Grief & The Gut: An Ayurvedic Cooking Workshop

In this gentle, hands-on workshop, we'll harvest seasonal herbs and vegetables from the garden before preparing and sharing a nourishing meal together inspired by Ayurvedic principles, which focus on supporting wellbeing through seasonal, balanced food.

Inspired by Sabine's own experience of grief, the recipe is simple, affordable and designed to support us when energy, motivation and capacity are low. As we cook and eat together, we'll explore what happens to the body in grief and how food can become an act of care during times of loss. There will be space for conversation, quiet reflection and sharing stories if you wish.

The workshop will take place from 10.00am–1.00pm at The Grief Garden, with the meal shared together as lunch. If you'd like to spend more time in the garden afterwards, you're warmly invited to stay for our gardening session from 1.00–3.00pm.

This event is part of our autumn programme, The Grief Garden: An Invitation to Artists, funded by Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority through the Seasons of Culture programme, supporting projects that encourage communities to connect with nature through creative practice. The programme explores themes of grief and loss through artist-led creative experiences in a supportive community setting. You're welcome to participate in whatever way feels comfortable, and you're free to step away at any time.

Getting here

If driving: Please park at Wood Hall Hotel (LS22 4JA) and walk to the Walled Garden. The walk takes less than five minutes. At one point it may feel as though you're walking through private gardens, but please be assured this is a public footpath. Directions can be found here.

If using public transport: The closest bus stop is Harewood Road, served by the X99 bus from Leeds to Wetherby. From there it is a 15-20 minute walk - follow the path across the road from the bus stop through some fields, along and across the River Wharfe.

Artist Bio: 

Sabine Horner is a nutritionist, yoga therapist, and Ayurvedic health practitioner who supports bereaved people struggling with the very real physical impact of grief. After losing her husband Kevin, Sabine experienced how grief affects not only our emotions and mood, but also our digestion, appetite, daily routines, blood sugar, energy, and sleep. She combines professional expertise with lived experience as a widow to provide practical, achievable strategies for physical self-care that actually work and make emotional pain a little easier to bear.

Sabine is the author of Nourishing Through Loss: A Gentle Holiday Guide and provides support through practical grief resources, cooking workshops, yoga classes, comprehensive health assessments, and 1:1 mind-body support.