| Join us for an extraordinary experience on the Island of Crete
While encountering this immersion in to the world of India’s classical rhythm and discovering its relation to breath, the body and nature, you will be graced with the magnificent backdrop of the Libyan Sea. In residence will be two of India’s most esteemed drummers, tabla player Samir Chatterjee and ghatam player V. Suresh, who will both lead group sessions and offer lessons in hand drumming. Ashtanga-based yoga and meditation will be led daily by yoga teacher and sitarist Allyn Miner. This retreat is for anyone seeking an exceptional experience that will integrate the Indian traditions of rhythm and music with yoga. It is suited to both experienced practitioners and novices with an interest in drumming, music, and yoga. This retreat will also welcome the time to rest and to engage with your surroundings. With Triopetra situated along the Southern Coast of Crete and directly facing the clear blue waters of the Libyan Sea, it offers complete tranquility with miles of unspoiled beach to wander down.
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| Yoga at the Retreat
Ashtanga yoga, designed by Sri Pattabhi Jois of Mysore, is known for its graceful strengthening moves and the use of paced breathing to connect each pose to the next. The primary 'therapeutic' series is a sequence of warming sun salutes and a flow of standing, seated, and inverted poses. This beautifully balanced practice strengthens the body as it stills the mind and soothes the nervous system.
We will begin each morning with an ashtanga-based yoga practice, designed especially for this retreat to awaken the senses, warm and condition the body, and prepare for a day centered on rhythm, music and nature. Evening sessions will be a changing program of yoga, breathing, meditation, and spoken rhythms or chants.
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| Music and Rhythm at the Retreat
Following the yoga session in the morning, we will join Samir, who will teach and lead group practice sessions in rhythm and guide us through an introduction to Indian classical music. We will use frame drums to learn and explore various patterns, structures and tempos from among India’s rich rhythmic vocabulary. Samir will also introduce us to vocal percussion, the unique practice of recitation for which Indian drumming is famous.
India’s rhythmic system is a gift to contemporary world music. At its center is the tala cycle, a fixed number of beats subdivided into sections and maintained throughout the length of a performance. Indian musicians do all their work within the cycle, building intricate patterns of themes and variations into beautiful filigreed constructs. It is surely one of the great musical experiences to understand and participate in this type of performance.
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