Durham Yoga Group

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Durham Yoga Group

The Durham Yoga Group meets once a month to run a workshop for anyone practicing Yoga in the Durham area. The group is non profit making.

We invite along teachers from around the region and aim to give those who attend a new experience of Yoga that they might not get in a weekly class. Durham Yoga Group is run by four local Yoga teachers (Jacqueline Stevenson, Noel Sharpe, Judith Gibbons and Leigh Johnson) who organise the regular meetings and source the teachers. The topics are decided by the teachers themselves and are varied and often surprising! All of those taking the sessions are qualified teachers. Once a year we run a free session for members and make a donation to a local charity.

18/10/2026

There was a healthy turn out for DYG this morning to enjoy David’s session and lovely to welcome some new faces to the group! Beginning lying down, we built to a full yogic breath, before being expertly led through a series of pranayama practices, seated, kneeling and standing. There were options for the more seasoned practitioner as well as those newer to pranayama practices. I’m sure everyone enjoyed and benefited from the session; I left feeling calmer, lighter, more alert and focused. Thanks so much, David for sharing your practice with us.

06/10/2026

Our next session on Saturday 17th October 10am.to.midday at Belmont Parish Hall is with David Atkinson.

David has been practicing and teaching Yoga for over 27 years and has studied with teachers both in the Uk and in India gaining two teaching qualifications and has worked with many other teachers, he also practices traditional Thai massage. He has studied Pranayama extensively with Philip Xerri and also with Christopher Gladwell gaining a 500 hour diploma in his Embody breathwork method.

Exploring the breath and Yoga Pranayama
The 2 hour workshop will cover many fundamental practices to enable the practitioner to connect with the breath in a more conscious way, developing lung capacity, working with ratios, movement with the breath, standing practices, cleansing techniques, some traditional Pranayama's, breath holding & introduction of Bandha's.

We look forward to seeing you all 🙏

19/09/2026

✨ A HUGE thank you to our wonderful guest teacher, Laura Ridgeon ✨

What a beautiful way to come together at Durham Yoga Group this month. 🧘‍♀️💛

Laura guided us through a deeply mindful, flowing practice, inviting us to reconnect with love, light, peace and joy — not only within ourselves, but all around us.

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu 🙏
May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may our thoughts, words and actions contribute to that happiness and freedom.

Laura encouraged us to gently expand our awareness beyond ourselves — to the people and places around us, our communities, where we live, our country, our continent, our world, and ultimately the whole universe. 🌍✨

A beautiful reminder that when we care for ourselves, we are also caring for the greater whole. We are all connected, and every little act of kindness, compassion and awareness ripples outwards. 💫

Our practice flowed into a beautiful chanting session, meditation and deeply nourishing relaxation — leaving us feeling peaceful, connected and completely ready for the weekend ahead. 🌿

Laura, thank you for sharing your energy, wisdom and heart with us. ❤️
Thank you for reminding us to pause, breathe, notice, connect and find love, light, peace and joy in it all.

What a gift to share this practice together. 🙏✨

**Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu**
🌎 May we all be happy.
💛 May we all be peaceful.
✨ May we all be filled with light.
🕊️ May we all know joy.

09/09/2026

We are looking forward to Laura Ridgeon joining us to lead us through our next session at Belmont Parish Hall on Saturday 19th September 2026

Laura’s session will be centred around the Sanskrit sloka:

“Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”
May the entire universe be filled with love and light, peace and joy. May all beings be happy and free, and may my actions contribute to that.

The session will gently work towards Shoulder Stand, or a suitable alternative, using the inversion as an opportunity to literally and figuratively shift perspective. Through turning the usual inward focus outward, participants will be encouraged to dedicate their thoughts, intentions and actions to the greater good of all beings.

The practice will include gentle Hatha yoga, pranayama, chanting and meditation, followed by a guided deep relaxation. The session will weave together physical practice and simple yoga philosophy, creating space for reflection, connection and a sense of compassion towards ourselves and the wider world.

Laura is a local yoga teacher working in the North Durham area and has been teaching for 19 years. She has practised in a variety of yoga styles, including Iyengar, Hatha and Ashtanga. She trained as a teacher in the US with the Integral Yoga Institute before completing her British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) training in the UK.

Her teaching style is gentle and inclusive, with postures taught progressively in stages to make the practice accessible to everyone. Her classes weave in simple yoga philosophy and inspiring teachings, encouraging students to connect more deeply with both their practice and themselves.

We look forward to seeing you all on the 19th, no need to book a space, just turn up with your mat, cushion, blanket, usual props and enthusiasm. £8 non BWY members £6 BWY members🙏

22/08/2026

18 yogis met this morning for our August session. We began by scanning our physical body to assess how it felt, then spent time noticing our breath. Following some core work on the floor, we progressed to standing poses, with Jacqui encouraging us to move from the our centre. A short sequence, which included Warrior 1 and Crane balancing pose, rounded off our floor work. Back down on the mat, we had time to relax in Savasana, creating space in body and mind. A final check-in helped us assess any shifts in mind and body as a result of the practice. Thanks to Jacqui for sharing this wonderful practice with us; I’m sure everyone felt the benefit of creating a little more space!

13/08/2026

Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday 22nd August 10am to midday at Belmont Parish Hall where we are really lucky to have Jacqui Gunnion sharing her practice with us.

Jacqui is a BWY-trained teacher and DCT based in County Durham.

A bit about Jacqui: she attended her very first Hatha yoga class way back in 1994, when she had just turned thirty and decided she was getting on a bit and needed to start looking after herself more. Many years later, she is still practising! There have, however, been quite a few changes in between.

Jacqui decided to train as a teacher and qualified with a BWY Diploma in 2009. She has been running classes in the Consett area ever since. She also completed Movement Intelligence UK’s “Bones for Life” teacher training in 2021 and worked with the James Knight School of Gentle Somatic Yoga around that time too.

Jacqui would describe her approach to practice as “functional”. She is particularly interested in exploring how somatic-based yoga can begin to address some of our less useful movement patterns, make everyday tasks easier, and help maintain and improve general mobility. Simple breathwork practices, often combined with movement, as well as relaxation techniques, are an integral part of that process too.

Jacqui will be bringing everything together in the session called **“Mind the Gap – Finding Space in Body and Mind.”**

We very much hope you’ll join us! 🧘‍♀️✨

19/07/2026

A huge thank you to Noel Sharpe for everything he has done for Durham Yoga Group since joining the committee in 2010.
Over the past 16 years, Noel has given his time, energy and expertise to help make Durham Yoga Group the welcoming, thriving community it is today. His wealth of experience as a British Wheel of Yoga teacher, his passion for making yoga accessible to everyone, and his commitment to the group have been truly appreciated.
As Noel retires from the committee, we're delighted that he'll still be joining us as a participant at our monthly sessions. Thank you, Noel, for your outstanding contribution, friendship and support. We wish you a very happy and well-deserved retirement from committee duties! 🙏💙

18/07/2026

✨ What a wonderful way to begin the weekend! ✨

Today, Durham Yoga Group had the pleasure of welcoming Pam Snowball Live and Breathe Yoga to Belmont Parish Hall for a very special session – A Treat for Our Feet. 👣💚

Our feet carry us through life every single day, yet how often do we truly give them the love and care they deserve?
This morning, they were well and truly pampered! From gentle reflexology techniques and soothing fascia release using spiky massage balls to mindful hand massage, we all left feeling grounded, relaxed, and thoroughly spoilt.

Pam guided us in exploring the incredible role our feet and toes play in movement, balance, and our yoga practice, helping us develop a deeper awareness of the foundation that supports our whole body.

The session continued with feet-focused asanas, a beautiful balancing flow, standing meditation, and a deeply restorative savasana—leaving everyone feeling refreshed and connected.

A huge thank you, Pam, for sharing your knowledge, warmth, and expertise with us. It was a truly nurturing and inspiring morning.
Here's to happy, healthy feet and a grounded body and mind. 🙏 Namaste. 💚👣

11/07/2026

Durham Yoga Group are looking forward to welcoming Pam Snowball for our next session at Belmont Parish Hall on Saturday 18th July 2026 10am to midday. We are hoping to see you there too

Pam trained with the British Wheel of Yoga and has been teaching for over ten years. A lifelong yoga enthusiast, she has maintained a personal practice for more than forty years.
Before becoming a full-time yoga teacher, Pam worked in a high-pressure management role. During that time, yoga became an increasingly important source of balance and wellbeing. As she divided her time between her career and her practice, she realised that the version of herself immersed in yoga was far happier and more content than the one navigating the stresses of corporate life. This inspired her to follow her true calling and establish Live & Breathe Yoga.
Pam teaches a wide variety of classes, including armchair yoga for older adults in care homes, tailored group sessions, weekly Hatha Yoga classes, and yoga retreats in Turkey and the Lake District. She teaches both in person and online via Zoom, where she has built a loyal and supportive community of yogis.
Her philosophy is that yoga should be accessible to everyone, and she is committed to ensuring there is something for every body. Pam continues to expand her knowledge through local workshops and Continuing Professional Development training, bringing fresh ideas and techniques into her classes.
She has a particular passion for foot health, the pelvic floor, and the remarkable structure of the spine, incorporating somatic movement and myofascial release principles into her teaching.
Durham Yoga Group Class – "Treat Your Feet" 🦶
Pam's class for the Durham Yoga Group is themed "Treat Your Feet."
Together, participants will explore the vital role that the feet and toes play in movement, balance, and yoga practice. The session will encourage greater awareness of how the feet support the body, while also introducing simple reflexology techniques using massage balls and hands.
This nurturing and informative class offers the perfect opportunity to give your feet the care and attention they truly deserve.
Namaste.

20/06/2026

Durham Yoga Group welcomed Pat Howes this morning for a truly wonderful and insightful session exploring the Six Healing Sounds of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

"Just shush, haa, whoo, sssss, shooo, sheeee..."

We began with some "yoga for the brain" — and mine was certainly put to the test! From fist, claw, starfish (if you know, you know 😉) to picking and offering apples, we enjoyed some delightfully challenging brain teasers that had us all concentrating and laughing.

Pat then guided us through the different body organs and how movement and sound can help release both physical and emotional blockages, promoting greater balance and wellbeing.

This was followed by a beautiful exploration of Brahmari (humming bee) breath and associated mudras. This calming practice helps to soothe the nervous system, reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, and encourage a deep sense of inner peace. The extended practice left us feeling grounded, centred, and deeply relaxed.

To complete the morning, we enjoyed a blissful 30-minute Satyananda-style Yoga Nidra, allowing body and mind to rest deeply while remaining gently aware.

We all left feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to enjoy the rest of our weekend.

A heartfelt thank you to Pat for sharing her knowledge, warmth, and expertise with us. 🙏🧘‍♀️💜

Pat had donated her teaching fee to The Alzheimers Society 🙏🙏❤️

Address

Belmont Parish Hall, Broomside Lane
Durham
DH12QR

Website

https://www.yoga-durham.co.uk/?page_id=272

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