Yoga for refugees weekend retreat in Sheffield

This summer has been full of meaningful work with refugee and asylum seeker groups, and meeting wonderful new people from around the world.  

In June, I once again had the privilege of joining the annual Yoga for Refugees weekend retreat with Tools for Inner Peace at Lockerbrook Residential Education Centre in the Peak District – it was just as wonderful as previous years. 

We welcomed attendees, including refugees, asylum seekers and people working in refugee support roles, from countries as varied as Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iran, DRC, Guinea, Palestine, Pakistan, Algeria, Ukraine, South Africa, Honduras.

Despite differences in age, culture and background, everyone had already discovered something valuable in yoga, (some were past students of Tools for Inner Peace classes or had previously attended one of our refugee retreats), which inspired them to join the weekend. Many were keen to deepen their knowledge and experience so they could develop their own practice or share learnings with their networks and communities.

We explored why we do certain postures and how practising them in a slow and mindful way creates a calming effect on both body and mind. We shared how simple breathwork practices like brahmari (humming bee breath) produce sound vibrations that can ease anxiety and help to manage stress. 

The group especially loved the yoga nidra classes – one of my favourite practices to teach – experiencing firsthand how deeply restorative it can be. Another highlight was a journaling session featuring prompts and questions originally created by Swami Sivananda, designed to help you review your day and encourage personal growth. 

We also included a theory session on the signs and symptoms of the stress response and trauma, looking at how the nervous system can shift between being in a sympathetic (high energy go state) and parasympathetic (rest and recover state) state and how yoga can support that balance.   

Beyond the sessions and practices, everyone enjoyed time in nature, admired the stunning views and spent the evening outdoors together around the fire pit – we even got everyone to share music and dance from their cultural heritages. 

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined, supported and helped to organise the weekend, and to Tools for Inner Peace for making it possible once again. 

Views from Lockerbrook centre near Sheffield in the Peak District where we held the Yoga for Refugees Weekend Retreat