For more information in French, English, Spanish or German, please send us an email holidays@holidayoga.com Or give us a call at 0033 663 177 501.
Holidayoga
offers intensive Yoga Retreats, Yoga Teacher Training
as well as relaxing
Yoga Holidays, providing different types of courses for
different people.
All courses are based on teaching of the basic principles of yoga,
including Hatha Yoga or postures, relaxation,
meditation and breathing exercises as well as philosophy and nutrition.
Underlying all Indian and far Eastern philosophy is the concept of vital
energy, prana
or ki, circulating in the human body and the universe. Working with
prana in postures or meditation helps the practitioner tonify and relax
all physical and physiological aspects of his body, but it also helps to
develop mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
What is Yoga?
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,
conscience and levels of perception. This can be developed by tuning
into and opening up our own energy centres, known as chakras.
Many people have now realised that our scientific age has not brought us
the inner happiness we secretly crave despite its breathtaking advances
in so many fields and the comforts and leisure that come in its wake, at
least for those fortunate enough to have access to these.
However yoga is essentially 'scientific' since it is based on a
deep understanding
of people’s fundamental needs; not just basic material needs, but
physical and mental health issues as well as emotional, philosophical
and spiritual issues.
It is for this reason that yoga contains elements that address problems
on every level :
Asanas or yoga postures are practiced to tone and also to 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 or especially
after more strenuous exercises or anytime that 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 the Indian medical system know as
Ayurveda. This is not some strange or exotic system but is in fact based
on common sense. The basic principles are easily understood and applied
and are not exclusive to Indian culture. They are universal principles
that find their echo in many other cultures.
Philosophy is also based on common sense. Although based on
it’s own cultural and spiritual heritage it has universal appeal and one
may readily find parallels in other cultures such as ancient Greece,
Egypt or China.
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. There is no need to fight against oneself, instead
yoga should be practised with enjoyment.
Teachers
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Gerry Rixen is a qualified yoga teacher registered with the
International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre but has also practiced the Iyengar
method. He is a professional Shiatsu therapist and teacher (since 1992) and
founder and director of the Shiatsu & Yoga school SYM (www.shiatsumed.com).
He teaches courses and workshops in France, Greece, Sweden and Italy.Gerry is
also a 4th Dan Shorinji Kempo instructor (japanese martial art) and
he has studied Yoga, Shiatsu and Shorinji Kempo with many internationally
recognised teachers in the UK, Europe, Japan and Brazil.
After completing his studies at Cambridge University he worked as a language
teacher and journalist before dedicating himself full-time to Yoga and Shiatsu.
Gerry speaks English, French, German and Spanish.
Virginia Wood has practiced yoga for 20 years and has been
teaching since 2001. She has run seminars and yoga
retreats both in Tuscany and Sicily. Her style of
Hatha yoga is called Dynamic yoga, inspired by her teacher Godfrey Devereux. The
emphasis is on breath, the bandhas and the integrity of the body within the
asana, within a vinyasa flow.
Virginia is also qualified in Chinese
medicine and has been practising acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for
over twenty years. She has worked in hospitals and clinics in China, New Zealand,
America, Italy and England and has written articles in medical journals on
gynaecology and has assisted in various natural births. Virginia combines her
knowledge of the human body with her yoga practise to address specific pains and
illnesses, using the yoga practise as a physical therapy as well as a personal
enquiry to maintain health and well being both in the body, the mind and the
spirit.(www.lacroceretreats.com)
Yoga Teacher Training
Course
Italy (Tuscany)
10 July –1 August 2010
(intensive 200 hour residential course in the beautiful Tuscan countryside)
Teachers: Gerry Rixen & Virginia Wood
Cost: € 1850
Click here for further details.
Yoga Holiday
Italy (Tuscany)
3 day yoga
course
25 July – 28 July 2009
Teacher: Gerry Rixen
Click here for further details.
Italy
(Tuscany)
5 -10 June 2009
Five day fast
27 - 4 July 2009
Advanced Yoga
15 - 21 August
2009
1-week residential yoga course
Teacher: Virginia Wood
Click here for further details.
Greece (Peloponnese)
2-week summer iintensive yoga and shiatsu course
16-30
August 2009
Teachers: Gerry Rixen & Massimo Cantara
Click here for further details.