An exploration of Ashtanga Yoga and Mobility Movement techniques

An exploration of Ashtanga and mobility movement

This course is designed to cater to a diverse range of individuals, including sports enthusiasts, yoga practitioners at all levels, and those with an interest in musculoskeletal health. Its primary objective is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how the body functions, enabling them to maximize the benefits of their practice by allowing the intrinsic intelligence of the body to guide their movements.

This retreat is open for all levels of practitioners – from beginners to advanced.

Retreat schedule

Sunday to Saturday
Morning Mysore Practice 7.00am

Workshops
Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Thursday 4pm to 6pm 

This course is designed to cater to a diverse range of individuals, including sports enthusiasts, yoga practitioners at all levels, and those with an interest in musculoskeletal health. Its primary objective is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how the body functions, enabling them to maximize the benefits of their practice by allowing the intrinsic intelligence of the body to guide their movements.

Emphasizing the correct utilization of gravity, breathing techniques, and alignment, the course highlights the significance of releasing tension and allowing the body's intelligence to flow freely. It underscores that a practice driven by force and excessive mental concentration emerges from the mind's actions, ultimately hindering the body's innate intelligence. This illusionary approach may give the impression of a complete practice, but it fails to tap into the authentic essence of flow and movement.

By exploring various principles of practice, such as non-doing of the mind and body, intention, and the use of gravity, participants will develop a profound understanding of both the mechanical and energetic aspects of the body. This newfound knowledge can then be effectively applied to their daily practice, fostering greater intelligence in their movements.

Classes will predominantly follow an Ashtanga-based approach, with workshops dedicated to comprehending the proper mechanics required to execute the Ashtanga sequences with precision. In the afternoon sessions, participants will also receive instruction on breathwork and meditation, an integral component of the practice.

Overall, this course serves as a transformative journey, enabling individuals to deepen their understanding of the body, refine their practice, and enhance their overall well-being through the integration of intelligent movement.

Kinstrech

Kinstrech is a movement enhancement system developed by Dr Andreo Spina, a Doctor of Chiropractic, specializing in sports science. While observing his patients Dr Spina, noticed that much of the injuries he treated could be prevented, from here the kinstrech system was born. Today kinstrech is used by sports athletes and movement doctors all over the world as a system to prevent injuries and foster a natural way of motion and strength in the human body. Kinstrech is designed for those looking to develop maximum body control, flexibility and usable range of motions. By focusing on joint health, kinstrech helps to create a strong foundation which allows for further development of movement and strength. FRC or Functional Range Conditioning is a part of the kinstrech system. It is a comprehensive joint training system based in scientific research, which aims at mobility development, joint strengths and body control.

To compliment his yoga practice and teaching, Sebastian has obtained a certification as an FRC and Kinestrech instructor, allowing him to seamlessly integrate his passion for mobility and functional movement into his yoga teachings.

Teacher

Sebastian Arbondo

Sebastian is a devoted practitioner of Ashtanga yoga, having dedicated himself to the practice for 27 years. His yoga journey began under the guidance of his grandmother, who ignited his passion for yoga from a young age. Sebastian's pursuit of holistic well-being led him to delve into the realms of traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts, expanding his understanding of the body-mind connection. Post 4 completed years of studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine Sebastian travelled Asia, ended up in Japan where he stayed for more than 15 years, before he returned to Spain. In Japan, he established Ashtanga Yoga Osaka, where he diligently shared his knowledge for 13 years, inspiring countless students along the way. As a perpetual learner, Sebastian has sought wisdom from esteemed teachers such as Rolf Naujkat, Dona Holleman, and Chuck Miller, who helped him to deepen his practice. To compliment his yoga practice and teaching, he has obtained a certification as an FRC and Kinestrech instructor, allowing him to seamlessly integrate his passion for mobility and functional movement into his yoga teachings.

Sebastian's teaching experience in yoga opened his eyes to the importance of a complementary movement system for healthy aging. He observed that as we grow older, our range of motion, flexibility, and strength require additional support beyond traditional yoga practice. Motivated by this realization, Sebastian developed a keen interest in understanding the intricacies of the human body. This led him to make a pivotal decision: returning to university to pursue a degree in physiotherapy. Driven by his passion for promoting well-being and longevity, Sebastian sought to combine his expertise in yoga with a deeper understanding of anatomy and rehabilitation. Through his studies, he gained invaluable knowledge and skills in assessing and addressing physical ailments, further enhancing his ability to guide individuals towards optimal health.

Sebastian's journey is a testament to his unwavering dedication and his commitment to sharing the transformative power of Ashtanga yoga with others.

Practical details about the retreat center

Currently the internet at the retreat is not reliable. If you are dependent on internet for work, we ask you to bring your own data on your phone, to which you can connect your laptop, if needed. Phones work very well. There is also a cafe 10 minutes from the retreat with good internet, however, it is a busy cafe and not very suitable for work. 

Finca Naranjas ( previously Cristoforo), our retreat centre is a very simple yet beautiful place, built by an architect named Denis Devaris, who had an intention to create a meeting point for Spiritual seekers. Built slowly over 30 years using volcanic rocks from the island, the rooms are all unique with their own distinct personalities featuring beautiful details and personal touches. Given the nature of these types of buildings, imperfection is to be expected with a plumbing system not quite up to modern standards! However, set right into the land with a wonderfully lush garden, Cristoforo really is an oasis in South Tenerife. When packing for your retreat, make sure you add warmer clothes. From December till March the mornings and evenings can be quite chilly. The rooms are not heated, but are equipped with cozy duvets and hot water bottles for the beds. All rooms are equipped with a water kettle.

The meals
The food served at the retreat will be mainly vegan and completely vegetarian, prepared freshly everyday by our wonderful retreat chefs. We try were possible to use local and organic products. We sometimes use eggs or dairy in the kitchen. If you have food allergies/sensitivities, please let us know. Gluten free options are available. We have a self service tea & coffee station for guest use and try to provide fruit for snacking during the day.
You have the option to enjoy your food either inside or outside in the beautiful garden.

The practice
Maximum number of students is 25.
Morning classes will be taught with maximum 16 students in each class.

Practice will take place inside the beautiful wooden garden Shala. Savasana is usually taken outside to make space in the Shala, especially during full retreats and occasionally afternoon workshops will take place outside. Make sure you pack warm practice clothes for Savasana.

Arrival day and check out. 
The rooms are available after 3pm. The retreat starts with an introduction meeting at 5pm, followed by dinner at 6.30pm. All students should aim to arrive for the introduction meeting. The first practice is on Sunday morning and the last practice is on Friday in the morning. The check out is on Saturday at 9am. 

Accommodation
We have 4 different accommodation options. The list below shows the rooms that are available to book. 

Premium rooms
The premium rooms are the largest rooms at the retreat. These rooms have attached indoor bathrooms.
Shared: 1250 GBP
Currently available: Venus, Casa Blanca

Single:  1550 GBP
Currently available: Casita 1, Casita 2

Standard
The standard rooms are smaller than the premium rooms. These rooms have attached, indoor bathrooms.
Shared: 1050 GBP
Currently available: Ficus, 5 Peldanos

Single: 1350 GBP
Currently available: La Granja 1, La Granja 2

Budget
The budget rooms are the smallest rooms at the retreat. Some of the rooms share bathrooms, a few of them are outdoors bathrooms. In a few of the rooms there may have disturbance from the road.
Shared: 900 GBP
Currently available: Fuente 2, Pino de Oro, Bella Dormiente

Single: 1200 GBP
Currently available: Sold out!

Dormitory ( 3 persons sharing)
The dormitory is a spacious room for 3 persons. It has an attached bathroom. 
Shared: 780 GBP
Currently available: Danae 2 (2 female spots available)

The accommodation price is all-inclusive (includes accommodation, all meals and yoga). There is an option to pay a deposit of 50% of the full amount to secure your place. The deposit is non-refundable and the balance must be paid at least 4 weeks prior to the start date.

Please note that we have a limited amount of single rooms for this retreat. Before booking a single room confirm availability with us on info@yogagoa.com.

To book this retreat, follow the link below and complete the form to make your payment. 

Book this retreat

To book this retreat, complete the form on our Make A Payment page