Yoga retreats

The yoga instructor at Kuorasjärvi Manor is the owner of the place, Katariina Kimpimäki.

I completed my yoga teacher’s degree (RYT-200 hr.) in winter 2024 in Australia. I have only been into yoga for a few years, but I have been able to try different forms of yoga and teaching styles both in Finland and abroad, for example in Thailand and New Zealand.

My education was mostly based on hatha yoga. Hatha yoga mainly focuses on the physical exercise of the body through postures (asana), breathing (pranayama) and meditation. It emphasizes body control, balance and mobility. It is often considered good for beginners because it is gentler and easier to master than many other forms of yoga.

Hatha style yoga classes always follow the same type of structure, no matter where in the world you go to the class. Breathing is a big part of the exercise, and the asanas are always performed to the rhythm of your own breathing. The asanas are generally the same at all levels, the more difficult asanas are just slightly more challenging versions of the basic asanas. A meditation, savasana, ends the class in total relaxation.

Yoga asana refers to body positions or physical exercises that are done to improve body control and mobility. They are an integral part of yoga practice and each asana has its own purpose and beneficial effects on the body and mind. They can vary from dynamic and strength-building asanas to calming and relaxing poses.

Breathing exercises are a central part of Hatha yoga. With the help of pranayama, you learn to relax, breathe more deeply and calm your own body. Pranayama focuses on breath control and conscious breathing. It consists of different breathing techniques, such as deep breaths, calm breathing, and different combinations of breathing patterns. The purpose of pranayama is to balance the body and mind and to increase your energy levels and clarify your thoughts (remove the so-called “brain fog”).

Meditation is an exercise of the mind that aims to achieve a conscious and focused state. This state can be relaxing, clarifying, or consciousness-expanding. Meditation can include different techniques such as focusing on the breath, repeating a mantra, mental exercises, or consciousness of ones mind. The goal of meditation is often to calm the mind, reduce stress, increase mental well-being and deepen self-knowledge.

Practicing yoga in a peaceful and idyllic environment offers many benefits. It calms you, improves concentration, and increases peace of mind. A quiet environment helps lower cortisol levels in the body, reduce stress and promotes relaxation. It enables better concentration and improves awareness of your own body during yoga practice.

In summer, weather permitting, we can also do yoga exercises on the beach.