There are ways to make sure that the retreat experience turns out to be just the way you want it and you have the yoga holiday to be remembered.

We’ve put together a list of 6 important things to take into consideration before booking your yoga retreat.

1. Location

First and foremost, think about where you’d like to go location wise. Even if it may not be your main priority for the yoga retreat, choosing the right location is very important as the environment plays an important role in your emotions as well.

Do you want to go to a warm or tropical destination? Or maybe you’re looking for the opposite – someplace you can cool off and enjoy mild weather? Are you a beach lover or are mountains your preference? Find out what is the scenery like and what will be the weather conditions before booking.

Another thing to consider is reachability – do you want easy to travel from the airport and a location nearby or are you okay to switch a few means of transportation to arrive? Make sure you know how long it takes to get from the airport to the retreat center in advance so you don’t get blind-sided.

Lastly – do you want an “easy” destination where it is simple to get around, talk to the locals, find a coffee shop, a grocery store and you can fully focus on your relaxation, or are you looking for a little adventure and to leave your comfort zone? Neither is better than the other, but make sure you know which one are you getting.

2. Yoga style and classes

Make sure you know what you’re getting. There are so many yoga styles today, so be aware of what kind of classes are offered at the yoga retreat. You do not need to know the outlines of each class, but check the yoga style (is the same you’re practicing, do you want something new, is it something that resonates with you on a bigger picture?), how many classes per day will you have, how long will they be and whether it is a beginner, mixed or advanced students yoga retreat.

3. Retreat theme and vibe

Not all retreats have a specific theme and that’s just fine, but read the description well to figure out will it be a stricter retreat ashram style, a relaxed holiday with some outings, no-phone retreat, etc.  Check out the schedule, the photos, and the social media to figure out the “vibe” and see whether it correlates with your expectations. It would not be great if you’re expecting a chill week with an occasional beer in hand and you get to a place that bans not only alcohol but also has 9 pm curfew (and the other way around!)

4. Groups size and focus

Different yoga retreats have different sized groups. Smaller groups are great for those who’re looking to connect with all the guests, who’d like some more personal attention from the teacher, and who like a more chill vibe. Bigger groups bring more energy to those who are looking for a camp-like experience with more buzz.

Make sure you know whether the retreat is focused on some specific experience or gender of the participant’s so you can see if that’s for you.

5. Other activities

Some people love when everything is organized and all they need to do is show up – retreats with some included tours or offered activities will be perfect for those. Some people love doing everything by themselves and on their own schedule, so a retreat with just yoga and some meals included and a lot of free time will be better for them.

6. Investment

Finally – the $$$. How much are you willing to spend? What kind of accommodations are you looking for and what can you get for the budget you have? There are different tiers of yoga retreats starting from budget ones with large shared rooms to luxurious retreats in 5-star hotels. It will be easier to narrow down your search field when eliminating those that don’t work for you.

Can’t go on a yoga retreat right now? Join our FREE Online Yoga Retreat! 

The post How to choose a yoga retreat? appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

Yoga is a powerful practice that can truly create a change within. A retreat is defined as a quiet or secluded place in which one can rest and relax.

And at the moment, whether staying at home to whether a storm or being the ones who still go out in the world and making a difference for others, we all need a few moments to find balance, calm and hop.e

We’re inviting you to join our FREE 7-day at-home online yoga retreat.

This at-home yoga retreat is designed to help you rest, relax, and rejuvenate through the practices of yoga and meditation all within the comfort of your own home.

You can practice each class step by step – each day of the week – or combine classes for a morning and afternoon practices.

Filmed on location on the gorgeous island of Vis, Croatia, you’ll be swept away to another land as you practice.

START YOUR FREE YOGA RETREAT 

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By Caroline Graham-Wood, Summersalt yoga SUP yoga teacher

In spiritual growth, it is important to avoid imbalances between academic or intellectual learning and practical implementation. Otherwise there is a danger that too much intelectualization will kill the more contemplative practices and too much emphasis on practical implementation without study will kill the understanding. There has got to be a balance.

Dalai Lama

As the indulgences of December and resolutions of January fade away, it’s a good time to reflect on how we can practically implement changes in our lives that are realistic and sustainable.

We are often told that dramatic and quick solutions will change our bodies, change our lives and change us for the better. However, the longer I practice yoga and as I reflect on the benefits of taking up rather than giving up, I believe that perhaps one word offers more answers to the changes we may seek, than the fads that are sold to us. It is a word that is open to subjective interpretation as well as having the potential to hold a deeper meaning, depending on those we choose to influence our lives and learn from. That word is very simple, balance. Balance can be applied to so many aspects of our lives, from what we eat to how we choose to spend our time.

A key emphasis in yoga is to progress at your own speed, to avoid competitiveness yet to find a level that pushes you and helps you grow in your practice. This is never more true than in the balance poses.

In yoga we seek balance and allow that balance to move in a positive direction, rather than remaining static. In a tree pose we move the ball of the foot slowly up the leg as we progress our balance, from below then above the knee, then moving the heel to the groin and finally up to Arda Padmasana. Once there we can try a further challenge, moving your drishti (view point).

The approach to asanas, especially balancing poses, can often bring out a side to yoga that we need to counter-act. Seriousness, frustration, competitiveness. One fabulous way to challenge these often natural impulses to the balance poses is SUP yoga. This ultimate challenge to balance never fails to release the tense approach that can accompany balance poses, because pretty much everyone falls in the water at least once!

SUP yoga offers wonderful benefits to not only balance your body but also your mind and energy (pranic) flow. It focuses on your core, a powerful centre for the body where manipura charka, the seat of the ego lies. The core is also at your kanda, where the 72,000 nadis (energy channels) converge. The Uddhyiana banda – ‘belly flies up’ – is when we use the muscles around the core to draw the navel back towards the spine and up, promoting the upwards flow of Kundalini energy through the body.

There are many ways we can seek balance in our lives. For me, SUP yoga is an opportunity to understand it in a way that is tangible, that is fun and where in a short space of time you can see progress.

You learn to accept the challenge of doing playful asanas on the SUP, to surrender to the elements and accept that you may fall in! This overrides the ego and also by practicing outside in nature, you create the harmony and reconnection with the world.

In a small way, the way we approach SUP yoga can represent how we often have to approach life. Lets face it, life is not easy and throws many obstacles at us. In SUP yoga we learn to fall off balance, fall in the water, laugh, get back on your board try again! And slowly, with focus, we can try and stay on the board a bit longer.

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Here are 10 reasons to go on a yoga retreat.

1. Yoga. Well, duh.

When on a yoga retreat you will take your yoga on the next level and it doesn’t matter where you are – on a few year journey or just a beginner. You will not only practice yoga for a few hours a day (if you want to!), but also have teacher available at all times to answer all your yoga-related questions. The teacher will also be able to watch your progress and give individual advice and adjustments so needed for your development.

2. Relaxation and zero stress

Yoga retreats are held in serene and calm locations. That’ one. You also do not need to worry about a thing – everything is planned and ready for you. From the daily itinerary to meals and fun outings. You just need to sit back and enjoy the ride.

3. Meditation (finally!)

Mediation is something many people struggle with. Especially if they have only started. It is hard to get into practice during your busy everyday lives. However, once you’re far away from that and all the other distractions it will be much easier not only to try, but also to really get into meditation deeper. A beautiful and relaxing environment is a huge plus too.

4. Healthy and delicious meals

Meals that are cooked and ready for you to nourish your body after yoga and meditation will be your daily treat. Unlike on your regular vacations, where indulgences usually mean cocktails, cakes and some fast food, a yoga retreat will be a holiday where you will indulge in healthy and detoxing meals. Well, for most of the time (because hey, balance is key and a glass of red is not a sin!)

5. Digital detox

Yes, it’s a thing. And it doesn’t mean that you will completely stop using your phone (but you actually could try!). When on a yoga retreat your itinerary is planned for the entire week and yoga, spirituality and quality time with your new friends take front and center. That means that your desire and/or need to use you phone decline by a lot and this way you get a chance to remember that real life is so much more beautiful and relaxing than the virtual one. Okay, except a few photos on Instagram, because you’ve got to keep your friends informed!

6. New friends, a new tribe

It’s amazing how fast you connect with new people on a yoga retreat. And not only because you initially share the same interest in yoga, spirituality and travel. Yoga retreat sets a non-judgmental, open environment and vibe where you can feel free to share your thoughts and life stories with your tribe without a worry of being misunderstood. That feels amazing.

7. Feeling the feelings

And yes, such an environment helps and encourages you to feel all the feelings you have and may have been repressing for a while. When you’re in a relaxed and encouraging place like a yoga retreat it is easier to forget all the social pressures and just give in to the emotions. There’s a chance you’ll cry. And that’s a good thing.

8. Nature and adventure

Nature is healing. It’s beautiful and it moves us in many ways. You will most likely be surrounded by incredible sights and places when on a retreat and will be taken to unforgettable spots. Take in this adventure to the fullest and remember to appreciate our home (the planet Earth) once again.

9. Be active. Or not.

That’s the beauty of the yoga retreat. You are given all these options of classes and tours, but if on someday you don’t feel like doing anything – that’s alright! It’s your holiday, your choice and whatever you do –  it will be just perfect.

10. Leave recharged and motivated

We’re not saying that any other holiday does not recharge you. But a yoga retreat does an especially great job at that. After a week of strengthening your body at the classes, meditating, connecting with new friends and eating healthy you will feel inspired and motivated to get back to your life (well, maybe you’ll need a day or two to adjust) and keep up the good work of taking care of yourself!

The post 10 reasons to go on a yoga retreat appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

Interview by Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga finder

We’re so happy to welcome back the incredible SUP yoga teacher Rosie Markwick to our Summersalt for the 2 weeks of SUP yoga retreats in summer 2020. Besides the exciting classes on paddleboards, Rosie offers so much more – her deep knowledge of the practice, the inward journey and finding your own true voice. Enjoy this wonderful interview and come and meet Rosie this summer on our beautiful island!

Why and when did you decide to become a yoga teacher?

For a long time I didn’t think I would embark on a yoga teacher training, I loved the practice personally and I loved being a part of the yoga community where I lived but I sort of had this idea that it was something I wanted to ‘keep for myself’. As a psychologist and a natural ‘giver’ in lots of parts of my life I think I had this belief that yoga was going to be the one thing I would hold as a ‘me’ thing. Of course things change and I believe that most people, after they have been practicing for a while, crave a deepening of the vast study of yoga. A yoga teacher training is a great way to do this. I had also been called on in my work to teach morning classes to my colleagues and so in some ways the role of the teacher chose me as opposed to the other way round.

At a transitional time in my own life I found myself in Bali early 2016 where I embarked on an intense and deeply transformational personal development course (that happened to also be a yoga teacher training  ) and before I knew what was happening I had cultivated a deep knowing that I wanted to share some of what I had experienced with others. Roll on a really magical few years, a lot more trainings and countless humans met, taught and practiced with. I couldn’t have made a better non-decision decision I think! I will always think of myself as student first and teacher second and believe that this practice is meant to be shared. It seems funny that I would have once thought that teaching yoga would be anything other than a hugely rewarding and energetically giving experience. Now I believe it is me time, you time and us time!

What do you enjoy most about teaching yoga?

I love seeing the moment, or moments, when students realize how good it can feel to be really in your own body. For many of us we are lead to believe it’s not a place where joy, peace, love etc. can all be found and our default is to distract ourselves, allow our thoughts to take us somewhere else or even assume there is something wrong with us. Yoga, bodywork, getting outside, physical adventures are all incredible tools to explore what it is like to really be in your body. And the journey to embodiment really is a beautiful one to witness.

Potentially even more so though, I love the chats! Sounds odd perhaps, but teaching yoga means I get to have all these incredible interactions with incredible humans all day every day. Sometimes the chats are long, deep, sometimes quick, sometimes light, and at times they are heavy. And I love them all! Little moments of honest connection is probably what I enjoy most about teaching yoga.

Name your personal favorite benefits of yoga?

1. Refined Intuition. Yoga really helps me find a greater trust in my physical body and enables me to really listen and tune into my energetic body. Typically it is our thoughts that get in the way of our intuition (sure there is a quote in there somewhere?!) and so by honing these other parts of ourselves, just like we learn and feed the mind, we are able to drop more easily into that intuitive, deeply wise space that exists within all of us already.
2. Stronger core, stronger power center! I am a bit of a pelvic stability / core geek, I believe it is central for injury healing and prevention as well as improved posture, digestion and balance (to name just a few). In my own yoga practice I have seen big changes to my overall physical strength and have been able to heal old injuries through finding and maintaining a deeper connection to the core. And to take things off the mat and board, it was when working with the core in my own yoga and SUP practice that I began to notice shifts in my ability to live more fully in my power centre as well. Win win!
3. Authentic Living. My yoga practice gently challenges me to ‘meet’ myself. To get to know more about my body, find my edges, my resistance, to notice where I hold limits about what I can and can’t do to find my comfort zone and learn what I like am out of it. This regular check-in inspires me to get real, to get comfortable with my strengths and my vulnerabilities and keeps me on track in the pursuit of living a life authentic to me.

Do you have any advice for new yoga students and why they should not be afraid to start practicing?

Just start! There is nothing like the beginning and it is a place to be inspired within and not afraid of. If you need a more personal motivation – when I first began practicing, years of running meant that I couldn’t sit with my legs crossed as the teacher kept asking for, let alone touch my toes! The early yoga practice I think is fast and slow, all at once.

But I assure you before you know it the body will open a little, and even sooner than that you will notice how you can step away from the ‘you’ of your mind and find a little space between the thoughts. Find a teacher that you resonate with and that you trust and makes it feel like being with a good friend and most of all always hold true this simple truth; Yoga is for every single body.

Why do you think participating in a yoga retreat is a good experience?

Well firstly I think there are the more obvious reasons; you get to be somewhere most likely very beautiful, you get to have exciting, interesting experiences in that beautiful place and those experiences will make you feel really good!

On a practical level, retreats are a great way to deepen your yoga practice, the transformation that can be achieved through practicing up to twice a day everyday are huge. Even just a week on retreat has the potential to really up level your practice. So it is great if you are looking to depend your knowledge in this space.

Space I think is also a word that comes up a lot when I think about retreats. We give ourselves this space that might not normally be experienced in our day to day. Even with a schedule of yoga classes, adventurous activities, outdoor pursuits and all the other great things you get to fill your day with, a retreat really offers a (week-long) moment of space. Space out of our everyday lives to check in, take stock, figure out where we are at, perhaps become inspired again as to where we really want to go. Like a little roadside pit stop! And to continue the metaphor…

Think of it like this; on a yoga retreat the vehicle might be yoga, but the fuel is the environment, the steering wheel the sunshine, the windows are salty ocean swims and the seat-belts are the new friends and big chats. And the road is, well still the road. Only here you get to remember that it is your road, and there is a beautiful chance to pause and look at the map. All in a week!

Balance between healthy, “yogi” living and enjoying, indulging in life’s pleasures is often questioned by many. How do you think it’s best to reach that balance?

This is a really interesting one! And something that is certainly a continuity learning each day for me. But I think this is exactly how we should think of this concept. Balance to me is a choice, and one that can be made moment to moment. It is not something we acquire and then try to maintain.

Adding the wellness world here makes it extra interesting because so often we are told that the more exercise, the more green juice, the more yoga the better. And to a degree this is true. Having said that, this shouldn’t be at the risk of balance. In fact too much energy into our wellness routines can lead to injury and over stress on the body, not to mention the mental stress that can incur then when we miss a session of a tightly held routine. Too little, yes of course we won’t see development but too much and we run risk of overdoing it. What was once a positive intention becoming detrimental.

One of my favorite mantras to live by is… ‘follow your delight’. This derives from a concept called The Joy Current and this idea that one of the surefire ways for living happily and healthily is to find and follow what brings us deep, true, honest joy. Much easier said than done arguably and a practice in its own right. Complement this with the choice piece I mentioned above and these make my personal tools for reaching and continually choosing to be in balance. When I am truthful about what brings me joy I acknowledge that it is a beautiful mix of wellness, exercise, paddling, yoga, discipline as well as freedom, indulgence, rest and banana bread! And so in following all of these things I make a choice each day to be in balance.
To finish up this quote sums this idea of balance, choice and joy up perfectly;

‘If we do not push ourselves enough we do not grow, but if we push ourselves too much we regress. What is enough will change depending on where we are and what we are doing. In that sense, the present moment is always some kind of beginning.’ (Sakyong Mipham)

The post Our teacher Rosie: yoga practice gently challenges me to ‘meet’ myself appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

New Moon is always a time for new beginnings and intentions – big or small. The first new moon in the Fall – when the transition from one season to another is just getting steam – has a little bit more to it.

For many people it signals not only the end of summer but also a type of a New year – be it getting back to school, to work or simply to your calmer and more balanced self.

The need for that balance and harmony can be quite strong at this time of Fall new moon and it is important to set your intentions clearly and mindfully. It is almost like new years resolutions, only more personal, less boastful and yes – very intentional.

“And suddenly you know…It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings”.

September new moon is the perfect time to start with a clean slate as the moons purifying energy helps us with the reflections and moving forward.

With the help of such practices as journaling and meditation, it creates the light and organic nudge to set out plans, get creative with new ideas and visions.

With the end of the summer and its high-speed energy we also get the chance to slow down and concentrate to truly understand ourselves and where do we want to head to in the upcoming weeks and months.

As fall is harvest season the ground is fertile not only literally, but also figuratively – to consciously plant the seeds of your intentions and to help them manifest. Trust the Fall new moon to guide you through the process.

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By Jade McSorley for Summersalt Yoga

Sure, I can lay on a beach on my vacation, working persistently on a tan than will probably never appear on my pale-ass British skin, reading some cult fiction I usually convince myself I never have time to read, whilst secretly checking the Daily Mail for a bit of mindless news. And sure, I can taste the local tipple (which is a punchy fruit brandy called Rakija here in Croatia), sample the delicious fresh fish caught that very morning by the fisherman of Vis Island, purchase some local olive oil from local vendors for my family back home and an ankle bracelet I’ll probably never wear out of holiday context. It all sounds delicious and blissful… And it is here on Vis Island, home to Summersalt’s Yoga and SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) retreat.

Yet, I have noticed with travellers that beach life isn’t the only experience we crave for when we choose to leave the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. There seems to be a need for Yoga retreats, in particular, to diffuse the energy imposed by city-living which has resulted in a constant state of angst and adrenaline. We basically need a stronger chill pill that won’t just numb the stress but deal with the source of the problem. And it is at yoga retreats, I feel, that this can be achieved, or at least gave some space and time to really focus in.

After spending some time amongst the Summersalt Yoga family, I couldn’t help pondering what we need in order to make the most of yoga retreats and why it is so much more than just your average vacation. Not only do we want to leave feeling relaxed, but also energised, balanced and healed in some way.

So, as writers do, I focused on the words that come to mind when considering a yoga retreat; what they can offer, and what, as travellers and yogis, we should consider when turning up to our mats no matter where we are in world. From my own personal experience of yoga retreats, and my stay here at Summersalt yoga, I thought I would share some of my own words to contemplate that may help you make the most out of your next retreat.

Honesty

Turning up and being honest with yourself is probably the first and most challenging thing I found at the start of any yoga retreat: what do I need from this experience? how do I feel? and what would I like to work on? Initially, it is usually the hardest thing to focus on something that could be potentially painful, mental or physical, staring it right in the eyes and thinking, I am ready for you! Bring it on.

Communication

As most yoga retreats go, and certainly at Summersalt Yoga, you are surrounded by new people from different countries and walks of life. Sometimes you feel social and sometimes not, and that’s OK. Yoga retreats are about focusing on your energy levels and what you have to offer in that moment. I am generally super quiet at the start but as you spend time with your new social circle, you naturally open up, joining in the conversations and learning more about others, realising people are always offering fresh perspective and new knowledge.

Reflect

It is so hard to turn off your brain. Well, it is for me and I am hoping I am not the only one. Even in Savasana my mind is swirling with thoughts. Being reflective is cosy and familiar, but can also be detrimental when working through something, so I think it is always great to use a yoga retreat, based within new settings, to reframe past events and establish new foundations to move forward.

Health

Basically, you are going to walk out of a yoga retreat fit and that is always big bonus. I swear, fourth day into SUP’ing (Stand Up Paddleboard with Yoga) I found my water bottle too heavy to lift. At least I knew it was working and I became very excited to see the mini muscles brewing in my sparrow-like limbs. Whilst being fit is definitely a positive, the effect on your mental health is tremendous! Being active in the morning and evening, boosted my energy levels instead of feeling lethargic from a day baking in the sun. Meaning you can go home feeling ready for life, instead of forcing yourself out of holiday mode.

Breathe

Yes, I know every single yoga teacher goes on about this thing called ‘the breath’. You know, the thing we forget to think about and sometimes don’t do at a healthy pace in our stressful lives. Breath is the key. If your muscles are tight – breathe into the spot and your muscles gradually and magically relax.  If your anxieties are rising – breathe and your body and mind calms itself. If you can’t stop thinking – breathe and focus on the breath alone. Yoga retreats can be useful in removing yourself from chaotic surroundings to a new destination more in tune with a slower and steadier pace of breath.

Balance

This is the aim really. The feel-good factor. To feel balanced and grounded both physically and mentally is what our bodies and minds are crying out for. Yoga retreats provide the grounds to achieve this though a balance of exercise, meditation, healthy food and relaxation, meaning your body just needs to become in sync with this way of living. As well as a holiday, they become a beneficial necessity for us heightened human beings that just can’t seem to chill the f*** out on our own!

Sustain

I am a huge fan of sustainability across all fields – fashion, travel, food. But we never really relate it to ourselves and I believe it is so important to figure out how can we sustain this balanced feeling, as well as giving and receiving in a healthy, sustainable way to others and our planet. The ultimate test after living blissfully at a yoga retreat is to remain balanced and considered when we step into the land of Yang. I am not going to lie, it’s definitely going to require more effort than was needed spent at the tranquil setting of Summersalt Yoga, or any other exotic destination. So many times I have left my yoga mat and stepped into the hedonistic atmosphere of crowds, traffic, phones and social media and instantly forgotten that calm feeling I have just established throughout my practice. To sustain, we need to constantly practice and form positive habits in order to rest and digest in any setting. So that lessons learnt in the beauty of a yoga retreat can stick with you wherever you may move forward to next.

The post Reflect. Breathe. Balance appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Leah Sugerman, Summersalt yoga teacher

Yoga, above all else, is a practice of balance: a balance between effort and ease, a balance between strength and flexibility, a balance between power and surrender, a balance between yin and yang, and a balance between practice and theory. So, above all else, my classes manifest as practices of balance.

Yes, sometimes that means balancing in Tree Pose but, more often than not, that means balancing internally. My classes focus on balancing energy centers and chakras, balancing thoughts, balancing temperaments, balancing breath, balancing reactions, balancing physically but, mostly, balancing mentally.

My teachings and my practice are both firmly rooted in a balance or at least striving toward equanimity. Meditation and the physical asana practice both emphasize this balance in many different ways.

My meditation teachings are simple and open-ended. I invite my students to explore the inner workings of their own minds, to become observers of their thoughts and thought patterns to be able to more clearly see how their minds work. This simple understanding can lead to infinite possibilities, allowing for both control and surrender over the power of the mind, which, in turn, creates a more balanced relationship with oneself.

My asana classes focus equally on balance. I do offer many balancing asanas (as most yoga classes do) to build strength, power, and, of course, balance in the physical body. But these physical changes manifest and grow into emotional and spiritual balance in many different ways as well, whether we recognize that or not. Tiffany Cruikshank eloquently expresses this transition and transformation from the physical to the mental practice: “Yoga is a powerful vehicle for change. As you build strength, you start to believe in your own potential.”

My teachings are very precise. I carefully instruct the alignment of the body to promote a healthy physical practice and I continuously invite my students to explore beyond the physical, noticing how their minds may react to a certain posture (or a certain hold of a posture) or how their breath fluctuates throughout their practice. I invite my students to work toward equanimity on all accounts in their movements, their breath, and their thoughts: striving toward a greater sense of overall balance.

Balancing the seven major chakras of the body is a great way to move toward physical, mental, and emotional equilibrium. The seven major chakras are energy centers that travel from the base of the spine up through the crown of the head that is said to harness and contain all the significant energy of the physical, mental and spiritual bodies of a person. These centers each represent a different physical part of the human anatomy that, in turn, correlates to a different emotional and/or spiritual part of a person’s being. Imbalances, blocks, or hyperactivity in any of these major chakras are said to completely imbalance and destabilize a person.

What better way to spend a week-long retreat (in paradise, by the way!) than focusing on these energy centers, striving to balance these seven whirling vortexes of energy to bring balance and peace into your life?

Each day we will examine a different center, both meditating upon this area (and its respective color, mantra, symbol, meaning, representation, manifestation, and sound) as well as physically practicing asana that correlates to the specific epicenter that we’re working with.

The balance of these chakra centers is crucial to finding balance both on and off the mat, so we will work to target these areas with playful asana and in-depth breathing and meditation techniques.

Every morning we’ll begin our journey through the seven chakras with a deeply restorative and peace-invoking meditation practice. Using different techniques and practices, we’ll each adapt our meditation practice to find one that suits all of our own individual needs.

We’ll then spend some time working with different pranayama (or breath work) practices to ignite our inner fires or to soothe our tired bodies and minds, depending on what we may need in that moment.

From here, we’ll move on to the physical practice of asana, playfully syncing movement with breath while carefully aligning our bodies to blossom in each posture in our own individual manifestations of these delicate and graceful poses. A vigorous (but accessible) Vinyasa Flow class will awaken our bodies and minds each morning as we journey up the spine to explore our chakras filled with different energies and power.

Each evening, we will join together in a deeply restorative Yin practice to relieve tired muscles, restore fatigued minds, and rejuvenate as a whole.

With the specialized practice of working with different chakras in each practice, we will have the opportunity to explore and awaken our Kundalini spirit, allowing energy to flow freely throughout our bodies, spirits and minds as we connect to our highest selves.

The practice of both yoga and meditation are practices of balance that are continuously evolving. As we work with these different techniques, we are all striving toward the same goal: finding balance within and without. Energizing, awakening and clearing the channels of the seven major chakras will help us to move toward greater balance in our bodies, minds and souls. I hope that you will join us on an in-depth journey through the seven chakras and across the depths of our souls in a playful and explorative retreat as we release stagnant energy and awaken the dormant all to find a greater sense of overall wellbeing and balance.

The post Yoga: A Practice of Balance appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Vanessa Fleming, Summersalt Yoga teacher

Every time I’ve been to Portugal, there’s this unspoken, intangible but very palpable feeling. It’s like magic…I feel as though I’ve been whisked away to another world. A forgotten world. A place where all the worries and stresses of my current life no longer exist, because they never existed in the first place. It’s a feeling of longing, a feeling of desire, a feeling of days’ past.

I’m not the only one that feels this. The feeling is so strong in presence that it has an actual term…

Saudade. 

Looking off the cliffs in the Algarve, or climbing the hills in the streets of Lisbon…taking the train to Cascais…there’s an energy that exists in this underrated and serene coastal country. It’s no wonder I’m drawn to Portugal and find myself struggling to leave.

The Portuguese people have quiet melancholy to them. You’re no doubt to be met with endearing and genuine smiles, along with a deep and curious soul exuding from their eyes. They are the beautiful inhabitants of this often underestimated land with gorgeous old European structures and design. In the background, you’ll hear the sounds of Fado, the instrumental music full of expression played by Portuguese people of all ages. 

Last year, I was with a friend in Lisbon, grabbing some dinner before we headed out to the city to explore. A couple of older gentlemen sat down with their guitars in the restaurant. They were surrounded by family members, all out for a night of singing, eating and drinking in the local establishment. My friend and I said we would stay for just a couple of songs, but there was a city to explore out there….

As the night wore on, each one of the family members sang. From the teenager to the grandmother, all of them belted out songs in Portuguese in this Fado style. I am still impressed by all of them having such range of vocals. 

4 hours later, she and I floated back to our B&B for the weekend, completely awestruck with the power of Fado and it’s insinuating Saudade. 

This is what happens in Portugal. Time stands still and slips away simultaneously. It’s almost as if the Portuguese people know something that the rest of us don’t, and they use that as their power to just live in the moment. 

Combine that with incredible waves where dolphins happily dance and surf with you, and an overall just chill vibe, it is a country that I’m sure that I want to live out the rest of my days in.

The post The Essence of Saudade appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Leah Sugerman, Summersalt Yoga teacher

Each morning as the sun kisses our faces, we offer our salutations to greet it. As we move following the rhythm of our breath, the gentle ebb and flow of the waves echoes our tempo.

Life is slow on this little island paradise in the Adriatic. Its gentle pace reminds us to slow down ourselves: our bodies, our breath, and our minds.

This perfect environment for a yoga practice keeps us drawing inward and reflecting. Listening to the peaceful breeze blowing and the slow movement of the sea, we journey through ourselves.

According to yogic philosophy, our bodies hold energy in the form of chakras. These whirling vortexes of energy exist throughout our bodies and culminate in seven major ones that travel from the base of our spines up through the crown of our heads. This major “highway” of the seven chakras, if clear of any barriers and optimally aligned, allows us to connect to our highest sense of self and our greatest potential in both our everyday and spiritual lives.

Moving through chakras

In each practice, we bring our awareness to one of these seven major chakras through meditation, pranayama (or breath work), and asana (or the physical yoga postures). Tuning our awareness to each these chakras allows us to inwardly reflect on whether or not we feel open and aligned within this space and what it signifies in our lives. By tuning everything else out and sharply tuning our attention inside, we are able to release any stagnant or “stuck” energy from these spaces and create space and alignment wherever it is needed most.

Every day we focus on a different area of our bodies, moving through the base of the spine, the sacrum, the solar plexus, the heart, the throat, the third eye, and, finally, the crown of the head. Each chakra space is associated with a different body part and, therefore, aspect of the physical practice (such as core work or heart openers). As we focus each day on a different area, we’re able to bring both strength and flexibility to this space to align ourselves deeper, both physically and mentally.

Each chakra represents a different part of our psyches as well, so we meditate upon these aspects as we move through our practices. From grounding and rooting down with the root chakra to creating love and self-acceptance with the heart chakra to elevating and connecting to our intuition and sense of purpose with the third eye chakra, we are able to find balance between our bodies and our minds.

Yoga – on and off the mat

Each practice moves us closer to our best version of ourselves. Every release brings us one step closer to alignment. Every revelation brings us closer to a sense of unity and our ultimate calibration for inner peace.

We spend our mornings moving rhythmically with our breath, finding a dance between effort and ease as the sun illuminates the sky. We spend our evenings relaxing and releasing as we draw awareness deeper inside with slow gentle stretches, following the slow release of the sun dipping down toward the sea.

We practice our yoga off our mats as we excursion out throughout the island, mindfully enjoying each moment of our relaxing and rejuvenating holiday. Our awareness is always on this very moment in time—this delicious taste against our taste buds, this picturesque piece of the coastline, this breathtaking view of the town, this invigorating movement of our bodies. Our undivided attention is always to the present—perhaps the greatest lesson of all from our beloved yoga practice.

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