No Ordinary Retreats

This retreat has been specifically created as an opportunity to for you to experience an intensive immersion into the depths of your inner being. Experienced practitioners, enthusiasts and instructors alike are welcome, in order to work on themselves for personal growth and development.

These intensive yoga retreats are an opportunity for you to step off the treadmill of Life, log off, slow down and turn inwards.  Just as an astronaut explores outer space, you will get to explore your own inner dimensions.  A variety of reflective techniques will be used, which are designed to draw your attention within, allowing you to examine your thoughts, feelings, emotions and sensations.  Gradual withdrawal from constant stimuli and pressures of the outside world, allows space for deep contemplation.  You can BREATHE.

Connecting with the breath directly puts you in touch with your emotions and you begin to “feel” more.  Many people run from “feeling” any emotions or painful memories and dark experiences.  Emotions aren’t a problem unless they are supressed, repressed, avoided or resisted.  Personal stuff, traumas and dramas can arise, which can provoke an emotional response within.  When you are presented with a variety of feelings, you have a choice of how to deal with the associated emotions that bubble to the surface.

All too often, these painful emotions are stuffed right back down into the body, where they lie festering and unprocessed, wreaking havoc on your physical and mental wellbeing.  It isn’t always pretty when you come face to face with yourself and any baggage you are carrying and what you have done to yourself (and others) by your own actions. This confrontation can be challenging and downright ugly.  In the stillness, you encounter your subconscious patterns, habits, conditioning, stresses and your own thoughts.

Yoga is a coping mechanism for fully processing emotions that have previously been lurking, hidden deep within the core of your being.  A safe space is created within the retreat, so that you get the opportunity to “go there” – to expose yourself emotionally and be vulnerable.  Getting comfortable with discomfort takes great strength and much support from the group is often needed.  Letting Go is an essential part of the healing process.  Sometimes we have to break down and lose ourselves in order to find ourselves and ultimately build a better, stronger, wiser version of ourselves.  That’s the REAL yoga.  The science of self-transformation.

Sri Lanka Yoga Retreat – South Coast Sanctuary Experience – August 2026

Join Emma for the trip of a lifetime in beautiful Sri Lanka and immerse yourself in 12 nights of transformational yoga, learning and connection on the island’s stunning south coast. The price includes a 12-night, half-board stay at Soul House Sri Lanka, with daily breakfast and afternoon tea, plus 10 days of dedicated training and tuition with Emma in a peaceful tropical setting.

Optional experiences include a guided Safari day (£48 per person), a coastal day trip to Goa (transport approximately £10 per person), and a final farewell beach dinner on the last evening (not included in the retreat price).

International flights are not included and must be booked independently.

Departing 14th August 2026
Retreat Dates: 15th–27th August 2026

Price – £1,298
(12-night half-board retreat stay – excluding international flights and optional excursions)

A NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT PAYMENT OF £250 IS REQUIRED TO BOOK YOUR PLACE OR PAYMENT IN FULL CAN BE MADE

Please do NOT book any flights until final numbers are confirmed and you have been advised via email to do so. The return flight prices for this year from UK to India on Emirates are approximately £1100. Internal flights are around £95 for a single flight journey.

Before booking, please check the link below for foreign tourist advice, when visiting Sir Lanka

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka

 

 

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Retreat Location

Soul House Sri Lanka is located near the coastal town of Ahangama, on the lush south coast of Sri Lanka.

Ahangama is a peaceful yet vibrant area known for its tropical landscapes, palm-fringed beaches and relaxed island atmosphere. Surrounded by rice paddies, coconut groves and warm Indian Ocean breezes, the region offers a beautiful balance of tranquillity and coastal energy. It has become a sought-after destination for yoga, surf and wellness seekers from around the world who are drawn to its natural beauty and slower pace of life.

Soul House is nestled in a quiet rural setting, providing a serene sanctuary away from busy tourist areas. With its open yoga shala, tropical gardens and calming poolside spaces, it offers the perfect environment to immerse yourself in yoga, meditation and deep personal growth while still enjoying the warmth and vibrancy of Sri Lanka.

View full venue details on this link –

https://soulhousesrilanka.com

Highlights

  • Retreat Highlights

    • 12-night retreat stay at Soul House Sri Lanka (half board – daily breakfast and afternoon tea included)

    • 10 days of dedicated training and tuition with Emma

    • Daily Yoga sessions (Yin, Vinyasa, Kundalini)

    • Fresh and nourishing meals prepared onsite

    • Satsang-style gatherings for reflection and connection

    • Daily meditations

    • Pranayama breathwork techniques

    • Traditional ritual and intention-setting ceremony

    • Cleansing practices (including Neti and foundational yogic techniques)

    • Group mantra chanting and sound practices

    • Yoga philosophy and self-inquiry sessions

    • Optional excursions to local beaches, cultural sites and island attractions
      (for those who wish to attend, additional fees may apply)

Optional Additional Extra Stay

Extend your trip by 7 extra nights and experience the highlights of Northern India, including:

  • Two nights in Varanasi (before the ashram stay), one of the oldest living cities in the world, where you can witness the sacred Ganga Aarti ceremony and explore the ancient ghats of the River Ganges.

  • One night aboard an overnight Sleeper Train for an authentic Indian travel experience from Varanasi to Haridwar.

  • A 3-day guided pilgrimage trek from Gangotri towards Gaumukh, the revered source of the River Ganges, with two nights spent in the peaceful Himalayan wilderness at Bhojbasa.

  • Two nights in Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world, with time to enjoy river walks, temples, markets and local cafés.

A price will be quoted for this additional option based upon the number of students wishing to extend their stay. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore some of the most sacred sites of Northern India and make the most of what the Himalayas have to offer.

Travel and trips incur additional fees – TBC.

Accommodation

Accommodation
Soul House Sri Lanka offers stylish twin-share en-suite bedrooms with air-conditioning and modern comforts. Surrounded by tropical gardens and rice paddies, each room provides a calm, private space to rest and recharge between sessions.

Food
Daily breakfast and evening meal are included. Meals are freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients, with nourishing vegetarian and vegan options available.

Refreshments
Filtered drinking water is available throughout your stay. Tea and coffee are provided daily.

Dress Code
Lightweight, breathable clothing suitable for yoga and warm tropical weather is recommended.

Facilities
Open-air yoga shala
Swimming pool and tropical gardens
Comfortable lounge and dining areas
Air-conditioned en-suite bedrooms
Free WiFi
Peaceful setting near Ahangama beaches
Optional local excursions available

What's Included

What’s Included
Twin-share accommodation at Soul House Sri Lanka for 12 nights
Daily breakfast and evening meal
10 days of guided training and tuition with Emma

Alcohol is not included as part of the retreat offering.

What’s Not Included
International return flights to Sri Lanka
Airport transfers (unless arranged separately)
Optional excursions (Safari £48, Goa transport approx. £10)
Final farewell beach dinner
Travel insurance
Personal expenses

Cancellation Policy

  • A reservation requires a deposit of £250
  • The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
  • The rest of the payment should be paid 60 days before arrival.

If you need to cancel your trip, you may do so up to 40 days prior to the arrival date and you will receive a full refund of the course cost, minus the £250 non-refundable deposit.

Cancellation within 40 days of the start date of the course will incur the full course cost and no refund will be issued under any circumstances.

Before booking, please check the link below for foreign tourist advice, when visiting Sir Lanka.  Please ensure that you are also up to date with any holiday vaccinations.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka

Programme Schedule

  • Daily Yoga sessions (Yin, Vinyasa, Kundalini)
  • Satsang gatherings for devotional practices
  • Meditation
  • Pranayama Breathwork Techniques
  • Puja ceremony
  • Shatkarmas (cleansing techniques including Neti and Dhauti)
  • Group Kirtan Mantra Chanting
  • Yoga Philosophy

You will also get the chance to take part in some excursions/day trips during your ashram stay, so you will have the opportunity to experience the more of this incredible country.  Please note that excursions are entirely optional but would incur an additional, nominal cost.

Your retreat leader

Hello – my name is Emma Newham and I’m your host for this retreat.  A little bit about me and my background for your information.  I have been in the health and wellness industry for almost three decades, teaching mindbody exercise to the wider public, fitness enthusiasts and instructors alike.

My fitness companies specialise in delivering teacher training courses.  Union Yoga UK, specialises in face to face and online internationally accredited Yoga teacher training courses.  Pilates Union UK specialises in delivering online teacher training courses in the Pilates method.  BarreConcept specialises in delivering online and face to face training courses in the barre method.

My yoga background started in 2006 after gaining my initial 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training certification at the Sivananda Ashram in the Himalayas.  Since then, I have progressed to learn various other styles of yoga.

I spent a month at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala in Mysore, learning the Astanga Primary Series.  This lead me to undertake further teacher training courses in Ashtanga with leading Western yoga instructors including John Scott and David Swenson.  In 2018, I qualified in Kundalini Yoga and subsequently took a Level 2 Kundalini Teacher Training course in 2020 and I’ve also completed two different Aerial Yoga teacher training courses.

I’m a qualified Assessor and also an IQA (Internal Quality Assurer).

In addition to delivering training courses, I also specialise in bodywork, offering holistic treatments such as Thai Yoga Massage, Core Fascial Release and Reiki.

Sound therapy is a keen interest of mine, so I undertook the Gong Practitioner training in 2019.

Due to my interest in working with the mind, I teach courses and workshops in Mindfulness, Meditation and Spirituality.

More recently, I have completed the Modern Medicine Woman training course, which delves deeper into ancient wisdom, with the use of Shamanic practices such as rituals, ceremonies and journeys.

So, I have a wealth of knowledge and experience of working with the mind/body and I’d love to share this with you on my retreat.

What do our Clients say?

Below you can read some reviews from our wonderful clients and find out how we have helped them on their own fitness journey.

  • 200-hour