2021 RETREAT TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON
Do you give a lot and feel you need to recharge your batteries and perhaps shift your perspective before you can give more?
Perhaps you feel you're not getting the love and support you want from others and you'd like to draw more on your own inner friend and inner support system?
Would you like to learn how to strengthen your inner resilience?
Would you like to learn how to cultivate and live with more calm and grace?
On this his five day (Wednesday - Sunday, 11th - 15th September) Yoga, meditation and relaxation retreat you will be with like-minded people, eat great Thai food (and learn how to cook it!) build and dig into your Yoga practice and learn invaluable skills for building inner resilience and grace.
What’s it about?
On Yoga retreats we create time for self examination and observation. We have time to step back from the everyday and observe our lives and ourselves. To look at what’s working and what may need some fixing. To examine how we respond to stress, to the different people in our lives and to ourselves.
We all know those days when little things seem to be against us and it all builds up into a "terrible day" perhaps enveloped in some self pity.
We all have times of frustration, sadness, feelings of lack, disappointment and loneliness.
Yoga teaches us to be aware of and navigate better through those days and to recover quickly without numbing or blaming. When we train ourselves be more present on the good in our days and put the niggles in a more manageable perspective, we build a stronger bank of resilience.
This is the nitty gritty of self care. This then builds inner strength so that when bad times hit, the life stopping stuff, we’re then able to bounce back more quickly, adapt and support ourselves through the dark times and support others as necessary.
On this retreat we'll also be rejoicing in the good times too. You will learn how to further deepen and prolong positive feelings when they come, recognising and celebrating our and other people's successes as well as exploring what it is in life that makes your hearts shine.
Staying with all these feelings, the good and the bad, becoming aware of how they arrive and feel in our bodies, minds and hearts is Yoga. Learning how to recognise them all as temporary, tolerable and necessary is vital learning in becoming a more complete, calm and stronger person.
We will do all this through Yoga posture work, meditation, visualisation, breath work, the amazing teachings of Hindu myths and deities, journalling techniques and lots of stories.
I'm also very aware how taking a break away from the family is something we all dream of and yet few of us ever do.
To have all your practical needs taken care of on retreat so you can focus on Yoga, relaxing, learning, reading, having fun and connecting with others is the best luxury I can think of.
Not only will come back refreshed and inspired, you'll also have a clearer and more positive perspective on your life.
I have learnt that to be happy and have a good full life we need to truly take care of our bodies, minds and hearts.
In this retreat you will strengthen and deepen your Yoga poses, learn how to focus more on the good in your life and how to build tools to manage the inevitable not so good.
You'll also have a lot of fun with great people and eat the best Thai food of your life!!
So join us!
“Sarah’s workshop really opened my mind (and heart!) to a new way of being. She offered several practical ways I could enrich my busy and often overwhelming lifestyle by taking time for myself, in small, manageable ways. I’m now determined to put these changes into practice. I hadn’t realised how much I was neglecting my own self-care. I feel rejuvenated, energised and inspired by her warmth and gentle guidance. She is also very down-to-earth and explained everything really well. Thank you Sarah!!”
This retreat will not only nourish your body, mind and soul. You will have time and space to:
Banter with lovely people, joke and share ideas (I've had the best book and film recommendations from the people I've met on retreats!) knowing you'll have the time and space to really talk.
Spend time alone reading, journaling or just napping and day-dreaming.
Relax knowing other capable and caring and people are running things.
Take time to sort out your thoughts. Reflect on your life.
Really savour wonderful buffet meals. I can't tell you have much everyone loves this. Here in Chiang Mai the food is wonderful, from fruit to curries. Meal times are a real treat. The coffee’s good too!
I have learnt that to be happy and have a good life we need to take care of our bodies, minds and hearts.
In this retreat you will learn through the teachings of Yoga and positive psychology how to focus more on the good, to tolerate the not so good and through that will build resilience, connection with others and with yourselves.
"The good life as I conceive it is a happy life.
I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy.
I mean that if you are happy you will be good" Bertram Russel
The Place
Our retreat will take place at IWP a retreat centre hand-built by women for women. This is a village-style retreat centre in Mae Rim, about 40 minutes from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.
We will have the whole retreat centre to ourselves.
You will have 24 hour access to the library, meditation room and living areas. There is wifi access in the main living room.
There is a village nearby within walking- or biking- distance with a great coffee shop and small local shops.
Our accommodation at IWP is simple, clean, 'ashram-style' with bathrooms. Please note this is a very simple venue, not a luxury retreat. You will have your own room, but it is basic.
There is no air conditioning but the average temperature in September is a very comfortable 24 degrees C and all rooms have fans.
Our meals are prepared with love and full of local flavour and amazing fresh ingredients. Our workshop Sala is set among rice fields. Our guest house is hand-built rammed earth.
We will be surrounded by nature.
A full sky of stars, the noises of tropical birds and insects and lush green vegetation.
The retreat centre can comfortably sleep and cater for 25 people, however for extra comfort and attention this retreat is limited to 12 participants.
Chiang Mai is small and beautiful city in northern Thailand full of history, temples and wonderful people.
It has an international airport which is a super convenient 15 minute drive from the city.
Transport to the retreat centre from Chiang Mai is included in the retreat cost and is all organized.
We meet up at a temple just 10 minutes from the airport. It’s really easy.
The Yoga
“I highly recommend Sarah’s method of teaching Yoga. She is professional yet soothing and gentle. I am gaining flexibility in my muscles and joints as well as relaxing my mind, improving my life holistically. She is the best!”
“After the Yoga of Caring workshop I felt invigorated, refreshed and yet calm and serene. Sarah made the yoga fun with her lovely sense of humour and encouraging manner. Her warmth and enthusiasm was infectious and she was very welcoming to all. I look forward to attending other workshops hosted by Sarah.”
Each day I will lead you through two blissful Yoga classes with building Resilience and Calm as our central themes.
Our morning sessions will be dynamic and up-lifting. Each morning I will guide you either through a Vinyasa style Slow Align Flow where the focus is flow and fun or a Hatha class where we learn more about individual poses and alignment.
Our afternoon classes will be more contemplative and restorative with guided meditations, stories and visualisations as well as more teachings from Hatha Yoga including the breath.
We will also explore the therapeutic and meditative qualities of longer held poses in Yin Yoga.
“Sarah after your Yoga of Caring workshop I felt deeply calm and relaxed, as I always do after your classes and workshops. It was also a great reminder of how important it is to look after yourself, both physically and mentally. I love the way your teaching is holistic. So great for the soul!”
About Sarah
I started practising Yoga when I was 15.
At that time Yoga helped me to stretch out my tight sport addled body.
It was when my first son was born with autism when I consider my real Yoga practice to have begun. Yoga became a sanctuary for me.
It helped me to learn patience and tolerance towards others as well as to observe and understand my own reactions to life.
I have honed and dug deep into my practice and I come back to it daily.
I do Yoga when times are good, tedious, busy or boring and when anxiety has me in its grip.
It soothes and comforts, challenges and stretches me in body mind and spirit.
I want to pass that self learning on to you.
My passion is to guide others to find their best true selves.
To guide people to bring creative outlets into their lives, to find a Yoga path that suits them and to and ignite a zest for living life with purpose and poetry.
I have been teaching Yoga full time since 2007 and am qualified to the highest level with Yoga Alliance US. I teach Vinyasa, Hatha, Restorative and Yin Yoga.
I have lived in England, Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Spain and currently live in Singapore. I am the mother of two dear boys aged 12 and 18 who are 2 of my greatest teachers.
I love sharing all I have learned from living in very different countries and cultures, bringing up my two wonderful sons, maintaining a marriage of over 20 years and all I have learned on my 35 year Yoga path.
I strive to demonstrate kindness, skill and above all, love.
“Sarah is very good a picking up on the different levels of her yogis and helps to offer variances for poses, understanding that every body is different and even each day is different for your own body.Sarah also focuses on the mind-body connection, incorporates meditative and breathing exercises and shares experiences from her own journey as a yogi. I particularly enjoy the pieces of poetry or stories Sarah shares with us they often give me a new perspective or a valuable reminder.”
“I have been practicing yoga on and off for over 10 years now and can truly say I LOVE Sarah’s style of teaching Yoga. The real point of difference in her teaching for me is the clear, concise, knowledgeable and considered instruction she gives. She has a wonderful way with words and an exemplary duty of care for her students.Through Sarah’s thorough, expert teaching I now understand poses so much better and pay more attention to turning on/activating individual muscles. Without fail I leave every class feeling alive, invigorated and relaxed!”
A Typical Day
Our days will follow this general pattern (subject to changes) from Wednesday to Sunday
8.00 Light breakfast
9.45-11.45 Alignment based Hatha or Viinaysa with workshop learning and meditation
Free time
1.00 Lunch
Free time. Bike rides, exploring, going to the local coffee shop/ village.
Napping, reading, contemplation or chatting, sketching, dreaming, knitting- the possibilities are endless!
Excellent local Thai massage therapists are available for 1 or 2 hour bookings for a very reasonable price.
4.00- 6.00 Afternoon Yin, Hatha or Restorative Yoga
6.30 Dinner
8.00- 8.30 Guided meditation
*Saturday will be a little different as we have the optional (but highly recommended!) cookery course in Chiang Mai city:
7.00-8.00 Yoga class
8.30 Transport to Chiang Mai city
9.00-2-00 Hands on Thai looking course at http://www.zabbeleecooking.com/
Free time to wander the city
4.30 Return to our retreat home.
6.00-7.15 Rest and Digest Yoga/ Meditation class
* For the cooking class please pay Sarah a supplement of SG$40 to pay for the course.
This is for you
This is for you if
You love yoga and would like to take your practice to a deeper level.
You've done a little Yoga and want to learn more from a patient and experienced teacher.
You'd like to integrate regular meditation into your life and would like practice and guidance on how.
You're craving quiet time to go deep, explore and reflect.
You need time and space to focus on yourself.
You love sharing experiences and being with like minded people.
Are thinking about doing a teacher training course and would like to delve more into Yoga in preparation.
There is also an option to have fun!
If you have any questions, please contact me at info@sarahbyoga.net
You Will Receive
The price includes
8 one and a half to two hour Yoga classes.
All delicious Thai meals (all vegetarian. Allergies happily taken into consideration).
Your own room accommodation.
Access to bicycles, library, Yoga space and meditation hall during your free time and breaks.
Land transport from Chiang Mai centre.
*The bus from Chiang Mai city leaves to the retreat centre at 11.30 am on Wednesday 11th September. We will then have lunch at the retreat centre, an afternoon Yoga class and dinner.
The bus leaves the retreat centre to return to Chiang Mai city on Sunday 15th September at 11.30 am.
The meeting point is the front parking lot of Wat Suandok, located at 139 Suthep Rd, Chiang Mai.Wat Suandok is a beautiful temple complex and you can buy cool drinks and snacks there if you arrive early. I will be waiting there to greet you!
Not included:
Airfares (or other transport to and from your home to Chiang Mai)
Please note arrangements for flying to Thailand and for getting to the pick up point is your responsibility.
Travel insurance (a requirement)
Thai massage (which can be arranged in the afternoon spare time for a very modest sum.)
Fee for optional cooking class on Saturday 14th.
Accommodation at IWP is simple, clean, 'ashram-style' with shared rooms and bathrooms. It’s simple and basic.
Meal are prepared with love are full of local flavour and amazing fresh ingredients.
It's quite chilly in the mornings at this time of year so bring a few warm clothes.
Sign Me Up
Payment and registration
Payment and registration.
If you would prefer to do a bank transfer or use PayNow or PayLah please email me at info@sarahbyoga.net for details.
Please note prices are in Singapore dollars. To convert to your currency please click here.
Please read our terms before signing up.
“I feel very lucky to have found Sarah as my yoga teacher and I have been attending regular classes with her for 3 years.She stands out from other teachers I have tried due to the diligence and care she takes with her students, her attention to keeping it all fresh and interesting and her ability to help you to understand yoga at a deeper level.She is also a lovely person to be in a class with!”
Spend 5 days and 4 nights at wonderful retreat centre, eating amazing healthy meals, practicing yoga and meditation, reflecting, learning with a group of like-minded souls and really taking time for you!
Enjoy my support and guidance to relax, renew and revive.
If you'd like to talk to me about this retreat and discover if it is the right fit for you, please send me an email at info@sarahbyoga.net and we can set up a time to talk.
