Yoga Retreat: 4 Months, 4 Reasons

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Bikram yoga retreat, hot yoga retreat, summer yoga holiday, vinyasa yoga retreat, yoga holiday abroad, yoga holiday Algarve, yoga holiday Portugal, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

It is just four months till the Yoga Holiday With Paul retreat in the Algarve on 21 June – 28 June  2019. June seems like a long ways away, but that time will fly.

A lot will happen in our busy lives between now and then, so I just want to take a moment to focus on four reasons why dedicating a week to yourself and your practice is so critical. It will truly change your life.

Time to reflect

Despite our best intentions it is almost impossible to switch off and disconnect in our daily lives. There is always something to do, an app to look at, an email to answer. Yoga Holiday With Paul creates space for deep reflection.

Time to practice

Needless to say, we do a lot of yoga. Some students come not sure if they are strong enough to do multiple yoga sessions in a short period of time. What they find though, is that yoga itself is energising. Much of what we experience as tiredness in the studio is what we’ve dragged in from our busy lives outside. When we dedicate the time to yoga, it invigorates and strengthens us.

Time to connect

Have you noticed how hard it is to connect with new people? Everyone is running a hundred different directions, loaded up with responsibilities and worries. Yoga Holiday With Paul is a space where students have time to relax and get to know each other. Humans are social animals. We want to befriend, and be friends. This is a wonderful opportunity to tap back into that basic desire and form great new friendships.

Time to play

We often take ourselves too seriously and even feel guilty if we’re not totally focused all the time. On our yoga retreat, we let go of these expectations and make the time to play. We do yoga with music, we dance, we go to the beach, explore the town, hang out by the pool. Basically, we give ourselves permission to have fun and experience the world in a free, spontaneous playful way. You’ll be amazed how it lightens your spirit!

To reserve your place or for more information: YogaHolidayWithPaul@gmail.com

 

 

It’s Your Yoga Holiday Time!

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#yogagoals, Bikram yoga retreat, home yoga, hot yoga retreat, Portugal yoga retreat, summer yoga holiday, sun salutations, yoga holiday tips, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga retreat, Yoga With Paul

Our merry band of yogis is gathering in the Algarve to begin a week of yoga, meditation, music, laughter, food, sunshine, socialising and relaxation.

Even if you weren’t able to join us this time, you can still enjoy the benefits of a break in the midst of your daily routine. Here are three ways to turn any week into an at-home yoga holiday.

Sun salutations (also available on cloudy days)

Holiday Sun Salutations

My recommendation for keeping yourself grounded, healthy and calm during the season is to do home practice. If you don’t have the benefit of the yoga studio warm up with a few sets of Surya Namaskara (sun salutations). Do five to ten rounds of sun salutations followed by other yoga poses and then rest deeply.   This is perfect!

Home Yoga Space

Whether you occasionally do yoga at home or would like to start, a home yoga space is an inspiring way to expand your practice. It is a contrast to the energy of a studio class and helps to make the calming mind-body benefits of yoga part of your every day life.

#YogaGoals

Summer is a time to chill, be with friends, enjoy holidays… but it can also be a time to revitalise our yoga practice. In fact, it’s the perfect time to set some #yogagoals.

When your class schedule or home practice get routine and comfortable, it is time to challenge yourself. Here are three #yogagoals to bring new vitality to your yoga.

1. Add a class, or try a new style: Swap Bikram for Vinyasa for example, or experiment with Ashtanga, Jivamukti or Iyengar
2. Master a new pose: Maybe you’ve always wanted to do a handstand; or learn crane pose. Or take the time to get really good at standing bow, or savasana, or camel
3. Yogify your mind: Focus on your spiritual and mental development by meditating, practicing mindfulness, volunteering, or simply making a conscious effort to take the calm of the studio out into your daily life.

Share your yoga holiday thoughts and experiences in the comments!

 

It’s Yoga Holiday Time!

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hot yoga retreat, vinyasa yoga retreat, yoga holiday abroad, yoga holiday Algarve, yoga holiday Portugal, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

Today is the day, friends. We’re off to the beautiful Algarve for the annual Yoga Holiday With Paul retreat. Those of you who are with us will be hearing a lot from me over the next few days, leaving you little time to read the blog.

Those of you following along from London, or anywhere else, can dip into the archive to experience the joy and benefits of a yoga retreat right where you are now.

Yoga Holiday Countdown 

Get super(food) powers

If you’re already eating clean you can amp up your diet by adding nutrient-rich superfoods. Eat more of the following

• Vegetables: Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Beets, Garlic, Cauliflower, Leeks
• Fruits: Blueberries, Strawberries, Watermelon
• Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, Pistachios, Quinoa, Chia
• Herbs & Spices: Green tea, Ginger, Turmeric

What Not to Bring on a Yoga Holiday

Worry

Yoga Holiday With Paul is the ideal time to disconnect from your worries. You probably don’t even realise how much you worry – about work, family, money, friendships, even yoga. Make a conscious decision to put aside worry and focus on being in the present moment. You are enough. You have enough. You are cared for. Let yourself relax.

Yoga Holiday Prep Steps

Meditate (just a little bit)

Making time to meditate when you’re rushing around trying to get everything done before your holiday might seem impossible, but you don’t have to spend half an hour a day in lotus position to get the benefits. Set aside five minutes in the morning or evening (or both, if you can manage) to sit quietly and breath. You don’t have to adopt a particular place or posture, just be still where you are. This will help your mind and body relax, and get you used to switching off from external stress.

Stay in touch by commenting or Tweeting @YogaWithPaul !

 

Yoga Holiday With Paul Memoir

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We had a brilliant week on the Yoga With Paul 2015 retreat. I’m happy to share some of the photos and words from our fantastic group of yogis … The following is an excerpt from our Yoga Holiday With Paul 2015 Memoir. Hope you enjoy it and plan to join us next year!

The theme of this year’s yoga holiday annual is the eight limbs of yoga:

The retreat was another wonderful week of growing, learning and enjoying life to the full with old friends and new. This year the memoir looks at how the retreat embodied the eight limbs of yoga – and offer suggestions for you to grow in your yoga practice through the coming year. Enjoy the words, images and inspiration!

THE EIGHT LIMBS OF YOGA
Yama – ethics
Niyama – spiritual practice
Asana – physical practice
Pranayama – control of the breath
Pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses
Dharana – concentration
Dhyana – meditation
Samadhi – super-consciousness

The eight limbs of yoga are a progressive path to enlightenment. Each cultivates a different part of the mind, body and spirit, taking you deeper into the practice.

What the Yogis have to say:

The retreat always confirms that yoga is a joy and necessity. -Claire

It was perfect for getting away from the everyday and focusing on improving my practice whilst being in a relaxing environment with great company and lovely food and drink. -Su

It has changed my regular practice as know I find myself correcting my posture and repeating what I learnt from the retreat. -Kay

On day three I nearly walked out of morning practice as my body was aching all over and I felt total frustration. I was so tired and my muscles were screaming too much yoga!” What was I thinking? Am I mad? I kept on looking around the room comparing myself to the others and felt almost anger how rubbish I was. I was close to tears. It was only that evening, after Paul told me that we are all different, our bodies have different strengths, flexibility and pointed out that some people were practicing for over a decade that my attitude and way of thinking changed. I approached next day’s practice with renewed enthusiasm and my oh my!
what a class it was! -Kamila

I arrived tired and exhausted from working and during my stay I recharged my batteries and felt a calmness and relaxation which has lasted long after the holiday.
Paul is a very calm instructor who makes you feel relaxed. He would remind us to breathe deeply before stretching and turning. He is funny and engaging. I thoroughly
enjoyed the sessions. -Rung

I gained a deeper connection with practice, enlightenment and relaxation. -Paul B

I visited the beach a few times and enjoyed swimming in the sea. The accommodation was surrounded by scent-filled fruit orchards and we were very privileged to enjoy excellent food. -Rung

Paul has an amazing presence, the way he works and feels the room – a spiritual energy. He has the ability to command attention without having to speak, a truly gifted instructor. Paul’s classes are always challenging but fun. He encourages everyone to push themselves just that little bit more at every class, it’s Yoga practice – practice makes perfect! -Elke

During the retreat I felt very refreshed, relaxed and happy. Afterward I missed the retreat, but used the meditation learning to bring me back to a place of peace.-Vibeka

If you’d like more information, please contact us on yogaholidaywithpaul@gmail.com or via Twitter

Festival Med

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Festival Med is a highlight of Yoga Holiday with Paul. It is a world music in Loulé, near our retreat at Quinta Mimosa, and we’ve visited it several years running. It’s a great chance to unwind with new friends, experience a mix of music and culture, and really get that holiday feel!

Advertising itself under the slogan of “music and much more”, the festival also presents other forms of art, including handicraft exhibitions, dance performances and street theatre. Plus there are lots of food options with traditional cuisine of each of the countries taking part.

Here are a few snapshots from our visit last year!

What’s your favourite music festival? Share in the comments!

The Yoga Holiday With Paul Experience

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Yoga Holiday With Paul 2015 is coming soon: 19-26 June. If you’d like to be part of a sun-drenched week of Bikram yoga, beaches, delicious food, new friends, meditation and inspiration email: YogaHolidayWithPaul@gmail.com

Yoga Holiday with Paul

Here is what some of the class of 2014 had to say:

It made me think more about alignment rather than relying on the mirrors and thinking about
other postures that are not covered in Bikram. ~Su Pang

Love love love Vinyasa flow as this is what I have started doing at home. It was brilliant to take

A gorgeous evening meal

a class with Paul. ~Jane Sharp

The Vinyasa flow and yoga with music classes truly highlight the beauty in practicing as you can
feel your soul in your movements. ~Claire Farrell

Bikram with music was awesome! I am not sure why it isn’t used all the time. The choice of music was great. Now when I hear those songs my mind wanders off to remembering the retreat and
I always am smiling. ~Nikki Taylor

To reserve your place or for more information email: YogaHolidayWithPaul@gmail.com

YHwP Class of 2013

Yoga Holiday With Paul 2015

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I can’t believe how fast the year is going!

In three months we’ll be heading to the Algarve, Portugal, for Yoga Holiday with Paul from 19-26 June 2015.

Spaces are limited. To reserve your place or for more information email: YogaHolidayWithPaul@gmail.com

On the beach

This is an amazing week of Bikram yoga, meditation, music, friendship, laughter, delicious food, sunshine, beaches and generally all the things that make life amazing. Join us!

To reserve your place or for more information email: YogaHolidayWithPaul@gmail.com

Yoga Holiday With Paul 2015

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Algarve holidays, Bikram Yoga holiday, Bikram yoga retreat, fitness holidays, hot yoga holiday, hot yoga retreat, yoga holiday abroad, yoga holiday Portugal, Yoga Holiday With Paul, yoga retreat, Yoga With Paul

It’s almost 2015 and that means another chance to take your Bikram practice to a higher level on a Yoga Holiday With Paul.

Yoga Holiday With Paul takes place on 19-26 June 2015 in the Algarve, Portugal. Every year we take off for seven days of sunshine, sweat, smiles and scrumptious food and come back stronger, fitter and deep in our yoga practice.

Spaces are limited. Reserve your spot by email: YogaHolidayWithPaul@gmail.com.

Here are some scenes from 2014 🙂

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Holiday Tips for Yogis

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beach yoga, Bikram Yoga holiday, fitness holidays, healthy holidays, hot yoga retreat, hot yoga tips, yoga abroad, yoga holiday, yoga practice

After our Yoga Holiday with Paul retreat I’ve been thinking about ways to make any holiday a yoga holiday.

Here are five suggestions:

1. Pick a ‘yoga moment’
Set aside half an hour each day to reconnect with yourself. Find a quiet spot and do some gentle poses while the sun sets, or take a break from the heat and practice under a palm tree.

2. Buy a new yoga outfit
Add cute new shorts, or a cool workout top to your holiday shopping list.

3. Explore the local hydration options
Lots of hot destinations have a local specialty: orange juice from local trees, perhaps, or even a freshly-cracked coconut!

4. Try new moves
Refresh your routine by trying new poses or focusing on a particular posture you want to improve. YogaGlo is a great resource for online classes tailored to different levels, interests and styles.

5. Spend more time in savasana
Holidays are for relaxing and there is no better way to release stress than to practice savasana. Spend five, ten, even 30 minutes if you want to, breathing, meditating, completely connecting with yourself and letting go of your worries.

What are your holiday yoga tips? Share in the comments!

Yoga Holiday Memoir

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Bikram yoga, Bikram yoga abroad, Bikram Yoga holiday, hot yoga London, hot yoga retreat, London yoga studios, yoga holiday Portugal, Yoga Holiday With Paul, Yoga With Paul

I want to say a huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who took part in this year’s yoga retreat.

Yoga Holiday with Paul 2014 went off without a hitch, and I still have a big smile on my face from our week of yoga, dancing, music, incredible food and cooing over baby Mia, a born Bikram yogi if I’ve ever met one!

I’m collaborating with my friend and student Cila again this year to create a holiday memoir, capturing the experience and essence of the retreat. Those of you who were there will have a chance to share your insights, memories and advice with each other, and everyone who reads the blog!

That will be coming together in the next few weeks. Meantime, thank you all, again, for your energy, dedication, laughter, willingness to learn, and wonderful spirit. It was an honour to guide you and I look forward to seeing you all back in our usual London Bikram studios soon.

Namaste.