23rd-30th August 2010
EarthSky invites you to join us on our Italian Adventure!
Honour yourself with a week's retreat, step aside from the hectic pace of life and rest in the welcoming community of EarthSky, at Villa Valdarecchia, our simple rural retreat house on the Marche/Umbria borders.
This retreat will be based on the principles of simplicity and community.
The Ethos
Dawn, Jo & the team will welcome you to a week of stillness, self-awareness, relaxation, healthy living and kindness. We offer all members of the retreat respect and compassion, and will particularly enjoy the spontaneous building of a peaceful community which will unfold during your stay. Through this respect, mutual support, periods of silence and stillness, and the profound benefits of true relaxation, our group will discover a level of peace and joy which although inherent in our true nature, may have proven elusive until now.
Dawn & Jo endeavour to keep retreat numbers to a minimum. It is our sincere belief that a small group is best equipped to support and nurture each other in the journey we experience during the process of "retreating" from the outside world. We hope you enjoy your time with us.
Yoga
Your yoga practice with Dawn will be slow and focused, based on the Sivananda tradition, with time spent on correct alignment, breath placement, and awareness. You will be learning to become present and open to the transformation which a pure, honest and respectful yoga practice can produce. By the end of the week, you will have the opportunity to develop a personal practice of your own should you wish it.
Yoga will be outside, under gazebos for shade should you wish it, with heavenly views over nature's garden.
You will need to bring your own mat, block, strap & blanket.
Meditation
Meditation will follow the Buddhist tradition which Dawn adheres to in her personal practice, and throughout the week we will work on a mantra to support our inward journey.
Treatments
Jo will be offering a brand new treatment which we're all very excited about. Thai Yoga Massage is a form of body-work based on the Metta (loving kindness) meditation and has evolved through India into Thailand, where practice started many many years ago. The work is concentrated on the "Ten Sen" energy lines, and Jo aims with careful placement of the palms of the hands and thumbprints, along with some stretching, to open the tiny windows of energy which lie along the Sen lines. This will leave you feeling rejuvenated, rebalanced and complements your yoga practice. It will enhance every aspect of your yoga practice, asana and meditation. There will also be Reflexology and Reiki on offer.
Food
Meals will be vegetarian, simple, locally-sourced and delicious and not surprisingly with an Italian flavour. With prior notice, special dietary requirements can be catered for (a small extra charge may be made). As before, our chefs will be offering their style of Zen in the kitchen.
Meals will be communal and eaten outside on the terrace.
The Retreat House
Our retreat house is simple and rustic - a 16th-century farmhouse with amazing views, on the hills between the Umbria and Marche regions. There is a swimming pool to cool off in, should you find all that sun a bit much, equipped with sun-loungers and umbrellas for those of us who prefer some shade.
The surrounding countryside is rather special, with green woods, majestic hills and pure cool air. With natural trails in the forest and pine woods around the house, there are options for walks or bike rides, even searches for truffles, mushrooms and other delights!
Retreat guests will share twin bedrooms (some double rooms also available); there are two triple rooms and anybody sharing a triple room will receive a discount of £50.
Every bedroom has its own bathroom: bath with shower, toilet and bidet.
With the ethos of the retreat in mind, we ask guests to respect the following principles:
- no television, radio, computers or other media during the retreat
- mobile phones used discreetly, outside the buildings & away from other members of the retreat community
- we ask you to respect the privacy & peace of the retreat attendees at all times
- the community becomes silent from 10.30pm.
Day Off
On Friday there will be a day off, when you will be free to visit places of great historical and cultural interest such as Urbino, Gubbio, Assisi, Perugia or other beautiful Italian towns and cities. Lunch and dinner could be taken on your day out or in the local town, just 1.5km away.
Or you may choose to stay on site and immerse yourself fully in the retreat experience. Your day off could become your personal quest. You could spend your day in silence and meditation, either on site or in the woods and mountains nearby. If you wish to do some deeper spiritual work or wish to use this day as time to reflect and take stock, Dawn & Jo are happy to offer you some guidance and we can make you a packed lunch to take with you, at a small extra charge.
As with all retreats, you are free to do as much or as little as you choose. It is important that you respect your body and your needs, and take part in as many activities as is appropriate for you during the week.
Price
£750
We ask you to pay 50% of the price on booking, with the balance due by Saturday 10th July.
Should you need a little more time, or wish to pay in instalments, please just let us know.
Included in the price of the retreat:
- Full board in a double, twin or triple room
(on Friday, the day off, just breakfast, with the option of a packed lunch for a small extra charge should you wish)
- Yoga twice daily for 5 days
- Meditation twice daily for 5 days
- Two heavenly treatments with Jo during your stay. Thai Yoga Massage plus either Reflexology or Reiki. Extra treatments are offered at a reduced rate.
Extras
Flights (Ryanair from Stansted to Ancona) - as always, if you are joining us, BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW!
Transfers from/to Ancona airport - we are happy to co-ordinate transfer arrangements for as many of the group as possible. It may be possible to hire a small mini-bus for the airport transfers, or guests may prefer to club together and share one or more hire cars which will be available if needed during the rest of the week. We will also gladly research the cost of taxi transfers if guests wish.
Contact us to book.