The Mind Body Project helps promote mindfulness in Beijing

Laid-back and fun yoga, meditation and stress management workshops

A group that started out organising fitness retreats, the Beijing-based The Mind Body Project (TMBP) now hosts yoga, meditation and wellness workshops for individuals, schools and companies around town. After experiencing what she calls 'energy hangovers', MBP co-founder Brittany Dunn knew she needed to learn practical mindfulness techniques or risk burnout.

She teamed up with now business partner Erin Henshaw and for the last few years, has sought to introduce simple, science-backed techniques to help others through fun and welcoming community-focused classes.

Yoga sessions all start out with tea and a meet and greet, for example. It's not until after practising breathing techniques and discussing how stress, breath and movement are all connected that any posing takes place. Dunn explains that our brains can play tricks on us and not enough people know that: 'While they're not threats to our survival, that incoming work email or a looming deadline can send us all into fight-or-flight mode. Over time, not knowing how to cope with this stress is a huge energy suck and can even make us more prone to illness.'

For those wanting to learn more before attending a workshop, TMBP suggests getting started with apps Headspace and Insight Timer, both available to download for free. Classes start from 75RMB.

Hit 'Read more' for The Mind Body Project's website.

More from Time Out Beijing