SYM (Shiatsu Yoga Mediterraneo) is registered in the UK and has been providing courses in Yoga, Shiatsu and related modalities in Spain, Greece, France and Italy since 1995. HolidaYoga was created in 2007 as a sister organisation to SYM, to satisfy the demand for more summer Yoga courses in various Mediterranean countries. By 2015 the courses offered have evolved to include:

• 200 Hour and 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training.
• Workshops in Yoga therapy; Yoga Psychology and Philosophy; Yoga and Astrology; Meridian Yoga; Yoga and nutrition and other topics relevant to holistic well-being and healing.
• Courses are taught in English, French and Spanish.

Yoga Teacher Training courses hold Yoga Alliance International and Yoga Alliance Professionals certification and are registered with the International Yoga Federation SYM also offers professional training courses in Shiatsu and Chinese Medicine. More details can be found on www.shiatsumed.com SYM believes that a cross-disciplinary approach to healing, with emphasis on experiential as well as academic learning, results in a deeper understanding of the principles of health and wellbeing, whether one is on a personal journey, or training to teach and heal others. To this end, SYM provides training of the highest possible standard, by a team of dedicated and skilled professionals. Course groups are kept intentionally small with an emphasis on individual growth and development. All the courses take place in beautiful locations that feed the soul, nurture the body and stimulate ongoing curiosity and learning.

Yoga is essentially a method of self development or self improvement of each individual's physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual capacities. Regular practice develops our body and subtle energy systems promoting higher awareness and perception.

In this sense yoga is a therapy and not just a workout. It is both preventive and curative. It may help us to simply keep fit or to surmount great problems, helping us bring more balance and harmony into our lives as well as guiding us towards our higher self. Above all it is a great pleasure to practice and everyone can and should practice according to their own individual capacities, not forcing the body into unnatural postures but practised with real enjoyment.

There are five main features of Hatha Yoga practise :

• Asanas or yoga postures are practiced to tone and relax the muscles, improve posture, massage the internal organs and circulate vital energy (prana or ki) in the body. Yoga also stimulates circulation of blood and lymph, calms the nerves, improves digestion and libido and works in fact on all body systems. Practising asanas also helps us develop concentration, breath and will power.
• Pranayamas are special breathing exercises that slow down breathing and help regulate the flow of energy in the body.
• Relaxation helps us to relax at will - both our physical body as well as our mind. These exercises can be done any time, especially after more strenuous exercises and when stress accumulates and we feel a need for it.
• Meditation helps us calm the mind so that we may rise above simple emotional reactions and develop serenity and mental composure.
• Yogic nutrition is based on eating fresh, wholesome and nutritious foods to strengthen and energise body and mind. Good digestion is fundamental to health and also leads to more balanced emotions, better concentration and improved meditation.
• Yogic Philosophy helps us to answer the fundamental questions of: Who we are; Where we come from and Where we are going. This is not religious dogma but a philosophy of life. Indian philosophy has universal appeal and one may readily find parallels in other cultures such as ancient Greece, Egypt or China.