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.
“I had no idea how much this week would restore me to good health, to vibrant energy, and to a deep sense of wellbeing. The steadiness and commitment to the practice, the camaraderie that developed amongst us all, the delicious food and stunning beauty of the area: all this combined created one of the best weeks of my life. I’m still flourishing from the effects! I am so grateful to Ty and Sharoni for their clear and focused direction, and for the warm and welcoming way that they met everyone’s needs while challenging them to push their own capacities. ”
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 24 - Saturday, March 1
*Arrival: Sunday, February 23
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 3 - Saturday, March 8
Arrival: Sunday, March 2
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 15 - Saturday, February 22
Your Teachers
Schedule
Wednesday is an afternoon/evening off for rest and sightseeing after the morning openings and pranayama practice. Participants will be responsible for arranging their own lunch and dinner on this day. In previous years, participants have ventured to Boca, Yelapa, San Sebastian, Sayulita and Bucerias for the afternoon. Participants have also enjoyed the Vallarta Botanical Gardens which has beautiful grounds to explore and a restaurant serving up delicious options for lunch. Puerto Vallarta has a number of interesting shopping places, market choices and dining options. There is also a recommended massage studio nearby that participants have enjoyed on the day off. We are happy to organize reservations or ride shares for those who would like to see the area.
Meals
We serve two nourishing meals each day, lunch and dinner (fresh and vegetarian) to sustain practice.
Participants will be responsible for arranging their own lunch and dinner on Wednesday after the morning practices. Dinner will be served on the arrival day and brunch will be served on the departure day after the openings practice.
Fresh, washed fruit is available throughout the day along with self-serve tea and water. All fruit, vegetables and food is washed/cooked with filtered water and microdyne. We are able to provide options for all dietary restrictions. Please advise us in the registration form if you have any restrictions/sensitivities.
What Students are Saying
“Arriving at the Casa I was greeted by the lovely Kristin who helped me with my bag and getting situated. The room I would be sharing opened up into a gorgeous large courtyard with a red tiled mosaic pool and surrounded by well manicured flora, and the other rooms. The Casa has a truly unique character and as the week progressed I came to learn that this Iyengar Yoga intensive was like no other I had ever been to. Ty’s daily morning ‘openings’ classes both magically prepared us for the classes to come, as well as restored us from the classes of the day before. Enjoying tea in between our first asana class and pranayama we chatted, or stayed silent basking in the warmth of the morning Mexico sunshine. At first I wasn’t able to stay awake during Pranayama but as the week progressed so did my learning thankfully to Ty’s grounding voice. Sharoni’s afternoon classes were vigorous and so full of fun. She brings such a spirit of joy to the classes. Both Ty’s and Sharoni’s classes played off of one another, as they took us steadily further and further into our own practice and by the end of the week it was magical to see how we were able to execute Hanumanasana. However more than doing any particular pose the retreat had a profound mental and emotional impact on me. By day 4, the practice had opened me up so much that some issues that were dormant in my tissues had been released. I spent a day sitting with these tough emotions and it was transformative because the next day I woke up feeling an intense love for yoga, and immense feeling of gratitude for the loved ones in my life. There is so much more I could say - about the huge array of vegetarian meals the friendly kitchen staff prepared for us, or Ty’s evening Kirtan sessions - one evening I hurriedly returned back to the Casa not wanting to miss out, and was greeted by the group truly rocking out in such musical joy. Returning back to life in Toronto, I miss the yoga, I miss my fellow participants - a group of heart warming students that helped each other so much in class - and I miss the sunshine. I am carefully plotting when I can return to this type of practice with these teachers.”
“It was my first retreat. I worried: Would I be able to “keep up?” Would the teachers be nice even when I couldn’t do stuff? Would I get bored/tired with the long classes? None of the above…. Ty and Sharoni were incredibly kind and supportive, and I LOVED every minute of all the classes. I found the practice interesting and was so nourished by it. When it was hard, Ty and Sharoni were always there with a jolly helping hand. I’ve been home a week now, and I feel longer! Stronger! I came home to life’s complexities with greater equanimity and calm. Can’t wait for another retreat.”
Suggested Equipment
Please bring the following for practice: 1-2 dense blankets, yoga mat, water bottle and writing material.
The climate is tropical and semi-humid with an average temperature of 29C. Please bring comfortable, casual and light clothing. Shorts or tights and t-shirts for practice. It can be cool in the early morning and in the evening, a light sweater may be required.
Please bring insect repellent (if you are sensitive to mosquitoes) and sunscreen.
Additional Info
Each participant will receive a retreat t-shirt and can select their preferred design onsite.
Connect with other retreat participants. Share photos, travel to/from the airport, etc. Join the Puerto Vallarta Retreat Group on Facebook.
Laundry can be taken to a trusted contact - a 10 minute walk from the Casa.
We collect a group tip for the Casa staff and chefs (approx. 950 Pesos/$55 USD per person).
Karma duties are asked of each participant and include meal set up/take down.
Travel
March is part of the high season in Mexico. WestJet and Air Canada flies direct from several Canadian and US cities to Puerto Vallarta and Air Transat has charter flights. Seat sales do come up every so often.
After clearing customs at the Puerto Vallarta airport, look for the airport cab/ transportation kiosk in the terminal just before exiting. Use official taxis only, do not go with anyone saying they can give you a free ride. Purchase a one-way fare per person to the address below. Please show this address to the cab driver, as much can be lost in mispronunciation. The fare will be approximately $20 USD.
Casa Dulce Vida
Calle Aldama #295
El Centro
Tel: (011) 52-322-22-210-08 or from Canada: 780-628-2908
Email: liveit@dulcevida.com
Health Insurance: It’s recommended that travel insurance be obtained. Some credit cards automatically cover you with travel insurance.
Immunization: Please check with a travel clinic in your city about recommended immunizations.
Money: The official currency is the Mexican New Peso. USD is accepted in most places. There are ATMs close to the Casa. We recommend bringing some Pesos or USD as ATMs periodically run out of money.
Registration + Pricing
$1850 USD per week
Pricing includes classes, accommodation and mentioned meals / refreshments. Limited to a group of 20 students.
Registration Deposit = $850 USD (due upon registration)
Final Balance = $1000 (due January 15, 2025)
To secure your space please submit your registration deposit and registration form via the buttons below when registration is open. If we are at full capacity we will notify you immediately and your deposit will be sent back to you. These retreats tend to fill up quickly. Waitlist names will be taken in the case of cancellations and we will contact you if/when a space becomes available.
Cancellations
Participant cancellations up to 60 days are subject to a $100 USD admin fee and within 60 days of the retreat are subject to waitlist availability and/or a $250 USD admin fee.