Italian Riviera Retreat
Venue:
Villa Faraldi, Liguria, Italy.
Imagine a week at the Italian Riviera, staying in the picturesque Middle-age village of Villa Faraldi. In your free time, sample the local food and wine, laze around in cafes on the Riviera's promenade and lounge on sandy beaches. Then combine this with the daily practice of yoga and meditation.
Erik's family (our dear friend and course director) has lived in this village for two generations. He knows Villa Faraldi and the people who live there with a knowledge and familiarity that can only be bred from genuine affection and trust. You will never get closer to the "real" Italy.
We all stay in local houses in the village. We offer fresh bread directly from the baker for breakfast, lunch in the village, and dinner at Torki - the local and highly acclaimed seafood restaurant. Food and lodge, yoga and meditation classes, lectures and daily excursions are included in the price.
Example daily schedule:
08.00 - 09.30 Morning yoga practice
09.30 - 11.00 Breakfast
11.00 - 13.00 Mindfulness - theory and practice
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch in Villa Faraldi
14.00 - 17.00 Free time (beach, staying in the village, hiking etc.)
17.30 - 18.30 Evening meditation / yoga practice
19.15 - 21.30 Dinner (at Torki - the best restaurant in the district)
Price:
14,700 kr
(+1500 kr for a single room)
Meditation & Yoga
For meditation week, there will be one morning yoga practice every day (08.00 - 09.30). This will be Hatha yoga, the classical form of yoga with long holds using the breath. It will be a one hour physical practice, followed by 10 mins of breathing exercises and 20 mins of meditation. The purpose of the morning practice is to travel towards stillness.
The rest of the daily sessions will be with Viggo.
The evening practice will be a one hour practice session with Viggo that will contain breathing exercises, walking meditation and seated meditation practices.
Yoga & Meditation
For yoga week, there will be 2 daily practices. Vinyasa Flow in the morning and Yin Yoga in the evening. The purpose of the morning practice is to wake up, energise and open the body up for the day. The evening practice is to let the body unwind and relax into release with the very slow stretches and long holds of the Yin practice. Travelling towards stillness at the end of the day.
The afternoon session in the village chapel will be with Viggo, to go through the practice and theory of Mindfulness.
Deepen your practice
BREATHWORKS
For this advanced practice week, there will be 1 daily yoga practice in the morning. This will be a static Hatha practice followed by the seated practices of pranayama (breath exercises) and meditation.
The afternoon session in the village chapel will be with Viggo, which will also be mainly practice and a chance for a Q&A around practice with Viggo.
FInally, the evening practice is once again lead by Viggo with an hour of seated meditation, walking meditation and a body scan.
Please note: We will be having silent days during this retreat.
This week is for those of you who have a desire to do a lot of practice and to explore your own inner silence as you withdraw your senses on the silent days to draw the gaze inward.
