Relax and Reset: Explore Yoga and Meditation Retreat Evenings in King’s Heath Park, Birmingham

I'm Becs and I'm a certified Yoga, Pregnancy Yoga and Modern Meditation teacher. Here to share yoga, meditation and wellbeing guidance with individuals and organisations.

I am so excited to introduce new seasonal yoga and meditation retreat evenings at Cartlands Tearooms in the heart of King's Heath Park, Birmingham. The evening retreats will be focussed around seasonal themes to help us to reconnect with nature, feel more balanced and live happier and healthier lives!

In September we had the autumn equinox, where the earth finds perfect balance between night and day. This happens twice a year; the autumn equinox and the spring equinox. We can notice what feels well balanced in our own lives and what feels out of balance. As we move into the darker half of the year, we can use this rhythm to turn our own attention inwards, compared to the more outwards focussed energy of the lighter half of the year. Often we can become distracted and scattered over summer, with having so much fun! Nature is now welcoming us to turn back our attention inwards, to YOU.

Now we've moved into autumn it can feel comforting to take a pause to reflect and find gratitude for where we are right now. As each season changes we can work with the energies of the season to grow and change too; we can resonate with the changes in the season. Nature right now is inspiring us to begin to turn our attention inwards, slow down and let go of anything we no longer need. In the new Yoga By Candlelight and Meditation Evenings we will work with these seasonal themes to help you live more peacefully, happily, and intentionally.

Opentotheflow was born out of the idea of accepting what is and being in the flow of things. The Wheel of the Year invites us to be opentotheflow with nature.

The Perfect Setting: King’s Heath Park

A few week's ago in mid-late September I was enjoying King's Heath Park with my daughter Rosie for the second time that weekend. (I am an autumn baby and the turning of the leaves into oranges, reds and golds feels pennnngggg. The sound of crunching through the leaves, mmmm. The cold, bright and misty mornings, gives me such thrills!!) We had enjoyed the children's play area and collecting acorns and conkers that had fallen early this year. Rosie likes to collect things and put them in her pockets. We like to walk around the pond to find the ducks, and often end up at Cartlands Tearooms for a coffee for me and an orange juice for Rosie. It felt like the right time for me to plant my seed (like the seeds falling back to earth ready for next spring!), and enquire about hosting yoga and meditation classes. And just like that, 'Yoga by Candlelight and Meditation Retreat Evenings' were planned.

Since moving to the area in late December last year I have always looked at the tearoom space as a place one day I could host a workshop or maybe even regular classes. It feels serene, nestled in the middle of a beautiful park, full of trees, a peaceful pond and in the summer, gorgeous vibrant flowers. Where better to practice yoga, than surrounded by such natural beauty? Especially in the middle of somewhere so urban-and well, Birmingham!

As we're reaching the darker half of the year, we will be practicing in candlelight, with the darkness of the outside as our backdrop. The space is a heated conservatory and so has an outside, inside feel. The outside darkness we will use to honour the natural cycles and rhythms - and embrace the darkness! I welcome you to bring your favourite blanket, when we practice restorative yoga, so you can be as comfortable and cosy as possible.

Flowing Yoga To Warm & Ground You

The evening retreats will introduce or develop your yoga and meditation practices, and will be suitable for beginners and all levels. I teach accessible yoga and meditation and I keep it simple and easy so it sticks. I am super friendly and my classes are inclusive, warm and welcoming.

We will begin balancing breathwork to relax the body and mind. I will offer seasonal affirmations that may resonate with you, that may help to ground you or bring your attention back to the present. We will slowly warm up the body, and begin mindful movement, noticing how your body feels. Slowly building towards stronger postures, offering adaptions and alternatives for everybody. Key themes will be slowness, strength, grounding, letting go- like the trees releasing their leaves- and cycles of death and rebirth as we see in nature. A challenge for many will be noticing our resistance to slowing down, and slowing down requires us to be strong!

We will practice heart opening postures and longer held restorative postures (hello, extra cosiness with a blanket!) to open us up and give us space for reflection.... Gratitude will also be a key theme. I will give you the tools to begin your own gratitude practice.

Peaceful Meditation: Finding Stillness

Following our warming and nourishing yoga flow, I will guide you through a restorative meditation. You should feel incredibly relaxed after the movements and postures and it is the perfect time to welcome some stillness. The 8 limbs of yoga, outlined by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, we practice asana (physical postures) so we can progress along the yoga path to dhyana (meditation).

I began my yoga teaching journey in training to be a Meditation Teacher, not a Yoga Teacher. I found the practice of being still, and witnessing the mind to be the most transformational in any experience I had towards better wellbeing (read my About page). Like everything, meditation is a practice. There is no such thing as a good or bad meditation, it is just practice. I will focus the meditation on the seasonal themes; change, transformation, slowing, grounding, strength, balance, letting go and gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude. Gratitude. Our restorative meditation to close the yoga practice will be blissful, and I hope will gather all the wisdom you need to take with you into this season.

Journaling for Self-Reflection

I will offer journal questions for self-reflection and intention setting. They will allow you to reflect on your abundance, find gratitude, notice your growth this year, be honest and truthful with yourself, where do you feel well balanced, where do you feel out of balance, and what are you ready to let go of / what do you need to let go of (to make space for new growth)? You will walk away feeling intentional, purposeful and empowered!

Seasonal Teas and Grazing Boards

I am really looking forward to this time of the evening. Amongst our yoga glow, candlelight, and our new seasonal intentions, we will offer seasonal teas and grazing boards to share. Sharing this experience together and closing our yoga and meditation evening with delicious nourishing food will create real connection and community. I will absolutely love to discuss themes we've explored in the practice, and anything that comes up! You may find others have had similar thoughts or ideas - it creates connection and emotional support. I find other peoples' experience incredibly heartwarming and insightful. I massively encourage sharing your experience!

How to Prepare for Your Retreat

To enjoy your experience fully, keep these tips in mind:

• Dress Comfortably: Choose loose clothing that allows for easy movement during yoga.

  
  

• Parking: There is plenty of parking at the entrance of King's Heath Park on Avenue Road. Cartlands Tearoom is a short walk following the path directly ahead of the car park entrance.  

  
  

• Arrive Early: Allow time to walk through King's Heath Park to Cartlands Tearoom 10 minutes before the retreat evening begins, soak in the peaceful atmosphere. A group of us will meet at the car park entrance and walk to Cartlands Tearoom at 6.15pm.

  
  

• Bring a Journal: A journal allows you to capture your thoughts and reflections during the evening.

  
  

• Bring a Blanket: for extra cosiness (don't worry, the room is heated so it will be lovely and warm!)

  
  

• Bring a Mat: Bring your own mat if you can, otherwise I will have some spare mats. 

  
  

Limited Spaces Available: Book Now

Yoga by Candlelight & Meditation Evenings

Thursday 23rd October / Thursday 20th November, 6.30-9.00pm

Cartlands Tea Rooms, King's Heath Park, Birmingham

A peaceful space to reconnect with YOU. Relax and reset in a calming, candlelit setting within King’s Heath Park. Take this time to nurture and restore your body and mind this season. Suitable for all levels. 

What to expect: 

 ~ Flowing yoga to warm and ground you 

~ Guided meditation to relax the mind

 ~Breathwork to balance mind and body

 ~Journaling for self-reflection, gratitude and intention setting

~ Candlelight, blankets & seasonal teas

~ Delicious grazing boards to nourish

£35 per retreat evening (seasonal teas and grazing boards included)

Please book via email or the contact form below. Limited spaces available.

A group of us will meet at the car park entrance on Avenue Road and walk to Cartlands Tearoom at 6.15pm. The session will begin at 6.30pm and the yoga and meditation practice will be approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, followed by seasonal teas and grazing boards.  We'll close our retreat evening together at 9pm and collectively walk through the park to the car park / exit on Avenue Road. 

Yoga and Meditation South Birmingham

I am here to share my experience and offer yoga, meditation and wellbeing guidance with others. I want to empower people to know they can change, from the inside out. If you found this stuff interesting please subscribe, comment and share with your family and friends. I explore different themes on yoga, meditation and wellbeing topics. Get in touch if you have any questions or if you would like us to work together.