Why Choose Niyama?
“Niyama is a magical journey, which allows you to understand the power of your mind and your body, through meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and cold water therapy.”
Niyama was created and continues to evolve around the core pillars of my life: movement, meditation, breathwork, cold exposure and mindfulness. Each of these plays an important role in maintaining my physical and mental health, as well as strengthening my discipline and my willingness to take chances and test myself.
I was not born the way I am now. I did not always wake up at 4:15am to step straight into a 0C cold plunge for three minutes, followed by ten minutes of breathwork and twenty minutes of silent meditation, all before even thinking about a cup of Costa Rican coffee. I have had my fair share of ups and downs like anybody else, and those challenges became an important springboard that motivated me to live a happier and healthier life. It is never only about what happens to us. It is about how we respond to it.
For many people, Niyama will be a starting point, a seed of possibility that allows them to grow, make better choices and begin living to their full potential, whatever that looks like in their own lives and under their own individual circumstances. For others, it will be the perfect place to reconnect with wellness practices that may have fallen away over time. For some, it will be an inspiring place to continue building upon already strong and refined routines.
Most importantly, Niyama is a place to meet and connect with like-minded people who support, motivate and encourage one another before, during and long after the sessions end.
“A Niyama retreat is the perfect gift that we should all give ourselves at least once in a lifetime.”
.jpg)
Yoga
At Niyama we teach Hatha, Vinyasa, Power, Slow Flow and a number of other styles and variations of yoga. If you are not sure about the difference between them, there is no need to worry. Every class is taught and guided according to each participant’s ability, pace and level of experience.
Although yoga can sometimes appear like the most elegant form of physical theatre, that is never my main goal as an instructor. My aim is to share my practice in the same way my teachers shared theirs with me, by encouraging students to interpret what they feel, adapt when needed and move in a way that supports their own bodies.
Yoga at Niyama invites people to connect deeply with their practice while still having fun and enjoying the process of synchronising the body, the breath and the mind.
“During a single yoga session I saw Mike challenge the most advanced participant and at the same time encourage a total beginner like myself.”
Cold Water Therapy
Cold water therapy has really taken off over the past few years, and there are many reasons why it has become so popular.
With Niyama you will not only take a three minute ice bath, you will also be guided through the benefits and fully prepared beforehand, so you understand why you are doing it in the first place. You will learn what is happening inside your body as it is happening, and you will learn how to breathe in a way that turns this seemingly stressful challenge into a peaceful and fulfilling experience.
​
Ice baths help our students connect with themselves on a deeper level and remind them just how strong each of us truly is. Who knows, you might even surprise yourself and want to get back in again and again.
.jpg)
“The ice bath experience is just out of this world! It really helped me connect with my inner self. Mike's support and guidance throughout allows you to live it fully, get all the benefits and have fun!”
Breathwork
I began practising the Wim Hof Breathing Method in May 2020, and I can confidently say that only good things came from it, not only for myself but also for the many people I have guided through it since.
My curiosity about breathwork continued to grow, and now at Niyama I am able to share, teach and guide people through a wide range of breathing techniques, each with its own purpose and benefits.
As an instructor, there is no greater feeling than when someone tells me they have continued using one or more of the methods after the retreat has finished. Whether they are breathing for calmness, for energy, for improved sport performance or to ease or even stop anxiety, it shows how powerful the breath can be.
The breath is our true teacher. It shows us how we are feeling and how we are reacting. At Niyama you will learn how to breathe again, working with the breath rather than against it, which makes life a far calmer and more pleasant experience.
“Probably the best guided practices I’ve ever had. The unique style and genuine personality creates a warming safe place that makes you feel like a better human being.”
Meditation & Mindfulness
I learnt Transcendental Meditation in March 2018 and to say it changed my life would be an understatement. I went from living a stressful life with hardly any free time to suddenly being able to create space to meditate. That simple shift somehow created even more time for me each day.
From there it felt natural to deepen my interest in mindfulness and explore how I could apply and share these practices with others. I began learning as many types of meditation as I could and studied under meditation and mindfulness teacher Itai Ivtzan.
At Niyama we offer a variety of mindfulness exercises that help you deepen your connection with yourself and the people around you. They allow you to see things with greater clarity, or even from an entirely new perspective. You will be guided through different styles of meditation, from gentle guided sessions based on themes relevant to the group, to silent mantra-based practices.
Living mindfully and practising meditation gives us a kind of superpower. It allows us to disconnect while remaining fully present at the same time. Come and experience the magic with us at Niyama.
.jpg)
“Mike is one of the most passionate and devoted instructors I’ve ever met. A unique balance
of power and grace.”
If you have any further questions about the services and the sessions that we offer at Niyama please reach out to us and we will gladly get back to you as soon as we can. Know that for us it will be a privilege to host you, to teach you and to share with you.
Mike, Co-Founder of Niyama