Benefiting Home of Hope Orphanage for Girls
Our yoga and service retreat will combine spending our mornings practicing yoga at our beautiful hotel terrace, our afternoons at the Home of Hope orphanage and exploring the magical tropical region of Kerala, on the south coast of India! This yoga retreat is open to ALL ages ALL levels and children 5yrs and up!
Download our brochure for more details and pictures of what to expect!
About Kerala, India:
Kerala is a State in the India Union located on the south west coast of the Indian peninsula. We will be staying in the city of Cochin, a seaside city on the Arabian Sea with tall swaying palm trees and idyllic backwaters. Cochin is a modern city with every modern amenity and is draped in a rich history. This is also the city we recommend you fly into, as transportation provided from the airport to the hotel is included in the retreat package cost.
The Girls of Home of Hope:
The orphanage is home to 70 girls, ages 5 to 23, who have seen the worst life has to offer. Many have been beggars on the street and have been physically, spiritually and sexually abused. They are now in a safe place at Home of Hope, and they are very anxious to learn and be with any visitor that is willing to come and spend time with them. For more information on the amazing work that Home of Hope does, please visit their website: www.homeofhopeindia.org
The Intention of this Kunga Journey:
- Raise funds for the orphanage – 20% of the profits from your trip will go to the orphanage
- Create a unique group “Kunga” yoga experience – combining yoga and service work at a very well established orphanage
- Living yoga through serving – invite other yoga studios, teachers and students to join us in our mission and get our hands dirty!
What the retreat includes:
- 10 nights/9 days accommodations at the Oval Retreat Palace in Cochin, India
- Optional excursion (additional cost) to visit to the state of the art modern Ayurvedic Kurias Earth Multispecialty Hospital (attached to hotel)
- Donation to Home of Hope Orphanage
- Daily morning and afternoon yoga & Meditation classes with Noelle
- Breakfast & Lunch Daily
- Airport transfer to hotel upon your arrival
- Airport transfer from hotel upon departure
- Opening ceremonial group dinner of traditional Southern Indian Kerala cuisine, curries and coconut, pappadams and masala!
- Daily transport between the Orphanage and our hotel
- Kerala Backwaters Group Tour Excursion on private traditional Indian houseboat
- Daily afternoon activities at the Home of Hope Orphanage
- Painting/beautifying/repairing the girl’s dormitory and school
- Teaching/reading conversational English with the girls, helping with homework
- Kids/family yoga on the rooftop terrace with the girls
- Helping to cook traditional southern Indian cuisine for dinners at orphanage
Click to view stories, pictures & video of past Kunga Journey Yoga Retreats to India
About Noelle Whittington, ERYT200
Noelle Cavenaugh, registered Yoga Alliance teacher, certified in Interdisciplinary Yoga, Fluid Power Yoga, Power Vinyasa, Thai Yoga Therapy, Pilates Mat, Pilates Reformer, with a Bachelor’s Degree from NC State University in Textile Technology. She began practicing Yoga in 2005 and received her 220 hour teacher training from Nosara Yoga Institute, Costa Rica, in 2006. Her primary teachers include Ashley Ludman, Desiree Rumbaugh, Don and Amba Stapleton, Kristin Cooper-Gulak, Larry Hobbs, and Shiva Rea. She is currently in the process of becoming certified in Kunga Yoga at the 500 hour level from the Wilmington Yoga Center and has attended workshops with Hilary Garivaltis in Ayurveda, Marlysa Sullivan in Anatomy, and David Emerson in Yoga for Trauma and PTSD. Noelle earned advanced-level Thai Yoga certifications at Lek Chaiya Nerve Touch Massage in Chaing Mai, Thailand. She offers one-on-one therapeutic sessions benefitting a broad range of ages and needs, offering Thai Yoga bodywork, Pilates, and specialized Yoga therapy.
Noelle has assisted 220 hour Kunga Yoga Teacher Trainings with the Wilmington Yoga Center, and the Anusara-based Seaside Yoga Teacher Trainings with Ashley Ludman. She currently works as a Senior Kunga Trainer for the Wilmington Yoga Center, where she co-leads 220 hour Kunga Yoga Teacher Trainings. Noelle loves assisting both at home in Wilmington, NC, and on the road with Rhythmic Flow and the Kunga Drummers. She has assisted Kristin Cooper and the Wilmington Yoga Center on service-based Kunga Journeys Yoga Retreats to Jamaica and India, as well as Seaside Yoga Retreats of Transformation in Valle Crucis, NC. She also co-leads her own annual yoga retreat to Ambergris Caye, Belize, with Elizabeth Cramond RYT. In December of 2012, Noelle will lead a group of yoga students to Kerala, India to work with the Home of Hope Orphanages on a service-based Kunga Journeys Yoga retreat with the Wilmington Yoga Center.
Noelle loves to share her passions of yoga, music, dance, service work, and travel. Noelle’s classes include: Intro to Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Core Power Yoga, Kunga Yoga, Basic and Power Vinyasa Yoga, 5Elements Fire Flow, and Rhythmic Dance. In each yoga class she works to create a fun and safe atmosphere of inspiring music, breath work, fluid movement, intelligent sequencing, and self-inquiry.
Date & Time
Saturday, December 29, 2012 to Monday, January 7, 2013
Cost
Super Early Bird Rates Retreat Package (Sign Up before July 31st):
Single Room $1870
Double Room $1530
Triple Room $1360
**Use promocode: KJ2012 when purchasing online!
Early Bird Rates Retreat Package (Sign Up before August 31, 2012):
Single Room $1980
Double Room $1620
Triple Room $1440
Full Price Retreat Package:
Single Room $2200
Double Room $1800
Triple Room $1600
**Cost of retreat package does not include flight**
Travel Agent:
If you would like assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact Laurie from AAA below. Participants have found that utilizing a travel agent to book flights and plan excursions before and after the Kunga Journeys retreat quite helpful! Please let Laurie know that you are traveling with the Wilmington Yoga Center on our Kunga Journeys retreat to India.
Laurie Hartsock
AAA Vacations
3501 Oleander Drive
Suite 3
Wilmington, NC 28403
CEUs & Yoga Certification Info
- 35 CEU Hours toward 500 YA or CEUs
- $15 Additional CEU certificate due at time of registration
- Participation in full workshop required to receive 500YA credit.
- This certification counts as one required module towards 500Hr registry in the Wilmington Yoga Center program
Cancellation Policy:
In the event of cancellation, the following policies apply:
· 60 days or more prior to the retreat: Your payment will be refunded, less a $250 administration fee.
· 59 – 46 days prior to the retreat: Payments are not refundable, but are transferable (less $250 administration fee) to a studio account credit.
· 45 days or less: Payments are not refundable or transferable, as your payment has already been processed.
The above policies apply regardless of the reason for cancellation (such sickness, death in family or emergency, etc). Unfortunately, group contracts and packages have been pre-arranged and pre-paid with hosts at the time of registration and we do not have control of refunds or credit beyond the above exceptions. Retreat does not include food costs for “free night” dinners, or extra travel costs associated with other tourist attractions.
All activities, yoga, and volunteering are optional. Some participants and significant others choose to rest, go sight – seeing, etc, and nothing is mandatory on our retreats.
Disclaimer: We reserve the right to cancel retreat should we have less than minimum of 10 participants registered. Registrants will be notified by Nov 25th in the rare case that trip is cancelled. Please contact retreat coordinator with questions.
