From Reflection to Renewal: Day Retreat for the Transition into Spring

This seasonal retreat is an invitation to move from reflection into renewal through yoga, an inspiring workshop, cacao ceremony and sound bath that gently support the transition from winter into spring.

A day to pause, reset and reawaken

As winter softens and the first hints of spring begin to emerge, we enter a powerful moment in the seasonal cycle: a shift from inward reflection into fresh vision and renewal. This late-winter transition is the perfect time to gather what we’ve learned during the quieter months and begin imagining what we want to grow in the season ahead.

In the busyness of London life, we rarely get the chance to pause long enough to feel this shift. This urban retreat offers that space: a day away from the noise, where you can slow down, breathe, and listen inwardly.

Together, we’ll explore practices that help you:

• release the heaviness of winter,

• reconnect with your inner clarity,

• and step into spring with a renewed sense of direction.

The Morning: Grounding & Awakening

Our day begins slowly, with time to arrive, settle and land. Through a grounding opening meditation, we create spaciousness in the body and mind and prepare the inner ground for intention-setting.

From here, we move into a dynamic yet accessible yoga flow. This morning practice is designed to awaken and energise the body after winter, releasing stagnation and building momentum for the season ahead. Expect a full-body experience that creates space in the spine and hips, generates warmth, and ignites agni (your inner fire), while remaining supportive and adaptable for all levels. We’ll close with a nourishing savasana to integrate the practice.

A shared, nourishing vegetarian lunch offers time to rest, connect and replenish.

The Afternoon: Vision, Ritual & Deep Rest

After lunch, we begin the afternoon with “Unfurl”, a guided intention-setting workshop for visioning, journaling and creative reflection. This is a spacious, supportive container to explore what truly matters to you as you turn toward spring, helping intentions emerge organically rather than being forced.

From there, the day softens into ritual and rest. A heart-opening cacao ceremony invites warmth, presence and clarity, gently supporting the shift from reflection into renewal.

This is followed by a deeply nurturing yin yoga practice, inspired by the Chinese Medicine transition from Water to Wood. Through long, supported holds, we replenish kidney yin, soothe the nervous system, and create space for new energy to rise without urgency.

We then move into a restorative sound bath, an immersive experience using gongs, singing bowls and chimes. This final practice supports deep relaxation, integration and release, allowing the intentions of the day to settle on a cellular level.

We close the day in circle, acknowledging what has surfaced and sealing the experience before stepping back into daily life.

Why Join?

Life moves fast, but your body and heart move in seasons. This retreat helps you reconnect to that natural rhythm, the part of you that knows when to rest, when to release, and when to rise.

You’ll enjoy:

✨ Time to pause and reset

✨ Practices that support your nervous system

✨ Seasonal wisdom drawn from Chinese Medicine

✨ Intention setting that feels embodied and grounded

✨ A warm, supportive community

✨ A renewed sense of clarity, creativity and inner purpose

You’ll leave feeling grounded, restored, and ready to step into spring with more ease and intention.

Programme for the Day

09:00 — Arrival

09:30 — Welcome Teas & Smoothies

We start the day with warm drinks, smoothies and space to settle and ease into the day.

10:00 — Opening Meditation

A grounding meditation to help you arrive fully and create spaciousness in the mind and body.

10:30 — Dynamic Yoga Flow with Zaz

A 75-minute practice to awaken and energise the body, releasing winter stagnation and building momentum for the season ahead.

12:00 — Nourishing Vegetarian Lunch

Fresh, local and seasonal: simple, nourishing food shared in community.

13:00 — “Unfurl” Intention Setting Workshop with Zaz

A guided space for visioning, journaling and creative reflection designed to help you connect with what truly matters as you move toward spring.

14:30 — Cacao Ceremony with Veronika

A heart-opening ritual using ceremonial cacao to cultivate presence, warmth and clarity, supporting the inner shift from reflection to renewal.

15:00 — Yin Yoga with Veronika

A slow, nurturing practice to soften the body, replenish kidney yin, and regulate the nervous system, offering deep rest before spring’s rising energy.

16:00 — Sound Bath

A deeply restorative immersion in the therapeutic sounds of gongs, singing bowls and chimes. This sound bath invites effortless relaxation, helping you release tension and integrate the intentions of the day. Expect to leave feeling spacious, grounded and replenished.

17:00 — Closing circle

We end the day in community, acknowledging the clarity, insights and intentions that have surfaced. A gentle moment to seal your practice and carry your renewed energy into the months ahead.

Food

A freshly prepared vegetarian lunch is included, alongside teas, snacks and refreshments available throughout the day. Simple, nourishing dishes chosen to complement the retreat’s grounding and restorative focus.

Location

Our retreat takes place at Miller's Way Project, a hidden Japanese-inspired studio in West London. It's a calm, minimalist sanctuary just 5–10 minutes from Westfield Shopping Centre. The moment you arrive, the busyness of the city falls away.

Transport:

• Shepherd’s Bush (Central Line & Overground)

• Buses from Hammersmith (Piccadilly / District / H&C Lines)

• Parking: W12 Shopping Centre is the most convenient for day-long stays

Your hosts

Zaz Zarouhi Grumbar

Zaz is a London-based yoga teacher with more than a decade of teaching experience. Drawing from a rich tapestry of yoga lineages, including Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar and Vinyasa, she blends creative sequencing, mindful movement and intelligent alignment to guide students into practices that are both empowering and transformative.

In her classes, Zaz invites students to explore strength, flexibility and presence with curiosity and delight, encouraging them to surprise themselves and discover greater capacity within and beyond the physical practice. She integrates insights from neuro-anatomy and physical body mechanics to support safe, effective movement, while also offering restorative and dynamic classes, workshops, retreats and personalised sessions.

Veronika Pongracz

Veronika is a London-based yoga and meditation teacher and sound therapy practitioner. She brings the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine into her teaching, offering slow flow and restorative yoga, meditation, sound baths, and cacao ceremonies. Through her classes, workshops, and retreats, she guides participants into deep states of relaxation and balance, supporting a sense of reconnection that leaves them feeling nourished and renewed.

Veronika's love of sound and music began in childhood, with twelve years of piano training starting at age six. Over time, she discovered the power of Tibetan singing bowls, gongs, and other therapeutic instruments, studying with teachers around the world, including gong master Don Conreaux.

Who is it for?

This retreat is open to everyone, whether you’re an experienced practitioner or completely new to yoga, cacao or sound healing. The practices are designed to be supportive, accessible and adaptable, allowing you to participate in a way that feels right for your body and energy.

You’ll enjoy this retreat if you:

• are seeking a spacious day to rest, reconnect and reset

• feel drawn to seasonal living or simply want to feel more aligned

• love movement, ritual, reflection — or are curious to explore these practices

• want to enter spring feeling clearer, lighter and more intentional

• appreciate both dynamic and restorative yoga taught in a mindful, inclusive way

No prior experience is required for any part of the day.Just bring yourself as you are.

The beauty of a sound bath and cacao ceremony is that anyone can enjoy it, no experience necessary. (Please see note below about circumstances where these may not be suitable).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Gong baths are not suitable for anyone with a pacemaker, anyone who suffers from fits (epileptics), or anyone who is extremely sensitive to sound. They are also not recommended for women in the first trimester of pregnancy due to the unstable nature of pregnancy during that time. If you wear a hearing aid, your device should be turned off during the session. Cacao ceremonies are not recommended for individuals who are taking MAOI inhibitors, have heart conditions, or are highly sensitive to caffeine, as well as pregnant or breastfeeding women. Additionally, those with certain medical conditions or on specific medications should consult a healthcare professional before participating.

What to bring?

To help you feel comfortable throughout the day, we recommend bringing:

• A water bottle

• A journal + pen for intention setting and reflection

• Layers to stay warm during meditation, yin and the sound bath

• A small blanket or shawl for extra comfort during the restorative parts

• Anything that supports your practice, such as an eye cushion or personal props. Yoga mats and props are available, but bring yours if you prefer.