Description

At a time of constant pressure and distraction, this online festival, featuring five experts tutors in yoga and ayurveda, invites you to return to what matters most. Featuring:

9.00-10.15 - Yogic Philosophy of Mid-Winter with Ranju Roy. Although our western understanding sees time as linear - an infinite line travelling in one direction - in ancient India, time was cyclical, a never-ending spiral without beginning or end. At the macro level there are four great ages (Yugas) which end with Kali Yuga (the age of darkness and destruction) but begin again with Satya Yuga (the age of truth and clarity). At a more micro level, each year spirals from growth (spring) to fulfilment (mid-summer) and then decay (autumn) and dormancy (mid-winter). And even more intimately is the breath. A single breath, with its four parts, can become a metaphor for a year; each part of the breath, like each season, rich in its unique qualities.

In this workshop, we will explore two different types of inhale and two different types of exhale. We will feel how the way we breath in and out influences our experience of the stillness of breath retention (antara kumbhaka) and breath suspension (bāhya kumbhaka). And finally, we will link the breathing cycle to the yearly cycle; each a never-ending spiral. The workshop will set the context for the rest of the day and combine theory and practice (both of āsana and prāṇāyāma) and leave time for discussion, questions and answers. 

10.45-12 - Breath and the Turning Towards Light with Ankit Kumar. The winter solstice is the longest night of the year, the moment the light pauses and quietly begins to return. This session explores what that turning means for our own breath and body, and how we can align ourselves with it. We will talk about the solstice as a turning point between exhalation and inhalation, rest and renewal, and the balance of the solar and lunar currents, and connect it to modern physiology along the way. We will also look into yoga philosophy to understand the definition of the yogic breath. 

From here we bring these principles into the body. Taught in a slow, alignment-led style, the practice will begin with gentle warm-ups and open into a small number of standing postures, each explored in careful detail. Suitable for all levels, it is a gentle, grounding practice for meeting the dark with steadiness, and arriving at the turning point of the year ready to greet the returning of the light.

12.30-13.45 - Kaya Sthairyam and Stillness with Tulsi Short. Experiencing, and then abiding in a state of stillness, is one of the biggest challenges of meditation and even for those who find a state of physical stillness the mind can often remain in constant movement around sensory impressions.  The aim of Kaya Sthairyam is to induce a deeper sense of physical stillness that can then lead to a natural stilling of the mind.  The practice is often used as a preliminary or introductory meditation practice, however, it is far more profound than just forcing stillness upon the physical body and it can become a potent meditation practice in its own right. Although translated as ‘body steadiness’ or ‘bodily stillness’, the purpose of Kaya Sthairyam is to encourage the stilling of all the senses through focussing primarily on physical experience. The stillness that can be encountered through the practice of Kaya Sthairyam is not one of a forced, or false, stillness of the body and mind but a gradual releasing of any need to make physical movement and, through the potential stillness that arises, a loosening of the impact of all sensory impressions.

In today's modern world there is a never ending stream of sensory impressions, in fact it could easily be described as a torrent. From the moment we awake to the noise of the alarm, the first check on the phone for messages, social media stories, the radio playing in the background on the way to work, a podcast in our ears on a morning run …. the list is endless and often does not cease until we lay our head on our pillow again at night. Even our yoga practice can be experienced through the same medium - our teachers' voice and visual instruction channeled through an online screen. Learning to acknowledge and experience deep stillness allows us the possibility of being able to meet the busyness of life whilst not being so fully identified with, or carried away by the busy-ness of life. In fact, the deepening of our practice, and experience, of meditation allows us to participate more and more in the  rich tapestry of life whilst remaining conscious of the deeper stillness that lies veiled at the core of our being and at the core of all that is.

This will be a practice-based session built around three meditations on a shared theme but using different techniques - mantra, breath, and antar mouna/thought watching.  The session is appropriate for anyone who is able to breathe.  

14.30-15.45 - Ayurveda for Winter with Brenda Ward. Practical wellbeing tips — routines, herbs, spices, and immunity support. Interactive practices — reflection, mantra. Guided relaxation — a calming nature-based meditation. 

16.15-17.30 - Yoga Nidra with Catherine Annis. As the days shorten towards the solstice, this session is a chance to actually stop - not just slow down. We'll start with some gentle somatic movement and simple breathwork to help the body settle and the mind follow, then move into an extended Yoga Nidra practice. If you're new to Yoga Nidra, it's a guided meditation practised lying down - sometimes called "yogic sleep", though that undersells it a little. The body rests deeply while awareness stays present, which gives the nervous system a real opportunity to shift into recovery rather than just standby.

The solstice has always been a natural pause built into the year, and Yoga Nidra gives us space to lean into that. In a season that doesn't leave us much room for ourselves, conscious rest isn't an indulgence, it's genuinely useful: it supports nervous system regulation and you'll leave feeling clearer and more grounded.

Additional Information

This is an online event, open to all levels of yoga practitioner. 

What to Bring

Mat, notebook and pen, your usual asana props. 

During Tulsie's session there will be some time spent in seated postures so ensure that you have cushions, blocks, a chair or whatever else you need to be comfortable.  

For Catherine's session please bring blankets and cushions for support and comfort.  You may also enjoy a delicious treat ready for afterwards.