The Art of Being: Immersion into the Science of Life

Welcoming this new season with new intentions, you may be looking to reconnect with yourself and get some tips for a healthy balanced life? If so, this Yoga and Cooking Easter retreat in Central Portugal is exactly what you need!

For who?
Anyone who has the desire to bring more health, energy, focus, love, strength, and connection in their lives and wishes to bloom in the best version of themselves.
Anyone who has an interest and/or practice yoga, meditation, or want to make the first step.
Anyone who loves good and healthy food and/or has a passion for cooking.

This retreat is all about connecting back with ourselves, health, and life. It’s simple, it’s right, and it’s using all the tools and knowledge we have within and around us.

What?
Every day, we will breathe, rise, move, cook, eat, explore, learn, practice, rest, connect with nature, be together, and learn to be ourselves. Fully and completely ourselves!

How?
Thanks to Ayurveda, the Indian Science of Life, whose principles are universally applicable to each individual’s existence. Ayurveda speaks to every element and facet of human life. It offers guidance to those who seek greater harmony, peace, and longevity.

My name is Marion. I'm a French lady exploring the world and following her heart for a simpler and happier life.
Creating, living and serving in a community has been a goal since the purpose of my life appeared clearly while I was meditating and re-connecting with myself, other beautiful humans and Mother Earth in April 2017.
Once I realized I want to tone with people together, and dream and make music together, I decided to go on a journey to deepen my yoga and meditation practices and get complementary abilities and talents while experiencing life in communities.
In July 2017, I went to Rishikesh, the world capital of yoga in India to get my 200H yoga teaching certification in Ashtanga & Vinyasa Flow. With this certification under my belt, I went back to Australia and realize a 11-Days Vipassana course (meditation course) in the Blue Mountains, NSW.
After that, I started volunteering in different communities along the East Coast of Australia. In October 2017, I went to Bellbunya, a small spiritual/permaculture community in Sunshine Coast, QLD. This gave me the opportunity to lead my first Vinyasa yoga classes and unite the members and volunteers together through a daily practice. Then, I volunteered for 2 months in an eco-yoga community called Krishna Village near Murwillumbah, NSW, and realized my Balinese Massage certification under the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT) accreditation.
After this beautiful Aussie adventure, I went to Asia for a few months to gain a significant experience as a yoga & meditation teacher and massage therapist.
I started to explore Cambodia in February and March 2018 where I had the great opportunity to realize a 12-days Dhamma service in the Vipassana Meditation Centre of Battambang. The occasion to return the favour of the wonderful teaching I received in Australia! After that, I joined Blue Indigo Yoga retreat center in Siem Reap where I had the chance to lead yoga & meditation classes as well as lectures and help to promote the business by undertaking some communication/marketing actions. In April 2018, I joined Open Mind meditation center in Pai, Thailand, to give daily yoga classes, healing treatments and help maintaining the place and its beautiful tropical garden. End of April 2018, I went to Taiwan in a community called Ananda Marga. My aim was to discover their spiritual practice and give a hand with the yoga program as well as contributing with others tasks like gardening, cooking and cleaning. In May and June 2018, I flew to Goa, India, to join an organic spice plantation where I was able to offer yoga classes and help with the guests’ management. Then, I decided to take part to a travelers’ community/guesthouse to initiate some creative and recycling projects as well as taking care of the resources’ management.
Back in Europe end of June 2018, my aim was to learn more about permaculture, sustainability, off-grid living, natural building and expand my knowledge of holistic approaches. I spent the summer volunteering in a farm based in the coastal natural park of South Western Portugal. The farm’s vision is to create a regenerative landscape for the production of food and fibre in a way that benefits all life. Not only I’ve been introduced to different techniques of agriculture (permaculture, food forest, water management and animal management) but it gave me the chance to teach a few yoga classes and reconnect with my creativity by working on art projects.
After a year full of discoveries and teachings, I felt ready to launch my yoga business in order to help people reconnecting with nature and their essence and allowing them to fully express themselves with freedom, creativity and love. Thus is born Mari Om Yoga in October 2018. The Art of Being: Immersion into the Science of Life will be the very first retreat of this project.

Enjoy the comfort of a hotel room right in the nature amongst the hills, trees, and wild life.

The tents sit on 35m² elevated wooden decks with vast and cozy interior and views of the hills and mountains. They are all equipped with mosquito nets to enable you to enjoy the night breeze carefree, solar powered light and USB sockets to charge your small devices. All tents are situated for maximum privacy as possible. The shared bathroom building with toilets, basins and hot showers is located downhill.

The cabins were made in France in the 70’s by a company called Rapido who are still making caravans and camper vans today. These self-catering foldable little caravans are elevated four meters above ground to take full advantage of the view and surrounding nature. All of them are equipped with a kitchenette, double gas hob, sink, fridge, dining area which converts into a double bed, comfy double bed and outdoor bathroom with compost toilet and hot water shower.

Directions:
Both from Lisbon and Porto, you need to go to Coimbra first.
From Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS), you have to go to Oriente station with the metro (Oriente is only 3 stops from the airport) and there, you can either catch a train or a bus to Coimbra. Average duration of the travel: two to two and a half hours depending if you chose the bus or train.
From Porto Francisco de Sá Carneiro Airport (OPO), there is a bus going to Coimbra. Average duration of the travel: one hour and 25 minutes.
From Coimbra, go to the bus station and take the local bus to Penela. We will pick you up at the bus stop. Average duration for the travel: one hour.

Testimonials:

"I consider myself blessed to have met Marion and to have had the chance to take a class with her. Her warmth and generosity shine through in everything she does and she is simply a joy to have as a teacher. Her energy continues to inspire me and I am grateful for her guidance and friendship. I can not recommend her classes enough."

"Marion is an amazing person and teacher! I met her in open mind center in Pai and I learn a lot from her about the spirit of yoga and about yoga in general, thank you for that 😉 Hope to learn more from you ❤️"

"Marion is a really special yoga teacher, who teaches from her heart. Her knowledge on philosophy and meditation is woven in to all her classes - creating a space for learning, letting go, and re connecting to your Self.
Thank you! & look forward to reconnecting somewhere around the world <3"

The Art of Being: Immersion into the Science of Life

Welcome back