HAVEN YOGA COMMUNITY – VILAMOURA
Creating a welcoming community where like minded people meet, connect & share experiences through yoga, meditation, workshops & cacao ceremonies has been my vision for a while. I moved to Portugal from Dubai in October 2020 and started working on building this community through teaching yoga classes in small private groups and one to one private clients. The community has been steadily growing into an amazing group of international and local members who continue to contribute greatly.
Before I became a Yoga Teacher, I was a student who would attend group yoga classes at different studios in Dubai and one thing I noticed about yoga studios was that generally people would walk into the room, stick to practising on their mats and leave. What I felt was lacking was an interaction or connection of the group. So once I became a yoga teacher I started organising community days, where we would go to different locations and practise yoga together followed by a group breakfast or lunch.
What I have created in my Haven Yoga Studio in Vilamoura is a similar concept, where you are more likely to know students who come to the same classes and feel that you have a second home to come to – as one of my clients call it “this is my church”. We have done a few retreats or workshops together and that allows everyone to feel connected and at home. Our team has expanded and continues to grow. I always look to collaborate with anyone who wishes to share their experiences with my community and add value to people’s lives, whether a physical, mental or emotional connection, you are more likely to find the right teacher or the right class for you.
Haven Yoga Studio opened at Prado Villa, in the heart of Vilamoura in June 2020. We offer private & group Classes, Workshops, Cacao Ceremonies and Retreats.
The studio is set in a quiet area surrounded by golf courses with easy access to parking. The indoor space of the studio, decorated in boho style, hosts group classes & workshops. The tent area hosts cacao ceremonies with garden views and our garden space is used for morning group classes. We offer special prices for resident & non-residents and also class packs for those who wish to practise regularly.
We are currently running 4 group classes per week with different styles of yoga, suitable both for beginners or intermediate practitioners. We host monthly Cacao Ceremonies which are led by our amazing consulting astrologer, cacao & sound healing practitioner – Danielle. They have been so popular and get fully booked each month.
Our new addition to the calendar is “Face Yoga” which is led by Face Yoga Coah Amani, who will teach you how to lift, tone, sculpt your face & neck. So forget about doing botox and injections and come and learn how to keep your skin young naturally. You will get to have a weekly in studio class with her where she makes sure you are applying the movement to your face correctly and learning the face yoga exercises and you also get access to her app to carry on with your 15 mins daily practice. To see the results you need consistency and time. Over a one month period you will see the results on your face and this will eventually become your daily ritual. Simply magic to your face lift.
Additionally we also have a Nutrition Workshop with Barbara – who is our certified holistic nutritionist with AFPA and currently studying for her degree in BSc Honours Health & Science. You will have a chance to learn how adopting a plant based diet changed her life, what it means to adapt to a whole food plant based lifestyle and she will also demonstrate how to prepare a delicious show stopper cauliflower nachos and healthy carob energy balls.
Group Classes we offer at the studio:
HATHA YOGA
You move your body slowly and deliberately into different poses that challenge your strength and flexibility, while at the same time focusing on relaxation and mindfulness. Poses are held for several breaths and each class involves a practice of asanas (yoga poses) and pranayamas (breathing exercises). It is practised more slowly than Vinyasa Yoga, with more static holds & therefore suitable for beginners.
HAVEN BEATS (VINYASA YOGA)
You move from one pose directly into the next. Flowing sequence of specific asanas (yoga poses) coordinated with the breath. Each movement happens on either INHALE or EXHALE. Synchronising the movement starts the cleansing process as the temperature of the blood increases.This class is suitable for a frequent yoga practitioner or an advanced yogi. It builds your strength & stability.
YIN YOGA & SOUND VIBRATION
Suitable for all ages and all levels, beginner or someone who wishes to restart yoga again. This class is a passive approach to yoga practice, most poses are focusing on the lower body and the spine and are done on the ground using props (bolsters, blocks, blankets) improving your mobility & flexibility. Yin Yoga can be deeply healing as it releases suppressed and trapped emotions and traumas.
FACE YOGA
We have 57 muscles on our face and if we learn how to exercise them you will feel an improvement in toning of your skin and elasticity. Face Yoga Coach will teach you how to tone, lift and sculpt your face and your neck by showing specially designed movements to get these incredible results without any botox or injections. This class is of course suitable for anyone who wishes to maintain healthy skin.
CACAO CEREMONIES
These gatherings are a sage and enjoyable space to experience the magic and love of ceremonial cacao from Guatemala. We combine breath awareness, simple sound or mantra, elemental honouring (air, water, fire & earth) calling in the spirit of cacao and the current astrological energy we are woven with to open the space and set the tone.
To join our community, simply reach out to me through my website www.thehaven.pt or drop me a message on my social media @thehaven_algarve and I will gladly welcome you to the studio and introduce you personally to our space and the team.
