On the 6th day of creation, God bent down to the earth and shaped the ground of our human being. Then God breathed into our nostrils and graced this soil-creature with a soul. We are embodied souls, ensouled bodies, made of earth and breath.
Supercharge your spiritual life by exploring your body and breath in different dimensions of embodied prayer, drawing upon the ancient traditions of yoga and Ignatian spirituality, and the contemporary wisdom of modern neuroscience and anatomical theory. Discover how to increase the levels of ‘happy hormones’ in your body (dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin)and create a space where a transformative encounter with the divine becomes more possible.
This is an experiential breath and body work retreat which awakens and moves spiritual energy through energetic dynamic movements and a wide spectrum of low-oxygen and high-oxygen breathwork. You will learn practical techniques and the theories underlying them. The retreat will have a special focus on breath manipulation to change the hormonal flow in the body, and offer you bio-hacking breathwork tools to practice and take back into your daily life.
Please note that the Altered States retreat is not a ‘gentle stretching’ form of yoga. Our sessions will involve exaggerated flexion and extension of the spine and the neck; clenching and unclenching the body’s internal muscles; and constricting, extending and speeding up the breath. There is an application form with various medical questions to complete before you can be offered a place on this retreat and a further medical confirmation to be signed at the beginning of the retreat. The retreat is not suitable for anyone who is pregnant, or under 18 years of age.
This weekend retreat begins on Friday evening and finishes after lunch on Monday.
A yoga mat and block are provided. There is nothing else you need to bring with you other than a ready openness to playfully explore an exciting range of body and breathwork techniques!
To apply for this retreat, please complete the online form HERE which includes a short medical questionnaire. The retreat leader will review your form and get back to you within a few days:
Feedback from John’s regular yoga & breathwork courses at London Jesuit Centre
"This course made me be fully aware of myself and my body. It helped me to unwind after a work day and push me to go beyond my limits."
"I particularly enjoyed the way my body felt afterwards: more centred, more energised. I noticed that I was more able to be still during my own prayer time."
"I benefited from the ability to be in my body, with anxious everyday thoughts set aside for 90 minutes, setting me up for the week ahead and giving me a refreshing physical workout in the process!"
"I feel happy and relaxed after the class."
"I liked the environment, the mixture of dynamic and static postures, the music and the final prayer. Overall it was tiring but exciting!"
Bio
The Revd Dr John Russell is an Anglican priest working as the full-time Acting Lead for Spirituality at the London Jesuit Centre. After serving his 3-year curacy in Chelsea, John was appointed Associate Rector at St James’s Piccadilly before joining the London Jesuit Centre. John is a Yoga Alliance accredited teacher of Kundalini yoga, with specialist qualifications in breath-work and addiction recovery. He teaches on the Kundalini Global Level 1 teacher training course and runs the embody yoga programme at London Jesuit Centre. His favourite modes of transport are bicycle and kayak. He has 34 tattoos and thinks he still may have room for a few more.
To apply for this retreat, please complete the online form HERE which includes a short medical questionnaire. The retreat leader will review your form and get back to you within a few days:
