Welcome to Yoga For Modern Life by Susan Bradley
A lil reboot - here's what you can expect...
I have decided to reboot my newsletter - hosting it here on Substack. I’ve been a ‘reader’ of other peoples Substacks for nearly three years, and I really love how it works. You’ll still get my newsletter in your inbox (hopefully a bit more regularly!), but can also read it on the Substack app/website too here - which also means you can easily access ALL the things I create here in once place, and easily go back to them whenever you like.
There are 3 big bonuses to me using Substack…
~ Firstly it’s simple to use, and means that I will write these newsletters for you every month (not every 6 months, yes it’s been that long since the last one!)
~ Secondly I’ll be able to share more simple, effective practices & inspiration with you more often (weekly). Because I really feel we could all do with little boosts of self-care goodness, more often, in this increasingly crazy world.
~ Finally Substack is a great place to create a real online community (away from Zuckerberg and his damn algorithm!). I want this to be a space of heart-led community where we can drop into in the gaps of our busy lives - to comment and support each other, for easy chats, inspiration. And I hope to be able to create - with your support - some bite-sized live practices too (meditation, breathwork, relaxation, movement ‘snacks’, journalling), plus longer seasonal gatherings too. Like a little supportive self-care members club you can dip into whenever you need to.
So in a nutshell, this is what I hope to create for you here on Substack…
Modern life is busy, time is short, you feel frazzled. This is for you.
Join me for monthly inspiration in my heart-felt newsletter. Plus weekly simple, short, effective practices to do anywhere, anytime that help you weave real no BS self-care into your life.
OK lets get to it. Here’s your first rebooted monthly newsletter, enjoy…
Welcome
I hope, as always, that this newsletter will provide you with some things to help you take a little pocket of time for yourself - to be inspired, to bring some joy and to help you support yourself with simple self-care. Something we all need more of!
Scroll down for my monthly yummy recipe, 2 minute self-care practice, a lovely guided meditation, a poem and some inspiration - a book, podcast, nature, art & things to ponder.
Susan x
A simple recipe…
Chocolate hazelnut energy balls
Taste like a cross between a Ferrero Rocher and a fruit & nut bar - but super good for you! Yum!
Ingredients
140g hazlenuts (use other nuts like almonds if you prefer)
200g pitted dates
100g raisins
70g cocao powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
How to make
Toast the hazelnuts for 10 minutes at 180 C. This makes them taste so much more nutty, so is really worth doing. Then set aside to cool completely.
While they are toasting cut the dates into pieces (I used scissors for speed & simplicity, but a knife is fine) put the dates into a bowl and just cover with kettle-hot water. Leave for 5 minutes to soften. Drain the water off.
Put the hazelnuts into a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped but not too fine.
Add drained chopped dates, cocoa and half the raisins. Blend until it comes together to form a sticky dough.
Add the other half of the raisins and mix in too (we're trying to keep these whole)
Take large teaspoons of the mixture, and roll into evenly sized balls. About 12 of them. Place in the fridge on a plate for an hour to set.
Store in the fridge for a week, or the freezer for 3 weeks. But bring them to room temperature before eating.
2 minute self-care…
Dance it out
Put on your favourite song (OK it may be a little more than 2 minutes - even better!)
Turn it up.
Put your arms over your head and shake out your hands.
Let your body move any way it wants, jump, shake, dance!
Now notice how you feel :)
A guided meditation
A METTA or ‘loving kindness’ practice
With all that is going on in the world right now, a Metta practice something that can feel supportive. The words are simple yet feel so poignant to me right now. Listen to an audio recording here
Simply repeat these words to yourself.
“May I be healthy, may I be happy, may I live with ease and in peace” (repeat 3 times)
Then bring to mind someone close to you, a family member or friend and repeat:
“May you be healthy, may you be happy, may you live with ease and in peace.” (repeat 3 times)
Finally imagine the loving-kindness spreading out from you and your close family member / friend and out throughout your neighborhood, country and across the world to all living beings. Repeat the following phrase three times:
“May we all be healthy, may we all be happy, may we all live with ease and in peace.” (repeat 3 times)
Some things I’m loving right now & you might like too…
This month my inspiration to click on, I hope you enjoy them too.
An inspiring watch/listen about identity, feminism and culture from author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
A book to celebrate the seasons beautifully
I adore PJ Harvey, and find this piece of clothing as art as a chronicle just wonderful
A poem I love. Take a moment to savour it.
This podcast is always entertaining (IMHO)
I am obsessed with Miranda July, this short watch is fascinating about how she works. Are you ‘asleep at the wheel?’. Her book All Fours is truly mind-blowing (perhaps not for the faint hearted though).
An amazing woman, I’ve heard lots of interview from her recently and she is very straight talking. Yes!
Nature song in your own home - simply beautiful
Nature and art literally interwoven, this is stunning at YSP until September
Lets Come Together…
Here’s two opportunities to meet in person!
Come and find some time and space for yourself. Slowing down, taking some real me-time is so very important for your health and wellbeing.
My Slow Sunday Mini Retreats are time and space for you to press the pause button on the stress and busyness of modern life.
They are simple yet deeply effective way of calming your nervous system, helping your body release deeply held tension, and giving your mind a break from that frazzled feeling that’s so common right now. We need this deep reset.
Come and join me on Sunday 22nd June and Sunday 20th July at 2.30pm for a gorgeous afternoon of rest, relaxation and self-care.
More info & booking for my Slow Sundays here.
A creative day with me
I have a new creative printmaking workshop coming up, which I am super excited about!
It's going to be a gorgeous day, think of it as a 'creative retreat' where you get to spend some relaxed time immersed in doing lovely and creative in great company. And I'll be bringing homemade cake for you too!
Come and learn the joys of linocut printmaking with me. You'll get to explore this wonderful print making technique, with lots of time to work out your design, practice your lino carving, try printing onto different papers, and using different methods to print (both with and without a press). It will be lots of fun, and a relaxed and joyful day of creativity - that anyone can do.
You'll leave the day with a linocut print(s) that you can proudly hang on your wall and admire for years to come. And having had a great day doing something that is so mindfully creative too.
Date: Saturday 19th July 2025
Time: 10.30am to 3.30pm
Location: South Bank Studios, 97 Bishopthorpe Road, York, YO23 1NX
All materials and refreshments (including cake) provided for you.
Open to everyone and anyone, no previous experience required. I hope you can join me. It's going to be a fun day creating together, and you'll leave with something lovely for your home (or as a gift) and the knowledge and confidence to continue lino cutting at home if you want to.
More info here, I hope you can make it.
That’s all for this months newsletter. Do let me know any feedback on it, or any suggestions, and what you think of Substack too. It’s always lovely to hear from you.
I’ll be sharing more very soon about the new weekly things I’m going to be creating. I’d love your suggestions of what would be helpful to YOU - movement, breath work, guided relaxations, journalling, accountability…. Just let me know. I am SO looking forward to creating a little online self-care members club that you can dip into whenever you need to.
Catch you soon. Maybe see you IRL at one of the events?
Big love to you all
Susan x