Featured Practitioner – Claire Haugh
Featured Practitioner, Claire Haugh
CLAIRE HAUGH ~ Embracing the Trinity
My journey and exposure to Shiatsu began in 1995 through the beautiful Geraldine Doyle, who was not only my Yoga Teacher in No.4 Longford Terrace, Dublin, but also a Shiatsu Practitioner. She inspired me to study and it was a great day when I qualified in 1999 as a Registered Shiatsu Practitioner following a 4-year training in the Irish School of Shiatsu in No.4 Longford Terrace (again…!). I also decided to study yoga with Belgian-born teacher Marlene ffrench Mullen in Wicklow and finally in 2001 I completed a 1-Year Yoga Teacher Training with Marie Quail YTTC.
At that time I was working full-time as an editor in an Educational Publishers in Dublin, however one day I approached my boss to seek part-time work. Astute man that he was he said he saw it coming. Happy Days..! I worked three days in a wonderful office with a great team, and two days offering shiatsu and yoga locally.
Over several years I worked with many wonderful clients from my home in Clonskeagh. I also presented short introductions to Shiatsu as part of residential yoga weekends in Wicklow. The feedback seemed to imply I was a natural teacher… I just loved sharing simple partner stretches and palming and feeling the energy change in the room. I also brought the word ‘meridian’ into my vocabulary in my yoga classes.
Life threw a curve ball in 2005 when I met a man on a workshop called “Passionate Gastronomy”. As a Dublin Jackeen, I was convinced he lived in “the middle of nowhere” on the Galway/Mayo border…! However, after a lot of commuting for love, I moved West. Soon after, we attended a deeply enriching Seven-Level Tantra Training for Couples over 4 years up to 2011 in the School of Awakening, UK. The best start to any relationship…!!
Through Tantra we re-discovered breathwork (which we both had some previous experience of) and in 2013 we embarked on a joint journey to become Trainers and Facilitators of Transformational Breath®. Here was the final piece to the jigsaw of health and healing for me. Now when I lie someone down for a shiatsu I can’t help but notice the way they breathe…!! Transformational Breath® involves “hands-on” intervention so it is in perfect alignment with my passion for bodywork. Similarly when I teach yoga it is impossible not to bring in an awareness of the seasons and food to support the body or specific stretches to tone the relevant meridians, bringing balance.
For me Yoga, Shiatsu and Breathwork are a perfect “trinity” and each offers something to enhance our wellbeing. With the addition of Tantra we offer singles, couples and groups many beautiful means to connect mind, body and spirit ~ and we have called ourselves “heartspace”.
Stress is such a huge factor in our lives now and sharing the benefits of Yoga, Shiatsu & Breathwork with the office worker or self-employed person, with the busy parent or the overwhelmed carer is very much on my radar. I am delighted to be participating in the AIB Wellness Week in their offices in Sandyford, Dublin on 16th July. Embracing the trinity of modalities I have in my toolbox I will offer a day of 30 minute modules of relaxation through yoga poses that can be done at lunchtime or breathing exercises that can be done in a chair, and while shiatsu will involve individual sessions I look forward to imparting the benefits of “Do-In” and simple Makka-Ho exercises.
2018 has been a year of great stress for both myself and my husband. Michael’s daughter was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2017 and has been treated at home and abroad over the last many months. My dear mother had a stroke on 21st April and has been in the Acute Stroke Ward of St Vincent’s Hospital ever since. Who cares for the carer? Such an important issue for me right now ~ but I have so many tools to support me, especially The Five Elements.
• FIRE – High Summer – Heart/Small Intestine: How I connect with my own needs and communicate with others. Almost daily I connect to sadness and drop in to friends for a supportive cup of tea to accompany my tears.
• EARTH – Late Summer – Stomach/Spleen: How I feel nourished by the sweetness in life. Feeling grounded. Feeling my fatigue I reach out to others for bodywork, breathwork, homeopathy, and I eat food that supports me.
• METAL – Autumn – Lung/Large Intestine: How I appreciate the GOLD inside me. Letting go and Moving on. Seeing my Mum’s journey as hers, I recognise my own grief and celebration for all the good times.
• WATER – Winter – Kidney/Bladder: How I give my body nourishing rest and nourishing activity. Living almost entirely in Dublin now, I’ve joined a tennis club (after a 10 year absence) and I also let myself sleep and sleep and sleep.
• WOOD – Spring – Liver/Gall Bladder: How I shine in my own individual and creative expression. Remembering to diary that Spontaneous Art Workshop for myself, doodling and exploring ways to bring Feng Shui into the Dublin apartment we live in now.
The road is indeed the destiny.
Claire Haugh if available for shiatsu, breathwork, and house yoga in South County Dublin
Call 087 6312187 or email info@heartspace.ie. For further information see HeartSpace Breathwork and Yoga Sanctuary
Michael and Claire Blake, HeartSpace Sanctuary, info@heartspace.ie
+353 (0)87 257 4260 Michael
+353 (0)87 631 2187 Claire
DUBLIN
No 60 The Sycamore, Parkview, Belarmine Avenue, Stepaside, Dublin 18, IRELAND
GALWAY
Dooroy House, Clonbur, Co. Glaway, F12 TN93, IRELAND
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Based in the West of Ireland and in South County Dublin we delight in travelling and venturing ‘off the island’ offering Transformational Breath® events home and abroad. In 2014 we were the organisers of the Global Inspirational Conference, a week-long festival. Why not join us this year when we participate in GIC2018 in FRANCE..!
HeartSpace Sancutary
My mission is to create awareness of how, with the power of our breath, we can enhance our aliveness and well-being on all levels and ultimately express who we truly are…!
Claire Haugh
For Claire, Yoga, Shiatsu and Breathwork are a perfect “trinity” – each enhances wellbeing. With the addition of Tantra she offers many ways to connect body, mind and spirit; take a look at Claire Haugh’s Practice – “heartspace”
http://www.heartspace.ie
