Pause & Breathe CIC

These Qi Gong sessions are suitable both for those who have some experience and for complete beginners.

Qi Gong has a powerful effect on the whole of the body and mind. Every exercise has an effect on the whole energetic system, allowing energy (qi) to flow freely. It is possible to practice Qi Gong with mobility difficulties – each posture can be adapted, and it is feasible to practice whilst sitting on a chair.

Join Phil as he shares some Qi Gong moves, for physical and emotional health. Phil might end with a meditation too.

Everyone is welcome - whether or not you've practised Qi Gong before.

We do have donation spaces available. If you choose this option, I'll be in contact to let you know how to pay.

These Qi Gong are suitable both for those who have some experience and for complete beginners.

Qi Gong has a powerful effect on the whole of the body and mind. Every exercise has an effect on the whole energetic system, allowing energy (qi) to flow freely. It is possible to practice Qi Gong with mobility difficulties – each posture can be adapted, and it is feasible to practice whilst sitting on a chair.

Join Phil as he shares some Qi Gong moves, for physical and emotional health.

Everyone is welcome - whether or not you've practised Qi Gong before.

We do have donation spaces available. If you choose this option, I'll be in contact to let you know how to pay.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions every Friday morning in Bonnybridge Community Centre. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions are held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

The sessions will be held in Bonnybridge Community Centre, on Fridays, from 10am-11.30am. The session will be an hour, with time afterwards for refreshments and a chat.

This session is called "Bubble and Bobble into Summer" with Susie Hooper from Pause & Breathe, and Lindsey Porter from Yoga-Nu-U. Release tension, let go of your worries and ease into summer. This session includes meditations to help you release worries, and some gentle movement.

Bring a mug for a hot drink after the session. Any other props are provided, this includes cuppa & chat at the end.

Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitators:

Susie Hooper:

Susie worked as a Social Worker within Criminal Justice for 20 years, and is passionate about helping people to make difficult changes. Since the beginning of 2017, Susie has been delivering mindfulness within her local community in Falkirk. She co-founded Pause & Breathe CIC with her husband, Phil Blackburn.  

Lindsey Porter:

Lindsey has been teaching yoga since 2006 after studying Yoga in India and supporting others on their journey to teaching yoga as a Tutor on the Yoga Scotland Foundation course since 2018. She is a qualified and experienced NLP Practitioner, Reiki Master and Holistic therapist. Based in Falkirk where she lives with her family, she is a SEN parent.

Join us for a Mindfulness Meditation - a perfect way to start a day. These meditations are held by Susie.

Everyone is welcome - whether or not you've practised Mindfulness before.

We do have donation spaces available. If you choose this option, I'll be in contact to let you know how to pay.

Join us for an online Study Group. This is where we take more time to read a book, meeting regularly to discuss what we've read (and perhaps to put the teachings into practice!).

We will be reading "Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation" by Larry Rosenberg, with David Guy. We'll have 7 sessions to discuss the book fully, guidance will be given about which section to read before each session. We'll meet weekly to discuss the book.

Our study group starts on Monday 12th June 8.30-9.30pm, running until 24th July 2023.

The study group costs £40 to join (£32 for our online subscribers). If this is too much, we have some donation spaces. If you take one of these, I'll be in contact to let you know how to make payment.

Susie will be your leader for this study group. Any questions, please email her: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

A short rest practice to help us to increase our motivation. Perhaps there's something that you want to change, or something you've been putting off. This practice helps us to visualise the result that we're looking for, and to start to move towards it. 

This is a deep relaxation practice - we'll have a quick chat before we start, then the invitation is to turn your camera off, lie down and get cosy. Many people fall asleep during the session, or doze a little - this is OK. There is an option to come back at the end for a short chat, but if it feels better not to you are welcome to slip away.

This session is being held by Susie. It's £5 to attend, or it's possible to make a donation if this is unaffordable. This session is free for those who subscribe to our online monthly membership.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions every Friday morning in Bonnybridge Community Centre. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions are held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

The sessions will be held in Bonnybridge Community Centre, on Fridays, from 10am-11.30am. The session will be an hour, with time afterwards for refreshments and a chat.

This session is "Laughter Yoga" with Morag Wylie from Sound Balance Scotland. Laughter is a powerful tool that enables us to access our natural joy, feel more alive in our bodies and experience improved health and well-being. Laughter Yoga is suitable for all ages - it can be done seated or standing. The yoga part involves some simple stretching and breathing. It allows us to connect with our natural childlike state of laughing for no reason. We don’t need comedy, jokes or humour to be able to feel the benefits of laughter – just a willingness to let go and allow our childlike side the space to play.

Come and join us for some fun activities to increase your body's natural feelgood chemicals: endorphins. These instantly raise our mood and lower our cortisol levels, allowing us to cope more easily with stress, feel more relaxed and happy.

Bring a mug for a hot drink after the session, plus a yoga mat, blanket and cushions if you'd like to lie down for the laughter meditation at the end. Any other props are provided, this includes cuppa & chat at the end.

Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitator:

Morag Wylie has been running sound baths and other sound healing events for over 6 years and has a wide range of experience in several modalities. She is a qualified Sound Healing Practitioner and Associate teacher with the Sound Healing Academy International. She is also a Laughter Yoga teacher and loves to help people discover their inner joy. 

How often do you put time aside to really rest? So many of us only rest when we're trying to get to sleep - and then we wonder why sleep becomes elusive!

Join us for a Rest Circle - we'll have a bit of a discussion before a Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation) practice, and the chance to share a little at the end too. There's no movement required during this session, a yoga nidra is a guided meditation aimed at helping you into a deeply relaxed state. You might just float home!

Everyone is welcome, although yoga nidra might be unsuitable if you have experienced psychosis or disassociation, or for those who are experiencing unprocessed trauma. Please do get in contact to discuss further: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

This session will be donation based.

Susie will be your facilitator for these sessions. Susie worked as a Social Worker within Criminal Justice for 20 years, and is passionate about helping people to make difficult changes. Since the beginning of 2017, Susie has been delivering mindfulness within her local community in Falkirk. She co-founded Pause & Breathe CIC with her husband, Phil Blackburn and is delighted to now be opening The Place to Pause & Breathe - to bring people together in community.

We are excited to be bringing Ju-Jitsu to Bonnybridge for Juniors (aged 5-11). Our Little Samurai programme aims to teach children emotional control and how to respect physical boundaries. We do this in a fun way, helping our participants to build their confidence through learning the skill of martial arts.

All children are welcome - complete beginners, as well as those that may have practised some martial arts in the past.

These two sessions are donation-based. If there is enough interest, we plan to run these sessions on a regular basis.

Phil will be your instructor for these sessions. He is a well-recognised Martial Arts teacher, specialising in Japanese Ju-Jitsu. Phil is a 7th Dan, and has been inducted into the World's Martial Arts Hall of Fame as National Instructor of the Year (2023). Phil has over 45 years experience in Martial Arts. He has his own club, Kuroyaki-Ryu, which is part of Pause & Breathe.

This is a brand new class, which will meet together on a Wednesday night. Each week we'll have a different theme, which we'll discuss and share a meditation for. Susie - your facilitator - will bring some theory along, perhaps a handout or a video to watch, or something to guide the discussion.

The idea is that when we form connections, particularly with people who have the same values as us, we can breathe more easily. These sessions aim to help us feel seen, heard and understood. We are building a community of people interested in mindfulness and wellbeing, to help us all live a little more with presence - in the moment. Let's form connections, and talk about the things that really matter to us.

The sessions will stand alone, so you are welcome to come when you can make it.

Everyone is welcome. 

The first two sessions in June will be donation-based.

Susie will be your facilitator for these sessions. Susie worked as a Social Worker within Criminal Justice for 20 years, and is passionate about helping people to make difficult changes. Since the beginning of 2017, Susie has been delivering mindfulness within her local community in Falkirk. She co-founded Pause & Breathe CIC with her husband, Phil Blackburn and is delighted to now be opening The Place to Pause & Breathe - to bring people together in community.

We are delighted to be bringing regular Qi Gong sessions to Bonnybridge. Our first two sessions will be pay by donation to participants - so come along and see what Qi Gong is, and whether you'll enjoy it.

These Qi Gong sessions are suitable both for those who have some experience and for complete beginners.

Qi Gong has a powerful effect on the whole of the body and mind. Every exercise has an effect on the whole energetic system, allowing energy (qi) to flow freely. It is possible to practice Qi Gong with mobility difficulties – each posture can be adapted, and it is feasible to practice whilst sitting on a chair.

Everyone is welcome - whether or not you've practised Qi Gong before. 

Phil will be your instructor for these sessions. He is a well-recognised Martial Arts teacher, specialising in Japanese Ju-Jitsu. He has his own club, Kuroyaki-Ryu, which is part of Pause & Breathe. As well as Qi Gong, Phil is trained to offer complementary therapies: Reiki, EFT and TFT and Acupressure. He specialises in energy work, helping people to move stuck energy around the body to heal both physically and emotionally.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions every Friday morning in The Place to Pause and Breathe, Bonnybridge. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions are held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

The sessions will be held in The Place to Pause & Breathe, on Fridays, from 10am-11am. After the session there is the option to stay until 11.30am for refreshments.

This session is "Calming the Mind" with Susie from Pause & Breathe.

Do you have a busy mind? So many of us feel swamped by our over-thinking minds, which can go round and round, never seeming to switch off. Sleep becomes elusive. It's difficult to concentrate. But perhaps it doesn't have to be like this? Mindfulness can help us to respond differently to our thoughts, to be less involved with them and less distracted by them. In this session we'll discuss some simple techniques that you can use in everyday life to feel less overwhelmed by our busy heads.

You might like to bring a blanket for a meditation at the end of the session - whether you choose to stay seated, or lie down, it's nice to be cosy.

Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitator:

Susie Hooper worked as a Social Worker within Criminal Justice for 20 years, and is passionate about helping people to make difficult changes. Since the beginning of 2017, Susie has been delivering mindfulness within her local community in Falkirk. She co-founded Pause & Breathe CIC with her husband, Phil Blackburn.

How can we live more Mindfully? This session, held by Anne Marie Gillies, will help us to dive more deeply into mindfulness. She'll share a Mindfulness Meditation, there may be some Poetry or Readings. We will be exploring topics around Mindfulness, for example the benefits and difficulties of living Mindfully.

The session is open to everyone, perhaps you are new to mindfulness and are curious - if so, it may be for you. If you already have a practice, it’s an opportunity to connect and benefit from the support of a group 

This session will be donation based.

Anne Marie will be your facilitator for this session.

This Yoga Nidra practice invites you to lie down and do nothing. It is designed to help release your creativity - to get past any blockages that might be present so that your creativity can flow.

This is a deep relaxation practice - we'll have a quick chat before we start, then the invitation is to turn your camera off, lie down and get cosy. Many people fall asleep during the session, or doze a little - this is OK. We don't come back together at the end, so you can stay relaxing where you are if you'd like to.

This session is being held by Susie. It's £7 to attend, or it's possible to make a donation if this is unaffordable. This session is free for those who subscribe to our online monthly membership.

We are delighted to let you know that we are hosting a Tea and Blether Party in partnership with Lindsey Porter from Yoga-Nu-U on Thursday 29th June, and we would love you to join us.

The Tea and Blether Party aims to create a warm and welcoming environment where individuals living with dementia, their families, and supporters can come together to share stories, engage in meaningful conversations, and forge new friendships. Everyone is welcome to help us raise funds for this much needed cause. For more information on Alzheimer Scotland, click here.

During the event, we will provide a delightful selection of teas, coffees, and refreshments for you to enjoy. It will be a relaxed and supportive atmosphere, allowing everyone to feel comfortable and at ease. We hope that you will be able to join us for this special gathering, your support means the world to the individuals and families affected by dementia. 

If you are unable to attend and would like to make a donation, click here.

Did you know there are 7 types of rest? Not many people did until they attended Restival. Susie shared this in her welcome session, and we incorporated many of the different ways of resting into Restival.

But maybe you missed Restival? Well, we have some incredible news... Restival Replay is now available.

Rest should not only be done on a Sunday or when you are ill. Rest should be a part of your life. Restival Replay will show you how you can change your relationship with rest and, most importantly, how to implement it into your life.

At Restival, we had an incredible line-up of speakers, including Scott Moore, Author and Founder of Waking Up with The Yoga of Sleep Yoga Nidra training, Karen Brody, Founder of Daring To Rest, Shelagh Lenon, Founder of 1912 Aromatherapy and our very own Susie and Phil.

You will receive the link for the recording via email and will get access to all the sessions, apart from the listening space. There are additional resources, and access to this course will be ongoing in the long-term. You might choose to take a day out and create your own mini-retreat, or listen to the sessions individually. You'll also be joining an online community, dedicated to rest. 

If you have any questions, contact Susie at susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions every Friday morning in The Place to Pause and Breathe, Bonnybridge. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions are held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

The sessions will be held in The Place to Pause & Breathe, on Fridays, from 10am-11am. After the session there is the option to stay until 11.30am for refreshments.

This session is "Yoga Foundation" with Jenny from Chaos and Calm Yoga.

The session is aimed at exploring some of the common building blocks of a physical practice as well as breath work and relaxation. It’s suitable for all whether you’ve never practiced yoga before or you’re a seasoned yogi looking to revisit some familiar territory. To make the session as accessible as possible we work at a gentle pace and offer lots of alternatives, we also encourage the use of tools and props to make the practice exactly you what want it to be.

Yoga leggings are not mandatory, just wear clothes that you feel you move comfortably in. We do suggest wearing layers and bringing a sweater as the practice is quite slow moving. If you have your own mat then please do bring along, and if you have any of your own yoga props like blocks or straps then do bring those as well. We will have some spares for those who are newer to yoga or don’t have props.

Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitator:

I’m Jen Gates (she/her). I’ve been practicing yoga myself for over 5 years and completed a 200 hour teacher training in May 2021. My training was in Yin and Hatha Yoga but I tend to use these as inspiration for my practice rather than hard and fast rules. I do like to work at a gentler pace regardless of the style of yoga and prefer to use the physical practice to help with understanding the less physical aspects of yoga. My favourite part of teaching yoga is when I see yogi's make their own choices - nothing pleases me more than someone is doing something different to the rest of the group.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions every Friday morning in The Place to Pause and Breathe, Bonnybridge. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions are held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

The sessions will be held in The Place to Pause & Breathe, on Fridays, from 10am-11am. After the session there is the option to stay until 11.30am for refreshments.

This session is "Yoga Therapy for Stress & Anxiety" with Lisa from The Yoga Social.

Therapeutic yoga and mindfulness are well known to improve stress, anxiety and depression. Research reveals that faster and more long term healing occurs through intelligent integration of mind and body techniques. In this session we will explore some effective tools that can be integrated into the everyday and share some of the neuroscience and physiology behind their effectiveness. This session will involve movement, breathwork and mindfulness meditation. It is open to all bodies and abilities and can be accessible from a chair or mat. All are welcome. 

Wear comfy clothes, and having a blanket with you would be useful.

Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitator:

Lisa Mulube started The Yoga Social in 2017. Having practiced yoga since her early 20’s she found it to be valuable resource throughout her career in the textile industry and through many of life’s ups and downs, including being a mum to her 3 girls.

Since moving back to Scotland from London in 2016 she started her teacher training and hasn’t looked back. Lisa is a qualified Yoga & Meditation Teacher, her practice is rooted in Hatha Yoga and she is also trained in Yin & Restorative and Kids & Family Yoga. Lisa completed her 2 year Yoga Therapy Diploma in April 2023 and is passionate about this emerging professional therapeutic field. Yoga therapy is the professional application of the principles and practices of yoga to promote health and well-being within a therapeutic relationship that includes personalised assessment, goal setting, lifestyle management, and yoga practices for individuals or small groups. Lisa has a focus on making yoga accessible and relevant to all. She is looking forward to delivering these sessions at Pause & Breathe and having the opportunity to share everyday tools and techniques that will help individuals to support their own physical and mental health.

We are delighted to let you know that we have Free Wellbeing Sessions every Friday morning in The Place to Pause and Breathe, Bonnybridge. These have been funded via Falkirk's Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.

These sessions are held on an ongoing basis by Pause & Breathe, and we are delighted to welcome a range of guest facilitators throughout the year. You can come to all of them, or drop in and out. Please do book though, so we know how many people to expect.

The sessions will be held in The Place to Pause & Breathe, on Fridays, from 10am-11am. After the session there is the option to stay until 11.30am for refreshments.

This session is a "Drumming Circle" with Morag from Sound Balance Scotland.

Drumming is fun, drumming is easy, drumming is good for you. What's not to like?! Anyone can drum. And anyone can chant. We all have an inbuilt sense of rhythm and we all have a voice. Drumming helps us to relax, let go of daily stress and energise us all at the same time through some simple rhythms. At the same time we will free up our expression by having fun with our voices learning simple chants and songs. No singing or drumming experience required. Suitable for beginners and experienced drummers alike.

Please make us aware if you have any health conditions that may be affected by drumming. These include pacemakers, defibrillators, stents, first trimester of pregnancy, bipolar disorder, psychosis. Drumming should not be undertaken under the influence of alcohol or recreational drugs.

Everyone is welcome. Please don't worry about your level of mobility - everything that we do can be adapted for all bodies.

Get in touch with any questions: susie@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Meet your facilitator:

Morag Wylie has been running sound baths and other sound healing events for over 6 years and has a wide range of experience in several modalities. She is a qualified Sound Healing Practitioner and Associate teacher with the Sound Healing Academy International. She is also a Laughter Yoga teacher and loves to help people discover their inner joy.

Join us for an Adventure Retreat on the beautiful island of Mull. As well as Qi Gong & Mindfulness, we will be kayaking, sailing, learning survival skills and self-defence. This is a totally new way to explore Mull and Iona.

Susie & Phil from Pause & Breathe CIC are partnering with Jon from Bendoran Watersports and Hakan - ex-Special Forces to bring you a taste of adventure.

We stay in two connecting cottages on Saorphin Farm, on the Ross of Mull – the south-western part of the island. The cottages are really peaceful – overlooking Loch Assapol, our closest neighbours are sheep and deer. We can walk to a local beach from the farm, and it’s usually deserted.

During the retreat, we will bookend each day with Qi Gong or Mindfulness. each day will be different, but we'll be kayaking, outside doing survival skills, swimming in the sea and learning self-defence skills. We plan to have a day on the Isle of Iona too.

The retreat runs from Monday 28th August until Saturday 2nd September. Arrival is from 3pm onwards, and we leave the cottages at 9am. Retreatants are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from the cottage, although if you are arriving by public transport, we can arrange to pick you up and drop you off at the ferry port on Mull for a small additional charge.

The cost of the retreat varies, depending on the type of room you choose. For one person in a shared room, it is £1095 per person, a single supplement is £1295. There are also some rooms with double beds, for two people booking in a double room it's £2050. This includes full board accommodation for 5 nights, and all sessions (kayaking, sailing, etc).

If you would like to book, we will send you terms and conditions and take a deposit, which is 20% of the full cost. The deposit is non-refundable. We will be in contact to arrange payment. Full payment needs to be made by 5th June 2023, if you are booking after this date we will be in contact to discuss making the remaining payment as soon as possible. Depending on when you book, it may be possible to set up a payment plan.

Please contact us if you'd like to see a full brochure, the terms and conditions before booking, or with any queries: pause@pauseandbreathe.co.uk

Join us for a retreat themed around "Letting Go". We often have things that we are holding onto that no longer serve us. Whether this is unresolved grief, unhelpful beliefs, anger, bitterness at the end of a relationship, or something else. We can all benefit from practices that help us to let go.

Susie & Phil from Pause & Breathe CIC will be offering:

~ Qi Gong – a range of mindful movements, helping us get unblock energy and open us to new experiences

~ Mindfulness – meditations and talks focused on letting go

~ Yoga Nidra – deep relaxation practices which enable us to reset and release.

Depending on the weather, some of our sessions will be outside. We will also have a variety of day trips, which are optional, but gives the opportunity to see more of the island – including a trip to Iona.

We stay in two connecting cottages on Saorphin Farm, on the Ross of Mull – the south-western part of the island. The cottages are really peaceful – overlooking Loch Assapol, our closest neighbours are sheep and deer. We can walk to a local beach from the farm, and it’s usually deserted.

The retreat runs from Monday 11th September until Saturday 16th September. Arrival is from 3pm onwards, and we leave the cottages at 9am. Retreatants are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from the cottage, although if you are arriving by public transport, we can arrange to pick you up and drop you off at the ferry port on Mull.

If you would like to book, we will send you terms and conditions and take a deposit, which is 20% of the full cost. The deposit is non-refundable. We will be in contact to arrange payment. Full payment needs to be made by 19th June 2023, if you are booking after this date we will be in contact to discuss making the remaining payment as soon as possible. Depending on when you book, it may be possible to set up a payment plan.

Please contact us if you'd like to see a full brochure, the terms and conditions before booking, or with any queries: pause@pauseandbreathe.co.uk