Rest + Rise with Sam

Rest + Rise with Sam yoga teacher, Sam đŸ‘‹đŸŒ
movement that actually lands · rest that means something
1:1s · nidrā events · YouTube
↓ all the things

Nobody told you relaxation was a skill; they just told you to do it.And when you couldn’t - when you were lying on the s...
17/06/2026

Nobody told you relaxation was a skill; they just told you to do it.

And when you couldn’t - when you were lying on the sofa, perfectly still, running through tomorrow’s to-do list - you probably assumed you were just bad at it.

You’re not bad at it, but you were never taught it.

Swipe through for the things I wish someone had explained to me earlier.

If yoga nidrā is something you want to explore, both my monthly guided rest sessions and my online library are a good place to start - link in bio.

I know, I know - you’ve seen the photos: someone folded in half on a beach at sunrise, looking serene and smug about it....
16/06/2026

I know, I know - you’ve seen the photos: someone folded in half on a beach at sunrise, looking serene and smug about it.

And I know you’ve thought “that’s not me, that’ll never be me, so yoga’s not for me”.

Here’s the thing though...that’s not yoga. That is one photograph, of one person, at one point in a very long journey. It’s almost certainly their best angle.

Flexibility is a result of a consistent practice; it is not the entry requirement. You can start stiff, sore, hypermobile, injured, sedentary, or somewhere in between. You can start not being able to touch your knees, never mind your toes (like I did).

None of that disqualifies you, because yoga meets you where you are - that’s not a marketing line, it’s literally how it works.

So if you’ve been waiting until you’re “flexible enough” to start? This is me telling you that you’ve been lied to, and you can stop waiting.

15/06/2026

ViparÄ«ta karaáč‡Ä« - legs-up-the-wall - is one of the simplest, most underrated practices I know.

You lie on your back with your legs resting up against a wall, hips as close to the skirting board as is comfortable; arms out to the sides or resting on your tummy; eyes closed. That’s it.

If you’ve no wall space, a chair with a cushion or folded blanket, or a sofa are great options, too.

Spend five to fifteen minutes. Let your breath slow down naturally, let the weight leave your legs, let your nervous system catch up with the fact that you’ve stopped.

It works because it works - not because it looks impressive.

Gentle inversion, passive hold, nervous system regulation. No flexibility required. No experience required. Just a wall and a wait.

Try it tonight if you need it.

When people find out I teach yoga, they often ask what style. Vinyāsa? Yin? Hot?And I get it - those are real distin...
14/06/2026

When people find out I teach yoga, they often ask what style. Vinyāsa? Yin? Hot?

And I get it - those are real distinctions, and my teaching is rooted in one of them; but also? The framework my teaching comes from is older and broader than any of them: the eight limbs, as laid out in Patañjali’s Yoga SĆ«tra.

Āsana - the physical postures - is one of them. One eighth.

The rest is breathwork, philosophy, ethics, and a progressive turning inward that has nothing to do with how bendy you are.

Swipe through for a plain-English rundown of all eight; and if this opens a door you didn’t know was there - welcome.

There’s a lot more where this came from 😊

I don’t care if you come in your newest Lululemon set or your pyjamas, whether you’ve brushed your hair or just swept it...
12/06/2026

I don’t care if you come in your newest Lululemon set or your pyjamas, whether you’ve brushed your hair or just swept it out of your face. Maybe your dog just *had* to bless you with some fur before you left the house; maybe you haven’t been home since you left for work.

This is yoga for you, exactly as you are.

We’ll breathe, we’ll move, we’ll rest; it might be hard or weird, but hopefully you’ll want to come back.

Every Thursday from July 30th | 7-8.15pm | 75 minutes | ÂŁ12/week or ÂŁ40/month (block) | Second Floor | Book from my bio

10/06/2026

“Breathwork” gets a bad reputation - either it sounds intimidating, or it sounds like something you’d do at a very niche retreat in 2014.

But prāáč‡Äyāma in the yoga tradition is one of the most quietly powerful tools I know; and the barrier to entry is literally just: you’re already breathing.

It’s one of the eight limbs of yoga, but it doesn’t need a mat, it doesn’t care how flexible you are, and it works - for stress, for sleep, for that specific kind of tired where your body’s exhausted but your brain won’t stop.

If you’re curious, I’ve got a sama vrÌŁtti (equal ratio breathing) guide on YouTube.

Link in bio đŸŒŹïž

First, let’s be clear – I’m not writing this to “bash” anyone or say they’re wrong – although it is inspired by a post I...
09/06/2026

First, let’s be clear – I’m not writing this to “bash” anyone or say they’re wrong – although it is inspired by a post I saw in my explore tab where someone was sharing their opinion on movement & exercise.

Let’s be honest: nobody’s going to die because someone said they don’t like Bulgarians, can’t stand Pilates, or will never run unless it’s for their life. Which is good, because I’d have depopulated a small town for all my complaining about exercises with geographical names 😂

Judging others for their choices and preferences is...well, a choice. And not one to celebrate, nor a particularly yogic one.

Yes, it was a “yoga teacher”; and what makes this worse – for me – is that the influencer had created their post to sell one of their programs. Sure, everyone’s got bills to pay, needs to eat, and wear clothes. But I find it quite duplicitous to sell something that way...off the back of negativity, of attempting to shame others for their preferences, or pretending that your way is somehow the “best” way, or the “only” way.

Do I have programs I can sell you? Absolutely! Am I going to sell them by the insinuation that any other choice you make is because you’ve been forced into it, and actually hate doing the thing? Absolutely NOT!

As a yoga teacher, my remit is to share the practice of yoga, and support people in their yoga practice. I have no other professional qualifications (though I’d love a whole bunch, thanks AuDHD!), and while I may at times share my experience with clients & students, I also know when to defer – suggest they see a physio, a doctor, hire a personal trainer, look into something else, seek further support.

Will yoga be a supportive tool for whatever they’re experiencing? Almost certainly.

Will yoga cure & fix every thing, for every person? No. Of course not.

Remember to always move your body in ways you enjoy – whether that’s yoga, weightlifting, or even running (đŸ€Ș); and don’t pay too much attention to anyone who says that all you need is whatever thing they’re hawking today.

Your nervous system doesn’t have an “off” switch.But it does have a regulate switch - and for a lot of us, that one’s go...
08/06/2026

Your nervous system doesn’t have an “off” switch.

But it does have a regulate switch - and for a lot of us, that one’s got stuck.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re exhausted but can’t stop, resting but not really recovering, or permanently slightly behind on your own life - this one’s for you.

This is exactly the stuff I work with - in my courses, 1:1 sessions, monthly yoga nidrā events, and in the free content I share here.

If any of it resonates, the link in my bio is a good place to start.

Yesterday, my body had already lodged its complaints before I’d even left the house.West Cumbria in June with the kind o...
07/06/2026

Yesterday, my body had already lodged its complaints before I’d even left the house.

West Cumbria in June with the kind of damp grey that doesn’t stay outside, it gets all the way in; my joints felt every bit of it - the kind of low-level ache that makes even small decisions feel heavier than they should. Getting there felt like an achievement in itself.

My start was a little later than planned, I took a breath, stepped in, and did my best. And then - like it always does - the room (or, tent, in this case..) did its thing.

That’s the bit that makes all of it - the drive, the ache, the waiting - completely worth it.

If you were yesterday and found your way into my session, thank you. You were genuinely the highlight of my day.

Tomorrow I’m teaching - and I’ve been looking forward to this one.If you’re coming, you’ll find me on the timetable on ...
05/06/2026

Tomorrow I’m teaching - and I’ve been looking forward to this one.

If you’re coming, you’ll find me on the timetable on Saturday. The session is at 10am in the yoga tent, and you are very welcome, exactly as you are.

No prior experience needed; no particular level of flexibility required; just come as you are, and we’ll go from there.

If you’re not coming - hi, hello, I still like you, and everything I do is also available online and in person locally.

The link in my bio will show you where to start.

See some of you tomorrow.

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Workington

Opening Hours

Monday 4pm - 10pm
Tuesday 4pm - 10pm
Wednesday 4pm - 10pm
Thursday 4pm - 10pm
Friday 4pm - 10pm
Saturday 11am - 7pm
Sunday 11am - 7pm

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