The 21st June 2023 marks the longest day of the year as well as international yoga day!

At Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre we recognise the important of looking after your wellbeing and mental health, especially when we are looking after our patients and families that we support.

We are privilaged to be able to offer seated yoga and tai chi sessions to our patients and families allowing them to visit the hospice for some relaxation and resbite.

We are prilivaged to have Tony our Yoga instructor who very kindly volunteers his time to run our yoga sessions every week. We asked him what the practice of Yoga means to him and the benefits it can have on you as a person.

This is what he said:

“Following the death of my son-in-law, in June 2015, and in October my wife diagnosed with Progressive supranuclear palsy, I started to become aware of Primrose Hospice, and the very important help, support, and services they offer to patients and families from the local area.

As I got to know some of the staff during our regular visits, for counselling, group sessions and complimentary therapies for my wife, I thought about volunteering my services as a qualified Yoga Teacher/Therapist.

In October 2016 I did my first One-to-One Yoga Therapy session in the Coppice Centre, which was amazing for me and the patient. The sessions went very well and the feed back was great, but I felt I could do more working with a group rather than One-to-One.

We soon set up Yoga Sessions for the Carers and Bereaved in the Coppice, followed by a separate Group for Patients, as part of the Well Being Service in the Day Centre.

This was eventually followed by a regular after-work Primrose Staff Group Yoga Class.

Yoga has been an important part of my life since 1979, when I attended my first Pranayama Yoga Class. Daily practice, regular weekly classes and weekend workshops, all helped my to gain a deeper understanding of the benefits it can bring on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.

In 1996 I started my 3 year Teacher Training Course with the British Wheel of Yoga. This was a very comprehensive course covering Anatomy, Physiology, Teaching Skills, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Postures and Breathing Techniques. The course opened my eyes and mind to a vast amount of new knowledge and experience on the subject of “YOGA”.

According to historians, Yoga first appeared in the Indus Valley of Northern Indian, around 4500yrs BC, and although there have been many changes and adaptions in more recent years, the principles and essence of Yoga Philosophy and Practice remains as true today as 6500 yrs ago.

Naturally I have adapted my Yoga Therapy to make it more accessible to the less abled patients, carers and bereaved clients at Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre.

Through gentle exercise, breathing technics, mindfulness and relaxation, they can learn how to help themselves to improve control of their physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing, and enable them to cope with the day-to-day challenges life can bring.

By developing awareness, which can lead to greater control, which can help to create change for the better, this is the Power of Yoga.

The other added and quiet unexpected, benefits which the participants of the Yoga Groups have created here at Primrose are, friendships, support and kindness for each other, which is truly rewarding and inspiring on many levels.

For me as a Yoga Teacher/Therapist I am so grateful that I am able to share the knowledge and experience which I have acquired over many years of study and practice with such wonderful and amazing people at the Primrose Hospice.

Namaste and Happy International Yoga Day.”

Find out more about how we could support you or your loved ones with our wellbeing support and many other services at Primrose Hospice:

T: 01527 871051
E: info@primrosehospice.org

W: primrosehospice.org