YOGA RETREATS & WEEKEND BREAKS
FINDING REFUGE in the NOW...
" Do not wait for life. Do not long for it. Be aware, always and at every moment, that the miracle is in the here and now. " ~ Marcel Proust
21- 23 MAY 2021 | WEST LEXHAM, NORFOLK
About the retreat
Act on your Life - Find Yourself - Nurture your Capacity to be Present
You create your life by what you do, right where you are and right in the moment that you are in. Life does not exist when you think about what might happen next or what once it was. The possibility of acting and changing your life is present only in the NOW, in any moment that you find yourself in. Thinking yourself into a rich, whole, dignified life with no action is an illusion. You have to do something to make it true; and here, your mind can be either your greatest friend or your worst enemy.
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Learning to take refuge in the present moment can be a powerful way to retrain our minds so that we can be present, show up, and do what matters right where we are and right where we can act to make a difference in our lives.
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To make this experience real, escape with me to the beautiful West Lexham in Norfolk retreat hideaway in the countryside for a nurturing weekend of yoga, meditation, guided deep relaxation, exquisite food experience, wandering in nature, sound healing, unwinding in the gardens, on the boating lake and in the swimming pool, time to reflect in silence, disconnection & re-connection, letting go and laughter.
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Away from the demands and distractions of everyday life, this retreat can give you a chance to practice living deeply in each moment, get to understand yourself better and to connect with other like-minded people. Retreats are very important part in a personal wellbeing, and I love supporting this important work, so I am delighted to offer you this perfect space for peaceful perspective and connection. This retreat is taking a place in a wonderful complex facility with beautiful gardens that are earthy, grounded and authentic, I hope that you will feel fully able to go deep, open up and so feel free to be yourself.
This weekend-away will inspire you to honour yourself, and will give you an opportunity to reconnect to your inner & outer universe in a more balanced and purposeful way. I am offering you a ground where you can find many possibilities to take a refuge to be fully present. This is a ground where you may transform yourself into a stronger person by developing skills to boost your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength & resilience while discovering your limits and meeting beautiful like-minded people.
The retreat is designed to give you time and space for inspiration to feed your creativity. There is plentiful free time for you to connect with yourself, reflect, journal, walk, meditate and consciously and fully rest.
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Location & Venue
West Lexham, Norfolk
Our space this time is an award winner, handcrafted, signature venue in the beautiful Norfolk countryside. A family run business, run to the highest ethical standards. A haven where you can connect with yourself and others as well as with the nature. Just 45min drive to the Norfolk Coast AONB.
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There’s a space to rest, relax, feeling nourished and nurtured for every head: Ladies & gents in all abilities -beginner to advanced-... Whether you only want - to join yoga & meditation classes with me or looking for a connection with many like minded people from your local area too; to explore the grounds on your own or to enjoy 22 acres of garden walks, lawns, boating lake, swimming pool, tennis court and fire circles with a loved one... There is something here for all to feel fully content.
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Yoga & Meditation
Yoga on this weekend-away is open to all levels and all genders!
AM sessions will be a mixture of mindful and energising movement to awakening the body to its full potential with carefully designed sequences weaving in a variety of asanas (postures), pranayama (breathing exercises), guided relaxation, elements of yogic philosophy, affirmations, mantras and more.
PM sessions will be mellow, soothing and nurturing practices, delving into areas such as restorative yoga, yoga nidra, sound healing and meditation to promote a deep and restful sleep.
Although I would like to encourage you to attend each- and every session, they all are optional to join and will be adapted to the individual needs. Variations of the postures and exercises will be offered to ensure that everyone is receiving the benefits of the practice and the same individual attention.
Basic yoga equipment such as mat, block, bolster, belt, blanket are provided but I recommend you to bring your own kit for extra comfort - especially for restorative afternoon sessions.
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OUTSIDE OF CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES & TREATMENTS
Aside from yoga and meditation sessions, you will have plenty of time to - rest, read, journal, play tennis, having an access to onsite shared heated outdoor swimming pool, connect with like-minded people as well as for daily walks in the gardens and countryside!
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You will also have a chance to book some complementary treatments such as;
- One-2-one personalised Ayurvedic yoga & meditation session with me (very limited availability),
- Personal sound healing session
- Massage treatment
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Please note that personal treatments are not included to the packages and must be booked and paid separately. I strongly advise to book your treatment early to avoid disappointment as there are limited time slots available. Contact me for more details.
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A SAMPLE WEEKEND YOGA SCHEDULE FROM OUR LAST RETREAT*
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FRIDAY
16:00 | Arrival, Check-in & Free time (Settle in / wander the grounds / eat welcome snack & drink tea / read / journal / massage / swim / nap / rest)
17:00 - 17:30 | Welcome-Circle
17:30 - 19:00 | Pranayama, Kriya & Mellow Yoga
19:15 | Dinner
20:30 - 21:15 | Yoga Nidra in PJs (or in any other comfortable clothing)
SATURDAY
7:45 | Morning-snack & Tea
8:00 - 9:35 | The Miracle Morning (S.A.V.E.R.S.) & Yoga
9:45 | Breakfast
13:00 | Lunch
15:00 - 16:30 | Relax & Renew® Restorative Yoga
16:30 - 17:30 | Sound Bath
18:30 | Dinner
20:30 - 21:30 | Candle lit bedtime stretch & meditation
SUNDAY
8:00 - 9:15 | Outdoor / Indoor awakening movement meditation & Yoga (weather permitted)
9:30 | Breakfast
10:45 - 11:30 | Stretching the body & mind and Guided Deep Relaxation
11:45 | Quiet time for self-reflection & journaling
12:30 | Closing-Circle with Loving Kindness Meditation
13:15 | Lunch
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FAREWELL
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* This is a sample yoga schedule that I intend to deliver a very similar one in West Lexham. All activities & time frames are subject to change according to the circumstances.
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Food
Nourishing food is an important part of my retreats.
Exquisite food is prepared by highly skilled and experienced chefs on site, and fresh, healthy and utterly divine for the taste buds. Organic and locally sourced as much as possible.
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Delicious, nutritionally-balanced, vegetarian and plant-based meals per day and healthy snacks will be provided during the retreat. Expect foods which will attract your taste buds while providing all necessary nutrition.
Everyone eats gathering around large tables and sitting together in the Saloon with a double-height ceiling and with doors opening onto the garden; a welcoming start and finish to each day. There is a self help corner available with water, tea urn, selection of teas, oat/rice/almond and diary milk and kettle.
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Vegan and gluten free options will be available upon request and other dietary requirements can be catered for too.
The other end of the room has lovely big sofas and floor cushions where you can chill, read or socialise with others. This area is separated from the studio by bi-folding doors and it is an inviting living area complete with 2 log burning stoves, ideal for winding down after class.
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Accommodation & Packages
Different price packages available to suit your needs and budget.**
The West Lexham Barn is a sanctuary of calm, immersed in nature, inspiring clarity. An ideal place to find a complete refuge in here & now.
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The Barn is West Lexham's largest holiday cottage with bright, flexible spaces for gathering, eating and relaxing. We will have 10 ensuite rooms which are accessed separately from a beautiful courtyard, shared between us in twin / double and triplets beds.
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The Barn has a lovely outdoor space with outdoor seating, complete with fire pits for roasting those marshmallows and star gazing which is a complete experience on its own. During your stay you will also have access to the shared outdoor heated swimming pool.
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West Lexham offers 22 acres of garden walks, lawns, boating lake, swimming pool, tennis court and fire circles.
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Rooms are luxury and tree-house or bell tent options may be available upon request - it needs to be checked and confirmed with the venue, so the earlier booking has more chance to book in the tree houses. Terms & conditions are applied for this extra treat.
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£430 pp - Early Bird Discount to the first 10 people who books & pays full by 31 August 2020
£450 pp - Triplet Room 3 people sharing - twin /double bed
£480 pp - Twin Room 2 people sharing - twin /double bed
£700 pp - Twin Room single accommodation - twin /double bed (Limited availability)
£TBC pp - Tree House / Bell Tent Accommodation
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Early bird discount is available only for shared accommodation in the barn rooms. 10% discount for single accommodation is available for full payment by 31 August 2020.
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A reservation requires minimum £150 deposit upon your booking request to reserve your space in the group. The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel your booking. For cancellation and refund policies please get in touch.
For my regular students and their family members, it is possible to complete the full payment in monthly instalments and the remaining amount to be paid in full 90 days before your arrival - by 21st May 2021. Please do not hesitate to contact me for discussing this option if this is the best and most convenient condition for you to join the group.
Once the deposit is paid, your place will be secured and I will contact you to confirm your accommodation as well as the payment plan that you would like to schedule for.
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** Main transport, transfers from the station and travel insurance are not included to the packages. Appropriate insurance is always recommended whenever making travel plans. Rooms are subject to availability.
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Why you should retreat with the Crow?
For sophisticated, sustainable and ethically planned yoga holidays
LESS CARBON FOOTPRINT
For me, the priority is offering most of my retreats by enabling you to get away from your day to day life without adding a huge increase to your carbon footprint. This would also give you an opportunity for sharing lifts to get the venue, in order to keep our impact on our beautiful planet as minimum as possible. This is also a beautiful possibility to get to know one another better, in order to warm up the relations at the very beginning of the weekend and to have a chance for exchanging feedback about individual experiences from the retreat while on the way back home!
OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF YOGA TEACHING
My many years of intensive yoga teaching diploma training qualifies me as a Level 4 (500+ hours) Yoga Teacher and enables me to guide and teach you expertly and safely. BWYQ qualifications are regulated by the Office for Qualifications (Ofqual) and are bench marked to national educational standards. This is the highest level of yoga teacher training currently available in the UK. My yoga teaching training with the British Wheel of Yoga is also one of the most comprehensive trainings in the world and the assurance of a long and continuous study in many aspects of Yoga in a very deep level: Anatomy and Physiology, the subtle body, breathing techniques, meditation, relaxation, the philosophy and ethics of Yoga.
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I also had great chances to be trained and practise with world wide known and most respected teachers to expand my yoga teaching knowledge and skills beyond the limits. I am so much ready to deliver this diverse experience to you all with the intention of creating and sharing the most beautiful and beneficial yoga for all. You can read more about me here!
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HOSTING WITH A LOVING HEART & A GENTLE MIND
Today, I am taking the pride & joy of having created a supportive and very friendly community for both genders, all ages and abilities around YogaCrow. I have a great passion & commitment to offer authentic, rich and diverse yoga experiences which are accessible to all. I trust that I have a unique offering, where students can practise affordable and high quality of yoga in a non-judgmental and non-competitive environment. My approach on hosting a retreat is not any different than hosting my classes. I welcome you at our temporary HOME with a loving heart and a gentle mind for a happy stay for all.
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TESTIMONIALS
"I was feeling quite drained and needed some ‘me time’, I wanted a change of scenery in a peaceful place, and the chance to just go a bit deeper into yoga. It was such a beautiful weekend! It definitely met my needs. The workshops were amazing, they included a huge variety of different yoga practice, timed to really fit in well with the time of day (so dynamic practice in the morning and lovely restorative sessions in the late afternoon and the evening). The whole time was such a treat, everything set up for relaxation really! It was also so valuable to have the time to have those conversations that there isn’t time for in the average class. The weekend did me so much good. It came towards the end of quite a difficult time in my life and it was just what I needed to get away, nourish myself and really take some time out of the crazy routine of daily life. I resolved to do a yoga retreat every year!"
CATHERINE P. S., WELL WOMEN WEEKEND 2019
"I was seeking relaxation through lots of yoga practices, good company, healthy food, yoga nidra, lovely walks in the countryside! The whole weekend definitely met my needs. Aslihan made everyone in the group feel so welcome! I felt a little nervous beforehand as I didn’t know anybody else going on the retreat, but Aslihan kindly introduced me to another fellow student and we shared a lift to the retreat and stayed in the same cottage for the weekend. So it was nice to get to know someone else in the group on the way to the retreat. This made me feel at ease straight away, and was so nice getting to know other people, sharing stories and ideas. I loved all the yoga sessions and the outdoors experience was great too! I left the retreat feeling very inspired, relaxed and happy and far less stressed than I had previously. This retreat was so good for the mind and soul, and a great opportunity to meet like minded individuals who enjoy yoga too! I highly recommend Aslihan’s yoga retreat weekends!!"
CLARE J., WELL WOMEN WEEKEND 2019
"I had never been on any sort of yoga retreat having only completed classes or home practice so entered into a 3 day yoga weekend with 15 other ladies with 80% excitement 10% nervousness and 10% scepticism! I wanted a little 'me' time and to try something new/different. My yoga journey was growing and I wanted to experience different settings and experiment with what else 'yoga' had to offer. I had tried sound baths with varying degrees of success...but what else was there? WOW!!! what else....beautiful venue; well appointed studio; fantastic vegan food (coming from a non vegan or vegetarian); great company and a SUPERB itinerary!! There was a balance between asana practice, restorative practices, gentle relaxation. a sound bath and personal time. We did candlelight yoga in our 'jammies'! 16 ladies from different walks of life largely unknown to one another. We chatted, laughed, shared and comforted.... and at the end participated in a wonderful bonding ceremony. 16 friends that just hadn't met until that weekend! I feel this experience opened me up to trying different things. I have since attended other workshops and learned skills around breathing practices, meditation, mindfulness. And am discovering what I do like and what doesn't serve me ... at this point. I am understanding more about the roots of yoga and exploring all the 8 limbs of yoga! So much in just a few short months....bring on the next one!!"
GILL Q., WELL WOMEN WEEKEND 2019
What's included?
Let nothing hold you back from creating the life you’ve always wanted.
What is included:
– 2 nights accommodation
– Meals and refreshments
– All Yoga and Meditation classes
– Yoga equipment (but better to bring your own kit if you have any)
– Sound Bath
– Use of outdoor pool and surroundings
– Tennis Courts
What is not included:
– Transfer to and from the venue
– Travel Insurance
– Complementary Therapies
– Extra one-2-one yoga & meditation tuition
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