Festival Program

Vinyasa is connection of breath and movement; each movement is synchronized to a breath, flowing from one pose to the next.The first half of the class we practice round after round of Sun Salutations, holding a variety of low lunges, high lunges and Warrior poses within them. This practice increases the vital energy in your body and is a good cardiovascular exercise. We then move to floor poses including; twists, forward bends, back bends, core strengthening. The class is concluded with a 10 minute guided relaxation, where all your stretching, strengthening and detoxifying will integrate into your body.

This one-hour vinyasa flow offers a holistic, grounding practice to reconnect you with your body and breath. Expect fluid movement, moments of stillness, and an emphasis on embodied awareness and breath, so you leave feeling nourished, grounded and joyful.

Through a trauma informed lense, you will be guided to tune into your body & heart space through breathwork & specific yoga movements.In this class we acknowledge the limiting beliefs, the stories, the pain, the fear, the trauma, that is sitting within our bodies & soul. A safe place is created to somatically invite the pain to be acknowledged & released. It is then the connection of embodied movement, combined with verbalising affirmations, that creates the lasting imprint of empowerment and abundance, the shift that is transformational.Having stepped out of an unhealthy relationship and choosing to embrace my authentic self, I share the learnings of my journey, how embodying movement & mantra daily supported me to own my healing journey, carrying me to my empowered heart centre - living a life I love.

A menopause-aware yoga practice created especially for women in midlife and beyond. This calm, supportive class focuses on soothing the nervous system, rebuilding sustainable strength, and reconnecting you with your innate power—without strain or pressure. Expect slow, intelligent movement, clear choices, and generous pauses that honour changing energy, bodies and minds. This is a practice of listening rather than pushing, where strength is steady, calm is grounding, and power comes from within. Come as you are.
 Leave feeling regulated, capable, and deeply at home in your

Warrior Grace is a slow, steady practice that builds strength without hurry.Karlin guides you through familiar Hatha yoga shapes, linked through easy sequencing and gentle transitions, allowing the body to move with continuity and a sense of flow.Placed in the afternoon rhythm of the day, this session offers space to move towards physical awareness and internal calm, honouring the bodies natural rhythm.Recognisable movement patterns help the nervous system settle. A steady rhythm allows fluidity to reveal a different sense of strength. Rest is woven through the pacing, and the body is given time to find balance.This session offers a different sense of effort, inviting softness. It is about moving with attention, finding steadiness, and allowing strength and softness to exist together.Suitable for all levels.

Delve into the history, science, and spiritual capacity of the AUM Mantra. Experience different ways to chant this potent source sound and join in on a powerful collective sound meditation. Feel the change in your brain waves, the flow of energy within your body and experience the benefits of using mantra to clear the mind, support nervous system balance, enhance healing and activate a state of meditation.

An immersive sonic landscape weaving voice, crystal bowls, guitar, flutes, and drum. A deeply meditative journey to soften the nervous system, release tension, and reconnect with the wisdom of the heart.

This Hatha Flow Class invites you to listen and connect to your body and your breath through a guided practice that focuses on strength, stability and awareness. Moving through a series of traditional postures there is space to explore the sensation of the movement and how it feels for you, and we will be playing with balancing poses that may challenge you! This class is designed to leave you feeling grounded, centred and open, a perfect way to start your day.Suitable for all levels.

Reflecting the phase of the New Moon this class encourages turning inward, meditation, and quiet, passive poses. We will begin with some gentle Pranayama, followed by salutes to the Moon and some classic Yin poses - linked together with an easy vinyasa. The Yin poses will be held for around 2 minutes each allowing you to find stillness and space. Please bring blocks and bolsters if you have them. This class is accessible to everyone; variations and modifications will be given and encouraged.

This is a playful, energising vinyasa that leaves you feeling strong, light, and quietly chuffed with yourself. We’ll build lift by pressing into the earth — using the ground to switch on the core, support the spine, and make “flying” shapes feel surprisingly achievable.Chai has a knack for breaking down complex asana into clear, doable steps, so rather than throwing yourself at poses, you’ll feel how strength and lightness actually arise. Less forcing, more “ohhh… that works.”Expect flowing movement, a few fun challenges, and plenty of options to explore what lift feels like in your body. You’ll leave feeling warm, steady, and energised — grounded enough to take off, and relaxed enough to enjoy it.

This is a playful, energising vinyasa that leaves you feeling strong, light, and quietly chuffed with yourself. We’ll build lift by pressing into the earth — using the ground to switch on the core, support the spine, and make “flying” shapes feel surprisingly achievable.Chai has a knack for breaking down complex asana into clear, doable steps, so rather than throwing yourself at poses, you’ll feel how strength and lightness actually arise. Less forcing, more “ohhh… that works.”Expect flowing movement, a few fun challenges, and plenty of options to explore what lift feels like in your body. You’ll leave feeling warm, steady, and energised — grounded enough to take off, and relaxed enough to enjoy it.

This all-levels yoga class blends mindful movement, gentle strengthening, and stretching to help rejuvenate the body, release tension, and reset the mind. Breathwork and movements are woven throughout the practice to support balance and nervous system regulation. The session concludes with an extended sound-healing Shavasana using Tibetan Singing Bowls to encourage deep relaxation and restoration. To ensure you are as comfortable as possible, please, bring your own pillows and blankets to keep yourselves warm and cozy.

As nature transitions from yang to yin, embrace change and do the same. This session guides you to mirror the rest and release of autumn. A gentle, slow yin yoga sequence designed to cultivate mobility in your connective tissues and soothe your nervous system. During this class you'll be guided to connect with autumn and reflect on what this season of release means for your own life. Drawing on both Taoist philosophy and yogic teachings, you'll explore what you're ready to let go of and what to keep. No props required, but bring anything that supports your practice: blocks, bolster, blankets, eye mask.

Somatic inquiry, intuitive movement, and deep nourishment through gentle hatha, yin, and sound. This slow, nourishing practice moves from gentle, balancing hatha into yin yoga, supporting deep listening, emotional wisdom, and embodied awareness. Subtle metaphysical reflection and internal inquiry invite an intuitive, authentic exploration that honours each body’s innate wisdom. Fully adaptable and suitable for all, the practice concludes with a short sound healing to support integration, rest, and resonance.

SOMA Breath® combines rhythmic breathing, intermittent hypoxic training, guided meditation, and engaging brainwave entrainment music to create sessions that take you into a deep state of inner connection, coherence, and unity. Evidencing its incredible efficacy, SOMA Breath® was studied at Cambridge University. They found that participants experienced states of bliss, deep awareness, and spiritual insights. Not only did they feel amazing, but their brain activity became more complex and diverse, which is linked to more positive, enriching mental states. The feelings were so intense that they've been compared to the effects of psychedelic therapy. Follow up research is being put forward to study SOMA's efficacy in treating severe depression. Sessions can be tailored to calm an overwhelmed nervous system or uplift and infuse energy. Omana has designed this session to bring you into a state of heart coherence and connect you with your authentic self.

Join me for an uplifting and energizing Hatha Flow, combining strengthening elements with restful Asanas to start your day in balance, calm and peace. This is a beginners friendly class, as well as giving opportunities for more experienced Yogis to challenge themselves - and hour full of options to explore your body and mind, to be mindful and move in a nourishing way.

This 75 minute vinyasa flow is a moving meditation of the whakataukī: awhi mai, awhi atu (when we support or care for others, support/care is returned to us). We open with a grounding meditation and dynamic flow that explores the principles of mutual support, reciprocal care, and interconnectedness.'

A class suitable for all levelsFor a majority of the class you will be sitting or lying down in various positions, some standing poses will be includedPoses are held for between 30 seconds and 2 minutes with a few variations in between to keep things interesting

This class is a gentle journey from the outer world inward, inviting you to rediscover the love you carry for yourself and for life. Through a slow, guided flow, we soften the body and quiet the mind, gradually leading into a deeply nourishing guided meditation (Yoga Nidra). A 75-minute practice designed to restore, reconnect, and come home to yourself.

Thai Yoga Massage is often described as “yoga done to you.” In this experiential workshop, you’ll be introduced to the foundations of Thai Yoga Massage — a floor-based, clothed practice that combines rhythmic pressure, gentle stretching, and mindful presence.Open to beginners, this session will explore safe, effective techniques alongside principles of body awareness, breath, and giving from a grounded, relaxed state. Participants will leave with practical tools they can share with friends or loved ones, and a deeper understanding of touch as a meditative and connective practice.

This yoga class involves a sequenced but slow transition from one pose to the next, with time spent in each pose to explore and align. There will be demonstration and suggestions from Matthew, with breath work and quite a lot of verbal alignment cues. The theme of the class is self-connection… connection with your own form, breath, and balance. The style is hatha/Iyengar, so poses are held a bit longer than with a flow style, and the class is completely open to all levels! A great way to start if you are a beginner and something for everyone if you have more experience! There will be blocks and straps for everyone to use if needed. You can expect to leave the class with a sense of energy and lightness in your muscles. Breathing in the form… calmness in a little storm.

Combining ancient mystic and spiritual awareness with modern day scientific understanding of interpersonal neurobiology, polyvagal theory (PVT) and internal family systems (IFS), Kate will facilitate an imaginative journey, exploring your own inner knowing to allow a deep connection to your innate self energy. This session is ideal for those who want to learn more about how to utilise PVT, IFS and the energy of the chakras to notice, sense, feel, heal and integrate their three centres of intelligence - body, heart and head during their Yoga Nidra or meditation practise. Ideally bring bolsters, blankets, pillows and any other props so you can feel fully relaxed and able to release all tension during this session.

Meditation is an ever evolving practice. It is a practice that moves awareness from the external world into the self to experience a subtle level of who we are that is beyond the seeing eyes of material focus. We were born to be in both worlds and to anchor to an innerness of our being that is completely devoid of harm. This harmless is called Pure Love and is full of peace, tranquility and balance. Perfect for everyday living and brings a smile from within to the outward expression of joy.

This practice invites us to move dynamically. I like to take a playful curious approach exploring what our body needs in this moment. Designed as a moving meditation, uniting body, mind, and breath. Walking away feeling energized and happy. Open to all levels.

Denise will lead you through a grounding, meditative practice of traditional Hatha Yoga asanas, focusing on the connection of body and breath, alignment and chakra awareness, and ending with a 10 minute guided deep relaxation

Self-enquiry is a simple and potent practice. It is a practice that invites us to look closely at the nature of reality and the nature of mind or ego. Through the practice of Self-enquiry we can begin to develop a much deeper and more truthful relationship with each moment and with ourselves. We discover that we are not the contents of our minds, but the awareness within which all this arises and passes away. In other words, we are not who we think we are. With this shift in perspective comes freedom. Freedom from doubt, freedom from worry, fear and ultimately, freedom from suffering.

Self-love isn’t a mindset — it’s a lived, embodied relationship with yourself. In this talk, Monique explores how the way you relate to your own body, emotions, and inner world directly shapes your relationships with others. You’ll be guided through the core pillars of embodied self-love, why “doing more work” doesn’t always lead to deeper connection, and how to cultivate inner safety, self-trust, and emotional intimacy within yourself — so your relationships can feel more secure, spacious, and nourishing. This is a heart-opening, grounding talk for anyone longing for deeper connection without losing themselves.

In this grounded, heart-centered workshop, you’ll be gently guided through iRest® meditation, mindfulness, and positive psychology to help you reconnect with your inner truth and deeper sense of purpose. Through accessible, experiential practices, you’ll explore how to: reconnect with your True Self; clarify what’s most meaningful right now; meet thoughts and emotions with compassion; and cultivate peace, clarity, and joy. No prior experience needed - just bring your open heart and curious mind.

Align body, mind, and soul through ancient vibrations and celestial frequencies. You’re invited into a nourishing sound and light journey where healing frequencies meet the language of the stars. This immersive experience weaves together sound healing and light language to support deep relaxation and a renewed connection to your inner wisdom. We’ll begin by gently awakening the body through fun, free-flowing movement, allowing energy to circulate. From here, we move into shared group sound, creating a collective resonance that lifts frequency, opens the heart, and gently prepares the nervous system to receive. You’ll then be enveloped in the healing vibrations of live sound; crystal bowls, drum, Tibetan bowls and chimes washing through the body and energy field. Light language is woven throughout; a soulful, intuitive vocal expression that speaks beyond words, supporting activation, clearing, and deep inner connection. This journey may feel soft, subtle, and deeply nurturing yet its effects can be powerful, working beneath the surface to shift, realign, and restore. Please bring pillows and blankets to make yourself cozy and supported.

This workshop offers a gentle reset for the nervous system through simple movement and conscious connected breathwork. After a short, relatable teaching, participants are guided through embodied practices designed to release tension, restore a sense of safety, and reconnect with the body.This session is suitable for all levels and is ideal for anyone feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or ready to come back to themselves. Come as you are and leave feeling more grounded, present, and centred.

Ease into the day with this energizing vinyasa flow: starting slow and steady focusing on grounding and breathe; building into a flow that will leave you feeling strong, centered, balanced, focused and ready to take on and enjoy the rest of your day!

Yoga doesn’t end when we roll up our mat. Rooted in the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Yamas invite us into a practice of integrity, compassion, and conscious living. In this interactive workshop, we’ll move, reflect, and inquire into how the five Yamas guide our choices, relationships, boundaries, and self-talk. Expect thoughtful conversation, embodied exploration, and space for personal insight. Perfect for practitioners ready to deepen their understanding of yoga as a lived practice.

Through meditation and the healing vibrations of the gong, this class helps your mind to settle and your body to relax. It’s an invitation to let go of overthinking and reconnect with your inner guidance.

Hayley is the founder of Stepping Stones Yoga & Therapy, a Nelson-based wellbeing practice grounded in compassion, embodiment, and nervous-system-informed care. With over 20 years’ experience supporting people’s mental health and healing journeys, Hayley weaves together movement, music, mindfulness, and community as powerful pathways back to self.At the festival, Hayley brings Stepping Into Sound — a joyful, heart-led silent disco experience that invites you to move, play, rest, and reconnect in your own unique way. No choreography. No expectations. Just music, presence, and permission to listen inward.Slip on the headphones and step into an immersive movement journey led by sound, rhythm, and your own inner cues.This is not a dance class and not a yoga class — it’s an embodied experience where you’re invited to move, sway, pause, or rest in whatever way feels right for you in the moment. With no choreography and no expectation to perform, the music becomes the guide and your body sets the pace.Expect a curated soundscape that moves between grounding, playful, and expansive, creating space for expression, connection, and freedom. You’re welcome to dance big, move gently, or simply be still and listen.All bodies. All abilities. All welcome.Come as you are — and step into sound.

Step into the joy of shared sound. This kirtan isn’t about belief... it’s about experience. Together, we’ll sing simple mantras in a call-and-response style, creating a space to express fully, release the mind, and connect with others. Join us to discover the magic of vibration, the freedom of voice, and the song of the true self. Whether you’ve never chanted before or sing every day, this is a space to come as you are, feel the rhythm, and share in the uplifting energy of singing in community.

Breath to begin, chanting, then guided flow through the Ashtanga Vinyasa primary series, with optional modifications. For those with some asana experience.

A graceful, flowing practice rooted in ancient Taoist tradition, Taoist Yoga forms the foundation of what later became Yin Yoga. It focuses on energy (Qi) circulation , and subtle body awareness, supporting vitality, balance, and calm. Suitable for all levels.

A Yin practice designed to nourish our connection and care. A practice for the carers or anyone needing a little extra TLC. This practice uses simple Yin postures, a brief meditation and optional pranayama to support participants in finding deep rest and relaxation. Bonus prop option - blanket/towel (not required)

A practical yoga therapy class combining gentle movement, pranayama (breathing techniques), and Ayurvedic principles. The focus is on nervous system regulation, digestion, and energy management. It is suitable for anyone who wants to understand why imbalances occur and how to restore balance, reduce stress, and have sustainable energy for everyday life.

A guided Yin Yoga practice, while Ana and Facundo will offer Reiki through gentle, hands-on support throughout the session, assisting participants in deepening relaxation and connection.This class provides a grounding and restorative space within the festival, combining long-held Yin postures, breath awareness, and Reiki as subtle energetic support to help participants reset and reconnect.

Liam Miko is a breathwork and sound journey facilitator and men’s coach. He brings a grounded, steady presence that supports deep regulation, emotional release, and embodied clarity. Through conscious breathwork, meditation, and the resonant sound of the didgeridoo, Liam guides powerful yet gentle journeys that invite the body to unwind, restore balance, and return to its natural rhythm.

Regulate & Restore is an embodied practice blending somatics, therapeutic yin and restorative yoga to gently support and regulate your nervous system.

Baddhas and Bandhas. This is a fun, two-hour workshop. In a full, power vinyasa practice, we will explore the stabilising muscular locks in our body that we call bandhas. We will practice engaging bandhas throughout our bodies to give ourselves a safe, balanced foundation. We will then mobilise our joints and limbs to create expression in some fun and challenging bound (baddha) poses. There will be the opportunity for you to ask questions and take your time working into some of the more challenging actions. Bring an open heart and a humble mind. Yoga postures are fun, and this workshop will be tremendous fun.

This beginner-friendly vinyasa class is designed for students of all ages and experience levels who are new to yoga or looking to build a strong, confident foundation. Over the course of this 60-minute class, we’ll move at a steady, accessible pace while exploring common yoga postures (asanas) and simple, flowing sequences, including traditional Sun Salutations.You’ll learn how to transition safely between poses, use your breath to support movement, and modify postures to suit your body. The longer class format allows time for clear explanations, practice, and rest, so you can ask questions and really settle into the basics without feeling rushed.By the end of the class, you’ll feel more familiar with the language of vinyasa yoga and more confident joining group classes or practicing on your own at home.Please bring: a yoga mat, a yoga block, and a strap. All bodies are welcome—no prior yoga experience required.

Immerse yourself in a transformative journey, exploring the profound wisdom of the chakras and the five elements. This workshop is an exploration of the "inner landscape"—the intricate tapestry of energy within and around us. Through a blend of theory, Hatha Yoga, Pranayama, and Yantra/Mantra Meditation, you will learn to recognize and harmonize the energies of earth, water, fire, air, and ether within. More than just a physical practice, these tools are designed to deepen your self-awareness and provide practical insights into your personality and how you interact with the world. Join us to unlock the secrets of your energetic system, paving the way for personal growth, inner harmony, and a more balanced daily life.

This gentle, grounding class blends yoga therapy, somatic movement and mindful awareness. An invitation to listen inward, meet the body with curiosity and cultivate ease. All bodies are welcome, with participants invited to move in ways that honour their own needs. The practice concludes with the soothing tones of crystal bowls, supporting deep relaxation and stillness.

Slow down, soften, and nurture body and mind in this gentle yin yoga class infused with iRest® meditation. Release tension, calm your nervous system, and reconnect with your heart and deeper sense of self. Suitable for all levels, this restorative practice invites you to breathe deeply, restore, and leave feeling refreshed and grounded.

In this workshop, Jahnell shares a Traditional Hatha Yoga sequence learned while supporting Indian women to teach yoga whilst living in India. This offering honours the roots of the practice. Taught with respect for preservation and lineage, the class focuses on gently warming the body, connecting breath with movement, and exercising the mind so the body can follow.This is a slow, conscious practice that emphasises presence, awareness, and inner balance. Listening to what your body allows. Jahnell offers this practice with gratitude for the rare opportunity she had to learn within a women-empowerment ashram in India, and in honour of the Indian women who carry this tradition forward. Students are invited to move, breathe, and experience the quiet joy of being fully alive.

This class is rooted in traditional Hatha Yoga and offers a gentle, mindful practice suitable for all levels. We begin with conscious breathing and pranayama to awaken the nervous system and support digestion, creating space to arrive fully in the present moment. From there, we gradually warm up the joints and move into a flowing sequence of 3–5 rounds of Hatha Surya Namaskar, preparing the body for standing and seated postures. The practice concludes with relaxing stretches and a nourishing rest in Shavasana. This is a gentle and flowy class where breath and movement are harmonised with awareness, allowing the body and mind to prepare for the day in the most loving way. You are warmly invited to join me on the mat to share a precious time of presence and mindfulness. The joy of being present is one of the greatest gifts we can offer ourselves and others.

This isn't just somatic release, it's a return to sensation. Join Briana Bowley for a powerful exploration of the fascia system and its role in nervous system regulation. Discover how your body holds patterns of stress and protection, and how to rewire them through simple yet potent somatic practices. Perfect for anyone wanting to feel more deeply connected, regulated, and in command of their inner state. Expect gentle movement, education, and deep inner shifts that leave you feeling grounded, electric, and alive."

This isn't just somatic release, it's a return to sensation. Join Briana Bowley for a powerful exploration of the fascia system and its role in nervous system regulation. Discover how your body holds patterns of stress and protection, and how to rewire them through simple yet potent somatic practices. Perfect for anyone wanting to feel more deeply connected, regulated, and in command of their inner state. Expect gentle movement, education, and deep inner shifts that leave you feeling grounded, electric, and alive."

Our strongest emotional reactions are often invitations — pointing us toward parts of ourselves that are still longing to be seen, felt, and held. In this experiential workshop, Monique guides you to understand why you get triggered, how emotional patterns are formed in early life, and how to meet these moments with compassion rather than self-judgment or shutdown. Through gentle teaching, somatic awareness, and a guided inner child embodiment journey, you’ll learn how to stay present with intense emotions and reconnect with the parts of you that most need safety and love.

embodyME- Dani facilitates a space that helps and guides people to feel and release emotions that block the flow of energy within their bodies. Embodying "ME" enables people to reconnect to what their body is telling them. This workshop focus is to learn how to listen, feel, and release emotions or trauma that stops you from living life. A two-part experience: Learn how to clear your own body. Feeling, acknowledging and accepting emotions allows their consciousness to release the block. Sound Journey with breathwork and a rebalancing energetic clearing.

Katie is a qualified Prenatal Yoga Teacher based in the Nelson–Tasman region, offering yoga practices designed to support pregnancy. At the Nelson Yoga Festival, she will be sharing a 1-hour prenatal yoga class focused on gentle movement to ease common pregnancy discomforts, support flexibility and mobility, and prepare both body and mind for childbirth.These prenatal classes are suitable for all stages of pregnancy, as well as for those who are thinking about becoming pregnant and would like to learn more about a yoga practice that supports the journey into pregnancy.

As humans evolve, yoga evolves. What does yoga mean for us today, in Whakatū/Nelson, in Aotearoa/New Zealand? Why practice? Through reflection and poetry, Ange will share her insights of parampara, the teacher student relationship as a tradition is handed down through a lineage, and some ways yoga has practically supported her life adventure.