If you're looking for a place to party and do some yoga as added value DON'T go to Shanti Dom. If you're looking for a holiday to record on your insta, selfies and the rest of them again it's probably not the place. BUT if you want to learn about yoga, about yourself, be able to hear fly walking next to you, have amazing spiritual experiences that can't be recorded and shared on social medias so easily then YES, go to Shanti Dom. I think in one month I learnt more than in previous 20 years of irregular practise. Alena is a fountain of knowledge, a very inspiring person to learn from. She talks the talk and walks the walk. She showed us that yoga is so much more than asanas and pranayama, that it's a lifestyle, life.

For me Shanti Dom felt like a tolstoyan commune, philosophical questions mix with dilemmas about what to cook for lunch today. Work to improve oneself takes a form of staying in headstand for 5 minutes or in chopping firewood and stacking it aesthetically. The whole month is both physical and mental. And it is demanding at times- day starts at 5am with pouring warm, salty water through your nose as cleansing exercise and continues with a variety of activities till 10:30pm. It gives you a full experience of living yoga for a month.

Es ist ein wundervoller Ort, an dem man zur Ruhe kommen kann, sich finden kann, über sich hinauswachsen kann, sich den äußeren Einflüssen entziehen kann.

Wer ein all inclusive Hotel sucht, darf weitersuchen. Wer eine tiefere, spirituelle Erfahrung und die Philosophie des Yoga kennenlernen und leben möchte, wird einen wundervollen Ort finden.

Inmitten der Natur darf man wundervolle Erfahrungen sammeln, eine offene, herzliche Lebensform erfahren und einer authentischen und liebenswerten Lehrerin begegnen.

Ich bin ShantiDom sehr dankbar für all das, was ich lernen durfte -über Yoga, das Zwischenmenschliche und über mich Selbst- und für jeden Tag, den ich dort verbringen dufte.

•Namaste•

I believe it is important to understand the concept of this place: It is not supposed to be a lush, comfy vacation with yoga for fun. Instead, you will step out of your comfort zone in almost every way. This can be a huge relief - but it can also be a challenge. It is an exceptional situation for most of us and it can be an opportunity to learn more about yourself and how you are doing when the activities and distractions of everyday life are not there. The accomodation, the food, etc. are exactly in place to support this concept, which is what makes them great. The same applies to the spiritual atmosphere of the place, its quietness and the yoga classes, independent of whether you agree with every element of the philosophy.

How you will like this retreat will eventually depend much on you. Just don't expect it to be easy-peasy. I recommend simply accepting and opening up to everything; then there is lots to learn and to enjoy in ways that we seldomly explore.