To read our round-up of yoga retreats running over Easter/Spring 2011, click here.
Why not turn the usual chocolate-eating frenzy into an opportunity to focus on your yoga practice? We round up some of this year's (2009) best Easter retreats.
UK and Ireland
Burren Yoga is situated in the heart of one of Ireland's most spectacular corners: county Galway. The dedicated retreat centre hosts a broad range of year-round retreats, with a maximum 15-students per group. Bedlinen is 100% Egyptian cotton; there is a purpose built yoga room and you'll be served tasty vegetarian meals. The week-long Easter yoga programme - Yoga, Breath-work, Meditation - is led by highly regarded American teacher David Muehsam, and includes plenty of opportunity to explore the spectacular local scenery. Suitable for all levels. A shared room costs 730 euros, including accommodation and evening meals. www.burrenyoga.com
Not available over Easter? YA's ayurveda columnist, Joanna Johnston, is hosting an Ayurveda and Yoga Detox weekend from May 22-25. The venue is Littleton Mill near Chippenham - a restored 17th century working mill in ten acres of gardens and woodland. The retreat includes five Sivananda-style yoga classes, ayurveda workshops and consultations, and organic, seasonal food. From £305 sharing - including all accommodation, food, drinks and yoga. www.ayuvedicyogi.com
If
you can't get away for Easter, this Spring Detox retreat may fit the bill. Led by Kirsty Norton and held at Tilton House, Lewes, there will be four or five yoga lessons over the weekend, including detox poses, yoga nidra, pranayama and a long relaxation period! The wonderful Georgian house is set in great walking country - feel free to lounge around in hammocks and read by the fire! The retreat begins at 6pm on Friday April 17, finishing on April 19. YA readers qualify for a special price of £245 - normal price is £285 inclusive. See www.kirstynorton.co.uk or www.tiltonhouse.co.uk
Highly regarded teacher, and co-founder of Triyoga, Simon Low, is leading an Easter retreat at Commonwork Farm, near Sevenoaks in Kent. From April 10-13, the price of £485 includes comfortable accommodation on a twin share basis, all meals and tuition. The weekend kicks off on Friday evening, with a 6pm yoga class. Saturday seers two classes, while there will also be a silent walk on Sunday morning, weather permitting. Yoga takes place in the listed sixteenth century converted barn. Anyone booking with a friend will receive a £75 discount. See www.simonlow.com
Quantum Yoga founder Lara Baumann is leading a workshop in London over Easter. Quantum Yoga is based around three sequences - Birds, Heroes, and Lotus Mandala - aimed at regulating individual's Ayurvedic dosha. The style is dynamic, balanced, and focused on recognising how personal yoga practice should be varied from day-to-day, and according to the individual. For details of the London workshop, held from April 10-12, see www.larayoga.com or www.hubculture.com
Dina Cohen is leading an Easter Yoga Weekend - Relax, Release, Refresh - at Duncton Mill in West Sussex. Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty at the foot of the Downs, students arrive on Friday evening in time to settle in with a short yoga session before dinner. There'll be daily pre-breakfast meditation and pranayama followed by a long dynamic flow practice mid-morning and gentler yin and restorative sessions in the early evening. Comfortable accommodation is in the farmhouse and surrounding cottages. The three-night retreat starts from £290 sharing and £340 single. Suitable for all levels except complete beginners. See www.dynamicflowyoga.com or www.dunctonmill.co.uk
Zen Holidays is running an Easter retreat near Brighton this year. Popular yoga teacher Siri Data will be leading a hatha and kundalini retreat at the beautiful Georgian venue, Tilton House www.tiltonhouse.com There will be two yoga classes per day, veggie food (included) and optional extras, including Sunday lunch in the pretty village of Lewes, horse riding, walking on the Downs or shopping in Brighton. The cost is £365 fully inclusive, based on two sharing a twin room, from April 10-13. See www.zenholidays.co.uk
Take advantage of the Spring Equinox over a retreat in Glastonbury this weekend. Held over March 20-22, the Spring Detox yoga Retreat is part of a series of weekend retreats presented by yoga company Yogadamba /www.yogadamba.com/ . The weekend will include two-hour hatha classes, guided meditations, chakra balancing visualisations and plenty of fun! Food is healthy, organic and vegan. The ashram accommodation comprises shared twin rooms and a wooden chalet cabin sleeping four. Cost is £220. See (www.shekinashram.org) and http://yogadamba.typepad.com/tori/yoga_holidays/
Head to a cosy Somerset manor house for a three-day Easter Detox Retreat, to be held from April 10-13. Adventureyogi Holidays is offering a 20% discount for all those booking before March 21 - standard price is £325, all-inclusive. On the menu is gourmet veggie food, two daily yoga classes a day, an hour-long treatment of your choice and re-energising country walks. See www.adventureyogi.com
Further afield
Surya Yoga has two retreatsr unning in and around Easter:
from April 6-12 and 13-17. Guests are welcome to join any time between
those dates. The schedule includes ayurvedic health diagnosis and
consultation, scenic excursions and a full yoga programme. This
includes a pre-breakfast session, laughter yoga, chanting, pranayama
and meditation. Mats and meditation cushions are provided. The cost is
£450, including shared accommodation, open buffet breakfast and dinner
over six nights. See www.suryaturkey.com
If you fancy a complete change of scene, and some authentic surroundings, why not head for India? Goa's acclaimed Purple Valley yoga centre is hosting a Creative Yoga retreat with popular British teacher Liz Lark. The Ashtanga-influenced yoga will focus on creative sequences, alignment and balance. This two-week retreat begins on Easter Sunday morning. Accommodation is in cottages or bungalows, with a choice of single, double or shared rooms. Purple Valley is set in a peaceful valley in Assagao, north Goa, surrounded by landscaped tropical gardens. Meals are vegetarian, buffet style, and served on the open-air terrace. Price is £590, based in two sharing. See www.yogagoa.com
Easter in Greece beckons with this retreat in Monemevasia over April 11-12,
led by Scott Spampinato. An idyllic Grecian backdrop awaits - the
perfect setting to sink into some yoga, pranayama and meditation. Two
retreats will run over this period: a Phoenix Flow week, from April
1-8, costing 600 euros, and a Phoenix Flow Easter Weekend Retreat, from
April 11-12. For details, see www.phoenixflowyoga.com and click on 'upcoming workshops'.
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