Posts Tagged ‘yoga’

• Who is this holiday for? Anyone with an interest in yoga and well-being
• When to go? Courses run all year around due excellent weather in Marbella
• Price? From £800 per person
• Type of Holiday? Exclusive and unique yoga retreat

To make a reservation or for further information email caroline@lotusblooming.com

If attention to detail, exclusivity and quality are what you are looking for then this is the yoga retreat for you!

Lotus Retreat in Marbella is a small luxury retreat that accommodates up to six people which ensures each person gets enough personal guidance and attention. While the holiday is deeply focused around yoga and its traditions it by no means is a boot camp and still has that wonderful holiday feel with all the enhancements and benefits of your yoga practices. The aim is to make your stay as comfortable, relaxing and rejuvenating as possible, to give you good value for your money, with the wish that you leave feeling renewed, refreshed, happy and contented enough to return.

Welcome to southern Spain

Relax on the sun terrace

Cool off in the pool

The beautiful yoga room

The house is situated in a quite residential area of Marbella set against the backdrop of La Concha Mountain and surrounded by well-kept gardens. It is beautifully decorated with lots of hand painted antique furniture and has a peaceful warm atmosphere. There are two twin rooms with a shared bathroom and a terrace and one larger twin room with its own bathroom and sun terrace. The rooms are comfortable and have a unique design. All of the sheets and towels are pure cotton.

The salon is beautifully decorated with hand painted antique furniture, there are books, puzzles and board games to play in your free time. The yoga studio has been purpose built with lots of light and privacy.
There is a large outside terrace and garden for dining, sun bathing or quietly reading in the shade and a communal swimming pool surrounded by beautifully kept gardens and a good tennis club just a short walk away. The retreat is just a five-minute drive from the beach and five minutes from a variety of good restaurants and shops.

An example of a day at the yoga retreat starts with a wake-up call at 7.30a.m and an early morning walk at 8.00a.m, along the beautiful beaches of Marbella or in the surrounding countryside and gardens.
At 10.00a.m. a yoga class for approximately one and a half to two hours in the purpose built yoga studio. This is followed by a brunch at 12.00pm which is freshly prepared with a wide choice of fruits, salads, cheese, yogurt, muslie, preserves, juice and teas.

From 1.00p.m. to 6.00p.m. is leisure time, swim in the pool, sunbathe on the terraces, take an Ayurvedic massage with the qualified therapist. Perhaps you might like to go to the beach or walk around the famous Puerto Banus with its amazing yachts. Here you can shop in stores like Dior, Versace and Loewe or simply sit in one of the many cafes and enjoy the ambiance.

At 6.00p.m. there is a gentle yoga class followed at 8.00p.m. by dinner which is mainly vegetarian but can include fish if you desire. Only the freshest ingredients are used. After dinner relax outside on the terrace, take a glass of wine, chat, read or take a walk to the beach and watch the sun set.

Relax in comfort

Quality bedrooms

Chill by the pool

Eat on the terrace

Yoga Retreat dates for 2010

10 January to 17 January (de-tox Retreat)

24 January to 31 January

03 February to 07 February (4 Days)

14 February to 21 February

03 March to 07 March(4 Days)

14 March to 21 March

28 March to 04 April (Easter)

07 April to 11 April (4 Days)

18 April to 25 April

28 April to 02 May (4 Days)

09 May to 16 May

More dates to follow

Costs per person excluding flights and transport

From £815 per person per week sharing in a twin bedded room

4 day retreats start from £495 per person per week sharing in a twin bedded room

A limited number of single rooms are available at a supplement of £175

Transfers from Malaga airport are available at £175 return per vehicle. There is an excellent bus service from Malaga to MArbella and it is then a 15€ taxi fare to the retreat. Prana are also able to arrange car hire for collection on your arrival at the airport..Call us for details.

Flights
We do not sell flights but can give advice on the best options and times.

The price includes the following features:
Accommodation for the length of the course
Brunch and dinner
All yoga classes and walks

The price does not include the following:
Travel to Lotus Retreat
Additional excursions and treatments not mentioned in the course
Travel Insurance
Drinks and extra meals

When to go?
Retreats are offered year round. The weather in this part of Spain is usually excellent. It makes a perfect winter get away.

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Gabriel Foster is a graphic artist for spirit, mind & body living and http://www.gabrielfoster.com is where you’ll find his inspirational articles and artwork.

Beginning my Yoga Experience – by Boyd Martin

As I walked out of the Bikram Yoga studio toward my car after my first class, I found myself declaring, “If I can actually do this yoga, it will totally change my whole life.” I had only been able to attempt half the postures, with the rest of the time lying down, just dealing with the heated, humid room. But it was a revelation as to the sorry state of my body’s condition, and the pathetic condition of my mind-body connection.

I had already made the firm decision to do yoga class every day for two months, after reading Bikram Choudhury’s introductory yoga book. He says, “Give us two months. We will change you.” After living with years of back pain due to compressed lumbar discs and a sedentary lifestyle, I was ready for that change–so ready, in fact, I was willing to subject my de-conditioned body to 90 minutes of vigorous cardiovascular activity in 105° heat and 60% humidity (making the “apparent temperature” somewhere around 145°). But the prospective discipline of it appealed to me, and soon I was actually enjoying the gentle torture of it, as I began to move muscles, bones and cartilage that hadn’t been moved in years.

Beyond the rewards of seeing my body stretch and reach new ranges of motion in class, it was after and between classes where the payoffs truly lay. Bending over to pick up something no longer hurt, standing up after sitting for a while no longer involved pain and stiffness, and I began noticing how good I felt instead of how bad.

Of course, getting to these improvements took a while; and although I had committed to two months of daily practice, it has now been nearly eight months, and I can now say yoga is an indispensible part of my life. This path has blatantly announced to me how I had incrementally reduced my own range of motion with each tiny discomfort, each injury, each bout of stiffness, in an attempt to protect myself from future pain. It is a common life strategy, but a very wrongheaded one. The body needs to increase its range of motion over time, and each discomfort or injury points the way. As the World’s Stiffest Person at 50, I was on the fast track to being a crippled old man by 60.

I drew a valuable conclusion from this, that all the little aches and pains and microconditions we had as twentysomethings, if not dealt with in a broad and holistic way, are the exact pains and conditions that amplify over time leading us to our ultimate demise. From this perspective, what is commonly referred to as “aging,” is actually more like an excuse for not answering the body’s calls for help early on. I’m just not buying the “I’m just getting too old for this” refrain I hear from my friends. Time, friction, and gravity will take their respective tolls, but only with permission from you. If I end up dying at 94, I would rather have gotten there vital, active and pain-free, instead of feeble, crippled, and tormented.

The main thing I’ve learned from my beginning yoga experience is that it takes MUCH MORE WORK than I thought to reverse my past slothfulness, and much more diligence on the day-to-day to maintain what gains I have acheived. Bikram refers to the “body’s bank account.” You invest into the account with yoga, and then spend the account when not doing yoga. Of course, I found I was sorely and deplorably in DEBT, and am only now seeing the light at the end of that tunnel, striving for the day I can touch my forehead to my toes, rest my leg on my shoulder, and nap on my back with my head on my feet.

SEVEN MORE THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN BIKRAM YOGA

1. If yoga turns it on, yoga will turn it off. I’ve had many classes where a muscle or joint will “release” (I used to wrongly identify it as “strain”), causing pain and stiffness or soreness after class. By the end of the next class, invariably, that soreness and pain disappears.
2. Your body is stronger than you think it is, and you have more energy than you think you do. One day in class I decided to completely ignore my thoughts as to what I could or couldn’t do in class, and was surprised to find a whole new range of motion, and a whole new area of energy and strength. The body obeys the limitations imposed upon it by the mind. Because Bikram Yoga is one of the most strenuous forms of hatha yoga, it is easy to claim to myself that I MUST be tired after all that exertion. Letting myself engage in this way, certainly obtained the result. The REALITY of yoga class is that it CREATES energy. Although it is natural to feel weakness or exhaustion, that feeling is actually RECOVERY, and in a few minutes, I claim to myself that I am refreshed and energetically ready for life. And, magically, I am.
3. Trust your body to know what it needs to do. Patience. As obedient as the body is to the limitations of the mind, it has also retained the awareness of the sequence of how those limitations were imposed, and knows how to undo them. The deeper problem with this is that many times there seem to be opposing limitations and confused commands operating within the body. These were put there by the mind, resulting in the wrong muscles being used to do certain motions. The trick, of course, is to get the mind out of the way, and it WILL resolve.
4. How you do yoga is how you do your life. The corollary to this is what happens during yoga practice is a microcosm of what happens to you in life. Paying attention to this is the road to revelation–as well as some inner grins.
5. Flexibility and core strength are the keys to health. Nutrition is important, drinking lots of water is important, getting proper amounts of sleep is important–all things I had been doing throughout my life. Unfortunately, I had overlooked the two most important things. Exercise is inadequate (and I dare say useless) without flexibility and core strength training. Again, it has taken much more than I thought to keep my body’s bank account from going into the red, and the quickest way into the black is with flexibility and core strength training. (By “core strength” I mean the deepest core muscles that create movement in the body, such as abdominal and back muscles.) With a high degree of flexibility, all the enzymes, minerals, blood flow, and myriad other rejuvenating substances the body creates to heal and build itself can get to those areas that need it. Without flexibility, there is withering and dying. I also noticed that I didn’t engage my abdominal muscles when I should, such as when bending over, lifting, carrying, walking, standing up. This set up bad habits of motion, and the obvious developing flacidity and inappropriate muscle recruitment.
6. Breathe. Combine this command with how you do yoga is how you do your life, and you’ll quickly see where you cut off your life force in daily living. I would stop breathing when I felt weak, for example. Ooops.
7. Use your mind to guide and expand. This is a corollary to Number 3 above. I noticed that by setting and visualizing goals on each posture, as well as for the entire class, and by refusing to entertain any other thoughts–such as how hot it is in the room, what hurts, what I’m afraid of, etcetera, etcetera–lo and behold progress gets made. The body wants to feel better. Help it out by concentrating on improving each posture, and when not doing that, concentrating on breathing. I’m saving myself a lot of unnecessay torture by applying this point in my practice, and in my life.

EMOTIONAL/SPIRITUAL CHANGES

The most impressive effect underlying all the physical changes has been my greatly increased ability to confront life in the proper perspective–what I’ll call the “Small Potatoes Effect.” This is where one does something so monumentally difficult that the rest of life’s daily conflicts, conundrums, irritations and niggly stresses seem to all pale in importance. Or, more accurately, they begin to assume the quality of merely the backdrop texture accompanying my personal goals and purposes. They become the tiny, swirling dust devils stirred up by my atmospheric movements of intention. These are no longer “stresses”–they are revealing acknowledgements that life is changing according to my desires.

As the practice advances, I’m wondering if perhaps it is not so much that it is “monumentally difficult” to do this yoga, but that certain firmly embedded toxic conditions residing for decades deep within organs, muscle and bone are at last being purged–and that translates as a monumental achievement on some subliminal cellular or auric level.

Whatever it is, it has restored my sense of humor, allowed me to rediscover my enjoyment of living, and added an aura of leisure in everyday activities, even as I find myself accomplishing more.

And so I continue on with my daily practice of Bikram Yoga with an inner smile, remembering that Bikram says, “You gotta go through hell to get to heaven,” and remembering that the only reason the “hell” is there was my own doing. But with yoga, my days of redemption are at hand.

Boyd is the webmaster of www.subtleenergysolutions.com and the newsletter writer for that site. He enjoys a wide range of experience both in the ways of the internet and in freelance writing. An active, professional drummer, Boyd performs in the Portland area with several area blues and R&B bands. Boyd is also an avid, practicing Bikram Yoga participant

Yoga is a great exercise for people who need to increase suppleness, reduce stress, get fit, and lead a more healthy life. Nearly anybody can do yoga as it is not strenuous, which makes it well suited as an exercise program all through life. Many folk consider yoga but also have questions about how to get started.

Many folks are troubled that they are not flexible enough to do yoga and will never be in the flexible state that is required to get into the contortionist poses many people associate with yoga. The reality is that yoga is about building flexibility, together with other things, and you do not have to be extremely flexible to begin taking yoga lessons. Yoga also includes learning how to be in a position to the best of your ability, and to relax after a hard day’s work. It takes time to build suppleness and yoga will help you to become more flexible.

Many of us think that yoga is just for ladies, but men can also take part in and benefit from yoga too. Men benefit from yoga in the similar fashion that ladies do: with increased flexibility, strength, stress reduction and overall well being.

Yoga has become more well-liked by men as they, too, have found several health advantages of this traditional exercise. Yoga is famous for having plenty of health benefits, but some people still wonder if it will help them lose weight as this is one of their main fitness goals.

Whilst yoga is not the quickest way to lose weight, it will help you to lose those additional pounds. As yoga mixes physical exercise with positive lifestyle adaptations, you will be ready to better manage stress and eliminate the negative influences in your life that contribute to weight issues.  A lot of exercise programs have stern rules as to how frequently you need to perform them.

Whilst it is important to give your body time to rest after strenuous activity, the gentle nature of yoga makes it the kind of exercise that you can practice as regularly as you like. You can begin with classes a number of times a week and consequently attend more, or you can practice everyday at home. If your schedule permits structured exercise less often, you can practice yoga whenever likely and still gain the health benefits.

• Who is this holiday for? Anyone wanting an intimate and friendly yoga holiday
• When to go? The ideal months to visit are April, May, June and September and October, although all year is possible.
• Price? From £210 per person
• Type of Holiday? Yoga retreat in rural Spain

To make a reservation or for further information email lizyoga@hotmail.com

With great weather, superb food and a wonderfully friendly people, Spain is a great destination for a yoga holiday.

The Casa Blanca Yoga and Reiki Therapy Centre is in the province of Almeria, Andalucía. Surrounded by orange and lemon groves and views to the mountains, combined with the weather this is tranquillity at its best. The ideal destination for a yoga holiday.

Liz Stanford is your resident teacher. Her style of Hatha yoga involves slow and purposeful movements and breathing with an emphasis on releasing tension and resistance in the body, raising your energy levels and so making the postures easier. Consistently setting the standard in teaching, Casa Blanca has gained a number of awards in recent years. In 2005, it was recognised as a ‘Renowned Yoga Institution’ by the Satyananda Yoga Research Centre in Kerala and in 2006 they featured in the Footprints guide book ‘Body & Soul Escapes’. In 2008, Liz was recognised as a Distinguished Teacher by Yoga Alliance International.

Yoga in Spain

Beautiful gardens

Yoga in Andalucia

Local beach

Casa Blanca is a traditional Spanish manor house built over 150 years ago in the village of Arboleas. It has been lovingly restored by Liz and Paul who have kept the traditional charm and character of the building. Your accommodation is in twin rooms located in the main house. The village of Arboleas is situated around thirty minutes drive from the beaches of Mojacar and Garrucha and only an hour’s drive from the airport at Almeria. Alicante airport is about a two hour drive away. We advise hiring a car for your stay, as this gives you the freedom to explore the surrounding area, which has plenty to offer. The centre is situated just 10 minutes drive away from the centre of the village with bars and restaurants where you can sample the local cuisine. Also very popular are the local markets where you have your choice of locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables or just about anything else that may take your fancy.

Included in your stay are twice daily yoga sessions (morning and early evening) with Liz and in the one week package, up to 4 Reiki sessions are included. If you have time, trips to one of the local beaches can be arranged, or maybe an excursion into the country to see the Saliente monastery. Alternatively, you may wish to visit a Moorish stronghold on a cliff top or just stroll through the villages and colourful open-air markets.

A sherry pourer

A twin room

Flowers in Cordoba

An Easter parade

Costs per person excluding flights

7 nights – £635 sharing a twin room

7 nights – £665 single room

Weekend Rate (Thursday to Sunday)

3 nights – £210 sharing a twin room

*Special offer for 4 or more people on weekend rates* – only £170 per person

Flights

We do not sell flights but can give advice on the best options and times.

Car Hire

The price of your 7 nights includes transfers to and from Almeria airport (this is not included in 3 night package). We strongly advise hiring a car on arrival as this will give you the freedom to explore the beautiful countryside, history and beaches of the surrounding area. Driving in Spain is safe and easy. A week’s car hire starts from just £75.

The price includes the following features:
Accommodation for 7 nights (3 nights if weekend break) at Casa Blanca
Transfers from Almeria airport on the 7 night package only (100 euro return for 3 night break)
All vegetarian food & drinks
Local trips – 2 per stay on average, 1 on the 3 night break.
Morning and early evening yoga sessions
Up to 4 Reiki sessions per week stay (Not included in 3 night package but are available at extra cost of 25euro per session)

The price does not include the following:
Flights
Transfers from airports other than Almeria (No transfer included in 3 night package)
Car Hire
Travel insurance
Expenses of a personal nature

When to go?
Spain can be enjoyable any time of year. The ideal months to visit are April, May, June and September and October. At these times you can rely on good-to-excellent weather, yet avoid the high heat and the main crush of tourists that arrive in July and August, but there’s decent weather virtually year round.

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• Who is this holiday for? Anyone with an interest in Yoga
• When to go? Courses run from April through to the end of September
• Price? From £495 per person
• Type of Holiday? Yoga retreat in rural France

To make a reservation or for further information email alex@passeroses.com

The perfect location for a Yoga holiday, Les Passeroses is a very old stone built farm house and attached barns situated in the Charente area in the South West of France, inland from Bordeaux. The current owners have sensitively renovated the buildings to ensure that its character remains while offering the facilities to become a dedicated Yoga centre. The secluded position in over three acres of rural farmland is perfect for a peaceful and undisturbed retreat, yet it is easily accessible. The extensive gardens host many lovely plants and lots of wildlife including green frogs and an amazing number of butterflies.

The aim at Les Passeroses is to welcome you to a homely, special atmosphere during your visit, yet allow you your own space and privacy. They definitely seem to have achieved this judging from the generous comments in their guest book!

For the 2010 season Les Passeroses is open from May through to October. They are again lucky enough to be playing host to many returning and new yoga teachers offering a wide variety of yoga styles and with something to suit all.

The Pool area

The Moroccan Salon

Beautiful countryside

The terrace area

High quality guest accommodation is spread over five rooms at Les Passeroses, and a further three rooms at The Stables a few minutes walk up the lane. All of the rooms except two have en suite bathrooms, which are either brand new or have been updated in 2009. Accommodation is mostly in twin rooms, but up to three can be converted for use as doubles. All rooms have original features ranging from old oak beams or floorboards to stone window sinks and in-wall cupboards. The spacious rooms are simply but stylishly furnished with solid furniture, some with metal bed frames.

Yoga takes place in a large converted barn with oak floor and dramatic tented ceiling and is fully equipped. Light floods in to the large space from three huge windows which have views in to the garden and across the rolling fields. Each course has a morning and an evening yoga session on each full day of the holiday, unless otherwise advised at the time of booking.

There is a tempting 12×5m swimming pool, comfy wooden loungers and plenty of terraces on which you can relax or sunbathe. A large Moroccan inspired lounge provides a cool and relaxing place to read a book from the library, drink tea or chat with other guests. Massage therapies such as reflexology are available in the garden chalet with a qualified therapist.

Delicious and plentiful homemade vegetarian food is served on the covered dining terrace around a large table.

Les Passeroses is committed to being as eco-friendly as possible for your yoga holiday and they already have many measures in place. These include almost total recycling, food composting, water & electricity reduction and using eco-friendly cleaning products. They have also installed a house water filter so that there is no longer a need for bottled water. Next year they will be using home-grown organic produce from the new vegetable beds.

Cool down after yoga

Stylish bedrooms

Natural rooms

Yoga in France

Courses and costs per person excluding flights and transport
(Based on twin sharing room)

2010 Yoga Holiday dates coming soon.

All prices are for a 7-night, one week holiday beginning on a Saturday, *except for Martin & Silva Rogers which is 6 nights including a Shiatsu session. Limited single rooms are available for a supplement of £125 per person for the week. We are able to arrange car hire for collection from your arrival airport or train station. Alternatively, transfers can be arranged from either Angouleme airport or train station taking 30 minutes and costing 30 Euros return per person. Call us for details.

Flights & Trains
We do not sell flights but can give advice on the best options and times. We can book Eurostar for you for green, stress free travel and you reach Angouleme with just one change in Lille. Please contact us for prices and times.

The price includes the following features:
Accommodation for the length of the holiday
All course tuition and all Yoga equipment
Full board with vegetarian food beginning with an evening meal on the start day and ending with breakfast on the final day
Fresh and dried fruit is always available
Tea and coffee

The price does not include:
Travel to Les Passeroses
Any trips out of the centre
Wine
Any therapies/treatments
Please note that body soaps or shampoo are NOT provided
Travel Insurance

When to go?

From April onwards, temperatures start to rise sharply after a relatively short winter and there is a much reduced chance of rainfall and daylight hours gradually start to increase in length. Temperatures in the middle of summer can reach 27c or higher and for the majority of days, the weather will continue fine, dry and sunny. The sun should stay bright for up to 8 or 9 hours per day. Evenings are warm and sometimes may feel sticky as maritime winds lose potency and strength before reaching the city. Rain when it occurs takes the form of light drizzle that may last for several hours.

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• Who is this holiday for? Anyone with an interest in yoga and well-being
• When to go? Courses run from April to end of September
• Price? From £420 per person
• Type of Holiday? Yoga retreat and courses in rural France

To make a reservation or for further information email nigel.shamash@club-internet.fr

If you are looking for a yoga holiday suitable for all, then La Roane will have a yoga course for you.

La Roane, only one hour’s drive away from Toulouse in the south of France, is a peaceful and secluded yoga retreat, set in a 20 acre woodland with wonderful walks to explore and is a paradise for nature lovers. One week Yoga holidays run from May to October and early booking is essential due to their popularity.

I cannot think of a better way to spend a week. Everything was just perfect. – J. Griffith, Jun 09

‘Roane’, pronounced ‘ro-anne’ means ‘red’ in the local patois and the name is taken from the colour of the soil. In the surrounding area, you will find an abundance of wildlife including deer, hare, buzzards, singing frogs and butterflies (over 40 species of butterflies identified this summer!) and wild flowers.

Guests are housed in 3 beautiful buildings set around a large oval-shaped pool in a lovely sunny spot in the centre of the garden. Accommodation is in comfortably furnished single and double rooms. One of the highlights of La Roane is the food. Delicious vegetarian food is served, freshly prepared for each meal with love and attention. Good local wine is provided free of charge with the evening meal. Drinks and snacks are available at all times.

The pool at La Roane

Yoga in France

Great fresh food

Local gorge

2010 Yoga Holidays

1 – 8 April

Nigel Shamash & friends: Spring Awakening – £450

Spring with all its promise is in the air! This week is about living your life to the full, cherishing each moment and renewing your passion for life.

A mixed bag of activities with special emphasis on singing and yoga. The singing will be mostly informal, with no pressure to perform : non-singers are welcome. We will sing a variety of songs from all over the world as well as some old favourites, plus chanting and vocal exercises. There will be a pre-breakfast exercise routine using sound, movement, chi kung and laughter therapy. Yoga sessions will take place every afternoon before dinner. These will have a special emphasis on breathing, relaxation, chanting and meditation, rather than on physical exertion. There will be plenty of other activities such as dance, massage and, nature walks.

A gentle process of renewal in a loving and supportive environment.

17 – 24 April

Helen Noakes: Yoga with Helen – £450

8 – 15 May

Enzo Dipietro/Tristrem & Yvonne Carlyon: Fun week of Cookery and Yoga – £450

Following on from the hugely successful courses in the summers of 2008 & 2009, Enzo, Tristrem and Yvonne are returning for another celebration of cookery and yoga. The ever popular Enzo will share his vast experience of cuisine with passion and artistry, using seasonal fruits and vegetables where possible. Enzo has grown his own food virtually since childhood and received the Italian ‘Young Chef of the Year’ award in 1982. His highly entertaining style of teaching is peppered with vignettes of wisdom about cookery, growing food and life in general. Sophie Colin, a native French speaker, returns to translate for Enzo which she does with grace and sensitivity.

Whilst Enzo is in the kitchen with one group, Tristrem will be working with the other group so that each group has one session of yoga and one of cooking on a daily basis. Tristrem is a highly accomplished and dedicated teacher. There will be a mixture of dynamic and meditative work, with great respect for the welfare of each person. In addition to all these delights, the residents of La Roane, Nigel Shamash and Derek and Liz Mantle, will organise other activities such as singing, bicycle rides, table tennis and nature walks.

22 – 29 May

Sarah Warwick: The amazing power of your voice – £450

5 – 12 June

Anne Armstrong: Circle Dance – £420

Circle dances are drawn from many different cultures and traditions. They can be meditative, lively, playful, healing and fun. No partners are needed to take part and all are welcome. Anne Armstrong returns to La Roane bringing a great wealth of experience, ability and enthusiasm. She has been involved with circle dancing for over 15 years and leads a number of groups in the UK. She creates a very convivial atmosphere in which everybody feels relaxed and inspired.

3 – 10 July

Karen Long: Yoga with Karen – £450

A truly invigorating week! No need to be an experienced Yogi or at the peak of physical health. Even the less experienced or less flexible will find ways of practicing the postures (asanas) that give maximum benefit. There will be a short pranayama (yoga breathing) practice before breakfast and 2 main sessions per day covering the classic postures of yoga. The morning session will be awakening and invigorating, whilst the afternoon session will have a quieter, more restorative focus.

Karen has been practicing yoga for about 20 years and is a certified Iyengar teacher. She teaches classes and runs workshops in London with infectious enthusiasm.

17 – 24 July

Davy & Janaki: Yoga with Davy and Janaki – £450

Enjoy allowing your body and mind to experience many strands of yoga under the tuition of Janaki and Davy. Each day there will be two sessions where you can experience Janaki’s unique style of hatha flow yoga and Davy’s dynamic ashtanga style. In addition, there will be the chance to explore pranayama, meditation and visualisation with plenty of time for advice and help with your yoga practice. Beginners and more experienced yogis alike are welcome and over the week you can explore backbends, twists, balances and inversions, and much much more, going as far as your mind and body will allow. You will have a lot of fun and laughter and surprises!

Janaki has been teaching and practising yoga for many years and graduated from Sivananda Vedanta Ashram, Kerala in 1998. Davy has been teaching and practising for almost 10 years. They share a sense of fun and passion for yoga and believe it should be inclusive and available to all.

31 July – 7 August

Davy & Janaki: Yoga with Davy and Janaki – £450

Course as above.

21 – 28 August

Maria Holland & Lynne Adamson: The elements of change – £450

4 – 11 September

Tristrem & Yvonne Carlyon: Letting go and coming home with Yoga – £450

During the course of the week, we will bring an understanding of yoga as a science, a holistic healing art, and a spiritual practice. This is yoga that is adapted to meet individual needs, in the tradition of T.Krishnamacharaya. We will encourage you to set your own goals and work towards them. We will work with playful warm-up exercises derived from Tai Chi and Qi Gong, classical yoga asanas, moving meditations and deeply restorative Yin Yoga postures to nurture our physical and energetic bodies, moving into profound and healing stillness in guided relaxation and meditation. As blockages are gently released, the potential arises for renewal and coming home to our true selves. Everyone will receive individual attention and be offered appropriate modifications to help them get the maximum benefit and enjoyment from the practice.

TRISTREM has had a deep and abiding interest in Yoga and Vedanta for over thirty years. He travels frequently to India to pursue his studies. He has studied Jungian and transpersonal psychology. He trained as a yoga teacher with Simon Low’s Yoga Academy. His style is clear, intelligent, accessible, nurturing and great fun.

YVONNE started teaching yoga in 2000. She offers a gentle flowing Hatha yoga, characterized by her understanding of alignment, which has come from her many years of practicing Iyengar yoga and, more recently, Anusara yoga. She also works as a health kinesiologist and a photographer.

Lovely Bedrooms

Local markets to explore

A local town

Wonderful areas to relax

Costs per person excluding flights and transport

£420 to £450 per person per week in a twin bedded room

A limited number of single rooms are available at a supplement of £50

Transfers from Toulouse airport are available at £60 return per person and you can also be collected from the train station of your choice. Prana are also able to arrange car hire for collection on your arrival. Call us for details.

Flights
We do not sell flights but can give advice on the best options and times.

The price includes the following features:
Accommodation for the length of the course
Full board including wine with evening meal
Drinks and snacks
Course fee
Excursions

The price does not include the following:
Travel to La Roane
Additional excursions not mentioned in the course
Travel Insurance

When to go?
The seasons in this part of France are much more pronounced than English seasons; summers are hotter; winters are colder; spring suddenly bursts open and autumns are like an Indian summer:-
May & June: Spring flowers and snow-capped mountains. Usually sunny, in the mid to high 20C, but with occasional showers. Evenings can be cool, so bring a sweater.
July & August: The hottest months, but the countryside is still beautifully verdant. Temperatures often up to mid 30C. Occasional rain, or a dramatic evening thunderstorm.
September & October: The summer heat has passed, but it is still warm and sunny. This settled weather often lasts well into November and even December.

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• Who is this holiday for? Anyone with an interest in Yoga and well-being
• When to go? The retreat is open from mid May to mid October
• Price? From £295 per person
• Type of Holiday? Yoga retreat in the south of France

To make a reservation or for further information visit http://www.yogafrance.com/

A self catering yoga holiday in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Relaxed, friendly and suitable for all levels of yoga.

A peaceful valley in the foothills of the French Pyrenees provides the location for the beautiful 17 acre estate of Domaine de la Grausse, the ideal retreat for a weeks holiday of Yoga and relaxation. In 1772, the Vicomte de la Grausse abandoned his ancient Chateau Fort, circa 12th Century, built on a rocky bluff to defend the narrow pass into his valley. Re-using a lot of the stones and wooden beams from the old chateau fort, he built a small rural chateau, complete with a fortified tower and a magnificent wooden spiral staircase, on the valley floor just below the rock face. Today, Domaine de la Grausse has been fully restored and modernised. It lies in a small tranquil valley surrounded by wooded hills, wild-flower meadows, green pastures and bordered by a bubbling tree-shaded brook.

A wonderfully relaxing yoga holiday. You can do as much or as little as you like. – P. Boundy, Aug 09

Wonderful yoga location

Visit local markets

The yoga room

Spring Cottage

Dagmar is your resident Yoga teacher. With over 25 years of teaching experience, originally training with the British Wheel of Yoga in the UK, Dagmar develops her classes over the weeks holiday to enhance the skills of all her students from beginners to the most practiced. Dagmar has studied and is influenced by the Iyengar, Viniyoga, Sivananda and Desikachar methods and incorporates elements of each in to two one hour sessions every day. Morning classes are from 9:30 to 10:30 am and evening classes from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. There are two large fully equipped yoga studios. One is situated on the top floor of the chateau, with French windows overlooking the estate and the spring-fed lake. The other yoga studio is located in a renovated stone barn which is partly built into a dramatic vertical rock face; a perfect cool location for warm summer days. To help you unwind and de-stress, Dagmar also offers guided meditation on Monday and Thursday evening from 9:30 to 10:00 pm. This can be an ideal yoga holiday introduction for beginners or a different approach for the adept.

A wide range of holistic treatments can be booked and paid for locally. There are dedicated rooms to provide the following individual treatments:

• REIKI – an ancient hands-on healing system, based on channelling universal energy.

• GENTLE MASSAGE – A relaxing massage combining elements of Swedish, Shiatsu (Pressure Points) and Asian techniques to achieve full body balance. The natural healing powers of essential oils penetrate the skin and enhance both physical and mental well-being.

• ENERGETIC MASSAGE – A traditional relaxation massage incorporating long, smooth strokes to major muscle groups to promote relaxation, improve circulation of the life-energy and create an overall sense of well-being. The energy circuit is opened and the energy can flow again. For stress, headaches, tiredness, etc.

• ASIAN PRESSURE POINT MASSAGE – For stress, muscular pain or restrictions in the circulation of life-energy.

• TACHYON TREATMENT – Using TLC BARS (tachyonised crystals), energy will be directed to the painful areas, or pressure points in the body. This treatment is particularly effective for acute health problems, e.g. back pain, migraine, etc., and chronic physical and mental problems.

• FOOT REFLEXOLOGY – Thumb and finger pressure are applied to specific points on the feet bringing welcome relief to corresponding regions of the body.

The Accommodation

Spring Cottage

Guest accommodation is in two self-contained traditional stone barns, beautifully converted and restored to a high standard using original materials. There are three bedrooms; two on the first floor with a double bed and twin beds respectively, and one on the ground floor with twin beds. Each bedroom has its own en-suite walk-in shower and WC. It has a fully equipped kitchen/dining room, with timber ceiling and views of green meadows and rolling country side. You may often see deer coming down to the lake to drink in the early morning! The spacious, cool and comfortable lounge has the unusual feature of local stone walls containing in-bedded fossilised sponges from a past era. French doors lead from the lounge onto a terrace bordered by a rock garden filled with flowers to attract a multitude of butterflies; ideal for ‘al fresco’ dining or drinking.

The Grange
The ground floor was originally the manger, stables and winery. It has now been converted into 4 double and one single bedroom, all en suite. The first floor, which used to be the hay loft, has been converted into 2 double bedrooms, two fully equipped kitchens and a large lounge which opens onto a full length balcony for dinning and relaxing in full shade. A spacious terrace adjoins the Grange, for those guests who wish to relax in the sun. It has a pergola fitted with a semi-shading roof for those who prefer to avoid full sun.

One of the bedrooms

Beautiful rooms for yoga

Relax by the lake

The Cottage

Costs per person excluding flights and transport

16th May to 4 Jul – £355 Single or £295 shared
4th Jul to 26th Sep – £415 Single or £355 shared
26th Sep to 10th Oct – £355 Single or £295 Twin / Double

All prices are for a 6-night, one-week self-catering yoga holiday beginning on a Saturday. We are able to arrange car hire for collection from your arrival airport or train station. Call us for details.
Flights
We do not sell flights but can give advice on the best options and times.

The price includes the following features:
Self-catering en-suite accommodation;
2 yoga sessions daily (except Saturdays and Sunday morning);
2 meditation sessions weekly.

The price does not include the following:
Travel to Domaine de la Grausse.
Food.
Travel Insurance.
Holistic treatment (Reiki, Massage, Reflexology, etc).

When to go?
The seasons in this part of France are much more pronounced than English seasons; summers are hotter; winters are colder; spring suddenly bursts open and autumns are like an Indian summer:-
May & June: Spring flowers and snow-capped mountains. Usually sunny, in the mid to high 20C, but with occasional showers. Evenings can be cool, so bring a sweater.
July & August: The hottest months, but the countryside is still beautifully verdant. Temperatures often up to mid 30C. Occasional rain, or a dramatic evening thunderstorm.
September & October: The summer heat has passed, but it is still warm and sunny. This settled weather often lasts well into November and even December.

How easy is self-catering?
Guests have the use of 3 spacious kitchens, each equipped with an oven, hob, microwave, fridge and freezer. You are provided with basic supplies for your arrival day…tea, coffee, milk, juice, bread, cheese, biscuits, honey, fruit and, of course, a bottle of wine!
There is a small village shop/cafe/bar just 10 minutes walk away, or 5 minutes on one of the bikes. Which sells a good range of groceries including fresh produce, bread, etc. A little further on, you can buy delicious fruit pies from the renowned Croustades de Clermont, baked daily in their wood-fired oven. In the next village, Maury, there is an excellent delicatessen specialising in regional products.
The nearest town, Le Mas d’Azil, is 5 miles away. It has two supermarkets, a butcher, a baker/patisserie, chemist, newsagent, etc., plus a bank with cash machine. There are also two restaurants, a cafe and a good Pizzeria, for take-away or dine-in.

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• Who is this holiday for? Anyone looking for a relaxed and friendly yoga retreat
• When to go? The yoga retreat is open from mid March to the end of October
• Price? From £470 per person (see below prices in Euro)
• Type of Holiday? Yoga retreat in rural Italy

To make a reservation or for further information visit http://www.sunflowerretreats.com/

A truly unforgettable experience, this Yoga holiday in the heart of the Sabina Mountains, will allow you to unwind, relax and physically, mentally and spiritually recharge. Just an hour and a half from Rome, the tiny medieval village of Casperia, with cobbled streets too narrow for anything but pedestrians, sits atop a hillside surrounded by vineyards, olive groves and forest clad mountains. The village of Casperia, with fewer than 350 inhabitants, is one of the last villages in Italy untouched by mass tourism. The medieval structure and atmosphere of the village give you a unique feeling of being in a historic place in time-gone-by. Casperia is a hilltop village where you can watch the changing scenery from every angle. The night sky is a star covered phenomenon not to be missed.

My first ever yoga holiday but certainly not my last. I’m coming back next year. – S. Dawson, Jul 09

Yoga in Casperia

The Yoga deck

Casperia Streets

Great yoga in Italy

Your holiday will be a unique experience where you can choose to simply relax or select from the many relaxing or active experiences on offer. Locally, you can arrange excursions, treatments or activities – whether you take part is up to you.

On your yoga holiday you can choose to:

• Practice yoga daily
• Spend the day revitalising your body and mind at open-air roman baths and wild hot springs
• Relax and recharge mind, body and soul by choosing from a large selection of holistic therapies
• Enjoy the sauna, created exclusively for guests in the village of Casperia
• Enjoy the friendly and social atmosphere during meals in excellent Italian restaurants
• See the beautiful Sabina countryside on horseback
• Swim at the local pools, or discover unspoilt mountain streams where you can spend hot afternoons bathing and resting in the beauty of nature
• Relax with a good cappuccino or an afternoon tea in local village cafes
• Take a walk across the mountains or valleys, or visit other neighbouring medieval villages and stop to enjoy the local cuisine
• Cycle on panoramic country roads, discovering the area and stop for a dip in a stream
• If you like to paint or take photographs, bring your own equipment and you will be inspired by the amazing variety of scenery
• Experience an Italian cookery class using local organic products
• Learn Italian; Italian lessons can be arranged for those who want to begin to learn the language or brush-up their Italian

Whether you take part in any of the activities and excursions that are available is your personal choice. Local payment is required.

The accommodation at the resort is for a maximum of 20 people per week. There are three different accommodation options available for your stay.

Option 1 are the Village Houses

Accommodation is in characteristic traditionally-furnished medieval village houses. They have breathtaking panoramic views and are in supreme locations in the village of Casperia. Each house has a small terrace where you can have your meals, read or sunbathe. Shared bathrooms and kitchens are provided, with facilities that are characteristic of a traditional Italian village house, rather than bang up-to-date. Single travellers will be accommodated in rooms for two people of the same sex although single rooms may sometimes be available with payment of single room supplement.

Option 2 is Casa Latini

Casa Latini is a lovingly renovated 13th century building for the exclusive use of Sunflower Retreat guests and is elegantly furnished in boutique-style with a Latin and Eastern influence. One level boasts a thousand-year-old cave which has been converted into an unusual luxury bathroom.

There are two private levels: each level has a twin-bedroom, private lounge and en-suite luxury bathroom. There is a small single loft room en-suite with skylights and another small twin loft room en-suite with skylights and panoramic views. Please note that the twin loft room has limited headroom for tall people and can get hot in midsummer.

A spiral staircase on each level leads to the terrace area, where you can enjoy the spectacular panoramic views of the rolling valleys and mountains of Sabina, and experience the wonderful sunset each evening over Casperia. There is also a communal lounge and dining area with a kitchen for self-catering.

Twin lounge rooms may be booked as a single by paying a single supplement.

Option 3 is Casa Bella Vista

Casa Bella Vista is a beautifully restored 13th-century historic house located on the walls of the village. It has a large kitchen on the ground floor, with an open fireplace and dining area. The house is tastefully decorated in a chic style, with travertine marble floors. The first floor lounge has panoramic views over the Sabina hills from its balcony windows. The second floor bedrooms and bathroom also feature marble floors and fittings and have the same stunning views.

The Yoga Studio

Yoga in Italy

The Holistic Room

Yoga in Casperia, Italy

Costs per person excluding flights and transfers

Accommodation Price per person and (Single Room Supplement)

Prices in Euro will be converted to Sterling at time of  full payment at current exchange rate

Medieval Village House -  €510 (€110)
Casa Latini (Twin room with lounge) – €650 (€150)
Casa Latini (Twin Loft) – €540 (€110)
Casa Latini (Single Loft) – €540
Casa Bella Vista –  €620 (€150)

All prices are for a 6-night, one-week holiday beginning on a Thursday.

Flights
We do not sell flights but can give advice on the best options and times. Transfers to Casperia can be arranged from the airport if there are a minimum of two people and cost £40 per person each way. Alternatively, it is quick and easy to use the local rail system.

The price includes the following features:
Accommodation and breakfast at the lounge-cafe
Fresh linen and towels.
1 yoga class daily (Friday through Tuesday).
A guided walk in the Sabina mountains.
All-week use of bicycles.

The price does not include the following:
Your international flights.
Holiday fees do not include flights or transfers – call us for further details.
Excursions, treatments or activities, other than the yoga classes.
Expenses of a personal nature.
Travel insurance.

When to go?
Italy is at its best in spring (April-May) and autumn (October-November). During these seasons, the scenery is beautiful and the temperatures are pleasant. Temperatures will rise in the summer months (June-September) but due to the altitude it is not uncomfortable in Casperia.

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