What?

A wonderfully relaxed yoga retreat with a 'touch of India' at Finca Don Carmelo, near the picturesque olive village of Periana in Andalucía (southern Spain) with 3 sessions of approximately 1,5 hours of yoga each day with Indian yoga master Shinoj Varghese or with Jackie (Yoga With Jackie).

When? 

June 4 - 11, 2023

Duration: 8 days/7 nights

Check-in: Saturday 4 June at 3 pm

Check-out: Saturday, June 11 at noon

Included: 7 nights accommodation, three meals a day and all yoga classes (three a day, about 21 hours in total), the use of yoga mat and other materials.

Not included: airport transfers (can be arranged on request) alcoholic beverages, personal expenses.

Location: Finca Don Carmelo, Periana, Andalusia (one hour from the city of Málaga)

Price: 1190 euros (per person based on a shared double room) ​

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What can you expect during this Yoga Week?​

Lots of Yoga, of course, with at least two sessions a day, in the morning and in the evening, ranging from mindfulness sessions to calming Hatha practices and from invigorating vinyasa flows to soothing Yoga Nidra. Of course you don't have to participate in all Yoga classes, this is up to you! One massage combined with a healing session is included in the retreat. If you want more, you can always do so by reservation.

Also included are three meals a day, lunch (la comida) being a hot meal. We eat healthy and vegetarian as much as possible. Alcoholic drinks are to be paid for. At the Finca there is an 'honesty bar' for this. During the Yoga retreat you will also get to know the Andalusian culture and Andalusian village life. I (Jackie) will take you to my favorite places and introduce you to the friendly villagers. You won't be bored for a moment! The Finca has a large and beautiful swimming pool at your disposal. There are horses, goats, dogs, cats and a donkey. If you like the peaceful country side and have a heart for animals, then this retreat is definitely for you!

 

A word of explanation about the Yoga during this retreat​

...we start with the body and work with the breath to restore the mind...

The past few years have weighed on all of us to some degree. Hardly anyone has gone through the recent global crisis without some sense of emotional pain or loss. Everyone has heard - and some have already experienced - how Yoga and meditation can help you overcome mental suffering. But sometimes it's hard to even think about a regular practice when you just 'don't feel it', or when you're too overwhelmed with stress or negative emotions to even think about rolling out your Yoga mat. We tend to lose touch with our bodies and numb our minds after experiencing loss, grief, loneliness, or any other form of psychological trauma... Through the mind (your so-called 'monkey mind' that often feels guilty about things that happened in the past or worrying about things that are about to happen in the future) all the feelings of suffering and pain enter the body where it eventually gets stuck. You are literally stuck. You block. Maybe you've heard how certain areas in your body 'hold' certain emotions? But your body is also a wonderful thing. It is a vessel that you control by your own breath. You need both to guide you back to shore in stormy waters to 'ground' again. A beautiful way to get mental harmony and unlock your full potential is through Yogasana, the physical side of Yoga. So body work. That is why during this Yoga Week we start with the body and use the breath to embalm the soul. With a lot of TLC, Tender Loving Care. First of all for yourself. It's a cliché, but only if you love yourself (again), you can also love to see and help others. This Yoga treat is designed to help you get back in balance and at peace with yourself.

Included are at least fourteen yoga classes of which 10 Hatha/Ashtanga with Shinoj and 4 introduction classes (Yin Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga and Pranayama) with Jackie and/or Shinoj. The Yoga during this retreat is suitable for every body, regardless level or age. All Yogasana (Yoga practice) will be done in a beautiful and soothing environment and an extremely friendly and healing atmosphere, at Finca Don Carmelo, an organic olive farm in the heart of Andalucía.

 

ABOUT THE YOGA

 

ABOUT THE EXCURSIONS​

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Finca Don Carmelo is beautifully located, only 500 meters from the charming hilltop village of Periana. You can safely walk there on your own, this will take approximately 25 minutes to the village (uphill) and 15 minutes back to the Finca (downhill). In the village you will find stores, bars, restaurants, the post office and banks.

We also provide two guided excursions: one morning we will do yoga on the beach and one morning we take a guided walk together in the sierras surrounding Periana.
 

ABOUT SHINOJ,

(OUR INDIAN GUEST YOGA TEACHER)

Shinoj Varghese (1983) was born in New Delhi and lives in Hyderabad. He studied at the Indian Army Public School, but instead of joining the Indian army, he chose to follow the yogic path. He continued his studies at the Yoga Darshanam institute in Mysore (the birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga) and became a master yoga instructor at Bharat Thakur Artistic Yoga. He has been teaching yoga for the past 9 years

Shinoj is now a regular teacher at the Shiva Shakti Yoga School in Goa, where he teaches future yoga instructors Hatha and Ashtanga during 500 hr Yoga Alliance teacher trainings.

Here he met Jackie from Yoga With Jackie, who was trained by him. Shinoj is a much-loved yoga master who combines a personal discipline with a big heart for yoga.
Finca Don Carmelo is very proud that Shinoj is joining us as an instructor during our very first summer yoga retreat.


ABOUT JACKIE

(YOGA WITH JACKIE)

Jackie Huisman (1970) was born in Delft and has been living in Andalucía for ten years, where she runs an olive finca with her partner Alain Grootaers. Jackie is a translator by training but opted for a profession as a journalist. She became acquainted with yoga more than 25 years ago through an interview with Ashtanga yoga guru Prem (Anthony Carlisi) in Antwerp, after which she built up more knowledge of yoga and continued to take lessons over the years.

In 2017 she took the step to follow her own training in India and is now a fully trained, 500 hr YA senior instructor (200 hr Hatha/Ashtanga at the Association for Yoga and Meditation institute in Riskhikesh and 300 hr Hatha/Ashtanga at the Shiva Shakti yoga school in Goa).

Included
* 7 nights accommodation in a comfortable double room with private bathroom (based on shared occupancy)
* All meals (vegetarian and/or vegan) at Finca Don Carmelo or in the village (7 x breakfast,

7 x lunch, 7 x dinner), water/tea.

* Two excursions (Yoga at the beach and hike in the sierras)
* Daily Yoga sessions (2 or 3 a day, in total approximately 21 hours, all ages, all levels)
* Transfers from and to airport (or Málaga city).

Not included
* Flight to and from Málaga International Airport
* Travel insurance
* Cancellation insurance
* Alcoholic beverages

* Massages are available upon request

Difficulty
All levels