Bend it like Buddha Yoga invites you to join them in this 200-hour Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga training plus a bonus 8-hour Ayurveda massage course. Participating in Bend it like Buddha's program can be the first step in a life-changing journey of health and wellness. This program guarantees the best of the best teachers for this unique double certification training with a bonus of an 8-hour Ayurveda massage therapy certification. Be inspired, meditate, learn, contemplate, take home a valuable gift of restored health, and learn in depth about the art of teaching yoga, meditation, pranayama, yogic lifestyle, and more!

Highlights

• 8-hour Ayurvedic massage therapy

• Amazing Reiki attunement session (optional)

• 2 daily yoga, meditation, and pranayama sessions

• 200-hour yoga Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow yoga training

• Daily healthy vegetarian breakfast and lunch

• Support after completion of the program

• 14 nights accommodation

During the training, you will practice sunrise Vinyasa flow yoga in the morning followed by Yin or Restorative yoga session in the evening. The sessions are usually held in a stunning yoga studio on Praia da Rocha or on the beach depending on weather, and include pranayama (breathwork), mindful meditation, and yoga Nidra meditation.

You will be enjoying a variety of unique healing activities such as Reiki, Tibetan bowl sound healing, yoga Nidra meditation, and healing, powerful pranayama sessions and how to teach students. All of the yoga sessions are Shakti inspired, empowering, and made with love to ignite your heart’s spark.

Bend it like Buddha is a 200-hour Registered Yoga School which follows Yoga Alliance's guidelines by offering 140 contact hours and the 60 remaining hours are allotted for study and reviewing course material during free time, preparing for assignments, and pre-reading handouts prior to the program start date. Preparing prior to the program by pre-reading the course material helps students retain information and encourages everyone to get the most out of the training.

All the teachers of this retreat have their own yoga studios and are teaching yoga worldwide and have valuable wisdom to share regarding yoga business, branding, and social media. You will be inspired by the talented, passionate team, and learn from their wealth of information and decades of experience.

What to expect:
Ancient teachings brought into a contemporary context
Becoming a part of the family and feeling like you've know everyone for years
Complete change in your lifestyle
Delicious healthy organic food during the entire retreat
Develop human interaction and connections that will last a lifetime
Surrounding beaches and the beautiful nature, sound of owls, singing starlings, and of course the amazing sunsets, sunrises, and millions of stars and moonlight
Lessons from a variety of experienced teachers (each one has different strengths) who will help you grow in many different ways
Meet like-minded people from all over the world and build your international yoga contacts
Post-training support available on the private students or teacher forum
Transformational experience that you’ll remember for the rest of your life

Daily schedule
Subject to change
06:00 - 08.00 Alternating Ashtanga Primary Series & Vinyasa Flow
08.00 - 09.00 Pranayama
09.00 - 10.00 Anatomy
10.00 - 10.30 Breakfast
10:30 - 11.30 Philosophy
11:30 - 12.30 Meditation
12:30 - 13.30 Adjustments
13:30 - 14.00 Lunch
14:00 - 15.30 Practise Teaching Sequencing / How to Lesson Plan
15.30 - 16.30 Ayurveda Massage
16.30 - 17.30 Vinyasa Flow, Yin or Restorative Yoga
17.30 - 18.30 Satsang / Students Q/A with Teachers
18.30 - Dinner / Rest

Please note April / May & June almost at capacity.  Early bird price for these 3 months is over.  For April, May & June prices are (Shared 2349euro & Private 3299 euro)

Important to note:
April 20th - Orientation (optional) @ 5pm
April 21st - Official training starts at 6.30am
May 4th - Training ends at 4pm following by Graduation dinner
May 5th - Departures / Check out

May 11th - Orientation (optional) @ 5pm
May 12th - Official training starts at 6.30am
May 25th - Training ends at 4pm following by Graduation dinner
May 26th - Departures / Check out

June 1st - Orientation (optional) @ 5pm
June 2nd - Official training starts at 6.30am
June 15th - Training ends at 4pm following by Graduation dinner
June 16th - Departures / Check out

Sept 23rd - Orientation (optional) @ 5pm
Sept 24th - Official training starts at 6.30am
Oct 7th - Training ends at 4pm following by Graduation dinner
Oct 8th - Departures / Check out

Oct 12th - Orientation (optional) @ 5pm
Oct 13th - Official training starts at 6.30am
Oct 26th - Training ends at 4pm following by Graduation dinner
Oct 27th - Departures / Check out

Nov 2nd - Orientation (optional) @ 5pm
Nov 3rd - Official training starts at 6.30am
Nov 16th - Training ends at 4pm following by Graduation dinner
Nov 17th - Departures / Check out

 

What's included:

• 2 daily yoga, meditation, and pranayama sessions

• 14 nights accommodation

• 8 Hour Ayurveda Massage Course

• 200 Hour Ashtanga & Vinyasa Yoga Training

• Access to self-serve kitchen and dining area

• Balinese healing massage or Reiki massage

• Consultation, health assessment, and support after the training

• Daily morning tea or organic juices

• Daily organic vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner

• Sacred sound mantra concert

• Tibetan sound bowl healing

 What's not included:

• Additional exursions

• Additional transportation

• Airfare

Retreat location

This inspirational program is held at the gorgeous Praia da Rocha beach in Portimao. The program will take place a minute away from Praia da Rocha beach, Portimao-Algarve at the Bend it like Buddha Yoga school. There are three beaches nearby walking distance, several good restaurants, shops, and cafes with a variety of other activities nearby.

The accommodation venue, Flor da Rocha Hotel, is a five-minute walk from the famous Praia da Rocha beach and a three-minute walk to yoga training venue at Bend it like Buddha Yoga studio.

This area has inspired and has been chosen by several imminent yogis and well-known gurus to build ashrams and eco-communities in this region. As it is beautifully natural, peaceful and a refreshing place to restore your mind, body, and soul.

The accommodation 4 Star venue, Flor da Rocha Hotel, is a five-minute walk from Praia da Rocha beach and a three-minute walk to yoga training venue at Bend it like Buddha Yoga studio. The Hotel has recently been renovated and upgraded. It has a new Spa, a gym, wet and dry sauna, swimming pool and a poolside cafe.

Food

During the program, you will be served daily breakfast, lunch, and light evening meal. The food concept is healthy, tasty, vegetarian, and organic. Savor juicy local fruit, crunchy organic vegetables, crisp salads, and fragrant herbs while sipping on an energizing juice or sweet, colorful herbal tea.

Everything is freshly harvested and lovingly prepared with attention to detail in the on-site kitchen where you can cook your own meals if you prefer. There are diverse fusion recipes in a peaceful and tranquil setting. Bend it like Buddha Yoga believes that pleasing your palate is fundamental to your experience.

If you are vegan, raw foodie, or gluten-free, it’s no problem. The resident chef can make something delicious for you. You can choose from fresh tropical fruit, homemade organic yogurt, a wide selection of vegetarian dishes (delicious even for those not used to vegetarian food), curry dhal, rice, salads, herbal teas, and chai. Throughout the day, you can order small snacks, vitamin, health-booster juices, and fresh local fruit for a small extra fee.

You can also enjoy trying dinner out by visiting some of the delicious local restaurants nearby. There is a variety of restaurants that serve excellent Brazilian, Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, German, Russian, Indian, Turkish, Italian, or English food.

The following meals are included:

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Snacks

• Drinks

The following drinks are included:

• Tea

• Detox juices

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

• Vegetarian

• Vegan

• Organic

• Whole food

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

Things to do (optional)

During your free time and rest days on Sundays, you are welcome to explore and try what you would like. In the Algarve, the things to do list is endless. This is your holiday retreat and Bend it like Buddha Yoga believes you should choose what's best for you. They can help you design an itinerary of unique activities and excursions, for an extra cost such as:

• A walk to the Percurso dos Sete Vales Suspensos

• Boat tour or kayaking through beach grottos and caves

• Chilling out at the beach strip café

• Enjoying one of the healing treatments offered: Ayurvedic yoga massage, Reiki, and sound therapy

• Enjoying the beautiful beach cliff surroundings

• Kiteboarding

• Meditation walk to the stunning beaches, caves, and grottos

• Optional kayaking trip to a private beach, lunch will be included

• Reading or writing

• Spiritual hiking trip with a guided yoga Nidra meditation at the peak

• Swimming at the stunning nearby beaches

• Taking a surf or paddleboard lesson

 

Spa treatments:

An Ayurvedic yoga massage is included in the price. Additionally, you can also book the following massages for an additional fee:

• Acupuncture

• Hydro aqua candlelight spa with cold massage jets (for Friday nights)

• Indian scalp massage

• Reiki attunement

• Reiki chakra balancing

• Swedish massage

FULL LIST OF INSTRUCTORS

L. Farrah Furtado
L. Farrah Furtado is Canadian-Portuguese and is a Yoga Alliance E RYT 500 Ashtanga Vinyasa teacher, author of three spiritual best-selling award winning books, and director of Kaohsiung Yoga School and Bend it like Buddha Yoga in Portugal. She has lived in Asia for over 14 years, studying the healing arts in Buddhist monasteries in Taiwan, Balinese healing with energy healing masters in Ubud, and has trained in the traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa system and pranayama with BNS Iyengar, the lineage of Pattabhi Jois and Krishnamacharya in India. Farrah is a third degree Usui Reiki master.

Reshma Datar
Reshy has assisted and also led several 200-hour yoga teacher training programs in India and Thailand for different schools. She has registered her yoga school, Yoga Space, with Yoga Alliance and offers 200-hour yoga teacher training in Hatha and Vinyasa flow yoga. Reshy trained in the discipline of yoga under two very experienced teachers, Sujata Nerurkar and Dr. Renu Mahtani at Param Yoga, in Pune, India, where she completed her foundation in Hatha yoga teacher training and medical yoga therapy in 2011. She trained further in Vinyasa yoga, prenatal yoga, science of pranayama, and Viniyoga.

Tori Mitchell
Tori Mitchell is an expert in Ashtanga Vinyasa and the founder and main instructor at Vibe Yoga, Taiwan. Her most recent background training is in the advanced teacher training in anatomy and adjustments with Arielle Nash at Centered Yoga in Koh Samui, Thailand. Tori Mitchell also studied Ashtanga Vinyasa with Manuel Ferreira, an authorized teacher from KPJAYI and also completed a two-week immersion with Iain Grysak in Ubud, Bali on pranayama, philosophy, and Ashtanga Vinyasa. She's trained in asana and pranayama in Mysore, India with the last living legend of Ashtanga, Guruji BNS Iyengar.

Mafalda Rodriguez
Mafalda Rodriguez started practicing yoga about 11 years ago and soon realized how yoga is transforming, how it brings people back to their center and allows them a universal and conscious view of life. In 2008, she completed the yoga course in the Samkhya Line by FLY-Lusa Yoga Federation and in these nine years of experience teaching, learning a lot and continuing to learn through her students' needs, and with the challenges she is encountering on the way.

Danni Cullen
Danni loves to teach and share… she is passionate about what she does as yoga had such a special effect on her life. It is rare to be in one of her classes and to not burst out in laughter, child-like giggles or even laughing so hard your crying with stomach pains! Her classes are strong, creative,and super fun! Most importantly, she teaches from the heart. At Bend it like Buddha Danni teaches Vinyasa, How to theme and sequence classes, Kids yoga, Acro yoga and Adjustment-Modification classes. She has taught in classes & TTCs in India, Bali, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

How to get there

Arrival by airplane
Please book your flight to arrive at Faro Airport (FAO). Bend It Like Buddha Yoga will help you anytime with the direction.

Arrival by bus
There is a green bus transfer from Faro Airport (FAO) that can take you directly to Praia Da Rocha.

Arrival by ferry/boat
You can reach the Algarve through the many ports and marinas spread all along the south Portugal coast.

Arrival by train
Bend It Like Buddha Yoga recommends you to arrive at Algarve by using a train. It is because Portugal is part of the European rail network and can easily be reached from most of the European capitals.

Getting to the Algarve is part of what makes it one of Europe’s most fascinating holiday destinations. Whether you choose to arrive by plane, car, train or bus, you are bound to be received with a warming and welcoming spirit.

 

Testimonials: 

https://youtu.be/xyQrioymif0

The people have been fantastic and the energy in the group was amazing.  The diversity of teachers and what they each brought to the group has been so much more than I ever imagined.  

Nina, Nurse USA (Portugal training - October 2018) 

 

Peaceful space to share knowledge with like minded beings coming from different backgrounds.  This space helped me realise things about myself and life in general and will definitely be using this experience to empower others.  This training also helped me connect with myself on a much higher level and connect with amazing beings on a spiritual level.

Miriam, Lebanon (Portugal training - October 2018)

 

The atmosphere is amazing and helping us to develop and enjoy ourselves.  The structures of the days and lessons are good and the food is delicious.  The teachers are very knowledgeable and have opened me up to new ideas and methods.

Amy, UK (Goa training - January 2019)

 

The atmosphere is very welcoming and supporting.  I appreciate all the knowledge put together so that we return home with a much better understanding of the anatomically correct yoga.  I enjoy the teaching parts.  

Fanni, Austria (Goa training - January 2018) 

 

The morning asana practises are amazing.  I am loving the classes and teachers. I am really loving the alignment classes and pranayama too.  They are really educational and easy to follow.  Also loving how much teaching practise we get.  

Amelia, UK (Goa training - January 2019) 

 

Teachers are so knowledgeable and it's a very nurturing environment.  Great range of classes and I am already starting to feel more comfortable teaching.

Sian, UK (Goa training - January 2018) 

 

Loved the terrific group of encouraging and enthusiastic women,  the mix of teachers, their mix of style and their encouragement. The time allotted for questions and answers during every class and the massage courses.  An unexpected love.

Mishel, New York - (Portugal training - June 2018)

 

I loved everything, every single moment.  Great professional teachers, great combination of theory, practise, adjustments and spirituality.  Food, accommodation, wonderful energy and beautiful nature.  

Sandu (Portugal training - October 2018) 

 

It is hard to say what I enjoyed most, because the entire experience was incredible.  I really benefited from pranayama and meditation and the reiki was an experience I will never forget.  I loved that we were practising teaching from day 1, because the demo feel much less intimidating.  Of course I loved the asana practises each day as well.  

Rachel, USA (Portugal training - June 2018) 

 

I enjoyed Meditation, Pranayama, Philosophy and Vinyasa.  The teachers, all of them were amazing.

Taylor, USA (Bali training - March 2019) 

 

People, food, location, sun, amazing, very individual teachers that give a personal note (motivating, inspiring).  The vibe, very good knowledge, good schedule, everything went very smooth all the time and there was no stress and negativity.

Julia, Germany (Goa training 2018) 

 

I enjoyed all content from Asana, Pranayama, Philosophy, Meditation, Anatomy and Alignment.  Most of it could have not been learned online or reading books only. It has been an honour learning from two Masters as Farrah and Reshy and I hope to transfer these learnings  truthfully. The setting was magical and the schedule well thought of. The food was excellent. The group was empowering and this was the most transformational experience of my life.  

Camille, UK  (Goa training 2019) 

I really liked the traditional and spiritual approach of yoga that was taught here, not only the physical.  The customized emotional and self development work was not easy but necessary to start this new step in life.  I am grateful for each teacher that helped me throughout this eye and heart opening journey. Everyone was amazing, kind, dedicated and super available and caring yet with different styles and personalities.  The step by step learning process is well designed so it almost felt natural to teach a 30min class at the end. Thank you for the wisdom, the fun, the positive vibes, genuine relationships, the feel good flows and meditations, the caring and listening ears.  Thank you for finding the right words. Thank you for helping me grow, ground, open and accepting. Thank you for being so inspiring and for giving me confidence and trust for the world, for others and for myself.

Laurine, France - (Portugal training - June 2018)