Training, Classes and Retreats
For those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Long-Covid, burnout and other health challenges exacerbated by illness, stress or trauma, Fiona works to change the autonomic nervous system response back to a healthy pattern so that it no longer chronically hyper-arouses. For many people with fatigue, the central nervous system adapts to prolonged stress so that it no longer switches back to normal when the stress passes but stays in the fight or flight mode. Part of the problem with long-term fatigue is that the system may be easily hyper-aroused which leads to exhaustion, sleep disorders such as insomnia and anxiety, an over-active, busy mind which won’t slow down and muscle aches and pains. By teaching students how to be aware and to breathe more slowly and appropriately, the central nervous system begins to calm down which in turn helps the mind to slow down so that the whole system learns to relax. In this way, yoga releases knots (granthis) and held patterns (samskaras) and invigorates the whole being as energy (prana) can then flow freely. Above all, slow, healthy breathing through the nose from the diaphragm forms the foundation of health and healing to bring the student to Presence through being conscious of what is happening in the body in each moment. In this way yoga brings space and clarity, so that students can be directed to accept and love themselves just as they are.
Fiona’s teaching focuses on developing potential for full health. In a practice Fiona directs the student to use their awareness to explore and come home to the physical being, whilst showing how, when the mind is quiet, the student can understand that they are not the shifting thoughts or emotions but rather the unchanging self – the true identity which is always peaceful. When we are calm then obstacles and problems no longer appear as insurmountable. The breath is the link to being in the present moment, so in this way the breath is the link to full health; to Now- in other words to the unchanging self (cit). At the end of a practice, students experience the healing clarity of a pure mind, (sattva) and are directed in the understanding of what this means off the mat. In this way the self; the true identity, is shown to be something that can be experienced and also something that can be understood through knowledge, even when the experience has passed. Fiona seeks to include everyone, making yoga suitable for all levels regardless of age, injury or fitness. If you can breathe, then you can practice yoga.” TVK Desikachar.
Please contact Fiona for further information.