Marieke's Art of Living

Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.
Marcus Aurelius (the Roman emperor, best known for his Meditations on Stoic Philosophy, AD 121-180)

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.
Henry David Thoreau

The world has not to be put in order: the world is order incarnate. It is for us to put ourselves in unison with this order. We live at the edge of the miraculous.
Henry Miller

One does not have to turn to the East and its philosophies, as these quotes from ancient Rome to the 20th C attest, to know that the quest for inner peace, a sense of purpose, an enlightened self-knowing and worth, forms part of humanity’s immemorial and timeless search for deeper meanings and ultimate truths.

Few cultures remain where there is a seamless entwining of the spiritual and the secular, and where it does exist, there also exist forces to bring about dilution and extinction of those ancient traditions. More commonly people will often look to nature for greater intensity and meaning in life, but pristine nature is under attack. The way many of us live in modern Western lifestyles disallows time to stand still, to take stock, to re-explore those path ways in and through which we control our destiny, shape our thoughts, take charge of our own well-being. For so many a crisis has to occur in their lives before they take any action.

Art of Retreating was born of Marieke’s discovery of the yoga mat a mere 6 years ago. Quite a few teachers, classes, experiences later, some of them desultory, some of them life-transforming, all instrumental in their revelations, have come to form the backbone of daily life, a necessity that brings stillness, invigoration, hopefulness, and of course the pleasure of sharing its power: The power of good eating, of using breath, of feeling flexible and strong, of a quiet and ordered mind.

And the discovery of certain teachers that brings great excitement that demands to be shared with like-minded people.

Retreats incorporate great consideration to the setting, ensuring you are in a place to be in and stay that is inspiring, to the food so it’s an expression of the reason to be there, to the teachers who bring vast experience and empathetic knowledge, and where relevant, to the cultural experience possible on your doorstep.

Previous Retreats have been held in:

North East Victoria at the Jamieson Sanctuary, the Mansfield, Steiner School and on the Mornington Peninsula
East Bali at Aliila Manggis and Seraya Shores
Rajasthan + Rishikesh in North India

Our teachers include:

	Saraswathi Vasudevan began her journey in the path of yoga and healing 20 years ago. She studied and trained in the Classical tradition of Yoga that is strongly founded in the teachings of Patanjali and specializes in adapting yoga to the unique needs and abilities of each individual. Through YogaVahini, she aims at preserving and sharing the ancient wisdom of Yoga to address the needs and challenges of modern life. She holds two Masters Degrees (in Nutrition and Psychology) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Yoga. She has served as a yoga teacher, trainer and therapist for almost two decades at an internationally renowned institute of yoga in Chennai and has also been actively involved in yoga research bringing the much-needed scientific perspective to yoga therapy. She has touched the lives of hundreds of students both within India and abroad. She is gifted with an innate capacity to establish deeply nurturing connections with her students that enables and empowers them to heal from within.
	Jean Campbell who comes from a lineage that includes Iyengar and Ashtanga training in India and in recent has years developed a deep exploration of Ayurveda and the Anatomy of Yoga that she shares widely with students and trainee teachers in workshops at her Newcastle studio and abroad in Asia and Europe.
	Albert Hennick is based in the Adelaide Hills and brings to his practice and teaching over 40 years experience in many yoga disciplines with various masters, a uniquely energising, healing, flowing style of teaching that encourages a sincere commitment beyond the mat, enabling students to touch the deeper paths of yoga, inner healing and self-awareness. We have run several workshops and retreats with Albert in Victoria and in Bali from which students have gleaned lasting insights to their practice and to living life to the full.
	A devoted student and now teacher of yoga, Baxter undertook traditional teacher training at Sivananda in South India and has a special interest in chanting, the anatomy and the therapeutical aspects of yoga. She developed a loyal following of students with her school in Mansfield and continues to develop her own practice with workshops in Australia and India. She has integrated ‘Harmonic Medicine’ as taught by Dr Monica Henry into her yoga therapy sessions which incorporate diet, asanas and breathwork according to the specific needs of each person and has now undertaken an intensive 3 year Australian-based training program in yoga therapy under the tutelage of Viniyoga Healing Foundation of India directed by Dr Natesan Chandrasekaran MBBS (Dr NC MBBS) (previously Director of Therapy at the Krisnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, and Founder of the Viniyoga Healing Foundation of India).. She has established a widely appreciated schedule of classes at Rye on the Mornington Peninsula and is offering again a wonderful Yoga in the Park Summer 2011/12 series in 5 locations.
	Patricia Widayat with Yogashala studios in Melbourne and now in Bali, whose 30-years experience as a wonderful Pune-trained Iyengar teacher has attained a long and loyal following and is highly regarded for her encouragement skills.

Retreats planned for 2011.

Spirit of India: dates to be announced – 15 days in 5 different locations, including an in-depth exploration of Ayurvedic therapies and diet.

Spirit of Bali: East Bali 1-8 July – 8 days based at a private and secluded sea-side compound on a headland beyond Candi Dasa, far way from the tourist hordes.