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Past
Retreats Home
Winter
Retreat, Goa, India, (December 2006)
 Set
in the idyllic village of Patnem,
with its golden beach, palm trees
and colourful locals, Reclaim Yourself
succeeded in capturing the magic
of this spiritual setting by integrating
it into the retreat.
Arriving in the early morning I
was welcomed with an amazing breakfast
and some Kundalini yoga to invigorate
the senses. We then convened in
the communal space, a tree covered
courtyard, softened with drapes
and cushions, where we were given
a warm welcome and a timetable for
the week.
The Globe's unique space allowed
everything to happen under the same
roof. Treatments took place in the
upstairs mezzanine area, while Lizzie
sweated it out in the basement kitchen
below. The large wooden-floored
chapel space, with its large north
facing arched windows, was the perfect
area for our yoga and Chi Kung sessions,
and became a great communal space,
brightened up with incense, cushions
and brightly covered Indian duvets.
On Saturday night, an amazing meditation
session (complete with guest-starring
didgeridoo) turned into an impromptu
music and poetry evening.
Choosing treatments was tough; I
settled on the hot stone massage,
which left me so relaxed I went
straight to sleep. The following
day I chose a session with Ariel,
Goa resident extraordinaire, who
combines acupuncture, osteopathy,
massage and Tibetan bowl therapy.
I had a complete mind and body overhaul:
You couldn’t do more for yourself
than to get a treatment from this
consummate professional.
The whole event was so relaxed,
which was refreshing as I was expecting
a strict code of attendance and
abstinence. By day we could opt
for treatments or join one of the
amazing excursions; we took a boat
trip to the turtle beach sanctuary
to meditate at sunset. Or we could
go off and explore the surrounding
area as there was so much to experience.
In the evenings we would sit with
an open fire and eat the wonderful
food, influenced by the local cuisine,
and prepared using wheat, dairy
and sugar free ingredients. We even
had a live performance from two
amazing musicians who happened upon
the retreat and loved what we were
up to.
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| Such a warm, relaxed
environment yet unparalleled skill
and professionalism. There was magic,
reflection and connection: a state
of mind that I longed to hold on
to forever. A Reclaim Yourself Retreat
is an opportunity not to be missed. |
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© Reclaim Your Self
2005 |
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