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17 – 24 September, 2022
Fattoria Monte Carmel, Varese Ligure, Italy

A Week of Joyful Transformation

This is not your usual yoga retreat! We invite you to join us on an experiential journey of aliveness and connection. Connection to yourself, to nature, to existence. And to our temporary tribe. Living in community. Nourishing your soul, nourishing your body. Feeling it all. Giving it expression. Inviting playfulness into our being.

We will create a choreography where intensity and expression alternate with silence and stillness, where the doing and the not doing dance together effortlessly. On this journey, our core practices will be Kaula Tantra Yoga and Breathwork – accompanied by meditation, nature connection, partner yoga, singing, dancing, walking massage, and communication tools. In everything we do, we work with the three tantric keys: Breath Sound Movement.

Kaula Tantra Yoga

The Kaula Tantra Yoga sequence comes from an ancient lineage and is based on the teachings of Bhagavan Shanmuka Anantha Natha. In its original form, it takes a full three hours - we will dive into it both in the full and in a shortened version. Different to other styles of yoga, this series is practiced in a slow and flowing manner to build patience and awareness. Each asana is held gently for a period of time to allow you to relax into the posture. This way, you can find your own unique way of expressing the asanas without pressure of competing or ‘performing perfectly’.

Tantra Yoga facilitators approach students as whole human beings and discourage ‘isolating’ or forcing muscles. Their priority is to hold a space of acceptance and love, with only little guidance where necessary.

Breathwork

In this retreat, we will breathe together every day. Through conscious breath, we gain access to deeper layers of our physical, emotional and spiritual self, becoming deeply alive and deeply grounded in what is present in us right now. Practices range from deep relaxation and body awareness, Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release with self bodywork, to tantric breath meditations and pranayama.

Program: Breath | Sound | Movement

Other than Kaula Tantra Yoga and breathwork, we will dive deep using the three tantric keys of breath, sound, and movement. We will share experiences based on the following practices:

• Meditation: We practice active meditations, using movement, our voice and/or visualization to dive deep into a meditative state.

• Nature Connection: Nature is our ultimate teacher, and it is always around us, in us; it is in connection with nature that we experience the magic of life in a very tangible way.

• Partner Yoga: In this practice, we will support each other to dive deeper into relaxation during parts of the Kaula Tantra Yoga series – by assisting deep stretches and holding space. This is a playful, fun space, and at the same time one of the most relaxing experiences we ever had.

• Yogic Walking Massage: Derived from ayurvedic wisdom, this ancient foot massage was used to prepare warriors for battle. We will use it as an effective and meditative tool to open the physical and energetic bodies.

• Forum and Talking Stick: These communication tools are proven to create strong containers within communities, tribes, and other groups of humans. We will use them where suitable to support the group process - allowing us to show ourselves fully, with everything that is alive in the present moment, and to grow together as a group.

• Cacao Ceremony: In this ritual space, we will connect to the medicine of raw cacao. We will experience an opening of our heart and a deeper connection to ourselves and the group heart. In this space, we will both let go into deep relaxation and dance – giving expression through movement to what is alive right now in our bodies and souls.

• Dance: At Durga’s Tiger School, we love to dance. Be it to warm up before yoga, or to celebrate life together. No worries if you “cannot dance” – this is simply about intuitively moving your body in any way that feels good.

• Singing Circle: By sharing songs in a circle, we invite joy, we celebrate life, and we connect to our inner vibration. We will explore songs and mantras from different traditions.

• Karma Yoga: We will step into service for the whole group in shifts, keeping our space tidy and clean, clearing food and dishes after meals and cleaning up in the kitchen.

We will flow with the weather and the group to define exactly when each part of the retreat happens. A typical day may look like this:

7:00 – 8:00 Meditation
8:00 – 8:45 Breakfast
9:30 – 12:00 Morning Session (Yoga, Breathwork, Nature Connection…)
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch
15:00 – 18:00 Afternoon Session
18:30 – 19:30 Dinner
20:00 – 21:30 Evening Session

You are free at any moment to take space and time for yourself if that is what you need. One afternoon and two to three evening slots will be free time, where you can self-organise to explore the stunning nature, share practices with each other or just take time for yourself. If you wish, it might be possible to take a private breathwork or massage session at additional costs.

Connection | Inner Power | Community

The foundation of everything we do is a deep connection to ourselves. We will guide you to connect to your core, your essence, and to explore what is there when you drop the stories, the “shoulds” and “musts”. Through this, deepen the trust in your inner wisdom. And access the depth of your inner power.

It is from there that we connect to the group, to nature, to existence itself. To share from our heart, to be seen as who we truly are, to witness others doing the same, holds deep power. Together, we will explore this connection to the group heart in many ways, creating a space of trust built on authenticity and vulnerability. A space where everything is welcome.

A Word on Tantra

Durga’s Tiger School is a tantric school. We celebrate sexual energy as life force and we strive to express ourselves and be in the world as who we really are – and we are sexual beings. However, during this retreat, our focus is not on sexuality. Classes do not involve nudity or sexual contact.

Venue

This residential retreat experience takes place in Fattoria Monte Carmel. The place has deep spiritual power, it is described by the owners as “a sacred place located between heaven and earth, where myths, ancestors, forces, archetypes and legends reside”. We will be embedded in beautiful nature, next to a small river. Experiences will be guided both indoors and outdoors.

We will live together and share meals, in an old, charming, renovated Italian countryside villa. Sharing space, we will create a tribal, community spirit. Our group will be small, with a maximum of 14 participants. There is enough space for you to take a breath on your own in case you desire. There are single, double, and dorm rooms available, bathrooms are shared. Additionally, there are spaces in a shared yurt available. The overall standard of the retreat center is simple, personal, and comfortable.

The venue is located here. If you travel by public transport, take the direct train from Genoa or Milano to Sestri Levante. From there, take bus 750 leaving outside the train station to Varese Ligure (takes one hour - leaving at Sestri Levante 12:05, 13:34, and 14:40 - we can send you the schedule). From Varese Ligure, we can organize a shuttle pick-up for you, or you can walk 30 minutes to the venue. Parking spots are available for free. We will send the link to a table for rideshare coordination to all participants before the start of the retreat.

Food

We will have three meals a day: Breakfast at 8:00, lunch at 12:30, and dinner at 18:30. The menu is a rich and varied study of Italian vegetarian cuisine, prepared with love by an experienced chef. A lot of the vegetables used are harvested directly from the venue’s garden. Food will be served buffet-style. Get in touch with us about special dietary requirements.

Language

The retreat will be guided in English.

Dates and Time

Check-In and Arriving: Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 14:00
Start / Opening Circle: 17:00
End: Saturday, September 24, 2022, at 13:30 (after lunch)

Investment

Per person in shared yurt (shared with 3 others): 1080 €
Per person in 3 to 4-bed dorm (shared bathroom): 1150 €
Per person in private single room (shared bathroom): 1450 €
Per 2 people sharing a private double room (shared bathroom): 2400€

This price is all-inclusive, with the retreat program, lodging for seven nights, and three vegetarian meals per day. Bathrooms are shared.

In rooms, bedding, sheets and a towel are included. In the yurt, a mattress with a sheet is provided. Bring pillow, sleeping bag, and a towel. Dorms and yurt are potentially mixed-gender.

Talk to us if this price keeps you from participating. We will find a way together.

Great that you want to be on this journey with us! Click the button below to get to the sign-up form. After completing the registration, we will contact you regarding payment and further information.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at durgastigerschool.switzerland@gmail.com.

About Your Guides

We are Carmen and Christian, part of the worldwide team of Durga’s Tiger School teachers and holding point for activities in Switzerland. Together, we co-founded and taught at Kaula Tantra Yoga Zürich.

We hold space for joyful transformation through soft power – inviting gentleness and self-love into the process of diving deep into our inner worlds, our shadows, and our light. We act from a place of loving kindness, with authenticity and vulnerability. Our core mission is to support you to find your own truth, and to live that truth in your actions. We follow our curiosity for what makes us and others come alive, and how to truly nourish body and soul.

Carmen has a passion for challenging herself and others to move beyond their comfort zone, letting curiosity and love guide the way. In this retreat she brings together her experiences in Yoga, Tantra, intentional communities and art as well as her own deep connection to nature. She received her teacher training at Durga’s Tiger School® in Ecuador, Switzerland and Germany and is a certified YA RYT-500 teacher. She also co-founded a conscious community near Zürich, integrating personal development into daily co-living.

Christian creates experiences that connect people to their inner wisdom, their magic, and their personal power – based on his own journey in Tantra, Yoga, breathwork, music, dance, bodywork, and writing. He received his YA RYT-500 certification from Durga’s Tiger School® in Ecuador and is part of the school faculty both in Ecuador and Europe. Christian is a co-organizer of the Wild Love festival in Switzerland, a bodyworker and a breathwork facilitator.

We are guides on a journey, and you may choose to travel with us for a while. But ultimately, only you know what is right for you, what feels good in your body, what you need. At any moment, we will support you in your sovereignty.

About Durga’s Tiger School

This retreat is based on the teachings of Durga’s Tiger School® in Ecuador. Our core offering is a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, based on Tantra, Yoga, Arts and Shamanism. In 2021, we have brought this training to Switzerland for the very first time. In a small, beautiful, intimate group of courageous souls, we have spent three weeks in the mountain world of Guarda, diving deep into personal power and magic. Now, we are thrilled to offer retreats based on what we do in the teacher training, but solely focused on experience. Find out more on durgas-tiger-school.com.

What to Bring

• Yoga mat

• Meditation cushion (unless you are comfortable sitting directly on the mat or on a normal pillow for meditation)

• Yoga belt or some kind of strap

• A blanket for yoga

• Blindfold

• Comfortable clothes for yoga and movement (make sure to pack layers, it may be cool at night; bring a warm pair of socks)

• Outdoor clothes (according to weather forecast)

• Slippers / indoor footwear

• Toiletries

• Water bottle

• If you sleep in the yurt: Pillow, sleeping bag, towel (Bedding, sheets and towels are included if you sleep in a room)

If bringing any of these items is not possible for you, just let us know, we will find a solution.

Covid-19 Policy

The definite policy will be defined and communicated closer to the retreat date, defined together with the venue. Most likely, we will ask everyone to take a self-test at the beginning of the retreat.

Cancellation Policy

You secure your spot with an upfront payment of the full price. In case of cancellation by us, you will receive a full refund. In case you have to cancel your participation, the following policy applies:

• Cancellation more than 60 days before the start of the event: You will receive a refund of 80% of what you paid.

• Cancellation more than 30 and less than 60 days before the start of the event: You will receive a refund of 50% of what you paid.

• Cancellation more than 7 and less than 30 days before the start of the event: You will receive a refund of 30% of what you paid.

• Cancellation less than 7 days before the start of the event: You will not receive a refund.

If you can provide a replacement, i.e. someone who is willing to take your spot for the same conditions, you will receive a full refund irrespective of timing.

We recommend cancellation insurance (“Seminar-Rück­tritts­ver­si­che­rung”). Please note our disclaimer with contraindications.

Let’s celebrate life together!