Fun During Yoga Retreats

Yoga Retreats are an opportunity to deepen your practice or even begin your practice in an intimate and nurturing environment. A weekend of yoga with delicious meals, wine and laughter. Students should be light minded and they’ll enjoy all of the comforts and amenities that you love. The yoga should be for all levels, with modifications given for newer practitioners and options for those who would like more of a challenge. Yoga Retreat should be catered specifically to students. Many students come on their own and make new and lifelong friends, some come with girlfriends, co-workers, sisters, college roommates, mothers or daughters to take a break from their busy life, laughing, relaxing and sharing stories.

The yoga workshop should be for all levels. New students come to learn more and to begin their yoga practice, while many who have gotten away from a regular practice come to renew their commitment. If you have specific injuries that may compromise your ability to do certain poses, Theresa will set up a one-on-one session for you shortly after your arrival, so you can address any concerns you may have.

Karma Yoga

                      Karma yoga works on the attitudinal part, preparing to change the perception of selfish activity into selfless activity. It tries to change the influence and effects of the activity from being self-oriented to globally orient. This attitude has to be applied not only logically but in practical life. Karma yoga is relating with activity, not going ahead of the activity, because then the ego of a human being comes in. The ego of a person can say, “Why should I do that? Others can do it!" but in karma yoga the attitude of selflessness becomes more dominant. By actual nature karmas are selfish. When yoga word was added to karma, it changed its quality from selfish to selfless. This is the reason why it is said that selfless karma is karma yoga. Seva is different. There does nor exists any word in English which really defines seva. Service is not seva. Seva is serving and helping other people with compassion, serving not for personal benefits but to uplift others.

                    If you have a yoga business, your goal should be the most complete Yoga site. You can advertise your business, sell your yoga products, and advertise your yoga classes and retreats.

                   Seva Yoga does not mean meeting your own aims, it means offering that service as a homa, as an offering in the yajna of the life. Seva contains the best which is there in you. When it is offered to another human being and it consists of your best thoughts and feelings, your love and affection, sympathy and compassion, then that action becomes a blessing in disguise to uplift another human being. That is seva.

Yoga Therapy On A Ball

A primary benefit of exercising with an exercise ball as opposed to exercising directly on a hard flat surface is that the body responds to the instability of the ball to remain balanced, engaging many more muscles. Those muscles become stronger over time to keep balance. Most frequently, the core body muscles — the abdominal muscles and back muscles — are the focus of exercise ball fitness programs. Some people recommend sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair. This is based on the theory that the abdominal and back muscles are constantly engaged and active in order to maintain proper posture and balance on the ball. A very effective form of Yoga Therapy.

Humble Yourself With Seva Yoga

                 “There’s only one thing which will bring happiness to you. When you humble yourself and serve others, then God will fill in the gap and shall serve you. People say to me, ‘I have a light.’ People say to me, ‘I have a dharma.’ People say to me, ‘I have happiness.’ I don’t believe any of this. The test of a happy man is when he comes out and serves those who are unhappy. Only that man knows God. It is the highest privilege and honor bestowed on an ordinary man. There’s no other way on the planet to free your soul unto the destiny and unto God but by serving those who need a hand—smiling at them, wiping away their tears, forgiving them.” 

                The moment you serve with heart and head, and without grinding any ax, you win the person forever. You deliver another person facing difficulty to their own strength. You save the person in the face of calamity. You protect him in the face of non-reality and bring home the reality. In any form, shape, or projection, if you can elevate a person’s consciousness, his spirit, his self, his environments, his life, and then it is seva yoga.”

FeathererdPipe Yoga Therapy

Feathered Pipe is dedicated to providing a place for learning and serenity.  Everything we do – from the teachers we host, the service projects (seva yoga) we support, the yoga travel tours we plan, and the food we prepare – is done with the intention of cultivating our guest’s comfort.

For nearly 38 years, the Feathered Pipe Foundation has offered educational programs through our retreat and travel programs featuring the leading lights in yoga therapy, meditation and personal growth in optimal settings that inspire learning and the creative exchange of ideas. You are invited to join us on this journey of personal evolution whose purpose is to bring about the change we wish to witness in ourselves and the world.

Whether it’s within the pristine, natural, retreat settings of the Feathered Pipe Ranch here in Montana, Haramara and Blue Osa retreat centers in Mexico and Costa Rica, or via our other world yoga travel tours throughout India, South America, Southeast Asia and Europe, you are certain to find opportunity and opening to explore your potentialIn the spring we offer yoga workshops and yoga travel experiences in Mexico, Costa Rica and South America. From late spring through early fall, we are at the Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana. Sign up for our mailing list to stay up-to-date on all our upcoming retreats and travel programs, including our yoga therapy offerings.

Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Downward-Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
This posture is great for building resistance in the abdominal muscles, along with strengthening the spine.

Step One
Rest your body on all fours, with your hands underneath your shoulders and knees aligned under the hips.
Step Two
Keep your hands and feet on the ground and push your hips outward, keeping your feet straight.
Step Three
Balance your weight on the forearms and fingers and keep your head hung low.
Step Four
Balance your weight in such a way that the bulk is removed from the arms, thereby reducing muscular strain.
Step Five
Keep your legs as straight as possible and your heels flat on the floor.
Step Six
Exhale as you relax your posture and gradually sink to your starting position.
Rest for 5 counts and repeat.

Bridge And Wheel Pose

Bridge Pose 
This pose is very helpful in burning the belly fat as well as building the muscles of the abdomen. Lie flat on your back on your yoga mat. Bend the knees and keep your feet apart from each other. Your arms should be straight by the side of your body. Now lift your torso off the ground, leaving your head, arms and feet planted right where they are. Maintain the position for a few seconds, before gradually lowering the body back on the mat. Repeat.

Modified Wheel 
Another tremendous yoga posture, this one is great for reducing belly fat too. Lie flat on your back on your yoga mat. Bend the knees and keep the feet a little apart from each other. Keep your feet and palms flat on the ground. Now lift your hips and torso up towards the ceiling. Maintain the position for a few seconds. Gently lower the body back to the ground. Repeat. Regular practice of some or all of the above positions s bound to flex our abs muscles and burn the extra flab around the belly.Repeat