My headache was gone in 5 minutes


I woke with a headache yesterday morning.

Five minutes into my somatic yoga practice and I didn’t notice it anymore.

I’m not someone who usually gets headaches but over the past 3-5 months, they’ve been happening more and more.

They’re not debilitating, but still not enjoyable.

Reader, I gave myself 10 minutes, then knew resting more wasn't going to fix this one, so stepped on my mat.

It was a day I knew I could not skip because I was teaching a Yoga Flow class later that morning, and knew I needed to move through the somatic practice I was going to be teaching them before teaching it.

Any other day, I would have considered skipping and leaning into the message from my body to rest, but the extra sleep wasn’t touching the headache.

Here's what stopped me from skipping: I've learned the hard way that not every signal from my body is telling me to stop. Sometimes it's telling me to move through it, not around it.

If I'd listened to "my head hurts" as permission to skip, I'd probably still be sitting here with a headache as I type this.

This is the whole reason yoga and somatic practice matters to me. It's not about pushing through pain and ignoring your body. It's about learning to tell the difference between a cue to rest and a cue to explore.

Most of us were never taught that difference. So we either push through everything, or we use every uncomfortable sensation as a reason to avoid the thing that would actually help.

Neither one gets us closer to feeling like ourselves.

This is exactly what we practice in Somatic Reset, my weekly class built around this kind of listening.

And this fall, we're going even deeper. The Harvest Rhythms Retreat on September 26, will be an evening of somatic exploration and noticing what’s ready to be harvested and what’s ready to be forgiven in your life.

Space to actually feel what your body's been trying to say instead of pushing past it one more time.

Spots are open now (check out the P.S. below😉😉).

Cheers,

P.S. And because you’re on my list and keep showing up week after week, here’s $30 off retreat registration. Just use the coupon 30OFF at checkout. ​

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My body's wisdom tells me when to rest and when to explore.

WANT TO JOIN US FOR CLASS OR WORK WITH ME?

Register for studio classes here.​

Studio Classes:


THURSDAY - Somatic Reset - NEW CLASS!!

5:30 AM • All levels welcome
​​Somatic Reset blends gentle somatic movement and yoga to support awareness, release tension, and reconnect with your body.

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THURSDAY -The Weekly Breath Reset (Virtual)

8:30 AM • 30-minute virtual breath work
​Your breath has the power to change how you experience stress. Harness that power of your breath to start your day with intention.

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SATURDAY - Yoga + Breathwork

8:30 AM • All Levels Welcome
​This class is generally blend of a flow-based practice and a restorative/yin practice, often aligning with the energy of the season or moon phase.

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MONDAY - Restorative/Yin Practice

5:30 PM • All levels welcome
​A restorative class with longer held postures & mindful breathing to build stress resiliency & bring balance to your fast-paced life.

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WEDNESDAY - Yoga + Breath Work Flow

8:30 AM • All Levels Welcome
​Active, flow-based practice integrating strength, balance and mobility. Intentional breath work practices included.

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Special Events:


SATURDAY, AUG 22 - Yoga in the Park - Free Childcare Available!

8:30 AM • Bessie Spaur Butterfly Garden

Yoga in the Park is BACK next Saturday - just $15 to practice outdoors before the day begins.

Please bring a mat or blanket to practice on. Other yoga props will be provided.
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💥Now offering FREE childcare during class. Bring your little(s) and a trained babysitter will entertain while you have some much needed self-care.💥

Please reply back if you do plan to bring kiddos so Scout can make sure she is prepared.

If you'd like to register, do so here.​


SATURDAY, SEPT 26 - Harvest Rhythms Retreat

4:00 - 7:30 PM • My Residence, Knoxville, IA • For those ready to go deep
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​Step away from the hustle and into nature’s rhythm with this evening retreat designed to help naturally caffeinated women slow down, release, and reset. You’ll experience yoga, sound healing, cacao, creative expression, and more, all while enjoying nourishing refreshments on a beautiful private property in rural Knoxville.

Leave feeling lighter, clearer, and more connected to yourself and the season ahead.

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​​Space is limited—register now.​


SATURDAY, JUL 25 - MCCD Sunrise Yoga at Cordova Park

8:00 AM • Cordova Park, 1378 Highway G-28, Otley IA 50214 • All ages and levels

MCCD and Cairn Yoga & Wellness are teaming up for a grounding morning yoga practice at Cordova Park. While the sun may already be shining, this class invites you to greet the day with mindful movement and breath—helping you steady yourself amidst the height of summer’s expansive energy. After yoga spend some time taking a quiet walk through the woods or take in the view from the tower.

Learn more and register here.​


Group & 1:1 Somatic Sessions:


AT YOUR CONVENIENCE - Personalized Somatic Coaching & Stress Resilience Training

TBD • At your location or at the studio
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In these sessions I guide groups through practical, embodied practices—like breath work, mindfulness, gentle movement, and/or emotional awareness—to build stress resilience. Each session offers simple, effective tools to help participants reset, regulate, and respond with greater calm and clarity in everyday life.

The podcast:

Listen to Health Harmony Happiness with Cathy and get show notes at CairnYogaWellness.com/Podcast or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!

​Apple Podcast | ​Spotify | iHeartRadio​
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​Facebook | Instagram | CairnYogaWellness​

101 E Robinson St, Knoxville, IA 50138

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Rhythm Reset - For naturally caffeinated humans who find it hard to power down

I’m Cathy—a naturally caffeinated person recovering from racing through life. As a yoga teacher and trauma-aware somatic and breath coach, I teach stress resilience & nervous system regulation so you can move through life with more ease, intention, & connection. This is a space for naturally-(& even artificially) caffeinated people to find inspiration to slow down, tune in, and center themselves... living with more ease and intention in alignment with the rhythms within and around them.

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