Be Embodied Retreat
Retreat
Sacred Sites and Hidden Goa
Let’s remember how much beauty there is in the world. Let’s tune into what is sacred – In these challenging times, we might need to remind ourselves of the beauty around us and the resilience within. To inspire, we will visit some beautiful sacred sites in Karnataka which date back to 500 CE and sit at the feet of Shiva and Parvati. We will watch the Ibis fly home to roost at a lakeside sunset spot in Hampi. Take an early morning plant walk and think about the land beneath our feet in Goa – hearing stories and myths along the way… there will be yoga and meditation to invite us inward – to tune into the beauty within… to create the space for awe…
“Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world. We can find awe, then, in eight wonders of life: moral beauty, collective effervescence, nature, music, visual design, spirituality and religion, life and death, and epiphany.” Dacher Keltner
This is a yoga retreat – but remembering that yoga is more than asana.
Yoga.. Meditation… Breath… Time… Creativity… Reading… Writing… Walking… Praying… we will make time for it all…
The Inner Work
Yoga and Restorative Practices
Vagus Nerve Healing Practices – Tune into the Nerve of Compassion and Connection
Pranayama techniques to restore balance
Ayurvedic Acupressure – Marma Therapy
Guidance on how to create your own nourishing Sadhana (daily practice)
An introduction to the Four Desires, the idea of aesthetic and the wisdom of beauty (rasa) and devotion (bhakti).
On my travels
I spent time with a great yogi
One night as I sat in quiet
I seemed on the verge of entering a world inside so vast
I know it is the source of all of us
Mirabei
Our Retreat Journey:
Our retreat starts on Wednesday 3rd February in North Goa – Mandrem. We will have a grounding afternoon practice and introduction before a nourishing welcome dinner.
The first four days of our retreat will be in Mandrem and around. There will be daily yogic practices both at Vaayu Kula and beachside and we will go off the beaten track to discover more about Goa’s myths and stories with a few storyweavers.
In Hampi, we will climb up to Hanuman’s birthplace the Anjanadri Betta Temple and after paying our respects, we will look at the epic views of the ruined city of Vijaynagar (Hampi). Back at ground level we will explore temples and stepwells and visit both the Goddess Pampa Devi temple which is held within the larger Shiva temple complex of Virupaksha. We will stay by a lake and there will be the opportunity for open air yoga, bird walks and delicious food. There are three other important sites Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal where we will stay in a heritage hotel walking distance to some of the temples. Again, there will be yoga and sunset skies, traditional Karnatakan food and the opportunity to step back in history. This is an invitation to devotion – Bhakti Yoga.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
5 nights accommodation, options for single or shared with breakfast and dinner in Karnataka
Daily yogic practices
Welcome dinner in Goa
Embodied sessions – insights into the Vagus Nerve and Marma Therapy
Guided nature walk in Goa with brunch and Ecofeminism talk
- Curated Dinner in Goa
Transport from Goa to Karnataka and around the sacred sites
and… WHAT’S NOT included:
International and domestic flights
Visas & travel insurance, please check requirements in advance
Transfers to and from airport (although we are happy to book these for you)
Hotel stays in Gateway cities
- Accommodation in Goa – email me and I’ll explain. Essentially, I will send a list of accommodation and you can choose what suits your budget. But note – accommodation in Karnataka is included.
Meals taken outside of the retreat including lunches in Karnataka
Massages or Assessments with Adam (although time-permitting these will be offered on first-come first served! At reasonable price)
Bespoke Travel Itinerary from Viriam – In another world, Viriam is an established travel writer and has extensive contacts for organizing adventures and longer stays
What to Expect:
We have been travelling around India for over 20 years… And I’ve even written for a couple of guidebooks, so we meet India from a place of respect and knowledge as retreat leaders. Having toured extensively, we can curate unique experiences with unique insights.
In Goa itself, we will visit a few hidden places beyond the usual tourist tour – and we will hear from those who tell stories of their Goan grandmothers and hear about the land and the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. So there will of course be daily yogic practices, but also insights into Goa… Then we will venture into neighbouring state Karnataka to visit temples that date back to the 5th Century in Aihole and around, sacred caves hewn out of the cliffside in Badami and visit the epic boulder strewn landscape of Hampi with magical temples and banana plantations.
We have found a few beautiful places to stay and practice in Karnataka (more details of that available on request). One a heritage resort walking distance of Shiva temples the colour of sunset and another nature resort nestled on a lake. We will practice yoga and pranayama open to the sky – inspired by the nature around us – although it might be hard to close the eyes…
A retreat is an invitation to come home to ourselves.... Discover the beauty of India and let it open your heart to beauty...
Why embark on this inner journey?
If not now, when? Recent world events have shown us how interconnected we are – even if we choose to look away. A butterfly flaps its wings in the Straits of Hormuz and we all feel a shift. We are all impacted. I feel it is a time to gather together and focus on the yoga practices that make us stronger – together.
There will be yoga practices to help build nervous system resilience – to feel strong and able to make conscious decisions. To go beyond the self doubt that is prevalent in our modern society and to reach out and hold the space for both ourselves and others.
We will look at how we can embody concepts from yoga philosophy like Dhriti (fortitude or we like to interpret it as Inner Strength), sthira sukham (how to feel comfortable within ourselves) and shraddha (trust).
To be honest, inner strength, trust and being comfortable within ourselves are good qualities to tap into when we travel around India… Oh and ksama (patience or tolerance!) It is full of magic, but sometimes there are a few challenges. We aim to make the journey as hassle free as possible, but there is also an invitation to you to step out of your comfort zone.
Let’s embody inner strength, trust and compassion both on our yoga mats and in the world at large. Come and explore both your inner landscape and the ground beneath our feet.
Be Embodied Retreat
with Adam and Viriam
Join us for this unique opportunity to tune in and re-connect… Connecting to ourselves – each other – to the world…
February 3rd – 13th…
Retreat Price – £1008
(Look at our drop down menu above to see what is and isn’t included)
There will soon be a travel info brochure to download… We would like you to sign a waiver before paying deposit…