Thomas Fortel

Provence Extended Weekend Retreat
2020-07-02 - 2020-07-06 | Provence, Riez, France
This retreat is full.
Extended weekend retreat with Thomas Fortel in Provence, France.

Andelsbuch, Austria Weekend Retreat
2020-06-25 - 2020-06-28 | Andelsbuch, Galerie der Wälderversicherung, Bregenzerwald, Austria
Yoga with Thomas – Andelsbuch in the beautiful Bregenzerwald | Yoga mit Thomas – Andelsbuch im shönen Bregenzerwald
Andelsbuch DO 25. Juni bis SO 28. Juni 2020 Jede(r) ist herzlich willkommen. Die Tage sind flexibel buchbar.
Zeitplan: DO 18 bis 20 Uhr | FR und SA 9:00 bis 12:30 und 14:30 bis 16:30 Uhr | SO 9:00 bis 12:30 Uhr

Mallorca Retreat
2020-05-30 - 2020-06-06 | La Serrania Retreat Center, Mallorca, Spain
The island of Mallorca elicits an old memory from my first trip to Europe. I was 20 years old in 1978, taking an overnight boat from Barcelona, Spain to the Iberic islands on the Mediterranean sea. My destination was the island of Ibiza and the smallest island of Formentera. In the morning, after a very rough journey on the sea, we arrived in the port of Palma de Mallorca. Wow, what a beautiful place and city. While I did not disembark on that April day in 1978, I have returned these last 3 years to the city of Palma de Mallorca on the way to the retreat center, la Serrania. You too will fly into this city on the way to our yoga retreat.
Palma has the distinct feel of being in Spain as well as being on an island. The city is very European with an elegant old world architecture crossed with the tiles and gardened courtyards of Spain. As well, there is a very hip, cosmopolitan feel in this old world city. The islands are a major destination for the European sun lovers, particularly the British and Germans. I have really, really enjoyed my time in this city and am always left longing for more.
Just outside the city, on the 50 minute drive to the northern shore of Mallorca, stretch many, many miles of Olive and Almond orchards, dotted with stunning colors of Bouganvilla and Oleanders. The landscape is filled with broad mountain vistas and long trails of ancient stone fences dividing the farmland and orchards. I get the feeling of abundance and a slower pace here in this arid, island environment. The retreat center, la Serrania (Serenity) is located on a mesa ridge overlooking a long and broad valley, just 10 minutes outside the town of Pollenca. The only sound I hear is the wind and the clinking of the bells from the goat herds as they wander in the landscape.
So while there is the feeling of remoteness and peacefulness here, we are indeed close to town and
the Mediterranean sea.
All are welcome…

The Basic Itinerary

We will arrive on Saturday afternoon, get into our fantastic rooms, and meet at 5 pm for a one and a half hour yoga practice, welcome and introductions. The rooms themselves are large and spacious with lots of glass doors and windows opening out to terraced gardens. The rooms are stellar for sure and the bathroom/tubs are incredible. There are many patios around the main house as well as the awesome pool terrace and deck. (I did four weeks of painting workshops at la Serrania in 2002 and 2003, so I’ve spent a lot of time working quietly in this Mediterranean garden). There is housing only for 16 people so the retreat is guaranteed to be intimate and special in this way. Our yoga room is the living room of the main house and we have plenty of space for our practice on a two-leveled surface. Again, all the doors act as windows as well so everything reflects the light of this special environment.
There seems to be a nice European custom to gather for wine, olives and almonds before our gourmet dinner. The food at la Serrania is exquisite. The cook for breakfast and lunch is a native Mallorqean woman who fixes us delicious local dishes along with a host of Spanish cheeses and breads. Dinner is prepared by the owner, Tim Pinnel and his assistants, and is a great gourmet feast at the end of the day. We take our meals on the terrace or in the dining room.
Sunday will begin our yoga practice in earnest, before and after our trip to the Pollenca farmers market. I love going to this market as there is a broad range of produce, art objects, flowers and everything else. We usually take Wednesday afternoon for an adventure day, going on a trip to the sea and some fun tourists spots on the coast.
I just love the feeling of being in Europe and watching how other people live and act. What a beautiful life and planet we have!
We will complete our practice on Friday late afternoon with six full days of practice, and departure day will be Saturday.
Please bring your yoga props if you have them, a sticky mat, block, yoga blanket and eye bag.

Price and Registration

Price
$1200/€1100 Double(two to a room)
$1700/€1600 Single (one to a room)
Payment in full due the day of your trip.
Contact Thomas at tmfortel@gmail.com for more information and to reserve your space today.
Cancellation
If you cancel your participation in a retreat up to one month before the retreat, you will receive a full refund. If later than one month before, you will get a full refund if your place is filled. If it is not filled, you will lose your deposit.

Daily Schedule

7:30 – 9:00 am: Stretch, Meditation and Pranayama
10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Active Morning Practice
1:00 pm: Lunch/La Comida
5:00 – 6:30 pm: Afternoon Restorative, Forward Bends and Twists
7:30 pm Dinner/Cena

Increasing the Energy Flow: Five-Day Yoga Retreat at Esalen
2020-05-10 - 2020-05-15 | Esalen, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States
Increasing the Energy Flow

When most people hear the word yoga, they immediately think of stretching the body. While lengthening the muscular system is an aspect of yoga practice, it is a small part of what yoga is about. The ancient yogis developed the practice as a purifying agent to cleanse the nadis (energy channels) and chakras (energy centers) in preparation for the body to receive and hold the light of divine consciousness. To be a ready vessel for this powerful light, it was taught, one must be purified.
And so we do the physical postures (asanas), practice expanding the dimensions of breath (pranayama), and engage in the calming and quieting of the mind through meditation (dhyana). These practices increase the flow of the vital force (prana) through the physical, mental, and emotional bodies. As this is done over an extended period of consistent and applied effort, the deeper yogic states can be accessed and realized.
Being conscious of this energy flow deepens our experience as we practice. This will be our focus in the yoga retreat. Each day will begin with meditation and breathing practice, followed by an active morning practice and a more restorative practice in the afternoon. We will also make a study of the natural elements as we experience the beautiful Esalen grounds.
Participants should have at least three months of recent yoga practice. Please bring a yoga mat.

Registration for this retreat will be available on the Esalen Website.

Spring 2020 Midwest Yoga Retreat
2020-04-02 - 2020-04-05 | Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farm, 3801 S County Road 575, Muncie, IN, United States
Extended weekend of fun and reflection with yoga community at this bi-annual gathering of Midwest yoga practitioners.
Taking time for oneself to go on retreat is one of the many spiritual practices available to us. Often on retreat, we enter into the cradle of nature where the pranic force (life energy) is magnified and completely available for anyone who comes. In a similar way, the practitioners of yoga have journeyed for thousands of years to the ashram (yoga community) to engage the practices of meditation, pranayama (conscious breathing), chanting and Hatha yoga. In Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, the word “shramas” literally means fatigue, and “ashram” means removal of fatigue.
For registration and additional information, visit the Midwest Yoga Retreat Website.

Winter Yoga Retreat: Yelapa Mexico with Sarana Miller and Thomas - FULL
2020-02-22 - 2020-02-29 | Lagunita Hotel, Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico
The February 22-29, 2020 Yelapa Retreat is full. Other dates are listed here: Yelapa Retreats.
Arriving from different places, our Yelapa adventure begins as we touch down at Puerto Vallarta International airport. Despite the large name, the PV airport is relatively small and quite expedient in view of the number of tourists they handle per day. Getting your luggage and going through customs is a breeze and out to a taxi you go heading for the pier in the old town of Vallarta. Some of you lucky ones will be able to arrive early, staying in Vallarta for some days, or perhaps adding time on the tail of your trip. While there are a lot of large and loud drinking Americans there, I really enjoy the Mexican charm and vibrancy of this beautiful port city.
Yelapa is a small town or village on a large cove or bay on the southernmost rim of the Bahia de Banderas, the Bay of Flags. There are no roads to Yelapa so the contact of the village with Vallarta is via water taxi. When we board the boat for Yelapa we take another step onto our adventure. As I leave the dock, I always have the feeling that we are leaving the known and familiar and venturing into a shamanic journey of sorts. There is a feeling of remoteness and solitude on the beach, and in the village and river valley of Yelapa. On the 40 minute ride I have witnessed whales, schools of dolphins, turtles and manta rays; not all on one journey, but the water life is really incredible. For those who have been to Yelapa before, the Hotel Lagunita stands on the far left side of the beach while the village is on the far right side of the bay. The hotel itself was built by an amazing artist with extensive rock, stone, brick and bamboo structures and walkways. The rooms are done in Polynesian and art deco motifs. They are spacious, colorful, and all have full bathrooms, running water and 24 hour electricity. The hotel is perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean so the sound of the sea is enormous, present with us day and night. The hotel seems to be placed in the middle of a garden with beautiful palms and tropical plants everywhere..

Itinerary

Arriving at Hotel Lagunita, we will get our room assignments and meet before dinner for an orientation and introduction. Our yoga practice begins on Sunday morning and concludes with the morning practice on Saturday. That’s six full days of yoga practice.
Daily Schedule
7:00-8:30 Stretch, Meditation and Pranayama
8:30 -10:00 Active morning practice*
10:00 am breakfast
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: free time to be on the beach, resting and rejuvenating; lunch is during this time, ordering off the menu sometime before 3 pm.
5:00-6:30 pm: afternoon restorative practice
7:30 pm: dinner
*shortened morning practice on Wednesday

Price and Registration

Price: $1,575 Double, $1,850 Single USD
Price of retreat includes food, housing, tip for hotel staff. Cost of the retreat does not include: airfare, bar-tab, water taxi, massage and spa services.
Print the Registration Form, fill out the form, and mail along with your deposit to:
Thomas M. Fortel
6100 Heege Rd
St. Louis, Mo. 63123
$500 deposit due by January 31, 2020. Payment in full due the day of your trip.
Please contact Thomas if you have questions or need additional information.
Cancellation
If you cancel your participation in a retreat up to one month before the retreat, you will receive a full refund. If later than one month before, you will get a full refund if your place is filled. If it is not filled, you will lose your deposit.

More Information

There are many fisherman and boats for hire should you want to take a fishing or pleasure trip on the ocean/bay. We will organize a hiking trip up the river valley to a local waterfall for Wednesday. This is a popular hike each year and the only time we venture away from the ocean. Otherwise our time is spent on the beach, in the sun or shade, playing, doing art work, reading and being massaged by the magnificent environment of the natural world.
The food at Hotel Lagunita is fantastic. Breakfast begins with a fresh fruit platter, granola and yogurt, and then you are welcome to order any breakfast item you like off the menu. Lunch is taken on your own time and convenience before 3:00 pm and is also ordered off the menu. There are a few fresh fish restrictions (lobster and large prawns), otherwise ordering as you wish. There will be a large green salad and aquas frescas (fruit punches) served for dinner, then any of two entrees, either fresh fish or meat. Desert is served with the evening meal.
I love going to Mexico each year, in the middle of the California rainy season, to practice yoga with friends and fellow students, to swim in the big ocean, and expose myself to the kiss of the sun. I warmly welcome you to this most excellent time of yoga and fun in the sun.

Winter Yoga Retreat: Yelapa Mexico with Sarana Miller and Thomas
2020-02-01 - 2020-02-08 | Lagunita Hotel, Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico
Arriving from different places, our Yelapa adventure begins as we touch down at Puerto Vallarta International airport. Despite the large name, the PV airport is relatively small and quite expedient in view of the number of tourists they handle per day. Getting your luggage and going through customs is a breeze and out to a taxi you go heading for the pier in the old town of Vallarta. Some of you lucky ones will be able to arrive early, staying in Vallarta for some days, or perhaps adding time on the tail of your trip. While there are a lot of large and loud drinking Americans there, I really enjoy the Mexican charm and vibrancy of this beautiful port city.
Yelapa is a small town or village on a large cove or bay on the southernmost rim of the Bahia de Banderas, the Bay of Flags. There are no roads to Yelapa so the contact of the village with Vallarta is via water taxi. When we board the boat for Yelapa we take another step onto our adventure. As I leave the dock, I always have the feeling that we are leaving the known and familiar and venturing into a shamanic journey of sorts. There is a feeling of remoteness and solitude on the beach, and in the village and river valley of Yelapa. On the 40 minute ride I have witnessed whales, schools of dolphins, turtles and manta rays; not all on one journey, but the water life is really incredible. For those who have been to Yelapa before, the Hotel Lagunita stands on the far left side of the beach while the village is on the far right side of the bay. The hotel itself was built by an amazing artist with extensive rock, stone, brick and bamboo structures and walkways. The rooms are done in Polynesian and art deco motifs. They are spacious, colorful, and all have full bathrooms, running water and 24 hour electricity. The hotel is perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean so the sound of the sea is enormous, present with us day and night. The hotel seems to be placed in the middle of a garden with beautiful palms and tropical plants everywhere..

Itinerary

Arriving at Hotel Lagunita, we will get our room assignments and meet before dinner for an orientation and introduction. Our yoga practice begins on Sunday morning and concludes with the morning practice on Saturday. That’s six full days of yoga practice.
Daily Schedule
7:00-8:30 Stretch, Meditation and Pranayama
8:30 -10:00 Active morning practice*
10:00 am breakfast
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: free time to be on the beach, resting and rejuvenating; lunch is during this time, ordering off the menu sometime before 3 pm.
5:00-6:30 pm: afternoon restorative practice
7:30 pm: dinner
*shortened morning practice on Wednesday

Price and Registration

Price: $1,575 Double, $1,850 Single USD
Price of retreat includes food, housing, tip for hotel staff. Cost of the retreat does not include: airfare, bar-tab, water taxi, massage and spa services.
Print the Registration Form, fill out the form, and mail along with your deposit to:
Thomas M. Fortel
6100 Heege Rd
St. Louis, Mo. 63123
$500 deposit due by January 31, 2020. Payment in full due the day of your trip.
Please contact Thomas if you have questions or need additional information.

Cancellation
If you cancel your participation in a retreat up to one month before the retreat, you will receive a full refund. If later than one month before, you will get a full refund if your place is filled. If it is not filled, you will lose your deposit.

More Information

There are many fisherman and boats for hire should you want to take a fishing or pleasure trip on the ocean/bay. We will organize a hiking trip up the river valley to a local waterfall for Wednesday. This is a popular hike each year and the only time we venture away from the ocean. Otherwise our time is spent on the beach, in the sun or shade, playing, doing art work, reading and being massaged by the magnificent environment of the natural world.
The food at Hotel Lagunita is fantastic. Breakfast begins with a fresh fruit platter, granola and yogurt, and then you are welcome to order any breakfast item you like off the menu. Lunch is taken on your own time and convenience before 3:00 pm and is also ordered off the menu. There are a few fresh fish restrictions (lobster and large prawns), otherwise ordering as you wish. There will be a large green salad and aquas frescas (fruit punches) served for dinner, then any of two entrees, either fresh fish or meat. Desert is served with the evening meal.
I love going to Mexico each year, in the middle of the California rainy season, to practice yoga with friends and fellow students, to swim in the big ocean, and expose myself to the kiss of the sun. I warmly welcome you to this most excellent time of yoga and fun in the sun.

Weekend Yoga Workshop in Carmel, California
2020-01-18 - 2020-01-19 | Yoga Center of Carmel, Cottage #18, 10th Ave near San Carlos St, Carmel, California, 93921
Weekend yoga workshop, January 18 and 19 from 1pm – 4 pm each day.

Fall 2019 Midwest Yoga Retreat
2019-11-07 - 2019-11-10 | Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farm, 3801 S County Road 575, Muncie, IN, United States

Oaxaca, Mexico Retreat
2019-10-19 - 2019-10-26 | Hotel Villa de Campo, Macedonio Alcalá No. 910 Centro Histórico, Oahaca, OAX, CP 68000, Mexico
Oaxaca is a special city – I am very excited to welcome you to this yoga retreat in southern Mexico. And this retreat is only one week before the Day of the Dead, and I imagine the artistic and creative crescendo will be rising during our week there.
I have travelled to Oaxaca city 12 times since the year 2000, and stayed in this family hotel of Villa de Campo… I really love Oaxaca so much!

Itinerary

We’ll meet on Saturday early evening, at 6ish, for a meet and greet and will start our practice on Sunday (Domingo) morning. And our last yoga practice will be on Friday late afternoon with most friends departing on early Saturday morning.
Daily Schedule
Schedule of retreat
7:00am fruit and fresh juice
7:30–9:30 am Pranayama, Meditation and Active practice
4-6pm Twists, Forward bends and Restorative poses
What to Bring
We have no yoga props available to us. I will bring yoga straps, and we all will need to bring our own mats and blocks if they are a good tool for you. There are blankets at the hotel which we will use.

Price and Registration

Price
Private: $850 total cost for single
Double: $650 Total cost per person for a double
Cost of retreat includes:
4 hours yoga practices each day, lodging, and a fruit platter and fresh juice each morning. Food is not included as part of the cost of the retreat.
Each of us will be staying in rooms that have a kitchenette, including a refrigerator, sink and stovetop, and a few dishes. It’s unusual in a yoga retreat not to offer the food as part of the cost of the retreat. While our hotel does not have its own restaurant, Oaxaca state and city is well known for its culinary diversity and delicious cuisine; Tamales and Moles are from this region of Mexico. We’ll be free to have our lunches and dinners in the city as we please. I am aware of some great restaurants, and have had some great experiences at a few restaurants in the close environs near the area of our hotel.
Please let me know if you are committed to coming by email at tmfortel@gmail.com and then send your $500 deposit per person to:
Thomas Fortel
6100 Heege Rd.
St. Louis, Mo 63123
We’ll pay the remainder in Mexican pesos when we arrive at the retreat.
I’ll be sending an information letter after your registration to review all the fine details.

More Information

Our Hotel, Villa de Campo is on the main walking street of downtown Oaxaca, 10 minutes down to the cathedral de Santo Domingo and another 10 minute walk to the central Zocolo, (central square), and another 10–15 minutes to this enormous market, mercado…..I will lead a walk to this market during the week. I’m very happy to organize a group excursion to the pyramid site of Monte Alban, For Sure, and another possible trip out to surrounding small villages and seeing their carpet making homes and galleries. Whoever goes will pay for the cost of the transport, this will be an extra cost.
Recommended Travel Dates
You can plan your flight for arriving on Saturday, Oct. 19 and departing the next Saturday morning, Oct 26. The flights are normally quite early for going north, usually around 6am.

Extended Weekend Yoga Retreat in Linden, Germany
2019-10-03 - 2019-10-06 | Linden, Germany

Italian Yoga and Hiking Retreat
2019-09-18 - 2019-09-25
I have been to Assisi three times and can tell you it is a Very Special Environment on many levels, and awesome that we arrive on Monday afternoon as most weekend tourists will be gone. This rocky hilltop town is throbbing with humanity in the summer time and on weekends’ generally. So we can call it a Sacred Pilgrimage too.
Paolo has organized hikes on the St. Francis trails about 9 or 10 times. St. Francis lived in Assisi, but did lot’s of hikes with his monks to surrounding villages and towns. He was in Love with God in Nature, and in the Animals and All People. Walk his footsteps with this Itinerant Retreat.

Itinerary (September 18-25)

Wednesday September 18: Meet in PORETA in the afternoon, in time to start with our restorative practice at 5:00pm. We’ll lodge at Borgo della Marmotta.
Stay in Poreta September 18-September 21.
Saturday September 21: Minivan to TREVI a small town rich of monuments and churches. In Trevi we’ll stay at Antica Dimora della Rocca.
Stay in Trevi September 21-September 23.
Monday September 23: After our morning practice and breakfast, we’ll be transported by minivan to ASSISI where we’ll lodge at Hotel della Rocca.
Stay in Assisi September 23-September 25.

More Information & Full Itinerary

Price and Registration

The cost of the 7 days retreat is € 1450 for a double and € 1700 for a single, and $1650 for double and $1900 for single.
Price includes: 7 nights room accommodation, 7 dinners and breakfasts, daily yoga, active & restorative and pranayama practice’s, and 3 led hikes.
Lunches will be on our own.
Reservation (email tmfortel@gmail.com) and half amount as deposit is needed by April 2019.

Transportation

To arrive in Poreta these are the possible ways:
From Rome
By car: 140 km – 1h 40’–1h 50’.
By train to Spoleto: 1h 20’ (20-25€) + taxi to Poreta: 12 km, 15’ (25-30€)
From Florence
By car: 204 km – 2h 30’-2h 40’
By train to Foligno: 2h 30’ – 3h (40-50 €) + taxi to Poreta: 20 km, 25’ (40-45 €).
To depart from Assisi:
By car: 175 km to Rome (2h 20’); 170 km to Florence (2h 15’)
By train: Bus (line C) from the center of the old city to the train station (there is a bus every 30 minutes) and then by train to Florence or Rome (about 2h 30’ – 3h).

Labor Day Weekend Retreat at Esalen
2019-08-30 - 2019-09-01 | Esalen, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States
Personal Renewal through the Practices of Yoga

One of the fundamental tenets of yoga philosophy is that every human being is, at the core, an expression of divine light and love. The yogis refer to this as the Supreme Self or Inner Self. Many of us glimpse this from time to time, yet a primary focus of our journey is to honestly address the physical, mental and emotional heaviness which covers up our inner luminosity. This is a necessary paradigm shift as we move into a fuller expression of our true nature.
Yoga practice is a double-edged sword that requires both effort and surrender. Effort is necessary as we purify, refine and integrate body, mind, emotion and spirit. Surrender is critical in the face of alchemical transformation; letting go leads us into the restoration and edification of our true nature: divine light. These principles unfold in the yoga room as we place our bodies into postures (asanas), focus our awareness on breath (pranayama) and enter the sanctuary of the heart (meditation or dyana).
Everyone is welcome. Please have a minimum of three months of recent yoga experience, and bring a yoga mat.

Click to register on Esalen Website

Andelsbuch, Austria Weekend Retreat
2019-06-20 - 2019-06-23 | Andelsbuch, Galerie der Wälderversicherung, Bregenzerwald, Austria
Yoga with Thomas – Andelsbuch in the beautiful Bregenzerwald | Yoga mit Thomas – Andelsbuch im shönen Bregenzerwald
DO 20.06. bis SO 23.06.2019 | Termine flexibel buchbar
Zeitplan: VM 09:00 bis 12:30 | NM 14:30 bis 16:30 Uhr

Mallorca Retreat (FULL)
2019-05-18 - 2019-05-25 | La Serrania Retreat Center, Mallorca, Spain
The experience of visiting Mallorca for a yoga retreat

The 2019 Mallorca retreat is full. Thank you for your interest! (check out the 2020 Mallorca Retreat)

The experience of visiting Mallorca for a yoga retreat

The island of Mallorca elicits an old memory from my first trip to Europe. I was 20 years old in 1978, taking an overnight boat from Barcelona, Spain to the Iberic islands on the Mediterranean sea. My destination was the island of Ibiza and the smallest island of Formentera. In the morning, after a very rough journey on the sea, we arrived in the port of Palma de Mallorca. Wow, what a beautiful place and city. While I did not disembark on that April day in 1978, I have returned these last 3 years to the city of Palma de Mallorca on the way to the retreat center, la Serrania. You too will fly into this city on the way to our Mallorca yoga retreat.
Palma has the distinct feel of being in Spain as well as being on an island. The city is very European with an elegant old world architecture crossed with the tiles and gardened courtyards of Spain. As well, there is a very hip, cosmopolitan feel in this old world city. The islands are a major destination for the European sun lovers, particularly the British and Germans. I have really, really enjoyed my time in this city and am always left longing for more.
La Serrania retreat center and surroundings
Just outside the city, on the 50 minute drive to the northern shore of Mallorca, stretch many, many miles of Olive and Almond orchards, dotted with stunning colors of Bouganvilla and Oleanders. The landscape is filled with broad mountain vistas and long trails of ancient stone fences dividing the farmland and orchards. I get the feeling of abundance and a slower pace here in this arid, island environment. The retreat center, la Serrania (Serenity) is located on a mesa ridge overlooking a long and broad valley, just 10 minutes outside the town of Pollenca. The only sound I hear is the wind and the clinking of the bells from the goat herds as they wander in the landscape.
So while there is the feeling of remoteness and peacefulness here, we are indeed close to town and the Mediterranean sea for our yoga holiday.
All are welcome…

The Basic Itinerary

We will arrive on Saturday afternoon, get into our fantastic rooms, and meet at 5 pm for a one and a half hour yoga practice, welcome and introductions. The rooms themselves are large and spacious with lots of glass doors and windows opening out to terraced gardens. The rooms are stellar for sure and the bathroom/tubs are incredible. There are many patios around the main house as well as the awesome pool terrace and deck. (I did four weeks of painting workshops at la Serrania in 2002 and 2003, so I’ve spent a lot of time working quietly in this Mediterranean garden). There is housing only for 16 people so the retreat is guaranteed to be intimate and special in this way. Our yoga room is the living room of the main house and we have plenty of space for our practice on a two-leveled surface. Again, all the doors act as windows as well so everything reflects the light of this special environment.
Dining at la Serrania
There seems to be a nice European custom to gather for wine, olives and almonds before our gourmet dinner. The food at la Serrania is exquisite. The cook for breakfast and lunch is a native Mallorqean woman who fixes us delicious local dishes along with a host of Spanish cheeses and breads. Dinner is prepared by the owner, Tim Pinnel and his assistants, and is a great gourmet feast at the end of the day. We take our meals on the terrace or in the dining room.
Yoga Practice and local excursions
Sunday will begin our yoga practice in earnest, before and after our trip to the Pollenca farmers market. I love going to this market as there is a broad range of produce, art objects, flowers and everything else. We usually take Wednesday afternoon for an adventure day, going on a trip to the sea and some fun tourists spots on the coast.
I just love the feeling of being in Europe and watching how other people live and act. What a beautiful life and planet we have!
We will complete our practice on Friday late afternoon with six full days of practice, and departure day will be Saturday.
Please bring your yoga props if you have them, a sticky mat, block, yoga blanket and eye bag.

Price and Registration

Price
$1200/€1100 Double(two to a room)
$1700/€1600 Single (one to a room)
Payment in full due the day of your trip.
Contact Thomas at tmfortel@gmail.com for more information and to reserve your space today.

Daily Schedule

7:30 – 9:00 am: Stretch, Meditation and Pranayama
10:30 am – 12:30 pm: Active Morning Practice
1:00 pm: Lunch/La Comida
5:00 – 6:30 pm: Afternoon Restorative, Forward Bends and Twists
7:30 pm Dinner/Cena

Five-Day Yoga Retreat at Esalen: The Breath as a Tool of Transition
2019-05-05 - 2019-05-10 | Esalen, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States
The Breath as a Tool of Transition: Yoga in our Daily Life

The long, slow, conscious breath has the ability to stabilize and quiet the fluctuations of the mind. Concurrently, the breath can act as a medium through which we are able to connect to the formless dimension of being, to the invisible realms of spirit and soul. Whether we are in the yoga room, changing jobs, or dealing with a shadow facet of ourselves, the conscious breath can serve as an amazing tool of transition—it can calm us down in the corridors of change. We practice the breath in pranayama and asana practice and become mindful of the potential to integrate conscious breathing in our daily lives. What begins as a support for calming the mind and nervous system becomes an open door to the possibility of change and transition, on a personal and a collective level.
This is the theme and focus for our yoga retreat. Our mornings will begin with meditation and pranayama, leading into mid-morning active yoga practice. We’ll gather in the afternoons at various places on the Esalen property to observe the natural forces of nature, and then return to our yoga room for twists, forward bends, and restorative poses. Anyone with a minimum of three months of yoga experience is welcome. Please bring a yoga mat.

Click to register on Esalen Website

Spring 2019 Midwest Yoga Retreat
2019-04-11 - 2019-04-14 | Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farm, 3801 S County Road 575, Muncie, IN, United States

Aligning with Nature: A One-Day Retreat with Thomas Fortel & JennTara Ward
2019-03-23, 2018-10-20 | Labarque Creek TCS Campus, 4180 Doc Sargent Rd, Pacific, MO, 63039, United States
Immerse yourself in the tranquil energy of yoga and nature for a day to unplug from the fast-paced world we live in. We will have the pleasure of practicing in a newly constructed certified Living Building, one of only 11 structures in the world located on 28 acres of property on the Labarque Creek watershed in Pacific, MO. This is a 30 minute drive from Webster Groves.
Our day will consist of two yoga classes with a break for lunch, hiking or just resting and enjoying the outdoors. There are three nearby nature trails to enjoy including the LaBarque Creek Conservation area, Young Conservation area, and the Glassberg Family Conservation area.
We will meet at 9 am for an hour and a half to center ourselves with light stretching, pranayama and meditation. Immediately following will be a two hour morning yoga practice to balance strength and flexibility in our shoulders and hips. We will break for lunch and return at 2:30 p.m. for a two hour restful and restorative yoga practice.
Bring your own lunch and we will provide drinks.

View Event Flyer

To register, contact JennTara Ward at jenntara@yahoo.com

Winter Yoga Retreat: Yelapa Mexico with Sarana Miller and Thomas (FULL)
2019-02-23 - 2019-03-02 | Lagunita Hotel, Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico
The 2019 Yelapa retreats are full. Thank you for your interest!

Arriving from different places, our Yelapa adventure begins as we touch down at Puerto Vallarta International airport. Despite the large name, the PV airport is relatively small and quite expedient in view of the number of tourists they handle per day. Getting your luggage and going through customs is a breeze and out to a taxi you go heading for the pier in the old town of Vallarta. Some of you lucky ones will be able to arrive early, staying in Vallarta for some days, or perhaps adding time on the tail of your trip. While there are a lot of large and loud drinking Americans there, I really enjoy the Mexican charm and vibrancy of this beautiful port city.
Yelapa is a small town or village on a large cove or bay on the southernmost rim of the Bahia de Banderas, the Bay of Flags. There are no roads to Yelapa so the contact of the village with Vallarta is via water taxi. When we board the boat for Yelapa we take another step onto our adventure. As I leave the dock, I always have the feeling that we are leaving the known and familiar and venturing into a shamanic journey of sorts. There is a feeling of remoteness and solitude on the beach, and in the village and river valley of Yelapa. On the 40 minute ride I have witnessed whales, schools of dolphins, turtles and manta rays; not all on one journey, but the water life is really incredible. For those who have been to Yelapa before, the Hotel Lagunita stands on the far left side of the beach while the village is on the far right side of the bay. The hotel itself was built by an amazing artist with extensive rock, stone, brick and bamboo structures and walkways. The rooms are done in Polynesian and art deco motifs. They are spacious, colorful, and all have full bathrooms, running water and 24 hour electricity. The hotel is perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean so the sound of the sea is enormous, present with us day and night. The hotel seems to be placed in the middle of a garden with beautiful palms and tropical plants everywhere..

Itinerary

Arriving at Hotel Lagunita, we will get our room assignments and meet before dinner for an orientation and introduction. Our yoga practice begins on Sunday morning and concludes with the morning practice on Saturday. That’s six full days of yoga practice.
Daily Schedule
7:00-8:30 Stretch, Meditation and Pranayama
8:30 -10:00 Active morning practice*
10:00 am breakfast
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: free time to be on the beach, resting and rejuvenating; lunch is during this time, ordering off the menu sometime before 3 pm.
5:00-6:30 pm: afternoon restorative practice
7:30 pm: dinner
*shortened morning practice on Wednesday

Price and Registration

Price: $1,550 Double, $1,850 Single USD
Price of retreat includes food, housing, tip for hotel staff. Cost of the retreat does not include: airfare, bar-tab, water taxi, massage and spa services.
Print the Registration Form, fill out the form, and mail along with your deposit to:
Thomas M. Fortel
6100 Heege Rd
St. Louis, Mo. 63123
$500 deposit due by January 31, 2017. Payment in full due the day of your trip.
Please contact Thomas if you have questions or need additional information.

More Information

There are many fisherman and boats for hire should you want to take a fishing or pleasure trip on the ocean/bay. We will organize a hiking trip up the river valley to a local waterfall for Wednesday. This is a popular hike each year and the only time we venture away from the ocean. Otherwise our time is spent on the beach, in the sun or shade, playing, doing art work, reading and being massaged by the magnificent environment of the natural world.
The food at Hotel Lagunita is fantastic. Breakfast begins with a fresh fruit platter, granola and yogurt, and then you are welcome to order any breakfast item you like off the menu. Lunch is taken on your own time and convenience before 3:00 pm and is also ordered off the menu. There are a few fresh fish restrictions (lobster and large prawns), otherwise ordering as you wish. There will be a large green salad and aquas frescas (fruit punches) served for dinner, then any of two entrees, either fresh fish or meat. Desert is served with the evening meal.
I love going to Mexico each year, in the middle of the California rainy season, to practice yoga with friends and fellow students, to swim in the big ocean, and expose myself to the kiss of the sun. I warmly welcome you to this most excellent time of yoga and fun in the sun.

Winter Yoga Retreat: Yelapa Mexico with Sarana Miller and Thomas (FULL)
2019-02-09 - 2019-02-16 | Lagunita Hotel, Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico
The 2019 Yelapa retreats are full. Thank you for your interest!

Arriving from different places, our Yelapa adventure begins as we touch down at Puerto Vallarta International airport. Despite the large name, the PV airport is relatively small and quite expedient in view of the number of tourists they handle per day. Getting your luggage and going through customs is a breeze and out to a taxi you go heading for the pier in the old town of Vallarta. Some of you lucky ones will be able to arrive early, staying in Vallarta for some days, or perhaps adding time on the tail of your trip. While there are a lot of large and loud drinking Americans there, I really enjoy the Mexican charm and vibrancy of this beautiful port city.
Yelapa is a small town or village on a large cove or bay on the southernmost rim of the Bahia de Banderas, the Bay of Flags. There are no roads to Yelapa so the contact of the village with Vallarta is via water taxi. When we board the boat for Yelapa we take another step onto our adventure. As I leave the dock, I always have the feeling that we are leaving the known and familiar and venturing into a shamanic journey of sorts. There is a feeling of remoteness and solitude on the beach, and in the village and river valley of Yelapa. On the 40 minute ride I have witnessed whales, schools of dolphins, turtles and manta rays; not all on one journey, but the water life is really incredible. For those who have been to Yelapa before, the Hotel Lagunita stands on the far left side of the beach while the village is on the far right side of the bay. The hotel itself was built by an amazing artist with extensive rock, stone, brick and bamboo structures and walkways. The rooms are done in Polynesian and art deco motifs. They are spacious, colorful, and all have full bathrooms, running water and 24 hour electricity. The hotel is perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean so the sound of the sea is enormous, present with us day and night. The hotel seems to be placed in the middle of a garden with beautiful palms and tropical plants everywhere..

Itinerary

Arriving at Hotel Lagunita, we will get our room assignments and meet before dinner for an orientation and introduction. Our yoga practice begins on Sunday morning and concludes with the morning practice on Saturday. That’s six full days of yoga practice.
Daily Schedule
7:00-8:30 Stretch, Meditation and Pranayama
8:30 -10:00 Active morning practice*
10:00 am breakfast
11:00 am – 5:00 pm: free time to be on the beach, resting and rejuvenating; lunch is during this time, ordering off the menu sometime before 3 pm.
5:00-6:30 pm: afternoon restorative practice
7:30 pm: dinner
*shortened morning practice on Wednesday

Price and Registration

Price: $1,550 Double, $1,850 Single USD
Price of retreat includes food, housing, tip for hotel staff. Cost of the retreat does not include: airfare, bar-tab, water taxi, massage and spa services.
Print the Registration Form, fill out the form, and mail along with your deposit to:
Thomas M. Fortel
6100 Heege Rd
St. Louis, Mo. 63123
$500 deposit due by January 31, 2019. Payment in full due the day of your trip.
Please contact Thomas if you have questions or need additional information.

More Information

There are many fisherman and boats for hire should you want to take a fishing or pleasure trip on the ocean/bay. We will organize a hiking trip up the river valley to a local waterfall for Wednesday. This is a popular hike each year and the only time we venture away from the ocean. Otherwise our time is spent on the beach, in the sun or shade, playing, doing art work, reading and being massaged by the magnificent environment of the natural world.
The food at Hotel Lagunita is fantastic. Breakfast begins with a fresh fruit platter, granola and yogurt, and then you are welcome to order any breakfast item you like off the menu. Lunch is taken on your own time and convenience before 3:00 pm and is also ordered off the menu. There are a few fresh fish restrictions (lobster and large prawns), otherwise ordering as you wish. There will be a large green salad and aquas frescas (fruit punches) served for dinner, then any of two entrees, either fresh fish or meat. Desert is served with the evening meal.
I love going to Mexico each year, in the middle of the California rainy season, to practice yoga with friends and fellow students, to swim in the big ocean, and expose myself to the kiss of the sun. I warmly welcome you to this most excellent time of yoga and fun in the sun.

Weekend Yoga Workshop in Carmel, California
2019-01-26 - 2019-01-27 | Yoga Center of Carmel, Cottage #18, 10th Ave near San Carlos St, Carmel, California, 93921
Weekend yoga workshop, January 26 and 27 from 1pm – 4 pm each day.

Esalen Weekend Retreat: Personal Renewal through the Practices of Yoga
2019-01-18 - 2019-01-20 | Esalen, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States
Personal Renewal through the Practices of Yoga

Taking the time to go on retreat is a wonderful spiritual practice. Often on retreat, we enter into the cradle of nature where the pranic force (life energy) is magnified and completely available for anyone who comes. In a similar way, the practitioners of yoga have journeyed for thousands of years to the ashram (yoga community) to engage the practices of meditation, pranayama (conscious breathing), chanting, and Hatha yoga. In Sanskrit, the ancient language of India, the word “shramas” means fatigue, and “ashram” means removal of fatigue. Quite simply, when we students of yoga gather in community and engage the various practices of yoga, we experience a sloughing off of accumulated energy, the removal of fatigue, and return home feeling renewed and refreshed. You are welcomed, on this bright spring weekend, to join us as we practice, heal, and play together.
Please have a minimum of three months of recent yoga experience, and please bring a yoga mat.

Click to register on Esalen Website

Fall 2018 Midwest Yoga Retreat
2018-11-01 - 2018-11-04 | Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farm, 3801 S County Road 575, Muncie, IN, United States

Five-Day Yoga Retreat at Esalen
2018-10-07 - 2018-10-12 | Esalen, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States
Week-Long Retreat
Please have a minimum of 6 months yoga experience.

Click to see Thomas’s retreats on Esalen Website

Weekend Yoga Workshop in Carmel, California
2018-10-06 - 2018-10-07 | Yoga Center of Carmel, Cottage #18, 10th Ave near San Carlos St, Carmel, California, 93921
Weekend yoga workshop, October 6 and 7 from 1pm – 4 pm each day.

Labor Day Weekend Retreat at Esalen
2018-08-31 - 2018-09-02 | Esalen, 55000 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States

Extended Yoga Weekend in Linden, Germany
2018-06-28 - 2018-07-01 | Linden, Germany

Zurich Weekend Retreat
2018-06-23 - 2018-06-24 | Zurich, Switzerland
To register, email tmfortel at gmail.com

Provence Extended Weekend Retreat
2018-06-07 - 2018-06-10 | Provence, Riez, France
Extended weekend retreat with Thomas Fortel in Provence, France.
