by Michelle Walder
(Oleiros, Castelo Branco, Portugal)
Nestled in the forested hills
Oleiros, Castelo Branco, Portugal
Open year round.
Fully-Inclusive Retreat prices from £450 per person.
The Ochre Hideaway is a semi-private yoga, meditation and well-being retreat in the forested hills of central Portugal. We are delighted to invite you to retreat to the tranquility of nature to be nourished by a comfortable home-from-home environment, healthy wholesome food, deep restful sleep, space to reflect, and meaningful connection.
Semi-private retreats are for those travelling solo, with friends or as a couple and have a maximum of 5 guests. We also offer private retreats for individuals, couples, and families, both large (up to 8 people) and small. Currently child-minding is not available per sé but non-Yoga partners are welcome and we can do our best to organise classes and massage around your family's needs during private retreats.
We are opening in June 2014.
Michelle Bio
Michelle is the owner of The Ochre Hideaway as well as the resident yoga teacher and massage therapist. She is passionate about life, yoga, juicing, giving massage and living a life as close to nature as possible. Michelle has been a yoga practitioner since 1997 and has been working as a yoga teacher and massage therapist since 2002.
Yoga
A retreat is the perfect opportunity to restore balance, harmony and clarity to your life.
Classes are based upon the Dynamic Yoga Method which is a rhythmic and meditative practice accessible to all, whether you are a beginner or seasoned practitioner. During the week you will be introduced to the fundamental principles of this method which, when applied, respect the inherent intelligence and integrity of your body thus inviting the process of reintegration to begin so that your practice may nourish you rather than deplete you. What you do on your mat should make you feel good, inside and out.
You will be challenged to explore your capacity moment by moment and to become intimate with the flow of sensations arising within you. In shifting your focus to feeling rather than thinking, the mind quietens and becomes absorbed into the whole, and that is why an authentic yoga practice, based on sensitivity to what is actually happening, is so deeply relaxing and restorative.
The semi-private class sizes ensure that you will receive lots of individual attention to maximise the benefits of your practice and classes can be tailored to meet the needs of individuals within the group as a whole.
Each week will include 5 morning classes and 3 additional workshops. The morning classes will be a minimum of 2 hours each, and include asana, pranayama, relaxation and meditation. Workshops will explore bandhas, spirals, and pranayama practices to free your breath from any habituated patterns of tension and intention. Workshops will take place either before lunch or late afternoon depending on how hot it is and how you want to spend your day.
In addition to the morning classes and afternoon workshops there is an evening meditation session every night to leave you perfectly relaxed and ready for a good night’s sleep. All meditation practice will be based upon simply being aware of sensations arising in the body and thoughts passing through the mind so everyone can enjoy it as a practice.
Massage
A good massage is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures. I massage mainly with my forearms which readily mould themselves around the body encouraging tense knotted tissues to release effortlessly. Through the release of tension and stress, the bodymind is invited to recover its natural state of innate balance and is thus fortified and rejuvenated. Supporting and harmonising both body and mind, massage therapy can be of benefit to everyone – whether your health is good or has room for improvement.
Therapeutic Massage is very often used to support other healing modalities. This is a thorough massage combining techniques from Swedish-, Deep-Tissue-, and No-Hands Massage to effortlessly soothe away muscular aches and pains. Treatment can be either localised or full-body. Guaranteed to leave you feeling lighter and brighter.
Relaxation Massage is a soft flowing full-body treatment for those who don’t have any specific aches or pains or who just want to be pampered into total relaxation.
Facial Massage, with pure Monoi oil, includes acupressure points and massage to the neck to rejuvenate, refresh and revive. As a result of the increased blood circulation and stimulation, the temperature of the skin increases, opening the pores and cleansing the skin from deep within. In addition to improving skin and muscle tone, the skin is hydrated and rejuvenated, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Rediscover a more radiant youthful-looking skin, naturally!
Holistic Clinical Aromatherapy involves the application of essential oils to improve physical and emotional well-being. Although the massage may be offered without the addition of essential oils, my experience is that the benefits are enhanced when the oils are used
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