Finding me again with a little help from Hotpod Yoga Worthing

Ever wonder who you are? Other than a mum – or dad – I mean?

It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, ever since I gave up breastfeeding for what will probably be the last time.

I know I’m still a mother first and foremost, and that isn’t going to change any time soon, but giving up breastfeeding has made me question who – or what – else I am. The truth is it’s made me feel a little, well, lost – and a lot less needed.

Of course the kids still need me, but as they grow they don’t need me in quite the same way anymore. Parenting isn’t as all-consuming at it was in the first few years, and for the first time in yonks my body isn’t doing any nourishing. All of which has made me realise it’s probably time I started nourishing myself a bit more. The question is, how?

So, when Hotpod Yoga Worthing got in touch and invited me to a Healing Hub event at their newly revamped studio, it was the perfect opportunity to find out.

Finding me again with a little help from Hotpod Yoga Worthing

Hotpod Yoga in Worthing is run by husband and wife team Ross and Katie Robertson alongside Salt Water Studios, a wellbeing studio, in the same space. Their aim is to offer an array of therapies, treatments, classes and workshops to help heal the mind, body and soul all under one roof.

If you haven’t come across Hotpod Yoga before it’s exactly that: hot yoga in a pod.

The theory is the pod, which is enveloped in a purple hue and is decidedly womb-like (even the entrance reminded me of lady bits!) creates an immersive experience in which you can escape from the rest of the world and lose yourself in a ‘supercharged yoga experience’. Once you’re zipped into the pod there’s music and a blend of bergamot, orange and lavender pumped in as well as the heat, to help ‘unwind the mind and awaken the senses’.

Our vinyasa flow taster class was led by Katie, who gently took us through the moves, sharing her knowledge and obvious passion for yoga. While the yoga itself was exhilarating, the ‘nidra’ grounding relaxation at the end was soporific, and I’ll be honest, I almost nodded off!

In Salt Water Studios next door I got the chance to try acupuncture for the first time with Anne-Marie Fouche, who runs Taste of Space acupuncture and offers community acupuncture sessions from the studio.

I could choose from an energising (yang) treatment or a relaxing (yin) treatment and while the needles were in I was also treated to a mini facial courtesy of Rosie Denyer Holistic Therapies. Once again I almost nodded off!

Salt Water Studios also features a mini-wellbeing library where you can relax between treatments, and, having just stopped breastfeeding but with a baby still up umpteen times a night guzzling milk from a bottle, I found this little pearl of wisdom particularly apt.

After a ‘tapping’ session – known as EFT (emotional freedom technique) designed to teach us how to let go of unwanted emotions – the Healing Hub was rounded off with a vegan lunch courtesy of The Whole Co. It was the first time I’d eaten lunch uninterrupted for absolutely ages – which was priceless. Doesn’t it look gorgeous?

So what did I learn? Apart from the fact that I should indeed take more time out for myself, I was struck by the social conscience of the enterprise Katie and Ross have spent the last few years building from scratch.

They share their building with not-for-profit natural and organic lifestyle shop GreenUs, who sell a range of organic lifestyle products including skincare with all the profits going to charitable projects tackling isolation and loneliness, and supporting people with long term health conditions.

My facial featured GreenUs products, which smell – and feel – divine, and they were kind enough to give us a 30% off discount code for the entire GreenUs shop which is valid until the end of April 2019. Just use the code HEALINGHUB in their online shop.

Have you ever tried Hotpod Yoga? Could you do with making more time for you? I’d love to hear about your experience!

I was invited to Hotpod Yoga Worthing’s Healing Hub event for a morning of relaxation and to see what the space has to offer. As always all opinions are my own and based on my own honest experience.