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Peaceful retreats
About White Lotus:
The retreats are held at the White Lotus Foundation situated in a steep canyon on forty acres overlooking the city of Santa Barbara and the Pacific Ocean. White Lotus is an ideal and very special location with pure air, spring water, beautiful sandstone swimming holes, hiking trails, sauna, hot tub and plenty of secluded places for silent reflection. There are indoor accommodations, Yurts, private cottages as well as campsites under the bay trees, near the waterfall or on plateaus overlooking the ocean. The kitchen and dining room serves gourmet vegetarian meals by Beatirx Rohlsen, author of The Art of Taste: A Gourmet Guide to Vegetarian Cooking. There is also an underground Hopi style “Kiva” temple and a Library-Media center.
White Lotus has recently been featured in the beautiful new book Great Yoga Retreats which highlights the finest Yoga retreat sites and centers, from Mexico to India. Leaf through the book here.
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About the facilitators:
Yoga classes with Andrea include meditation, flowing sequences & relaxation combined with eclectic music to create a special atmosphere. To make your experience exceptional, Kyona will be giving hands-on adjustments and bodywork during yoga classes and will be available for individual massages over the weekend. Our dear friend Kailani will offer facials and crystal chakra-balancing.Pilar Chandler of Shri Veda Wellness brings her wealth of expertise offering extensive knowledge of Ayurveda and array of healing modalities
Andrea completed yoga teacher training with Erich Schiffman who emphasizes the importance of “moving into stillness”. After teaching group and private classes in Southern California for more than 13 years, emphasis is on Viniyoga – integrating breath and dynamic sequences to cultivate a more personal practice. Andrea's approach offers different variations to suit your level of experience in order to learn how to move with grace and ease.
Kyona attained her massage therapy credentials from California Healing Arts College. She has been practicing bodywork and massage for 9 years throughout the West Hollywood and Beverly Hills areas. She is a master at attuning to a person's body in order to deliver exactly what is needed in the moment. She combines strength, subtlety and experience with Swedish and sports massage to create a unique healing and balancing experience.
Pilar is a master massage therapist with over 10 years experience working throughout Southern California. She has worked in conjunction with many of the top practitioners in such varied fields as chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy, MFT, ayurveda, midwifery (pregnancy/infant), yoga therapy, and nutrition/wellness. Pilar is a senior instructor at Healing Hands School of Holistic Heath; one of the premier schools for massage therapy in Orange and San Diego counties. She is a licensed massage therapist, certified Holistic Health Practitioner, and is an honors graduate of Mount Madonna Institute, College of Ayurveda where she earned her degree as a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner.
Kailani has been practicing skin therapy and facials for 7 years. She also incorporates chakra balancing using crystals and semi-precious stones. Her intention, spirit and loving hands enhance your beauty from the inside out. She is currently available for Ayurvedic facials at Dancing Shiva in Los Angeles. Visit www.dancingshiva.com for more information.
"I had never taken a yoga retreat before but I was a fan of Andrea's yoga class and trusted it must be special. Besides, work had taken its toll and I was in desperate need for some down time. Well, my expectations were blown away! Everything about the retreat from the cool yurt accommodations, serene beauty of the surrounding wilderness; fabulous, healthy, gourmet food; great people, the best massage therapist I ever encountered, time for: hiking, meditation, reading, whatever and wonderfully guided yoga two times a day. Need I say more? I came home relaxed and at peace with the world, able to face work, friends and family with a renewed energy. It's so important to "recharge our batteries" and adjust attitudes. As a nurse I have come to realize that stress plays an important role in the creation of disease. This is part of my wellness plan!!
Thank you and please let me know when you are having another retreat!!"
-Linda Campbell
"Silence is a rare gift. The Inside Out retreat at White Lotus allowed for quiet fellowship and plenty of beauty for my eyes. It was a blessing to read a book of poetry by Kabir from the library on site. Early morning in the sauna over looking the valley created a full sensory memory. The highlight was continuing with my simple routine of yoga and meditation in a beautiful space with striving Souls. To sit in meditation in the underground chamber allowed for a deeper look within."
-Eugene Cooke
"The InsideOut Yoga Retreat 2008 was a great experience for me. I'd never attended a yoga class prior to that weekend. I walked away from the retreat motivated, energized and inspired to continue the practice and to embrace new and different things. Even before attending the retreat, the gestalt of the whole mind, body, spirit and nature connection has always been intriguing to me, but at the same time it felt sometimes a little uncomfortable; especially sleeping in the woods and outdoor facilities. :) I decided to lean into my discomfort, unblock my chakras; experience something different and new. Now I am hooked. I plan to attend every retreat that Andrea, Kyona and Kailani facilitate. I met great people, enjoyed beautiful, relaxing surroundings, great vegan food (thanks Beatrix!) and found a way to slow it down, exhale and breathe. Thanks for your efforts, skills and for organizing such a wonderful, enlightening weekend. Sign me up for May 2009 and beyond!!! I hope to recruit a few friends.
Namaste, Peace and Love..."
Kathryn (Kathy) West
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