Overview

This retreat is dedicated to celebrating the love we have for God, for ourselves, and for one another. We will study how yoga philosophy interprets the different forms of love: spiritual love (Bhakti); emotional love (Prema); and physical love (Rati). You will be instructed in Asana, Pranayama, Mantra, Mudra, Partner Yoga, and Thai Massage to help you experience the different forms of love. I will entertain you around the bonfire Saturday night with legends of love between the Gods and Goddesses, which teach valuable lessons for daily living.

Curriculum

We will examine the Narada Bhakti Sutra to help us understand the yogic idea of spiritual love. We will practice Mantra Japa to become mentally relaxed and focused, while allowing the ego to trustfully surrender to a divine presence, in devotion and love. We will compare the different viewpoints on love that Tantra and Vedanta yoga philosophies offer.

We will use the Hatha yoga practices of asana (poses), pranayama (breathing), and mudra (hand gestures) to help us integrate our body, mind, and spirit so that we may love ourselves more fully.

You will learn simple Partner yoga poses that can be done with two people mirroring each other in the same pose while holding on to one another or done with one person providing support or resistance for their partner who is practicing a yoga pose. It offers two people the chance to:

• Support each other to help balance and stability
• Provide resistance for deeper stretches
• Give positive feedback of energy
• Practice the dynamics of a balanced relationship
• Help one another playfully create new poses
• Build trust and communication

You will learn a complete Thai massage sequence that uses point pressure, muscle stretching, and compression. It is performed while fully clothed, lying on a padded mat. It offers the benefits of:

• Deep relaxation of body and mind
• Relief from pain and muscle tension
• Improved circulation of blood and lymph
• Increased flexibility
• Creating a lasting feeling of well-being