The Dragon Compass

03/08/2026

Absolutely wonderful Shibashi class in May Hill Village Hall this evening.

There was a lovely atmosphere, it was so peaceful and relaxing for everyone.

If you would like to try Qigong Tai Chi Shibashi, please use the link below to book.

https://gymcatch.com/app/provider/10775

I look forward to seeing you soon
Nikki x

03/08/2026

Qigong Tai Chi Shibashi for better health and stress relief is starting at May Hill Village Hall this evening at 6.30pm-7.30pm.

Shibashi is a flowing Tai Chi Qigong practice made up of slow, coordinated movements linked with relaxed breathing.

Physical benefits can include:

• improved balance and coordination
• more comfortable joint movement
• greater mobility through the shoulders, spine and hips
• improved posture and body awareness
• relaxed, controlled movement
• increased confidence when moving and changing direction

Benefits for the mind and wellbeing can include:

• a calmer and more settled state of mind
• improved focus and concentration
• greater awareness of breath and movement
• support for relaxation
• a stronger sense of connection with the body
• time to slow down and move with awareness

Shibashi is practised standing, with movements that can be adapted to suit individual needs and abilities.

If you would like to join us click the link below to book:

https://gymcatch.com/app/provider/10775

I look forward to meeting you soon

Nikki x

03/08/2026

Classes with NIKKi: Shibashi and Pilates

My Shibashi and Pilates classes offer two different ways to support both body and mind through thoughtful, adaptable movement.

Shibashi - Qigong Tai Chi for better health

Shibashi is a flowing Tai Chi Qigong practice made up of slow, coordinated movements linked with relaxed breathing.

Physical benefits can include:
• improved balance and coordination
• more comfortable joint movement
• greater mobility through the shoulders, spine and hips
• improved posture and body awareness
• relaxed, controlled movement
• increased confidence when moving and changing direction

Benefits for the mind and wellbeing can include:
• a calmer and more settled state of mind
• improved focus and concentration
• greater awareness of breath and movement
• support for relaxation
• a stronger sense of connection with the body
• time to slow down and move with awareness
Shibashi is practised standing, with movements that can be adapted to suit individual needs and abilities.

Pilates

Pilates uses controlled exercises to develop strength, mobility, coordination and physical organisation.

Physical benefits can include:
• improved core strength and stability
• support for posture and alignment
• greater spinal mobility
• increased strength through the hips, legs, back and shoulders
• improved balance and coordination
• greater awareness of how the body moves

Benefits for the mind and wellbeing can include:
• improved concentration
• increased confidence in movement
• greater connection between mind and body
• focused time away from everyday distractions
• a clearer understanding of movement patterns
• a sense of achievement as strength and control develop

Exercises can be adapted, allowing each person to work at a comfortable and appropriate level. The pilates class is split between standing and mat work - please bring your own mat.

Both classes encourage greater alignment, awareness, confidence and connection, while helping you build skills that support everyday movement and overall wellbeing.

Everyone is welcome to work at their own pace and enjoy a class that feels comfortable, focused and supportive.

To find out more or book a class click the link below:
https://www.theshibashisanctuary.com/classes

I look forward to meeting you soon. Past members are always welcome to return when the time feels right for you. I would love to see you again. 😍

Until then, keep moving and take good care of yourself
Nikki x

Image © Nicola Beard.
Photographed April 2026
Location Huntley Village Hall

03/08/2026

Current Classes withNIKKi Timetable - from August 2026

Book a class here: https://www.theshibashisanctuary.com/classes

01/08/2026

Yesterday I visited the festival at Gloucester Cathedral and listened to a rehearsal of Mozart’s Requiem. The performance was spot on, and I walked around the cathedral while the music filled the building.

The architecture and sheer size of the building never fail to impress me. With the choir singing, the atmosphere is spellbinding.

The Three Choirs Festival has brought music to the cathedral cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester for more than 300 years.

Its origins can be traced to early eighteenth-century gatherings between the choirs and musicians of the three cathedrals. These annual Music Meetings are considered to have been formally established by 1715.

To place that date in history, 1715 was the first year of the reign of George I and the year of a major Jacobite uprising. The Jacobites supported James Francis Edward Stuart, the son of the former King James II, and wanted to restore the Stuart family to the throne. Their uprising challenged the rule of George I and the newly established Hanoverian royal line.

While Britain was experiencing political uncertainty and a dispute over who should wear the crown, musicians from Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester were establishing a shared tradition that has continued for more than three centuries.

The name Three Choirs Festival was first officially used at Gloucester in 1838.

The festival is hosted by Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester in rotation, so each year the music moves to a different cathedral city. The three cathedral choirs remain at the heart of the festival, joined by larger choruses, orchestras and soloists for concerts, services and recitals.

Edward Elgar also became closely connected with the festival. Born near Worcester, he grew up within the musical culture of the three counties and first attended the festival as a boy. He later became involved as a composer and conductor, and many of his works were performed within the three cathedrals. His music remains an important part of the festival’s identity.

The Three Choirs Festival continues to connect Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester through music, history and shared tradition. Hearing Mozart’s Requiem inside Gloucester Cathedral allowed me to experience a small part of a gathering that has continued since the early eighteenth century.

Until next time, don't take your local history for granted.
Nikki x

Images © Nicola Beard.
Photographed 31 July 2026.
Location Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester.

01/08/2026

Today is Lammas, one of the eight seasonal festivals celebrated within the modern Wheel of the Year.

Observed around 1 August, Lammas marks the beginning of the harvest season and is often described as the first harvest. In the UK, harvest is commonly associated with September, when much of the main gathering takes place and churches hold their harvest festivals. Lammas marks the earlier point when the first grain and produce begin to be gathered.

Its name comes from the Old English hlāfmæsse, meaning “loaf mass”, and refers to the tradition of bringing a loaf made from the first wheat of the harvest to church in thanksgiving.

Early-August harvest customs also formed part of Celtic tradition. Gaelic communities celebrated Lughnasadh, a festival associated with Lugh and with gatherings, feasting, fairs and athletic contests.

Britain’s harvest customs developed within a landscape where Brittonic, Anglo-Saxon and Christian traditions lived alongside one another and influenced seasonal life over time. The surviving evidence gives each festival its own history, while also showing a shared connection with the land, nourishment and community.

Lammas brings us to a distinctive turning point in the Wheel of the Year. It marks the first stage of harvest, while much of the land continues towards the fuller harvest traditionally associated with September.

This year, the landscape around us tells a very different story. After months with very little rain and long periods of hot, dry weather, much of the land has turned brown. Plants have died, the ground is parched and the usual abundance of summer is largely absent.

This gives Lammas a different meaning. It brings attention to the conditions that make growth possible, the value of water and the vulnerability of the land during prolonged heat and drought.

It can also offer a point of reflection within our own lives. Every harvest looks different. Some years bring visible results, while others reveal what has endured, what has required adaptation and what needs care before growth can begin again.

What has sustained you through difficult conditions?

What have you learned about your own needs and resources?

What deserves recognition as part of your harvest this year?

To read more about Lammas, click here: https://www.theshibashisanctuary.com/blog/the-spirit-of-lammas

Wishing you a meaningful Lammas.
Nikki x

30/07/2026

The Northumbria Pilgrimage - Dunstanburgh Castle

The day after visiting Prudhoe Castle, our Northumbria Pilgrimage continued to Dunstanburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast.

Where Prudhoe became famous for successfully resisting repeated Scottish attacks, Dunstanburgh tells a different story. It later became an important Lancastrian stronghold during the Wars of the Roses, changing hands several times between Lancastrian and Yorkist forces during the fifteenth century.

Long before the castle was built, this dramatic headland had already been occupied for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence includes a Bronze Age burial mound, remains interpreted as an Iron Age promontory fort and evidence of Romano-British activity. People recognised the strategic importance of this coastal site long before the medieval castle appeared.

Construction of Dunstanburgh Castle began in 1313 under Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, one of the wealthiest and most powerful nobles in England. A leading opponent of King Edward II of England, Thomas built the castle as both a formidable fortress and a statement of his wealth and influence.

Thomas led a rebellion against the king after years of political conflict. Following his defeat at the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322, he was captured, tried for treason and executed at Pontefract. Dunstanburgh then passed to the Crown. It was later returned to the Lancaster family and strengthened by John of Gaunt during the late fourteenth century.

During the Wars of the Roses, Dunstanburgh became a key Lancastrian stronghold in Northumberland. After the Yorkist victory at the Battle of Towton in 1461, Sir Ralph Percy continued to hold the castle for Henry VI. Dunstanburgh surrendered to Yorkist forces following a siege in 1462, returned to Lancastrian control during 1463 and finally surrendered to the Yorkists in June 1464.

Timeline:

Bronze Age – A burial mound was constructed on the headland.

Iron Age – Earthworks interpreted as a promontory fort were established, demonstrating the site’s strategic importance.
Romano-British period. Archaeological evidence shows continued activity on the headland.

1313 – Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, began construction of Dunstanburgh Castle.

1322 – Thomas was defeated at the Battle of Boroughbridge, captured, tried for treason and executed at Pontefract. The castle passed to the Crown.

Late 14th century – John of Gaunt strengthened the castle’s defences.

1461 – Following the Battle of Towton, Dunstanburgh remained in Lancastrian hands.

1462 – The castle surrendered to the Yorkists after a siege.

1463 – Dunstanburgh returned to Lancastrian control during renewed fighting in Northumberland.

1464 – Dunstanburgh surrendered to the Yorkists in June. Together with Yorkist victories at Hedgeley Moor and Hexham, its loss helped bring the organised Lancastrian cause in northern England to an end.

1485 – The Wars of the Roses ended when Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth and became King Henry VII of England.

16th century – Dunstanburgh’s military importance declined. The castle was expensive to maintain and poorly placed for the changing defensive needs of the Scottish border. Its buildings and walls gradually fell into disrepair, and materials were removed and reused elsewhere.

18th and 19th centuries – The ruins inspired artists and writers. J. M. W. Turner painted Dunstanburgh several times, helping to establish its reputation as one of Britain’s best-known castle ruins.

1929 – The ruins passed into the guardianship of the Office of Works and entered state care.

Today – Dunstanburgh Castle is owned by the National Trust and maintained and managed by English Heritage. Its impressive gatehouse and surviving curtain walls continue to dominate the Northumberland coastline.

Until next time,
Nikki x

Images © Nicola Beard.
Photographed 16th June 2026.
Location: Dunstanburgh Castle, Northumberland.

29/07/2026

This Saturday, 1 August, marks Lammas, the first harvest festival within the Wheel of the Year.

Lammas celebrates the beginning of the harvest season, when the first grain is gathered and traditionally made into bread. It comes before the harvest festivals many of us recognise in September, which belong to a later stage of the harvest.

Lammas and Lughnasadh are often treated as the same festival within modern Pagan practice, although they come from different traditions.

Lammas comes from the Old English hlāfmæsse, meaning “loaf mass”, and belongs to the Anglo-Saxon and English Christian tradition of the first loaf.

Lughnasadh belongs to the Gaelic tradition and is associated with Lugh, seasonal gatherings, games, fairs and the beginning of harvest.

My new blog explores these differences, the spiritual meaning of the first harvest, and what Lammas can invite us to notice in the landscape and in our own lives.

Read Here:

Lammas marks the first harvest within the modern Wheel of the Year and is traditionally connected with grain, bread, nourishment and gratitude for ...

29/07/2026

Maybe it’s me, but…

For the few days leading up to and including a full moon, I often struggle to sleep properly. I can experience headaches, everything feels overwhelming, and I reach a point where I literally cannot think.

🧠 My brain appears to have reached full occupancy.

Sometimes I feel exhausted and have very little physical energy.

At the same time, my brain can feel as though it has far too much energy. My mind is already full, and the additional mental activity takes me to maximum capacity. At that point, I cannot organise my thoughts or do anything useful with them.

There is plenty happening, just very little of it is productive. 🤣

Our ancestors faced serious physical stresses, although their daily lives generally contained less artificial light, information and constant mental stimulation. The extra light of a full moon created more usable hours after sunset, making it a natural time for greater activity and action.

Many of us now live with a much higher baseline level of stimulation. Our minds are already processing work, responsibilities, technology, noise and a constant flow of information. When we experience that sense of increased energy, or disrupted sleep, around the full moon, it can intensify feelings of anxiety, restlessness and overwhelm.

Apparently, there is such a thing as too much input. 😜

When I feel this happening, I try to remember to pause and bring my awareness to my breathing.

I bring my awareness to my breath and allow it to sink into my lower abdomen, towards the lower dantien. I feel this area expand as I inhale and release muscular tension with each exhale. I soften my jaw and relax my shoulders, which is where I tend to hold most of my tension.

Maybe it’s me, but sometimes I need to allow my breath and awareness to sink lower in my body before I can think clearly and use that energy constructively.

Or at least remember what I walked into the room for. 😁 This I know is not just me haha.

Enjoy the full moon today. Take advantage of the energy if you can, or take your time and relax when you need to. Don’t force either, and don’t give yourself a hard time about it.

Until the full moon passes and my brain has a little more room,
Nikki x

27/07/2026

Hello moon 🌕

Not quite a full moon yet, it’s due on Wednesday when it moves from Capricorn into Aquarius.