Kia ora and a heartfelt welcome from me to this shared online shala - a home for nurturing and wellbeing.
I believe we all have the right to live a life of ease, peace and embodiment, no matter what is going on around us
It has been a difficult few years with the emergence of Covid 19. During a crisis we tend to speed up (busy monkey mind) as we try to find ways to live amidst uncertainty. However, a crisis can also be seen as an opportunity for reflection - a moment to slow down, pause and be present so true reflection can occur. You might be wondering (or want to have the time to wonder):
Am I living the life I want to live?
Am I being the person I want to be in my life?
Who am I? What is my identity?
What does it mean to be human in this pandemic/endemic world?
Why am I here?
What is my purpose?
Am I living life with meaning?“
And if you feel there just might be more to this life you are given, keep reading.
I love to support those who are busy, possibly caring for others (formally or informally) or just feeling they are missing something in their lives, to slow down and find s p a c e and ease. As I undergo my own journey with cancer, I am becoming more passionate about how the practices can support those of us living with chronic health conditions.
I am passionate about teaching slow, healing, embodied practices in a caring, safe, online environment.
I love empowering others to reconnect to themselves and increase body-mind resiliency to face whatever challenges life imposes with grace and equanimity.
These practices are important to me as I consider myself a “Type A in recovery” (i.e. a busy stressed person trying to live a life that is less stressed and busy!).
These are the practices that help me return home to myself and what I need every day. I’m hoping that you will find them useful too.
The slow. mindful, healing movement and body-mind practices I offer can help increase overall resiliency and wellbeing. When we slow down, we become more present. When we are present we notice.
And then we can listen and respond.
These practices support us to:
meet challenges as they arise
respond rather than react to the world
increase nervous system regulation in a COVID 19 endemic world
learn to live with stress and anxiety differently
find more s p a c e in your body-mind and life (even when you are busy)
improve sleep
understand our inner knowing as a source to trust (rather than ignore or override)
I have been a Registered Psychologist for 30 years. I love empowering people to live the best lives they can. I work holistically with both body and mind and completed my first 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2015. Since then I have completed more than 1000 hours of additional training in yoga, psychology, meditation and somatic therapies. I’d love to share this with you.
Are you living the life you want to be living? Or do you think there could be more for you? Are you ready to live life differently? Then come join me online with a membership to the Online Sanctuary!
This is not simply another online yoga membership. Instead, this is a journey.....a journey of self inquiry and self discovery where you will take the time to explore your embodied self and get to know YOU, and return to your homeground of stillness, ease and wholeness.
My focus is on creating thoughtful and useful practices that you can do in your own time and space - practices to enhance thriving and wellbeing - whether you are unwell (cancer, long covid, ME, fibromyalgia or living with a different autoimmune related disease) and wanting to increase your wellbeing or just wanting to find that space of thriving in your life - a place where you feel full of vitality and wellbeing.
My current training and focus is on working with the lymphatic system to increase immune functioning and wellbeing. This includes practices of gentle movement with a focus on the lymphatic system as well as self lymphatic massage.
I also offer self paced courses to help you deepen your practice.
Deepen Your Practice
Self Paced 8 week course - Pranayama/Breathwork for Health & Healing
This is an 8 week self paced course.
The Pranayama/Breathwork course was developed as over 90% of modern day people experience breathing issues - including chest breathing, hyperventilation and mouth breathing.
This course is for those who want to explore:
how breathwork can contribute to your health and healing
how you can use breath to regulate your mood
how pranayama can shift your monkey mind to a more meditative state
the psychophysiology of the breath
This course includes:
an introductory powerpoint
weekly video’s
weekly practices which build on the previous week
access for 6 months
Investment: $99 per course
No longer available
Self paced 8 week course - Meditation & Wellbeing
This self paced 8 week course is suitable for both experienced and beginner meditators.
The Meditation & Wellbeing self paced course is for those who:
may be enjoying the iRest yoga nidra's in the Online Sanctuary and want to learn more about the "why" behind the nidra.
or you may never have meditated before and want to learn to meditate using the iRest yoga nidra framework
may be curious and want to deepen their practice
want to find peace and ease no matter what is going on in your life
This course includes:
an introductory psychoeducation presentation
weekly video’s
weekly practices which build on the previous week
access for 6 months
Investment: $99
No longer available
The Online Sanctuary
This is a space with practices which are nourishing, nurturing and which you can do in your own time and space. The practices include:
iRest yoga nidra
gentle movement practices
restorative yoga
yin yoga
lymphatic focused practices
embodiment practices
meditation practices
I
nvestment: $30 per month
There is no minimum period to sign up for and you can stop whenever you choose.
No longer available
Any of the self paced courses or the Online Sanctuary membership are for you if you have a desire to:
increase your body-mind resiliency so you don’t feel so overwhelmed by life and the challenges it throws your way
regulate your own nervous system in this COVID 19 endemic era so you don’t go through your daily life feeling on edge, irritated and quick to be frustrated or annoyed. Instead you may feel calm and at peace, no matter what is going on around you
undergo a process of self inquiry and self discovery through reflection and journaling so you get to know what YOU want, what YOU like, and learn your habitual body-mind patterns which play out unconsciously in the way you respond to yourself and others
get to know yourself from the inside out so you can recognize the subtle messages your body is telling and be able to respond from that place eg say no, set boundaries, notice perfectionism/anxiety/stress when it is setting in and respond sooner rather than later
slow down and find more s p a c e in your life so life feels less stressful and overwhelming even when you are busy and being challenged
improve your sleep so you have more energy during the day to do the things you really care about and that support you
reduce anxiety and stress which in turn reduces inflammation and the impact of many auto-immune diseases and other diseases of disembodiment
explore your purpose and meaning, your identity, which means you can live the life you want to live with increased happiness and satisfaction
increase your coping skills and ability to meet challenging situations by responding rather than reacting
learn in a safe, supported, connected online environment which enhances learning and the ability to feel the impact of the practices
learn in a trauma informed space where everything is a choice and based on what you feel which can lead to feelings of empowerment in other spaces and places
explore your own embodiment as as talking therapist prior to working with clients more holistically so you can “walk the talk” with your clients
Why join me?
I have 30 years experience working as a psychologist and an understanding of how to work alongside people so they feel empowered, nurtured and supported
I have had my own embodiment journey and have lived a busy, stressful life so I get what its like to be busy and feel overwhelmed. I also know what it’s like to change that and find more peace and stillness (and still get loads done!)
I am undergoing my own health journey with cancer - I am only sharing practices that have worked for me
I offer a safe and trauma informed space for you to start or continue your journey of embodied self awareness
I recognise your starting place as being whole and perfect and complete and that there is nothing to change or fix about yourself - and I’d love you to be able to recognise that too
I offer embodiment practices that are different from many other online yoga or movement offerings as these come from my work as a somatic therapist with 30 years of experience behind me. I know what works and does not work and what is safe to offer and what is not safe to offer. I know that what I offer works.
Meet me….
I am a Registered Psychologist, yoga teacher and iRest yoga nidra meditation certified teacher. I love providing a safe container in classes for you to practice and be in your own body. I teach the slow, healing practices I need to bring me back to my body and out of my head. I always teach using a trauma informed approach as I feel everyone has the right to move their body how they choose - at all times.
I am passionate about teaching slow gentle moving yoga and moving with the breath and using repetition so we calm our nervous systems. I love the nurturing kind practices such as Restorative yoga, yin yoga and yoga nidra which recognise that we are perfect and whole and complete as we start.
And my specialty is offering those body-mind practices that create self awareness of how we relate to ourselves and the world around us. It always feels such an honour to share my knowledge and experience to support others.
I used to only work one to one with people. I always felt there was more. Teaching group based yoga and body-mind practices feels more powerful and effective as so many more people can benefit in one hour. That is why I created this online space.
I love to teach, train and educate others and am involved in Yoga Teacher Trainings and iRest trainings in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Australia.
No longer available
"The only journey is the one within.”
Rainer Maria Rilke Letters to a young poet
What people say about me and my offerings:
You have a wonderful demeanour that allows your own light to inspire your students to what you’ve got and therefore to what you do.
Sandra is very ‘real’ and puts everyone at ease. She is also a life-long learner and constantly updating and improving her knowledge and practise.
“Sandra’s classes are amazing. I feel well rested and so much calmer afterward. A two hour class is better for me than a whole week’s holiday.
“Sandra has a beautiful voice that guides you through gentle movement, breathing and meditation leaving you feeling completely relaxed and energised at the same time. Her warm and welcoming presence will make you feel at ease the moment you walk in the door”
"Sandra leads a wonderfully relaxing Restorative yoga and iRest class. Both Sandra’s professional career and considerable experience teaching yoga ensure that her classes flow very smoothly and flawlessly. Her gentle, kind manner and soothing voice are perfectly suited to this style of yoga. Her classes at well-respected studios in Auckland always sell out. I cannot recommend Sandra’s classes highly enough, she “walks the talk” and is truly authentic in the work that she does."
There really does seem to be something about this yoga nidra / irest thing that makes a significant difference in how I feel, not just in class but also seeping into my experience of everyday life too. I'm not sure I could put my finger on exactly what is changing, but something is / has.