Hatha Retreat in Umbria,

Italy

September 7-14, 2013 Yoga Instructor: Fran Gallo

Enjoy a week-long retreat at a lovely medieval stone villa overlooking Lake Trasimeno, 13 miles outside of Perugia, in central Italy’s Umbria region. The villa is 10 minutes outside the small town of Magione.

Photo of the medieval stone villa, Visentium, where the yoga retreat will take place.

This peaceful and exciting journey takes us to Villa Visentium. The stones of the villa walls are said to have been cut over 3000 years ago, predating even Hannibal's great victory over the Roman armies very near this site. Today the area is a picture of pastoral calm, and the old stones form part of an elegant yet very comfortable country home with a round medieval tower at its core. From its hillside setting, Visentium gazes serenely over lush green lawns, the blue waters of Lake Trasimeno, and rolling hills. Within, fine antiques and paintings adorn two living rooms, both leading out under an arched loggia overlooking the swimming pool—an ideal spot for outdoor meals, afternoon siestas, and reading in the shade. Visentium is also perfectly located for exploring hill towns in both Tuscany and Umbria.

Our adventure together is dedicated to yogis and who would like to deepen their knowledge of yoga, look inward, and explore themselves in a peaceful, meditative environment. Together, we will practice one and a half hours of yoga each morning and an hour of yoga each afternoon.

We ask that participants come with an open heart, willing to share themselves with a wonderful community of people. Fran will integrate the yoga practice and the outdoors. We have an indoor space to practice our yoga and, if weather permits, Fran would like to hold sessions outdoors as often as possible. In this beautiful setting, you’ll find relaxation, gain physical strength and flexibility, grow in your practice along with a caring community of people, create a powerful connection to the land, eat mouth- watering cuisine, and have lots of light- hearted, stress-melting fun! Join us in cultivating a renewed sense of peace and bringing balance to your life.

Yoga is more than an exercise: It is a practice. Fran infuses this philosophy into her teaching. It begins with you, your body, and your breath. From there, you’ll be guided to develop a calmer, more relaxed mind. Whether you are new to yoga or an experienced practitioner, this yoga retreat will create memories and experiences that will last a lifetime.

The Yoga: All levels, from beginners to seasoned yoga practitioners, are welcome. The yoga sessions will include both stress-releasing postures focusing on flexibility and core strengthening . Fran will provide modified movements or more challenging postures to fit individual needs/levels. The morning yoga session will be preceded by an optional half hour of meditation. The type of yoga practiced is hatha yoga.

Certification/Biography Fran grew up in an Italian family in NW Indiana. She was the first family member born in the USA, her parents and sisters having immigrated from the small village of Grotte, near Agrigento, Sicily. She graduated from Indiana University and studied French literature and culture at the Universite de Strasbourg in France for one year. Fran was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ziguinchor, Senegal, West Africa. She later spent three years in Japan where she met her husband, Rick Clark. Fran started practicing yoga as a means of releasing tension after long hours of working as an English Instructor at Green River Community College (WA). Love of yoga made Fran decide to devote herself to learning this art in order to share its healing effects with others. In 1996, Fran studied intensively with and was certified in Nepal under Yogi/Swami Vikashananda (from the lineage of in India). She has been teaching since then. According to Fran, the magic of yoga is in the discovery of being able to go beyond what we perceive as our limits and in the profound sense of peace and balance one feels after just one session of practice.

Fran's teaching accommodates multi-level groups, includes concise verbal cues and gentle adjustments, and goes well beyond the physical aspect of Hatha Yoga. She attends yoga conferences and workshops regularly in order to continue her own yoga training. Some of Fran's teachers include Angela Farmer, Erich Schiffmann, , and Tias Little. Fran has recently taught and directed teacher training certification programs for the 200-hour level. She is also a Reiki practitioner. Fran loves music ranging from classical guitar to African music. She practices meditation, enjoys reading, studying languages (she is fluent in Italian and French), traveling, backpacking, cycling, cross-country skiing, gardening (vegetables and flowers), and cooking. For the past 22 years, Fran has made Seattle her home. She spends weekends at her coastal home in Ocean Shores, WA, and offers yoga retreats (in the US and abroad). For more information, please visit www.FranGallo.com.

Excursions:

• Visit the Pucciarella Winery in the Heart of Umbria! Pucciarella is the wine served with dinners at Villa Visentium. At Pucciarella Winery, wine and olive oil are the products of an extremely favorable climate for the cultivation of grapes and olives.

• A ferry trip to and guided tour of the historical and beautiful island Isola Maggiore, located on Lake Trasimeno. The island was part of a route used by Hannibal’s forces in 217 BC. St. Francis of Assisi lived on this island as a hermit in 1211. The island was once famous for lace making, and had an interesting history in WWII, as our guide will explain.

• Welcome to the Middle Ages via a day trip to Siena: Siena is one of Tuscany’s prettiest and largest classic medieval hill towns and it has one of the best Gothic cathedrals in Italy. We will visit the fan- shaped square, Piazza del Campo, where the historical horse race, the palio of Siena, takes place annually and see the town hall with frescoes depicting the medieval period. Guided tour plus time to explore or shop on your own.

• Day trip to Umbriaʼs grand hill town, Orvieto. Orvieto is situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tufa and we will be visiting some of its architectural marvels via a 2 hour guided walking tour followed by lunch and free time to walk around on your own to further explore the town or shop.

• One full day at Marioʼs Cooking School, a hidden gem in the Umbrian Appenine Mountains. We spent one of our most memorable days of the trip here last year and, by all accounts, everyone fell in love with Mario and our overall experience at his Cooking School. We canʼt wait to repeat the experience! In addition to watching Mario make several dishes, we all had hands on experience in making pasta. He also took us mushroom hunting in the forest and we had the most beautiful yoga session ever in a sun drenched mountain meadow.

• The one full day on which no outing is planned, retreat participants can enjoy the villa’s swimming pool, lush grounds, billiards table, and piano, catch up on email/communications, or read and relax.

WEATHER IN PERUGIA: Average temperature in September: 55°F - 77°F Other information: WiFi available at the villa

Getting there: The most convenient cities to fly to are Florence or Rome. We will provide transportation (pick-ups and drop-offs) from the Chiusi- Chianciano Terme train station. The station, Chiusi-Chianciano Terme, has train service from both Rome and Florence. The train ride from Rome or from Florence to Chiusi-Chianciano Terme is about one hour and 40 minutes long.

Cost: $3200 per person (fee based on double occupancy, each room has its own bathroom). Includes lodging, all meals included in fee except for one lunch in Siena. Meals include vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Fees also include beverages, yoga twice daily, all outings with English-speaking guides, and arrival and departure transportation between Chiusi-Chianciano Terme (point of pick- up) and the villa. Cost does not include international airfare, tips, and personal expenses.

To Register:

• A deposit of $1000 will reserve your spot. Deposit may be paid anytime before May 15, 2013.

• Balance is due June 15th, 2013. The balance is non-refundable after July 1, 2013. Please send in your check to guarantee your place. Initial interest indicates this retreat will fill up very quickly. Retreat limited to 14 participants.

Check to be made payable to Fran Gallo and mailed to Marilyn Alterman (Fran’s assistant):

Marilyn Alterman 7711 Winona Ave., N Seattle WA 98103