week.

Otherwise the cost of the retreat is £495 which includes accommodation, food, walks, and 2-3 sessions a week.

Cost:

£495 per person for 6 nights food, accommodation, yoga, walks, transfers and some activities.

Guests arrange their own flights.

To secure your place I just ask for £100 deposit for the retreat, and full payment by 1st May 2016.

There are just 8 spaces on this retreat, plus two yoga teachers, so it will be a nice intimate group (all fabulous I am sure!) with plenty of laughter and fun that I can guarantee J

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Email me on gilliesutherland73@gmail.com to book.

Nourish Don’t Punish

January 27, 2016January 27, 2016Leave a comment

It is around this time of year that the nation becomes obsessed with the number on the scales, the tightness of the jeans and the calorific content of every meal.

We commit to get fit, and decide that this year is the year we are going to hit our target weight.

Yet time after time, people fail in their attempts to lose weight long term, they drop off their plans, or just as bad, they stick to them but in the process, they make themselves miserable.

So why is it that so many diets fail? Is there another way to approach this that doesn’t need to be so flipping boring and difficult?

The answer could lie in a new movement in nutrition. I was chatting with my nutritional therapist colleague Anne Richardson the other day, and we both believe in an eating psychology that is more empowering, positive, and ultimately, more effective.

I have spent my career trying to change the mindset of dieters, trapped in a cycle of denial, punishment, strict regimes that focus on diminishing what we feed ourselves, which lead to feelings of missing out and not having enough.

This approach is neither satisfactory nor sustainable.

We need a more positive approach. Our bodies are meant to be fed not starved, and we need to focus on what we put in them, not what we take away from them.

The answer lies in one word – Nourish.

To nourish means to provide with the materials necessary for life and growth. When we give the body what it needs and wants, we feel satisfied, we don’t suffer the hunger, energy and cravings that accompany diets. Instead we feel fulfilled, rewarded, full of life and vitality.

Of course, we have to consider the impact of the choices we make, so awareness is key, and asking ourselves if a certain food is going to nourish us adequately, in terms of its nutritional value as well as it’s taste and satiety, is key.

For instance, for my daily diet, I know that a good breakfast is the secret to how I feel for the rest of the day. Many people believe a granola breakfast to be healthy, so will choose that whilst trying to lose weight. If I was to have granola, I would be hungry less than two hours later, and be in a cycle of energy highs and lows for the rest of the day. An egg-based breakfast, however, sustains me and means I eat less overall throughout the day.

It’s about finding what works for you, and also finding what you feel nourishes you on all levels. We need to feel like we are treating ourselves well, because this leads to feeling good about what we are doing, which is the secret to keeping it up. We need to nourish ourselves, not deny ourselves.

Marc David, a consultant in the field of Nutritional Psychology, believes it is more than just what we eat.

“Nourishment is not just “nutrition.” Nourishment is the nutrients in the food, the taste, the aroma, the ambiance of the room, the conversation at the table, the love and inspiration in the cooking, and the joy of the entire eating experience”.

I believe it is also about more than just what we eat, but what we do with our time, and how we treat our bodies, including the exercise we do.

Too many people seem to be punishing their bodies with exercise they don’t enjoy, or causes them pain. It shouldn’t be a hardship, it should make your body feel great at the end, which is why I love yoga – it’s about finding what feels good. The same goes for dancing.

If you’re not smiling through it, it’s not doing you much good!

We need to eat what nourishes our body, do what nourishes our soul, and choose thoughts that nourish our mind.

So next time you are making a choice, no matter how healthy you think it is, if it doesn’t nourish you, let it go.

To find out more about how to nourish yourself, Gillie is putting on a one day Nourish retreat at Highfield Farm in Topsham, which will include yoga, a nature walk, mindfulness, and a cookery workshop, nutritional talk and healthy lunch with nutritional therapist Anne Richardson.

For more information email gilliesutherland73@gmail.com.

Massage at Wild Yoga Camp!

July 28, 2015July 28, 2015Leave a comment

I am super excited to announce that joining us on Wild Yoga Camp is my old colleague from my days running fitness retreats (and friend!) Suzanne Burgess.

Suzanne is one of the special therapists out there who has a “foot in both camps”, you might say. A highly qualified massage therapist, but with a spiritual and nurturing side. Her exceptional knowledge and expertise, combined with her empathetic nature gained us outstanding feedback week on week.

Suzanne Burgess, Sports Massage Therapist

When she wasn’t healing the achy muscles of our tired retreatants, she had the enviable job of massaging the legs of the Stoke City Football players.

Suzanne will be available for massages throughout the camp at a special reduced rate.

£25 for 30mins, or £40 for 60mins

You can rest assured, you will not be disappointed.

For more about Suzanne, read below.

Suzanne Burgess is the practising therapist, brains and soothing hands behind BMG Sports Therapy. Living and working in the Staffordshire Moorlands, Suzanne qualified initially as a therapeutic masseuse in 1995, following a 12 year military aircraft engineering career.

With a love of things sport and exercise related, she went on to further qualify as a sports massage therapist; practising her skills in self-employment and with a number of amateur athletes and sports clubs, gaining FA “treatment and management of injury” accreditation before studying at degree level for 3 years to become a full time Sports Therapist.

Since qualifying in 2005, she has worked in professional football, where she is currently still employed in the Premier League, and also spent 4 years working in the weightloss boot-camp field. Believing in Balance, Suzanne’s approach to body wellness is holistic and multi-modal, and she will attempt to help restore balance with a variety of techniques, advice and potential referrals to other practitioners where and when appropriate. In line with this approach, she has added Indian head massage to her skills list in recent years, and has an interest in Reiki, being attuned to the basic level 1.

Here Comes Summer

June 1, 2015June 1, 20151 Comment

Here comes the sun (salutations!)

Today is the 1st June, so even if the weather not may seem that way today, I think we now officially call this summer.

So I am letting you know about my new summer schedule of classes and workshops. As you will see, I am using new venues in and around Topsham.

If you’ve not been there already, Highfield Farm is a sunning rural setting with lots of parking, and is park of an organic farm and campsite. The Court Barn which I use for classses and workshops is spacious and light, with lovely views out to the fields. Everyone who has been just loves it, and we are also able to easily cater there.

Yoga in Nature at Highfield

I am also open to any suggestions you have for venues you know of. Any questions or suggestions please feel free to chat after class or give me a call.

Topsham Summer Schedule From July 2^nd 2015 – September 4^th 2015

NB There will be no classes from June 15^th to July 1st as I will be away teaching on retreat in Spain. For details see www.samyamafitness.com.

Weekly Yoga Classes in Topsham

Mondays 6.15–7.15pm Mindful Yoga Highfield Farm (all levels, beginners welcome)

Mondays 7.30 – 8.30pm Mind Over Matter (weight loss group)Highfield Farm (parking available)

Tuesdays 9.30am Yogalates (yoga and pilates for all levels) at St Matthews Hall (upstairs)

Tuesdays 6.30pm Flow Yoga (a more dynamic class) Highfield Farm

Wednesdays 9.30am Yogalates (fitness and wellness class) venue Pebblebed Vineyard, Clyst St George (parking available)

Wednesdays 6.30pm Mindful Yoga (all levels welcome, ideal for beginners)St Matthews Hall

Thursdays 6.30 – 7.30pm Flow Yoga (beginner to intermediates)Highfield Farm

Fridays 9.30 – 10.30am Yogalates (strengthening and stretching for all levels) at St Margarets Church

*Classes are £8 for one class, or £12 for two classes. Book a block of 4 for £30. Private sessions are £20 per session for upto 4 people (July and August only, usually £30)

**Thursdays and Fridays I am available 9am – 5pm for private sessions and workshops for individuals and businesses. Also some Friday evenings andSaturdays.

Upcoming Workshops and Events

(Held at Highfield Farm unless stated otherwise – visit http://www.highfieldfarm.org for details and directions)

Sat 4^th July YogaDance Workshop 10.30am – 12.30pm

Fri 17^th July FeelGood Friday Karma Yoga class (donation only for MIND charity) 6.30-8pm

Sat 1^st Aug Eco Yoga Workshop 10.30am – 12.30pm

Fri 14^th Aug FeelGood Friday Sunset Yoga and BBQ (option of camping and Saturday classes)

Sat 29th Aug SALUTE TO THE SUN! (just 108 times) donation only 12 midday