Arrival on Friday 3rd January 2014

Typical day’s timetable

Alternate days

Every second day, as well as the usual classes listed on the typical day’s timetable above, we have an additional afternoon class.

Close of retreat on Thursday 9th January 2014

Instructor Bio Michael Ryan

Michael Ryan has been practicing yoga since his teens, and successfully completed the 200 hour Vinyasa Flow Yoga teacher Training course with Dave Curtis in 2006.

Michael also studied Naturopathy, nutrition and herbs and is also a qualified Reiki master. Michael partakes in further ongoing yoga training and 2006 completed a 40 hour yoga teachers intensive with Shiva Rea. In 2008, Michael completed a week’s teachers immersion with John Friend.

Read more Michael Ryan’s full bio.

Description of New Year yoga retreat

Tune inwards and be guided by Michael

This New Year retreat week provides a lovely and nurturing space with time to let go of everyday commitments and tune into your self.

We develop an openness and a freedom of both body and mind through gentle yet sometimes challenging yoga, breathing excerises, sitting meditation and having fun on this hatha yoga week.

This New Year Hatha yoga retreat is suitable for all levels. Complete beginners to more experienced practitioners and aims to relax, centre and energize you.

This New Year Retreat will be reasonably gentle, but will also challenge each person to work with the postures to their own ability.

Michael will give very clear instructions and will guide each person at the level appropriate to them.

Michael’s approach brings a mindfulness and heart-felt centering so that each person finds their own balance in their yoga practice.

The Anusara approach to yoga has a strong influence in Michael’s hatha yoga classes.

We only take a maximum of 16 retreat participants and you will be amazed at how your practice will improve with Michael’s attentive instructions.

Each day, Dave takes the group on guided outings into the Burren hills and by the sea, and this is a great opportunity to see many special places one would normally come across in the Burren.

Most people come on their own and many make new friends they stay in contact with after they return home.

Dave also uses his local knowledge to find the best local restaurants and cafes to have lunch while we are on out outing, which is a great way to sample the best of the locale cuisine in the Burren.

This retreat is suitable for all ages and all fitness levels from complete beginners to advanced practitioners.

Through progressive classes and each day of practice you will find that the body opens up and you will be able to improve and deepen your practice over the week.

Michael is mindful of each individual’s need to find their own balance in their yoga practice.

He gently guides and encourages each student to explore and open to their fullest potential.

Some days Dave takes us into the Burren hills where there is always a choice of a challenging walk to the top of one of the hills which usually takes about 45 minutes to get to the top, and the views over Galway bay and the Atlantic are spectacular.

There is always the choice of a gentle flat walk, and you are always welcome to stroll along for a short while, take a rest, take you time to take in the spectacular scenery and to takes things at your own pace.

Equally well you are welcome to simply relax at the centre while the rest of the group head out on their daily outings.

The Burren is located alongside the Atlantic ocean, and it is lovely to walk along Fanore beach or one of the other beaches in the area.

Spending time in Nature is like food for the soul.

Michael leads a flowing Hatha practice with a strong emphasis on integrating physical, mental and emotional wellness.

Using the breath and integrating core strength and awareness into the practice we step into a deeper sense of aliveness.

Michael’s teaching style draws from his wide experience of Hatha yoga, Somatics, Vinyasa flow and John Friend’s heart-opening practice of Anusara yoga.

Michael uses various props to help open the body and to let go, during some of the restorative yoga classes.

Using the props allows people to go into the postures safely and to ‘let go’ within the posture.

Enabling someone to experience this ‘letting go’ feeling, can be a great stepping stone to practing the full posture without props with the ‘correct intention’ and correct effort.

Each evening Paddi who used to run Seventh Heaven restaurant for over 12 years, prepares a vegetarian feast and many people have said they have not eaten food as good as this at any restaurant.

The combination of restorative classes and also the flowing yoga classes can have a profound effect on one’s whole being.

Michael also teaches how to prepare for sitting practice and builds in opening postures in the physical yoga classes in order for the body to feel more at ease during the meditation practice.

Through finer adjustments it becomes easier to sit with one’s spine in alignmnet which helps energy flow and a clear inner state of mind.

Michael is also a dedicated meditation practitioner and draws on his vipasana and T.M. meditation training to bring a depth and presence to each class.

Yoga is an opportunity to balance our entire being; the physical, emotional, mental and energetic. It is a tool which moves us further along in our journey; yoga opens us to the present moment and our perfection in that moment, allowing us to connect with “a deeper sense of stillness and in essence a deeper sense of who we are.”

Michael holds a space which is creative, inspiring and fun.