YOGA RETREAT at Purple Valley Tenerife with Isabella

Begin the New Year with this retreat that’ll allow you to start anew, refresh your energy and set good habits for the months to come. The week is taught by Isabella Nitschke and welcomes both seasoned practitioners of Ashtanga yoga as well as beginners.

Immerse yourself in the key concepts of Ashtanga yoga and how these run as a red thread throughout the sequences. Learn how simple practice routines and breathing exercises can improve your physical and mental well-being. Explore the fundamental philosophical aspects of the practice and how to introduce these into your daily life.

By returning to the foundations of Ashtanga yoga we look at how to make what seems difficult easier. Through gaining a better understanding of what we are doing on and off the yoga mat and why we are doing it, we can learn to develop a healthy, sustainable practice over a long period of time.

RETREAT PROGRAMME

The week will feature mysore style self practice sessions/ led classes. Each afternoon class will include either asana technique or lecture and discussion on a yoga philosophy theme. Afternoons are ended with a guided relaxation and shorter meditation or breathing exercise. The schedule below is an outline of what to expect but we reserve the right to alter the content and themes of the classes to suit the group and the practitioners present.

Tuesday 02/01 - welcome gathering

Wednesday 03/01-  Presence in breath, body and mind
The purpose of all yoga is to quieten or still the mind – “Yoga citta vritti nirodhah”. How we breathe may affect how we think and how we feel. In his class we explore how different breathing techniques (in motion and stillness) have an impact on our physical and mental states, how we can alter our reactions by regulating the way we breathe and how we can become more present. The aim is to help participants improve the relationship to their breath, to learn how to self-regulate and to gain a deeper understanding of the role of the breath in their yoga practice and daily life.

Thursday 04/01 - Grounded and stable
This class looks at how to create a good foundation for a stable practice, how to be grounded and steady on our feet and in our head. We look at the importance of the standing sequence in Ashtanga yoga and how we use our feet and legs is fundamental to laying a good foundation for what will come. We also look at how to find variations and adapt the practice in the most suitable way for each individual in order to progress safely in the practice.

Friday 05/01 - Awareness
The first and second limb of Ashtanga yoga - Yama and Niyama – often end up in the shadow of the third and fourth limbs (asana and pranayama). This class looks at how the practice of yoga needs to include these first two limbs for it to be called yoga. We explore how we can to relate to each of the five Yama and Niyama and how to mindfully include them into our daily lives.

Sunday 07/01 - Strong and Light
We explore the connection of Bandha (locks) and their relationship to the breath, asana practice and life energy (prana/apana). We specifically explore the balance between mobility and strength in different asana, the transitions in between and how to create lightness in the practice.

Monday 08/01 - Spaciousness
The pressures and stresses of life may make us feel cornered or trapped. Uncomfortable asana or fear of making certain shapes with the body may cause tension and compression. In this class we look at how to create space in our movements, in our breath and in our mind. We particularly look at making space for the spine and its natural curves in back bending and how to practice in order to prevent future pain or injury.

Wednesday 10/01 - Dedication, Determination and Devotion
Kriya yoga – the yoga of action – includes the concept of Tapas, Swadhyaya, Ishvarapranidhana. How can we stay motivated, keep learning and have faith in the process of the practice even after many years of practice? What is the purpose of what we are doing? We explore how to stay curious, how to overcome obstacles and adapt to changes in life and our practice. The class is interactive and we exchange personal experiences and advice.

Thursday 11/11 - A new moon practice (morning or afternoon)
In connection with the new moon we do this softer yet dynamic yoga sequence that is specifically designed to for times where body and mind may feel heavier or tired. It is ideal to be performed at full/new moon while taking a break from Ashtanga practice. The class ends with guided relaxation.

Friday 12/11 - Wrapping up
We finish the retreat as we finish the sequence – upside down. We play with inversions and look at how to safely be on our head. We explore how approaching things from a different perspective can be refreshing and how an open mind to keep learning can be our best friend for a long term practice.

DATES: check-in 3pm 2/1-2024, check-out 9 am 13/1-2024

VENUE: Hacienda Cristoforo, Purple Valley Tenerife

PRICE: depends on shared or single room (includes accommodation, food and yoga). Flights and other travel costs are not included. All prices are available at the Purple Valley website.

BOOKINGS: are done through the Purple Valley Tenerife website (PV booking rules apply)

If you have questions regarding the tuition, you are welcome to contact us by email. Please contact Purple Valley Tenerife for all other practical questions regarding bookings etc. Also read more on the Purple Valley Tenerife website and get more details about the retreat there - click here.