All profits go to Oxford Care Leavers Christmas Dinner
James & Katie invite you to a cosy evening workshop of Hatha yoga & Herbal tea meditation. Our intention is to help you carve out space in these approaching winter months for connection and exploration of the senses, all for a great cause.
Cost: £15 per person
In Person.
If you would like to donate but are not able to attend in person you can also book an online spot. Streaming of the event will be possible, although the tea part you would need to provide your own tea.
What to expect
A welcoming space lit by candles to bring you warmth in the darker months of the year.
Katie will guide you through a 60-minute Hata yoga practice focused on the breath and exploring stillness within movement. You can expect the class to begin with a seated meditation and pranayama (breathwork), focusing on clearing the channels to prepare for movement. There will be moments to explore more dynamic postures as well as the space for softness.
James will offer a simple, guided tea meditation where tea is drunk from a bowl, cupped between the hands. This practice, also known as ‘bowl tea’ can be a bridge to help us connect through our senses to a state of mindful awareness.
Preparing, drinking and sharing tea in this way can offer a new perspective on meditation and be a helpful launch pad for those of us who find other forms of meditation too rigid or hard to access. The practice can easily be adapted to support meditation at home.
No experience of meditation is needed. Caffeine-free tea options are also available.
All profit from this event will be donated to the Oxford Care Leavers Christmas Dinner. The Christmas Dinner project, founded by poet Lemn Sissay OBE in 2013, is responsible for inspiring cities across the U.K to ensure no care leaver is left alone on Christmas Day. This Christmas, Oxford will be offering 50 care leavers an unforgettable day of kindness, comfort, care, and joy.
Bio’s
Katie McNeil
Katie completed her yoga teacher training in 2020 and continues to deepen her knowledge with over 600h of training in a range of modalities. She teaches a range of styles, from Vinyasa and dynamic practices to Restorative and Yin. Kaite is also a trained Breathwork and Meditation teacher.
Katie's skills lie in nurturing self-assurance and empowerment within her students, cultivating an environment where individuals can wholeheartedly embrace their unique identities. She works on fostering a sense of personal agency within each student's yoga journey, assisting them in building a personal toolkit to navigate life's ebb and flow. A big part of her philosophy is the belief that yoga should be inclusive and accessible to all who wish to engage.
Embodying the ethos of "embracing yourself," Katie's classes extend a warm and sincere invitation to students to embark on their yoga journey just as they are. She provides a welcoming sanctuary where individuals can seamlessly engage in both self-discovery and shared practice.
James Thirlwall.
James is a certified tea sommelier and educator who uses tea to help people connect through his Oxford tea studio tinyteahouse based at Everybody Studio. (Can we add a link in here to TTH)
tinyteahouse workshops are designed to promote fellowship, harmony and inclusion - the values of a traditional Asian tea house.
After years living in Japan, James spent a decade as an acupuncturist based in Oxford and with time working for a medical charity in the West Bank. He now works as a tea educator creating tea programs and events for the world’s leading hotels and spas.
James has been lucky enough to host workshops for retreats by Lama Rod Owens and Bamford Haybarn. He is the master tea practitioner at The Bothy by Wildsmith and was lucky enough to be an Artist in Residence at The Dreaming in 2025.