Year-round yoga holidays only an hour from Paris.
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Yoga teacher trainings, seminars u.v.m.
Program: www.sivananda.org/orleans
All topics are part of the daily schedule:
6:00 am Morning meditation, mantra chanting and spiritual reading.
8:00 am Yoga class with energising yoga poses and breathing exercises.
10:00 am Vegetarian brunch.
Afterwards, there is time for a sauna, a massage, a walk along one of the hiking trails or sit back and read a book on the sunny terrace.
2:00 pm Workshop or lecture.
4:00 pm Yoga class. Feel your body becoming more flexible, your breath calmer and your mind clearer.
6:00 pm Vegetarian dinner.
7:30 pm Silent evening meditation and mantra chanting followed by an interesting lecture. You may like to to drink some herbal tea and retire early to bed.
During the week and at weekends we offer two sets of topics. You can participate in both at no extra charge.
>> Rates
The proven basic guide from the Sivananda Yoga Centres
THEORY:
• Basic principles of yoga for integral health.
• Overcoming stress.
• Step-by-step relaxation.
PRACTICE:
• Abdominal breathing, deep breathing and pranayama.
• Better flexibility through the Sun Salutation.
• Basic postures with preliminary exercises and deep relaxation.
• Introduction to concentration and meditation.
Textbook: Sivananda Beginner’s Guide to Yoga
Daily workshops look at the main aspects of the yoga class in depth:
muscle relaxation in the relaxation pose (Savasana) through autosuggestion; enhanced flexibility of the spine and limbs through specific stretching in the asanas; strengthening of back and abdominal muscles for improved posture; specific asana cycles for making the pelvis and the hips more flexible and for strengthening the pectoral girdle. Increased vital capacity through deep breathing: on the basis of abdominal breathing and full yogic breathing you will be introduced step-by-step to the classical pranayama techniques, which lead to improved energy resources for both body and mind.
Classical asana variations with individual guidance: Easy variations leading up to the twelve basic postures.
Advanced variations aimed at making the body more supple and allowing progress in the basic postures. In the workshops you will learn anatomical details of the asana practice, helping you to get more out of the yoga classes. Special yoga asanas for the back enhance flexibility and strengthen problem areas. Step-by-step, you’ll learn the art of deep relaxation by making the most of the short relaxation between the asanas and through the precise use of the autosuggestion technique.
The daily practice of meditation and mantra chanting will turn the seminar into a holistic yoga experience.
Often just little adjustments can lead to greater quality of life:
Workshops focussing on the shoulders, back and hips show us how we can systematically improve our flexibility in the yoga class. A test of the muscles and a posture analysis give the motivation you need to make a change. Yoga offers a broad palette of methods for strengthening the nervous and cardiovascular systems: from deep relaxation through to resistance training by holding the asana postures.
The yogic breathing exercises help you increase your vital energy. Yogic techniques for organ cleansing (Kriyas) make it easier to detox the body.
Guidance in dietary questions.
This programme focuses on strengthening body and mind for all-round health.
Yoga asanas provide an optimal development of muscle strength and flexibility. This is excellent prevention against posture faults such as lordosis, kyphosis or scoliosis, and helps improve existing posture faults. In addition to learning the natural resting breath, you will learn pranayama breathing exercises that systematically increase your vital capacity. Relaxation exercises strengthen the nervous and immune systems. Enjoy the energising vegetarian food, specially adapted to the yoga practice.
Participants will gradually develop a more intensive asana practice with the help of detailed workshops and individual correction.
Classical asana variations which focus on flexibility, strength and duration will be demonstrated and performed. The highlight of the workshop is the meditative practice of holding each pose longer. Daily pranayama practice promotes the vital capacity of the lungs and improves one’s power of concentration. A lecture on the anatomical basics of the asana practice rounds off this special asana week.The daily yoga practice at home lets you tap new energy, which can change your outlook on life.
Workshops introduce the most effective exercises for the daily routine, based on various asana sequences with a duration of at least 15 minutes. In an introduction to the practice of concentration and meditation, you will learn the time-honoured techniques of gaining control over the mind – a kind of mental hygiene for daily life.Discover for yourself the harmonising effects of yoga, enabling the body to recover from symptoms of exhaustion and over - stimulation. A balanced asana and relaxation programme focuses on gentle postures for the back in addition to optimal body posture and breathing at the workplace. Lectures and workshops introduce several short asana sequences and discuss positive thinking and concentration exercises for everyday life.
Yoga is a universal and all-round exercise system which can be practised even at more advanced ages.
Individually adapted postures and breathing techniques activate the body’s regenerative powers. Slow, gentle movements enhance the suppleness of the body for better sitting, standing and walking. In lectures and workshops you will receive an individual plan for practising at home as well as an introduction to positive thinking and meditation for mental relaxation and concentration.
This yoga vacation week focuses on personal guidance and individual correction in the yoga postures.
Nature walks in the magnificent Tyrolean mountains and a gradual increase in the breathing exercises help strengthen the immune system. Yoga breathing exercises expand the capacity of the lungs, and they also stimulate the flow of the subtle life energy (Prana). The programme includes an introduction to the meditation techniques for mental relaxation as well as a cooking workshop on how to prepare easy-to-digest meals. Daily silent walk.
You learn the basics of Ayurveda and the Ayurvedic science of nutrition, including many recipes and tips for your body type.
The physical and mental characteristics of the three body types – Vata, Pitta, Kapha – are explained. In addition to the yogic guidelines for optimal nutrition, you will learn how to find the ideal balance of the six food tastes. A workshop on typical spices, their effects and constitution-related uses prepares you for the Ayurveda cooking course: Together, we prepare an Ayurvedic menu with grains, vegetables, pulses, salad and dessert.
>> Healthy cooking with Ayurveda
The Vegetarian Alternative
Fast food and processed food, food with low nutritional value or containing high levels of fats, salt and sugar are a staple part of the modern diet. Various diseases are the result. In cooking workshops you will get lots of new ideas on how to improve your diet while remaining in harmony with the ideal of nonviolence and with ecology. Topics include a variety of recipes for busy people, energy-giving breakfast recipes, light dinners for a sounder sleep, diet and its effects on the mind. The daily practice of yoga and meditation sensitises body and mind, promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Learn how to turn your yoga practice into a yoga lifestyle.
The harmonious processes of the classical asana sequence such as pose and counterpose, as well as posture, breathing and relaxation, bring harmony and rhythm to our daily lives. The yoga exercise plan for busy people gives new ideas for personal time management. The topics ’Developing willpower’ and ’Inner strength through meditation’ help to relate the psychological aspects of yoga to one’s own experiences in life. The cooking workshop teaches how to prepare healthy dishes and snacks suitable for people on the go.
A yoga and hiking vacation in the majestic Kitzbühel Mountains offers both active recreation and a pleasant escape from our hectic lives.
Several approx. 2-hour hikes with like-minded people are complemented by daily yoga classes in which we delve into the true nature of body and mind. We will go on excursions to the most beautiful corners of the region:
Bichlach: Rolling hills of meadow and forest around the Vogelsberger and Gieringer ponds.
Venedigerblick, a fabulous hiking route: Zefirau, Schleier waterfall, Ebner chapel, goat farm.
Astbergweg: High-elevation hike with breath-taking views of the Wilder Kaiser and the Kitzbühel mountains.
Other possible excursions: Hike in the Hohe Tauern and visit to the Mittersill National Park. Trips to Gaudeamus Hut on Wilder Kaiser and to the Grimml waterfalls.
You can join this active yoga vacation at any time. Please bring hiking shoes and raingear.
Take the time to experience moments of deep relaxation for body, mind and spirit: Gentle yoga classes for all levels create the basis for health and strengthen the nervous system. The causes and effects of stress are discussed in a workshop. Using various meditation exercises, relaxation is slowly transformed into inner balance. Enjoy a peaceful yoga vacation in the mountains.
Confronting tension – this is stress management based on asanas (yoga postures).
The conscious flow of breathing relieves mental tension and promotes serenity of mind. A lecture on diet gives tips on detoxing the body by means of a vegetarian diet. Mantra meditation – the sound experience of yoga – awakens the power of one’s own life energy. Talks and recommended reading on yoga psychology show how you can change your life through positive thoughts.
Two gentle yoga classes daily for all levels, as well as group meditation in the mornings and evenings, are the basis for this relaxing week at the Retreat House. Between 11am and 4pm you have more time for relaxation and leisure pursuits.
Experiences in meditation are quite varied and are open to everyone:
Concentration develops naturally through performing the asanas. Also, a detailed understanding of the correct meditation postures can help in establishing a meditation practice. The mental practice includes meditating on light and objects, the universal sound ’OM’ and uplifting qualities. Additional practices are introduced, for example achieving a state of relaxed concentration by writing a mantra.
This yoga vacation programme opens up new aspects of the meditation experience:
Gradual lengthening of the time of meditation. Explanation and practice of Mantras (cosmic energies in sound structures). Introduction to Saguna (concrete) and Nirguna (abstract) meditation techniques. Discussion of Pratipaksha Bhavana (sublimation and elevation of our thought world).
A Clear Understanding of One's Self. An introduction to Yoga Vedanta psychology.
The non-dualistic philosophy of Vedanta explains universal philosophical aspects of life by means of logic and analogies:
· Change and reality
· Intellect and intuition
· The experience of the Self, the goal of all yoga paths
· "Who am I?"
Yoga and meditation are practical methods of self-inquiry and ultimately enable us to experience our true nature: Existence – Knowledge – Bliss.
With a list of recommended reading.
Study of yoga psychology based on the Raja Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Explanation of how the mind works and practical techniques for controlling the thoughts. The functioning of thought waves, the effects of natural energies on the mind, the principles of ethical living, thought patterns and their transformation.“You sow a thought and reap an action. You sow an action and reap a habit.
You sow a habit and reap a character. You sow a character and reap your destiny.”
Swami Sivananda
Besides the daily practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation for relaxation of body and mind, we will focus on lectures and workshops on the world of thoughts, creative life management, exercises for developing thought power, guided contemplation and visualisation.
The relationship between brain and consciousness is one of the most current topics of modern brain research.
According to the experience of the yogis, mind and thoughts exist as subtle realities. Brain and nerve functions are the physical counterparts.
We will look at the nature of consciousness and explain the yoga model, according to which we are but manifold reflections of one cosmic reality which can be experienced through introspection and meditation.
The practice consists of gentle yoga classes for all levels, various yoga techniques for gaining control over the mind, exercises in self-observation and self-realisation.
"The latest research on the brain suggests that the state of happiness can be consciously produced using a form of mental training that stimulates the brain." GEO Wissen
Yoga is a key not only to physical health, but also to radiant mental health: Learn mental exercises for developing willpower and improving memory. Lectures and workshops examine positive character traits and how they enhance one’s personality. Concentration and meditation exercises create the basis for the successful practice of yoga in daily life.
Recommended reading: Success in Life and God-Realisation by Swami Sivananda
