“Sharp like a razor’s edge, the sages say, is the path, difficult to traverse.”
Across the world’s great spiritual traditions, we are reminded that beneath the apparent movement of both our inner life and the outer world lies a deep and unshakable stillness. As practitioners, we are invited to walk the middle path: neither trying to escape daily reality through constant transcendence, nor becoming lost in the shifting landscape of thoughts, feelings, and form. Over this 4-day retreat, we will explore ways of meeting that middle ground with clarity and ease.
Supported Rate £410 | Standard Rate £515 | Benefactor Rate £620
*Click on the teacher’s name above to find out more about them, or keep scrolling for more about the course.
The opening into this middle path comes through letting go, through “releasing into” experience rather than resisting it. We will work with practices that help us feel more fully into our stories and lived experience. These include Tonglen, the Tibetan Buddhist practice of receiving and giving, and Metta, or Loving Kindness, both of which support the cultivation of kindness and acceptance toward ourselves and others exactly as we are. Together, these practices invite us to meet the “stickiness” of embodied life with a kind attention.
We will also explore practices that help us access the oceanic stillness at the heart of being. Among them are simple but profound methods drawn from the Vigyana Bhairava Tantra.
By bringing these approaches together, we create the possibility of holding the fullness of experience in a spacious heart and meeting life as it is.
And perhaps, in time, the razor’s edge softens. Perhaps the path becomes more forgiving as we move through the bittersweet wonder of embodied life.
Alongside the meditation practices mentioned above, we will also share hatha yoga, chanting, yoga nidra, kirtan, and satsang, with no doubt some tears and laughter along the way.
Wed 14 May, 17.00 - Sun 18 May, 14.00
Supported £410
Standard £515
Benefactor £620
Includes all tuition, accommodation, food and unlimited hot drinks. For more information about these rates, please click on "Our Rates Explained" under "Further Details" at the bottom of this page.
Deposit to be paid today
£135 / £170 / £205
depending on option chosen above
Arrive by 5pm if possible to settle in and enjoy supper, served at 6.15pm
Our residential retreats offer a rare chance to go deeper into the mysteries of yoga at one of the few authentic ashrams outside India. Surrounded by beautiful natural scenery and held by focused spiritual energy, you will be supported by experienced teachers and a welcoming community.
A Spiritual Sanctuary
As one of the few authentic ashrams outside India, we offer a living connection between the teachings of the yogic sages and sincere seekers in the modern world. Founded in 1986, the Ashram has supported profound learning and transformation for thousands of people from many different backgrounds.
Set in the green hills of Wales, UK, the Ashram is a peaceful natural sanctuary.
This quiet, safe, and nurturing environment is ideal for going deeply into the teachings and practices of yoga.
All courses are guided by our senior teachers, who together bring nearly 100 years of yoga teaching experience.
The ashram is also supported by a resident team of yogis dedicated to enquiry and service, many of whom are trained yoga teachers or currently in training.
Below is our standard retreat timetable, the basic format followed by most of our retreats. Please note that it may vary slightly from retreat to retreat, though rarely by much.
General Retreat Timetable
5.30 Morning Bell
6:15 Hatha class
7:50 Chanting & Meditation
8:45 Breakfast
9:30 Karma Yoga
11:00 Break
11:30 Morning Session
13:00 Lunch & Rest
15:30 Afternoon Session 1 / Yoga Nidra
17:00 Afternoon Session 2
18:15 Supper
19:45 Evening Session / Satsang / Kirtan
21:00 Mouna
Mouna
Mouna refers to periods of silence during which we continue our yoga practice and daily life without speaking. It is an essential part of ashram life.
At the ashram, we observe mouna every day from 9pm until breakfast the next morning, for the first half of lunch and supper, and for longer periods during some courses and resident retreats.
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga is an invaluable part of our retreats and ashram life: the practice of work offered in service and with awareness. It is a core aspect of yoga, though many people do not realise how transformative work can be.
On a practical level, this includes tasks around the ashram such as gardening, cooking, housework, and building maintenance. On a deeper level, karma yoga means being fully engaged in the task at hand while remaining in touch with our inner being.
Some visitors arrive having already spent time in other ashrams or spiritual communities; for others, this is a completely new experience. In either case, we encourage you to come with an open mind and a willingness to make the most of your time here.
If you are considering attending a retreat, there are a few things worth knowing about the Ashram and the way of life here.
If you are planning a visit to the Ashram, you will find useful practical information about travel, what to bring, food and drink, Ashram rules and regulations, and more.
While every care is taken to make the ashram as safe as possible and our retreats accessible to as many people as possible, by taking part in one of our retreats you accept responsibility for your own health and safety.
Please ensure that you are fit and well enough to take part in yoga practice. If necessary, you should obtain medical advice before undertaking any yoga practice including asana (physical postures), meditation, pranayama, Yoga Nidra etc.
As part of the booking process, we will ask you to let us know about any physical or mental health circumstances that may be affected by the practices offered in your chosen course. Mandala Yoga Ashram accepts no responsibility for injury arising from failure to follow the teacher’s instructions or from non-disclosure of medical conditions, injury or physical impairment.
If you are in any doubt, please seek specialist or professional advice from your doctor before participating, as we are not qualified to advise whether you are fit to safely take part in any sessions.
To reserve a place on one of our retreats, you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit at the time of booking and then settle the balance before the retreat begins or on arrival.
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. Any cancellation of a course or stay booking will result in the loss of the deposit paid. Cancellations can be made by phone, email or in writing. Those made less than 4 weeks before the start of the course date will incur a percentage of the course costs; full details are available under our Terms and Conditions.
We offer 3 payment options to help us meet our costs and continue thriving while remaining accessible. We trust visitors to choose the tier that feels most appropriate for them.
Benefactor – for those with the financial means and generosity of spirit to pay a little extra for a retreat, helping support others in a less secure financial position.
Standard – the standard tier, calculated to ensure the Ashram meets its essential running costs year after year.
Supported – for those who genuinely need support to attend a retreat and therefore pay a lower cost.
This is a new change in 2024/2025. If you would like to read more about our rationale, you can do so here.
Swami SatyaDaya
About TulsiTulsi trained as a Satyananda teacher and has spent 35 years devoted to yoga practice, with 20 of those years dedicated to teaching. She first arrived at Mandala Yoga Ashram in 2009 and went on to live there for six years as a resident teacher and manager.Her long connection with the Ashram has shaped much of her work. Even...
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