Wintering

Practices to welcome winter and find beauty in stillness

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each." ~ Thoreau

Following the wisdom of winter does not come easy for most of us. Just the thought of long, dark nights, harsh weather and bleakness can be overwhelming. 

I know I felt the same before I started exploring the changing of the seasons in a meaningful way. I would relish spring and summer for the growth, ease and expansion it offered and autumn for its beauty and lessons of letting go, but winter was a season to ‘grin and bear’ and get through as quickly as possible, not really pausing to take in its wisdom.

  • Do you feel similar? 
  • Is winter something that feels like a battle to you? 
  • Do you feel a heaviness or sluggishness, find it difficult to stay motivated? 
  • Or perhaps experience sadness, the ‘winter blues’ and long for spring to arrive?


This unique programme of yoga and mindfulness aims to to help you cultivate a deep awareness, respect and love of winter (yes, it’s possible!). It's a 7-week journey to awaken within you, your innate capacity to be mindful of how winter can be a beautiful time of year to gather your inner resources and go deep within yourself as nature does, in order to show up fully to this one precious life.


When does it start?

This course starts on Monday 30 Oct 2023, and you’ll have 6 classes to choose from, in 5 different styles throughout the week. See the full timetable of classes HERE and below.

Location

IN-PERSON - Classes take place at Heartwood Forest, AL4 9DQ when the weather allows.

When we can't be outside we're at Highfield Park Trust, AL4 0RA for the following classes:

  • Wednesdays 10.00-11.00 - Gentle & Restorative
  • Wednesdays 18.30-19.30 - Yin Yoga
  • Saturdays 09.30-10.45 - Flow & Reflect

ONLINE - Monday Classes are ALL ONLINE

ALL classes throughout the week are also live-streamed and recorded via Zoom.

I use professional sound equipment so it sounds as if I'm in the room with you (according to my students!).

PLUS I'll be on hand to answer any technical issues you may have.


How to join?

You can book this series of classes for £112.00 HERE which will give you:

  • Access to one in-person or live online class per week,
  • Access to all recordings from this course,
  • A friendly WhatsApp group to ask questions and share thoughts.


Or you can choose to join the membership HERE which will give you:


If you have any queries, please don’t do not hesitate to get in touch – [email protected].

'Encouraging and supportive'

by Mandy Cairns

'Louise’s style is really encouraging and supportive. She always offers options in the postures which enables me to feel confident with my practice.'

Here's what you can expect each week

  • Week 1 w/c 30 Oct- Mindset

    This week will be an intro to the course where we will explore any habitual thoughts or beliefs that we may be holding onto about how we feel about winter. We will begin to widen our perspective, to gain an appreciation for winter and see if there are any shifts we can make in our daily life so we can following the wisdom of winter rather than fight against it.

  • Week 2 w/c 6 Nov - Balance & Harmony

    Balancing the yin and yang of life is so important for health and wellbeing. The two may be very different, yet they need each other in order for everything to harmonize and achieve balance. During this week we’ll exploring befriending the darkness and seeing it as an opportunity to become more conscious of the inner workings of our mind.

  • Week 3 w/c 13 Nov - Reflect, Release, Renew

    Our busy lives often do not allow us to have even the smallest notion of completion. This week we’ll imitate the wisdom of the tree in winter by letting go of unnecessary baggage so that we have space to nurture and nourish that which is really important to us.

  • Week 4 w/c 20 Nov - Clarity & Perspective

    This week will be all about allowing, not fighting reality and using techniques such as gratitude and loving kindness to open out our lens of awareness. In doing this we invite in true appreciation and optimism for this one precious life.

  • Week 5 w/c 27 Nov - Natural Flow & Ease

    Winter teaches us to slow down, to pause and to enjoy the journey instead of rushing ahead and missing out on all the little details and intricacies that bring us joy.  This week we will explore how it feels to pause, even among the busyness and all the doing, and how we can bring this into everyday life to create a natural flow and ease.

  • Week 6 w/c 4 Dec - Inner Glow

    This week we’ll stoke the inner flame by having greater awareness of our meaning and purpose in life and our values that ultimately lead to fulfillment. We’ll also come home to our unique selves and experience a natural sense of energy, inspiration, creativity and confidence.

  • Week 7 w/c 11 Dec - Hibernation

    During winter we sense that nature has gone inside, she’s releasing back down into the earth, into her roots to strengthen from the inside out. This week we will focus our attention on being rather than doing so that we can enter the festive season feeling well and happy from the inside.

'Supports mental wellbeing'

by Finola McManus

'What I love best about your courses is that they not only give the benefit of a yoga practice but also deliver simple and practical ways to apply the weekly themes and help support mental wellbeing which is especially important at this time. Speaking as someone who struggled to make time for a single weekly practice, I am now getting to my yoga mat most days and it has become a ‘non-negotiable’ in my daily life and one which I make time for.'

Your Teacher

'Yoga gives us peace and clarity in order to see the beauty and wonder that is all around us'

Louise Neicho

Having spent the first 20 years of my professional life working in and with Nature I feel a deep connection to the natural world that has promoted numerous benefits in my life. Combining this with a love and appreciation of yoga and mindfulness that spans over two decades has enabled me to share practices that help us connect more deeply with Nature and ourselves. I have completed over 1000hrs of yoga and mindfulness teacher training and in 2023 I received a distinction for my master's degree in Mindfulness where my thesis focused on the wellbeing benefits of connecting with Nature. I can honestly say that yoga and Nature has saved my life on more than one occasion, and I don’t think I would be the person I am today if it wasn’t for my practice. To bring all of this together is simply a dream come true and I hope you will join me and our like-minded community soon.

‘Insightful, interesting and varied’

by Sarah Hall

"Louise's classes are always insightful, interesting and varied as she brings her knowledge and ongoing training and research into each one, combining useful 'off-the-mat' mindfulness tips with yoga poses appropriate to the unique theme for the week as well as catering for individual requirements where needed. They are packed with lots of good advice for day-to-day living as well as for practice on the yoga mat."

Your Questions Answered

  • How is this different to other yoga classes?

    This course is designed to take you gently and slowly into the deeper layers of the mind, each week building on your understanding of the workings of the mind and the tools and techniques that you can use on and off your mat. The difference to regular yoga classes is that we focus on one particular emotion or area of the mind, as well as a physical focus in the body each week. You get to explore this theme for a whole week on and off the mat, building your awareness and focus.

  • Which class should I choose?

    There five different styles to choose from each week and how you choose will depend on whether you have practiced yoga before or not and what you would like to gain from your practice. If you are new to yoga or haven’t practiced in a while, I would suggest starting with the Gentle & Restorative, Yin Yoga, Meditation and Yoga Nidra. If you are familiar with vinyasas then you’ll love the Flow & Reflect classes on Monday mornings and Saturday mornings and if you’re looking for more stillness, deep physical stretches and meditation techniques then Yin Yoga will be for you.

  • What do I need to begin?

    You will need a yoga mat and comfortable clothing that you can easily move around in, PJ’s work well for this! For some of the classes you will need some props, but we have been experimenting with household pillows, cushions and blankets in place of traditional yoga props. I will let you know at the beginning of class what you need.

  • Other questions?

    If you have any other questions that are not answered here, then feel free to contact me on [email protected].

'Louise is so kind and caring'

by Emma Scinaldi

"I started as a complete beginner and was worried I would not be able to follow the moves, but Louise is so kind and caring, plus really knows her stuff so is able to give very clear, supportive guidance. There is never any pressure as Louise always offers alternatives. With care and kindness she has encouraged me to really develop my practice. I always feel really energised after a session with Louise but I am also starting to notice a higher level of peace and tranquility in my day to day life. I feel strong and calm at the same time!"

'A unique approach to yoga'

by Liz Hobman

"Louise has a very unique approach to teaching yoga, drawing learning from nature, neuroscience and nourishing spiritual teachings! I love the variety in her programmes, which combine mindfulness practices, movement and postures, readings and poetry, with wisdom and warmth. I am learning so much about how the mind, body and spirit can work together to cultivate compassion, strength and resilience for ourselves and those around us. I always feel calm and uplifted after a class. Informative, insightful and inspiring - thank you Lou!”

Course Content

Classes start on 30 Oct and recordings will be uploaded within 24 hours of taking place

  • 1

    Week 1 - Mindset

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 1 - Mindset

    • Meditation, Week 1 - Mindset
  • 2

    Week 2 - Balance & Harmony

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 2 - Balance & Harmony

    • Meditation, Week 2 - Balance & Harmony
  • 3

    Week 3 - Reflect, Release, Renew

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 3 - Reflect, Release, Renew

    • Meditation, Week 3 - Reflect, Release, Renew
  • 4

    Week 4 - Clarity & Perspective

    • Meditation, Week 4 - Clarity & Perspective

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 4 - Clarity & Perspective
  • 5

    Week 5 - Natural Flow & Ease

    • Meditation, Week 5 - Natural Flow & Ease

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 5 - Natural Flow & Ease
  • 6

    Week 6 - Inner Glow

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 6 - Inner Glow

    • Meditation, Week 6 - Inner Glow
  • 7

    Week 7 - Hibernation

    • Yoga Nidra, Week 7 - Hibernation

    • Meditation, Week 7 - Hibernation

'Classes are a life-line'

by Dr. Cathy Washbrooke

"Louise’s classes are a life-line! I find myself being able to calm my anxiety, find a new purpose and most importantly accept where we are as a country and continue my daily life. Louise is a very warm, nurturing and knowledgeable teacher. She also integrates elements of mindfulness through various readings, poetry and insights to deepen the practice and allow deep rest to take place. I always feel lifted, yet grounded after each of Louise’s yoga sessions."

You may also be interested in

'Fantastic programme of yoga'

by Amy Whidburn

'Louise has guided us all through a fantastic programme of yoga. If you are worried that online yoga won’t be as good as the live event I would urge you to give it a try as it really is great to bring your practice home.'