NAKED YOGA RETREATS
FOR
GAY BI TRANS QUEER MEN
6 - 12 May 2023
13 - 19 May 2023
Lua Nua // Alentejo, Portugal
Naked Yoga Retreats for Gay Bi Trans Queer Men
Sat 6th - Fri 12th May
Currently Full - Waiting List Available
Sat 13th - Fri 19th May
*** 1 Double - Couple or 2 Friends Sharing Bed ***
Lua Nua Guest House, Alentejo, Portugal
In May 2023 we return to glorious Lua Nua for two Naked Yoga Retreats!
This is our 5th year with Franck and Christophe in their beautiful guesthouse, surrounded by lush gardens and forest, and only a short drive away from the magnificent Atlantic beaches of Alentejo.
These retreats are for Gay Bi Trans Queer Men, all levels of yoga experience welcome! Each group is a mix of friendly faces from previous retreats, a few enthusiastic newcomers, with a wide range of ages and backgrounds.
Come join us for a week of naked yoga adventures, a sacred pause from daily life, time and space to rest, relax, to deepen your yoga practise, and make connections with a group of open hearted men from around Europe and beyond.
All the info you need is below, I hope to welcome you to Portugal!
Tom
THE CALL
These retreats are designed for Gay Bi Trans Queer men of all ages (18+), all shapes and sizes, and levels of yoga experience. You are all welcome!
My retreats are much much more than just a yoga holiday. If you are looking for a relaxing break with a little bit of yoga every day, perhaps I am not the best fit for you!
These retreats are a sacred pause from daily life and our habitual patterns and routines. They are a space for you to reflect on your life, to have some deeply restful and restorative time for you, to relax and connect deeply to nature, and to rediscover and explore your relationship to joy, pleasure and playfulness.
What I love about organising retreats, is that each time a completely unique group of men come together to share and participate in an adventure together. We have this sacred time together, and my intent is to help you make the most of it!
At the heart of all of my retreats, is embracing self acceptance, self love, and confronting fears and doubts that hold you back in life. We will practice a lot of yoga together. We will meditate, and music and ceremony will play a big part in our time together.
This is space for you to be yourself. Every single part of you is welcome on these retreats. It's a place for you to be seen, to be heard, and to be accepted for you are, and a space for you to do the same for others.
My retreats are alcohol and substance free. However tobacco is permitted in a designated area. Please do not bring alcohol or substances apart from tobacco with you.
WHY NAKED?
Being naked literally strips away all the social and economic barriers that clothing can represent. Being naked in front of other people can be challenging as it brings up our vulnerabilities around self acceptance, being seen, and around shame! Together we will playfully confront these vulnerabilities!
Society often tells us that being naked is all about sex. Practising Yoga naked, singing and dancing naked, walking through the woods naked, swimming in the pool or ocean naked, is an exhilarating way to feel freedom and build self acceptance in your beautifully unique body in a non sexual space.
Arousal can happen, if it does that's beautiful and magical and can be enjoyed and celebrated. Connection and intimacy with other men can happen, which can be intensely healing and nurturing and wonderful. The invitation for this retreat is to connect with yourself and other men from the heart. To embrace self acceptance. To shed layers of shame, guilt and regret. To come together with other men in celebration of queer community and spirit!
Nudity can deepen our spiritual practice and help us to face some of our deepest fears in a a safe, supportive and non judgmental community of men - come join us!
WHAT TO EXPECT
Yoga // Ceremony // Music // Touch // Movement // Nature // Massage // Coastal Hikes // Epic Beaches
Yoga is the foundation of our time together on retreat. A morning and evening practice, sometimes in the Shala, and weather permitting on the deck by the pool.
Music, singing, chanting, dance, movement, performance! Practices that bring joy and celebration to our lives, that make us feel alive and connected. That inspire us with gratitude for life and awaken our sense of awe and wonder for the world.
Touch! Touch is deeply healing, pleasurable, relaxing, and sacred. This year there will be gentle exercises to practice giving and receiving touch. This can be done clothed or naked.
Playfulness! Play is healing and play is liberation. Play connects us to joy and to our inner child. Play can be funny, intimate, sexy, spontaneous. Play inspires us to be ourselves, in the moment, and to feel alive.
Nature! By the pool surrounded by the lush gardens of Lua Nua, afternoon trips to the epic local naturist beaches, and at least one hike along the magnificent Alentejo coastline.
THIS RETREAT IS FOR YOU IF:
You understand that this is a Naked Yoga Retreat and NOT a clothing optional Yoga Retreat. We will co-create a safe, non judgmental space for us all to enjoy being naked together.
You are inspired to celebrate your unique naked body, and to nurture self acceptance and self love.
You are looking for a sacred pause from your daily routine, and to dive deep into nature, into your yoga practice, into your body and soul, naked in the company of GBTQ men!
Your heart sings at the prospect of sharing a wild adventure in remote nature in the community of international GBTQ men!
You are seeking space from certain behaviours, like technology, social media, alcohol, substances etc
You are open to making a positive changes in your life, to learning about yourself, to growth, transformation, to releasing old patterns, to connect with nature in a community of friendly supportive men.
ACCOMMODATION
We have space for 11 participants this year, with everyone in a shared room. As space is quite limited, and so we can have a full retreat, the Double Rooms are initially reserved for couples or 2 friends to share.
3 Bed Studio // 1200 Euros
Twin Room // 1300 Euros
Double Room // 2400 Euros
Double Room // 1400 Euros Single Occupancy*
(*Only available closer to the retreat if not booked by a couple or 2 friends)
(Price includes accommodation, food, daily morning ceremony + yoga, evening group activities)
The Studio can accommodate three people. With 1 single beds on the ground floor and 2 single beds on a mezzanine level. It has its own bathroom and a private terrace overlooking the garden with an amazing view on the lake.
Our two Superior Suite Twin Rooms are equally comfy but a bit more spacious. Each offers two single beds with high-end quality Portuguese mattresses. Both have ensuite bathrooms. They open directly on to private terraces overlooking the garden.
Our two Junior Suite Doubles are very charming and super luminous. They are appointed with a queen size bed and have ensuite bathroom. They both open directly on a private terrace facing South where you can relax ‘al fresco’ on warm summer evenings. The Junior Suite Doubles are initially reserved for couples to share. This is so that we can have a full retreat with 11 participants.
Rooms will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.
LIKELY DAILY SCHEDULE
7.30am - Fruit, Tea, Coffee
8am - Morning Yoga Practice
11am - Brunch
1pm - Beach, Hike, or Pool
6pm - Evening Yoga Practice
7.30pm - Dinner
First Day //
7pm - Welcome Circle and Dinner
Final Day //
8am - Yoga Practice
10am - Farewell Brunch
11am - Depart
HOW TO BOOK
Please email me your retreat date and room preference.
I will confirm availability and send you bank details for transfer.
This year I will not be holding rooms for people. Your place is only confirmed once full payment has been received.
Saturday 6th - Friday 12th May
Saturday 13th - Friday 19th May
3 Bed Studio // 1200 Euros
Twin Room // 1300 Euros
Double Room // 2400 Euros Two Sharing
Double Room // 1400 Euros Single Occupancy*
(*Only available closer to the retreat if Double Room not booked by couple or 2 friends)
Price includes accommodation, food, daily morning ceremony + yoga, evening group activities.
All fees paid for workshops and retreats are non-transferable and non-refundable. In paying for a workshop or retreat, you agree to these terms.
TRAVEL TO LUA NUA
Portugal is an incredible country to visit! Lua Nua is between Faro and Lisbon in the Alentejo countryside, near to Zambejeira do Mar. Many participants spend time in Faro and Lisbon before and after the retreat. You can fly in to one, and fly out from the other, and experience both wonderful cities!
I strongly recommend giving yourself 1 or 2 nights in Portugal before and after the retreat. It gives you time to arrive in the country and settle in, and also some space to land back in the real world before travelling home.
I will put the group in contact before the retreat so we can coordinate travel to Lua Nua. So people can arrange lifts with those hiring cars and travelling together by train.
You are welcome to arrive at Lua Nua any time after 3pm. Our welcome dinner is at 7pm.
From Lisbon:
Hire Car: Journey time to Lua Nua is 150 mins.
By Train: Direct train from Lisbon to Santa Clara Saboia, journey time is a couple of hours, we can collect you from Saboia, which is 30 mins from Lua Nua.
Recommended Train:
Depart Lisbon - 1410
Arrive Saboia - 1620
From Faro:
By Car: The easiest solution is to hire a car. For making trips to the beach it's very useful if we have at least 2 hire cars in the group. We can contribute as a group towards the rental and gas.
By Train: There are direct trains from Faro to Santa Clara Saboia, journey time is one hour, we can collect you from Saboia, which is only 30 mins from Lua Nua.
Recommended Train:
Depart Faro - 1415
Arrive Saboia - 1519
Airport Shuttle: Ideally, everyone will arrive in a hire car or by train, however it is possible to organise a shuttle bus. This can be expensive, up to 150 Euros. Journey time is 90 minutes. If you think you will need an airport shuttle from Faro, please book a flight that arrives before 1pm.
THE JOURNEY HOME
Final Morning
Yoga Practice // 7.30am
Farewell Brunch // 10am
Once brunch is over participants start to make their way home, via Lisbon or Faro. Ideally we have enough space in hire cars for everyone to get a lift. Otherwise we can drop people at Saboia train station, or in Zambujeira where there is a bus to Lisbon.
Many guests choose to stay 1 or 2 nights in Faro or Lisbon over the weekend. So travelling after brunch is a little easier as there is no plane to catch!
If you need to travel home straight after the retreat, it's easiest if you fly from Faro. We can organise a shuttle or a lift for you, leaving after brunch, and arriving at Faro Airport by 12.30pm. So please book a flight leaving no earlier than 3pm.
