There is no entry fee to visit stalls. All classes can be attended by purchasing a day ticket that costs only 8 euros in advance and 10 euros on the day. Free entry for children.

Practical Infromation:

• Event: Brussels Yoga & Vegan Festival
• Date: Sunday| 15 September
• Venue: Be-here, Rue Dieudonné Lefèvre 4, 1020 Bruxelles
• Time: 10-19
• Website

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About 1,000 people attended a major open-air yoga session this Sunday between 10.30 am and 12.00 pm at the Parc du Cinquantenaire in Brussels.

Running for the sixth consecutive year, Brussels Yoga Day aims to offer those with no previous experience of yoga a taste of what the practice involves, and also seeks to motivate as many people as possible to live more positively.

Many people arrived at the Parc du Cinquantenaire on Sunday morning with a yoga mat under their arms to experience a special session of relaxation and meditation, free of charge and in the open air. The participants, who had to register in advance, were offered a t-shirt and fruit juice before taking their seats in a large half circle facing the arches of the Cinquantenaire.

A yoga teacher then gave the instructions from a stage set up in front of the participants, with soft, relaxing music playing in the background. The participants were then introduced to a few yoga postures and meditation techniques – postures and techniques which they can now reproduce themselves to manage daily stress.

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However, a very diverse line-up of different Yoga teachers and styles awaited the visitors. From morning to evening you could attend classes ranging from Ashtanga, Power Vinyasa, Hatha, Yoga Nidra, Iyengar, Tibetan Tantrayana Buddhist Healing Yoga, Kundalini and OM & Bass Yoga Rave. A wide spectrum of yogic possibilities was on display, but missing was a significant one which would have complemented the other styles immensely. What was really needed was inclusion of Anusara Yoga, which is a fast growing style of Yoga in Belgium and worldwide. Its foundation is rooted in ancient tantric philosophy, modern body alignment and community. New teachers are being trained at the Tree of Life in Tervuren from January 2019.

Many different talks on Yoga, food, philosophy and nutrition were organised in parallel to the classes. Peter Verhaegen the founder of Yogakitchen drew the line between  how the Yoga tradition is tightly connected to living a vegan lifestyle. Vegetarianism/Veganism originates from an ancient yogic text that compiles all previous traditions into one: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It draws on many different traditions and therefore describes many different ways of how to reach a harmonious and peaceful state of mind. One of the ways is the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence/not wishing to do harm). Factory-like animal “production” is a constant violation against every creature’s birth right to live in harmony and peace. By not letting any products from these “factories” onto your dinner plate and into your body shifts your yoga and meditation practice from the sticky yoga mat to real life implementation of principles. An active contribution to world peace!

Well, after a hearty Yoga practice on the mat, many Yogis were on the look out for the expected yummy vegan food options. Equipped with “bring your own plate and fork” in order to avoid and reduce waste, most wandered down to the food stalls. Of which there were only two! Where was the rest of the Belgian vegan scene? The two options, however, were excellent. Nirvana kitchen the Leuven based Indian restaurant offered some fantastic vegan dishes. After a taste of India – onto the deserts at the next stall. Banana bliss balls! Simply mind and taste bud blowing. Ike Uwa, the healing power of nature with a Nigerian twist and innovative sustainable business cards, too.

After the most reasonably priced yoga classes in the whole of Brussels, it was something of a shock to find that the banana/melon smoothie at the bar was even more expensive than one yoga class. There were still plenty of opportunities for other retail therapy at the various stalls selling cosmetics, meditation cushions, mats and jewelry. But clearly there exists a gap in the market and plenty of scope for entrepreneurs to develop more reasonably priced and innovative vegan and vegetarian food and drink offers for the growing demand in the city.

The organizers are planning to take the concept next to Greenwich and Cork in October, and next year to Helsinki, but at present there are no plans yet to repeat the festival in Brussels next year.

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In Brussels a giant yoga session is being held in the Bois de la Cambre today from 10;30 until 17:30, for which participation is free provided that you register in advance. From 1200 onwards there will be many workshops including yoga for men, chair yoga, yoga for kids and laughing yoga.

Yoga is an ancient practice originating from India; it connects body, mind, and spirit promoting better mental and physical health, with the ultimate goal of achieving general wellbeing. There are many different schools of yoga, which teach different styles, and most of these are all well represented in Belgium; Brussels has many independent yoga studios, and yoga classes are also available at the better gyms, like Aspria.  

One of the newer studios offering yoga tuition is the Tree of Life in Tervuren, located close to Tervuren Park and the Foret de Soignes. The main focus of the Tree of Life is tuition for a modern style of Hatha Yoga called Anusara Yoga. This is a form of yoga that concentrates on precise body alignment and is founded on the ancient Indian philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism. It celebrates the principle that life is good, and that there is goodness in every creature.

This autumn, the Anusara School of Hatha Yoga is organising its first-ever regional gathering from 9 to 11 November in the Chateau Frandeux in the Belgian Ardennes. Registration is still open but the places are filling up rapidly, as it is drawing international global interest.

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Both Silke and Courtenay specialise in Anusara Yoga, an alignment-based form of Hatha Yoga with a life-affirming Yogic philosophy, where students move with skilful flow guided by their breathing. They have both been practicing and teaching together for almost a decade. They teach people from a diversity of backgrounds and levels with integrity, passion and  sense of humour. Yoga for them is a way of life and they enjoy sharing that with their students.

Silke explains that the word “Anusara » means flowing with Grace – following the Heart. Anusara Yoga uses  “Universal Principles of Alignment”, which are applied as the name suggests “universally”.  They are applied to all poses and postures sequentially in a Yoga class, but once mastered to a certain degree they happen all at the same time.

Anusara Yoga classes feature uplifting themes which are woven into the poses to physicalise their meaning. The theme often incorporates a heart quality so that the students learn to feel and experience this particular quality or theme in their bodies. The theme is then ultimately taken to the highest level – to a more universal level in relevance to a traditional philosophical school of thought from India called Kashmir Shaivism which forms the philosophical foundation of Anusara Yoga.

It emphasises the idea of seeing the good everywhere and in everything. It teaches us that Consciousness is everything and everything is Consciousness. It is a life affirming practice which honours individuality and diversity. The Anusara School of Hatha Yoga (ASHY ) stands behind the system of Anusara Yoga. It  operates on a global level. It is a teacher led organisation which is a non-profit organisation with a special emphasis on developing and sustaining a worldwide Yoga Community to support the individual teachers in their regions but also to come together on a regular basis globally and regionally to celebrate togetherness and oneness.

Good to Know:
To find out more details about the weekend retreat at the Chateau Frandeux: email: yogatervuren@gmail.com or visit the « Tree of Life » website.

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