Special Offer for this holiday: £450

Yin & Yang Yoga Retreat with Elles Theulen (ONE SPACE remaining)

Yin and Yang Yoga finds a healthy balance between the active and receptive elements of yoga, in which breath and awareness are always the key components. As well as a healthy boost for your body, this retreat will give you the opportunity to connect with a deep sense of peace and feel at one with yourself.

The morning class will be more 'Yang', actively strengthening and lengthening the muscles. It includes slow moving yet energising vinyasa flows, and detailed explorations of classic asanas in order to find a deeper understanding of their subtleties and a way to internalise them, make them your own. A long relaxation at the end allows you to rest and absorb the new places you have found.

The Yin Yoga in the afternoon is a quiet practice which focuses on the deeper tissues of the body and is particularly beneficial for the joints. The poses are passive and gentle, mainly floor based, and performed with the muscles relaxed. They are usually held for 3 to 5 minutes to give the connective tissue time to release tension and the joints new breathing space.

There will also be an optional half hour of mindfulness meditation in the morning before breakfast . The costs of the retreat include two day trips, to the beach and to the nearby market town Atri, and use of all the facilities at the Shanti Centre. Various massage sessions are available on site as well (€50), a wonderful treat and highly recommended.

Elles has been practicing yoga and meditation for the best part of 20 years, studying several styles in- depth (Sivananda, Iyengar, Scaravelli) along the way. She eventually qualified in Integral Yoga, and more recently in Yin Yoga having trained with Sarah Powers. Her experience of meditation is based on regular retreats over the years in Zen, Vipassana and mindfulness, and her own personal practice.

She teaches weekly classes for various ages and abilities in the South Cotswolds, UK.

For more information visit www.kishoriyoga.com.