Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Sun & Moon Wellness Festival and am still carrying the energy and inspiration it brought me. Set amidst the beautiful, natural surroundings of Woolverstone Hall - built in 1766 on the banks of the River Orwell, a tidal estuary - the event didn't disappoint.
The festival is more than just an event - it allows attendees to experience a full-body reset, take a deep breath, and act as a reminder of what truly matters. It hosted 200 workshops, 75 different workshop leaders (myself being one) over 7 days.
It was a pleasure to hold the space at daily workshops with each one sharing the same format and even one late into the evening for a few of the catering team - the latter, we only had the light from the Moon and one solitary candle. Totally magical.
My workshops
We started with a short discussion about how and where we breathe and how that can affect our physical and emotional health.
This then followed with a detailed explanation of the technique combined with a demonstration. It gave attendees the opportunity to practise the technique before moving into a longer guided practice.
During the longer breathe there was the option to receive hands on acupressure. The acupressure style I work with is a gentle massage using my finger tips on various meridian energy pathways of the body points of the body; it can help the flow of energy held within the body releasing whatever the body wants to let go of: our baggage.
We then finished with a few minutes of gentle relaxation.
Each of the workshops had various themes - grounding, our inner child, self-love - all with the end goal of regaining power and becoming a true reflection of ourselves. The workshops enabled everyone attending to help reconnect: locate and release emotion, trauma, stress and simply 'let go'.
Some observations of the Festival itself
The feeling as soon as you arrive is a sense of calm and openness in the air. The community that gathered - yogis, healers, teachers, musicians, and seekers from all walks of life - created an atmosphere that was inclusive, uplifting, and refreshingly real. There was no pretence, just a collective desire to connect, grow, and heal.
I had the opportunity to take part in a number of workshops and sessions - each one offering something new. Whether it was deepening my meditation practice with a lovely guided Shamanic meditation; a journey to meet and connect to the spirit of Judgement; crafting to help journal writing and to create affirmation cards; a djembe drum session - there were moments of clarity and grounding throughout.
It reminded me that community and shared presence are some of the most potent medicines we have.
What stood out to me the most was the simplicity of it all. We came together to be human - to listen, to move, to feel, to laugh, and to rest. And in doing so, I walked away with a renewed sense of purpose and peace.
A special shoutout to the facilitators who held space with such grace and authenticity.
Until next time,
Alan
Keen to find out more?
If you would like to find out more about the workshops I run, why not get in touch by emailing alan@breatherapy.co.uk or completing the contact form.