This June we are going to do something special. We are organising our first dedicated Yin Yoga and Meditation Retreat. Normally in a yoga retreat there are different types of yoga, which is amazing, but to focus just on Yin Yoga and Meditation will be a completely new experience. One week to rest and recharge, to stretch the body, and calm the mind with yoga and meditation by the sea. One week to turn inward, to reflect, to connect to Gozo’s beautiful nature and make new friends.

Where do we stay?

You will stay at the 4-star Calypso Hotel, in a sea view room. You will also enjoy your daily breakfast there. Between sessions you can relax by the rooftop pool or by the sea. The hotel is right by the sea, close to a tiny beach. There are plenty of lovely restaurants in the area where you can have you dinner in the evening.

What is Yin Yoga?

Yin yoga is a slow form of yoga, in which poses and stretches are held long. After a session the body may feel as if you have had a massage. Most people feel very relaxed and calm after a session. Yin yoga is the perfect antidote to our busy lifestyle, which is why Yin yoga has become one of the most popular types of yoga worldwide.

When does the retreat take place and what is the daily schedule?

The Yin Yoga and Meditation retreat takes place from the 25th of June to the 2nd of July. On a typical retreat day we have yoga or meditation in the morning, then breakfast. Then time for sightseeing and relaxing, and then we will enjoy lunch together on different places on the island. At the end of the afternoon there will be yoga and meditation again until the sunset. Some evenings there will be a veggie BBQ with music on the beach.

Your instructors and hosts

You will be guided by Monique and Sarah. Monique is an experienced outdoor Yin Yoga and Meditation teacher, and she has been organising different yoga retreats for 4 years now. She knows all the beautiful outdoor yoga locations on the island. Sarah teaches Yin yoga as well, and has been living on Gozo for many years now working as a diving instructor, swimming teacher and kids and yin yoga teacher. She loves Gozo and likes to share her passion for Gozo and yoga with you.

If you want to know more about it, please reach out to us through the Contact and bookings page. And if you want to try a Yin class, of course you can reach out to Monique and Sarah to give it a try first!

Happy weekend!

A few weeks ago we organized a Silent Saturday in Gozo. We thought it would be good idea to create an opportunity for people to have a day for themselves at the beginning of a new year. A day to reflect, to turn inward and to engage in quiet and mindful activities like yoga, hiking and meditation or just simply to sit in the garden with a herbal tea and a notebook. A day to reflect on new goals and to allow new ideas to come to the surface. A day just to be. We were guests at Fran D’Or B&B in Ghasri, a beautiful place to retreat with lovely valley views. We had beautiful sunny weather too, so we could practice yoga outside by the pool and have lunch in the garden. In the afternoon we went for a long coastal hike and we did some Yin Yoga. All of this in complete silence. Why would anyone want to spend a Saturday in Silence like this?

Most of us lead busy lives and the flow of information never stops. We are constantly bombarded with input from our computers, phones, television and social interaction. Sometimes it is hard to hear the voice inside of you. But if we slow down and find quietness, the mind can slow down too and then we can access our inner wisdom. This often leads too a sense of wellbeing and relaxation. Exactly the reason why people do yoga with us by the sea, to have a bit of quietness and wellbeing on a daily basis. To just move, to breathe and to be silent for a while. It is also the reason why people book retreats with us, retreats for a week or for a day. We are happy to organize time and space to really retreat in order to process our life experiences and to recharge. Gozo is the perfect place to retreat as nature here is so breathtaking and calming.

Not everyone has the luxury to have a week to retreat. That why we have created one-day retreats. This year we will offer Silent Saturdays in every season, to give everyone the opportunity to experience the power of silent yoga, hiking and meditation. We do this together with Michelle Bartolo, a good friend, an experienced yoga teacher and an amazing cook too. We offer our Silent Saturdays at different farmhouses on the island. Do you have a farmhouse with a garden or a view and would you like to host a Silent Saturday? Just let us know!

Next Silent Saturday takes place on 2 April 2022. Please take a look at http://www.silentretreatsgozo.com for all dates in 2022 and book your spot if this is something you would like to try. If you cannot make it on the days offered, and you would like to do a Silent Saturday with a group of friends, just let us know. Namaste, Monique & Michelle

“Do nothing, destress, boost your immunity and relax the body. Is that possible?” Yes, it possible! It is almost too good to be true, but Restorative Yoga is a practice that requires minimal effort with a lot of health benefits.

Minimal effort?

The minimal effort is that you hold a yoga pose for 7 – 15 minutes or longer, while being fully supported by cushions. In most poses you lie on your back, belly or side. You are completely still in the pose, while you relax your body completely and you allow the mind to become calmer. This helps you to shift from an active “Fight-and-Flight” mode into a much calmer state because the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. The result is a slower heart rate and better blood flow to your internal organs. Almost like magic.

Benefits?

Most people who practice this type of yoga mention the following benefits:

• feeling calmer
• sleeping better
• less stress
• better digestion
• more energy the day after
• better immunity
• a sense of balance and a better mood
• a general sense of relaxation

Try it for free!

It is really amazing that this can all happen when you hold a yoga pose long with support of cushions. The beauty of this practice is that you can easily do it at home too. If you would like to give it a try for free, this Thurday 11 February at 18:00 Malta time I will guide an online Restorative class through Facebook. Just send me a message if you would like to join that class. I will send you further info.

If you cannot join, no worries, do a mini-session on your own and just flip your legs up the wall like in the picture below and stay there for 15 minutes. See how you feel afterwards! Enjoy your relaxation!

Hi! Hope your are doing fine, where ever you are right now in these special times. We are very happy here in Gozo, enjoying these quiet winter times, with lovely weather for outdoor yoga. This is the time of year you can do yoga any time of the day, and there is always a quiet spot in nature we can go to for personal classes or small group classes. We feel that moving and breathing outdoors can do a lot of good to maintain good health, which is maybe more important than ever.

Our group class schedule for February looks like this:

• Mondays: 8:30 – 9:00 Meditation by the Sea, Qbajjar Bocce
• Mondays: 9:15 – 10:30  Yin Yoga by the Sea, Qbajjar Bocce
• Mondays: 18:00 – 19:00 Yoga by the Sea in Qbajjar Bocce
• Tuesdays: 7:00 – 8:00  Yoga by the sea, Qbajjar Bocce
• Tuesdays: 18:00 – 19:00 Flow Yoga by the Sea Qbajjar Bocce
• Wednesday: 8:00 – 9:00 Gentle Yoga by the Sea Qbajjar Bocce
• Wednesdays: 15:30 – 16:30 Intense Breathing and Meditation at Saltpans Gozo
• Wednesdays: 18:00 – 19:00 Flow Yoga Qbajjar Bocce
• Thursdays: 7:30 – 8:30 Yin Yang Yoga by the Sea, Qbajjar Bocce
• Thursdays: 9:00 – 10:15 Yin Yoga Qbajjar Bocce
• Thursdays: 15:00 – 16:00 Yoga Safari anywhere in Gozo
• Fridays: 7:00 – 8:00 Yoga by the sea at Qbajjar Bay Bocce
• Saturdays: 7:30 – 8:30 Hatha Yoga by the Sea Qbajjar Bocce
• Saturdays: 9:00 – 10:00 Hatha Yoga by the Sea Qbajjar Bocce

These sessions are in small groups, in line with government regulations for COVID-19. Bring your own mat and hand sanitizer. Wear layers! We keep the required social distance. Booking is essential, at least a day before.

What is the best class for beginners?

That’s is a question we hear a lot. Any class really as the teacher will always give different options, but we can highly recommend Gentle Yoga on Wednesday or Hatha Yoga on Saturday. If you have never done yoga before, we can also recommend our Yoga for Beginners Package. Several private classes are included, outdoors but also online. So no matter where you are right now, you can start your yoga classes adapted to your goals and needs.

Retreats

At this moment we don’t have retreats running because of winter time, but we will start again from March to June and from September to November. Did you know you have a whole apartment to yourself in our retreats? And we always offer accommodation right by the sea? Feel free to reach out for more information through our Contact and bookings page.

Online yoga

If you would like to do yoga, but you cannot make it to group class, you can join our online community on Facebook “Yellow Rock Yoga X-tra”. We offer 4 weekly yoga classes through that group, and we have hundreds of video classes for you in any yoga style you like. All accessible at a small fee per month.

Have a lovely February and stay safe and healthy!

Monique & Nop

Almost September already! We hope you are still enjoying your summer, but as the sun sets earlier every day, it is time to look ahead a little bit. What’s new in September?

Retreats back on!

As from 1 September, yoga retreats are back on. Check our yoga retreats page if you are interested. Did you know you can also do a one-day retreat with us? Or a yoga safari to explore the island?

New yoga class every Wednesday at 18:30 at Satori Centre with Nop

We have added a new yoga class at Wednesdays on the Rooftop of Satori Centre. Nop will be teaching a Flow Yoga session, flowing vinyasa yoga with some pilates elements and relaxation too. Limited spaces available, so book early if you like to join this weekly session.

Nop’s morning yoga class in Qbajjar on Wednesdays will be paused until later this fall. We expect to start this class back up in October.

Sunset classes start earlier

Our outdoor late afternoon classes will start earlier because of the earlier sunset.

Mondays: Sunset yoga with Nop 18:00 to 19:00

Thursdays: Sunset Yoga with Monique 18:00 to 19:00

Check the full schedule here.

Online yoga still continues

Our online yoga schedule stays the same in September, and we aim to add Fityoga back into the schedule in October.

We wish you a healthy and happy September!

Monique & Nop

Something else in our yoga blog this time. A little inspiration for some healthy cooking by our guest blogger, Charlotte Scott, Registered Dietician and Yoga practicioner. Charlotte  lives in Gozo and has an inspiring website and she helps people with their diet through online consultations, yogi’s or non-yogi’s. Keeping a healthy body is important for everyone, but yoga practitioners will find it essential. Getting the right minerals and vitamins from real food, not always easy, but it can be done.

We are very happy that Charlotte will share some recipes and information about nutrition with us every once in a while! So let’s get into the yoga kitchen!

“Lets talk about …. Spinach”

Spinach is great versatile vegetable for the whole family.

It’s dark green colour indicates that they (like other green leafy vegetables) are packed with health boosting carotenoids: beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. There is scientific evidence that these phytochemicals improve the immune system, eye health and skin. Green leafy vegetables are also a good source of iron and folate which play an essential role at maintaining a healthy immune system and are particularly important at making a protein called haemoglobin which transports oxygen around the body via red blood cells.  You can see how much iron is recommended per day for each age group in table 1 below. 

Vegetarians and vegans, and those with higher iron requirements are encouraged to include a variety green leafy vegetables regularly as part of a balanced diet.

Good plant based sources of iron include spinach, cabbage, broccoli, as well as beans, pulses and legumes. Table 2 has a list of plant based sources of iron.

Iron absorption is enhanced and improved when combined with vitamin C.  Here are some ideas on how you can combine an iron rich meal with vitamin C:

• drink with a glass of pure unsweetened orange juice with the meal
• include a salad containing good sources of vitamin C, such as tomatoes and peppers
• have fresh fruit as a dessert. Good sources of vitamin C include oranges, lemons, strawberries, blackcurrants, blueberries

Spinach Ricotta and Pine Nut Lasagne Recipe (Vegetarian)

Effort: Medium

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients;

For The Sauce:

• 850ml full fat cows milk or milk free alternative
• 50g butter or milk free spread
• 50g plain flour
• 60g vegetarian hard cheese such as cheddar, grated
• Lasagne:
• 600g baby spinach leaves, stalks removed
• 225g ricotta
• 12 lasagne sheets
• 50g pine nuts
• knob of butter
• 100g feta cheese
• 200g mozzarella, roughly chopped
• Method:

1. Place milk, butter and flour in a saucepan and whisk continuously over a medium heat until it has reached simmering point and has thickened

2. Remove from heat and stir in half the hard cheese (30g)

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan and add spinach leaves, cook for about 3 minutes until the leaves are tender. Allow to cool and chop finely.

4. Mix spinach, ricotta and about 10 tbsp of the sauce in a bowl and add the crumbled feta cheese

5. Dry fry the pine nuts in a frying pan over a medium heat and toss until they are golden in colour then remove from the pan

6. Using a casserole dish; spread one quarter of the sauce on the bottom, then a third of the spinach ricotta mix and half of the pine nuts, add a layer of lasagne sheets, repeat the process two more times finishing with a layer of pasta, the rest of the sauce and the remaining hard cheese, mozzarella and remaining pine nuts

7. To cook the lasagne: preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and bake for 50 – 60 minutes until the top is golden in colour and bubbling

8. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving

Important: do not practice yoga with a full stomach. Wait two to three hours with your yoga after you have enjoyed your meal!

Summer is here! And we are so grateful to be able to practice outside again. We have enjoyed beautiful energizing sessions in the early morning by the sea already  in small groups and some relaxing Sunset sessions at Xwejni Beach. Also we have done meditations at the Saltpans, enjoying late afternoon sun and a lovely breeze. “Yoga belongs to nature”, is what my teacher always told me, and they sure make a brilliant combination.

Yoga on the roof at Satori Xaghra

The best news this week is that our partner Satori Centre is going to offer yoga again and that means that Monique will offer 4 weekly sessions on the magical Rooftop. Because there is plenty of shade Monique can offer classes there that start a bit later in the morning, for those of you who do not like to get up super early. We added a new Yin Yang class on Mondays, with Sun Salutes and long stretches, and a classic Hatha Yoga class on Saturdays, to start your weekend the best way.

Online

As we have clients in different countries and on Malta, we will continue to offer daily online yoga (Sundays excluded). All livestream classes start at 9:00 now but you can do you daily class 24/7 as all videos are stored on the platform. Right now we have about a 100 full length videos available for you. Perfect to fit your busy schedule and still work on a fit body and a calm mind.

Yoga safaris, events and retreats

As from 1 July next we will offer yoga safaris, events and retreats again. Check the website for options.

One of the best events this year will be International Yoga Day Gozo on the 21st of June. We organize this together with 10 different yoga teachers on the island. If you have time on 21st of June at 7:00 and you like to do your Sun salutes, book your spot now at just 10 EUR. All proceeds go to Citadel Gozo and SPCA. Limited spots available.

Another brilliant one-day retreat I can recommend is Yoga & Freediving. Yoga in the morning with Monique or Nop, lunch and then Freediving with Antje in the afternoon!

Our outdoor schedule by the sea as from 15 June:

These sessions are in small groups in line with government regulations for COVID-19. Bring your own mat or big towel. We keep the required social distance and we greet each other with a “Namaste”! Bring your own hand sanitizer. Booking is essential, at least a day before through 77300231.

• Mondays: 17:00 – 18:00 Meditation at Satori Rooftop Xaghra*
• Mondays: 18:15 – 19:30 Yin Yang Yoga at Satori Rooftop Xaghra* – Monique
• Mondays: 18:30 – 19:30 Sunset Yoga at Xwejni Beach – Nop
• Tuesdays: 7:00 – 8:00  Yoga by the sea, Qbajjar Bay Batterija or Bocce
• Wednesdays: 7:00 – 8:00 Yoga by the sea, Qbajjar Bay Batterija or Bocce
• Wednesdays: 17:00 – 17:45 Intense Breathing and Meditation Saltpans
• Thursdays: 9:00 – 10:15 Yin Yoga – Satori Rooftop in Xaghra *
• Thursdays: 18:30 – 19:30 Sunset Yoga at Xwejni Beach
• Fridays: 7:00 – 8:00 Yoga by the sea at Qbajjar Bay Bocce or Batterija
• Saturdays: 7:00 – 8:00 Yoga by the sea, Qbajjar Bay Batterija or Bocce
• Saturdays: 9:30 – 10:30 Hatha Yoga at Satori Roodtop Xaghra*

* a surcharge of 2 euros applies for YRY-members

Outdoor yoga is available at 10 euros a single session.

Current online schedule

You can join 3 new livestream classes  a week, enjoy one of the many video classes and do a class at a time that is most convenient for you! Our online platform is available 24/7 once you have access to it. You will need a Facebook account to join or access our online group classes.

• Monday: 9:00 – 10:00 Hatha Yoga with Nop
• Wednesday:  9:00 – 10:15 Yin Yoga with Monique
• Friday: 9:00 – 10:00 Flow, or Shape, or Fityoga or Meditation

Unlimited online yoga is available at 17,50 euros a month or 5 euros a single session.

We wish you a beautiful summer with a lot of yoga, love and laughter! And of course: stay safe! Namaste, Monique & Nop

Spring is here and all of a sudden we have an online yoga school! When I posted something six week ago,  we thought we could still be teaching by the sea. Unfortunately we had to stop all our in-person teaching as from 16 March, like many other businesses. However, people who normally join us for yoga still want to move, meditate and breathe and so we have started to share our Keepfit and Yoga classes online through Facebook. We began with two weekly classes, but right now we offer new classes everyday, except for Sunday. And we save all videos for later use, which means that people who previously couldn’t do yoga with us, can do yoga with us any time. We have members now in Gozo, Malta & several other countries abroad. We are truly grateful we have been able to do this and even more grateful for all the members that “show up” for yoga & fitness everyday. Ironically, I always wanted to support members in their home practice, well, now is the time! If you haven’t tried our online yoga yet, find “Yellow Rock Yoga X-tra” on Facebook. Or contact us to book a private class through Facetime, Skype or Whatsapp.

Normally spring time is the time where we offer yoga retreats with lots of outdoor yoga. Of course all of this has stopped but hopefully next year we will be able to offer yoga on this beautiful island again. Nature is breathtaking this time of year. This is a picture of sunset at Dwejra we took recently. It is  of course exceptionally quiet at the moment on the island, and we enjoy this quietness whenever we walk the dog.

Amazing colours……..

Like most people, we have no idea of what to expect the next few months. At a certain point, measures will be more relaxed and at some point we can enjoy practicing outside again. Until then, we will see you online! Stay safe & stay healthy!

Namaste, Monique & Nop