7 Day Meditation and Yoga Retreat in Gokarna

Facilities

Hatha yoga

Most forms of yoga in the west can be classified as Hatha yoga. Hatha simply refers to the practice of physical yoga postures, meaning your Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar, and Power yoga classes are all Hatha yoga. The word “hatha” can be translated two ways: as 'willful' or 'forceful', or the yoga of activity, and as “sun” (ha) and “moon” (tha), the yoga of balance. Hatha practices are designed to align and calm your body, mind, and spirit in preparation for meditation.

Personal asana practice

The retreat offers a strong foundation in traditional Hatha, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa flow yoga, concentrating on the correct alignments of the postures. In the class, you will practice traditional Hatha yoga in the morning time and take part at Ashtanga led classes in the afternoon.

Your teacher will guide you through the full primary series with modifications. In the practice, your teacher will constantly check your alignments, help you to deepen the postures and, if appropriate, adjust you in the postures.

Pranayama (breathing techniques)

From your first day, you will be encouraged to bring awareness to your breath. In traditional Hatha yoga and the other yoga styles, you will study the breath that initiates the movement from posture to posture. It is impossible to progress through the Ashtanga primary series without familiarity of the rhythm of your own breath, improving your focus.

You will learn seven pranayama techniques that will help you to lengthen your breath, increase your lung capacity, and strengthen the nervous system. This is an important aspect of yoga that is often overlooked as physical practice (asanas) takes precedence. Pranayama is a great way to alleviate stress and tension, something that is often endured in modern society.

Pranayama practice will allow you to build mental and emotional strength to help you maintain a healthy sense of well-being, not just during the teacher training course, but in your everyday daily life. Tutorials will explain the theory accompanying these breathing techniques enabling you to practice effectively during guided classes.

There will be a rejuvenating excursion and swimming in the sea in this retreat program.

This retreat will take place in Gokarna, India. It is a small temple town on the western coast of India in the Kumta taluk of Uttara Kannada district of the state of Karnataka. The main temple and deity is Lord Shiva, who is also known as Mahabhaleshwara. These temple houses are what are believed to be original image of Lord Shiva's lingam (Atmalinga). Gokarna is known as one of the seven important Hindu pilgrimage centers.

It is on what was once an unspoiled beach near the estuary of the river Aghanashini. Recently, due to the number of tourists, the character of the town has changed, it is no longer just a center of pilgrimage, though large numbers of devotees visit to offer prayers and worship to Lord Shiva. Due to its laid-back, unspoiled, and rustic nature, many younger Western tourists started visiting Gokarna about a decade ago.

The beaches around Gokarna were hardly used by the locals until these mainly Western tourists started coming. Enterprising locals started stores and restaurants, and now the resorts also cater to wealthier tourists. The drive up on the winding path that leads to Gokarna is scenic, with the rocky mountains and Western Ghats on one side and the Arabian Sea on the other. Gokarna is known for the beaches.

The Gokarna's main beach and Kudle Beach are facing west. Om beach, Half Moon Beach, and Paradise Beach (also known as Full Moon Beach) are facing south. Heaven Beach and Nirvana Beach (three kilometers long with fine white sand) are across the Aghanashini River.

Distances

• Ankola, 26 kilometers
• Bangalore, 583 kilometers
• Karwar, 59 kilometers
• Kumta, 30 kilometers
• Mangalore, 238 kilometers
• Suratkal and Manipal, 200 kilometers

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You will be served three Ayurvedic, satvic, or vegan meals daily.

• 6 nights accommodation
• 3 daily meals
• Daily yoga classes
• Daily guided meditation sessions
• Rejuvenating excursion and swimming in the sea
• Individual private discussion with the yoga teacher
• Workshops and pranayama sessions

• Airfare
• Airport transfers
• Additional activities
• Additional meals
• Personal expenses

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.