Holidays

What are you doing this summer?
What are you doing this winter?
The only reality is to live in the now, right?
Yadda, yadda, yadda, I wanna go on holiday, I wanna get away!
Life in the right here and now is great, I feel very blessed and grateful.
However the sun is shining and the summer is here, isn't it wonderful to feel that there is a future, that we can plan for other experiences.
To get on a train or hit the road, even fly somewhere exotic, before we are guilt tripped into walking and cycling everywhere.
Where to go, what to do?

I have spent some great times in the summer in Finland. Finland in the summer! Isn't it just mosquitoes and moose? I have joined the summer retreat with the Astanga Yoga School in Finland. They arrange a retreat on one of the islands in the archipelago off the coast of Turku. Sauna, swimming great yoga, brilliant food. It was run in conjunction with Lino Miele for many years, a very international group, great company and an experience over and above expectations. Lino is no longer traveling to the Houtskar retreat, things change and move on. The basic idea is still in place and probably worth a look see.

Houtskar retreat

 A little of the local flora, very delicate.

Another of the great places to go in the summer is Lino Miele's retreat at Ca leSouré in Marche, Italy. The retreat is set in the hills of Marche about 3 hours from Rome (Italian speeds). The retreat is set on an Agro Tourisme converted farm, incredible local vegetarian food cooked by the family, Mama sits in the dining room welcoming guests and appreciates a little praise on the wonders of the place. The area is famous for truffles, good wine and generally the good life.
Ca leSouré Retreat

 The morning of my 60'th Birthday in Ca leSouré

Ya know ya love it, right?

And then winter approaches, what to do in those dark months of Denmark. A choice is to try India, the warm heart of yoga, Mother India. She welcomes the winter tired travelers with refreshing fresh coconut juice, the enveloping warmth of the tropics. The last many years I have joined Lino and his assistants in Kovalam for as long as time and money will allow. Kovalam is a small seaside village in the state of Kerala, there is no traffic in the village (apart from a few motorcycles and scooters that squeeze through the lanes). The access roads are on the outskirts of the village leaving the central area as an oasis of "calm" in the madness that is India. Kerala and Kovalam are easy access points if it is your first time in India. Kerala is relatively well off, the area has wonderfully fertile land and a climate that allows two crops of rice a year. Fruit and vegetables grow in abundance and the local food is excellent with a large number of pure vegetarian restaurants. Swimming in the balmy Arabian Sea and considering the time of year is worth the trip in itself. The yoga practice is daily, in a large and airy space sitting on the top floor of an hotel. Practicing yoga at treetop level in the tropical warmth is wonderful.
Kovalam

  Morning practice in the shala, treetops are visible through the blinds.

Il Maestro Lino Miele

Happening this weekend in Copenhagen

Swamiji at the studio

Swamiji has given us the time in his very full calendar to spend three days with us in Copenhagen. If you have the time come by the studio and share the deep knowledge that this man has to give.

This is a man deeply steeped in the ancient knowledge of India. A knowledge stretching back many thousands of years and kept alive with the master to student tradition. Swamiji will talk on Patanjali's Yoga Sutra's and is open to questions.

He guided us through a meditation yesterday evening and will do the same this afternoon and Sunday afternoon.