Constructive Rest: The Benefits of Getting Down To Ground Level

It’s hard not to notice autumnal shifts here and the change in light in the evenings. I was lucky enough to have a swim on the weekend in the sea AND a walk in the New Forest where we spotted wild porcini mushrooms growing by the path.

Porcini Delights

Good things happen when you get down on the ground…porcini delights from the New Forest

I’d like to say something really clever here about fungus, the nourishing wonder of the undergrowth and mycelium and all the good stuff that happens when the leaves go to ground.

What I’m going to say instead is that to coincide with this seasonal shift and the clocks changing, I’m offering a 5 week evening series online called Bliss On The Floor: Constructive Rest Series.

Build Your Nest

If you have a pet, you will know this state. They take time to build a nest then get just the right position to completely melt and surrender into rest…that’s where we’re going during with Bliss on the Floor.

Time in your week dedicated to p a u s e ⏸️

I’ve used the word Bliss because that’s the intention with every session.

This will be a delightful foray into all things squash, rock, roll and release with the inflated ball, and the Magic Art of Bolstering.

These are movement techniques and skills that are SO brilliant that I continue to return to them on a daily basis in my own life.

There are a multitude of benefits listed below, but ultimately what I hope to do is provide an hour in the week for you for DEDICATED REST.

No we will not be lying down not moving for an hour in silence.

I believe that to really ‘land’ you need to coax the tension out of your body, meet yourself via simple, tactile and tangible techniques designed to deepen your awareness of your body, soften those chronic places of bracing and holding and down regulate your ‘always on’ state into slower, deeper, calmer way of being.

It’s my intention to leave you feeling like a pancake on the floor (in a good way!), ready to quietly roll into bed for a delightful sleep.

No I won’t be playing whale sounds in the background and speaking in soft, dulcet tones to lull you into some kind of trance.

The secret to all of this is that it is grounded in the ordinary - you are in your home, using ordinary objects like pillows, blankets and the inflated ball, making space and time to slow down and tune in and meet your body’s needs.

Here’s a list of benefits:

Pelvic floor care - stress and tension are THE primary triggers in exacerbating symptoms associated with pelvic floor including prolapse, urinary continence issues and pain.

Reducing intra abdominal pressure - chronic tension in the lower back, hips and diaphragm can all mess with the internal pressure systems in the body meaning when you breathe, it ends up being quite shallow rather than a coherent breath that travels down through the viscera into the pelvis. Releasing tension and restoring suppleness in the tissues helps balance these tensions and literally creates more breathing space.

Relieves digestive issues - all the techniques in this practice help support the rest and digest function of the nervous system - so if your tummy starts to gurgle during the session, this is a good sign!

Breaks up adhesions - fascial adhesions and sticky spots surrounding scar tissue and places of chronic holding and tension get the direct benefit from rolling, stretching and releasing, leaving you feeling more flexible.

Finding stillness - overwhelm can come in many forms. Just lying down to ‘relax’ is not always helpful. We will be moving towards stillness, so your body and brain have something to focus on along the way, gradually bringing you to quietness.

All the goodness of a massage - getting a massage is wonderful but the worst part is having to get in the car or on the bus to get back home. This series will be like 5 massages with the added benefit of being able to roll straight into bed!

Pancake Mode

Whenever I take someone through the ‘pancake mode’ series in the studio, onlooking clients will often say “I want what she’s having”!

It’s the kind of experience that leaves you spontaneously sighing with gratitude, because it feels so wonderful to surrender to gravity and allow the ground to support you.