Yoga
Yoga Retreat Varkala with Surf & Ayurveda
28th Nov – 5th Dec 2026
Throughout our Yoga Retreat in Varkala, you will enjoy around two hours of yoga and meditation on each full retreat day. Paul and Karolina will share the teaching, bringing together their complementary approaches to yoga, meditation and wellbeing to create a varied, balanced and inspiring experience.
Morning practices will generally be more energising, helping you awaken the body and prepare for the day, while later practices invite you to slow down, release tension and move towards deeper rest.
Paul brings his dynamic and uplifting approach through Vinyasa, Hatha, pranayama and Himalayan kriyas, while Karolina brings a slower, more restorative dimension through Yin Yoga, restorative practices, meditation and Yoga Nidra.
Together, the programme creates a balance between movement and stillness, energy and rest — with enough variety to experience different sides of yoga throughout the week.
The intensity and style will vary, with no pressure to perform. Whether you are an experienced practitioner or relatively new to yoga, you will be encouraged to listen to your own body, respect your limits and choose the variation that feels right for you.
Yoga finishes on day seven before we travel to the Kerala backwaters.
Asana
The asana sequences are designed to bring benefits on both a physical and emotional level. Physically, they support better posture, deeper breathing, and healthy circulation. On an emotional and psychological level, these opening poses help release stored tension, reduce stress, and nurture a sense of openness and trust.
The intensity and style will vary, with no pressure to perform. Each practice is an invitation to respect your body’s limits and approach yourself with kindness. Cultivating self-compassion is the first step towards showing compassion to others.
Joyful Vinyasa Flow
A dynamic and uplifting practice that awakens the body, expands the heart, and boosts energy.
Mobilising Hatha Flow
Gentle yet powerful postures that open the body deeply, encouraging surrender and connection with vulnerability.
Meditative Yin Yoga
A slower practice that deepens the connection with your heart space. Through long, mindful holds you will learn to recognise and accept your limits, building compassion towards yourself.
Karolina will bring her own approach to Yin throughout the retreat, creating space to slow down, turn your attention inward and notice what is happening in the body without needing to change or achieve anything.
Restorative Yoga
Some practices will invite you to do even less.
Karolina’s restorative sessions use supported postures, stillness and conscious breathing to create space for deep rest. Rather than stretching further or working harder, you will be encouraged to soften, receive and allow the body to settle.
These quieter practices complement the more dynamic sessions throughout the week and are especially beautiful after days spent swimming, surfing and exploring Kerala.
Yoga Nidra
Karolina will also guide Yoga Nidra, a deeply restful guided meditation traditionally practised lying comfortably in Savasana.
Sometimes described as “yogic sleep”, Yoga Nidra invites the physical body into stillness while awareness is gently guided inward. There is nothing to perform or achieve — simply lie down, listen and allow yourself to rest.
We may weave Yoga Nidra into one or more of our restorative practices during the retreat, depending on the rhythm and needs of the group.
Pranayama and Kriyas
You will be guided through a variety of pranayama and Himalayan kriya techniques that increase lung capacity and teach the body to breathe slowly and deeply. These practices bring many benefits, including higher oxygen levels, reduced cortisol and adrenaline, detoxification, better digestion and metabolism, improved sleep, and a calmer nervous system.
Daily Gong Bath
A special part of this Sunrise Reset Retreat is the daily gong bath experience with Paul’s enormous 110cm Tibetan gong. After the afternoon yoga session, you will be invited to lie down in Savasana and allow the deep vibrations of the gong to wash through the body and mind.
The vibrations can feel both grounding and expansive, helping to calm the mind, release tension and guide you into a deeply meditative state. Combined with the energy of Varkala and the rhythm of the ocean, these sessions create a beautiful opportunity to fully slow down at the end of the day.
Cacao Ceremony
One evening, Karolina will guide a special cacao ceremony — a gentle opportunity to come together as a group, slow down and create space for deeper connection and reflection.
We will share cacao together and move through a combination of breathwork, meditation and guided reflection, before opening the space for a sharing circle.
There is no expectation to share anything you would prefer to keep for yourself. The ceremony is an invitation to pause, listen inwardly and connect — both with your own experience and with the people sharing this journey with you.
It offers a quieter, more reflective moment within the retreat and another way to experience the balance between movement, adventure, rest and connection that runs throughout our week together.
Treatments Available at an Additional Cost
- Extra Ayurvedic Treatments
- Massages
- Private Yoga and/or Surf Lessons