A Yoga, Massage and Singing Retreat in Nature
8 – 10 June 2018 at the Quadrangle farmstead, Kent

Nourish your body, heart, mind and soul at our almost-midsummer retreat. A weekend offering restorative yoga, massage therapy, empowering singing, delicious seasonal food, nurturing connection with nature and magical time in community, is a perfect way to guide us through the summer and beyond.

Each day will consist of the gentle rhythm of yoga, singing circles, walks in nature, intention setting and letting go by the fire, and communal meals. Through these practices we can find our flow again, and reconnect with our innate sense of what it is to be human.

During the retreat you will receive the gift of healing touch with a 30 minute Ayurvedic Yoga Massage or reflexology treatment with Maya, leaving you deeply relaxed in mind and body.

You will also be nurtured through the sharing of vegetarian meals lovingly prepared by Ingwe.

Our singing circles and rituals with Joie will be a space where all are welcome, as it is a space that nurtures free expression and invites us to embrace who we are, letting the song within arise. Together we can learn how to free our true voices and cultivate loving energy through sharing intuitive singing and healing song.

Join Katy for morning and afternoon Transformational Yoga sessions – a heart-centred yoga practice combining postures, breathing exercises and mantras, helping you to reconnect with your body and inner self.

All levels and abilities welcome for both the yoga and singing sessions.

There will be plenty of time for relaxation and quiet contemplation. It’s up to you how much you participate; the space is yours to hold as you wish.

We’re happy to invite you to our home-away-from-home, the Quadrangle – a Victorian farmstead built in 1870. This beautiful rustic farmhouse setting is away from any hustle and bustle. We have already hosted many retreats here and know it’s the perfect place to slow down, connect and quietly observe and reflect on Mother Nature.

Run as a centre for sustainable living and the creative arts, the Quadrangle has beautiful elements with which to enjoy our stay: the main barn for our group practices and communal dining, the shepherds barn with woodburner to put your feet up with a cup of tea, the garden for fireside meditation and contemplation, a living permaculture forest garden, and a stream running through for some wild dipping! The hills and vales of the Pilgrims Way are in reach just a short walk cross-country.

It is the perfect setting to look away from the outside chaos and journey into our inner peace. In doing so we can become better aware of who we are and where we are heading.

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
– Anaïs Nin

Timings

Arrive from 4pm onwards on Friday
The retreat ends on Sunday afternoon after lunch

Cost

Dorm: £260-£320 (sliding scale, please pay what you can afford)
Sharing twin room: £330
Sharing Airstream or Bell Tent: £315
Private room: £380
Private Airstream or Bell Tent: £370
Own tent or camper van: £215
Bring a friend and receive a 15% discount! (applicable for dorm, own tent and camper van)
Please don’t let financial difficulties be a barrier to you coming to this retreat – please contact us to discuss your situation and see how we can get you here with us!

What’s included

Morning and afternoon yoga and meditation sessions each day, singing circles each day, a 30 minute Ayurvedic Yoga Massage or Reflexology treatment, 3 delicious vegetarian meals per day, accommodation, walk in nature, campfire.

Reserve your place

Email Katy to reserve your place or go directly to our registration form.

About us

KATY ROBINSON  I studied yoga and meditation under the direct guidance of Swami Vidyanand at the SriMa School of Transformational Yoga in India. I’ve been practising since 1999, leading me to deeper studies with different forms of yoga over the years including Transformational, Scaravelli-inspired, Sivananda and Yoga for Anxiety and Depression. I take an integral approach to teaching – incorporating physical postures (asanas), breathing practices (pranayama) and dhyana (mantra meditation), as well as meditation and deep relaxation (yoga nidra). Connecting body, breath, heart, mind and soul has brought an awareness and inner stillness I didn’t believe was possible before. I love being in this space of teacher and eternal student, and hope we can share the magic of yoga too. Take your focus inward, breathe and become present to your intention. All-comers welcome – from absolute beginners to yoga masters! When I’m not running a retreat or facilitating a workshop you’ll most likely find me working and playing in alternative communities and in nature, inspired by a more beautiful world our hearts know is possible. (hat tip to Charles Eisenstein) mahayoga.org.uk / facebook.com/mahayogaschool

MAYA KONDRATIEW  I’m an intuitive healer and professional bodyworker. I’ve been passionate about the subject of health and wellbeing for the last 15 years. Having studied psychology at university, I soon turned my interest to spirituality, and exploring a more holistic and embodied approach to healing and personal development. Since then I’ve trained in Holistic Massage, Reflexology, MLD, Reiki, Traditional Tantra & Hatha Yoga TTC, & Siddha Kundulini Energy Healing. I most recently trained with James Winstanley – pioneer of Ayurvedic Yoga Massage, who studied directly with its creator Master Kusum Modak in India. I believe the body holds a lot of intelligence and can be the key to our well being and happiness. The human touch is a powerful and universal tool for healing and reconnection, and I really enjoy lending my hands to help the healing process. I also love nature, dancing, meditation, yoga, vegetarian food, festivals, travelling, being silly and creative, and laughing. facebook.com/headtohealmaya

INGWE LINGARD (SenSaucery – Super Natural Sustenance)  I am passionate about providing sustainable, simple, delicious food with high and balanced nutritional content. I believe in the potential and power of business to bring about positive change in the world and so, wherever possible, I use organic ingredients bought from small food co-operatives and source as much of my fresh ingredients from local food growers. These ingredients make for the tastiest most nourishing food too. A happy cook makes the most enjoyable dishes and so you can often find me singing and dancing to my favourite music, sometimes in the middle of the night, whilst I prepare your next meal. Salads are my specialty and you can be sure that the freshest ingredients and utmost care is taken to prepare them and any other food. I have many years vegan catering experience within a festival environment though recently have moved more into retreat catering. I really enjoy cooking for people in this environment as I feel honoured to nourish people on a spiritual journey and always come away feeling very appreciated and nourished myself.

JOIE DE WINTER sings to move and inspire people deeply, to encourage connection and liberation, putting love into action. She first found her voice singing Irish folk music whilst walking on a pilgrimage with 16 women around UK in 2008, and later delved more deeply after spending time with a medicine women from Sibera in Devon 13 moons. She started holding heart song circles for people to help them free their voices which led her to holding sound healing journeys in Mexico, meditation and discovering intuitive singing. Joie has learnt in her year in Mexico with shamans to feel sound energy more deeply pushing her to explore music as a meditative healing tool. She is inspired by song-lines and singing with the earth, as well as expressing more universal messages in her own songs. She has just released her first co-created album with the 13 sisters, part of a 5 month singing exploration journey. She hopes to deeply move and remind those who it resonates to return to love. joiedewintermusic.wordpress.com

TRANSFORMATIONAL YOGA is an integral approach to yoga combining asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breathing exercises) and dhyana (mantra meditation), to purify our physical body and awaken our subtle bodies. Our practice will be focused on the chakras and understanding of the wheels of energy. A great purification, even for the teachers among us to re-energize your practice. For beginners it is a step into consciousness. No previous experience of yoga or meditation is necessary to participate; any experience level and ability welcome, from absolute beginner to yoga master.

AYURVEDIC YOGA MASSAGE is a unique, relaxing treatment for the whole body, combining deep tissue massage, coordinated breath-work and yoga stretching. Ayurveda is the ancient Indian system of natural healing. AYM combines deep tissue massage with coordinated breath-work and yoga stretching. Its founder Master Kusum Modak has combined traditional Ayurvedic Massage with yoga adjustments learnt directly from BKS Iyengar. It’s performed on a floor mat allowing for a full range of stretching. In addition; the deep tissue massage dissolves physical tension, while the assisted stretches and breath exercises realign the body and stimulate the natural flow of energy. Organic sesame oil (a tri-dosha balancer), and ground calamus root (invigorates the skin / stimulates the nervous system) are used in the treatment.

REFLEXOLOGY is a non-invasive complementary therapy, which works on pressure points and massage techniques applied to the feet. As well as the feel-good effects of the treatment, the practice and purpose goes deeper than just skin and muscles. It Is an all-encompassing treatment; where all organs, glands and body systems can be stimulated through the feet, and it actually helps induce a natural state of equilibrium. Reflexology is based on the theory that there are micro-systems reflected on the feet and by stimulating specific reflex points a healing response is induced in the corresponding organs and areas of the body. This therapy enables the body’s own healing mechanism to function at its fullest potential. By working all areas of the foot with gentle pressure, it allows the nerve pathways and congestion to release and promote the relaxation response for the entire body.

THE QUADRANGLE is a large Victorian model farmstead built in 1870 near Shoreham in Kent. Part of it is owned and managed by The Quadrangle Trust which is run as a centre for sustainable living and the creative arts. The garden runs down through an orchard to the River Darent and a field and small woodland beyond. It’s setting in the valley is extraordinarily rural and peaceful in that it is only 20 miles from Piccadilly Circus as the crow flies. thequadrangletrust.com

Previous feedback

Thank you for an absolutely wonderful weekend. You create such a safe space for everyone to explore their connection to themselves and their relationship with the world and people around them.

I kept telling people that the weekend felt like a beautiful dream, except it was real! I went on raving about how great the retreat was to my colleagues and may have convinced at least two of them to sign up for the next one.

It was very special to feel so accepted.

Here’s the poem I’d like to share with everyone. Beautiful things in life should be remembered in a way they deserve, because they’ll never be recreated the same way again. ‘Tis a poem to commemorate our wonderful little weekend Yoga Retreat in Shoreham.

Reminiscing on my weekend,
Like a beautiful dream in Kent,
Being drifted to a tranquil space,
A place called The Quadrangle,
With faces we’ve never seen before.

We had our stories and pains,
From our distant realities.
But despite our differences,
We desired one thing that brought us all together,
Getting away from the city noise,
In search for calmness deep within.

It was a weekend of Peace and Quiet,
In search for our spiritual self,
Through hikes in the woods,
And collective Om chants,
An unusually soul-soothing rhythm.

It was a weekend of Hopes and Fears,
To let go of our painful memories,
And welcome abundance of positivities,
Freeing ourselves from the prisons of our minds,
To achieve a truly liberated state of mind.

It was weekend of Love and Joy,
Where we embraced our own uniqueness,
Shared our profoundest wisdom and knowledge,
And rejoiced our singing voices,
Free from all kinds of judgment,
It was simply, blissfully, beautiful.

It was a weekend of New Experiences,
We’ve made lasting relationships,
From strangers to now familiar acquaintances,
Ain’t close enough to be friends,
Ain’t distant enough to be strangers.

Content and Grateful,
We bid goodbye,
Go back living our separate lives,
With a new perspective.
And that’s the beauty of life.

Thank you so much to the whole team for truly nourishing and nurturing me.

Thank you so very much for your incredible calming energy. You are a beautiful teacher and I would love to bottle you up and take you home!

Absolutely fantastic weekend – beautiful location and brilliant yoga!

This yoga retreat has been the BEST! Thank you all so much.

The most relaxed, loving, nourishing weekends imaginable with an affordable price tag!