Two Weeks of Practice at Sri Yoga Shala, Sri Lanka
Jivamukti Yoga & Ashtanga Yoga Retreat
From February 22, we gather at Sri Yoga Shala for two consecutive retreat weeks, each rooted in daily practice, shared inquiry, and spacious time for integration.
The retreat opens with an introductory workshop on February 22, offering a common ground: fundamental principles, inner aspects of practice, and a touch of philosophy, a way to arrive on the same page before the week unfolds.
Each week follows the same rhythm and structure, with a different focus.
* Week 1. Jivamukti Yoga
* Week 2. Ashtanga Yoga
Weekly Schedule
Monday
9:30–11:00 Practice
3:00–5:30 Workshop
Tuesday
9:30–11:00 Practice
Wednesday
A pause in the schedule, time to rest, integrate the practice, reflect, or simply be.
Thursday
9:30–11:00 Practice
3:00–5:30 Workshop
Friday
9:30–11:00 Practice
Saturday
An open day to recover, let the week settle, and allow what has been practiced to sink in.
Sunday
3:00–5:30 Workshop
Morning sessions are dedicated to a 90-minute asana practice.
Afternoon workshops, beyond the opening introduction, remain responsive and will be shaped according to the needs, questions, and interests of the participants.
Two weeks, two distinct practices, held within the same supportive structure, with space for rest, depth, and reflection.
Week 1. Jivamukti Yoga
तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः ॥१॥
tapaḥ svādhyāya īśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ
“Discipline, self-study, and surrender form the path of practice.”
In the first week of our retreat at Sri Yoga Shala, we will engage in Jivamukti Yoga as a living exploration of balance. The morning 90-minute classes combine asana, pranayama, and meditation, allowing movement, breath, and attention to weave together into a coherent, embodied experience.
We approach balance not as a fixed goal, but as a continuous, evolving process. The Yoga Sūtra above provides a subtle framework for this inquiry:
Tapaḥ – the power of discipline,
Svādhyāya – the willingness to meet oneself honestly,
Īśvara-pranidhāna – the trust to let go.
Together, these qualities create a space in which balance can be felt and cultivated, a delicate interplay between effort and surrender. In the Jivamukti practice, this dynamic is experienced directly: stability and ease, discipline and devotion come into relationship. We do not practice to achieve perfect forms, but to refine sensitivity to what truly brings us to our center.
The afternoon workshops remain open, allowing themes to emerge according to the needs and interests of the group. Space will be offered for exploration, reflection, and inquiry.
This week becomes an invitation to cultivate balance rather than chase it, to attune with it, moment by moment, breath by breath.
Week 2. Ashtanga Yoga
Guided Ashtanga Practice – Repetition as a Path into Stillness
In this week of the retreat at Sri Yoga Shala, we explore Ashtanga Yoga as a guided and progressive practice, emphasizing continuity, precision, and inward attention.
Each morning, the 90-minute practice begins with the standing postures, continues with a considered selection of seated asanas, and concludes with the traditional finishing sequence. The class is taught in a guided format rather than Mysore style, allowing the group to move together with shared timing and focus.
From day to day, the practice evolves gradually. Depending on the level and needs of the group, postures may be refined, exchanged, or added, while the overall structure remains familiar and consistent.
Repetition plays a central role in this approach. Returning to known postures allows the body to open slowly and safely, while the mind settles through predictability and rhythm. As movements become more familiar, effort refines itself and attention naturally turns inward.
In this guided Ashtanga practice, breath, movement, and focus come together in a steady rhythm. Awareness deepens through continuity and repetition, inviting practitioners to experience Ashtanga Yoga not as performance, but as a meditative and contemplative process.
