Rituals of Remembering - A Summer Solstice Gathering

An afternoon of yoga, walking, creativity and enjoying time in nature. For anyone who is feeling the need to come together with like-minded souls, surrounded by trees, bird song and to remember the importance of simplicity.

Rituals of Remembering is about reminding ourselves that we are part of the natural world and its cycles. The summer solstice has long been celebrated as a time to gather around and celebrate the light. We will share stories, create collaborative art and move as a collective as a way of coming back to our rooted human experience.

This gathering is a chance for you to tune in to your Self, learn the magic of place, movement and community.

Booking link.

Who is it for?

People looking to celebrate the solstice with a small intimate group, connect with nature, meet new people, taking a moment's pause in the height of summer. The entirety of the event will be outside, so you need to be comfortable with all the weather that Bristol can throw at us! Be prepared for blazing sun and delicious rain, maybe all at once! You can be a total novice at yoga or someone who’s practiced for years as options will always be given to suit different bodies. Regretfully the event is not accessible for wheelchairs users.

Location

Ashton Court Estate, Bristol

Meeting place: By the bike racks at the cycle path of the Church Lodge Car Park (bottom car park)

Booking link.
 

Who is it for?

People looking to celebrate the solstice with a small intimate group, connect with nature, meet new people, taking a moment's pause in the height of summer. The majority of the retreat will be outside, so you need to be comfortable with all the weather that Wales can throw at us! Be prepared for blazing sun and delicious rain, maybe all at once! You can be a total novice at yoga, or someone who’s practiced for years. Options will always be given to suit different bodies and energy levels on the day. Regretfully the retreat and the site is not accessible for wheelchairs users.

What to expect

Arrival: 2pm at Church Lodge car park.

We will walk through the grounds of Ashton Court Estate towards the woodland, coming  into circle for introductions and a group meditation. There will then be an invitation to share intentions and reflections in small groups.

After sharing, we will move into silence (mauna) as we enter the woods so we can fully absorb the sounds and senses of the natural world and wildlife around us. There is an invitation to make this time your own, or to follow mindful prompts if you prefer. 

When we emerge from the woods, we will come together for  movement and break the silence with collective sound. Connecting at our palms as we flow through yoga asana (postures) and pranayama (breath), we will start to tune into our collective energy. Starting as a circle in a group, moving to pairs and then coming to our individual bodies, this form is yoga is about staying connected to your Self, the group and or environment simultaneously. 

After our yoga practice, we continue our walk, this time allowing conversation to emerge. (You are welcome to stay in silence if you prefer). During our walk we will collect natural items from the forest floor to create a collaborative mandala on the ground. Tuning into our human nature to create and express ourselves as well as embracing impermanence as we leave our ephemeral artwork to be reabsorbed by the natural world.

You will be guided back into small groups to share reflections before taking some final moments as a whole group.

We will finish by 6pm, but you  are welcome to stay at Ashton Court for longer or enjoy the setting sun at the end of the day.

 Booking link.

What do you need to bring?

• A yoga mat (if you don't have one, let us know as we have spares)

• Clothes that are comfortable to move in and are suitable for the weather on the day!

• Suncream/sun hat

• Water bottle

• Snacks

Who are the hosts?

Carrie Brassley is a yoga teacher and studio manager based in Bristol. She’s been teaching regularly since 2019 in various styles of yoga including hatha, vinyasa and partner yoga. In her classes she likes to explore fun ways to move the body, balancing challenging asanas with the calm and stillness of meditation. Her classes are dynamic and playful or slow and grounding depending on the energy in the room on the day. Growing up on Dartmoor, Carrie developed a love for the outdoors. Enjoying both the wildness of the Moor on windy, rainy days and splashing in the river Dart in the summer. 

Ellie Snowden is a yoga teacher, massage therapist and workshop facilitator who lives in Bristol. She brings slow, relaxing practices into her work that invite people to listen deeply to their own systems. She is a proponent of bringing embodied knowledge together with collective sense-making through the creation of event spaces where bodies of experience collide for new threads of meaning to emerge. She grew up hiking the Welsh mountains with her family and adores spending time outside connecting with the wisdom that nature carries.

Booking link.
 

Cancellation policy

Cancellations refunded up to 7 days before the event.