From Rishikesh, India.
Kamal is one of the most distinguished and respected Ashtanga teachers in Northern India. He is well known for his energetic and inspiring classes, his enigmatic presence, and mastery in ‘the art of adjustments.’ During your retreat, Kamal will guide you through five days of intensive practise and study, covering the fundamentals of Ashtanga Yoga, and how to adjust postures from the Primary Series.
Each day begins with a Mysore Style yoga session and is followed by a long workshop in which you will focus on alignment and hands-on adjustments for specific asanas. In the afternoon, we invite you to join us on an excursion to little known corners of the Picos de Europa. In the evenings there will be a talk on yoga philosophy and/or history.
N.B. this retreat also may be counted as Module 2 (philosophy theme) of Asturias Yoga´s 200hr Teacher Training, program, a certified YTT through Yoga Alliance.
Time Table
Arrival on the first day of this retreat may be anytime after 16:00h. The program begins with an introduction around 18:30h followed by dinner at 20:00h. The program finishes the last day after lunch around 15:00h.
| 8:30 | Yoga Session |
| 10:30 | Breakfast |
| 12:00 | Meditatation/Yoga Nidra |
| 12:30 | Discourse on Classical Yoga Philosophy |
| 14:30 | Lunch |
| Activity in Nature (3 days) | |
| 18:00-20:00 | Hands-on Adjustment Workshops |
| 20:00 | Light Meal |
Adjustment Workshops with Kamal
On this retreat, you will have the opportunity to learn how to provide hands-on adjustments from one of the most experienced and talented teachers in the field.
If you are already teaching yoga asana, these workshops will give you some efficient and effective techniques for assisting students. If you are not concerned about teaching, these workshops will nevertheless offer an excellent perspective on postural alignment, which is difficult to access outside of such an experiential learning environment. There will also be one workshop how to begin practicing the challenging Intermediate Series. Even if you are not ready yet to begin this series, this workshop will show you how to work towards it, and empower your Primary Series through deeper back bending and hip flexibility.
Yoga Philosophy
The philosophy talks will leave participants with a deeper understanding of classical yoga philosophy, including “ashtanga” yoga. Ashtanga yoga (Sanskrit aṣṭa = 8, aṅga = limb) is one of the methods laid out in the classical text on yoga, the Yoga Sutra, written in the early centuries of the common era. The sutras describe ashtanga as a holistic system of yoga, which takes into account lifestyle, and a number of ever more subtle practices, which lead one to meditation. Indeed, the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga) provided by the Yoga Sutra are evident in all forms of yoga: different practices of yoga vary only in the particular aspect/limb that is emphasized. According to the sutras, the ultimate aim of ashtanga yoga practice is to lead one to samadhi, a state of mental liberation. Consistent and correct practice gives rise to new understandings. Hence, this retreat includes daily philosophy talks, both to provide participants with an historical overview of ashtanga yoga theory, as well as to help crystallize new discoveries that participants realize experimentally through their own practice.
Afternoon Excursions
Afternoon excursions typically last between 1.5 and 3 hours. Beautiful options are endless and many begin right from the door of the yoga shala. The excursion that we choose on any particular day will depend on the weather (highly variable in Asturias) and the overall inclination of the group. Below are listed some of our most common excursions:
Covandonga via the Mountains
Covadonga is perhaps Asturias’s most famous landmark, a historical site with a rock church sitting above a waterfall and a large cathedral at the base of the mountains. We will walk to Covadonga from our valley, crossing Cruz de Priena, a pyramid shaped peak directly about the Covadonga Sanctuary. Once there you can explore Covadonga at your leisure
Duration: 2.5 Hours Difficulty: Medium
La Gueña Cañon; Jump into Invigorating Water direct from Los Picos
From the Yoga Shala, we will walk 30 minutes to a nearby almost never visited canyon, where you will have the option to jump into a deep pool and have a waterfall “Prana shower”. A great option for a hot day!
Duration: 2 hours Difficulty: Easy/Medium
Cueva de Alda: Subterranean Magic
Cueva de Alda lies 30 minutes walk away from the yoga centre (via view of the Picos and Ocean). Despite its magnificence, it is a little visited cave due to its remote location. We will explore its gigantic main chamber, with stalagmites, stalactites, underground pools and a penetrating silence, interrupted only by drops of water occasionally falling from the roof of the cave. Simon will play a short flute concert to highlight its stunning acoustics.
Duration: 3 hours Difficulty: Medium / Easy
Trekking from the Doorstep to the Peak Above
From the doorstep, we will follow trekking route S9, which will take us on a 500m ascent through old Chestnut forests and high meadows to a peak overlooking the Casaño canyon, Picos de Europa and the ocean.
Duration: 3 hours Difficulty: Medium / High
Food at Asturias Yoga
We provide 3 vegetarian meals per day: breakfast, lunch and a light dinner. We do our best to source our vegetables locally according to the season, use primarily organic and vegan ingredients, and provide many home-made specialties, such as sourdough breads, spicy chai, nettle pesto, mountain spring water, fresh herbs for infusions, and marmelades from our fruit trees. Meals are designed for a nutritionally balanced diet, with foods that are easy to digest, grow in a sustainable way and full of vitality.
If you are someone who traditionally has a large appetite or prefers multiple snacks throughout the day, you may also bring your own food/snacks to supplement. The closest large supermarkets are in Cangas de Onis or Posada, both approximately 20km away. There are various smaller shops nearby in Benia (2km from the yoga center) and at the “Campsite Picos de Europa” (1km down hill from the yoga center).
Included in Ashtanga Retreat with Kamal Singh
- Daily Pranayama, Ashtanga Vinyasa Classes, Asana Adjustment Workshop and Yoga Philosophy Discourse
- Asturias Yoga Ashtanga Booklet
- 3/day Vegetarian & Vegan Meals
- Guided Excursions
Reservations: 6 Days, 5 Nights
- Retreat (off-site accommodation): 695 EUR
- Retreat (on-site facility use, without accommodation): 720 EUR
- Retreat+Shared Double Room: 920 EUR
- Retreat+Private Bell Tent: 995 EUR
- Retreat+Private Room: 1,125 EUR
Contact Us.
If you have any further questions, or are ready to reserve your place, get in touch today!