UPCOMING RETREATS
Save the date – June 6th to 13th 2027, Tuscany Retreat. Details and theme yet to be confirmed, but will surely include plenty of drawing and painting!
The venue will once again be https://www.centroilrisveglio.it/en
Gallery and feedback from this years retreat
UPCOMING ONLINE EVENTS
Antar Mouna – the practice of inner silence
November 4th to December 16th 2026
Antar Mouna is the practice of understanding and experiencing ‘inner silence’.
Before this is even possible, we must embrace the outer and inner noise.
Antar Mouna is not mindfulness.
The actual content of the mind is not the essential aspect, ‘watching the thoughts’ is but one part of the practice. Awareness of the space in which both thought and the witnessing of them is taking place without suppression, awakens the experience of the connection between body, senses, memory, thoughts and feelings.
We will follow these stages of Antar Mouna:
- Awareness of body, sensory organs and connections to the sense experience.
- Awareness of the spontaneous thoughts
- Awareness of the ‘charge’ and associations that consciously introduced thoughts/ideas bring
Antar Mouna is the foundation of any meditation practice. Essentially, it is a practice of pratyahara – the turning in of the sensory activity and energies, it is a full involvement in what is taking place on all levels, yet witnessing from a place within us that remains unmoved.
We can do nothing wrong in the practice of Antar Mouna, all that is required is that we embrace it all with awareness. It is essentially a 24 hour practice.
This will be suitable for both beginners in meditation practice and those with more experience.
In these one-hour online sessions, we will:
- Discuss the theory of the practice of antar mouna
- Practice pawanmuktasana to prepare the body to sit
- Practice pranayama techniques to prepare the mind for pratyahara practice
- Practice the stages of Antar Mouna systematically
There will be seven sessions – registration is for the whole course only
- Wednesday Evenings, November 4th to December 16th
- Starting at 23.55 hours – Indian Standard Time (IST)
please check the time where you are https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
Rate
For the whole course including download of session recording each week:
105 (GBP or EURO, 15 per week)
Either in instalments or in full
On this occasion recordings will only be available to those who can attend in person
Please contact me for concessions if the above rate is not manageable at the moment
The benefit of following this course will be vastly increased if you can commit to a regular practice in between the sessions, and ideally continue after the course is completed
Please be in touch to join the course or with any queries:
Go well and hope to see you there
Past Events
Chakras and Nadis Retreat, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy
September 21st to 27th 2026
The Retreat
The knowledge of the chakra and nadi system is one of the most amazing gifts that have been passed down through the lineage of the yoga traditions. For what is probably thousands of years, there has been an awareness and understanding of the chakra system and how it relates to our personality and evolution, and indeed, the ultimate goal of yoga.
This understanding has not just been limited to the yogic culture, it is universal, and in their own way many cultures have developed ideas and practices based on this understanding.
The yogic and Tantric traditions have perhaps given us the most comprehensive body of thought on this topic. Numerous traditions and lineages have developed practices to guide us in experiencing the reality of this system for ourselves. The process of understanding and assimilating what we discover is an essential part of the yogic path, and one that is not always easy to navigate.
In this retreat we will explore practices and sadhana for the chakras. This will include asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha as well as the use of bija mantras and the drawing and painting of the chakras.
The five full days of the retreat will give time go deeper with essential aspects. We will explore the psychological expression of the chakras, the connections and paths of the major nadis and the symbology of the images. Through drawing, painting and meditation, this journey will go deep into the consciousness, giving a solid foundation to one’s sadhana empowering a deeper exploration of mind and enabling a release of potential.
There will be a daily routine of practice, work and rest, allowing plenty of space for reflection (and a swim!) in the beautiful environment of the venue.
There will be an option for a day trip to one of the many sacred sites in the area, which we can arrange as a group if we wish, and there is plenty of space for long walks on the local land.
Who is this retreat for?
If you are a serious practitioner of yoga with a reasonable amount of experience and ready to explore some of the deeper aspects in the retreat environment, then this is for you. A good retreat environment offers safety and stability, allowing one to go deep into their practice knowing that the space is held and one’s attentions can be drawn inward, essentially enabling a greater and more rewarding external connection.
The Retreat Includes
A full and varied programme from 7.00 am to 9.00 pm
- Daily asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha class focused on chakra sadhana
- Yoga Nidra and Meditation Practices
- Drawing and Painting of some of the chakras and chanting of the bija (seed) mantras
- Practical and theoretical sessions on the chakras
- Karma yoga and periods of silence (mouna)
- Kirtan and Havan (fire ceremony)
- Three locally sourced, nourishing, organic meals per day
- Space for rest, walking, swimming and immersing in the Tuscan Maremma countryside
The retreat will be taught in English.
The Venue
Il Centro Risveglio is a beautiful, renovated farmhouse set in 40 hectares of Tuscan Maremma countryside. The owners, Irene and David have created a warm, welcoming space, perfect for retreat and reconnection, which is also their home.
For more information, pictures, and how to get there, please do have a look at their website:
https://www.centroilrisveglio.it/en
Ganesh Mantra and Yantra Online Worshop
Sunday 26th July 2026, 11.00 am – 2.00 pm USA Eastern Time
Mantra and Yantra are the tools of tantric practice. They represent sound and form, consciousness and energy. The combined use of these tools aims to focus the mind, expand the awareness and to explore inner states of consciousness. The created symbol becomes a vehicle through which we can deepen our understanding of the more subtle layers of the mind and personality and our relationship with the internal and external expression of these energies.
We will dedicate this session to the mantra and yantra of Ganesh, the well-loved elephant headed deity of the Indian tradition. He is worshiped as the remover of obstacles, (and sometimes the creator!) on the material and spiritual levels of life. In most ritual and worship, he is always approached first as the one to clear the way for our sadhana.
Also known as Ganapati, he is the patron of arts and sciences, the god of intellect, wisdom and new beginnings.
In this three-hour session, we will have a glimpse of the mythology and iconography of Ganesh; chant mantras to honour and invoke, followed by a guided process of drawing the Ganesh Yantra. There will be some input regarding the colours of the yantra and then you will be able to complete painting in your own time.
The process of yantra drawing with accompanying mantra repetition creates a spontaneous one-pointedness of mind. It is essentially a practice of bhakti, and the created yantra is a symbol combining archetypal ingredients – squares, circles, triangles and petals, that resonate with the subconscious and unconscious mind and can reveal to us maps of our inner consciousness and the energies at play in inner and outer worlds. It can be a deeply healing and insightful practice.
OMOMOM
Yoga Classes for Resilience & Balance
May to June 2026
Simple yoga practices have the power to address mental and emotional well-being in a direct, effective and sustainable way. During these times we find ourselves in, having a strong and steady nervous system helps us hold on to inner solidity when things get tough. Finding this balance is one of the most precious things we can discover as it will serve us well all our lives and enable us to be more useful for others.
These sessions will be online. Classes will be about one hour and will include asana, pranayama and meditation focusing on developing inner strength; resilience and releasing and channelling blocked patterns of energy.
Classes will be simple, effective and suitable for all levels of practice, whether a beginner or someone with years of experience.
They will begin in May on the above dates and then continue at the same time each week through May and June.
All are welcome on a drop in basis
Sessions are by donation according to your means.
Go well
Online Mantra & Yantra talk for YANA – Yoga Academy North America
Sunday April 19th, 2026 at 12.00pm Eastern Time – Free event
Mantra and Yantra are the tools of Tantra. They represent sound and form and on the most fundamental level, the expressions of energy and consciousness, Siva and Sakti. The combined use of these tools is used to focus the mind, expand the awareness and develop an understanding of the more subtle layers of mind and personality.
In this session we will look at how sound and form relate to each other and the expression and use of this relationship in the practice of mantra and yantra in our sadhana.
The process of yantra drawing with accompanying mantra repetition creates a spontaneous one-pointedness of mind. The yantra is a symbol combining archetypal ingredients – squares, circles, triangles and petals, that resonate with the subconscious and unconscious mind and can reveal to us maps of our inner consciousness and the energies at play in inner and outer worlds. It can be a deeply healing and insightful practice.
The universal concepts of what is referred to as ‘sacred geometry’ will be explored and how this underlying fabric is also at the base of the creation of yantra. It is a knowledge and practice of a universal nature, expressed by different cultures in different ways, all with an understanding of how the use of abstract symbols as a meditative tool has the potential to reconnect us with a deeper reality.
March 19th 2026, 7.00 pm to approx. 10.00 pm (UK time)
Navaratri festival is the nine nights of the worship of the goddess in her different forms. It relates to various mythological and allegorical stories and the change of season.
As negativity and destruction took hold, symbolised by the demon Mahisha, the gods combined their energies to bring forth Durgā, the only one capable of destroying the demon. A battle took place and on the ninth night the demon was slain by Durgā.
Navaratri is a time of renewal, of understanding and overcoming the negativity that comes both from within and outside of us, and moving through it with the fierce protection and love that a mother has for her child.
As with most festivals in India, Navaratri is celebrated in many ways during the nine nights.
We will acknowledge and tune into this time with the use of mantra and yantra to awaken a connection with the goddess and all she represents.
Session Content
We will start at 7.00 pm and finish by approximately 10.00 pm on March 19th, UK times. Note that we will be doing one session and not nine!
We will look at some of the stories and symbols related to the aspects of the goddess and honour her with mantra and creation of yantra.
The sadhana can be continued for the nine nights of the festival.
You will need some drawing materials and some water-based paints. A suggested list will be sent.
There is no fixed cost for this, suggested contribution is 30 – 45 (£ or €).
ॐ ह्रैं दुं दुर्गायै नमः
Śivarātri 2026 – Online Mantra and Yantra Session
February 15th 2026, 8.00 pm UK time. (20.00h)
Śivarātri is the night of Śiva. It is said to be a celebration of the time consciousness and energy united to bring forth creation. Śiva is consciousness, Śakti is energy.
It is widely celebrated in India and around the world. The main aspect of this celebration and worship is puja (worship) of the Śivalingam with five, or more, specific things, while mantras are chanted. The Śivalingam is an abstract representation of pure consciousness.
Festivities can become wild and ecstatic as devotes chant, sing and dance through the night to experience transcendence and to gain a glimpse of the experience of the consciousness of which we are all a part.
Śiva represents stillness – the stillness and expansiveness of pure consciousness. A stillness that underlies the rise and fall of the material world and its experiences. In the mythology Śiva is portrayed as an ascetic, with eyes half closed, separating himself from the world and uninterested in its events as there is knowledge that all is transitory.
There are of course other stories of how Śiva is also drawn into the world as he takes his place beside Śakti, as they both assume various forms.
Session Content
Start – 8.00 pm, Finish approximately 11.00 pm (UK times)
We will look at some aspects of the mythology and symbolism of Śiva, chant mantra, which will be sent to you, and draw a version of the Śiva yantra.
The initial puja time is approximately between 11.30 pm on the 15th to 12.30 am on the 16th. We will begin at 8.00 pm on the evening of the 15th, which will give time to draw the yantra so you can if you wish continue with your own sadhana into the night.
You will need some drawing materials and some water-based paints. A suggested list will be sent.
There is no fixed cost for this, suggested contribution is 30 – 45 (£ or €).
If you would like to sign up, please contact me at: om@yoga-yantra.com
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Ajapa Japa 2 – Online Course
Online Course – 6 weeks starting October 28th 2025
This course in ajapa japa is for those who took part in the first course last year and those who already have a good deal of experience with the technique of ajapa japa.
Japa is the conscious repetition of mantra, ajapa japa is the spontaneous repetition of mantra, when the mantra comes of its own accord, accompanied by breath and awareness of the psychic pathways. Japa comes from the mouth or mind and ajapa comes from the heart.
This second immersive course will explore the technique more deeply, going into full rotation of awareness in the pathways of the spine and the front of the body, combining this with the practices of ujjayi pranayama and kechari mudra. It is essential that you are already familiar and comfortable with both practices and have some understanding and experience of their effects.
Such practices are designed to take us to deep states of awareness and meditation, naturally turning our attention inside without fighting with the mind. All we need to do is follow the technique and expand the awareness to embrace all that arises whilst maintaining connection with the technique. This sustained and extended pratyahara will lead us to dharana.
The course will run for 6 weeks, sessions will be weekly and online, with recordings of the practice available for your sadhana. Participants will be expected to be practicing daily at home in between the weekly sessions.
Sessions will be approximately one hour, including some preparation before a longer sitting practice of ajapa japa. It is of course preferable at this stage of practice that sitting still for 30 minutes or more is comfortable.
Ganesh Chaturthi – Mantra and Yantra Online
Tuesday August 26th 2025, 11.30 am UK time
Online session:
Ganesh Chaturthi is a day in the Indian calendar where the popular elephant headed deity is worshipped. The festival usually lasts several days and the culmination involves immersing icons of Ganesh in water. It is a huge festival in India and amongst Ganesh worshippers around the world, with plenty of good food, music, dancing and communities coming together to share their devotion.
On this occasion we will tune into the frequencies with the chanting of mantras dedicated to Ganesh and drawing and painting a Ganesh Yantra as an invocation and offering.
Ganesh is well known as the remover of obstacles, but he has also been known to be the creator of obstacles, such is the mystery of the path of life. His role has changed over the years influenced by many factors, but what remains is the most loved and accessible of the deities and what he represents.
The timing of the session corresponds with the main puja time of the festival.
Creating a yantra is an offering and an invocation of the deity in an abstract form, tuning into, and harnessing these energies can assist in the navigation of life on this material plane.
This session will be approximately three hours and will be donation based, suggested is 36-60, whether euros or pounds.
A list of materials needed for the drawing and painting is below.
The session will not be recorded.
Feel free to share this with others who may be interested.
Please email to sign up or if you have any queries:
Material List for Yantra Drawing and Painting
- Drawing compass
- Paper – if using watercolour paint then watercolour paper is necessary. 140gsm thickness or more, cold pressed is preferable as it has texture, hot pressed paper is smooth. Other drawing paper is ok if using colour pencils. Size of paper can be A3 or A4. Regular ‘printer paper’ is not good enough quality.
- Pencils – a lighter H or 2H and a darker HB/B/2B
- Ruler or straight edge
- Eraser and sharpener or fine sand paper for compass leads
- Watercolour paints – a small set is useful, or colour pencils or watercolour (aquarelle) pencils.
- Gouache/Tempera paints are also ok, they are more opaque in finish
- Brushes – a thinner and wider one is useful
For the puja process, a flower, water, a jyoti/candle, incense and if you wish some prasad (offering) to Ganesh – a small sweet something to share!
Ajapa Japa 1 – Online Course
Online Course – Starting November 26th 2024
Japa is the repetition of mantra and Ajapa japa is the spontaneous repetition of mantra. It is a lifelong practice and can take us from initial stages of pratyahara to deep states of meditation. It is a simple practice, and once we have learnt its components we can practice without external guidance.
It utilises the breath, the mantra of breath and awareness of subtle pathways in the body, together with ujjayi and kechari mudra. We add these ingredients one by one until absorbed in them simultaneously, and then it is just a matter of practice!
There will be six sessions of about one hour each, containing some preparation before doing a practice of Ajapa japa. It will develop over the six weeks. Sessions will be recorded and participants are advised to practice daily in between the weekly sessions, during this short course. The six practices can then be repeated over six months.
