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Flow and Rest

a peaceful yoga & meditation retreat

18 to 24 July 2024
at Les Gavatxes in the Catalan Pyrenees, Spain
with Athena & Sylvain
maximum of 14 participants
register here
We invite you to a 7 day retreat of silence, active (vinyasa) yoga and relaxing yin yoga, meditation, mindful nature walks, great homemade food, connections and inspiring views.
A beautiful moment to disconnect from everyday life, screens and to-do lists, to connect with yourself, and to ground with the mountains, with your body and your breath.
Although it is not a fully silent retreat, we will have silent mornings and one fully silent day, to give you space to inquire and hear the birds in the quiet company of others.
  • Schedule (subject to change):
  • Day 1:
  • 16:00 arrivals, settle in
  • 18:00 welcome, introductions, gentle flow
  • 19:30 dinner
  • 21:00 meditation, beginning of silence
  • 21:45 rest
  • Days 2 to 6:
  • 6:30 wake up
  • 7:15 sunrise meditation and movement (vinyasa yoga or hiking meditation)
  • 9:00 breakfast
  • 10:15 karma yoga
  • 11:00 free time (mindful breaking of silence)
  • 12:30 slow flow and meditation
  • 13:30 lunch
  • 14:30 rest
  • 16:30 yin yoga
  • 17:30 mindful activity
  • 18:30 free time
  • 19:30 dinner
  • 20:45 kirtan
  • ~ Day 4 is fully silent ~
  • ~ On one of the full days, we may go on a little excursion (optional) to the nearby river & little waterfall to enjoy a swim in nature ~
  • Day 7:
  • 6:30 wake up
  • 7:15 sunrise meditation and movement (vinyasa yoga or hiking meditation)
  • 9:00 breakfast
  • 10:15 packing / free time (mindful breaking of silence)
  • 11:00 slow flow and meditation
  • 12:00 sharing circle, closing
  • 13:30 lunch
  • Goodbyes

Accommodation

Les Gavatxes offers beautiful rooms/apartments, each unique and comfortable. Sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, bath and hand towels are provided.
The rooms and apartments are shared with 2 retreaters per unit. You also have the option to camp (bringing your own equipment) or have an individual room (with shared bathroom). They are both limited, so please check with us first if you would like to camp or stay in an individual room.
Kshanti - Les Gavatxes is a traditional Catalan Masía with plenty of history, built over two hundred years ago. It is immersed in the middle of unspoiled nature in the mountains of the nature reserve of Alta Garrotxa. The estate is 56 hectares and consists mostly of forest, meadows and two rivers. The mission of Kshanti is to create space for mindful transformation.

Food

3 meals per day, all vegetarian, and homemade with love.
The food is served in a self-service style.
Please let us know as soon as possible if you have allergies or dietary requests. Special diets such as gluten-free will be charged €15 extra (€2.5 per day).

How to get there?

Pricing includes everything except your flight/train and ride to Les Gavatxes
Kshanti - Les Gavatxes, 17867 Beget (Girona), Spain.
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/3ntgYdwwzicxzNDQ6
You can arrive with your own vehicle. If you have space to pick up other participants from nearby towns, please let us know so we can save on transportation!
You can take a bus (http://www.teisa-bus.com) from Barcelona or Girona to Castellfollit de la Roca or Olot. There we can come to pick you up or we can organise to share cars to the house.
Here are the available options for lifts:
  • Castellfollit de la Roca or Olot bus station (by a Kshanti team member):
    • 20 euros per journey per person if only one person travels
    • 10 euros per journey per person if 2 or 3 people travel
  • Beget : free
  • Girona airport (by taxi):
    • 170 euros (can be shared with other participants)
  • Girona centre (by taxi):
    • 150 euros (can be shared with other participants)
To be paid cash on the day of.

Yoga and Meditation Props

Yoga mats, meditation cushions and blankets are provided if you do not wish to bring your own.

Pricing

Shared Room: €780
There are limited spaces for camping and for private rooms (please contact me first to confirm availability):
Camping (limited availability): €595
Private Room (limited availability): €895
Early Bird pricing: 10% discount for the first 6 registrations
(Camping: €536, Shared Room: €702, Private Room: €806)
  • Includes:
    • 2 yoga asana classes, 2 meditation sessions and 1 activity per day
    • Accommodation for 6 nights
    • 3 homemade vegetarian meals a day
    • Welcome drink
    • Yoga mat and meditation cushions
    • Exclusive use of the property

Registration and Payment

To sign up, please fill this form
Any questions? Email me at retreat@athena.yoga.
A deposit of €250 is required to save your spot.
Bank transfer if paying in Euros:
ADM Vassilatos Kirste
NL85 ABNA 0869 9088 04
Please write "Yoga Retreat, (your name)" in the desription.
Paypal (5% fees added):
https://paypal.me/athenakirste?country.x=NL&locale.x=en_US
If paying in another currency, you can use Wise:
Using the Euro Bank information
https://wise.com/

Cancellation

If you need to cancel, please email retreat@athena.yoga.
The deposit amount is refundable until 1 June 2024 less €20 administration fee and any associated bank fees. If cancelled by 27 June 2024, you will get a 50% refund, less any associated bank fees. Any cancellation after 27 June 2024 will not be refunded.

Retreat Time

Starting: Thursday 18 July 2024 at 18:00
Finishing: Wednesday 24 July 2024 at 15:00
You may arrive at Les Gavatxes from 14:00 on the first day (ideally by 17:00) and must leave by 17:00 on the last day.
There may be the possibility to extend your stay at Les Gavatxes, before or after the retreat. Contact Sara if you would like to inquire about this possibility: info@lesgavatxes.es

The teachers

My name is Athena, I have been teaching yoga since 2015. My practice began in Montreal, Canada in 2010, I began learning from many teachers through practice, and took a 200 hour training in Bali, Indonesia in 2015. I continued studying in Canada diving into topics such as yin yoga, hands-on assisting, Yoga Tune Up (functional movement in yoga and Myofascial Release). I moved to the Netherlands in early 2020, where I teach and since 2021, I am studying physiotherapy.

My purpose as a yoga and meditation teacher is to offer the space for presence, away from the distractions of everyday life, and to take the time to feel any thought and emotion as it shows up. This is practised through mindful movement, understanding of one's body, and through stillness, rest, silence and sounds.

My intention for this retreat is to offer you a space to lean towards silence - inner and outer - to feel present in your body and to savour the beautiful mountains, nature and of course the delicious food.


https://www.instagram.com/yoga.athena/
https://www.facebook.com/yoga.athena.vk

Ten years ago Sylvain fell into the magical world of yoga when he joined a small lesson in a park in downtown Montreal, on a bright sunny day. Since that day, he has been commited to exploring and discovering the great gifts that this world has to offer. This has led him to many great studios in Montreal, a fulfilling teacher training in Bali, and now to the warm community at Open Yoga, Groningen. He hopes to continue to be able to receive and return the support, practice and love of yoga for many years to come.

This retreat is offered in English.
We also speak French, and a basic level of Dutch.

Do you want to join us?

First, fill this form
Reach out to me (retreat@athena.yoga) to know if there are still early bird pricing spots, and if you would like a camping space or private room.
Save your spot by sending the deposit.
Get ready for a week of flow and rest in July 2024!

Pictures & Reviews

"I had the most wonderful time, it was truly a moving experience and helped me process a lot." - Edie (2023)
"I loved the retreat! I hadn't enjoyed that much rest in a while. The silence and overall experience was challenging at some points but you and the group made it feel like a safe space to share and let emotions come up." - Lucile (2023)
"We loved every minute. And we can't wait for your next retreat!" - The Patault Family (2023)
"I enjoyed the retreat a lot, it was a Beautiful Experience. The location was perfect and you created a very safe relaxing environment to rest en reflect. Your classes were very mindful and relaxing, I loved every single one of them. Also, the food was amazing." - Birte (2023)
"I had a wonderful week and a slow and relaxed journey back home. Picked up the work for a week now, but more relaxed than before. Thanks to the retreat. Thank you for that. It was and still is a good experience/memory for me." - Roel (2023)
"When you are tired of competition and your demanding cell phone I recommend this retreat with Athena and Sylvain. To experience how your system is doing without cell phone, competition and be sometimes in silence in a beautiful organic surrounding. And to discover what yoga does to your souplesse." - Johanna (2023)
"It was quite a valuable experience. Professionally done, it all fits together nicely. I wouldn't have thought this was the first retreat you organized." - Peter (2023)
"Athena's teaching has a distinctive combination of qualities: wisdom, grace, and playfulness. There is something harmonious to it too. Go to her classes, tune in to her cues, abandon thinking, immerse into the flow, and then you could hear the soft, beautiful music coming from inside you. Maybe that's why after nearly every class with her, this quote by Anandamayi Ma echoes in my mind: "This body is like a musical instrument; what you hear depends on how you play it;" Athena is an excellent conductor! Also, her extensive experience with yoga and growing understanding of anatomy are genuinely and compassionately transmitted to the student; there is nothing contrived about her teaching -- that is a sign of an authentic teacher." - Mehran