Our monthly columnist, local yoga teacher, Kate Knowles has been teaching yoga since 2004, and aims to offer classes that allow people to feel better after class than they did at the beginning.
It’s International Menopause Day on Wednesday 18 October. Kate trained in Menopause Yoga in 2020, partly as a way to find out how to support her own wellbeing during this transformative time, but also to support other women. Kate runs classes on behalf of the Wirral Menopause Community CIC and also offers regular mini retreats, as well as training other yoga teachers in Menopause Yoga.
“Educate, Empower, Embrace” is the slogan for Menopause Yoga! During classes we aim to offer information about menopause, giving women the knowledge and confidence they need to seek help, whilst offering emotional support during what can be a challenging time.
Awareness of the menopause has risen significantly in the last few years, and it certainly isn’t the taboo subject it used to be. Yet many women are still unsure of what is happening to them, and don’t realise that their symptoms may be due to hormonal changes. Did you know that itchy skin, frozen shoulder, tinnitus or plantar fasciitis (pain in the soles of the feet) can be down to menopause?
Menopause yoga classes and events are a wonderful opportunity for women to join together to share support and knowledge about the menopause. Simple yoga techniques can ease symptoms such as hot flushes, anxiety, low mood and insomnia. Women often get in touch after class to say how well they slept.
Menopause classes and mini-retreats
Not all women experience symptoms of menopause, but they may still be interested in finding out how yoga can support them in the post menopause years. It’s at this time that women need to prioritise their wellbeing to give themselves the best chance of a healthy older age. Classes include plenty of movements to support bone health, brain health and heart health. The theme of International Menopause Day 2023 is Cardiovascular Health, which will be one of the topics at Kate’s next mini retreat morning on 21 October at St Bridget’s Centre.
I offer classes on Mondays from 7:30-8:30pm at St Bridget’s Centre in West Kirby for Wirral Menopause Community CIC – all women are welcome to book in for the four week courses (£20 for four weeks, or less for anyone experiencing financial hardship).
The next mini retreat is on Saturday 21 October when we will be looking a post-menopause health.
Next year, I am looking forward to hosting day retreats at Monks Cottage Sanctuary in Eastham which is a real oasis of calm on the Wirral. The topics include pelvic floor health, emotional wellbeing and post menopause wellbeing, and there is always room to include other topics if required.
If you’d like to know more about these classes or retreats please get in touch via www.yogawithkate.org