RETREAT THEORY & TECHNIQUE DESCRIPTIONS

Inirly Colorado is a “sit, stay, and practice” retreat. Time in practice is the priority because time in practice is what drives the positive effects of “reatreating.” Otherwise, it’s just some yoga vacation.

The Inirly curriculum is a derivative of Western psychology theories and practices, athletic training strategies, traditional yogic techniques, and a belief that fortune favors the bold, the committed, and the adventurous.

1. IMMERSION INTO FOREIGN CULTURE

• Winter landscape

  • For those familiar with winter, there’s a mysterious beauty to the season. It’s harsh and demanding but, at the time, the world seems enchanted when it’s covered in white snow, ice, and cold wind. It’s a beautiful time of the year that signals wonder and self-reflection. For these reasons, it’s an ideal time to practice.

• Rural, quiet, and disconnected

  • Overstimulation is a growing concern in modern life and maintaining boundaries between our personal lives and an increasingly interconnected world is not as easy as it sounds. Contact with nature is a scientifically recognized solution to many of the ailments of modern life. The Drala Mountain Center rests on 100’s of acres of land. The sanctuary provides the nature and the distance necessary to feel disconnected from the noise of modern life and connected to the alternative peace beyond it.

• Mimicking the monk’s life

  • A retreat’s success depends on the quality of its practice schedule. Getting away isn’t enough to access the legendary clarity and vitality of the yogi. A student must practice with passion and consistency. Each day we’ll spend roughly 9-10 hours discussing, meditating, breathing, and practicing postures. It’s a lot but worth it. It turns out that 3 days is just enough time to reach the personal peak of practice.

2. MEDITATION TRAINING

• Morning and evening meditations

  • All meditation sessions are designed to increase both cognitive control and a capacity to enter flow states (aka presence).

• Philosophical lecture series

  • The information we have supports our perspectives and reactions to life. Philosophy, a framework of information, is a form of intelligence that when learned, enhances our ability to rationalize circumstances and move forward as gracefully as possible.

• Self-inquiry and group dialogue

  • The final piece to the yoga puzzle is how these philosophical points, personal insights, and new experiences fit into our everyday lives. Making new knowledge fit into old paradigms is a critical piece of the “sitting” process.

3. PHYSICAL CONDITIONING

• Asana (yoga posture) sessions

  • The particular yoga sequence of this retreat is an endurance and strength-based practice that will encourage flexibility, vitality, and coordination of the body.

• High-intensity breathwork training

  • Breathwork is a cornerstone of the process. The breathwork taught is a high-intensity physical practice that invigorates the blood, shocks the mind and body, and trains us to remain calm and present.

• Maximal Effort Exercise (MEE)

  • MEEs are modern ways of initiating ourselves into deeper zones of focus, commitment, and technique. The three main MEEs during Inirly Colorado will be a vigorous posture challenge, an extended fire-gazing and chanting session, and a “marathon” sit. The marathon sit is where the entire weekend comes together for the majority of attendees.

4. 3.5 DAY TASK FOCUSED ITINERARY

• 2 FULL ASANA/POSTURE SESSIONS PER DAY

• 2 MEDITATIONS PER DAY

• 1 BREATHWORK WORKSHOP PER DAY

• DAILY NOBLE SILENCE AND SELF-PROCESSING

• FINISH 1 HOUR BREATHWORK CIRCUIT

• FINISH 90 MINUTE FIRE-GAZING and CHANTING EXERCISE

• FINISH “MARATHON” MEDITATION

• DOPAMINE FAST (NO SCREENS, NO DRUGS)