7 days in the peaceful beauty of the Tuscan landscapes, niched in a protected nature area with sea views and olive trees, daily yoga, meditation, delicious and vibrant food, and lots of time… just for you.
Can you picture it? We certainly can 😊
This is why you are warmly invited to join us for this one-of-a-kind retreat.
This is not just your typical “yoga retreat in Italy”. Indeed, on this one David Bonneville from Québec, Canada, and Cédric Gorinas from Copenhagen, Denmark, are joining forces and their long-time expertise and passion for hosting yoga retreats and balancing body and mind.
Your yoga sessions will be a combination of more dynamic, alignment-based hatha and vinyasa yoga in the morning altering within some more gentle, restorative and yin-oriented sessions in the afternoon. Beyond asanas, you will be guided into meditation and breathing exercises for a complete reset of your system.
Each day, you will enjoy lovingly and locally made vegetarian meals. To make the most of the beautiful setting we will be in, we will hike down to the beach one day, passing through olive groves and small streams (app. 1.5-2 hours each way, with a picnic), and on another day we let ourselves be guided on a tasting tour of the property’s extra virgin olive oil. Yumi!
In addition to the two daily yoga sessions, David and Cédric will offer you workshops that you can decide to join if you would like to go a little further in, e.g., specific asanas (arm balances, heart openers, etc.) or meditation and yoga philosophy (based on Patanjali and nondual tantra). There will also be plenty of time for you to enjoy the view of the Mediterranean sea, explore the vast property, read a book, and… just be.
Your guides Cédric and David are both certified and experienced yoga instructors offering workshops, trainings, and retreats in both Denmark, Canada, and abroad. They each have been teaching for over a decade and are known for their uplifting, yet sensitive and attuned teaching styles. David and Cédric will provide you with a friendly, down-to-earth environment where everyone is welcome and invited to lean back into themselves. Both nerds of the body anatomy and wisdom, you will be in good hands and most likely deepen your practice to a whole new level. It is time for you to relax, rejuvenate, and have fun!
You are in for a treat and can look forward to a total reset and renewal for your body, mind, heart, and belly 😉
The venue
This retreat will take place in a stunning property of 42 acres and a 17th century old renovated farmhouse and former monastery, known for its particularly healing energy and air properties and run by the lovely Sara & Nicola. Located in the protected nature reserve of Monti Livornesi (near Livorno, Pisa, and Florence), the enchanted scenery of the retreat will help ground and refresh your system before you choose to either go home or explore the Tuscany landscapes or nearby islands after the retreat.
Program
We will start at 5pm on the first day Sunday June 16 and will stop after brunch on the last day Sunday June 23.
Preliminary program for a typical day at the retreat:
7.45-8.30: Tea, coffee & light snacks
8.30-10.30: Morning session (yoga and meditation)
11.00-12.00: Brunch
12.00-17.00: Break (hike, farniente…)
17.00-18.45: Afternoon session (yoga and meditation)
19.00-20.00: Dinner
20.00-22.00: Free time or short winding down evening session
Two or three times during the week, David or Cédric will offer you additional workshops on specific themes, for example at [14.30-16.30]. These workshops are optional.
In addition to the retreat’s program and extra activities (beach hike and olive oil tasting), you can book yourself a relaxation or Ayurvedic massage (45€ or 85€ extra).
Lodging & Food
You will be housed in either single or double room, depending on your choice. Rooms are spread out between the main building and two cottages a short distance walk on the property. Linens and towels are provided, and many of the rooms share a common kitchen in the house. Some have an en-suite bathroom.
When in Rome… Naturally, being in Italy at this time of the year, the meals will be a great highlight of the day! The hosts will prepare us delicious vegetarian, mostly organic and locally sourced, many vegetables grown on their own land and cooked with their own extra virgin olive oil…
Let us know of any allergy or intolerance.
Prices
Prices are per person.
Prices include: 7 days of lodging and food, tea and coffee; all the sessions facilitated by David and/or Cédric, including the optional workshops; day trip to the beach; organized olive oil tasting; linens and towels; yoga mats and other props.
Prices do not include: transfer to the airport or local train station (pick up can be arranged); personal travel insurance; local tourist tax (1€ per day); train or flights to Italy.
Shared room (2 or 3 persons): 1495 EUR p. person
Singe room (1 person): 1895 EUR
The number of rooms is limited and rooms are allocated by first-come-first-serve basis.
Registration
For interest and registration, send me an email: cedric@heartwiseyoga.com.
Before May 1st, 2024, we will ask you to pay a deposit of 450 EUR to secure your spot. The rest of the amount is due 45 days prior to the start of the retreat.
For registration on or later than May 1st, we will ask you to pay the full amount directly.
Cancellation policy
For any cancellation before May 1st 2024, the deposit will be withheld by the organizers. For any cancellation after May 1st 2024, the full amount will be withheld but the canceling participant is welcome to sell their spot to another person.
More about the teachers
David Bonneville
Studio owner, teacher and trainer based in Québec, David is a technique junkie whose classes centre around body awareness, anatomy, and mindful movement. His unsatiable curiosity informs his teaching style, always creating an explorative room for his students to find their own power in both their practice and lives. An earlier gymnast and professional acrobat, David has a particular passion for arm balances and handstands. Expect to be challenged and discover new edges in your practice you did not think existed!
For David, our physical practice can become a tool to better recognize our reaction patterns and know ourselves at a deeper level. We are able to make our complex experiences and problem areas more accessible simply by looking at the way we approach our physical practice, how we meet ourselves and how we respond to the nerve impulses.
Cédric Gorinas
Cédric is a full-time, Copenhagen-based yoga and meditation teacher. He has taught alignment-based yoga classes, retreats and trainings over the last ten years and has studied with internationally recognized teachers in yoga techniques, alignment, anatomy, eastern philosophy, meditation, and body-based psychotherapy. His teaching is informed by his passion for the interconnectedness of body, mind, and heart. In Cédric’s classes, you can expect to find (or find again) a good and healthy posture, build strength and flexibility in your body as well as increase your body awareness and a sense of empowerment. He strongly believes in the wisdom of the body which knows the path to healing, personal, and spiritual growth.
Cédric has also an earlier career as a social science researcher, which can be felt in his natural curiosity and his capacity to bring a larger perspective to every class and session he offers (read more about Cédric on heartwiseyoga.com).
