Ruth Irving Acupuncture & Yoga

23/02/2026

Yoga starts back tomorrow at 5.45 pm. Beginners welcome. 5 week block £50. Unusually, there is space to join this class at the moment. Small, friendly group

19/02/2026

Farewell Falmouth …heading back to the fells! In my Carlisle acupuncture clinic tomorrow

13/02/2026

There was no yoga tonight as I’m in Falmouth visiting my gorgeous niece Zoe. Yoga starts back on 24th Feb. It’s a new 5 week block and there are spaces for new people to join the class. Contact me if you’d like to join this class: 07788 616488.

08/02/2026

Where there’s a will …there’s a way! I’m hoping that the dynamic energy of the Fire Horse year which emerges mid February will help me clear my garden of wood 🪵 and transform it into a peaceful space for some Spring outdoor yoga sessions in the sunshine 🌞 can’t wait! ☀️

06/02/2026

A mid-week treat and quality time in the woods with my mum. Back in clinic next week ❤️

02/02/2026

Did you know that “FREE” acupuncture treatments might be available to you? Have you checked your health insurance policy?

So often hear, “I didn’t realise I could claim acupuncture back!”

This time of year I get a flurry of people booking in for acupuncture before their annual health insurance renewal.

Many people have health cash plans provided by their employed that sit unused.

Not all acupuncturists are covered as you have to be registered with a regulatory body, which I am – the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). They list providers such as Axa, Health Shield and Simply health on their website here:

https://acupuncture.org.uk/about-acupuncture/private-healthcare/

How it works:

- check your policy
- book and pay for your acupuncture session
- I provide you a receipt with my BAcC
member number
- you send this to your health insurer and they reimburse you.

Simple! For more information on my acupuncture treatments you can visit my website here:
www.acupuncturecumbria.co.uk

29/01/2026

I just love this time of year …another opportunity for new beginnings, this time influenced by the dynamic Yang energy of the Fire Horse.

Tuesday 17th February marks the start of the Chinese new year of the Fire Horse. Follow the link to this article from the BAcC for a summary of how this year may influence your life: health, business, relationships …the weather! All my favourite topics. You might find it Interesting.

https://acupuncture.org.uk/acu/articles/happy-new-year-of-the-yang-fire-horse/

26/01/2026

The stiller energy of January is perfect for making plans for the year ahead. Once the days lengthen and warm up I find I have less time to gather my thoughts and set new intentions.

This year I’m excited to be starting my Qi Gong training on a two year course based at Samye Ling. I’ve tried for many years to develop this mindful practice, but it’s only now that I’m in my 50’s that it is compatible with my inner landscape. I can’t wait to share my journey with you in my clinic and classes.
What plans have you made for the coming year - before Spring sweeps us towards Summer?

23/01/2026

It’s mid January which is possibly the most challenging time of the year. Did you know that many people book in to my acupuncture clinic for to help manage their stress and anxiety? Traditional acupuncture may help physical and mental well-being.

Often I combine acupuncture with self-help acupressure routines, mindfulness, ear-seeds and massage. There’s also my yoga classes which are beginner friendly.

This link on my website explains a little more about how acupuncture (from a BAcC member) may help you.

Discover holistic support for anxiety and stress at Carlisle Therapies. Address insomnia and more with expert care in Carlisle and Keswick.

23/12/2025

We’ve been trying out my garden with some solstice qi gong to see if it’s suitable for some outdoor yoga next year …it felt amazing to be outside in the fresh air with a backdrop of the fells! Looking forward to what the new year brings! Merry Christmas 🎄

20/12/2025

Welcoming the winter solstice. A time to rest and restore. This article read aloud by acupuncturist Peter Firebrace is a reassuring listen if you feel that you would prefer to withdraw more at this time of year. Here’s an excerpt:

“The three months of winter are called closing and storing. Herbs and trees wither. The insects leave. The openings of the earth close. The yang qi goes into hiding, moving into the depths. Water freezes and the earth cracks. It is essential to close everything tightly. One should not overwork.

Winter has always been seen as a challenge and without warmth, food and shelter it most certainly is. ‘Il ne passera pas l’hiver’ the French say of a frail old man on the threshold of winter. He won’t make it through. The hibernator’s regenerator, winter is also death’s door. Preserving and conserving, it also often kills.

But for many winter is like sleep, a temporary death that renews and regenerates us deeply, as it does the whole of nature. No buds, blossoms, shoots or fruits means no overwork. It’s the silent season of wu wei 無 為, the non-doing that does everything by doing nothing. Every aspiring Daoist feels at home here!”

Listen to the whole of this short article here:

Like a sleeping bear turning deep in its snow-bound cave, reaches that touchstone milestone marker of d**g zhi 冬 至, winter’s extreme, the solstice turning point, winter’s heartland that brings light out of the depths of darkness. Winter Solstice: Peter Firebrace FBAcC

16/11/2025

Good morning Sunday! Reaping the rewards of buying an old, old house at auction this time last year. It may not have central heating yet, but the view from my bedroom window is magic! It looks like a day full of promise … ☀️