Islay Alexander Technique Centre

Early Spring on Islay

Longer days already and a bit of wind and rain tonight breaking the run of clear frosty weather. Enjoyed an energetic afternoon yesterday digging my potato patch and adding a big pile of seaweed. Dog has developed a taste for the stuff – Islay’s first sushi bar?!

If you’re planning a trip to Islay this Spring or Summer you can always arrange to have some Alexander lessons while you’re here. It’s a lovely quiet atmosphere to either continue your learning or start something new. Click on the Courses page to find dates for group and holiday courses this year.

Autumn blasts on Islay

Several weeks of gales and heavy rain ensure none of us here on Islay have missed the change of season. Ist November is the start of the Celtic year and it’s certainly come in with a blast. Rainbows, wind, full moon – when the sun comes out it’s very low in the sky, and its impossible not to be aware of the approaching shortest day.

If you’re thinking of starting the modern New Year with renewal of an Alexander Technique course on Islay go to the courses page and contact me on info@islayalexandertechnique.com for details.

Classes continue every Thursday at the Rhinns hall, Portnahaven, and individual lessons available during the week also at Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile, Bowmore.

September

The rains have passed leaving us with beautiful early autumn sunshine. Time to harvest the last crops from the garden – a hen has taken up residence, leaving her eggs under a bush and our dog very surprised.

Islay Jazz Festival this weekend, now as close as you get to an institution on Islay. Up to seven gigs a day over this weekend, different locations around the island including distilleries, village halls and the RSPB centre.

Islay Alexander Technique Centre is running some courses this autumn and winter – look at the courses page for details. And of course ongoing individual sessions every week for locals and visitors:if you haven’t been along yet look forward to seeing you soon.  

All Summer Long on Islay

So many lovely days here on Islay this summer. Met a couple of holidaymakers in the village this morning. They’d been warned that there was ‘nothing there’ if they came to visit Portnahaven – ‘but it’s beautiful!’ they said. And they’re right – it is beautiful, mainly because there’s nothing here, except of course the perfect bay, constantly changing blue of the sea, our Stevenson lighthouse on nearby Orsay at Port Wemyss, and all the lovely people outside their houses chatting and enjoying the sunshine.

Saturday 11 July we spent a happy afternoon running a group class in the Islay Gaelic Centre. Local people who participate in Alexander Technique here were joined by two visitors, one from the isle of Arran, one from Fife, and we spent a few hours working on the principles of the Technique in the Centre’s great big room overlooking Lochindaal.  I’d just finished an enjoyable week also at the Gaelic Centre learning some Gaelic song with the wonderful traditional Lewis singer Ishbel MacAskill: thoroughly recommended.

We’ve another summer course running here in August Sunday 16th to Thursday 20th, a combination of group classes and individual lessons, with some outings and get-togethers too: still some places if you’d like to come – see the courses section. Local participants can come for part of the course if that fits in best with your week. Ongoing class every Thursday evening in the Rhinns Hall here in Portnahaven if you’re on Islay. Get in touch and come along.

Flaming June

What a beautiful month here on Islay – days and days of sunshine, wild orchids and yellow iris everywhere. Looking forward to the long, light summer: if you’re on Islay and want to practice some Alexander Technique while you’re here, let me know and we can arrange some lessons round your holiday. We also have a class every Thursday evening in the Rhinns Hall at 7pm where we practice some yoga, movement and relaxation with the principles of the Alexander Technique – we’re a friendly, mixed group and visitors are always welcome. 

Daylight!

End of May and the hours of daylight extending it seems by hours! Sunsets at Portnahaven are well known, and it’s wonderful to watch the changing position of the sun on the horizon as summer grows. One of the great things about living on Islay is the sky, which seems vast, day or night. With corncrakes calling at 6 every morning, followed by the village cockerels, we’re not allowed to miss anything. 

We’re in the middle of the 2009 Feis Ile, our annual festival of whisky and music, each distillery with their own open day and unique entertainment. So - many visitors on the island, all enjoying the impossibility of predicting the ever-changing weather!

Take a look at the summer courses section, and let me know if you want further details. And coming soon: weekend introductory course, and using your voice for speaking and singing with the Alexander Technique – watch this space, or email if you’re already interested.        

Wild and windy May!

Unusually for this time of year here May so far has given us fierce winds and lots of rain – today lots of blustery showers, sunshine lovely in between. As May progresses the days just get longer and longer, and with the full moon this weekend there’s no shortage of light.

Work-wise, the Thursday evening class consistently busy with the regular members working away on themselves, improving awareness, flexibilty and geberal well-being as they go. Several of the class have started coming along for one-to-one Alexander lessons on a regular basis and we’re establishing a nice Islay group.

Interest is growing in the selection of holiday courses – have a look at the page on this site and get in touch if there’s anything there that catches your attention. 

Spring!

What beautiful days here on Islay this week. Lots of light and big blue skies, boxing hare already, birds everywhere and gardening season started. Discovering the joys of digging so think I’m hooked already! 

Thoughts on courses for Spring and Summer - May 2-4 and week of 22 June are next dates, and Islay has something to offer any weekend so why not combine a short break with some lessons in the Alexander Technique?

Contact me on info@islayalexandertechnique.com for further details.   

Happy New Year from Islay

The New Year finds us cold and dry on Islay. Amazing how even a couple of weeks on from mid winter there’s a perceptible change in the length of the days. Bulbs pushing up now, deer in the garden.

Resolutions prevail at this time of the year, and gradually Alexander lessons reviving after the festive break. Our Movement class continues in the Rhinns Hall on Thursday evenings throughout the winter – watch this space for new beginners courses for the Spring, and holiday courses for 2009… contact me directly by email if you want your info sooner.

Slainte agus beatha.

Christmas is coming, and so are the gales…

What I love about living on Islay is the reality of our environment. Instead of tinsel and piped music everywhere we go we have a real sense of winter. Writing this sitting under the eaves looking at fast moving clouds through the skylight window, listening to the power of that wind! Comfort definitely at top of the list of daily achievement – get the stove on, wrap up warm. Amazingly, when you get outside it’s exhilirating and thankfully the dog persuades us of this every day.

Courses in the New Year and beyond are being arranged so email me if you want some info.

Weekly class in Portnahaven is changing from Thursday evening to Saturday morning at 11am during December so come along if you’re interested and the dark nights have been putting you off.

Gift vouchers are currently available as Christmas presents so why not give this to someone you love (that could include yourself!)