Four mornings. One yoga mat. A slower pulse.
A gentle four-day retreat in the forests of inland Goa. One ninety-minute session every morning. The rest of the day is open, on purpose.
A retreat for people who want the steadying effect of a daily practice, held inside an unhurried few days. The shape of it
Yoga, at a softer pace.
Each morning begins with one ninety-minute session, taken slowly, with a teacher who knows how to work a mixed-level group. The focus is breath, mobility, and releasing the tension most of us carry without noticing.
After breakfast, the day opens up. A nature walk if you want one. The spring pool. A long lunch. A real afternoon nap. We do not fill the hours on purpose. That is the practice too.
Beginners are welcome. So are people who have been on the mat for twenty years. The pace and the focus serve both, which is the harder thing to design and the thing we have spent a long time getting right.
Sadhguru Gurukulam
A grounded approach to an ancient practice.
Astha is a Classical Hatha Yoga teacher certified by Sadhguru Gurukulam. Her foundation is the 1,750-hour residential program at Isha Yoga Center, where the practice is taught in its most exacting form.
Her teaching is shaped by a background in machine learning and industrial automation. This analytical perspective keeps her sessions practical and focused on physiological results. She avoids the vague or the abstract, choosing instead to focus on how the practice functions in the body.
The goal of these four days is to give you a tool you can use on your own. Astha teaches in a way that prioritises your autonomy, ensuring you leave the retreat with a clear, stable practice to keep once you return to your daily life.
"Yoga is a technology. If used correctly, it works. My role is to help you set the right conditions so the practice can do its job."
Slow at first. Slower by the end.
Each day adds a little less on purpose. By the last morning the schedule is almost invisible.
Settling in. Nothing more.
The first afternoon is built around landing. No yoga session yet. The schedule starts gently because you do.
- 12:30Arrival and check-in. Cold towel, fresh lime water, room key, no rush.
- 13:30Lunch from the kitchen. Goan thali, often from what was picked that morning.
- 16:00Optional walk with the on-site naturalist around the grounds.
- 18:30Guided sunset meditation at the ridge. Twenty minutes, seated, simple.
- 20:00Dinner outdoors when weather allows. Early to bed for tomorrow's first session.
The body begins to soften.
The first session of the retreat is intentionally the slowest. The point is to introduce the body to the room.
- 06:15Tea and biscuits on the deck. Optional, but most people show up.
- 07:00Ninety-minute morning session. Spine, hips, breath. Long holds.
- 09:00Breakfast in the open dining area. Eggs, fruit, parathas, coffee, time.
- 11:00Optional nature activity, or the morning free at the property.
- 13:30Lunch followed by rest, the pool, or a book on the verandah.
- 17:30Short walk if the light is good. Otherwise, more rest.
- 20:00Dinner and overnight stay.
Most guests stop checking the time.
The day looks similar on paper. It feels very different in the body. This is when the retreat actually starts to work.
- 06:15Tea on the deck. Birds, light, very little conversation.
- 07:00Second morning session. Building on balance and breath capacity.
- 09:00Breakfast at the property.
- 11:00A curated nature experience with the resident guide.
- 13:30Lunch followed by long, unstructured rest.
- 17:00Spring pool, forest, or a chair on the verandah. No schedule.
- 20:00Dinner. Early sleep, by habit now.
A slower kind of departure.
The last morning is paced like the rest of the stay. No rushed exit. Most guests are quieter on the drive out than they were on the drive in.
- 06:15Tea on the deck for the last time. Watch the light come up.
- 07:00Final session. Longer holds, more breath, less movement.
- 09:00Breakfast, with no schedule pressure behind it.
- 11:00Checkout. Slower walk to the car than the one you arrived with.
yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
Yoga is the stilling
of the fluctuations
of the mind.
"If you do not divide the world, as you breathe, as you pulsate with life, you will know you are a part of everything."
From first breath to last light.
The retreat is shaped by three small anchors, plus a lot of open time on either side of them.
First light, first practice
Ninety minutes on the mat before the day asks anything of you. Slow openings, long breaths, in a room that smells faintly of damp earth.
Open hours
A guided walk if you want one. The spring pool. A long lunch. An afternoon nap on the verandah. The schedule deliberately lets go for most of the day.
A small fire
Dinner outdoors when the weather is good. More stars than most guests have seen in years. Sleep early, by habit, by the second night.
Where you will actually be.
Inland Goa, in the Western Ghats. A working plantation, a forest, a spring-fed pool, and a small cluster of cottages.
A few honest words before you book.
Worth reading first. The retreat does a few things well, and a few on purpose not at all.
It works if you
- Want a gentle introduction to yoga, or a soft return to it
- Are looking for unstructured days, not a packed schedule
- Prefer quiet evenings and early starts to nightlife and late dinners
- Are comfortable being a little off-grid, in the forest, on uneven ground
- Will read, walk, swim, sleep, and not feel restless about it
It will not suit you if
- You want a high-intensity yoga teacher training
- You expect a city resort with a spa menu and late-night service
- You want every hour scheduled and a curated activity at every turn
- You need fast wifi and stable connectivity for full working days
- You are looking for a beach holiday or a party scene
The basics, handled.
- Three nights in an AC forest cottage
- Goan buffet meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Tea and coffee through the day
- All yoga sessions and the guided sunset meditation
- All scheduled Nature's Nest activities listed in the itinerary
- Access to the natural, chlorine-free spring pool
- All applicable taxes
- Pick-up and drop from airport or railway station (additional cost)
- Any food or beverages outside the included meals
- Personal expenses, laundry, off-property activities
Things people usually ask.
Ninety minutes, every morning. Hatha-based, slow paced, breath-led. Focus is on releasing tension, restoring mobility, and breath awareness rather than physical intensity. Slower than a typical city studio class.
Yes. A good number of guests do. The shared meals, the small group sessions and the gentle rhythm of the property make it easy to settle in without feeling on display.
Loose cotton clothing for yoga and walks, a light layer for early mornings, closed shoes for forest paths, a swimsuit for the spring pool, and any personal medication. A full list goes out with the booking confirmation.
The property is in Surla, Sacordem, Dharbandora, inland Goa. Roughly ninety minutes from Dabolim airport, depending on traffic. Pick-up and drop can be arranged for an additional cost.
Send a short message to check dates.
A WhatsApp note is the fastest way to see availability, check whether the package fits, and get the practical details. Mention your preferred week, whether you are coming alone or with someone, and any yoga background.