🧘♀️ Chair Yoga: A Gentle Path to Nervous System Balance
Chair yoga offers a powerful yet accessible way to support nervous system regulation, especially for individuals with limited mobility or those new to yoga. By combining mindful movement, breathwork, and gentle stretches—all performed while seated—chair yoga activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes the relaxation response, helping the body shift from stress to calm.
Slow, intentional breathing during chair yoga stimulates the vagus nerve, which plays a key role in lowering heart rate, reducing blood pressure, and promoting relaxation. Movements like spinal twists, shoulder rolls, and forward folds gently release tension stored in the body, encouraging a sense of safety and ease.
For our community, chair yoga can be a valuable tool to foster emotional resilience, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being. It invites participants to reconnect with their bodies and cultivate inner peace—one breath at a time. And all this is available in the Recreation Hall in Gullane on a Wednesday at 11:15 to midday, followed by a cuppa. There is a very similar class at Tantallon Court in North Berwick on Fridays at 12:15, without the cuppa and also in West Barns Village Hall on a Friday at 10:15. This latter class has a thriving social afterwards and there is often home baking.
People come in all shapes and sizes. Yoga comes in all shapes and sizes. There is a Yoga class just for you so don't give up and consider trying Chair Yoga if you are still trying to find something that works for you and getting up and down off the floor is not quite your favourite thing any more.
Mondays
Morham Village Hall - YOGA / SPACES - 5:15pm to 6:15pm / for residents of Morham and Garvald wards only. Please enquire. Classes are ongoing.
Haddington - Upper Hall, The Bridge Centre, Haddington.
Sept/Oct Block / 5 weeks / Sept 22, 29, Oct 6, 20, 27 / Block = £45 / £11 drop-in (only if spaces)
Nov /Dec Block / 6 weeks / Nov 3, 10, 17, 24, Dec 1, 8 / Block = £54 / £11 drop-in (only if spaces)
7pm-8pm - PILATES / FULL - (priority to returnees, waiting list, please contact me for info)
8:15pm-9:15pm - YOGA / SPACES
Tuesdays - Pilates - West Barns Village Hall
Sept/Oct Block / 6 weeks / Sept 16, 23, 30, Oct 7, 21, 28 / Block = £54 / £11 drop-in
Nov /Dec Block / 6 weeks / Nov 4, 11, 18, 25, Dec 2, 9 / Block = £54 / £11 drop-in
09:15-10:15 - INTERMEDIATE PILATES / spaces
10:30-11:30 - BEGINNER PILATES / spaces
--------------------------------
Tuesdays - Yoga - Haddington
Sept/Oct Block / 6 weeks / Sept 16, 23, 30, Oct 7, 21, 28
Nov /Dec Block / 6 weeks / Nov 4, 11, 18, 25, Dec 2, 9
All in the Upper Hall, The Bridge Centre, Haddington
5:15pm class (only available to current attendees) / WAITING LIST / Block = £48 / £10 drop-in
6:30pm class / SPACES / Block = £54 / £11 drop-in
Wednesdays
Yoga - Athelstaneford / classes ongoing / contact me for info
09:30 to 10:30 / £10 drop-in
--------------------------------
Chair Yoga Class - Gullane Recreation Hall
11:15 to 12pm followed by (optional) tea, coffee and chat from 12 to 12:30
No Class Oct 15th.
Suitable for all, £5 per person drop-in, ongoing
Thursdays
Pilates - West Barns Village Hall
09:15-10:15 - INTERMEDIATE PILATES / SPACES
10:30-11:30 - BEGINNER PILATES / SPACES
Sept/Oct Block / 6 weeks / Sept 18, 25, Oct 2,9 , 23, 30 / Block = £54 / £11 drop-in
Nov /Dec Block / 6 weeks / Nov 6, 13, 20, 27, Dec 4, 11 / Block = £54 / £11 drop-in
--------------------------------
Thursdays
Yoga - Gullane Village Hall - 12:30 to 1:45pm
Sept/Oct Block / 6 weeks / Sept 18, 25, Oct 2,9 , 23, 30 / 6 weeks = £60 / £12 drop-in.
Nov /Dec Block / 6 weeks / Nov 6, 13, 20, 27, Dec 4, 11
Fridays
Yoga - Athelstaneford
08:30am to 09:30am, please enquire for directions to venue / £10 drop-in per class. Class in ongoing.
--------------------------------
Yoga - West Barns Village Hall
10:15-11:15 -HATHA YOGA - Chair Yoga Plus++ - West Barns Village Hall. Cost = £45 for 6 week pass, £10 drop-in. Classes are ongoing however no class on October 17th.
--------------------------------
Chair Yoga - Tantallon Court, Tantallon Road, North Berwick.
12:15-1pm - a Chair Yoga class for the home owners at Tantallon Court. Non home owners are also welcome. Please contact me to arrange access to the venue. £5 per class. Classes are ongoing however no class on October 17th.
Where I teach
Gullane Village Hall, Village Hall Crescent, Gullane, EH31 2HA Gullane Village Hall
Gullane Recreation Hall, (the old Scout Hall, behind the Village Hall), Village Hall Crescent, Gullane, EH31 2HA.
West Barns Village Hall - Edinburgh Road, West Barns, EH42 1UP Our Story — West Barns Village Hall
Upper Hall, The Bridge Centre, Haddington Homepage (bridgecentrehaddington.co.uk)
What and how do I teach Yoga & Pilates
Most of my Yoga classes are Hatha Yoga classes. Very breath led, functional movement, classic yoga poses but not always done in the most traditional ways. Lots of options.
Gentle Hatha Yoga - I will avoid weight bearing on knees and wrists in this class usually.
Chair Yoga + - in this class every attendee will have a chair as well as their own yoga mat and I teach yoga exercises showing both chair and other versions. Lots of choices and you don't have to lie on the floor if you don't want to.
Pilates classes are very fun and functional. There will be a variety of exercises that honour the Pillars of Pilates and the focus is on mindful movement with lots of interesting and fun progressions. The aim is to stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak ones.
All classes.
I don't have an online booking system. If a class has space, you can just turn up or message me on nicola_bourke@hotmail.com or 07766174462. If a class is marked as having a waiting list then please message me to go on this list.
If you miss a class in a block you are welcome to come to another class before the block ends, if there are spaces.
Covid - Do not come to class if you are feeling unwell or think you may be experiencing covid symptoms. Please byo Yoga or Pilates mat, blanket and any props you normally use.
Money - Cash, cheque (payable to Nicola Bourke), online and PayPal payments are all fine with me. Please enquire for details. Refunds are not possible, with regret.
Can I Mix and match classes? Yes you can, as long as there is space and usually it's only the Haddington classes that are full.
Karma spaces. There will be a maximum of one space in each class available, subject to space, free of charge, to someone whose budget does not allow, for any reason, for a weekly Yoga or Pilates class. Spaces are available, please contact me for further details.
I teach Hatha yoga classes where we move mindfully between a variety of yoga poses including kneeling, standing, lying, etc. My classes are very beginner friendly but with plenty of options given to those who may have been doing yoga for a while. All are welcome! You don't need to be female or be bendy to do yoga. To me, the important part of Yoga class is feeling safe, grounded and relaxed. Being or getting bendy is not the aim or the goal. Finding calm and letting the world stand still you around for an hour is. Yoga is genuinely for everyone, it's just a matter of finding the class and teacher that works for you.
Pilates classes are classic mat classes and are very mindful and breath led with a focus on functional movement and ease of movement.
The focus will always be on what you can do, never on what you can't do. It's not a competition with yourself or anyone else!
Terms are (usually) in 6 week blocks and drop-in is available in some classes. See each class / location for dates.
Private classes available in the comfort of your own home or workplace or in The Yoga Den in East Linton. From £60 for 60 minutes, please enquire about availability. Many options are available, including Yoga, Yoga Therapy and Pilates for wellbeing, strength and relaxation. Or even get a few friends together and share the cost of private tuition, many possibilities available so do ask!
Ones to ones work really well to give you some confidence before joining a group class or if you simply prefer not to join a group class.