Puerto Vallarta Retreat Intensives
with Ty Chandler & Sharoni Fixler

"Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for restraining the fluctuations."
- yogasutra I.XIV

Inward exploration, contemplation, study and reflection in the heart of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

We welcome you to join us for a fruitful practice week or two together.

About this Style of Retreat

This retreat format asks us to meet ourselves through sustained practice, sequenced to progressively open the body through concentrated effort and awareness. In the yoga sutras of Patanjali, it's explained that yoga practice should consist of effort or action, self study and surrender or letting go. He goes on by saying that practice should be for long periods of time, uninterrupted and practiced with love and respect. As yoga practitioners we all face starting, stopping, and restarting, irregularity and procrastination. In these practice intensives we aim to create daily structure, high quality Iyengar instruction and a supportive atmosphere and community. 

This style of condensed practice gives time to consolidate what has been learned in technical study. It helps a practitioner break undesirable habits and establish positive ones. Through the process we face ourselves. We face challenges and we also unearth our sensitivity and our strength, our inspiration and appreciation through a committed journey. 

With the focus being more on practicing rather than learning new techniques and collecting more points, one has the opportunity to be in a more meditative state. Being with like minded practitioners creates a supportive atmosphere to assist in going beyond where we go when practicing alone. And finally, we aim to cultivate love and respect in order to stay the course of a lifetime of practice.

Location

Held in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, a resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast in Jalisco state. It is known for its beaches, watersports, art, culture and tourism scene. Its cobblestone center is home to boutique shops, art galleries and a range of restaurants. Puerto Vallarta is easy to get to, with most Canadian and American airlines flying direct.

Accommodation

Casa Dulce Vida is in the heart of Puerto Vallarta, located just blocks from the El Malecón, the beach, popular shopping and restaurants. The Casa is a charming, rustic, and unique family-owned villa that has hosted our community's retreats for over 25 years. There is a private swimming pool onsite and the top deck has one of the best sunset views in town. The Casa was designed after an Italian Villa, with spacious rooms, 14 foot ceilings & tall arched windows. It is a collection of 7 separate unique suites each with a kitchen and private entrance. Accommodations are shared and included in the retreat price. Wifi is available at the Casa.

To stay at the Casa prior to or post retreat, please reserve with them directly: www.dulcevida.com

Choose your Week(s)

Week 1: Restoration, Recuperation & Foundations
Monday, February 23 - Saturday, February 28
*Arrival: Sunday, February 22

Restorative Practice
Helps counter the stresses of daily life by focusing on ease and relaxation. Postures are often practiced using props like bolsters, blankets and blocks to help students stay in postures comfortably.

Recuperative Practice
Moves the practitioner from deep relaxation through the postures that open the body, to progressively energizing poses. Revitalization is cultivated through sequences that remove strain and bring vibrancy.

Foundations Practice
An introduction to the Iyengar yoga principles of action and alignment. Addresses mobility, stability and strength.

Pranayama (Breath Work)
The practice of controlling or conditioning the breath. Consists of techniques designed to gain awareness of the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the breath, the mind and the emotions.

+for beginner students who wish to discover yoga or,
+those with some experience in the Iyengar method
+students of other methods of yoga and who wish to know the Iyengar method
+students seeking deep recuperation and restoration
+those who have stopped practicing for a while and wish to take it up again

Week 2: Level 2-3-4 Practice Intensive
Monday, March 2 - Saturday, March 7
Arrival: Sunday, March 1

Level 2-3-4 Practice
An opportunity for practitioners to work at their level, solidifying the foundation, going deeper and refining their practice.

Pranayama
The practice of controlling or conditioning the breath. Consists of techniques designed to gain awareness of the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the breath, the mind and the emotions.

+for practitioners with more than 2 years of regular practice - Iyengar method
+for practitioners with a regular home practice who can hold sirsasana for 5 minutes with variations and sarvangasana for up to 10 minutes with variations.

We welcome those who would like to join us for both weeks. An incredible opportunity to deepen your study and practice and feel the transformative effects of sustained practice.

Looking to get away with less hours of practice
and more hours of leisure?
↓↓↓
February Getaway at the Casa
Saturday, February 14 - Saturday, February 21

Originally from Saskatchewan, Ty made her home on the West Coast of Canada in 1983. Ty has been studying yoga since the late 80s and brings her years of dedicated practice, precision and devotion to her teaching. Her vibrant, warm personality and generosity along with her focus and discipline bring light to her students and her community. As a teacher, Ty helps students find the gifts of yoga through committed study and practice.

She supports and encourages each student to examine and refine their relationship to themselves using the tools given in the Iyengar practice. Infused with enthusiasm, devotion and detail - she helps students connect to the discipline of yoga where insights are revealed and a path towards holistic health are found. 

Ty resides in Victoria where she studies, teaches and also serves on the PD and Teacher Training committee at the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria. She is a long time student of Shirley Daventry French. Since 2001, Ty has made multiple trips to India (Pune and Bellur), as well as 14 visits to Blacons and Chaise Dieu, France to study with Faeq and Corine Biria. Since the pandemic she continues to study with many other luminaries in the Iyengar method. She has taught workshops throughout Canada and internationally in Hong Kong, Singapore and Costa Rica. Ty is certified at Level 3 (Sr. 1 in 2017), a national assessor and serves on the  Education Round Table for Iyengar Yoga. Keeping the heart open, she is a dedicated practitioner of Bhakti music. Bhavantu Sound continues to share Kirtan music on Vancouver and the Gulf Islands.

Sharoni resides in Calgary, Canada and is the founder and Director of CIY. She began her yoga studies in 2002 and met Faeq Biria in 2007, who profoundly inspired her in the subject. Sharoni has taken many trips to study with Faeq and Corine Biria at Blacons, Chaise Dieu and various places in North America, Asia and Israel. She completed her teacher training under Margot Kitchen and continues to work locally with Norman Sjoman on the advanced asana practice. Norman is a Sanskrit scholar and studied with Yogacharya BKS Iyengar in the late 1960s, before RIMYI (Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute) was founded. Sharoni currently trains with Corine Biria and Jawahar Bangera and has taken multiple trips to Pune, India, to study with the Iyengars.

Sharoni has a degree in philosophy and has a lifelong interest in spirituality and human potential. She brings intensity, enthusiasm and joy to her teaching and encourages dedication and insight. Sharoni believes in the transformative power of the practice to illuminate our living.

She serves as an assessor for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada (IYAC) , a member of the Education Round Table and President of the Board of Directors. Sharoni is also a mentor for apprentices and teachers in Calgary. She was a demonstrator and editor for Eyal Shifroni's book, Props for Yoga IV: Backbends. Sharoni holds a Level 3 Iyengar yoga teaching certificate.

Schedules

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