BeCalm yourself,
one gorgeous breath at a time.
About BeCalmed Studio
This relaxation studio is the creation of Yoga teacher, Janie Walker. While unwell, this was Janie’s resting place: listening to the Tui and Korimako in the trees, watching the light change on the studio walls. It became a place of letting go and finding calm. Now it is yours.
The word becalmed is a sailing term. There are places in the ocean where there is no wind for days. This can be a source of stress and irritation. It can also be a source of acceptance and calmness. When there are rough days at sea - either in body or mind - come here, to the studio in the middle of the forest. Come back to your innate ability to find calm, no matter what the weather. BeCalmed Studio is a physical space, yet the experience of being there stays with you.
PHOTO by the amazing Jenny at Siaosi Photography
About Janie
Learning how to deeply relax has saved me. After getting Covid, and then the flu, in early 2022, my body shut down and screamed ENOUGH. I just did not recover. To be honest, the days I was meant to be relaxing were just pretending to relax. I ran live webinars while sweating with a fever! My doctor said I had long-Covid (whatever that is), chronic fatigue and adrenal fatigue. She said I should see a psychiatrist and suggested I go on medication. That approach is absolutely right for some. But it didn’t feel right for me.
So I had a choice: Focus on my terrible symptoms and never see a way out, or make some changes in the way I lived my life. Every symptom or state I had before getting Covid came back to bite me on the ass, tenfold! I needed a different approach.
It was lonely at first. I had to give space and trust to the little voice that said, “You need to slow down”. I could not continue to live life running from one wonderful and stressful thing to another in the guise of excitement or purpose. It was keeping me sick.
Some days the only thing I could do was to listen — to the Tui in my forest; to Yoga Nidra meditations, gongs, bells, dings and waves. I regained energy, some brain capacity, and a new way to be me. I was scared that I would loose the creative and energetic parts of me. But the peeling back of stupid busy revealed a better me. I left my super-exciting yet life-draining career in community development and research and I retrained as a Yoga Nidra and Restorative Yoga teacher.
I have small moments where I feel good now. I mean really good. My heart palpitations have gone. My digestive system is like a wave instead of a tsunami. The slightly panicked feel that I used to wake up is being replaced with calm. The practice of this is not just on my yoga mat but in everything I do. Mostly, I have a new awareness of the connection between my brain, my body, and my breath.
Now I am supporting others to find their own version of calm with the life they have right now. We’ll never be perfect - that would be boring! So join me - no month-long retreats sitting cross-legged; no ditching the things you love or the things that keep you safe; no radical diets - just finding ways to genuinely relax .
What relaxation practices are used and what are Janie’s qualifications?
I’ve trained in Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra with Yoga New Zealand endorsed Anahata Yoga Retreat in Takaka, New Zealand. Further Yoga Nidra training with InDepth Yoga, Thailand. Current training and certification with Amrit Yoga Institute in integrative I AM Yoga Nidra training, USA. Yin Yoga teacher training with world renowned teacher and author Gabrielle Harris. Dharma Art through Shambhala Arts in San Francisco, America. Meditation through the Shambhala Meditation Centre Wellington. I’ve done Psychological First Aid with the New Zealand Red Cross. My life experience with recovery from long-Covid, chronic stress, adrenal fatigue, and life. I teach from my own experience.
Yoga Nidra
Yoga Nidra is a simple lying down guided meditation where physical and mental tensions are supported to let go. This is done by developing the ability to observe and then effortlessly let go. It’s not magic or woo woo —just deep relaxation. Your body is relaxed and your mind is given something to do, to stop the chatter. In this state, the body heals and the mind calms (on and off the mat). BeCalmed Studio offers an opportunity to experience deep relaxation - through the beautiful, ancient, and profound practice of Yoga Nidra. It’s safe, comfortable and can offer a calmer way of being in this world.
Restorative Yoga
Unlike other Yoga practices, Restorative Yoga is finding your edge, pulling back, relaxing, and through the relaxation response, allowing your body and mind to release. You’ll be supported with comfy bolsters, cushions and snuggly blankets. Yoga was never meant to be painful or driven. It was meant to support the mind and body to live a good life. With BeCalmed Studio, there is no experience necessary to practice Restorative Yoga. The small studio class environment is deliciously lovely.
Yin Yoga
Beautiful stretch and wellness for connective tissues, and a further opportunity to slow down. Yin yoga is all about finding and working with your physical, mental and emotional edge. We are used to exercising our muscles, but Yin introduced us to the stunning world of fascia, the connective tissue that covers our joints, muscles and tendons. Yin philosophy is based around letting go and realising that the way you do poses will not look like anyone body else. Another stunning way to find balance.
Breath work
Sounds silly really - we need to learn to breathe. We can relax simply by connecting with our breath. Our breathing system is the only autonomic system we can control. Think of a time when you walked down to the beach - you may have taken a lovely deep breath. Or when you were shocked - you drew a sharp breath in from your chest. By becoming aware of our breath, by building its capacity, and by applying it to relax, we can change the way we respond to life.
Meditation
I used to think that meditation was about stopping thoughts and striving for a perfectly serene place. But now it’s just about finding our version of stillness. The meditation I share is about awareness of the here and now. If we can learn to be right where we are now, and be the observer of what’s going on instead of writing a horror film about it, we can learn to let go more and more. Watch, let go, calm. And then be awesome!
Dharma Art
The stunning intersection between the creative process and meditation — seeing life as it is. First thought, best thought. Creating art that wakes people up. Cutting the chatter to find what is. Future classes will include some Dharma Art elements.