Fresh Mornings: Half an Hour to Ground Yourself for the Day

Join us a half an hour morning practice to start your Tuesday feeling more grounded, connected and calm. Leave more ready to take on the day. 

This is a short, gentle practice to wake up your body, come back to your breath, and connect with the nature around you, so you head into your day feeling more grounded and better resourced than when you arrived.

This is a low entry point and it's not a hardcore exercise class. We'll move between simple practices including gentle movement, breath awareness, embodiment exercises, and using our senses to connect with what's around us in nature. 

Why a morning practice? 

Do you ever wake up and wish you could just go back to sleep? Do you snooze your alarm 5 times and then rush to get ready for work at the last minute? And even once you're out of bed, does it take a few hours before you feel awake? 

Kathi, your guide, used to dislike her mornings, no matter how well she slept the night before. There was nothing to look forward to. 

Getting up and out into nature, and being mindful and connected while she's out there, has changed that entirely. It's a short moment for herself to feed her soul a s spirit. It's now a daily practice for her in one shape or another, and she really notices the days when she doesn't do it. 

On the mornings she's been out, she feels more grounded, fewer things can shake her, and there's a quiet sense of having already done something good before the day has properly begun.

That's what these half hours are for. A small moment to ground yourself, in connection with your own mind and body, with the people around you, and with the natural world. 

Come as you are

At the heart of this practice is a simple invitation: come as you are. Nature does not ask us to be polished, productive, or perfect. It offers a slower rhythm, one that can help us feel more present, more connected, and calmer.

All practices are invitations only, and you can always adapt, pause, or sit something out if it doesn't feel right for you.

Weekly sessions

Key elements of the session will stay the same, but some exercises will change to keep it interesting and facilitate for us to stay in the present moment more easily. 

Your guide

Kathi spent the last year following her curiosity, exploring different practices for self-care, and sharing her best-of selection with family and friends. She has now started to bring them through her mindful walks and morning practice to the wider community. 

She comes to this as a curious practitioner and life long learner, not as someone who has all the answers. She loves learning with and from others, and hopes these mornings can become a welcoming community space where we co-create, discover useful tools, and keep learning together.

Practical info

Please note that this session takes place outdoors on natural and uneven grass. It is a slow  practice, not an intense work-out, but you will likely be on your feet for most of the half hour. We may sit down for some exercise, so if you'd prefer to not sit on the ground, bring along a small mat, reusable plastic bag or jacket to sit on.

Please wear comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes suitable for uneven ground. We'll be outdoors whatever the weather, so please dress for rain, cold, wind, or sun as needed, including a hat, gloves, sunglasses or extra layers. Bring water.

Donations

These sessions are free and offered as a volunteer community practice. If you'd like to give something there's an optional donation, and all of it goes to The Albany in Deptford, who run a community garden that connects people with nature and serves the community through their café.