8 Days Mindfulness and Yoga Retreat in Sardinia, Italy

The Cala Luas Resort opened in 2008, inspired by the buildings of the Campidano area, the typical Spanish farmhouses called Posadas. The architecture refelcts this with the use of courtyards, small balconies, pathways that intertwine between arches and porticos, with an extensive use of wood beams and roof tiles.

The hotel features 170 rooms, all spacious and yet cosy, all the rooms feature tiled/marble floors and typical Sardinian furnishings. Rooms are located on the ground or first floor, some boast a sea view, other overlook the surrounding countryside or the resort. The rooms of the Cala Luas Resort are decorated in a typical Sardinian style. Some feature exposed beams in the ceilings, other have access to the terrace, patio or garden.

Superior rooms boast more space, a better location, a view, and rich decor and high quality amenities. Almost all of them feature wooden ceilings, some have a balcony, others big bright windows, and some other provide garden access. Located in the upper and in the central area of the resort, there are both double and triple rooms available.

All the rooms for guests with disabilities are located on the ground floor. They feature wide doors and bathroom with no steps. A network of barrier-free paths connects the rooms to the facility area, to the pool and to the beach.

There is one single room, and 7 which can accommodate guests with disabilities. The other 162 rooms are divided into the following types and categories: standard, superior double, triple, basic triple and quadruple rooms.

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!

Ogliastra is in the heart of Gennargentu, home of the centenarians and of Cannonau, where the ancient culture is still present in everyday life and it seems as time stopped long ago. Home of high quality produce, authentic scents and flavors offering you sensations that will enrich you, to bring back home from your holiday.

You will be staying at Cala Luas Resort, set in a tranquil, rural location virtually on the beach. The hotel is set in an area of about 4 hectares, on land once belonging to the Sesei district, under the control of the Count of Quirra, a nobleman of a prestigious Spanish family who in the 15th century donated these lands to the people of Gairo. Until the first decade of the 20th century, the area was covered by cork oak woods, whose traces are still visible in the land adjacent to the hotel.

During WWII, when the demand for coal increased, many prisoners from Germany and Austria, (evidence of which can be found at the cemetery of Gairo), were forced to cut and prepare the coal on the beach, a departure point for the shipments to the front on mainland Italy. In the area surrounding the sports facilities, there was once the Church of Buoncammino, later transferred to what is today the locality of Buoncammino, in order to hide it from view from the sea, and to protect it from Saracen landings: the Tower of Bari Sardo is a testament to the need for protection against attacks from the sea.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner with water and/or wine are included in the price. Vegetarian, vegan and Coeliac menus are available if requested at time of booking.

There are too many ways to enjoy your spare time in Sardinia. Anything from horse riding, kayaking, hiking, boat trips, surfing, train tours to mountain biking and quad biking trips are available. Yoga in Sardinia can help put you in touch with people that organize these activities.

If you choose to stay at one of our selected Hotels, they are able to organize excursions on your behalf. Simply state at the time of booking what excursions you are interested in and they will send you further information and pricing details.

• Trekking
• Climbing
• Diving
• Canyoning
• Quad
• Jeep
• Horseback

Also the following tour packages:

• Mini cruises
• Excursion on the green train
• Excursion by 44
• Excursion by kayak
• Hiking excursion

• 1.5 hours daily guided mindfulness practice and discussion for 5 days
• 2.5 hours daily yoga, pranayama and yoga Nidra for 5 days
• 7 nights accommodation
• Full board meals (breakfast and dinner)
• One to one mentoring (optional, to be agreed by appointment)
• Free gifts of Mindfulness Book and Double CD of guided Mindfulness Practices

• Any other service not mentioned here
• Arrival / departure transfers
• Excursions
• Flights

Address

Cala Luas Resort

Localit Foddini, 08040 Cardedu OG, Sardinia, Italy

GPS Coordinates

39.794458, 9.667400

Closest ARST bus stop

Cardedu, via Municipio, 1

Driving directions from Olbia

SS125 to Sassari / Cagliari, then take the SS199 road up to San Teodoro / Nuoro / Siniscola / Cagliari / Padru, take the SS 131until the exit Nuoro towards SS389, follow the directions to Mamoiada / Lanusei / Oliena and take the SS389, go straight on SS198.

Continue to the SS390 at the cross-roads SS125, turn right and then left and take Via Leonardo da Vinci for 1.1 kilometers, turn left and after 500 meters, take the first left for 1.7 kilometers, then turn left for 40 meters, follow the directions to the hotel.

Driving directions from the Port of Cagliari

Take the north direction Via Visconti towards Viale Guglielmo Marconi, then take the exit way out for Monserrato / Quartucciu / Selangor. At the turning point, take the first exit, continue straight on Via delle Serre, continue on Via Nazionale and Via Mandas, then turn right and take the SS554, turn right at the cross-roads SS125 directions Muravera / Arbatax / Siniscola / Olbia. Go straight on the way SS125 Muravera / San Vito / Villaputzu / Tertenia / Tortoli. Take the exit for Tertenia and then the road for Jerzu / Lanusei / Marina di Gairo, follow the direction Barisardo and finally the hotel direction.

Driving directions from the Port of Arbatax Tortoli

Take west direction on SS125, turn left towards SS125 and take Via Leonardo da Vinci follow the directions to the hotel.

Arrival by airplane

Nearby airports are Olbia Airport (Costa Smeralda), Cagliari Airport (Elmas) and Alghero Airport (Fertilia). Those airports are served by low cost direct flights from Europe and the UK. Cagliari is about 1 and a half hours drive. Olbia is about 2 hours drive away and Alghero is about 2 and a half hours. You will need to arrange transfers by bus, taxi or hire a car.

Distance from Sardinias main ports

• Olbia / Golfo Aranci - 184 / 204 kilometers
• Arbatax - 20 kilometers
• Porto Torres - 222 kilometers
• Cagliari - 122 kilometers

Distance from Sardinias main airports

• Alghero Fertilia - 225 kilometers
• Olbia Costa Smeralda - 184 kilometers
• Cagliari Elmas - 128 kilometers