Join us in the beautiful beachside surroundings of Yandara Retreat, Baja California, Mexico

“Recognize that unlearning is the highest form of learning.” — Rumi

Join Mark Whitwell, Rosalind Atkinson and supporting teachers and community for seven days, six nights at the ocean fringes of the great continent of the Americas. You are invited to join a great meeting of yogis from the North and the South, converging in the Heart of the Americas – Mexico.

Teacher Untraining or Retreat

Receive Yoga from one of the few remaining teachers to study directly with T. Krishnamacharya, the “grandfather of modern yoga” and his son TKV Desikachar. Mark Whitwell met these venerable teachers in 1973 in Chennai, and enjoyed a wonderful relationship with them until Desikachar’s passing in 2018, and beyond, even.

So many of the principles that make Yoga authentic, powerful and safe have been lost. It has too often been reduced to a workout or a hobby of stretching for limited demographics.

Heart of Yoga principles are:

• Yoga should adapt to meet you where you are

• Work, but no struggle — Yoga is where we unlearn the habits of struggle of modern day life

• All bodies, ages, cultures and religions are welcomed. Yoga is not religion. We respect all backgrounds

• The breath is the central feature and purpose of asana!

• Beyond just asana, your Yoga includes pranayama (conscious breathing), and the later meditative ‘limbs’ of practice, which come as gifts

• Teachings include Vedic chanting, Tantric mantra, Nyasa (‘placing’ mantra in the body), mudra, history of yoga, and philosophy (but engaged and relevant to our lives… not dry and abstract).

• Learn more about the Goddess Tantras and the powerful non-dual traditions

• The Socratic method: teachings are a dialogue between equals, a conversation, not a hierarchical lecture

• Intelligent sequencing or Vinyasa Krama – learn how to structure a practice in the way that builds safely to a peak

• Alignment from the inside: using interoception (your own body intelligence) to find the adjustments that are right for you

• Trauma informed: no gross adjustments, go at your own pace, no overstimulating ‘breathwork,’ sensitivity to what we carry

Is it for me?

• Are you a Yoga teacher wanting to reconnect with the subtle and breath-centric roots of Yoga, and Tantra, more than just the physical postures?

• Or a diligent practitioner, wanting to step into teaching an authentic lineage?

• Perhaps you took a workshop or class with Mark in the past and would like to go deeper;

• Or you may be a serious devotee/practitioner from diverse lineages, who wants a whole-body practice to support their spiritual life;

• Are you looking for a Yoga that can adapt to you and meet you where you are now, rather than struggling to change…

• Are you looking for a reset, some time to reconnect with deeper Truth, with yourself, with the ocean and the land…

• Did you read ‘The Heart of Yoga’ and wish to connect deeper with the teachings from T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar

• Do you feel the need to balance very ‘yang’ society and life with the essential ‘yin’ qualities, which may be neglected

Costs

This event is all-inclusive: costs include:

• all classes and instruction,

• teaching materials,

• one-on-one time with teachers,

• chosen accommodation,

• all the facilities at Yandara, like the beautiful pool and beachfront pavilion

• delicious vegetarian meals (with optional local fish, eggs and dairy), drinks, and fruits.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Images below

1. Glamping Cabana with ensuite bathroom – to yourself: $2600

2. Glamping Cabana with ensuite bathroom – a couple, sharing (queen bed): $2200 each*

3. Glamping cabana without bathroom – to yourself: $2100

4. Glamping cabana without bathroom, two people sharing a king bed or twin beds: $1850 each

5. White canvas glamping tent to yourself: $1990

6. White canvas glamping tent shared with two people sharing a double bed: $1800 each*

7. Standard deluxe tent (single bed): $1650

All prices are per person, in USD
* these options are not designed for twin sharing but could be shared by a couple or close friends

Schedule

Sunday 25th May: Check in begins at 3pm. For arrivals before 3pm, your accommodation may still be being prepared. You are welcome to relax by the pool, explore the campus and beach, enjoy complimentary refreshments, and meet people.

After dinner, we will gather around 7pm

Monday-Friday: quiet time and morning practice before breakfast
- breakfast 8am
- morning session and practice
- lunch
- free time to explore, swim, wander
- afternoon session and practice
- dinner
- evening music, gathering, or free time

Saturday 31st: Breakfast, morning practice, pack up rooms, check out of room by 10am, closing session.
If your shuttle is leaving later, you are welcome to relax by the pool until at least 1pm (and possibly later).

Getting There

Yandara Retreat Centre is located on the Pacific Coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico, in between the popular artist town of Todos Santos (20 minutes to the north) and Cabo San Lucas (45 minutes south). Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is a convenient 1-hour journey on a dedicated toll road.

Booking a flight

Unless you are making your own way from another airport, please ensure that you book your flight into San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos International (SJD). Ideally, try to book your arrival time between 11am and 5pm so that you can shuttle with your group and take advantage of Yandara’s special $40 rate (shuttles outside these hours are $60-$100).

Departure flights: ideally you can schedule them to take off between 1pm and 5pm on the 31st.

Accreditation

This week together can be combined with online teacher training materials to receive 200hr certification. Either through Yoga Alliance, and through our own more rigorous certification programme, or both.

The Heart of Yoga Foundation

Our mission is sharing authentic Yoga from the Indian traditions with the world – effective, powerful, and adaptable to all belief systems. We are a registered 501(c)3 non-profit, and all income from this retreat after costs goes towards our programmes making Yoga accessible around the world: YES (yoga education in schools), Yoga Access Project, and the Yoga Peace Project.

By coming on this training or retreat, you are supporting these programmes and helping nurture authentic Yoga in the world. Thank you.