Spring
Santosa Eco-Yoga Camp – Cotswolds 1 – 6 June 2011
UPDATES / UPDATES / UPDATES -
Preparations now well underway for this lovely camp.
If you are planning to come then please download the STUFF TO BRING SPRING2011doc, and check on CRUCIAL INFORMATIONSPRING2011 and DIRECTIONS. Also a good idea to read up on special stuff about camping at this special ecological site
The FAQs below have also just been ammended and reloaded. If you have paid online your name will be at the gate, but it’s handy to bring a printout of your purchase confirmation email along so we can match you up. See you there!
Special thank you to our lovely sponsor, Monica McSherry at HEALTHMATTERS in Dulwich, who is providing Santosa Spring 2011 with all the biodegradable washing up liquids, soaps and cleaning products to keep the camp and the campers shiny and fresh.
Please note there are 108 places only for this camp. Tickets will go on sale from 14 February 2011.
Wednesday 1 June – arrivals day, come and take your time to set up camp, settle in and be ready for the start of the yoga programme on the morning of 2 June. You are welcome to arrive from first light on 1 June. Crew will have been onsite from the day before, setting up. Please note that our Karma Yoga Kitchen will not be in operation until 2 June.
Sunday 5 June – last full day of programme day and departures. Leaving after the end of the last yoga sessions, or you can stay over Sunday night and leave on Monday morning.
In between these days, for a four day programme, we enjoy dawn til dusk yoga in an astonishingly beautiful campsite of woodland, glades and pastures. Camping & practicing yoga, chanting, meditation, dance, therapies & workshops with inspiring teachers and healers.
What’s on?
This year we have over twenty confirmed teachers and you can take a look at the Santosa Spring schedule11 if you would like a flavour of what we plan to offer, bearing in mind that additional delights always manifest at this marvellous gathering. You can also download the list of class descriptions and healers Santosa Spring class descrip 11 and therapists who will be working on site this year.
The timetable includes at least two or more sessions each of the following: Womb Yoga, Seasonal Yoga, Shadow Yoga, Bhakti yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Ayurvedic Yoga Vinyasas, Naam 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, Yoga Dance, Woodland activities and Capoiera.
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 workshops in the woods, bushcraft sessions and fire sessions, wildlife walks, star gazing, dawn chorus appreciation time, bat and badger watching and other fabulous fun in this unique woodland campsite.
Healers and therapists who plan to be working at this lovely camp in the past include include Shiatsu massage, Thai Yoga Massage, Swedish Massage, Indian Head Massage, Emotional Freedom Technique and Hypnotherapy. If you are interested in working as a therapist at this event, then please email Uma at yoga@sitaram.org
Tickets on sale February 1, 2011
Karma Yoga Team now gathering!
Please email yoga@sitaram.org you would like to be a karma yogi (volunteer worker) with any of the following teams:
ashram kitchen crew
site set up and managament crew
gate tent, shop and welcome crew
Teaching crew – we have a full complement of teachers for this gathering, but to register your desire to teach at the summer event please email Donna Southwell at santosayoga@googlemail.com.
Buy Tickets
(Only available for those who are already officially registered as CREW/TEACHERS/THERAPISTS. Please also, if CREW/TEACHERS/THERAPISTS are brining children, please register the kids with the £1.08 kids registration button (below), so we know how many children are coming.
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 30 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 1 – 5 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
Q: Where can I camp?
A: Our camp is using the stunningly beautiful third pasture site, which is down a very steep bank. There are mown out areas of grass around the top of this site, and also down below the main circle of big structures, and alongside the woods. Please park up in the car park and the friendly karma yogi in the gate tent will show you the way down. You are welcome to camp anywhere in the mown out areas of short grass. Please be aware that during May and June there are TICKS a plenty living in the LONG GRASS (see separate question below for more on these lovely little creatures), and if you camp in the long grass you will be very likely to get some ticks attaching themselves to you. So camp in the short, mown grass instead. See the STUFF TO BRING SPRING2011 doc for other seasonal pointers about camping in a meadow in June! Also good to check out the ‘Don’t forget’ page on the Thistledown site.
Q: What about food?
A: Meals are not included in the cost of your ticket. Many people choose to self-cater, but many may also enjoy to make use (at least some of the time) of our Karma Yoga Kitchen (pure vegetarian, pure karma yoga crew). Meals will be around £5 per head adults and £3 per head kids portions. Please bring along your own plates, bowls, mugs and cutlery. If you forget, there will me a small supply available to borrow for a deposit of £5. We shall be offering vegetarian breakfasts (porridge, sausages, beans, eggs and toasts) from 0730 til 11.30. There will be simple lunch (eg rice and dhal, or noodles and veggies) from 12 noon til 1400. Coffees, teas, chai and cakes will be available through the daylight hours, and the evening meal will also be a simple offering of some variation of rice, dhal, veggies, noodles etc). The Karma Yoga Kitchen will close when it gets dark. There will be 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 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) especialyl 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 spring water for drinking, washing, cooking. Hot 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.
If you want to eat in the Karma Yoga Kitchen please bring your own plate, cup, bowl, cutlery and wash up after yourself. If you have forgotten your eating gear, then we shall have a small supply of stuff for you to borrow (deposit £5, returned to you when you return the plates etc to the kitchen at the end of the camp).
Q: What about children?
A: I hope to give you 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 (9 and 12 now) and a little girl (3.5), and the joy for them at the camps is the children’s world they create with their friends, the other children at the camp. They 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: What’s the camping like and are there ticks?
A:There is beautiful camping and LOADS OF TICKS. Please be aware that this is an environmental project site: it is home to many deer, badgers and other creatures who enjoy to live and ove in the long grass. At this time of year (May//June) this means there are lots and lots of ticks: on the animals, in the long grass and often they end up on people too. So be mindful about tick prevention and removal: the beautiful camping is really best in the mown areas of grass. please DO NOT camp in the LONG GRASS. There are loads more ticks in the LONG GRASS and if you spend a lot of time in the long grass you will get a lot of ticks. Best to keep time in the long grass short, if you see what I mean. And bring some tea tree oil to soak off the ticks. We find they most often just fall off by themselves after 24 hours if they are bathed in tea tree oil a few times daily.
Q: Can I bring my dog?
This remarkable site is a haven for dog walkers, and many local people love to bring their dogs here to run through the woods and meadows. Our lovely site owners Richard and Ryan have agreed to discourage regular dog walkers from coming through the camp during the time we are there. Previously we have also asked for all campers to leave their dogs behind, but this year, as an experiment in canine co-operation, we are happy to welcome well trained dogs provided that their owners commit absolutely to pick up every single poo which their dog does. Dogs should be on leads at all times in the camping and main circle areas. No dogs are to run free in this part of the site, day or night. If dog owners which for their dogs to be off lead, they need to take them away from the camping and yoga tent areas and go into the farther reaches of the woodland (there are many acres to explore), or up to the top part of the site. Be aware also that there is livestock in the top part of the site and no dogs are allowed into these pastures. Be aware also that some families bring small mammals such as rabbits and guineas pigs with them, and dogs should be prevented from frightening these creatures.
This change of plan, and experimental approach to the controlled presence of dogs on site is, we are happy to confess, prompted by the newly arrived presence in our family of a Collie puppy called Fanore, who recently adopted us in Ireland and now lives with us in Stroud. He will be on site some of the time, under the watchful eyes of Abhisheka, Tejomaya and Nirlipta.
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 INFORMATIONSPRING2011. It’s a good idea to have a read before you arrive to ensure you know what you are signing up for!
Booking
We operate these gatherings on a shoestring budget, and trust you will pay the highest rate you can afford. Any funds raised through the running of the camp goes to support the charitable work of YOGASEVA – link coming soon!
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
BOOKING OPENS 14 FEBRUARY