Exciting Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Comes to Koh Samui.

Yes, a powerful awakening event is scheduled to come to Koh Samui, starting at Yoga Thailand on the 15th of October. Here is an opportunity to join Miles Neale and Emily Wolf who are both psychotherapists from the Nalanda Institute of Contemplative Sciences in New York, where Miles is the assistant director. The Nalanda Institute was opened in 2005 by Swiss born psychiatrist Dr. Joe Loizzio, who is presently the adjunct assistant professor of Religion at the Columbia Centre for Buddhist studies. The idea behind Nalanda was to bring what had been academic programs and make them more readily available to the general public. Now we are privileged to see one of these events on homeground in Koh Samui.
The emphasis on this retreat is to explore what is referred to as “the gradual path” in Tibetan Buddhism. This awesome journey is a comprehensive approach to self-healing designed to lead people away from a place of distress where so many lodge today to a platform of self-awakening which is a much more comfortable place to be.
The workshop is presented in three distinctive phases and participants can if they so wish enroll to take the whole journey or can if they choose select a single segment. Depending on how far you have travelled towards awakening the first segment would seem the most appropriate starting place.
This first phase is devoted to self-healing. It is designed to offer insights to help bring calm into the life of the individual. To reach this place of stillness we must disengage from limited self-views, afflictive emotions and compulsive habits. These behaviours lead to dissatisfaction. The key skill taught here is the famous “Mindfulness” meditation which is rapidly beginning to occupy a pivotal role in Western Psychotherapy and is much used in hospitals and other treatment Centers, particularly in North America.
The second module is devoted to what is described as social healing. This skill is designed to remain composed amongst the ravages of environmental stress and interpersonal conflict. We simply need to glance around us to see how damaging these stresses are. The key is to avoid the familiar triggers that set off reactions to outside events. In actuality the primary knack here is love and compassion in practice. This is an exciting aspiration for every one of us and as we awaken and become more compassionate we begin to change the world for the better. As we look at the chaos threatening the planet at the moment, this must indeed be an invaluable ability.
The third and final module is described as “Creative Healing”. This is not the starting place but the finale to the process brought here to Koh Samui by Miles and Emily. Here the strands from the two preceding phases are drawn together by showing how it is possible to create a positive and functional relationship with an idealized teacher, or guru. We turn towards people who genuinely have life value skills to teach us. We learn by role modeling, visualization and by the use of natural imagery. There is a lot of material in these modules in which yoga asanas, pranayama, chanting, mediation and several other techniques are used to get the message across to all those who are lucky enough to join this remarkable awakening experience.
Everything that Miles and Emily teach in this workshop is based on the 1,000 year old “Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition.” Sometimes in its original form such material can be dry and uninteresting which can be off-putting to all but the most devoted of yogis. However, the teachers from the Nalanda Institute have updated their material, as both are psychotherapists .they have focused their teachings through the lens of modern psychotherapy which is presented in upbeat everyday contemporary psychotherapeutic language, mind-body medicine and cognitive neuroscience.
Clearly a workshop such as this is not for everybody but it affords a tremendous opportunity for those who are ready to attend a mind expanding experience right here without having to travel thousands of expensive miles to far and distant locations. If you would like to know more you need to contact Yoga Thailand as quickly as possible, remembering that the first module commences on Saturday October 15th. There are more details of the “Retreat” including prices on their website which is http://www.yoga-thailand.com/retreat-tibetan-buddhism.html
As an added bonus Samahita Wellness Center, attached to Yoga Thailand invites participants to stay on for a few extra days to embark on Detox and wellness programs supervised by the wellness director and retreat participants can avail themselves of a 10% discount.
This article appeared in the Samuii Gazette of 15th October 2011
Alister Bredee

."YOGA & DETOX” A Good Way to Go says Health Ambit Consultancy.

Koh Samui is well known for being a haven for wellness with its plethora of resorts focusing on detox & rejuvenating program to cleanse and revitalize oneself. Many people think that to cleanse their bodies they need to go through fasting programs, a period of colon cleansing or taking supplements or detox shakes. However, our bodies actually have an in-built natural cleaning process and to aid that process a simple regular yoga practice can be done.

Yoga presents one of the best ways to detoxify your body as the key principle of yoga is working with your breath, and one of the ways to detoxify your body is to simply breathe. Yoga postures aid in detoxification by stretching & loosening muscles and joints which flush out “bad” blood and toxins whilst bringing a fresh supply of oxygenated blood enriched with nutrients. The practice of yoga also helps people feel better emotionally, physically and mentally thus promoting a positive flow of energy within that helps detox the body. Yoga breathing exercises known as Pranayama also help to release stored up toxins from the respiratory system. Styles of yoga such as Hot and Hot Flow Yoga involving Hatha Yoga postures done in a room heated to a temperature of 35 – 37 degrees are especially beneficial for detox. The heat-loss process at work during a hot yoga practice is stimulating and cleansing on many levels. The increase blood flow during a class speeds up the metabolic process of vital organs, and glands, mobilizing toxins for elimination. Many toxins are encapsulated in fat and stored in the body. Heat stimulates fat receptors, activating fat stores and facilitating fat loss and releasing these fat-soluble toxins. Naturally in a hot yoga class, one would sweat buckets and the skin being the largest organ in the body plays an important role in detoxifying through the process of sweating. In many traditions, inducing sweat for detoxification purposes is an ancient practice. Besides aiding in detox the heat has healing properties as it stimulates white blood cell production boosting one’s immune system and speeds up the healing of injuries. A regular hot or hot flow yoga class can certainly contribute in helping the body detox.

For those unable to stand long hours in the heat or can’t get access to a hot yoga class, some simple postures can help. Postures such as Bharadvajasana (Seated Side Twist), Lying Spinal Twist or Garudasana (eagle pose) that involve twists help squeeze out stale blood & when released help fresh blood flow in. Restorative poses such as Supta Baddha Konasana (Lying hero’s Pose), Viparita Karani
(Legs up the wall pose) & Child’s Pose that open up the chest, abdomen & back, help to massage the organs that detox the body such as the kidneys, liver & intestine. Breathing exercises such Kapalbhati breathing involving quick bursts of breath burns up toxins and stimulates the metabolic rate due to the rapid exchange of air in the lungs.


Yoga is not just limited to postures or breathing exercises, hand gestures or mudras are also part of a yoga practice and can also help in detoxifying the body. A simple mudra that can be done after a meal wherever you are is the “pushan mudra” which influences the energy currents that are responsible for absorbing and utilizing food as well as energies of elimination and detoxification. Sit comfortably with thumbs & index fingers touching, other fingers extended. Place back of palms on knees, close eyes, focus on your natural breath and relax for 1-2 minutes.

Wherever you are there is always a simple yoga posture, breathing exercise or hand gesture you can do to help in eliminating toxins from the body. However to reap the full benefits, a regular class will go a long way in helping your body detox itself.