A New Combined Equine Therapy and Yoga Retreat for Inner Peace in Essaouira, Morocco

RAHA, a transformative combined equine therapy and yoga retreat for peace of mind, body, and soul, is set to launch from the 12th to the 16th of September 2024 in the historic coastal town of Essaouira, Morocco.

Raha invites participants to create the time to hear their thoughts, relax their bodies, and untangle the troubles that unsettle their souls. It has been carefully designed to help individuals answer difficult questions: how to heal after upsetting events, care for themselves and become more resilient, relate more productively to others, and make decisions when feeling overwhelmed.

In Arabic, Raha means comfort or rest, while in Hindi, it signifies a route or course. In its purest form, Raha embodies the divine path to peace of mind.

The retreat

Operation Centaur’s latest and most innovative project brings together world-leading yogic expertise from Dr Lucia Berdondini, and peerless horsemanship by Yassine Cavalier. This five-day restorative retreat in Essaouira puts Yassine’s magnificent horses centre stage to guide you through a transformative journey of healing and self-discovery.

Led by Operation Centaur’s founder, Professor Andreas Liefooghe, the herd of gentle and intuitive horses becomes your companion in this therapeutic process. Thoughtfully crafted encounters and tasks bring profound insights about your emotions, communication style, and behavioural patterns. 

In concert with the equine programme, daily practise of a powerful form yoga works to liberate your body and find restful inner peace, from which you can find strength and lightness through connecting with your core. The concepts and practice will enhance your sense of wholeness, harmony with the earth, expansion and extension, both physically and mentally. 

The team

Professor Andreas Liefooghe is the founder of Operation Centaur, the foremost centre of equine-assisted psychotherapy.  His practise demonstrates how horses can heal humans by teaching us about care and safety, how to connect in relationships, how to get us moving when we’re stuck, and which way to go when we’re aimless.

Dr Lucia Berdondini is a qualified Gestalt therapist and yogi. Lucia has been studying yoga for more than 40 years, primarily under the guidance of Diane Long and the work of Vanda Scaravelli. Her practise of this renowned approach speaks to yoga as a way of being, a form of meditation and a revolutionary way to engage with the power of the asanas.Yassine Cavalier was born and raised in Essaouira, living and breathing the drama of the landscape, at one with its native horses. He began riding aged six and in all the years since, no other career has brought him the fulfilment he feels from his childhood passion. As such, the depth of his equine knowledge and the strength of his spirit are unmatched, and to witness his craft first-hand is a life-changing experience.

About the location

Essaouira has a unique energy that has drawn people to its shores for centuries. From the Phoenicians thousands of years ago, to rock stars and hippies in the Sixties, its pull is undeniable.  Our rustic yet luxurious base is just outside the small town, offering sweeping views of the Atlantic, and bracing sea winds.

Take a step back from modern life, and a step towards Raha. Your path to inner peace.
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