Komodo Islands Freediving & Yoga

10 May 23, 8 nights

Komodo Islands Freediving & Yoga
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Retreat Highlights 

  • Five nights and six days liveaboard on The Natural 001, a traditional Phinisi boat
  • Three nights' hotel accommodation on Labuan Bajo island
  • Day trip to Cunca waterfall, mirror cave house & Ranko Caves
  • Island hopping and scenic hikes
  • Visit the world's last dragons
  • Become a certified freediver
  • Daily yoga and meditation classes with a certified yoga teacher.
  • Unwind and relax in the hot jacuzzi onboard.
  • Delicious daily meals

Explore the mystical hidden paradise of Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the legendary komodo dragon, while living on a traditional Phinisi boat named Natural 001. Become a certified freediver, and enjoy daily yoga, island hopping, and hiking. Komodo and surrounding islands will enthral you with its wild adventure. Visit the last dragons on earth in a land that time forgot.

This transformational experience helps you to explore your inner and outer environment and reconnect with yourself, nature and the flow of life. Our trips are small boutique getaways that are customised according to the group's desire.  

YAMA  brings this nine-day experience to life through the raw elements of dance, play and connection with your inner child. Meet the world's last dragons connect with nature. Daily yoga and breathwork classes, and become a certified freediver. 

Share: We encourage you to bring your unique gift and share it at this gathering. YAMA Is a space to express yourself through what brings you joy. Radical self-expression, music, flow toys, games, arts, singing, or dance.

Our community is about learning, sharing, caring and connecting with the natural world while discovering some of the world's most exotic locations.

Together, on this experience, on a stunning traditional Phinisi boat, we dive deep, "literally" into the ocean and into the most humbling and rich local culture. We celebrate Mother Nature and her unique landscape, visit the last dragons, swim with mata rays and other incredible land and sea life inhabitants. ​

Dress-ups:  Dress-ups are fun!!! YAMA explores dressing up by setting a theme for every trip. This time we are attempting to embody the merging of aliens with sea creatures… and so the title is  “Alien And The Sea Creature Create a Love Child”.  Be bold, be fun and feel free to embody through costume. ​​

Yoga and Movement: Each day, there will be one yoga or movement class, including pranayama breathwork and meditation guided and taught by Elissa. We will explore yoga asana, acro-yoga, primal movement, handstands and more. The class is for anyone from beginners to advanced levels. Elissa will tailor the class based on the energy and level of the group and will provide variations to accommodate all fitness levels.

Explore breathwork techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, box breath, introduction into breath retention, tummo breathing, and Kapalbhati and Sitali. This is followed by a guided meditation. 

Hiking: There will be daily low-impact hikes on this trip.  

Freediving: The freediving certification is included in this package deal. However, it is optional and does require medical clearance. If you choose not to participate, you can use the time to snorkel and enjoy the sea or relax on the deck or in the jacuzzi :) 

This Free Diving certification will turn you into an OFFICIAL PADI CERTIFIED FREE DIVER by the end of the trip! Learning from the best in the industry and exploring the most incredible free diving sites in the reef!

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About

About The Host

Elissa Chrisson & Monica

Elissa Chrisson & Monica

Elissa Chrisson

Yoga Teacher

Who am I? Well, I am just like you, insignificant yet a part of something so much more. Unique, just like everyone else. I am everything and nothing. A student of the world, traveller on the road, always searching, driven by curiosity but also by love. My name is Elissa Chrisson, Taurus sun and moon, Leo rising, and fellow earthling. I started travelling at 18 and never stopped, nor do I plan too. Magic is only available to those who believe, and I'm a believer. I found magic and never looked back; nothing was to prepare me for the years to come, the wild and wonderful journey ahead, profoundly moving and valuable lessons. Absorbing knowledge from the most experienced gurus, open/conscious people and soulful, natural places. Connection to mother nature brought an abundant and endless flow of joy, peace, and understanding to my life. I acknowledge and gracefully accept that I will forever be a student as life has countless lessons for us all. But also feel I have acquired enough knowledge on my way to now give back, share and help others.

My mission in life is to open the heart, mind and souls of those who seek growth to live in love and harmony with themselves and the world around them. I wish to share with you my experiences and my story, the places I have been, the things I have seen, life, love & everything in between, keeping animals safe and our world green, my yoga journey and my artist dream. Exploration of my inner and outer world through yoga, art, movement and adventure. My YAMA journey.

'Inspired by dreams and guided by knowledge.'

My Joga journey 

I have always loved movement in any form. Growing up I was best known for my sporting abilities, being a national swimmer and involved in various other sporting groups. Although I thought I was doing what I loved, I still found myself spending most of my time as a young adult travelling the world searching for answers. As I returned home to Sydney for what I hoped was an opportunity to settle and find my path, I found myself practising yoga every single day for 3 weeks at a local studio. By the 4th week I was on a plane to India to find out more about this so-called "yoga".

During my time in India I completed one 200 hour teacher training in the Raja Dhi Raja style of yoga. I was also honoured to serve as an assistant teacher at the Himalayan Yoga Institute with Ganga Devi. I practised with some of India's most experienced teachers who introduced me to various teaching styles such as Ashtanga, Kundalini, and Iyengar.

This time for me was where I excelled in physical, mental and spiritual growth. I worked out what that missing link was; yoga, my Svaddharma (purpose) for this lifetime. As much as I am a physically active person I came to realise that what I truly loved about yoga was not just asana practise but yogic philosophy - the science of yoga. It's the unity of body, mind and soul, the holistic practice, the cessation of mind, the teaching of presence and acceptance of what is that I love the most.

I have since worked with a very inspirational teacher Nikki Knoff. Her teachings are traditional and a direct lineage to Krishnamacharya. This practice takes from the dynamic series of Ashtanga and refined alignment of BKS Iyengar. Yoga is a living art form and my approach to yoga has been inspired by my teachers. Within the practice I adopt the qualities of Sthira and Sukha. Finding gentleness and steadiness within the asana practise through controlled breath to progressively exert less effort. I also aim to practise in a structured and conscious way, using a step by step progression to develop the practice in accordance with your abilities.

In Sydney, I have furthered my skills under the guidance of Elise Campbell, a friend and inspiration.

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and hard work. I am a big believer that without effort there is no reward. My teaching will allow you to work hard, softly.

I understand and accept that each body has different requirements and I endeavour to practice taking this into account. This is holistic yoga. As a teacher, my passion lies in allowing you to take away the skills you have learnt from my teachings and develop a home practice where you become the teacher.

I will forever be a student to yoga and will continue to dedicate time to furthering my knowledge and advancing my asana practice. This is the beauty of yoga. It is encapsulating, empowering and endless.

Monica Willumsen

Freediving Instructor

Certificed freediving coach



Itinerary

Location

Things to keep in mind