Some of the faces of The Talk Tent 2023

Updated: Oct 16

Our line up for next year's Talk Tent  is starting to take shape and we are excited the following inspirational speakers will be joining us at next year's festival 

Shareefa - one of the hosts for The Talk Tent 2023 

Shareefa is a multi-hyphenate, multi-dimensional woman always searching for the next challenge in order to encourage and inspire others to break through barriers.

She is a London-based presenter and plus-size model with a background in musical theatre, she is at the forefront of promoting equality and mental health awareness. She uses her platform to discuss many topics including Black Lives Matter, LQBTQIA+ topics, plant-based eco-friendly living, fitness, adult ADHD, women’s health and eating disorders. 

Shareefa is an ambassador for the UK based mental health charity CALM and works closely with them to help raise awareness and destigmatise the conversation around suicide. Shareefa previously ran an organisation called @shine4diversity in which she created short documentaries and photographic campaigns to highlight the importance of racial inclusion within advertising, her last campaign in 2019 was featured in Buzzfeed. 

Lauren Vaknine

Leading holistic health and life coach

Lauren Vaknine is a leading holistic health and life coach, wellness educator, health writer and host of the popular Reconditioned Podcast. As a leading voice in wellness in the UK, Lauren uses the experience and knowledge she gained during her 3-decade long journey from severe disability to complete wellness, to help women heal and transform their lives. She does this by using a range of holistic healing arts in a unique, whole-person approach. This approach enables Lauren to take people on a journey from existing, to living a life of purpose, intention, self-mastery and fulfilment. You can find Lauren on Instagram @laurenvaknine, her podcast, Reconditioned with Lauren Vaknine and her website www.laurenvaknine.co.uk

Ancestral Healing with Cacao Ceremony:

It turns out that trauma is passed down through the DNA. Many of the negative patterns we can't seem to shift are, in fact, a result of ancestral trauma. When working towards uplevelling our lives, leading holistic life coach, Lauren Vaknine, uses ancestral healing as one of the many tools to get people there. Because, she believes, if we're holding onto blocks we don't even know about within the very cells of our body, how can we possibly heal? This powerful workshop opens with a cacao ceremony and leads into a meditation that will empower you beyond belief.

How to Get to Know Yourself to Find Your Purpose 

Most of the things holding us back from reaching our full potential are a result of conditioning; conditioning that stops us from ever finding out who we truly are. In order to uncover our purpose, we have to know ourselves fully and completely. In this powerful and interactive workshop, leading holistic life coach, Lauren Vaknine, will show you how to look beneath the conditioning, trauma and labels in order to discover your authentic self and subsequently, start living from a place of purpose. Q&A at the end. 

Life Coaching Open Session 

Leading holistic life coach and wellness expert Lauren Vaknine is opening up the floor to questions. What are you struggling with that you could use some guidance on? Bring all your questions from emotional difficulties to relationship issues to health challenges, and let Lauren guide you in how to heal 

Yumiko Asakura

 A Japanese Sharma - A Healing Life

Ancestry and early life

Yumiko Asakura was born in Fukui, Japan. A far descendent of the Japanese Royal family, with Samurai traditions and a connection to the Onmyōji (masters of astronomy), she began to show signs of spiritual enlightenment from an early age. Yumiko was sent to live with her grandmother in a remote village in the mountains using natural resources. At the age of two, she took herself off into the wilderness to meditate. As a young girl, Yumiko eschewed toys in favour of candles and marbles to help her focus her meditation. She says “From a young age I performed the work of a shaman – communicating with spirits and angels and guiding lost souls. At times it could be frightening but I learned how to protect myself energetically.”

Since 1996, Yumiko had been teaching her healing approach to medical professionals, complementary therapists, healers and spiritual leaders – including doctors, nurses, eastern medicine practitioners, acupuncturists, Zen monks, Buddhist monks, professors in Indian philosophy, spiritual teachers, Shiatsu and massage therapists, Reiki masters, aromatherapists and reflexologists. In 2000, Yumiko founded her own teaching institution. called Leaves Institute, inspired by the idea of leaves from the tree of wisdom 

Mahesh Hayward

Mahesh’s spiritual journey has been long and rich, starting at 19 years old sitting in a weekly meditation group. After his interest took him to yoga 6 years ago, he hasn’t looked back. Holding space for teachers, children, Dorset CID and men’s groups Mahesh has dedicated his life to the path of finding joy & love in all we do.

His group All Us Men has has been meeting for two years and they enjoy movement, breathing techniques, yoga Nedra and discussing daily life. 

Katie Brindle 

I’ve been on a long journey from patient to practitioner, during which I’ve learned two important lessons. That Chinese medicine often really does have the answer. And that good health starts with yang sheng, or self-care.

After a car accident ended my dreams of becoming an opera singer, I was eventually healed by Chinese medicine. Indeed, I was so inspired that I decided to train as a practitioner myself. I realised that, just as I had, people tend to assume Chinese medicine is all herbs and acupuncture. Whereas actually, the missing link that we all need is self-care. And it’s a huge area of expertise in Chinese medicine that most people aren’t aware of. Self-care is the first step – and it’s the bit that we can all do. My mission in life became to help others using this remarkable healing system. Whilst Western medicine has transformed health care as we know it, there’s a gap that it doesn’t address and that’s the ‘almost-well’, the ‘not feeling so good’, the tired out and over-stressed. This is a gap I have seen Chinese medicine – specifically yang sheng – fill beautifully. 

So, I founded the Hayo’u Method and published my book: both of which distil ancient Chinese medicine techniques into simple daily rituals. What I hope is that the information, techniques and tools that changed my life and those of many others can help you feel energised, well and healthy, too.

I’ve been working in Chinese medicine since 2002. Alongside practising massage and reflexology, I studied TCM and qualified as a Five Elements Chinese medical practitioner, graduating from the UK’s Integrated College of Chinese Medicine.

I’m now committed to increasing awareness of this ancient wisdom and encouraging people to master their own health. My aim is to make Chinese medicine achievable and accessible. And as habitual as brushing your teeth. 

In practice, this means working online as much as I’m able, with live feeds and webinars to enable as many people as possible to access this priceless wisdom. I also work one to one with clients, offering both private consultations and day retreats where we unlock your issues and give you the tools to help you master your health.. 

Katie Blake 

The Skin Whisper - Holistic and wellness Therapist, Gua Sha therapist and Danielle Collins Face Yoga Super Trainer 

"Special doesn't begin to cover what Kate Blake does , and who she is , This is proper healing;  more than just skin deep. Although the skin ends up looking pretty fabulous too! She is in a class of her own"

Anna Murphy, The Times

OVER 300 FEEL GOOD EXPERIENCES INCLUDED IN YOUR TICKET PRICE