AN INDIA AWAKENING | A 9 DAY YOGA & MOVEMENT RETREAT in GOA, INDIA
with NICS BANNISTER, ISAAC MULLINS
& LUCY HILL | 19th - 27th JAN 2024
Join Nics Bannister and Chaya Yoga Retreats in magical India, for a transformational and inspirational start to your year.
This 9 day retreat is a beautiful opportunity for a total rejuvenation of mind, body and soul… Banish the winter blues with movement, yoga, meditation and nature bathing - along with nourishing foods, healing treatments and our beautiful community… All held by our world-class team, immersed in the magical tropics of Goa, in always incredible India.
This is Chaya’s 12th year in India and we are as excited as ever to share this amazing country with you! India veterans and newbies alike - we promise a wonderous, enchanting and uplifting experience, like no other!
THE EXPERIENCE
Escape the cold and gift yourself a truly life-changing experience…
Spend your days immersed in beautiful yoga and movement practices with Nics, in our shady coconut grove yoga shala. Indulge in a lazy, multi-course brunch with panoramic sea views. Take a nap and then dip in the warm, turquoise, Arabian sea. Bask in the non-stop balmy sunshine, or perhaps enjoy one of our deeply healing treatments.
Be guided through a breathtaking sunset hill top meditation, with incredible views as far as the eye can see. Then join an epic community feast under the stars, finishing your day drifting to sleep being lulled by the waves and the twilight songs of tropical birds. Absolute heaven.
LOCATION: CABO SERAI, GOA
Cabo Serai is a beautiful eco-luxury resort on the stunning South Goa coast and the new Indian home for Chaya retreats. Nestled upon a hillside, surrounded by untouched nature, and offering panoramic sea views from every room, Cabo is a true gem. Only accessible by buggy - to get there is a mini adventure in itself! Walk through the coconut groves and across the pretty stream meandering to the sea… And find yourself in our private tropical paradise.
Each beautifully designed suite or luxury tent has 180 views of the ocean. With no neighbours and our exclusive occupation for the duration, we promise to create the most peaceful, inspiring and healing environment for you to completely relax and let go within.
YOGA & MOVEMENT with NICS BANNISTER
Nics has developed a very special method of teaching yoga and mobility that stems from her passion that yoga should be fully inclusive and adaptable for everyone.
Her methodology and style developed out of her own experience of overcoming a debilitating injury from a ski accident in 2016; frustrated and overwhelmed by the restriction to her life from her injury, she set about using yoga to heal herself, with the result that she found yoga's magical ability to transform her life and return to optimal health.
Leaving her life in the corporate world in 2017, Nics embarked on a period of intense learning, undergoing courses in Anatomy and Physiology to complete her years of sporting and fitness knowledge and honor her new path. From being a gymnast and an athlete in her youth to progressing to serious running, leading to a Norwegian Arctic race over four days many years later, yoga underpinned this journey.
Nics has completed teaching training courses in Hatha Vinyasa and Yin Yoga (320RYT) followed by Mindful Meditation and core bodies of work on Somatics, Myofascial Release and Compassion. Together this has built an in-depth knowledge of a wide range of yoga styles and disciplines. Nics has blended such styles to create her unique methodology that allows her a complete personalised appraisal of her students, encouraging them to go far and beyond their previously held beliefs in what they would achieve, all the while being supported and encouraged by Nics.
Her honor of this unique natural ability of her students and her deeper understanding of the energetic load makes her teaching a true blending of mind and body. She strongly encourages kinesthetic and spatial awareness to work on deeper trapped stresses and softly holds space for physical and emotional healing.
Nics supports her yoga coaching and practitioner work as a reiki practitioner and will be emarbing on specialist work in the field of Neurogenic yoga and TRE in 2023.
‘Breath and laughings - the cheapest medicine!’ - Isaac Mullins
BREATHWORK + ICE BATH THERAPY | ISAAC MULLINS
Isaac's exploration into the power of the breath and body began in 1997 with the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. His quest for optimal breathing techniques and body conditioning was initially ignited to optimise his performance as a ballet dancer with the Royal Ballet.
Throughout his transformative journey, Isaac has explored a diverse array of breathing practices, each playing a pivotal role in shaping his expertise and personal well-being. His deep-rooted knowledge encompasses the disciplined realm of Hatha yoga and yoga therapy, a wisdom acquired over many years spent in India studying the science and psychology of yoga.
Isaac has trained in many transformative techniques, including the profound Buteyko method and the invigorating practices of the Wim Hof method.
Isaac will be leading an ice bath and breath work workshop during the retreat - designed to enliven, revitalise and elevate your overall wellbeing and boost mental clarity.
IS THIS RETREAT FOR YOU?
Our retreats are open to everybody! We welcome all ages and all people. If you would like to discuss any area of your wellbeing or practice that you are specifically working with, or have any questions about the retreat, please do drop us a line, we're very happy to chat through ideas or concerns.
WANT TO COME ALONE?
If you're new to solo travelling, how wonderful! Using our many years of Indian travel experience, we at Chaya dearly love to look after our guests. We can help with all your travel needs and will do our best to ensure you have a most relaxing, joyful and magical time. You just need to book your flight and let us take care of everything else.
TREATMENTS & THERAPIES
We are incredibly blessed in Goa to work with an outstanding selection of therapists and practitioners.
Our therapists cover a variety of massage disciplines. Included in the retreat will be a 1 hour treatment of your choice with one of our recommended therapists.
We dearly love to share our many years of Indian travel and Goan love with our guests, which we hope makes for a very unique experience. If you have any questions at all about India, Goa, travelling solo, safety, what to expect, where to go afterwards or before... Just drop us a line to arrange a call.
FOOD + MENUS
Food is a really big deal to us at Chaya. It's such a joy to share our passion for incredibly good food; food which tastes as good as it looks, and as good as it feels! The wonderful chefs at Cabo Serai will work with our famed Chaya Kitchen menus and in-house team to bring you some seriously delicious feasts. Using local, seasonal and organic where possible ingredients to create delicious, and nutritious Indian-style regional multi-course menus, which will balance, nourish and delight.
WELLBEING FOOD
Chaya’s Lucy Hill will be bringing her knowledge and understanding of wellbeing food to the retreat; ensuring a healthy and inspiring, not to mention super tasty menu. The food will refer to the pillars of a therapeutic diet to best support your rejuvenation. With juices and homemade plant-based mylks, two delicious plant-based meals per day, free-flowing coconuts, fresh fruits and herbal teas… All designed to leave you feeling nourished on every level.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Aside from the daily schedule, if you’re feeling adventurous, we can arrange for you to check out local markets and other gorgeous beaches, visit a traditional temple, an organic spice farm or take a trek to the famous Dudshagar waterfalls.
TYPICAL DAILY RETREAT SCHEDULE
08:00 - 10:00 Yoga, movement with Nics
11:00 - 12:00 Buffet brunch
12:00 - 15:00 Free time, treatments
15:00 - Afternoon tea, light snack
16:00 - 19:00 Evening practice
19:30 - 20:30 Dinner
21:30 - 22:00 Meditation (once per week)
INCLUDED IN THE RETREAT
Inbound private airport transfer to Cabo Serai
Twice daily yoga, movement and meditation with Nics Bannister
Full board, including 2 x multi-course gourmet meals, afternoon tea, unlimited teas, fresh fruit and mineral water
2hr breath and cold water therapy workshop with Isaac Mullins
Wellbeing food workshop with Lucy Hill
Choice of 1 hour treatment, plus a selection of beautiful additional therapies
Evening guided meditation and sound healing
Kirtan (singing circle)
Optional additional activities such as spice plantation visits, shopping and cookery classes
Choice of beautiful, luxurious accommodation with far reaching sea and jungle views
NOT INCLUDED IN THE RETREAT
Flights and onward transfer from the retreat
COST PER PERSON
Option 1) £2442 | Two person sharing luxury tent, with ensuite (2 separate beds or king)
Option 2) £2662 | Three person sharing large suite, with ensuite (3 separate beds)
Option 3) £2882 | Two person sharing suite, with ensuite (2 separate beds or king)
Option 4) £3333 | Solo suite, entirely private large suite with ensuite bathroom (king size bed)
Option 5) £2992 | Solo luxury tent, with ensuite (1 king sized bed)
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Arrival airport is Goa Dabolim or Goa International (MOPA)
The earliest available check in at Cabo Serai will be given and a welcome breakfast will be prepared for your arrival. Access to all facilities will be available to our guests, including showers and pool, until rooms are ready.
Check out is at 11:00 and we can happily arrange ongoing transfers (not included in the retreat price) to any destination you desire. We have extensive knowledge of Goa and India and we highly recommend staying as long as you can! Please do drop us a line to discuss a possible itinerary.
VISAS
Tourist visas for one month are easily issued to European and UK citizens. Please contact us directly if you would like our recommended visa agency details.
To book a place on this epic retreat, for further details, or to chat through any aspect of the retreat; please contact us via the link below or email: info@chayayogaretreats.com
