Self-Inquiry and Advaita/ Non Duality
6-Day AYP Yoga and Meditation Retreat, Devon, United Kingdom
25th to 30th June 2024
The Venue
This retreat will take place in Devon, South West England. The centre has been deliberately converted for retreats and is in a beautiful location in the South Devon countryside near Totnes.
The centre has a large yoga room, under-floor heating throughout, a sauna, and wifi.
The Yoga
- Deep Meditation
- Spinal Breathing Pranayama
- Samyama
- Mudras and bandhas
- Asana
- Self inquiry
There will be three practice sessions each day with full instruction given.
Topic
During the retreat we will be looking at the topic of advaita (non-duality). This is the stage in yoga where we move beyond identification with the mind and the sense objects, into a direct understanding of our true nature.
We will start by looking at some Self-Inquiry methods such as asking the question “Who am I?”, and the practice of “Neti Neti”. We will also look at the practice of affirmations such as “I am truth”, and “I am free”.
We will then look at the approach to advaita through the practices of yoga and at how advaita has been taught historically by different teachers, over the last 3,000 years.
We will look at how advaita teachings are presented in the Upanishads, in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, in the classical Tantrik texts and so on. We will also look at how advaita was taught by various teachers over the years, such as Adi Shankaracharya, Rama Krishna, and Ramana Maharshi.We will finish the retreat by looking at the practice of Pure Abiding in the Self.
During the retreat, people will be able to take these classical non-dual teachings of yoga, and put them into practice if they wish to. Full instructions in practice will be given, so no previous experience is necessary.
There will be 30 minutes of karma yoga (service to others) each day. All yoga classes and meditation sessions are optional, so you can take the retreat at your own pace. There will be a maximum of 14 people on this retreat.
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…
Alex Wales
Alex first came to yoga through meditation, and this practice continues to provide the foundation of his yoga journey and the inspiration for his teaching. He sees the practice of yoga postures as a means to integrate the subtle transformative effects of meditation with the physical body creating space in life for peace, energy and creativity to arise.
Food
Food will be vegetarian. The food served will support a yoga and meditation practice. We can also cater for vegan diets and special diets such as dairy or gluten free, if you let us know in advance.
There will be two meals served each day (brunch and dinner) and fruits and hot drinks will be available all day.
Sally will be doing the cooking.
Cost
Per person:
- Female dormitory (max 6 people): £530 per person (available).
- Male dormitory (max 6 people): £530 per person (available).
- One place in a shared twin room (male): £560 per person (fully-booked).
- One place in a shared twin room (female): £560 per person (fully-booked).
- Double rooms (couples) – 2 single beds: £560 per person (fully-booked).
- Single rooms: £590 (fully-booked).
- Bringing your own campervan: £490 per person (available)
The price includes accommodation, food and all the yoga sessions. A non-refundable deposit of £100 is required to secure a place on the retreat. The remainder is then due two-months before the retreat starts.
Dormitories for men and women are separate. If you are coming on your own and staying in a shared twin room, then you will be sharing with someone of the same gender.
If you are staying in your own campervan, you will have access to the toilets and showers in the house.
Getting there and away
The nearest train station is Totnes which is 10 mins away by car or taxi. The nearest international airport is Exeter (45 mins) or Bristol (2 hours).
Travel instructions are sent out to everyone coming three-months before the retreat starts.
Retreat schedule
Tuesday 25th June 2024
15:00-16:00 arrival
16:30-18:00 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
18:30 dinner
20:00 – 20:30 welcome session in the yoga hall upstairs, followed by silent period until 09:30 the following morning.
Wednesday 26th June to Saturday 29th June
07:00-08:30 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
08:40-09:30 pranayama, meditation, samyama
10:00 brunch
11:00 – 15:00 free time/ walking/ personal practice
15:00 – 16:30 asana, pranayama, meditation, samyama
16:45 – 17:40 pranayama, meditation, samyama
18:00 dinner
19:30 – 20:30 evening talk/ questions and answers, followed by silent period until 09:30 the following morning.
