Bringing calm to your home

Driven by a passion for health and wellbeing, Claire Lormor and her Wellness Space team are on a mission to bring calm to the local community during uncertain times…

A little bit about Wellness Space... Wellness Space is a yoga studio in Sunderland that offers over 20 classes every week. We organise the annual Sunderland Wellness Festival as well as Yoga Brunches at Holmeside Coffee and number of retreats throughout the year in Yorkshire, Edinburgh and Northumberland.

My yoga journey... I tried yoga for the first time in Vietnam and hated it. I thought it was weird, however something kept pulling me back. I found an amazing teacher in Canada while I was living there and I fell in love with the practice. The mindfulness side of yoga was completely foreign to me and I loved the aspect of being unfamiliar with something and stepping out of my comfort zone. I studied to become a yoga teacher whilst living in Canada and knew that teaching yoga was my calling. In winter 2019, I moved back to my hometown and my dream was to create a yoga space filled with everything health and wellbeing-focused.

How i’m tackling the current situation regarding coronavirus... We are offering 20 virtual classes every week online. Sessions cost £5 for a variety of 45 minute - 75 minute classes taught by various teachers. They are great because people can log in from anywhere in the world. You can be in your bedroom, garden or garage - it doesn’t matter. We are also offering free 15-30 minute yoga videos on our YouTube channel.

Top tips for yogis who wish to continue their practice at home... Do virtual classes. YouTube videos are great if you are not sure when you are going to be available to practise, and they are good for people who have the discipline to set time aside and follow a pre-made yoga video. However, people often find they are able to push themselves more and be more committed to practice when they have booked into a virtual class on a specific day at a specific time. It helps keep that sense of routine. These classes are also a lot more personal.

What yogis can expect from a wellness space virtual class… Your yoga teacher is in their yoga space and you are in yours. All you need is a nice open area, a yoga mat and a device with an internet connection. Just like a real class, but over a screen.

How to book a virtual class... To book, go to: wellnessspace.co.uk/class-schedule, find your class and select 'book'. If this is your first time booking with Wellness Space, you will be prompted to create an account. 60-minutes before the class is due to start, you will receive a Zoom link, where you can join the virtual class. Our classes are available every day, in the morning, afternoon and evening - meaning there’s plenty of opportunity to yogis to switch off and enjoy some well-earned time on the mat.

3 ways to be mindful during these uncertain times… Stay connected, stay positive, practice yoga