7 Days Body and Soul Holistic Yoga Retreat in Hvar, Croatia

Facilities

Suncokret hosts a festival of unique Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle events with visiting teachers from around the globe each summer!

What is the Suncokret Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Program?

The Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Program (IHYLP) will introduce you to various yoga teachings and related body-mind-spirit practices that support your retreat journey and your life on many levels.

The program was originally conceptualized by retreat co-founder and holistic program director, Evening Marie, who currently leads the spring and autumn program at Suncokret.

During the annual summer events festival, the IHYLP is further expanded upon by the specialized and inspirational teaching contributions of esteemed co-hosting events teachers that will lead workshops during the summer program.

The IHYLP sessions are generally divided into two parts daily: morning Sadhana and afternoon or evening workshop sessions, which are focused on exploring more profoundly the weekly event theme.

Morning Sadhana

Sadhana is a daily spiritual practice that includes a balancing blend of yoga and other holistic mind-body-spirit techniques to help you "tune into" yourself, the intentions you have for your life and for the day ahead. Traditionally, chanting, pranayama, meditation, asanas (postures) & deep relaxation are key ingredients of this process, though practices on offer at Suncokret may vary according to the co-hosting teacher and the event theme they are presenting.

The purpose of sadhana is to help you to start your day in a sacred, disciplined, and focused way. These sessions, generally lasting 90 - 120 minutes, will awaken you profoundly; aligning you to your body, mind, and spirit while preparing you to greet life's daily adventures with a sense of inner peace and clarity.

Afternoon or evening program

A range of practices and/or topics will be explored in the 2nd daily IHYLP session. Topics and activities related to holistic health, lifestyle management, creativity, mindfulness, movement, meditation, food preparation, art therapy, dancing, chanting, healing work, etc.. may be covered in these sessions. Topics are offered according to the weekly theme being presented by the co-hosting teacher and adjusted according to the level and wishes of the group participants.

The purpose of these sessions is to highlight holistic teachings and techniques that help to systematically balance the body, mind, and spirit in a profound way. These sessions generally last between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on the topic being covered.

All gatherings take place in inspiring and sacred spaces; either on the outdoor terrace, beautiful indoor loft space, or in nature and by the sea, according to the program itinerary, the weather, and other considerations.

Sample six-night summer IHYLP schedule

Sunday evening

On Sunday, you will have a 60-minute welcome circle with program introduction.

Monday - Friday

Monday to Friday you will enjoy one and a half to two hours daily of morning Sadhana at the retreat center. (One morning during the week, you will alternatively enjoy a 90-minute morning Sadhana session in a surprise location.) The afternoon or evening sessions on Monday and Wednesday are held at the retreat, while on Tuesday and Thursday you will participate in the IHYLP afternoon sessions by the sea. On Friday, the afternoon session is conducted during Sunset, for an extraordinary peak of the event program.

Saturday morning

• Saturday you will attend a 60-minute closing circle with program conclusion and reflection.

In total, there are between 12 to 15 dedicated program hours that will be covered during the six-night summer program, though timing and location may slightly vary according to what is most appropriate for the event theme being explored within any given week.

Summer Events

The Radiance Retreat (from 21 to 27 June and 12 to 18 July)

Let your inner light shine with yoga, face yoga and organic spa for beauty, health, and happiness. Radiance is the quality of happiness, beauty, and good health, while beauty is a radiance of soul that shines through the physical appearance and beyond.

In a world plagued by an abundance of constant stresses and pressures, fears and doubts, toxins and pollutants, there are a plethora of reasons why our radiance may be dimmed. This week's program includes daily Chakra yoga flow and Face yoga program topped off by daily relaxation and an organic spa day to help you gently detoxify, strengthen and refresh your whole being, gently easing you into a more radiant state so you can face the world again with a newfound inner shine.

• Bonus

Included in the radiance program package is a three-hour natural cosmetics workshop that will teach you the basics of choosing, mixing, and matching essential oils with base oils to create homemade face creams, lip balms, body butter, and more. You'll walk away with a few handmade products to pamper yourself with throughout the event and a workbook that provides you with a summary of all you learned so you'll be able to prepare your own brew of natural cosmetics at home.

The Inner Peace Retreat (from June 28 to July 4 and 5 to 11 July)

Gain stress-release and find inner peace with yoga, TRE, and essential oils. What would be the best gift that you could give to yourself? Excluding all material things that you might want, the best investment in yourself would be your inner peace - the place within you where everything starts and everything ends.

This week, you'll begin at the end - connecting to where you are now and becoming more aware of the quality of life you are living. Your goal will be to recognize what creates stress within us and learn to awake our natural mechanisms for releasing stress through gentle, mindful yoga, TRE (Tension Release Exercises), and the use of essential oils of therapeutic quality. Together, you will combine these tools to release stress and achieve the inner peace you so want and need.

• Bonus

Included in the inner peace program package is a 30-minute essential oils consultation with Davorka and a 90-minute mind-sound-resonance meditation therapy session (done in a group) with Evening Marie.

Recharge and Shine (July 26 to August 1)

Open new doors to self, body and nature awareness with Qigong and yoga. Come and experience the complementary practices of Qigong and yoga. During the "Feel & Flow" Yin-inspired Yoga sessions, you will have time to feel and explore the inner environment of our body and mind. The slow, flowing practice gives you time to contemplate, breathe, and feel the physical, energetic, and mental layers of your being, while using mindfulness and healing imagery increases the harmonizing effect of the practice.

The Zhineng Qigong sessions aim to relax your heart, mind, and body and increase your self-awareness and the natural energy exchange between you and nature. By becoming aware of the energizing, opening effect of this practice, you will explore how to work with energy and consciousness. Want to go exploring? Come and join!

• Bonus

Included in the Recharge and Shine program package is a 60 EUR credit toward ​a la Carte Holistic Services by Appointment with Evening Marie

Source Healing (August 2 to 8)

Walk the path of wholeness and heart connection with Zhineng Qigong and Yin-inspired yoga. Dive deep into the power of self-healing with Zhineng Qigong and Free and Flow Yoga. Part 2 of the Recharge and Shine series invites you to experience being pure consciousness, becoming an observer, noticing everything; being aware of your thoughts, dreams, behaviors, and desires...

During this event, you are invited to give yourself time to disconnect from the constant stimulation of the external environment and reunite with silence. Here you will connect with yourself and with the infinite sea of energy and potential that exists around and within. Throughout the week, you will explore yin-inspired "Feel & Flow" Yoga along with intensive Zhineng Qigong and Meditation practices in this magical island environment to allow a deeper homecoming experience to arise. ​

• Bonus

Included in the Source Healing program package is a 60 EUR credit toward ​a la Carte Holistic Services by Appointment with Evening Marie

The Art of Mindfulness (from August 9 to 15)

Cultivate deep inner awareness with yoga, art, and nature. Part 1 of the event series co-hosted by Edina Husanovic, this will take you on a journey through Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a state of being that is inherent to us all, but it is more readily accessible when we engage in daily practices that cultivate it. Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment.

Whenever you bring awareness to what you're directly experiencing via your senses, or to your state of mind via your thoughts and emotions, you're being mindful. Cultivating this awareness through the activities of yoga, meditation, artistic exploration and spending time in nature is the objective of this week's program.​

• Bonus

Included in the Art of Mindfulness program package is a 60 EUR credit toward Holistic Services with Evening Marie or a 60-minute one-to-one art lesson.

Viva Shakti (from August 16 to 22)

Celebrate your femininity with this inspiring Women's yoga and belly dance event. Part 2 of the event series co-hosted by Edina Husanovic will take you from a state of mindfulness into a state of mindful celebration of the feminine energy. Celebrate the Goddess within by immersing yourself in women's retreat where you will experience yoga and belly dancing as tools to honor, embrace and celebrate your divine femininity, or Shakti. Throughout the week, you will explore yoga for women and address related issues such as body awareness and confidence, feminism and Goddess Culture. You will address our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual qualities as women through the practices and discussions; evoking a celebratory spirit of honoring sacred femininity in a joyful and playful way within a safe, supportive and nurturing environment.

• Bonus

Included in the Viva Shakti Program Package is a 60-minute Goddess Tarot Reading with Evening Marie

• Ager (a UNESCO-protected site of ancient Greek plains, olive groves, vineyards, and ancient agro-architecture)
• Dol Village (2400-year-old inland settlement with impressive churches and pristine landscape)
• Jelsa (or Sv. Nedelja) seaside resort town with historical sites and beautiful sandy-bottomed coves
• Morning Sadhana in a surprise location followed by a picnic and drop off in world-famous Hvar Town where you can catch all the sights
• Soline beach resort set on a stunning nature reserve
• Stari Grad town and beaches (Croatia's oldest and most charming town, dating back 2400 years!)
• Vrboska (the "Venice of Hvar" with quaint footbridges, impressive early-Croatian fortress, and cathedral)

Suncokret welcomes you to retreat in the charming village of Dol Sveta Ana, a pristine 12th-century hamlet discretely nestled into the verdant brush which majestically rises above the island's oldest settlement, Stari Grad in Hvar Island Croatia. Stari Grad is located 2 kilometers from the retreat and we offer free transport from Stari Grad to Suncokret.

Dol Sveta Ana is often compared to Provence and Tuscany, with its sprawling vineyards, noble olive groves, fragrant lavender plantations, fertile fields, and charming stone cottages, so eloquently framed by the distant blue sea and open sky. The village is brought to life by the colorful sounds of friendly sun-kissed locals and their range of hearty farm animals going about their day-to-day lives. Located only minutes away from the island's major attractions, yet peacefully tucked away from bustling tourist towns, St. Ana provides an ideal escape from ordinary life to an extraordinary organic haven.

The complex of semi-attached stone villas is nestled into a secluded corner of Dol, Sveta Ana. The retreat neighborhood remains un-populated much of the year, providing deep peace and tranquility for the guests. During summer months, however, the village tends to fill up with holidaymakers, including natives taking up residence in their ancestral summer cottages that have been in the family for generations. The atmosphere becomes a more vibrant one - a true immersion into authentic village lifestyle on Hvar.

Village offerings versus town conveniences

The village features two local restaurants and a local cafe with Wi-Fi access within walking distance from the retreat. There are no shops, banks or ATM's, post offices, etc., so please plan ahead, though there is plenty of pure nature with inviting footpaths to explore and unlimited supplies of fresh air to help you relax and disconnect from the stresses of city life. Enjoy it.

Getting around

For your convenience, as part of the foundational retreat program package, Suncokret Dream provides complimentary scheduled transport to and from various points of interest each day of the retreat week. Guests may opt to remain at the retreat for quiet time during the day instead and arrange their own transport needs.

The nearest town, Stari Grad, is located two kilometers from the retreat. The journey to Stari Grad takes about 40 minutes on foot, 10 to 15 minutes by bike, and only five minutes by scooter or car (rental options are available in Stari Grad).

Nearby places

• Stari Grad, 2 kilometers - 40 minutes on foot

From Monday to Thursday, Suncokret Dream serves a beautiful brunch in the garden after morning Sadhana practice, and once weekly, a picnic brunch is served on location after the morning Sadhana practice which is held in nature.

Brunch usually consists of fresh seasonal fruit, nuts, warm and cold cereals, fresh farm eggs, local bread or pastries, veggie and cheese spreads, yoghurt and milk, organic rice or almond milk, and, quite possibly, tasty left-overs from the previous night's dinner (they don't believe in letting precious quality food go to waste).

Dinner, served Monday to Thursday, usually consists of a soup and salad starter, followed by a main dish. After the Saturday morning closing circle, a self-service breakfast buffet is served in the garden, prior to the 10:45 a.m. check-out time, to ensure that you depart from the retreat well-nourished for your journey ahead.

Local tap water, mineral water, herbal tea, and home-made organic cordials, when available, are provided with the meals. As a safe shelter from addictive substances, the policy is to not serve coffee, but you may bring your own emergency supply along, if necessary, or perhaps savor in an occasional cup of the local brew in the town cafes when the need or mood strikes.

Please state any dietary needs you might have at the time of booking.

The daily itinerary provides ample time to relax and explore each day. You are warmly invited to take advantage of the complimentary transfer service that takes you to and from a range of nearby towns and beaches where you can spend your day doing exactly what serves you best.

On Tuesday and Thursday, the yoga program is held at the magnificent beach locations you are brought to by free transfer in the morning, while on Monday and Wednesday the yoga program is held back at the retreat, making the latter ideal days in which to stay behind at the retreat for optional holistic treatments or workshops in case you are in need of pampering or holistic support.

For guests who are staying for two back to back event weeks, weekends are an ideal time to try a little island adventure. Suncokret Dream can help you to organize activities offered by local providers, including art therapy and painting classes, scuba diving, kayaking, wind surfing, free climbing, hiking, cycling, boat excursions, boat, scooter, or car rental.

During your retreat time at Suncokret, you may want to enhance your experience by adding on a range of holistic services that can be tailored to your unique needs. If you would like to address a specific well-being issue, or simply pamper yourself with an extra dose of TLC while on retreat, consider adding on one, or a combination of, the holistic therapies, life-empowerment workshops or organic spa treatments to make the most of your time. Please contact Suncokret Dream for details.

• 2 daily Integrated Holistic Yoga Lifestyle Program sessions (content and schedule may vary according to the event)
• 6 nights accommodation
• A complimentary transfer from the Stari Grad port at 4:30 p.m
• Check-in at 4:45 p.m. with refreshments and time to get settled
• 60-minute Welcome and Closing Circle
• Welcome Tour of the property & surrounding area
• Two daily Vegetarian Meals during your program stay + Dinner on program start date & Breakfast on the conclusion date
• Free access to an assortment of books, music, films & games
• Free access to organic herbs for making tea in our tea corner
• Optional daily outings to places of interest including waterfront towns, beautiful beaches, historical, and cultural sights
• Relaxing evenings at the retreat and Mauna (quiet reflection) from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Scheduled transfer to the Stari Grad Port on departure day at 10:45 a.m.
• Seva (Karma Yoga) program to build a sense of a caring, community spirit
• Walking tour of the village
• Workshops and activities as scheduled in the chosen event week

• 1 dinner on the sunset tour day (you are given a packed lunch instead)
• Any other costs you may incur that are not mentioned in the package
• Extra activities
• Holistic workshops or treatments other than the ones specified in the itinerary
• International flights

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 17% of the total price.
• The deposit is fully refundable if the booking is cancelled up to 15 days before the arrival date.
• The rest of the payment should be paid on arrival.