Summer Yoga Glow Holiday

Aug 9th – 15th in a secret mountain retreat location from 895gbp / 1075 euros per person.

This is a retreat that does what it says on the label; a retreat that allows guests to find and cultivate their inner confidence, providing liberation from the stress and strain of daily life. Experience  yoga, body work and delicious food in a unique location that will truly make the soul sing! This is the place to achieve the healthy, sexy and exuberant glow we all desire. We invite you to shine from the inside and out, feeling refreshed, energised and deeply relaxed as a result.
For independent travellers and Ibiza-loving yogis, for those who need an injection of TLC and hot Balaeric sun, you need look no further! As well as a magical schedule of wellbeing activities there will be plenty of time to explore our gorgeous White Island in the sizzling vibrations of August. Your hosts will be on hand to offer advice and guidance to help you make the most of your stay. However if going out isn’t your thing, this retreat is also a sanctury for those who want to escape the crowd, preferring to be horizontal with a cool drink, without pressure or obligation to do anything!
Whats included?  2hr morning classes led by Vinyasa Flow and Scaravelli Inspired teacher Susie Howell, followed by a healthy and nutritious banquet brunch. There will be a welcome massage to ease you out of your travelling aches/pains and a dinner set out ‘al fresco’ with far reaching views over rolling pine forests and a sunset facing ocean. Our Ibiza Retreats holistic A-Z of specialist treatments and therapies can also be enjoyed to support you relaxation, rejuvenation and healing to enjoy a summer glow that lasts.  Set in a stunning mountain top retreat the accommodation boasts luxury mixed with a stylish bohemian charm, comfy day beds scattered over lush grounds and a hot tub to enjoy stargazing at night! Hidden well away from the rest of the world, it is a true retreat space, where a tranquil breeze and birdsong welcome you as you take your first exhale. You know you have arrived somewhere you can let go! It is located close to Benirras and Cala Xarraca beaches, in the stunning North of the island.

The art of letting go…with gentleness

Do you find you pushing yourself within your yoga practice?  Or criticising yourself when you are not “up in time” to strengthen, stretch and breath before jumping in the shower and heading to work?   Many of us have been cultured to and conditioned to believe that pushing ourselves beyond our limits is a GOOD thing: that this performance-based practice is what will enable us to “succeed”.  Yet yoga is not about becoming that perfect figure of 8 physically.  Hatha yoga – “Ha” = sun and “Tha” = moon.  Yoga is an art and a tool-kit for reunifying body, mind and spirit, to live healthily and in harmony, by reawakening your body’s intelligence so you can stay in balance physically and emotionally, by balancing the male, solar “action” energy with the female, lunar “receiving and letting go”.

So for all you amazing, powerful yogis, retreaters and life-travellers out there… we invite you to ask yourself honestly:  “how often am I pushing myself to keep going beyond what really feels good”?  How often am I trying to prove that “I can” when my body has been saying no?  Do I have the discipline to “rest and receive” when my body truly needs this?  As this is the secret, lovely readers, to health, happiness and longevity (and isn’t that really what success is all about?).

Yoga is a magnifying glass for clarifying areas of imbalance, of pain or tightness and discomfort – as well as a medicine for self-knowledge and healing.  It highlights blockages and, with breath work and a mindful, meditative yoga practice, you can learn to release the tightness.  You can allow your body to soothe the pain and heal the discomfort holistically by releasing the blockages when your body – mind – and often soul…    are ready.    And to do so, requires gentleness.  To gently “allow” the release, with the breath, to happen when your body and soul are truly ready.

The paradox is that “letting go” cannot be done with the mind.  The more you focus your thoughts and attention on what you want to let go of, the more fixed in your system it becomes.  So this is why the breath is the key, to release.  By focussing the mind on the breath, a space is created, the thoughts slow down and, with practice, can even cease.  By breathing into the parts of the body that feel tight, tired or tense with intention, you are creating space around the muscles, the tightness, the tension.

You can empower this release with gentleness, by creating a “Sankalpa” or healing intention.  Thoughts become things… the cells within your body and their components and are dynamic, so you can visualise the healing or releasing to empower your intention.  Every cell in your body is a conscious organism doing everything possible to enhance your wellbeing.  Metabolic healing, which reharmonises your body, is based on enzyme activity and these enzymes are directly influenced by your intentions or thoughts.

en” If we perceive our situation to be positive and ideal for healing then this changes the environment within our body. This directly influences cellular events and consequently our health. When someone is actively trying to improve their health, regardless of what the medical condition is, the goal is to change cell metabolism so that balance can be restored.” www.dreamhealer.com

If you are over-riding your inner-signals that tell you when you are physically tired, the adrenalin that circulates starts to knock out the para-sympathetic nervous system, which is what enables the body to truly and totally rest.  So how can you rest into a daily practice that enables you to live a happy, healthy, harmonious life, so here are 5 steps for letting go…. with gentleness.

* Make sure your daily practice feels realistic, so that rather than feeling you are failing when you do not do it, you can choose times of day that complement your lifestyle.  5 – 10 minutes every morning is much more beneficial than 1.5 hours once a week.

* Observe your natural cycles and rhythms – women have moon cycles, our energy fluctuates at different times of our 28 day cycle, whilst men and women can all monitor your physical, emotional and energetic cycles as biorhythms (which you can read about here):

* Ask yourself each day by placing your hands on your body and feeling your whole self – how am I feeling? in Body? In Mind? In Spirit? How is my energy?

* Set your “Sankalpa” (Sanscrit for “intention”) for the benefits you wish to receive i.e.: balance, calm, feeling centred and grounded, energised, uplifted.  The difference between a true Sankalpa and a mind-let goal is that a Sankalpa is NOT sent from the “misguiding” ego, senses or conditioning (what you think you OUGHT to be feeling).  It comes from your inner-truth and, therefore is in alignment with your highest good and holistic wellbeing and that of the world around you.  If you keep intending “energy” when your body is actually full of nervous energy because you haven’t stopped for a week, then actually what you need may be “peace and release”.

* Listen and feel into your body’s feedback when you set your Sankalpa…   and sculpt your practice to suit YOUR rhythm just for today – ask yourself, how long and at what intensity will be of greatest benefit to me?

 

We have a very simple question that we like to ask ourselves at Ibiza Retreats: is it a pleasure or a pressure?   

We answer this questions by feeling into ourselves….   does it feel good, right, compelling? or is our breath shortening, chest tightening?

We invite you to get to know your physical reactions and responses to be able to listen to your body, to be gentle with yourselves and to en JOY living in greater health and harmony.

 

With so much love….  x Larah & Susie x

QUO VADIS? Second INTERNATIONAL MENS RETREAT in IBIZA

Calling all men – fathers, sons, entrepreneurs, truth seekers, yogis, husbands, boyfriends, partners, breadwinners, old or young, rich or poor, whether you are on top of the world or in a crisis, amidst life change or have questions to ask and truths to share…

July 10 – 13 offers men the chance to dive into the deeper life questions, with a like-minded circle of men of many ages, backgrounds and nationalities.

 Do you think you have achieved “everything” you set out to do….  yet are wondering why you are still not feeling completely fulfilled?  

 Do you have enough time for your family, your friends; time to be alone or for enjoying and appreciating all that you are creating?  

 Despite running after all of life’s opportunities as fast as you can to win and create and support your home and family, do you ever wonder … is there something more?  

The Quo Vadis question is this: WHY RUSH? and WHERE EXACTLY ARE YOU HEADING? And… What is YOUR DESTINY?

For millennia, men have taken time apart from their tribes and communities to explore these questions. Following this tradition, you can explore and inquire into your inner-worlds in a supported space and amidst a strong circle of men, coming together to share, to network and to inspire each other. And, with deep transformational work, coaching, shamanic ceremonies and initiation rituals, systemic constellations (Hellinger), live music events, meditations in nature wilderness, adventures and beach trips, Sudhir, Ramateertha & the “Men’s Liberation Team” offer you the time and space to slow down and explore these vital life questions.. in the magical natural landscapes of Ibiza, that create backdrops and horizons for this essential self-reflection.

Liberate yourself from the fast-stream: come and enjoy the flow-of-life stream. 

Sudhir and his VISION: Since about 25 years ago I have been leading seminars for men in Europe, Asia and US and I truly love the honesty and intensity that arises when men get together in the spirit of true brotherhood. Something very powerful and healing happens when men drop their usual masks, games or defenses and meet as friends with an open heart.

What guides us in these seminars arises from within each man: it is our heart’s passion for truth and our longing for authentic freedom. I don’t believe in hierarchy, ego driven leaders, gurus or alpha males. In my understanding each of us should try to redefine masculinity in a more authentic way. The outdated patriarchic definition – me against the rest of the world – has  lead us to the verge of global suicide. In that context our work is also a rebellion against all forces and traditions which separates us men from a inherent state of oneness and connectedness to life, to nature and to our inner female qualities. To change the world, first man must change … I mean you and me, not “Them”

Held high up in the magical, mountain-top retreat of Buddha House Ibiza, this is the second year that the retreat is running, Ibiza is breathing a big, embracing, sigh of relief that men can also share time and space to speak from the heart and be fully heard.  Delicious cuisine accompanies the retreat and indoor and outdoor sleeping options offer you to the chance to get back in touch with nature… including a mongolian yurt and teepee…Are you feeling the call?

This workshop was very touching and beautiful, very good and deep work. Lots of new found friends. I will keep this treasure in my heart – Arik

Thank you for conjuring this amazing group of New Men… this is the way to make this world a better place, by supporting inner growth – Marco

“Incredible retreat in Ibiza. Amazing, honest, without judgment and share with men coming from other countries but beating with the same heart..”  

Contact us for further information and to reserve a place.

Let your “perfectionist” rest… go with YOUR flow this summer-time!

Do you find yourself going, going, going and then… finally flopping…. or burning out?
Do you thrive on the adrenalin charges of achieving things to perfection, yet find it hard to truly value the down-time that follows?
Would you like to be able to live life at a more careful. conscious pace, so that you can be who you really are and express yourself freely and fully?
We love to welcome you on retreats to embrace the free-spirit of Ibiza this summer time. We recognise that so many of you have been fighting to keep the balls in the air, the many parts of “life” going “perfectly” – yet this seeking for perfection, really does make the warrior part of you weary.   Even spiritually aware warriors need time out to rest and retreat…  Trying to please the world around you and satisfy the needs of work-life-family responsibilities can be exhausting – even for the most organized and effective individuals.  For us, Larah and Susie, through our own life journeys, from the runing-running-running to “make things happen”, Ibiza has taught us how to slow down, how to stop pushing ourselves beyond that “tipping point” where the body wants to rest, yet the mind wants to keep on going!
It has taken us years, after living and working in London, New York and Sydney, to be able to trust ourselves – and life – and the divine order of everything. (Most of the Time!).  Now that we can, more and more (and we are still practicing) this is helping us to stop when we need to and wait for when we “feel” that we are going to be most effective.  This has enabled us to feel more and more free – by honouring ourselves and our highest good, we are able to live more in the moment – and honour our wellbeing.  It has taken courage – and still sometimes does – yet once you are on the “trust in life” boat, you can surrender into being more “present”, to live more moment-to-moment, with greater energy, enjoying the magic of each precious day.    The warrior may want to continue to achieve and create and go for it! Yet this is only the imprinted habits and conditioning… this is not who you really are…
So we invite you to give yourself permission this summer to truly rest the “warrior” parts of you by developing a personal practice that enables you to retreat from the stage of life regularly, so that you can tune back in and trust in yourself.  Then you can en JOY life more and simply go with the flow:
1. Take time out to tune in to your wise woman daily ( or man! ) by walking in nature and connecting with the natural world around you.
2. Actively practice appreciation – this will bring you into the present and enable you to open your heart (from where trust flows).
3. Balance mind-quietening meditations with releasing breath work so emotional charges can be released.
4. Surround yourself with healing sounds that help the nervous system and relax you physically as well as mentally.
5. Create the time each day with yoga, qi gong, tai chi, or other physical well being techniques that enable you to hone and tone and strengthen your SELF from the core and expand and enhance your mind-body-energy awareness.  Even just 10 minutes in the morning.  Choose quality over quantity!
 As you strengthen your connection with your body-mind and spirit – you strengthen your self-respect and can prioritise your relaxing time as being an essential part of enabling you to fully enjoy being you.
As you cultivate self-care and self-awareness through caring for your physical and emotional and spiritual needs, your trust will expand and the world around you begins to respect these too.
With love and FREEDOM!
x Larah and Susie x