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"Direction!" Yoga Yard's Spring Renewal Retreat, April 22 - 27, 2010 A six-day yoga retreat based on the Chinese Five Elements of Nature. Hikes, experiences in nature, meditation, qi gong, yoga twice a day, and a stay in a beautiful Chinese village in the mountains near the Great Wall will refresh and inspire, just in time for Spring! This is one of Yoga Yard's favorite annual events -- space is limited to 18, so sign up early!
"The energy of Spring compels us to grow from the seeds we sew. The powerful vitality of this season supports us to refresh our focus and consider our direction in life. Spring is nature’s time to envision and plan where we are going in our lives.
Life has a way of leading us. One door opens when another one closes. We are presented with choices at the crossroads. Knowing which way to turn is the question. Finding the balance of self-directing and letting life lead is a life-long process.
A retreat provides us with the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect. By surrendering our usual everyday responsibilities, we become available to consider the questions, which explore the meaning of our lives. Paying attention to our deep dreams and yearnings pulls them into existence.
The Spring Renewal Retreat is designed to refresh us on all levels. Through the practice of Yoga, we open and expand our physical self. Through the exploration of the Five Elements of nature we align with what is natural. Through guided reflection, we focus and clarify the mind. Taking time to contemplate, we create space for the spiritual.
The theme for this year’s Spring Renewal Retreat is "Direction". Accessing how we direct our lives is a practical process. Step by step we will explore how to align our lives with our intentions and dreams. This direction leads us on a path of deep personal fulfillment for every level of our being."
– Cameron Tukapua, Program Leader
Quotes from past participants...
“Cameron introduced me to a beautiful new world of spirituality, awakening a light in me that I hadn’t felt in many years. Through Cameron’s teachings, wisdom, love and friendship, I have a greater sense of enthusiasm for yoga, spirituality and life.” – Aaron Kuo-Deemer, 2006, 2007, & 2008 retreat participant
“‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears.’ The teacher who appeared for me was Cameron Tukapua, and she has opened doors in my heart and in my mind. I returned feeling really open and connected to everything around me. I will definitely return for the next retreat.” – Joo Teoh, 2007, 2008 & 2009 retreat participant
"The retreat was a great experience in every way--great yoga, great hikes, great people. Almost a year later, I'm still learning from Cameron's teaching." --Sean McClung, 2005 retreat participant.
"I see life from a different perspective since the retreat. My experiences and relationships have deepened. I am stronger physically, mentally and spiritually. The retreat recharged my batteries and has given me life-long lessons I give to others on a daily basis." – Marie Shieh, 2007 retreat participant
“I found the retreat to be a valuable tool for learning about myself, other people, and explore what lies beneath the surface of all our lives.... Now, long after the retreat has ended, I find myself still reflecting on what I experienced there. I also found it a wonderful way to make friends, as I was new to Beijing and 7 months pregnant. I am so grateful to have had this experience and I can completely recommend it to anyone needing to pause and reflect and find renewal.“
– Beth Rutherford, 2007 retreat participant"When I signed up for the retreat I didn't really know what to expect... Little did I know that Cameron's teachings would turn my world up-side-down. Through Cameron I was introduced to spirituality and she helped me discover an enormous strength and potential within myself." -- Yolanda Scholer, 2006 & 2007 retreat participant
About Cameron Tukapua
My name is Cameron Tukapua. Cameron is my original family name. When my father passed away, I took this as my first name to honour the land-based legacy of my family heritage. Tukapua is my married name. My husband is Maori. Tu means "to stand,” kapua means "the clouds/ heaven". I am proud to have married into Maori culture because like all indigenous cultures, Maori people honour our relationship with nature. Living by what is natural to us, we find the way to fulfill our destiny.
Healing is my path that began formally three decades ago when I began learning naturopathy. Soon after I was led to acupuncture and ever since I have studied, practiced and taught others and myself the art of being whole. For ten years I was the Founding Owner and Principal of a New Zealand Qualifications registered Acupuncture College. These years of practice and community leadership taught me a lot about helping people to access their deep inner resources and grow strength. For the past six years, I have been leading nature-based retreats in China, Australia and New Zealand. The feedback and changes I have seen in the lives of people attending these retreats have shown me what a powerful way this is to help people reconnect to their deeper sense of self and grow into their potential."I have had the honor and good fortune to have received acupuncture and healing treatment from Cameron Tukapua for almost a decade. Like any authentic healer, her knowledge has a depth and breadth that addresses the complexity of the human condition. Underlying this knowledge is the absolute commitment to being present for her clients, a presence which is in and of itself the basis for deep healing." -- Donna Farhi, author of Bringing Yoga to Life: The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living.
"Direction" Spring Renewal Retreat: Program and Daily Schedule Retreat program will be led by Cameron Tukapua.
Yoga practices will be led by Robyn Wexler.
Day One Thursday, April 22 3pm Departure from Yoga Yard
5pm Arrive Sancha 6pm Dinner 7pm Introduction and Talking Circle Days Two-Five Friday, April 23-Monday, April 26 7am Morning Yoga
8:15am Breakfast 9:15am Class / Time in nature - Exploration of 5 Elements Meditation Qigong 12:30pm Lunch 1:30pm Introduction to contemplations 2:30pm Time in nature, Journal time, Free time 4:30pm Afternoon yoga 6:15pm Dinner 7:15pm Talking circle and closing meditation Day Six Tuesday, April 27 7am Morning Yoga 8:15am Breakfast 9:15am Class / Time in nature - Exploration of 5 Elements Meditation Qigong 12:15pm Lunch 1pm Closing comments, circle 3 pm Pack and prepare for departure 4pm Depart Sancha 6 pm Return to Yoga Yard "Diretion" -- Spring Renewal Retreat Location and about Sancha Location: Sancha is located two hours from Beijing by car, on the boarder of Huairou and Yanqing Counties. It is nearby Huanghuacheng, an older section of the Great Wall.
About Sancha: "Sancha" in Chinese means "three crossings." The village is situated in the intersection of three mountain valleys and springs. There is a lower as well as upper village; our retreat center is in the upper village.
Sancha is tucked in the hillsides of Huairou. It lies at the foot of an unrestored section of the Great Wall, and has lovely hiking trails (free from tourists or ticket collectors) that fan out from the village's center. The population of Sancha is quite small--only 398 residents, including the upper and lower villages. Mimi, a Yoga Yard teacher and co-director, has been renting a cottage in this village for over six years; she knows the villagers well (all are surnamed Wei), and sees Sancha as her personal place of retreat to compliment Beijing's urban energy.
Springtime in Sancha awakens streams and invites a landscape of apricot tree blossoms to unfold across the mountainsides. You would hardly know that Beijing's roaring metropolis lies just two hours south from this peacefully undisturbed village, rocking quietly in its seasonal rhythms.
Accomodations and Facilities: There is a bed and breakfast opened recently in the village by Mimi's landlord, Wei Ziqi. He and his family have built a number of guest rooms adjacent to their home to accomodate overnight visitors. Their house is the highest in the village, offering a view from their terrace that overlooks the valley below. In the springtime, the views are splendid, with apricot and peach trees in full bloom.
The Wei's guesthouse has 5 rooms available: Three doubles, two triples, and a common room with a traditional "kang" bed that will sleep up to six. A "kang" is heated bed used by many northern Chinese village homes as a source of heat as well as common gathering spot. Hot showers are available, as are western-styled toilets and bathroom facilities.
The Weis and most of the villagers are still farmers, though--so don't be surprised to rise to the sound of roosters crowing and donkeys breying.
Read a story about Sancha by New Yorker writer, Peter Hessler.
Sancha village
Retreat accommodations
"Direction" Spring Renewal Retreat Costs (per person) April 22-27, 2010 REGISTRATION (Please fill out all information below and submit with payment to Yoga Yard before April 1, 2010)
“Direction” Retreat Price (per person).
Double room (3 shared rooms available, two twin beds or one queen bed per room): 4,500 RMB
Triple room (2 shared rooms available, three twin beds per room): 4,200 RMB
Common room (shared kang bed, sleeps up to six): 3,600 RMB
All fees include:
Roundtrip transportation between Yoga Yard and Sancha village, meals, and workbook.
Retreat limited to 18 persons. Full payment required to confirm your space. Reservations and payment must be made no later than April 1, 2010. Bring the complete form below with your payment to Yoga Yard.Rooms available on first come, first serve basis.
Please register using the form below, and bring payment to Yoga Yard for space reservation confirmation.
