Most tarmac-loving, racer-pushing city dwellers like to think that in their heart of hearts they are at their best when immersed in nature – as long as it’s for a weekend. Luna and Fink tell us how they keep it spiritual on their yoga retreats to The Gyreum with local food, outdoor adventures, and never having to give up the fags.
How’s it different from other retreats?
Luna: Ours are really laid-back. It’s for people who don’t always do yoga – if you want to go outside and smoke a cigarette no one’s judging you. Yoga is a part of it, but not the only part. If you’re into the practice you’ll enjoy it, but if you’re not you’ll also enjoy it. Spiritual practices are often closed to people who aren’t into them and it’s nice to keep this open to different people. We practice hatha yoga, and do group work. The collective nature of the weekend is really important, everything is shared and it’s really sociable.
Fiona: There’s an equal importance given to the walks and the food. We’ve been really refining the food aspect particularly. It’s all seasonal, and as much as possible organic and sourced in Ireland. We try to use different interesting Irish producers. Also, where it is in Sligo is perfect for activities– you can go for walks in the mountains, there’s the seaweed baths, the sea or Queen Meadhbh’s tomb. We’ve been talking about doing surfing even.
What’s the attraction of The Gyreum?
Fiona: It’s a circular eco-lodge with dorms and a big shared space. Because it’s a circular building it’s got a real feeling of community and communality, but you can go off and be private too. So you can have a collective feast, sit around the fire, or you can escape and read a book, or go onto the roof. Colm Stapleton who built and runs The Gyreum is a unique person, and he’s always there to talk about the building on the first night.
