sandra – Singita Wellness

Humans, our egos, women, our misplaced need for perfection…- September 2026

Humans, our egos, women, our misplaced need for perfection…

Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves?

To overachieve. To overperform. To constantly improve. To somehow manage to age with grace and wisdom, but still look younger. We are bombarded by images of celebrities, models, influencers, and even the woman next door who seems to have it all together.

We spend money on make up, treatments, procedures and surgeries in an attempt to slow down a completely natural process.

And yet, despite human evolution and all our wisdom, all our years of healing, self-discovery and personal growth, we can still be so fragile. We want to be loved. We want to be held. We want to feel enough.

And yet, courageously, we continue to put ourselves out there, knowing we may be judged, misunderstood or criticized.

Or is that just me?

I’ve been in the fitness and wellness industry for over 35 years. I’ve done my best to live a balanced life, continually studying nutrition, fitness and wellness, and exploring spiritual healing through my own introspection and the desire to understand why I seemed to find myself in such challenging relationships.

I’ve worked hard. I’ve tried to be the best mother I could be to two by the way pretty amazing kids, who are now incredible adults with children of their own. And for that, I am immensely proud.

But let’s talk about balance.

And particularly, this summer.

Many of you know that I am still in the middle of a decade-long divorce in Barbados, hoping for a fair resolution and move forward into a fresh chapter of my life.

For a number of reasons, that hasn’t happened yet.

Living on the same property as my ex and his girlfriend, under acrimonious circumstances, has obviously been stressful. There have been days when the weight of it all has felt incredibly heavy.

And yet, I consciously choose gratitude.

Because I live on this beautiful island. I have my health. I have work that I love. I have healthy, happy children and grandchildren.

And most mornings, I wake up to the lullaby of birds excitedly chirping into a new day. I open my shutters and see the palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, while the sky begins its daily masterpiece of soft, glowing hues as the sun slowly rises.

How could I not be grateful?

So, back to this summer and the subject of balance.

I consciously decided that, after so much heaviness in my life, I was going to have a fun, frivolous, slightly indulgent summer.

A few friends came to the island and we organized some wonderful adventures.

We love a good “sip ’n dip” sunset cocktails, feet in the sand, bobbing around in the beautiful Caribbean sea, and having those wonderfully girlie conversations where we solve all the world’s problems with philosophical brilliance… followed by completely ridiculous giggles.

There were lunches. Dinners. Cocktails.

We even tried a pole-dancing class, which involved a lot of laughter, questionable technique and swaggering confidence as we attempted our best evocative moves.

And you know what?

I overindulged.

There. I said it.

I preach fitness and, for the most part, live a very disciplined life. I teach my classes, eat well and take care of myself, with the occasional weekend socializing and yes a little wine. Well this summer ‘a little’ extended to ‘a little more’!

But honestly? Life is too short, in my opinion, not to occasionally break up the monotony with a few cheeky nights of fun.

Then suddenly… summer was over.

I had gained the proverbial five pounds. I don’t usually weigh myself, but I could feel it, so I stepped on the scale. There it was.

And at 5’3”, short-waisted and menopausal, those five pounds don’t exactly distribute themselves evenly. Nope. They head straight for the middle.

Ahhh… the joys of midlife.

Over the past few months, I’ve also been working and teaching at Boho Beautiful Studio here in Barbados, and I’ve had the absolute honour of having several of my Sculpt and Barre classes recorded for their incredible app.

Then came the exciting request: Would I record a few classes on the beach?

How exciting! What an honour. So, of course, I said yes and I loved it.

Despite the heat. Despite the September sun absolutely scorching down, despite the fact that hair and makeup were never going to survive.

And then I saw myself on camera.

Hello, cringing jelly belly.

There it was. Jiggling around for the world to see. And suddenly, I found myself obsessing.

How would I look? Would people judge me? How could I possibly be out there preaching my amazing classes and encouraging people to get strong and healthy when I looked like… well… someone in her 60s?

How dare I look my age? Healthy. Strong. Fit. But not perfect.

And therein lies the lesson I have been trying to learn for many years.

We are not perfect. We are human. We do our best.

I am not genetically gifted with a naturally tiny, lean frame. I have had to work for my strength. I have had to build muscle. I am definitely not a natural mesomorph. But I am strong, my workouts are tough! My body has carried me through 63 years of life, motherhood, heartbreak, healing, work, stress, joy, laughter and everything in between.

And let’s be honest…

Who at 63 is teaching a full schedule of 8 or 9 classes a week, then filming another 10 classes over the course of a week?

It was gruelling. It was challenging.

There were moments when I wondered where I was going to find the energy. But I rose to the challenge, I showed up.

I sweated, I pushed. And when I thought I had nothing left to give, somehow, I gave a little more.

And that, right there, is the lesson.

I am not proud because I looked perfect. I am proud because I showed up. I am proud of what I accomplished.

I am proud of this body that continues to carry me, teach, move, sweat, laugh, dance and live.

And I am incredibly grateful to Boho Beautiful for this opportunity, to have so many of my classes shared with hundreds of thousands of people around the world, such an honor.

And by the way…

Those extra five pounds? They’re gone now. Of course.

Just in time for when I’m NOT being filmed.

Oh God… you really do have a sense of humour.

So, I’m choosing to take my focus off the few extra pounds that came and went. Instead, I’m choosing gratitude.

For my health, my strength, my family, my friends, my work. And for this beautiful island.

And for the privilege of doing work that I truly believe is part of my life purpose. Maybe balance isn’t about getting everything right.

Maybe balance is about knowing when to work hard and when to have the cocktail.

When to push and when to play.

When to discipline ourselves and when to let go.

And perhaps most importantly, learning to look at ourselves with the same compassion we so freely give to everyone else.

We are human.

We are changing.

We are ageing.

We are growing.

We are imperfect.

And we are still absolutely, wonderfully enough.

Forever grateful, thankful and blessed .

With love Michelle xoxo

Bare, broken and blessed – June 26

Bare and stripped of everything I once believed defined me that is how you find me now.

Layer by layer, life has gently, and sometimes painfully, removed every illusion, every false certainty, and every belief system that no longer served my highest good. The securities I had carefully built around myself through societal expectations, material possessions, family structures, and inherited patterns have all been challenged and, in many cases, dismantled.

What I now understand is that true transformation often begins with unraveling.

Over the past months, I have experienced what can only be described as a profound spiritual reckoning. There are aspects of this journey that I may share more openly one day, but for now, I simply wish to honor the cathartic, therapeutic, and deeply humbling path that has brought me here.

For much of my life, I believed I had created a fortress that would protect me from the uncertainties of the world. I built walls of achievement, responsibility, resilience, and self-reliance. Yet the Universe had other plans. What I perceived as protection had become a prison. I was safe within my castle, yet disconnected from the very essence of my soul.

The past few years have accelerated a journey that I now believe was always part of my soul’s calling. A sacred contract I agreed to long before this lifetime began.

This last year, in particular, felt like a spiritual steamroller, flattening every aspect of the life I had so carefully curated. Alongside the challenges of a decade-long divorce, I poured my heart into creating Singita Wellness at Mullins, a vision born more than eight years ago. Through determination, faith, sacrifice, and countless hours of work, it became a sanctuary unlike any other in Barbados. It survived uncertainty, adversity, and even a global pandemic.

Yet even this beautiful creation became part of the purification process.

Over the last year, every wall I had built began to crumble brick by brick, belief by belief. And there I stood with nothing, vulnerable, exposed to face the very essence of my soul.

Still believing that once certain external circumstances resolved themselves, rebuilding could finally begin. But I was mistaken. The rebuilding was never meant to begin outside of me. It began within.

Today, I feel a light moving through me unlike anything I have ever known. It flows through every vein, every breath, every part of my physical and spiritual being. As so much has been stripped away, I have been left with the only thing that truly matters the purity, strength, and elevation of my soul.

What remains is forgiveness. Forgiveness of others. Forgiveness of myself. Acceptance of what has been. Acceptance of what is. And faith in what is yet to come.

The final miles of a marathon are often said to be the hardest. These past months have tested every part of me my faith, my endurance, my resilience, and my determination not to surrender to despair.

Yet through the struggle, something extraordinary has happened. The floodgates have opened.

New opportunities are emerging. New adventures are calling. New purpose is revealing itself. I find myself surrounded by inspiring souls who uplift, challenge, and encourage growth. My thirst for spiritual evolution has deepened, and my trust in God’s divine timing has never been stronger. For the first time in a long time, I am not looking back at what has been lost.

I am looking forward to what is possible. And what I see is a life filled with infinite potential, deeper purpose, greater service, and a faith stronger than any circumstance. Sometimes God must remove everything we lean on so that we learn to lean only on Him.

What once felt like devastation was, in truth, divine preparation.

And so I move forward with an open heart, unwavering faith, and gratitude for every lesson that brought me here.

By the grace of God, I rise.

Godspeed, friends, and thank you for walking alongside me on this journey.

Pilates Gold Rush (April 2026)

Master your craft, not just your marketing and image!

I have pondered over writing this blog for some time, wanting to ensure that I communicate my concerns with gentle guidance and counsel that I now feel I have earned – after sixty-two years on this earth, over three decades spent coaching bodies, rebuilding confidence, and watching fitness trends rise, explode, and quietly disappear.

Right now, we’re in the middle of one of the loudest booms I’ve seen yet: the Pilates reformer gold rush. Let me be clear, I am not hear to tear down Pilates, far from it. I love Pilates, I teach it, I have taught it for decades. When well taught it is an amazing addition to a fitness program. I just want to raise a word of caution.

I began my working career in film production and moved from South Africa to Canada and with two young children the fast pace and erratic hours of the film industry could not sustain my family’s best interest. This is when I began my certifications and education in fitness instructing, personal training and yes Pilates back then. I have personally always preferred mat Pilates but I can cover that in another blog as to my reasons why. Reformer Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates in World War 1, primarily as a rehabilitation tool for bedridden, injured soldiers, then used to strengthen individuals to get them to a level to do mat Pilates work effectively. So as a rehabilitative apparatus it is wonderful.

Pilates does not build lean muscle mass or provide enough output to increase fitness and strength. Science has proven that as we age, the best thing we can do for our longevity is heavier lifting, jumping or sprinting, this will transform your body and age powerfully. I do know that not everyone is capable of this so choosing alternative forms of exercise makes sense, and I’m all for moving your body whichever way you can.

Yoga, an ancient practice of flexibility and flow is a wonderful addition to strength and cardiovascular conditioning. With its ancient wisdom and Spiritual infusion the health benefits are irrefutable. I honestly embrace all movement and modalities. We choose our style of movement based on our reason behind it all. I move to age with agility, flexibility and strength. Providing my body, mind and soul all the stimulus I can, to enjoy life as I age. I embrace all modalities and real fitness, requires conditioning in all areas, cardiovascular, strength, agility and flexibility.

The reason I have loved and taught group classes all these years is the collective of souls uniting with inspiration and uplifting energy. With great instruction this is where the real magic happens. It is now scientifically known that as we are heading to peri menopause and onwards we need heavier weights to see any transformation in our bodies. To sustain lean muscle mass thereby increasing our metabolism along with many other benefits we can gain strength and confidence as we age. I have to say that’s why my Sculpt and Barre classes are my most popular. I know people can feel my enthusiasm and devotion to this type of training.

What concerns me is not the popularity of the reformer, it’s who is suddenly claiming to be an expert on it.

Everywhere I look, I see brand-new studios popping up. Beautiful spaces, trendy branding, polished social media feeds. And behind them? Often very young instructors with minimal training, limited anatomical knowledge, and little to no real-world coaching experience. Some have completed a short certification, sometimes just weeks long, and are now not only teaching, but running businesses and positioning themselves as authorities. To get a return on investment on these expensive machines with limited space, more classes seems the only way. More classes need more instructors, and unfortunately with limited experience and sub standard education, particularly on an island like Barbados where I recall struggling at my studio to find certified experienced instructors who actually have status to work on the island.

That’s not evolution. That’s acceleration without foundation

Here’s the part that weighs on me most: people trust us. They walk into a studio believing they’re in safe, capable hands. They assume the person guiding them knows how to protect their spine, their knees, their shoulders. When that trust is misplaced, the consequences aren’t just disappointing, they can be painful, even long-lasting. I have seen first hand the injuries from sustained from incorrect positioning and use of what is a heavy piece of equipment!

There’s also a deeper loss happening here. Teaching, real teaching, is a craft of care. It requires presence, empathy, and a genuine commitment to the person in front of you. It’s not about how many clients you can cycle through in a day or how many classes you can sell out. It’s about impact.

When I work with someone, I’m not just guiding movement. I’m listening. I’m adjusting. I’m meeting them where they are, not where a program says they should be. That’s the “heart and soul” part of this profession, and it can’t be fast-tracked.

To the younger generation entering this space: your enthusiasm is valuable. Your energy is needed. But don’t confuse momentum with mastery. Take the time to learn deeply. Study anatomy beyond what’s required. Work under experienced mentors. Make mistakes quietly, where you can learn from them without risking someone else’s wellbeing.

And to clients: ask questions. Don’t be afraid to understand who is teaching you, what their background is, and how they approach your safety and progress. You deserve more than a good playlist and a pretty studio.

Trends will come and go. They always do. But the fundamentals, knowledge, experience, care, those are what stand the test of time.

At sixty-two, I’m still learning. Still refining. Still showing up with curiosity and respect for the responsibility this work carries. And believe me, with great respect for other teachers and movement styles, I know what it takes to show up every class with true intention and heart filled energy. This is not about a discredit to Reformer Pilates, it certainly has its place. I am also saddened how many teachers need to point out faults of others or why their particular class style is the only way to go. It all depends on your raison d’etre and your intention behind every movement.

Let’s move forward with our heart and soul in it with integrity, knowledge and real care to help empower others, not with dollar signs and pretty IG posts at the helm.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just fitness.

It’s people’s bodies. Their health. Their trust.

And that should never be treated like a trend.

It’s been nine years since… (December 2025)

It’s been nine years since ‘the Incident’ that changed the course of my life…

As I reflect on this past year, tumultuous and full of unforeseen circumstances, it felt like I was stripped bare of everything that I thought defined me. Tearing away old identities, old relationships, old patterns I have been hanging on to. I was brought to my knees to face the shadow sides of myself this last year, my self abandonment over my life, the naivety, the lack of discernment of who I allowed into my inner circle, the Pollyana syndrome had me forced to look straight with headlights glaring, exposing my insecurities my fears, with a pain and heartbreak I had never experienced before. And yes, we can thank the Year of the Snake 2025 for doing a great job of shedding old skin.

And guess what, this is honestly a beautiful thing. I am truly thankful for the discarding of these false identities, the knowing that I am enough. I was able to work through them, heal them and yes feel them, which is the only way through. It has been a stripping down and shedding and to the depths of a deep excavation to my very core that I knew this was so much larger than this lifetime, this is karmic release.

If any of you have felt this to some degree or in various forms, now is the time to let go and release all that is holding you back. The end of 2025 (2+2+5 = 9) is the end of a nine-year cycle in numerology, a tying up of loose ends. 2026 (2+2+6=1) is a One year, setting the next nine-year cycle we are about to start.

As I thought of writing this blog today to share some of my personal experiences in healing and growth with you, I looked at the date as I know we are finishing a nine year cycle. I had a feeling and something struck in a lightbulb moment.

I pulled out my journal from all those years ago. I write in my journals periodically, I always have one next to my bed, and have some writing on the go, musings or affirmations but don’t always daily record specifics. However there on the first page December 18, 2016 the heading “The Incident”. Coincidence? More like divine synchronicity! This was a devastating life changing moment for me, I have recorded day by day from there over the next few months, and won’t share any details but suffice to say it was the start of some of the most challenging months and years of my life.

If I look back at the struggles personally and my living conditions, I could continue to feel like the victim, but I can now look back and say “Oh my God, God you are amazing!! You have changed me in ways I never thought possible”. My strength, my resilience, my courage and my faith has grown in ways I could never have imagined. Believe me, I wouldn’t have signed up for this, although they say our Spirit signs up with a contract to fulfil, and I do believe I showed up for the assignment in the best way I could. Along this path I have always been incredibly grateful for my blessings. During this time, I became an Advanced Certified Theta Healer, and founded Singita Wellness, still ongoing on a different platform, and soon more exciting news to share, but that’s another days’ blog.

I have unbelievable support from my family and a few close friends. My sister Sandy, who has been my rock and business partner and my daughter Paula, are my real-life earth angels. They have been at my side with incredible pillar like strength and feeling the hurt with me, sometimes too much. I never wanted my daughter to take on this role but Paula has stepped into this amazing wise, authentic woman. However, as I have grown stronger, she has demonstrated her own strength and hopefully as her need to protect me diminishes, she will focus more on the protection of her own children and her amazing, supportive husband. My wonderful son and daughter-in-law always checking in. My brother and sister-in-law whose prayers have been fervent through my challenging times. My lovely small group of genuine friends, you know who you are, and my Singita community. This along with the health and wellbeing of my family, children and Grandchildren are indeed blessings, and this is the true measure of wealth.

My personal struggles are not unlike many others, and I know there is so much worse, it’s all a personal journey and personal perspective. I know my empathy and sensitivities mean I feel life’s challenges deeply. The one thing I do not know is how one would get through this without a deep sense of faith, a trust in God, a knowing of Divine Intervention and Spirituality being my main source of strength along with a kickass workout everyday!!!

These are my means for survival of the fittest and in the words of the profound Maya Angelou:

“I know that a diamond is a result of extreme pressure. Less time and less pressure and its just a crystal or fossilized leaves or just dirt. But time and pressure, will create a diamond.”

Shine bright like a diamond my beauties, stay in alignment and hang on tight as the Year of the Horse is galloping in clearing our path for new opportunities, direction, purpose and breakthrough!

Finally I feel carved into the version of myself I’m meant to be, it only took 62 years…lol

Healing unresolved trauma – September 25

The healing of unresolved trauma is a commitment and an opening up of deep wounds, sitting with the pain, the abandonment, the feelings of being unworthy, unlovable and never enough.

This was definitely not the language or the consciousness of our past generation. So many of our parents or forefathers born through wars and post war destruction had a linear focus on survival, feeding children, providing for the families, not much time for self reflection or philosophical unravelling, the depth of the wounds. For some there would have been a religious effort and a turning to God, and this always brings peace when connected to the Holy Spirit and Divine power. However so often conventional religions can bring such fear based teachings which would not have an impact on deep inner child healing.

My Dad would have turned 89 today. He passed away 2.5 years ago after an 8 month awful time of struggle and suffering, having recently lost my Mom, the love of his life and his children, in different cities and different countries. We all tried our best, I spent some time with him as did my sister in his final weeks however with work and family commitments did not allow much longer. My Brother, also in South Africa but living in a different city bore the brunt of it all. I say brunt as my Dad became extremely angry, cantankerous, and really difficult to deal with as a lot of ailing suffering older people can be. I wrote a blog after he passed talking about the soul fragment clearing I did for him and my brother which thankfully seemed to be the gateway to his softening of his heart and rekindling of his faith in God and the saving of his relationship with his son, who was definitely in the direct firing line of my Dad’s unresolved anger and childhood trauma. He told my brother how much he loved him and his peaceful transitioning the next day gave us all a huge sense of relief.

The really sad part is the fact that he carried this throughout most of his life. We have all heard the expression ”hurt people hurt people”. This is not unlike so many families as parents do the best they can with the knowledge they have but so often really mess their children up.

This is where the beauty of Theta healing comes in. I have been so thankful to have been trained in this type of energy healing as we are breaking the generational patterns as healing not only impacts ourselves, but future and past generations.

To find our way back to loving ourselves, to feeling we are whole and complete and enough. We are worthy of an abundant joyful life and to be loved unconditionally, simply because we are who we are: loveable, kind, vulnerable, respectful human beings.

The soul longs for freedom, the soul longs for release and the soul can be damaged and traumatized in this lifetime. I look at my Dads life and I see the trauma, the damage and the deep hurt he suffered. He struggled for a sense of belonging raised in a white neighbourhood of SA but went to a mixed race school and bullied by both ends of the spectrum, then sent away to live with unkind relatives. Apartheid was prevalent in that era and the magnitude of the suffering of some is a very daunting thing.

I am here to talk about the breaking and healing of this generational trauma. I have done a lot of healing work myself and in the work I do in my healing sessions with others, we heal on all these different levels. Present life, past life, on the history level through generational patterns carried through our DNA.

I have seen clearly how my father’s trauma impacted me (as well as my Mom’s) but I’ll save that for another blog. My Dad knew not how to connect emotionally to his children. Our upbringing was harsh and abrupt at times. And yet my Dad was the most fun Dad too. He was a bit of a rebel growing up, a ‘ducktail’ trying to impress my Mom at the time with his “bad boy” image. He loved music, motorbikes, anything military and had a sharp mind, an amazing sense of humour and belly laughs that were so infectious.

He did the best for his family that he could. He worked really hard, ensured we were all educated well and had a good work ethic and great manners. However that inner child never stopped hurting and so now I heal my inner child wounds and know this ripples through generations and touches him too. He deserves peace and love and so do we all.

This is the best gift I can give him. Happy heavenly birthday Dad, we love you!

This is 62! – July 2025

Celebrate Life, Celebrate Health

Celebrate life, celebrate health, celebrate fitness—celebrate every breath that brings a new opportunity for a fresh beginning!

I’ve just turned 62 years young, and that’s exactly what my philosophy is all about.

Now, these pictures I’m sharing? Believe me, they weren’t easy to post. They’re unfiltered, certainly not professionally taken, and definitely not intended to make anyone think, “Wow, look at her.” I’m not brimming with admiration for my physique. Like many women, I can spot every bump and roll. But I’ve grown wise enough to say thank you to this body of mine—for letting me move freely, jump, run around with my grandkids, swim in the Caribbean Sea, play a little tennis, and teach classes most days—all with relatively few aches and pains (annoying shoulder aside, which seems to be a common post-menopause complaint!).

I know I’m not competing with 20- or 30-year-old super-fit yogis or “Pilates princesses.” Social media is full of physically stunning people, but how real is it? What’s behind the picture? How beautiful is their soul? How much experience, knowledge, and commitment has gone into how they look?
Aging is fascinating. God had a clever plan—just as physical beauty fades, our soul enriches. Our self-love deepens. We become more accepting of the fat redistributing and the skin wrinkling (honestly, sometimes I look down and think, “Hey, this looks like my mum’s arm—lol!”). I took a few spontaneous snapshots in my bikini after a Sunday dip (and a little sip of Minuty rosé!). I always swore I’d never do a bikini post on my “professional” social media. But here we are. If I can help others relate and share in this wellness journey authentically and joyfully, then this is me—and let it be you, too!
These pictures aren’t to show off a genetically blessed or athletic body—because that’s not what I was given. I’m no long-limbed mesomorph. Every bit of muscle has been hard-earned. Could I achieve more definition, a better muscle-to-fat ratio, with stricter discipline? Sure. But that’s not my mission. I’m not cutting out wine—I love those giggles with my girlfriends after a few glasses, and the impromptu dance moves I seem to whip out! I’m not skipping afternoons with my grandkids for an extra gym session. And I’m definitely not giving up cheese and crackers or Quality Street at Christmas.

For me, it’s about balance and keeping it real. We all make our own choices.
What I do have in me is the drive to work out most days—and I don’t do “wossie” workouts. I know how to train efficiently and get results. I’ve done this for almost 40 years, and I think it’s safe to say I know a thing or two! My goal is to age with strength, grace, and quality of life. Just 4–5 hours a week of committed strength training, plus staying generally active, goes a long way. I don’t hit 10,000 steps a day, but I rarely sit still for long.

I’m not numbers-driven. I live, train, and teach intuitively. Yes, science is important, but the flood of information—on protein, supplements, workout methods—can be overwhelming. I’ve never been into intermittent fasting; it just didn’t feel right for me. And interestingly, some studies are now showing it might actually increase cortisol, which is exactly what we want to avoid.
We’re all unique. Biomechanically and physiologically, no two of us are the same. The key is tuning in and figuring out what works for you.

I’ve been through menopause. I’ve weathered an incredibly stressful seven years—an unresolved divorce, the loss of both my parents (and missing their funerals), and more recent business challenges. So yes, I can blame recent weight gain around my middle on cortisol spikes. But this too shall pass. I know how to manage my stress. I meditate, I pray, I practice Theta healing—and, of course, I move my body. It’s all part of staying balanced.

I always prioritise protein. Did you know we lose about 5% of muscle mass per decade after 30—and that accelerates dramatically after 60? Muscle is the organ of longevity, and lifting weights is essential. For bone health, cardio health, mental health—nothing beats strength training. There’s even a direct link between quadricep strength and lifespan. (You won’t attend one of my classes without doing some squats—trust me!).

I eat clean: loads of fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, and gallons of purified water.

My workouts are designed for results. Yes, some people say they’re “too tough”—but everything is modifiable. If you’re lying on a mat going through the motions, fooling yourself you’re working hard… well, you probably won’t see the results. I tell every member of my online club (and soon, my new studio classes): you can be a beginner, you can have injuries—we work around all that—but you must show up with the right attitude. I mean business when I work out—but we also have fun, and I never take myself too seriously.

So, find your why. Define how you want to age, how you want to feel—and with a click on our website (here), or a snap of your heels, let me take you on my magic ride to infinity and beyond!
________________________________________
✨ Key Wellness Tips from a 62-Year-Young Soul
• Celebrate your body—imperfections and all. It’s about what it can do, not how it looks.
• Prioritise strength training—just 4–5 hours a week can change your quality of life.
• Focus on protein—especially after 60, to combat muscle loss.
• Don’t fear weights—they support bone, heart, and mental health.
• Stay active daily—even if you don’t hit 10,000 steps.
• Manage stress—through movement, prayer, meditation, or healing practices.
• Keep balance—enjoy your wine, cheese, and moments with loved ones.
• Follow your intuition—what works for others may not work for you.
• Embrace aging—your soul deepens as your body changes.
• Have fun with fitness—and don’t take yourself too seriously.

In the midst of the ashes – May 2025

Singita Wellness has been so much more than a fitness club and spa to so many people. Our incredible community have been reaching out to me personally since our closing was announced. I have slowly been getting back to each and everyone of you and I thank you for such wonderful powerful words expressing what Singita (meaning miracles in Tsonga Southern African language) really meant to you all.

The place where you not only got the best kickass classes, we pushed through with laughter and joy, challenging you to new levels. The coffees or smoothies before or after classes on the pool patio is where the real authentic friendships were formed. The support and connection to one another provided a profoundly heartwarming sense of community and belonging on an island where for so many it’s a second home or newer home and it never seems to be as easy to make those deep meaningful connections later on in life. Deep rooted friendships are so often formed through school, university, workplace as we go through challenges and share formative experiences together.

What you may not all know, is just how much Singita Wellness Mullins has meant to me personally, over and above the fore mentioned. It has been my safe space and sanctuary for the last 7 years, the space where I felt loved, appreciated and valued for the work and effort that I put into the classes, the Spa, the beautifying of it all and making sure everything everyday worked in pure well thought out Singita style. I probably put the effort into Singita Wellness I would have in creating a home. It’s very sad for me to slowly break down what I so carefully created from scratch, the attention to detail, whether sourcing bamboo to whitewash for the pots or my daughter hand painting our signs for the doors.

You probably also don’t know that on Sundays, the only day it was closed, you would still find me there, escaping the situation at home, which is not longer my sanctuary and peaceful place.

I think most of you know the struggle I have been having, to extricate myself from a very difficult marriage. A loving peaceful home has been nonexistent and in fact the complete reverse for many years. I am still not able to move from this volatile environment unfortunately, and cannot say too much for legal reasons. I’ve tried to reframe my way of living as I just have a bad neighbour. My Grandchildren have called Singita “Gran’s home’ and we’ve had amazing little Sunday morning rituals, feeding fish and playing in the studio, the best soft playroom for toddlers. I think you may have noticed the teeth marks in the Yoga blocks! So through this cycle and the evolutionary process of Singita, I know without a doubt I have evolved and have more strength to face the adversity with courage.

Some of you have very sweetly asked how I’m enjoying putting my feet up now we have closed Singita Mullins doors. And whilst Singita Wellness will continue online whilst we find a new space, the reality of my ‘time off’, is it’s been back-breaking days of packing boxes and moving equipment and furniture from Singita Wellness, with the wonderful help of Lavern, Amanda and Kim. I’m busy organizing a good Zoom set up on my terrace at home to live stream classes for my Online Club members. It’s getting there, I do love transforming space and putting our serene Singita energy and Spirit into new spaces and see how the miracle unfolds.

So as I sit amongst half packed boxes, and the dismantling of what was so painstakingly created, I am faced with the myriad of mixed emotions of what my future security will be – financially and emotionally. I cannot help but think of a “Phoenix rising from the ashes” The phoenix a symbol of hope of life, of better things to come, born from the knowledge and experience of difficult and challenging times to rise in powerful renewed glory. So let’s get through the drudgery, let’s work through the tough stuff, with commitment, courage and tenacity. And more importantly, let’s hold the vision! Let’s manifest the new Singita space. It won’t be the same, but it will be beautiful, harmonious, authentic and inviting. Let’s dream, let’s trust in God’s Greater plan, onwards and upwards my glorious Singitians!!!! In the words of the amazing anthem by Journey “Don’t Stop Believing”.

And in the meantime – if you haven’t yet joined the Online Club – why not give it a try (link here). For now, this will be my offering as well as my living, and your support means everything.

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about’. Margaret J Wheatley

(I wonder if she is a distant relative?…lol)

Love Michelle x

Looking back – stepping forward – April 2025

The unfolding of the future Singita Wellness is most definitely a leap of faith particularly as far as space or studio is concerned. As we are a week away from packing up at Mullins I have been reminiscing about the excitement and the anticipation as well as the hard work it took to launch Singita Wellness at Mullins and create a beautiful, serene space from a rather undesirable building.

I have always been sensitive to my surroundings and I remember as a small child the aversion to going into big department stores with my Mom – the glaring lights, the loud noises, the display of garish wares, would have me feeling quite distraught. I’m sure many of you can relate to this kind of sensitivity. I work so much better and feel so much more at peace when surrounded by softness, aesthetically pleasing, calming surroundings where the world just feels right.

So looking back at these old photos from seven years ago, where there was no studio, (this was the gym with rubber flooring) I have such gratification and fulfillment in what was created over a few months. New flooring, walls, lighting, walls torn down and the stunning whitewashed floor in the studio felt like the final touch. This past season was a great success, probably my most fulfilling, yet my most exhausting, teaching classes and personal training my lovely clients, but the memories put a smile on my face as it was all so much easier in our pretty serene studio.

This being said, spaces and buildings are just bricks and mortar, and can be easily re created. It really is the Spirit and the energy that allows this all to come alive. At Singita Wellness, it has been the amazing people, the beautiful souls that have filled the space, our loving team, here to nurture, uplift, love and hopefully inspire and help heal our members.

This is the essence of being Singitian, as you have all come to realize my enthusiasm, my true authentic passion for what I do to help motivate and inspire you all on your wellness journey is the “Spirit of Singita”.

This is with me always, I’m inspired by my Creator and connected with love always and this will be with me and us wherever we may find ourselves next.

I’m stepping into the unknown and with a great leap of faith I have a deep sense of knowing and excited anticipation. I will find our next home when the time is right, and Spirit will be with me to lead the way and create another beautiful space.

Thanks to our true loyal Singitians for your patience as we ‘Follow the yellow brick road” into a new chapter.

Let’s embrace the change, enjoy the journey and trust the process.

Peace Out! Chuck it in the f… it bucket! – September 2024

I have finally found freedom, free your mind and the rest will follow, Wait, that’s a song, and it goes much deeper than this as it’s a spiritual growth and one I have signed up for and guess what, I have a newfound freedom, and peace I have never felt before. You’ve heard my spiritual musings of peace, love, hope and faith, and these are my fundamental truths and very much my core beliefs, that will never leave me.

However, there is a glorious thing when we come of age, well finally for me at this stage of life, I now enjoy a much greater sense of freedom. I have been a people pleaser, a Pollyana, most of my life. I am the middle child, apparently waking up with a smile on my face every morning unlike my sleepy disgruntled morning siblings, and my role in my family was to be perfect, to be the peace keeper. I would never want to ruffle any feathers and was conscientious at school in my formative years, (a bit of a rebel in my latter youth). In primary school I was distraught if my report card wasn’t all straight A’s , honours in ballet was the only acceptable result, and perfection was my pinnacle of creation and the only way to get to peace and happiness.

Moving on, I have met and married, (yes twice) a couple of understandably more controlling personalities, the latter in a social disguise. These commanding archetypes completely suited my persona allowing me to try really hard to be the best wife, helper, happy, sweet, kind, loving, lets keep the whole world happy and this role fitted me perfectly well.

Until life as it uncannily does have a way of hitting you over the head with a 2 by 4 and you find yourself in a place of victimhood, a complete shock, sadness and disbelief, wondering “how did I get here” This is not to blame anyone else, I leave that up to God. The only person I can turn to is myself. I chose this. I’ve had to take a good hard look at myself and tried to unravel and discover why I allowed or rather chose unhealthy, toxic situations, always convincing myself it was ok, I can get through. I will keep smiling, dancing, walking on egg shells and keep it all together. Keep everyone happy, for that is paramount, maintaining this false sense of positivity. Until eventually, one final straw, breaks the camels back, and it is not ok.

I found myself enlightened and on an evolutionary journey. A decade long journey of self discovery, “hey, what about me?” I have needs too, I need that extra love and affection. I need to feel valued and supported, I deserve to be cherished and adored. I am a perfectly, imperfectly created human being and others should be able to take care of me too. Not really comfortable for me, I have to admit, but an epiphany none the less. As I had been so accustomed to plugging myself into the lives of others, I had definitely lost my own sense of self. After burying my head in many self help and spiritual books, some sessions with therapists I found the one thing that helped me more than anything, Theta Healing. It made such a difference to my life, allowing me to abandon so many fears, I knew I needed to know more to help others on a similar journey. I took the basic course, and a year later the Advanced Level course and took myself on a beautiful evolutionary journey of self love.

With an overwhelming commitment I had to find my way back to myself which seems so clichéd, aren’t we supposed to do this in our twenties backpacking around the world? I had moved countries with my first husband, South Africa to Canada in my early twenties and was raising two young children and starting my career in the fitness / wellness world, certifying in many different fitness modalities, personal training and nutritional coaching.

Fast forward to my second marriage in Canada and moving to Barbados to discover things were not quite what I believed them to be, or sadly deep down I knew and accepted, until that literal blow where you know “I need to get the hell out of here” which can take many years if one party wants to stall and has done. Hence my even deeper level of spiritual growth, learning acceptance for where I was, doing my best to maintain an attitude of gratitude for which I have so much. Family, friends, my health and incredible Singita Wellness business. I am eternally blessed this provides me so much peace and love, and huge gratification.

I am no longer the victim I am now victorious as the lessons I have learnt are invaluable. I am stronger and now perhaps a little bit of a stickler for not allowing people to walk into my life without a sense of honesty, integrity and stability. and that trust for me does not come nearly as easily. Be impeccable with your word as Don Miguel Ruiz so succinctly explains in his book, The Four Agreements.

Please speak only the words that you mean. I get so easily put off by “I’ll call you later”, and no call comes or let’s get together and no invitation or concrete plan comes together, or any of the various forms of throwing random words out which have no or little meaning or intention. Be truthful with your word, please, show up, stand up, be full of integrity and grace. Please do not waste time with confusion, inconsistency and unnecessary complexities. Above all I choose peace!

I certainly know I’m not perfect, but I now choose my own peace and happiness above all else. If you’ve shown me more than once you cannot keep your word and display any sense of real authenticity, respect, consideration or truth, you don’t deserve my trust or respect. When someone reveals to me who they truly are, I now believe them the first time around. So my new mantra (yes very spiritual) is……..

I’m just going to chuck this in the f…. it bucket and move on!

Peace Out!!!

PS: You can read more about Theta Healing here or email to book a session.

My oh my, 10 days fun = 5 extra pounds! August 24

This happens to us all, so I wanted to reach out to let you know, keeping fit, healthy strong and lean is not a magic pill. Probably best I don’t have a rant about those so called ‘magic’ diet pills out there, the long term side effects are frightening, but so many are looking for the quick fix and instant gratification.

Please remember some people are genetically gifted. The supermodel types, and these beautiful young yogis and fitness models all over social media might actually just be genetically long and lean. It is really tough to say how much of it is lifestyle and keeping fit and how much is a God given gift. And sadly, this is what we look to as our role models as we are surrounded by these young, slim beautiful people. Opting for a quick fix to lose weight for instant results only leads to long term problems. Longevity and quality of life is the crux of it all in my opinion!

I am not doing this to be the next aging fitness model, or to get better in the gym or in studio. My main objective is to get stronger, fitter, have improved mobility and flexibility so I can get better at life as I age. I do not want to feel restricted when I pick up my grandchildren and run around playing tag with them, or sit cross legged on the floor playing with mini creatures, as they jump on my back to be cheeky monkeys. I am thankful my side splits and mobile hips save me from injuring my groin, I do not want to feel I cannot load my own luggage in a car as I head on my trip, I have never mastered the skill of travelling light!

My goal is to age powerfully and perhaps disgracefully…. lol, I would like to do it all with as much grace as possible but not allow my age to be an excuse for no longer being able to function well in my daily life.

So here’s the truth. I am not genetically gifted, that’s a small minority of the population anyway. I have had to work for every little muscle gain, be fairly disciplined most of my life not to gain the extra fat. I know when I have a two week break or my lovely family pay me a visit and I let go a little more, eating more fatty or fried foods, enjoying a few more cocktails than usual (although I never fully restrict myself) its going to creep up. I then curiously step on the scale and voila there it is, those extra 5 pound. This is probably more due to water retention however, it still sits with more discomfort and bloating for me. I’m not a big believer in consistently stepping on the scale as we do know that muscle weighs more than fat, and takes up one third of the space. So, by changing your body composition and building lean muscle, this won’t show the difference on the scale but certainly will show the difference in the way your body looks.

So thanks to my lovely sister and niece for the visit, the good thing is that it was worth every meal out, every extra glass of wine as we had the most wonderful time together and these precious memory making moments are what life is all about. My point is to live a sustainable healthy lifestyle, its all about the balance, so here I go dialling it all back into a cleaner way of living over the next few weeks.

This is one of the reasons I started our 21 day challenge in July and had some great results, especially Lavern who broke some bad habits and looked and felt so much better in just 3 weeks. Lavern has now changed her lifestyle and habits for the long-term and this is what I love coaching people through.

My philosophy is very simple as I try cut through all the noise of what is out there. Its great to hear everyone’s opinions and the next best exercise regime that’s the magic cure to transform your body. I’ve been in this business long enough, over 35 years to have watched movement come full circle and you cannot reinvent the wheel and there is no amazing new machine or fitness modality or pill that will be the magic formula. It takes persistent, consistent commitment.

There is no doubt that movement is medicine and keeping consistent and adding variety is key. Resistance training is absolutely essential in my opinion but then again so is every aspect of fitness. Some cardiovascular activity, flexibility and mobility all hugely important. And this is why I design my classes the way I do, to cover all the bases.

Pilates and Yoga seem to be the preferred hyped-up movements of late but my lovelies this is not the be all and end all. If you only do these classes, you’re missing out on a whole lot of fun and extra benefits. Hence my schedule at Singita Wellness, we have HIIT, sculpt and Barre added to our Yoga and Pilates. I love it all and I feel the fittest I have ever felt at 61 years old and thankful for it everyday.

I could go on about nutrition but I cover this more in depth in our 21 day challenge which is meant to jumpstart or gear up your fitness level. By committing to my workouts everyday along with some Theta healing downloads, we are a group designed to help support, motivate and inspire each other as we are in it together. I create a WhatsApp group so there is daily support and an open forum for questions and answers. I add the mental/spiritual preparation and add healings for everyone who commits to the program.

It takes 21 days to make or break a habit, hence the 3-week commitment. Create your best life and allow your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self to shine and radiate like never before.

“ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves. Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?” Marianne Williamson

Our next 21 day challenge will begin October 1st and don’t forget to reach out if you’d like more information on this.

With love
Michelle x

PS. This picture was taken before the extra 5 pounds!

YOUR SUPER POWER IS YOU!!! – May 2024

I am now unapologetically ME, the imperfectly perfect creation from Source and with this deep sense of peace having finally reached this phase in my life where I am completely at ease with who I am. I may not be everyone’s cup of tea and I now see this as a good thing. We are here to evolve, to create, and I joyfully live my life helping as many others as I can to discover the path of well being, knowing that with this I attract those people who resonate with my energetic flow.

It has taken me many years to realize there is no reason to doubt myself, to question my knowledge or God given gifts. I no longer have any discomfort in putting myself “out there”, alluding to my social media which has been a wonderful marketing tool for me, I no longer fear the talk or people’s public opinion, or gossip mongers. I have always loved the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events and small minds discuss people”. I have absolutely no need for comparison, being in a rather competitive industry on a very small island, there is no reason to be concerned about competition. In fact, competition is a wonderful enhancer of innovation and an elevation of everyone else around you.

My vision and creation of Singita Wellness was born entirely from my heart and soul. My knowledge and experience, hard earned over 35 years in the fitness and wellness industry in Canada, South Africa and Barbados, has now thankfully been brought to fruition with the continued success of Singita Wellness, the beginnings of which took root 6 years ago when offered the opportunity by Royal Westmoreland to take over the lease. Along with our loving community in Barbados our ever-growing Online Club, (one of Covid’s silver linings) has been a pure joy and blessing, as my zoomies log on from all around the world and workout with me everyday!!! My intention was always to help as many people as possible on their wellness journey and I can now reach out not only to Barbados but globally.

We seldom get to this place of wisdom without the years of living and a few hard knocks to take a good look at the truth and the facts. I have been a people pleaser most of my life, I have been a little over generous, a little too trusting of others whose intentions might not have been the purest. I believed and trusted before the trustworthiness was proven. I was once told by a talented trusted intuitive, “you don’t have a bad bone in your body, but you should take off those rose-coloured glasses”. This has been a bit of a blessing and a curse for me. My mission is to empower others, build others up, help others to heal. I applaud success and growth of my team especially as I recognized their potential and helped expand their roles.

The hard truth, and my tough lesson, is that not everyone is here to support me, as I choose to support them. I have now learnt to be a lot more discerning, to not give up my intellectual property as freely. To wait and see before I jump into joint ventures and collaborations. Hence me teaching 90% of our classes (exhausting but rewarding) and being extremely careful of who I allow into my sacred space, my inner fold so to speak. I am a bit of a Mother Hen and treat my team like family, probably a little naïve in a harsh business world where people are striving to get ahead.

That being said, I am happy the way I do things, I am and always will be a nurturer and with this pure intention I walk with deep calm and comfort into our harmonious space. I walk cross the waterfall pool terrace and into our koi pond heart centred building with an extra spring in my step and smile on my face. It feels like home, not only to myself, but to so many of our team, members and guests.

I will preserve my energy and hold my space, always filled with Divine light and guidance as a true connection to self and God, and empowering and inspiring others will come with a very conscious discernment of giving up my energy for all the right reasons for all the right people in my life.

Our personality our character, our energy, our charisma – that certain “je ne said quoi” is distinctly and perfectly imperfectly created just for YOU!

Believe in yourself! Take care of yourself and share your energy with discernment, not everyone deserves a place at your table!

Grateful, thankful, blessed for my true authentic friends, colleagues, Singita family and my real family who have supported me and loved me through so much of my personal and business life over the years. Through the challenges I have risen stronger, more courageous and committed to my true purpose. I LOVE YOU all!!

Life lesson number 359783000 Ha ha!

It’s all in the Balance – November 23

Living a life of balance is a beautiful thing, there is lyrical pattern to it all. As in nature, like the rolling waves, the ebbs and flows of our lives should replicate this sense of ease and serendipitous timing. Allowing and being, instead of forcing and doing, taps into a much greater Divine matrix and there in lies the manifestation of miracles. So let’s find that balance between work and play, discipline as well as fun joyful moments, eating mindfully and clean and moments of celebratory bubbles and scrumptious dessert. The most important thing for maintaining our health, the thing that lifts our spirits, calms our mind, and has undeniable physical benefits, is exercise.

There was a time when I first started on this wellness journey where I became a little obsessive, especially when raising two young children and I was intent on providing them with the healthiest environment possible. Every cleaning product in our house was non toxic and biodegradable, which was not a common thing in the eighties and early nineties. All food as organic and green as possible, with hidden grated vegetables to add as much nutritional supplements to all their food. Coke or other soft drinks were completely forbidden, and it was a trip back to my homeland South Africa where my son, then about 7 or 8 discovered there was such a thing as BBQ’d spare ribs, which he’d been deprived of his entire young life. I also later discovered hidden vitamins under couches by cheeky toddlers who could outsmart me every step of the way.

Eventually I realized I was becoming a bit too obsessed with this quest for health for our family and that life includes some unhealthy realities which are difficult to avoid. This neurosis of mine was not good for my health. Stress being the Number 1 cause of any disease, it finally dawned on me, life is about balance. As long as I was feeding my family nutritious clean food 80% of the time, I had to let the rest go. Epigeneticists have given us break downs of the influences and cause of disease. Obviously genetics plays a huge role, although I love all the research by neuroscientists eg Dr Joe Dispenza who has pointed out and proven that it is not the actual gene that carries the DNA coding but the expression of the gene which will effect the consequence or outcome. This to me is so exciting, that we have an ability to augment change through Meditation and Theta Healing.

So let’s talk about balance in fitness movement. I was pondering why people do get a little obsessive about one particular exercise style or movement, be it yoga, Pilates or bodybuilding, marathon running or long distance cycling. As always the media has a huge influence as we are inundated with the latest new miracle workout or nutritional craze. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. We all find our groove and we should definitely gravitate towards which style of movement fills your soul more, or provides you with the most benefits, physically, mentally or emotionally.

I came to realize that I enjoy every style of movement and see the benefits of all, and there has been a deliberate intention, when designing my classes and schedule, that we maximise this variety. The focus and mindfulness of Pilates providing much needed core strength and spine health, improving back pain, sports performance, daily function and longevity. Yoga, allowing the mind to settle and anything from gentle into more intense improves flexibility, circulation, balance and consequently reducing any injuries and stress levels.

The thing that excites me the most is resistance training which is now proving to be even more beneficial than we once thought. Dr Gabrielle Lyon shows and discovered lifting weights releases myokines which in turn improves bone health, brain health and nutritional utilization. “In essence, building muscle creates something like body armour that protects you in all domains of health”.

Longevity is the top of mind for so many of us, movement mobility, strength and safeguarding against falls and fractures. The absolute best thing, at the heart of this all is our capacity to build and sustain lean muscle. Maintaining skeletal muscle is critical for preserving our lifespan, shifting body composition and therefore our metabolic rate and managing weight.

We can defy the aging process and take action, at Singita Wellness we love to guide you through your wellness journey in a soul fulfilling and fun way!

So this holiday season we should have some fun, but also find our balance by committing to regular exercise, at Singita Wellness we offer it all. Don’t forget to book your spot this time of year, and there is always space on Zoom, so join our online club for as little as $35 per month, with live streamed classes 6 days per week and 100 on demand on the website.

Click here to read a description of some of our classes which are combined and balanced to offer a variety of modalities.