Welcome to The Way of Early Summer
A seasonal journey through mindful movement, qigong, breath and meditation.
The Way of Early Summer
Commencing: 9 November
Weekly Online (Zoom): Monday evenings 7pm (90 min)
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A different doorway into stillness.
For many years I have taught meditation, inviting people into the practice of sitting, breathing and becoming present. And yet, I have certainly noticed something over the years .. that, for many people, arriving into stillness is not that easy. The mind is busy. The body is restless. There can be, at times, a feeling of having too much energy, too many thoughts, too many responsibilities and life happening all at once.
What if stillness doesn’t always begin with sitting? What if movement could be your doorway?
My own practice has been evolving and expanding through the study of qigong .. an ancient Chinese practice of mindful movement, breath and awareness. I have become deeply curious about how movement can help us arrive more fully into our bodies, awaken our awareness and prepare us for meditation.
The Way is born from this journey.
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What is The Way?
The Way is a seasonal exploration of mindful movement, qigong, breath and meditation. Each season offers a different invitation, inspired by the qualities of the natural world and the changing seasons: so we can explore these seasonal qualities within our own bodies, breath, energy and everyday lives. Each class weaves together:
Gathering – a practice to arrive to our body, breath and awareness, to step away from our outside world and gather.
Qigong – gentle, flowing practices to cultivate awareness, soften the body and experience the relationship between breath, movement and qi – our vital life energy. Each class will offer seasonal inspired exercises from Shi Ba Shi, Five Elements and Heaven to Earth forms.
Standing Meditation – slow and steady cultivation and development of stability, grounding and presence through the ancient practice of standing.
Seated Meditation – allowing movement and breath to naturally lead us into seated stillness. Rather than trying to force calm or quiet the mind, we will create the conditions for presence to simply emerge and everything within us to settle.
Week by week these practices gradually weave together into a gently rhythm that you can continue long after the series has finished as your own private home practice.
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“The Way changes with the seasons, but the invitation remains the same — to slow down, become curious and listen more deeply to ourselves.”
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The Way of Early Summer : 9th November start
Our next seasonal journey
Early Summer brings a different quality of energy. Where Spring invites us to awaken, open and grow, Early Summer invites us to experience warmth, connection, joy and expansion. Through gentle qigong, mindful movement, breath and meditation, we explore these qualities in our own practice – noticing what feels alive, what wants to expand and where we might soften into the warmth of the season.
Week One – Gathering
Arriving into practice.
We begin by gathering ourselves through breath awareness and foundational warm-up qigong movements. As the energy of Early Summer begins to rise, we explore how to arrive, connect and become present in the body. Here we establish the foundations of our seasonal practice and discover how movement can become a pathway into stillness.
Week Two – Warming
Awakening vitality.
Inspired by the warmth and rising yang of Early Summer, we explore movement that encourages circulation, openness and vitality. Through gentle qigong practices we begin to experience the qualities of warmth and expansion in the body, while exploring the TCM understanding of the Fire element, the Heart and the relationship between movement, breath and energy. You can expect 3 to 4 qigong exercises and a deeper exploration of each practice through TCM, the meridians and traditional wisdom.
Week Three – Expanding
Awareness in motion.
We deepen our relationship with movement, exploring rhythm, flow and the natural vitality of the season. This week invites curiosity into the experience of Qi and the subtle relationship between movement, breath and awareness while exploring rising energy – without simply using it up but allowing our movement to feel energising rather than depleting.
Week Four – Balancing
Finding stillness within yang.
As we head into the full energy of Early Summer, we reflect on the importance of balance. Yang needs yin. Activity needs rest. Expansion needs somewhere to return to. Through standing meditation, slower movement and stillness practices, we acknowledge the importance of grounding, and the art of conserving and replenishing our energy.
Week Five – Restoring
Carrying practice into daily life.
We bring all the elements together into a seasonal practice that you can continue beyond the course. Rather than adding more to your life, we experience how these practices can become a rhythm of movement and stillness, activity and rest … helping us to work with the energy of Early Summer while knowing when it is time to pause, settle and restore.
The seasonal rhythm
Each of The Way 5-week programs follows its own seasonal thread, with practices that build gently over the course of our time together. You will explore:
- qigong and mindful movement
- breath awareness
- standing meditation
- seated meditation
- seasonal themes and wisdom
- a simple home practice to continue between gatherings
The exact practices and exercises will change with each season, allowing your practice and The Way to evolve naturally throughout the year.
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Is this suitable for beginners?
Absolutely. This offering has been created as an accessible entry point into qigong and meditation. No previous experience is needed. If you are completely new, you will be gently guided through each practice.
If you already have a meditation or movement practice, The Way offers another doorway — using the body, breath and movement to deepen your relationship with stillness.
There is no expectation to perform movements perfectly. The invitation is simply to become curious about your own experience.
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Your five-week experience includes
+ Five LIVE online classes (approx. 75 minutes each)
+ Guided practices blending qigong, breath and mindfulness.
+ Weekly practice notes to support your exploration at home
+ A seasonal home practice that builds week by week
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A Seasonal Path.
The Way of Early Summer
Warmth • Connection • Expansion
The Way of Autumn
Harvest • Change • Release
The Way of Winter
Stillness • Rest • Reflection
The Way of Spring
Awakening • Growth • Flexibility
Each season brings a different invitation, a different sequence of practices and exercises, meditations and qigong movement.
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An invitation.
If you have been longing for a way to slow down, reconnect with your body and discover a more embodied approach to meditation then I would love for you to join me.
Whether you are beginning for the first time or returning to practice you are warmly welcome.
We begin here.
We begin by gathering.