Featured retreat: Boutique Yoga & Detox

The Ibiza Retreats Boutique Yoga and Detox retreat is very special. It’s for people wishing to begin a fresh journey into their wellbeing – words fail to exactly describe why this experience is so unique and touching. The transformations that happen in just four days, make it one of the most powerful retreats on offer. Our guests leave as completely different people, or rather, they have discovered who they really are again.

A typical day on retreat:

08.30:  Morning meditation and detoxifying yoga
11.00:   Detox juices and fresh organic brunch
12.00 – 16.00:  Massages and treatments by the pool
17.00:   Restorative yoga
19.00:   Sunset hike to Heaven’s Gate (Las Puertas del Cielo)
20.30:   Light supper
22.00:   Star-gazing, raw cacao hot chocolate and sweet dreams

The menu concept on the Boutique Yoga & Detox retreats is focused on a gentle detox for the mind and the body. It’s not about starvation, it’s about fresh and simple cuisine. Day three is a juice detox, a time to take your mind off food and focus inwards, in order to better understand your relationship with food and to give your system a total break and a gentle detox – perfect for those new to juicing.

Don’t be deceived by the name, the sea views, the deep green pine forest, the breeze blowing through the lavender or the beautiful burning torches which light the pathways at night. Our retreat location, Can Bikini, is a true sanctuary in every sense of the word, an oasis of calm and a little piece of paradise on the south-west coast of this magical island.

Reserve your mind and mat space now – our next Boutique Yoga & Detox retreat takes place from April 19 to 23, 2015 and there are also various dates over the forthcoming summer season. Find more information by clicking here.

Spring clean your body, detox your mind

How are you feeling at the end of the winter? Even if you are a regular gym goer, outdoors exercise lover or passionate yogi, chances are you have been spending the majority of time, not least because of the colder weather, inside lately. Winter time often sees us being more ‘indoors’ and ‘inwards focused’. The colder weather and longer, darker, nights encourage us to hibernate – and rightly so! Winter is the time of year for the ‘inner work’ as we say in Ibiza, and now, as the beautiful almond blossoms appear on the trees signifying the change of season, are you feeling your whole being wanting to open, expand and grow? How can you release the last of the winter blockages and step into spring with a clear focus, positive intentions and an energised, spring in your stride?

Well… It’s all about a good spring clean!
  • Physically. Work with springtime energies to do a physical detox or cleanse. There are many ways to do this, including juicing and raw foods. We love Verity Smith’s door-to-door nutritionist facilitated juice cleanses, tailored to your personal needs. Or if you are looking to retreat and detox on a deeper level, try Ilona Pantel-Ayal’s amazing holistic fasts held high on a mountain top in the beautiful Buddha House incorporating reflexology, massage, visualisations and many other supportive techniques. Otherwise, you can simply choose to lighten up your larder (and your life!) by eliminating stimulants like caffeine, good old PG Tips, sugar, wheat, dairy and all the stodgy carbs that, whilst great for winter warmth fuel, can feel heavy and unnecessary for the approaching warmer months.
  • Mentally. As you detox the body, you also create space to clear and cleanse the mind. Inevitably, stuff will come up! This ‘stuff’ could be things you may have been avoiding or things you have been seeking clarity on. Any situations in relationships, or in life, which are not clear will beckon your attention. Having a good holistic life coach or detox guide is vital to be able to reconcile and release any challenging emotions. The Just Stop! lifestyle detox retreats offer wonderful, fully-facilitated support so you can dig deep and transform any poison into medicine.
  • Energetically. When cleansing your system, you can expect to feel tired during the first couple of days. So long, slow walks in nature, gentle yoga and stretching are vital for supporting your lymphatic system to purify, calling on you to breathe more deeply and consciously. The yogic ‘pranayama’ techniques lengthen the breath, to expand the intake of new ‘prana’ or life force energy and enable deeper release of ‘apana’ or old, toxic, waste energy.
  • Spiritually. As you clear your space internally, it opens up a connection to your inner self, the deeper, truer part of you that enables you to know when you really are on your right path. This is a great time to consider your life purpose and how you are treating yourself and others in your life. Take time out to ask yourself those important questions and to connect with your potential for creating incredible projects this year.
  • Environmentally. Move through your home with some sage or palo santo, or good quality incense to intentionally clear the space in each room. Now be brave! Veto all the things in your physical environment that do not bring you feelings of peace, calm or happiness, and yes – that includes clothes! Follow the three-word rule: recycle, re-sell or retain. If there are things around you that don’t feel good to look at and are catching even a millisecond of your unconscious attention, they are potential energy drains. Get rid of them!
So what are the benefits?

You will soon notice how much clearer and lighter you feel. You will rest better, sleep better and feel stronger, calmer and more energised. Your appetite will diminish and you will be able to listen to your body more, to continue to eat and drink things that really are good and right for you and your system. Your home will become a place where you can relax and refuel and your ‘inner-world’ will also feel more peaceful as you listen to your inner guidance system more effectively. Welcome to living your life in flow!

Find more information here about Ibiza Retreats Just Stop! retreats – the perfect escape for an inner spring clean.

Top treatment: Hawaiian Lomi Lomi Massage

Both a healing massage and a ceremonial ritual, from the Hawaiian philosophy of ‘Huna’ (translated roughly to ‘the secret’ or ‘the knowledge’, Lomi Lomi massage is a healing practice developed by the native Kahuna healers. In traditional trainings, massage practitioners were apprenticed from childhood and received decades of training. Mastery, it was said, could be achieved throughout a lifetime.

Here in Ibiza, our modern-day master of this ancient healing art is Shambala Wegner, passionate about her purpose and boasting a wealth of mind, body and spiritual training and experience. Shambala’s open heart and many decades of body work lay the foundations for this profound and life-enhancing treatment, and she welcomes you to let go, be nourished, deeply relaxed and pampered on her table.

Quite literally, Lomi means to rub, soothe, knead or work in and out like the paws of cat. As a receiver you can luxuriate in this deeply restorative treatment, or surrender more deeply in body, heart and mind to the ancient healing arts that flow from Shambala’s hands. Using plenty of oil, the treatment is always given with prayer and intention, plus music and song, as dancing hands and flowing strokes resonate through every cell of your being like the movements of waves, purifying, healing and releasing.

Shambala is fully receptive to your unconscious signals and your body’s need to hold on, reassuring you with her calm, loving care. Breathing with you, she inherently senses your readiness to release. Floating and serene, you are reconnected with your feminine qualities (whether you are male or female) and you can expect to leave the massage bed softer, more soothed, and with your skin feeling supple. The benefits of this unique and ancient massage ritual include improved circulation, immunity and posture; lower blood pressure, increased flexibility and healing plus an overall feeling of wellbeing and harmony that is noticeable after just one treatment.

During the Ibiza Retreats Get Glowing Retreats, Shambala is a resident therapist, resplendent in her warm and welcoming temple treatment room, filled with colourful, lush flowers. You can also experience Shambala’s Lomi Lomi massages on during the Just Stop! Retreats or by private appointment – enquire with us for more information.

Learn to love yourself… this Valentine’s season

Do you find it far easier to give time and energy to others, than you do to investing in yourself?

As corny as it may sound, learning to love yourself IS the key to health and happiness.  Yet why do you and I resist it so?

Yep, it is a proven scientific fact: smiling increases serotonin levels and laughing helps endorphins swim around your system, soothing your nervous tension and, as you relax.  So why not give yourself a hug every day for a week and feel the benefits as you smile from the inside out:

So here are 5 tips to learn to love yourself, more easily, this Valentine’s season:

1*  Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you:

– speak to yourself kindly, especially when things don’t go to plan or when you make those very “human” errors that can make us feel so stupid at the time

– appreciate yourself for all of the good goings you do on a daily basis, for others and the world around you

– set realistic targets – in both work and home life –  and be kind to yourself whether you reach them… or not.

2* Be kind to yourself: – listen to your body and if you feel to tired to complete a task or have a conversation – choose to rest and rejuvenate your system.

3* Make regular you-dates: – choose somewhere beautiful, for lunch, a tea, a walk in nature, a museum with inspiring art and design, whatever fills you up with good energy ( and ideally helps you feel indulged, treated and boosts your inner-smile )

4* Re-treat yourself for a few minutes each day: – take a 10 minute “disconnection” break, without iPhone, emails, tweets or pings.  Just Stop! And out on some relaxing music – take some time to just be.

5* Book yourself into a yoga class, for a massage or for a day in the spa:- give yourself the gift of healing hands, our body does crave touch to release and let go, you deserve to feel nourished and cared for.

And most of all…. En joy what you do this Valentine’s season.

Make choices that make you happy.  Choose pleasure rather than pressure.   And do include dark chocolate, as it is also proven by our team’s smiles that a bite of what tastes that good is also great for your happiness and spreads the good loving feelings.

 

Join our Get Glowing Retreat to learn empowering and heart-opening techniques!

Just Stop! Yoga & Spring Lifestyle Detox

Featured in the Times Top mind-body wellness escapes – Just Stop! and detox your lifestyle  in Ibiza this Springtime.   Invigorate your whole system with fresh air and shake free of winter lethargy. Nourish your nervous system with healing hands and a long deep exhale… Come, let go and unwind in the welcoming arms of the Just Stop! team. Strengthen your body and find peace-of-mind, with mindful hatha vinyasa flow yoga and calming meditation & pranayama techniques.  Revitalise with a nutritionist on hand to help you to eat right for your type, with super-food laced, purifying, seasonal, vegetarian cuisine, sugar wheat and dairy free. and fresh, locally sourced produce and post yoga nutritionally designed juices!

Get clear about your purpose, path and priorities with Life & Wellness Coaching with NLP Coaches & Yoga Instructors Larah Davis, founder of Ibiza Retreats and Rebekah Fensome. Release emotional blockages with MET super-tapping-teacher Shambala.  Experience Tai Chi with Arun and let Ibiza’s energy restore your inner-smile.  Experience deep relaxation with yoga nidra-yogic sleepl Silence the chattering monkey mind.  Lie back and allow our amazing therapists’ healing hands to massage your stresses and strains away, From 795GBP / 999 euros all-inc sharing / £965 / €1,160 with purifying, naturally detoxifying diet, sunset meditations, beautiful beach time, walks in nature. 

Just Stop! Yoga & Lifestyle Detox Retreats offer gently facilitated YOU-time to recharge your batteries – full dates available for 2014 are:

March 23 – 27

April 23 – 27

May 31 – 4 June

July 19 – 23

August 3 – 7

September 21 – 25

October – 18 – 22

March, April, May, July & August – set in a 400 year old Finca retreat, rustic and natural amidst hectares of fig, almond and carob trees.  With bio-pool and lush gardens, perfect peace and tranquility.

September & October – in the Zen Tranquility of Villa Amonita with stunning emerald lap-pool

Both with magical canopied yoga decks amidst the pines.

With plenty of you-time for cranio-sacral therapy, reflexology.  “Play”shops for techniques to take away to manage stress and create greater emotional balance  include MET (Tapping – Emotional Freedom Technique) intro workshop, Yoga Nidra Relaxation and pool-side holistic therapies, sleep, siesta, rest and read.  Boost your body, mind and spirit with soft autumnal sunshine and fresh herbal teas, juices and siestas in the shade of the pine trees. Enquire here now.