The Yoga of Parenting: A Yoga and Meditation Day-Retreat 
Date: February 29, 2020 
Hours: 8.00am to 8.00pm
(with optional 6.30am sunrise yoga overlooking the mountains)
Location: Centro Zen, San Juan Municipality

Being a parent is one of the most challenging and overwhelming things in the world, and it comes with huge responsibilities, yet we are given very little guidance about how to do it effectively. Many of us end up yelling, reprimanding, threatening, and/or lecturing our kids on a consistent basis. Although we crave better connections with our child(ren), our parenting strategies often just seem to cause frustration and anxiety for everyone.

Through the lens of yoga philosophy, this retreat offers practical tools to support letting go of the parenting patterns that do not serve our relationship with our child(ren) and introduces new tools for more effective parenting and connection.

You don’t need to have children in order to attend this retreat. Parents-to-be, and people who want to improve other relationships by reflecting on how they were parented, are all welcome. 

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In this retreat, we will workshop the following topics:
What is behind our behavior as parents? Non-judgmental study of ourselves.
The way we were raised and the insecurities we learned during childhood influence both how we parent our children and how we interact with our loved ones. These childhood experiences affect how we are triggered and how we react when things don’t go according to plan.  Additionally, societal norms influence the expectations we place on our children. We will explore the patterns we get stuck in and help break unconscious, negative cycles by  

• studying our self (svadyaya) in a non-judgmental way, so we can really understand the root causes of how we react to our children;
• learning to pause every time we are triggered, so we can respond rather than react;
• practicing productive engagement with our own emotions rather than ignoring or denying them. By "sitting with" our emotions, we are better able to deal with them and to avoid dumping these unprocessed feelings onto our children or other loved ones.

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What is behind our children’s or other loved ones' behavior? Supporting emotional outbursts and finding compassion.
When our children or other loved ones are behaving “badly,” we often take it personally instead of looking at these occurrences from their perspectives. We will consider our children's needs and what they are trying to communicate through their behavior. We will also think about how our children might view us as parents and what kind of messages our parenting communicates to them. Understanding the underlying causes of our children’s behavior will help us to

• find compassion for our children, even in their darkest moments;
• learn to "hold space" for them and their big feelings. Holding space is the practice of being there for someone without judging, criticizing, or commenting on their emotions or taking their behavior personally;
• be more present and mindful in our relationships;
• listen and communicate more consciously; 
• appreciate our children and others for who they are without judgment and without trying to change them;
• lead by example instead of lecturing with words;
• truly love unconditionally.

We will practice yoga, breathwork, meditation, and journaling to help support all these yoga-informed concepts.  

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​What you will gain from this retreat:
Join this retreat to gift yourself a well-deserved break from parenting. Enjoy yoga and meditation, time and space for yourself, journaling, a short hike, and healthy vegetarian food that you don’t have to cook. Reconsider traditional parenting strategies, and/or those that have been passed down from previous generations, and become a more conscious parent. Pause, reflect, and return to your family life with more presence, compassion, patience, and connection.

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Location:
This retreat will take place in the mountains at Cenro Zen, in the barrio of Caimito, in the Municipality of San Juan. It is a quiet, peaceful place surrounded by nature and beautiful views. There is a short hiking trail just across the road from the center that is maintained by Para La Naturaleza. As part of our retreat, we will enjoy this hike as well as the natural scenery of the Centro Zen. The facilities are simple, but include wonderful spaces in which to get away, contemplate, and grow.

​About your retreat instructor: Daniella Gould  ​

I used to be a mum who yelled and threatened my son (now almost 12 years old) because this was the behavior that was modelled to me. However, I always felt unsettled by my behavior and how this behavior might affect my son. In fact, the way I treated my son led me to criticize and doubt myself and my ability to be a good parent. This frustration, in turn, led to feelings of more anger toward myself and my family, creating a vicious cycle. Once I made a concerted effort to apply the philosophy of yoga to my parenting, my approach to how I interact with my son, and how he responds, has changed. He feels more listened to and appreciated, and he has become much more helpful. Of course, family life still has its ups and downs, and I continue to learn every day. Incorporating yoga philosophy and principles has made me happier about my parenting approach. I’m a more confident and kind-hearted mother, and my connection with my son has grown.

​​Aside from being a mother, I own Santosa Yoga and Health in Condado, Puerto Rico.  I teach public and private yoga and meditation classes, workshops, and retreats. I like to incorporate yoga philosophy into all my work to help my students navigate the challenges of life. Parenting is often a struggle for many of us, so I am excited to offer this very practical training with guidelines to help really transform your relationship with your child(ren) whatever their age. Please come and join me and check out some parenting techniques that might just be life changing for you and for your kid(s).

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What people are saying about Daniella and Santosa Yoga and Health retreats:
“This retreat has surpassed my wildest hopes! This is the happiest I’ve been in a long time, and it solved some issues I’ve been stuck on” October 2019
“I really appreciate your calm and balanced approach to our topics” October 2019
“Thank you for leading by example” October 2019
“You being you inspires others to be better versions of themselves” February 2019
“Thank you for being you – you continue to teach me not to be so hard on myself. I appreciate you 😊” February 2019
“Thank you for providing such a stimulating environment giving me the time and stimulation to reflect. Much needed” February 2019
 
Cost:
This retreat includes meals provided by Centro Zen, including a healthy vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Coffee and tea, infused water, and snacks will also be provided. Special diets usually can be accommodated. Also included are:

• parenting workshops;
• yoga sessions;
• breathwork and meditation sessions and guidance on how to breathe and meditate;
• a short hike;
• time to reflect, journal, and share experiences with other parents in a beautiful location.

Price per person: The Early Bird pricing before January 26 is $125 per person (which will increase to $150 on January 27)
Price per couple: The Early Bird pricing before January 26 is $225 for a couple (which will increase to $275 on January 27)

Payment:  Venmo or ATH payment to Daniella (310-227-9451) and send a text to the same number to ensure that payment has been recieved. Please note that payments are non-refundable, but they are transferable. 

Please let me know if you need a partial scholarship as everyone is welcome. 

Retreat schedule:
This is a full-day retreat on February 29, 2020. There is an optional 6.30am yoga session that overlooks the mountains. Otherwise, the retreat runs from 8am to 8pm.

There are options for staying at Centro Zen overnight before the retreat, either in a dorm bunkbed or camping (bring your own tent). The cost for staying overnight is an additional $30 per person and includes evening snacks, home made tea, and an evening meditation.

The retreat will be interactive, fun, and down to earth.  It is suitable for all adults, from complete beginners to advanced students of yoga.