James & Katie invite you to an afternoon workshop of yoga & tea meditation. We intend to help you carve out a little space for quiet connection and exploration of the senses. To ease and soothe you towards a moment of quiet.
What to expect
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.
The session will begin with some Qi Gong - gentle physical movements - to ground us before a period of meditation seated on cushions and yoga mats on the floor.
No experience of meditation is needed. Caffeine-free tea options are also available.
Katie will guide you through a Yin yoga practice, accompanied by optional hands-on adjustments.
Yin Yoga is a quiet, mostly still practice of yoga practised mostly close to the mat. Postures are held for one to five minutes with the intention to stimulate and release areas of the body and to help strengthen and lengthen the deep tissues of the body. Yin is a practice that incorporates aspects of TCM and focuses on moving chi or energy around the body. For this practice, we will be looking at the element of water and the energetic lines of the Kidney and Bladder meridians. Inviting the awareness of breathing into the practice to help deepen the experience and connections to sensations.
Cost: £30
*non-refundable
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. 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 in Oxford before a career as a tea sommelier creating tea programs for the world’s leading hotels, restaurants 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 is honoured to be an Artist in Residence at The Dreaming in 2025.