Embracing Autumn – an afternoon of Gentle Movement, Yin Yoga & Deep Rest

“There is beauty to be found in the changing of the earth’s seasons, and an inner grace in honouring the cycles of life.” Jack Cornfield

As we move more fully into autumn, and the colours of nature continue to change around us, the temperature drops and the daylight shortens, it’s important to mark this seasonal transition and allow our body and mind to take some time out to really embrace these changes, that can affect us on many levels.

Autumn is traditionally a time for turning inwards and slowing down, when much of the natural world begins to look towards a period of hibernation, and we should also try to honour this, and remember that life doesn’t always need to be lived at full speed; time for rest, inner reflection and deep relaxation is also so important and necessary for our well-being. This can be a good time to release what no longer serves us, and embrace the changes both in nature and within ourselves.

Deep Autumn rest is so important – not only for your body – but also for your energy, mind and emotions. This is a time to go slower and focus inward, to relax and restore your forces. With the seasonal shift, it’s easy to get out of balance, perhaps feeling exhausted, sluggish, dry, achy or stiff at this time of year. This afternoon’s practice will help you to rebalance your energy and to restore both body and mind.

The afternoon will begin with some gentle movement so that we are then better able to settle into the stillness of the longer held yin poses. The time we spend in the yin yoga postures is also perfect for quiet contemplation and for developing a sense of inner mental calm. We will take the stillness and peace created during these poses into a long guided relaxation – a yoga nidra practice – to honour and support our full transition into this season.

Allowing the mental chatter of our mind to quieten as our bodies deeply settle into the yin poses, we can begin to perceive the constant and subtle changes in our body, emotions and mental patterns, all of which are influenced by the changes in the natural world around us.

Yin yoga affects the meridian channels in the body, and this practice can help to release blocked energy or chi, in same way as acupuncture does, so it can be a very useful practice when we are feeling run down, tired or drained of energy, as we often can be during the change of seasons and the as the days shorten.

You will leave the workshop feeling both deeply relaxed, with a sense of inner stillness and peace, and also fully refreshed, with renewed energy to fully embrace autumn.

Testimonials

"Sarah is fantastic. She has a wonderful ability to make yoga accessible to everyone, regardless of their experience or fitness level. For every pose, she offers different variations and levels of difficulty, ensuring that beginners and more experienced practitioners alike can participate comfortably and safely. What I particularly appreciate is the attention Sarah gives to posture and alignment. She takes the time to check that everyone is practising correctly, helping us avoid injury while getting the most benefit from each movement. Sarah also has the most calming, melodious voice, which creates the perfect atmosphere for meditation and relaxation. Her guidance helps us settle into the flow of the practice and leave each session feeling stronger, calmer, and more centred" - Dina

About Sarah: 

I’m an experienced yoga teacher based in East London, and have been practising yoga for 25 years and teaching for over 18 years. Starting to practice yoga is one of the best things I ever decided to do in life, and I am so happy to be able to share all of the benefits of this wonderful and potentially life-changing practice through my teaching.

I truly believe that everyone can benefit from yoga, whatever their background, age or current physical condition, and my approach to teaching is one of warmth, encouragement and care and is always tailored to an individual’s needs. I try to always make the practice as simple and accessible as possible for people.

I have worked with people of all ages and in all types of settings, ranging from a sheltered housing facility and community centres through to leading yoga studios, as well as with many corporate clients including banks and law firms. I also have a great deal of experience of working with people on a 1:1 basis, and really enjoy this way of supporting people in a very individual way.

My own practice and teaching encompasses everything from the more dynamic practice of vinyasa yoga, through to gentler hatha yoga and somatics, and the slower practices of yin and restorative yoga.

I am also a fully qualified and experienced pregnancy and postnatal yoga teacher, and love supporting women through this special time and big transition in their lives. More recently my studies have taken me into the realm of yoga therapy and teaching yoga for stress, anxiety, burnout and Long Covid, as well as for Menopause.

Having lived and worked in London for many years I am very aware of the stresses and strains of big city living and knows how a regular yoga practice can help to combat these and enable people find more space, peace, ease and balance in their body and mind.

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Location: The Canvas at St Margaret’s House, 27 Old Ford Road — E2 9PJ

Dates: Sunday 8th November 2026

Start Time: 15:30

End Time: 17:30