Spring Yoga Retreat: 21-23 September 2018

Spring, the season of renewal…. Yoga and Meditation Retreat.

Spring is a time of upward and expansive movement of creativity, planning a brighter future, vision and perspective; our goal as always, is to harmonize ourselves with the movement of the prevailing season. According to Chinese medicine, the Liver and the Gall-Bladder correspond to the spring and are charged of the smooth flow of energy throughout the body, storing and detoxifying the blood. Our activities should be geared towards creativity, determination and the expression of our inherent mental, emotional and spiritual intelligence. Much in same way that many of us engage in an annual spring cleaning of our external environment, our bodies do the very same thing within our internal environment; physically and emotionally.

We are now nearing the time of year when we will see the newly formed buds on the trees doubling in size daily, this is nature’s expression of determination and creativity associated with the spring. Similarly, we too should engage in activities that put our determination, creativity and innate intelligence into motion. In Chinese medicine we always look at nature for insight to the energetic momentum, and strive behave similarly. Just as the buds on trees are sprouting and doubling in size daily we should also be pushing our self imposed boundaries and seek personal development and growth. We should engage in uplifting and creative activity that expands our energy and consciousness, this is why we have been blessed with the spring, the season of creativity, growth and renewal.

• Element: Wood
• Colour: Green
• Nature: Yang
• Organs: Liver & Gallbladder

BOOKINGS:

Please contact Old Joe’s Kaia on info@oldjoes.co.za or phone 083 2293751 – 072 2613519

FACILITATOR PROFILE – Charlotte Davies

Yoga is Charlotte’s passion in life and has been from a very young age. She is a dynamic and passionate Yoga Master, Yoga Therapist, Montessori trained Nursery School Teacher, Breathwork Practitioner, Reiki Master and Tea Ceremony Practitioner. She has been practising Yoga for the past 20 years and her studies and years of commitment to her Yoga practice have equipped her with a sound knowledge of various Yoga systems.
Charlotte’s philosophy regarding Yoga is to face the challenges on the mat, so that we may live our lives effortlessly. Her classes are challenging (yet easily modified), uplifting, and approachable, as she takes you beyond the physical aspects of yoga, and brings you into your own sacred space.
Through a variety of poses, and conscious sequencing, Charlotte’s classes, workshops and retreats will build strength, flexibility, and balance through stability, as well as provide the space to discover the truth in transition, and the sense of lightness in your practice.

Weekend Schedule

FRIDAY
19h00 – Dinner

SATURDAY
Yang Yoga ( 06:30 – 08:00 )
Yang yoga is a term used to describe the more dynamic and active forms of yoga. Ashtanga yoga, Hatha yoga, and Vinyasa yoga are specific styles that could be included as a yang practice.
Yang yoga poses often emphasize strength and endurance, they are active, powerful, and generate heat in the body.
The keys to stimulating energy flow to the liver are the Gall Bladder and Liver meridians. The Gall Bladder lines run along the outside of the leg and the outer hip. From there they zigzag their way up the front and sides of the ribs to the shoulder and face. The Liver lines come along the inside of the ankle, along the inside of the leg, and through the groin before going inside the body toward the liver.
To help activate the Liver and Gallbladder it is useful to activate the Kidneys too. The Kidneys support all the internal organs. The Kidney lines run along the inside of the legs into the groin, where they combine in the sacrum, before rising up inside the body along the line of the spine.

08h30 – Breakfast

Chinese Calligraphy (10:00 – 11:00)
Chinese Calligraphy has showed the new role in therapy and health. Meditation is an effective and traditional method for staying healthy and coping stress, the studies have revealed that learning Chinese Calligraphy can provide you with the same distinctions and stress reduction benefits like that of doing mediation.

Sacred Spring Despacho ( 11:00 – 11:30 )
A despacho is a prayer bundle or offering. For hundreds of years, the Laika (high shamans or wisdom keepers of the Q’ero lineage of Peru) have used the despacho ceremony for a wide variety of occasions – births, deaths, as an expression of gratitude, to heal physical and emotional ailments, to restore balance and harmony, or when there is a specific request of the spirit world.
Similar to a mandala or sacred creation, the despacho holds symbolic elements and the prayers of the participants. As the elements are added to the despacho, the vibration of the participants and the room raises. The despacho becomes a living prayer that brings energy shifts and healing. We will be creating a Spring despacho with a bit of a Chinese twist.

13h00 – Lunch

Yin Yoga  15:30 – 17:00
Ever hear the word Yin and wonder what it exactly it means? Yin is the feminine, dark, passive, receptive, reflective, withdrawn, cool, introspective aspects of life. Yin yoga was developed to penetrate deep into connective tissue expanding flexibility while invigorating the energy centres of the body (nadis) to release blockages and increase your energy flow. Focusing on static movement, breath work (Pranayama) and meditation to create a profoundly deep and rewarding practice. The primary differences between Yin Yoga and many other forms of yoga is that you are encouraged to NOT use your muscles and passive poses are held for several minutes.
Within our yin yoga practice we will be doing poses that directly target areas of the physical body as well as specific meridian lines. Meridians are considered channels where Chi or Prana flows. Chi is the basic life force of the body. Having enough Chi flowing smoothly in the meridians is key to health and longevity in body and mind.
In our practice, we will be targeting the Kidney and Urinary Bladder channels.
We will also be focusing on the Acupressure Point Liver 3 (Tai Chong)

19h00 – Dinner 

Fire releasing ceremony with a guided meditation (After Dinner )
A fire ceremony is a powerful and ancient practice used to release unwanted energies and attachments from the past and make space for new intentions. A fire ceremony can be used to release unhappy memories, fears, negative emotions, and anything that you are holding onto that doesn’t serve your Higher Self.  By releasing these unwanted energies and old patterns into the fire, you are healing at the soul level.

SUNDAY
08:30 – Breakfast

Tea Ceremony with Guided Mediation ( 10:00 – 11:00 )
The art of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role in China. It inspires poetry and songs. Mutual love of tea cements lifelong friendships. For centuries, the ritual of preparing and serving tea has held a special place in the minds of Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals and poets.
The Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes the tea, rather than the ceremony — what the tea tastes like, smells like, and how one tea tastes compared to the previous tea, or in successive rounds of drinking.
Each step is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.
The Chinese value the first batch of spring teas, especially those produced before Tomb Sweeping Day, which fell on April 4, and guyu, the last solar term in spring that fell on Tuesday. The teas, named mingqian cha and yuqian cha, are picked before these two days and are widely considered the best of the year. The spring’s lower temperatures help the tea leaves maintain a higher level of fragrance.
Spring tea is high in amino acids and vitamins, which not only imparts a better taste, but also many health benefits.
According to Chinese medical theories, the vitality of tea sprouts during the spring will help the body adapt to the rising levels of yang energy in nature.

Labyrinth Walk ( 11:30 – 12:30 )

12h30 – Lunch

COST:

R 2995.00 per participant sharing accommodation, including all meals, event activities, tea & coffee
R 1995.00 per non-participating person, including accommodation and all meals.

BOOKINGS:

Please contact Old Joe’s Kaia on info@oldjoes.co.za or phone 083 2293751 – 072 2613519