Welcome to another week, friends of the studio! I'm a day late, as I took a rest day yesterday, following on from our 2nd 2026 Peel Forest Silent Retreat last week/weekend. This week's photo is from the retreat - one of the only ones I took! 10 people gathered in silence to deeply rest, to feel inward beyond body and mind and to explore the depths of what is present in the silence space between breaths, between thoughts; beyond body and mind. It is a very special, safe container, and it feels right to exclude videos & photos from that space. Thank you to all attendees, and to my assistant Kelly More, who provided us with nourishing plant-based food throughout.

 

🌿As a yoga teacher, a great blessing of an extended time on retreat is the ability to layer the sharing, showing over the days how yogic wisdom goes so much deeper than relaxation or mobility. We felt deeply into teachings like:

●Yoga = union with one's deeper wisdom or divinity

●AUM = the sound/vibration of that consciousness

●Namaste = bowing in acknowledgement of the pure consciousness we share with all beings

 

🌿For students who feel the calling towards a deeper yogic practice, I will be offering Classical Hatha Yoga immersion days and courses in 2027. Classical Hatha Yoga invites students beyond the physical practice and into the sacred spiritual traditions of yoga, weaving together asana, pranayama, meditation and ancient yogic wisdom as a pathway towards self-realisation, expanded consciousness and union with their divine being.

 

🌿What's on at 144 Stafford Street this week? We have a long weekend on the horizon, with plenty of offerings to enjoy from our talented and passionate teachers.

●Tuesday 20th - 1.30pm: Trauma-Informed Yoga with Leigh & Amanda (ACC Week 1) - 6pm: Hatha Yoga with Leigh

●Wednesday 21st - 10am: Qigong with Leigh - 6pm: Trauma-Informed Yoga with Leigh & Amanda (ACC Block Week 1) ●Thursday 22nd - 6pm: Functional Mobility with Lisa

●Friday 23rd - 10am: Hatha Yoga with Leigh - 11.30am: Qigong with Leigh - 5.30pm: Yoga Wind Down with Lisa

●Saturday 24th - 9am: Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Deanna - 1.30pm: Trauma-Informed Yoga with Leigh & Lisa (Public Block, Week 5) - 3pm: Trauma-Informed Yoga with Leigh & Lisa (Public Block, Week 5)

●Sunday 25th: - 6pm: Full Moon Women's Circle with Lisa

●Monday 26th (Labour Day) - 5.30pm: Yoga with Laura

 

Visit

www.leighmarsdenholistichealth.co.nz to read more about our classses and events

 

🌿Qigong with Leigh - 2 classes per week (plus new Saturday class starting when the new studio piano arrives). Wednesdays 10am and Fridays 11.30am - only $5, come casually and enjoy this serene moving mediation that enhances vitality and mobility.

 

💃New Moon Dances with Kerry-Ann Next session: 7 November 5.30 - 6.30pm, $10 Move with the rhythm of the new moon, a gentle time of dance, reflection and readying for the month ahead. Focus inwards, release stress. Clear guidance, organic movement, zero expectations. PM to join! Read more about Kerry-Ann and the whole team here: https://www.leighmarsdenholistichealth.co.nz/about

 

🌿Thought for the week: Thoughts are constantly coming and going. The body is constantly changing. You cannot be that which is constantly changing. So, who are you really?

 

Namaste,

Leigh