Live Online Yoga Retreat: The Art of Letting Go

Thursday 9th – Sunday 12th November 2023

We are thrilled to be repeating our nourishing and supportive autumn yoga retreat, The Art of Letting Go. This years retreat is live online with Gabriella Espinosa and Clive Fogelman. This is also an extra special Pre-Retreat self-enquiry workshop with psychotherapist Kelly Hearn!

Why join an online retreat? For many of us, this year has been a challenge. We’ve been greeted with joys, but also challenges. The art of letting go, or the art of surrender, is perhaps one of the most important life skills any of us can develop. This is the art of knowing how and when to move on, how to navigate through life’s often tricky challenges, transitions, twists and turns. An online yoga retreat with MFML offers a way to re-group and to digest the lessons of the year. It is a chance to gather and feel the warmth and power of community. Together, we find ways to move into winter hibernation, letting go of all that no longer serves us.

The art of letting go. Letting go is the biggest life lesson of autumn and winter. The trees know that they simply have to let go of their leaves; there would be no buds in spring without the letting go in autumn. All that we do is always reflected in nature. Just as we cannot inhale without first exhaling, we simply must learn to let go to live a full, happy life. We must let go of all that we cannot control, we must let go of our judgements, or attachments, we must let go of everything that is causing us to feel unhealthy.

But our bodies, as well as our minds, often have a tight grip, a constriction, an attachment over things that would serve us better to release. Our bodies often hold physical tension. Our breath can become shallow. Yoga, breathwork and meditation can really help us to let go of the things that we can’t control in life, to let go of tension and stress, to let go of an anxious mind, to really ground and be in the present, surrendering to all that is. This retreat has letting go and the art of surrender as its focus. Like the trees, we will shed all that doesn’t serve us, so that we are able to nourish, replenish and start anew.

This weekend will be a coming together of full-hearted souls. All the sessions are live on zoom, but you may be surprised the soulful connection we are able to achieve in our ‘sangha’ or community of individuals helping one another to work through some of the more challenging practises of life.

In a world that is changing

and growing ever more rapidly,

inner calm is your most valuable asset.

The type of calm that you can rely on

when there is turmoil around you.

The type of calm that helps you

breather deeply and make good decisions

when it is time for action.

Yung Pueblo

What to expect

Expect a weekend full of yoga, breath work and meditation practises. We are a friendly, inclusive, down to earth and supportive community, and we always welcome folks of every ability and all experiences. Our teachers are adept at modifying for each individual’s needs; there is always a practise for everybody. On this retreat you will be encouraged to actively participate and share your experiences with others, supporting the whole community, many of whom have had a difficult few years. Your support, your practise and your breath work will raise the whole community. Expect:

• A weekend of live world-class yoga, meditation and breath work classes from Gabriella and Clive, plus an extra special Pre-Retreat self-enquiry workshop with psychotherapist Kelly Hearn where we will reflect on what we are releasing and how we are moving towards our hearts longing.
• Interactive discussions with Gabriella, and MFML founder, Kat Farrants. Join in with our ‘fireside chats’ and Q&As as we talk about the importance of surrender in life
• Access to our closed community group with all our teachers and fellow Movers to offer you guidance and support
• Custom-made PDF with inspiration, tips and advice, and autumnal recipe suggestions.
• A warm, human experience with time to connect to the community and space to connect to yourself too.
• A weekend of learning and support to equip you with the tools to let go, take a breath, create some space, and move forwards into winter with ease.

The Teachers

Gabriella Espinosa – Gabriella teaches yoga, breath work, somatic movement and nutritional therapy, and she is passionate about guiding women to connect with their bodies, take charge of their hormonal health and live their fullest potential. Gabriella is co-leading this retreat and will be sharing yoga and meditation classes, plus the opening ceremony and closing ceremony.

Clive Fogelman – Clive is co-leading this retreat. His teaching is informed by a variety of body- and mind-based practices. He is renowned for his inclusive and accessible style of teaching that encourages people to cultivate intuition within their bodies, mindful that all individuals are different and continually evolving

Kelly Hearn – Psychotherapist and Co-Founder of Examined Life, has wide experience working within the NHS, private practice and at The School of Life She is also an avid ‘sanity walker’ and yogi; activities which help her balance when her mind is over-active.

Kat Farrants – the founder of MFML and she will be binding the retreat family together by hosting the discussions and supporting you all in sharing opinions and experiences.

The Schedule

All sessions will be hosted live on Zoom and are suitable for all abilities; you are welcome to join no matter which stage what of your yoga practice you are at, or no matter your level of mobility. We will be offering suggestions for a range of additional classes which you can practice in your own time through the weekend.

We recommend you take the whole weekend off as if you were away on retreat! Spend time in nature, read books, journal, relax, book in a massage or bodywork session and eat nourishing foods. We’ll even be sharing some recipes for you to try out.

(All times are GMT)

Thursday 9th November

6.00 – 7.30 pm GMT | Pre-retreat Self-Enquiry Workshop with Kelly Hearn

Pre-Retreat self-enquiry workshop with psychotherapist Kelly Hearn where we will reflect on what we are releasing and how we grow by letting go and remaining open to change.

This session will not be recorded, to ensure that everyone feels safe to share.

Friday 10th November

6pm – 7.30pm – ‘Resourcing for Emotional Resilience’ – Opening Circle, Evening Yoga & Guided Relaxation with Gabriella

Gabriella will open tonight’s circle with a short discussion on emotional resilience, followed by gentle somatic movement, yin yoga and a guided relaxation to replenish your body with the capacity to handle what life brings your way. Resourcing for emotional resilience is the practice of inviting one’s mind and body to attune to sensations of safety and/or goodness in times of stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Building our capacity to be with a range of emotions and sensations to cultivate resilience can be learned. 

Saturday 11th November

9am – 10.30am – Move and Make Space – Morning Hatha with Clive

This all levels Hatha class will explore gently energising movement with the intention of discovering space and openness within the body. There will be a focus on harmonising our breath with the movement as well as the subtleties of transitions.

5pm – 7pm GMT | ‘Vagus Vitality’ – Breath Work, Somatic Exercises & Gentle Yoga with Gabriella

The vagus nerve acts as a “super information highway: communicating between your body and brain and to regulate mood, digestion, heart rate, and so much more. In this session, Gabriella will take you on a tour of the Vagus Nerve with breathwork, somatic exercises and gentle slow yoga to culitvate vitality, harmony and joy.

Sunday 12th November

9am – 10.30am – Generate Energy and Intention – Morning Hatha with Clive

This all levels Hatha class will focus on the energy we can generate in our body by holding poses and how we breathe in the poses. There will also be an emphasis on how we can use poses to cultivate different experiences and intentions. 

12pm – 1pm – A lunchtime Q&A with Gabriella

This is the time to ask any questions of Gabriella and have a lovely cosy chat with other retreat participants, about the practises, and the art of letting go.

5pm – 6.30pm – ‘Rest in Pleasure’ – Journalling, Breath Work & Restorative Yoga with Gabriella

Our busy fast paced world propels us into a constant state of striving, pushing, doing that often we forget to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Welcoming rest is essential for enjoying a pleasure full life. In this class, Gabriella will discuss the different types of rest we can all benefit from and  guide you in journaling, breath work and a nourishing restorative yoga practice so that you can rest in pleasure.

If you cannot attend a session, don’t worry, we will record the sessions (except for Kelly’s session on Thursday and the Sunday Q&A) and they will all be available for 14-days after the retreat for you to enjoy.

What you get:

• The support of our community of Movers, alongside support of Founder, Kat, who will be hosting each of the sessions, alongside our teachers, Clive and Gabriella.
• A retreat PDF full of ideas for how to make the most of your retreat, plus additional suggested reading and listening materials
• 10 hours of live tuition with some of the world’s leading teachers

Cost:

As we go into winter, we know that some of you are facing some real cost-dilemmas and we know that sometimes our wellbeing practices are the first to suffer when life gets hard.

We want you to know that we are there for you.

Therefore, we are offer the retreat on a ‘Pay As You Feel’ basis.

There is a suggested price, which we ask you to pay, if you have the means. We have had to increase our regular price, as like you have noticed within your own life, the costs of everything has sadly increased, and while I have internally tried to address these costs by cutting down so much within the business, the true cost of a space on this retreat is £130.

If finances might get in the way of you joining, we will welcome you to the retreat, and you can pay what you think that this will be worth to you. This is the Buddhist system of Dana. The minimum that we can accept is £30, because like you, we are also struggling at these times. 

Those of you do have the means to support us, please do feel free to pay more than the suggested price. We want so much to continue to support you for years to come, with community and the magic that these spaces give us all, however we can only do that if we continue to have your support through tougher times.

Please do get in touch if you have any queries whatsoever about the retreat, about payment, or any concerns at all. We always really love to hear from you.

See more live online events, classes, and courses!

Questions?

If you have any questions about the retreat, drop us a message on support@movementformodernlife.com

Terms & Conditions

Practicing safely

The live online retreat is for your education and your enjoyment only. You are participating in the live classes at your own risk. You are encouraged to to take breaks when needed and/or when in doubt, don’t do sequences that you are even a little concerned about. If you have any health condition, please seek medical advice before taking any form of exercise. If you have any concerns, please let us know before the retreat starts.

If you feel unwell in any way or if you experience any discomfort during class, please stop the class and consult your health practitioner immediately. Remember that yoga is mostly a journey off the mat and into life, and it is a journey about taking responsibility for our own actions and cultivating self-knowledge. Only choose exercises which will nurture and support you, and please take responsibility for yourself and your current abilities during your practice. Remember that each day is different, and even if yesterday you were able to perform a movement, that is no indicator that the same exercise is possible today. Please move within your comfortable limits and if you’re in any doubt whatsoever, please seek medical advice.

We are not medical practitioners and we do not seek to offer medical advice. Please consult your healthcare practitioner before starting any new exercise. This is particularly important if you have any limiting condition or are, pregnant, nursing, regularly taking medications, or have any existing medical conditions. We do not accept any liability whatsoever for any injury or damage, either during or after this retreat. Your participation in this retreat is entirely voluntary and at your own risk, and you agree to abide by the T&Cs of Movement for Modern Life.

Payment

Your secure payment will reserve your place on this very intimate, special online retreat. No refunds will be made.

Your data

By signing up to the online retreat, you consent to us adding your name and email address to our marketing database. If you do not wish to receive emails from us outside of this retreat, please do let us know and we will be sure to remove you from our database.