6 days at one of the
places I call HOME

Amara Valley is a place of transformation,
of movement,
of celebration,
of creativity,
of co-creation

Abundance Retreat at Amara Valley

From 11-16 June 2024 I will host my 4th year of retreats at Amara Valley.

I’m bringing together my favourite practices to help you find your authentic self. YES this is a Yoga Retreat, but there will be MUCH more. In order to gain new perspectives on ourselves we need to step out of our daily life, our habits and social circles.

I offer you a space for transformation, to ignite your life force energy, to connect to nature, to nourish your body with the best vegetarian and vegan food and to relax your soul with plenty of sunshine by the pool.

Watch the video below for some impressions of one of my past retreats in Amara!

We are guided by openness, kindness, happiness and love

Amara Valley

I’m taking you to a healing sanctuary of profound beauty, tucked away in the hills of Catalunya, northern Spain. Amara Valley is the perfect place to take time for personal reflection, meditation, creative exploration and just taking a break from the pressures of the modern world!

Program

We will start every day strong & energized with Yoga, breathwork, meditation or other movement classes. Amara Valley’s Dharma Shala has beautiful views into nature and is fully equipped for our practice. During the day there’s free time to enjoy the pool, relax in nature, go for a hike, read, etc. Sharing circles and journaling exercises help us to reflect and grow. In the late afternoon and evening we’ll have special workshops with Yin Yoga, Backbends, Art, Ecstatic Dance, Cacao Ceremony, Kirtan and more.

All activities are optional, you can always take rest or time for yourself

There will be 2 gourmet vegetarian meals daily – brunch and dinner - and afternoon smoothie or snack, homemade by the Amara chefs with local produce, including some from the organic garden! 

  • My Hatha-Vinyasa classes aim to create stability: physically, mentally & emotionally. All levels are welcome and I invite you to be challenged. We work on a strong foundation and according to your own level you will explore variations to put on top. Of course there will be plenty of opportunities to play around with arm balances, inversions, backbends and deep hip openers.

  • Irene Aronstein will guide us through a special themed Yin session accompanied by music. Yin Yoga is very tranquil, focused on going inward as well as on softening the body. We relax our muscles and focus on our breathing.

  • During the retreat we will explore different types of breathwork: Inner Axis, Pranayama as part of the Yoga classes and Wim Hof Method. Inner Axis is an interdisciplinary system developed by Max Strom. The method utilises breathwork, breath-based movements (from Yoga, Qi Gong & Sufi practices) and mindfulness to deal directly with stress, anxiety and sleeplessness. Wim Hof Method is a powerful way of breathing to boost the body.

  • Besides a full practice I will provide you with a theoretical foundation on how to understand & improve the mobility of the spine. Focus on Strength & Flexibility: creating awareness in the smaller, more subtle muscle groups related to the different segments of the spine. Prepare your body to release tension and to create length in the anterior line (front side) of the body and to learn the proper selection of muscle groups responsible for mobility. The awareness created by this practice increases your mobility, while still breathing properly and using less effort in order to accomplish advanced Asanas with ease.

  • Antara Flow is an innovative project by Amara director Morgan Palmer Hubbard, combining wireless headphones, binaural beat audio, Synergy yoga, breathwork and guided meditation to create a deep and direct experience of flow states and deep states of meditative awareness

  • An introduction to Kalaripayattu, the oldest surviving martial art from Indian with Adhara. Kalari is strongly connected with Ayurveda and is a great addition to Yoga practice

  • Irene Aronstein will combine the heart-opening power of ceremonial cacao with the connecting and grounding power of Yin Yoga and music. Ceremonial cacao (not to be confused with chocolate) is a very potent plant medicine which has a strong effect on the cardio-vascular system. Cacao is rich in theobromine, which translates to “food of the Gods”. Cacao ceremonies are usually focused on the heart space, on cultivating connection with oneself and with others. This is best understood by the experience itself, which is truly nourishing, grounding, soothing and just hmmm delicious!

  • Let the music guide you to express yourself fully. Move intuitively and find a deep connection within yourself and to others.

    With one of my absolute fav DJs Morgan Palmer Hubbard!

  • Be inspired by the beauty of the human body and give each other a brand new outfit!

    We’ll start with conscious touch to find respect and trust within the framework of artistic expression

Your host: Juliette van der Weijde

I truly wish my retreats to be an accelerator for change,
for personal development. Find abundance, self-love, empowerment and alignment with your authentic self. Be inspired by different paths and ways of living to create a life around your purpose, suiting your wants & needs.

 Guest teachers & facilitators

Irene Aronstein

Yin Yoga • Cacao Ceremonies • Public Speaking • Reiki

Morgan Palmer Hubbard

Antara Flow • Ecstatic Dance

Ju Adhara

Kalari

Food

For our retreat we will have a vegetarian or vegan menu designed around seasonal, locally produced ingredients. The Amara Kitchen creates dishes bursting with flavour, colour and nutritional goodness. It’s possible to cater for special diets and allergies, please provide advance notice e.g. wheat-free, gluten-free, celiac, nut allergies etc..

 Accommodation

The heart of Amara is a traditional Catalan farmhouse with foundations from the 15th century, integrally renovated in recent decades to feature modern amenities such as underfloor heating, ample accommodation and a stunning dining hall extension wing. All shared rooms are in the house. There are a very limited amount of suites with en-suite bathroom and private entrance available.

 

Rustic Modern Suite

Traditional stone walls and hardwood flooring contrast beautifully with modern furnishings. Independent from the main building, with its own en-suite bathroom, this suite gives you autonomy & privacy.

Cabin Suite

Amara’s intimate boutique suite. Minimalist & modern, with en-suite bathroom and private entrance. The perfect nest for an individual or couple wanting more privacy.

Shared Rooms

Architectural ceilings & a cozy community vibe with 2 or 4 beds. Spacious bathrooms next door

Prices

6 Days // 5 Nights - Full Board

Arrival: Tuesday 15:00
Departure: Sunday 15:00

The prices include 5 nights of accommodation,
vegetarian meals and the complete retreat program.
The accommodation at Amara Valley is designed to
share with other retreat participants. All prices per person:

  • Quad room: €799*

  • Twin room: €875* shared / €975* private

  • Cabin Suite w/ en-suite bathroom: SOLD OUT

  • Rustic Suite w/ en-suite bathroom: €1099* shared
    (double bed or 2-3 single beds) / €1275* private

*There’s 10% discount available (for everyone) if the accommodation is paid directly on location

Note on inclusivity: Yoga retreats are not cheap, but I always give my best to keep my prices reasonable and on the lower end of the scale. If you’re motivated to join, but the price is too high at the moment, contact me and we’ll look into possibilities.

  • For booking fill out the registration form:
    Amara Valley Retreat 11-16 Juni 2024

    If you have any questions write to juliette@yoga-breathwork.com

    Your spot is secured by a deposit of €250

  • In case of cancellation:

    The deposit is non-refundable, but can be used for any future retreat/event.

    100% of the remaining amount until 1 month in advance.

    50% of the full price until 2 weeks in advance, no refund after that, unless we find someone to fill the spot

  • The retreat price excludes your travel costs to location. We will connect all participants in an Arrival/Departure sheet, so you can align your itineraries to travel together.

    For anyone coming from abroad, you can fly both to Barcelona as well as Girona and continue from there with any of the following options:

    Public Transportation

    via Barcelona

    There are several ways to get from the airport to the city center, Google Maps will give you the options. Usually the Aerobus “A1/A2” is most comfortable. It stops right outside the terminal and goes straight to Plaça d’Espanya and Plaça de Catalunya. You can buy the ticket at the bus for €6,75

    In Barcelona Google Maps is very helpful to see which metro or bus to take to get around. At every bus & metro station you can buy single tickets or a “T-casual” card, which is 10 rides for €11,35. Each ride is valid for 75 mins, even if you change lines. You can’t share this card, but it’s definitely the cheapest option if you stay longer than just two rides in Barcelona.

    If you want to share a card with multiple persons, then buy the “T-familiar” card, which is around €10 for 8 rides.

    Taxis in Barcelona center are quite affordable as well!

    To get to Amara Valley, you need to take the bus from Barcelona to Banyoles. You can check the schedule online, but usually goes 4x per day. Most participants will be taking the bus in the afternoon. A single ticket costs around €14, a 10x pass that can be shared costs €70. In Banyoles leave the bus at the main stop which is here.

    via Girona

    From Girona airport there are buses and taxis to the city center directly outside the terminal. You want to get to the Estación de Autobuses de Girona, right behind the Girona train station. One of the bus lines can be checked here (Aeroport de Girona to Girona) and costs €2,75. From there TEISA is operating buses to Banyoles approximately every 30 mins, check schedule here, costs €2,65.

    from Banyoles

    When you arrive by bus to Banyoles it’s a €8 taxi ride (shared) to Amara Valley. We arrange a driver who know exactly where to go based on the Arrival/Departure sheet

    Car rental

    At both airports are car rental options. If other participants have similar flight schedules, you can share. Having a car gives you the opportunity to drive to the sanctuary and sunset point on Rocacorba, the top of the mountain at Amara Valley.

    Taxi from/to the airport

    It’s possible to arrange a taxi straight from the airport to Amara Valley. Please let us know in advance so we can arrange this for you

  • Is the retreat suitable for beginners?

    Yes, all levels are welcome. My classes are multi-level with lots of variations based on your experience. I’m working with each person individually.

 
“The same light you see in others, is shining within you, too”