The Elemental Body
yin immersion and retreat
The focus of this training is cultivating a personal and teaching practice connected to the five elements of taoism, the inner & outer seasons of life, as well as infusing poetry, storytelling and creativity into your teaching and practice through this lens.
Here, we have the opportunity to embody and cultivate the (often undernourished) yin within, so we can then pour it back out into our homes, our loved ones, our students, our teaching and our art.
This is an exploration of Yin as a medicinal healing modality and a creative practice. The more we embody the essence of yin through practice, the more we find ourselves naturally attuning to the seasons, noticing and balancing the small shifts and details within, and all around us.
Together, we will learn through lecture, discussion, practical workshops, observation of the natural world, journalling, sharing and of course, the yin practice itself.
Blended learning so you can stay present, and continue to integrate:
Alongside this retreat and immersion, you will receive access to an online bundle of classes and self-study resources so you can continue t
While this immersion will include physical practice and discussion of postures (and variations/propping) our focus here is the subtle, the energetic and the poetic. If you are looking for a deep dive into physical mechanics, fascia and anatomy, this is not the course for you!
Ishigaki, Okinawa. April 19th-24th.
Limited Spots
In order to teach yin, we first must reconnect with our own inner yin essence. This is about learning to live yin in an overwhelmingly yang world. This retreat and immersion is Yin in approach: rather than the standard method of rote learning theory and copying down dot points from slides, we absorb and expand through practice, lecture and group discussion. This is a somatic, embodied learning experience that will, in part, be shaped by the women who join and the environment that holds us.
This immersion explores the poetic, energetic and subtle aspect of our yin yoga practice and teaching. Our focus here is learning how to actually live and embody the philosophy of yin through our practice, daily rituals and observation of and connection to the seasons, our bodies, our emotional landscape and the natural world. It becomes something we live and are nourished by first.
This small group immersion is suitable for experienced yin teachers, lovers of yin yoga, creatives, mothers, writers, artists, therapists and business owners — for anyone who wishes to develop a more intimate relationship with their practice, to accept their own rhythmic way of moving through the world and to re-connect to the body and the intuitive, creative and powerful, but quiet knowing voice within.
Areas of study:
The five elements (or phases), the seasons, the energetic organs and the spirits of the organs.
Sequencing and curating poetic and medicinal home practices and yin classes.
Sequencing and teaching with the inner and outer seasons of nature & life
Threading storytelling, poetry, myth, music, philosophy, and/or silence into the container of a Yin class or practice.
Bringing breath-work, meditation and movement into the container of Yin
Drawing on your unique interests, knowledge and personality as a teacher
Our daily schedule is a fluid mix of practice, lecture, practical exercise and sharing food, conversation, tea and quiet moments together.
Our mornings will start around 8am, with tea and a gentle, but vitalising movement and meditation practice, followed by quiet time for writing and reflection.
After morning practice is a homestyle breakfast made with local, seasonal foods before settling into our first lectures of the day.
Afternoons will always include a long yin practice, followed by discussion and breakdown of the class, postures and themes. After an early dinner, there is quiet time for reflection and walks along the ocean.
While the days are full and there is a lot to practice and learn, the schedule is designed for us to absorb this information in a yin way.
Retreat Schedule
A Home With Heart
Our retreat home is a teaching all on its own. Before I visited in person, I exchanged many long emails with the property owner, herself a poet, writer and massage therapist.
The home is a rare sight on the island, built in black timber in traditional Japanese style — one usually seen at the northern part of the country, almost an entire world away. The previous owner had the house dismantled and shipped all the way down to Ishigaki, where it served as his Kimono Atelier, before it’s purchase by current owners who themselves renovated the upper floor into guest rooms to create a retreat home. There is something moving about witnessing the tropical foliage outside the windows of a traditional Japanese house, designed for watching the snow.
Ishigaki is celebrated not only for folk crafts (in particular, ceramics and glass) and waters hypnotically blue (and this comes from someone who grew up on the Australian coast) but vibrant and fresh Island herbs, salts and foods. When I left Ishigaki, my suitcase was close to bursting with black rice, moringa, shell ginger and hibiscus tea, mineral rich salt and medicinal black sugar. My notebook was full of stories, too.
Inclusions
𖦹 Five nights accomodation in a traditional Japanese home
𖦹 Daily morning practice & rituals, daily yin practice
𖦹 Twice daily okinawan homestyle meals made by a local chef
𖦹 Guest workshop with a local Ryukyuan healer
𖦹 Coffee, tea and snacks
𖦹 A pre-retreat workshop for all your questions & japan travel planning
Online portal (12 month access)
𖦹 Pre-recorded, full length yin practices for each of the five phases: wood, fire, earth, metal and water available for 12 months
𖦹 Resource list for further study & exploration
𖦹 Access to online integration/Q&A session after completion (date tbd)
Pricing and Reservation
All rooms are simple, traditional Japanese rooms, sleeping on futon and tatami floors. This is a beautiful, traditional home by the beach, renovated by the owners themselves.
Early Bird Price Until Nov. 15th (or sold out) after which, prices will increase by approx. 25 000JPY.
Sleepover Room (3-4 people) 395 000JPY
Duo Room (2 people) 425 000JPY
A 75 000 JPY deposit is required to secure your spot.
Please make sure you read the terms & conditions before purchasing.
Am I enough?
YES!! In the many years I have been teaching, I have heard so many variations of this it makes my heart hurt. If you are drawn to this immersion, you are welcome. You do not need to be flexible (I couldn’t touch my toes when I first started teaching yoga), you do not need a teaching certification, you do not need any desire to teach in the future. You may also have a yin certification (or three) and thats beautiful too. If I’ve learnt anything in my lifetime of learning and studying, sometimes you don’t know why you’re pulled toward something until years after the moment has passed.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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Yes! Ideally you have a relationship with yin yoga in some capacity before the retreat starts — but anyone with an openness and willingness to dive into the language of yin is welcome. We very often have a mix of students who are newer to yin and wish to deepen their practice, as well as yin teachers who have been teaching for years.
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A 75 000JPY non-refundable deposit is required to secure your spot.
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It really depends — like many long term teachers, I do not agree with the yoga certification system as it currently stands, at all. I am not a part of it, and have not been for over a decade.
Teaching yoga an ongoing, living practice and I do not believe any one training is going to give you the magic code to being an great teacher, for that we need our practice, our own ongoing reflection and study and quite simply, to practice teaching as much as possible, as best as we can.
What I do offer in this training, that I think is unique and powerful, is not a copy paste curriculum taught to a crowd of people.
These trainings are small, on purpose. The content is always evolving and changing.
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Please make sure you read our terms and conditions before booking your spot.
Please note that deposits are strictly non-refundable.
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The weather will likely already be quite warm in April. Bring your favourite tropical island clothes, along with a layer just in case, and anything that helps you to feel cosy and at home.
All yoga props will be provided, no need to bring a mat!
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Ishigaki is a short flight from any major city on the mainland of Japan (domestic flights are SO easy in Japan). All you have to do is get yourself to the airport by 4pm on the 19th and we will meet you there!
