Shamballah Retreats

Wir waren in einer Zeitblase und es fühlt sich an, als wären wir viel länger dort gewesen.

Es war meine Zeit, mich mit meinem Geist, meinem Körper und meiner Seele zu verbinden. Es war eine Zeit der Ruhe und Erneuerung.

Patricia und Zarqa sind ehrliche, freundliche und bescheidene Menschen mit einem großen Herzen.

Das Essen war köstlich und beide Köche kochen mit Herz. Auf meine diversen Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeiten würde achtvoll Rücksicht genommen, was keine Selbstverständlichkeit ist.

Der Atlantik ist ganz in der Nähe und man kann herrliche Spaziergänge entlang der Klippen unternehmen.

Es ist der richtige Ort für dich...

...wenn du dich selbst treffen möchtest.

...wenn du in einer sicheren Umgebung sein möchtest.

...wenn du dich fern von zu Hause wie zu Hause fühlen möchtest.

Felt like the I let go of the negative through many many tears. And this was a shared experience. Indescribable.

Zarqa's meditation sessions were valuable and well-explained.

Food was healthy (but not very interesting). Coconut squash lentil curry two nights, tofu brocolli sweet potato another night. Breakfast/lunch - ok.

The two accessible beaches were a 30 min walk. Beautiful scenery but a hike not a walk.

Everything

I loved the house, the warmth of the instructors, the human seize of the group and that they took care of every little detail to create an atmosphere of calm and well-being.

Cours de yoga, nourriture, accueil très chaleureux, gentillesse et bienveillance, belle harmonie du groupe

This was my first yoga-retreat and I loved every second of it. The classes, the food, the beautiful landscapes and the people I've met (teachers, chefs or the group etc) everything was absolutely amazing.

Zarqa and Patrícia are wonderful people who made me feel safe and at home. The classes were all connected to balance your chakras and make you relax.

It was the healing I didn't know I needed.

Thank you for this lovely experience ❤️

- Great mix of scheduled activites and unstructured time

- Amazing vegetarian food and dishes

Patricia and Zarqa are wonderful hosts, the atmosphere was very welcoming and inclusive. The yoga lessons were great and I really enjoyed the meditation sessions. The food was amazing!! Had lovely chats with other participants and overall had a really relaxing time - really put me back on a path of being healthy and open to others.

The schedule, the food, the people and companionship, the location, the ambiance. It is a very special place.

This was a truly transformative and life changing experience, and the best week of my life. I cannot recommend this retreat enough for anyone who is seeking transformation emotionally, mentally and physically but does not feel they have the tools or strategies in place to make that possible. The combination of delicious and nutritious food cooked with love, kindness and commitment of everyone at the retreat, and stunning natural landscapes helped me heal more than I ever thought possible in just the space of one week. I cannot thank Patricia and Zarqa enough for their dedication and commitment to serving those who want to increase their quality of life and seek a more spiritual and embodied path. All of the strategies they suggest for accomplishing this are very doable and practical- even for the most exhausted and overwhelmed people. I have returned from this retreat three days ago and have already found I’m sleeping better and more emotionally aware than ever before. Thank you so much - I’ll be back!!

Looking back at my retreat at Shamballah a big smile appears on my face. I had such an amazing time. The villa is big and beautiful and the moment you walk in, you feel at home right away. Patricia and Zarqa are so nice and relaxing; such lovely people. The lessons in yoga and meditation were so interesting and inspirational. I will definitely try to find a way to add the suggestions into my day to day life. I got an amazing massage from Shaina and they organized a beautiful tour with Carla around the city of Sintra. The group was a total of 8 people, which I found, was just perfect. I have made so much nice connections with everyone. And then the food; just amazing. Did not get hungry what so ever. Such amazing recipes! Thinking you are eating a brownie to find out it was made from black beans (and of course a little bit of chocolate), just blew my mind! Thank you everyone, for this amazing experience. Maybe we meet again in life, my spiritual souls.

The retreat in Shamballah was a unique experience. Patricia and Zarqa have been able to create a structure within which every guest can experience a "I'm exactly where I want to be" feeling. From the interpretation of yoga and meditation practices, to the kindness of the people involved in Shamballah, to the beauty of the surrounding places: everything contributes to making the stay pleasant and inspiring small or big changes, even after the retreat is over, to cultivate a deeper relationship with yourself. Obrigado!

The structure of the days was really well thought through but also flexible for the group. The food was incredible! Patricia and Zarqa were incredibly kind and supportive and adjusted to the needs of everyone. It was a gorgeous home away from home to rest, relax and reset and provided the perfect safe haven to wind down. All in all a gorgeous retreat that will be hard to beat - Sign me up for next year 🙌🙏

Zarqa and Patricia were so welcoming and the perfect guides on our mind-body-spirit journey. The setting they have created is very comfortable and close to beautiful natural settings. The food was delicious and plentiful. It was an amazing week.

Patricia and Zarqa are fantastic, very passionate about what they do and have provided me with incredible support throughout my time with them. I feel nurtured and re-born both physically and mentally as a result. The villa is amazing, so close to the ocean and the beautiful coast. And the food… oh the food! I’m not a vegetarian but I think I’m about to convert. Simply delicious! There is so much to do in one’s spare time too. My favourites being surfing and riding on a tuk tuk in mystical Sintra. :) Thanks so much Zarqa and Patricia for this wonderful experience!

Location, Programm, Essen

I loved everything. Especially the hospitality and authenticity of Zarqa and Patricia. They really believed in what they were doing, i.e. helping people to overcome challenges and find back to themselves. The food was amazing and I loved the yoga and meditation classes. The house and location were amazing. We were right next to the fantastic coastline of Sintra. Last but not last, I really do believe that this retreat changed my way of seeing the world and I will be able to profit from this experience forever.

All about the retreat was beyond my expectations.

Zarqa and Patricia are excellent teachers and are devoted to the meditations and Yoga.

The prepared food was delicious.

It gave me a (re)start on my journey into yoga, meditation and healthy and full living.

Go there and experience it yourself!!!

Obregada

A fantastic stay - lovely balance of yoga & meditation schedule, paced to suit the class (suitable for all levels) and free time to explore the local area or just relax at Shamballah. The food was excellent, vegetarian and very tasty, and the surfing was brilliant - lots of fun, and I felt very safe. Thank you got a wonderful week!

The house and location are perfect for a retreat, so quiet and peaceful. The food was amazing and I looked forward to every meal, especially the afternoon sweet snack!

Some great breathing/meditation techniques with a lot of learning and variety in the practices. I'd say it was maybe more focused towards the spiritual/meditation side over the yoga but this wasn't a bad thing and the yoga was great

The surf lessons were so much fun, all the instructors were friendly and very helpful, had a great time!

A group of us went in to Sintra for a guided tour around Regaleira Palace (25 min Uber very reasonable in price) which was very beautiful and informative.

Don't miss out on a massage too!

I would definitely recommend this retreat and would love to go back again one day :)

Everything surprised me positively. The instructors/hosts have the gift of welcoming and transmitting all the wisdom about life, yoga and meditation and lead us on an incredible journey through our own interior in a healthy, beautiful and safe atmosphere. And the food is absolutely fantastic!

I highly recommend.

Where to start….Location, atmosphere and most importantly, inspiring and truly dedicated, spiritual facilitators being Patricia and Zarqa made it a very unique, powerful, deep experience we could recommend to anybody who wants to find true connection with themselves and nature.

We cannot thank you enough.

Free time allowed us to connect with gorgeous nature, the Ocean and….we did surfing lessons for the first time in our lives too.

The retreat was magical and just what the spiritual doctor ordered. The location was great and the accommodations simple and clean. I loved the program, the people I met, and the surfing rocked!! Patricia and Zarqa were lovely and their yoga and mediation program was well thought out and restorative. I recommend to everyone to go and find your soul again. We need places and people like this to survive on this planet. Xo thanks for everything.

I had a great time at Shamballah, the house was beautiful, the food delicious and the instructors fabulous! I have been at other retreats before and this one was by far the best, it is really authentic and the instructors are well prepared with lot of knowledge and experience.Even though the food is healthy I was never hungry as they give us good amounts plus the chef was great. Very peaceful house to connect with yourself. Patricia’s yoga classes were amazing, she accommodates to all levels and pays special attention to each person, I particularly got injuries and she helped me a lot with them. Zarqa’s meditation classes and knowledge about the practice was great, I learnt lot of breathing techniques and different meditation practices.

Hope to visit again soon!

We were welcomed whole heartedly into a warm and creative community of Shamballah. The meditations and yoga sessions were thoughtfully curated moving through all the chakras and helping us work mindfully addressing our own concerns. There was time to explore the beautiful nature and cultural magic of the area, including options of message in different traditions. Their vegetarian food was delicious and nourishing with desserts that wholly satisfied my sweet tooth (often without sugar!) And spontaneous conversations that arose during My time there will be much cherished. The breath work we did was particularly enriching for me. We were treated to a sound bath by an amazing musician. It was a truly happy time.

Ich hatte eine wunderbar entspannte Zeit im Yoga-Retreat von Patricia und Zarqa :) die beiden empfangen einen mit offenen Armen und sind erfahrene, talentierte Trainer. Die Zimmer sind toll eingerichtet und die Betten super gemütlich. Besonders gefallen hat mir die Nähe zum Meer, d.h. man kann jederzeit zu einem tollen Strandspaziergang aufbrechen. Auch das Essen war phänomenal!! Ich komme sehr gerne nochmal irgendwann wieder. Antonia

Patricia and Zarqa are such wonderful hosts that are able to teach so much about physical and mental health and in what way it links to the path to a happier, more peaceful life. Everything was just perfect this week, the people, the location, the food, the meditations, the yoga, as well as the stories shared and the connections built.

I randomly boked this retreat with my husband and wow, it was over my expectations! They were personal but still very professional, and got me a wider perspective of yoga and meditation - that is so much more to it..! Be prepared for a spiritual journey and feeling welcomed by the hosts on Shamballah!

Our hosts were amazing and are the heart of this place. They created a great atmosphere that allowed me to go deep into all aspects. The retreat was mainly focused on breathing, meditation with yoga focused on releasing and working with chakras.

What a wonderful experience in a beautiful area. Zarqa and Patricia really involve you in their way of living, which helped me to let go of my daily stress and chaos. They made you feel home.

The yoga classes are well set up and so are the meditations. The food is amazing and the area has so many great things to offer!

This retreat was wonderful. The hosts were very welcoming and friendly as well as extremely accommodating. Last minute we informed them of a gluten and lactose free participant and they were able to adjust very quickly!

The house is beautiful with plenty of space to relax and enjoy taking time to yourself. There are plenty of books around if you happen to forget one.

I really enjoyed daily surfing activity I mastered standing on the board and am now focusing on using the proper technique to stand up.

I participated in 2 massages and the hike around the cliffs of sinter which were magical! I am so happy I went to this retreat you will not forget it.

Everything! The teacher led yoga and meditation classes were excellent as was the food and accommodation.

De professionele lessen worden met volle aandacht en met veel liefde gegeven. Ook het eten is er heerlijk. Naast de lessen ook fijne opties voor andere activiteiten. De Ayurvedic massage door Zarqa is een sterke aanrader😇. Soundbath ook zeker doen. Strand is op loopafstand.

Alles kommt von 💙 und das spürt man 😊

The yoga classes with Patricia were really enjoyable. She focused on a different chakra in each class and introduced the use of essential oils in the class, making it interesting and feel like a holistic experience. She didn't correct people's postures so it's not necessarily the sort of class you'd want as a beginner to make sure you're learning the postures correctly, or if you're more experienced and looking to improve. However the classes are thoroughly enjoyable and will inspire a love for yoga for you to return home with. Patricia's yoga classes were undoubtedly the defining feature of the stay and are what made the week enjoyable and worthwhile.

Patricia and Zarqa left part way through the retreat to travel to a retreat elsewhere (unfortunately we didn't find this out till we were already there). Luckily the replacement yoga teacher was absolutely fantastic. He provided a lot of individual attention to each person, giving a lot of guidance and correction which really helped in developing our practice. I could really feel the difference, both during the class and in my body afterwards. He was warm and calm in his manner. The replacement meditation teacher was also incredibly lovely and led a really interesting and powerful session.

The food was really lovely. The accommodation was comfortable and clean. Unfortunately the hot tub isn't functioning (I don't know if it ever had been) so it was disappointing that this was advertised. Otherwise it was lovely accommodation.

Meine Frau und ich haben eine Woche der totalen Entschleunigung mit zwei mal täglich Yoga und abendlicher Mediation erlebt.

Das Yoga war so frei gestaltet, dass sowohl fittere, als auch weniger sportliche Leute auf ihre Kosten kamen.

Patricia und Zarqa sind zwei supersympathische Menschen, die uns absolut herzlich aufgenommen haben und wir haben die Woche mit einer sehr netten Gruppe und interessanten/ lehrreichen Gesprächen verbracht.

Die tadellose Gastfreundschaft und das grandiose Essen ließen keine Wünsche offen, wir fühlten uns wie zu Gast bei Freunden und wurden exzellent versorgt.

Es gab außerdem diverse Zusatzangebote, um die Zeit zu verbringen (empfehlenswert, besonders die Klangreise mit Winga). Auch ins nahe gelegene Sintra und zu anderen Ausflugszielen kommt man per Uber ohne Probleme.

I did enjoyed yoga a lot. I did it for first time in my life and I will carry on back home for sure. Patricia is great teacher and she knows how to pass her knowledge to others!

J'ai adoré les cours de yoga et la cuisine était délicieuse, variée, créative. A dix minutes des falaises et de l'océan, spectaculaire, revigorant. Possibilité de faire des balades. Sintra toute proche.

Zarqa and Patricia are wonderful people, who surrounded us with love and care. Inspiring classes, absolutely great food, in a beautiful place. Thank you!

The retreat is excellent. Perfect instruktion in yoga and meditation, facilities are clean and nice. The food is tasting like a dream. ??

I loved the yoga, coastline and the possibility to go surfing. Also the food was delicious.

Everything