Benefits of going on a retreat
Taking the time to go on a retreat is one of the best ways to care for yourself. It is an excellent way to break free from old and destructive behavior patterns that no longer serve you, release self- judgements, let go of fears and encourage yourself to change, heal and live more self sustainably. It gives you time to focus on yourself, your needs and what makes you happy.
If you are feeling physically, mentally or emotionally stressed, and whether you are new to yoga or an experienced practitioner, you can benefit both physically and emotionally from coming on a retreat. By committing more time, space and energy to yourself on retreat, as well as your practice, you will advance on both physical and emotional levels and you will leave feeling more relaxed, renewed and energized. Retreats allow you to go deeper, leaving behind the usual distractions of your everyday life and arrive into a new space of self-reflection and acceptance.
Our yoga retreat
We are a small non-profit association, comprising of one Yoga & Mindfulness Teacher and one Reiki Master; we are not a big company shipping in different teachers each week, when you come on retreat with us, its us that you will get!! We prefer to work with smaller groups, of between 1 and 10 people, that way we can spend some time with each person offering individual mentoring and guidance. We never cancel our retreats because of low numbers, for us it is about quality and not quantity, we want our guests to completely relax and have time to reflect and re-centre, to press the pause button on the stresses of our modern world. So if you are looking for a yoga retreat which is all about excitement and thrills then we are not the choice for you! Our focus is on internal peace and not external distractions.
An average day
Each morning begins with a class focusing on yoga postures (asana) and Pranayama (breath), working mindfully and with a beginners playful curiosity, coming into being totally aware of the sensations of the physical body, and making subtle adjustments within each position to learn how to be able to listen intently to what the body is needing.
In the afternoons you can continue working with the theme in your own time, or book a one to one mentoring session to discuss your experiences with the practice. Or alternatively you can get out and about or take one of the optional excursions on offer.
In the early evening there will be a themed mindfulness practice followed by a guided Yoga Nidra, meditation and time for group discussion and further explanation on each of the practices and how you can apply them in everyday life. Mindfulness Practice has been demonstrated to have significant benefits on physical, emotional and holistic health.
There are sitting postures (sitting or kneeling), standing and supine (lying posture) postures, and balances. Each asana has several advantages and works with various muscles and organs of the body. Each asana can be changed to the different levels of ability of each individual, and over time, flexibility and strength will increase. Patience, acceptance and compassion are the key.
Then you will have a class with a specific themed mindfulness practice. There will be a guided meditation and time for group discussion and further explanation on each of the practices and how you can apply it to everyday life and situations. Mindfulness practice has been demonstrated to have significant benefits on physical, emotional and holistic health.
In the afternoons, you can continue working with the theme in your own time, or book a one to one mentoring session to discuss your experiences with the practice. Or alternatively, you can get out or take one of the optional excursions on offer.
In the evening, you will also practice breathing exercises (pranayama). These practices can be done sitting or lying down and there are many different exercises of pranayama, all of which have enormous benefits for health, reducing stress and emotional well-being. After Pranayama, you will finish with a guided relaxation called Yoga Nidra, meaning yogic sleep, which works profoundly with the body and mind, inducing a deeply relaxed state. After the relaxation, you get back to the world feeling calm, refreshed and more aware than when you started!