Yoga expert shares three signs you need to slow down as one-day wellness retreat comes to Cleaver & Wake

Hosted at the venue by Nicole Windle Yoga, Soul Space retreat is returning for its first UK event of the year, with a day-long event dedicated to replenishing the soul. Taking place from 10:30am to 5:00pm, guests can expect to start the day with a morning yoga flow, followed by breath work, meditation and a restorative yin yoga and nidra practice. The day will then end with a relaxing sound bath and a luxury grazing table lunch provided by the team from Cleaver & Wake.

Liam Morgan, business development manager at Cleaver & Wake said: “Our venue offers the perfect backdrop for this event. Being situated on the top floor of the building, the event space offers floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the room with natural daylight. We love hosting unique events like this and we’re looking forward to welcoming Nicole and team back for their next retreat.”

In a fast-paced world, it’s easy to ignore the body’s subtle messages – headaches, feeling achy, and physical tightness in the body often go unnoticed until they become overwhelming. Nicole Windle, founder of Soul Space Retreats believes these are clear signs that your body and mind are crying out for a reset. She said:

“Feeling frazzled, struggling with sleep, saying yes to too many things and regretting it later – these are all signals that your body is asking you to slow down and take stock.”

Yoga, she suggests, offers the perfect antidote.

According to YouGov, physical health, personal growth and mental wellbeing are in the UK’s top five most popular resolutions this year. Ahead of the event, Nicole explains how yoga can help towards these goals:

Rejuvenating mind, body and soul

Yoga calms down the nervous system to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which triggers the resting response. With so many of us living in a high stress state, this is incredibly important.

It helps you to stay present by linking breath with movement. It reduces tension with certain stretches and movements, helping to improve energy flow, especially if you sit down a lot for work. Yoga can create a space for you to let go, reconnect with deeper parts of yourself and to process things.

The difference between yin and yang yoga

A yoga practice can encompass many styles of yoga, from vinyasa to ashtanga but defining the difference between yin and yang yoga is integral to understanding where in our bodies we might need resetting.

Yin yoga is a slower, more mindful, grounding practice, which works deeper into the connective tissue, the fascia, the web that holds the body together, and where most of our tension is stored. It’s very relaxing but depending on where you may have a lot of tightness in the body, being still in a posture on the ground can sometimes be the challenge.

Yang yoga is more dynamic, you’ll move more, connect breath with movement and do all the downward dogs and warrior postures. This helps to move energy in the body but also as the body warms up, you’ll naturally feel energised as your body starts to loosen up and your breath syncs up with the movement.

Advice for beginners who are new to yoga or wellness

A day retreat like our upcoming event at Cleaver & Wake is the perfect opportunity to try something new. They are designed to create a sense of ease and community from the start, making them perfect for both newcomers and seasoned yogis - all you need is an open mind.

The Soul Space one-day yoga retreat takes place on Sunday 2 February, from 10:30am to 5:00pm.

Find out more information about this event and keep updated with the Upstairs at Cleaver & Wake calendar of events online at www.cleaverandwake.com/whats-on