Yoga & Somatic Movement Retreat
with Helen McCabe
3rd - 9th September 2022
About the Retreat
We are so excited to be returning to the beautiful YogApulia in 2022 and would love you to join us for this 6 day retreat, a wonderful opportunity to unplug, explore yoga practices and somatic movement in a small group setting, and be nourished by delicious vegetarian/vegan food. There will also be the option to explore the local area, famous for its Trullo architecture as well as olive oil and wine production. (There are olive trees over 2,000 years old in this region). Or you could just laze next to beautiful swimming pool with a good book.
This retreat is suitable for all levels of experience and is limited to a maximum of 12 people to that we can provide plenty of individual support and tuition. (If you are a complete beginner to yoga please get in touch before booking a space)
The Practice
Both Yoga and Somatic Movement practices are powerful and yet simple tools for wellbeing. During this retreat, Helen will hold a space within which to share both of these, exploring simple tools and techniques to support each person’s individual needs.
The morning sessions will begin with gentle somatic movement and breath awareness, followed by yoga practice, which will be a combination of both guided and self practice, according to the group.
After the morning sessions we will come together to enjoy a delicious brunch, prepared by the wonderful chefs at the retreat, followed by free time to relax or explore the area. On three of the days, there will be a late afternoon group class to explore somatic movement and restorative yoga. Both of these practices are wonderfully relaxing but also a powerful tool for releasing stuck stress in the body. The gentle mindful somatic movements help us to really develop a deeper ‘felt sense’ of our bodies and breath.
Additional Options for the Retreat -
Individual Yoga or Photography Tuition with Helen and Paul
Each From our experience of teaching retreats over the last few years, we wanted to provide an opportunity for more individualised teaching and support, which the beauty of having a. small group enables us to do. So we will be offering the opportunity for our guests add on individual yoga sessions (either as a 1-2-1 or smaller group sessions with friends), during the week, so that Helen can support you with specific aspects of practice that you would like to
work with.
We will also be the opportunity to explore photography with Paul Barton. Whether your a beginner wanting to learn some basic techniques and how to take great images with your smart phone, or a more seasoned photographer looking to deepen your knowledge, Paul will be available for individual tuition throughout the retreat. With over 40 years experience as a professional cinematographer and stills photographer, Paul’s passion for the craft is infectious. He has a particular love for capturing the natural world, from plants and landscapes to all the creatures that live there (including humans).
‘The practice of photography is very much like meditation. Using the camera lens to focus consciousness is a brilliant yet simple way for learning how to really observe our surroundings, develop patience and the ability to be
fully present in the moment’
*Both individual and group sessions will be available and can be booked in advance, before the start of the retreat.
* You don’t have to own a fancy SLR camera, an iPhone or smart phone will be just fine, and there will be an opportunity to explore using a DSLR camera and various lenses during the retreat.
What's included?
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6 nights accommodation
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5 x Morning practice classes with Helen
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3 x Late Afternoon classes/workshops
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1 x 45 minute 1-2-1 or small group Yoga /somatic movement session with Helen*
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Small group Photography Q&A session with Paul**
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2 delicious plant based meals daily, to include breakfast/brunch and evening dinner.
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Light refreshments including, a selection of teas, coffee, water & fruit
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Swimming pool
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Free time each day to explore the local area (we recommend hiring a car)
What's not included?
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Flights
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Transport to/from the retreat centre ( YogApulia can help organise local taxis, this will be an additional cost paid direct to the taxi driver)
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Travel/medical insurance
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Optional extra classes or excursions as detailed
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Olive Oil and Local wine tasting excursions (optional at additional cost)
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Massage treatments (optional at additional cost)
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* Additional Individual or small group yoga sessions can be pre-booked at a cost of * £45/ hour (subject to availability)
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**Additional Individual or small group Photography sessions can be booked at a cost of £45/ hour (subject to availability)
More about Helen
Helen McCabe is a practitioner and teacher of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, based in the beautiful Dorset countryside(UK), where she lives with her family. She founded and directs ‘Yoga at the Space’. There she runs the weekly assisted self-practice programme as well as teaching beginners’ courses, mentoring new teachers and teaching pre-natal Yoga. She runs regular retreats and workshops both in her studio and internationally.
She started practicing yoga in 1991 when she was working in the film industry and had just had her first daughter. It has played a major part in her life ever since. Helen has studied for many years with John Scott and is a JSY senior teacher as well as a registered Senior Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals. She has also had the privilege of studying with a number of fantastic teachers including Lucy Crawford, David Keil and Dena Kingsberg amongst others and continues to be a student of this amazing practice.
Helen teaches with a gentle, inclusive and incredibly encouraging approach and is passionate about supporting students to connect to the energetic and meditative aspects of the practice of yoga so that they can cultivate a healing and resourcing self practice.
More about Paul
Since leaving the London College of Printing, where he studied for a Degree in photography, Paul has worked non-stop in the world of stills, film and television.
Over the years, his work has enabled him to travel extensively, to experience many diverse locations and to observe the inner workings of cultural and natural systems, but above all, to meet and work with some pretty wonderful people. He has just completed filming a feature length documentary which has taken him to locations as varied as the Mongolian desert, the Amazon rainforest and the mountain tops of Taiwan. He and Helen also led a photography and yoga retreat in the remote Himalayan region of the Anapurna mountains at the end of 2018. He absolutely loves this work and the people he gets to collaborate with,
perhaps more than anything because it enables him to work so closely with light, both natural and ʻdesignedʼ. Light, in all its manifestations, is at the very heart and structure of life and the universe we live in. Understanding how to work with it will always produce the most stunning images.
Accommodation and Facilities
Our retreat centre is set in 2.5 acres of grounds in a valley filled with olive and almond groves.
Accommodation consists of six twin bedrooms and one double room all with private ensuite. We have renovated all rooms to a high standard using locally sourced materials, and are aiming to create a luxurious yet simple and understated feel. A large outdoor courtyard provides the main communal eating space, and several outdoor terraces offer a place to relax in the sun or the shade.
Situated at the heart of the complex, the swimming pool acts like a colourful meeting point – with the blue water combining with the green olive trees and the red soil.
The international airport at Brindisi is approximately 40 minutes drive away and Bari is further to the north approximately 55 minutes drive. Hiring a car in Puglia is relatively inexpensive and provides a great way to explore the surrounding countryside, local historical towns and beaches. Both Bari and Brindisi airports have a large selection of hire car companies including Avis and Hertz. It is recommended to book a car before your arrival.