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Learning to Listen to the Body


a Yoga Retreat & Tour of Turkey

Throughout these ten days we’ll come home to ourselves and our inner knowing.

We invite you to join us for a week of yoga, adventure, and meaningful pauses. Throughout the retreat we’ll be tuning into the wisdom of the body, and cultivating our listening capacities. We’ll slow our spiraling minds and settle in to our bodies, learning to tap into the body’s cues so that we can move through the world with greater awareness. Where does fear live in the body? Do you know what safety feels like? How do we listen to the body and honor its needs? Postural practice will be focused on synchronizing breath and movement, and there will be opportunities for radical rest throughout the week. And if you’re a Mysore practitioner, there will be opportunities for you to receive guidance on your self-practice.

All yoga and meditation instruction is guided by Erica Morton Magill, who has been a dedicated practitioner and teacher for 15 years. The retreat is hosted by Jacki Ueng, a travel guide, blogger, and proud Turkish resident. You can learn more about your guides here.

Where will the retreat take place?

We’ll begin the week in Istanbul, a vibrant city bustling with life. After settling into our studio apartments and opening the weekend together, we’ll stroll the neighborhood before capping the evening with dance exhibitions. Saturday and Sunday will start with yoga practice before walking tours, Turkish baths, a cruise, and quintessential Turkish food and music.

We’ll then travel to Antalya in South Turkey. This is an idyllic escape in a cozy, secluded beach town. We will immerse ourselves in natural beauty and wonder.

Our days will start with morning yoga and meditation, before we embark on adventures. We’ll explore the Ancient City of Olimpos, ride bicycles in Çıralı, spend a day boating and swimming from Adrasan, and will visit neighboring islands, hike up Mount Chimaera to see the eternal fire that's been burning for centuries, enjoy a magnificent view of South Turkey on a Teleferique (gondola), and savor home cooked Anatolian meals at our cozy second home.

And if you’d like to linger in Turkey a while longer, you can add a 3-day trip to Cappadocia a top destination in the country. There we’ll take in the sights, hike, soar in a hot air balloon, and ride horses. The full itinerary is here, and a gallery of images is here.

Cost:

  • 30 September - 7 October

    Early Bird Special (before 30 June 2022): $2350 Double Occupancy | $2850 Single Occupancy

    After 30 June 2022: $2500 Double Occupancy | $3000 Single Occupancy

  • 3 October - 7 October

    Early Bird Special (before 30 June 2022): $1350 Double Occupancy | $1700 Single Occupancy

    After 30 June 2022: $1500 Double Occupancy | $1850 Single Occupancy

  • $600 per person Double Occupancy | $750 Single Occupancy

    • Yoga & Meditation with Erica

    • All transportation within Turkey: including airport transfers and flight from Istanbul to Antalya if you’re on the 8-day journey

    • Breakfasts, Lunches, unlimited Turkish Delights/Coffee/Tea in Istanbul (Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian options)

    • All meals in Antalya

    • 1-on-1 Somatic Therapy Session with Phylicia Chin

    • Vegan cooking class

    • Cultural Experiences in Istanbul: Private Walking Tour of Old City (including all entrance tickets), Cultural Dance Show, Whirling Dervish Show, Museums, Bosphorus Cruise

    • 70-minute Turkish Bath & Massage

    • Experiences in Antalya: Walking Tour of Old Town Kaleici, Island Boat Tour in Adrasan, Vegan Cooking Class, Hikes, Teleferique, tour of Ancient Olimpos & the Eternal flames of Chimaera

    • International flight

    • E-Visa which can be purchased 2 days prior to your departure at $55 for US Citizens (takes 5 minutes to fill out!): https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

FAQ’s:

  • You can register by placing a $500 deposit via Zelle (erica@berkeley.edu), Wise (ericamagill@gmail.com), Venmo or PayPal. Alternatively, you can pay in full, or in 4 installments, via the buttons peppered throughout this page and by clicking here.

  • The 8-day trip begins in Istanbul on 30 September and voyages to Antalya. The 5-day trip is Antalya only, beginning 3 October. Both end on 7 October.

    You are welcome to add the 3-day Cappadocia trip from 7 October to 9 October to either option.

  • Find a full itinerary here.

  • The retreat will run between 8-15 people.

  • All tours and scheduled events are voluntary. Join as little or as much as you want. This retreat is about listening to your body, and honoring your needs.

  • Our schedule might be adjusted slightly to accommodate outside forces like weather!

  • We highly recommend Turkish Airlines as it has the most reliable non-stop flights from around the world. We recommend browsing flight deals on SkyScanner.com. Once you've booked your flight, please forward the flight details to Erica and Jacki.

    Tip: Turkish Airlines is in the Star Alliance network, so if you have United miles, check for deals at around 65,000 miles for roundtrip.

  • Once you've booked your flight, please share your dietary preferences: Vegetarian, Vegan, Pescatarian, Other?

  • As of now, the only requirement to enter Turkey is proof of Vaccination or a Negative covid test.

    We’ll continue following all global and local recommendations.

  • Credit cards are accepted in the vast majority of shops and restaurants throughout Turkey. We will take you to exchange cash into Turkish Liras to have on hand.

  • Jacki runs a fabulous blog that will help paint a picture of what to expect. You can read about her experiences here.

  • You can view a full gallery of images here.

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