You are invited to enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating week of yoga & meditation on the island of Samos, Greece.

Set on a stunning seashore peninsula, Marnei Mare is a complex of 3 villas, an infinity pool and an open air space for daily yoga practice with a fantastic view to Aegean Sea. From here you can also enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets you have ever seen.

14 acres of biodynamic olive groves surround the villas, along with organically grown fruit and vegetables, spectacular gardens and secluded beaches only 5 mins walk away.

Marnei Mare is a complete cleansing experience from the urban lifestyle and therefore a perfect place for practicing yoga and meditation daily.

Accommodation

We will be staying in 3 luxury villas with a beautiful swimming pool overlooking the sea with steps down to the beach. Villa Nicholas and Villa Stelios have 2 twin rooms & one double bedroom and Villa Catherina has 3 twins & one double bedroom. All villas offer an atmosphere of pure relaxation and tranquility.

All bedrooms in Marnei Mare are twins apart from 3 (one in every villa located on the first floor) which are doubles. So, if you are a couple or friends coming together you can request a double or twin room. If you are coming alone, you will need to share with one other student.

For more details about Marnei Mare and to see more photos, please visit their website at www.marneimare.com.

Course Leaders

Abhijeeta's style of teaching yoga is true to the Satyananda tradition, focusing on the meditative and spiritual aspects of yoga and incorporating the whole person, not just the physical body. There is an emphasis on awareness and you are encouraged to learn about all aspects of your personality through yoga. Through awakening individuals’ awareness and inherent self-healing powers, physical diseases and mental stress can be managed and relieved. By steadying the emotions and calming the mind, a sense of perspective can be gained, bringing a feeling of peace, freedom and inner strength.

I love teaching yoga and seeing the revitalizing, relaxing and transforming effects that yoga has on the students (and me!). I have a daily yoga sadhana and I believe that yoga is for everyone. It is my goal to pass on the ancient knowledge of yoga to my students, so they can experience the true spirit of yoga and begin to integrate some of this wisdom into their lives.

Guillermo is a singing teacher with a difference. What's the difference? He relaxes you into singing. His way of teaching is totally in tune with Yogic principles. He helps you to find the right posture, which corresponds to effortless production of sound, in a simple, accessible and not at all intimidating way. He helps to connect with the
energy of sound, which, as in Yoga, can only be accessed if the ego gets out of the way.

I was introduced to Guillermo on a Yoga & Singing Retreat in Samos in 2008 and it was a definitely wonderful awakening experience for me on many levels - I truly found my voice …I learnt how to listen to the whole, keep a rhythm, harmonise and discovered safety, comfort and confidence in my own unique sound.

The combination of Yoga and Singing on retreat is very powerful, it will expand, transform and awaken you in ways that you never thought possible. I feel it is very beneficial for anyone wishing to connect with ease in their body and expression through voice.

A few words from Guillermo…

What shall I say about myself? I love music, I enjoy helping people find their voice and their connection with music, I'm thrilled about bringing people together and making them sound. I've been experiencing on a daily basis the joy of being vibrated by my own sound and the sound of other's voices, and it feels to me like a very simple way to feel love energy and connection with All.

Sounding together

I've been working as a professional vocalist and singing tutor for almost 20 years, but the starting point of these gatherings won't be to 'teach' you anything. Simply to usher one of many possible journeys for the sharing and enjoyment of the field that emerges when people make sounds together. We’ll start by 'sounding' rather than singing, which invites us to take away the pressure to make 'beautiful' sounds or any value judgment about one's own singing abilities.

Anybody can use the voice as a way for consciousness- expansion, energetic transformation, release and physical well-being and simply for dropping into a space of 'listening' where the unspeakable is shared and there's no need to 'explain' anything. Having said that, we might end up creating gorgeous music together!

However, the idea to begin with, is to journey through a range of sounds from noises to 'sung' notes, from long sounds to percussive ones, from fiery warrior's shouts to soothing whispers, to visit sonic places we haven't been to before and most importantly to listen to the silence that plays a huge part of the process of rhythm. It is all a big mystery and that ‘not- knowing’ is maybe where the beauty lies...

Singing together

We'll hold a safe, friendly space to explore and develop the voice. We'll share songs with inspiration from diverse musical traditions from around the world (African, Gospel, Maori, Taize, South American, Eastern European) and expand our musicianship, understanding of rhythm and harmony singing. The material will be tailor-made to the abilities and voices of the participants, with the intention of having fun while we share the bliss of collective song. There will be simple rounds, soothing chants, vibrant harmony songs, some foot-tapping music from different corners of the planet, and whatever else emerges…

Program

You are welcome to attend all or part of the program. Singing & Sounding with Guillermo is optional.

1st day
4.00pm ~ Welcome chat / Introduction

Daily

6.30am ~ Shatkarmas (cleansing practices first day only)
7.00 - 8.30am ~ Yoga class
8.30 - 9.30 ~ Sounding

9.30am ~ Breakfast

FREE TIME

5.00 - 6.15pm ~ Yoga class
6.30 - 8.00pm ~ Singing

8.15pm ~ Dinner

The program may vary slightly from the above.

Fees

Breakfast & evening meals are included. For lunch, you will find many local tavernas only 5 minutes by car, or walking distance.

All fees are based on shared basis (double / twin).

Accomodation & Meals

£540 per person (Seaview)

£480 per person (No seaview)

Yoga

£180 per person

Singing & Sounding

£180 per person

PARTNERS & FRIENDS WELCOME WHERE SPACE AVAILABLE...

Depending on numbers, it may be possible for friends/family to join the yoga classes on an ad hoc basis and pay for classes attended.

Not Included

Flights to Samos & transfers to and from the airport. Holistic therapies & any excursions are optional & payable separately.

Suggested travel arrangements

Direct flights go from London Gatwick to Samos. You can book charter flights through Fly Deals www.flydeals.co.uk or Thomson www.thomsonfly.com. Flights are between £200 & £300 depending on when you book.

EARLY BOOKING IS RECOMMENDED

Booking & Information

For further information, please contact Abhijeeta on 020 8549 8637 / 07940 470 072 or at info@shivahealth.co.uk. To book your place, please complete the attached booking form and send a £240 non-refundable deposit (cheques made payable to Emma Adrians). The balance is due by end May 2009.

Please let me know your flight number so arrangements can be made for a taxi to collect you at the airport.