20th June 2025 | Gujarat Hindu Society Temple, Preston, UK
On 20th June 2025, Preston became a hub of global wellbeing as the 3rd International Yoga and Mind-Body Practice Conference welcomed researchers, practitioners, and community leaders from across the UK and beyond. Hosted at the Gujarat Hindu Society Temple, and supported by partners including Consciousness UK CIC, the Social Prescribing Unit at the University of Lancashire, Active Lancashire, the Confucius Institute, Nottingham Trent University, and the Gujarat Hindu Society, the day embodied this year’s powerful theme: “One World, One Health.”
A Shared Vision for Wellbeing
Opening the conference, Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi (Director of Public Health, Lancashire County Council) set the tone with a moving foreword. He highlighted how yoga, Taichi, Qigong, and other mind-body practices connect personal wellbeing with community resilience and even planetary health. “Health is a shared responsibility, a collective aspiration, and a universal right,” he reminded delegates.
Keynotes and Workshops
Inspiring talks came from:
- Dr. Ananda Kumar Dhanasekaran, NHS Consultant
- Dr. Sakthi Karunanithi, Consciousness UK CIC
- Mr. Khushal Kumar, National Forum of Health and Wellbeing
- Dr. Lorenzo More, University of Lancashire Workshops immersed participants in practices such as Qigong-based mindful “Glimmers” for stress relief in higher education (Lisa Clughen, Nottingham Trent University), breathwork, comparative journeys through Taichi, Qigong and Yoga (Feixia Yu), and Qigong for resilience and healthy ageing (Nicola Barlow, Wuji Wellbeing). The Confucius Institute also led a traditional Chinese tea ceremony.
Research and Community Impact
The conference showcased groundbreaking research and local projects:
- Plungington Community Centre demonstrated how Taichi Qigong strengthens community bonds and supports social prescribing in one of Preston’s most deprived areas.
- Project Mandala, a National Lottery-funded yoga initiative, revealed positive outcomes for stress reduction and community wellbeing.
- Studies explored how Qigong in museums can combat loneliness and enhance ageing well, while online Baduanjin Qigong proved an effective tool for stress management among students and staff.
- The Connected Communities study (University of Lancashire) provided insights into how community support services are implemented and sustained in the North West.
A Holistic Approach: Eco-ception and Moving with Nature
Delegates were also invited to explore new frontiers in health philosophy, including **Eco-ception **a fresh way of understanding the human-nature relationship through movement and awareness (Richard Whall, UCLan). Outdoor Qigong sessions blended movement with nature to foster resilience and vitality in later life.
Collaboration at the Heart
Community organisations, universities, and wellbeing groups joined together with stalls, sharing knowledge and building partnerships. Importantly, thanks to the generosity of sponsors including **Active Lancashire, Consciousness UK CIC, the Confucius Institute, and the Social Prescribing Unit at UCLan **the event was free for all delegates, breaking down barriers to access.
Looking Ahead
Since its inception in 2022, this annual conference has grown in reach and ambition. With each year, more partners, practitioners, and participants are uniting to advance the evidence base for yoga and mind-body practices in health systems and communities.
Plans are already underway for the 4th International Yoga & Mind-Body Practice Conference – 20th June 2026, which will welcome two major new partners: the Global Social Prescribing Alliance and the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS). Their involvement will help expand the conference’s global impact, fostering stronger international collaboration and bringing mind-body practices further into mainstream health and wellbeing systems.
As Sam Pywell (Principal Lecturer and Social Prescribing Lead, University of Lancashire) concluded:
“We can achieve much more together. The vision is to break down and ultimately remove the barriers to yoga and mind-body practices, so that everyone can benefit from their profound potential to improve lives.”
One world. One health. One shared journey toward wellbeing.
Full report here****.