A hub for health and healing in a city-centre yurt

A yurt in an inner city co-working building is providing treatments and workshops, creating a safe space for healing after lockdown 

The striking space is immediately calming. Credit: Marcos Martin-Suarez

YURT in the city has re-opened with an array of treatments and classes to heal the body and calm the mind as we come out of lockdown. 

Based at Meanwhile House on the edge of Butetown, YURT in the city is designed to provide an escape from urban life. The focus at the moment is on one-to-one massage and shamanic healing, but the plan is to re-launch group classes by the end of November. These safe and socially distanced classes will include yoga, meditation, sound journeys, gong baths, shamanic circles and homeopathy.

Owner Marcos Martin-Suarez says that although Covid-19 presents an ongoing challenge to such close-quarter practices, a space like this is needed more than ever.

“It’s aesthetically driven, it hits your nervous system as soon as you walk inside,” he says. “Before you’ve even had a treatment you feel grounded and relaxed.” 

Marcos deep into his work. Credit: Marcos Martin-Suarez
Remedy reaction

Marcos believes lockdown has given people the opportunity to reflect and for many this reflection has led to a focus on health and wellbeing. The problem, he says, is that although people are focussed on their health, they are sick of clinical environments and imagery. The YURT has all the precautions in place to protect clients from the virus, but has a much softer aesthetic.

“The energetic side of a space is really important – a place to be calm,” confirms Marcos.

Gaia Evalyn Love leads shamanic workshops in the yurt and says on her site that shamanism is “A great way to reconnect with the earth.” Gaia has a range of offerings as a shamanic teacher including power animal retrieval, curse removal and energy re-balancing.

“Shamans are the keepers of ancient techniques,” she says, “used to maintain energetic synergy and balance within themselves and their communities.”