07789 000 641
RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO
YOGA & SHAMANIC RETREAT
with Ana Marcela Enriquez Wakeham
RIVIERA MAYA, CANCUN, MEXICO
New Dates Coming Soon
EARLY BIRD PRICE - coming soon
Prices from £995-£1495
Initiation - Transformational Yoga and shamanic Retreat – A Journey in to the heart of the Mayan culture | Yoga, Cacao experience, sweat lodge, Mayan culture and deep embodied journeys
This retreat is called an initiation because even for those who are already on a clear path, what you will receive will be new, and will initiate a different relation with yourself and the world in which you live. This retreat is for all those people who are interested in being initiated into the indigenous wisdom of ceremony.
We invite you to immerse in an extraordinary experience of embodying Mother Earth, dive deeply in to an ocean of possibilities and have the time of your life in celebration with our givers, Mother Earth and Father Sky; to sing, to dance and meditate in nature in one of the hearts of the Mayan civilization. You will be experiencing all of this in front of the blue Caribbean Sea surrounded by white sand. Wake up to do your yoga practice in the outdoor yoga shala in front of the sea, evening practices and ceremonies in a beautiful indoor studio at Casa Om.
On this retreat you will have first-hand experience of living in communion with the Great Spirit. Ana Marcela will guide the workshops each day in sync with the energy of the Mayan calendar. As well as learning how to create your own ceremonies, how to communicate and honor your ancestors and invite them to participate in your prayers, you will learn technics and meditations to call and ask help to your Tonal or animal spirit ally. Most importantly you will learn to feel the rivers, rocks, trees, wind, fire and cosmos inside your body. The essential principle of the Mexican traditions is that everything is interconnected.
Book your retreat and Plant Trees! Nina and Marcela are Tree Sisters and all activities they do together they give back to Mother Earth by donating money to https://treesisters.org, On our last retreat in Mexico we funded the planting of 2800 trees.
Ana Marcela will offer a mix of yoga and pilates lessons, Mayan meditation journeys, Cacao and Temazcal ceremonies with Shamanic drum circles and Dance of Awareness ™.
If you book your retreat with us you will be also planting trees in the tropics.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Price Includes
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6 nights at Casa Om retreat Centre
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Airport transfers
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Breakfast / Brunch every day
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4 vegetarian dinners at the retreat centre
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Transfer and entrance to the Cenote
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Daily Yoga, Meditation classes and Workshops
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Temazcal Ceremony
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Cacao Ceremonies, drum circles & a Therapeutic Session of Dance of Awareness ™
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Farewell supper and celebration in a local restaurant
**Please note the price does not include lunch but you have a range of local cafes and restaurants within a 10 minute walk of the venue.
**This retreat does not include flights. You can book direct flights to Cancun with British Airways via Gatwick.
It is possible to extend your stay at Casa Om by one night either side of the retreat making this a 7 or 8 night retreat.
A TYPICAL DAY
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Internal Orientation and Meditation.
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Morning Yoga at the beach.
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Delicious Vegetarian Brunch.
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Free time or beach, snorkelling, exploring local markets and cafes in Puerto Morrelos, communing with nature, swimming in the Cenotes.
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Afternoon ceremonies (Fire, ancestors, 4 directions, sweat lodge etc) .
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Supper.
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You will have the opportunity to work closely with Ana Marcela who will support you through a subtle process of inner discovery of your essential self. This program is a combination of self-exploration and powerful yoga practices that promote letting-go, and releasing negative emotions and experiences that hinder your personal flourishing and inspire you to cultivate your full potential with a refreshed experience.
THE YOGA &
INITIATION WORKSHOPS
The morning Mayan calendar thematic classes usually take place on the hotel yoga platform outside the villa, in front of the beach with a stunning setting surrounded by sand, so you can start to sync with the cosmic energy.
The talks, ceremonies and workshops will be held at the indoor yoga shala and in nature.
The lessons and yoga classes are advanced in spiritual practice, they are not based in progressing physically with poses or asanas, they are designed to progressively enter in to a state of rapport with the elements and life itself.
On this retreat very practical techniques and ceremonies are designed to help develop your intuitive inner wisdom so that you can move, heal, express and decide with clarity. We are looking for the place of no doubt. The instinctive intuitive senses are something to learn and develop. There is a place in all of us without question, and from this place there is knowledge - practical, useful, powerful, meaningful.
Many of the practices can be taken into your homes, to work on your relations and your own healing. You will leave this course with very clear, powerful tools. This retreat is the call for your soul to awaken, we will be exploring your powers of personal expression in forms that will help you discover more profoundly who you really are.
TEMAZCAL CEREMONY
Temazcal is an ancient steam bath that has been used for relaxation, healing and purification purposes for thousands of years by Mayans and other
Mesoamerican and North American (sweat lodge) civilizations. The name temazcal is derived from Nahuatl word temāzcalli (house of heat) or possibly from the Aztec word “teme” (to bathe) and “calli” (house). The ritual ceremony is performed by a shaman in an authentic sweat house. The steam is produced by pouring hot water over the “abuelitas” (grandmother stones) Natural herbs are used to purify participants. The experience ends with an optional dip of cool, clear water.
Ana Marcela has been following the traditional ceremonial sweat lodge or “Red Path” since 1998 with the North America Lakota Tribe when she used to live in the Sonora Desert. She receives her initiation in 2015 as a “Temazcalera” (sweat lodge leader) in her hometown Jalisco with the honours as an Eagle Woman “Illamacuatli” or medicine woman with the Mexica therapeutic tradition.
CACAO CEREMONY
For thousands of years ancient tribes have considered cacao as a sacred plant with healing properties. Not only was cacao used in ceremonial settings but also it was renowned as a medicinal plant that aids in the healing of and opening up of the heart's circulation. Because of its heart opening qualities cacao is a perfect pairing with meditation, yoga, dancing, and therapeutic work. It facilitates greater connection to other people and to yourself. It's sure to add certain sacredness to your personal practice and a buzz to your social gatherings.
This ritual invites us to feel, to give ourselves, to trust and to listen to what is happening at that precise moment that will allow us to go deep within ourselves. The ceremony is experienced sitting in a circle, in a space where everyone stays at the same height, to see and feel. Through the energy of cacao, we can reconnect with our own energy. Through songs and melodic harmonies, we can connect with the essence of the cacao seed to receive all the benefits it has to offer us.
YOUR YOGA TEACHER
ANA MARCELA
ENRIQUEZ WAKEHAM
This retreat is very unique, it has been crafted by Mexican yoga teacher Ana Marcela. Her spiritual indigenous heritage runs deep within her blood and she is delighted to offer you a journey in her homeland. Mexico.
“It is my aim and pathway to help people to heal and empower themselves. My workshops will be tailored to help you to release what no longer serves you as you reconnect with your true self, the part of you that can remain hidden by the ancestral baggage we can all sometimes carry, with the help of Mexican traditional medicine prayer, calling to your ancestors, embodying Mother Earth, songs and fun. We are Earth, we are made of her, we share the DNA of all species, the powers of healing and creativity come from our inner source, energies around us and inside of us with which we can be in constant communication”
THE VENUE
Casa Om is the vision of Hargobind and Siri Om.
Hargobind writes, “In the 80’s, my father would take me to sadhana as a baby and I would listen to kirtan as the community gathered before the rise of the sun. Connecting with community in this way was something I wanted to recreate and Casa Om was the perfect venue.
In the 90’s, I studied in India and we would go many mornings to wash the floors of the Harimandir Sahib also known as the Golden Temple. The concept of service, maintenance, and building a sacred space, left a permanent impression on me with the love in which spaces should be cared for.
We learned that our friends had excellent teachings to share but many of the venues were not created with the same consciousness.
As I continued to work on events, I realized there are 4 components to an event: teachings, venue, food and fun. I knew my teachers were fantastic and I was confident Casa Om was the right venue.
The food would be prepared with the highest intentions. It is my belief that a vegetarian diet is best for the environment. In many situations it leads to increased health. It is compassionate to animals. It supports a yogic lifestyle. But I realize it is not for everyone at every stage of their life. For that reason, we would craft a menu that was delicious, fresh, healthy and in support of yoga practice. When we met our cooking team, we knew we had the best group in Puerto Morelos.
We would seek out adventures to share with our guests that improve their health, open their mind, feed their soul, and enhance their spirit. Casa Om was in the perfect place to stage adventures internal and external.
Siri Om always had the vision for the space. She grew up in a household of furniture makers and interior designers. She spent much of the 2000’s traveling the world teaching yoga and leading yoga retreats. She had developed so much experience with design, that we implemented her artistic ideas. Her vision was for a space that resembled an Indian temple and a Mexican hacienda.
In developing the Casa Om concept she had a couple of key requirements. First it had to be by the beach. It had to be close to the airport. It needed 24 hour electricity. For guests to be comfortable, they needed certain amenities to put them at ease. This would allow them to focus on their practice as their environment would be nurturing and supportive. This location afforded us all of these.
Finally, it is our belief that humans are in essence spiritual beings. Casa Om existed as an etheric idea which came into physical existence. We invite you to experience our vision.
These are the moments that formed our story and we are excited to serve you”.
“I looked forward to every meal at Casa Om! As a former chef, I have to say that the cooking is so fresh and flavourful, I wanted to ask for every recipe. Not only that, but the Chef and his staff are so warm, friendly, and accommodating to any dietary need. The fantastic food and conversation we all had around the table was a memorable part of my experience at Casa Om.” – Jonathan
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THINGS TO DO
CENOTES
A cenote is a natural pit, or sinkhole, resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath. The word Cenote is derived from the local Mayan word “D’zonot”.
Cenotes were considered sacred by the Mayans where they would make offerings to the Gods. Mayan artefacts are sometimes still seen today under the water of some cenotes.
The Yucatan peninsula has over 30,000 cenotes. Lush, clear water, with an irresistible turquoise, blue or green hue. Some are completely underground (cenote caves), others are partially open, and some are more like small open lakes.
SNORKELING ON A CORAL REEF
Puerto Morelos is home to one of the largest coral reefs in the world. Catch a boat out to the reef and snorkel for hours. You can take a tour dive boat out to the reef for £20 pp and go any day in your lunch break. Or just hang out on the calm beach and relax until your heart is content.
PUERTO MORELOS
Puerto Morelos is a Mexican port town on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. It’s between the Riviera Maya resorts of Cancun and Playa del Carmen, but retains its original fishing village character. The Puerto Morelos Reef National Park has many offshore dive sites.
Turtles breed on coastal beaches. Inland there is a lush jungle and many freshwater sinkholes nearby.
The villa is located in the small town of Puerto Morelos, the town is full of great high-end culinary restaurants, art galleries, street markets offering a real taste of authentic Mexican life. All close enough to feel you have a holiday and far enough to feel you have a retreat.
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WHO IS THIS RETREAT FOR
The retreat is for people interested in ritual and prayer, to get real and look inside and transform. It is not just a holiday retreat, it is this and more. The retreat will develop your ability to clear the mind, to make informed decisions, and to clarify the vision of your inner quest of transformation. This retreat is for healers, new or established, who wish to develop new techniques of self-healing and healing others. The retreat will work to complement your existing healing abilities, or for those who are starting on this path, offer a clear map on how to manage the huge and powerful universal healing energies. It is for artists, musicians, writers, dancers who wish to remember their deepest inspiration and rekindle their creative fire. Creativity is such an essential aspect of this path, and whether you identify as a professional artist or not this retreat is for you. It is for yogis who would like to include embodied earth meditations and shamanic insights in to their classes.
When choosing this retreat, you are courageously stepping forward finding new and creative ways to thrive in this new reality, by holding the light and staying centred and grounded through ritual, meditation, prayers and positive thoughts. More than ever we need the defining comfort of ceremony in our lives and the lives of those around us. Engaging in ceremony inspires us to actively participate and fully experience our journey through our life
Active involvement in ceremony helps us to step beyond our own emotions and self-awareness to experience oneness. As we step into bliss, time seems to stand still, as we access our innate goodness and help heal the world.
You will learn how to create a seasonal altar, open sacred space, invocations, chants and calling to the spirit of nature and cosmos. Create a forum for poetry, art and fire. Celebrate Rites of Passage that often go unattended like job losses, divorce and menopause. You going to learn to remember and celebrate new things on the horizon. Celebrate each new moon with great love and attention and special fire ceremonies.
By creating ceremony, we help those around us to bypass fear and anxiety, we are fully awakened and we have the ability to access our highest forms of intelligence and creativity while remaining grounded and effective. We understand who we are in the world, and how to survive and thrive no matter what life throws at us, helping us in stepping in to service to all.
HOW TO APPLY
If you want to feel into the potential of what this journey may bring please email nina@theyogagarden.co.uk
We will invite you to join us in one of our monthly New Moon ceremonies (via zoom or at The Yoga Garden). It will also be possible to practice yoga and meditation in person or on zoom with Ana Marcela prior to the retreat. The monthly ceremonies and practices will form a foundation and an introduction to the shamanic training you will receive on this retreat.
TESTIMONIALS
HUGELY INSPIRING
Martha H
Marcela's teachings were hugely inspiring - varied to suit each students needs and a beautiful combination of dynamic Vinyasa Flow, detailed alignment, meditation and theory with fun, laughter and passion.