Yoga fusion retreat Thailand

Dorien Israel

In 1984, at the age of 37, Dorien was in a serious car accident that resulted in a near death experience that presented her with the gift of being able to channel direct guidance. Over the following years this information became the basis for her three books: Unbound, Tao Passages and The Way to the One I Am.

Dorien began to live what she channelled and found it to be profoundly authentic and practical. Growing naturally out of readers' responses, she developed transformational sessions and workshops. In 1987 she moved to Asia, where for the next five years she continued to lead workshops as well as deepen her spiritual practices of yoga (kundalini and ashtanga), chi gong, and meditation.

When Dorien returned to America in 1993 she experienced alienation from the excesses of Western culture, resulting in clinical depression, and what she calls her "Prozac days". Out of this suffering emerged her irrepressible longing to know Truth.

In 1997, after a lifetime of material success and spiritual searching, she moved to Koh Samui to align her inner vision and values with her outer way of life. She left a thirty-two year marriage and the material trappings that accompany the life of a diplomat's wife, and rented a primitive bungalow. For the next four years, Dorien journeyed inward, remaining in relative stillness, silence and solitude to see if God truly existed.

She found that without the usual distractions of the outer world her conditioned self began to slowly settle, revealing naturally her true self - in her words - "who I Am". This is what Dorien shares with others in her workshops and sessions. At almost 60 years old, her body has taken to the exquisite practice of Ashtanga yoga, and the gratitude she feels each morning approaching the mat is her metaphor for every other aspect of a blessed life.

Carole Warren

Passionate about inspiring people to connect with what they love to do, and to make true changes in their lifestyle, Carole combines her professional and personal experience of practices from Eastern and Western traditions, bringing much more depth to the standard life coaching techniques. With a Bachelors degree in Chemistry and further specialities in Natural Chemistry, Health and Nutrition, Carole previously was a consultant to major industry professionals and Government in the UK, leading and designing workshops and coaching to bring about behavioural change on a mass scale and within individuals.

However by 2001, Carole was fully caught up in modern living and took a 3-month career break. During this time she suffered a major back injury which left her unable to walk for one year and was a powerful catalyst in her own journey for personal transformation. Previously Carole taught and practised other styles of yoga, but it was the Ashtanga practice, with restorative yoga, that helped to heal her back fully without resorting to surgery. This inspired her to learn more about Ashtanga yoga. Certified with the US Yoga Alliance, Carole teaches and practices Ashtanga yoga in accordance with this ancient lineage.

As a natural evolution from this experience and her work, Carole developed 'transformational life-mapping' to inspire people to access their passions in life and achieve their potential. This unique process combines ancient Eastern and yogic techniques, creativity and modern life coaching.

In Carole's own words: "Before my back injury I had resonated with Ashtanga yoga the most, however during my recovery I practiced a gentle restorative yoga, so when I started Ashtanga again I was naturally cautious. Interestingly on a physical level, the Ashtanga yoga practice was the most effective for restoring the health of my spine.

Initially the Ashtanga yoga practice can appear to be more physically based, however, as I committed to the practice, I found the transformation within to be more profound than the many other techniques I had studied, practiced and taught! In short, I worked through many fears, emotions and had major personal breakthroughs both on and off the yoga mat. The combination of surrender, patience, commitment and focus along with something quite unexplainable has touched me in a much deeper place within than anything else in my life so far.

I am inherently grateful to this ancient practice and honoured to be able to share what little I can with others."

Lorraine Taylor

Lorraine's unique yoga style and depth of experience draws from a lifetime of studying the body through dance, gymnastics and yoga. Training intensively in gymnastics and dance from the age of 3, she competed internationally, went on to teach and then finally retired at the age of 16.

Over the last 15 years, she has studied yoga and eastern philosophies around the world, mostly throughout ashrams in India and yoga centres in the UK, Thailand and Australia. During this time, amongst other disciplines, she studied Yoga Nidra at the famous Satyananda ashram and spent time in the Himalayas practising Buddhist meditation. After completing her yoga training in India in the year 2000, she returned to Thailand to undertake further study and the role of manager of the Wellness Centre at The Sanctuary Health Resort, running detoxifying and cleansing programs combined with yoga.

Co-founder of 'healthy and fun' - a company designed to help others find balance in their lives, Lorraine runs the 'healthy and fun yoga cafe' in Koh Samui. Together with Carole, she designs retreat programs blending together different styles of yoga, holistic practices, creative practices and nourishing food. She believes in living life to the full and making fun a priority! She is passionate about cooking (and eating!) and has a first hand knowledge of nutrition. Over the years, she has written several health menus for holistic resorts in Thailand and is in the middle of writing her own 'healthy and fun wholefood cookbook' .

After having her first baby, she realized that her body now wanted to do less physically challenging yoga as the demands of motherhood left her somewhat exhausted! She began to put the best of what she had learnt to create her own more gentle style. After recently completing a teacher's intensive with Shiva Rea, she was so inspired by the graceful energy of the practice that she is now starting to study deeper with her. Lorraine teaches vinyasa flow, meditation and yoga nidra.

In Lorraine's own words: "I love teaching people how to create more fluidity, ease and gracefulness in their yoga practice. It's a great metaphor for life. It's amazing to see the transformation people make from the beginning to the end of a class. After being a gymnast and dancer for most of my life, the physical side of yoga came very naturally. However, what intrigued me was finding out that this was more than just a bunch of exercises and stretches. It's been an incredible journey. I feel it's so important to give yourself time in the day to be quiet and focus within. It's amazing what you find! Through yoga, I have learned how to let go of a lot of negativity, tension and stress. I have discovered so much about myself and have a deeper understanding of how to create more joy in my life. I feel so grateful to now be in a position to pass this on to others."

Tamara Watson

Tamara Watson, M.A., uses sound, acupressure, the breath and ritual to facilitate healing. A registered Jin Shin Do® practitioner, she honors and draws from traditions around the world that have assisted her personal healing.

After completing a Master's degree in art history at Paris IV-Sorbonne University and working in art galleries and international festivals for several years she retreated to India, where she began her yoga and meditation practice. Since then she has been actively exploring healing traditions from around the world.

Sound healing and Jin Shin Do® Bodymind Acupressure are the foundation of her work. She is also certified in shiatsu, LaStone therapy, Thai massage, reflexology, and a reiki master. Other strong influences come from her continued study of Tibetan Buddhism, crystals and gemstones, Native American traditions and quantum physics. These are found in her jewelry, a fusion of gemstones, metals, symbols and ritual.

Tamara offers treatment sessions, classes and workshops that combine traditional teachings and inner guidance, created to best assist each individual or group. Above all she seeks to create a nurturing space in which to release energetic blocks and access the inner spirit, source of all healing and transformation.

She is also a freelance writer and frequent contributor to SpaAsia and Face magazines, and is currently based on Koh Samui, Thailand.