Soul Circus Yoga & Wellness Festival 2018 {Review}

Sat here, on a chilly wet Sunday morning, my mind takes me back to last weekend when the sun was shining down on a small and cosy yoga and wellness festival in the west of England.

Soul Circus Yoga and Wellness Festival returned for their third year at their home in Elmore, Gloucestershire. Easily accessible off junction 12 of the M5, the festival soon takes you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The festival, run by husband and wife team Roman Wroath and Ellie Guilding, has grown in size slightly over the last three years but not too much to take away from the intimacy and friendliness of the whole site area. Add to this the fact that the Soul Circus crew and ambassadors are all a smiley and approachable bunch and you've got yourself a warm and welcoming festival suitable for all; whatever your age, yoga background or previous experiences.

Yoga, Soul Circus and where I've been!

So, it's been nearly 7 months since I posted here and quite a lot has changed. Stepping back from the blogging world just slowly happened as other events in my life took over. There was no big 'I'm escaping from social media and finding time for myself' - other things came into my life and the focus went elsewhere. Which leads me to the yoga adventure...

As well as my children's yoga qualification, I am now a qualified adult yoga teacher having successfully completed my 200hr YTT in Cirencester back in April. This has led to me slowly stepping away from my classroom teaching job and increasing my time in schools spreading the yoga love to hundreds of local children; a job that I simply adore. I am slowly building up adult classes in my local village hall as well as some amazing yoga by the lake sessions at a nearby creative business work-space. To say I'm pretty happy in my new career would be quite an understatement.

Soul Circus Yoga Festival 2017 {Review}

Nestled in the fields of Elmore, Gloucestershire, Soul Circus is a deliciously welcoming yoga festival that is guaranteed to leave you feeling completely chilled with a warm buzzing feeling inside. Having attended last year's inaugural event I was looking forward to see if 2017 could top it - it did not disappoint.

Summer Emotions

This weekend my girl turned 11; her last birthday before heading off to secondary school in September. These two events are in no doubt causing me to be very emotional at the moment. Year on year the children's birthdays set me off on a path of mixed emotions and I become an absolute nightmare to live with whilst I deal with it. We are also at the start of the last week of the school year and I'm getting emotional about everything; the girl's leaver's assembly on Thursday, finishing this academic year of yoga teaching, realising the holiday is only a week away and I'm meant to be running the Norwich 10k race in less than 3 weeks and I can only just walk on a knackered achilles, realising that, despite a positive physio appointment 2 weeks ago, I will have to shelve the planned marathon in September. Then I think to myself that in the grand scheme of things these are only little stresses and I should do the simple thing of 'snapping out of it'. Sometimes I can but sometimes I can't. I am quite an emotional thing with quite a fiery streak - just ask the husband. As cliche as it sounds, running is my therapy - well one of them, yoga being the other. Running gives me time, it gives me fresh air, it gives me exercise, it clears my mind, it makes me feel great. Simply put, not being able to do it is really getting me down. Now I could just leave it at that but I do have a positive side to me. I am telling myself it could be way worse than having to shelve some races and take it easy. So I'm going to now look ahead to the summer and think of the positives!

In less than two weeks we'll be taking our annual trip down the A350 to Dorset for the tenth installment of Camp Bestival! This will be our eighth Camp Bestival and that simple fact obviously means it is an event that as a family we would highly recommend - here was last year's review.

I may not be running there this year but I'm going to take the annual trip east along the joyous M4, M25 & M11 to my home county of Norfolk - the thought of the Norfolk coast is already making me smile!

   

The wide open space of Greenacres needs to be booked for some family chill-out camping time.

Soul Circus gives me my yoga festival hit for the summer. I am so looking forward to three days of rolling out my yoga mat in the amazing tents and chilling in some pure indulgent me-time. Last year's inaugural event was fantastic and I reviewed it here.

And there is also the simple fact that alarm clocks can be switched off, school bags can be hidden under the stairs and we can just chill with the family.

So, and I do need to remind myself of this, there's a lot to be positive about.

x x x

Soul Circus Yoga & Wellness Festival 2017 {Ticket Giveaway}

The sun is shining and it really feels like Summer is on the way and for me that means only one thing...festival time! The warm weather has put me, and my friends over at Soul Circus HQ, in a fantastic mood and because of that I am hosting a giveaway for 2 general admission tickets, valued at £200 apiece, to Soul Circus 2017!

To be in with a chance of winning just read the following and then enter via Rafflecopter below...

Soul Circus returns for a second year to Elmore, Gloucestershire for a weekend of yoga, wellness, good food and drink, camping, relaxing and an all round feeling of chillness and bliss. The line up is crammed full of talented yoga teachers to guide you through a huge range of yoga sessions whether you are a seasoned yogi or just dipping your toe. Here is just a taster of Soul Circus 2017...

Soul Circus Yoga & Wellness Festival 2017 {Preview}

The Easter holidays are upon us and the Spring sunshine is filling the sky, and our hearts, with some much needed warmth. It's that time of year, with the clocks already having moved on, that I start to look ahead to the long sun filled days of Summer and begin to make some plans. My Summer always has to include a tent and a festival and this year I am so happy to be going back again to cover the amazing yoga and wellness festival that is Soul Circus.

Tucked away in the quiet area of Elmore, Gloucestershire, and within easy reach of the M5, Soul Circus is an ideal festival for the yoga lover whether you are on the start of your yoga path or way down that road; with a wealth of classes to suit a variety of styles there will always be a class for every yogi to participate in.
Many faces are returning from last year including Aimee Garcia-Marshall, who had me smiling all the way through her Vinyasa Flow class, Taylor Harkness, the first teacher to inspire me to attempt a handstand, and Emily Young (RYT 500 & senior lecturer in Children's Health and Wellbeing) to whom I owe a big thanks for really igniting the spark in me to train as a children's yoga teacher following a wonderful conversation with her last year, as well as assisting me in my handstand in Taylor's class!

Soul Circus will also have the whole family in mind again in 2017 with Mary Grinstead installed as the resident yoga instructor for the under 18s. As a fellow school teacher, and children's yoga teacher, I'm really looking forward to seeing Mary working with the younger yogis at Soul Circus.

As well as having opportunities to challenge yourself with your asana practise, Soul Circus also places high value on it's musical entertainment. Music will fill the air of Soul Circus 2017 with live entertainment on the main stage and acoustic offerings tucked away in pockets around the site.

Food and Drink looks to be a winner again; 'Whatever your diet, whether you desire gluten free, dairy free, cold pressed or grass fed we've got it covered!' Local produce is a key point again this year as well as the festival having it's own manifesto on sustainability including pledges to increase recycling and lower food waste, introducing composting loos for 2017 and sourcing food locally within 60 miles of the site.

For a bit of indulgence and pampering the VIP experience will give you access to a champagne bar, VIP champagne lounge, all day coffee and tea bar plus more!
You can also add a spot of extra comfort to your camping experience with a range of luxury glamping options plus, new this year, pre-erected tents. You can of course bring your own tent or camper van!

Wherever you stay for the two nights of Soul Circus 2017 you are bound to have a dreamy, chilled out sleeping experience.

Soul Circus 2017 takes place 18th - 20th August at Elmore Gloucestershire. You can find out more information on the Soul Circus website including ticket info.

You can also read more about my time at Soul Circus 2016 here.

**Heads up - I will be holding a giveaway for two weekend tickets soon!**

x x x 

Disclaimer; I have received a weekend pass to Soul Circus 2017 in return for previews and reviews of this year's festival. As always, views and opinions are my own.

My January

So as I type this, January is almost at an end; I've never known a January to last so long but that isn't necessarily a negative thing. This month has been jam packed with my new yoga venture which has definitely kept me on my toes. It has increased the fire in my belly and now I yearn to embrace more, learn more, challenge myself more and grow more. Training to become a yoga teacher for children has been one of the best of things I have done and it has been an absolute joy this month to start my business off. The smiles, the laughter, the positivity, the calm, the relaxation and the gratitude I have seen in my little yogis in just one month makes me burst with warmth and happiness inside.

Alongside teaching yoga, I've also made sure I've hit the mat for my own practice continuing to go to a lush weekly class as well as finding time in the week to roll out the mat at home. I'm increasingly aware that yoga is not just about the mat and achieving a yoga pose goal and have felt it changing my outlook on life in many other ways. Back in November I made the final steps to follow a fully vegan diet and much of this life choice has been influenced by the compassionate element of yoga. January has seen me continue to have a great time in the kitchen trying new foods, testing new recipes, veganising old favourites and trying to get the family to have fully vegan days - the kiddos almost got there today until they admitted that they had been eating their Christmas chocolate upstairs!

Last year was definitely a year of running for me with three half marathons completed and January has seen me continue to lace up the faithful Nikes and hit a few pavements. The miles are down a bit on this time last year - just 41 this month - but the enjoyment is still there. Every week I meet up with a work colleague and through running we have forged an amazing friendship beyond the classroom walls. Our runs may be slower due to all the chatting but they leave me warm on the inside - which has been helpful on some of our cold January plods.

As January finishes off with a cold, wet and grey finale I had a ray of sunshine with the confirmation that I am off to Soul Circus again this summer. I went to the first Soul Circus event last year, on my own, and loved every minute of it. If you enjoy yoga, good food and decent live music then take a look. And keep an eye out on my blog and social media for news of a ticket giveaway!

I hope your January has been a good one too.

x x x

Soul Circus ~ Yoga & Wellness Festival {Review}

This weekend the time had finally come for me to attend the inaugural yoga and wellness festival that is Soul Circus. I left home on Friday morning with some apprehension about what was to come; I was leaving my family behind and going it alone to a festival. The date had been marked on the calendar for months; I was organised, I was packed for a weekend of yoga, I had made my plans, I had practised putting my tent up solo yet I was still worried.
I was stepping into the unknown!
The weather certainly wasn't helping my nerves with the forecast predicting heavy rain and high winds but I told myself the weather is beyond my control, worrying about it will not change it, so I took a deep breath and moved on.
I said my goodbyes with a bug hug for the husband and kiddos and I was on my way to a field in Elmore, Gloucestershire.
Leaving the M5 at Junction 12 the festival site was easily found with clear signage on the local roads.

Getting onto the site was quick and easy with a chatty steward telling me everything I needed to know. The size of the site meant parking up and getting my tent and gear into the camping field by myself was pretty stress free - although why I didn't just drive across and tip everything out of my car before parking up I don't know! Neighbouring campers were all friendly with a mix of solo attendees, friends and families and I was told to shout should I need any help with the tent. Choosing a spot against the bordering hedge and next to a nice big camper I felt relatively sheltered and relaxed up a bit more about the weather.

Going it alone to a festival {Soul Circus 2016 ~ Preview}

Whilst still on a high from attending Camp Bestival last weekend, with thousands of other family festival goers, I now look ahead to a calmer experience at Soul Circus. Challenging myself this year, and setting a few goals before I hit the magical age of 40, I'll be stepping outside of my comfort zone by attending Soul Circus alone. With the main focus of the festival being Yoga and Wellness I have a good feeling that the other 500 festival goers will be of a like-minded nature and I don't think I'll feel alone for long. That's not to say I'm not a little bit nervous though. To ease my concerns I have stream lined my usual festival packing list to make setting up camp more manageable and I have perfected the solo erecting of my tent - as long as the wind is calm! I plan to pack light; yoga leggings, crop tops and baggy vests to see me through plenty of classes and workshops and comfortable cosy yoga pants for some evening relaxation. I'll also be adding these, easy to pack, unbelievably soft organic bamboo eco, leggings and vest from Boody to my case. They are great to pair up with brighter clothing or layer for warmth.

Soul Circus have just released their Yoga Class Timetable and Wellness Workshop Schedule with plenty happening each day to keep me busy. In contrast to Camp Bestival, where we struck a good balance between family fun and adult me time, at Soul Circus it is just me to think about. Going solo to a festival does have some advantages that I can see straight away; I can get up when I'm ready to, prepare my own morning cuppa and porridge without the worry of having to escort any children to the toilets, set my own agenda for the day and change plans without upsetting anyone else, eat lunch and dinner when my stomach is hungry but most importantly I can do yoga whenever I like!

Yoga Festivals ~ Summer 2016

Last Tuesday I went to my weekly yoga class to be met by my yoga teacher who looked calmer, more chilled out, smilier and generally floating more than usual. The reason? She had just just returned from a weekend spent at a glorious yoga festival called Yoga Connects.

Here she had experienced a range of classes and workshops with like-minded people and listening to her positive words got me fired up with excitement ready for the summer ahead. Six weeks of summer holiday ready to be filled with fun times with my children, new memories made for my little family, a new yoga festival and fun festival times at Camp Bestival. At the latter I will be escaping for a little 'me time' in the Slow Motion area which, coincidentally, is ran in conjunction with the team behind Yoga Connects - so how perfect does that sound?!

Soul Circus Yoga & Wellness Festival {Preview}

Ella, co-founder of Soul Circus Festival:

                                   "Soul Circus...A chance to shed the constraints of your real life and connect 

                                   with your inner freedom of expression be that in whatever way you choose."

Sometimes things happen in your life that lead you down different paths taking unplanned turns and finding new adventures. For my latest adventure I need to go back to the start. In January I added Practise more Yoga to my 40 things before 40 list; this was primarily intended to find myself a little me time on the mat at home and also to aid the increasing stress that running was putting on my body with my half marathon training. I began with a little bit of yoga here and there, dipping into YouTube videos but never really sure if I was doing it right. I then stumbled across a local, brand new, yoga class taking place just round the corner from my home in a beautiful converted barn; I couldn't resist and a taster session soon turned into a weekly date in my diary. It was soon apparent to me that yoga was having a positive impact on my life; clearing my mind, chilling me out, grounding me and giving me confidence.

As summer approached my mind turned to festival season and it felt like something clicked in me when my yoga teacher flagged up the beautiful looking Soul Circus, a boutique yoga and wellness festival in the Cotswolds - the idea of a festival with yoga at it's forefront sounded just the thing for me and I was keen to investigate further. I instantly loved the vision of Matthew Miller, the creative and media director, who has literally flipped the classic format of a music festival, with a wellbeing area as an add-on, and made the yoga and wellbeing take centre stage with the musical entertainment and culinary delights the, still important, extras. Already this was sounding perfect; a weekend away camping in a peaceful setting with just a short walk from the car park to carry the tent and yoga mat from, a range of yoga classes and workshops for everyone, whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced practitioner, taking place in three specialised yoga pod tipi tents, organic food from a range of vendors washed down with locally produced cider and gin and live music from the Fat Hat Collective - a group of bands from the South-West joined together to promote peace, love and music.

The diversity of yoga classes and workshops is really exciting me and looking through the Soul Circus classes I am told that... our teachers will...inspire and inspirit you.
Words and phrases like Aerial yoga, Shake your Asana, ..outdoor sunrise class..., Rocket Yoga Beats, Gloga Rave, Yoga Body Painting, ...outdoor classes under a stretched tent..., ...live music yoga rave..., restorative yoga and Silent Disco leap out at me. Pair this with opportunities for meditation and mindfulness for some inner peace and I have tingling goosebumps at what is to come.

What I do know is that a beautiful picture is being painted in my mind and this festival looks like it is going to be something special.

Soul Circus takes place from 19 August - 21 August 2016 in Elmore, Gloucester and you can find tickets here and plenty of further information on the Soul Circus website.

x x x

Disclaimer; I have received a weekend pass to Soul Circus 2016 in return for previews and reviews of this year's festival. As always, views and opinions are my own.