meditation, breath + yoga retreat
Nov 2-6, (near Lisbon)
Limited spaces available - prices from £700
Overview
This retreat is perfect for beginners or advanced meditators. The only requirement is that you’ve been trained in Vedic or Transcendental Meditation.
It is the perfect opportunity to boost your practice and shut off from the outside world, with a complete digital detox. The intention is to share Vedic Wisdom, techniques and expand your states of consciousness, to promote your own happiness and greater health.
There will be an opportunity to learn Vedic Meditation during the retreat or you can attend one of my group courses before, it’s completely up to you.
what to expect
beautifully secluded location
Situated in a beautiful woodland valley, only half an hour from Lisbon and fifteen minutes from Ericeira beach, The Shanti Space is a nourishing family-run sanctuary to rest, restore and revitalise whilst being surrounded by nature. It’s the perfect spot to go deeper in your practice.
vedic rounding (yoga, breath + meditation)
As well as practicing the meditation technique you already know (Dhyana), you will also dive deeper into breath (Pranayama), and body (gentle yoga asana) daily. This combination over several days creates a feeling of deep rest, and a full reset for the whole body + mind.
home-cooked ayurvedic food
We will have Caroline Massote cooking for us, who loves to cook with locally sourced produce. 2 meals per day are carefully selected and prepared to support and enhance the healing process your mind and body will go through over the course of the retreat.
the team
meditation - sam
Sam struggled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, for most of his twenties. With no known ‘cure’ available in Western Medicine, he instead chose to give meditation a try. From the first session he felt a level of relaxation he didn’t think possible and felt more alive too.
food - caroline
Caroline is a Psychologist who worked for many years with Human Resources in International Investment Banks, but always had her heart connected to yoga, plant-based cooking and a sustainable way of living. She loves to cook with organic, locally sourced produce.
daily schedule
08:00 Morning yoga & meditation (rounds)
12:00 Lunch
12:30 First group check in and chat
13:30 1 hour of free time
14:30 Afternoon yoga & meditation (rounds)
19:00 Dinner
19:45 Group chat to check in
This is a typical day on the retreat, there will be some additional content and sessions included.
pricing
Private Accommodation
King with En-Suite - £1,350
King without En-Suite - £1,250
King Belltent - £1250
Shared Accommodation
Dormitory - Spacious Room leading to Patio - £550 - Sleep 8
Shared Twin / Double - £850
Shared Twin Belltent (3 available) - £850
Included: Four nights accommodation, Ayurvedic/organic vegan meals & teas, full program.
Not included: Flights, transfers, treatments & insurance.
Retreat will begin at 4pm on Wednesday 1st June and conclude at 11am on Sunday 5th June 2022.
FAQs
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Yes, this is a requirement to attending and taking part in a retreat. You have two options: you can learn before on one of Sam’s group or private courses or during the retreat for an immersive experience. There will be an additional group course fee if you decide to learn during the retreat.
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Don't worry - we will keep your food warm and catch up with you for a chat later in the evening.
I really encourage everybody to take a day off if at all possible, so you can enjoy all the positive energy you'll be feeling. But if you need to leave early on Sunday, just let Sam know.
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You will receive a confirmation email with some easy instructions.
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It’s completely up to you. If you are anything like me, I jumped straight on to a retreat within 1 month of learning. Some people will choose to learn Vedic Meditation during the retreat.
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We serve fresh organic vegan food that is locally produced. Please let us know by email of any dietary requirements and we will do our best to accommodate them.
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Of course, we can work around any physical ailment and you will still have a wonderful experience.
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Once paid, there is no refund policy, so make sure you are committed to this experience. What we can offer is a voucher of the same value for a future retreat.
"It is the antidote to the ills of modern living. Sam's sessions flowed well, were backed by practical reason and wisdom and gave me a strong sense of optimism.”
TC - Group Course Attendee
Meditation Benefits
There are so many benefits to meditation, but these 3 are the most common reasons people decide it’s time to dedicate themselves to a regular practice, and make a change in their life.
Stress & Burnout
We’re often told that stress is bad for us, but it’s actually our relationship with stress that matters. A regulated nervous system naturally fluctuates into a state of action, enabling us to navigate the stressors of our day-to-day lives, these challenges make us feel stimulated in a positive way. Problems only occur if we can’t then return to a state of rest.
Meditation naturally activates the para-sympathetic nervous system, and improves our vagal tone, meaning we are more able to recover from stress.
Chronic Fatigue
If you’re suffering with chronic fatigue, you will not only experience extremely low energy, but also the knock on effects on your mood, digestion and sleep. This can become a vicious cycle, because an unhappy mind can effect your body’s natural ability to create ‘happy hormones’ such as endorphins (a natural painkiller), and serotonin.
Meditation naturally increases the body’s production of the hormones that will help you feel mentally more positive, and begin to break a negative pattern.
Improved Performance
We live in a world that makes complete presence difficult. Constant stimulation means that our attention can often be divided. Our minds learn from repetition, so by repeating a pattern of distraction, we slowly lose our ability to focus when we really need to. A loss of focus means you are not performing to the best of your ability.
Meditation improves the function of the neo-cortex, the part of the brain responsible for attention, thought + perception, meaning better focus, and ultimately performance.
