Yoga & Wellbeing Immersion Course
June 2024
Would you like to immerse yourself in your personal yoga practice? To refresh and inspire your personal approach to yoga?
If, like many of us, you feel the need to take time out, dive deep into your personal practice and replenish your energy levels, then join us for this year’s Scaravelli Inspired Yoga & Wellbeing Immersion.
For this yoga immersion, we’re focusing on feeling good. Exploring how and why yoga helps to lift our mood and downregulate our nervous system.
Each day, we’ll practice yoga, breathwork and meditation. We’ll walk across the Downs to the nearby beach for a swim, light a bonfire and watch the sun sinking into the sea.
Join renowned teachers Catherine Annis and Gary Carter
for this year's Scaravelli Inspired Yoga & Wellbeing Immersion Course.
Yoga & Wellbeing
Each year the Immersion course evolves, focusing on a different aspect of how we approach our yoga practice. The yoga is inspired by the pioneering work of Vanda Scaravelli, who encouraged her students to take an intensely personal approach to practice, responding to their own felt sense and intuitive understanding of the intelligence of the body.
For this yoga Immersion, we’ll focus on our personal needs for space, time and rest. In this glorious retreat setting, we’ll take a deep dive to explore the rich potential of yoga to soothe our nervous system and consider how best our practice can support us during periods of stress and anxiety.
The Immersion invites a deep listening, providing a profound opportunity to develop awareness and a totally personal understanding of our practice, from the most simple movements to more subtle and sophisticated. Leave with a rich palette of material to inspire your movement and teaching.
During the Immersion course we will:
* Investigate how yoga practice supports our autonomic nervous system, stimulating the natural restorative qualities of the parasympathetic
* Learn how we can work with the vagus nerve, on and off the mat, and how to harness its power to develop inner calm and quiet
* Explore the practical benefits of breathwork, particularly when working with Long Covid, post viral fatigue, stress & anxiety
* Develop a new understanding of the relationships between asana and connective tissue and muscles and fascia
* Learn fresh approaches on how to free the joints and discover a new sense of lightness in our body
* Dip your toe in the water … explore the benefits of cold water swimming
* Discover the interplay between effort and ease, and how creating a balance between them sustains healthy movements and strong bodies
∗ Leave feeling refreshed, uplifted and deeply rested
Continuing Professional Development
Each yoga event provides 1 CPD point per hour of practice, depending on your awarding body.
The Importance of Personal Practice
As teachers, we can only teach from our own practice. Our personal practice nurtures our teaching, providing energy and inspiration which sustains us as we teach and support our students.
The Immersion course is an opportunity for us to refine and refresh our own approach, helping us unpick our own approach so that we can pass it on with skill and clarity.
Each day on this Immersion we’ll look at a different aspect or approach to practice, so that you leave with some fresh inspiration and answers to your specific questions.
The Immersion is designed specifically for yoga teachers, yoga teacher trainees and anyone with a serious interest in exploring their practice who would like to refine their practice and approach to yoga.
This Scaravelli Inspired Immersion Course is an opportunity to expand the ways we teach yoga as inspired by the work of Vanda Scaravelli, and evolves each year in response to the most current thinking in bodywork and movement practices and requests from current and returning attendees.
Gary Carter
Once again we’ll be joined by Gary Carter, who will share his profound understanding of the body and his innovative approach to anatomy and the art and science of moving with ease.
He will present a full day of explorations and share with us his unique understanding including the latest discoveries from the world of fascia.
Including the profound effect the breath has with fascia focused practice, introducing a totally new way of looking at our anatomy, how to free the joints and demonstrate a deeper sense of lightness in our body.
Asana & Connective Tissue
Viewing the anatomy of the body from the perspective of fascia, rather than the more classical anatomy of bones and muscles, gives us a new understanding of the relationship between muscle and fascia.
Venue
The Immersion course is held at Gayles Retreat, one of my favourite venues, set in ten acres of land next to the Seven Sisters Country Park (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), The National Trust Crowlink Estate and Friston Forest. The surrounding countryside is extraordinarily beautiful, and there are excellent walking opportunities all around.
Communal Spaces
With its open fire, high ceiling and refreshing artworks, The Stables is a beautifully converted 1930s stable which provides a warm and practical area for eating, chatting and relaxing. Immediately outside there is a large, decked, seated eating area which is wonderful for informal meals on warm sunny days.
Shared Accommodation
There are two dormitories providing comfortable and spacious accommodation for up to seventeen people. The Studio sleeps up to 8 people in 4 bunk beds and 4 singles, whilst the Playroom sleeps 4. Each room is fitted with sofas and tables providing space and comfort. Duvets, pillows, linen and towels are provided.
Single / Twin Rooms
In the main house, there are two further rooms - one single, and one twin, which is suitable for two friends (or a couple). Please note that if you book the twin room to share with a friend, there is one double bed and one double sofa bed.
Camping
If you choose to camp, you can either bring your own tent or use the tents provided by the venue. Campers will be provided with pillows and towels. Please bring your own bedding and sleeping mats. Campers have their own dedicated bathroom and the much loved "loo with a view".
Food
Much of the food we eat is grown on site in the vegetable garden and it's all delicious. Derry is our cook for the week and his inspiring recipes are in constant demand. Food is vegetarian and organic, made with much love and a highlight of our stay at Gayles.
If the weather is good, there is the option of eating out in the open on the terrace.
Dietary Restrictions and Allergies
It is essential that you inform Catherine of any dietary requirements when you book so that she can liaise with the retreat venue and make the necessary arrangements.
If you are prone to a severe reaction to an allergen, for example, a very small amount on a kitchen knife or board, it is essential that you give us advance notice. Please note that we are unable to offer absolute guarantees for such allergic conditions.
If, for medical reasons, you follow a highly-restricted diet, we advise you to bring with you any essentials you might need for your well-being. There is a small fridge, which you may use to store small amounts of perishable items for the duration of your stay.
Explore
Gayles retreat centre is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the South Downs, surrounded by stunning countryside and beautiful coastline.
The Seven Sisters Country Park is on the doorstep. It’s made up of 280 hectares of chalk cliffs, meandering river valley and open chalk grassland.
Friston Forest offers a number of waymarked routes for visitors to explore the beech woods. Its undulating terrain makes it popular with walkers who enjoy being outdoors. Quiet valleys within the forest offer sheltered habitats for many species of wildlife. Glimpses of rare butterflies, such as fritillaries, and elusive deer can reward patient observers.
Travel
Getting There
Dates & Prices
Terms & Conditions
Have you ever thought about becoming a qualified yoga teacher?
Take a look at Catherine's BWY accredited Intelligent Yoga Teacher Training course with renowned guest yoga and anatomy teacher, Gary Carter.
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