The joy of Simplicity
Suryamandala Yoga offers quality yoga and meditation retreats in secluded locations. Inspired by the yogis of lore, who went into caves and forests to inquire into life’s mysteries, undisturbed by the distractions of civilization, we invite you to practice with us far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.
Living in voluntary simplicity, your heart will open more easily to the beauty and purity of the natural surroundings, and your mind will rest more easily in the present moment.
The main source of our offerings are the teachings of Hridaya Yoga, a unique blend of Advaita Vedanta self-inquiry in the tradition of 20th century sage Ramana Maharshi, combined with techniques from the Tantric Hatha Yoga tradition.
A Journey into the Heart of Being
“Hridaya” is the Sanskrit word for Heart. It refers not so much to the physical organ, but more to the source of direct spiritual knowledge that can be revealed in the heart, according to all major spiritual traditions. For this reason, we commonly refer to “Hridaya” as the “Spiritual Heart”.
There is a candle in your heart,
(Rumi)
ready to be kindled.
There is a void in your soul,
ready to be filled.
You feel it, don’t you?
Meditation on the Spiritual Heart brings about a deep sense of intimacy with Life and with ourselves. When the mind comes to rest, both inner and outer worlds are perceived with a fresh sense of spaciousness and love. In silent awareness, we learn to witness the ups and downs of life with more equanimity, while continuing to be deeply engaged with what is happening around us.
This sense of silent witnessing awareness is also brought into the practice of Hatha Yoga. Classical Hatha Yoga is a powerful tool to purify and amplify the flow of subtle life energy. Through working on the chakras (subtle energy centers), we can consciously bring awareness and energy to specific aspects of life.
In order to facilitate these energetic processes and to maintain a calm awareness, we generally practice Hatha Yoga in a slow, meditative way, holding postures for minutes at a time. In this way, while going through a series of postures, a yoga session can be perceived as one continuous meditation.
On the other hand, some more dynamic techniques are also applied to move stagnant energies and overcome resulting states of dullness, inertia, depression etc…
Retreat Facilitator
Kilian Hübinger is a passionate and heartful teacher of yoga and meditation with over 10 years of practical experience. His classes and lectures are pervaded by his deep care for each and every student. He continually aspires to transmit authentic teachings maintaining the purity of the spirit of yoga, constantly pointing back to its original purpose as a path to liberation and happiness. Even while exploring more complex metaphysical topics, in his teachings there is an underlying flow of awareness, presence and stillness, striving to touch the hearts of his students beyond just intellectual concepts or physical exercise.
It is Kilian’s strongest hope to guide students to a deep realization of their inner source of happiness and power, and also to inspire about ways to bring this inner sense of harmony and sacredness to an external blossoming in life. A devotee of Mother Nature, Kilian is very interested in exploring ways to reduce humanity’s ecological footprint and to come back to a more intimate and respectful relationship with the planet we live on.
As a trained jazz musician, Kilian is particularly drawn to playing devotional music both as a way to connect to specific eneriges, as well as to just ecstatically celebrate life in general.