Kurt Cobain thought his scoliosis - which he attributed to poor posture while playing guitar - brought anger to his music. In a good way. An interesting approach to Nirvana, eh? Well, we think having a healthy back is just so much better. Hence during this 120-minute yoga fusion workshop, we’re planning to take you on a special kind of trip: a trip along your spine. It is meant to help you acquire awareness of your posture, of how breath influences it, of how all the tiny, subtle movements that turn into habits can influence it.

Almost 80% of Westerners will experience back pain by the time they’re middle-aged.

Not a great statistic, I’m sure you’d agree. Many of us experience back pain plainly because we don’t exercise enough and spend way too much time bent over our devices, rather than our toes. Yet many avid exercisers alike end up with chronic, crippling back pain. It looks like you’re damned if you don’t train, and, eventually, damned if you do.

From compulsive treadmill runners down to couch potatoes, yoga has been proven to almost always provide the right answer by increasing the range of motion in your joints, spinal disks included, by strengthening and coordinating weak muscles, by improving posture and by generally giving people a better outlook on life so that they don’t slump into poor posture.

Come to our brilliant workshop to discover how to comfortably tie those shoelaces again, without wincing or tumbling over. Even lie your forehead on your knees while you’re at it, since it’s a nice party trick.

Going through this 120’ intense session with Rua will teach you the appropriate strategies to:

• manage, prevent and repair damage from a static lifestyle - scoliosis, hyper-lordosis, hyper-kyphoses have almost never anything to do with genes -;
• increase flexibility of the spine to maintain its youth for longer and prevent back pain;
• avoid compression of the vertebrae - studies show your yoga practice helps the organism fix more calcium into the bones.
• become taller! - Yes, it’s all scientifically and empirically proven.

Teacher

Rua Hvitulv

RYT® certified in Hatha Yoga (traditional) and Vinyasa Flow in Rishikesh (India), Rua has integrated her original studies with other yoga lineages (Yin, Iyengar), Functional training and Kinesiology. Co-founder of the itinerant study YogaRuka that organizes exclusive seminars and yoga retreats around the world under the “Reclaim yourself” motto, her style is a dynamic fusion of elements from yoga, Pilates, physio, mixed breathing techniques, meditation and mindfulness.

The second part of this double-workshop - of about 60’ - is something even juicier. No, really.

Smoothies are a fantastic way to grab a quick breakfast - or even snack - that is packed with the nutrients and energy you’ll need to see you through several hours of your day. During our workshop, we take a slightly more scientific approach to smoothie making, and you will learn not only which ingredients are good for your body, but why they are good and how the body uses them. We deconstruct the smoothies into bases (liquid), fruit, vedge, nuts/seeds and optional additional supplements, and learn how to create the perfect healthy smoothie-as-a-full-meal for you.

Included is:

• healthy breakfast smoothie
• light salad

Our fruit and veggies will be supplied by Riverford Organic Farms, amazing birch water by Treevitalise and supplements by Goodness Unearthed – all 100% organic and BS-free!

Charlotte Jane

Plymouth-born nutritionist and recipe developer. On a journey of study and research to unveil the secrets of an optimal diet for humans as a whole and then as individuals. Also preparing at the moment to obtain her PT certification. Yogi and lover of all things healthy.

Schedule

• Saturday 17th September
• 10:30am - 12:30pm: Merudanda Yoga Session
• 12:30am - 1:30pm: Healthy Breakfasts & Smoothies
• Sunday 18th September
• 1:00pm - 2:45pm Bandha Yoga Session
• 2:45pm - 3:45pm Food for Healing the Body

Venue

Dartington Hall is an inspiring Devon destination, where you can remove yourself from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Situated right near Totnes and close to the Dartmoor National Park, it is comfortably reachable from anywhere Plymouth to Exeter.

RSVP