ONGOING TRAINING / CPD RETREAT (7-NIGHTS) YOGA & SOMATICS WITH SIMON LOW AND MARTHA PETERSON

Yoga and Somatics - theory, practice and potential

with Martha Peterson, and Simon Low

13-20 May, 2023 at Santillan Retreat, Andalucia, Spain

Martha Peterson CCSE and Simon Low are offering an ongoing training & CPD retreat sharing insight into the role of Somatic Movement as both an extraordinarily effective health and healing methodology in itself, while also a powerful therapeutic approach that can be skilfully incorporated within yoga teaching and practice. 

This retreat will commence with Martha exclusively teaching 3 days of Essential Somatics Movement to enable all students to experience the deeply effective potential of Somatic Movement and pandiculation as initially developed with the teachings of Thomas Hanna and augmented by Martha’s extensive research, experience and insight. Thus students will be able to fully experience the ‘ah-ha’ understanding and effects of the role of Somatics upon their personal and multi-faceted well-being.

These 3 days of Somatic Movement study and practice also serve as the Essential Somatics  ‘Fundamentals Course’ an essential prerequisite to training as an ESMTT teacher with Essential Somatics (see www.essentialsomatics.com for information relating to training as a qualified Essential Somatics teacher). NB: Martha and I are currently planning details for an ESMTT teacher training at Santillan led by Martha, starting in early 2024. 

The following 3 full days of this experiential training will be led by Simon, sharing his experience of incorporating somatic principles and practices into both dynamic/yang and restorative/yin yoga classes to both broaden your teachings and practice while maintaining the ongoing beneficial impact of somatic movement within your bodies, minds and spirits.

Each of these three days will feature two 3-3.5 hour classes per day, with 3 class sessions on Thursday 18th May. The schedules for all days of this week allow time for you to enjoy some R&R at Santillan at this beautiful time of year. 

As always Simon will infuse philosophical and poetic teachings into the sessions to support our paths toward our awakening to the essence of spiritual and personal growth.

Arrivals to Santillan Retreat: Saturday 13th May by 6pm (orientation meeting at 7pm)

Departures from Santillan Retreat: Saturday 20th May by 1pm 

Prices from: €1,295. This retreat is priced as a seven-night stay.

€1295 triple share  friends & family only pre-agreed & booked together

€1490 twin/double share   

€1865 single

www.simonlow.com or www.theyogaacademy.org

Ongoing Study, CPD and Deep Practice Retreat with Gary Carter and Simon Low

3-9 July 2022 (6-night retreat) at Santillan Retreat. 

Simon Low and Gary Carter have been together sharing their interwoven tapestry of yoga teachings for over 20 years. Gary returns to join Simon at Santillan for another informative, inspiring, and enjoyable retreat for teachers, trainees and all students interested in deepening their practice, understanding and sharing of yoga.

Incorporating Gary’s recent findings during the world’s first full-body plastination for Bodyworlds, Simon and Gary will share teachings toward the health and healing potential of practices to cultivate tensegrity in movement and posture, and deeper stillness and presence within relaxation. 

Simon’s teachings this week will also feature the exploration of ‘presence’; of the physical body as a condensed aspect of our soul being or ‘true nature’ as opposed to simply the vehicle which transports the soul through this lifetime.

Somatics, circular and spiral movement patterns, intelligent alignment principles, breath work, mudras and meditations will enrich your personal practice and teaching skills, while empowering your innate healing potential toward your Self and your students.

There will be 3 sessions per full day:

Morning:   8am-10:30am

Day:         12pm-2pm

Afternoon: 5-pm-7:30pm

Santillan serves 3 nutritious meals a day after each session.

Santillan is fully equipped with yoga props and mats.

Please feel free to bring your own.

Please bring 2 yoga towels / sarongs or wraps for daily use in the indoor and outdoor studios.

Santillan’s new outdoor studio will be a joy to use for some sessions during this lovely warm time of year.

50 hours of training toward YA(US) 500-hour qualification, CPD points and ongoing training programs.

PRICE FOR THE RETREAT

Prices from: €1,100 This retreat is priced as a six-night stay.

€1100 triple share (when available)

€1275 twin/double share   

€1600 single

PRICE INCLUDES:  Yoga, en-suite accommodation, three meals a day, full use of all facilities, mineral water fountains, freshly squeezed orange juice, tea, coffee etc

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:  Flights, transfers (although these can be arranged for you), on-site purchases, massage and treatments.

You can pay online using a Credit/Debit Card, PayPal or bank transfer. If you would like to pay by bank transfer please contact us at yoga@simonlow.com. We do not accept paper cheques.

PERSONAL ITEMS TO BRING:

-       A Covid home test kit 

-       Personal yoga towels and wraps for practice and to cover bolsters & fabric props when used. 

-       Notebooks with coursework notes that you feel would be important to have with you to support and augment your CPD studies. 

-       Spare masks and hygienic hand wipes.

-       Water bottle (we are trying to use less plastic)

-       Shoes for walking (great time of year for the surrounding hills & I would be happy to lead a silent walk to the top of the hills one morning).

If you have critical internet activity to undertake in your room while here it is my recommendation that you purchase a SIM card with good internet access for the week on arrival at the airport. The fibre-optic cable has been delayed yet again by pandemic impacted Telefonica & it is likely that the wi-fi service will be the same as your last visit to Santillán. Recent guests who have had to continue their work online have found the local sim option to be very affordable and more effective in their bedrooms. 

COVID TESTS & CARE

Even if you are vaccinated it is still possible to carry the virus and so we feel it is wise to get a home or clinic test prior to leaving even if your country or Spain do not require it for entry.

As the recent European groups arrived, the teachers have home-tested each student on arrival. When everyone was negative, as was the case in each instance, I noticed that this resulted in a much greater sense of ease, security and trust within the group and individuals, and everyone who preferred to discard masks were able to do so more confidently. This is for the protection of all guests and also the Santillan staff and inhabitants. 

To be sure this test on arrival is possible we are requiring each student to bring a home test with them for this purpose, so we can all begin our time together more relaxed and secure. Please be aware that this will be a policy on arrival. We will inevitably be keeping a close eye and ear to the virus situation in the UK, Spain, USA & rest of Europe in general right up to the start date.

All the Santillán staff and Yoga Academy faculty have been fully vaccinated & will be taking home tests at the same time as yourselves.

Those of you requiring a negative text certificate for your return journey can take this on Thursday or Friday when we will have a dedicated class-free period with pre-booked tests at a clinic in Rincon, or Malaga is you prefer to combine it with a trip to Malaga. Prices vary between 25-45 euros depending on the clinic. Arriving on time for a booked appointment is essential.

We hope to offer a mask-free (optional of course) comfortable and secure environment for the retreat, in the studio also.

We expect everyone to always observe hand-sanitising on entry to the restaurant areas and studio.

Simon Low & Gary Carter will be your teachers this week.  

CATERING

Meals are included, and we begin with a joint dinner on the day of arrival. On all other days there will be breakfast, a light lunch and dinner, with fruit, juices, toast and tea available in the early morning before yoga. Food is locally inspired, fresh Mediterranean cuisine and mostly vegetarian, with fish on some days too, and always served buffet style. The chef makes use of Santillán's vegetable and herb garden, depending on what's in season. Santillán have their own chickens, so there will be fresh free-range eggs available at every brunch.

TRAVEL

The nearest airport is Malaga, which has an international airport. It is only 30 minutes' drive away, and we can arrange airport pick-up if you don't want to hire a car.

PAYMENT TERMS

A non-refundable 50% deposit is required to confirm your place. The balance is due no less than 6 weeks prior to the event. You may also pay in full at the time of booking, if you prefer. Bookings made less than 6 weeks prior to the event must be paid in full.

Santillán is my yoga ‘home’ and where I lead the majority of my teacher trainings and retreats. Santillán offers one of Europe's finest fully equipped yoga studios, spacious en-suite accommodation, a wide range of indoor and outdoor facilities including a salt-water swimming pool, at a peaceful sea-facing private valley location only 35-40 minutes east of Malaga airport. And some of the best beaches in the area

We have just cultivated an additional hectare of land for organic vegetables and have planted many new fruit trees. You will be able to juice your oranges straight from the tree in season. We have relocated and enlarged the chicken and duck garden and the ducks swimming pool, which will increase the quantity of fresh organic eggs each day. We are opening up further walking paths and currently designing a new indoor fitness studio and spa. Santillán continues to grow ever more special.

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation is in spacious and comfortable single or twin/double or triple rooms, all with ensuite bathrooms, balconies or patios and fabulous sea views or views to the tropical gardens.

YIN YOGA TEACHER TRAINING & PRACTICE IMMERSION

Yin Yoga has become one of the most popular approaches to yoga as a deep antidote and personal support for body, breath and mind within today’s stressful, fatigued and goal-orientated world, and as an essential balance to a dynamic, muscular yoga asana practice.

Initially informed and stimulated by yin yoga studies with international teachers Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers, during the last 20 years of his 30+ years of yoga study, practice and teaching, Simon has researched, developed and refined the ultimate approach to cultivating yin yoga’s deeply effective physical, energetic and psycho-spiritual benefits. Simon emphasises an intelligent, anatomically-sound approach, with particular reference to the myofascial body, joint care, the energy (or subtle) body, and the incorporation of pranayama and meditation within the yin practice. Simon’s multi-faceted approach is profoundly restorative, revitalising and reintegrative, promoting health and healing at a cellular level.

This week at Samahita can be booked as a retreat or as the Yin Yoga teacher training. Please specify your preference in the Samahita booking form.

This course offers:

• Morning 2.5-hour yin & yang yoga led-practice session (retreat option session I)

• Afternoon 2.5-hour yin yoga led-practice and asana ‘technique’ session (retreat option session II)

• Four practice / study sessions per day (with time also to enjoy the beach)

• Yin yoga teaching methodology

• Multi-media lecture presentations

• Electronic manual components

• Applied anatomy and physiology as it relates to yin yoga

• Pranayama and meditation within yin yoga

• Chinese & western medical theory as it relates to yin yoga

• Yogic philosophy and psychology as it relates to yin yoga

• 1:1 and group coaching, supporting students toward successful assimilation, embodiment and sharing of yin yoga’s wisdom and effectiveness

• Yin Yoga training and practice manual

• Yoga Academy / Yoga Alliance US 50-hour certificate

Students attending the training course attend all sessions.

Retreat participants attend the morning and afternoon practice sessions (see daily schedule below).

This training course welcome students and teachers who wish to embark on the path of practising and / or teaching safe, effective and informed yin yoga. We also welcome existing yoga / yin teachers and experienced students wishing to significantly deepen their knowledge, experience and personal practice.

The 2020 training is led by Simon Low, alongside assistant Yoga Academy faculty teachers who will be your tutors on this training course and practice immersion, which has been refined and run annually for over 10 years in Asia and Europe.The Yoga Academy offers 50-hour and 100-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training Certificates, recognised by Yoga Alliance US and Yoga Alliance Professionals UK, and can be taken as hours toward Continuing Professional Development with BWY and other organisations and trainings.

The Yin Yoga training can be undertaken in one or two modules (eg 50-hour OR 100-hour certificate). Each 50-hour course is a stand alone training immersion with a 50-hour certificate. After completion of the two 50-hour modules you will receive a 100-hour certificate.

For more information contact Simon Low:   simon@theyogacademy.org