Lead by: Sita Tocco, Ananda Meditation and Yoga Teacher and Ramprasad Wirth, Ananda Yoga Teacher

Cost: $85; Early Bird: $75 through Nov 29

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While we know what relaxation is, do we know how to achieve it?

During this experiential retreat, we will explore:

~Why do we experience fatigue?  Is it from lack of an actual lack of energy?  

~Does our energy come only from the food we eat, the vitamins we take, or the kale we put in our smoothies? 

~What is the difference between doing something with strained willpower or calm willingness?  

~Does being non-attached mean we are not committed or interested in life?  

~Is the goal of life to be easy or for us to have calm energy to meet and rise above what life brings?  

We will explore a variety of simple yet powerful techniques that you can practice on your own at home to learn how to relax at will. These include working with the breath, gently tensing and relaxing different parts of the body, visualizations, affirmations, and more. 

The first part of the retreat will feature Ananda Yoga Postures, suitable for all levels from someone new or newer to yoga to someone with years of experience. We’ll be exploring how yoga postures affect the mind, not if we can touch our toes! 

All participants will receive a mini e-book featuring the techniques and teachings from the class, so you can revisit and continue practicing them at home.

This retreat is held at Ananda Washington’s Heart Song Retreat in the Lake Stevens area.  It’s close enough to make the drive quite easy, but is tucked away on 5-picturesque acres so you feel you are miles away from the cacophony of noises and frenetic energy of the world.  Heart Song is an oasis of peace and lends itself beautifully to add to our experience of relaxation which translates to peace, calmness, and joy.

From the Art & Science of Raja Yoga, by Swami Kriyananda, “Awareness is the necessary precursor of relaxation. There are many parts of the body that are tense without our conscious knowledge. How are we to become aware of them?  The answer is by increasing tension throughout the body.  Often it happens on a psychological level that we only overcome our faults when they have become exaggerated as to be obvious to us.  The best way to induce preliminary relaxation in the body is first to inhale, tense the whole body (equalizing the flow of tension throughout the body), then throw the breath out and relax the entire body at once.”

*After the retreat, participants will receive a free e-booklet, “The Art of Super Relaxation.”