Holistic Yoga Holiday June/July 2018
Yoga and Sound in Southern Greece
Restore, Relax, Revitalise
Gentle Yoga Holiday, in the Peloponnese: 30th June – 6th July 2018
Therapeutic yoga teacher Julia Moore and sound healer Alistair Smith invite you to this magical mountainous area of the Mani in the Peloponnese. Here you’ll find the perfect location to experience a carefully designed programme of hatha yoga, restorative yoga, soundbaths, and guided meditation.
In Perfect Surroundings
The Spirit of Life is a holistic retreat centre in the Mani, a mountainous area on the southern tip of the Greek mainland. It’s a place rich in ancient history, myth and stunning natural beauty. Up until just 40 years ago the only method of travel into the Mani was by sailing boat. As a consequence, the area retains the unspoilt, truly laid back atmosphere of authentic Greece. This is the perfect place for yoga, rest and deep relaxation. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, sea and sky; breathe air fragrant with herbs; swim in crystal clear sea and be nourished by delicious locally grown food.
For Therapeutic Yoga
The day starts with morning meditation and breath practice in the studio with stunning views of the mountains and sea. This is followed by an hour and a half of yoga. The rest of the day is free for you to explore, swim or rest. In the evening there is a restorative practice to ease every last bit of tension from your body and mind. You will see improvements day by day in your wellbeing, mood, focus, peace of mind, strength and flexibility. We’ll explore the energy centres along the spine, called chakras using a variety of yoga techniques. You’ll gain a much deeper understanding of the bodymind connection. Julia loves to tailor make classes to your individual needs, so a 1-2-1 yoga lesson is included in the price.
And Healing Sound
Sound affects the mind and physical body at a deep level, allowing deep-seated tension, anxiety and stress to gently and easily melt away. Sound and movement work very well together, as sound reaches the parts of our being that movement cannot. Musician and sound Healer Alistair Smith will lead at least two sound baths on this retreat as well as providing meditative sound accompaniment to the evening restorative yoga classes. Also included in the holiday is a private sound healing treatment with Alistair.
Discover Local Treasures
Our hosts, Kerry and Wendy have a deep knowledge of the nature, historical sites and mythical stories of the surrounding land. It’s a wild and fascinating area.
The travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, lived in nearby Kardamyli, his work and that of his friends Ghika and Craxton are the subject of a current exhibition in the British Museum. Bruce Chatwin also visited frequently and there is a chapel for his ashes in the nearby mountains.
Many people find that simply pottering around the village, taking a walk or a bike ride along the coast or taking a dip at Gnospi, the local swimming area is enough. This beautiful spot is close to the apartments you’ll stay in. The nearest beach is around a 15 minute walk.
Accommodation by the Sea
Prices are based on sharing a private apartment with one other person as a double or twin room. The apartments are in the little village of Agios Nikolaos. There is a swimming pool, air conditioning and simple cooking facilities. Cafes, restaurants and beaches are a short walk away. For £150 extra you can have an apartment to yourself.
As the apartments are in the village, it’s a 15 – 20 minute walk uphill to the studio. We love the walk, however not everyone enjoys a hill climb in the heat! We’ll make sure you get a lift up the hill to the studio for the morning and evening classes, if you don’t want to hire a car.
Locally Sourced Food
After morning yoga, brunch is served on the terrace overlooking the ocean. Kerry the owner of Spirit of Life, is a yoga instructor, massage practitioner, healer and also a talented chef. On the first and last evenings of the retreat, we’ll have a celebration dinner here too. On the other evenings we are free to explore the lovely local tavernas. Most of the food is grown locally, the local greens are wildcrafted in the mountains… the tradition of self sufficiency is strong in this area of Greece.
What's Included?
- Shared or single occupancy in a studio apartment, with basic self catering facilites
- Brunch for five days of the retreat
- Evening meal for the first and last day of the retreat
- All yoga, meditation and sound baths
- A private one to one yoga lesson
- A private one to one sound healing session
What's Not Included?
- Evening meals on 5 of the 7 days of the retreat
- Travel to the Spirit Of Life (a taxi share from Kalamata airport can be arranged) See here for travel information.
- Car hire or taxi fares
- Extra excursions or trips
- Personal, medical or trip cancellation insurance
Booking and Registration
One person in twin or double apartment, sharing: £695
One person in single apartment: £845
Non-participating partners and children are welcome to come along, larger apartments are available, please email Julia.
Please note your booking is non refundable but it is transferable to another person. We recommend taking out holiday insurance for your trip.
Packages
To book your place email Julia with details of which package you wish to book and if you want to stay any extra days. Sometimes it’s nice to arrive a few days earlier to acclimatise.
A £250 will secure your place, with the remainder payable before the 30th May.
You’ll receive another email two weeks before the retreat with more information and a short health form. If you have any questions just email Julia.
Travel to Agios Nikolaos
Have a look at the Spirit of Life travel information page here.
For the best flight prices to Kalamata see www.lastminute.com
You can organise to stay longer before or after the retreat if you wish, just let us know your dates. Prices can be significantly cheaper if you fly out on Thursday 28th Saturday.
Come and Join Us for a Deeply Relaxing Magical Yoga and Sound Holiday
"2018 will be our seventh successive year in Agios Nikolaos and Stoupa. Yoga at the Spirit of Life drew us there, but it has fast become a total experience for us: immersion in a delightful, relatively unspoiled environment. Great yoga, great swimming and beaches, great places to eat – is there anything more you could want?"
keith and lidia
Holistic Yoga Students