ashtanga yoga retreat with barbara & kwon
8-day long retreat
Daily Mysore practice, meditation, chanting, pranayama, and talks.
All levels of students welcome!
Join us in a beautiful and tranquil setting surrounded by nature for an Ashtanga week and mindful practices. Paros is one of the most stunning islands in Greece. Best known for its beaches, traditional villages, and incredible landscapes. We are hosting this retreat for the third time at Okreblue Yoga Retreat Center Paros a special place to eat healthy amazing food and connecting with nature. The retreat is happening in October which is a great season to visit Greece. Is not only low season which means no crowds but still you will be able to enjoy warm and sunny days together with nice autumn light. We are teaching in English, Spanish and German.
When
Saturday afternoon 9 October – Saturday morning 16 October 2021
Check-in: 3 pm Saturday 9 October – Check out: 12.00 noon Saturday 16 October
Program
Every morning we are offering Pranayama followed by an Ashtanga Mysore-style Practice, where you receive individual guidance and adjustments. All levels of students are welcome. Those new to the practice will be introduced to Mysore Style Self Practice, while more experienced practitioners will develop their personal practice. The Asana practice will be followed by a break that allows you to relax and explore the surroundings of the island. In the afternoons we continue with mindful practices and talks. Through this week we will revise different aspects of the Ashtanga system, such as breath, bandhas, Drishti, and the vinyasa system, as well as going through the philosophical aspects of the practice. Finishing the retreat on Saturday with a traditional counted guided class to review all the fundamentals of the practice. During this retreat, we would like to cultivate an understanding of yoga as a whole practice that involves mind, breath, body, and way of living. (Yamas – niyamas)
Location
Okreblue is located at Filizi beach, an area of exceptional natural beauty, with sand dunes, aged cedar forests, “secret” coves, and next to the long sandy beach of Santa Maria bay. It offers tranquility, wonderful food, beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters and of course, nature. Situated amongst cedar trees and lovely thyme aromas.
The place has an environmentally friendly philosophy. That helps us to connect even more with nature. The lack of electricity use avails us to observe the moon and the stars with more intensity. Plus the experience of deep silence is rare to experience in the cities.
The Shala is a half-open space that allows us to still hear the sound of nature and bamboos that surrounds it. Receiving the morning light as we practice.
Click here for a video presentation of the place and facilities
Food
Suresh, the Indian chef is cooking healthy fusion Mediterranean Indian cuisine using organic ingredients, the majority of which are picked up daily fresh from Okreblue’s organic garden. The Menu includes rich breakfast, salads, cold plates, smoothies with superfoods, raw vegetarian & vegan sweet delights, herbal teas, and more…. All meals are vegan/vegetarian. Regarding any special dietary requirements, we offer vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free meals. If you are on any specific diet make sure to let us know in advance. The restaurant is open all day long.
Accommodation
The retreat offers apartments that comfortably accommodate up to 4 guests as well as rooms and studios; some of which are equipped with a kitchenette. Free WiFi through the retreat is available.
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PRICES
Single room €1060
Double room €900
Triple room €860
Price includes 7 nights of accommodation, 6 days of practice, pranayama, and meditation, brunch, and dinner. If you are traveling with children 0-3 years old there's no charge; kids 3-9 years old are charged 50%. You can reserve your place by paying a 30% non-refundable deposit. The rest you may pay 1 month prior to the retreat or you can also pay the retreat in monthly fees contact us for more information. Once you´ve decided to come with us we recommend you to book your flights as soon as possible to get a good offer.
In case of a lockdown situation (no flights, closed borders in Greece) due to Covid19, we will refund the booking fully. The retreat will take place on another date in this case and you’re welcome to book for new dates.
Further information and booking: info@mysoreshala.com
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How to get there
BY PLANE
Flying to Athens is the closest option. Aegean Air is the company that is flying from Athens to Paros so far. Make sure you book your tickets well in advance because it’s difficult to find availability during the summer months.
For information, visit: http://en.aegeanair.com/
Another option is a charter flight to Mykonos island and then a 45-minute boat ride to Paros.
BY BOAT
There are two options from Athens: Pireaus port and Rafina port. 1) Rafina port is closer to the airport and you can get there either by taxi or bus. By bus will take you about 45 minutes and it costs 3 Euros. By taxi, it will take you less time but more money. 2) Pireaus port is further from the airport than Rafina, and you can get there by bus, metro, or taxi. The metro and bus are both very convenient because they will leave you just a few meters from where you get the boat to Paros. Both the bus and the metro take about one hour (the bus a little longer maybe depends on the traffic) to get to Pireaus and cost 10 Euros. The 2 companies that sail to Paros are Blue Star Ferries and Hellenic Seaways. BlueStar ferries take about 4:30 hours and runs twice a day with tickets starting at 33 euros Hellenic Seaways takes about 2:45 hours with tickets starting at 45-50 euros. When you are in Paros, you can either catch the bus from Parikia (port of Paros) to Naousa and then a taxi to Okreblue, or a taxi straight to Okreblue. We can always arrange a taxi transfer (a taxi to be waiting for you at the port or airport).
https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/ferry-routes/direct/athens-piraeus-to-paros
The teachers
→ Bárbara Macías has been a daily Ashtanga practitioner since 2008. She runs a Mysore program in Berlin
→ Kwon Kim has been a daily practitioner since 2013. He will be guiding the pranayama and meditation sessions.
Students review
“Barbara and Kwon helped take my asana and pranayama practices to a deeper level. I left Paros feeling refreshed, motivated, at peace, and most of all, grateful for being with such kind, fun people. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much. I would recommend this retreat to anyone no matter how new or advanced they are to ashtanga.“ Meaghan Johnson
“A remote area right by the beach, a shala with a green panoramic view, the sounds of the Aegean Sea all around you, Suresh’s amazing Indian and Greek food, Antiparos and Naxos in reach for an excursion… what else could you wish for as a setting to relax and immerse into a daily yoga routine that includes Pranayama breathing, Asanas, chanting and meditation? Barbara and Kwon, two of the kindest and most laid-back people I know, skillfully guided me through all those practices and taught me how it all comes together. Not to mention the rest of the group: people that brought me fun, inspiration, and simply a great time. I have been there twice and I will come again!“ Michael Klein
“The retreat definitely exceeded my expectations. As a beginner in Asthanga, also having some sports injuries, Barbara and Kwon helped me to develop physically and mentally. I got home feeling energized and at peace with myself. Also, the location is stunning, offering an amazing ocean view from the hangout-area, as well as great food. I am really grateful for the amazing people I met and could share this truly fulfilling time with. I would definitely recommend the retreat to everyone, no matter how advanced their ashtanga practice is.” Ramona Kohrs
“When I went on the retreat, I'd just finished a huge project that had been going on for the past 7 years of my life. So in many ways, it was a transformative time for me. The retreat was the perfect mix of being social and being alone. Together with the overall compassionate and qualified teaching, it was deep and much needed to introspect time for me. The place and the food are simply gorgeous too.” Andrea Barsch
