Somatics Training Retreat for Yoga Teachers with Charlotte Watts at Emerson College

Can be attended as part of Charlotte’s Teaching Therapeutic Somatics course, or simply to experience Somatic practice and restore resources – includes a Soundbath event on Saturday night!

Upcoming dates:

Emerson College, Forest Row

March 21-23, 2025

Options for non-residential as well as pratice-only, see below for details

This teacher training retreat is open to yoga teachers, yoga therapists and anyone else interested with at least a year’s yoga experience (although you will need to be a qualified teacher to continue the full module, see below). Whether you simply need the therapeutic effects of a weekend of deeply nourishing Somatic practice or want to take this into your teaching, this will be a retreat of deep connection, self-compassionate practices and embodied awareness.

The Somatic teachings for the weekend will be by their nature fluid, explorative, restorative, meditative and influenced by Feldenkrais, Qi Gong and other practices that step away from an emphasis on reaching particular forms or goals within asana. Through embodied awareness, there will be an emphasis on recognising and offering kind attention to the habits and expectations we may spend our time retreading in our work and personal lives. For each session, there will be a short introduction and time for discussion and Q&A at the end.
 
This retreat now incorporates material from the two-day workshops on these key facets of guiding others in Somatics practice:
 

Teaching Skills Specific to Somatics
We will explore different ways we can focusing on skills of guiding compassionate, fluid practices of curiosity, exploration and allowing - experientially, and with talks and discussion.

Sequencing Classes to Focus on or Integrate Somatics into Yoga
We will bring to life how we can weave fluid and explorative movements to work in harmony with physical and subtle yoga practices - with focus on transitions, fascial anatomy and fluidity towards stability and strength.

The course/retreat can be taken simply for 15 hrs CPD experience and understanding of Somatic practice or as part of the total 70 CPD hours of the Teaching Somatics course for Yoga Teachers.

This retreat is also available at a discounted rate as a practice-only weekend without the Teaching Skills and Sequencing content - for those who have attended before and already done that content, want an introduction to Somatic practice, or simply need a retreat.

This course also includes an online course with videos of the practices on the retreat (taught and with a teacher’s commentary) that can be purchased before or after, either to complete the full course or simply for your own practice and learning. See the online course here.

The retreat content

Highlighted content is for training attendees only

FRIDAY

3pm - arrival

4-6pm - Introduction and Somatic Practice

6.15pm - dinner

8-9pm - Somatic Practice

 

SATURDAY

7.30-8am - Somatic Practice

8–9am – breakfast

9.15-12.45pm - Talk & Discussion: What are the skills we need to teach Somatics?

12.45pm – lunch

2.30-4.00pm – Talk & Diads: Guiding anchors to sow through a class

4.00-4.30pm - break

4.30-6pm - Somatic Practice with exploration of transitions

6.15pm - dinner

8-9pm – Soundbath with Ruth Summers

 

SUNDAY

7.30-8am - Somatic Practice

8–9am – breakfast

9.15am-10.15am - Somatic Practice with exploration of sequencing (5 min transitions)

10.15-12.45pm - Talk & Discussion: physical and other aspects that guide sequencing choices

12.45pm - lunch

2.30-4.30pm - Groupwork: stories, themes and threads of a practice – to cohesion

5pm – departure

Prices, payment terms and booking for full weekend including all training content needed to complete the certification 

  • All single rooms (shared bathroom and communal kitchen to use) - ÂŁ560 for 2 nights and training
  • Non-residential option (ie for those who can stay in the area but not on-site) - ÂŁ360 for training, lunch and dinner

Practice-only weekend without the Teaching Skills and Sequencing content – for those who have attended before and already done that content, want an introduction to Somatic practice, or simply need a retreat,

  • All single rooms (shared bathroom and communal kitchen to use) - ÂŁ460 for 2 nights 
  • Non-residential option (ie for those who can stay in the area but not on-site) - ÂŁ260 for 2 nights

Concession rates available for those on low income – please email [email protected] to enquire.

Included: all food, yoga, training as advertised & accommodation (non-residential option includes lunch both days and Soundbath event)

Not included: travel

**Please email me prior to registering if you have any questions: [email protected]. Places will be offered on a first come, first served basis**

A non-refundable deposit of £80 is required to confirm your place. To pay your deposit, select the date you would like from the boxes below.

The balance is due no less than 6 weeks prior to the event and can be paid with credit or debit card or by any of the methods below. You may also pay in full at the time of booking if you prefer or in installments if arranged in three parts. Bookings made less than 6 weeks prior to the event must be paid in full.

You will be the contacted for the remaining balance to be paid 6 weeks before the start date of the retreat. See the cancellation terms below.

Please note that whilst I will do everything possible to adhere to the programme and details laid out above, some things are outside my control, and therefore I reserve the right to make changes if necessary.

March 2025 - Training Retreat

Somatics Retreat at Emerson College

March 21-23, 2025

Pay the ÂŁ80 deposit here

Somatics Retreat at Emerson College

March 21-23, 2025

Pay in full (ÂŁ560, single room)

Somatics Retreat at Emerson College

March 21-23, 2025

Pay in full (ÂŁ360, non-residential)

March 2025 - Practice only option

Somatics Retreat at Emerson College

March 21-23, 2025

Pay in full (ÂŁ460, single room, practice only)

Somatics Retreat at Emerson College

March 21-23, 2025

Pay in full (ÂŁ260, non-residential, practice only)

Cancellation terms

If you then cannot attend for any reason, please inform us in writing, but the following conditions apply:

Whilst we would wish to treat cancellation sympathetically our spaces are limited and the following charges must be applied. If your space can be filled, there may be the possibility of transferring your place to a future retreat, but this is at our discretion, otherwise:

  • From registration to 6 weeks (44 days) before departure – loss of deposit (*if I can fill all 18 places, deposit can be transferred to a future retreat if you need to change)
  • 43-28 days before departure 50% of total price
  • 27-14 days before departure 65% of total price
  • 13- or less before departure 100% of price

If you are not sure you’ll be able to come, please let us know as soon as possible so we can discuss and find the best outcome.

Accommodation

Places on the retreat are all for single rooms, which are within a large, separate accommodation block within the lovely grounds of Emerson. They are pleasant and clean, with shared bathroom facilities and a communal kitchen where you can make your own tea, coffee and store any snacks or specialist foods you may need to bring.

 

Food

“Since ethical, sustainable living is central to everything we do at Emerson, our food is made from seasonal, locally sourced, organic produce wherever possible. Much is grown in our own biodynamic garden and green houses. All our meals need to be pre-booked which minimises our food waste. We actively compost to support the soil health of our garden.

Fresh, delicious homegrown and cooked food is prepared daily with love and care by our experienced kitchen team here at Emerson. All our meals are vegetarian with a vegan and gluten free option. We have set mealtimes as we believe that food brings people together. The ringing of the gong announces that lunch or supper is ready to be served, calling people from classrooms, offices and houses.”

Special Diets
Our meals are vegetarian and we can also cater for the diets listed below:
• Vegetarian – No meat, fish or any products derived from slaughtered animals (rennet, gelatine, lard, fish oils, etc.)
• Vegan – As for vegetarians plus no product from any living animal such as milk (cows’, goats’ or ewes’), cheese, eggs, cream, lactose, honey, etc.
• Gluten-free – No product containing gluten, such as wheat, oats, spelt, rye. Suitable starches we use are buckwheat, millet, rice and potatoes
• Dairy-free – Dairy product/dairy/milk products are products derived exclusively from milk. ‘Milk’ is obtained from animals that include cows, goats, sheep and buffalo. We always have alternatives to milk as standard e.g. rice or soya drink.
Unfortunately, the venue are not able to cater for further allergies and intolerances. You have use of self-catering facilities if you need.

Location

Emerson College is situated at the edge of the beautiful village of Forest Row (nearest station East Grinstead) in the Ashdown Forest, where the Winnie the Pooh stories were based.

It sits within a 22-acre Botanic Garden with beautiful ponds, lawns and flower beds, a vegetable garden, an apple orchard and a wood full of blue bells in spring. It has many rare trees and over 100 medicinal plants. All the land is managed biodynamically and is fully Demeter Certified. You are encouraged to wander around the estate with its, a medicinal herb garden and many sculptures and flow forms created by students - a very relaxed environment for anyone visiting.

There is a Kitchen Garden (small biodynamic vegetable garden) on campus, providing fresh greens, lettuces, spinach, tomatoes, flowers and much more. For everything else, Tablehurst farm – a community owned biodynamic farm with great shop and lovely outdoor cafe – is just next door and can be visited over the fields on foot.

You can also walk across the fields to Forest Row, which takes about 20 minutes. There are also many great country walks in the area including Ashdown Forest and bikes to hire for the national cycle route Forest Way.


Location
Emerson College
Hartfield Road
Forest Row
East Sussex RH18 5JX
United Kingdom
Nearest train station East Grinstead (an hour from London Victoria) – 12 mins by car or taxi away

NB: A public retreat is also held at Gayles, East Sussex via Embodied Whole Health, Ltd

July 18th-20th 2025

(click here for info on Gayles, you will be redirected to charlottewattshealth.com)