Joyous Isle Workshops -

'Bringing your Self to Life' - Joyous Isle workshops, held in Dorset, range from the arts; singing, music, dance, painting, writing; to complementary therapies and healing; to personal development.

A day of singing and instrumental music making, led by The Mellstock Band, followed by an evening concert in the heart of Thomas Hardy's Dorset. West Gallery music has unique vigour and excitement, as well as being accessible to singers and musicians of all abilities. It is rhythmic, full-voiced, and has a fascinating combination of wild harmonies and unorthodox counterpoint. The choirs and their music are unforgettably portrayed by Thomas Hardy in Under The Greenwood Tree and some of the pieces we will be singing and playing come from the Hardy family's own collection of manuscript books, and from other Dorset sources. Singers and musicians will find it helpful to have a basic knowledge of written music. The intention is to do as the village bands did, and welcome whatever suitable instruments are available, whether in modern or historical forms. The only instruments not suited to this repertoire are keyboard instruments and chordal instruments such as guitar

Over 7 weekends (one a month, Sept-March), in a friendly, supportive group environment, you will discover simple and powerful ways of enhancing what you do in every area of your life, personally and professionally. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be eligible to join the ANLP. Please enquire for further details, or see website

Find ways to be self-aware, manage your ego and develop inner contentment in everyday situations. How to be self-aware, manage your ego and remain connected to who you really are in everyday situations this is the developmental challenge many of us face.

Being self-aware is a core skill in today's challenging world, both in everyday life and in work, to be able to know where you are coming from, to respond effectively to others and to manage relationships. We can also use awareness to know and understand when our ego is getting in the way, to manage it, let go and be connected with Who we really are in everyday situations, and thus have more lasting inner peace. This weekend coaching seminar is about developing and using your skills of self-awareness and has the particular benefit of combining teaching, experiential work and practical coaching on particular issues. In this course you will

• Understand the use of awareness as a life skill
• Learn some awareness-raising techniques
• Develop your ability to manage and shift your state
• Learn to be more present and connected
• Be more aware of your “ego moments” as they occur and be more able to manage them
• Understand and utilise awareness of perception and the function of our Shadow in others
• Learn more about how you can release yourself from your limiting patterns

The course has relevance both for managing life situations, letting go and moving on from stuck areas of your life, and also for developing you effectiveness at work and as a leader

Learn simple, effective ways to help friends, family and yourself to de-stress and relax. You will learn massage techniques for the upper back/shoulders, neck, scalp and face. The massage is carried out through light clothing, with the recipient seated in a chair. This workshop is also useful as a taster if you are considering training as a practitioner in Indian Head Massage (NB: this day does not give you a qualification). Jacqueline was trained at the LCIC in London by Narendra Mehta, who brought the technique to England from India. She works as a holistic therapist, and is also one of the founders of Joyous Isle

A legendary Joyous Isle lunch + lots more! Bring lunch to share, hear about our forthcoming workshops, talks by workshop leaders, Transpersonal Books, space to network YOUR business, holistic therapy demos, therapies swap networking and more. Venue to be confirmed

This weekend we re-discover the joy of self-expression through painting in a group, using colour, line and texture in mixed media. There is music, poetry, fun and discussion. Also, quiet meditation, nature study and tuition. No experience is necessary, just a desire to be creative and free the inspiration that is the life force in our artistic journey.

Tigga is an experienced visionary artist, who has also worked as a nurse and a complementary therapist. Her approach to teaching is through encouragement, play, example and instruction

Find ways to be self-aware, manage your ego and develop inner contentment in everyday situations. How to be self-aware, manage your ego and remain connected to who you really are in everyday situations this is the developmental challenge many of us face.

Being self-aware is a core skill in today's challenging world, both in everyday life and in work, to be able to know where you are coming from, to respond effectively to others and to manage relationships. We can also use awareness to know and understand when our ego is getting in the way, to manage it, let go and be connected with Who we really are in everyday situations, and thus have more lasting inner peace. This weekend coaching seminar is about developing and using your skills of self-awareness and has the particular benefit of combining teaching, experiential work and practical coaching on particular issues. In this course you will

• Understand the use of awareness as a life skill
• Learn some awareness-raising techniques
• Develop your ability to manage and shift your state
• Learn to be more present and connected
• Be more aware of your “ego moments” as they occur and be more able to manage them
• Understand and utilise awareness of perception and the function of our Shadow in others
• Learn more about how you can release yourself from your limiting patterns

The course has relevance both for managing life situations, letting go and moving on from stuck areas of your life, and also for developing you effectiveness at work and as a leader

Workshop 2 in the Transpersonal series. This workshop is for people who have already completed Workshop 1: Approaching the Self

We continue the journey of exploration within; the ways we express ourselves in the world as we grapple with the duality implicit in our being. We look at the great polarities of inner/outer, head/heart, yin/yang, anima/animus, masculine/feminine, and how these affect our lives. The great impulse to become whole leads us towards the need for balance in mind, body and emotions and the means of expressing ourselves through creativity and intuition to maintain it and the health we seek. Workshop topics include: The Four Partners at the Marriage, Container and Contained, Symptom as Symbol and much more

Using gentle Yoga, breathwork and meditation to help ease areas of pain and stiffness and expand our muscles' range of movement. Every muscle in our body is in a constant process of contraction and expansion, always working as a family, connected - when one group of muscles contract another group expand. Understanding that muscles will only relax on an out breath, gives us the tools to focus on areas that are constantly tense. When we understand how simple contraction and expansion alongside breathing with focused moving and meditation works, we give to ourselves the ability to ease the pain, relax, release and begin to let go of that which is in the habit of holding on. Focusing on specific acupuncture points can instantly engage us with alignment, increasing the vital flow of that within

Do you feel you're stuck in the same old rut? Have you secretly got a compelling dream that other people tell you is pie in the sky? Do you know you want something different but don't know how to take the steps to get yourself there? Do you want to find a way of beginning to think differently, of starting to transform your life completely?

Then this workshop is for you. Working in a like-minded, carefully managed group, we lead you in an exploration of your thinking; your dreams, your beliefs and your values. We will safely support and encourage you as you work out what you really want and dream of doing. Then, using the success strategies of successful people, we will lead you through a process that will allow you to start to turn those dreams into a compelling future and concrete reality.

The techniques we will be using come from a range of sources, and are underpinned by Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), often described as the Psychology of Success. They are easy to learn, powerful tools for change. Working with them will give you the keys to unlocking your own potential, of understanding that we all have real gifts to uncover, of identifying the small things that make the real difference to success and above all, of recognising the power of choice and how using that power can positively affect your life and move you forward into the future you really want for yourself!

Allow your Stomach and Spleen a day off, from our usual diet of processed cooked foods, saturated fats and sugar. Enjoy eating delicious vegetarian food that has not been processed or cooked. A day spent eating and drinking lightly, using natural foods mostly fresh and organic, will ease the work our Spleens normally have to do, which is that of transformation and transportation within the body.

Using gentle Yoga movements and breathwork in the morning, we stimulate our digestion, we do service to the Earth Element of our being, spring cleaning and revitalizing those organs, the Spleen and Stomach. An afternoon of meditation and breathwork to draw our attention to that area of the Spleen and Stomach and recognize and respect their functions

This simple acupressure formula is an excellent tool for the widest range of needs, including general relaxation or extreme shock and stress. It can be easily learnt, and used by body workers and laypersons alike. Recipients describe a very calming, centering experience.

During the workshop, students will experience giving and receiving the Seva/Stress Release and will take home a detailed brochure and a pocket-sized card to use as a guide as they offer the work to others

A day to enjoy and discover the benefits, when we strengthen our digestion during Winter. To include a delicious Traditional home cooked Indian vegetarian lunch designed to warm and strengthen digestion.

Using gentle Yoga movements and Breathwork in the morning we explore easy postures to improve circulation and boost digestion, sowing the seeds of nourishment as we come out of Winter. Learn how warming foods and herbs nourish our Spleen/Pancreas and Stomach. Our Spleen is in charge of transforming and transporting our food into blood. Learn which foods boost our digestion giving us energy and which foods overload this process and inhibit us. Follow the Stomach and Spleen meridians of our bodies, finding acupuncture points that connect and influence these organs, which we can activate using warming herbs and massage to improve energy. Relax with a gentle meditation in the afternoon exploring our breath, improving attention, awareness and well being.

A two-day workshop providing an opportunity to explore the planets of relationship in our birth chart. We will see how the outer world reflects our inner reality and to what extent the patterns of our ancestors have shaped our way of being with others. The most important relationship is the one we have with ourselves. Astrology helps us change our own personal dynamic which in turn helps us to make healthier choices.

As well as looking at the birthchart we will be using Astrodrama and visualisation to access our own personal wisdom. No former knowledge of Astrology is necessary. I shall require details of date, place and time (if known) of birth at the time of booking

Do you feel you're stuck in the same old rut? Have you secretly got a compelling dream that other people tell you is pie in the sky? Do you know you want something different but don't know how to take the steps to get yourself there? Do you want to find a way of beginning to think differently, of starting to transform your life completely?

Then this workshop is for you. Working in a like-minded, carefully managed group, we lead you in an exploration of your thinking; your dreams, your beliefs and your values. We will safely support and encourage you as you work out what you really want and dream of doing. Then, using the success strategies of successful people, we will lead you through a process that will allow you to start to turn those dreams into a compelling future and concrete reality.

The techniques we will be using come from a range of sources, and are underpinned by Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), often described as the Psychology of Success. They are easy to learn, powerful tools for change. Working with them will give you the keys to unlocking your own potential, of understanding that we all have real gifts to uncover, of identifying the small things that make the real difference to success and above all, of recognising the power of choice and how using that power can positively affect your life and move you forward into the future you really want for yourself!

A day of singing and instrumental music making, led by The Mellstock Band, followed by an evening concert in the heart of Thomas Hardy's Dorset. West Gallery music has unique vigour and excitement, as well as being accessible to singers and musicians of all abilities. It is rhythmic, full-voiced, and has a fascinating combination of wild harmonies and unorthodox counterpoint. The choirs and their music are unforgettably portrayed by Thomas Hardy in Under The Greenwood Tree and some of the pieces we will be singing and playing come from the Hardy family's own collection of manuscript books, and from other Dorset sources. Singers and musicians will find it helpful to have a basic knowledge of written music. The intention is to do as the village bands did, and welcome whatever suitable instruments are available, whether in modern or historical forms. The only instruments not suited to this repertoire are keyboard instruments and chordal instruments such as guitar

No need to read music or even think of yourself as a singer. Just come and join in with a willing mind and an open heart, and let these two remarkable teachers do their work in bringing everyone together into a body of song. Gilo & Sarah are widely known in the UK as Natural Voice Practitioners

Workshop 2 in the Transpersonal series. This workshop is for people who have already completed Workshop 1: Approaching the Self

We continue the journey of exploration within; the ways we express ourselves in the world as we grapple with the duality implicit in our being. We look at the great polarities of inner/outer, head/heart, yin/yang, anima/animus, masculine/feminine, and how these affect our lives. The great impulse to become whole leads us towards the need for balance in mind, body and emotions and the means of expressing ourselves through creativity and intuition to maintain it and the health we seek. Workshop topics include: The Four Partners at the Marriage, Container and Contained, Symptom as Symbol and much more

You will achieve officially recognised certification to NLP Practitioner level. Dates:
06/07 Nov 2010 NB. Venue: Edmondsham Village Hall, near Verwood, Dorset. BH21 5RG
04/05 Dec
15/16 Jan 2011
19/20 Feb
19/20 Mar
09/10 Apr
07/08 May

When we breathe freely and easily, our body distributes oxygen our most vital of nutrients to every one of our 73 trillion cells. But when we are stressed our muscles tighten, our breath becomes shorter, and the delicate balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our bodies is disturbed. We continue to live, but without the energy and sense of well-being we should naturally have. This introduction to breathwork explains:

• how simple it is to understand one's breath and use it to relax muscles and calm emotional states
• how the breath is a bridge to meditation and awareness
• how the breath has the power to access pain and heal disease
• simple breathing exercises for health and vitality
• Out of all the many systems and ways there are to nourish our health, breath is probably the least understood and yet the most important and effective to use.

Tim Swanson is a yoga teacher and acupuncturist. Through many years of experience, he has realised that it is only by addressing the breath and breathing habits of each patient that true healing is possible. The day will include a light vegetarian lunch with ingredients from Sturts Biodynamic Farm

Our 'Self' often described as our higher self/spirit/soul speaks to us through dreams, symbols and images. In this experiential workshop we will explore some of the many ways we can be open to its inner guidance. Bringing our Self into our conscious awareness can help us gain clarity on many issues, including health, relationships and life purpose. Workshop topics include: symbols and images, sub-personalities, maps of the psyche and an introduction to the four functions (how we perceive, interpret and respond to reality). This workshop is open to everyone, and can be taken as a one-off, or as a series of three

Homeopathic Dowsing is an innovative healing system which combines many strands of medical knowledge to restore health. Because of dowsing's ability to uncover the hidden causes of illness, relief is often found through gaining a deeper understanding of the roots of an illness. In this workshop, you will learn how to:

• Dowse with a pendulum
• Identify toxic or unhealthy foods
• Dowse the health of the meridians, systems and organs
• Find out the absorption rates of vitamins and minerals in the body
• Work out the causes of ill health and treat them with a variety of remedies

The workshop will also include: Dowsing and healing the aura, chakras, emotions and subtle bodies; How to make and use remedies from your own environment; Dowsing geopathic stress and earth energies. Sean trained at the Jack Temple Dowsing Academy for two years at both foundation and advanced level.

• Do you feel you've been stuck in the same old rut for too long?
• Has life been weighing you down?
• Have you secretly got a compelling dream that other people tell you is "pie in the sky"?
• Do you know you want something different but don't know how to take the steps to get yourself there?
• Do you even know what that something different might look like? Or where to start?
• Do you want to find a way of beginning to think differently, of starting to transform your life completely?