UPCOMING RETREATS
Chakras and Nadis Retreat, Maremma, Tuscany, Italy
September 21st to 27th 2026
It feels important that in times like these we need to hold together. We need to create the possibilities for supporting each other, persevering through the darkness and helping each other see the light, within ourselves and in the world.
This year I felt it was not the time for a retreat, for various reasons, partly my own, but have decided to try, to offer this space so that a few of us can come together, practice and heal. If we observe the principle of microcosm and macrocosm, as above, so below, then any work we do on ourselves will be reflected in the world. If we can move through our own expression of tamas, through the agency of rajas – practice, then it is possible this has some effect, on some level, somewhere.
We all want to change what we see in the world, yet we find it difficult to change even a small thing about ourselves. Can we honestly acknowledge the light and dark within ourselves and use the tools of yoga and tantra to transform them? They do not require suppressing or removal, only transformation and channelling through their acceptance.
Can we move from the darkness to the light – tamaso maa jyotir gamaya.
This is the path of yoga; of the sadhaka and sometimes we must go through the fire for this to happen. It is a process, it is sadhana and we need support, and abhyāsa and vairāgya, unbroken practice and non-attachment, never give up, and always let go. Maybe we are closer than we think, maybe we are already there.
I very much hope, despite the state of things in the world that you will be able to make it to this retreat so we may experience this together.
Go well
OMOMOM
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.
Available are five rooms with twin occupancy and three with single occupancy, with either en-suite or personal use bathrooms right next to the room. There are two rooms that share one bathroom, for which there is a slight discount. There is also one room with a double bed and personal bathroom.
For more information, pictures, and how to get there, please do have a look at their website:
https://www.centroilrisveglio.it/en
When
The dates are September 21st to September 27th, 2026.
Arrival is by 4.00 pm on the 21st, departure by 2.30 pm on the 27th (after lunch)
The timing of the retreat avoids the high heat of summer and offers a perfect temperature with gentle breeze.
If you do arrange travel, please try and avoid having to leave early because of trains/flights etc, though it is not always convenient but leaving early tends to give an incomplete closure to the process of the retreat.
Cost of the Retreat
Early Bird rate up to May 30th:
- Twin sharing with either en-suite or personal use bathroom: 1200 Euros
- Twin sharing with shared bathroom (with one other room): 1170 Euros
- Single with en-suite or shared bathroom (with one other person): 1400 Euros
After May 30th:
- Twin sharing with either en-suite or personal use bathroom: 1300 Euros
- Twin sharing with shared bathroom (with one other room): 1270 Euros
- Single with en-suite or shared bath (with one other person): 1500 Euros
A place can be booked with a 30% deposit. Balance at least 30 days before the retreat.
I will send out details upon application for the retreat.
Rooms will be allocated on first come basis, with en-suite, personal bathrooms and shared bathrooms.
Please say if you would like the room with the double bed. (preference will be given to couples rather than someone who just likes a big bed!)
A concession rate is available if you are very keen on attending and cannot manage the full rate, please get in touch.
Deposit plus monthly instalments between now and August could also be arranged.
This rate includes the beautiful accommodation, three meals and drinks and snacks per day, all teaching, use of the venue’s pool and wi-fi, bedding and towels etc.
This does not include any travel or transfers – see below – or any materials. I have tried to keep costs as low as possible.
Transport
A local transport shuttle service from airports, Pisa (1.5 hours), Rome and Florence (2 hours), or from the local train station, which is Grosseto (12 km away), can be arranged. This would be at an additional cost and would be better booked when arrival times etc are known so several people can share the cost.
Local connections and trains to Grossetto are also options for travel. A van can be arranged for a group with a convenient pick-up time from the station on the day of arrival.
Cancellations
If you need to cancel and your place is taken by another participant after you have paid, then a full refund will be made.
If your place is not taken by another participant, then a 30% deposit of the accommodation part of the fee is non-returnable.
If you need anything else or want to discuss anything about the retreat, then please be in touch.
This is a new venture and the first time using this venue, so I very much hope it goes ahead and look forward to sharing the journey with you.
Go well and be in touch
Omomom
UPCOMING ONLINE EVENTS
Online Mantra & Yantra talk for YANA – Yoga Academy North America
Sunday April 19th at 12.00pm Eastern Time – This is a 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.
You can reserve a place via YANA directly, here: https://calendly.com/yogaacademy/4-19-26-satsang-with-sannyasi-brahmananda?month=2026-04
Verify your 12.00pm ET in your time zone here.
This is a free event
YANA is a non-profit organization and any monetary support allows us to continue to offer affordable programming to all. If you wish to make an offering, please CLICK HERE
Yoga Classes for Resilience & Balance
Starting Tuesday May 5th at 7.00 pm, and Thursday May 7th at 10.00 am, UK time
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.
Please write to me at om@yoga-yantra.com if you would like to register for the classes, and feel free to let others know.
Look forward to seeing you there
Go well
PAST EVENTS
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.
