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Why Breath Beats Exists

Breath Beats grew from my own lived experience — from discovering how deeply the breath, music and movement could support me through change, stress, and the natural ups and downs of life.What began as a personal journey slowly became something I felt called to share. I saw how these simple, powerful practices helped me feel more grounded, more open, more at ease in my body, and more connected to myself. And I started to recognise the same shifts in the people around me.Breath Beats exists to offer that space to others — a place to slow down, breathe, move, feel, and reconnect in a way that feels safe, natural, and nourishing.

How I Hold Space

When I hold a session, my intention is always to create a space that feels safe, grounded, and supportive — a space where people can arrive exactly as they are, without pressure or expectation.I believe the body holds its own wisdom, and that when we’re given the right environment, it naturally begins to soften, release, and restore itself. My role is not to fix or force, but to guide, listen, and support whatever wants to unfold.I bring curiosity, compassion, and steadiness into the room, holding each session with care, respect, and deep trust in the process.

Breath - The Foundation

Breathwork sits at the heart of everything I offer.I have always loved working with the breath. For me, it is one of the most powerful and accessible tools we have — a direct pathway into the body, the nervous system, and the deeper layers of our emotional and energetic world. Over time, through my own journey and training, I’ve come to trust the intelligence of the breath and the way it supports us when we allow it to lead.Through breathwork, we create space for the body to gently open, soften, regulate and release — supporting both emotional and physical wellbeing in a deeply embodied way.

Breathe in rhythm. Live in flow.

How I Work With Breath

I don’t believe there’s one “right” way to breathe. Different bodies, moments and life experiences call for different approaches. My work with the breath is therefore responsive and intuitive, guided by what feels most supportive in the moment.The main style of breathwork I use — especially in my group sessions — is Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB). Alongside this, I also work with functional breathing, pranayama, and slower, more meditative breathing practices. Together, they allow me to meet people where they are.

Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB)

CCB forms the backbone of the Breath Beats experience.
In this style of breathwork, the breath flows in a continuous, connected rhythm, supported by music and a carefully held space. It invites the nervous system to soften and reset, allowing stored tension, emotion and energy to move through the body in a safe and supported way.People often experience emotional release, deep insight, and a profound sense of connection — both to themselves and to others. Every session is different, and each journey offers exactly what the system is ready for.

other breathing Practices

Alongside CCB, I regularly weave in other forms of breathwork.

These practices are especially present within one-to-one work, where everything is tailored to the individual, and are also woven through group sessions.

How Sessions Work:

Every session is held as a steady, safe container. There’s no need to arrive in any particular way — just breathe and allow the process to unfold.Some sessions feel quiet and tender, others more alive and releasing — and all of it is welcome.People often leave feeling calmer, clearer, lighter, and more at home in their bodies. And that’s why I love this work so deeply.

Collaborations

From time to time, I run sessions with other facilitators whose work I truly admire, including Breath & Sound, which I run with the Sound Healing Sister — aka my good friend Liz — a truly gifted sound healer.Together, we weave conscious connected breathwork with sound healing to create a deeply immersive and restorative group journey.

🌿 A Gentle Invitation

If something in this has spoken to you, I’d love to welcome you into the Breath Beats space.

Whether you’re curious about group breathwork, one-to-one work, or simply wanting to explore what the breath might offer you, you’re very welcome here.

Movement and Music

Music and movement are woven into the fabric of Breath Beats.
They carry us from stillness into rhythm, from quiet awareness into vibrant expression — allowing the body to release what’s been held and rediscover its natural flow.In these moments of rhythm and motion, we reconnect — with our breath, our body, and the shared energy of the space around us.

Where rhythm meets the body.

Music - The Beat & the Body

Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Some of my happiest memories growing up are of dancing around the house with my dad — standing on his feet, giggling as we moved to whatever was playing. Our home was always full of sound: reggae, ska, soul, disco, house, techno… anything with a beat that made you want to move. That love of music has never left me.

In my early twenties, that passion took a new turn when my dad, my brother Jaime and I decided to throw our own party. With a sound system, a set of decks and very little clue what we were doing, Dad and I took ourselves off to a DJ course in Manchester. Something clicked almost instantly. Learning how dance music is built — the beats, bars, phrases and rhythms — felt like unlocking a language I already understood in my body. From that point on, I was completely hooked.

For the last twenty years, music has been a constant companion — DJing at parties, clubs and festivals, chasing that feeling of connection when the beat drops and a room of people start moving as one. Even now, in a quieter phase of life, that relationship with music remains just as strong. I still feel the beat in my body. I still feel how rhythm can lift me, steady me, open me.

Your invited

This work is about reconnecting — with your body, your breath, and your natural rhythm.If any of this has sparked your curiosity, come and see what’s coming up — I’d love to welcome you into a session.

This is where you can find upcoming Breath Beats sessions and choose the experience that feels right for you.
Whether you’re joining for group breathwork, a longer Signature session, or exploring one-to-one work, you’re very welcome here.

Upcoming Group Sessions

My regular group breathwork sessions are held twice a month and form the foundation of my work. Each session is thoughtfully created around a theme, offering a unique focus and emotional landscape for the journey.

Past and present themes have included:

New Year Release & Reset · Inner Child · Chakras · Breathe to Soothe the Soul · the Seasons · the Elements · Inner Listening · Body Awareness

Sandsend Group Breathwork

St Mary’s Church, Sandsend
Usually every 3rd or 4th Saturday of the month
1:30 – 3:30pmThese monthly sessions at Sandsend offer a longer, more expansive journey. Alongside a full conscious connected breathwork session, we often include gentle movement to bring you out of the thinking mind and into the body, followed by deep relaxation to support full integration. On some Saturdays, we also open the space with ceremonial cacao, creating an extra layer of connection and intention for the session.
As always, breath and music work together to support nervous system regulation, release stored tension and emotion, and cultivate a calm, resilient state — with many participants describing the experience as deeply grounding, healing and connective.

Signature Sessions & Special Events

Next Workshop:
Sunday 19th April, 1–4pm
Aislaby Village HallAlongside my regular group sessions, I also offer my signature Breath Beats 3-Hour Workshop — a deeper, more expansive experience that brings together all the elements I’m most passionate about.Breath Beats — 3 Hour Signature WorkshopThis extended workshop is designed as a full journey through the body and nervous system, offering space to arrive, release, expand, and deeply rest.
Across the three hours, we move through:

These workshops are designed to run every two months.

One-to-One Sessions

Alongside group work and workshops, I also offer one-to-one sessions for those who would like a more personal, tailored experience.These sessions are shaped around your individual needs and intentions. We always work with the breath — which may include functional breathing, meditative breath practices, or conscious connected breathwork — alongside energy work, nervous system support, and deep rest practices such as Yoga Nidra.Some people come during times of stress, emotional release, or life transition. Others simply want space to slow down and reconnect with themselves.

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Practical Details

All sessions are open to beginners.Wear comfortable clothing and bring a mat, blanket and water.Is This Workshop Right for You?Due to the nature of conscious connected breathwork, this experience may not be suitable for those with certain medical or psychological conditions. If any apply to you, you will be guided into an alternative breathing approach.Conscious connected breathwork is a deeply personal self-exploratory practice. Every session is unique and your breath becomes your guide.If you’re unsure whether a session is suitable for you, you’re always welcome to get in touch before booking.

Explore

A space to wander a little deeper into the world of Breath Beats.Here you’ll find playlists, mixes, free breathwork practices, and personal reflections — a place to explore, listen, feel and return to whenever you need.

Past and present themes have included:

New Year Release & Reset · Inner Child · Chakras · Breathe to Soothe the Soul · the Seasons · the Elements · Inner Listening · Body Awareness

If you have any questions about the sessions, workshops, or whether this work is right for you, I’d love to hear from you.You’re very welcome to reach out — whether you’re ready to book, feeling curious, or simply want to connect.I do my best to reply within 24–48 hours.

Sound Cloud Playlists

• My Soundcloud Profile

• Tuesday Afternoon Foot Stomper

• Old Skool Mix

Blogs

Learn more about my journey and the insights I can share to help you with yours.

Blog 1: My Journey

In the years running up to turning 40 something inside me changed, not physical, but more of an emotional shift, a need for find a deeper and more spiritual side to life and how I could connect to it. I am generally a very happy person, lovely husband and little girl, Lily, who is 6 and a career in a family business that has been on the go for many years. On the surface....

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Blog 2: Introduction to Breath

A Brief introduction into How We Breath, How We should Be Breathing and How Our Breath Affects Our Nervous SystemsThere has been a general response from people when I say I am learning to be a Breath Work facilitator….. “What you want to learn to teach people how to breathe?! But surely we all know how to breathe!!”The single most important thing....

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Blog 3: Music. Part 1

One of my lasting and most happy memories as a child is dancing round the house to music a lot. I would stand on my dad’s feet and we would move around the living room to whatever beat was playing, me in fits of giggles. My dad played music all the time, and his life long love of music has definitely rubbed off on my big brother and I, and our love of music too. Reggae, ska, 80’s house, soul, disco, techno….anything with a beat. Indeed you can still find Dad....

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Blog 4: Understanding Energy

A (very) brief out line of energy and what it is.For a long time I have been fascinated by the concept of energy, weaving it’s way in to every aspect of life, giving things meaning, and motion and spiritual connection. But what is energy, and how do we define this invisible mystic force? Is it the electricity that lights up a bulb? Is it the waves in the ocean? A beating heart? The answer is....

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Blog 5: Music. Part 2

At some point in the last year I started hearing people talking about ecstatic dance and sober raves. The mere mention of the word ‘rave’ was enough to peak my interest. Having been a lifelong lover of dance music and the way it makes my body and mind feel, the thought of ‘raving’ in a completely sober state was a bit of a revelation....

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My Journey

In the years running up to turning 40 something inside me changed, not physical, but more of an emotional shift, a need for find a deeper and more spiritual side to life and how I could connect to it. I am generally a very happy person, lovely husband and little girl, Lily, who is 6 and a career in a family business that has been on the go for many years. On the surface I felt quite guilty at not just being satisfied with life, but i knew deep down that was something deeper and significant and I desperately needed to scratch that itch!My journey so far has shown me that life is full of love and energy and compassion, even more so when faced with challenges and upsets. We just have to open our eyes and be willing to let it in.The searching started really after the birth of our daughter Lily when I was 35. Right from being small I have loved children and knew in my heart that I wanted to be a mummy. The birth of Lily was wondrous (obviously bar the excruciating pain!). She was absolutely perfect, with long eye lashes and the most beautiful big eyes looking up at us. How on earth have we made this little being! She made our lives complete.And then reality and the realisation hit….. we were in charge of this tiny being. Our love and my milk was keeping our daughter alive. And feeding was hard: the constant self doubt that I wasn’t doing it right. How did other mums seem to make it look so easy, what was I doing wrong? On top of that the sleep deprivation, the crying, the disorganisation….and most of all my inability to deal with a situation I couldn’t control (it was at this point I realised I was a bit of a control freak). Don’t get me wrong, this was exactly what I wanted and where I wanted to be. My love for Lily brought a new dimension to life and I wouldn’t have changed a second, even in the hardest times.As the days moved into weeks, which moved into months, day to day life got easier. It’s weird that first day of returning from the hospital, life seems to have altered immeasurably some how, like the world has turned on it’s axis and the love you now feel for this new little being makes everything looks different. I remember looking out of the window the day we got Lily back home from the hospital, it was the same street, but it looked completely different. What on earth was this voodoo magic that had taken place over night!!It was also around this time and proceeding into the next few years that my hormones seemed to change. Whether it was my age or the process of childbirth, something triggered inside me. I was now experiencing much heavier periods, crippling headaches and serious mood dips. At certain times in the month I would swing from being super emotional and cry at the drop of a hat, to feeling like something had sucked the being and life out of my body, and I was now an empty vessel. What on earth was going on? Surely this wasn’t normal?Eventually I went to the Dr’s, after much persuasion from my husband. After a long chat I was informed that my options were either anti depressants, the contraceptive pill or counselling…… WHATTTT?! A medical expert was telling me these were my only options! Surely to god there there was another way.And so this was the start of my foray into a more natural, holistic route, that would prove to be not only kinder to my body but also a life game changer for the better. Making the conscious decision to follow this path was like an inner light switch turning on. I started a Kundalini yoga class with an incredible teacher, working with bodily energy, I did reiki courses, sea swimming, full moon ceremonies, anything I could get my hands on. Working with this much energy, through nature and self care, and meeting so many incredible people along the way, allowed me to open myself up to life. This process started opening doors, somehow started showing me sighs, whether it was through chance meetings, white feathers, feeling an affinity to certain numbers appearing....something had shifted, an opening up to some sort of higher consciousness, a life force propelling me.And then I discovered breath work. A local guy was putting on a 6am breath work sessions on the beach. So i rocked up with 3 pairs of socks and my yoga mat not knowing what to expect. An hour later I sat looking at the sunrise, tears streaming down my face, feeling such an incredible release and something deep in my shifted. It was at that moment I knew something amazing had happened, a light bulb moment of the biggest proportion. The realisation of the incredible impact of the breath and how it can heal. In my heart I knew that this was the path I wanted to follow. And so my breath journey began……

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Introduction to Breath

A Brief introduction into How We Breath, How We should Be Breathing and How Our Breath Affects Our Nervous SystemsThere has been a general response from people when I say I am learning to be a Breath Work facilitator….. “What you want to learn to teach people how to breathe?! But surely we all know how to breathe!!”The single most important thing in life is to breathe. We cannot exist without it. It is the first thing we do when we are born and enter this world, taking that first precious breath and the last thing we do when we leave this planet. We inhale and exhale around 20,000 times a day, but do we really pay much attention to how we breathe?The sad fact is that in our busy, hectic lives not many people actually pay much attention to how we breath; the quality and depth, nose breathing or mouth breathing, or which part of our bodies we breath into. When we start to pay attention and really observe how we are breathing in our day to day lives, it can be an amazing indicator into what is going on internally, mentally and physically. Even more amazingly (and this is why I love it so much), it is possible to use and manipulate how we breathe to stimulate our nervous systems, allowing us to access incredible health and general well being benefits. Breath can be used as a powerful tool in helping to cope with the stresses of every day life (and we all know about these…minis having a tantrum in the super market, someone cuts you up in the car, go to the fridge only to find you have run out mayo etc etc etc!)I would highly recommend reading a book called ‘And Breathe’ by Rebecca Dennis. Not only does she explain in detail how/why the breath is so beneficial, she also includes some amazing breathing exercises to promote the health benefits, also exploring the mind/body and even spiritual connection. Here is a quote from her book:“Breathing heals on many levels, and understanding how it performs this function is good for our mental and physical wellbeing. Our breath constantly converts our life sustaining energy, taking in oxygen, invigorating red blood cells and expelling carbon dioxide, which is a metabolic waste product.By breathing deeply, you allow the diaphragm to drop downwards, the rib cage to expand and create more space for the lungs to inflate. By mastering the art of deep breathing, increased oxygen floods the body, eventually helping the heart pace to slow down to create feelings of calmness and relaxation.”Rebecca Dennis, And BreathIn a nutshell then, Rebecca goes on to summarise that the breath can be used to:• Breath detoxifies, releases toxins and strengthens the immune system• Increases energy• Improves the respiratory system• Calms the nervous system• Strengthens the lymphatic system• Releases muscle tension• Improves the cardiovascular system• Elevates the digestive system• Affects our mental state• Improves sleep patterns• Lowers Blood pressure• Creates inner peace and clarityWow ( I can hear you all say), is there any thing that the breath cannot do!! How can I access all these amazing benefits (I also hear you all saying)……… By manipulating and altering the depth, rate and rhythm of our breathing, we can consciously tap into our nervous systems and change not only our bodily chemistry, but also promote better mental health, even helping to change behavioural pattens and heal old trauma.My main aim is to use this space to explain clearly the techniques of how we can manipulate our depth, rate and rhythm (the technical science bit) of breath to be able to influence our nervous system. Once we have mastered these fairly simple (but extremely effective) techniques, it will then hopefully give a better understanding of what is happening in your bodies during breathing exercises. My ultimate aim is to give you the tools to be able to use your breath as and when you need it, to promote calmness, clarity, focus or an injection of energy (great during the afternoon energy slump…along with some chocolate obviously!).Now for the nitty gritty science bit…..Firstly I think it is good to have an over view of the human nervous system, it then becomes easier to understand how manipulating our breathing can affect this system.Our bodies are primarily controlled by our autonomic nervous systems (ANS). The ANS regulates certain body processes, including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, and sexual arousal. This system works automatically, without a person’s conscious effort. However, and this is the most crucially important factor when discussing Breathwork; breathing, (unlike the other processes) can be used as a two-way communication highway between the conscious mind and the nervous system. Put simply we can use breath at will to manipulate our nervous systems; so by changing your breathing rate/depth, you can influence your heart rate, your blood glucose, your digestion etc.The autonomic nervous system has two main divisions, each with its own job:• Sympathetic nervous system (SNS): Also know as the “fight-or-flight” response. This system activates in times of danger, stress or activity, primarily being used to keep you alive.• Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS): Also know as the “rest and digest” state. This part of your autonomic nervous system (which is the opposite to the sympathetic) promotes an everyday calm relaxed state, and it is this state that we should be existing in most of the time.Your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems create a balancing act. Your sympathetic nervous system activates body processes, and your parasympathetic deactivates or lowers them. That balance is key to your body's well-being and your ongoing survival.Our optimum balance is to be in a general relaxed parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ state; and then in times of stress/ threat we automatically switch to our Sympathetic ‘flight or flight’, giving us sharper focus and the ability to deal with whatever life saving action we need to take.The sad fact is that with our busy, hectic modern lifestyles we tend to spend much of our lives in the sympathetic ‘fight or flight’ mode, dealing with continuous challenges, without the much needed relaxation and relief. During this mode our bodies are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol. In an emergency/life threatening situation, the influx of these chemicals can be life saving, but constant stress can make them harmful, resulting in increased blood pressure, compromised immune system, decreased libido and a general level of anxiety and stress.Understanding the basic mechanics of the nervous system, it now becomes clear how we can use our breath to influence our body and tap into a calmer more relaxed state. As Rebecca Dennis explains:“The breath is the bridge linking our mind and body. The practice of deep breathing helps to stimulate our parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), bringing us to a calm state. Diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the PNS, which allows the body to rest and digest, slowing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and respiratory rate, and diverting the blood supply towards the digestive and reproductive system.By deactivating the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), we can interrupt the cycle of adrenaline and cortisol production, which contribute to chronic stress levels and predispose us to panic attacks and anxiety.”To summarise then by changing the depth, pattern and rate of our breathing, it is possible influence the messages being sent between our respiratory system and our brain, ultimately giving us the power to control our own nervous systems.There are a number of important factors to consider when we look at the best ways to breathe. You could say that these are our conscious breathing levers, allowing us to influence our nervous systems:1. Nose Vs Mouth BreathingRecently a number of people have asked if it is better to be do breathing exercises through the nose, the mouth, or a mixture of both. My answer to this is
NOSE NOSE
NOSE! As a general rule, in everyday life and during most breathing exercises it is best to
breath through the nose (mouth shut). There are exceptions to this for some techniques,
where mouth breathing is utilised to create more energy in the body and even promotes
altered states of consciousness (yes this is very interesting and will explored further down
the line). But for now I want to briefly explore why nose breathing is so important.
To put it simply the nose is designed for breathing. It:• Filters the air, filtering out germs and harmful toxins• Thermoregulates the air (warms, cools and moistens it), so that it is the ideal temperature, humidity and purity, when it reaches the lungs• Produces Nitric Oxide, which acts to dilate blood vessels, stimulate hormone release, regulate neurotransmission and acts as an anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal2. Where we Breathe: Deep Belly Breathing vs Shallow Chest BreathingIt has long be thought that the optimal way to breathe is into our bellies. Humans are by nature belly breathers. Just above your stomach is a major muscle that we use during respiration, the diaphragm. The diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle at the base of the lungs, plays an important role in breathing. Breathing should start in the nose and then move to the stomach as your diaphragm contracts, the belly expands and your lungs fill with air. As we breathe out, both chest and belly deflate.Chest breathing is associated with our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), becoming active during times of danger and stress. This breathing can be shallow and very rapid. Whereas learning to breathe deeply into our diaphragm, we are able to bypass this state of anxiety and activate our parasympathetic (rest and digest), resulting in a much calmer relaxed state.Place both hands on your abdomen. Take a deep inhale and exhale and try to visualise where your diaphragm is, feeling the movement under your hands.3. Other things that we may find useful in being able to influence our nervous systems:• Rate of Breathing- Purposefully making ourselves breath slower and deeper will trigger a relaxed state.• The ratio of our breath- Breathing out for longer that we breath in. So if you inhale for 3 seconds and exhale for 6 seconds, this action will trigger your ‘rest and digest’ state. This is a fab exercise to encourage sleep, the longer and slower the exhale the more relaxed you will be!• Introspection - The ability to cultivate mindful awareness. Turning our attention inwards and cultivating the link between mind and body, good for grounding and promoting calmness during our hectic lives.• Breath Holds - Holding the breath on the inhale or exhale will trigger different effects in the body. If we hold at the top of an inhale this triggers more of an action signal to give us a boost of energy. A breath hold after an exhale has the opposite effect, and can create feelings of calmness.• Right or Left Nostril - Breathing through different nostrils triggers different effects in the body. This concept is used a lot in pranayama, influencing our state and creating either energy/ balance/ calmness. James Nestor, in his book ‘Breath’, states that the right nostril is like the gas pedal of a car. When we primevally inhale through the right it speeds up circulation, increases cortisol, blood pressure and heart rate (so triggering the SNS). And when we breathe through the left nostril the opposite happens: we are essentially putting the break on. The left nostril is more connected to the parasympathetic state; lowering heart rate, blood pressure, bringing down body temperature and reducing anxiety.The body is such an incredible, complicated instrument. For us to be able to use the breath to tap into and influence this delicate harmony can be so beneficial. I hope that this piece of writing has given you the basic overview of how and why we can use our breath as a tool to access these many benefits.

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Music: Part 1

One of my lasting and most happy memories as a child is dancing round the house to music a lot. I would stand on my dad’s feet and we would move around the living room to whatever beat was playing, me in fits of giggles. My dad played music all the time, and his life long love of music has definitely rubbed off on my big brother and I, and our love of music too. Reggae, ska, 80’s house, soul, disco, techno….anything with a beat. Indeed you can still find Dad dancing round his kitchen while cooking tea listening to a spot of techno!When I was 21 we decided to put on a party (me, my dad Tim and my brother Jaime). We decided to hire a room in a local working men`s club and bring the sound system (Dad’s cousin decked out clubs, so we had a pretty good system in our shop that we could use). We knew plenty of people between us who would be up for a good skank around the dance floor. The only issue was we owned a pair of turn tables and a mixer but neither dad or I really knew how to mix (my brother was actually a dab hand on the decks after being at the forefront of the 90’s rave scene….white gloves, bucket hat and all!). After some investigation I discovered a weekend course we could do in Manchester at the Technics DJ school (sounds like a pretty cool place right!).So after some deliberation we booked on. A few weeks later we arrived at this funky looking red brick building, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement, each clutching our 4 records. The aim of the weekend was to learn the basics about beat matching, part of the time in the class room and then the rest spend in mini sound proof rooms, each equipped with decks, a mixer and speakers.The basics of mixing we found to be pretty simple. Most dance tracks are broken down into beats, bars and phrases. And most have 4 beats to a bar. So, you have 1 track playing to the crowd (3 of us in this case). You would then find the starting beat of track 2 and listen to that in your headphones. You then drop the new tune into the old tune, 1 in headphones, 1 playing out. The next step is to speed up or slow down the tune that is in your headphones, so that eventually both tracks are playing simultaneously at the same speed and can be mixed seamlessly…. Most of the time, although I have been known to drop a few clangers!Whether it was suddenly having the knowledge of how a dance track was constructed and broken down into sections, or the many years of being exposed to so much music from being a wee nipper (or most likely the combination of the 2), from this exact point in time of my first attempts of mixing it was like a light bulb moment and loved it! Obviously this was the absolute basics and the very start of the journey. The real learning to mix has taken years, which is about finding your style and building your music collection, and endless tinkering to find that perfect mix of tracks.So about a month later my dad, brother and me are stood in front of the decks at the working men’s club looking out at the smiling faces of our friends and family. I feel unbelievably nervous, literally wracked with nerves. As the 2 months passed between the course and the party these nerves began to steadily build, I had numerous visits to record shops in Scarborough and Leeds. I now had a fairly good selection of records. And after many hours of putting into practice what Chengy, the teacher at the Technics school, had taught us, I finally had an hours worth of music. 11 records to be precise and a list of timings (in fact ask anyone who has seen me mix, and I still always write my precise timings out. I like to be prepared!). Carefully listened to, sped up and slowed down, mixed in and finally compiled into a set. But you never quite know how it is going to go on the night. You can practice and practice and practice, but when it comes down to it you kind of enter a zone of concentration, like many things you kind of run on a mix of instinct and adrenaline, and a number of beverages back in my party days!Lifting that needle to play that first record, and cueing up the first beat in my head phones, hands shaking and adrenaline pumping…. I can honestly say it was one of the most exhilarating and nerve-wracking experiences of my life. I always look back at any event I have played at, and especially this first party, and wonder why I get so nervous, I mean in reality it was a room filled with my nearest and dearest. And the answer is simple; nerves are a necessity, they make you want to perform to the best of our abilities. It may be nerve wracking doing something scary, pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone, but the feeling after we have achieved this is incredible. As so it was on the night, seeing everyone jumping up and down, having so much fun, it created a buzzing energy that I experience every time I play. And even more so, this is music that I have scoured for hours and hours to find, firstly in record shops and now online. This is music that I love, music that makes my bum wiggle and makes me want to dance my socks off. There is something magical about the power of music, listening to that beat that makes us wants to move, almost like an involuntary action, that not only our ears can hear, but our soul too.Over the last 20 years I have played on and off, mainly at parties, at nights in clubs and the odd festival here and there. And I have without fail always loved it. As I have got older and become more settled into family life with my husband and daughter, that draw of partying into the wee hours has become less and less. Don’t get me wrong I still love dance music and I love a good boogie, but I definitely feel more of a pull towards selfcare and partaking in things that nourish my soul, rather than giving me a hangover (which can now lasts nearly a week!).And so at age 40 I found myself stood in the middle of a field, the sun shining down on my face, eyes closed swaying in time to the music. The beats are loud and I can feel it reverberating through my body. I am at a festival. But it is no ordinary festival, it is a completely sober women’s wellness festival, and this music is nourishing my soul from the inside out. And so begins the next stage of the music evolution, the sober rave scene……..The journey continues with Music Part 2, a deep dive into the new exciting world of the sober rave scene ……

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Understanding Energy: A Universal Life Force

A (very) brief out line of energy and what it isFor a long time I have been fascinated by the concept of energy, weaving it’s way in to every aspect of life, giving things meaning, and motion and spiritual connection. But what is energy, and how do we define this invisible mystic force? Is it the electricity that lights up a bulb? Is it the waves in the ocean? A beating heart? The answer is everything. Every living and non living thing that exists is made up of energy. The traditional yogic vision says that all of life is made up of energy in vibration, from the lowest vibration that characterises all phenomena that appear in the physical universe, to the highest frequencies specific to the world of spirit.Another name for this universal life force energy is prana. It is said to exist not only in our subtle body channels, but all around us. It is literally life itself.A famous quote by Nikola Tesla, the brilliant inventor and visionary stated:“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”This powerful statement reflects Tesla’s deep understanding of the interconnectedness of natural phenomenon and the fundamental role of energy.With the following blog we will explore some of the main concepts of energy and it’s connection to the chakras, energy healing, and kundalini yoga.Energy Pathways and the ChakrasAll yoga traditions recognise the importance of energy pathways throughout the body. These energy pathways go by different names —marma, meridians, nadis, or channels. These intricate systems within the body facilitate the movement of energy, life force (prana), or chi. It’s believed that we have 72,000 nadis, akin to channels, moving energy through our system. Just like water, energy should flow to remain fresh, avoiding blockage and stagnation.Due to their circular movement, these energy centres (or roundabouts) are called chakras. The word chakra translates as ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit, and in this sense, we are of course referring to wheels of energy moving in a circular direction. Our bodies, minds, emotions, thoughts, actions and everything around us is made of energy. All energy throughout body and the chakras (and indeed in all living things) work on a varying scale of frequencies and vibrations.In our body, we have 7 main energy centres or chakras (this can vary depending on the yogic perspective), and about 122 small. These big chakras, positioned along the spine, from tail bone to just above the head, are:1. Root chakra
2. Sacral chakra
3. Solar Plexus chakra
4. Heart chakra
5. Throat chakra
6.Third Eye chakra
7. Crown chakraEach chakra corresponds to distinct physiological and psychological traits. By understanding these chakras and their characteristics, we can identify imbalances, whether energy is stagnant or overly active. To restore balance, we can engage in practices like yoga postures, meditation, and pranayama (breathing exercises), which help clear any blockages and promote the free flow of energy throughout the body.
The chakras link very closely to the endocrine and nervous systems, and this important relationship between them emphasises the essential nature of integrated and holistic health; we are way more than a physical body, we are a whole being and benefit hugely by observing wellbeing from a whole-istic perspective.Energy HealingSpiritual healing transcends any specific religion and is not synonymous with faith healing. Even skeptics can experience its effects. The term ‘spiritual’ derives from the Latin word ‘spiritus,’ signifying the ‘breath of life.’ In this context, spiritual healing involves working with profound spiritual energy. The healing process entails transferring energy—though not directly from the healer—by connecting to ‘Universal’ or Divine energy to promote well-being for the mind, body, and spirit.
Energy healing encompasses a diverse range of techniques aimed at addressing blockages within the energy field, which can contribute to imbalances in a person’s life.
The underlying principle of energy healing is that our physical well-being and life experiences are influenced by the energies present in our energy field. Imbalances or obstructions within this field can lead to emotional challenges, physical pain, illness, restrictive life patterns, and other undesired conditions.
There are many energy healing modalities that come from traditions throughout the world. Some are rooted in ancient practices, while others emerge as more contemporary, new-age approaches. Examples include reiki, acupuncture, crystal healing, sound healing, qigong, reflexology, touch therapy, chakra balancing, polarity balancing, quantum energy healing, shamanic healing, emotional freedom techniques, and aura cleansingKundalini yoga and energyA couple of years ago I started kundalini yoga. I was looking for a yoga that encompassed movement as well as spiritual connection, and bingo it just kind of popped up when I needed it the most!
Kundalini yoga is a form of yoga that involves chanting, singing, breathing exercises, and repetitive poses. Its purpose is to activate our deep innate Kundalini energy, or shakti. This is a spiritual energy that’s said to be located at the base of your spine. As Kundalini yoga awakens this energy, it’s supposed to enhance your awareness and help you move past your ego. Sometimes, the practice is also called “yoga of awareness.”
According to the theory behind Kundalini meditation, life energy lies at the base of your spine (root chakra), coiled like a snake — and that's where its name comes from. In Kundalini meditation, you can work to awaken this energy and achieve enlightenment through a combination of techniques, including: deep breathing, movement, mudras and mantra.Once awakened, the Kundalini will rise from its resting-place under the sacrum and move up the spine, energizing and healing, eventually re-circulating throughout the entire body. The Kundalini is known to infuse a tremendous amount of energy into a person, and has an incredible ability to heal almost any affliction, be it physical, emotional or spiritual.Conclusion
In conclusion then, energy is everywhere and everything. It is the force that drives all of life and at times we can engage in practices to restore this vital life flow in the body. It is a tangible scientific concept; energy can be seen as the atoms and molecules of all existing life vibrating at a frequency. Energy is also an unseen mystical force connecting us to the universe, to spirit and life itself. Whatever it is the implications are endless and truly exciting, allowing us to tap into the magic of life.

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Understanding Energy: A Universal Life Force

At some point in the last year I started hearing people talking about ecstatic dance and sober raves. The mere mention of the word ‘rave’ was enough to peak my interest. Having been a lifelong lover of dance music and the way it makes my body and mind feel, the thought of ‘raving’ in a completely sober state was a bit of a revelation.As I explored in the previous blog (Music Part 1), for many years music and dancing went hand in hand with partying, staying up very late and drinking far too much. And so as the years have passed I now find myself in a much more settled phase of my life, with a young child and a late night being classed as anything past 10pm. But something was missing; since entering a less hedonistic phase. I wasn’t listening to music much and I couldn’t remember the last time I danced my socks of. In a way it felt quite sad that because I actively chose not to drink much or go to pubs and clubs, that it wasn’t really possible to enjoy dance music any more. And it wasn’t even just about the music (which was a big part), it was also about being surrounded by other people dancing and having the best time, that collective energy that is so fun and all encompassing, everyone jumping up and down.And so at age 40 I found myself stood in the middle of a field, the sun shining down on my face, eyes closed swaying in time to the music. The beats are loud and I can feel it reverberating through my body. I am at a festival. But it is no ordinary festival, it is a completely sober women’s wellness festival, and this music is nourishing my soul from the inside out. And so begins the next stage of the music evolution, the sober rave scene!From this exact moment of standing in the field, eyes closed dancing to the music, something happened to me. Now I don’t want to sound too dramatic, but it actually felt like a light bulb moment (again!). I think feeling the music pumping deep in your body, and being completely sober, has a combined effect to truly free the soul; a moment in time of no inhibitions. And I knew at this exact moment that the sober rave scene was the path I wanted to take in my future as a DJ and breath facilitator, exploring the effect that music has on the soul.I recently looked up the Wikipedia definition of ecstatic dance and here is what it said:
“Ecstatic dance is a form of dance in which the dancers, sometimes without the need to follow specific steps, release themselves to the rhythm and move freely as the music takes them, leading to trance and a feeling of ecstasy. The effects of ecstatic dance begin with ecstasy itself, which may be experienced in differing degrees. Dancers are described as feeling connected to others, and to their own emotions. The dance serves as a form of meditation helping people to cope with stress and to attain serenity.
In the ancient and widespread practice of shamanism, ecstatic dance and rhythmic drumming are used to alter consciousness in spiritual practices. Ecstatic sacred dances are known also from religious traditions around the world. Modern ecstatic dance was revived by Gabrielle Roth in the 1970s and formalised in her 5Rhythms practice; it is now found in variants across the western world. Attitudes to ecstatic dance have varied widely. In the 1920s musicologists such as Paul Nettl and Fritz Böhme considered it primitive and unrefined. More recently, it has been compared to dancing in raves and in club culture, the anthropologist Michael J. Winkelman and the musicologist Rupert Till finding in these forms elements of ritual, spirituality, and healing. The philosopher Gediminas Karoblis relates early ecstatic dance to religious ritual, and notes that all well-executed dance borders on ecstasy.”This incredible definition was exactly how I had felt; feeling a spiritual connection of sorts, soul nourishing!The sober rave scene in the UK has gathered a significant following in recent years. Sober raving is a movement that embraces the exhilaration of dancing and music without the use of alcohol or drugs. Participants consciously choose to engage with the music and the crowd while maintaining complete sobriety, promoting a healthier lifestyle while revelling in the electrifying atmosphere of a rave. Without the numbing effects of alcohol or drugs, it is more likely to have profound connection with the music and the vibrant energy of the crowd.And so in February this year I decided to go to my first sober raving event, run by a lovely guy on my breath course. It was held in Leeds, and over the past year has gained a significant following. As my friend and I wait at the door ready to go in, we feel ourselves buzzing with excited energy. The event ran over a 6 hour period, and included a meditation, kirtan, conscious connected breath session and then finally the yoga mats were cleared out of the way, and the music began. Sporting an incredible sound system, the music ranged from house, to techno, to drum and bass. Over the next 3 hours every single person in that room (and there were about 80 of us) connected with the music. It was so much fun, but more than that somehow, it was a connection of souls moving as one, the collective energy weaving it’s magic through us all. It was one of my most favourite experiences ever, truly nourishing.And so as I sit here I wonder what the future holds? One thing is for sure, whatever happens there will be music and dancing and laughter!

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