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| Hi there
Just wanted to share my experience in John and Lucy Scott's STILLPOINT YOGA RETREAT situated in Upper Moutere, Nelson, New Zealand. I returned a week ago after spending two weeks in that beautiful place.
Stillpoint is located in the middle of nowhere which suits its purpose just fine. I had a rental car so getting around was no problem and Motoueka, the closest town, is just a 20 minute drive away. Anyhow, the retreat is on spacious land. John, Lucy, their two kids and two cats live on the property too. The studio is big enough for up to ten people but currently John and Lucy only allow a max of 6 resident students at any one time due to the fact that one accommodation facility isn't finished yet. The students' accommodation is brand-new and the kitchen is equipped with the latest appliances. The dining table seats 6 people and the lounge area includes plenty of yoga DVDs and videos. Also, a range of books are provided so you can read to your heart's content.
Class is weekdays from 8.45 or 9am and lasts about 2 to 2.5 hours. The first week was great because there were only two other students which almost meant one-on-one tuition. John and Lucy had us do full vinyasa throughout the Primary Series to build stamina and strength. Both have this vast knowledge on everything yoga and they're more than willing to share. They're extremely approachable and no question is left unanswered. They're quite intense in class as they pretty much adjust every posture and tell you WHY they do it. It all really made sense but I felt I had to unlearn and relearn most of the asanas. My year of experience out the window. But hey, I'm thankful I got this opportunity and know a more correct way of executing the postures now.
The second week was busier as three local students visited the shala and attended class. The good thing about the higher number of students was that John and Lucy's attention wasn't constantly on each individual so practice wasn't as exerting as it was in the first week.
There were two afternoon classes each week, one was focused on technique and background theory, the other on meditation. Sunday could have been used by the students for self-practice without teachers (John and Lucy's family time, much deserved) but we all needed a rest and skipped the Sunday practice.
All in all it was an awesome experience. I learned a lot. Though I still have a long way to go and you never stop learning in yoga anyway, I found the two weeks were exactly what I needed to get me on my daily-practice track. My body is still resting as old injuries came back up and were giving me a hard time some days, but I want to resume daily practice next week and stick with it. If you ever come to beautiful New Zealand, make sure to stop by John and Lucy's Stillpoint Retreat. It's very much worth it. And if you can't afford to pay for it, perhaps there is a chance to work for them. Heaps of landscaping, weeding and cleaning need to be done on a regular basis so try out for that. Highly recommended!
OM SHANTI
Aotearoa
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| Thank you for this useful information. |
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| That's a lovely review, Jess  |
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| John Scott began studying Ashtanga Vinyasa under Derek Ireland, who was an incredible teacher (and also my first Ashtanga teacher). John is an excellent teacher, it's a shame about the distance though....
Thanks for the review.
Jonathon
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| If the Mountain does not come to us, we should go to the Mountain.
jonnie - 2007-05-31 4:09 AM
John Scott began studying Ashtanga Vinyasa under Derek Ireland, who was an incredible teacher (and also my first Ashtanga teacher). John is an excellent teacher, it's a shame about the distance though....
Thanks for the review.
Jonathon
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| Very true Neel.
Derek was an amazing, beautiful man, who was loved and respected by everyone who studied with him. He died of cancer a few years ago.
I study Ashtanga now with a man called Brian Cooper, who was another one of Derek's students and is one of the most experienced Ashtanga teachers in the U.K.
So, I do travel to the mountain, just a different one
Jonathon
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| Sounds amazing! Thank you for posting this.
John and Lucy Scott will be at my yoga studio in July - I'm definitely going to sign up for a weekend workshop!
I think I'll sign up for the vinyasa workshop; the led primary is on a Friday afternoon/evening when my kids go to swimming lessons
(Just pray the kids don't get invited to birthday parties..... ) |
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| Hi Lisa
Goodness, can you believe how much John and Lucy are travelling at the mo? Anyhow, you will LOVE them both. Look forward to it. And don't be surprised if Lucy is a bit stricter adjusting. Her pushing, pulling and prodding almost killed me but eventually was very much worth the pain. 
Happy twisting!
Om Shanti
Aotearoa
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| It's only a 2 hour vinyasa class I'll be signing up for; as much as I would love to do the whole weekend intensive, it just can't happen with the amount of stuff my husband has going on at work. As it is, I'll have to beg and plead for those 2 hours on Saturday morning!
My stamina is pretty much shot, so I imagine this will be quite a challenge for me. When I was practising years ago I was all sukha, no shtira. I've been trying to do something about that imbalance but progress is slow.....
And yes, I've marveled at these yogis who seem to be always running workshops/ intensives all over the world - how exhausting must it be!?
namaste,
lisa |
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| Two hours is better than nothing. I'm sure you'll get something out of it, although big class sizes are a wee bit off-putting to me. BUT, on the bright side, you'll learn by osmosis. John eats, sleeps and breathes yoga and just his presence is inspiring. He makes for an electric atmosphere!
Have fun!
Om Shanti
Aotearoa
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| It sounds like you really enjoyed your retreat as well as finding you got a lot of useful instruction. Thanks for sharing.
Fee |
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John Scott's Yoga Retreat NZ
