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We are all excited that we can get a little bit of normal back by visiting our favourite spas for a selection of luxurious beauty treatments. But perhaps you’re still a little wary of going to an actual beauty spa for those little moments and feel more comfortable recreating that in the sanctuary of your own living space. To help you achieve that we’ve done our beauty homework. We’ve pulled together some top tips on how to do your own massages as well as rounded up some of our top wellness products to help you create the ultimate home spa. Here’s our guide to a little at-home me-time pampering (or some lovely gift ideas to give someone you love a pep-them-up boost). Enjoy a Blissful Bathtime* Make the most of your time alone in the bath! Light a gorgeous candle, add some delightful soak to the bathwater and lie back and relax with the door locked. Maximise this me-time with a face mask to reinvigorate your skin while you’re at it. Our Blissful Bathtime Edit Fikkerts Lavender Bath Essence £14.99 This Works Stress Check Mask £32.00 Rebecca Tracey Candle £29.95 Take Five with a Five Minute Hand Massage A little five minute daily hand massage can help reduce stress and anxiety as well as ease muscle pain. Obviously it is lovely to have a professional hand massage but a self-massage can also reap the benefits. Simply grab your favourite hand-cream (see some of our favourites below), sit down comfortably and start. Here are our top tips: Use your palm to stroke your forearm from the wrist to the elbow and back again on both sides. If you want to, you can extend the stroking to your shoulder. Do this at least three times on both sides of your forearm. The idea here is to warm up your muscles. Use your palm to stroke from your wrist to your fingertips on both sides of your hand. Do this at least three times. Use moderate pressure. Cup your hand around your forearm with your thumb underneath. Pinch your skin starting at the wrist, and work slowly up to the elbow and back down again. Do this on both sides of the forearm at least three times using moderate pressure. Use your thumb and forefinger — or your thumb and all your fingers — to press in a circular or back-and-forth motion, slowly moving up your hand and forearm. Do this on both sides of your arm and hand at least three times using moderate pressure. Press your thumb in a circular motion with moderate pressure all around the back of your hand and then your palm. Continue pressure with your thumb along both sides of each finger. Use your thumb to massage the area between your thumb and forefinger. The Best Hand Lotion Treats Kew Gardens Bluebell & JasmineHand Cream £8.50 Sevin Marble Black Hand & Body Lotion £33 Fikkerts Amber Hand Lotion £8.00 Relax with a Sleep Promoting Night Time Routine Sleep. It’s so good for us yet we don’t always allow ourselves a proper transition from our busy lives before heading to bed. The result can mean that sleep evades us. So try to create a nightly ritual that comforts and relaxes so that you can really switch off from the day. This will promote a completely restful slumber. Give bedtime your best. Our top tip would be take a moment before you even head towards bed, switch off all screens and devices and sip a lovely tea infusion of chamomile while reading your favourite book in a comfy chair. Again a lovely scented candle would add a luxurious element to your mini time-out. Then if you have time have that Blissful Bathtime*. If not, then give your skincare routine your all. Massage in your favourite cream or oils following our quick facial massage guide. At-home Facial Massage Guide With firm pressure, slide your hands up from your eyebrows, hand over hand, up to the middle of the forehead, and up toward the hairline with medium to firm pressure. Repeat several times. Massage your forehead in circular swoops, sliding both hands from the middle of the forehead out toward the temples, then coming back to the middle of the forehead. Do this a few times—the motion is calming. Soothing the forehead helps relax the stress of the body. Starting at the bridge of your nose, begin pinching and inching up toward the outer corners of the eyebrows, then place your fingers on top of the brows (thumbs underneath) to grip the full edges of the brow line. Repeat several times. Place your middle finger between the brows, place your other middle finger directly on top of it, and trace three small spirals with the two fingers, increasing the pressure as you go. Repeat in the opposite direction. Repeat three times in each direction, then press and hold for three to five slow counts. Place your fingers over each closed eye. Gently press with the pads of the fingers onto the lid, feeling the eye slowly move inward. Repeat several times. Massage just under the eyes to dispel tension tension in the eye muscles. Place the middle fingers bilaterally on either side of the nostrils, and repeat pressure-point spiral movements from above to release sinus pressure, which can disrupt sleep. Slowly slide hands to grip the jaw muscle; with medium to firm pressure, move in an upward circular motion, releasing tension. Finish by pressing down on the jaw’s pressure points that are in line with the lower part of the earlobe. Slide hands on either side of your face so that your fingers scissor the ears, working from the jaw and both sides of the ears upward toward the temples. Repeat several times. This movement is believed to help release endorphins. If repeated enough times, it is said to put you into a state of bliss. The Perfect Night Time Edit Brodies Chamomile Tea Pyramid Infusion £3.75 This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray £35.00 This Works Stress Check Face Oil £40.00 For more ideas on how to create the ultimate home spa shop all these products and more from our online store or pop in to see us. The Store team will happily help point you in the direction of all our beauty and wellness products!

Every so often, a collection we uncover during our seasonal buying trips just lights us up and we can’t wait to share it with you all. London brand M.A.B.E. is one of those that has got us all in a spin and we are excited to launch our new label love now in our online store. We adore its timeless wardrobe icons – from the whimsical maxi-dresses and full-length frilled skirts to the boho-inspired embroidered tops and the adorable just-throw-them-on jackets that shift a look from run-of-the-mill to standout every time. Every piece in the collection is made in natural fabrics and is designed to be loved and cherished. The brand’s tagline is ‘Adventure Inspires Us – Artisan Quality Defines Us’. We believe you will love every piece, forever. Shop M.A.B.E online HERE. Meet just a few of our favourites from our current Label Love: M.A.B.E M.A.B.E Dinah Jacket in Mustard £155 Invest in this little wardrobe icon and uncover how it can work as the perfect throw-on polish to a myriad of looks. Layer over tees or fine knit sweaters. M.A.B.E Livia Maxi Dress in Navy £230 This timeless maxi-dress is not only a statement summer staple. Try it under a navy polo with beaten-up boots for an autumn rework. M.A.B.E Velma Jacket in Indigo £295 We love, love, love this gorgeous floral embroidered jacket. Simply shrug it on over your favourite blue jeans and a strappy vest to lift your look up to another level. M.A.B.E Carmel Jacket in Ecru £185 This little ecru embroidered jacket is laidback luxe personified. The delicate embroidery detailing on the crushed cotton fabric make it so. Just throw-on and go! M.A.B.E Dinah Maxi Dress £230 Embrace the 1970s in this beautiful printed mustard maxi. We heart it from top-to-toe. The neckline, the sleeves, the colour, the print – it’s a statement and a keeper! M.A.B.E Frankie Embroidered Top £160 We adore the gorgeous boho vibe of this embroidered top. The perfect transition piece to take you from Indian summer (we hope) into autumn. M.A.B.E Kelby Print Top £85 Lift your spirit with this feminine floral print top with added frills, frills and frills. We love it teamed with denim – skirts, shorts and jeans for a easy style points. M.A.B.E Kelby Dress £120 Sweet, ditsy floral print dress perfect for late summer lazy days. Adore the flattering neckline with its boho tassles. Love it with boots or strappy thong sandals. M.A.B.E Mattea Embroidered Top £95 This crisp cotton blouse is perfect for bringing a sweet, feminine charm to your warm-weather wardrobe. Lengthen its wear and layer over a pretty white vest.

By Jen Wood Has your sleep been affected? I’ve had some difficulty sleeping over the last few weeks. At the start of lockdown my sleep was better, but soon the anxiety of the situation and concerns about my family started to impact my sleep. Many of my friends, family and clients have also been experiencing sleep problems, as general anxiety and frustration about the lockdown situation increases. It is key to keeping ourselves healthy. How can we protect our sleep when we know how important it is for our immune response and our mood, as well as emotional regulation? Poor sleep impacts our relationships as we tend to withdraw or be more irritable with others, and connection is also important during this time of prolonged social distancing. If we already feel stressed, poor sleep can feel like we are losing our sanity. It’s vital that we keep ourselves as healthy as possible at the moment, and sleep is key. Sharing my tips for a better night’s sleep So, what can we do about it? Here are some of the sleep tips that I use and share with my clients: Wind Down. Find an activity that you can do during the second part of the evening which will prepare your body and mind for sleep. i.e. yoga, meditation or stretching. Only get into bed if you are tired. This sound obvious, but it’s important to associate bed with sleep, and not lying awake feeling anxious and frustrated. Get up if you can’t sleep after 20 minutes. Continue with a wind down activity until you feel tired. This is tough at the start, but it’s part of the CBT for insomnia programme which I use with my clients and it re-programmes the brain for sleep. Eat light and early. Eat lighter meals in the evening and avoid eating too late if you can. Exercise, but higher intensity exercise is best earlier in the day, although this is general advice and of course depends on the individual. Have a shower before you go to bed. If you feel stressed you can imagine that you are washing all the stress and anxiety away, preparing you for a good night’s sleep. Have a bath. If you feel physically tense, having a bath with some lavender oil can be particularly soothing. Avoid stimulants that are known to disturb sleep, particularly later in the day (i.e. caffeine, nicotine and alcohol). I’m not sure how well I do with this one! Keep your bedroom dark and cool, and as much as possibly keep all devices out of the bedroom. Check your mattress, pillows and duvet. Are they too heavy? It’s good to be cool at night, but obviously not freezing! Comfort is also essential, and I confess to a combination of down and silk pillows. Try a weighted blanket. This was a revelation for me. Magnesium sleep lotion which I rub on the soles of my feet before bed. It seems to help many of my clients too. Practice gratitude before you go to sleep. Write down 3 good things about the day, or even 1. This can rewire our brain. Mindfulness can help us learn to settle our minds and not get involved with our thoughts. Digital detox. Too much media (especially the news) can be overwhelming, especially when our minds are already full. I have had a news and digital detox and have found it very helpful. Progressive muscle relaxation. This is great before bed, and I’m sharing a practice with you here. Click to listen to Jen’s Relaxation Practice (14 mins) A good sleep prepares us for a good day, so I hope that implementing some of these strategies will help to boost your energy and mood too. Sweet dreams! Jen Wood is an emotional wellbeing coach, psychotherapist and wellbeing consultant. She is based at Restoration Yard in Dalkeith Country Park and during the Covid-19 pandemic, is helping us with some of the problems we face from feeling unsettled, to working from home and today, how to sleep better in uncertain times. Jen offers individual wellbeing coaching, therapy and mindfulness sessions via Zoom or by phone. To find out more, visit her website at jenwoodwellbeing.com. Jen is offering online Mindfulness Meditation (Mondays) classes via Zoom. Also, Jen offers individual wellbeing coaching, therapy and mindfulness sessions via Zoom or by phone. To find out more, head to Jen’s website.

* Read more about our re-opening plan and safety measures here. * As we ease out of lockdown, in-line with new guidelines, we are pleased to re-open The Kitchen’s Terrace for outside dining and we are scheduled to re-open indoor dining from 20th July. Enjoy our new menu here ~ we can’t wait to see you to find out what you think. You can book a table online here. Satisfying Salads Classic RY caesar salad, baby gems, crispy croutons, anchovies,pancetta lardons, parmesan, caesar dressing (v/gf available) £9.00Add chicken £4.00~Panko breaded salmon fishcakes, watercress and braised fennel salad served with brown shrimp sauce vierge £9.50~Bhuda bowl – beetroot, red pepper and dill, carrot and mung bean, crushed avocado, spiced chickpea and roasted squash, with mixed leaves (v/vg/gf) £8.50~Grilled goats’ cheese with freekeh butternut and kohlrabi salad, honey and pomegranate dressing (vg) £8.50 Extraordinary Eggs Smashed avocado on toasted sourdough with marinated tomatoes, spring onions and lime (gf available) £8.00Add poached eggs £1.50 Toasted sourdough with two poached eggs andhollandaise sauce (gf toast available) Choose either: Benedict £8.50Royale £9.00Florentine (v) £7.50 Sandwich Selection Open Caprese sandwich – buffalo mozzarella, marinated plum tomatoes, fresh basil, rocket and balsamic reduction (v) £7.50~Warm Cubano baguette – roast pork, glazed ham, pickled red onion, mature cheddar and mustard, served with mixed salad £8.50 Marvellous Mains Breaded East Coast haddock fillet with skinny fries and garden peas £14.00~RY beef burger, toasted brioche bun, lettuce,tomato and skinny fries £15.00Add bacon £1.50Add cheese £0.50~Fried aubergine and chickpea chermola, served with basmati rice (v/vg/gf) £13.50~Pan-fried sea bream with roasted cherry tomato, mango, spring onion and basil salad, lime and chilli dressing £15.00 On the Side Fries (vg/gf) £3.50~RY mixed salad (vg/gf) £3.95~Selection of bread and butter, olive oil and balsamic (v) £4.00~New boiled potatoes with fresh mint (vg) £3.50 The Sweet Stuff Passion fruit and lime posset served with shortbread £5.50~Strawberry sundae (v/gf) £6.00~Chocolate fudge brownie with salted caramel (v/vg/gf) £6.00 For the Kids Chicken goujons, fries and corn on the cob £6.00~Fish goujons, fries and garden peas £6.00~Hot dog and fries £6.00~Hummus, crudities (carrot, cucumber, peppers) bread sticks £4.50~Cookie and ice cream £3.45~Mixed berries and sorbet £3.45~Ice cream pots £3.45 BOOK HERE

Sunday 21st June ~ TRY OUR FREE TASTER YOGA CLASSES As it is International Yoga Day on Sunday 21st June, we want to fulfil its aims to bring yoga and all its benefits to a wider audience by offering you free taster classes. Essentially, International Yoga Day is about celebrating yoga and informing people how much dedicating a bit of time to the art of yoga can improve their lives. So celebrate it with us by popping along virtually to our free taster classes. Yoga is central to our offering at The Wellbeing Lab. During ‘lockdown’ we’ve moved these classes online and they are bringing a little bit of calm and self-care to all that join us. To celebrate International Yoga Day we are offering you all the opportunity to enjoy tasters of these classes for free. These tasters are designed to be enjoyed by all ages and all abilities – so sign the family up or come along yourself (via the medium of Zoom). You’ll get a little snippet of what yoga can do for you. 10.15am ~10.45am Sunday 21 June Virtual Forrest Yoga with Tess Johnson This Forrest Inspired Online Yoga class will help you learn to breathe deeply and connect in feeling with your body. It does not require strength or flexibility; only that you bring an open mind. Through the pose sequences you will learn to build strength, flexibility and self-awareness, connecting to your core, relaxing your neck, shoulders and hips, to help you find ease and bring aliveness to your body, so you feel rejuvenated. Tess’ classes are for people of all ages, and most importantly you don’t need to be flexible to participate. Try out her free taster this Sunday and for more details of her Wednesday and Thursday classes see The Wellbeing Lab online schedule HERE. BOOK YOUR FREE TASTER WITH TESS HERE 11.00am ~ 11.25am Sunday 21 JuneVirtual Energising Flow Yoga with Nina Goldberger An invigorating, yet balanced, yoga class via Zoom that flows through different sequences designed to energise, awaken and strengthen. Come reconnect, breathe, feel good and refill your cup. Suitable for all levels. Nina enjoys all the different ranges and styles of yoga, and dips in and out of and often attends workshops in Hatha, Forrest and Ashtanga, to stay inspired and keep her own flow fresh. She’s a stickler for alignment and knows how important it is to turn down the mental noise that can so easily plague our everyday lives. In yoga, there is peace. To join Nina’s weekly class on Mondays, 5.30pm – 6.30pmfor check out The Wellbeing Lab online classes click HERE. BOOK YOUR FREE TASTER WITH NINA HERE 11.45am ~ 12.10pm Sunday 21 JuneVirtual Yoga For Beginners with Declan Mair Want to try yoga but not sure where to start? This online class is aimed towards beginners so if you’re new to yoga worry not – join Declan online via Zoom to explore, play and enjoy! The class is suitable for people of all abilities and is geared towards breaking poses down slowly so you can find what is most suitable for you and give you a good yogic grounding. During the class you will work through your whole body; gently stretching it, building strength, finding balance. As you slowly engage with your body your mind will still itself. Gradually you will find your energy levels have been replenished. Fancy trying it for real? Declan’s class is on a Tuesday at 5pm. For more details see The Wellbeing Class online schedule HERE. BOOK YOUR FREE TASTER WITH DECLAN HERE

By Jen Wood Jen Wood is an emotional wellbeing coach, psychotherapist and wellbeing consultant. She is based at Restoration Yard in Dalkeith Country Park and during the Covid-19 pandemic, is helping us with some of the problems we face from feeling unsettled, to working from home and today, coping with uncertainty. This post includes a short self-compassion session. How can mindfulness help? As we start to contemplate the easing of lockdown, there is still a huge amount of uncertainty in the world. What will the ‘new normal’ look like? I am aware of people who are enjoying their furlough leave relaxing in the garden, and others who are working extremely hard on the front line of healthcare, education and in care homes. As some people develop their yoga practise and improve their homes, others are taking on additional tasks due to the situation. Added to that, things which we took for granted have changed. I tried to go to the bank this morning, and faced an hour-long queue. Who knows when I’ll get to the hairdresser? First world problems perhaps, but indicative of change. We are also told how Covid 19 is impacting the nation’s mental health, but we don’t know how. As a therapist, I have been quieter over this period as have almost all the therapists I know. With all this uncertainty, I reflected on what has helped me through this time, and it was my mindfulness skills. I would like to share some of these tips with you. Mindfulness Skills Mindfulness tip # 1 – Feel your feelings I often say to clients ‘what we resist persists.’ If we can allow ourselves to feel the discomfort for a moment, it can pass more quickly. Conversely, if we repress our feelings, they tend to hang about. We sometimes suppress them with food or alcohol – that can’t just be me – but the benefit is usually short lived. It’s normal not to want to accept things that we don’t like. However, the first step towards positive change is acceptance of the situation or how we are feeling about it. Try allowing yourself to lean into the difficulty for a moment, perhaps putting your hand over your heart, and saying to yourself ‘this will pass.’ Notice if you are telling people that you are fine, it can often mean ‘feelings inside not expressed’. Mindfulness tip # 2 – Be your own best friend The words that we say to ourselves are the most important words we ever hear. At the same time, we are often much more critical of ourselves than we are of others. I know I am, particularly when I’m stressed. So how can we change? Imagine that you’re talking to your best friend. How would you speak to them? Notice any difference in what you say and how you say it. Notice your facial expression or tone? Now practise adopting that when talking to yourself. If we befriend ourselves, we become more resilient. Mindfulness tip # 3 – Take a Self-Compassion Break If you experience a difficult or stressful situation, see if you can lean into the difficulty for a moment and feel it in your body. Now follow these steps and say to yourself: This is a moment of difficulty. That’s mindfulness. Say to yourself, ‘This is a difficult moment’ or ‘this is a moment of suffering’. Use your own words and it will be more powerful. Suffering is part of life. That’s common humanity.You could say to yourself ‘Other people feel this way too’. ‘We all experience suffering’. ‘I’m not alone’. Put one or both hands over your heart, feel the warmth of your hands and the gentle touch of your hands on your chest or another place that feels soothing. Now say to yourself whatever you need to hear to ease the difficulty or suffering. Some suggestions are: may I be kind to myself may I give myself the compassion that I need may I learn to accept myself as I am may I forgive myself may I be strong may I be patient If we can accept ourselves, and the events in our lives, and look after ourselves, we can build our resilience and experience more wellbeing. How can you look after yourself today? Maybe try my short self-compassion session? Click to listen to Jen’s Self-compassion Break (14 mins) Jen is offering online Mindfulness Meditation (Mondays) classes via Zoom. Also, Jen offers individual wellbeing coaching, therapy and mindfulness sessions via Zoom or by phone. To find out more, head to Jen’s website.

So we know there are mixed feelings out there regarding end of year teachers’ gifts in a time when so many parents and guardians are doing homeschooling while juggling EVERYTHING ELSE. However, we also know there are so many teachers out there working hard, either teaching remotely or in schools providing care and education to key workers’ children. Sooooo, here’s our 2020 End of Year Teachers’ Gifts Guide packed with some unconventional gift ideas (we like to surprise) as well as some great safe bets. Homeschooling and feeling frazzled? Well, why don’t you pick yourself a little treat from our teachers’ gift guide too. You deserve it. PS – remember to leave plenty of time for posting! We recommend 7-10 days. Beautiful cards to send your gratitude Saying thank you by actual card can mean so much more than a virtual card. Especially when it’s a beautiful little message inside an even more beautiful card. See our favourite cards for the deserving teachers in your world below or you can shop all cards here. Petra Boase Bird Card Yellow Green Greeting Card, £3.95 Midnight Garden Thank You Greeting Card, £3.95 Word Search Thank You Greeting Card, £3.95 You can’t go wrong with chocolates Say thank you with chocolates. Who doesn’t adore a little sweetness in the form of chocolatey goodness? Our chocolate selection is packed with all sorts of yum in gorgeous packaging making it hard to choose from. Check out our full range from delicious truffles to artisan gift boxes. Here are just three of our favourites that we reckon teachers (and you) will love to receive as their end of year gift. Coco Pzazz Fox & Boo Hare Salted Caramel Milk, £3.50 Cocoba Raspberry & Champagne Truffles Tin Mazet Confiseur Framboisettes Box, £6.95 Gift the perfect cup of tea Gift the tea break of dreams. Teaching is no walk in the park, so everyone doing it deserves the best of tea breaks…yes? We adore Broste Copenhagen’s beautifully hand-crafted crockery in Nordic Sea Blue because it brings to mind the Scandinavian archipelago with its wind, sea and cliffs. The Broste Copenhagen cup and saucer in Nordic Sea Blue £17.95 and the Broste Copenhagen Teapot in Nordic Sea Blue £19.95 will give that little bit of ‘aahhh’ to a day of teaching, be it online or in person. Broste Copenhagen Cup and Saucer in Nordic Sea Blue, £17.95 Broste Copenhagen Teapot in Nordic Sea Blue, £19.95 Add a little self-care into the teaching schedule So homeschooling parents are probably even more appreciative of the work that teachers do now they’re doing it for themselves (with a little online help, hopefully). Perhaps seeing how full-on it can be, firsthand, makes it more reward-worthy. A little gift with a wellbeing slant could be the perfect choice. Choose from our self-care picks below. For more wellbeing gift ideas, shop the full range here. Voluspa Saijo Persimmon Mini Tin Candle, £14.95 Rebecca Tracey Breathe Aromatherapy Pulse Point Roller Ball, £8.95 Beatitude Peace Body Oil, £34.00 Fikkerts Fruits of Nature Amber Bath Essence, £14 Agnes & Cat Lavender Himalayan Bath Salts, £9.95 Kew Gardens Lemongrass & Lime Soap, £6.50 Deliver desirable desk accessories It might be a cliché but doesn’t everyone love a great notebook (and we adore this one with its gold foil elephant and lux ribbon marker) and a swishy pen? Peruse our full range of notebooks, pens and pencils. Portica Elephant Notebook, £29.95 Rifle Paper Lively Floral Pen, £15.95 What about some foodie treats? In a time when eating out is one of the things we all miss, why not deliver a little slice of deliciousness that eases the mundane of putting meals on the table three times a day as well as educating the nation’s children? From an afternoon tea gift box to an out of this world spice experience in a tin wrapped in a sari our online Foodhall has numerous delectable delights. Shop here or enjoy our wee selection of teacher treats. Edinburgh Preserves Afternoon Tea Gift Box, £15.95

Tess Johnson is one of our resident yoga teachers. Her classes include Forrest Yoga on Wednesdays at 7pm and Evening Reset Yoga on Thursdays at 5.30pm. Tess originally started yoga to help with a back injury, but soon enjoyed the benefits it gave her, helping process stress and emotions. She was quickly drawn to the style of Forrest Yoga as a physically and emotionally healing practice, but also highly fun which gives her a real buzz.Here , Tess gives us insight into a key pose ~ Warrior II. WARRIOR II Warrior II is a strong standing pose, requiring balance and steadiness, helping to build strength both physically and mentally. In Sanskrit it is called Virabhadrasana II (veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna), and is named after the fierce warrior Virabhadra, an incarnation of Shiva. Warrior II is a foundational pose for most asana-based (pose based) yoga practices. How to come into the pose: Step 1: From standing, step your right foot back 3-4 feet behind you, or from downward facing dog step the left foot forward 3-4 feet (using your arm to help it forward if you need). Step 2: Turn your front (left) foot out and the back (right) foot in (a little less than 90 degrees). Align left foot with centre of arch of the right foot. Step 3: Make sure you are pushing the weight through the whole of the right root, including the out edge. Lift toes in left foot. Push both feet against the ground. Step 4: Inhale and lift arms out to the sides, parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Step 5: Exhale, bend the left knee, aligning the knee above the ankle (work towards getting the left thing parallel to the ground). Straighten right leg. Step 6: Inhale, lengthen the ribs and spine; as you exhale, pull belly in and tuck the tailbone down. Top Tips Make sure you keep the body upright and the neck aligned with the spine. Keeping the head looking straight ahead helps to keep length in both sides of the neck. Relax your shoulder blades down the back and don’t allow your back arm to droop down. Keep the front knee aligned over the ankle, reach your thighs away from the hips and keep breathing! And make sure to do both sides within your sequence. Warrior II is often found in a standing pose series or B-Series with vignettes. In Forrest Yoga, we often do alternative arm positions such as shoulder shrugs (great for easing out tensions around the shoulders and neck), eagle arms or hands clasped behind the back, opening the chest. Warrior II is also used at starting position for other poses with the same foot/leg position, such as reverse warrior and extended warrior (both of which are great for opening out the sides of the torso). Adjustments & Modifications You have the option to shorten the length of your stance or bend your back knee to relieve pressure in the knees. For added support, use a folding chair under your front thigh. Press your back heel into a wall for balance and support. Benefits Warrior II pose strengthens the shoulders, arms, feet, ankles and legs, and stretches the ankles, legs, groins, chest and shoulders. It can help digestion by stimulating the abdominal organs, and can relieve backache. Warrior II also improves stamina, endurance, balance and concentration. Wellbeing at Restoration Yard Our open studio space in The Wellbeing Lab sits in the eaves of our gorgeous stableyard, with views out to the beautiful nature surrounding us in Dalkeith Country Park. It usually plays host to our varied programme of classes, which all have a focus on health through wellness of spirit, mind and body. Enjoy yoga, Pilates, mindfulness and baby sensory classes as well as one-off wellbeing workshops. During the Covid-19 outbreak we are currently offering a programme of online yoga, mindfulness and fitness classes via Zoom! These classes are easily accessible through your home device with our teachers’ expert instruction and guidance. Take a look at our current Wellbeing Timetable.

Don’t forget: Sunday, 21st June 2020 Father’s Day 2020 will see us celebrating in a very different way than usual – perhaps a FaceTime, Zoom chat or a socially distanced walk. While many of us may struggle to see loved ones this year, it doesn’t stop us from ordering something really lovely to land on their doorstep. And a parcel from Restoration Yard will certainly bring a smile. Here’s to Dads – the traditional ones, the eccentric ones, the Mums having to be Dads too and the trying-to-be Dads. We salute you. PS – remember to leave plenty of time for posting! We recommend 7-10 days. For hot sauce lovers: The Bonnie Sauce Company This gift pack by the Bonnie Sauce Company won’t go to the back of a cupboard. Made in Scotland by friends who worked together in the Scot-Mex food industry, they decided to bring some ridiculously good flavours to folk at home. These sauces are super versatile – working on burgers, scrambled egg, pasta sauces, chicken wings, in mayo and more. Shop all sauces here. Bonnie Sauce Company Gift Pack 275ml bottles, £19.95 For a man with style: A Vedoneire Shirt We love Vedoneire for its quiet flair and simple philosophy: that being different comes from within. These gorgeous shirts have a velvety softness for easy wearing. The epitomy of casual styling. Shop all shirts here. Vedoneire Soft Peach Finish Shirt Blue Houndstooth, £51.95 Vedoneire Soft Peach Finish Shirt Balat, £51.95 Vedoneire Soft Peach Finish Shirt Valpriso, £51.95 For the MAMIL’s in your life: Cycling Climbs Book Cycling is more popular than ever thanks to lockdown…as is the need for fresh air. This book will give him something to read while indoors and something to look forward to when we can travel once again. A great read for his favourite hobby. Shop all books here. Cycling Climbs Of Scotland, £8.99 For a sweet tooth: Chocolate! Chocolate has been helping most of us through lockdown, right? Take a browse of our chocolate section. From boxes of assorted truffles to bars of our favourite flavours (peanut butter popcorn chocolate…YUM!) there’s something for all tastes. Oh and it comes in gorgeous packaging too. What a treat. Shop the full chocolate range here. Cocoba Box of 15 Assorted Truffles, £15.95 Coco Pzazz Peanut Butter Popcorn Milk Choc Bar, £3.50 Mazet Confiseur Dark Chocolate Ginger Bar, £4.75 For the organiser: Cable Keeper These fab new leather Wolfram Lohr cable keepers are new in and we love their range of colours. Help keep small cables, headphones etc tidy and untangled. Each cable keeper is handmade in England using high quality, Italian vegetable tanned leather. They are made to last and will gain character as time goes by. Shop all here. Wolfram Lohr Cable Keeper Black & Grey, £15.00 Wolfram Lohr Cable Keeper Blue & Burgundy, £15.00 For fancy footwear: Swole Panda Socks Let’s face it, socks never go out of gifting fashion and we always seem to need more. This range by Swole Panda are made from a unique breathable bamboo blend creating a smooth, snug feel. No other sock on the market comes close in terms of softness, fit and durability. A recent poll of ours stated that 72% of our followers enjoyed seeing a sock on show. Make them fancy ones with one of these beauties. Shop all socks here. Swole Panda Classic Red Striped Socks, £8.95 Swole Panda Blue & Red Narrow Striped Socks, £8.95 Swole Panda Bumblebee Yellow Socks, £8.95 For the Quiz Master: Classic Compendium Our quiz knowledge has improved dramatically over the last few weeks – now it’s time for the ultimate test! Get his thinking cap on for General Knowledge, test his cinematic knowledge with Movie Buff, battle through mental acrobatics with Brain Teasers, and recall the glory days of classic tunes with Pop Music. Shop all games here. Wild & Wolf Classic Quiz Compendium, £18.50 For the BBQ Chef: Bohn’s Rubs Bohns believe in elevating home cooking to new heights. These rubs will make any BBQ taste ridiculously good. And their tongue-in-cheek packaging is sure to be appreciated by a Dad. Shop all herbs and spices here. Bohns Rubs Steak Mate, £4.95