# Blossom Yoga: full text > The text of the pages listed in https://blossom.yoga/llms.txt, generated at build time. --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/clinical-massage/ # Clinical Massage One treatment, drawing on targeted massage and craniosacral technique, matched to what your body needs. Length: 60 minutes Pricing: £60 per hour ## Book this treatment Payment is by card when you book. You can move or cancel free up to 48 hours before. Choose a time Times open below. Clinical Massage is a hands-on, targeted treatment for aches, pains and long-held tension. Ania draws on techniques from clinical and sports massage, alongside the more subtle, listening work of craniosacral therapy, matching the approach and pressure to what your body needs that day, firmer and more structured where there’s a specific issue to work through, quieter and stiller where the nervous system needs settling rather than muscle. It’s a good fit for chronic neck and shoulder tension from desk work, tension headaches, lower back pain, recovery from injury or surgery, and the kind of restriction that builds up from repetitive movement, driving or sport. Every session starts with a short conversation: what you’re carrying in, what’s been going on physically, and whether there’s anywhere she should leave alone or focus on. Sessions are held at ProActive Therapies in Honingham. Ania will send a health questionnaire before your first appointment, so the time is used well from the start. ## Craniosacral therapy Craniosacral is the quieter side of this work: subtle and less hands-on than massage, it works with the patterns the body holds rather than the muscles directly. It is often where long-held tension, the kind that has not shifted with more direct treatment, finally begins to settle, and it suits tension headaches and jaw tension, recovery from surgery or accident, and a nervous system that has been running hot for too long. Rather than a separate appointment, Ania weaves craniosacral seamlessly into a Clinical Massage session wherever it is the right fit, moving between hands-on work and this quieter approach within the same hour. You are welcome to ask for more of it when you book. ## Benefits - Eases muscular tension and desk-related stiffness through hands-on work - Settles the nervous system and supports deep rest through craniosacral technique - Supports recovery from injury, surgery, or a demanding stretch of life - Addresses specific pain or restriction as well as general tension - Adapts to what your body needs that day, rather than a fixed formula ## Who it’s for - Anyone with a specific pain, injury or mobility issue, as well as general tension - People recovering from surgery, injury or a demanding period - Anyone who has found massage or craniosacral work helpful before and would like both available in one session ### Common reasons students come Chronic neck, shoulder and lower-back painRecovery from injury, surgery or accidentTension headaches, jaw tension and TMJSports and repetitive-strain injuriesLong-held tension that has not shifted with other treatmentA wound-up nervous system and poor sleep Your first session ## What to expect A short conversation about what’s brought you in. Depending on what that conversation reveals, you may be asked to do a few simple movements so Ania can see where things are restricted, or you may go straight onto the couch. What you wear depends on the work: shorts or underwear if the session leans towards massage, or you can stay mostly clothed during craniosacral work. Ania will explain what she’s doing as you go. At the end, a few minutes to come back into the room, then a glass of water. FAQs ## Questions about Clinical Massage ### How do you decide which technique to use? That is part of the first conversation, and it can change from session to session. Some issues respond better to direct massage work, others to the stillness of craniosacral technique, and many benefit from both in the same hour. ### Do I need to undress? Only if the session leans towards massage work, and only as much as you are comfortable with. During craniosacral work you can stay mostly clothed. ### How many sessions will I need? For a specific issue, a short course of three to six sessions is typical. For general maintenance, monthly or as needed. ### Can this work alongside physiotherapy or osteopathy? Yes, both massage and craniosacral technique complement other treatments well. ### What if I only want just craniosacral or massage techniques in the appointment? We will send you a questionnaire when you book, so mention it there, and it can always be discussed at the start of the session. ### Will my appointment update in my calendar if I change it? Yes, if you added it from our email in the first place. Every appointment email carries a calendar file. Add it once from your confirmation, and any later change comes to you as an update to that same entry rather than as a second one. A cancellation comes as a cancellation, so the entry comes out of your calendar again. Some calendar apps apply the change on their own and some ask you to accept it, so the appointment details in the most recent email we have sent you are the ones to go by. Where to find us ## ProActive Therapies, Honingham Just off the A47, about 8 miles west of Norwich. Parking on site, with overflow next door at The Buck. On arrival, come straight in and take a seat in reception. - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps Client voices ## On Clinical Massage "I had neck and shoulder pain from years at a desk and had tried everything. Ania found tension I didn't know was there and worked through it methodically over four sessions. The difference in how I feel at the end of a working day is significant. I wish I had come sooner."Helen W. March 2025 "Had a frozen shoulder for about eight months. Physio helped but there was still this wall of tightness that wouldn't shift. Four sessions with Ania and I can reach the top shelf again. She works slowly and precisely and actually explains what she's doing, which I appreciated."Mark R. January 2025 "I was sceptical, and said so. Ania listened, explained nothing more than she needed to, and let the session speak for itself. I left feeling untangled in a way I couldn’t quite name. The persistent headaches I’d written off as just how I am have mostly gone."Jo H. February 2026 "I found Ania after surgery when nothing was quite settling back into place. The work is incredibly gentle, which surprised me. After each session there is a stillness that lasts a few days. I didn’t expect bodywork to feel like this."Sarah K. August 2025 You might also like ## Related services Therapy ### Blossom Signature Massage A relaxing, restorative full-body massage shaped around what your body needs on the day, drawing on classic Swedish and flowing Hawaiian Lomi Lomi technique. Learn more → Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga A longer, supportive practice designed to improve each individual’s mobility, reduce tension and rebuild strength. Learn more → Yoga ### One-to-One Yoga Personalised yoga built around you, your body, your goals, your pace, in full privacy. Learn more → ## Ready to try Clinical Massage? Your first appointment is unhurried. If you’d like to talk through what you’re hoping to work on before booking, just get in touch. Book this treatment Back to therapies --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/hatha-yoga/ # Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Length: 60 minutes Pricing: £10 drop-in / £50 for a block of 6 Venues: 4 Book Hatha Yoga See venues Hatha Yoga is the root of nearly every modern yoga style, and at Blossom Yoga it is taught in its classical form. Each class opens with a short centring practice to arrive in the room, followed by gentle warm-ups, a sequence of standing and seated postures held for several breaths each, and closes with a restorative savasana. The focus is on alignment, breath and awareness, not on achieving advanced shapes. Over weeks and months students find their hips release, their backs feel supported, their breath lengthens and their minds settle. The character of the class shifts a little across the week. All classes welcome beginners, who are gently held through the first few weeks, but the rhythm differs. The evening sessions at Barnham Broom, Sprowston and Cringleford have a slightly more challenging intensity: held poses are a touch more demanding, the warm-up moves at a steadier pace, and the room tends to carry a little more energy. The Thursday morning class at Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall sits at the other end of the spectrum, the gentlest pace I teach, with a long-standing, settled community of regulars who have practised together for years. Every class is suitable for beginners, though, so pick the one that fits the shape of your week. Ania’s teaching is rooted in a deep study of traditional Hatha Yoga and in two decades of adjusting the practice for real bodies. Poses are offered with multiple variations so you can match the work to your day: softer on a tired evening, more active when you have energy. Props are always available and students are encouraged to use them freely. Classes are limited to 16 students, which means you will be seen and adjusted when helpful. Many students have practised with me for years; new students are welcomed at any time and given a short orientation before their first session. There is no shame in not knowing the Sanskrit names, no expectation to keep up, and no silent competition at the front of the room. Hatha Yoga is particularly well suited to men and women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond (the demographic I most often teach) because it builds the kind of strength and mobility that matter: steady hips, a resilient back, a breath you can rely on when life is loud. It is also the foundation I recommend for anyone new to yoga. ## Benefits - Builds strength and mobility gradually, without strain - Improves posture and eases long-standing back and neck tension - Steadies the nervous system through long-held poses and slow breath - Supports joint health, balance and bone density in midlife and beyond - Develops a calmer, more focused attention you can take into daily life - Creates a regular, sustainable rhythm of self-care ## Who it’s for - Complete beginners who want traditional teaching, carefully paced - Returning students rebuilding after illness, pregnancy or injury - Anyone working with chronic lower-back pain, tight hips or desk-bound stiffness; yoga is recommended by NICE as a first-line treatment for non-specific back pain - Experienced yogis looking for a less-performative, more grounded practice ### Common reasons students come Back pain and stiff hipsGeneral stress and poor sleepPerimenopause and menopause symptomsReturning to movement after injuryWanting a calmer, less competitive classBuilding strength in midlife and beyond Your first session ## What to expect Arrive ten minutes before class starts, kick off your shoes and settle onto your mat; grab a strap and cushion if you’d like, both provided. Ania will greet you and check in about anything your body is working with. Class begins with a few minutes of seated breath work and gentle movement, then moves through a thoughtful sequence of standing, seated and reclining poses held long enough for the body to soften into them. Every pose has variations shown and props are always offered. Class closes with a long savasana, a supported rest that most students say is the most restorative part of their week. The room is quiet, the teaching is clear, and nothing is rushed. Where to practise ## Venues offering Hatha Yoga Offered at 4 venues. ### Barnham Broom Village Hall Barnham Broom Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm View this Hatha Yoga class → ### Sprowston Diamond Centre Norwich Tuesdays 5:40pm – 6:40pm View this Hatha Yoga class → ### Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Garvestone Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am View this Hatha Yoga class → ### Cringleford Pavilion Norwich Thursdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm View this Hatha Yoga class → FAQs ## Questions about Hatha Yoga ### I’ve never done yoga before. Is Hatha Yoga the right place to start? Yes. Hatha Yoga is the classical, foundational practice from which most modern yoga descends. The pace is steady, the instruction is detailed, and complete beginners are welcomed into every class. Arrive ten minutes early for a short orientation. ### What should I wear and bring? Something comfortable you can move and breathe in: leggings, loose trousers, a t-shirt. Bare feet. Bring your own mat if you have one; Ania can provide if you don’t. Cushions and yoga straps are provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own if you prefer. A water bottle is a good idea. ### I have a bad back / sore knees / a recent injury. Can I still join? Almost always, yes. Please tell Ania when you book so she can offer modifications from the first pose. Hatha Yoga is particularly well suited to students working with long-standing tension and is often more supportive than seeing a physio alone. ### How often should I practise to see a difference? Once a week makes a real difference within a month: sleep improves, backs ease, breath lengthens. Twice a week is where the bigger shifts happen. Many of my students stay with the practice for years. ### Do I need to book in advance? Yes. Classes are limited to sixteen and regulars often fill them. Book well in advance to secure your place. ### Can I add a meditation session to my Hatha Yoga booking? Yes, and it’s a lovely combination. When booking any Hatha Yoga class, you can add a Monday meditation session at Barnham Broom for just £1. It runs 5:00 – 5:25pm, immediately before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class in the same room. The option appears in the booking flow. Many students find it the most natural way to try meditation for the first time. Student voices ## On Hatha Yoga "Ania holds a beautiful space. I always leave her classes feeling calmer, stronger and more like myself. The mix of careful instruction and genuine warmth is rare; I’ve been to a lot of yoga and nothing else comes close."Sophie G. October 2024 "I’ve tried yoga in half a dozen Norwich studios over the years and Blossom Yoga is where I’ve stuck. It’s not performance yoga. It’s real teaching, paced for real bodies, and the room always feels kind."Rachel P. March 2025 "Soulful Yoga & Social at The Painted Barn is a wonderful morning. The barn itself is beautiful, the yoga is slow and nourishing, and the tea and cake afterwards give you a chance to sit and actually talk. I leave feeling calm, stretched and connected. Highly recommended."Moyna C. March 2026 You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga A longer, supportive practice designed to improve each individual’s mobility, reduce tension and rebuild strength. Learn more → Meditation ### Meditation Guided sessions rooted in traditional yogic practice: simple techniques, clear instruction, real change. Learn more → Yoga ### Online Yoga Live, guided classes from your own space, the same teaching, the same care, without the drive. Learn more → ## Ready to try Hatha Yoga? Your first session is unhurried. Tell Ania where you’d like to practise and she’ll take care of the rest. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/meditation/ # Meditation Guided sessions rooted in traditional yogic practice: simple techniques, clear instruction, real change. Length: Weekly class 25 minutes · Monthly workshop 60 minutes Pricing: £2 per class, weekly · £10 monthly workshop Venues: 2 Book Meditation See venues Most people who have tried meditation and given up tried the wrong practice for them. There is no single technique called “meditation”; there are dozens, and the right one for you depends on your mind, your temperament and the moment you’re in. At Blossom Yoga, James and Ania teach a range of foundational techniques drawn from classical yogic tradition, with enough range that almost anyone finds one that lands. ### The Painted Barn: Monthly Workshop Book this workshop The monthly Meditation Workshop at The Painted Barn is where the real teaching happens: an hour given over to unpacking a single technique properly. The why behind it, the posture and breath that support it, the common pitfalls. You then practise it together. Afterwards there is time to discuss as a group or in private, and the session closes over tea in the cafe, bringing the stillness into daily life, in community. The workshop is where structure and understanding come from; it gives you the vocabulary and the method you bring back to your regular practice. ### Barnham Broom Village Hall: Weekly Class Book this class The weekly class is practice-led and short by design: 25 minutes of seated practice on Mondays at 5pm, slotted in just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class so you can roll straight into a full evening of yoga if you want to. You arrive, settle on a cushion or chair, are guided through the practice, and finish in time to take a breath, unroll a mat, and stay on. It is the place to put the work in week after week without having to give up a whole evening to do so. Many students attend both; the workshop deepens what you bring back to the weekly mat. Classes are booked online in a block of 5 to 20 sessions at £2 each, which gives you enough to settle into a real practice without a large upfront commitment. If you’d prefer to come along first and see how it feels, cash drop-in without booking is always welcome. In either format, you might work with breath awareness one session, a simple mantra the next, and a body-scan the session after. Over time a kind of cumulative familiarity builds: you learn what your mind does under attention, and you build the quiet competence of someone who can sit with themselves without needing it to be easy. James started his meditation practice in the late ’90s in Thailand and has spent months in silent meditation retreats in Thailand, India and the UK over the years, with his longest stretch of complete silence being 90 days. He teaches with exactly the matter-of-fact warmth the subject requires. There is nothing mystical about the instruction: no incense, no Sanskrit unless it’s useful, no suggestion that you must feel a particular way. What you do get is clear technique, enough structure to make progress, and a teacher who can answer the awkward practical questions (my mind wanders constantly; I fall asleep; I don’t know what I’m meant to feel). Cushions and upright chairs are provided at both venues. James leads all sessions, with Ania on hand to support. Many students combine meditation with Hatha Yoga or Therapeutic Yoga for a complete practice; others come for meditation alone. All of it works. Your teacher James Chard James has practised and studied meditation since the late 1990s, with months spent on silent retreat in Thailand, India and the UK, including one unbroken stretch of 90 days. ## Benefits - Reduces baseline anxiety and reactivity - Improves sleep, particularly sleep latency and early waking - Builds focus, clarity and a calmer relationship with thought - Eases physical tension through deep nervous-system rest - Supports grief, major life transitions and emotional overwhelm - Creates a portable practice you can take into the rest of your life ## Who it’s for - Complete beginners who have always meant to start - Former meditators whose practice has lapsed - Those navigating anxiety, grief or burnout - Professionals looking for a serious, unflashy practice - Existing yoga students wanting to deepen into the inner work ### Common reasons students come Anxiety and a busy, looping mindTrouble sleeping or waking at 3amGrief and major life transitionsBurnout and work-related stressWanting a non-religious, practical contemplative practiceHaving tried apps and found them unsatisfying Your first session ## What to expect Arrive a few minutes early, settle onto a cushion or chair, and let your body arrive in the room. In the weekly class, James opens with a short teaching point (either adding to a technique the group has practised before, or introducing a new one) then guides about twenty-five minutes of seated practice, finishing in time for the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class to roll on. In the monthly workshop, the teaching is longer and more deliberate: a full unpacking of one method, followed by guided practice. Either way you will be talked through it gently, with long pauses of silence between cues, and the session closes with a brief space for questions. You do not need to speak if you don’t want to. You do not need to have meditated before. You do not need to be good at it. Where to practise ## Venues offering Meditation Offered at 2 venues. ### The Painted Barn Barnham Broom Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm View this Meditation class → ### Barnham Broom Village Hall Barnham Broom Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm (before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) View this Meditation class → FAQs ## Questions about Meditation ### I already book Hatha Yoga. Is there a discount for trying meditation? Yes. When booking any Hatha Yoga class, you can add a Monday meditation session at Barnham Broom for just £1. The option appears in the booking flow. The meditation runs 5:00 – 5:25pm, immediately before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class in the same room, so it fits naturally into the evening without any extra travel. ### What’s the difference between the weekly class and the monthly workshop? The weekly class at Barnham Broom Village Hall is short and practice-led: 25 minutes on Mondays at 5pm, just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class. You arrive, you sit, James guides. Classes are booked online in a block of 5 to 20 sessions at £2 each; cash drop-in without booking is also welcome. The monthly Saturday workshop at The Painted Barn (1:30pm, £10) is teaching-led: an hour spent properly unpacking one technique before practising it together. They feed each other: the workshop teaches, the weekly class is where you put the work in. You can come to either or both. Dates are listed on the schedule. ### Can I do meditation and Hatha Yoga the same evening? Yes, that’s exactly how it’s scheduled. The Monday meditation finishes at 5:25pm; Hatha Yoga starts at 5:30pm in the same room. Many students do both back-to-back and find the meditation lands the body into the yoga beautifully. ### I can’t stop my thoughts. Will meditation work for me? Yes. The goal is not to stop thought; it’s to change your relationship with it. Beginners always worry they’re doing it wrong when they notice a busy mind. Noticing is the practice; that’s literally what you’re learning to do. ### Is this religious? No. The techniques come from yogic tradition but are taught as practical skills. No belief is required. No chanting unless you want to. ### How long before I notice a benefit? Most students notice a shift within three to four sessions, typically in sleep, in reactivity, or in how long they can stay with one thing. Deeper changes accumulate over months of regular practice. ### What if I fall asleep? It happens, especially at first. Usually it means your body is catching up on rest it badly needed, or you lost concentration and drifted away. Over time it stops. ### Do I need to meditate daily at home? Ideally yes: ten minutes a day does more than an hour once a week. But coming to a weekly session alone is already a real practice, and many students start there. You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Learn more → Event ### Women’s Circle A monthly gathering for women to slow down, share and be heard in a safe, unhurried space. Learn more → Yoga ### Soulful Yoga & Social Movement, breath and community. A Hatha Yoga class followed by tea, cake, and unhurried conversation. Learn more → ## Ready to try Meditation? Most questions are answered during the practice itself. We look forward to welcoming and supporting you on this journey. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/one-to-one-yoga/ # One-to-One Yoga Personalised yoga built around you, your body, your goals, your pace, in full privacy. Length: 60 minutes Pricing: £60 single session / £50 with a weekly commitment Venues: 2 ## Book this treatment Payment is by card when you book. You can move or cancel free up to 48 hours before. Choose a time Times open below. A one-to-one with Ania is the fastest way to build a practice that actually fits your body. Before the session, a health questionnaire is sent out and discussed, so by the time we meet we already know your history, your concerns and what you want to work on. That means we go straight to the mat when we begin, with a session that is tailored to you from the first minute. Every pose is introduced carefully, with variations to match what your body can do today and a second variation to grow into over the coming weeks. You leave with a written sequence, photographed if helpful, that is short enough to do at home most days and comprehensive enough to cover what you need. Follow-up sessions revisit and adjust that sequence as you progress, poses added, variations refined, difficulty nudged up or down. In-person sessions happen at ProActive Therapies in Honingham: a quiet, well-equipped treatment room with plenty of space and full prop selection. Online sessions are held via Zoom and work remarkably well; the focus and personalisation translate entirely. Most students book a short initial package of 6 sessions, and then either continue, or join a group class. One-to-ones are particularly valuable for students with complex histories, multiple injuries, chronic conditions, post-surgical recovery, specific competitive-sport demands, or significant past trauma where a private setting is kinder. Some students come simply to gain the confidence to join a group class. They are also an excellent gift for a partner or parent who has been meaning to try yoga but finds group classes intimidating. ## Benefits - Practice built precisely around your body, history and goals - Faster progress than group classes, every minute is relevant to you - Complete privacy, no competition, no catching up with the room - Detailed support for injuries, chronic pain, post-surgery recovery - Written sequence to take home and use between sessions - Sessions available both in person and online ## Who it’s for - Beginners who want a careful, private start - Anyone with injuries or medical conditions that need tailoring - Athletes and performers looking for sport-specific complementary work - Students with trauma histories who prefer a private space - Experienced practitioners polishing particular areas of practice ### Common reasons students come Complex injury history requiring personalised teachingPost-surgical recovery (hips, knees, spine, breast, abdominal)Chronic pain or neurological conditionsSport-specific conditioning (running, cycling, equestrian)Finding group classes intimidating or socially difficultPregnancy, postnatal and perimenopause specific support Your first session ## What to expect Before your first session, Ania sends a health questionnaire. By the time you arrive, she already knows your background and you go straight to the mat. The session runs 60 minutes, and from the very first class the sequence is built around what your body needs. You leave with that routine written up (and photographed if useful), short enough to do at home most days. Follow-up sessions revisit, refine and extend the practice as you progress. Online sessions work in exactly the same way via Zoom. Where to practise ## Venues offering One-to-One Offered at 2 venues. ### ProActive Therapies Honingham By appointment, weekday mornings and afternoons View this One-to-One class → ### Online via Zoom From anywhere Book FAQs ## Questions about One-to-One ### How many sessions will I need? Most students start with a single session or a block of six to establish a practice. After that, many come in monthly or quarterly to tune the practice as their body or life shifts. A handful of students work one-to-one indefinitely. ### Is this covered by health insurance? Some private health insurers will cover it when referred by a GP or physiotherapist, but you should check with your provider. I can provide receipts suitable to support your insurance claims. ### Can I switch between in-person and online? Yes, many students do. Some take their first session in person at Honingham and follow up online once they have the core sequence. ### Do you work with pregnancy? Yes, with appropriate trimesters and for students already practising. Please mention pregnancy when booking. ### What if I’ve never done yoga before? One-to-one is an excellent way to begin. You get the vocabulary, the alignment and the confidence you need to either continue privately or step into a group class already knowing what you’re doing. You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga A longer, supportive practice designed to improve each individual’s mobility, reduce tension and rebuild strength. Learn more → Yoga ### Online Yoga Live, guided classes from your own space, the same teaching, the same care, without the drive. Learn more → Therapy ### Clinical Massage One treatment, drawing on targeted massage and craniosacral technique, matched to what your body needs. Learn more → ## Ready to try One-to-One? Your first session is unhurried. Tell Ania where you’d like to practise and she’ll take care of the rest. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/online-yoga/ # Online Yoga Live, guided classes from your own space, the same teaching, the same care, without the drive. Length: 60 minutes Pricing: £7 drop-in / £35 for 6 consecutive sessions Venues: From Anywhere Book Online See venues Online Yoga at Blossom is genuinely live. You join a small Zoom room, Ania can see you, and she adjusts her teaching in real time, slowing down when the room is tired, offering more challenge when energy is high, calling out individual cues by name. It is not a pre-recorded video library: if you cannot make the live class, you get the full recording to do in your own time. All you need is a mat, a clear patch of floor, and any props you have to hand, a firm cushion works as a bolster, books work as blocks, a long scarf works as a strap. Ania will demonstrate each pose from her own mat so you can always see what’s being described, and she checks in verbally with every student at least once per class. Online classes suit a surprising range of people: regulars who travel for work, students who’ve moved away from Norwich but kept practising with me, parents of young children, people living further out in Norfolk or Suffolk than a weekly drive allows. It also suits anyone who simply prefers not to walk into a new room, social anxiety, post-illness fatigue, busy weeks when the commute is the part that stops you coming. The teaching quality is identical to my in-person classes, and the community is real: most online regulars know each other, meeting occasionally in-person at a class when they’re able. ## Benefits - Same quality of teaching without travel time or parking stress - Live adjustments, not a pre-recorded video - Fits easily around work, childcare and long drives - Accessible from anywhere with a stable internet connection - Recording available for catch-up within the week - Ideal during illness recovery, bad weather, or busy seasons ## Who it’s for - People living further than a comfortable drive from Norwich - Regulars who travel for work - Students with young children or unpredictable evenings - Anyone rebuilding a home practice alongside formal classes - Those who prefer to practise in their own space ### Common reasons students come Living too far from Norwich for weekly travelHaving only pockets of free time around work or childcareWanting to practise during illness recoveryTravelling frequently for workPreferring a home environmentWanting a live teacher rather than an app Your first session ## What to expect You’ll receive a Zoom link by email upon booking, with a reminder sent 24 hours before. Join five minutes early, Ania will greet you, check your set-up, and answer any questions. The class runs exactly as an in-person session would: centring, warm-up, main sequence, supported rest, closing. You’ll be visible to Ania in a small gallery so adjustments can be offered. A recording goes out within the hour and is available for a week for catch-up. Where to practise ## Available everywhere there’s wi-fi and floor space Online Yoga travels with you. Whether you’re in your living room in Norwich, a holiday cottage in the Dales, or a spare bedroom anywhere on the planet: the mat comes out, the screen comes on, and class begins. 🌎 ### Earth All continents, most time zones. Bring your own mat. Available now 🌍 ### The Moon Low gravity makes Warrior III surprisingly achievable. Available now 🌏 ### The ISS Zero-gravity savasana is, apparently, quite something. Available now 🪐 ### Mars 24 h 37 min days make scheduling interesting. We’re working on it. Coming soon * A stable broadband connection and 2 m × 1 m of floor space are the only real requirements. Ania will send you a link before each class. Join the next online class FAQs ## Questions about Online ### Do I need fancy kit? No. A mat, a firm cushion, two books, and a strap or scarf will cover almost everything. A laptop or tablet is better than a phone, but a phone works too. ### Can Ania really see me? Yes, the groups are kept small enough that Ania can check in with every student by name. Keep your camera on where you can. ### What if I miss the live class? A recording is sent out within an hour and is available for a week. Many students mix live and catch-up depending on their week. ### Is this a good way to try yoga before committing to a live class? It can be. Beginners often find it less intimidating than walking into a new hall. Many go on to combine online and in-person classes. ### What happens if my connection drops? You can rejoin via the same link. Even if you miss ten minutes, the recording will cover what you missed. You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Learn more → Yoga ### Soulful Yoga & Social Movement, breath and community. A Hatha Yoga class followed by tea, cake, and unhurried conversation. Learn more → Meditation ### Meditation Guided sessions rooted in traditional yogic practice: simple techniques, clear instruction, real change. Learn more → ## Ready to try Online? We’ll send a health questionnaire out upon booking so you’ll still get Ania’s full personal attention. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/retreats/ # Retreats Day retreats in the Norfolk countryside, yoga, meditation, nourishment and space to breathe. Length: Full day, approx. 9:30am – 5:30pm Pricing: £95–£125 per day (includes lunch, tea, all sessions) Venues: 1 See upcoming retreats A Blossom retreat day is not a productivity hack, a wellness weekend or an Instagram moment. It is a full day, and I’ll be honest about that: the yoga and the meditation can be challenging, and most people go home tired in a good way. You are supported throughout, with props and variations, so you can work at the edge that is right for you. You arrive on a Saturday morning to a beautiful old manor house, drop your bag, take a coffee in the garden, and begin a day with room for effort and room for rest. The morning yoga session is longer than a normal class, ninety minutes of grounded, careful practice, more spacious than usual because we have the time. There follows a nourishing, seasonal lunch cooked from good local ingredients, eaten slowly, at a long table, with as much or as little conversation as you want. After lunch, we have time to enjoy the space. West Lexham’s grounds are beautiful: walled gardens, ancient woodland, a natural pool and the river, with swimming, paddle-boarding and rowing for those who want them. People wander, sit, read, or simply drift. It is unhurried time in one of the loveliest places in Norfolk. The afternoon draws back together for a gentler, restorative yoga session and a long guided meditation. The day closes with tea and a snack, and you drive home in the early evening light slightly different to who you were when you arrived that morning. Retreats are held at West Lexham Manor, set in beautiful walled gardens and woodland, nearer King’s Lynn, a place I love, chosen because it is quiet, beautiful and warmly held. Retreat days run a couple of times a year and are typically limited to twenty participants. Upcoming retreats ## Dates at West Lexham The next date has not been announced. Put your name down and Ania will let you know when it is. Join the waiting list See past retreat days → ## Benefits - A whole day set aside for yourself, with proper rest between the practices - Longer yoga practice than a weekly class allows - Beautiful venues chosen for their quiet and their hospitality - Excellent seasonal food, no paleo, no juice fast, just good cooking - Real silence and real space in your week for once - Often the beginning of meaningful friendships between participants ## Who it’s for - Anyone in need of a proper pause, you know if this is you - Regular students wanting to deepen for a day - Women in transition, menopause, retirement, grief, change - Newcomers to retreat, the day format is a gentle entry - Those who’d love to do a weekend retreat but don’t have the time ### Common reasons students come Burnout and running on emptyWanting to begin a retreat practice without a full weekend awayMenopause and midlife transitionsGrief or recovery from major life eventsNeeding to remember what rest actually feels likeWanting a day of good food and good movement Your first session ## What to expect Arrive at 9am to tea or coffee in the gardens. The morning moves through an opening circle, a 90-minute Hatha yoga and pranayama session, and a long shared organic lunch. The afternoon opens out into free time in the grounds: the pool, the river, the woodland, paddle-boards and rowing boats all available. As the afternoon settles, the group comes back together for restorative yoga and guided meditation, then a closing circle at 5pm. FAQs ## Questions about Retreats ### Do I need to have done yoga before? A little regular practice helps you settle into the day, but beginners are welcome. Let me know when you book and I’ll make sure you feel at ease in both sessions. ### What is the food like? Seasonal, generous, mostly plant-based with good protein, real cooking, not wellness performance. Dietary requirements are taken seriously when you book. ### Can I come alone? Yes. Feeling nervous about coming alone is not unusual at all, and many people do. Blossom retreats are known for building great groups that support each other, and you will be welcomed from the moment you arrive. ### How do I book? Retreat dates are announced on the website and to my newsletter. Most fill within a fortnight, get in touch to be added to the list. Student voices ## On Retreats "The venue was stunning. My first ever yoga retreat, and I’ve only been a yogi for 18 months. Ania and James, what can I say? A wonderful warm welcome with thoughtfully provided teas, coffees and snacks. A beautifully balanced day of yoga, friendship, meditation, love, learning and enlightenment. Included was a wonderful lunch and time to explore the amazing surroundings. A closing circle brought the day to fruition. I went home refreshed, calmed, peaceful and happy as well as very tired. I’ll be back."Diane C. June 2026 "It was a truly idyllic day, so peaceful, calming and restorative. I felt truly blessed. Very calm and relaxed, spending the day with Ania and James and so many lovely people. Can’t wait for the next time."Blackcat Funchal June 2026 "A day at West Lexham with Ania was exactly the pause I needed. Good food, good movement, quiet woods, and enough space in the day to actually think. I’m booking the next one already."Frances W. September 2024 You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Learn more → Meditation ### Meditation Guided sessions rooted in traditional yogic practice: simple techniques, clear instruction, real change. Learn more → Event ### Women’s Circle A monthly gathering for women to slow down, share and be heard in a safe, unhurried space. Learn more → --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/signature-massage/ # Blossom Signature Massage A relaxing, restorative full-body massage shaped around what your body needs on the day, drawing on classic Swedish and flowing Hawaiian Lomi Lomi technique. Length: 60 or 90 minutes Pricing: £60 (60 minutes) / £90 (90 minutes) ## Book this treatment Payment is by card when you book. You can move or cancel free up to 48 hours before. Choose a time Times open below. Blossom Signature Massage is a restorative, holistic treatment built from two decades of hands-on practice. Rather than a single fixed routine, Ania draws on techniques of classic Swedish and holistic massage, and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, with the pressure adjusted depending on what you need. The session begins with a short conversation: what you are carrying in, where you hold tension, whether there is anywhere to leave alone. The oil is high quality and unscented, and the pace is never hurried. It is common to drift near sleep. They tend to sleep well that night and wake up feeling energised the next day. Sessions are held at ProActive Therapies in Honingham. ## A relaxation massage, shaped to the day At its heart this is a classic, full-body relaxation massage: long, flowing strokes to ease muscular tension, improve circulation and settle the nervous system. The pressure sits at a comfortable medium by default and is adjusted throughout. If you have arrived carrying a hard week in your shoulders, the work goes there; if you simply need an hour of proper rest, that is what it becomes. ## Lomi Lomi Nui (Hawaiian massage) Where the session leans restorative, Ania draws on Lomi Lomi Nui, a distinctive Hawaiian bodywork tradition she trained in within the traditional lineage. Long, continuous, wave-like strokes, often with the forearm, move across the body without the usual stop and start, with a quality of contact that many people describe less as being worked on and more as being held. It is rare to find it offered in Norfolk, and it is part of what makes this treatment its own thing rather than a standard massage. You do not need to choose the balance in advance. It is part of the first short conversation, and it can shift from session to session depending on what you need. If what you are really after is targeted work on a specific pain or injury, the Clinical Massage treatment is the better fit, and Ania will happily point you there. ## Benefits - Eases long-held muscular tension and desk-related stiffness - Long, flowing strokes support circulation and a deep sense of release - Deep nervous-system rest, most people sleep beautifully that night - Supports recovery from physical effort or stressful weeks - Builds a sustainable, regular self-care rhythm ## Who it’s for - Anyone holding general tension from desk work, driving or parenting - People wanting regular, reliable, restorative bodywork - Clients new to massage who want a gentle, unhurried introduction - People who simply need a proper rest ### Common reasons students come Desk-related neck, shoulder and upper-back tensionGeneral stress and restlessnessPoor sleepTight hips and legs from driving or cyclingBurnout, grief and major life transitionsBuilding a regular self-care rhythm Your first session ## What to expect This is a deeply relaxing treatment from start to finish. A short intake conversation, then undress to underwear and lie on the treatment couch, covered with a towel. Warmed, unscented oil, and long flowing strokes that settle the body. Most people drift near sleep. At the end, a few moments lying quietly, a glass of water, and a slow re-entry into the rest of your day. FAQs ## Questions about Signature Massage ### What’s the difference between this and a typical massage? It draws on two decades of varied, holistic technique rather than a single fixed routine, blending classic Swedish massage with flowing Hawaiian Lomi Lomi. The balance is shaped around what your body needs on the day. ### Is the pressure deep? Medium by default, adjusted to what your body wants. If you’re after something firmer, or the Clinical Massage treatment is a better fit, just say so and Ania will guide you. ### What oil do you use? A high-quality, unscented organic blend. Scented oils are available on request (get in touch before your appointment). ### I’ve never had a massage before, will I feel awkward? Not for long. Ania explains how it works before you start, you’re covered throughout, and the pace is unhurried. Many people doze off within ten minutes. ### How often should I come? Monthly is a lovely rhythm for most people; some come fortnightly during busier periods. ### Will my appointment update in my calendar if I change it? Yes, if you added it from our email in the first place. Every appointment email carries a calendar file. Add it once from your confirmation, and any later change comes to you as an update to that same entry rather than as a second one. A cancellation comes as a cancellation, so the entry comes out of your calendar again. Some calendar apps apply the change on their own and some ask you to accept it, so the appointment details in the most recent email we have sent you are the ones to go by. Where to find us ## ProActive Therapies, Honingham Just off the A47, about 8 miles west of Norwich. Parking on site, with overflow next door at The Buck. On arrival, come straight in and take a seat in reception. - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps Client voices ## On Signature Massage "I have been coming to Ania every month for nearly three years now. It is the thing I book before anything else, not a luxury, a necessity. She reads what you need without you having to say much and the room is always quiet and warm."Sarah B. March 2024 "Came in with a stiff neck and left without one. Booked again before I got home."Dave H. November 2019 "I booked the Lomi Lomi at a very low point. Something about the description felt right. I cried twice on the table and neither time did Ania make it awkward. It was one of the kindest hours I have spent. I have been back four times since."Clare W. September 2024 You might also like ## Related services Therapy ### Clinical Massage One treatment, drawing on targeted massage and craniosacral technique, matched to what your body needs. Learn more → Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga A longer, supportive practice designed to improve each individual’s mobility, reduce tension and rebuild strength. Learn more → Event ### Women’s Circle A monthly gathering for women to slow down, share and be heard in a safe, unhurried space. Learn more → ## Ready to try Signature Massage? Your first appointment is unhurried. If you’d like to talk through what you’re hoping to work on before booking, just get in touch. Book this treatment Back to therapies --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/soulful-yoga-and-social/ # Soulful Yoga & Social Movement, breath and community. A Hatha Yoga class followed by tea, cake, and unhurried conversation. Length: 60 min yoga + up to 60 min social Pricing: £11 drop-in / £55 for a block of 6 Venues: 1 Book Soulful Yoga & Social See venues The midweek Soulful Yoga & Social class is designed to suit any body. The practice blends slow, gentle movement with breathwork and meditation, building strength, flexibility, balance and a settled kind of relaxation, and is offered with personalised modifications, so every student works at the right level for the day they’re in. Beginners are welcome alongside those who have practised for years. The class is held at The Painted Barn Studio: a beautifully-converted barn on the edge of Barnham Broom, warm underfoot thanks to underfloor heating, with high rafters and big windows that fill the space with light. It is one of the most atmospheric rooms I teach in, and the venue itself does a great deal of the work of slowing the morning down. What makes this class distinctive is what happens afterwards. Everyone is invited to join Ania at the café for a cuppa and unhurried conversation. The connection beyond the mat is part of the practice, most students stay for at least a cup of tea, and many for the full conversation that follows. For anyone newly arrived in the area, or simply looking for a quieter pause in good company, it is one of the easiest ways into a real community. All mats, bolsters, cushions, blocks and straps are provided. The classes are popular, so booking in advance is recommended. ## Benefits - Regular movement that supports long-term mobility and strength - Genuine belonging, an antidote to the loneliness that often arrives with midlife and retirement - Nervous system regulation through slow yoga and warm human company - A beautiful afternoon out in the Norfolk countryside - A reliable rhythm for self-care: something in the diary that actually happens ## Who it’s for - Women who have more time in their week and want to use some of it well - Anyone going through a life transition: empty nest, retirement, divorce, bereavement - Those who find traditional yoga classes too impersonal - Newcomers to the area looking for community - Anyone who enjoys good energy and good company ### Common reasons students come Wanting community alongside exerciseMenopause and midlife transitionsMild to moderate back or joint painStress and poor sleepCelebrating friendship Your first session ## What to expect The session opens with a Hatha Yoga class, a slow, breath-led warm-up moving through supported standing and seated postures, and closing with a long restorative rest. Once everyone is up and gathered, the class spills over into the café, a beautiful setting that serves great tea, coffee, cakes and more, for unhurried conversation and good company. People stay as long as they like, usually for about an hour. Many of the friendships that find their way through this class are made over the second cup of tea. Where to practise ## Venues offering Soulful Yoga & Social Offered at one venue. ### The Painted Barn Barnham Broom Tuesdays 11:30am – 12:30pm + social Wednesdays 2:00pm – 3:00pm + social View this Soulful Yoga & Social class → FAQs ## Questions about Soulful Yoga & Social ### Do I have to stay for the social part? Not at all, but most people do, at least for a cup of tea. There is no awkward introductions ritual; you simply sit down and join a conversation. ### Is it women-only? The class is open to all genders, though in practice the group is almost entirely women in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Men are welcome and treated with exactly the same warmth. ### I don’t know anyone. Will I feel out of place? Almost every regular started by coming alone. Ania introduces newcomers to the group in a way that isn’t performative, and the existing group is unusually welcoming. ### Where exactly is The Painted Barn? It’s on Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4DB, about a 20-minute drive west of the city. Parking is free on site. ### What is available in the café? The Painted Barn has its own café (thepaintedbarn.co.uk/cafe) that takes real care over the food: home-baked cakes and scones, plus a thoughtful brunch and lunch menu. There’s no obligation to eat a meal, many students just stay for a cup of tea. Student voices ## On Soulful Yoga & Social "The Women’s Circle is a gift. A safe, unhurried space where you can just be, no pressure to perform, no pressure to share. I leave feeling lighter every time."Isa M. November 2022 "Soulful Yoga & Social at The Painted Barn is a wonderful morning. The barn itself is beautiful, the yoga is slow and nourishing, and the tea and cake afterwards give you a chance to sit and actually talk. I leave feeling calm, stretched and connected. Highly recommended."Moyna C. March 2026 You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Learn more → Event ### Women’s Circle A monthly gathering for women to slow down, share and be heard in a safe, unhurried space. Learn more → YogaEvent ### Retreats Day retreats in the Norfolk countryside, yoga, meditation, nourishment and space to breathe. Learn more → ## Ready to try Soulful Yoga & Social? Your first session is unhurried. Tell Ania where you’d like to practise and she’ll take care of the rest. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/therapeutic-yoga/ # Therapeutic Yoga A longer, supportive practice designed to improve each individual’s mobility, reduce tension and rebuild strength. Length: 75 minutes Pricing: £11 drop-in / £55 for a block of 6 Venues: 2 Book Therapeutic Yoga See venues Therapeutic Yoga is the slowest, most carefully held class on the schedule. It draws on the same postures and breath work as Hatha Yoga but slows everything down and builds the practice outward from what your body can actually do that day. If lying on the floor is uncomfortable, I’ll bring in a chair. If standing is fatiguing, we use the wall. If a full pose isn’t accessible, I’ll find a version that gives you most of the benefit with none of the strain. I use props generously, cushions, straps, chairs, the wall, so a supported pose can work gently with what’s tight or tender, easing tension without putting weight on what hurts. This isn’t a gentler class for the sake of being gentle; it’s a careful, thoughtful approach for bodies with specific things to work with. Ania’s background in craniosacral therapy and bodywork shapes this class directly. Classes are deliberately small, eight to twelve students, so she can watch closely, adjust carefully, and often offer different variations to different students in the same pose. Over weeks, students notice very tangible changes: a frozen shoulder begins to move, sleep deepens, a persistent back pain fades to a whisper. The class is particularly well suited to women managing menopausal symptoms, to people rebuilding after surgery or long illness, to those with hypermobility learning to stabilise, and to anyone whose standard yoga class has begun to feel like too much. You do not need a diagnosis to join; the practice adapts to what you bring. ## Benefits - Improves mobility without loading injured or painful areas - Rebuilds strength after surgery, illness or extended rest - Regulates the nervous system: eases anxiety, improves sleep - Supports women through menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and joint ache - Softens long-standing back, neck and shoulder tension - Restores confidence in movement ## Who it’s for - Anyone returning to yoga after injury, surgery, pregnancy or illness - Women managing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms - Students with chronic pain, fatigue or autoimmune conditions - Older beginners who want yoga that is considered, not performative - Anyone who wants a longer class with more time to settle into each pose ### Common reasons students come Chronic back pain, sciatica or neck tensionReturning after injury, surgery or pregnancyMenopause symptoms (hot flushes, joint ache, poor sleep)Fatigue and long COVID recoveryHypermobility and instabilityAnxiety and a wound-up nervous system Your first session ## What to expect Before your first class Ania sends a short Health Questionnaire so she can plan the session around what your body is working with. Bring your own mat if you have one, she can lend a spare if not, and cushions, straps, chairs and the wall are all available as needed. Classes vary in how they open: sometimes seated, sometimes standing, but always tuned to who is in the room. Movement is introduced slowly, with multiple variations for every pose, and long supported rests punctuate the active work. Ania comes around with hands-on adjustments when welcome. You leave feeling looser, quieter, and often surprised at how much changed in seventy-five minutes. Where to practise ## Venues offering Therapeutic Yoga Offered at 2 venues. ### Honingham Village Hall Honingham Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am View this Therapeutic Yoga class → ### Barnham Broom Village Hall Barnham Broom Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am View this Therapeutic Yoga class → FAQs ## Questions about Therapeutic Yoga ### How is Therapeutic Yoga different from Hatha Yoga? Therapeutic is a bit longer (75 minutes rather than 60) and held in a smaller group, which means more individual attention. Students are welcome to join either or both; many people do both in the same week. ### Do I need a medical referral? No, you can self-refer. What I do ask is that you let me know what’s going on before your first class (injury, surgery date, medications, diagnoses) so I can plan a version of the practice that supports you. ### I’m worried about getting down on the floor. Is there an alternative? Chairs are available throughout, and many poses can be adapted to suit. With time, most students build the confidence to come safely down to the floor, and back up to standing again, which is often the part that worries people most. ### Can Therapeutic Yoga help with menopause symptoms? It often does. Students report improvements in sleep, hot flush frequency, joint pain and mood. The combination of slow movement, long exhales and nervous-system work is particularly well suited to the perimenopausal and menopausal window. ### How long until I notice a difference? Most students notice improved sleep and ease within two or three classes. Longer-standing issues (chronic back pain, restricted mobility) typically soften over a few months of weekly practice. Student voices ## On Therapeutic Yoga "Ania is a fantastic yoga teacher. All poses are well explained and classes are kept interesting with different pose combinations so you are not doing the same things every week. Ania can cater to all ability levels and will simplify poses or make them more challenging depending on your flexibility. She has also helped me by suggesting poses to practice at home to help strengthen my problem areas, which has been amazing."Nicola H. June 2024 "As an older couple new to yoga we have thoroughly enjoyed our weekly sessions. Ania is very knowledgeable and patient and we feel the benefit in terms of our flexibility as well as our mental wellbeing. The sessions are well balanced, vary each time and we cannot recommend Ania and Blossom Yoga highly enough."Tim R. May 2024 "I came to Blossom Yoga with a stiff back and a head full of worry. After a few months of weekly classes both had eased. Ania listens, adapts, and never pushes. It’s the most useful hour of my week."Sue N. January 2024 You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Learn more → Yoga ### Soulful Yoga & Social Movement, breath and community. A Hatha Yoga class followed by tea, cake, and unhurried conversation. Learn more → Yoga ### One-to-One Yoga Personalised yoga built around you, your body, your goals, your pace, in full privacy. Learn more → ## Ready to try Therapeutic Yoga? Your first session is unhurried. Tell Ania where you’d like to practise and she’ll take care of the rest. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/therapies/ # Hands-on therapies at Honingham. A single quiet treatment room at ProActive Therapies, near Honingham, for deeply restorative and clinical bodywork. The approach and pressure are matched to what your body needs on the day. Therapies ## Hands-on work at Honingham Held at ProActive Therapies near Honingham, drawing on massage and craniosacral technique, matched to what your body needs that day. Therapy ### Clinical Massage One treatment, drawing on targeted massage and craniosacral technique, matched to what your body needs. Learn more → Therapy ### Blossom Signature Massage A relaxing, restorative full-body massage shaped around what your body needs on the day, drawing on classic Swedish and flowing Hawaiian Lomi Lomi technique. Learn more → ## Come in for a treatment Your first visit is unhurried. Arrive a few minutes early, and let Ania know about anything your body is working with. She’ll take it from there. Book an appointment --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/womens-circle/ # Women’s Circle A monthly gathering for women to slow down, share and be heard in a safe, unhurried space. Length: 90 mins, once a month on a Friday evening Pricing: £10 per circle Venues: 1 Book Women’s Circle See venues Each circle begins with a short settling meditation to help you arrive fully, followed by an opportunity to share in a safe and non-judgmental environment. There is no pressure to speak; you are always welcome to simply listen and receive. We explore the practice of holding space for one another with presence, compassion, and respect, allowing each woman to be seen and heard just as she is. The circle continues with a guided heart meditation, helping you soften, open, and reconnect with your inner quiet. There may also be additional practices or reflections to deepen the experience, depending on the energy of the group. Light snacks are provided, creating a relaxed and nourishing atmosphere to gently close the evening. ## Benefits - A rare, honoured space in which to speak and be heard without interruption - Deep nervous-system rest and reduced baseline anxiety - A sense of being known in a small community of women - Processing of transitions, grief, midlife, motherhood, menopause - A monthly anchor in an otherwise overwhelming calendar ## Who it’s for - Women going through major life transitions - Those navigating perimenopause or menopause - Women processing grief, divorce, or empty nest - Carers who rarely have space for themselves - Anyone who senses they have stopped listening to themselves ### Common reasons students come Menopause, perimenopause and associated emotional shiftsGrief and loss, recent or historicalDivorce, separation, empty nestBurnout and chronic overwhelmFeeling unseen or unheard in daily lifeWanting connection without performance Your first session ## What to expect Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before 7pm and bring a travel mug with your favourite tea. Choose a cushion or chair in the circle. The evening begins at 7pm with a guided settling meditation. Ania introduces the evening’s theme and the talking-piece moves slowly around the room: you may speak for as long as you need, or pass without explanation. We close with a second meditation. The evening ends at 8:30pm. Where to practise ## Venues offering Women’s Circle Offered at one venue. ### The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall Barnham Broom Once a month on a Friday evening, 7pm–8.30pm View this Women’s Circle class → FAQs ## Questions about Women’s Circle ### Is the circle a therapy group? No. The circle is a listening space, not a therapy group. Ania holds it carefully but does not offer interpretation, advice or psychological intervention. For many women that is exactly the relief they need; for others, professional therapy may be a better complement. ### Do I have to share? No. Passing is an honoured choice. Many women come for months before speaking, and their presence is no less valued for that. ### Is everything confidential? Yes. What is shared in the circle stays in the circle. Every evening opens with that agreement. ### Who usually attends? Women of all ages, though most are between 40 and 70. Some come monthly for years; some drop in occasionally; some come once and find it wasn’t their thing. All are welcome. ### How do I book? Circles fill quickly, usually a month in advance. Get in touch to be added to the booking list and you’ll hear about each circle as it opens. Student voices ## On Women’s Circle "The Women’s Circle is a gift. A safe, unhurried space where you can just be, no pressure to perform, no pressure to share. I leave feeling lighter every time."Isa M. November 2022 You might also like ## Related services Yoga ### Soulful Yoga & Social Movement, breath and community. A Hatha Yoga class followed by tea, cake, and unhurried conversation. Learn more → Meditation ### Meditation Guided sessions rooted in traditional yogic practice: simple techniques, clear instruction, real change. Learn more → YogaEvent ### Retreats Day retreats in the Norfolk countryside, yoga, meditation, nourishment and space to breathe. Learn more → ## Ready to try Women’s Circle? Your first session is unhurried. Tell Ania where you’d like to practise and she’ll take care of the rest. Book this class Back to yoga & meditation --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/services/yoga-and-meditation/ # Yoga and meditation with Ania. Weekly classes across mid-Norfolk, meditation and the Women’s Circle, plus online, one-to-one and residential retreats. All rooted in the same careful approach. Start with whatever speaks to where you are right now. FilterAll (8) Event (2) Meditation (1) Yoga (6) Yoga & meditation ## Classes, circles & retreats Weekly classes across mid-Norfolk plus one-to-one, online and residential retreats. Yoga ### Hatha Yoga A structured, steady-paced practice that builds strength, flexibility and awareness through classical postures and breath. Learn more → Book Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga A longer, supportive practice designed to improve each individual’s mobility, reduce tension and rebuild strength. Learn more → Book Yoga ### Soulful Yoga & Social Movement, breath and community. A Hatha Yoga class followed by tea, cake, and unhurried conversation. Learn more → Book Meditation ### Meditation Guided sessions rooted in traditional yogic practice: simple techniques, clear instruction, real change. Learn more → Book Yoga ### Online Yoga Live, guided classes from your own space, the same teaching, the same care, without the drive. Learn more → Book Yoga ### One-to-One Yoga Personalised yoga built around you, your body, your goals, your pace, in full privacy. Learn more → Book Event ### Women’s Circle A monthly gathering for women to slow down, share and be heard in a safe, unhurried space. Learn more → Book YogaEvent ### Retreats Day retreats in the Norfolk countryside, yoga, meditation, nourishment and space to breathe. Learn more → No classes match this filter; try another tag. ## Come and try a class Your first visit is always unhurried. Arrive ten minutes early, wear something you can move in, and let Ania know about anything your body is working with. She’ll take it from there. Book your first class Explore therapies --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/retreats/past/ # Days worth taking Each retreat day is small by design: around twenty people, a full day at West Lexham Manor, and a programme built around rest rather than achievement. This is a record of the days we’ve run so far. This retreat has taken place Saturday 26 September 2026 ## Rooted and Radiant West Lexham Manor, West Lexham, Norfolk A day to root down and let your natural radiance emerge. Morning Hatha yoga, a seasonal organic lunch, unhurried time in the grounds, afternoon restorative yoga, guided meditation and Yoga Nidra at one of the most beautiful estates in Norfolk. Read about this day → This retreat has taken place Saturday 20 June 2026 ## Summer Day Retreat at West Lexham West Lexham Manor, West Lexham, Norfolk A full day of balancing yoga, meditation, organic lunch and free time on the river at West Lexham Manor in the Norfolk countryside. Read about this day → What people say ## From those who came All our Google reviews → "A day at West Lexham with Ania was exactly the pause I needed. Good food, good movement, quiet woods, and enough space in the day to actually think. I’m booking the next one already."Frances W. September 2024 "The venue was stunning. My first ever yoga retreat, and I’ve only been a yogi for 18 months. Ania and James, what can I say? A wonderful warm welcome with thoughtfully provided teas, coffees and snacks. A beautifully balanced day of yoga, friendship, meditation, love, learning and enlightenment. Included was a wonderful lunch and time to explore the amazing surroundings. A closing circle brought the day to fruition. I went home refreshed, calmed, peaceful and happy as well as very tired. I’ll be back."Diane C. June 2026 "It was a truly idyllic day, so peaceful, calming and restorative. I felt truly blessed. Very calm and relaxed, spending the day with Ania and James and so many lovely people. Can’t wait for the next time."Blackcat Funchal June 2026 Leave a review ## Enjoyed a retreat day with us? Reviews on Google help other people find us and decide if a retreat day is right for them. If you came along and it felt worthwhile, we’d be grateful to hear from you. Leave a Google review Opens Google in a new tab ## More retreat days coming New retreat dates are announced about twice a year. Join the waiting list and Ania will let you know as soon as the next date is confirmed. Join the waiting list About retreats --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/retreats/west-lexham-rooted-and-radiant-2026/ # Rooted and Radiant West Lexham Manor, West Lexham, Norfolk A day to root down and let your natural radiance emerge. Morning Hatha yoga, a seasonal organic lunch, unhurried time in the grounds, afternoon restorative yoga, guided meditation and Yoga Nidra at one of the most beautiful estates in Norfolk. £110 per person, includes organic plant-based lunch and all sessions This retreat is now full. Do add your name to the waiting list if you would like to come, because places sometimes open up when plans change. The next retreat date will be released in November. See upcoming retreats Join the waiting list All retreats One Day Yoga Retreat. Morning Hatha yoga and pranayama, a shared organic lunch, free time in the walled gardens and on the river, then afternoon restorative yoga, guided meditation and Yoga Nidra before a closing circle. West Lexham Manor sits in ancient woodland and walled gardens near King’s Lynn, and the place itself does much of the work. You arrive to tea or coffee in the warm Orangery, take a breath, and begin a day that has been built around rest rather than achievement. The morning yoga session is a spacious and grounding Hatha practice supported by breath awareness and pranayama. Through mindful movement, steady holds and conscious breathing, we cultivate stability, strength and presence while creating space for energy to flow more freely. After a delicious seasonal plant-based lunch enjoyed slowly in beautiful surroundings, wander through the walled gardens or ancient woodland, swim in the pool, paddle-board on the river, rest in a hammock, journal, read or enjoy the peace of the estate. The afternoon practice is gentler and more restorative: nurturing movement, supported poses and practices that leave you feeling refreshed, balanced and quietly uplifted. A long guided meditation and Yoga Nidra follow before the closing circle. Numbers are small, limited to twenty participants. Many people arrive alone and most leave having made at least one genuine new connection. The retreat is designed to send you home measurably calmer, and a little more radiant, than you arrived. The day - 9:00am ### Arrival Arrive at West Lexham Manor and settle in with tea or coffee in a warm Orangery. Take a moment to slow down, arrive fully, and leave the demands of everyday life behind. - 9:30am ### Opening Circle and Inspiration for the Day A gentle gathering to arrive together as a group, settle into the space, and set intentions for the day. A few thoughts and reflections to inspire our practice throughout the day. - 10:30am ### Morning Hatha Yoga and Pranayama A spacious and grounding Hatha Yoga practice supported by breath awareness and pranayama. Through mindful movement, steady holds and conscious breathing, we cultivate stability, strength and presence while creating space for energy to flow more freely. - 12:30pm ### Lunch A delicious seasonal plant based lunch prepared from local ingredients, enjoyed slowly in beautiful surroundings. Plenty of time to relax, connect with others or simply savour a quiet moment with a cup of tea. - 1:30pm ### Time to Rest, Explore and Restore The afternoon begins with space to simply be. Wander through the walled gardens or ancient woodland, swim in the pool, paddle-board on the river, rest in a hammock, journal, read or enjoy the peace of the estate. - 3:00pm ### Afternoon Yoga for Ease and Radiance A gentler and more restorative practice designed to release tension and invite a deeper sense of openness and wellbeing. Expect nurturing movement, supported poses and practices that leave you feeling refreshed, balanced and quietly uplifted. - 4:30pm ### Guided Meditation and Yoga Nidra A deeply nourishing guided meditation followed by Yoga Nidra, the yoga of conscious rest. As body and mind soften, we create space to reconnect with our inner stillness, clarity and natural radiance. - 5:00pm ### Closing Circle A final gathering to reflect on the day and carry its benefits forward. Leave feeling grounded, restored and connected to the steady light within yourself. - 5:30pm ### Departure What’s included - Morning Hatha yoga and pranayama - Organic plant-based lunch - Time in the grounds: walled gardens, ancient woodland, natural pool and river - Afternoon restorative yoga - Guided meditation and Yoga Nidra - Opening and closing circles - Teas and refreshments throughout The venue ## West Lexham Manor West Lexham, Norfolk West Lexham Manor sits in beautiful walled gardens and ancient woodland near King’s Lynn. Ania chose it for its quiet, its warmth, and the way it holds a day without fuss. ## Looking for your next retreat? New dates are announced about twice a year. See what’s coming up next, or join the waiting list and Ania will let you know as soon as a new date is confirmed. See upcoming retreats Join the waiting list ## This retreat is fully booked This retreat is now full. Do add your name to the waiting list if you would like to come, because places sometimes open up when plans change. The next retreat date will be released in November. Join the waiting list Back to retreats --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/retreats/west-lexham-summer-2026/ # Summer Day Retreat at West Lexham West Lexham Manor, West Lexham, Norfolk A full day of balancing yoga, meditation, organic lunch and free time on the river at West Lexham Manor in the Norfolk countryside. £100 per person, includes organic plant-based lunch and all sessions See upcoming retreats Join the waiting list All retreats Morning Hatha yoga with pranayama, a shared organic lunch, free time in the gardens and by the river (swimming and paddle-boarding available), then an afternoon of Hatha yoga, meditation and Yoga Nidra before a closing circle. A proper day off. West Lexham Manor sits in ancient woodland and walled gardens near King’s Lynn, and the place itself does much of the work. You arrive to tea or coffee in the garden, take a breath, and begin a day that has been built around rest rather than achievement. The morning yoga session is ninety minutes of grounded, careful Hatha practice with pranayama woven throughout: longer and more spacious than a weekly class, and suitable for all levels. After a nourishing seasonal organic lunch eaten slowly at a shared table, the middle of the day is yours. Walk in the walled gardens, swim in the natural pool, paddle-board on the river, nap in a hammock, or sit in the June sunshine. The afternoon practice is quieter and more restorative: softer holds, more support, and the quality of ease that arrives when the body has already moved well once that day. A long guided meditation and Yoga Nidra follow before the closing circle, and the day ends with tea, a snack, and the unhurried goodbye that follows a good day. Numbers are small, limited to twenty participants. Most people come on their own. The retreat is designed to send you home measurably calmer than you arrived. The day - 9:00am ### Arrival Arrive at West Lexham Manor and settle in with tea or coffee in the walled gardens or the library. - 9:30am ### Opening Circle and Inspiration for the Day A short gathering to arrive together as a group and set intentions for the day. - 10:30am ### Morning Hatha Yoga and Pranayama Ninety minutes of grounded, classical Hatha practice with focused breathwork. More spacious than a weekly class, and suitable for all levels. - 12:30pm ### Lunch A generous, seasonal lunch prepared from local ingredients, eaten slowly at a shared table. Plenty of time to linger over a second cup of tea. - 1:30pm ### Mindful Relaxation in the Elements The middle of the day is yours. Walk in the walled gardens or ancient woodland, swim in the natural pool, paddle-board on the river, nap in a hammock, or simply sit. - 3:00pm ### Afternoon Hatha Yoga A gentler, restorative practice: softer holds, more supported shapes, and the quality of ease that comes when the body has already moved well once that day. - 4:30pm ### Guided Meditation A long, unhurried guided meditation followed by Yoga Nidra: a deeply restoring practice of conscious rest. Many participants describe this as the part of the day they remember longest. - 5:00pm ### Closing Circle We come back together to close the day, a moment to reflect, to share if you wish, and to carry something of the day’s quality forward with you. What’s included - Morning Hatha yoga and pranayama (9:30 – 12:00) - Organic plant-based lunch - Free time: gardens, natural pool, river, paddle-boarding - Afternoon Hatha yoga, meditation and Yoga Nidra - Opening and closing circles - Teas and refreshments throughout The venue ## West Lexham Manor West Lexham, Norfolk West Lexham Manor sits in beautiful walled gardens and ancient woodland near King’s Lynn. Ania chose it for its quiet, its warmth, and the way it holds a day without fuss. ## Looking for your next retreat? New dates are announced about twice a year. See what’s coming up next, or join the waiting list and Ania will let you know as soon as a new date is confirmed. See upcoming retreats Join the waiting list ## This retreat is fully booked Get in touch to join the waiting list and be the first to hear when new dates are announced. Retreats typically sell out within a fortnight of being announced. Join the waiting list Back to retreats --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/ # Eight venues across Norfolk. From the city to the villages to a manor on the edge of the breckland; find the class or retreat closest to you. Around Norwich ### Norwich Sprowston Diamond Centre & Cringleford Pavilion 1 service available in this area. See what’s on → 20 minutes west of Norwich city centre ### Barnham Broom The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall 5 services available in this area. See what’s on → 20 minutes west of Norwich city centre ### Honingham Honingham Village Hall & ProActive Therapies 4 services available in this area. See what’s on → 30 minutes west of Norwich city centre ### Garvestone Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall 1 service available in this area. See what’s on → 5 minutes north-east of Norwich city centre ### Sprowston Sprowston Diamond Centre 1 service available in this area. See what’s on → 10 minutes south-west of Norwich city centre ### Cringleford Cringleford Pavilion 1 service available in this area. See what’s on → An hour west of Norwich (retreat venue only) ### West Lexham West Lexham Manor 1 service available in this area. See what’s on → On the map ## Norfolk at a glance Most venues sit within a 30-minute drive of central Norwich; the Blossom Yoga base at Barnham Broom is fifteen minutes west. - Barnham Broom Village Hall Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4BU Open in Google Maps - Cringleford Pavilion Recreation Ground, Oakfields Road, Cringleford, Norwich NR4 6XF Open in Google Maps - Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Dereham Road, Garvestone, Norwich NR9 4AD Open in Google Maps - Honingham Village Hall The Street, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5BL Open in Google Maps - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps - Sprowston Diamond Centre School Lane, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8TR Open in Google Maps - The Painted Barn Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4DB Open in Google Maps - West Lexham Wellness & Retreat Centre Lexham Road, West Lexham, King’s Lynn PE32 2QN Open in Google Maps Not sure which is nearest?See everything Ania offers, by place → ·or ask Ania → --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/barnham-broom/hatha-yoga/ # Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom At: Barnham Broom Village Hall When: Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm Book this class First-visit info Hatha Yoga at Barnham Broom Village Hall has run on Monday evenings since January 2023: a large space, a good wood floor, and a group that has quietly settled into something like an extended family. Ania teaches it in classical form, a careful warm-up, a sequence of standing and seated poses held long enough for the body to actually settle into them, then a supported savasana at the end. The pace is unhurried, the instruction is clear and individual, and nothing is competitive. The hall suits it well. It is laid out so every student has proper space around them. Cushions and straps are provided; bring your own mat if you have one, and if you do not have a mat yet, contact Ania before your first session and she will bring one for you. Beginners are welcomed without fuss and given a short orientation before their first session. Many students attend the 5pm Meditation class that runs in the same hall directly before yoga, making a full Monday evening of it. The meditation can also be added to any Hatha Yoga booking for just £1: the option appears at the time of booking. Students come in from Dereham, Costessey, Easton, Hockering, Yaxham, Mattishall, Kimberley, Wymondham, Colton and the surrounding villages. The drive out through Colton and past Bawburgh Lakes already begins the unwinding before class even starts. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm ### Pricing £10 drop-in / £50 for a block of 6. Block passes work across all venues: Barnham Broom, Sprowston, Garvestone, Cringleford and Honingham. You are not tied to one location. ### Class length 60 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Arrive ten minutes before 5:30pm to get settled before class begins. - 2The door is on the right as you face the hall from the car park. - 3Cushions and straps are provided. Bring your own mat if you have one; if you do not have a mat yet, let Ania know before your first session and she will bring one for you. - 4Tell Ania before class if there is anything your body is working with. She will offer modifications from the first pose. - 5The 5pm Meditation class runs in the same hall directly before yoga and can be added to your booking for £1. Many students find it a natural way to settle in before the physical practice. The venue ## Barnham Broom Village Hall ### Address Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4BU ### Parking Free parking on site. The Village Hall has space for around 20 cars directly outside. ### Accessibility Single-storey with level access and accessible toilet. - Barnham Broom Village Hall Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4BU Open in Google Maps About Hatha Yoga ## What the practice involves Hatha Yoga at Blossom Yoga is a careful, traditional practice: classical postures held long enough to settle the body and quiet the mind, sequenced with breath work, and taught with individual attention. Classes build strength and flexibility gradually and suit beginners alongside experienced students. The pace is unhurried, the room is warm, and nothing is competitive. This is yoga for everyday bodies, taught in Norwich and surrounding villages since 2014. ### Students typically find it helps with - Builds strength and mobility gradually, without strain - Improves posture and eases long-standing back and neck tension - Steadies the nervous system through long-held poses and slow breath - Supports joint health, balance and bone density in midlife and beyond - Develops a calmer, more focused attention you can take into daily life - Creates a regular, sustainable rhythm of self-care Read more about Hatha Yoga More at Barnham Broom Student voices ## Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom "Soulful Yoga & Social at The Painted Barn is a wonderful morning. The barn itself is beautiful, the yoga is slow and nourishing, and the tea and cake afterwards give you a chance to sit and actually talk. I leave feeling calm, stretched and connected. Highly recommended."Moyna C. March 2026 FAQs ## Hatha Yoga at Barnham Broom ### When does the class run? Mondays, 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Early enough that you have a full evening afterwards, late enough that the drive out through Colton has already started to slow you down. ### What is the best route from Norwich? From the ring road, head out along the Watton Road, through Colton and Bawburgh, then right at Barnham Broom. About 20 minutes door to door from most of Norwich, a little longer at school pick-up time. ### Is there a Meditation class at the same venue? Yes. A Meditation class runs in the same hall on Monday evenings, starting at 5pm, directly before Hatha Yoga. Many students do both. You can book them separately, or add the meditation to your Hatha Yoga booking for £1. Nearby ## Other options close by Meditation ### Meditation in Barnham Broom The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm at the Village Hall (just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) · Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm at The Painted Barn See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Cringleford Cringleford Pavilion Thursdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Garvestone Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am See details → ## Ready to try Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Barnham Broom --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/barnham-broom/meditation/ # Meditation in Barnham Broom At: The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall When: Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm at the Village Hall (just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) · Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm at The Painted Barn Book this class First-visit info Meditation at Barnham Broom runs in two formats, both led by James, and both open to complete beginners and long-term meditators alike. The weekly Monday class at Barnham Broom Village Hall is short and practice-led: 25 minutes at 5pm. It is slotted in deliberately just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class so you can roll straight from one into the other for a full evening of practice, or take just the meditation and head home. Sit on a cushion or a chair, whichever keeps your spine comfortably upright. Candles, the heating on, a quiet warm room. You sit, you are briefly oriented and the technique is explained for newcomers and as a recap, and then you practise. There is time for a short question or comment at the end. The monthly Meditation Workshop at The Painted Barn (Saturdays, 1:30pm) takes a different approach: an hour given over to unpacking a single technique properly. The why behind it, the posture and breath that support it, the common pitfalls. You then practise it together. Afterwards there is plenty of time to discuss as a group or in private, and the session closes over tea in the cafe, bringing the stillness into daily life, in community. The two formats work as a pair: the workshop teaches, the weekly class is where you put the work in. Either suits beginners or long-term meditators; many students come to both. The traditions drawn on across both are classical yogic: breath awareness, japa, mantra, trataka, inner-body attention. All taught practically, with just a touch of mysticism and a generous dose of inspiration. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm at the Village Hall (just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) · Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm at The Painted Barn ### Pricing Weekly class: £2 drop-in. Monthly workshop: flat £10 (no block passes or combined-class discount). Many students stay on for the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class that follows the weekly meditation in the same hall. ### Class length Weekly class 25 minutes · Monthly workshop 60 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Arrive 15 minutes before the start; the room will be set and settling in before you begin matters. - 2Sit however you can keep an erect spine: cushions on the floor or an upright chair both work. That’s the only posture rule that really matters. - 3No experience needed and no “right way” to feel. If you fall asleep, it just means you lost concentration; it has happened to all of us. - 4You can ask questions at the end; you don’t have to. The venue ## The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall ### Address Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4BU ### Parking Free parking on site at both venues. The Painted Barn has a generous gravel courtyard; the Village Hall has space for around 20 cars directly outside. ### Accessibility The Painted Barn has level access to the main practice space and toilet. The Village Hall is single-storey with level access and accessible toilet. ### A local tip If you can, do the meditation and stay on for the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga: the meditation lands the body into the practice that follows in a way that’s hard to manufacture. - Barnham Broom Village Hall Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4BU Open in Google Maps About Meditation ## What the practice involves Meditation at Blossom Yoga is taught the way a skill is taught: practically, patiently, and with clear instruction. There are two complementary offerings: a weekly 25-minute practice-led class on Mondays at 5pm at Barnham Broom Village Hall (slotted in before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class so it’s easy to pair the two), and a monthly hour-long Meditation Workshop at The Painted Barn, where a single technique is unpacked properly before you practise it together. Both are led by James, draw on traditional yogic techniques, and suit complete beginners as readily as long-term meditators. ### Students typically find it helps with - Reduces baseline anxiety and reactivity - Improves sleep, particularly sleep latency and early waking - Builds focus, clarity and a calmer relationship with thought - Eases physical tension through deep nervous-system rest - Supports grief, major life transitions and emotional overwhelm - Creates a portable practice you can take into the rest of your life Read more about Meditation More at Barnham Broom FAQs ## Meditation at Barnham Broom ### Is this religious? No. The techniques come from yogic tradition, but no belief is required. James teaches meditation as a skill. ### Will it work for me if my mind is very busy? Yes: a busy mind is the starting condition for nearly everyone. You don’t need a quiet mind to begin; you need a willingness to notice. That’s the practice. ### Should I come to the weekly class, the monthly workshop, or both? Both, ideally: they’re designed to feed each other. The workshop gives you proper teaching on a technique; the weekly class is where you actually practise it, week after week. But either one works on its own if that’s what your week allows. ### How often should I come? Weekly attendance builds a real practice within a couple of months. Fortnightly still works. You’ll get more out of it if you do even five minutes of practice at home on the days in between; James will give you a simple way to start. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am See details → Yoga ### Soulful Yoga & Social in Barnham Broom The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom Tuesdays 11:30am – 12:30pm + social · Wednesdays 2:00pm – 3:00pm + social See details → ## Ready to try Meditation in Barnham Broom? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Barnham Broom --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/barnham-broom/soulful-yoga-and-social/ # Soulful Yoga & Social in Barnham Broom At: The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom When: Tuesdays 11:30am – 12:30pm + social · Wednesdays 2:00pm – 3:00pm + social Book this class First-visit info Soulful Yoga & Social is held at The Painted Barn on the edge of Barnham Broom: not the Village Hall but a separate, beautifully-converted barn about five minutes away on Honingham Road (NR9 4DB). The setting changes the class: high rafters, big windows that throw long light across the room, warm wood with underfloor heating, and The Painted Barn’s café where the social continues after practice. An hour of slow, nourishing yoga is followed by open-ended time in the café: no awkward introductions, no pressure to stay, and in practice most students stay for at least a cup of tea and many for considerably longer. This class is particularly beloved by women in their 50s, 60s and 70s across the villages between Wymondham and Dereham, and for anyone newly moved to the area, it is one of the fastest ways into a real community. Parking is free on the gravel courtyard outside. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Tuesdays 11:30am – 12:30pm + social · Wednesdays 2:00pm – 3:00pm + social ### Pricing £11 drop-in / £55 for a block of 6. Passes work across all in-person venues. ### Class length 60 min yoga + up to 60 min social Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Park in the gravel courtyard directly in front of the barn. - 2Arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the class; the barn will be warm and ready. - 3You’re welcome to leave straight after class if your morning requires, or to stay on in the café for as long as you like. The venue ## The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom ### Address Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4DB ### Parking Free parking on the gravel courtyard directly in front of the barn. ### Accessibility Level access from the car park to the main practice space and accessible toilet. - The Painted Barn Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4DB Open in Google Maps About Soulful Yoga & Social ## What the practice involves Soulful Yoga & Social pairs a slow, nourishing practice with time to linger afterwards over tea, cake and unhurried conversation. Held at The Painted Barn in Barnham Broom, this is yoga held inside community: a chance to move gently, breathe well, and then sit at a long table with people who are becoming friends. Ideal for those who want the benefits of yoga and the warmth of belonging in one morning. ### Students typically find it helps with - Regular movement that supports long-term mobility and strength - Genuine belonging, an antidote to the loneliness that often arrives with midlife and retirement - Nervous system regulation through slow yoga and warm human company - A beautiful afternoon out in the Norfolk countryside - A reliable rhythm for self-care: something in the diary that actually happens Read more about Soulful Yoga & Social More at Barnham Broom Student voices ## Soulful Yoga & Social in Barnham Broom "Soulful Yoga & Social at The Painted Barn is a wonderful morning. The barn itself is beautiful, the yoga is slow and nourishing, and the tea and cake afterwards give you a chance to sit and actually talk. I leave feeling calm, stretched and connected. Highly recommended."Moyna C. March 2026 FAQs ## Soulful Yoga & Social at Barnham Broom ### I’m not good at small talk. Will I feel awkward? No. The group looks out for new people and the atmosphere is warmly unforced. Many regulars were apprehensive first-timers; none have left. ### Can I bring a friend? Of course. Bring anyone who would enjoy it. The booking system lets you add more than one person to a booking in one go, so there is no need to book separately. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am See details → Meditation ### Meditation in Barnham Broom The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm at the Village Hall (just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) · Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm at The Painted Barn See details → ## Ready to try Soulful Yoga & Social in Barnham Broom? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Barnham Broom --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/barnham-broom/therapeutic-yoga/ # Therapeutic Yoga in Barnham Broom At: Barnham Broom Village Hall When: Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am Book this class First-visit info Therapeutic Yoga at Barnham Broom Village Hall runs on Friday mornings as the strongest class of its kind on the schedule. At 75 minutes it is longer than the standard Hatha class, and the extra time is used deliberately: poses are held until the body actually responds, pranayama and supported savasana are built in towards the end, and there is room for individual adjustments that a shorter class simply cannot accommodate. The group is small, eight to twelve students, and notably committed. Most attend at least one other Blossom class during the week, which means the Friday session can go deeper. Ania can give genuinely individual guidance: a different variation for one student, a prop suggestion for another, a hands-on adjustment where it helps. Real, tangible progress is the norm here rather than the exception. Students bring their own mats; cushions and straps are there to take if useful. The class is not designed around injury, but it is fully accessible to those working with one. Ania sends a health questionnaire before your first session so nothing catches either of you off guard. Students come in from Barnham Broom, Kimberley, Wymondham, Honingham, Mattishall and Norwich. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am ### Pricing £11 drop-in / £55 for a block of 6. If you are working through an injury or long illness, speak to Ania: a short block of one-to-one sessions before joining the class can make the transition much easier. ### Class length 75 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Arrive from 9:45am; the hall will be warm and Ania will be there to welcome you. - 2Bring your own mat. Cushions and straps are available; take whatever is useful. - 3Ania sends a health questionnaire before your first session. Fill it in honestly; it helps her plan your first class. - 4Pack an extra layer for the pranayama and savasana at the end. The body cools quickly in stillness. The venue ## Barnham Broom Village Hall ### Address Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4BU ### Parking Free parking on site. The Village Hall has space for around 20 cars directly outside. ### Accessibility Single-storey with level access and accessible toilet. Warm, well-lit and welcoming. ### A local tip Every now and then the group heads over to The Painted Barn café together after class. It is five minutes up the road, and the kind of easy, unhurried catch-up that tends to happen when the same people have been practising together for a while. - Barnham Broom Village Hall Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4BU Open in Google Maps About Therapeutic Yoga ## What the practice involves Therapeutic Yoga is a longer, smaller-group practice built around careful, unhurried movement. At 75 minutes it gives time that a standard class cannot: poses held until the body responds, individual variations offered to each student, and pranayama or a supported savasana at the close. Classes are kept to eight to twelve students so Ania can watch closely and adjust. The practice is fully accessible to those working with injuries or health conditions, but it suits anyone who wants depth, individual attention and real progress over time. ### Students typically find it helps with - Improves mobility without loading injured or painful areas - Rebuilds strength after surgery, illness or extended rest - Regulates the nervous system: eases anxiety, improves sleep - Supports women through menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and joint ache - Softens long-standing back, neck and shoulder tension - Restores confidence in movement Read more about Therapeutic Yoga More at Barnham Broom FAQs ## Therapeutic Yoga at Barnham Broom ### When does the class run? Fridays, 10:00am to 11:15am. The school-run traffic has cleared and the hall is properly settled by then. ### Do I need an injury or health condition to join? Not at all. The class suits anyone who wants a longer, more considered practice with genuine individual attention. It is fully accessible to those working with injuries or health conditions, but many students simply come because they prefer what a 75-minute, small-group class allows: time to settle, time to progress, time to be seen. ### How does this differ from the Monday Hatha Yoga at the same venue? Same hall, longer class: 75 minutes rather than 60. Therapeutic runs in a smaller group of eight to twelve, which means more time for individual guidance and tailored variations. Many students attend both in the same week. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Honingham Honingham Village Hall Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Meditation ### Meditation in Barnham Broom The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm at the Village Hall (just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) · Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm at The Painted Barn See details → ## Ready to try Therapeutic Yoga in Barnham Broom? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Barnham Broom --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/barnham-broom/womens-circle/ # Women’s Circle in Barnham Broom At: The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom When: Once a month on a Friday evening, 7pm–8.30pm Book this class First-visit info The Women’s Circle at The Painted Barn is held once a month on a Friday evening, in one of the most genuinely suited spaces Ania could have chosen: high rafters, warm low light, cushions and blankets laid out across the floor, candles on every surface. Each circle begins with a short settling meditation to help you arrive fully, followed by an opportunity to share in a safe and non-judgmental environment. There is no pressure to speak; you are always welcome to simply listen and receive. We explore the practice of holding space for one another with presence, compassion, and respect, allowing each woman to be seen and heard just as she is. The circle continues with a guided heart meditation, helping you soften, open, and reconnect with your inner quiet. There may also be additional practices or reflections to deepen the experience, depending on the energy of the group. Light snacks close the evening gently. Many circle regulars have been coming for months or years; most newcomers are apprehensive in the car park and at ease within the first ten minutes. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Once a month on a Friday evening, 7pm–8.30pm ### Pricing £10 per circle. Places are limited and fill quickly; get in touch to be added to the list. ### Class length 90 mins, once a month on a Friday evening Book this class ## Your first visit - 1The barn is on Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4DB. Use The Painted Barn as your sat-nav destination. - 2Arrive a few minutes before the circle begins. Tea is out and you are welcome to sit quietly until we start. - 3Wear something warm and soft you can sit comfortably in. - 4You will not be pushed to speak. Passing is an honoured, silent option. - 5Leave quietly when the evening ends: no group photos, no social media posts, nothing shared outside the room. The venue ## The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom ### Address Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich, NR9 4DB ### Parking Free parking on the gravel courtyard directly in front of the barn. ### Accessibility Level access from the car park to the main practice space and accessible toilet. - The Painted Barn Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4DB Open in Google Maps About Women’s Circle ## What the practice involves A monthly gathering for women held at The Painted Barn in Barnham Broom. Each circle opens with a settling meditation, moves into shared space at your own pace, and closes with a guided heart meditation and light snacks. No pressure to speak; you are always welcome to simply listen and receive. ### Students typically find it helps with - A rare, honoured space in which to speak and be heard without interruption - Deep nervous-system rest and reduced baseline anxiety - A sense of being known in a small community of women - Processing of transitions, grief, midlife, motherhood, menopause - A monthly anchor in an otherwise overwhelming calendar Read more about Women’s Circle More at Barnham Broom FAQs ## Women’s Circle at Barnham Broom ### How often do circles happen and how do I book? Once a month on a Friday evening, dates announced on the website and to the newsletter. Places fill quickly, so the mailing list is the most reliable way to hear first. ### I’m dealing with significant grief. Is the circle a good space? Often yes, but the circle is not therapy and is not suitable as a sole support. If you are in acute grief, talk to Ania before booking so she can think with you about whether this is the right thing at the right moment. ### Can men attend? No. The circle is women-only by design. For mixed-gender reflective space, the Monday meditation class or a Meditation Workshop is a good alternative. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am See details → Meditation ### Meditation in Barnham Broom The Painted Barn & Barnham Broom Village Hall Weekly class: Mondays 5:00pm – 5:25pm at the Village Hall (just before the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga) · Monthly workshop: Saturdays 1:30pm at The Painted Barn See details → ## Ready to try Women’s Circle in Barnham Broom? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Barnham Broom --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/cringleford/hatha-yoga/ # Hatha Yoga in Cringleford At: Cringleford Pavilion When: Thursdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm Regulars: Book this class Join the waiting list Hatha Yoga at The Pavilion at Cringleford Recreation Ground is one of the two closest in-person Blossom Yoga venues to Norwich: five to ten minutes from most of south and west Norwich, with a modern hall, good heating and free parking directly outside. The Thursday evening class has become a settled community of Norwich residents, UEA staff, and the surrounding streets: Eaton, Costessey, Keswick, Unthank, Newmarket Road. The class is classical Hatha: careful warm-up, held standing and seated poses, long supported rest at the close. What distinguishes Cringleford is the character of the group. There is a roughly equal balance of men and women, spanning their 30s to their 70s, and most have been coming for years. It is the strongest class on the schedule: a committed, long-standing group who have improved together and who genuinely enjoy a strong, challenging practice. Ania teaches to that level. The class is limited to sixteen students and is currently full, with a waiting list. To join the waiting list, contact Ania directly. If you would rather not wait, the Tuesday evening class at Sprowston Diamond Centre is the same classical Hatha with Ania and there is room in it, on the north-east side of the city. When a place becomes free at Cringleford, first visits are easy: parking is never a stress and the group is welcoming without fuss. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Thursdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm ### Pricing £10 drop-in / £50 for a block of 6. Passes work across all in-person venues, so Cringleford regulars often drop in at Barnham Broom or Sprowston during the week when their schedule shifts. ### Class length 60 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Drive to the bottom of Oakfields Road; the entrance to the Recreation Ground is there. The Pavilion is straight ahead with parking in front. - 2Arrive from 6:15pm; the room is laid out and you can settle before class. - 3Mats and props are laid out; bring your own mat if you prefer. The venue ## Cringleford Pavilion ### Address Recreation Ground, Oakfields Road, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 6XF ### Parking Free on-site parking at the Pavilion. Plenty of space; parking is never an issue. ### Accessibility Single-storey building with level access from the car park and accessible toilet. - Cringleford Pavilion Recreation Ground, Oakfields Road, Cringleford, Norwich NR4 6XF Open in Google Maps About Hatha Yoga ## What the practice involves Hatha Yoga at Blossom Yoga is a careful, traditional practice: classical postures held long enough to settle the body and quiet the mind, sequenced with breath work, and taught with individual attention. Classes build strength and flexibility gradually and suit beginners alongside experienced students. The pace is unhurried, the room is warm, and nothing is competitive. This is yoga for everyday bodies, taught in Norwich and surrounding villages since 2014. ### Students typically find it helps with - Builds strength and mobility gradually, without strain - Improves posture and eases long-standing back and neck tension - Steadies the nervous system through long-held poses and slow breath - Supports joint health, balance and bone density in midlife and beyond - Develops a calmer, more focused attention you can take into daily life - Creates a regular, sustainable rhythm of self-care Read more about Hatha Yoga More at Cringleford FAQs ## Hatha Yoga at Cringleford ### When does the class run? Thursdays, 6:30pm to 7:30pm: late enough that the school run and rush hour have cleared, early enough to leave the rest of the evening to settle. ### Is there a waiting list? Yes. The Thursday class is currently at capacity with sixteen students. Contact Ania to join the waiting list; places become free as schedules change and she will let you know as soon as one does. If you would rather start straight away, the Tuesday evening class at Sprowston Diamond Centre has room. It is the same classical Hatha taught by Ania, on the north-east side of Norwich, with free parking and level access throughout. ### I live in Eaton, Unthank or the Newmarket Road area. How long is the drive? Typically 5 to 10 minutes. Often shorter than any route to a city-centre studio, and you don’t pay for parking. ### Can I cycle from UEA? Yes: it’s a short ride from campus. There is safe bike parking near the Pavilion entrance. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Sprowston Sprowston Diamond Centre Tuesdays 5:40pm – 6:40pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Garvestone Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am See details → ## Ready to try Hatha Yoga in Cringleford? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Cringleford --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/garvestone/hatha-yoga/ # Hatha Yoga in Garvestone At: Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall When: Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am Book this class First-visit info Hatha Yoga at Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall is the middle-of-Norfolk morning class, the one that serves the wide belt of villages between Mattishall, Wymondham and Dereham where Norwich is a thirty-minute drive and the city studios are never quite worth the trek. The hall sits just off the Dereham Road, a simple, well-kept Norfolk building with one of the best sprung floors in the venue list. Thursday mornings run quietly in this stretch of Norfolk: school traffic has cleared by 10am, the lane outside the hall is empty, and the inside of the class has an unusually settled atmosphere. Students come from Garvestone itself, from Reymerston, Thuxton, Mattishall, Hingham, Whinburgh, and the edges of Dereham. The community here has the warmest local character of any of my classes: the students know each other from the village shops, the local schools, the churches, the gardens, and the Thursday morning becomes a gentle social anchor as well as a good class. Free parking directly beside the hall, heating on before Ania arrives, and Ania teaches the full Hatha sequence adjusted to the range of bodies in the room. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am ### Pricing £10 drop-in / £50 for a block of 6. Passes work across all in-person venues. ### Class length 60 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1The hall is on Dereham Road, clearly signposted. Large gravel car park directly beside. - 2Heating comes on at 9:30am; the room is warm by 10am. - 3Mats and full props laid out. Blankets available for savasana. - 4Post-class chat often lingers in the car park for ten minutes; stay as long or short as you like. - 5From Dereham, the drive is about five minutes; from Norwich, about thirty. The venue ## Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall ### Address Dereham Road, Garvestone, Norwich, NR9 4AD, NR9 4AD ### Parking Free on-site parking in a generous gravel car park directly beside the hall. Easy in and easy out. ### Accessibility Single-storey hall with level access from the car park. Accessible toilet on site. Warm, bright practice space. - Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Dereham Road, Garvestone, Norwich NR9 4AD Open in Google Maps About Hatha Yoga ## What the practice involves Hatha Yoga at Blossom Yoga is a careful, traditional practice: classical postures held long enough to settle the body and quiet the mind, sequenced with breath work, and taught with individual attention. Classes build strength and flexibility gradually and suit beginners alongside experienced students. The pace is unhurried, the room is warm, and nothing is competitive. This is yoga for everyday bodies, taught in Norwich and surrounding villages since 2014. ### Students typically find it helps with - Builds strength and mobility gradually, without strain - Improves posture and eases long-standing back and neck tension - Steadies the nervous system through long-held poses and slow breath - Supports joint health, balance and bone density in midlife and beyond - Develops a calmer, more focused attention you can take into daily life - Creates a regular, sustainable rhythm of self-care Read more about Hatha Yoga More at Garvestone FAQs ## Hatha Yoga at Garvestone ### When does the class run? Thursdays, 10:00am to 11:00am, by which time the school run has cleared and the lane outside the hall is properly quiet. ### I live in Dereham. Is this much nearer than driving to Norwich? Significantly: five minutes versus thirty. If you’re west of Wymondham, Garvestone is almost certainly your nearest Blossom Yoga class. ### Do you run any other services here? Currently just the Thursday Hatha Yoga class. For Therapeutic, Meditation, Women’s Circle or therapies, the Barnham Broom and Honingham venues apply; both are within twenty minutes of Garvestone. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Cringleford Cringleford Pavilion Thursdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Sprowston Sprowston Diamond Centre Tuesdays 5:40pm – 6:40pm See details → ## Ready to try Hatha Yoga in Garvestone? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Garvestone --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/honingham/clinical-massage/ # Clinical Massage in Honingham At: ProActive Therapies When: By appointment, Mondays and Fridays Book this treatment First-visit info Clinical Massage at ProActive Therapies in Honingham is the more targeted, assessment-based counterpart to the restorative Blossom Signature Massage, held in the same warm private treatment room but with a different purpose. It also weaves in gentle craniosacral therapy where your nervous system needs settling rather than direct work. The first session begins with a full intake: what hurts, when, what you’ve tried, what you do day to day. A short movement assessment follows, then focused bodywork combining myofascial release, trigger-point work and targeted soft-tissue technique. The work suits long-standing issues that haven’t resolved with general massage or physio alone: chronic lower back pain, stubborn neck and shoulder tension, frozen shoulder, runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, recovery from accident or surgery. Because the clinic houses osteopaths, sports therapists and acupuncturists, complex cases can be coordinated easily across practitioners. Students come in from Norwich and the western villages, and increasingly from further afield for specific clinical work. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs By appointment, Mondays and Fridays ### Pricing £60 per hour ### Treatment length 60 minutes Book this treatment ## Your first visit - 1Make sure you fill in the health questionnaire that will be emailed before the appointment. - 2Wear or bring loose shorts and a strappy top for the movement assessment. - 3Pressure is negotiated; speak up if it’s too much or too little. - 4Most issues need 3–6 sessions over a few weeks for lasting change. The venue ## ProActive Therapies ### Address George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich, NR9 5AP ### Parking Free on-site client parking at ProActive Therapies. ### Accessibility Level access to all treatment rooms. Accessible to clients with reduced mobility. - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps About Clinical Massage ## What the practice involves Clinical Massage is a hands-on, targeted treatment for aches, pains and long-held tension, with Ania Chard at ProActive Therapies in Honingham. It draws on techniques from clinical and sports massage alongside the subtle, listening work of craniosacral therapy, matched to what your body needs on the day: firmer and more structured where there is a specific issue to work through, quieter and stiller where the nervous system needs settling. A good fit for chronic neck and shoulder tension, tension headaches, lower back pain, recovery from injury or surgery, and the restriction that builds from repetitive movement, driving or sport. 60 minutes. ### Students typically find it helps with - Eases muscular tension and desk-related stiffness through hands-on work - Settles the nervous system and supports deep rest through craniosacral technique - Supports recovery from injury, surgery, or a demanding stretch of life - Addresses specific pain or restriction as well as general tension - Adapts to what your body needs that day, rather than a fixed formula Read more about Clinical Massage More at Honingham Client voices ## Clinical Massage in Honingham "I had neck and shoulder pain from years at a desk and had tried everything. Ania found tension I didn't know was there and worked through it methodically over four sessions. The difference in how I feel at the end of a working day is significant. I wish I had come sooner."Helen W. March 2025 "Had a frozen shoulder for about eight months. Physio helped but there was still this wall of tightness that wouldn't shift. Four sessions with Ania and I can reach the top shelf again. She works slowly and precisely and actually explains what she's doing, which I appreciated."Mark R. January 2025 "I was sceptical, and said so. Ania listened, explained nothing more than she needed to, and let the session speak for itself. I left feeling untangled in a way I couldn’t quite name. The persistent headaches I’d written off as just how I am have mostly gone."Jo H. February 2026 "I found Ania after surgery when nothing was quite settling back into place. The work is incredibly gentle, which surprised me. After each session there is a stillness that lasts a few days. I didn’t expect bodywork to feel like this."Sarah K. August 2025 FAQs ## Clinical Massage at Honingham ### How is this different from physio? Complementary rather than overlapping. Physio focuses on diagnosis, rehabilitation exercises and progressive loading; Clinical Massage releases restricted tissue and settles nervous-system guarding around injury. Many clients do both; results are usually better than either alone. ### Is it covered by health insurance? Some providers cover it with a GP or physio referral; check your policy. I provide invoices suitable for claims. ### What if my issue is outside your scope? ProActive houses osteopaths and sports therapists; Ania will refer you to whoever in the building is the best fit if her work isn’t. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Honingham Honingham Village Hall Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am See details → Yoga ### One-to-One in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, weekday mornings and afternoons See details → Therapy ### Signature Massage in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, Mondays and Fridays See details → ## Ready to try Clinical Massage in Honingham? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this treatment All classes at Honingham --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/honingham/one-to-one-yoga/ # One-to-One Yoga in Honingham At: ProActive Therapies When: By appointment, weekday mornings and afternoons Book this class First-visit info Private one-to-one yoga at Honingham is held in Ania’s dedicated room at George Smith House on Dereham Road, part of the ProActive Therapies clinic. It’s a calm, well-equipped space: private, unhurried, and set apart from the noise of a group class. Before your first session, Ania sends a health questionnaire so she already knows your history, your concerns and what you want to work on before you arrive. That means the session starts on the mat, not on a clipboard. From there, she builds a sequence fitted precisely to the body in front of her, explaining each choice as you move through it. You leave with that sequence written up, a short personal practice ready to use at home. Follow-up sessions (60 minutes) revisit, refine and add to what you’ve built. Because George Smith House is shared with osteopaths, sports therapists and other bodywork practitioners, it’s a particularly good setting for students with complex histories where coordinated care over time is helpful. Students travel in from Norwich, Costessey, Hellesdon, Mattishall, Earlham, Dereham, Wymondham, the Tuddenhams and Hockering, and from further afield for particular work. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs By appointment, weekday mornings and afternoons ### Pricing £60 per session (60 min) / £50 per session with a weekly commitment. ### Class length 60 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Park in the ProActive Therapies client car park, clearly signposted in the village. - 2Arrive 10 minutes early so you’re settled before you start. - 3Wear practice clothes: you’ll be moving, not just talking. - 4Bring notes on anything you’ve been diagnosed with, surgeries, medications, and injuries (even old ones). - 5The session ends with the practice written up for you. The venue ## ProActive Therapies ### Address George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich, NR9 5AP ### Parking Free on-site client parking at ProActive Therapies, clearly signposted in the village. ### Accessibility Level access to all treatment rooms. Accessible to clients with reduced mobility. - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps About One-to-One ## What the practice involves One-to-One Yoga is a private session built entirely around you, your history, your concerns, your goals and the body you have today. Sessions run in person at ProActive Therapies in Honingham or live online. They suit beginners who want a confident start, students with specific injuries or conditions, and experienced practitioners wanting to deepen particular aspects of their practice. ### Students typically find it helps with - Practice built precisely around your body, history and goals - Faster progress than group classes, every minute is relevant to you - Complete privacy, no competition, no catching up with the room - Detailed support for injuries, chronic pain, post-surgery recovery - Written sequence to take home and use between sessions - Sessions available both in person and online Read more about One-to-One More at Honingham FAQs ## One-to-One at Honingham ### Can I combine a one-to-one with a therapy session the same day? Yes, this is common. Students often book a one-to-one followed by a Clinical Massage. Talk to Ania if you’d like to do this. ### Is this better value than group classes? Different value. A one-to-one accelerates progress and addresses specifics a group can’t. Many students do a short block of one-to-ones to build a personal practice, then slot into group classes with much more confidence. Cost-per-hour is higher but time-to-benefit is shorter. ### What if I’m a complete beginner? Excellent: one-to-one is an ideal starting point. You’ll leave with a precise sequence fitted to your body and the vocabulary to step into any group class afterwards. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Honingham Honingham Village Hall Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am See details → Therapy ### Signature Massage in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, Mondays and Fridays See details → Therapy ### Clinical Massage in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, Mondays and Fridays See details → ## Ready to try One-to-One in Honingham? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Honingham --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/honingham/signature-massage/ # Blossom Signature Massage in Honingham At: ProActive Therapies When: By appointment, Mondays and Fridays Book this treatment First-visit info Blossom Signature Massage at ProActive Therapies in Honingham is a warm, unhurried, full-body treatment held in a private treatment room with underfloor heating and a heated couch. Rather than a fixed routine, Ania draws on classic Swedish and holistic massage and the long, flowing rhythms of Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, using high-quality unscented organic oil (scented available on request) and adjusting the pressure to whatever your body needs on the day. Sessions run 60 or 90 minutes, both generous and unhurried; most clients drift near sleep, and a few go fully under. For clients living in Norwich, Hellesdon, Costessey, Drayton, Taverham or the surrounding villages, this is the closest fully-private massage room with an experienced practitioner, and Lomi Lomi Nui in particular is rare to find anywhere in Norfolk. For clients who value being somewhere quiet rather than on a high street, Honingham has a distinct advantage over any city-centre option. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs By appointment, Mondays and Fridays ### Pricing £60 (60 minutes) / £90 (90 minutes) ### Treatment length 60 or 90 minutes Book this treatment ## Your first visit - 1Park in the ProActive client car park. - 2If you have strong scent sensitivity, mention it: I default to unscented. - 3Eat something light an hour or so before: not heavy, not empty. - 4Plan the rest of the afternoon gently. The venue ## ProActive Therapies ### Address George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich, NR9 5AP ### Parking Free on-site client parking at ProActive Therapies. ### Accessibility Level access to all treatment rooms. Accessible to clients with reduced mobility. - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps About Signature Massage ## What the practice involves Blossom Signature Massage is a warm, unhurried, restorative full-body treatment with Ania Chard, built from two decades of hands-on holistic practice. Rather than a fixed routine, Ania draws on classic Swedish and holistic massage and flowing Hawaiian Lomi Lomi technique, with the pressure adjusted to what you need on the day. High-quality unscented oil, a pace that is never hurried, and the kind of deep rest most people leave feeling they had been missing. Held at ProActive Therapies in Honingham, about fifteen minutes west of Norwich. 60 or 90 minutes. ### Students typically find it helps with - Eases long-held muscular tension and desk-related stiffness - Long, flowing strokes support circulation and a deep sense of release - Deep nervous-system rest, most people sleep beautifully that night - Supports recovery from physical effort or stressful weeks - Builds a sustainable, regular self-care rhythm Read more about Signature Massage More at Honingham Client voices ## Signature Massage in Honingham "I have been coming to Ania every month for nearly three years now. It is the thing I book before anything else, not a luxury, a necessity. She reads what you need without you having to say much and the room is always quiet and warm."Sarah B. March 2024 "Came in with a stiff neck and left without one. Booked again before I got home."Dave H. November 2019 "I booked the Lomi Lomi at a very low point. Something about the description felt right. I cried twice on the table and neither time did Ania make it awkward. It was one of the kindest hours I have spent. I have been back four times since."Clare W. September 2024 FAQs ## Signature Massage at Honingham ### Is this a deep-tissue massage? Medium pressure by default. If you want deeper work on specific areas, say so at the start and Ania will adjust; if what you’re after is more targeted, she may suggest a Clinical Massage session instead. ### Can I add extra time to my session? Yes. Choose the 30-minute upgrade at the time of booking and your session becomes a 90-minute treatment, with more time to work slowly and finish unhurried. ### Do you take couples? Not simultaneously: single treatment room. But you can book consecutive appointments for two people and swap over. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Honingham Honingham Village Hall Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am See details → Yoga ### One-to-One in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, weekday mornings and afternoons See details → Therapy ### Clinical Massage in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, Mondays and Fridays See details → ## Ready to try Signature Massage in Honingham? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this treatment All classes at Honingham --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/honingham/therapeutic-yoga/ # Therapeutic Yoga in Honingham At: Honingham Village Hall When: Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am Book this class First-visit info Therapeutic Yoga at Honingham Village Hall runs on a Monday morning in one of the quietest, most comfortable village halls I teach in. The sprung wooden floor is kind to knees and hips, the heating is on well before class starts, and the room is spacious enough that every student has an uncluttered mat space with a cushion and strap within reach. Because Honingham is also the home of the therapy clinic (ProActive Therapies is just down the road), students working through injury, post-surgical recovery or chronic pain often combine a class here with a one-to-one session or a Clinical Massage in the same morning. The class itself is a slower, more supported practice than the Hatha sessions: careful warm-ups, accessible variations, long restorative holds. And the group is small enough (eight to twelve) that Ania works individually with almost every student. It is particularly loved by older beginners, women working through menopausal symptoms, and anyone rebuilding after a tough run of health. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Mondays 9:30am – 10:45am ### Pricing £11 drop-in / £55 for a block of 6. If you’re combining with a therapy session at ProActive, mention it at booking for a modest combined rate. ### Class length 75 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Park in the hall car park, signposted off The Street. Free and generous. - 2Bring your own mat if you have one; Ania can lend a spare. Cushions and straps are provided. - 3Chair variations are always available: you can start entirely in a chair and add floor work as you feel ready. - 4The hall is quiet during class times; outside sounds are minimal. - 5If you’re booking a therapy session the same morning, allow 30 minutes between class end and treatment start. The venue ## Honingham Village Hall ### Address The Street, Honingham, Norwich, NR9 5BL ### Parking Free parking in the Village Hall car park, signposted off The Street. Generous and rarely busy for classes. ### Accessibility Honingham Village Hall is single-storey with level access, and is accessible to those with reduced mobility. - Honingham Village Hall The Street, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5BL Open in Google Maps About Therapeutic Yoga ## What the practice involves Therapeutic Yoga is a longer, smaller-group practice built around careful, unhurried movement. At 75 minutes it gives time that a standard class cannot: poses held until the body responds, individual variations offered to each student, and pranayama or a supported savasana at the close. Classes are kept to eight to twelve students so Ania can watch closely and adjust. The practice is fully accessible to those working with injuries or health conditions, but it suits anyone who wants depth, individual attention and real progress over time. ### Students typically find it helps with - Improves mobility without loading injured or painful areas - Rebuilds strength after surgery, illness or extended rest - Regulates the nervous system: eases anxiety, improves sleep - Supports women through menopausal symptoms including hot flushes and joint ache - Softens long-standing back, neck and shoulder tension - Restores confidence in movement Read more about Therapeutic Yoga More at Honingham FAQs ## Therapeutic Yoga at Honingham ### When does the class run? Mondays, 9:30am to 10:45am, early enough that students who want to combine with a Monday therapy appointment at ProActive can do so comfortably. ### How does this compare to the Friday Therapeutic class at Barnham Broom? Same teaching approach and pace. Different venue, different day, slightly different community feel: Barnham Broom tends to draw from the Wymondham/Dereham side of Norfolk; Honingham draws from Norwich and the closer villages. Both work equally well. ### Can I have a one-to-one therapy session after class? Yes, many students do. Book an 11:30am or later appointment at ProActive Therapies and you’ve got a clean half hour between the two. Get in touch and I’ll help you schedule. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Therapeutic Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Fridays 10:00am – 11:15am See details → Yoga ### One-to-One in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, weekday mornings and afternoons See details → Therapy ### Signature Massage in Honingham ProActive Therapies By appointment, Mondays and Fridays See details → ## Ready to try Therapeutic Yoga in Honingham? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Honingham --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/sprowston/hatha-yoga/ # Hatha Yoga in Sprowston At: Sprowston Diamond Centre When: Tuesdays 5:40pm – 6:40pm Book this class First-visit info Hatha Yoga at Sprowston Diamond Centre is the north-east Norwich class, the one that’s easiest to reach from Thorpe St Andrew, Old Catton, Rackheath, Spixworth and the NR7/NR6 postcodes. The Diamond Centre is a modern community building with wide corridors, accessible toilets and a spacious practice room called The School Room, with a suspended wooden floor. It’s one of the most comfortable venues I teach in. The Tuesday evening class has a slightly more mixed age profile than some of the other venues: retirees, men and women in their 40s through 60s, and a smaller handful of younger students, and the community here is warm and notably friendly. Parking is abundant and free. For anyone living in the north-east of Norwich who has been driving further west for classes, this is the obvious switch. For residents of Rackheath, Wroxham and Coltishall, it’s often easier than going into the city. The class itself is standard Blossom Yoga Hatha: careful sequencing, variations offered throughout, a long supported rest at the close, and an atmosphere that quietly makes the rest of the week better. There is room in this class. If you have been waiting for a place at Cringleford on a Thursday, you are very welcome to start here on a Tuesday instead. ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Tuesdays 5:40pm – 6:40pm ### Pricing £10 drop-in / £50 for a block of 6. Passes cross-usable at all in-person venues. ### Class length 60 minutes Book this class ## Your first visit - 1Use either of the two main entrances. The School Room is signposted from the entrance. - 2Generous parking, never an issue. - 3Arrive from 5:25pm: the room is laid out and the heating warm. The venue ## Sprowston Diamond Centre ### Address School Lane, Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8TR ### Parking Generous free parking on-site at the Diamond Centre, rarely even half full during class times. ### Accessibility Single-storey building with level access and accessible toilets. The class is held in The School Room, clearly signposted from the entrance. ### A local tip Mousehold Heath is five minutes from the Diamond Centre. In summer, a short walk up to St James’ Hill after class gives you a view over the cathedral and the city at dusk, one of the best views in Norwich, and essentially free. - Sprowston Diamond Centre School Lane, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8TR Open in Google Maps About Hatha Yoga ## What the practice involves Hatha Yoga at Blossom Yoga is a careful, traditional practice: classical postures held long enough to settle the body and quiet the mind, sequenced with breath work, and taught with individual attention. Classes build strength and flexibility gradually and suit beginners alongside experienced students. The pace is unhurried, the room is warm, and nothing is competitive. This is yoga for everyday bodies, taught in Norwich and surrounding villages since 2014. ### Students typically find it helps with - Builds strength and mobility gradually, without strain - Improves posture and eases long-standing back and neck tension - Steadies the nervous system through long-held poses and slow breath - Supports joint health, balance and bone density in midlife and beyond - Develops a calmer, more focused attention you can take into daily life - Creates a regular, sustainable rhythm of self-care Read more about Hatha Yoga More at Sprowston FAQs ## Hatha Yoga at Sprowston ### When does the class run? Tuesdays, 5:40pm to 6:40pm, early enough to leave you a proper evening and late enough that the after-work commute has cleared. ### Is this a good class for students with mobility needs? The venue is one of the most accessible I use: wide corridors and accessible toilets. The class itself has variations throughout; let Ania know specifics in advance. ### How does Sprowston compare to Cringleford? Sprowston is north-east, Cringleford is south-west. Pick by which side of Norwich you’re on. Both halls are modern and warm; both communities are welcoming. Nearby ## Other options close by Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Barnham Broom Barnham Broom Village Hall Mondays 5:30pm – 6:30pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Cringleford Cringleford Pavilion Thursdays 6:30pm – 7:30pm See details → Yoga ### Hatha Yoga in Garvestone Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am See details → ## Ready to try Hatha Yoga in Sprowston? First visit is unhurried. Send Ania a message and she’ll confirm the next class that works for you. Book this class All classes at Sprowston --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/areas/west-lexham/retreats/ # Retreats in West Lexham At: West Lexham Manor When: Saturdays, 9:30am – 5:30pm Join the waiting list First-visit info Retreat days at West Lexham Manor are the most deeply-loved events in the calendar. A Saturday given over to one place, one group and one thoughtfully-paced day, held in an extraordinary setting of walled gardens, ancient woodland and a spring-fed eco-pool. Arrival from 9:00am with tea in the garden. Ninety-minute morning yoga in the beautiful Orangery, our base for the day. A long, nourishing seasonal lunch at the refectory table, with time to swim in the pool or river and explore the grounds. Restorative yoga and guided meditation in the afternoon. Tea and snacks are provided through the day. Gentle goodbyes at 5:30. The venue does half the work before Ania speaks a word; the day does the rest. Places are limited to about 20 and dates fill quickly. Upcoming retreats ## Dates at West Lexham The next date has not been announced. Put your name down and Ania will let you know when it is. Join the waiting list See past retreat days → ## Schedule & pricing ### When it runs Saturdays, 9:30am – 5:30pm ### Pricing £100–£110 per retreat day (varies by date), includes lunch, refreshments, and all sessions. ### Class length Full day, approx. 9:30am – 5:30pm Join the waiting list ## Your first visit - 1Leave Norwich by 8:00am for a comfortable 9:00am arrival. The roads are rural but quick on a Saturday. - 2Bring swim things. The pool and river are both open for a swim during the day. - 3Layered clothing is important. The grounds are cooler than the practice room. The venue ## West Lexham Manor ### Address Lexham Road, West Lexham, King’s Lynn, PE32 2QN ### Parking Generous free on-site parking at the Manor, on gravel within the grounds. Plenty of space for retreat-day numbers. ### Accessibility The main practice space has level access. The wider gardens and woodland are gently undulating. ### A local tip Castle Acre is a lovely detour on the way in or back: priory ruins, village green, a good pub. If you’re driving from Norwich via the A47, you can come in via Swaffham and out via Castle Acre to make a proper day of it. - West Lexham Wellness & Retreat Centre Lexham Road, West Lexham, King’s Lynn PE32 2QN The Orangery, where the day is spent, is a short walk from the car park. Also marked: Overflow car park, Cafe, Swimming Pool, Toilet and shower block, Private Residence. Open in Google Maps About Retreats ## What the practice involves Blossom Yoga retreats are day-long retreats held at West Lexham Manor, one of Norfolk’s most beautiful settings. Each day combines two yoga sessions, meditation, a nourishing lunch and time to rest. It asks something of you, and you are supported the whole way. Most people go home tired in a good way. Retreats run about twice a year and fill quickly. ### Students typically find it helps with - A whole day set aside for yourself, with proper rest between the practices - Longer yoga practice than a weekly class allows - Beautiful venues chosen for their quiet and their hospitality - Excellent seasonal food, no paleo, no juice fast, just good cooking - Real silence and real space in your week for once - Often the beginning of meaningful friendships between participants Read more about Retreats More at West Lexham Student voices ## Retreats in West Lexham "The venue was stunning. My first ever yoga retreat, and I’ve only been a yogi for 18 months. Ania and James, what can I say? A wonderful warm welcome with thoughtfully provided teas, coffees and snacks. A beautifully balanced day of yoga, friendship, meditation, love, learning and enlightenment. Included was a wonderful lunch and time to explore the amazing surroundings. A closing circle brought the day to fruition. I went home refreshed, calmed, peaceful and happy as well as very tired. I’ll be back."Diane C. June 2026 "It was a truly idyllic day, so peaceful, calming and restorative. I felt truly blessed. Very calm and relaxed, spending the day with Ania and James and so many lovely people. Can’t wait for the next time."Blackcat Funchal June 2026 "A day at West Lexham with Ania was exactly the pause I needed. Good food, good movement, quiet woods, and enough space in the day to actually think. I’m booking the next one already."Frances W. September 2024 FAQs ## Retreats at West Lexham ### Can I stay overnight at the Manor? Sometimes: West Lexham has its own accommodation. Get in touch early if you’d like to check availability for your chosen date. ### I’ve only done one or two yoga classes. Is a retreat day too advanced? The retreat day is paced for range, with beginners welcomed and props and variations throughout. If you’re new, tell me at booking and I’ll make sure you feel at ease in both sessions. ### What’s the food like? Seasonal, generous, mostly plant-based with good protein. Real cooking, no wellness-industrial-complex nonsense. Dietary requirements are taken seriously when you book. ## Ready to join a retreat at West Lexham? New retreat dates are announced about twice a year. Join the waiting list and Ania will let you know as soon as the next date is confirmed. Join the waiting list All retreats --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/ # Thoughts from the mat. Essays on yoga, bodywork, women’s wellbeing and the slow kind of change. Written by Ania when she has something she can’t teach in class but wants you to have. FilterAll (15) Meditation (3) Retreats (2) Study (1) Therapy (3) Weight loss (1) Wellbeing (1) Women (2) Yoga (2) Meditation ## Tapas, the Heat Behind a Steady Practice: Notes from the October Meditation Workshop Tapas, the third niyama, and why a committed practice builds willpower as well as insight; Trataka and the navel centre. Notes from October's workshop. James Chard·17 October 2026 Retreats ## Rooted and Radiant: The Sun, the Moon and a Day at West Lexham Notes from our September retreat day at West Lexham: the real meaning of Hatha, solar and lunar energy at each chakra, a swim in the river, and meditation for rooting and radiance. Ania Chard·27 September 2026 Therapy ## What Is Lomi Lomi Nui? The Hawaiian Massage, Explained A plain guide to Lomi Lomi Nui, the traditional Hawaiian massage: what it is, how it feels, what it helps with, and what to expect. Offered near Norwich, in Honingham. Ania Chard·5 September 2026 Therapy ## Craniosacral Therapy or Massage: Which Is Right for Me? The difference between craniosacral therapy and massage, how each one feels, which suits which problem, and whether you can have both. From a therapist near Norwich. Ania Chard·29 August 2026 Yoga ## Can Yoga Help Lower Back Pain? An Honest Answer Whether yoga helps lower back pain, which kinds it suits, the poses that help, and when to see someone else first. From a Norfolk yoga teacher. Ania Chard·22 August 2026 Study ## The Root: a quiet home for the notes from your practice The Root is Blossom Yoga's private members' space: your class, workshop and retreat notes, gathered and kept for you. What it is and how it came about. James Chard·27 July 2026 Meditation ## Capturing the Uncaught Mind: Notes from the July Meditation Workshop Talasana and the body's energy field, maha yoga pranayama, and a Tibetan technique for witnessing rather than concentrating. Notes from July's workshop. James Chard·18 July 2026 Retreats ## Chakras and Sunshine: A Day at West Lexham Notes from our June retreat day at West Lexham: grapevines, natural swimming, live music meditation, and a whole day built around the chakras. Ania Chard·21 June 2026 Yoga ## Sitali Pranayama: The Cooling Breath for Warm Days One of the classical pranayamas from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Sitali cools the body and calms the mind: useful on a warm day, essential to understand properly. Ania Chard·19 June 2026 Meditation ## What Meditation Actually Is: Notes from the First Monthly Workshop Patanjali's map, the complete yogic breath, and an earplug experiment: notes from the first monthly meditation workshop at The Painted Barn. James Chard·20 May 2026 Women ## Yoga for Menopause: A Kinder Practice for the Years of Change How a steady yoga practice supports sleep, mood, joints and hormonal shifts through perimenopause and menopause, and what a class in Norwich is like. Ania Chard·18 March 2026 Women ## Women's Circle: What Actually Happens in the Room An honest look at what a Women's Circle evening at Blossom Yoga involves: who comes, what happens, and why the simplest gatherings are often the most useful. Ania Chard·22 February 2026 Therapy ## Returning to Yoga After Injury: How to Start Again Kindly Coming back to yoga after injury, illness, surgery or a long gap: what to tell your teacher, how to pace yourself, and which classes are kindest. Ania Chard·14 January 2026 Wellbeing ## Yoga for Stress and Anxiety Why we're addicted to busy, why most relaxation doesn't reach the people who need it most, and how a slow Hatha practice can teach the nervous system to settle. Ania Chard·30 November 2019 Weight loss ## Yoga for Weight Loss Lasting weight change isn't a diet or a boot camp. It's a quieter shift in how you live in your body. Ania on chakras, embodiment and 20 years of practice. Ania Chard·26 October 2019 No posts in this topic yet; try another filter. ## Practice is the real essay Reading helps. Practising helps more. Come to a class when you’re ready. Find a class Get in touch --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/capturing-the-uncaught-mind/ # Capturing the Uncaught Mind: Notes from the July Meditation Workshop Talasana and the body's energy field, maha yoga pranayama, and a Tibetan technique for witnessing rather than concentrating. Notes from July's workshop. James Chard·18 July 2026 The palm tree before sitting, the breath held at both ends, and a technique that asks you to stop trying so hard. Twelve of us this month, which is the largest group we have had, and the room at The Painted Barn took it comfortably. We opened where we finished last time. A recap of the previous session, then space for questions about personal practice, which is usually where the most useful teaching happens. The questions people bring back after a month of sitting on their own are rarely theoretical. They are practical, specific, and often the same difficulties in different clothes. ## Standing first: talasana and the field around the body We began standing, in talasana, the palm tree pose. It is easy to treat a standing posture as preparation for something else, a place you pass through on the way to the real work. Talasana is not that. The whole body lengthens upward through the arms, and the intention is not simply to stretch. Energetically, the posture draws energy down and through the arms and gathers it into the body. The method for that gathering is one of the things we keep for the room. Some of yoga is passed on in person or not at all, and this is one of those parts: written down it would be a sentence, and a sentence is not the thing. If you were there on Saturday, you have it. If you were not, come in August and you will. From there we worked with the sense of the body’s external energy field: the felt sense of the space immediately around you. This is one of those practices that sounds abstract until you try it, and then becomes surprisingly concrete. What you are training is the same faculty you will need later: the capacity to notice something subtle without grabbing at it. ## The breath held at both ends Then to the breath, and something new for this group. We have worked with maha yoga pranayama, the complete yogic breath, since the first session: the three-part inhale that fills the abdomen, then the ribs, then the chest, and the exhale that reverses it. This month we added retention at both ends. Antara kumbhaka, the pause after the inhale, when the lungs are full. Bahya kumbhaka, the pause after the exhale, when they are empty. Full retention and void retention feel entirely different from one another, and both feel different again from ordinary breathing. Retention is where pranayama stops being a breathing exercise and starts being something else. It is also where care matters most: never strain, never hold past the point of comfort, and come out of a retention before the body demands it rather than after. What came back afterwards was interesting and consistent. Several people noticed a distinct increase of heat in the body. Alongside it, a state of calmness that had arrived without being pursued. That combination, warmth and settledness together, is characteristic, and it is a useful marker: it tells you the practice is doing something, and that you were not simply sitting still and hoping. ## Capturing the Uncaught Mind The main technique of the session came from the Tibetan meditation tradition, and it carries the wonderful name Capturing the Uncaught Mind. Almost everything we have practised so far has been a form of concentration: choose an object, place attention on it, notice when it wanders, bring it back. That is Dharana, and it is the foundation. But it is not the only way in, and for some people it is not the most natural one. This technique works differently. Rather than gathering the mind to a single point, it asks you to remain the witness: to let what arises arise, and to stay as the one who notices, rather than the one who chases. The mind is not captured by being pinned down. It is captured by being watched. If you have ever found concentration practice frustrating, if the effort of returning attention again and again has felt like failure rather than practice, this is the approach worth sitting with. It does not demand that the mind be quiet. It only asks that you keep watching, and it develops awareness rather than force. ## Tapas: the discipline that keeps a practice alive Afterwards we turned to tapas, the third of the Niyamas. Tapas is usually translated as discipline, sometimes as austerity, sometimes literally as heat. It is the quality that gets you onto the cushion on the days you would rather not, and it is the difference between someone who has meditated and someone who has a practice. Not intensity. Consistency, deliberately chosen and deliberately maintained. What made the discussion land was that tapas is not confined to formal practice. One person in the group is currently working on reducing their reliance on digital devices, which is exactly the kind of undertaking tapas is built for: a chosen constraint, held over time, that produces heat precisely because it is uncomfortable at first. The principle is centuries old and the application is entirely modern. That is usually a sign a teaching is a good one. ## Afterwards, in the barn The July workshop at The Painted Barn. Twelve of us in all, and the best photograph we managed without disturbing anyone. We finished as we always do, with tea and conversation in The Painted Barn, and it was a lively one this month. Somewhere in it I was told about East Ruston Old Vicarage, a garden out toward the north-east coast that I had somehow never heard of, and which sounds precisely the sort of place to spend a day. It is Ania’s birthday this week. I suspect we know where we are going. This is the part of the workshop I would not want to lose. The hour of practice matters, but the conversation afterwards is where people compare notes, ask the thing they did not want to ask in the room, and discover that the difficulty they thought was theirs alone is sitting at the table with them. ## Come to the next one Our Meditation workshop runs monthly on Saturdays at 1:30pm at The Painted Barn: an hour of teaching and practice, followed by tea. £10. The next session is Saturday 15 August, and it is on the schedule and available to book now. If you want to practise between workshops, the weekly Monday class at Barnham Broom Village Hall runs 5:00 to 5:25pm. Short, practice-led, and designed to fit around your week. £2, or £1 if you are already booking the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class. Everyone is welcome. You do not need experience, and you do not need to have found it easy. Book the monthly workshop → Book the weekly class → ### Filed under meditationworkshoppranayamatapasniyamas James Chard Meditation Teacher James spent a long year studying internal martial arts in China before travelling to Thailand and India to study yoga and meditation. He leads regular meditation sessions for Blossom Yoga, drawing on decades of practice in the traditional yogic contemplative lineage. Read next ## Related writing Meditation ### Tapas, the Heat Behind a Steady Practice: Notes from the October Meditation Workshop Tapas, the third niyama, and why a committed practice builds willpower as well as insight; Trataka and the navel centre. Notes from October's workshop. Read → Meditation ### What Meditation Actually Is: Notes from the First Monthly Workshop Patanjali's map, the complete yogic breath, and an earplug experiment: notes from the first monthly meditation workshop at The Painted Barn. Read → Retreats ### Rooted and Radiant: The Sun, the Moon and a Day at West Lexham Notes from our September retreat day at West Lexham: the real meaning of Hatha, solar and lunar energy at each chakra, a swim in the river, and meditation for rooting and radiance. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/craniosacral-therapy-vs-massage/ # Craniosacral Therapy or Massage: Which Is Right for Me? The difference between craniosacral therapy and massage, how each one feels, which suits which problem, and whether you can have both. From a therapist near Norwich. Ania Chard·29 August 2026 Massage works the muscles and soft tissue directly, with pressure and movement, to release specific tension. Craniosacral therapy is much lighter: you stay clothed while the therapist makes very gentle contact and works with the body’s own rhythms to settle the nervous system. Choose massage for a particular ache, knot or restriction; choose craniosacral for deep settling, long-held patterns, or when ordinary massage feels like too much. Many people benefit from both. People often arrive unsure which they actually need, and that is completely reasonable, because from the outside the two look worlds apart. Here is how I explain the difference to clients at my treatment room in Honingham. ## What each one actually is Massage is hands-on work with the muscles and soft tissue. There is oil, there is movement, and there is pressure, adjusted to what you want. It ranges from the flowing, restful strokes of a relaxation treatment to the more targeted, precise work of clinical or remedial massage. The common thread is that the therapist is physically working the tissue. Craniosacral therapy is quite different. You stay fully clothed on a warm couch, and the contact is extremely light, often just still hands resting at your head, the base of your spine or your feet. Rather than working the muscles, it listens to and works with the subtle rhythms and patterns the body holds, inviting the nervous system to let go of tension it has been carrying, sometimes for years. From the outside very little appears to happen. Most people find a great deal does. ## How they feel, in practice - Massage feels active. You feel the strokes and the pressure, you may feel a good “hurts-so-good” release in a tight spot, and you usually get up feeling looser and lighter straight away. - Craniosacral feels quiet. People describe warmth, a floating or drifting feeling, sometimes a deep drop into rest. The shifts are often subtler in the room and then continue over the following day or two. Deep sleep that night is common. Neither is better. They are simply different doors into the same house. ## Which suits which problem As a rough guide: Reach for massage when you have a specific, physical complaint: a tight neck and shoulders from desk work, lower back or hip tension, a sports niggle, stiffness after an injury or surgery, or you simply want an hour of restorative, hands-on rest. Reach for craniosacral when the picture is more diffuse or the nervous system is clearly involved: tension headaches or jaw tension, recovery from an accident, illness or birth, trouble winding down and sleeping, or a body that feels braced and won’t settle. It is also a gentle choice if you find ordinary massage too much, for instance during recovery from serious illness. ## Can you have both? Yes, and many people do. In fact, at Blossom Yoga I no longer treat them as two separate bookings: my Clinical Massage treatment draws on both, and we decide together at the start of each session where it should sit, firmer and more structured where there is a specific issue to work through, quieter and stiller where your system needs settling rather than muscle. That balance can change from one visit to the next. If what you are really after is an hour of unhurried, restorative rest rather than targeted work, the Blossom Signature Massage is the gentler, more flowing option. ## How to choose, if you are still unsure You do not have to decide perfectly in advance. Book based on the stronger pull, a specific ache points towards massage, a need to simply come down and settle points towards craniosacral, and mention your uncertainty when you get in touch. I send a short questionnaire before a first appointment, and we can talk it through at the start. The treatment adapts to what your body needs on the day, which is rather the point. References - Haller H, Lauche R, Sundberg T, Dobos G, Cramer H. Craniosacral therapy for chronic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 2019. - Haller H, Lauche R, Cramer H, et al. Craniosacral therapy for the treatment of chronic neck pain: a randomized sham-controlled trial. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 2016. ### Filed under craniosacral therapymassageclinical massage Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Therapy ### What Is Lomi Lomi Nui? The Hawaiian Massage, Explained A plain guide to Lomi Lomi Nui, the traditional Hawaiian massage: what it is, how it feels, what it helps with, and what to expect. Offered near Norwich, in Honingham. Read → Therapy ### Returning to Yoga After Injury: How to Start Again Kindly Coming back to yoga after injury, illness, surgery or a long gap: what to tell your teacher, how to pace yourself, and which classes are kindest. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/first-meditation-workshop/ # What Meditation Actually Is: Notes from the First Monthly Workshop Patanjali's map, the complete yogic breath, and an earplug experiment: notes from the first monthly meditation workshop at The Painted Barn. James Chard·20 May 2026 Patanjali’s map, a pair of earplugs, and the breath at your nose. The first thing I asked the group was a question that sounds obvious until you try to answer it: what is meditation? Most people have something: sitting quietly, clearing the mind, an app. But the word has been borrowed so widely and stretched so thin that it’s worth being precise. So we started there, with a map. ## The eight limbs: where meditation fits Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describe yoga as eight consecutive limbs: a path that moves from the outer life inward. Most people in a yoga class are working with the third limb, asana, posture. Breathing practices belong to the fourth, pranayama. These are real, and they matter. But Patanjali’s path doesn’t stop there. The outer limbs prepare the ground for the inner limbs: - Pratyahara: withdrawal of the senses - Dharana: single-pointed concentration - Dhyana: meditation in the proper sense; a sustained, unbroken flow of attention - Samadhi: absorption; the gradual dissolution of the boundary between the observer and what is observed Most people using the word “meditation” are working somewhere in the territory of Dharana. Dhyana is what Dharana becomes with sustained practice. Samadhi is where that leads; eventually, and without forcing it. This matters because it tells you what you’re actually doing when you sit. You are not trying to have no thoughts. You are training concentration: placing attention on an object, noticing when it wanders, returning it. That is the practice. Everything else is the slow accumulation of that effort, session after session. ## Where we started: the complete yogic breath Before the mind, the breath. The two are inseparable in yogic practice; the breath is the bridge between body and mind, and steadying one steadies the other. We began with maha yoga pranayama, the complete yogic breath. It starts in the abdomen: belly expands on the inhale, draws back on the exhale. Then the breath fills the ribcage. Then the chest and collarbones lift. The exhale reverses the sequence. Three parts, one continuous movement. For many people, this is already a revelation. We breathe mostly in the upper chest, shallowly, without much awareness. The complete yogic breath asks you to breathe the whole way down. It slows the nervous system. It gives the mind something honest to track. And it builds the foundation for every practice that follows. If you can’t breathe well, you can’t sit well. Start here. ## The earplug experiment: Pratyahara in practice Once the group had settled, we tried something a little unusual: earplugs. Pratyahara, the fifth limb, is the withdrawal of the senses; the hinge between the outer and inner limbs of yoga. The senses, by design, face outward: they evolved to scan for threats, not to turn quietly inward. Pratyahara is the practice of calling them back. Rather than just describe it, we wanted to feel the difference. With earplugs in, the room’s ambient sounds recede. What remains is closer: the quality of silence inside the body, sometimes the sound of your own pulse. The responses were split, and usefully so. Some in the group found the earplugs an immediate relief, a permission to stop attending to the outside. Others found them distracting, too aware of the occlusion to relax into it; one person found that their internal sounds (heartbeat, the body’s quiet machinery) became louder than the room had been. I loved hearing that. It reminded me of a retreat in Thailand where the sound of blood moving through my own veins became genuinely overwhelming; you close off the outside world and discover the inside is not as quiet as you expected. Both reactions are informative. The point isn’t to depend on earplugs; it’s to understand experientially what diminished external input feels like, so you know what you’re working toward when you practise without them. The discussion that followed was one of the liveliest parts of the session. ## After the practice: tea, cake, and what brought people here We finished with tea and a very good chocolate and date cake in the café at The Painted Barn, which, as it turned out, was its own kind of practice. One of the things I’ve found, across many years of sitting, is that what happens after a session is nearly as important as the session itself: the gradual return, the conversation, the chance to bring the quality of attention you’ve been cultivating into an ordinary exchange. Ten people came to this first session, from a range of backgrounds and starting points. The conversation was warm and honest. What brought them, and what they’re each working with, stays in the room; confidentiality matters in a group like this. But I’ll say that the questions people come with are rarely the ones they expect to leave with. ## Come to the next one Our Meditation workshop runs monthly, on Saturdays at 1:30pm at The Painted Barn. An hour of teaching and practice, followed by tea. £10. If you want to practise between workshops, the weekly Monday class at Barnham Broom Village Hall runs 5:00 – 5:25pm: short, practice-led, designed to fit around your week. £2, or £1 if you’re already booking the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class. Next month we build on the foundation we set. With abdominal breathing established, we’ll go further into Dharana: specific techniques for developing single-pointed focus and training the attention in a more deliberate way. If the nose practice felt promising, or if it exposed how much work there is to do, next month is the session to come to. Everyone is welcome. You do not need experience. You do not need to have found it easy. Book the monthly workshop → Book the weekly class → ### Filed under meditationworkshoppranayamapatanjali James Chard Meditation Teacher James spent a long year studying internal martial arts in China before travelling to Thailand and India to study yoga and meditation. He leads regular meditation sessions for Blossom Yoga, drawing on decades of practice in the traditional yogic contemplative lineage. Read next ## Related writing Meditation ### Capturing the Uncaught Mind: Notes from the July Meditation Workshop Talasana and the body's energy field, maha yoga pranayama, and a Tibetan technique for witnessing rather than concentrating. Notes from July's workshop. Read → Meditation ### Tapas, the Heat Behind a Steady Practice: Notes from the October Meditation Workshop Tapas, the third niyama, and why a committed practice builds willpower as well as insight; Trataka and the navel centre. Notes from October's workshop. Read → Retreats ### Rooted and Radiant: The Sun, the Moon and a Day at West Lexham Notes from our September retreat day at West Lexham: the real meaning of Hatha, solar and lunar energy at each chakra, a swim in the river, and meditation for rooting and radiance. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/returning-to-yoga-after-injury/ # Returning to Yoga After Injury: How to Start Again Kindly Coming back to yoga after injury, illness, surgery or a long gap: what to tell your teacher, how to pace yourself, and which classes are kindest. Ania Chard·14 January 2026 You can return to yoga after injury, surgery, illness or a long gap. The practical requirements are: tell your teacher specifically what happened, choose the right class type (Hatha or Therapeutic rather than Vinyasa or Power), and start at a level below where you remember being. Most people build back to a consistent practice within two to three months. This post works through each of those steps. The students who come back to the mat after a long gap are often the most careful, most intentional students I teach. They have reasons to be. A torn meniscus, a frozen shoulder, a C-section, a long illness, a pregnancy, a grief, a year of insomnia. They are not starting from scratch. They are starting from here, which is a very different place. Here’s what I’ve learned, from my own training and from teaching people back into their practice for over a decade. ## 1. Tell your teacher. Everything. Before your first class back, send your teacher a short message. Mention: - What happened, in one sentence. (“Torn ACL in 2023, reconstruction June 2024.”) - Where you are now, in one sentence. (“Walking fine, running causes pain, unsure about twisting.”) - What has been cleared by your physio or consultant, and what hasn’t. - What scares you, if anything does. Good teachers want this information. Vague apologies about being “a bit stiff” tell me nothing useful. Specifics let me adapt from the first pose on the first day. ## 2. Don’t start at your old level. Start at today’s level. This is the hardest one. If you used to hold crow pose, the temptation to test it again is strong. Don’t. Start with a class two notches below what you remember being capable of. You will be surprised how much work the “gentle” class is, on day one. ## 3. Pick the right class for the return Not every yoga class is suitable for a return-after-injury practice. Look for: - Classes described as Hatha Yoga, Therapeutic, Restorative or Gentle, not Vinyasa, not Power, not Rocket. - Classes that explicitly say beginners are welcome and aren’t squeezed for time. - Small groups, under fifteen people, ideally, so the teacher can watch you. - A teacher who has at least some training in adapting for injury. At Blossom Yoga, my Therapeutic Yoga sessions were designed for precisely this return. The pace is slow, poses are held carefully with props, and every sequence has at least three versions for different bodies. If group classes still feel too much, my one-to-one yoga sessions at ProActive in Honingham let me design a practice entirely around where you are. Many students spend three or four one-to-ones rebuilding confidence before joining a group. ## 4. Pace yourself in weeks, not sessions The first class back will feel like a lot. The second, a week later, will feel less so. The third might feel like you’ve never been away, and that is often the class where students push too hard and set themselves back. A good rule: for the first month, do less than you think you can. By month two, you will know your new baseline. By month three, you will be practising again. ## 5. Notice what the old injury is for Old injuries are often teachers. A shoulder that doesn’t want to externally rotate, a knee that complains at pigeon pose; these aren’t just obstacles. They’re instructions: slow down here. Soften here. Breathe differently here. The students who recover the strongest long-term practice are the ones who stop trying to get back to who they were and start listening to who they are now. ## Getting support If you’d like to talk through a return-to-yoga plan, send me a message. I’ll recommend the right class, group, one-to-one, or a combination, and adapt it week by week. Craniosacral sessions alongside yoga can also be useful for coming back from significant physical or emotional injury. Learn more about my craniosacral therapy at Honingham. ### Filed under therapeutic yogainjury recoverybeginners Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Therapy ### What Is Lomi Lomi Nui? The Hawaiian Massage, Explained A plain guide to Lomi Lomi Nui, the traditional Hawaiian massage: what it is, how it feels, what it helps with, and what to expect. Offered near Norwich, in Honingham. Read → Therapy ### Craniosacral Therapy or Massage: Which Is Right for Me? The difference between craniosacral therapy and massage, how each one feels, which suits which problem, and whether you can have both. From a therapist near Norwich. Read → Yoga ### Can Yoga Help Lower Back Pain? An Honest Answer Whether yoga helps lower back pain, which kinds it suits, the poses that help, and when to see someone else first. From a Norfolk yoga teacher. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/sitali-pranayama-cooling-breath/ # Sitali Pranayama: The Cooling Breath for Warm Days One of the classical pranayamas from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Sitali cools the body and calms the mind: useful on a warm day, essential to understand properly. Ania Chard·19 June 2026 There’s a particular kind of relief that comes from a breath that actually cools you down, not metaphorically, but in a way you can feel within a few rounds. That breath is Sitali Pranayama, and with the wonderful weather we’ve been having, it feels like the right moment to bring it into our practice. Sitali is one of the classical pranayamas described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, where it’s named for its cooling, soothing quality: the word itself comes from the Sanskrit root meaning “cool.” Traditionally it’s been used to calm excess heat in the body and mind: physical heat from sun or exertion, but also the inner heat of irritation, frustration, and overstimulation. It’s excellent for settling a flushed face after practice, taking the edge off a hot afternoon, or simply finding a few minutes of stillness when everything feels a bit much. ## How to practise Find a comfortable seated position, spine long, shoulders soft. Open your mouth slightly and curl the edges of your tongue upward, so it forms a narrow tube or trough, and extend it just past your lips. Inhale slowly through this curled tongue: you’ll notice the air feels distinctly cool as it passes over the moist surface. Close your mouth, draw your chin slightly toward your chest, and exhale gently through the nose. That’s one round. Repeat for several rounds, then let the breath return to normal and simply sit with the effects for a moment. It’s a simple-sounding technique, and that simplicity is part of why it’s so often picked up from a book or a video and practised without much further thought. I’d encourage you not to do that. ## Why guidance matters here Pranayama is sometimes presented as if it were just breath-shaping: get the mechanics right, follow the count, and the benefits will follow. But the real power of these techniques lies in what’s happening beneath the visible form: the more internal, unseen actions of the breath, the subtle direction of attention, the way energy is actually being moved. This is consistently the part that gets left out of books and articles, not because it’s being withheld, but because it genuinely can’t be taught on a page. It has to be shown, felt, and corrected by someone who can see what’s happening in front of them. Without that guidance, pranayama can become a hollow imitation of the real thing, pleasant enough, but missing the depth that makes it transformative. So please, find a competent teacher to guide your pranayama practice properly. It makes all the difference. ## A word on Svadhisthana In the subtler map of the body that yoga offers us, Sitali is connected to Svadhisthana, the second chakra, seated low in the pelvis and governed by the water element, which is part of why this particular breath has such a cooling, fluid quality. Svadhisthana is also the seat of our emotional life: desire, creativity, sensitivity, and the currents that run beneath our everyday moods. This is worth knowing, because it means Sitali isn’t simply a neutral cooling trick. Directing concentrated attention and energy into Svadhisthana can stir emotional material that hasn’t yet been settled or worked through, and for some people this can intensify anxious or unsettled states rather than ease them. This is one of many reasons why pranayama should always follow asana in a practice, never come before it. The physical postures move and settle energy through the body first, creating a steadier, more grounded foundation. Arriving at pranayama afterwards, rather than reaching for it cold, means the breath has somewhere stable to land. ## When to practise Sitali is particularly suited to warmer months, after a physical practice, or whenever you notice heat or agitation building, in the body, the mind, or both. It’s generally best avoided by those with low blood pressure, asthma, or a chronic cough, and, as with all pranayama, isn’t a technique to push or force. A handful of easy rounds is plenty. If you’d like to explore Sitali properly, with the attention and correction it deserves, do join us for a Hatha Yoga class. I’d love to guide you through it. Ania Find a class → ### Filed under pranayamabreathworksitaliyogasummersvadhisthana Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Yoga ### Can Yoga Help Lower Back Pain? An Honest Answer Whether yoga helps lower back pain, which kinds it suits, the poses that help, and when to see someone else first. From a Norfolk yoga teacher. Read → Retreats ### Rooted and Radiant: The Sun, the Moon and a Day at West Lexham Notes from our September retreat day at West Lexham: the real meaning of Hatha, solar and lunar energy at each chakra, a swim in the river, and meditation for rooting and radiance. Read → Study ### The Root: a quiet home for the notes from your practice The Root is Blossom Yoga's private members' space: your class, workshop and retreat notes, gathered and kept for you. What it is and how it came about. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/tapas-and-trataka-october-meditation-workshop/ # Tapas, the Heat Behind a Steady Practice: Notes from the October Meditation Workshop Tapas, the third niyama, and why a committed practice builds willpower as well as insight; Trataka and the navel centre. Notes from October's workshop. James Chard·17 October 2026 The third niyama, a technique that works on the navel centre, and a rainbow on the far side of the barn. We began, as we always do, by looking back: a review of the last two sessions, and then space for questions. I would be reluctant to lose that part. What people bring back after a month of sitting on their own tells me what the rest of the hour needs to be. ## Tapas: why the practice has to be kept The third of the niyamas is tapas, and I spent the first part of the session on it. The word comes from the root tap, to burn. Tapas is heat, in the literal sense, and it is the heat that comes from doing something steadily when stopping would be easier. That is why it is usually translated as discipline, though the translation loses the fire. What I wanted to set out was why a committed practice matters, and there are two reasons, related but not the same. The first is spiritual growth, which does not happen in visits. Something that is returned to only when it is convenient stays at the surface, and what lies beneath it is reached by going back, again and again, on the days it does not feel like anything. Doing something pleasant, or because it’s pleasant, doesn’t build willpower. The second reason is quieter, and I think it is under-appreciated. Willpower, like a muscle, is strengthened by use. Each time you sit when you would rather not, you are doing more than meditating: you are training the part of you that follows through, and over time that becomes something close to unstoppable. Not force. A settled unwillingness to be turned back by mood, or by weather. From the handout prepared for the session: the path climbs in switchbacks, and the sun at the top is reached by walking. ## Trataka, and the navel centre We then practised Trataka, a traditional technique that also works on Manipura chakra, the navel centre. As with some of what we do, the method is better shown than written. A description would take a paragraph, and a paragraph is not the practice. If you were there, you have it. Manipura is the centre traditionally associated with fire, will and personal power, which is why it sits so naturally beside tapas. It is also the third chakra, counting up from the base, as tapas is the third niyama: a coincidence of counting, though a pleasing one. We finished with a meditation on Manipura itself, so that what the technique had begun was left to settle. ## What an hour can do Something was said towards the end that I have been thinking about since. At least one person in the room, after many years of studying and being around yoga, had never heard tapas mentioned. I do not offer that as a criticism of anyone. I offer it because it is the clearest statement I know of what these workshops are for. It is only an hour, but it is an hour given to the theory and philosophy behind the practice, and what you understand changes what you do. The work on the mat becomes deeper through a fuller understanding of why you are doing it. ## Afterwards, in the barn The rainbow, from inside The Painted Barn. Tea afterwards was, as always, wonderful, and we were given rain on one side of The Painted Barn while a rainbow appeared on the other. What we are building, month by month, is a community, and I do not use the word lightly. It is loving and supportive, and it is a real pleasure to be part of. ## Come to the next one Our Meditation workshop runs monthly on the third Saturday at 1:30pm at The Painted Barn: an hour of teaching and practice, followed by tea. £10. The next session is Saturday 21 November. If you want to practise between workshops, the weekly Monday class at Barnham Broom Village Hall runs 5:00 to 5:25pm. £2, or £1 if you are already booking the 5:30pm Hatha Yoga class. Everyone is welcome. You do not need experience, and you do not need to have found it easy. Book the monthly workshop → Book the weekly class → ### Filed under meditationworkshoptapasniyamastratakamanipura James Chard Meditation Teacher James spent a long year studying internal martial arts in China before travelling to Thailand and India to study yoga and meditation. He leads regular meditation sessions for Blossom Yoga, drawing on decades of practice in the traditional yogic contemplative lineage. Read next ## Related writing Meditation ### Capturing the Uncaught Mind: Notes from the July Meditation Workshop Talasana and the body's energy field, maha yoga pranayama, and a Tibetan technique for witnessing rather than concentrating. Notes from July's workshop. Read → Meditation ### What Meditation Actually Is: Notes from the First Monthly Workshop Patanjali's map, the complete yogic breath, and an earplug experiment: notes from the first monthly meditation workshop at The Painted Barn. Read → Retreats ### Rooted and Radiant: The Sun, the Moon and a Day at West Lexham Notes from our September retreat day at West Lexham: the real meaning of Hatha, solar and lunar energy at each chakra, a swim in the river, and meditation for rooting and radiance. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/west-lexham-retreat-june-2026/ # Chakras and Sunshine: A Day at West Lexham Notes from our June retreat day at West Lexham: grapevines, natural swimming, live music meditation, and a whole day built around the chakras. Ania Chard·21 June 2026 Yesterday’s retreat at West Lexham gave us one of those rare, perfect days, the kind that reminds you exactly why we do this. The orangery where we gathered was a sight to behold: grapevines trailing thick and green across the glass roof, sunlight filtering through them in dappled patterns. Beyond the windows, the grounds had a quality that felt almost otherworldly (more Bali than Norfolk) with a lushness and stillness that set the tone before a single pose was struck. ## Welcome and Intentions We opened with a welcome and introductions, giving regulars and newcomers alike the space to share what had brought them to the day, how they were feeling, and what they hoped to take from it. It was a gentle, grounding start, the kind that puts everyone at ease and turns a room of near-strangers into a shared circle. ## The Principles Behind the Practice James then spoke on the fundamental principles of yoga, building on the lecture from our last retreat. This time, he went deeper into the power of vibration and music to create resonance at the level of each chakra, drawing on Indian ragas as an example of sound deliberately shaped to meet the body’s subtler frequencies. It was the perfect primer for what was to come later in the day: an afternoon session designed to let participants actually experience this resonance, chakra by chakra, with the hope of shifting consciousness through each of the seven energy centres. ## Movement and Breath with Ania A Hatha yoga practice followed, building steadily through the morning before closing with Sitali pranayama (a cooling breath) and a final relaxation that left everyone settled and calm. ## Lunch, Sunshine and Swimming Lunch, courtesy of the West Lexham kitchen, was a generous spread of leaves, beans, pulses and vegetables, rounded off with freshly baked banana bread. As the food digested, people drifted out to the natural swimming pool and river for a swim or a paddle, then simply lay back in the sun, the kind of unhurried pause that’s so often missing from daily life. ## Sound, Resonance and the Chakras The afternoon centred on the music meditation we’d been building towards all day: live sound chosen to resonate with each individual chakra. The questions afterwards spoke for themselves. People described vivid experiences and sensations, and many felt inspired by new connections they’d made for the first time about how yoga actually works, and what it’s really for. The afternoon yoga session that followed channelled much of that energy into the heart centre, Anahata, closing with Maha Yoga Pranayama focused on the heart and a final guided relaxation. ## Closing Circle We ended in a closing circle marked by real honesty and vulnerability, shared in equal measure with inspiration and excitement. It was also a chance to remind everyone that James’s book on the fundamental principles of yoga remains on track for publication before Christmas. ## Looking Ahead As organisers, there’s no greater reward than knowing the people who join us leave touched and inspired. It’s exactly what drives us to keep offering days like this. We’re already looking forward to September. ### Filed under retreatswest-lexhamchakrasyogameditation Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Retreats ### Rooted and Radiant: The Sun, the Moon and a Day at West Lexham Notes from our September retreat day at West Lexham: the real meaning of Hatha, solar and lunar energy at each chakra, a swim in the river, and meditation for rooting and radiance. Read → Meditation ### Tapas, the Heat Behind a Steady Practice: Notes from the October Meditation Workshop Tapas, the third niyama, and why a committed practice builds willpower as well as insight; Trataka and the navel centre. Notes from October's workshop. Read → Study ### The Root: a quiet home for the notes from your practice The Root is Blossom Yoga's private members' space: your class, workshop and retreat notes, gathered and kept for you. What it is and how it came about. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/what-is-lomi-lomi-nui/ # What Is Lomi Lomi Nui? The Hawaiian Massage, Explained A plain guide to Lomi Lomi Nui, the traditional Hawaiian massage: what it is, how it feels, what it helps with, and what to expect. Offered near Norwich, in Honingham. Ania Chard·5 September 2026 Lomi Lomi Nui is a traditional Hawaiian form of bodywork built around long, continuous, flowing strokes, often given with the forearms, that move across the whole body without the usual stop and start. It feels less like being worked on and more like being held. It is deeply restorative rather than targeted, and it suits stress, grief, transition and a nervous system that has been running hot, rather than a specific injury. Of all the treatments I offer, Lomi Lomi Nui is the one people most often struggle to picture beforehand, and the one they most often struggle to describe afterwards. It is genuinely unlike other massage. Here is what it is, and who it tends to suit. ## Where it comes from Lomi Lomi Nui belongs to the old Hawaiian healing tradition. The words themselves point to its quality: a slow, repeated, kneading, flowing kind of touch. It was never only a physical treatment; in its own tradition it is understood as work for the whole person. I trained in it within that traditional lineage and hold it with the seriousness it asks for. There are relatively few practitioners of it in this part of Norfolk, which is part of why people travel a little for it. ## How it feels, and why it is different Most massage has a shape you can feel: the therapist works one area, then moves to the next, with clear beginnings and endings. Lomi Lomi is not like that. The strokes are long, fluid and continuous, often flowing from the heel all the way to the shoulder in one unbroken movement, frequently using the forearms rather than just the hands. Because the contact rarely breaks, the usual sense of “being worked on” gives way to something quieter and harder to name. People describe it as being cradled, held, or simply met. Many drift in and out of sleep. Some feel emotional, quietly and to their own surprise, and that is held gently and is entirely normal. A good number sleep more deeply that night than they have in a long while. ## What it helps with, and what it doesn’t Lomi Lomi is at its best as whole-person, nervous-system rest. It is particularly loved by: - People carrying a long stretch of stress, overwhelm or burnout. - Women moving through a big transition, menopause, bereavement, the end of a long chapter. - Anyone whose system has simply been braced and “on” for too long. - People for whom the ordinary phrase “having a massage” rather undersells what they need. It is not the right treatment for a specific pain or injury. If you have a particular knot, a sports niggle, or a mobility problem to work through, my Clinical Massage treatment is the better fit. Lomi Lomi is for the tired whole person, not the troublesome shoulder. ## What to expect You undress to your underwear and are modestly covered throughout; only the area being worked is ever uncovered. There is warmed oil, quiet music and an unhurried pace. There is little conversation once we begin. Afterwards, plan your day gently: many people go straight home and rest, and the settled feeling tends to deepen over the evening rather than wear off. At Blossom Yoga, Lomi Lomi is offered as part of the Blossom Signature Massage, a warm, restorative treatment that draws on both classic massage and this flowing Hawaiian work, shaped around what you need on the day. Sessions are held in a quiet treatment room at ProActive Therapies in Honingham, about fifteen minutes west of Norwich. ## If you are curious If it sounds like the kind of rest you have been needing, get in touch and mention that Lomi Lomi is what drew you. It is one of the most profoundly restorative things I offer, and for the right person, at the right moment, it can be quietly remarkable. References - Zhang M, Murphy B, Cabanilla A, Yidi C. Physical relaxation for occupational stress in healthcare workers: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Occupational Health, 2021. Massage produced a significant reduction in stress. - Gajos A, Kiljański M. Comparison of the impacts of classic massage and Lomi Lomi Nui massage on the mental and physical condition of the patient. Fizjoterapia Polska, 2018. Classic massage eased pain and stiffness; Lomi Lomi Nui worked more on the emotional side, leaving people notably relaxed. ### Filed under lomi lomimassagehawaiian massage Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Therapy ### Craniosacral Therapy or Massage: Which Is Right for Me? The difference between craniosacral therapy and massage, how each one feels, which suits which problem, and whether you can have both. From a therapist near Norwich. Read → Therapy ### Returning to Yoga After Injury: How to Start Again Kindly Coming back to yoga after injury, illness, surgery or a long gap: what to tell your teacher, how to pace yourself, and which classes are kindest. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/womens-circle-what-to-expect/ # Women's Circle: What Actually Happens in the Room An honest look at what a Women's Circle evening at Blossom Yoga involves: who comes, what happens, and why the simplest gatherings are often the most useful. Ania Chard·22 February 2026 A Women’s Circle at The Painted Barn in Barnham Broom runs for 90 minutes on a Friday evening. It includes a settling meditation, a space for shared conversation with no obligation to speak, a guided heart meditation, and light snacks to close. It costs £10 and numbers are kept small. The rest of this post covers who comes, what the format looks like in practice, and how to book. “What happens in a Women’s Circle?” is, without fail, the most common question I get asked. The honest answer is: very little, and also everything that matters. Let me be specific, because vagueness around this is part of why people don’t come. ## The physical shape of the evening We gather once a month at The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom, on a Friday evening. The barn is warm, softly lit, and arranged with cushions and candles before anyone arrives. Bring a travel mug with your favourite tea and arrive around ten to fifteen minutes before seven. The circle runs from 7pm to 8:30pm. The structure is always roughly the same: - A settling meditation to help you arrive fully, leaving the day at the door. - Sharing, in a safe and non-judgmental space. There is no pressure to speak. You are always welcome to simply listen and receive. - A guided heart meditation, helping you soften, open, and reconnect with your inner quiet. There may also be additional practices or reflections depending on the energy of the group. - Light snacks to close the evening gently. ## What a Women’s Circle is not It is not group therapy. It is not a workshop. It is not a book club with incense. It is not a place where anyone will ask you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable, and it is not a place where you will be expected to share anything you don’t want to share. It is, simply, a room that is held. Ninety minutes where no one is asking anything of you, and no one is selling you anything. ## Who comes Every kind of woman. Mothers of small children who haven’t sat in a circle of adults without interruption for years. Women navigating menopause. Women recently bereaved. Women who are fine, thank you, just a bit worn. Women in their twenties, women in their seventies, and everyone in between. We keep the numbers small so that the space genuinely feels safe and everyone who wants to speak can be heard. ## Practical things - When: Monthly, on a Friday evening, 7pm to 8:15pm. - Where: The Painted Barn, Barnham Broom, NR9 4DB. - Cost: £10 per circle. - What to wear: Anything comfortable. Bring a warm layer. - What to bring: Yourself, and a travel mug with your favourite tea. ## Coming to your first one The first one is always the hardest. Almost everyone says the drive over is more uncertain than anything that happens in the room. Book your place for the next circle directly online. ### Filed under women's circlecommunitybarnham broom Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Women ### Yoga for Menopause: A Kinder Practice for the Years of Change How a steady yoga practice supports sleep, mood, joints and hormonal shifts through perimenopause and menopause, and what a class in Norwich is like. Read → Study ### The Root: a quiet home for the notes from your practice The Root is Blossom Yoga's private members' space: your class, workshop and retreat notes, gathered and kept for you. What it is and how it came about. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/yoga-for-lower-back-pain/ # Can Yoga Help Lower Back Pain? An Honest Answer Whether yoga helps lower back pain, which kinds it suits, the poses that help, and when to see someone else first. From a Norfolk yoga teacher. Ania Chard·22 August 2026 Yes. For most lower back pain, whether it has crept up slowly over the years or arrived more suddenly, well-taught yoga can help a great deal, and in the UK it is recommended as one of the first things to try. What matters is the kind of yoga. Not a fast, flowing practice, but a slow one, well supported, with poses held long enough to do their work and with variations offered so each pose is shaped around your back rather than the other way around. Practised that way, it eases tight hips, steadies the muscles that support the spine, and calms a nervous system that has learned to guard. There are a few backs it is not right for straight away, and this post explains when to check with someone first. Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people first come to me. Some have lived with a dull ache for years; others have had a flare-up that has frightened them. Often they have been told, gently, that nothing is seriously wrong, and yet the pain is still there every morning and every evening at a desk. If that is you, there is a good deal yoga can do, as long as it is the right sort, taught at the right pace. ## The kind of back pain yoga helps Most lower back pain, whether it has built up slowly or come on more sharply, responds well to the right kind of yoga. A great deal of it is what clinicians call non-specific: there is no single disc or injury to point to, and it is bound up with posture, long sitting, stress and muscles that have grown weak. But backs with a clearer history often do well too, once a practice is built carefully around them. The NHS and NICE both list yoga among the first things worth trying for persistent lower back pain, ahead of stronger interventions. It tends to help in three quiet ways: - It loosens the hips. A great deal of “back” pain is actually tight hips and hamstrings pulling on the pelvis. Free those and the lower back often eases on its own. - It rebuilds the supporting muscles. Slow, held poses wake up the deep muscles around the spine and abdomen that hold you upright without you thinking about it. - It settles the guarding. When a back has hurt for a while, the surrounding muscles tighten protectively and stay tight. Long exhales and unhurried movement teach them it is safe to let go. ## When to be careful, and see someone first Yoga is not the right first step for every back. Please see your GP or a physiotherapist before starting if you have any of the following, and tell me too: - Pain following a fall or accident. - Any loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the saddle area (this needs urgent medical attention, not yoga). - Pain that is worse at night, with unexplained weight loss or feeling unwell. None of these mean yoga is off the table forever. They mean the right professional should look first, and then we build a practice around what they advise. ## Which class, and which to avoid Not every yoga class suits a sore back. Look for: - Hatha, Therapeutic, Restorative or Gentle classes, held at an unhurried pace. Avoid Vinyasa, Power or hot yoga while a back is settling. - Small groups, so the teacher can actually watch you and offer a different version of a pose. - A teacher who asks about your back before you start and adapts from the first pose. The way I teach matters here too. My classes hold each position for a good while, rather than flowing quickly from one shape to the next. Holding a pose, well supported, is what builds the stability, strength and quiet confidence a sore back needs. Rushing through a fast sequence does very little for a struggling back, and can ask too much of it too soon. My Therapeutic Yoga class was built for this: slow, well supported with props, and paced so nothing is rushed. The regular Hatha Yoga classes across the villages near Norwich are also suitable, with modifications offered throughout. If you would rather begin with a practice shaped entirely around your back before joining a group, a short course of one-to-one yoga is often the kindest way in. ## A few gentle principles to start with You do not need a complicated routine. If your back is stiff rather than acutely painful, these tend to help: - Move little and often. A few minutes of gentle movement most days does more than one long session a week. - Warm before you stretch. Cold muscles do not want to lengthen; a short walk or some easy movement first makes everything kinder. - Never stretch into sharp pain. A gentle, working stretch is fine. Anything sharp or nervy is a signal to come out. - Breathe out as you fold or release. The long exhale is where the guarding lets go. ## Where to start near Norwich If you would like to talk through whether a class is right for your back, send me a message and tell me a little about what is going on. I will point you to the right class or one-to-one, and adapt from there. And if the tension is as much about a wound-up nervous system as the muscles themselves, hands-on work such as clinical and craniosacral treatment can sit alongside the yoga very well. Backs rarely change overnight. But with a careful, regular practice, most people find the mornings a little easier within a month, and quite a lot easier within three. References - NHS, Back pain: lists yoga among the activities that may help ease back pain. - NICE guideline NG59, Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management: recommends a group exercise programme, including mind-body approaches such as yoga, for persistent low back pain. ### Filed under therapeutic yogaback painbeginners Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Yoga ### Sitali Pranayama: The Cooling Breath for Warm Days One of the classical pranayamas from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Sitali cools the body and calms the mind: useful on a warm day, essential to understand properly. Read → Therapy ### Returning to Yoga After Injury: How to Start Again Kindly Coming back to yoga after injury, illness, surgery or a long gap: what to tell your teacher, how to pace yourself, and which classes are kindest. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/yoga-for-menopause-norwich/ # Yoga for Menopause: A Kinder Practice for the Years of Change How a steady yoga practice supports sleep, mood, joints and hormonal shifts through perimenopause and menopause, and what a class in Norwich is like. Ania Chard·18 March 2026 Regular slow Hatha Yoga reliably helps with the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause: disrupted sleep, joint stiffness, mood instability and the intensity of hot flushes. The effect is gradual rather than immediate, and it works through the nervous system, not the hormones directly. Weekly classes run across Norwich and mid-Norfolk at Blossom Yoga in mixed groups paced to suit midlife bodies. This post explains what the practice looks like and how to get started. When a student comes to class in their late forties or early fifties, the first thing I say, quietly, is: welcome. You are not broken. Your body is doing something it was always going to do, and it is doing it on its own schedule. Menopause is not a problem to be solved through yoga. But yoga, steady, unhurried, carefully sequenced, is one of the kindest companions you can bring to these years. ## What students actually notice The research on yoga and menopause is promising but cautious. What I see week after week in the hall is more specific, and more mundane: - Sleep gets better, eventually. Not overnight. But a consistent evening practice with some forward folds, long exhales and a proper savasana tends to bring sleep back, a bit. - The hot flushes stop running the day. They may still come. They tend to feel less like a siege. - The joints move more freely. Especially hips and shoulders, which is where so many women stiffen first during this transition. - Mood steadies. Not in a dramatic way. In a “I can face Wednesday evening” way. ## What a Blossom Yoga class for midlife women looks like My classes are mixed; I don’t run a menopause-specific class because, honestly, the practice that helps most women through this phase is the same practice that helps most humans at most phases: slow, traditional, careful Hatha Yoga. A typical evening class at Barnham Broom will include: - A long warm-up that meets the body where it is - Standing poses held long enough for the legs to work but not so long that the nervous system tightens - Twists: gentle, not wrenching - Hip-openers, almost always - A carefully supported savasana If you’re navigating particularly disrupted sleep, come to the morning class instead. If you’re navigating a week of heavy fatigue, stay in child’s pose for the first ten minutes and nobody will bat an eyelid. ## What to wear, what to bring, what to expect You don’t need anything special. Loose clothing you can move in. A water bottle if you’d like. Mats, blocks, bolsters and blankets are ready. The first class is unhurried; arrive ten minutes early, let me know if anything is particularly tender this week, and I’ll take it from there. ## Getting started My weekly Hatha Yoga classes run at Barnham Broom Village Hall, Cringleford, Sprowston and Garvestone, all within easy reach of Norwich. If you’d prefer something quieter still, my Women’s Circle and seasonal retreats are held in small, held groups. If in doubt, drop me a line. I’ll find the right class for where you are. ### Filed under menopausewomen's wellbeinghatha yoganorwich Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. Read next ## Related writing Women ### Women's Circle: What Actually Happens in the Room An honest look at what a Women's Circle evening at Blossom Yoga involves: who comes, what happens, and why the simplest gatherings are often the most useful. Read → ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/yoga-for-stress-and-anxiety/ # Yoga for Stress and Anxiety Why we're addicted to busy, why most relaxation doesn't reach the people who need it most, and how a slow Hatha practice can teach the nervous system to settle. Ania Chard·30 November 2019 Slow Hatha Yoga reduces chronic stress and anxiety by training the nervous system to settle, not by providing temporary relief. Holding postures long enough, with sustained attention, gradually shifts the habitual patterns that keep the mind in a state of anxiety. This works differently from most relaxation approaches because the body is actively involved in calming the mind. The post explains the mechanism and the case for Hatha specifically, over faster styles. ## 1. We are stuck in a busy world We live in a busy world: there is a constant sense of urgency; there is always something to be done; we have to juggle multiple tasks, and our attention jumps from one thing to another. The problem is that we are, as much as we might not immediately believe it, addicted to being busy. Even when we happen to have some spare, quiet time, we mindlessly scroll our social media page, and let our attention jump yet again from one thing to another, one post to another. Busy, even when doing nothing. So it never stops. This is pretty much our daily state of mind. So we say “hey, life is hectic; there are lots of pressures, and we have so many things to do and manage” and often we don’t see we have a choice. But what if instead of catching up with (like that ever happens!) our Facebook stream on our lunch break, we were told to just sit and do nothing? Would we? It seems like the most impossible thing. I cannot switch off, my thoughts are bombarding me, I feel like I’m wasting my time, I’d rather DO something. ANYTHING! ## 2. We are creating a vicious circle It feels that we don’t have a choice because we are addicted to this hectic, busy state of being. And even when we notice how stressed we are (perhaps we develop a health condition due to anxiety) and we acknowledge that something needs to be changed, we are still addicted to the chemicals our brain is habitually producing. And we create more situations to keep us in this state of mind; this is a truly vicious circle. In order to break it and release our anxiety, we have to acknowledge that it might feel uncomfortable, and difficult, in the same way as if we were dealing with an addiction. We need to withdraw. But we must commit to unwinding, and to slowing down. ## 3. Holistic therapies This is such a common problem nowadays that the number of wellness businesses is growing. There are many wonderful holistic therapies to help people unwind, to connect to a state of rest and calm, and to regulate the autonomic nervous system, so they may regain balance. But even when having a massage, can you truly relax? Or are you chatty, or critical, or thinking about later that day? Many people benefit greatly by regularly scheduling holistic treatments; however, as a holistic therapist myself I observe that those with anxiety, who arguably need this the most; most often don’t schedule (or incline towards chatting!). Something which is so enjoyed by so many people is often outside the comfortable zone of those with anxiety. Of course there is a way to work with this, and in fact some modalities, such as Craniosacral Therapy, are great for addressing these issues. I’m going to focus on how this works in a future article. Whichever modality you choose for healing, it will always be important to take responsibility for your own health, in your own hands, and do your bit first. So why not learn how to unwind and slow down, and to be more in charge of the state of your own mind first? ## 4. Learn to unwind and slow down So how can we start? Take time daily to stop, unwind, and be present. Feel the wind on your face, hear the sound of the wind. Observe what is, and appreciate it. Difficult? Yes, to begin with, but that’s where body & mind activities such as Yoga and meditation are very helpful. Yoga and meditation are like two sides of the same coin. Yoga as we know it in “the West” involves our physical body, but what makes the difference between a Yoga and an exercise class is that in Yoga we involve the attentiveness and engagement of our mind. The more attentiveness and awareness we develop, the more our Yoga practice becomes a meditation. Therefore, we could say that meditation is an effect, or an advanced stage, of Yoga. And often we find it easier to start with Yoga practice, and gradually graduate into meditation. Some people who realise they need more clarity of mind are attracted to meditation initially, often perceiving Yoga as just a physical exercise that they might not be interested in. For some, this path might be more difficult, but for those truly committed it might in fact be more direct. Whatever path you choose, you cannot skip mindfulness, attentiveness, and being in the present moment. To start with a Hatha Yoga practice is considered the easiest path, because the Yoga asanas (body postures) help to create and support certain states of mind. By practising these postures, becoming more comfortable and at ease in them, a certain degree of mindfulness develops, our awareness naturally settles at certain energy centres, and the process becomes less of a struggle. Before we realise, there is a shift in our mind, our consciousness expands, and we enter meditation. All those times that you felt like a Yoga class passed almost in a second (assuming you didn’t fall asleep!) you most likely entered an expansive state of mind, which we could call meditation. ## 5. What type of yoga is best for anxiety and stress For people with anxiety and chronic stress, and especially those who find it difficult to switch off, I would recommend starting with Hatha Yoga, to receive some support from the body postures in settling your mind. The Yoga postures need to be held for enough time to expand the awareness from the body to more subtle levels. The fast, dynamic, more recently developed Yoga styles will not address the problem of your mind. You might feel fantastic afterwards, especially if you are already fit and flexible and you like a physical workout, but it won’t teach your mind to slow down, and to get used to being still and at ease. If you want to see effects on your mind, and address problems of anxiety, you have to work towards a slowing down of mental activity. The challenge shouldn’t be to enter the posture, but to hold it in a relaxed and comfortable way for a longer and longer time. The Yoga Sutras, Yoga’s seminal text written by Patanjali, says Yoga asanas should be practised in a steady and comfortable manner; and that when the shift in the mind happens, every passing thought will quieten down, and a new restful state of mind will emerge. ## 6. Bring yoga from the mat to your daily life If that wonderful state happens several times, it will become easier and easier to induce it with even a short practice at home, and eventually you might even be able to invoke it by will alone, in the middle of a busy day. At that point, we have control of our minds and can self-regulate the nervous system. It’s not about quitting everything which might potentially create some stress, or not having goals and ambitions. We are well-enough equipped to discharge our stresses, but to do so the autonomic nervous system has to be healthy and balanced. And I cannot think of a better vehicle for achieving this than via Yoga and meditation. If this resonates, my weekly Hatha Yoga classes run across mid-Norfolk, and a one-to-one is often the kindest way to start when anxiety is loud. If something deeper is driving the pattern, Craniosacral Therapy at Honingham can sit alongside the practice. Drop me a line if you’d like to talk it through. Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/blog/yoga-for-weight-loss/ # Yoga for Weight Loss Lasting weight change isn't a diet or a boot camp. It's a quieter shift in how you live in your body. Ania on chakras, embodiment and 20 years of practice. Ania Chard·26 October 2019 Yoga supports lasting weight change, but not primarily through calorie burn. A regular practice changes your relationship with your body, builds the self-awareness that underlies healthy habits, and over time addresses the emotional and behavioural patterns that drive overeating or inactivity. This is slower and less direct than a diet, but more durable. The post explains why short-term approaches consistently fail and how a committed practice works differently. When it comes to losing weight, we all know it’s down to diet and exercise. Sounds easy. Yet anyone who has ever tried to shed even a few pounds knows it’s not that simple. You might have tried a tough diet, a very strict exercise regime, or perhaps you happened to have a period of intense physical activity, or you’ve fallen in love and food was not a priority anymore, and you managed to lose half a stone. But how quickly after you resumed your normal habits did the weight get put back? We all know it, and perhaps next Spring we’ll get motivated again to find another miracle diet, push ourselves even more and achieve the dream beach body, but how often after several attempts do we lose hope and motivation? If this is the case for you and you have been struggling with weight problems for years, then perhaps it’s time to look a bit deeper, to understand what’s at the root of the problem, what makes us break a diet, and what causes us to eat compulsively, or to be a couch potato, and so on. ## 1. Find the reason Perhaps it’s down to lack of will power, or there is an emotional problem and you need your comfort food, or your digestion is extremely slow and you put on weight almost just by looking at cakes? There can be so many reasons, and the first step is to find out what it is, and therefore what needs to be addressed, and what has to change. ## 2. You need to change You need to change, and the change has to be forever. Unless you want to be slim for just a month or two. Having a month without chocolate, or joining a boot camp is a good start, but if you are looking forward for the month to finish, and to going back to your beloved reunion with the sofa and sweets, that won’t work. You have to be honest with yourself: can you live all your life without chocolate, cakes, and with a commitment to an extreme physical regime? If that doesn’t sound like fun, then in time you will be back to your old routine and your old self. The change has to be willing, permanent and achievable. It has to involve the food you eat, your daily activity, and also the state of your mind, the state of your being. You have to recreate your new self, be committed to this new self and never slip back to your old habits. ## 3. Yoga is an exercise for body and mind Many people think about yoga as a physical exercise, and therefore think of the effects it might have on muscles, joints, and the body’s shape. If you turn up weekly for your yoga class looking just for physical exercise to turn your body into an image from a yoga poster, you might discover that other exercise classes and workouts might actually do a better job at making you sweat, push more, and overall in burning more calories. That is, unless you have heard that yoga is an exercise for the mind too. Body & Mind is an oft-used slogan and a bit of a cliché in yoga, however not many who practise yoga understand how it works on the mind, and it’s seldom taught nowadays. Perhaps you’ve noticed that you are more relaxed after a class, or perhaps you feel more happy and content; that’s a good start, but yoga can offer way more than that. ## 4. Learn about chakras You can understand much more how yoga can affect your mind if you understand the ancient knowledge of the chakras. That’s another word which you’ve probably heard in yoga, but how do chakras affect us, and how does yoga influence your chakras? That’s very seldom covered in your weekly yoga classes. Once you learn about chakras and which asanas (yoga poses) work on them, you will understand how you can develop or empower any qualities you want within yourself, just by committing to specific yoga practices. So yes, with certain targeted asanas practised you can strengthen your willpower, self-confidence, create more enthusiasm, self-motivation, self-love, and whatever quality you might be lacking. ## 5. Dive into a journey within yourself And during this incredible journey you might discover much more about yourself, your hidden wounds, inner strengths, inspirations and potentials. When I started my yoga practice over 20 years ago, losing weight was not the top priority. I had been on diets since the age of fourteen, and the dieting obsession was making me really miserable. I had periods when my life was all about counting calories and avoiding places with food, followed by ‘weaker’ times, when I hated myself for eating chocolate and my weight would grow almost over night. All together I was not happy, and there were a few other things not going well for me at the time, and I really needed change. A regular morning yoga practice built up my self-confidence and brought more harmony to my life in just a couple of months. But I had an intuition there was much more to it. Soon after, I took off for India to dive into yogic mysteries at the very source, and that’s where the next 7 years of soul adventure and transformation began. And the adventure still continues, on so many levels. ## 6. The results and the promise But did I lose weight? Yes, my weight finally stabilised at 64kg and I wear 4 sizes smaller clothes than at my “heavy” times in my early twenties. But what’s more important is that I haven’t been on a slimming diet for decades; my relationship to food has changed completely. I occasionally do purification or detox regimes for overall health, but on the other hand, I don’t feel guilty when I have some chocolate, cake or go to Italy for fantastic holidays and eat 4-course meals. I can trust my body to tell me in a healthy way what’s enough, and perhaps compensate with a little bit more walking or other fun activity. So what has changed is that I’m much more connected to myself, more embodied, more understanding and compassionate, more joyful, and much more. There is lots to promise; however it doesn’t mean it’s easy. It requires commitment, and time. As I said, it’s not about temporary change; you want to rewire yourself permanently, and that will need time. But I promise it’s worth it, and you will love it. If this resonates and you’d like to begin, my weekly Hatha Yoga classes run across mid-Norfolk, and a one-to-one is often the kindest way to start when something deeper is driving the pattern. Drop me a line if you’d like to talk it through. Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice behind her. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. ## Bring it to the mat If something here landed, the next step isn’t more reading. It’s a class. Find a class Back to blog --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/about/ # A steady, careful practice, taught the way Ania would want to be taught. Blossom Yoga brings together yoga classes, therapies and retreats across mid-Norfolk, run by Ania Chard. Ania has been teaching yoga in Norwich and mid-Norfolk since 2014. Ania’s story ## How Blossom Yoga began Ania began yoga in Poland in the early ’90s, at a time when classes were almost impossible to find. So she started where she could: alone, on the floor of her bedroom, with a stack of books. The practice took root before she had ever met a teacher. Eventually she tracked one down: a yoga teacher who lived miles from her house, far enough that getting to a class was a small expedition. By then the books had already shown her how vast and interesting the system really was: not a stretching routine, but a whole way of working with body, breath and mind. She wanted to study it properly. So she went to India. India shaped everything. She spent long stretches there learning yoga and meditation directly from teachers in the tradition, and continued that path with formal teacher training in Thailand and, later, the Hridaya Yoga and Meditation Teacher Training in Mexico. Alongside the mat, she also built up a quiet body of hands-on therapy training over the years: craniosacral, Lomi Lomi, sports and clinical massage among others, which feeds into how carefully she works with bodies in class. Blossom Yoga was founded in 2014, first as Blossom Therapies and now, as the teaching has become the heart of the work, simply Blossom Yoga. Ania teaches from the Painted Barn Studio in Barnham Broom, and other venues across mid-Norfolk, runs retreats at West Lexham, and sees therapy clients from a quiet treatment room at ProActive in Honingham. The name “Blossom” was deliberate. It speaks to the kind of change Ania most wants to help people with: unforced, patient, real. You cannot rush a flower open. You can only give it decent soil and enough light and wait. What Ania values ## Four things that shape every class ### Teaching, not performance Yoga classes at Blossom Yoga are not a workout and not a display. They are a practice: slow, adaptable, worth returning to. Ania would rather teach five poses well than fifty at speed. ### Real bodies, real lives Every class is adapted to the people in the room. Returning after injury, navigating menopause, stiff from desk work, simply exhausted; you are welcome exactly as you are on the day. ### Small, held groups Classes stay small on purpose. You are seen, your name is known, your practice is supported, not lost in a room of thirty strangers. ### Traditional roots Teaching is grounded in classical Hatha Yoga and mindful awareness, not trend-driven, not athletic styling. The aim is a practice that serves you for the next forty years, not the next forty minutes. Who you’ll meet ## The people behind Blossom Yoga ### Ania Chard Founder & Yoga Teacher Ania founded Blossom Yoga in 2014 after completing both Yoga and meditation teacher training, with over thirty years of personal practice in each behind her, alongside ongoing work in hands-on therapies. Her teaching is grounded, careful and deeply welcoming: a steady presence for students returning to their bodies after stress, injury or the shifting landscape of midlife. ### James Meditation Teacher Ania’s husband James spent a long year studying internal martial arts in China before travelling on to Thailand and India to study yoga and meditation. He now leads regular meditation sessions for Blossom Yoga, drawing on decades of practice in the traditional yogic contemplative lineage. ### Harvey Studio Dog Harvey runs a tight ship in the office and moonlights as Blossom Yoga’s most loyal online student, turning up to most classes, supervising from the corner of the mat, and offering tail-based encouragement to anyone who logs in. His specialism is savasana, in which he holds true expert form. Wellbeing guidance is non-verbal but unmistakable. Training ## Qualifications & ongoing study - Advanced Yoga Teacher Training, Thailand - Hridaya Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training, Mexico - Craniosacral Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy Education Trust, London - Chronic Fatigue and Craniosacral Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy Education Trust, London - Fascial Unwinding, College of Cranio-Sacral Therapy, London - Practical Oncology Massage, Susan Findlay - ITEC Sports Massage Therapy (Levels 3 and 4), Jackie Hamilton School of Therapies, Norwich - Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage, Way of Therapy, London Ania is insured and DBS-checked, and committed to continuing professional development across both yoga and bodywork. ## Come and try a class The best way to understand how Ania teaches is to come and sit on a mat. Your first class is unhurried and she’ll adapt it to what you arrive with. Book your first class Explore classes --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/contact/ # Let’s talk about what you’re looking for. Call, email or send a message: whichever you prefer. Ania aims to reply within a working day. ## Direct contact Phone 01603 857337 Email info@blossom.yoga Based in The Painted Barn, Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, NR9 4DB ## When you can reach us - Monday9am – 6:30pm - Tuesday9am – 6:30pm - Wednesday9am – 5pm - Thursday9am – 7:30pm - Friday9am – 5pm - SaturdayClosed - SundayClosed ## Social ## Where to find Ania Every venue is on the map below, and the key will narrow it down to what you are looking for: yoga classes, meditation, events, treatments or retreats. Click a pin for the venue's name, its postcode and a way to open it in your own maps app. Treatments are at ProActive Therapies in Honingham and retreats are at West Lexham. Full addresses, postcodes and parking notes are on each location page. - Barnham Broom Village Hall Norwich Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4BU Open in Google Maps - Cringleford Pavilion Recreation Ground, Oakfields Road, Cringleford, Norwich NR4 6XF Open in Google Maps - Garvestone & Thuxton Village Hall Dereham Road, Garvestone, Norwich NR9 4AD Open in Google Maps - Honingham Village Hall The Street, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5BL Open in Google Maps - ProActive Therapies George Smith House, Dereham Road, Honingham, Norwich NR9 5AP Open in Google Maps - Sprowston Diamond Centre School Lane, Sprowston, Norwich NR7 8TR Open in Google Maps - The Painted Barn Honingham Road, Barnham Broom, Norwich NR9 4DB Open in Google Maps - West Lexham Wellness & Retreat Centre Lexham Road, West Lexham, King’s Lynn PE32 2QN Open in Google Maps --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/policies/ # Booking, cancellation and conduct Plain-English terms for classes, treatments and retreats at Blossom Yoga. If anything here is unclear, please get in touch: info@blossom.yoga. Last updated: 16 October 2026 ## Booking Classes, appointments and events are booked online in advance and paid for at the time of booking. When you start to pay, the places in your basket are held for 30 minutes. A treatment time is held for 15 minutes while you fill in the form, and for 30 once you go to pay. There are two things that work differently. The weekly meditation class at Barnham Broom Village Hall is the one you can come to without booking. Cash on the night is always welcome, so you are able to come along and see how it feels before taking a set of six. Every other class has a limited number of places, and booking is the only way to be sure of one. A treatment is paid for when you book it, by card, with credit for treatments, or with a gift card that Ania has unlocked for treatments. It can be paid for in person on the day only if we have arranged that beforehand. Classes are for adults, and when you book one you are asked to confirm that you are 18 or over. If it is your first yoga class, you will be sent a private link to a short set of health questions, which you are expected to complete before you come. Some classes are kept for regular students. They show as full to everybody else, and you can join the waiting list for them (see Waiting lists below). ## Keeping your card details Your card details are only kept if you ask us to keep them. When you pay there is a box you can tick, and it starts empty. Leave it as it is and nothing about your card is remembered. If you do tick it, your card details are held by Stripe, who take the payment. We keep a reference to them and never the number, and the number does not pass through this website at any point. Card details we hold are only ever offered back to you when you are signed in to your space on the website, because that is the only way we can be sure it is you. Nothing is ever charged unless you choose them yourself and press the button. You can take them off your record whenever you like, under Your details in your space on the website. ## Cancellation: classes This covers the group yoga classes, the meditation classes and workshops, and the Women's Circle. You do not have to book the weekly meditation class at Barnham Broom Village Hall, and cash on the night is always welcome. You can book it, in sixes or alongside the Monday yoga class, and if you have, what follows applies to those in the same way. ### Cancellation by you A class is not refundable once it is booked. What you can do instead is move it, and how far you can move it depends on whether you booked the class on its own or as part of a set of six. A place booked for somebody else works a little differently: it cannot be cancelled, and only the person who booked it can move it. See “Booking a place for somebody else” below. ### A class booked on its own More than 24 hours before it starts, you can move it to another class of the same kind, at the same price or less, as long as there is a space. A yoga class moves to a yoga class, a meditation class to a meditation class, a workshop to a workshop, and the Women’s Circle to the Women’s Circle. An online class moves to another online class, and an in-person class to another in-person class. The new class can be up to 120 days ahead, and you can move a class more than once, so long as each move is more than 24 hours before the class you are leaving. Inside 24 hours a single class cannot be moved or cancelled. If something exceptional has happened, please tell Ania as soon as you can. She may be able to help, though she cannot promise it. If the class is online, you are sent the recording whether or not you make it. ### A class in a set of six What a set is. Six yoga classes chosen together in one basket cost the price of five: the cheapest of the six is free. Only yoga classes count towards a set. Meditation workshops, the Women’s Circle, treatments and retreats do not. A set belongs to one person. A set of six is there to commit you to coming, so it cannot be shared or split between people, and none of its classes can be given to somebody you bring. If two of you would like a set, you each book your own. If you share a sign-in with somebody in your household, you can each book your own set of six. Online and in-person classes do not mix. A set is six in-person classes or six online ones, not a combination of the two. They are different prices and, honestly, quite different experiences, so they are kept separate. A set of six online classes runs six weeks together, with no gaps (a week when the studio is shut all week does not break it), and online classes in a set are not moved. That sounds firmer than it is: you are sent the recording whether or not you make it on the day, so a week you cannot be there is not a week you lose. More than 24 hours before, you can move a class to the same class another week, or to a different class at any of our venues. It needs to stay inside the eight weeks your set runs for, which means that if you booked six weeks running you have up to two weeks after your last class to take it. A week when the studio is shut does not count against you. If your six do not fall inside eight weeks, they are priced as six single classes. Inside 24 hours, a class in a set cannot be moved, in the same way as a class booked on its own. If something exceptional has happened, please tell Ania as soon as you can. She may be able to help, though she cannot promise it. Which classes you can move to. Not all our classes are the same price, so here is the plain-English version: you can move to a class at the price most of your six are at, or to anything cheaper. If most of your six are £10 classes, you can move between those. If most of them are £11 classes, then the odd cheaper one can come up to an £11 class at no extra cost. If your six are split evenly between two prices, the lower one applies. Both depend on there being a space in the class you are moving to. ### Cancellation by Blossom Yoga If Ania cancels a class, everybody booked on it is moved to the next running of that class if there is room. Anybody who does not fit gets their money back, to the card they paid with, or as credit if they paid by hand. A class in a set of six goes back onto your set, and no money moves. ## Booking a place for somebody else You can book a class for a friend or a member of your family and pay for it yourself. This is what happens, and what is fixed once it is done. What we need from you. You can bring up to seven people. Each person you bring needs their own name, email address and mobile number, and you confirm that they are over 18. They get their own confirmation and their own reminders, so they hear from us directly. If a class asks health questions, those go to them and not to you, and you never see what they answer. Sets of six. A set of six, or the six-for-£10 meditation pack, is for one person and is never shared, so it cannot be booked for somebody you bring. Each person you bring is booked one class at a time, at that class's own price, with no free class. If two of you would like a set, you each book your own. If you share a sign-in with somebody in your household, you can each book your own set of six. If the class is 48 hours or more away. Their place is held for them and we write to them as soon as you pay. They have until 44 hours before the class, or 24 hours after you pay, whichever comes first, to say yes. We say the exact day and time in the letter, and beside their name when you pay. If the class is less than 48 hours away. They have 12 hours from the moment you pay, and never later than an hour before the class. If the class is less than two hours away. There is not time to ask. They are booked as soon as you pay, and we write to tell them. You can add somebody right up to the moment the class starts. If you tell us they know and are happy. They are booked at once without being asked, and the place cannot be cancelled. A friend can also tell us they are happy for you to book them in without asking in future, and can take that back whenever they like. Reminders. We remind them once ourselves, and you can nudge them again every 12 hours. Reminders are only sent between 7am and 9pm. If they say no, or do not answer in time. The place goes back to the class. The money for it is not refunded: it is kept as credit on your account, for the same kind of booking (see Credit below), and it is offered to you the next time you book that kind. The same applies if we cannot add them to a class (for example, they already have a place in it). We write to tell you, and we do not say why. Once a class place is booked for somebody else, it cannot be cancelled. That is true for them and for you, whether they said yes or were booked straight away because the class was so close. You can move it, as long as it is more than 24 hours before the class. Your friend is asked whether the new class suits them, and if they say no or do not answer, they keep the place they have. They cannot move it themselves. A place nobody takes up does not stay booked, which is why it becomes credit instead. A retreat place is the exception: it keeps the retreat terms below, and the person who paid can change it under them. ## Waiting lists When a class is full, you can join its waiting list by pressing the link in the email we send you. Places are offered in the order people joined. When somebody cancels a class that has a waiting list, Ania has the place for an hour first. After that it is offered to the first person on the list, and an hour later to the next as well, and so on. Whoever pays first has the place. If you take an offered place for one class, you stay on the list, at the front for the next time. If you become a regular in a class, you come off its list. You can leave a waiting list at any time, from the link in any of its emails. For a retreat there are two lists: a select list of people Ania has chosen, and a list of people who asked to be told, or who deferred a place. You can leave either from The Root. ## Credit Credit is money we hold against your name instead of paying it back to your card. It is not a gift card. Credit can only be used for the same kind of booking it came from. Credit for classes is used on classes. Credit for events (the meditation workshops and the Women’s Circle) is used on events. Credit for retreats is used only on retreats. Credit for treatments is used only on treatments. So if Ania gives you credit because you were ill and could not come to a retreat, it goes towards another retreat, and it cannot be used to pay for yoga classes. When you next book while signed in, the checkout offers any credit that fits what you are booking, and you can leave it unticked if you would rather not use it. If you are booking more than one kind of thing together, all of your credit that fits is used, each kind only up to the cost of its own kind of booking. Credit is made when a place you booked for somebody else is not taken up, when you defer a retreat place (see the retreat terms below), when you cancel a treatment less than a week ahead (see below), when money you paid by hand is returned as credit, and when Ania chooses to give you credit herself. For example, if you were ill and could not come to a retreat, she may hold some or all of what you paid as credit for another retreat. A retreat has costs that cannot be undone, so it may be less than you paid. Credit does not expire. A gift card and credit are not used together in one checkout. ## Cancellation: one-to-one appointments This covers treatments and one-to-one yoga, both of which are time set aside for you alone. ### Cancellation by you If you cancel more than a week before the scheduled start time, you are refunded in full. From a week before down to 48 hours before, the payment is not refunded: you can move the appointment to another time, or, if you cancel it, the money is held as credit for treatments, which can only be used on a treatment. Within 48 hours of the appointment it cannot be cancelled or moved online, and nothing is refunded. If something exceptional has happened, please tell Ania, as set out below. ### Rescheduling by you You may reschedule a one-to-one appointment up to 48 hours before the scheduled start time, and there is no charge to move it to another available time. Within 48 hours of your appointment, please contact Ania directly to change it, which we can usually help with in exceptional circumstances such as illness. ### Cancellation by Blossom Yoga If Ania cannot make an appointment, it is moved to the next available time, and you are told. If that time does not suit you, you can choose another, or have your money back. ## Cancellation: retreats and day events Retreats and day events involve significant preparation and advance venue commitment. The following terms apply. ### Booking Full payment is required at the time of booking to secure your place. There is no deposit and no balance to pay later. A retreat is arranged a long way ahead: the venue is held, the catering is confirmed and the materials are ordered well before the day itself. So how much can come back to you if you cancel depends on how much of that has already been committed, which is what the three periods below describe. A refund is not your only option, though, and the alternatives are set out underneath them. ### Cancellation by you - 60 days or more before: you are entitled to a refund of the amount you paid, less an administration fee of 10%. That fee covers the costs that fall due as soon as a place is arranged, such as the venue and the catering. - 30 to 59 days before: you are entitled to a refund of 50% of the amount you paid. By this point the venue hire, the food and the materials are largely committed, which is what the other half covers. - Fewer than 30 days before: no refund can be issued, because by then it has all been paid for. If you paid by cash or bank transfer, a refund under these periods is handed back to you by Ania. A card payment taken in person on SumUp goes back through SumUp. Inside 30 days nothing can be changed online. If something serious has happened, please talk to Ania, who decides case by case what can be done. There are three other things you can do instead, and all are worth knowing about before you ask for a refund. - Move to a future retreat. If you would rather come another time than have your money back, you can move the full amount you paid onto a future retreat that costs no more than you paid, with nothing deducted. That can be done once, and up to 30 days before the day. If you then cancel the moved place, it cannot return more than it would have on the day you moved it, and the three periods above are counted from the date of the retreat you moved to. A place moved from the 50% period stays at 50% at best, however far off the new retreat is. A place moved from the 60-days-or-more period can still return the amount less the 10% fee while the new retreat is 60 or more days away, then 50%, then nothing from 30 days before. If something serious means you need to move a second time, please talk to Ania. - Defer. Instead of moving, you can keep the whole amount you paid as retreat credit, to use on any future retreat. That can be done once, and up to 30 days before the day. If the retreat you choose later costs more, you pay the difference at checkout. - Pass your place to somebody else. Instead of cancelling, you can ask Ania to pass your place to somebody else, as long as the new person agrees. Ania arranges it, up to 10 days before the retreat. If something serious has happened and you genuinely cannot come, please talk to Ania, who may still be able to help after that, though she cannot promise it. Anyone stepping in that late should know that the kitchen may not be able to meet particular dietary needs at such short notice. Once a place has been passed on, it cannot be refunded: what was paid stays with the place, and any arrangement about money is between you and the person who takes it. Please tell Ania as soon as you know, whichever of these applies. If you are passing your place to somebody else, tell her straight away, so that the transfer can be made and the new name registered in time. Anybody who has not been registered will not be able to join us on the day. ### Cancellation by Blossom Yoga If a retreat or day event is cancelled by Blossom Yoga for any reason, you will receive a full refund of everything you have paid, with no administration fee deducted, or the option to move your booking to a future event. ### UK consumer rights Under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, a booking for a retreat, which is a leisure activity on a specific date, is not subject to the standard 14-day cooling-off period. The cancellation terms above apply from the point of booking confirmation. ## Gift cards A gift card can be for any whole number of pounds from £20 to £500. It does not expire, and it can be sent straight away or on a day you choose up to a year ahead, with a message. It can be spent on classes, events and retreats. A treatment can be paid for with a gift card only if Ania has unlocked that card for treatments. If a booking costs less than the card holds, what is left stays on the card. A gift card that has been bought is not refundable. If a bank disputes the payment that bought a gift card, the card is stopped at once. If you cancel something you paid for with a gift card and the terms above give you a refund, it goes back to your card first and then onto the gift card, so the value is not lost. ## When money goes back When money goes back to you, it goes to the card it came from. A card payment taken in person on SumUp goes back through SumUp. Money you paid by hand, in cash or by bank transfer, is held as credit or handed back to you by Ania. ## Conduct: yoga classes Blossom Yoga classes are welcoming and inclusive. To keep them that way for everyone: - Please arrive on time. Once a class has begun, late arrivals may not be admitted. - Respect the personal space of others and help maintain a quiet environment during practice. - Show consideration towards fellow participants and the teacher throughout. - Disruptive or inappropriate behaviour will result in immediate removal from the class without refund. Future attendance may be declined at Ania’s discretion. ## Conduct: treatments ### Before your appointment Before your first treatment, and again if it has been more than a year since you were last seen, Ania will send you a private link to a short set of health questions, so the session can be planned safely around you. Filling it in before you arrive means your appointment is all treatment. If you would rather not, that is completely fine, and Ania will go through the same questions with you in person instead. ### Timing Your booked appointment time includes any time needed to settle in and dress afterwards. If you arrive late, the treatment will be shortened accordingly so that the schedule for other clients is not affected. ### Professional standards Treatments are for adults. When you book one you are asked to confirm that you are 18 or over. All treatments are carried out by a fully qualified, insured therapist, and you are always modestly covered during treatment. Any inappropriate behaviour, including sexual references or misconduct of any kind, will result in the immediate termination of the session without refund. Future bookings will not be accepted. ## Questions If you have a question about any of these policies, please get in touch before booking. Ania Chard, Blossom Yoga info@blossom.yoga 01603 857337 --- Source: https://blossom.yoga/privacy/ # How I look after your information Plain-English notes on what Blossom Yoga collects, why, how long it is kept, and the rights you have under UK GDPR. If anything is unclear, please just ask: info@blossom.yoga. Last updated: 21 October 2026 ## Who I am Blossom Yoga is run by me, Ania Chard, from Norfolk. For data-protection purposes I am the data controller for the personal information you share with me through this website, by email, by phone, or in person at a class or a treatment. Contact: Ania Chard · 01603 857337 · info@blossom.yoga ## The short version - I collect what I need to teach you, treat you and look after your booking, and nothing more. - Your health answers are kept apart from everything else, in a separate database that holds no name or email, and they are opened only by someone with a clinical permission, and only when it is required. - I do not sell your details or pass them on for marketing. - You only get the newsletter if you have asked for it, and you can stop it whenever you like. - You can ask to see, correct or delete what I hold about you at any time. ## What I collect, and why ### When you get in touch Your name, email address, phone number if you give one, what you are interested in, and your message. Cloudflare Turnstile checks that a person, not a bot, is sending it. It reaches me by email, a copy of the enquiry is also kept in the site’s own record of emails, and I use it to reply to you. Lawful basis: legitimate interest. You asked me a question, and a reply is what you would expect. ### When you make a booking You can book a class, a treatment, a retreat place or a gift card on this website. To do that I need your name, email address and phone number, what you have chosen, the date and time, and any note you add. While you are choosing, a basket holds your selection. If you do not finish, the details you typed are cleared after fourteen days. Booking creates an account for you in The Root, my members’ area. That is how you get your confirmation and reminders, and how you move or cancel a booking. The account holds your name, email address and phone number, your bookings, any credit you have with me, whether you have confirmed you are 18 or over, your newsletter choice, your birthday if you choose to give it (the day and month, never the year), and an avatar if you choose one. If you give me your birthday, it is only so that I see a small cake beside your name in my diary on the day. It also holds a reference to your record at Stripe, described below. I keep what you booked, how it was paid for, and whether you came to a class. I mark who came by hand. My classes and treatments are for adults, so when you book I ask you to confirm that you are 18 or over. You only need to confirm once: it is kept on your account. Card payments are taken by Stripe. Your card details go from your browser straight to Stripe, and I never see or store them. I can see what you paid for, the amount, and whether it worked. If you choose to save a card for next time, Stripe holds it and I keep only a reference to it, with the last four digits and the expiry date so you can recognise it. You can remove it in The Root whenever you like. Whenever you pay while signed in, Stripe is also given your name and email address, so that your payments sit under one customer record there, whether or not you save a card. Stripe does not send you its own receipt: any receipt comes from me. If you pay me in person, I take cash or a card on a SumUp card reader. If we have agreed it beforehand, I may instead take a bank transfer. I write down how you paid, and each night I read SumUp’s record of its payments so that I can balance the books. It holds no card numbers, and no card details are ever written down. Lawful basis: contract, so that I can give you what you booked. ### Health questions: treatments, first classes and retreats I send private health questions to anybody booking a treatment, to somebody booking their first yoga class, and to every retreat guest before a retreat. Before your first treatment, and again if it has been more than a year since I last saw you, I send you a private link to a health questionnaire. It asks what I need to know in order to work safely: any conditions, any medication, a recent injury or operation, allergies, and a few things about you such as your date of birth and what you do for a living. The first questions are yes or no, and anything you answer yes to opens a few more. Your answers are looked after differently from everything else here, on purpose: - They are kept in a separate database from your booking and your account, held in the European Union. The UK recognises the European Economic Area as giving personal information the same protection as UK law, so your rights and my duties are exactly the same either way. - That database holds no name and no email address. Your answers are linked to you by a reference, not by your details. - Only someone with a specific clinical permission can open them, and that access is only used when it is required. - They are never put in an email, never written into a web address, and never used for marketing. - When you look up a medicine on the form, the list is searched inside your own browser. What you type is not sent anywhere. - If you have filled one in before, the new one arrives with your previous answers already in it, so you only change what has changed. - You can ask to see your answers, correct them, or have them deleted, at any time. Retreat guests are also asked about food, so that I can plan the meals. Those answers are looked after in the same way. At a retreat held at another venue, the kitchen is told what you cannot eat, with your name beside it. My notes on your treatments are on paper, in a locked filing cabinet. If I move them onto the site, they will be held in the same separate database as your health answers, and I will update this page first. Lawful basis: contract. For your health answers it is your explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a) of the UK GDPR), which you give by ticking the box under the notice on the form before you send it. You can take that consent back at any time by telling me. I hold your answers as your therapist, under a duty of confidence. ### When you are on a waiting list If a class or a retreat is full and you ask to join its waiting list, I keep your name, email address, your phone number if you gave one, and which list you are on. Joining a waiting list makes you an account in The Root. I use your details to tell you when a place opens, and for nothing else. If you take an offered place for one class, you stay on the list. If you become a regular in a class, you come off its list. You can leave at any time using the link in any waiting-list email. Lawful basis: consent. You asked me to tell you. ### When you buy or are given a gift card If you buy a gift card I keep your name and email address, the amount, and, if you are sending it to someone, their name and email address and the message you wrote. Their details are used to send the card, and for nothing else. Buying a gift card does not put either of you on the newsletter. Buying a gift card makes you a customer with an account, and using one makes you a customer too, so your details are then kept like any other customer’s. Lawful basis: contract. ### When somebody books a place for you If somebody books a class for you, they give me your name, email address and phone number, so that I can write to you and reach you on the day if I need to. I use those details for that and nothing else, and I never add you to the newsletter because of it. Usually you are sent an invitation first, and I hold those details until you answer. If you say yes, I make you an account, so that you have your own confirmation and reminders. If you say no, or do not answer in time, I delete the details. The person who booked is not paid back, but keeps the money as credit with me. If the person who booked tells me you know about it and are happy to be booked in, or the class is about to start, I book you in without asking first. I then make you an account and write to tell you. You can tell me you would be happy for one person to book you in without asking in future, and you can take that back whenever you like. If you are the one booking, I remember the people you have booked for, and any permission like that, and you can remove both in The Root. ### When you use The Root The Root is my members’ area. It holds your bookings and credit, the notes from classes and workshops you have attended, anything you have bought, your name, email address and phone number, and an avatar if you choose one. It also remembers which notes you have opened and which you keep close. Teachers see only how many people have read a note, never who. Nothing about your health is in The Root. That lives only in the separate database described above, and nothing in The Root can reach it. You sign in with a one-time link sent to your email, so there is no password to keep. In The Root you can change your details, your newsletter choice, your saved card and the people you have booked for, and you can sign out at any time. If two people share one email address, each is their own record, and letters for either of them go to that shared address. Lawful basis: contract, and legitimate interest in making the notes from a class you attended available to you. ### When you tell me something is not right In The Root, and on the rest of the website while you are signed in, there is a small mouse (called Kroncha) in the corner of the screen. If you press it, you can tell James, who looks after the site, what went wrong, in your own words. So that he can find the problem, the form fills in a few things for you: your name and email address from your account, the page you were on, the time, your browser and device, the size of your window, and the names of the last few buttons or links you pressed. It shows you the whole list before you send anything. Nothing you typed into any other box is sent, and no passwords. You can add a screenshot if it helps, and it is only sent if you add it. On a page that shows other people’s names and email addresses, you can cover part of the picture before it goes. On a page that can show health information, screenshots are switched off, and nothing about what you pressed is kept, so that nothing about anyone’s health can end up in a report. Please leave names and health out of what you write there too. Only James and I can read a report. If you ticked “You can email me about this”, he may reply to you by email. If you left it unticked, he will not. A note of the fault, without your name or email address, goes on the list James keeps of things to mend. Lawful basis: legitimate interest, in finding and mending faults in the site. ### When you sign up to the newsletter Your first name and email address. They are held by MailerLite, the service I use to send occasional emails about classes, retreat dates and reflections on practice. When you sign up on the website, I first send you an email asking you to confirm it was you, and nothing happens until you do. Inside The Root, ticking the newsletter box on your details page does the same: you are sent that confirmation email, and you are subscribed once you press the link. Unticking the box takes you off the list. If you press “unsubscribe” in a newsletter instead, the box in The Root is unticked for you. I use your details only to send those emails. I do not profile subscribers or share the list with anyone. Having a booking or an account never adds you to the newsletter. Lawful basis: consent, which you can take back whenever you like. ### When you visit the website The site runs on Cloudflare. Cloudflare records standard information about every visit (IP address, browser type, the page requested, the date and time) so that it can run the site and protect it from abuse. I do not see this myself. It sits in Cloudflare’s logs. The site also uses Cloudflare Web Analytics, which counts visits so that I can see which pages are read, where visitors come from (a search, a link, a social post), which country and kind of device they use, and how quickly the pages load. It does not use cookies, and it does not record what you do on a page, so there are no recordings or replays. It is not used in The Root, on the health questionnaire, or on the pages where you confirm something, accept an invitation, check out or see your booking. Words searched for on the site are counted, without anything that identifies who searched. If somebody tries wrong gift card codes, the site briefly remembers their address, to limit guessing. Lawful basis: legitimate interest in understanding how the site is used and improving it. ### When I email you Email is sent through Resend. I keep a record of what was sent, to which address, and what happened to it: whether it was delivered, whether it bounced, and whether it was opened or a link in it was followed. That is how I can tell you honestly whether a confirmation reached you. I keep a copy of each letter. Some letters wait for an hour so that I can read them before they go. The day after a treatment I may send a note asking whether you would like to leave a Google review, at most once a year. When I send you the health questionnaire I also keep a note of when I asked, whether the email and the form were opened, and whether it came back, so that I know who needs a gentle reminder before an appointment. That note holds no answers and nothing about your health. Lawful basis: contract, for anything about a booking you have made, and legitimate interest in knowing that my emails are arriving. ## Cookies I do not use advertising or targeting cookies. These are the ones in use: CookieWhat it is forHow longSign-in (set when you sign in to The Root)Keeps you signed in on this deviceUp to 90 days, or until you sign outBasketA random reference that remembers what is in your basket. It is not your name or anything about you14 days from your last changeBasket countLets the menu show how many things are in your basket. It holds a number and nothing else14 days, as the basketCheckout detailsHolds the name, email address and phone number you typed at checkout, between the two steps, so you do not retype them. Removed when you pay6 hoursCloudflare security cookieTells people from bots. Essential to running the site safelyShort If you share a device with other people, please use “Sign out” in The Root when you finish. The visit counting uses no cookie, so there is nothing to block there. An analytics-blocking extension will stop the counting, and the site works the same. The maps on this site are served by this website, not by Google, so loading a map sets no Google cookie. A “Directions” link opens Apple Maps on an Apple device, or Google Maps elsewhere, in a new tab, and from that point Apple’s or Google’s own terms apply. Your browser also keeps a few small things for this site: a treatment booking draft for a day (it can include your name, email address and phone number), whether The Root’s side menu is collapsed, and a few ticks it remembers. These stay in your browser and are never sent to me. A link in one of my letters can open one booking, an invitation or a questionnaire without signing in. These links stop working after a set time. Notes in The Root can include a video or music from YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify or Apple Music. That provider loads only when you open the note, and from then its own terms apply. ## Who I share your information with I do not sell, rent or swap your information. I use a small handful of services to run the practice: - Apple (iCloud Mail): my email. Enquiries and anything you reply to arrive in, and are stored in, my email account. - Cloudflare: runs the website and The Root, counts visits to the public pages (Web Analytics), and holds the databases and the files kept with them. The separate database holding health answers is also Cloudflare’s, set to the European Union. - MailerLite: sends the newsletter and holds subscriber names and email addresses. - Resend: sends the emails I send you: booking confirmations and reminders, receipts, sign-in links, and the link to your health questionnaire. It handles the sending. Your health answers are never in an email. - Stripe: takes card payments and holds any card you choose to save. Stripe receives your card details directly, and I never see them. It also keeps a customer record, with your name and email address, for anybody who pays while signed in. - SumUp: takes card payments when you pay me in person. SumUp receives your card details directly, and I never see them. - A retreat venue’s kitchen: at a retreat held somewhere else, the kitchen is told what you cannot eat, with your name beside it. - Google and Apple: Google shows the reviews of Blossom Yoga on the site, and Google or Apple Maps opens when you follow a “Directions” link. Neither receives anything from you unless you follow that link. I no longer use my previous booking system. Your booking history, and any phone number it held for you, are moved here, and what it held about you is deleted after that. Some of these providers are based outside the UK. Where that is so, the transfer is covered either by a UK adequacy decision or by Standard Contractual Clauses, as UK GDPR requires. I will only share your information with anyone else if I am legally required to, for example by a court order, or to protect the safety of you, me or someone else. ## How long I keep things WhatHow longYour account and booking historyWhile you are an active student or client and for 12 months after your last booking. After that I go through accounts by hand and delete them or make them anonymous. Payment records are kept longer, see belowPayment and accounting recordsSix years after the end of the tax year, as HMRC requires. These show what was paid for and when, not your healthHealth questionnaires and treatment notesAt least 7 years after I last saw you, in line with insurer and professional-body guidance for bodywork practitioners. Nothing deletes them on a timer: after that period I review and delete them by hand, and you can ask me to delete yours sooner. If I ever treated somebody under 18, the record is kept until they are 25, or eight years after I last saw them, whichever is laterDietary answers for retreatsUntil the retreat has happened and the kitchen no longer needs them. They are deleted automatically two days after the retreat ends, sooner if you askBaskets and checkout detailsCleared if you do not finish within fourteen daysWaiting list detailsUntil you leave the list, or become a regular in the class. You can leave at any time, from the link in any waiting-list emailReports that something is not rightA screenshot is deleted after 30 days. The words, the page and the other details are kept with your account, and removed or made anonymous with it when I delete your accountGift card detailsBuying or being given a gift card makes you a customer, so your details are kept like any other customer’s, as described aboveNewsletterWhile you are subscribed. If you unsubscribe, MailerLite keeps your address, marked as unsubscribedRecords of what I emailed you and whether it arrivedWhile you are a client, and cleared with the rest of your record. Resend keeps its own delivery logs for its own periodServer logsCloudflare keeps these briefly under its own policy. I hold no separate copyShort-lived recordsA sign-in link works for 15 minutes, and a link to manage a treatment booking for 180 days. Attempts at wrong gift card codes are forgotten after 15 minutes, and the log of the site’s background jobs after 30 days When I delete an account, I remove your name, email address and phone number and anything that could identify you. Where the law requires me to keep a payment record, it is kept without those details wherever I can. Stripe, Resend and MailerLite each keep their own records, and I clear those separately. ## Your rights Under UK GDPR you can ask me, at any time, to: - show you a copy of the information I hold about you, with a list of what the other services I use hold; - correct anything that is wrong or out of date; - delete your information, where there is no overriding legal reason for me to keep it; - restrict how I use it while a question is looked at; - stop a particular use of it; - give you a copy in a form you can take elsewhere; - stop relying on a consent you gave me. To do any of these, email info@blossom.yoga. I will reply within one calendar month. Some things you can do yourself in The Root: change your name, email address, phone number and newsletter choice, remove a saved card, forget the people you have booked for, and take back permission to be booked without asking. If you are not happy with how I have handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk. I would always rather you came to me first, so that I can put it right. ## Children My classes and treatments are for adults only, and you are asked to confirm you are 18 or over when you book. I do not knowingly collect information about children through this website. If a parent or guardian finds that a child has given me personal information, please contact me and I will delete it. ## Photography at retreats At a retreat, limited and unobtrusive photography may take place. The Event Photography Notice explains how photographs are taken, edited and used, including how to ask for an image to be removed. A copy is included in your booking confirmation. ## Changes to this policy If I change anything important about how I handle your information, I will update this page and the date at the top. ## Get in touch Anything in here you would like to talk through, please just write. I would much rather hear from you than have you wonder. Ania Chard, Blossom Yoga info@blossom.yoga 01603 857337