RETREATS
Deine Auszeit für Körper, Geist und Seele
COMING HOME
A Late Summer Katonah Yoga and Self-Exploration Retreat
About this trip
Indian Summer – the perfect time of year to nurture yourself with Portugal’s golden rays of late summer sun and filling your personal inner ressources – to prepare yourself for autumn and winter.
Aligned with the elements, we’ll dive deep within through excuisite Katonah Yoga classes and holistic self-exploration sessions based on bodywork, Gestalt therapy (The Here&Now Approach), dance (Contact Improvisation, Wave) and meditative practice.
At the same time there is no better venue than the 275 acre farm „Cocoon“ with it’s oversized hammocks under old growth pines and fresh water lake to let the soul dangle and enjoy yourself with a glass of wine in solitude or good conversation. Or explore the breathtaking atlantic coast and white-washed villages nearby.
Schedule
A light structure with KaAbout this triptonah Yoga morning classes and holistic self-exploration sessions in the afternoon. Supplying perfect balance between retreat and free time to find rest, build friendship or go on adventurous explorations.
Focus
Connecting deeper to yourself, diving in body, mind and soul. Finding support and joy in the group, nature and spirit. Breathing. Moving. Restoring.
Venue/ board & lodging
Cocoon is a stunning coastal farm & retreat center in Alentejo region about two hours drive from either Faro or Lisboa. It has two yoga shalas (in- and outdoor), a fresh water lake and a circus of wild chicken, goat, sheep and peacocks. The rooms – single/double/triple options – are clean, spacious and elegant, each opening to the outdoor courtyard. Special treat is the fresh, local farm-to-mouth food provided coming either directly from the property or nearby farms. A typical breakfast includes eggs, local fruit, Greek yogurt, homemade granola, local honey, homemade jam, slow-rise bread, and a daily tonic. Lunch is often a bowl; a base of ancient grains like farro, topped with avocado, roasted veggies, nori, or mixed greens. For dinner, expect Indian + Japanese curries, Mediterranean stews, legumes, rice, salad and dessert. Once a week the outdoor wood-fired oven is lit for pizza night!
with Stefanie Grube & Anne Maria Popanda
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TOUCH&PLAY COLOGNE - EXPANSION
Exploring The Relational Body
Inspired by the beauty, connection and playfulness from our first small Touch&Play Gathering near Cologne last spring, we now are daring to EXPAND!
Closing your eyes and connecting to the somatic realm within your body you may find yourself vast and infinite. It’s a place mystics have been seeking and describing for millenia. During our gathering we invite you to connect deeply to that Self and from there when you are ready expand to relate to the Other(s), the Collective, Nature and Spirit.
The consciousness of an individual is often considered the tip of the iceberg that is visible above the surface of the ocean, its main content hidden from easy observation. We believe that in connecting to others in a safer and empowering container, we get to open our eyes wider and experience more of our inner abundance, our hidden shadows and our most feared glorious greatness.
Expanding ourselves, expanding our awareness to what might yet be unconscious helps us to understand and heal ourselves and evolve more responsibility. It moves us towards compassion and celebration of the diverse community around us.
During this journey you’ll at times feel part of the collective, of a movement of holistic integration and vividness. There will also be moments where you might find yourself closed off and with a sense of separation. Taking a lone walk in nature might then connect you again to the spirit of the trees, breathe in the lush green and stand in awe at the sun rays beaming soft golden light into the dark woods…
Life is made of dualities. The everlasting pulse of the universe, inhalation and exhalation, hot and cold, light and dark, shy and daring, clumsy and elegant, fear and joy, support and challenge, contraction and expansion.
Let us together embrace them all and Play!
Content
During five days we’ll be offering the space to dance, discover and connect within the framework of the Touch&Play culture.
After starting together in a daily morning ritual, there will be a variety of facilitated intensive workshops and single classes around (the edges of) Contact Improvisation, Movement & Dance, Consent & Communication, Self-Exploration, Sensuality & Sexuality, BDSM, Nature & Wilderness, Community and Spirituality.
We’ll make sure there are also some free slots to breathe, integrate, connect further or to, perhaps, offer something you’re excited about to the community. We also keep a certain flexibility in the schedule to create space for needs that arise through our group process.
The Touch&Play Movement
Envisioned in 2009 Touch&Play has a rich background in facilitating and creating different fusions/compositions of learning spaces around the exploration of the „Relational Body“. Through its structures (e.g. Soothe & Care, Peace & Safety council, de-CIDE Consent Framework) it offers a safer container to invite our emotions, sexualities, body politics and power dynamics into dance and relating. We vaue inclusiviton, care, authenticity, experiential experimentation, embodied consent, sex-positivity, kink-friendliness, restorative justice and community building.
Place
The gathering will take place in the „Auszeit Eifel“ retreat centre in Gemünd (70 km south-west of Cologne), close to the Dutch and Belgium borders. The house sits on a hill overlooking the beautiful Eifel Nature Reserve with its more than 110 km² of forests and fields.
The venue is equipped with big community spaces and functional common areas for various themes which will be enchanted with extra sparkle and glow by our lovely build and decoration faeries and a generous, private outdoor area for sunbathing, bonfires etc..
The accommodation consists mainly of spacious dormitory rooms (8-10 beds) with big windows and nice views. We have a limited number of shared rooms containing 4 bunk beds. There are also three luxury holiday apartments with ensuite bathrooms and kitchenettes as a more private option for couples, trios or small groups. Participants can also camp or sleep in their campervan.
We are bringing in our own chefs who will be preparing three fresh organic vegan/vegetarian meals per day for us. We also offer a little midnight snack for the night owls and those with an appetite after our evening offerings.
Travel
The location is an hour drive from Cologne and we highly encourage ridesharing or using the train and bus to arrive as the parking space is limited.
We’ll be offering a rideshare board in advance to the festival for quests and offers.
The closest train stations are “Kall” and “Heimbach”. If in demand we’ll try to organize a low cost shuttle from there to the venue on the day of arrival and closure. However you can also take a bus from there to “Schleiden Dürener Str” and take a 7 min walk to the venue.
The closest airports is “Cologne/Bonn”, for overseas travel also “Frankfurt” might be a good option as it has good train connections to Cologne.
The address of the venue is:
Haus Auszeit Gemünd
Auf der Batterie 9
53937 Schleiden
Pricing
To reserve your ticket you will make the downpayment for your accommodation and food, which is non-refundable. The additional price for the participation in the gathering will be paid in cash upon arrival.
1. Accommodation & Food:
- 170 € p.P. Dormitory (8-10 beds)
- 180 € p.P. Shared Bedroom (4 beds)
- 160 € p.P. own Tent
- 180 € p.P. own car/van
- 260 € vacation flat I p.P (bundle booking 2people)
- 280 € vacation flat II p.P. (bundle booking 2people)
- 280 € vacation flat III p.P. (bundle booking 4people)
2. Event:
For the event we offer a sliding scale from 300 - 550 Euros.
We are also offering a limited number of scholarship tickets to support the inclusion of marginalised groups and increase the diversity in our collective. To apply for such a scholarship ticket please write a motivated email to contact@cologne.touchandplay. org.
We also offer a limited number of Work-Exchange tickets to folks who are struggling financially and want to support the event by putting their energy into its creation. We will have both a build-up and general helper team for the event. Please write to us at the above contact emails to apply for such a spot which costs 150 Euros (on top of Room & Board).
Registration:
Registration will open very soon. The link will be shared here, so just check again in a few days.
Contact:
For further information feel free to reach out to us at contact@cologne.touchandplay.org.
The T&P Cologne Organizers
Daniel Hayes & Anne Maria Popanda