Hello, my name is Lindsay.
I’m excited to invite you to join me for a Moving through Nature session.
My background is in contemporary dance.
Dancing, in all forms, was my passion throughout childhood.
I loved the sense of freedom that it gave me, so I never questioned that it would be my chosen career
I found a similar sense of freedom when spending time in the countryside. The cotswold hills were an ever present backdrop to my childhood. Looking out of a stuffy school room window, I would imagine myself instead walking on top of the nearest hill, with the wind blowing my boredom and frustration away.
So it feels like a satisfying circle to close by bringing these two elements together. The simple movement we will do within the sessions aims to encourage a freedom and an ease, in the way we move through our everyday lives.
Doing this in a natural setting, with all the benefits that brings, helps consolidate our relationship to ourselves, each other and the greater web of life, of which we are an intrinsic part.
We are becoming increasingly
aware of the huge benefits
of being in nature.
There have been many scientific
studies that highlight these benefits, including significantly better mental health outcomes
Time spent in nature boosts creativity, focus and concentration.
Short term memory and attention
spans improve by 20% after
just 1 hour.
It lowers cortisol and regulates
blood pressure and heart rates
and is associated with better sleep, as natural light regulates our circadian rhythms
For over 20 years I was a freelance performer and teacher. I taught for more than 6 years at what is now called Trinity Laban Conservatoire for Music and Dance in London, where I had previously trained.
During my time here, my interests led me to focus on moving in a way that harmonised with the breath, using visualisation and anatomical imagery to help find a healthier relationship between mind and body.
It became more about listening to the wisdom held within the body. This led me naturally into improvisation in performance.
The Origins of Moving through Nature
At the end of 2021 Paul, my life partner of nearly 30 years, died suddenly and unexpectedly. We originally met whilst working on a show. Paul was a set designer and we went on to make work together, creating both group and solo shows, until he later moved into furniture making. We also had a child together, who is now at university.
Our life together, and then his death, have been two strong foundational elements in the creation of this work. Learning to fully experience the intensity of grief and truly allowing my body to inhabit that space, has led to a deeper understanding of how to find an inner support and strength, even in the worst of times.
Deep in grief one day, I went out into the garden to just stand and breathe. Slowly I began gentle movements and stretches, enjoying the sun on my face and the breeze across my skin. I was surprised at how much better I felt after doing this for just 5 minutes. These few moments were the genesis of the idea for this work
Where I stand in the garden
each morning has left an imprint
Moving through Nature is intended to be a calming and restorative experience and will focus on enhancing our connection to the natural environment and to our own inner landscape.
It is an opportunity to pause, breathe and move through our environment, developing an understanding and acknowledgement of our natural surroundings, and also of our own inner nature, both physical and behavioural.
There will be a somatic focus, learning about and experiencing the anatomy of our bodies, through meditative attention and simple movements.
No experience is necessary.
The sessions aim to encourage and develop:
- peace and presence
- an enhanced inner awareness
- a deeper connection to the natural environment
- an ease and efficiency of movement
- a fuller understanding of unhelpful patterns, in our bodies and in our lives
