Somatic movement therapy, meditation, slow yoga, kirtan, and creative expression
Welcome to our 6th annual New Year’s retreat—this year with exciting new offerings! If you want to end this year and start the new one in a meaningful, conscious, and celebratory way, this retreat is for you.
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT
Coupon code: newyearearlybird
Book by the 30th of September and get a discount of 500 SEK.
WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE
• Somatic movement therapy invites you to slow down and truly listen to your body—something we need more than ever in today’s intense world. Through nervous system regulation, your body will be guided to slow down, while release practices help you let go of tension and stress. Slow and organic movements open your body, allowing it to express its wisdom so that you can feel more joy and lightness within.
• Meditations that warmly invite all aspects of yourself, cultivating a tender acceptance of everything present in your life.
• Our slow yoga includes gentle Hatha flows in the morning and restorative, deep rest classes in the afternoon—the perfect combination to help you rest, release, and revitalize.
• Kirtan (ecstatic singing) connects your heart with others, allowing you to feel the divine presence together. It’s a way to cleanse the dust that has settled over our pure being and to channel our emotions toward higher power and blissfulness. This practice moves us away from the polarizing mind and into the essence of our hearts, enabling us to sing from that sacred place.
• Creative expression through Vedic art painting. You will be guided to explore your inner world of visions, longings and emotions on a canvas. You don’t have to have any previous experience with painting. On the contrary, the less you know about how to paint the better.
Join a like-minded community in celebrating the New Year with intention and joy. Register now to be part of this unique shared experience! We can’t wait to welcome you!
STAY
Our beautiful venue is an intimate yoga community and retreat centre in the middle of the Swedish forest.
The project started in 2005, out of a vision to live in communion with nature and dedicated to a life of community and yoga. What once was an artist community of yogis simply living in nature, slowly, throughout the years, opened its doors to those that wished to experience this way of living in the form of retreats.
The dense forests of Bergslagen around Skinnskatteberg, are a fantastic place to encounter the very best of Sweden’s wildlife. Other than enjoying its abundant nature, trees and plants, you can also find the magnificent ”king of the Swedish forest”, moose – otherwise known as elk – in its natural habitat, and the many lakes and watercourses are home to beavers too. The surrounding area has also proven to be one of the best regions in Sweden to see other wildlife such as wolves, bears, lynx and owls.
EAT
The food is delicious, abundant, and wholesome. It’s vegan, Ayurvedic-based, mainly organic and gluten-free.
The kitchen is at the heart of everything here, using the best possible ingredients and taking care of food combinations to ensure that you are nourished and energized throughout the retreat. We are passionate about providing food that is delicious to eat, look at and feel.
All meals, and hot drinks are provided.
We can cater for dietary allergies if you let us know in your booking form beforehand.
EARLY BIRD PRICE
Get 500 kr off until the 30th of September, then the price will increase automatically.
OPEN FOR SPONSORSHIPS – BOOKED OUT
This retreat is open for sponsorship applications. With the current world events, we recognise the added strain it has put on many and is taking some away from wellness. We want to enable you to get the rest you deserve, so we have opened up to get this retreat for half the price. Send us an email at ShambalaGatherings@gmail.com and tell us about you, and you will be considered for one of the available spots.
“The energy is so so clear, deeply heart centred. And the intent with which Shambala is held is so beautiful, it has become a massively important of my life”.
“Thank you for supporting my life and my retreat experience. Thank you for being gentle when closing the doors, for cooking, for lighting the sauna, for your laughters, for your mindful way of being around us.
I can not in words express how grateful I am for you helping me and the sangha.
You are also the sangha!”
“Best volunteers, thank you all for being so kind, welcoming and smiling. And for doing your best to meet our needs. It’s been a pleasure to share this space with you. May peace and happiness walk with you.”
“This is where the magic happens – together, with open hearts in beautiful nature.”
“Thank you so much for all your work and care, guys! You really created a cozy haven for our practice. Thank you thank you.”
THE YOGA
Our yoga is oriented towards slow and deep movements, which allows your body and mind to relax, thereby releasing deep inner tension. The healing aspect of our classes happens through moments of rest and being present with yourself. The foundation of our yoga is to be soft and mindful as you move your body, allowing you to be more present to what is happening inside and coming to know yourself and your inner processes deeper.
We have experienced that this kind of mindful yoga practice can be deeply healing and a beautiful tool towards becoming more aware of yourself and patterns that create stress and tension in your daily life. With the ability to practice strength with a caring and gentle attitude, one can handle challenges with more ease.
CREATIVE EXPRESSION
Vedic art is a way to explore your inner world of visions, longings and emotions on a canvas. You don’t have to have any previous experience with painting. On the contrary, the less you know about how to paint the better. You will be gently guided into expressing whatever wants to flow from your heart onto the canvas.
YOGA NIDRA
Yoga nidra or yogic sleep is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping, like the “going-to-sleep” stage, typically induced by a guided meditation. There is evidence that yoga nidra helps relieve stress.
DAILY SCHEDULE
*subject to change
Arrival Time: Earliest 3:00 PM
Departure Time: 3:00 PM
Please note that we are unable to accommodate early arrivals or late departures. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to your stay!
Sunday
15.00 Arrival and check-in
17.00 Introduction and landing yoga
19.00 Delicious vegan evening meal
20.30 Kirtan
Monday and Tuesday
07.30 Gentle Hatha Flow with Cornelia
09.00 Breakfast buffet
11.00 Vedic Art
13.30 Succulent vegan lunch buffet
15.00 Sauna
17.00 Restful Yoga and chanting
19.00 Delicious vegan evening dinner
20.30 Sauna, Kirtan, New Year Celebration
Wednesday
08.30 Fruits and tea
09.00 Nordic Light Yoga
10.30 Breakfast buffet
11.00 Meditation and circle
13.30 Succulent vegan lunch buffet
15.00 Check out
meet the team
TEACHER’S BIO
JOHAN SVANBORG AND JENNY SOLBERG
Johan
For the past 23 years, Johan has followed his spiritual calling, which has manifested in Shambala Gatherings retreat center and Nordic Light Yoga and Healing. He has spent years in India and Bali, deeply immersed in the yogic teachings. For the last 10 years, he has studied Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy and has found a new way to combine these two visions.
Jenny
Jenny’s spiritual journey began eight years ago in India, when she met her yoga teacher. This marked the start of a lifelong inquiry into her true self. A few years ago, she met her Guru in Bali, where she began studying traditional Vedanta. She is passionately dedicated to understanding true happiness and what it means to live a spiritual life. In her teaching, she assists with softness and compassion, allowing the uniqueness of every person and their process to unfold. She completed her first Hatha Yoga TTC in India with Atmavikasa Yoga eight years ago and has returned frequently ever since. She has completed the Sama Yoga Teacher Training, the Svastha Yoga Therapy course, and has studied various other yoga styles. She has also studied Craniosacral Therapy as well as Biodynamic Stillness Touch.
CORNELIA SAVVA
MORE at Shambala
GALLERY
How to get here
Shambala Gatherings
Borntorpet 1
Skinnskatteberg
Sweden
Located just two hours away from Stockholm in Skinnskatteberg, Sweden, the area is easily accessible by air, train and car, making a great option for a short break wildlife destination.
- Coming by air: The nearest airport to Shambala is Stockholm Vasteras. The second nearest airport is Arlanda airport, the main airport in Sweden. You can easily take a train all the way to Skinnskatteberg from both of them.
- Coming by train / bus: We are fortunate to have a train / bus station at Skinnskatteberg only 5 minutes ride from the center. We offer free pick up services from this station in summer.
- Coming by car: Simply open this Google map on your navigator and follow directions to Borntorpet 1 in Skinnskatteberg, Sweden.