We are honoured to be working with student and friend of the studio, Amber Druce. Amber is the Curator of History at Bristol Museums. She is doing a wonderful project collecting stories, photos and objects to represent Bristol’s reaction to coronavirus. Amber reached out to us to see what we have been doing within our Wild Wolf’s community.

“We’d love to hear from the Wild Wolf’s community about how the studio has helped them. Do online classes make you feel better, and more connected, or is all the new technology a bit overwhelming sometimes? If you’ve fostered a bolster, we’d love to see its holiday snaps, from when it was picked up to where it is now.”

Please get in touch with amber.druce@bristol.gov.uk (Curator of History)

https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/blog/the-effect-of-coronavirus-on-bristol/

Here are a few stories that have come our way and the background to the bolster fostering that we will share to start the ball rolling… Please get in touch with Amber or the studio with your stories…

Just before the lockdown was put into place, we were able to send fragments of the studio home with some of you. We couldn’t actually believe how much of a demand there was for bolster hire, as the phone rang every few minutes and I ran up and down the stairs delivering them to grateful open arms.

Now its wonderful seeing them pop up in online classes, keeping the spirit of the studio alive and being put to good use as they support you and we know in turn, they are being cherished and looked after. I reached out to some of our students for their bolster fostering stories so far, and here are some of their enchanting tales.

Cat and ‘Barnaby the Bolster’

“It reminds me a bit of when I used to work in a Primary School and kids would take Barnaby Bear home for the holidays, then produce a scrapbook on return to school, with photos and stories of all the things Barnaby had got up to! So here’s me and my Barnaby Bolster. Strangely enough I’ve barely used him for yoga practice, but my bolster has become more of a “comfort blanket” to hug, sit on or lean against. Full of stories and steeped in Wild Wolf’s magic, from the slightly faded seams to the tiny blot of ink on the end, I’m so glad to be a part of this bolster’s history and comforted by his presence, constantly reminding me that, despite the turbulent times, the ritual, calm and nourishment of yoga will always be there.”

One Man and His Bolster – A Yoga Story by Derek

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully describe to anyone just how important yoga is to me, but I will be forever indebted to the #FridayAt4 networking group and Jess at Wild Wolf’s Yoga for helping me find my way back to my practice. Without yoga, well I don’t know where I’d be!

Having this bolster on loan from Wild Wolf’s has been really helpful to my practice. I like to start my classes lying down with the bolster under my knees, it’s a very relaxing way to start a yin class.

The bolster has also proven to be a useful substitute to hug in this new, uncertain and isolated world we find ourselves in! Those first few evenings of lockdown, when it was still a bit chilly, I was wrapped in my super-warm Wild Wolf’s hoodie cuddling the bolster for what was probably far too long! It’s a poor substitute for a real hug but it’s the best I’ve got for now!”

Laura the Proud Bolster Foster Mum

“Proud foster mum to a Wild Wolfs bolster. Not going to lie, I mainly just hug it! I live on my own and somehow having something to hug provides a little comfort and support. It does also mean that at home yin classes feel very luxurious now; but also a tangible connection to the studio which I can’t wait to get back to, for classes and teacher training. Big love to the Wolf Pack x”

Some of our teachers have also been fostering our plants, so stay tuned for stories from their new home and adventures. Do you have a story you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you if you’ve been joining the online classes and how your at home studio is looking.

With Love,

Helena x