“You don’t have to sit atop a mountain peak to attain peace of mind. It is possible to lead a balanced life without compromising on comfort,” says Puja Sharma, founder of Juru Yoga in Chennai. The eco-friendly yoga products store is organising a three-day wellness retreat in January.
The retreat invites people to reflect on themselves through guided mindfulness exercises, music therapy and yoga.
“Sustainability and conscious living is what Juru is all about. So our idea of retreat comes from the concept of an ashrama — a place where people of all ages gather for spiritual growth,” says Puja.
The retreat will be held at a traditional South Indian courtyard space, Miththam, in Thiruvidanthai, where three halls will be converted into shalas . It is a five-minute walk from where participants will be put up. “Once you step inside, from morning till evening, you will be disconnected from all gadgets,” says Puja.
A traditional gong will wake up people at around 5am. Food provided will be as per Ayurvedic recommendations and during the day, they will be introduced to the yogic life and its practices, including pranayama and meditation.
“Arvind ji from the Vedanta Institute will talk about the roots of yoga, and we have a music therapy session by Vikram Kannan that will introduce us to healing sounds and chants,” she says.
Additionally, Vipassana Research Institute has volunteered to give participants an idea of the meditation technique, in case anyone wants to take it up for the long run.
“Of course, we also have fun exercises for couples, like Acro yoga and Thai yoga massage, where you can stretch and relieve tension in stress points with your partner,” she says, adding, “Journaling on how each practice affects the body and mind is also an important part of the retreat.”
The Juru Wellness Retreat will be held at Miththam, Thiruvidanthai from January 6 to 9. Registration fee of ₹25,000 per person includes pick-up/drop, accommodation and meals. To register, email namaste@juruyoga.com or call 9741002118.
Published - December 11, 2021 12:07 pm IST
