Yoga challenge outdoors retreat for men

Awaken your willpower, determination, and inner fire in the most joyful and harmonious way and connect to the ancient Yogic wisdom and the silent power of the mountains.

February 10th - 14th, 2025

Ananda Forest, Spain

The Course

Embark on a journey of self-discovery and powerful inner transformation, where men come together in the beauty of nature and meet the profound wisdom of ancient yogic practices and experience the silent power of the mountains. This yoga retreat for men is meticulously designed to awaken your willpower, determination, and inner fire in the most joyful and harmonious way and to connect in a healthy way with masculinity.

Hatha yoga can be translated as a ‘yoga practice that brings balance between the solar and lunar energies’. Often modern yoga retreats and classes emphesize the need to let go, relax, find ease and inner comfort, and to often our hearts, minds and bodies. I believe that for both male and female yoga practicioners these are essential components. But what about healthy masculine (or solar) qualities? Do we feel empowered and in tune with our ability to have a one-pointed and penetrating focus, find stability and determination in challenging moments, and use our inner fire in a constructive way? These qualities will not only help us go deeper in our yoga practice, but can be extremely efficient in every aspect of our personal, professional and spiritual life.

Masculinity has often been associated with machoism, competition, and even domination. But what would happen if we discover the golden side of masculinity and awaken to the shining beauty of brotherhood and find a naturalness within as awakened men!?

I want to join this course!

Highlights

Experience the transformative power of Yogic discipline and practice
Hike, (optionally) run, and swim in the mountains
Awaken in a smooth and joyful way willpower, determination and inner fire
Sleep close to the elements and feel One with nature
Create healthy habits and let go of patterns that don’t serve
Feel the supportive field of brotherhood
Gather around a beautiful evening campfire

CHALLENGES

Daily cold water immersion
Practice daily Hatha yoga
Meditate for 1h daily
Hike and optionally run in the mountains
(optionally) Sleep in a glamping tent outdoors
Take on a transformative Tapas (Yogic discipline) for after the retreat

Schedule

Yoga challenge outdoors retreat for men

DAY 1

14-16: Arrival

17: Introduction and opening

18.30: Dinner

20 – 20.30:Meditation

Day 2
7.30 – 8.30: Morning run (or walk) and stretch
8.30 – 9.30: Meditation
9.30: Breakfast
10.30: Excursion and cold water immersion to the waterfall
14: Lunch
16.30 – 18.30: Hatha yoga and pranayama
18.30: Dinner
20: Campfire

Day 3
7.30 – 9.15: Hatha yoga and meditation
9.15-9.30: Cold water immersion
9.30: Breakfast
10.30 - 17 : Mountain hike, breahtwork, picknick
18.30: Dinner
20-20.30: Meditation

Day 4
7.30 – 8.30: Meditation
8.30: Breakfast
9.30 - 16: Hike to Buddhist center Oseling, cold water immersion with Pranayama, picknick
17.30 – 18.30: Hatha yoga or Yin yoga
18.30: Dinner
20: Campfire

Day 5
7.30 – 9.15: Hatha yoga and meditation
9.15-9.30: Cold water immersion
9.30: Breakfast
10.30: Closing circle
12: Departure

Subscribe for this retreat

WHY A RETREAT EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEN?

Since countless generations men have been coming together for special occasions like hunting, ceremonies, or more recently, going to the pub. The need to gather with men is for many of us encoded in our DNA. But what would happen if we charge these gathering with spiritual intention, or the intention of (trans-)personal growth and inner discovery? This is the true jewel that I have felt countless times during yoga practice, outdoor activites and sports, and by simply being in nature.

Often power in men has been destructive and abusive. We might have become afraid of power. But men that feel disempowerd and weak may struggle to feel fullfilment and satisfaction. It is my wish that this retreat may contribute to men finding empowerment, combined with purity of intention, naturalness and freedom.

TEMPERATURE, SEASON, AND THE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE

During this retreat, you are invited to let go of limiting beliefs, patterns and unnessary luxuries and find home and comfort in the beauty of nature and a sense of brotherhood. According to Swami Satyananda there is no greater slavery then the total addiction to luxury. A lot of freedom can be found in learning to be flexible, and adapting to various conditions and circumstances. Therefore, I felt that the winter season offers us the best circumstances, and sleeping outside with warm blankets and a cold air touching the skin feels awesome! On top, I find the winter is the best season for hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains. During winter season in Southern Spain we usually get a lot of sunshine, but the nights can get cold (usually between 0 and 7 degrees). Everyone will have access to our communal cabin to find warmth during the cold hours of the day. Our Yoga Hall doesn’t have a heating option, so please be prepared to bring warm and comfortable clothing and to kindle your inner fire. If you book the camping or glaming option, be prepared to sleep underneath the beautiful olive trees in rather cold temperatures. If you book the cabin, you will be able to warm up the cabin with a very cozy fire. During the evenings we can gather around the fire and enjoy the transformative power of grandfather fire.

Feel free to contact us if you would like to join the retreat, but would like to book a private room. Our neighbors rent out additional accommodation and we can book it for you.

Accommodation

Ananda Forest offers different options for accommodation. We are providing a space that is physically and energetically clean and uplifting.

Apart from your selected accommodation, you have access to the beautiful shared living area and gardens.

The cabin and glamping tent(s) have all the necessary items provided: a comfortable bed, sheets, blankets, pillows, closets, towel, etc.

More about the accommodation

Facilitator

Floris Adriaenssens

Yogi / Meditator /Nature lover / co-founder of Ananda Forest, Amaratva yoga, Akasha retreat center / Father/ All and nothing:)

About Floris

The Cuisine

Let food be your medicine!

All meals are included and prepared with great care. We serve healthy, delicious, nutritious, and well-balanced vegan meals (an option for eggs may be available). The ingredients are locally-sourced, where possible organic and home-grown when available. Resulting in nutritious raw, vegan, and vegetarian dishes.

Our chef will show you how to give yourself what you are craving, without giving in to unhealthy habits.

We are happy to accommodate the needs of guests with allergies to particular foods and often prepare gluten and dairy-free meals – all served with love!

We can see this retreat as a wonderfully gentle way to cleanse the mind, body, and spirit, your body will be renewed in several ways. Please write to us if you have any special needs so that our chefs can take care of.

Practical Information

Dates: February 10 till 14, 2025
Arrival: Between 2 and 4PM (or contact us if you like to arrive earlier or later)

Departure: Between 11 and 1PM

Possibility to extend your stay

Price

€450

Private glamping tent

€400
Shared glamping tent (2 people max) or
Shared cabin (3 people max)
€320
Camping with own tent & bedding or sleeping bag or with accommodation outside the center (contact us if you like to know more about booking a private room in our neighbor's holiday home)

Includes

3 vegan meals a day & tea and fruit at any time, 4 days of classes, workshops and guided excursions, accommodation, pick-up and drop-off from Órgiva busstop

Transportation

Public transport: From Malaga airport, you can take a bus (Alsa) to Granada and from Granada to Orgiva. It takes about 4h.
Shuttle service from Malaga airport: If you like to make your travel easier, we can book for you a taxi/shuttle service. Depending on the number of people that can share the same ride, it costs between 80 and 30 euros from Malaga Airport, and it takes approximately 1h35min

Language
English

Join us

Necessary pre-requisites

Dedication, openness, and willingness to transform and learn
Being in a male body
To be relatively healthy in body and stable in mind. If you have any major injury or disease, significant depression or psychological imbalance, or are on medication, please inform us about it. We keep it strictly confidential and will talk together to see if this program is suitable for you or not and on how we can support you