Spring
Santosa Eco-Yoga Camp – Cotswolds 28 May – 6 June 2010
Friday 28 May – arrivals day; Sunday 6 June – departures day. In between these days, for an eight day programme, we enjoy dawn til dusk yoga in beautiful woodland, glades and pastures. Camping & practicing yoga, chanting, meditation, dance, therapies & workshops with inspiring teachers and healers.
We are up on site now! Making the wonderful site into a beautiful gathering place for everyone to start arriving on Friday. If you are planning to come and visit us, please text (no voicemail please, to conserve our battery in the field!) the campsite hotline 07595322779 with a brief text to check if there is space for you before you set out, and if at all possible please pay ONLINE in advance (scroll down for the paypal buttons at the end of this page) and print out your paypal receipt and bring it with you so that we have proof you have paid. It is possible to turn up on the gate and pay cash, but it is really better for you to check first and pay online before you come. Thank you for your help with this!
What’s on?
We have over twenty confirmed teachers and have the provisional schedule ready for you to see. Please be aware that there could be changes to the details of this plan, but broadly, this is what will be on offer: you can download the final draft Santosa Spring schedule10 and take a look, bearing in mind that additional delights always manifest at this marvellous gathering. You can also download the Santosa Spring 2010classdescriptions for a description list of classes, and healers and therapists who will be working on site.
The timetable will definitely include at least three or more sessions each of the following: Shadow Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Ayurvedic Yoga Vinyasas, Mantra Yoga, Scaravelli Yoga, Nada Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Satyananda Yoga, Dynamic flow yoga, Laughter Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Partner yoga, Yoga Rhythms, Yoga for kids, babies, toddlers, Yoga games, Yoga Nidra, Authentic Movement, Chi Gung, Trance and Transformation, and Yoga for women, including Menstrual yoga.
We also have a Bhakti yoga space with twice daily kirtan (devotional song) and puja or aarti (devotional worship and offerings). There are also other muscial offerings, including singing, nada yoga and camp fire music. There are art workshops in the woods, bushcraft sessions and fire sessions, deerstalking, wildlife walks, star gazing, dawn chorus walks, bat and badger watching and other fabulous fun in this unique woodland campsite.
Healers and therapists who have confirmed their attendance include Thai Yoga Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Swedish Massage, Indian Head Massage, Chavutti Thirmal (Indian massage using feet), Emotional Freedom Technique and Hypnotherapy.
I’ve already booked – what now?
If you have booked via payal, then your paypal receipt is your ticket and your name/s will be on the list at the welcome tent when you arrive. If you have questions about the gathering, please be so kind as to scroll down to all the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the bottom of this page, to retrieve the directions and other information you need to come and find us.
This is truly a shoestring operation, and we really do need to keep admin to an absolute minimum, so there are no postal tickets and we try to make the website give you everything you need so that you don’t need to call me up! There are lots of frequently asked questions at the bottom of this page.
I will be checking emails up until 27 May, so that might be the best way to contact me if you have a query. If it is truly urgent and you are lost en route or some other catastrophe or deep confusion has arisen, then you can text the camp hotline: 07595322779.
I want to come!
If you have not yet booked your place, please read on, and find the online booking buttons at the bottom of this page. If you plan to come please book online, before you come, even if you are booking after the camp start date, since this minimises the cash on site, and keeps clear records of who has paid. Thank you for your interest in our small but perfect yoga camp!
At Thistledown Environmental Centre, Stroud, Gloucestershire (Cotswold Hills) UK Friday 28th May – Sunday 6 June
Gorgeous dappled light through the trees encourages us to experience the union of yoga in the woodlands.
Join us as we honour and affirm our connection, our yoga or union, 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, crafts and activities for all ages, including deer stalking, badger, bat and bird watching.
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, Laughter Yoga, Yoga Rhythms, 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 (Thistledown environmental centre is near Nailsworth and Stroud and borders the marvellous National Trust woodland Woodchester Park).
Santosa is 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.
It’s a clean, green site, so please be prepared to take your rubbish and recycling away with you.
Frequently asked questions
What about food?
Meals are not included in the cost of your ticket. Many people choose to self-cater, but many also enjoy to make use (at least some of the time) or our tried and trusted vegetarian caterers. This year, our main caterers are the ever-popular Outer Regions Solar Powered Chai Tent Cafe, who have been a welcome presence at Santosa since we started in 2006 (see the Outer Regions myspace page). Plus we also have Alex’s delightful Angelic Feast vegetarian catering service up at the Welcome Tent (see Alex’s web page); plus an option to ‘order in’ gorgeous vegetarian meals from Stroud’s much loved Star Anise Arts Cafe (visit the Star Anise appreciation society on facebook for a taste of how delicious the food is, and download the Santosa Spring 2010 Star Anise menu specially for the Santosa camp ). There is a small on-site shop in the gate tent selling basic provisions like pasta, baked beans, soya milk, soups, oatcakes, snacks.
Q: Where is the site and how do I get there?
A: Thistledown Environmental centre is healing field meadow is close to Nympsfield village, The nearest town is Nailsworth, or Stroud. There are excellent directions on the Thistledown website.
Q: Where’s the nearest train station?
A: The nearest train station is Stroud, about a 15 minute drive from the site. There are are cabs available at the station. Most of the cab drivers there will probably know of Thistledown (our campsite) especiall if you explain it’s near the Nympsfield windmill, but it could be a good idea to print out the directions and bring them with you to give to the cabbie. It’s a beautiful (if hilly – but then this is the Cotswolds – so that’s expected!) cycle ride over from Stroud.
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 also available. There are two gas fired hot water showers on the right down the bank at the bottom of the main circle, Please make a 50p donation per shower, and be swift – four minutes is what we aim for to keep the showers available for all!
Q: Can I park on site?
A: Yes and no. There is a special part of the site for cars to park in. It is not possible to drive vehicles down to the camping area, so please do not come expecting to be able to 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 before you go down the very steep green bank on the left to enter the camping area 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, but please be aware that you will need to park up in the car parking space and will not be able to get your vehicle down to the main camping area. The parking place is close to the camping space, but the car-free camp space is down a very steep grassy bank, out of site of the vehicles. Please be guided by the gate tent yogis to a suitable space for your vehicle.
Q: What other facilities are on site?
A: Please be aware this is super-low impact, minimal camping. We have composting drop toilets (super-deluxe, sitting varieties) at the top of the main circle, and down the bank next to the showers. There are also straw bales for men to wee on . Our toilet fairies work hard to keep them lovely for everyone, and we find that most people much prefer the wooden composters and straw bales to stinky chemical plastic boxes!
Q: What about rubbish and composting?
A: This is a clean, green site. Please leave no trace of your presence on the site. We have a recycling and rubbish point up near the main gate. vegetarian food scraps (vegetable and fruit peelings only, and no cakes or biscuits) can be collected and fed to the Polynesian pigs, who will be very glad to enjoy them!
Q: What about fires?
A: We keep a single main community camp fire burning throughout the gathering for a heartwarming 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 three other smaller fire pits around the site, and braziers available too, PLEASE ONLY LIGHT FIRES IN THE ESTABLISHED FIRE PITS AND BRAZIERS. No other individual fires on site please.
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. Cosy blankets are a really useful thing to have in your classes and at night round the fire. 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: What about children?
A: I hope to giveyou some clear pointers of what it can be like to bring a child to the camp. I set up these camps because I wanted somewhere clear and wonderful to bring my children so we could enjoy living yoga together. I have two boys (8 and 11 now) and a little girl (2.5), and the joy for them at the camps is the children’s world they create with their friends, the other children at the camp. The enjoy the organised activities for kids, and sometimes I accompany them to these, but most of the time they have created their own special world and we just meet up for meals,and devotional song and when we need to, and they come and find me as and when in the yoga sessions if I am teaching or learning.
With children at the camp, there are some variables, and some not-so variables:
1. Your child is ultimately your responsibility at all times.
2. We do not offer creche or childcare facilities
3 We do offer classes where you and your chidren can do yoga together – family class each day, laughter yoga, and art workshops etc.
4. We also offer children’s yoga classes scheduled at the same time as adult yoga classes, often in neighbouring structures so lots of parents find if there child enjoys the class for the kids, at the same time they can enjoy the adult class.
5. We also Offer arts and crafts activities in the afternoons and many parents find that if school age children are enjoying these sessions, then the parents can enjoy their own yoga in the neighbouring tents.
6. We also have a very pro family friendly feel so loads of people make friends with each other and take turns to mind the children – e,g by joining in with the kids activities while their parents go to the class – this seems to work very well
7 We create a very safe space for children so that we find on the whole site many children enjoy to play outside the yoga tents or to help out with the crew’s work (e.g in the welcome tent, or at the water facilities while their parents are doing yoga. So long as the child is happily occupied and knows exactly where their parent is if they need them then this works out very nicely for everyone – and the children get freedom to play, whilst being ‘held’ in a conscious space by the wider community of grown ups around.
In practice, we find that the parents and children who seem to feel that they all get to enjoy what they like doing most are the ones where the children either bring along a friend to play with, or make friends at the camp and the parents also make friends with other parents and share responsibility for minding the children.
Also there are lots of events you can enjoy together like the singing at the fire, the laughter yoga and the art workshops. Many teachers are also parents and/or experienced kids yoga teachers so are happy to admit children to any of the sessions on the schedule – so that’s an informal way to join the adult classes too.
Q: Can I bring my dog?
Sorry, but no dogs on site please.
Q: Where’s the schedule and what to I get for my money?
A: We work on the schedule right up to the last minute, so please check the top of this page for the latest version of running order and list of teachers attending. 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 twenty yoga teachers registered to teach this year, in four different structures, and there are always last minute changes to the schedule.
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)
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
Unwaged/concessionary single day rate, one person: £15
Unwaged/concessionary rate, full gathering, one person: £88
Concessionary rate available only for students, OAPs, single parents, and those on state benefit. Documentary proof of status required
ALL KIDS GO FREE
Healers and Therapists
Flat rate for those confirmed to work at the camp (please send email confirmation that you received from Uma to yoga@sitaram.org before you book this option please!)
Spring Santosa Eco-yoga camp 2010 Healer/Therapist flat rate, full
gathering, one person: £27