Santosa pan yoga gathering and Kirtan Camp
Santosa Eco-Yoga Camp - Cotswolds May/June 2010
Dawn til dusk yoga in beautiful woodland, glades and pastures. Camping & practicing yoga, chanting, meditation, dance, therapies & workshops with inspiring teachers and healers. Read more at www.sitaram.org or email Uma Dinsmore-Tuli: yoga@sitaram.org
At Thistledown Environmental Centre, Stroud, Gloucestershire (Cotswold Hills) UK Friday 28th May – Sunday 6 June
Join us as we honour and affirm our connection with the Earth through yoga, dance, singing, chanting, story telling, positive networking, meditation and relaxation. Earth-spirit connection workshops include foraging and camp cooking, woodland trails, star-gazing, barefoot dances in the morning dew, and woodland arts and crafts for all ages.
An irresistible and inspiring full programme of workshops, classes and healing therapies with teachers from the team who have been running the Santosa (Somerset) Yoga festival and Gathering since 2006.
The full eight day programme runs from dawn til dusk and includes asana, pranayama, meditation, kirtan, yoga nidra, chanting, partner yoga, kids yoga, baby yoga, yoga therapy, family yoga, early morning practice, ceremony, satsang, and great company. Teachers from all lineages including Ashtanga, Iyengar, Satyananda, Vini and Kundalini yoga; also, Shadow yoga, Scaravelli, yoga, Acro-yoga, Ayurvedic yoga, kirtan, bhajans, yoga dance and more. Kids crafts, yoga, fun and games.
This is a gathering for everyone who loves yoga and/or kirtan, and wants to camp and practice in a beautiful woodland setting in the Cotswolds (near Nailsworth and Stroud). A clear pure space, alcohol and drug-free, family-friendly. No cliques, just friendly yogis from all traditions. Complementary therapists and healers working for donation. Sorry, no dogs.
We provide as many yoga classes as you like, your pitch, parking and water, showers hot tubs and campfires. You bring yourselves, your friends and family, your yoga equipment, musical instruments and cooking stuff if you want to self-cater. This year we have two fabulous vegetarian caterers on site. We also have a meditation space, healing space, kids space and four yoga spaces (one more than last year). It’s a clean, green site, so please be prepared to take your rubbish and recycling away with you.
Booking
We operate these gathering on a shoestring budget, and trust you will pay
the highest rate you can afford.
Choose between the following rates:
Full gathering higher rate, one person : £180
Full gathering lower rate, one person: £140
Single day attendance higher rate one person: £25 per day
ALL KIDS GO FREE
Concessionary rate available only for students, OAPs, single parents, and
those on state benefit. Documentary proof of status required
Santosa Eco-yoga camp 2010 Unwaged/concessionary single day rate, one person: £15
Santosa
Eco-yoga camp 2010 Unwaged/concessionary rate, full gathering, one
person: £88
A feast of yoga for you this summer!
We are delighted to announce that the Santosa yoga gathering timetable is better than ever. We have over fifty confirmed yoga sessions, classes and workshops, plus three or four sessions of devotional sound daily - including kirtan, bhajan, mantra chanting and other voices from the heart for you to enjoy. There are also dance workshops and sessions, all offered by inspired and generous hearted yoga teachers from all over the country.
You can read their enticing class descriptions if you download this document: PDF format, or Word format
Download the 2009 schedule here (in PDF format, or in Word format).
We look forward to meeting you there. If you have any last minute queries do please text us on our Santosa Somerset meadowline! 07595 322779. SHANTI, SHANTI
Our dates for 2010 are from 22 - 30 August.
This is a gathering for everyone who loves yoga and/or kirtan, and wants to practice in a beautiful Somerset meadow,overlooking Glastonbury Tor, mid-way between Shepton Mallet and Pilton. (Directions are below).
It’s camping in a meadow doing yoga all day - clear pure space - alcohol and drug free - family friendly - no cliques - just friendly yogis from all traditions teaching in yurts and big bender and in the open air.
The full day programme funs from dawn til dusk and includes asana, pranayama, meditation, kirtan, yoga nidra, chanting and camp fires.
Teachers from all lineages including Ashtanga, Iyengar, Satyananda, Vini and Kundalini yoga; also Tibetan yoga, Kashmir yoga, Acro-yoga, partner yoga, Yin Yoga, kirtan, bhajans, dance ceremony, Shakti dance and more. Kids crafts, yoga, fun and games
Complementary therapists and healers working for donation (including Thai Yoga Massage, Reflexology, Reiki, Shiatsu, head massage and lots more).
Yoga bazaar for books, CDs, musical instruments, clothes, mats, and other yoga stuff.
Sorry no dogs, but your small pets are very welcome (in previous years we have welcomed a number of pet rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice and gerbils). If they come back this year we'll have a pet appreciation show!
Teachers
If you are interested in teaching at this year's gathering please mail Donna Southwell santosayoga@googlemail.com. Donna is creating the teaching schedule for the gathering this year.
When you have a
place on the schedule, all teachers/crew will also need to register
via the online
booking service.
Healers
If you are a healer/therapist and would like to come and offer treatments at the gathering, please mail yoga@sitaram.org. There is a flat fee for the week of £25 for attending as a healer. Once you have checked your attendance with Uma, all healers will also need to register via the online booking service.
FAQs
Q: Where is the site and how do I get there?
A: The healing field meadow is between Shepton Mallet and Pilton. Full
directions are here for you to download:
download the directions (In
.pdf format)
Q: Where's the nearest train station?
A: The nearest train station is Castle Cary, about a 15 minute cab ride
from the site. Most of the cab drivers there seem to know how to find
the healing field but it could be a good idea to print out the directions and bring them with you to give to the cabbie. In the past quite a
few people have cycled over from Castle Cary on their bikes.
Q: How do I find out more about what happens on site?
A: Please download this Crucial Information doc: download
the crucial information (in .pdf format)
Q: What about food?
A: There are many choices to make! Most people choose a mixture of the
catering and self-catering options. This year we have two fabulous
vegetarian caterers on site, The Outer Limits Café are returning
for the fourth year running (hurrah!) to provide chai, cakes, snacks
and their speciality: Tibetan momos (lovely little veggie parcels served
in a tasty
soup). Delectable meals will be on sale from Alex's Angelic Feast magical
catering van: you can bring your own plates to get heaps of nourishing
wholesome food. You are also welcome to self-cater, so if you want to
do this please bring your cooking gear. There is a small on-site shop
in the gate tent selling basic provisions like pasta, baked beans, soya
milk,
soups, oatcakes and snacks.
Q: What about fires?
A: We have a single community camp fire for focus. It will be minded
by our fire keepers who will help us keep it safe and sacred. Please
join us around this fire and respect the fire keeper's guidance. There
are also
fires under the water to keep it hot for showers. But we ask for no other
fires on site.
Q: What about water?
A: There are stand pipes around the field providing mains cold water
for drinking, washing, cooking. Hot tubs and hot water for showers
are up under the trees at the far end of the field.
Q: Can I park on site?
A: Yes, there is a special part of the site for cars to park in. Please
do not park next to your tent. To give everyone space we ask for you
to park your car in the car parking places on the right as you enter
the field. We can help you with your unloading to carry your stuff
to your chosen pitch.
Q: Can I bring my campervan/caravan/bus?
A: Yes campervans and caravans and live-in buses are welcome. Please
be guided by the gate tent yogis to a suitable space for your vehicle
- and be aware this is likely to be close to the edges of the field
near the entrance.
Q: What other facilities are on site?
A: Please be aware this is low impact, minimal camping. We have composting
drop toilets (sitting and squatting varieties) at the car park end
of the field. Our toilet fairies work hard to keep them lovely for
everyone, and we find that most people much prefer these to stinky
chemical plastic boxes!
Q: What about rubbish?
A: This is a clean, green site. Please take your recycling and rubbish
away with you. You can compost your veggie scraps in the hedges.
Q: What do I need to bring?
A: Yourself, all your camping equipment, your cooking gear if you want
to self cater, your yoga mat and any other yoga stuff you want to
use, musical instruments if you want to play. Flip flops are handy
for the outdoor showers, swimming costumes for the hot tubs are a
good idea if you
are planning to soak in the tub. Bring clothes for all weathers - in
the last years we have had blazing sun, (bring hats, sunblock and sunglasses);
pouring rain (full waterproofs, umbrellas and wellies are a must),
and the nights get a bit chilly, even if you are round the campfire
(warm sweaters and rugs/blankets to sit on). Typical English summer
gear.
Q: Where's the schedule and what to I get for my money?
A: Once you arrive on site all classes and workshops are free. All
you need to pay for are any treatments you arrange with the therapists,
and any food you buy at the cafes. We have over fifty yoga teachers
registered to teach this year, in five different structures, and
there are always last minute changes to the schedule.
Download
the 2009 schedule here (in PDF
format, or in Word format).
One Person's Appreciation of Santosa 2006
from: John
Despite the dire forecast, we were lucky and had good weather with only
2 hours of rain , plus one nights rain (which doesn't really count
in my book,as its just so soothing to fall to sleep to)!
There were five large geodesic domes in the field for the classes and events, plus the two cafe's , so in reality bad weather wouldn't have been a problem.
There were two small cafes serving veggie food , these were in atmospheric tents with wall hangings, mellow music, carpets, cushions and low tables,
The hot tubs and showers were a real hit ! lovely, hot, and suitably basic. The water for both being heated by wood burning stoves along side. From a distance it was a scene from a 'carry on film' with the white missionaries being boiled in a big black steaming pots !
We ended up frequenting the tubs around midnight most nights ... Wonderful memories of being up to my neck in hot water in great company with just the stars overhead for light !.
The composting loos were a new system to me, (coming from so sensible Surrey) ! Very alternative, private - A shock at first, however once the continental squatting technique had been re-mastered, they were fine and vastly superior to the usual festival 'tardis' variety, and what's more, they didn't even smell !
The full , varied and regularly changing program was well attended , going on from 8am till 11 pm
Of the variety of things I went to, the Tantrik Shamanic dancing session was the most remarkable (almost like being on drugs)! .
Nice surprise to find such a variety of complementary healing people (all
in interesting yurts or domes), offering treatments at low prices.....
I had a full massage day one, reflexology day two and a Shiatsu
massage day three.....all wonderful !
Many children running around, and young babies on site, which was really
nice, with one big tent for the kids with daily activities. A
couple of my 'neighbours' were Astanga teachers [big thanks
to Joey and Donna - much appreciated classes! Ed.] and had their 7
month with them while teaching.
Tents of all shapes and sizes. a few camper vans and couple of caravans. Probably 120 people in all I guess, with more women than men,
Recommended !
take care
John.