Christmas Yin & Yoga Nidra Wind-Down
2022-12-05 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | ONLINE, United Kingdom
Ease Gently Into the Christmas Season
Two Hours of Yin Yoga followed by Yoga Nidra
Monday 5 December 2022 7-9pm
Cost £25
Join me for a nourishing yin yoga journey through the body, interspersed with small pockets of somatic movement to access and enliven restricted areas. Our goal is to nourish the joints, lengthen connective tissues, relieve stiffness, and bring quiet energy and awareness throughout the mind/body system.
75 minuets of Yin Yoga will be a followed by a Yoga Nidra journey through the chakras to cultivate a deeper cerebral connection with each chakra alongside deep mental release.
Yin Yoga is a soothing, healing yoga practice, characterised by floor-based and supported postures which nourish the joints, stretch and release the soft tissues of the body and heighten your embodied awareness. Yin Yoga leaves you feeling profoundly down-regulated and gently revitalized. Yin Yoga brings many benefits to the body including:

Lengthening connective tissue
Increasing flexibility
Boosting circulation
Reducing stress levels
Increasing Interoception

From s mental and emotional perspective, the practice down-regulates the nervous system, and therefore becomes deeply healing and nourishing. Through the static long holds, practitioners are guided to experience themselves mindfully; practising awareness of the breath; awareness of the fluctuating nature of their mind and of the distractions arising in the body. In this way it is an ideal preparation for meditation.
Yoga Nidra (Yogic Sleep) is an ancient meditation technique designed to bring the mind to its deepest state of relaxation through a series of guided practices. Within this state know as psychic sleep, we start to experience the ‘deeper’ features of the mind and also of yogic teachings. It is a beautiful healing practice that enables you to experience a rare expansiveness alongside deep rest.
Book your place here.
https://momence.com/s/76156437

Pregnancy Awareness Workshop for Yoga Teachers
2023-03-26 09:00 - 16:00 | Online
Accommodating Pre & Postnatal Yoga Students in your General Classes
Certified 8 Hour Zoom Workshop Sun 26 March 0900-1600 BST
Online and Recorded.
Cost: £85
Booking via: The Yoga Teachers Forum
“Super useful, really interesting. Thank you so much for sharing that wisdom with us.
J.P. Attendee, Accommodating Pregnancy Safely in a General Class
This one-day online pregnant & postnatal training has been designed for all yoga and pilates teachers, to give a strong skill set for understanding how to accommodate pregnancy and postnatal women in your general yoga classes
This training will not equip or certify you to offer pregnancy or postnatal yoga classes. It gives you the knowledge and confidence to welcome and maintain pregnant and postnatal students safely in your general classes.
This CPD, previously focusing only on pregnancy, has has now been extended to include postnatal rehabilitation into general class settings as well.
Please note you ae able to attend either as a half-day student or a full-day student. Booking options for. both are available through the Yoga Teachers Forum website.

On this one-day online training you will learn:

The key physiological and hormonal changes in the first, second & third trimester and how they affect yoga practice
Key contraindications and challenges in each trimester of pregnancy
Pranayama through the lens of pregnancy
Common pregnancy ailments and how to spot, support and refer on when necessary
Use of language in accommodating pregnancy
Before and after care for your pregnant student
Health form considerations
You will explore a range of intelligent and creative modifications to offer your pregnant students that are suitable for the stage of pregnancy they are at whether 1st, 2nd or 3rd trimester.

In the Postnatal afternoon section of the day, which can be attended separately, you will:

Discover some of the key structural issues experienced by postnatal women retruning to practice after childbirth or postnatal /baby yoga. These issues can include: weak pelvic floor, recovering scar tissue and ongoing prolapse issues alongside structural instability, back and shoulder pain and fatigue.
Learn how these conditions can imapct their practice and wellbeing and discover intelligent ways to modify and support them within the context of a general yoga class.
Learn the modifications in general yoga practice required for caesarean recovery.
Learn how to assess and refer (if necessary) diastastis recti – and discover what postures and practices exacerbate the condition and conversely which support it.
Learn how to gradually and steadily guide your postnatal student to increasing strength and vitality at a pace that reflects her needs.

Ultimately this one day immersion is about equiping you with the knowledge and understanding to hold pregnant and postnatal students in your general yoga classes with care and confidence so that they, in turn, feel seen, supported and can thrive.
The Course also Includes:
A down-loadable slide-presentation on pregnancy A + P accessible via the Yoga Teachers Forum on the online learning platform.
Access to the workshop recording material on the learning platform for Yoga Teachers Forum
A Pregnancy health Form Template
A Pelvic Girdle Pain Lesson Plan Template
Course Certification
Your success in completing the Accommodating Pregnancy In a General Class training will be celebrated with a Yoga Teachers Forum certificate recognised by major yoga organisations including YAP & BWY. Contact hours 8
Feedback from Accommodating Pregnancy Safely in a General Class
“Fantastic training. The teacher was clear , precise and explained the information so thatit could be easily used in a class enviroment. Highly recommend this course for those who want a little more confidence if yoga students become pregnant.”
Corinne Bethell, Attendee, Incorporating Pregnancy Yoga Into a General Class
“Fabulous amount of details. Thanks!” S.B
“Thank you so much Nadia, amazing! Incredibly useful!” F.C
This training is recorded for all participants and there will be a supportive online community for you where Nadia will be available to answer your questions and where she will be supplying support material.
Policies & Procedures For the full course policies and terms & conditions please click here.

Certified 8 Hour Zoom Workshop Sun 26 March 0900-1600 GMT
Cost £85
Book Your Place via The Yoga Teachers Forum

This one-day CPD is one Module from the YAP and FEDANT certified 100 Hour Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy & Birth Teacher Training Programme which will run in September 2023. Join the Waiting List Here.

Summer Outdoor Yoga & Picnic
2023-06-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Ham Common, Ham Common, Richmond TW10, London, TW10, United Kingdom
Summer Evening Yoga on Ham Common
Savasana in the warm summer evening air, barefoot grounding on green grass and earth and deep appreciation for the elements and outdoor living.
Join me on Ham Common for a special 2 hour yoga summer outdoor yoga practice, breath work and meditation session followed by picnic and summer celebration until sun down.
Ham common is situated next to Richmond Park at the Ham Gate. There is plenty of free parking space around the common.
The nearest tube and train station is Richmond. Kingston station is also a short bus ride away.
Ham common is served by bus routes 65 and 371.
Please bring your own mat and equipment plus any food and drink you wish to contribute to the picnic.
Book Your Place Here

Obstacles to Emergence in Childbirth: And How to Overcome Them
2023-07-09 10:00 - 13:00 | Online
For The Pregnant Community and Birth Professionals Interested in the Preparation and Support of the Emergence Phase of Childbirth
What do you do if you suspect you have a hypertonic pelvic floor? Given that so many women today exercise intensely, this is a common scenario even within the yoga community – how might it affect childbirth?
Or what about those women who have had an epidural during labour and are unsure how to push or what positions are available to them?
Then there are the birth attendances who feel the pressure of the ticking clock on the mother to produce a baby. What might you to do to hold the space of the emergence phase of childbirth when it is slow and steady?
Too many labours are interrupted during the second stage. Either instruments are brought in, synthetic oxytocin is sometimes used to augment and push the labour forwards, pressure is put on the mother to get the baby out within a limited time frame usually using a more aggressive breathing technique.
All these come with the increased threat of tearing, episiotomy and or haemorrhaging. Then there are the second stage C-sections – often deeply upsetting for the mother who has got herself so close and yet must now deal with the consequences of the uterine scar.
The reasons for intervention at this stage are varied and each is worth exploring as, with knowledge, many of these potential situations can be averted or the impact lessened. As with so much in birthing, knowledge is central to empowerment.
In this three-hour deep dive into the Emergence phase we will explore many of the common obstacles to the Emergence phase from mid-labour VEs to a hypertonic pelvic floor and from birthing positions and biomechanical remedies to advocacy for slow labours. We will also look closely at context and how to navigate yourself/your clients with autonomy and dignity through this phase of the labour.
Calling on pregnancy yoga practice, biomechanics for birth, nada yoga, practical birthing knowledge and birthing inner wisdom alongside advocacy knowledge as well as birth from the energetic perspective, we will unpack the emergence phase and navigate some of its common obstacles together so that you feel informed, empowered and better able to prepare to birth your baby with trust and in power. Or better support your clients on their own birth journeys.
This workshop is suitable for the pregnant community, and birth professionals including , doulas midwives and birth support people.
Workshop Cost: £45
Book Your Place Here

About Your Teacher
Nadia is a YAP Senior Registered Yoga Teacher. She has been teaching Yoga and Perinatal Yoga for 18 years. She is a YAP & FEDANT registered teacher trainer and her Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy & Birth Teacher training is already regarded as one of the richest pregnancy yoga training programmes available.
Nadia also works as a practicing Birth Doula and has attended 60 births over a period of 15 years. She trusts physiological birth deeply and is committed to supporting this great event as a transformational rite of passage for all involved.
Nadia is the author and producer of Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy and Birth – a five-class DVD program which has sold just under 1000 copies and the author and teacher of her signature 12 week Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy & Birth Course .
Nadia is also a trained holistic pelvic health practitioner and has trained with among others Leslie Howard, Liz Koch, Tami Kent and Jane Dancey.

Yoga Nidra for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood
2024-02-25 10:00 - 16:00 | Online
Yoga Nidra for Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood
CPD Workshop for Yogas Nidra Teachers working with Maternity
Sunday 25 Feb, 10am – 4pm Online

The unique experience of pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period with its requirements of deep trust, enduring patience, bodily intimacy and psychic surrender necessitate deep preparation.
Cultivation of an intimate inner life is the domain of yogas nidra. Through its various stages, yoga nidra for pregnancy offers a pathway for deep mental relaxation and intimate bodily self-awareness, with all the benefits which accompany that, including enhanced mother-baby connection, bodily trust and enhanced birth visioning capacity. The cumulate effect is an inner life that is more aware and more stable.
Working with the subconscious, as yoga nidra for pregnancy does, also enables the mother to explore the landscape of her mind and its capacity for creative will and manifestation. The need for the reclamation of the pregnant mind and the cultivation of personal will and trust is greater than ever in the face of soaring intervention rates and a critical reduction in physiological birth..
Yoga nidra for pregnancy offers an easy and sustaining psychic support for pregnant mothers as they navigate the anxieties of late pregnancy, the tumultuous waves of labour and the challenges of the postpartum period.
This one day training, for certified yoga nidra teachers will focus-in with depth and clarity on each of the steps of the classical yoga nidra path and demonstrate how to adapt them to optimise intimate bodily awareness, mother and baby connection, creative birth visioning and sustaining maternal self care.
A previous yoga nidra training is required to attend this CPD. Value (7 Hours)
Cost: £95
Book Your Place Here

About Your Teacher
Nadia is a senior yoga teacher and registered teacher trainer (YAP & FEDANT), perinatal and pelvic health specialist. She is an experienced birth doula practising with for over 15 years supporting women through the birth and postpartum journey. She teaches Mindfulness, Meditation and Yoga Nidra for Pregnancy as key skills for supporting the inner life of pregnancy and motherhood. Working with Pregnancy at Depth:
Have you considered the In-Depth 100 hr certified Yoga Teachers & Birth Professionals training in Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy & Birth. This training attracts not just yoga teachers wanting to move into the pregnancy and postal field, but doulas, midwives, counsellors and womb healers wanting to deepen their knowledge base and work with Nadia and her amazing team of teachers. The next training will take place in September 2024.
Also check out Nadia’s 40 Hr Advanced Yoga Teacher and Birth Professionals Training The Maternity Chakras begins in April 2024. This is a deeply personal as well as professional journey through the energy centres of the body mind experience and their implication for experiencing, healing and supporting the pregnancy, birth and post partum journey.

Heart Yoga A One-Day Yoga & Breathwork Retreat
2024-09-22 10:00 - 18:00 | Yavington Farm, Lovington Lane, Avington, Winchester SO21 1DA, Yavington Farm, Lovington Lane, Avington, Winchester SO21 1DA, Hampshire, SO21 1DA, United Kingdom
Join Nadia Raafat and Giselle Monbiot at Yavington Studio in Hampshire
A One Day Retreat and Yoga Immersion this September 2024.

A chance to withdraw from the urban intensity of London living…
To immerse yourself in beautiful nature less than 90 minutes from London…
To dedicate eight uninterrupted hours to deepen your yoga and meditation practice…
To spend an afternoon discovering Breathwork and experience its transformative power
To experience deep connection with yourself, with others and with the great harmonious whole.

This September, Nadia is returning to the beautiful Yavington Studio deep in the Hampshire Countryside for a one-day Autumn retreat and an opportunity to gather together again for practice, deep rest and connection.
What Awaits You
🌹 Opening Cacao Ceremony
Come together in circle and experience the gentle energy of ceremonial cacao renowned for its nourishing and heart-opening properties.
🌹 Heart Yoga
In an extended two hour session we will flow through a series of heart-opening poses that rejuvenate and energise, and let the rhythm of the music guide us into an expressive, liberating embodied celebration.
🌹Yoga Nidra
End your heart session with a guided heart healing Yoga Nidra session. Often called “yogic sleep,” this guided meditation will lead you into a state of profound relaxation and healing, allowing you to integrate the mornings experiences and awaken feeling refreshed and renewed.
🌹Silent Nature Walk
Immerse yourself in the beautiful nature around Yavington. This walk takes us through fields and forest and along the river Itchen to our lunch destination; a beautiful country pub serving delicious food for all tastes. If you prefer to lunch quietly, you are also welcome to bring a packed lunch and rest in the gardens around the studio.
🌹 Breath Work
Giselle will guide us through a a gentle, but powerful, Conscious Connected Breathwork practice. Unlike pranayama, often tagged to the end of a yoga class or interspersed throughout; this 2 hour afternoon session will be dedicated to experiencing a protracted and stand-alone breath work immersion. Expect a rich experience.
“During the breathwork journey, you can release stagnant energy, increase vitality and experience deep inner peace. By connecting to the rhythm of the breath, you can come out of your head and connect to your body, gaining insights and emotional healing. Everyone experiences it differently. Afterwards, we will have integration time when you experience deep inner peace and relaxation. This can be a good journalling time so please remember a book to write in or you can lie there in meditation.” GM
*Please read the contraindications below if you are new to this breathwork – if you are recommended to not practice Conscious Connected Breathwork, I can offer you a different breathwork to do through the Journey the Breath session.
🌹 Closing Circle
We will come together in circle to share our reflections and expereince and bring the day to a close – a beautify end to heart-opening day.

About Giselle:
Having worked in the wellness industry for 26 years, I have trained with world-leading trauma and somatic therapy experts. I focus on relational and emotional health, balancing the nervous system, the mind and body connection, and healing unresolved trauma. I use a variety of approaches which include Compassionate Inquiry, an approach created by the world-renowned trauma and addiction specialist Dr Gabor Mate, Breathwork, AMDR, hypnosis and nourishing the body.

About Nadia
I am a senior yoga teacher with two decades teaching experience behind me; offering a variety of styles from Hatha and vinyasa to yin and chakra yoga; I am also perinatal specialist and teacher trainer; birth doula and holistic pelvic health specialist offering courses in holistic pelvic healing and awakening. Currently training as a psychosynthesis counsellor with the Psychosynthesis Trust in London
Why Join Our Retreat?

Expert Guidance: Nadia and Giselle have been guiding women in practice through a variety of modalities for many years. Both are responsible and compassionate space holders.

Sacred Space: Held in a beautiful, tranquil setting, our retreat offers a sanctuary away from daily stress, inviting you to reconnect with yourself and nature
Community: Coming together in open-hearted communion and commitment to healing & awakening is priceless; these experiences nourish us for days to come

Book Now, Click here to make a secure payment.
Cost & Booking
Full price £120.
This does NOT include lunch. You are invited to bring a packed lunch or buy lunch at the local pub where we will have tables reserved. Ceremonial cacao, tea and healthy treats will be included.
Refunds are available – less £10 adminstration fee up until 14 days before the event. After 14 days from the event no refunds can be offered.

Venue & Directions
Yavington Studio is near Alresford, 15 minutes from the centre of Winchester and an hour and a half from London Waterloo.
Venue: Yavington Farm, Lovington Lane, Avington, Winchester SO21 1DA
We will encourage the group to share lifts and taxis.

What to Bring
Bring: a yoga mat and a blanket.
Blocks, belts and blankets will also be supplied.
Any questions, please email info@nadiaraafat.com or call: 07771687128.
Book Now, Click here to make a secure payment.

The Letting Go Ritual
2024-12-28 14:00 - 17:00 | Online
End of Year Spiritual Housekeeping
Letting Go with Love & Compassion
This is part one of a two part stand-alone workshop series built around my two favourite winter rituals of Letting Go, at the end of the year, and Calling In; at the beginning of the new year.
What is letting go? The yoga sutras have a lot to say about letting go; Aparigraha is one of the 5 Yamas from Patanjalis 8 limbs of yoga. Letting Go is also one of the Attitudes of Mindfulness. Letting go is a practice that is essential if we are to free ourselves of the past and open to what is here, now, and what is waiting to come in. But how easy is it to let go? What does it feel like in our bodies? And what is the difference between letting go and letting be? Somatically, psychospiritually? Practically?
The stage for this enquiry is the body where our truth and our experience unfolds; where we carry the burden of old conditioning like a heavy old coat that weighs us down and holds us back. Through focused mental work, we will look at he conscious patterns and mental habits we carry, how they are reflected in the body, and why it might be time to bring the light of loving conscious awareness to them so that we may accept who we are and also be free to co-create who we wish to become.
In this workshop we will explore what it is that we cling to and why? What it is that we struggle to let go of? We will look at old habits, perceptions and ideas about who we are and who we think we should be. We will explore our relationship with those parts of ourselves and those aspects of our lives that we would like to let go of and explore healthy ways to approach letting go and letting be.
Though this spiritual house-keeping work can be done at anytime, this is a beautiful practice and ritual to mark the end of the year.
Through somatic movement and yogic practices, through mediation and self-enquiry we will explore what it means to let go and what it means to let be. The workshop will culminate with a fire ritual to cement the inner work we have done with an external ritual – a candle and a bin will suffice if no fire available.

Cost: Full Price: £60
Discounted (Low Income): £40 (Please use discount code) L20 at check-out
Recordings available
Click Here to Book The Letting Go Workshop & Ritual

The Art of Teaching Pregnancy Yoga: Sacred Beginnings FREE Training
2025-09-19 09:00 - 12:30 | ONLINE, United Kingdom
FREE Live Training Morning on the Art of Teaching Pregnancy Yoga for Yoga Teachers, Doulas and Midwives, Pregnancy Specialists & Birthworkers
Hosted by Senior Yoga Teachers and doulas Nadia Raafat and Vera Dubrovina, with guest teacher, Birthkeeper and former midwife Joy Horner and yogini philosopher and birthkeeper Micheline Ferrier, this half-day gathering is a call-to-action and gathering of like-minds for all those supporting women and families through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
💫 Join us for a morning of presentations, guided practices, discussion, and connection—all exploring how the beautiful practices of Yoga and Mindfulness can transform the way we prepare for birth and the way birth itself is experienced in these difficult times.

Theme of the Day
Reclaiming Birth: From Clinical Emergency to Spiritual EmergenceNormalising Community Support and Spirituality in Birth

Timetable
09:00 – Welcome Circle & Opening Groundingwith Nadia Raafat & Vera Dubrovina
09:45 – Reclaiming Birth: From Clinical Emergency to Spiritual EmergencePresentation with Nadia Raafat
10:30 – Short Break
10:45 – Is Yoga for Pregnancy Still Relevant in Modern TimesSession with Vera Dubrovina
11: 30 – Panel Discussion & Q&ANadia & Vera, joined by Joy Horner and Micheline Ferreira – the teaching faculty on the Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy Teacher Training
📩 Share your questions now: info@nadiaraafat.com
12:00 – Teacher Training Q & A📩 Share your questions now: info@nadiaraafat.com
12:20 – Closing Circle & Reflectionswith Nadia & Vera

📅 Date & Time: [Friday 19 September 9 – 12.30pm UK Time]Online Access: Register Your FREE place here:💜 Investment: Absolutely FREE
This mornings training is FREE to all who attend LIVE. There is a token charge of £20 to request the recording. Please email info@nadiaraafat.com to request the recording
👉 Reserve your free place today and be part of this nurturing live event.

Autumn Eel Pie Island Yoga Womens Day Retreat
2025-11-01 14:00 - 18:00 | Richmond Yacht Club, Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Richmond Yacht Club, Eel Pie Island, Twickenham London, United Kingdom
Autumn Eel Pie Island Womens Day Retreat
Earth & Stars Day Retreat + Gong Bath
Turn your body into a sanctuary and your practice into a whole-bodied invocation to the energies of the Earth and the Stars; our primordial Mother & Father and the sacred union of all polarities in this powerful field of presence and love.
Saturday, 1st November, 2-6pm 2025
Total Cost: £80
Discounted Place: £45. Available for those on a lower income. Please email info@nadiaraafat.com for discount code.
Book Your Place Here
It is time to return to wonderful Eel Pie for our seasonal community gathering. As the light turns in, we are also inviting you to turn your attention inwards and downwards through the gateway of the body to discover the inner body; a pulsating, vibrating fleld of continuously moving energy and learn how we can use our yoga; asana, breathwork and awareness to direct the flow of our precious life energy not only through our own beings but out into the wider field of which we are part.
This day retreat explores the polarities of strong and soft; active and passive, inner and outer, open and closed in all their somatic expressions. The extended 2 hour yoga asana session will focus on moving from deep fascial engagement to deep fascial release. Trust me, time will fly by. This will be followed by a 30 minute healing yoga Nidra on intuition and creativity – something we all need to access. After the yoga, a break for delicious refreshments and connection on the terrace, then, from a place of open receptivity, receive the healing sounds of Candice’s all-encompassing Gong bath.
Candice will lead us on a deeply relaxing journey of sound encouraging us to rest within the experience and witness our nervous systems, vagus nerve and brain be both stimulated and soothed by the sound of the Gong.
We will close with a circle of love and connection sealing in our efforts and intensions for the day.
As always this event will be a wonderful opportunity to come together with old friends, make new ones, connect with ourselves and each other and reaffirm our unity and community as we head into the darkness of late autumn.
About Eel Pie Island
Eel Pie Island is a small private island accessed via a footbridge from Twickenham riverside and across the water from Richmond. It is home to a large artist’s community and an array of wonderfully eccentric and curious properties as well as a really colourful rock n roll history.
It is easily accessible by all forms of transport; walking distance from Twickenham station and a stones throw from the High Street, served by many bus routes. Metered parking is also widely available.

Autumn Island Womens Day Retreat
Earth & Stars Day Retreat
Saturday, 1st November, 2-6pm 2025
Total Cost: £80
Discounted Place: £45. Available for those on a lower income. Please email info@nadiaraafat.com for discount code.
Book Your Place Here

About Nadia:
I am a senior registered yoga teacher and teacher trainer with 20 years of teaching experience. I teach hatha, vinyasa and yin yoga alongside yoga nidra, meditation and mindfulness. I am also a holistic pelvic health specialist and a perinatal specialist.
My yoga is creative, fluid and somatically-informed. I will keep you engaged and gently challenged from all perspectives. As a movement teacher, I am always discovering fresh, and new ways of embodying and experiencing ourselves. All my classes are infused with mindful awareness, reverence for movement and for the beautiful philosophical teachings of yoga.
I believe deeply in the power of yoga to awaken us physically, psychologically and spiritually to live the lives we came here to live.

About Candice
Candice Joyce is a dear friend and wise soul sister. Alongside being a mama, she is a talented musician, singer and songwriter as well as a gong bath facilitator. When she is not making music, she practices as a homeopath with a long-standing private practice in Richmond.

Autumn Island Womens Day Retreat
I hope you will join us this November on Eel Pie Island – my favourite urban retreat venue.
The cost of this event will be £80. Early Bird £70 (available until 30 September)
I am also offering discounted places of £45 to those in a lower income bracket.
Please email info@nadiaraafat.com for the discount code.
Saturday, 1st November, 2-6pm 2025
Total Cost: £80
Discounted Place: £45. Available for those on a lower income. Please email info@nadiaraafat.com for discount code.
Book Your Place Here

Yoga and Hiking Retreat in the Lake District
2026-05-14 16:00 - 2026-05-17 13:00
Yoga and Hiking Retreat in the Lake District
Thursday 14 May – Sunday 17 May 2026 | Keswick, UK

Join myself and Hayley Webb, a world-class hiking and mountain guide for a deeply nourishing and uplifting long yoga and hiking weekend surrounded by breathtaking nature— a chance to reawaken your mind, body, and spirit. Together we’ll enjoy yoga and hiking, meditation and guided inner exploration as we take the nourishing spring energy deep into our beings.

Location: Keswick, Lake District

Nestled between the serene shores of Derwentwater and the dramatic silhouettes of Skiddaw and Blencathra, Keswick is one of the Lake District’s most inspiring locations.Its blend of mountains, lakes, woodland and wide-open sky offers the perfect backdrop for yoga, mindful hiking, and a deep internal reset.

A Sacred Experience: Meditation at Castlerigg Stone Circle

During the retreat, we will make a special visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle, a 5,000-year-old Neolithic site set on a natural plateau ringed by mountains.
Here, among ancient stones and shifting light, we’ll settle into a guided meditation—an opportunity to connect with the land, the breath, and the timeless stillness held within this sacred site.

Your Home for the Weekend: Thwaite Howe

Thwaite Howe is a welcoming Victorian country house set in tranquil surroundings just outside Keswick—a peaceful, restorative sanctuary.
The house offers ten spacious and comfortable bedrooms, each with its own ensuite bathroom. Rooms include a thoughtful mix of twin, double and single beds, making the space ideal for solo travellers, friends, partners, and families alike.
Inside, you’ll find a large, cosy lounge where you can unwind after a day on the fells, enjoy a cup of tea, share conversation, or simply sink into stillness. The property also features generous gardens that invite quiet moments outdoors, plus a dedicated workspace should you need to step away for anything practical during your stay.
Room Options & Prices (per person) – all rooms offered on first come first served basis! All rooms have private en suite bathrooms
________________________________________
Pricing & Packages
Prices are for three nights and full board plus the option to attend, daily Meditation plus two yoga classes with Nadia and three hikes with our Mountain Guide Hayley.
Regular Pricing (From 6 January 2026)
Shared Double — £555 / £755 single use
Shared King — £575 / £795 single use
Single Room — £745 – No More Available
Sharing Room (with ensuite) – 2 Singles and 2 good quality adult bunks £300
Fill in the booking form and reserve your space.

Daily Rhythm & Yoga Practices
Each day includes morning meditation and two yoga sessions aligned with your natural energy:
Morning Practice
Awakening and enlivening—opening the body, raising your vibration, and preparing you for the day’s hike.
Evening Practice
Deeply calming and restorative, using nourishing yin, down-regulating pranayama, and Yoga Nidra for profound rest.
We also begin and end our Lake District journey with two ceremonial circles—one to open, one to close and integrate the expereince.

Three Guided Hikes

Across the weekend, you’ll enjoy three guided hikes, each led by Hayley, your highly experienced and wonderful Mountain Leader.
1. Derwentwater Lakeside & Woodland Trail
Gentle, scenic and grounding—perfect for settling into the land.
2. Force Crag Mine via Outside & Barrow Circular Walk
A moderate ascent with breathtaking views
3. Catbells Ridge Experience Evening Walk
A joyful, iconic Lake District ridge walk offering gorgeous 360° views.

Nourishing Vegetarian Meals
Delicious, home-cooked vegetarian meals will be lovingly prepared throughout the weekend by Hayley, who is not only your mountain guide but also a fully trained chef.
Expect:

wholesome, satisfying dishes using local produce from the farm shop.

fresh, nourishing ingredients

special treats for the trail

Hayley will supply breakfast, nourishing and sustaining food for packed lunch and trail treats plus a warm home cooked evening meal.

Your weekend will be supported by food that truly nourishes and cleanses. Any special dietary needs will be accommodated. This is an alcohol-free retreat.
Fill in the booking form here

Massage Treatments Available
Throughout the retreat, you’ll have the option to book massage therapy at the house.Treatments are available to ease tired muscles, support nervous system softening, and enhance your overall rest and recovery.
Booking details and pricing will be included in your welcome email.

Who Is This Retreat For?
This retreat is open to all, regardless of your yoga and hiking experience. Basic fitness is required.Both Nadia and Hayley will offer modified practices where required and tailor routes according to ability.
Partners are warmly welcome, and teens aged 13+ may participate fully.

Meet Your Guides

Hayley – Mountain Leader, Outdoor Specialist & Chef
Hayley Webb lives and works in the Lake District year-round, holding Summer & Winter retreats. She has led groups all over the world including to Base Camp Everest.
She is a registered Mountain Leader, and International Mountain Leader; a member of MTA, BMC and the Austrian Alpine Club, she brings safety, expertise and joy to every adventure.As a trained chef, she also brings delicious nourishment to the retreat.
Her walks are engaging and informative; Hayley’s superpower is that she knows this region inside and out and truly brings the mountains to life. It is a pleasure to walk with her. I met Hayley in Snowdonia on a hiking retreat and fell swiftly in love with her knowledge, sense of fun and inspiring competence.

Nadia – Yoga & Meditation Teacher and Psychosynthesis Counsellor
I am a senior registered yoga teacher trained in Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra, and Meditation. I have specialist expertise in chakra yoga, perinatal yoga and holistic pelvic health.
As a psychosynthesis-trained counsellor, my sessions and circles offer deep presence, compassion and emotional attunement.
I have been teaching and leading groups since 2006.
For me, the Lakes offer an opportunity for intimate connection with wild and beautiful nature which is not just profoundly physically sustaining but also spiritually inspiring.

What’s Included

3 nights accommodation at Thwaite Howe

All yoga, meditation & breathwork sessions

Opening & closing circles

3 guided hikes with Hayley

Visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle

All vegetarian meals, snacks & teas

Use of gardens & communal spaces

Optional massage treatments (additional cost)

Payment Plans

Option 1: Pay in full

Option 2: £150 non-refundable deposit + balance by 1 March

Option 3: £150 non-refundable deposit to secure your place + £50 non-refundable admin fee and Monthly payment plan available to suit your budget. Contact Nadia at info@nadiaraafat.com to organise payment plan

Cancellation Policy

£150/£200 (payment plan) deposit is non-refundable

Cancellation before 1 March → 50% refund of remaining payments

Cancellation after 1 March → no refund unless your space is filled

If the organisers cancel → full refund including deposit

Travel insurance is recommended.

How to Book:
If you would like to join us on this Spring yoga and hiking adventure please:
Fill in the booking form here:
Or email us on: info@nadiaraafat.com and include:

Your room choice

Dietary needs

Payment plan preference

You’ll receive an application form with full details. Upon confirmation, you will receive a welcome pack including the full itinerary, travel info and a recommended packing list.

Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need yoga experience?
No — the retreat is suitable for all levels.
Do I need hiking experience?
Just general fitness. The hikes are accessible and paced kindly.
Is massage available?
Yes — massage can be booked at the house throughout the weekend.
Are meals included?
Yes, all meals are vegetarian and home-cooked by Hayley.
Can I come alone?
Absolutely — many guests do. You’ll be warmly welcomed.
What should I bring?
A packing list will be sent: boots, layers, yoga clothes, water bottle, etc.
Is there free time?
Yes — time for rest, journaling, reading, massage and enjoying the gardens.
How do I get there?
Train to Penrith + bus/taxi to Keswick, or drive and park at the venue.
What if it rains?
We adapt! Routes or timings may be adjusted, always safely.

For more details and to book your place please contact us on: info@nadiaraafat.com
