Yoga Retreat Morocco

Yoga Retreat: INTO THE HEART OF YOUR PRACTICE

Yoga in the silence of the desert

Dates: October 20th  Amsterdam to Marrakech to resort La Kasbah des Sables till – October 30th fly back to Amsterdam. Book in time.

Sand colored buildings and palm trees at the edge of the desert, there, at La Kasbah des Sables at M’hamid, Morocco, is where Eveline and Sanne’s next yoga retreat starts. After one night we travel by camel (car optional) with our host and guide Iaich into the Sahara. Two days of slow travelling will help you to come free of your daily life. When we arrive in the yoga camp you are ready for 5 days of practice in the silence of the desert. We stay in a camp with sleeping tents, washing tent, dinner tent and a big tent to practice yoga. In this special scenery you can really go into the heart of your practice.

“During the retreat we went back to basic. The series of asana’s helped me to further the development of my own practice. There was a nice rhythm with plenty of time for meditation. This helped me to really make a connection with deep processes that I previously could not reach. This body-mind connection was the most important thing for me. This is something I’ve taken home and continuously apply in my daily life.“

Read testimonials of people who went on a Yoga Retreat with Samana.

Or check out the video:

For whom?

Everyone is welcome: beginners and advanced yoga practitioners. The teachers will give you instructions on your own level.

Our guide in the desert

Iaich is born in M’hamid and knows the desert very well. Since childhood he guides visitors. He never left his country but is a citizen of the world because he has so many good contacts with people he guided and stayed his friends.

Eveline: “The first time I was in LaKasbah des Sables, with my husband, we traveled with Iaich and became friends. On our trip in the desert, at night we listened to the sounds, looking at the stars. For the first time I really heard Silence. I immediately thought this was the right place for a yoga retreat. To practice yoga in the desert in such deep silence must be beautiful. It will help you to feel silence in yourself. Practicing yoga in this silence makes it possible to root the quietness in your soul, an experience you can’t loose anymore and can take back home.
I find important to organise retreats in cooperation with local people. Iaich is a great and beautiful person, a kind man, our perfect host and guide.”

Teachers

Eveline Torres, is teaching the classes and does the readings in the evening. Sanne Kerkhof assists her and brings her knowledge of restorative yoga into the afternoon classes. Both teachers have a vijnana yoga background. In this retreat we practice from inside, a vijnana tradition. Breath exercises are important and we move from the center on the rhythm of breath. The practice is led by the seven principles of vijnana yoga. Read more about the philosophy behind retreats here.

Yoga-retreat in the desert

This retreat is a gift to yourself: find yourself in the quiet of the desert on the journey to the yoga camp on camels. Enjoy five days of the yoga practice in all its forms without distraction. Travel to the heart of your practice. You will develop a new and stable yoga, which you can bring home with you. The wonderful natural surroundings and the loving support of the teachers are the perfect environment to grow.

Yoga program

During the yoga days we will do the same asanas each day. This way your body becomes familiar with the poses. Although the poses are the same, every day your experience will be different. Eveline and Sanne will focus on one vijnana principle each day. This way you get to know many aspects of each pose these five days. The practice becomes deeper and you will understand better what body and mind are doing. It becomes more a practice of your own, from inside, pleasant and stable.
Vijnana yoga makes your body strong and your mind focused. The silence of the desert helps you to achieve this.

Yoga day program ( October 20th- 30th)

– Morning hours: Meditation/ kriyas/ vayu’s/ pranayama (breathing)
– Breakfast break
– Asana practice
– Lunch and resting – in these hours you can read a part of the book to prepare the evening session.
– Afternoon session: restorative asanas and preparation for the next morning
– Dinner
– Together we read a part of The heart of Practice and discuss it
– At ten there is silence in the tents, you can sleep and watch the stars

The book: The heart of Practice – Orit sen Gupta

In the evening we read this book and share our thoughts. Orit sen Gupta founded Vijnana yoga. The texts in this book are inspiring. They bring knowledge of yoga practice together with philosophy of life. The beauty of this book is that you can bring the philosophy directly to your yoga practice, which we will do in this retreat.

You can buy the book at Samana: 20,- euro.

The yoga retreat comes with:

• 10 sleeping nights and food
• 2 nights at guesthouse
• 2 x trip through Altal mountains with car to basecamp.
• 2 x 1,5 day camel trip through the Sahara, including food and 2 nights sleepover in travelling tents
• 6 days yoga in our desert camp
• healthy biological vegetarian meals
• transportation from and to the airport.
• water for washing

Not included:

• The flight and annulation insurrance
• Food during trip mountains to basecamp
• Bottles of water to drink in the desert

Book this retreat!

Don’t miss it and come with us to the Sahara from October 20th till 30th
Be in time, we work with small groups: only 20 people can come.
Reservation is necessary.

Prices:

Early Bird (till 30th of july): € 1115,- . After 30th july: € 1265,-
5 % Special Discount for students

Deposit the whole amount or minimal € 385,- on account number:NL23INGB0005093076/ Samana Yoga Center and mail us: info@samanayogacenter.nl. The full amount must be paid by Oktober 25th. Check our conditions beneath.

Where:  Morocco, Marrakech: How to get there

Travel by plane to Marrakech (not included) in the morning of October 20th with the group or earlier if you want to enjoy a visit to Marrakech.
We meet at the airport October 20th to travel together by bus to the guesthouse in M’hamid. We stay in Ourrzazate or at La Kasbah des Sables, the guesthouse of Iaich for one night. The next day after   we travel by camel to the tent camp in the Sahara,

Retreat dates:

• October 20th: Flight to Marrakech, Morocco in the morning. (If you want to enjoy Marrakech, fly earlier)
  BE AWARE: We meet at the airport in the morning and travel together with a bus to the guesthouse in M’hamid near Zagora, a beautiful trip of several hours through the Atlas mountains.
• October 21th:  the journey starts on camels*. We sleep in tents on the way to the yoga camp/ * those who travel by car stay one more day at the guesthouse.
• October 22th: journey with camels to destination / car leaves for yoga camp
• October 23th-27th : five full yoga days
• October 28 : journey back with camels & cars
• November 29th & 30th : Drive back to Marrakech thought the Atlas mountains, one night sleep on the way and the 30th flight back home(book flight in the evening!). You can book the last flight of this day to Holland, or choose to stay at Marrakech some more. This is not included in the retreat price.

* Please consider:
-If you cannot go by camel we will look for an alternative by car. Please let us know well in advance. There will be a surcharge.
-Vaccination?  Please check for yourself if you want to take any vaccination before your journey. On the website of the GGD Amsterdam you find information. Samana is not responsible for your choice.
-Please take care of your travel insurances.

Booking conditions:
Minimum 15, maximum 20 peoples
Placement in order of received payment.

By paying you reserve your place at the retreat. As soon as you mail us we will contact you for further details. You must pay the full amount for the retreat before August 30th 2017.

Cancelling
If you need to cancel we charge an administration fee of € 85,- if you cancel before August 30th. After this day cancelling is not possible anymore, the full amount must be paid.
Samana can cancel the retreat till four weeks before the retreat. We will fully reimburse you. Samana is not responsible for costs made to travel to Morocco.