Productivity – Without Punishment By Amber Cowburn

Amber Cowburn, TEDx speaker and Founder of Working Well (Mental Health Training and Tools) has written this guest blog on the pressures of hustle culture and shares 4 tips for productivity…

I love the energy of a new month, a new year, or a new season. I love to embrace the fresh energy, schedule the upcoming period and set mini goals. But these opportunities for a new chapter that occur in the calendar have been absolutely bombarded and distorted by ‘hustle culture’.

Hustle culture is so pervasive across social media, the print media and of course; the world of self-help. It can make you feel as if you aren’t doing enough, achieving enough, or that you aren’t enough.

It encourages us to scramble manically, spin more plates and constantly put ourselves down. It encourages a ‘new year, new me’ focus with unsustainable transformations, rooted in self-loathing and punishment.

And it’s not the only – or the best – way!

One of my favourite themes as a mental health trainer is the concept of productivity without punishment. In fact, I care about it so much, it’s the reason I created my range of notebooks and planners – to organise and uplift. To remind you that your self-care and wellbeing should be on your to-do list too! To remind you that you can be productive, without punishing yourself. This is an antidote to hustle culture. It encourages a gentler approach to achieving things and progressing. With self-care and self-celebration taking a front seat, rather than self-judgement and criticism.

The bottom line is… we can still get things done, whilst caring about our mental wellbeing!

I’m going to share 4 starter tips for productivity without punishment…

1. Start by thinking about and auditing your self-narrative.

How you speak to yourself is so important and being self-critical and putting yourself down all the time can have an enduring and detrimental effect. Changing up your self-narrative takes work and it won’t be an overnight change. But start that journey by trying to catch yourself when you’re being self-critical, or adding in some positive affirmations, or a bit of praise of things you’ve done well recently.

2. Write everything down…

Lists, thought journals, planning, mind-mapping, vision boards. Whatever suits you best! Getting pen to paper allows us to empty out everything that is spinning around in our head. It can help us see how much we are already doing and encourage a bit of self-celebration too! I’m a big fan of writing things down as the simplest but most effective way of giving yourself some headspace. Plus, it can help us map out the goals that are most important to us and really visualise them…

3. Break goals and tasks into mini manageable steps.

In my workshops, I like to remind people that whole mountains are scaled with a series of small steps! So what can feel absolutely impossible and untenable… break it down and just get started. The smallest step forward is still a step forward; and that’s how we make progress! Simply staring at a big goal or task in its entirety can be so terrifying, and paralyse us into taking no action at all. Similarly, I encourage people to start small with self-care habits and build them from there. You don’t have to commit to drastic action to see a big impact over time… that can come from small steps too!

4. Make time to celebrate the small wins and the small things!

Encouraging a little bit of self-celebration and reflection is so important. We often finish something and even if it was a big deal to us in the beginning, we just rush onto the next thing. We don’t stop to say ‘wow, well done me!’. Whether this is a moment to reflect, a celebratory treat, a dance around the kitchen or messaging a friend to share your small win… it all counts! It will boost your mood and your self-confidence, and crucially, it teaches you to enjoy - and celebrate - the journey along the way!

Amber has worked in mental health awareness for over 10 years. She’s a 2 x TED speaker, and has accolades such as the Diana Award (2019), Rotary National Community Champion (2019), and Prime Minister's Point of Light Award (2018). 

​She set up Working Well in 2019 as a training and consultancy business to deliver bespoke solutions to businesses, empowering and equipping them to be mental health aware workplaces.

Find out more at www.workingwellsw.com

Circadian Rhythms and the Sleep Wake Cycle

At this time of year, when I feel my sleep cycle changing to match the long nights and short days, I always find myself fascinated with circadian rhythms. 

In the depths of winter, I’m sure I'm not the only one who finds it incredibly difficult to get up in the morning and a huge pull to stay in, retreat and hibernate in the dark winter evenings.

It’s comforting to know that this isn’t just me being lazy or unsociable, but my body’s circadian rhythm reflecting the cycle of day and night - light and dark. 

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental and behavioural cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock which follow a 24-hour cycle. They run in the background to carry out essential functions and processes such as wakefulness, body temperature, metabolism, digestion, and hunger, responding primarily to light and dark. Circadian rhythms affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes (sleepfoundation.org). 

The sleep wake cycle, in short, works like this: when the optic nerve in your eyes senses light in the morning, cortisol and other hormones are released to help you wake up. When the sun sets, the pineal gland is triggered to release melatonin - the sleep hormone (hopkinsmedicine.org). 

Essentially, light is your body’s signal to be awake, dark is your body’s signal to be asleep. This is why it’s crucial not to punish yourself for feeling more tired during the winter when there are more hours of darkness -  your body is literally receiving the signal to sleep. 

If we can learn to lean into these cycles, it can have a positive effect on our physical and mental health, as opposed to fighting against them, which can cause irregular circadian rhythms. So during winter, don’t be hard on yourself for needing those extra hours in bed… 

Try reflecting the daylight hours in your sleep patterns so that you’re settling down early in the evening and waking up with the sun in the morning.

Limit the amount of light you’re getting in the evening to ensure your body is getting the signal to sleep. Dim the lights and avoid your phone!

Also try to get as much bright, natural light in the morning to ensure you’re giving your body the signal to wake up! It’s easy to want to keep the curtains closed and stay inside but it is massively beneficial to get outside and soak up the sun (or clouds maybe!) as early and as much as possible. 

Daily Rituals For Winter

January is a funny old month isn’t it? It can be a great time to retreat and spend more time at home looking after yourself after the excitement and busyness of Christmas. However, it can also be an extremely challenging time for many: winter in England can be very wet, dark and cold. 

Did you know that January is named after the Roman god Janus, who was known as the protector of gates and doorways, symbolising new beginnings and endings. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other with the ability to see into the future. 

I like this idea for January, that you don’t have to hit the ground running into the new year with big plans and resolutions, but it’s still a time for reflection, planning and starting to make some good habits part of your daily routine.

I’ve put together 7 rituals that help me get through the winter months, that I hope will encourage others to embrace winter too…

1. Give yourself extra time in bed. Whether it’s when you go to bed at night or when you wake up in the morning, whether you spend it sleeping/reading/practicing yoga nidra, it’s up to you. Give this extra time to yourself.

2. SLOW DOWN and enjoy the ritual of making your morning coffee/tea. It might be the first thing you have done that day, so make it a good one and enjoy each moment. 

3. See the sunrise: Cheryl Strayed said "there's a sunrise and sunset every day. You can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty." Make the most of the sun coming up later and make sure you’re outside to enjoy the sun rise (even if that’s during the commute/school run). 

4. Nourish yourself with hot lunches, extra cups of tea, a piece of chocolate in the afternoon. What is your body asking for that will promote your wellbeing this winter? 

5. Make the long evenings extra cosy. Light a candle, grab a hot water bottle, have a bath, get into a new series you can't wait to watch more of - this is the time for bedding in. 

6. Incorporate lovely scents into your routine: candles, wax melts, sage, incense. I find scents can completely change the feeling in a room and it’s a ritual you can do daily to create a positive space for yourself. Check out Tyler Armomatherapy’s range of oil blends and candles. 

7. Limit your screen time. This is nothing new, but something that I am still trying to get better at and makes a world of difference to my wellbeing, all year round.

These small rituals are easy to adopt and can really make a world of difference so that you’re able to enjoy rather than endure winter.

A Message That You Might Need to Hear This Festive Season...

A message that you might need to hear this festive season: to be able to look after others, you have to first look after yourself. 

At this time of year, lots of us are busy making plans and preparations for the next couple of weeks - seeing friends and family, shopping, cooking, eating, drinking, followed by the clean-up operation and then doing it all over again! It’s a lovely time of year, but it’s also important to remember that if you’re not looking after yourself, you will have nothing ‘to give’ to others. 

Whatever you’re juggling this Christmas (and it might not be a busy time of year for you, but this message is still just as important), make sure that you are keeping your metaphorical cup filled up.

1. Try slowing down - slow your breath down, move slower; it’s amazing how everything around you feels like it slows down too. 

2. Prioritise time for yourself - even 10 minutes of yoga/meditation/exercise/extra time in bed - whatever you need that day, notice it and incorporate it into your plans. 

3. Try saying no - it can be hard when you don’t want to let other people down, but know that if saying no is going to support your own health and wellbeing, it’s not letting anyone down. 

4. Know that if you didn’t manage to send that card/buy that present/see that person - whatever it is that is just too much to fit in this year, it is NOT the end of the world. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful, healthy, happy and restful Christmas and New year! 

A Christmas Giveaway: Yoga Brunch Club X Wiper and True

WIN! Yoga Brunch Club X Wiper & True

To celebrate the festive season, and the launch of our Yoga Brunch Club series dates for 2023. We are teaming up with the brilliant Wiper and True for a giveaway of x2 tickets to attend a Wiper and True X Yoga Brunch Club event plus £50 bar tab to spend at the Wiper and True Taproom.

The prize includes:
X2 Yoga Brunch Club Tickets for a Wiper and True event in 2023
£50 Bar tab to spend at a time of your choosing
The perfect treat to start off 2023 right

To be in with a chance of winning:

Head to our instagram post for more details here.
Subscribe to our newsletter here for an extra entry 

To book tickets for our events you can find all the details here.

Festive Recipe: Stuffed Butternut Squash

This recipe from BBC Good Food is a lovely alternative to meat on the festive menu. It’s bursting with veggies, grains and flavour and looks amazing! You can also leave out the feta cheese to make this vegan. I served it with creamy mash potato and rich braised red cabbage.

Top tip - make sure you surround the squash with the filling when it’s cooking so you get lots of crispy and crunchy bits! Also, I added greek yoghurt to the tahini sauce for extra creaminess.

Ingredients - serves 6

• 150g pearl barley

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 25g pine nuts

• 25g flaked almonds

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 2 tsp coriander seeds

• 1 large butternut squash (about 1.2kg)

• 3 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil, plus a drizzle

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 1 leek, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 200g feta, crumbled

• small bunch sage, leaves picked and chopped

• few sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and chopped (I used thyme here as I had some in the cupboard and it worked just as well!)

• 50g dried cranberries or apricots, chopped, or a mixture of both

• 1 lemon, zested

For the tahini sauce

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1 tbsp honey

• small bunch parsley, chopped

Method

• STEP 1

  Cook the pearl barley following pack instructions, crumbling the stock cube into the boiling water for extra flavour. Drain and set aside to cool.

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts and almonds in a dry pan until nutty brown. Tip into a bowl and set aside. Use the same pan to toast the fennel and coriander seeds for a couple of mins, until aromatic. Grind the spices using a pestle and mortar.

• STEP 3

  Cut the squash in half lengthways through the centre. Scoop out and discard the seeds and any fibrous bits. Keep scraping to carve out a channel down the centre of both squash halves for stuffing, you may need to score the flesh with a knife first if your squash is very firm. The squash shell should be about 1.5cm thick all over when you’ve finished. Roughly chop any squash you remove and set aside. Score the flesh of the 2 squash halves in a criss-cross pattern, trying not to pierce the skin, rub with 1 tbsp oil and season well.

• STEP 4

  Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a pan and cook the onion, chopped squash and leek for 8-10 mins until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for another min. Add the pearl barley, nuts, spices, feta, herbs, dried fruit and lemon zest. Season well and cook for a min or 2 more, then pack the filling into the cavities in the 2 squash halves, keep any leftover stuffing. Tie the halves back together with kitchen string, as you would a joint of meat. The squash will shrink a little as it cooks, so make sure you make the knots nice and tight. Rub the outside with a little more oil and season well. Alternatively, wrap well in foil.

• STEP 5

  Place in a roasting tin lined with some foil or parchment and cook for 1 hr. Check if the squash is cooked by inserting a knife, it should go in with little resistance and the flesh should feel soft. Scatter any remaining stuffing around the squashetta and return to the oven for another 5 mins to warm through. Mix the tahini, lemon juice, honey and a drizzle of water to make a dressing. Carve the squash into slices and serve drizzled with the tahini sauce and scattered with parsley.

Click here for the recipe from BBC Good Food.

Winter Days Out Near Bristol

Fresh air, amazing food and plenty of new places to discover… try these ideas for days spent outside of the city this winter.

Cirencester market and an afternoon spent at The Stump Pub 

IMAGE: ISTOCK

Just over an hour from Bristol, you will find the town of Cirencester, nestled in the Cotswold countryside. Wander around the various markets that take place in the centre of town, under the shadow of Cirencester Abbey (check out the market timetable here). Head to Knead Bakery for the BEST almond croissants and coffee, or Sam and Jak’s restaurant for a more substantial brunch. 

Then continue on to Foss Cross where you will find plenty of public footpaths to wander and The Stump pub, a local favorite serving delicious pizza and pasta, great local beers, a roaring fire and pool table. Children and dog friendly, this is the perfect place to let a winter afternoon pass by. 

IMAGE: TRIPADVISOR

Westonbirt Arboretum walk and lunch in Tetbury

image: friends of westonbirt arboretum

Westonbirt Arboretum is home to 2,500 different species of trees from the far corners of the globe and 5 national tree collections. If you haven’t visited it, it’s a really amazing place and great for all ages. At this time of year they have the Enchanted Christmas light show where pre-booking tickets is essential. If the price tag of this puts you off, why not stop in Didmarton for a country walk instead? This quaint village is on the way from Bristol to Westonbirt and has beautiful walks through the Badminton Estate. 

Then carry on on the A433 to the historic market town of Tetbury where you will find gorgeous antique and lifestyle shops, as well as some great charity shops to hunt through! 

Call into Cafe 53 for coffee and cake in their bright and bustling cafe, get lost in Domestic Science homeware shop next door and then head for an early dinner at Lola and Co, Tetbury’s tapas and wine bar, offering Spanish, Mediterranean and English delights. 

iMAGE: ALAMY

Jolly Nice Farm Shop and walking on Minchinhampton Common

image: national trust images / nick meers

Just less than an hour from Bristol, Minchinhampton Common sits above the Stroud valleys and Severn estuary. Linked to Rodborough Common, the area totals almost 1000 acres of high open grassland and beautiful woods. Free to park and walk, this is a lovely day out of the city. 

After exploring the Common, head to Jolly Nice Farm Shop for a festive burst of local produce. Pick up some Christmas prezzies and a light lunch from the third generation farming family who founded the shop in 2013 and have watched it flourish ever since.  

How the Pelvic Floor Works During Your Yoga Practice by Rosie Cardale

Ever wondered what the pelvic floor is doing during your yoga practice? Or even where your pelvic floor actually is?! Check out this guest blog from Chartered Physiotherapist Rosie Cardale.

Those original yoga Gurus were well ahead of the curve when it comes to the pelvic floor, the mula bandha, In Sanskrit, ‘mula’ means root; ‘bandha’ means a lock or binding, refers to the root or base of the spine – exactly where the pelvic floor attaches to and can be located. The pelvic floor is an amazing complex of muscles, this blog is going to tell you all you need to know about how it works for you in your yoga practice. 

I’ve been a fan of yoga for several years and love so many aspects of the practice, I really fell in love with it during my yoga teacher training I completed in Greece in 2017. I loved the way it complimented my work as a physiotherapist. Since my yoga training I have specialized in an area of physiotherapy called women’s health or pelvic health, so I see and treat all things that change or become a problem in and around the pelvis, the pelvic floor being one of those things!

The pelvic floor is an amazing complex of muscles and connective tissue that sits deep within the pelvis. It attaches to most of the bony areas in the pelvis - the coccyx, the ilium, and the pubic bone and forms a hammock like shape. It has several very important jobs that it is helping you with all day every day. These functions are to control your bladder with when and how it empties and prevents you from leaking urine.  With your bowel habits and the control of this too. It provides an upward support to your pelvic organs and provides you with your sexual function as well. 

As I have said, it is working all the time, so as you read this, it is likely performing most of the functions mentioned above, unless you are sitting on the loo to read this blog post!! It is also therefore working for you without you thinking about it during daily life but also your yoga practice – how incredible is that? 

It works in synchronicity with your diaphragm, so when you inhale the pelvic floor will naturally relax a little (without losing all its resting tone) and it will gently contract as you exhale. 

The pelvic floor, as is the same with all muscles, needs to have both an ability to contract and relax, that’s how we get function, strength, and power from our muscles - in both their contraction and relaxation. 

So, all that pranayama (breathing) work you are doing at the start of the class and throughout it will be helping the muscles ability to relax and contract – you’ve had a pelvic floor workout before you have even started moving!

It also must maintain its function with movement too and it has an involuntary reflex that will anticipate any movement that is about to happen as the pressure in your abdomen rises. On anticipating this it will increase the tone or contraction in the muscle before these movements happen – I told you, it’s a very clever muscle. 

Because of this clever reflex, you therefore don’t need to ‘contract’ your pelvic floor during your yoga movements – phew one less thing to think about during that vinyasa class!

There are a few exceptions to this rule, if you experience any symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction during your yoga practice, then complimenting the movement or posture with a pelvic floor contraction where you feel this sensation could help reduce this. So, for instance if you feel that you leak urine as you hop forward from a down dog to mountain pose then a small pelvic floor contraction could help you here. 

But now I hear you ask how you do a pelvic floor squeeze! Well, most of the muscle mass (for both boys and girls) sits behind the back passage, so I often get people to imagine stopping yourself from breaking wind or smuggling diamonds through your back passage! Remember the muscle works with your breathing so an exhale can often help you to feel this rise in the muscle. You should be able to talk, breathe or sing whilst you have this muscle contracted and should also be able to feel it relax when you ‘let it go’ too. It’s advised to do pelvic floor exercises every day, holding for ‘long’ contractions for up to 10 seconds and repeating this 10 times and then also doing 10 quick contractions daily too. 

So how does this information influence your yoga practice? I have gone to several yoga classes recently where there has been a mention of the mula bandha or the pelvic floor, which is great that it is something being spoken about, and the awareness of this muscle is becoming more widely known. However, we don’t necessarily need to contract it all the time or worry that if we aren’t thinking about it when we move that it isn’t working. Here are my three top tips for how you can influence it with your practice:

1. Only ever ‘contract’ or engage it with static postures or poses – it is hard to engage it when you are moving, particularly during a chaturanga (unless you're experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction during your practice, as mentioned above)

2. If you want to use your yoga to help strengthen your pelvic floor, then focus on influencing your breathing more than your pelvic floor. Remember your diaphragm can influence your pelvic floor too and good dynamic movement will really help this muscle – try to avoid holding your breath during your practice. 

3. If you are struggling to feel it engage in static poses then start trying to feel it in a lying position, then try seated poses and then finally standing poses. It progressively works harder in all these postures – sitting on a yoga block to engage and relax your muscle can help give you some biofeedback to know if you’re doing the right thing. You should be able to feel the space between your sit bones gently lift away from the block and then fall back onto the block as you let it relax. 

Happy yoga practice!

Rosie works from Bristol Physiotherapy and has become certified as an APPI matwork and reformer Pilates instructor as well as a Yoga Alliance 200YTTC instructor and applies both movement techniques and principles to her practice.

You can follow Rosie on Instagram at @mae_physiotherapy or find out more about your pelvic floor on her website www.maephysiotherapy.com. 

A Fresh (and Non-Alcoholic) Cocktail for the Festive Season

iMAGE: https://pentiredrinks.com/blogs/serves/pentire-organic-apple

Pentire Adrift - Apple & Thyme

This is a herbaceous and fresh cocktail for the festive season! Perfect for lunch time and before dinner, this non-alcoholic spirit from Pentire is made by distilling unique plants native to the Cornish coastline.

I think like a lot of people at Christmas time, I can be left feeling far from my best after celebrating and indulging. So when I want to serve something special, but don’t feel like having alcohol, or I’m in need of something light and fresh, this plant based, low calorie, non-alcoholic cocktail is perfect. It’s free from added, sugar, artificial colourings and artificial flavourings and key botanicals include rock samphire, sage, Pentire Plant Blend, lemon citrus and Cornish sea salt.

Ingredients:

50ml Pentire Adrift
50ml fresh organic apple juice
Tsp raw honey
Lemon wedge
Sprig of thyme
Splash of soda water
Thin slice of apple

Garnish

Slice of apple
Sprig of thyme

Method

Measure the Pentire Adrift, apple juice, and honey into your chosen glass. Squeeze and drop in the lemon wedge. Stir before adding ice and a splash of soda. Garnish with a thin slice of apple and a sprig of thyme.

About Pentire

“Pentire started with a deep love and appreciation for nature and the outdoors. Creating a non-alcoholic spirit which captures the beauty, power and immense flavour of plants and enables clarity of mind and meaningful experiences outdoors, is what drives us. And it's these experiences which drive us to do everything we can to preserve, care for and celebrate the environment.

We make healthy drinks for active, outdoor loving folk. A healthier choice for the go-getters, the adventurous and the doers.”

To find our more about Pentire and their other products, click here.

Yoga Brunch Club: The Full Story + FAQ'S

I started the Yoga Brunch Club in 2015, and I have built a business I am hugely proud of, putting on Yoga Brunch Clubs and retreats across London, Bristol and the South-West. I'm looking to grow this community wider, to reach more cities, more people, and to create more joyful connections and experiences…

Our Vision 

Yoga Brunch Club started with a desire to bring people together through a love of yoga, great food and conversation. Sat around a well laid table, in beautiful surroundings and locations.

It’s an experience designed to carve out space and time in your week for you. Giving you the chance to become part of a bigger community, nourish and move your body and share conversations through a unique culinary experience.

From our Founder – Clem Balfour

So many of my favourite memories are from gathering around a table, sharing food, drinks, conversation with people I have known for years or someone I have just met that day. This memory becomes even more powerful when movement is involved, that deep connection you get from practising yoga in a room full of people. I have seen it happen hundreds of times, guests walk into the room as strangers then they practise yoga, breathing together side by side and this brings down invisible barriers. Conversations flow and continue over a delicious meal, numbers are swapped and friendships are made.

This is where the beauty and the essence of the Yoga Brunch Club community exists. 

There are two types of Yoga Brunch Clubs:

Yoga Brunch Club Experiences 

The Yoga Brunch Club experiences are our signature event and the most frequently requested dates, and spoken about events.

Every detail is meticulously selected to create a unique and unforgettable experience. What you can expect:

• A remarkable setting

• A 75-minute yoga class designed to soothe and energise you

• Time to nourish your body through movement and then food

• Hand-picked chefs creating the most delicious seasonal 3-course feast

• A well laid table, it’s all in the detail

• A space to create new culinary memories 

• A group of people to gather round a table with and build new connections 

Yoga Brunch Club Series 

The Yoga Brunch Club series partners with venues and locations that you might not always associate with yoga. If you are new to our community, these are a great way to get a taster of the Yoga Brunch Club experience. Yoga Brunch Club Series feature a 60-minute yoga class, delicious lunch and a drink.

FAQ’S

What are Yoga Brunch Clubs like and do I have to be good at yoga to attend?

Yoga Brunch Club creates inclusive, welcoming and  memorable experiences designed to encourage you to move and nourish your body, followed by a unique culinary experience. The classes are designed to be accessible to all levels, and there is no such thing as being “good’ at yoga- come and try it and you’ll see.

How many guests can attend a Yoga Brunch Club?

Our locations vary with the size of the group. We welcome between 25-50 people.

I’ve never practised yoga before, can I still attend?

Absolutely, we would love to have you there. The sessions are specifically designed to offer different options so there will be something in there for everyone. Please do let the teacher know if it is your first time, we all have to start somewhere and this is the perfect place to start your yoga journey.

What comes first the yoga or the food?

It’s surprising how many times this is asked, yoga comes first, working up an appetite for brunch which follows.

Do I need to bring my own yoga mat?

Yoga mats are always provided, but if you would prefer to bring your own please do.

What does a Yoga Brunch Club experience ticket include?

Tickets include a 75 mins yoga session,  three-course sit down brunch, a drink with your meal and a Yoga Brunch Club goodie bag filled with my favourite brands that I would love to introduce you to.

What does a Yoga Brunch Club series ticket include?

Tickets include a 60 mins yoga session, one course lunch or brunch and a drink.

My partner/friend wants to join but only wants to attend the meal. Is it possible to skip the yoga?

Yes that is fine but they still need to buy a full priced ticket.

There are a lot of ladies in your photos, can guys attend?

Yes!! Please don’t let the photos put you off - we welcome everyone.

Can I come on my own?

Absolutely, you will have plenty of time to chat and connect with others around you and we really encourage this. So many lasting friendships have been made at these gatherings.

How do I book tickets?

All tickets start with a 24-hour early release to Yoga Brunch Club email subscribers, after that tickets are then available to all via the ticket page.

How often do the events run?

Yoga Brunch Club Experiences run every 3-4 months with our Yoga Brunch Club series taking monthly.

I’m not in Bristol but I would love to attend, how else can I join?

You can join our mailing list to hear about our monthly updates, we are hoping to be in more cities in 2023. Watch this space.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please note, we are a small independent business and have to pay fixed costs for venues and menus, therefore tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.  If you can't make the event please find someone to take your place.

Do you share the menu before the event?

We like to keep menus a surprise to add to the experience of the day. When booking you can let us know of any dietary requirements and we will try and cater to these. 

All menus are vegetarian. 

Do you accommodate dietary requirements/food allergies?

Our chefs can accommodate most dietary requirements and food allergies, however it is important to consider due to the nature of the events and locations, dishes are prepared in non-traditional kitchens. We encourage conversation through sharing platters and meals, and the menu is set so we are unable to accommodate specific diets that guests may be on.

If you have any questions please email: yogabrunchclub@gmail.com 

El Kemp's Tahini Flapjacks

IMage: www.kempkitchen.co.uk/tahini-flapjacks

We recently enjoyed these delicious flapjacks on our November retreat, where El served them in the lounge in front of the fire on the Saturday afternoon, with lots of tea to go with them. They were a hit and didn’t stay around for long! Here’s the recipe from El’s website so you can try them at home. They make a great snack to have in the cupboard or to take to work.

INGREDIENTS:

160g coconut oil

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

50ml maple syrup

120ml golden syrup

2 tsp vanilla essence

70ml tahini

200g jumbo oats

300g porridge /quick cook oats

100g toasted sesame seeds (plus more to decorate)

50g desiccated coconut

Sea salt, a generous pinch

150g good quality dark chocolate (dairy free if making vegan)

1tsp coconut oil

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan / gas mark 4

Line a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper.

Melt the coconut oil in a pan with the brown sugar on a low heat, once melted take off the heat and add the maple syrup, golden syrup, vanilla and tahini. Whisk to combine.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour over the pan of liquid and mix everything together. If you need more liquid to bind, add more tahini. Taste the mixture and add a little more salt if needed.

Pour into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon to pat the mixture in tightly.

Bake for 40 mins or until golden on top. Cool in the tray.

Melt the chocolate and the coconut oil in a bowl over a pan of water. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes before pouring over the cooled flapjacks (easiest if they are still in the tin). Scatter over the sesame seeds and refrigerate.

Wait for the flapjacks to be completely cool before slicing into 16 squares. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Tips/ swaps

I like the texture when mixing two types of oats, but you can use a single type. If you only have jumbo oats, put 300g in a food processor and pulse a few times and the texture will be similar to quick cook porridge oats.

If you want a thicker chocolate topping then add more chocolate, not sure there can ever be too much!

For more recipes from the lovely El, head over to www.kempkitchen.co.uk

Let's Talk About Kindness

Did you know that Sunday 13th November was World Kindness Day? On this day The World Kindness Movement (which involves 28 nations from around the world!!) work to inspire individuals, schools, charities, institutions and businesses towards greater kindness… you have to love the sounds of that!

But today I don’t want to talk about how we should be treating each other with kindness, as I believe that should go without saying. Today, I wanted to talk about treating yourself with kindness. 

You can read one of my previous blogs about self-care here and get some tips from our selfcare calendar here, if you feel like you’re lacking in a little kindness to yourself. More than this though, I would like to draw your attention to the way we view ourselves and I would like you to ask yourself whether you speak to yourself with kindness? 

I saw a quote today that read ‘Love yourself enough to know that another woman’s accomplishments are not your failures.’ It made me think about how critical we are (especially women) on ourselves. And even if outwardly we’re doing all the right stuff: eating well, sleeping enough, exercising, practicing yoga, meditating, whatever you do to look after yourself, are you talking to yourself kindly? 

How do you talk to yourself when: 

• You make a mistake

• You look in the mirror

• You see someone who has reached a goal that you both share

• You’re running late

• You skip a workout/yoga practise 

Have a think about these and notice the internal dialogue you have next time one of the above happens. Imagine how you’d speak to a friend in these situations and then do the same for yourself. Kindness, like so much, starts from within. The more kindness we can show to ourselves, always, the more kindness we can show to others. 

Share this with someone who needs it and remember World Kindness Day for next year!

Autumn Recipe - Pumpkin Spice Bread

Nothing says autumn like pumpkin spice! The smell and taste is so lovely, if the colder weather and dark evenings are getting to you a bit, then this is the perfect way to embrace autumn. This recipe makes 2 large or 3 smaller loaf cakes (pop them in the freezer or give one to a friend!) Reheat in the oven or pop in the toaster then butter for an extra indulgent treat.

For the batter:

• Nonstick spray

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 cups packed light brown sugar

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 can pumpkin puree (you can find this in the American food aisle in Tesco, or of course cook and puree your own!)

• 1 cup vegetable oil

• 5 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the streusel (the sweet crumbly topping)

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup light brown sugar

• ⅓ cup raw pumpkin seed kernels (pepitas)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Make the batter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Lightly coat three 8-by-4-inch loaf pans with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a separate large bowl until smooth. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and add sugar mixture. Starting from the centre, stir until blended. Divide evenly among prepared tins.

Make the streusel

1. Whisk flour, sugar, pepitas, and salt in a small bowl. Add butter; stir with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pans.

2. Bake until loaves are golden and a toothpick inserted in the centres comes out clean, 55 to 70 minutes. Remove from oven; let loaves cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove loaves from pans and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Recipe and image from realsimple.com.

Fresh Starts for September

We all tend to enter the start of January with a list of resolutions and hopes for fresh starts and good habits. However in the depths of winter, with the leftovers from Christmas all around, it can feel like we’re setting ourselves up to fail. I know when the nights are long and the weather is cold, I need to be extra kind to myself, physically and mentially softening and allowing myself room for what I need.

That’s why I much prefer to set intentions in September. After a busy summer, when the seasons begin to change and regular routine picks up again, I find this time much more conducive to setting myself goals and objectives to work towards throughout the remainder of the year. 

That way, by the time January rolls around, I am (hopefully) already practicing these good habits, can reflect on my progress and continue them into the new year. 

So, I invite you to take some time to think about how you want to move forward into September:

• What changes would you like to see in your life over the coming months?

• What do you need to do to accomplish these? Make immediate, short term and long term intentions which are amangable and achievable

• Set times to measure/reflect on what you’re doing

• Plan rewards for yourself - you deserve them

• Be kind to yourself! If it’s not perfect, that’s OK. Leave yourself room to make mistakes

Guest Blog From Wild Oats: How Gluten Affects The Body

Wild Oats Natural Foods supplied the goodie bags for our July Rooftop Series. The amazing range of products they supplied are all available in their Redland store and online, and they also have great content online too. Here is a guest blog from Wild Oats on how gluten affects the body…

Do you suffer bloating, brain fog or aching joints, or do you just not feel in good health? Maybe you want to lose weight but can’t give up the carbohydrates. The proteins in wheat, rye and barley, known as gluten, may be responsible for many of these symptoms (and possibly many more).

What is gluten?

Gluten is the name for a range of proteins called glutenins and gliadins. Gluten is found in grains, which were introduced into our diet about 10,000 years ago when we started to settle, cultivate land and farm. The grains available back then, however, have changed considerably, and the gluten content of wheat is now dramatically higher. Hybridisation over the last 50 years has caused the gluten content of wheat to increase by about 50-fold.

How gluten affects the body

Gluten proteins are difficult to digest. In the stomach we produce stomach acid and pepsin to start the process of breaking down the protein into smaller chains of amino acids, known as peptides. Our digestive enzymes act like scissors on these long chain structures. A protein is like a string of pearls that needs to be broken down into single pearls (or amino acids) in order for our body to absorb and make use of them.

We cannot do this with gluten because it has an unusual composition and the sequences of the amino acids are not recognised by the scissors that break these proteins down. For many people the consequence of this indigestibility may not pose a problem.

How gluten can be harmful

At least 50 peptides have been identified which can be toxic to the body depending on our genetic vulnerability. One such peptide resembles zonulin, a hormone found in the gut which is released when food has been digested. Zonulin tells the cells that line the gut that they need to create space between the cells to allow nutrients to pass through into the blood stream. Unfortunately this peptide does the same thing and the gap between the gut cells can widen and allow unwanted peptides into the bloodstream. This increased intestinal permeability has knock on consequences.

These “foreign invaders” are attacked by our immune system causing an inflammatory reaction. Our bodies make antibodies against these peptides. Some of these peptides act like opiates and bind to opiate receptors of the brain. This can cause brain fog or stimulate appetite in some people. These opiate-like peptides tend to stimulate our appetite for carbohydrates and so the vicious cycle continues.

Additionally, depending on our genetic make up, some of these antibodies created against the foreign peptides, can resemble the protein make-up of a particular cell, which causes the immune system to attack the body, leading to the development of autoimmune disease. It is well known that gluten can be implicated in hypothyroidism such as Hashimotos Disease.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the gut lining preventing absorption of food which is a serious condition and affects one in a 100 people. People who have a particular genotype are more susceptible to celiac disease. Sometimes this can be unnoticed for years. But there are also many people with gluten sensitivity.

Will gluten free help with bloating?

A simple way to test yourself for gluten sensitivity is to remove gluten from the diet for at least 4 weeks. Wheat, barley, rye, spelt, kamut and oats contain gluten (oats can be contaminated with gluten but gluten free oats are fine). Gluten can be hidden in many processed foods. Even seafood sticks have added gluten.

After 4 weeks, introduce some gluten and see how you feel. If you feel worse, then gluten may be best avoided long term. Alternatively there are tests that can show both celiac or gluten sensitivity and whether there are antibodies of a significant level against different cells of the body (Cyrex Laboratories).

Although we cannot blame everything on gluten, there is plenty of research available to suggest that cutting gluten from your diet might be worth considering if you want to improve your feelings of health and wellness.

What grains can I eat?

Ideally, if gluten is causing a problem, it is sensible to avoid other grains at least until the gut is healed and the inflammation has been reduced. The reason for this is that peptides from other grains can get into the blood stream and also cause an immune response. Often people will avoid grains such as wheat, rye and barley, but will resort to quinoa, amaranth and commercially blended gluten-free products. If these grains have not been part of our diet previously, these proteins can initiate an antibody response, particularly while the gut is inflamed. I have found that rice can be a problem for some clients, and this is a key ingredient in most commercial gluten-free flours and products.

What's cross reactivity?

Proteins from other foods, principally milk, eggs and soya can similarly create an immune response. This will not happen to everyone and one can do a food sensitivity test to check (i.e. York test laboratories). Alternatively, one can make a food diary and eliminate all suspect foods for three to four weeks and then introduce one food at a time, identifying any reactions such as headaches, bloating, skin rash, IBS symptoms, constipation, aches and pains. As a kinesiologist I am able to ascertain food intolerances by muscle testing.

Alternative foods

Thankfully there are many gluten-free recipes available on the internet, and health food shops stock a wide range of alternative foods. For a quick snack try corn cakes or gluten-free oat cakes. There are a wide range of gluten-free flours to try too, such as coconut, buckwheat, corn, millet, potato and gram flours. Ground almonds also act as a good substitute.

For the original blog and lots more, check out Wild Oats here.

El Kemp's Strawberry Rye Galette

This delicious recipe from El Kemp makes the perfect summer dessert, especially when British strawberries are so sweet at the moment…

A galette is a great place to start if you are new to making pastry, it is a free form tart and is meant to look rustic. You can omit the crème patissiere if you don’t have the time; the flaky rye pastry and fruit filling is plenty. The recipe can also be adjusted to use whichever fruits are in season. Although strawberries can be found in supermarkets all year round British strawberries taste best when they come into season over the summer months. 

INGREDIENTS:

800g strawberries

50g  caster sugar

Other fruits that work well; apricots, rhubarb, plums, apples, pears
for the pastry

200g white rye flour

60g caster sugar

120g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

60g crème fraiche or plain yogurt

pinch of sea salt

zest of half a lemon

1 egg beaten, to glaze 

for the crème patissiere

300 ml whole milk 

20 g sifted plain flour

4 egg yolks 

80g caster sugar 

1 vanilla pod

to serve

crème fraiche, plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream

METHOD:

First make the pastry. Combine the sugar, flour, salt and lemon zest. Add the cubed butter and use a food processor or a fork to mix together until you have a coarse crumb, it is ok to still have visible clumps of butter. Add the crème fraiche and bring the dough together with your hands.  If the dough is too dry to form a ball in your hands you may need to add a splash of cold water. Once combined, wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of  45 minutes. The pastry can be chilled over night and will last for 3 days in the fridge if you want to make ahead.

Slice the strawberries in halves or quarters if they are larger and mix through the sugar. Reserve 1 tbsp of the sugar to sprinkle on the tart once assembled. Leave the  the strawberries to macerate in the sugar.

If you are making the crème patisserie then start by whisking together the sugar and egg yolks for 2-3 minutes until pale and thickened. Sift in the plain flour and whisk to combine. Heat the milk in a pan with the vanilla pod until starting to boil, then remove from the heat and pour the hot milk into the sugar and egg mix, whisking as you combine. Pour the mixture back into the pan on a medium heat stirring constantly and being careful the bottom of the pan doesn't stick.  Remove from the heat once thickened.

Once the pastry is chilled, heat the oven to 180/ Gas Mark 4. Lay a large piece of baking parchment on a work surface and dust with a little flour. Place the pastry onto the parchment and with a floured rolling pin roll the pastry into a circle approximately 35cm diameter. The circle doesn’t need to be perfect but should be approximately 3mm thick. 

Spread the crème patisserie into the centre of the pastry leaving 3-4cm border all the way around. Add the strawberries on top of the crème patissiere. Fold the border over the filling, don’t worry about being too neat, make folds when you need to and if the pastry tears just pinch back together. Brush the folded border with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the remaining sugar. Slide the galette, still on the baking paper onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Don’t worry if the tart has leaked, as the fruit roasts it creates a sweet jammy liquid which keeps the pastry moist. 

Serve warm with crème fraiche, plain yoghurt or vanilla ice cream. The tart will be fine to keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. 

Find out more about Kemp Kitchen and other great recipes at www.kempkitchen.co.uk.

Let's Talk About Self-Care

Is it just me or does Self-Care feel like a bit of a buzzword at the moment? According to everydayhealth.com, Google searches for ‘Self-Care’ have more than doubled since 2015. It seems to crop up everywhere and has an ever growing industry around it… so what is it really? 

Self-Care is defined in the dictionary as the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health: the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.

The thing about Self-Care is that it’s individual to each person. When I think of Self-Care, the cliche image of having a bath, doing a facemask and getting an early night pops into mind. And that’s OK if it works for you. But I also believe that Self-Care is multidimensional; if it’s to work and have a truly positive impact, it should cover physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual aspects of your life.

So if you’re taking steps to an improved Self-Care routine, but having a bath doesn’t seem to be having the desired effect, have a look at all facets of your life. I think things such as ticking a job off your to-do list, doing something for someone else, or simply making time to practice yoga is just as important as the more obvious pampering yourself side of Self-Care. 

For July, we have put together a self-care calendar where we will be making suggestions for a small action you can take everyday to improve your Self-Care. Why not have a go and see how you feel by the end of the month? July can be a super busy time for lots of us, so it’s the perfect time to invest in your Self-care.

Road Trip through the Algarve

Portugal is somewhere I’ve wanted to return for a long time.  The tiled buildings and architecture,  the birthplace of the pastal de nata, the wild Atlantic coast, it’s a country that you are easily won over by. With guaranteed sunshine and endless choice of beautiful beaches we decided to spend 10 days driving along the Algarve.

Travelling in March meant that we had a lot of locations, beaches, and spaces to ourselves but it also meant a few mixed days of weather.  This was our first trip away with Ravi our son who was 13 months at the time, and travelling with a  child obviously requires more planning and logistics and family friendly locations, but all the places we visited you could happily visit without kids. Plus I’ve added a few more options of places we would have love to go.

A car is a must in the Algarve, but if you are in Lisbon or Faro you are better off without one.

I adored Portugal, the locals were so friendly and welcoming, our favourite days were spent on small bays and beaches away from the larger towns. There are many hidden gems in the Algarve you just have to dig a little to find them away from the crowds.

Our Portugal Itinerary at a glance:

Day 1-3
Bristol-Faro-Sagres
Sagres, Martinhal: Martinhal Hotel Algarve

Day 4-9

Alvor
Stayed in this quite unusual but charming Airbnb

Day 9-10

Faro
Stayed in Lemontree Apartments, but their hotel looks even nicer here

Top tips for planning a family trip to Portugal:

Be prepared to do your research you can find some great places on: booking.com and Airbnb

Decide how much you want to travel and be on the road, we chose to focus on the Algarve for this trip as we are hoping to return to Lisbon/Porto and other areas another time. However if you do want to cover more distance there are very good toll roads.

We flew with Jet2 who were great and so helpful, with a swift check in. They let you take hand luggage on the plane which meant we could pack toys/food and a baby carrier to get Ravi to sleep on the plan. We also took a car seat and our pram which were essential. All the places we hired in Portugal had travel cots.

Our travelling style focusses on booking accommodation and then crafting our days around foodie stop offs, beaches, cafes, vineyards and general wondering around and taking in the sights. However we often do travel to places low season so if you going in peak season time, give yourself a good window of time to pre-book and arrange any key sights you want to see.

10-day Itinerary: Algarve, Portugal

We booked all our accommodation in advance, and did a lot of research before we left. Staying in three different locations so we could explore areas on foot and not have to constantly drive.

There are so many accommodation options you could be more last minute with your plans, we made sure all the places we booked had travel cots/high chairs and Portugal is such a family friendly location this was very easy to accommodate.

Sagres

Sagres had been described to me as laid back surfer vibe with some great food choices and cafes. We also chose the location to try out a Martinhal hotel, to ease ourselves into a holiday with Ravi. The hotel was fantastic, the location was right next to the beach, with a baby concierge so you could pre book everything you can imagine you would need.

Sagres was beautiful, it initially felt like quite a sleep quiet town but it had a lovely beach and was an easy place to navigate around and to start off our holiday.

Food & Restaurant Recommendations

Three little birds- tucked away on a small sunny corner, great food and cocktails and coffee. Tacos, salads and a great Port & Tonic

Picnic Sagres- homemade bagels and cakes, great coffee, and a small shop selling wine and other deli bits

Restaurante Carlos- We stumbled across this place in the late afternoon and sat down in the sunshine for clam spaghetti, a glass of cold white wine. I think it was one of the best places we found in Portugal.

Other tips:

Sagres would be a great place to higher bikes, there are lots of routes you can do that are local or other mountain bike tracks.

It can get very windy and exposed and in low season is quiet so I would suggest taking day trips out to nearby Lagos/ Silves if you are staying for longer than a weekend.

Alvor

With endless beautiful beach areas to choose from we found it hard to narrow down where to stay. We settled on Alvor as we could walk to local shops/beach and cafes. Alvor’s was charming, discreet and peaceful with incredible boardwalk built by the beach, which made for a perfect morning walk.

Recommendations: 

Alvor Boardwalk – perfect to walk/run/stroll with a pram

Wild’s Sandwich Boutique – this was one of our best finds, the Irish couple here set the café up in 2020, delicious sandwiches, coffee and take away beach picnics

Lagos

We took a day trip to Lagos, it was one of the days that was more rainy. However we loved it and we wished we had spent a night or two there as well.

There were plenty of shops, café and great restaurants to pick from

 Recommendations

Black & White Coffee shop-  A more hipster and modern café, but good café and nice place to sit

Empanadas & Co- some of the best savoury and sweet empanadas I have tasted in a long time. Great service and very friendly staff

Abigail’s Café- we didn’t make it here but it was on the list.

Ferragudo

We didn’t make it here sadly, we ended up spending a day in Portimao which was a bit of a disappointment and not worth the journey.

But I have heard great things about Ferragudo, if you do go you have to visit this vineyard, or make a journey there for the afternoon:

 Quinta Dos Santos

https://www.quintadossantos.com/

Try the wine and beer tasting and leave room for food.

Benagil

 We loved it here so much we went back on two consecutive days, there is a tiny cove that you can only get to on foot. You can park at the car park at the top of the hill, and walk down to the beach, you could easily spend the day here, swimming in the sea, drinking at the small café by the beach and leaving time for a delicious lunch

 O Pescador

This was my favourite restaurant of the trip, fresh daily fish, a breath-taking view form the balcony, local wine and a place to sit and have a long slow lunch. 

Faro

We ended our trip in Faro, and were sad that we didn’t have a few more days there. It would make a great city break for a weekend as the airport is so central.

You can see most of the sights of the city in a walk around in a day or a long afternoon. But the charm of Faro is it’s islands that you can easily get boat to for the day

Estamine IIha Deserta

We didn’t make it here but I wish we had! You have to book a boat but it would be wort it

7imeio- a little further outside Faro

There is so much more of Portugal I would love to explore and visit, and I can’t wait to return. I do hope this helpful, let me know if you end up taking a trip or using any tips or advice here.

What Does Your Yoga Look Like?

Did you know that the 21st of June is International Day of Yoga? This is a day that was started by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014 and has been celebrated globally ever since. 

What does yoga look like online to you? It’s so often portrayed as females in tight leggings, toned arms and pretzel poses - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing - but also isn’t relatable or accessible for a lot of people. 

Since lockdown, when I first started running Yoga Brunch Clubs and classes online from home, I have loved being able to see a window into people’s home and where they practise. It’s such a sacred thing to practise at home and can be a very real and honest reflection of what yoga really looks like. There have been many cats, dogs, babies, corners of bedrooms and yoga mats crammed into tiny spaces.

My practise is often in my pyjamas, when I can grab a moment sharing the mat with Ravi’s toys and interrupted by at least one tea top up.

The things that don’t always make it onto social media but are definitely part of yoga: 

• Picking dust of the carpet/yoga mat/floor during practice 

• Sitting, breathing, stretching and not a whole lot else - no ‘postures’ - just feeling

• Partners/children/housemates needing your attention

• Pets determined to share your mat

• The need to top up your tea immediately

• The need to go for a wee immediately after or during

Do any of these sound familiar to you?! 

I’d love to know what your yoga looks like: real, unfiltered yoga. Join me on Instagram live on 21st June at midday where I will be hosting a 30 minute class via Willy’s ACV account to celebrate International Day of Yoga 2022. This is a free online session open to all, which you can access via Willy’s Instagram account here.

Yoga Brunch Club (where it all began): 2014-2022

I’ve been taking a walk down memory lane (thank you facebook images) and I wanted to share with you how/where and when the Yoga Brunch Club started and how much it has grown since the early days.

Back in May 2014 I started Yoga with Clementine, I ran my first few classes from my living room, studios, gyms, church halls, school halls, school class rooms all over London.

When I first started teaching I wanted to encourage friends to try yoga. I ran classes at a space around the corner from my house in Brixton called Papas Park Community Centre. I would cook up different meals at home, ranging from: Navratan Korma, Moroccan Pastilla, Saffron and fennel chicken and Asian slaw. I wanted the whole experience to leave people feeling thoroughly nourished from the yoga and the food. It was such a lovely way to spend an evening, doing yoga and then sitting around a table chatting over some delicious wholesome food.

From here the idea for The Yoga Brunch Club started to grow, before I did my teacher training I had worked running and managing events for over five years. I combined my events experience and love for food and yoga to bring a community together. The first Yoga Brunch Club took place in November 2014 at Brixton East Gallery. These first few events were run in collaboration with Grub Club and two friends of mine Gaia and Laurie. We would spend the weekend of the event cooking up an absolute storm in the kitchen. The first menus from those events varied from huge sharing platters with homemade treats to take home. It’s quite amazing now to think back to how much food we had to cook, prepare and also run the event for 40 people.

Initially it was friends, and friends of friends attending, but word spread and we got some great press in Time Out, Evening Standard and The Guardian. The events started to grow from being once every three months to once a month, I started to take on the work full time and began collaborating with brilliant chefs and cooks including Pickled Plates, Asia Pop, Hopper Shop, A Tavola, Uncle Ho’s and Wilderness Festival.

The first Bristol event took place in 2015 at the brand new space at The Forge, I was still living in London but spending a lot of time in Bristol with my then boyfriend, now husband Dev who encouraged to run the events in Bristol too.

The events continued to grow and I was hosting them in new venues and spaces, I was invited by The Guardian to run Guardian Local events for their audience. In 2017 and 2018 Liberty London invited Yoga Brunch Club to host a series of events on their Reset January campaign, this really was a pinch yourself moment as we ran the yoga class inside the store before the shop opened to the public and served brunch in their private entertaining room that was wood panelled and stunning. Guests even got to take away a Liberty goodie bag.

Image: Yoga and Photo

I have run the Yoga Brunch Club in some really spectacular spaces and the events evolved into weekend retreats in 2019. Here a few of my most memorable moments over the years:

Liberty London, Menu by Rebecca Bright

The Boathouse, London

Yoga Brunch Club x Furthermore Film

Yoga Brunch Club at The Old Dairy, London

Yoga Brunch Club at The Asylum, Peckham

Yoga Brunch Club X Wild By Tart, London

Yoga Brunch at 42 Acres, London

Yoga Brunch Club at The Forge, Bristol

Yoga Brunch Club Retreat, 2019-2021

Yoga brunch club at The Mount Without

It’s so humbling and wonderful to look back over the last 8 years and see how far the events have come and grown from that tiny community centre in Brixton. The heart and reason behind all of the events and retreats has always been about bringing a community of people together to share yoga, food and conversation. It makes me so happy to see how many friendships and connections and formed over the years, people have attended weddings, gone on holiday, joined online through difficult times and lockdowns and attended multiple events in person.

 I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next and how the Yoga Brunch Club will continue to grow.

Join me this summer for our Rooftop series taking place on Sunday 3 July, tickets for that can be found here.