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AYUR YOGA ECO ASHRAM IN MYSORE
Yoga & Ayurveda Retreats | Yoga Teacher Trainings
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We’ve been surfing at beautiful, tourist-free beaches, points, and jetties surrounding Varkala, Kerala each morning with our guests since October 2010. We’ve enjoyed sunset Yoga classes each evening on our rooftop, we’ve had the odd bonfire and barbeques a-plenty in our beautiful gardens, and our outdoor clifftop surf-cinema with stone-baked pizza has been a real hit but it’s really about great people – our guests and the Soul & Surf team that have really made it special. So, come and join us for some Soul, Surf, Yoga, and Indian good times.
We set up Soul & Surf with the intention to do something positive, however small and insignificant it may seem. So alongside our aim of giving our guests a dose of health, inspiration, and good times we are committed to giving something back on three different scales; on our doorstep with our surf club for village kids, locally with our support for the charity SISP in Kerala and globally with our commitment to donate 1% For The Planet to Surfers Against Sewage.
When we first set up a surf & yoga stay in Kerala, India in 2010, we were terrified of being stuck with a load of meat-heads talking macho surf s%*t all day long, so we tried to put them off by making our website pink and putting soulful stuff at the forefront of what we do. We stand by that today. It’s no accident that we’re called SOUL & Surf. For us it’s more than just being Soul Surfers, it’s the balancing of all things soulful with surfing that defines our attitude. We’re open year-round in Varkala, Kerala.
So the yoga, the meditation, the therapy, the music, the food, and the people we employ to bring the soul attracts a great bunch of people to come and stay here and gives us all a really well-rounded experience, gently nudging at a few boundaries and hopefully creating a slightly more contented you.
Know too that we set up Soul & Surf with the intention to do something positive, however small. So alongside our aim of giving our guests a dose of health, inspiration, and good times, we are committed to giving something back in three different ways – on our doorstep with our surf club for village kids, locally with our support for the charity SISP in Kerala, and globally with our sustainability commitments.
Soul & Surf-Varkala offers are the following services:-
1) Daily Yoga Retreat Classes
2) One To One Yoga Classes
3) Pranayama or Meditation Classes
4) Massage, Therapies & Treatments
5) Deep Release Massage Treatment
6) Therapeutic Massage Treatment
7) One For The Soul: A Therapist’s Special Treatments
Vinyasa means “to move in a special way”, and that way is in linking the movement and breath together. Our flow sessions are physically energising, working with the breath and the movements in harmony to build heat in the body, and get to grips with the asana practice (physical postures).
Our Slow Flow classes are deep and creative, slower-paced and more gentle than the Vinyasa classes. Postures are held for longer, and the transitions between postures are slower. The gentle nature of this class is great for beginners but is also wonderful for intermediate and advanced students who feel like slowing down and sinking more deeply into their practice.
Yin Yoga is a quiet and simple practice, but not necessarily an easy one. This style works deeply into our body. It targets our deepest tissues, our connective tissues — ligaments, joints, bones, and the deep fascial networks— rather than the muscles. The perfect balance for surf/travel/vinyasa-tired bodies.
Though sometimes thought to be “boring” or “difficult”, our meditation classes will guide you through accessible techniques that help calm and organise our thoughts as well as explore a more mindful approach to our days. With the help of sound, light, and sometimes even movement the techniques used are designed to quieten the senses and bring a stillness to the mind.
For those who are already competent surfing green waves we also offer a daily surf guide, hunting out the best waves for the day and the group's ability. Embrace the adventure, go with an open-mind and you never know what you might find! Prices – from INR 1950 per person per night
We are very much open for anyone staying elsewhere to join any of our classes. Over the years we’ve become one of the most popular yoga studios in town. Each of our classes is an ‘all levels’ ability class, they work for experienced yogis and beginners alike, so feel free to do as much or as little as you can… We’re creatives at Soul & Surf and we like our yoga to be too. Drop-in class 550INR Yoga week 2790INR
We are very much open for anyone staying elsewhere to join any of our classes. Over the years we’ve become one of the most popular yoga studios in town. Each of our classes is an ‘all levels’ ability class, they work for experienced yogis and beginners alike, so feel free to do as much or as little as you can… We’re creatives at Soul & Surf and we like our yoga to be too. Drop-in class 550INR Yoga week 2790INR
While asana (postures) focus on our bodies, pranayama (breathing exercises) focuses on our minds and can even increase your lung capacity. During the pranayama classes you will be guided through specific breathing exercises to channel your “Prana” (or life force), resulting in a mind that is rejuvenated, stilled and uplifted.
Tara was drawn to yoga over 15 years ago, primarily as a way to improve her fitness, flexibility, and lung health. Through practising Ashtanga, Vinyasa, other styles of breath-oriented yoga and pranayama, as well as exploring the ancient Indian martial art, Kalaripayattu, her approach has evolved into one that seeks union in the experiences of strength and stillness, while developing an unwavering focus on the breath. Tara is a 200 hour certified yoga teacher, and eager to continue helping herself and others benefit from the practice of yoga.
Both totally new and experienced yogis will take something away from our classes as you are encouraged to work to their own capabilities and what is needed in the moment.
Through intuitive listening the therapist addresses the physical and energetic issues by gently steering the body towards its own natural healing abilities and opening up the potential for deep releasing of all kinds. This restorative and deeply relaxing massage consists of continuous, and slow fluid movements creating balance between the mind and body. 75 | 90 Mins
Tailored to suit each individual, the therapist will use deeper pressure and more focused massage to allow relief to the depths of your muscles. This is an effective treatment to promote change in the body by improving the movement and function. Using a combination of deep and relaxing methods, the body and mind will be left feeling balanced and nourished. 75 | 90 Mins
We have some really incredible therapists working with us seasonally. Each therapist will prepare their own specialised treatment for you whilst they are with us. Contact us to see what’s on offer or speak to us once you arrive for more info. 75 | 90 Mins
Through intuitive listening the therapist addresses the physical and energetic issues by gently steering the body towards its own natural healing abilities and opening up the potential for deep releasing of all kinds. This restorative and deeply relaxing massage consists of continuous, and slow fluid movements creating balance between the mind and body. 75 | 90 Mins
Tailored to suit each individual, the therapist will use deeper pressure and more focused massage to allow relief to the depths of your muscles. This is an effective treatment to promote change in the body by improving the movement and function. Using a combination of deep and relaxing methods, the body and mind will be left feeling balanced and nourished. 75 | 90 Mins
We have some really incredible therapists working with us seasonally. Each therapist will prepare their own specialised treatment for you whilst they are with us. Contact us to see what’s on offer or speak to us once you arrive for more info. 75 | 90 Mins
Most of our rooms are in a modern block at the back of the grounds and are simple, clean with touches of style and our Soul & Surf eye for detail. We also have a few rooms in our 150 year old traditional Kerala style building, which whilst smaller have some real character, a private verandah and your own patch of garden looking out over the ocean. We have three levels of rooms: a couple of basic but clean en-suite rooms for the budget conscious, some good sized rooms with balconies or verandahs and stylish touches in our mid-range, a couple have AC available at extra cost and some nicer, bigger rooms with AC.
We love to eat. And to drink. I bet you do too.
The defining moments of many people’s stay at Soul & Surf over the years have been the communal, post surf, breakfasts in our garden. These late, leisurely, long breakfasts tend to be the times that things are organised, like-minded people are met, plots are hatched and friendships blossomed. When Ed & Sofie set up Soul & Surf all those years ago this social scene was the most surprising and also the most valuable part of the experience.
Our main cafe is an open-side shelter from the sun overlooking the Arabian sea plus we have some tables and chairs dotted around the garden for lunches and afternoon snacks.
Breakfast
We tend to eat a hearty breakfast all together late, around 10-10.30am which is included in your stay. If you decide not to surf and are wasting away, of course we’ll organise an earlier breakfast for you from about 8.30 onwards. Give the cafe team as much warning as you can if you need an early breakfast. Breakfast alternates between some classic south Indian breakfasts and some western classics with a fruit plate, local Kerala coffee, Indian tea and a fresh juice. It’s all designed to be healthy and filling at the same time.
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch is served from 1pm until 4pm and dinner from 6pm to 9pm our food is a mix of South Indian, Indian street food, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Mexican and Mediterranean dishes and salads using our great local produce in slightly unusual ways.
Drinks
We serve great coffee, sourced from the local highlands, tea, masala chai and a whole heap of juices, coolers and of course Kerala’s very own coconuts. And cake. We make our own cakes and we eat our own cakes. Very quickly. Yum.
We don’t have a licence to sell alcohol and unlike so many of the other spots around we’re not prepared to risk the trip to the Varkala cells by selling it anyway. Guests can buy their own booze and bring it to their rooms and we can help facilitate that, but unfortunately that’s as much as we can do.
