Yoga and Vedanta Retreats

“The benefits were not just about the week but as I write this 10 days later are still impacting on me.  I feel so much better for it.  Great combination of Fiona and James.  The two disciplines of Yoga and Vedanta really complement each other and the entire experience was exactly what I needed.  This is the first time I have ever had a yoga and philosophy type break but it certainly won’t be the last!”

Liz Edwards

For further details of upcoming retreats please see below:

Yoga and Vedanta group, Turkey 2010

Atami, Turkey October 17 - 24th 2011 More details Donations according to means for the Vedanta teachings are appreciated at the end of the course/retreat as James, as a traditional teacher, lives on donations.

Vedanta or jnana yoga, is often described as revealed knowledge, or the search for truth and is the foundation for spiritual inquiry. If you are interested in taking your spiritual questions further and are curious to know why are we really here, who we are and what truly makes us happy (and the ultimate question…what is reality?) these retreats will be of great interest to you.  They are tailored for both those who are unfamiliar with Vedanta and those who have already been exposed to the teachings.  Retreats usually include the study of a source text such as the Bhagavad Gita and are suitable for those who have studied with James  before.  Vedanta, also known as Self Inquiry, is a dynamic traditional teaching that engages the participants in such a way that it produces insight into the nature of reality and self-realization.

The ancient spiritual teachings of Self-Inquiry show us how to remove suffering caused by  misunderstanding our true nature.  Self-Inquiry is the royal road to happiness and inner peace. It equates happiness with freedom from dependence on anything other than one’s own self. In addition to the talks and satsangs with James Swartz, Fiona, teaching in the tradition of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar, will offer a morning yoga class.

During the retreat James Swartz, a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda, and a renowned Vedanta teacher, shows how to be attain peace and happiness through Action Yoga (Karma), Love Yoga (Bhakti), the Yoga of the Three Energies (The gunas) and Meditation. As these yogas are revealed, the obstacles which make us suffer and which stand in the way of self realization…insecurity, fear, desire, inadequacy, isolation, and attachment…dissolve.

The Programme

On retreat, a morning yoga session is followed by a mid-morning talk and a discussion designed to address questions raised by the talk. We will then have lunch and free time. After dinner there will be a second talk and an informal satsang with James. He will also be available for private consultations.