Advanced Yoga Practices (AYP) retreat, Devon, United Kingdom
Samyama and Samadhi
Working with Silence, Stillness and Energy
Tuesday 9th to Sunday 14th December 2025
This retreat will take place in a beautiful centre on Dartmoor in Devon, South West England.
The centre is a converted old farm house with a large yoga room, dining room and library.
There are 35 acres of gardens and grounds, an orchard, a small wood and a stream. There is wifi in the main house.
The Yoga
The focus of the retreat will be on the cultivation of inner silence, peace-fullness, bliss and Self-Realization.
We will be holding three practice sessions each day. In the evenings there will be teachings given on the philosophy of yoga especially as it relates to the practice of Samyama.
Topic
During the retreat we will be looking at the practice of Samyama and how it relates to the process of spiritual awakening.
We will look at how the practice is described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and how we can work with it in our own yoga practice.
We will also look at the process of entry into samadhi and at how we can work with samadhi to deepen our practice.
We will especially look at the last four limbs of yoga:
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
And at how these four can play a part in all of our yoga practice and in our daily life.
Practices
Teachings on the retreat will also include:
- Deep Meditation – especially looking at the process of brining the mind to stillness and silence and the cultivation of the witness.
- Spinal Breathing Pranayama – looking at the purification of the subtle nervous system.
- Samyama – looking at the practices of samyama and cosmic samyama, and at how these relate to transcendence.
- Asana practice – building a daily posture practice routine.
Full instructions in practice will be given. The retreat will be led in English and will be suitable for people of all levels of experience.
All yoga classes and meditation sessions are optional, so you can take the retreat at your own pace.
Teachers
Tristan Dorling
Tristan began the practice of yoga in 1985 at school when he was 16 years old. At the age of 19 he travelled to the Himalayas to live in a Mahayana Buddhist monastery. This was really his first introduction to the higher teachings and to the spiritual life. He had his first awakening experience a year later after a meditation retreat in a Buddhist cave monastery in Thailand…
Darshan
Tristan will be giving darshan several times during this retreat. This is a gentle energetic transmission designed to increase the purification of the central channel in the body. It will be possible to receive darshan each time it is given.
Receiving darshan is optional and is in addition to the regular classes.
Bhajans/ Kirtan
There will be several bhajan/ kirtan sessions during the retreat. This is the singing of devotional songs in the Sanskrit language.
These classes are an optional extra for those who want to join.
Food
Food will be vegetarian. The food served will support a yoga and meditation practice. We can also cater for vegan diets and gluten free diets, if you let us know in advance.
There will be two meals served each day (brunch and dinner). Fruits and hot drinks will be available all day.
Cost and booking
Per person:
- One bed in the female dorm (max three people): £655 per person (Fully Booked)
- One bed in the male dorm (max three people): £655 per person (Available)
- Double room (2 sharing): £695 per person (Available)
- One bed in a twin shared room (female) £695 per person (Available)
- One bed in a twin shared room (male) £695 per person (Available)
- Single room: £745 (Available)
- Small single attic room: £715 (Fully Booked)
The price includes accommodation for 5-nights, food and all the yoga and meditation sessions.
Places will be limited to twelve people.
A non-refundable non transferable deposit of £100 is required to secure a place on the retreat, with the balance paid 2-months before the retreat starts.
Getting there and away
The nearest village is South Brent which is close to Totnes, Devon. The nearest train station is Totnes and the nearest airport is Exeter.
Full travel directions are sent out to everyone coming.
Retreat schedule
Tuesday 9th December 2025
16:00-17:00 arrival
17:30-19:00 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
19:30 dinner
21:00 evening meeting followed by silent period until 09:30 the following morning.
Wednesday 10th December 2025
07:00-08:30 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
08:40-09:40 pranayama, meditation, samyama
10:00 brunch
11:00 – 16:00 free time/ walking/ personal practice
16:00 – 18:00 asana pranayama, meditation, samyama
18:00 dinner
19:30 evening talk/ questions and answers followed by silent period until 9:30 the following morning.
Thursday and Friday 11th and 12th December 2025
07:00-08:30 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
08:40-09:40 pranayama, meditation, samyama
10:00 brunch
11:00 – 15:00 free time/ walking/ personal practice
15:00 – 16:45 asana pranayama, meditation, samyama
17:00 – 17:50 asana pranayama, meditation, samyama
18:00 dinner
19:30 evening talk/ questions and answers followed by silent period until 9:30 the following morning.
Saturday 13th December 2025
07:00-08:30 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
08:40-09:40 pranayama, meditation, samyama
10:00 brunch
11:00 – 16:00 free time/ walking/ personal practice
16:00 – 18:00 asana pranayama, meditation, samyama
18:00 dinner
19:30 evening talk/ questions and answers followed by silent period until 9:30 the following morning.
Sunday 14th December 2025
07:00-08:30 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
09:30 breakfast
10:30-11:30 house clean-up
11:30-12:30 farewells and departure