Summer Yoga Retreat

Introducing our Summer Yoga Retreat on the beautiful Houtskar Island from July 3rd to July 23rd, 2023, in collaboration with Astanga Yoga School Helsinki and Skärgårdsskolan Houtskär.

Experience a wide range of activities that will help you elevate your mind, body, and soul, including Ashtanga Mysore, Led Beginners, New Beginners, Philosophy of Yoga Sutras, Yinful Yoga, Healing Light Meditation, Handstand&Inversions, Mindfulness, Pilates, and more.

Don’t miss out on this transformative opportunity to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul in the picturesque Houtskar Island. Book your preferred retreat weekly program and extras today!


Book your week now!

RETREAT PROGRAM

Choose your preferred weekly program from Tuesday to Sunday, with each course including various classes such as pranayama, meditation, yoga lab classes, and more. Your week starts with an arrival on Monday afternoon between 15:00-19:30, followed by dinner from 18:00-19:30. The opening meeting of the week will take place on Monday evening from 19:15-20:15.

Week 1: Astanga Mysore, Astanga Led beginners, Astanga Beginners introductory course,
Yinful Yoga*, Yoga Philosophy of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Yoga Teens, and Yoga Kids.

Week 2: Astanga Mysore, Astanga Led beginners, Astanga Beginners introductory course,
Healing Lights Meditation, Pilates* & Yoga, Yoga Teens, and Yoga Kids.

Week 3: Astanga Mysore, Astanga Led beginners,
Handstand & Inversions, Mindfulness, Yinful Yoga*, Yoga Teens, and Yoga Kids.

(* Additional workshops with extra charge

Book & pay your preferred retreat weekly program here

Additional workshops

For Astanga yogis, we have a variety of extra workshops to enhance your experience.
Join YinYoga & Singing Bowl (week 1), Pilates for Yogis (week 2) or Yinful Yoga (week 3).

Book&pay your extra drop-in days, extra workshops or extra single extra classes here

Yoga classes including daily asana practice, philosophy, pranayama, meditation, and more..

PRICES

Our accommodation options include comfortable rooms and huts, and we provide vegetarian meals.
For the full price list of accommodation, meals, yoga program, and extras, please visit our price list here.

ACCOMMODATION


Houtskar offers rooms – single, double, family or shared 4-6 pers.
Huts for 2-4 pers.
Camping with tent, travel car or boat

WEEKLY PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Our summer yoga retreat offers something for everyone! We have led classes for beginners and mysore practice for more experienced Astanga practitioners. We also have classes for kids and teens, as well as general yoga classes including philosophy, pranayama, and meditation. The retreat is international, and teaching and meetings are primarily conducted in English.

First week, July 3rd-9th 2023

    • Astanga Mysore with Petri Räisänen & Juha Javanainen

    • Astanga Intermediate Beginners with Wambui Njuguna-Räisänen

    • Astanga New Beginners with Wambui Njuguna-Räisänen

    • Yoga for teens (ages 12-16): book the Ashtanga beginners class above

    • Yoga for kids (ages 3-11, in Finnish) with Malina Pursiainen

    • Yoga Philosophy of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras with Måns Broo, included in weekly program
      • Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as a basis for daily practice
    • Yinyoga* (additional workshop)
      • Yinful Yoga with Tamara Ashley (3 classes)
      • Yinyoga and Tibetan Singing Bowls with Malina Pursiainen (2 classes)

Other retreat classes, included in weekly program:

    • Q&A on Yoga and its methods / Petri & Juha

    • Asana and breath labs / Petri & Juha

    • Pranayama / Petri & Juha

    • Meditation / Tamara Ashley

Second week, July 10th-16th 2023

    • Astanga Mysore with Petri Räisänen & Juha Javanainen

    • Astanga Intermediate Beginners with Wambui Njuguna-Räisänen

    • Astanga New Beginners with Wambui Njuguna-Räisänen

    • Yoga for teens (ages 12-16): book the Ashtanga beginners class above

    • Yoga for kids (ages 3-11, in Finnish) with Kirsi Haimi

    • Healing Lights Meditation with Tamara Ashley (included in weekly program)

    • Pilates* with Hely Järvinen (additional workshop, 3 classes)

Other retreat classes, included in weekly program:

    • Q&A on Yoga and its methods / Petri & Juha

    • Asana and breath labs / Petri & Juha

    • Pranayama / Petri & Juha

    • Meditation / Tamara Ashley

Third week, July 17th-23rd 2023

    • Astanga Mysore with Marke Murtomäki & Juha Javanainen

    • Astanga Intermediate Beginners with Tamara Ashley

    • Yoga for teens (ages 12-16): book the Ashtanga beginners class above

    • Yoga for kids (ages 3-11, in Finnish) with Jenna Rignell

    • Handstand & Inversions with Alice & Charlie Taylor (included in weekly program)

    • Mindfulness with Marke Murtomäki (included in weekly program, teaching in Finnish)

    • Yinful Yoga* with Tamara Ashley, 3 classes, additional workshop

Other retreat classes, included in weekly program:

  • Q&A on Feminine Yoga / Alice Taylor
  • Q&A on Astanga Yoga / Juha Javanainen & Marke Murtomäki
  • Breath lab / Alice Taylor
  • Pranayama (3 sessions)/ Charlie Taylor
  • Mindfulness (3 sessions) / Marke Murtomäki (in Finnish!)

Additional workshops (extra charge)

  • Week 1: Yinful Yoga with Tamara Ashley (3 sessions) & Yin Yoga & Singing Bowl with Malina Pursiainen (2 sessions)

  • Week 2: Pilates for Yogis with Hely Järvinen (3 sessions)

  • Week 3:  Restorative Yinful Yoga with Tamara Ashley (3 sessions)

Additional (extra) workshops: you may book 1, 2, 3 or even 5 sessions (if available) per week.
Special price for Retreat attendants, also drop in,  limited number of space.
Book the extra workshops or drop-in sessions in advance!

Arrival info and meeting on Mondays

Arrive between 15:00 – 19:30 (note: there is ferries on the way from Parainen to Houtskari)

• Rooms available from 15:00 
• Morning bus from Helsinki to Turku / Kaarina, change bus to Houtskari, see the timetable at Matkahuolto.fi (webpage also in English).
• Evening meal between 18:00 –19:30
Info meeting at 19:15–20:15
• introduction of teachers, assistants, and house staff of the week
• Saaristokoulu houses, area and general info of the week
• Program of the week
• Practice times and Karma yoga turns

Daily Classes Schedule – morning

Morning

  • Astanga Mysore style
    • Practice between 5:30 – 9:00
  • Led Astanga Yoga classes
    • New beginners 9:30 – 10:30
    • Intermediate beginners 8:00 – 9:15
  • Kids yoga:
    • For 3-6 yrs & 7-11 yrs between 10:30 – 12:20
  • Yoga Philosophy / Meditation / Handstand&Inversions 
    • Time 11:15 – 12:30

Daily Classes Schedule – afternoon & evening

Additional workshops 14:00 – 17:15 (extra charge)
• Yinful Yoga & Yin yoga with singing bowls (week 1)
• Pilates for Yogis (week 2),
• Yinful Yoga (week 3)

Afternoon classes 13:30 – 18:15
• Possibility for private questions with the teachers
• Discussions on yoga, progress, and health
• Mindfulness classes (week 3)
• Yoga Asana techniques – Asana Lab
• Pranayama breathing methods and practices

Evening classes 19:15-19:45
• Evening meditation

Activities, Sauna, Day trips & Nature sights

Activities
• A small volley ball field, good also for badminton / birdie
• Bring your own freetime games
• Grass field for kids soccer at the Näsby center

Sauna
• Sauna every morning & evening

Bicycles, boats, kayaks, SUP-boards, walking etc

• Kayaks (2) and SUP boards (2) to rent at the Reception
• Free rowing boats (2), ask the rowing paddles at the Reception
• 150 m distance to Näsby old wooden church
• 300 m distance to Näsby village center, shops and boat harbour with cafe
• 4 km distance sightseeing tower (Borgbacken) 
• 6 km distance Restaurant & Cafe Hyppeis Värdshus

Cuisine – delicious vegan/vegetarian meals

    • Chefs: Maria and Marcus

    • Breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner

    • The menu (mostly vegan) is planned by a professional chef

    • Dairy free option always available (dairy products are all in all used only in small quantities)

    • Let us know about your special diet or allergies with registration

 

Bed linens, Washing machines & Retreat Karma Yoga

  • Bed linen and towels available for rent at the Reception, rent 8€
  • Washing machine prices: normal program 5€, short program 2€, reservations at the Reception
  • We will make the Retreat together: we will keep the Yoga Shala and Dining hall and our private rooms clean by ourselves
    • this will be Karma Yoga e.g. Yoga of work for each others, which is part of the Retreat program

Sunday program, departure & Check-out

Sunday program
• Morning yoga and lectures before the lunch
• Closing of the retreat week 12:30 
• Lunch 12:30-13:30
If you are leaving on Sunday
• check-out of the rooms and cottages 13:00
• bus from Houtskari to Turku / Helsinki
If the yoga retreat goes on and you will stay the next week
• Sunday evening meal 18:00 –19:00
• sauna 17:30–21:30

We encourage you to book your preferred retreat weekly program today and get ready to immerse yourself in a rejuvenating yoga experience!

Photo Gallery

Astanga Mysore practice between 5:30 – 9:00 am
Led Astanga beginners classes between 8:00 – 10:30
Kids Yoga 10:30-12:20 (in Finnish)
Meditation & Mindfulness
Handstands & Inversions – speciality of the third retreat week
Camping area
Buffet & chefs
Family friendly – Playground for kids and teens

We love silence, emails preferred <3

summer@astanga.fi
+358 50 565 1414 (sms/whatsapp) / Mari Metso
Call time 13-15 EET (UTC+03:00 during the summer)
If you don’t get through by phone, please send us email or sms/whatsapp.

    Nimi (pakollinen)

    Sähköposti (pakollinen)

    Aihe

    Viesti

    Skärgårdsskolan – Saaristokoulu

    Skärgårdsskolan
    Näsbyvägen 259
    21760 Houtskär