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 Winter Solstice with Ranju Roy. Opening practice exploring Winter Solstice through philosophy, mindful movement and meditation. 

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 Nickie Short. A practice-based session built around three meditations on a shared theme but using different techniques - mantra, breath, and antar mouna/thought watching, finishing with Q&A. 

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. 

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