What does the woman in your life really want for Christmas? Really, really, truly? I bet it’s not a scarf, or pair of socks, probably not perfume or a plant. Maybe it is a really good book, a beautiful candle or is it actually that she wants time? Time for herself to rest and replenish herself? I’ll bet she also wants everyone to be kind and nice to each other in the home…. and maybe to help with that, she also needs some time out, to re-set her nervous system. (Note: that doesn’t mean the kids should continue arguing and she will ignore it!). Give the gift of time, a pause, a chance to reset and replenish her with a massage in Oxford, deep rest in Oxford or yoga in Oxford. All the above available as gift vouchers, ranging from £10 – £150 – all the options and details here.
Resting and relaxing together: yoga nidra deep rest in Oxford, for you and someone special
Did you know I work with couples of all descriptions? Husbands and wives, partners, mothers and daughters, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, mothers and grandmothers, friends, colleagues…. all are welcome to book a couples deep rest session. These are some of my favourite sessions to run because people bond by shared experience, shared energy, with no need to exchange words. They feel closer, kinder to each other and cherish each other more deeply afterwards.
How it works and what to expect:
Get in touch for a chat and let me know your needs. You can choose from a theme (self compassion, resilience, balance, seasonal themes and many many others) or I can create something specific for your needs on the day.
We begin with a warm foot-bath and time to arrive in the space, settling you in in body and mind, creating space for the experience. You then find a comfortable seat or lying down position and I ensure you are as warm and comfortable as possible with so many props to help you snuggle in and also stay present during the session. You can choose to hold hands or not, whatever feels best for you on the day.
During the deep rest yoga nidra, I will guide you through breathwork, body scans and sometimes a visualisation to help you deepen your experience. Afterwards, you enjoy a herbal tea and foot massage and take home lots of resources to help you deepen your experience, as well as receive a recording to listen to as often as you like.
£50 for two people for 60 minutes. A lovely treat and cheaper than most meals out! Gift yourself and someone special a beautiful nurturing bonding experience that lasts beyond the hour as you listen again and again to your recording and refer back to your take home resources.
Get in touch with any questions or to book your session today. This experience can also be bought as a gift voucher for Christmas or birthday or for any/no reason at all!
Hello November: balancing energy
A little hello as we enter November and an invitation to check in with yourself. How are you finding a balance between the busy days and weeks, meeting the needs of family, friends, community and work – AND looking after yourself, preparing for the lovely – and sometimes frenetic- weeks ahead? Have you got something/s in the diary to look forward to, something just for you, to nourish you deeply, enabling your patience and calm to deepen and last longer?
Practising what I preach, I love my weekly yin yoga class, candle-lit hot baths, foot massages (instructions for a self-foot massage here), meditation and the soft quietude of my morning coffee in the dark of my garden: my little ritual before the rest of the house is awake. Also, super important is balancing the stillness and cosiness of my work, with “good stress”, higher energy and the rawness of the elements, building strength, discipline and resilience in body and mind. A (school) run in the rain, strength work out or HIIT class (check out awesome local instructor Jen here). My aim is to mix up the energy AND the calm, seeking a level of harmony for my nervous system, helping return me back to myself. How are you tending to yourself this month, finding harmony in body and mind? Balancing your energy? Is there enough down-regulation of your nervous system, to meet all of the go, go, go? If you think you’re too busy for this…. this is exactly the time you need to think about it! I offer you two simple solutions: a massage or a deep rest class to help you relax in Oxford. Read all about both here and book by email or message me on 07739 460676.
Massage in Oxford for women: replenishment in the hidden heart of Headington
Let go of stress and float in a sanctuary of calm
Our shoulders carry more than tension — they hold emotion, pressure, and stress. They carry babies, toddlers, rucksacks, school bags. Laptops, nappies, clothes. Work and family pressure. And our experiences settle into our shoulders as extra tension, adding to our emotional and physical load. Through individually tailored massage, I help women in Oxford release tension and find lightness again, in body and mind.
My 75 minute appointments allow time to really understand you and your needs and my unique special touches help you to relax the moment you walk through the door. Massage appointments take place in my dedicated cabin, pictured above, overlooking my garden, hidden away in the heart of Headington, Oxford. You’re welcomed with a warm foot-bath, choice of herbal tea and time to talk about what you need. Your massage lasts 60 minutes with time allowed to change and suggestions to help you get the most from your appointment and support yourself.
Book your massage in Oxford here today and let me lighten your day.
Women in Oxford – a bowl of goodness to balance hormones, energy, everything!
More substantial than a salad, this can be eaten warm or cold, full of protein, wholegrain carbs and colourful veg to help balance and support hormones, energy, immunity, digestion, nervous systems and so much more. This might look like loads of ingredients but more than half simply involve opening a jar/packet and adding it to your bowl.
What you need:
- Seasonal greens – any sort – they all contain a variety of vitamins, micronutrients and fibre – essential for feeling full and supporting bowels. Cut into mouth sized pieces and prep them according to what you have – so for green cabbage, I would saute this with rapeseed oil. For kale, I’d use this raw, rub with olive oil and a little salt to soften it up
- Sundried tomatoes
- Packet of tomatoey lentils, precooked
- A jar each of cooked beans and chickpeas – I LOVE Bold Beans from most supermarkets
- Jar of pickled red cabbage
- Jar of pickled beetroot
- Jar of pickled sliced red onions
- Jar of gherkins
- 2-3 garlic cloves sliced and sauted
- Carrots (half per person): chopped into small pieces/grated whatever you prefer
- Peas, green beans, broccoli (florets or chopped stem): boil/steam
- Butternut squash/small pumpkin (one serves four)/sweet potatoes (one per person)
- Small cauliflower (2-3 florets per person)
- Packet of quinoa cooked in broth/stock according to instructions
Combine all the above. Eat. Enjoy. A healthy, winter salad, full of protein, energy-boosting, nutrient dense carbs, fibre and tastes delicious. Add in whatever else you have in the fridge that needs eating, half a red onion, avocado, bit of feta etc. Take out whatever you don’t like/don’t have – just ensure you’re keeping in some protein (peas, beans, lentils, quinoa) and some carbs (butternut squash, pumpkin, cauli, quinoa) to ensure you’re getting the full range of nutrients you need.
Amounts will depend on how many you’re cooking for, but I tend to make a giant one and it sorts me for lunch all week. I might then add a smoked mackerel fillet or wholemeal pitta bread with hummus, depending on what’s in the fridge and how energy dense my day looks. This is also something I might serve along with a more traditional roast, and definitely the kind of thing I put on the table on Christmas day, balancing my hormones, energy and maybe even my patience?!