Nurturing Wellness - Hanna Casement : Yoga, Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage, Thai massage, HeartMath coaching, Circle holding facilitator.
Yoga, Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage, Thai massage, HeartMath coaching, Circle holding facilitator.
Nurturing Wellness
Yoga classes and workshops at Eskdalemuir Hub, Samye-Ling Tibetan centre and in Carlisle.
Online Yoga classes 3 times a week.
HeartMath Certified coaching to build personal resilience in order to move beyond automatic patterns of stress, anxiety, trauma response and disregulation - available at Eskdalemuir Hub and in Carlisle.
Thai massage treatments for balancing the energetic system, deep stretching and full body relaxation.
Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage treatments for energising the face, deep relaxation and energetic balancing.
All treatments available at Eskdalemuir Hub and in Carlisle.
Circle holding facilitating. Holding circles for connection, creation and community. Available in Dumfriesshire, Carlisle and surrounding areas.
How can I help you to Nurture your Wellness ?
Yoga Classes and Workshops
Finding balance in body, breath and mind.
I qualified in a 500 hour yoga teaching training diploma with Yoga Scotland in 2000 (which at the time was The Scottish Yoga Teachers Association) and have taught Yoga for over 25 years with over 15000 hours of Yoga teaching experience.
I also hold a certificate in trauma informed Yoga teaching accredited by The Yoga Alliance.
I teach all levels and draw on many influences of teaching that I have had over the last 25 years of my continued learning, including Hatha Yoga, Viniyoga, Vinyasa Krama, Scaravelli influenced Yoga and several intensive courses that I undertook with Yogacharya Venkatesh over the years.
I teach with a particular emphasis on finding flow in your practice in terms of connecting to the flow of prana within the body and allowing this to help us flow into our asana from an internal place, rather than trying to force the body. All of my workshops are based on this way of working. My classes are slightly more general but with the same influences underlying them.
I have a great passion for Nada Yoga, the yoga of sound, and have studied this wherever I have been able over the last 30 years. I have run chanting sessions over the years, including at Glastonbury festival in the healing field, and I usually include some element of this in my workshops.
In the last 25 years of teaching I have taught many abilities, disabilities and conditions. I am very comfortable adapting to suit the needs of whoever is present and can always offer modifications and alternatives for anyone who needs them.
In person and online classes :
Mondays - Boreland village Hall 6 - 7.30pm
Tuesdays - Online 9 - 10.15am
- Bannatynes Health Club, Carlisle 2 - 3.30pm
Wednesdays - Bannatynes Health Club, Carlisle 2.30-4pm
Thursdays - Online 9.30 - 10.45am
- Eskdalemuir Hub 5.30-7pm
Saturdays - Online 10.30am
For online classes visit 'Yoga with Hanna Casement' on Facebook for Zoom links, or email me if you don't have access to Facebook.
Weekend workshops - throughout out the year at Samye-Ling Tibetan centre (see samyeling.org under courses/yoga ).
One day workshops at the Hub in Eskdalemuir arranged throughout the year.
HeartMath coaching for stress and anxiety. Learning how to self regulate and to find more peace and balance within yourself with the help of the HeartMath biofeedback technology and techniques.
Building personal resilience to move through stress, anxiety and difficult times.
I trained as a HeartMath Certified Coach with HeartMath UK +IRL and also as a Trauma sensitive HeartMath practitioner with The HeartMath Institute.
HeartMath coaching is a journey of transformation, usually over 4 sessions, to guide you to a place where you can learn to self regulate in the moment of stress and anxiety. This allows us to change our response from an automatic stress response to a situation to being able to consciously choose a way to respond that is more healthy for your wellbeing. We do this by building your capacity to self regulate week by week using HeartMath techniques which I teach for you to practice and build on in each session. Unique to HeartMath is the use of biofeedback technology, which shows us your progress into a place of coherence (which is measured through your heart rate variability and indicates a balancing of the nervous system) in real time. Once you have learned how to calm your nervous system with visual validation that it is changing, through the bio feedback, you are able to bring yourself back into that place of balance at will, so as this new neural pathway becomes hardwired into your system it allows you to draw on that new pattern of resilience and self regulation whenever it is needed. These benefits continue and build as we practice the techniques and people find that they become better able to deal with the challenges of life through using this system to re-pattern how the brain responds.
The HeartMath system is user friendly and so can be very useful for young people as well as adults. It has many contexts where it is incredibly helpful including stress, anxiety, helping to lessen trauma response patterns, difficulties in self regulating and managing emotions, overwhelm, addictions and unhealthy behaviour patterns. It is also very useful for building performance for athletes, for overcoming difficult situations and for exam stress.
If you would like to know more please get in touch to book a call so that we can discuss whether this may be helpful for you.
I provide the HeartMath coaching on a sliding scale to make it affordable to everyone who needs it.
Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage
Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage. Deep relaxation and energetic balancing.
I have a diploma in Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage through the London school of Indian Champissage. It is a deeply relaxing massage treatment on the face using Ayurvedic facial massage techniques and the marma points to rejuvenate and lift the face. The visible effects are cumulative and are best seen after a series of treatments, but many people come especially for the deep relaxation that the treatment provides as it is working with the energetic system throughout the whole body, even though it is just the face which is worked on. We hold a lot of tension in the face and this treatment releases this through different techniques of manipulating the tissues using just the hands. It is the techniques which bring about the unique effect of this treatment. No products are used to achieve the results but the treatment is finished off with an organic Ayurvedic Rose oil just to balance the skin after the treatment. The release of tension in the face allows for a deep relaxation throughout the body and for the face to feel rejuvenated. The techniques are also helping to release stuck elastin, promote collagen, retrain the muscles to 'lift' the face and to aid in lymphatic drainage. These benefits have led the treatment to be called 'The natural facelift massage' by the London School of Indian Champissage where I trained.
Thai Yoga massage
Thai Yoga Massage. An ancient art of healing.
I hold a diploma as an Advanced Practitioner of Thai Yoga massage. This ancient form of healing is a treatment of acupressure and stretching that is done through clothing on a futon on the floor. It works through the 'Ten Sen' which are energy lines, or meridians, that run throughout the body. Although it is now called Thai massage the treatment originates from India from the time of the Buddha. It has been practiced for thousands of years and over time it migrated to Thailand where it flourished to this day. It is often called Thai Yoga massage because so many of the positions that the body is moved into during a treatment resemble Yoga postures. It is also working with the same energetic system that is used in Yoga. The whole body is worked on from the feet to the head and causes the body to feel deeply relaxed and at the same time energised. Most of my training was with Kira Balaskas, director of the School of Thai Yoga massage in London. I was also very fortunate to do some training with Asokananda from The Sunshine Network before he sadly passed away. In addition I have done some training in Thai Acupressure with Noam Tyroler, author of the book Thai Acupressure and director of the Noam Tyroler school of Thai Acupressure and Thai massage.
Circle holder facilitator
Circle holder facilitator. Connection in Circle.
Facilitating circles for gathering, nurturing, well-being, community, sharing and support.
I have a certificate as a circle holder facilitator from the Circle Holding Organisation and have a certificate in the Honouring Heart Circle Facilitator training.
I am available to facilitate circles of various different kinds, whether they are womens circles, sister circles, grief circles, sharing circles or creative circles. These can be designed to suit the needs of whoever would like to be there.
Please get in touch if you would like to know more.
'And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom' - Anais Nin
Nurturing Wellness - Hanna Casement
A bit about me...
I moved to Scotland in the early 1990's to study and train in Tibetan Buddhist meditation and in Tibetan medicine under the guidance of my late teacher Akong Rinpoche, along with studying with teachers from India and Tibet, both over here and in India. I was guided and mentored by Akong for over 23 years before his untimely death. It was during this time that I began training to teach Yoga in 1998, and a few years later trained in Thai Yoga Massage and then in Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage.
Rinpoche always taught us that the best use of our lives was to help others as best as we can and this has shaped and formed my life path as I have continued to study and train. I am forever grateful and indebted to Akong Rinpoche for all that he taught me and for his guidance over those years. It was an extraordinary time in my life and I feel very fortunate to have had that time with him. Everything that he taught me about helping others influences my work as well as my life. I also have much gratitude to Khenpo Truro Tsenam Rinpoche for teaching me Tibetan medicine, the theory of which pervades all of my work.
A period of my own personal challenges with grief trauma then led me, in more recent years, on a journey of healing for myself. It was during this time that I came across the benefits of the transformative system of HeartMath. Seeing how deeply widespread trauma is in our society, especially after the pandemic, I went on to train in Trauma Informed Yoga Teaching and as a Trauma Sensitive HeartMath Practitioner. I was so impressed by the power of HeartMath in creating a personal resilience to self regulate and so move ourselves out of the loop of stress, anxiety and trauma responses, so predominant at this time, that I went on to train as a HeartMath Certified coach.
After the last few years of so much isolation for so many people, I have been increasingly aware of the need for connection and community for people and discovered for myself how healing this can be within a held circle. This led me to train as a circle holder facilitator so that I can offer circles to help bring more of this connection and sense of community that is so needed at this time.
I live in SW Scotland, in a remote valley, where I continue to study for my own personal journey and growth, as well as for my professional training.
At present I am training in Integral sound healing with tuning forks with the Sound Healing Academy. I will soon be able to offer this within my treatments.
Education and Experience
My Professional Training
2000 - I qualified in my 500 hour Yoga teaching Diploma with Yoga Scotland. I have at least 500 hours more training in ongoing training since then and have over 15000 hours of teaching experience from the last 25 years. I also hold a certificate in Trauma informed yoga teaching, accredited by the Yoga Alliance.
2004 - Practitioner certificate in Traditional Thai Yoga Massage with The School of Thai Yoga massage.
2004 - Thai massage for pregnancy with the Sunshine Network institute.
2005 - Advanced Practitioner level Diploma in Traditional Thai Yoga Massage with the School of Thai Yoga massage.
2009 - Certificate in Traditional Thai Acupressure for Orthopaedic pains from the Noam Tyroler School of Thai Acupressure and Thai Massage.
2010 - certificate in Thai Foot massage with The School of Thai Yoga massage.
2016 - Diploma in Ayurvedic facial rejuvenation massage with the London centre of Indian Champissage.
2023 - Trauma sensitive HeartMath practitioner certificate with the HeartMath Institute.
2024 - HeartMath Certified coach practitioner certificate with HeartMath UK + IRL
Certificate in Circle holder facilitating from The Circle Holding Organisation, Yoga Teachers Forum.
Certificate in Honouring Heart Circle Holding Facilitator.
Workshops at Samye-Ling Tibetan centre. Bookings are through www.samyeling.org
5th - 7th April
A Weekend of Yoga to Relax, Rejuvenate and Enjoy
This is a weekend of yoga to simply enjoy practicing yoga and to rejuvenate and relax at this time of year as we come out of the colder winter months.
The weekend will include working with variations of asana practice from different traditions, simple breath work, basic meditation and relaxation. It will also include rejuvenating ways of working that can shift any sluggishness that has accumulated from the darker time of winter. It will also help to kick-start a regular practice if you don't have one or if you feel that you have got out of rhythm with your practice.
It is an ideal weekend for beginners but has much to offer to more experienced practitioners as well.
Please bring a yoga mat. It is also advisable to bring a blanket and any blocks or props that you may normally use.
24th - 26th May
Flowing from Within
This popular workshop is the basis behind all of Hanna's teaching.
Many people often find that over time they can become fixed or rigid in their yoga practice. This can lead to a feeling of being stuck or not progressing, or, at worst, can cause strain patterns to occur within the body.
In this workshop we look at the habitual patterns of holding tension which often occur, and then explore ways in which we can begin to let go in order to develop more 'flow' within our practice. This will help us to become more fluid within our bodies, which, in turn, allows us to become more relaxed in our minds.
Using various methods of asana, movement, breath, sound and relaxation, we will work towards finding this sense of flowing from within in our practice. This helps us to create a more harmonious relationship between our bodies and our minds both in and out of our yoga practice.
This workshop is suitable for all levels.
Please bring a yoga mat. It is also advisable to bring a blanket and any blocks or props that you may normally use.
12-14th July
Unfolding from the inside out
This workshop has developed out of my Flowing from within workshops. It looks at how we can tap into our internal flow of energy, or prana, in order for us to allow the postures to be able to unfold from an internal place, rather than from us trying to impose the postures onto our bodies. This helps to develop more freedom in the body and mind, as well as a more intuitive approach to working within our asana. During the weekend we will be exploring how we work in our asana in various ways, in order to begin to allow this process to occur.
Suitable for all levels.
Please bring a yoga mat. It is also advisable to bring a blanket and any blocks or props that you may normally use.
13-15th September
Yoga to relax and Enjoy
This weekend will have a simple focus of practicing yoga to relax and to enjoy. Giving ourselves the time to slow down and to appreciate the simplicity of a weekend of yoga sessions with time to enjoy nature and time with ourselves in between the sessions. All the sessions will work with asana, gentle pranayama, some chanting and relaxation. It will be an opportunity to give ourselves the space to enjoy yoga, to breathe and to deeply relax. This is open to all levels.
Please bring a yoga mat. It is also advisable to bring a blanket and any blocks or props that you may normally use.
18-20th October
Moving into Stillness
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali outline the 8 limbs of Yoga as a path that ultimately prepares and then refines the mind towards an increasing stillness in preparation for meditation.
This workshop takes us on a deeper journey into our yoga practice so that we can work with the intention of focusing the mind and to develop being more present and less distracted as we practice.
We will work with various aspects of yoga, including looking at some of the philosophy behind it, so that we can explore moving closer towards that place of stillness as we work.
This weekend aims to help us to develop more awareness in ourselves as we practice our yoga and to help us to practice with more awareness of the potential for the stillness of mind. This will also help us to develop a more rounded understanding of the path of Yoga as a whole.
Suitable for all levels. Please bring a yoga mat. It is also advisable to bring a blanket and any blocks or props that you may normally use.
Workshops at The Hub in Eskdalemuir
Spring Equinox Yoga day March 16th 2024
April 19th - 21st Wellbeing weekend at Eskdalemuir Hub - Yoga classes and a chanting session.