ASHTANGA YOGAWEEKEND 6-7-8 NOV 2026
Douvevallei, Heuvelland

TURNING INWARD

An autumn weekend of practice, presence & connection

As autumn slowly turns towards winter, nature invites us to slow down,

simplify and turn inward.

For one weekend, we invite you to step away from the rhythm of everyday life

and join us in the beautiful surroundings of the Douvevallei.

A weekend to practise, breathe, move and rest.

To eat well, spend time in nature, connect with others

and enjoy having nowhere else to be.

And perhaps, in the midst of all that space, to become a little curious.

How am I?

What is alive in me?

What nourishes me?

And how do I want to show up

in my practice, in my relationships and in the world?

Through Ashtanga yoga, meditation, yoga philosophy, inquiry

and simple moments of reflection and connection,

we will create opportunities to listen, to the body,

to ourselves and to each other.

There will be room for depth, but just as much for lightness.

For meaningful conversations and laughter.

For being together and being alone.

For exploring and for doing absolutely nothing.

Come as you are. ♡

THE PRACTICE — ON & BEYOND THE MAT

The practice will be at the heart of our weekend,

with morning meditation and pranayama,

followed by Mysore practice,

a playful Skill Drills workshop,

and a gentle restorative practice to land together on Friday evening.

And we’ll take the practice beyond the mat.

Through yoga philosophy, reflection and personal inquiry,

we’ll create space to pause,

listen and get curious about what is alive in us

and how we meet ourselves and each other.

Nothing to achieve or figure out. Just an invitation to explore.

A WEEKEND WITH SPACE

Not every moment needs to be filled.

Between practices and shared moments,

there will be plenty of time to simply follow what you need.

Curl up with a book.

Take a nap.

Walk through the fields and woods.

Sit by the fire. Have a long conversation.

Enjoy the sauna or take a cold plunge in the swimming pond.

Or simply do nothing.

As the world outside begins to quieten for winter,

we can allow ourselves to do a little of the same.

Everything is an invitation, never an obligation.

WHO WILL HOLD THE SPACE?

SOPHIE

Sophie has been practicing Ashtanga yoga for two decades and has been running

the Ashtanga Mysore programme in Ghent for the past ten years.

Over the years, Ashtanga has become deeply woven into her life,

growing from a physical practice into an ongoing exploration of awareness,

relationship and what it means to live yoga beyond the mat.

She is endlessly curious about life and the many ways we can come

into deeper connection with ourselves, with each other and with the world around us.

Alongside her love for the traditional Mysore method,

Sophie has a strong interest in personal development,

bodywork and Nonviolent Communication (NVC).

Nature, animals and a sense of connection with all living beings are an important part of how she experiences and explores life. Rather than seeing these as separate worlds, she is curious about where they meet and what they can teach us about listening, relating and being more present.

Her intention is to create spaces for curiosity, authenticity,

connection and exploration, both on and beyond the mat.

STACY

Originally from North Carolina, USA,

Stacy has been practising Ashtanga yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2001.

Before moving to Ghent two years ago, she ran her own Ashtanga yoga school in Raleigh.

Yoga has been a constant thread throughout her life.

Stacy brings a wealth of experience to her teaching, together with a deep interest

in yoga philosophy and in how the practice continues to unfold and evolve over a lifetime.

Since moving to Belgium, she has since become an important part of

the Ashtanga Mysore Gent community, where she teaches alongside

and supports Sophie in the Mysore programme.

Beyond the mat, Stacy has a creative and adventurous spirit.

She loves travelling, painting, nature, and, very importantly, cats.

She brings warmth, openness, creativity and a playful energy to the spaces she teaches in,

while leaving room for each person to find their own way into the practice.

With Stacy’s North Carolina roots and our international community,

the weekend will naturally be a mix of English and Dutch.

You don’t need to speak either language perfectly,

we’ll move between both whenever needed so everyone can feel included.

SANDRA

And then there is the person who will be nourishing us off the mat. ♡

Sandra comes from Bergen op Zoom (NL) and is not only passionate about good food,

but is also a yoga teacher herself, so there will be plenty of yoga energy in the kitchen too.

She trained as a retreat chef with Puur Sann, learning how to create

nourishing food specifically for retreats.

Throughout the weekend, Sandra will take care of us with fresh,

seasonal vegetarian food prepared with attention and love.

Because sitting around a table, sharing beautiful food and conversations, is part of the experience too.

THE PLACE

We will be staying at De Douvevallei,

a beautifully renovated farmhouse in Westouter,

in the heart of the Heuvelland.

Surrounded by fields, woods and rolling hills,

it is a wonderful place to step away from everyday life

and experience the changing season.

The house has cosy living spaces, a fireplace, a Finnish barrel sauna,

an infrared sauna and a natural swimming pond

overlooking the surrounding landscape.

The nearby nature reserve and Silence Path invite us to step outside and wander.

We intentionally keep the group small: a maximum of 14 participants.

You will stay in one of seven cosy shared twin or double rooms.

Bathrooms are shared between participants.

Bed linen and towels will be waiting for you,

so all you need to bring is yourself and whatever makes you feel at home.

FOOD ♡

Food is very much part of the experience.

Sandra will prepare nourishing,

seasonal and vegetarian food for us throughout the weekend,

made to be enjoyed slowly and shared around the table.

We will gather for:

♡ dinner & dessert on Friday
♡ a generous brunch, afternoon snack, dinner & dessert on Saturday
♡ brunch & an afternoon snack on Sunday

Fruit, dates, nuts, tea and coffee will be available throughout the weekend.

Please let us know about any allergies or intolerances when registering

so we can take these into account.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

♡ 2 nights in a shared twin or double room
♡ Bed linen & towels
♡ All vegetarian meals from Friday dinner until Sunday afternoon
♡ Snacks, fruit, dates, nuts, tea & coffee throughout the weekend
♡ Two Mysore practices with Sophie & Stacy
♡ Pranayama & meditation
♡ Restorative practice
♡ Yoga philosophy, exploration & workshop
♡ Finnish sauna & infrared sauna
♡ Natural swimming pond / cold plunge
♡ Nature & walking trails
♡ Lots of time and space to rest, connect and simply be