Iyengar Yoga Workshop with Constantinos
Join us at YogaOnCrete and experience lightness of body and spirit and the joy of honouring and nurturing the needs of your body, mind and spirit through the practice of Iyengar yoga, daily encounters with the cool, turquoise Mediterranean waters at quiet beaches, idyllic unspoilt surroundings, and wholesome local food, excursions, a warm and welcoming group of people and much more!
During this week, the importance of external alignment as a prerequisite for students to develop awareness of internal space will be emphasized. Precise energetical techniques as they apply to the practice of asana and pranayama will be provided, while students will have the opportunity to understand external and internal rooting in different series of asana, relax in action, focusing on the internal dynamics of the body, and open the back body and diaphragm, in order to put the energy of the spine in movement. The workshop’s aim is to encourage students to become more receptive and independent, and able to develop their own personal practice.
"Thank you so much for this exciting, nourishing and even life-changing experience. The seeds of yoga have already been planted in me! It was an utterly unique experience, bringing up to the surface for each one of us sades of emotion that were buried down for a very long time. It has been a real healing!" Dina, London, summer 2016 course participant.
Vacation Highlights
- Twice daily 2-2.5 hours Iyengar yoga classes (11 classes in total)
- Professional yoga instructor with 25 years of teaching experience
- 7 nights' accommodation in traditional guesthouse located near beach
- 7 brunches and 5 dinners included
- A round trip to the beautiful Sweet Water beach
- Linen and towels provided
Course Program
The week begins with an introductory yoga session at 6.00 p.m. on the day of arrival, and the day's programme closes with dinner. Thereafter, there will be a morning (8.30-11.00 a.m.) and afternoon (6.00-8.00 p.m.) Iyengar yoga class. In between classes, there will be enough time for guests to relax and enjoy the beach and sunshine, receive a massage treatment, or explore the village and region.
The fourth day of the week is a rest day from classes; guests can join in an optional excursion, including a guided hike through a gorge of the region (usually the magnificent Aradaina gorge) or other season appropriate hike, ending at the beach (approx. €25 depending on number of participants). All breakfasts and 5 dinners are offered at the house, while on two of the nights guests are free to dine out in the village restaurants (not included in the course cost; approx. €15 for a full meal including drinks). Individual excursions (e.g., hikes, boat trips) can also be arranged at an extra cost. On the last day, the morning is free and we all meet at brunch for farewells.
The number of guests is limited to 15, to create a warm and friendly atmosphere, and to ascertain that individual attention is given in the classes.
Iyengar yoga
The classes comprise of a series of asanas (physical postures), usually sustained for some time so that the body and its necessary actions can be observed within the posture, pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditative techniques (sitting in silence, concentration techniques), through which the development of awareness of the body and mind in the present moment and deep relaxation are practiced.
Iyengar yoga was developed through the pioneering work of B.K.S. Iyengar, who freed the classical yoga postures (asanas) from their Indian mystique and with the use of props made them suitable for Westerners, who want to have a clear understanding of what happens in a yoga posture. A typical Iyengar yoga class focuses on precision of movement, correct alignment, and the study of the ‘muscle and mind’ actions and resistance necessary to enter a state of concentration. Breathing awareness is emphasized in every asana in order to deepen the experience. Through consistent practice the student overcomes physical and mental/emotional limits and develops a deep awareness of the body, power, control, patience and physical and mental harmony.Instructor
Constantinos Giannetakis
Constantinos is an enthusiastic and dedicated practitioner of Iyengar Yoga since 1992. In 1996, he moved to France where he also obtained his certification as a clinical psychologist from the University of Picardie. During that time, he studied extensively psychoanalysis both in the freudian and the lacanian vein and became particularly interested in the possible role of the immune system as an interface between body and mind. In the course of time, it became apparent to him that health is not simply the absence of disease but also concerns a state beyond that, which relates to the plasticity and lightness of the energy body. In 1999, he moved to London where he continued his study of psychoanalysis at a postgraduate level while also studying yoga at the South London Iyengar Yoga Institute, where he stayed for 3 years. In 2002, he gained his Iyengar Yoga teaching certification and became a member of the UK association. After his return to Greece in 2003, he opened the first official Iyengar Yoga Centre in Athens, where the first teacher training in the country took place. His teaching is alignment-based and aims at clarifying the biomechanics of asanas and pranayamas in a very precise way. It is also informed by the belief that the study of the body, nature and breath gives one the opportunity to understand the mind.Prices
- (all inclusive) per person per week
- €620 shared non-ensuite accommodation (2 in a room) with use of communal bathroom.
- €710 shared ensuite accommodation (3 in a room) or single non-ensuite (with use of communal bathroom).
- €770 shared ensuite twin or double room.
- €970 single ensuite accommodation (please note that single room availability is limited).
- €550 non-participating partner sharing a room.
- €610 work-exchange option (only one place per week): about 2-3 hours’ help per day with light household tasks (e.g., washing dishes, cleaning yoga studio) that does not interfere with the attendance of all classes. Accommodation in triple room.
