For those who want to take yoga beyond the mat
A small, intimate retreat for people who practice yoga or want to begin with intention. A space to feel calmer, think more clearly, and translate yog philosophy into lived experience, with Human Design offered as a tool for personal Insight.
The Art of Being is a 7-day offline retreat on Portugal's west coast. We create space for real rest, reflection, and the opportunity to realign with what matters to you.
You stay in a private room with a private bathroom. Meals are vegetarian and home-cooked, mostly grown in our garden. The group is small - we only have five rooms - this creates room for real conversation and natural connection.
Mornings begin with hatha yoga including pranayama (breathing techniques) at 7:30am to wake up and reconnect body and mind.
Workshops Our workshops on yoga philosophy are interactive and reflective. We share perspectives and work with practical exercises that connect directly to everyday life.
Human Design is introduced in one dedicated workshop. Each participant receives a personalized printed report. It's offered as a practical tool for self-observation; you decide how much or how little to engage with it.
Walks and exploration. We spend time outdoors—guided walks through the landscape and coastline, and a visit to Óbidos and Nazaré.
Afternoons are mostly open. Time to journal, rest, integrate what surfaces, or simply sit without agenda.
The retreat takes place on land close to natural dunes and quiet beaches. The house is comfortable and thoughtfully arranged—there is room to breathe, room to rest, room for conversation and focused practice.
During the week, you experience the surrounding landscape and coastline beyond the retreat space.
Single Room 1499€ Double room* 2099€
* price valid for one room with double occupancy, all inclusive.
All our prices include taxes
At 4elements retreat we speak English, Portuguese and German fluently. Our Thai, Italian and French knowledge is a bit rusty, but serves for emergencies. The program will be held in English.
We are Ali and Pedro. We opened our doors in 2018 on the land where we live. This isn't a separate project, it's part of our daily life.
We host and facilitate the activities together, supported by Pedro's parents who care for the house and garden, and Matteo, who joined in 2020.
We share what we believe, what we practice, and what we continue to explore ourselves.
If you travel alone - like most of our guests - you'll always have a private room with private bathroom. Only if you prefer to share a room with a with a friend, family member or partner that you travel with, you can also book a double room.
Our rooms have double beds. One room is large enough to add a separate bed (€150 surcharge). Contact us if you'd like to arrange this to see if there is still availability.
We will pick you up from Lisbon Airport Sunday at 5pm (your plane should therefore land until 4pm) and drop you off again Saturday at 1pm (departure of your flight after 3pm). Other pick up places than Lisbon Airport are not possible.
If you are arriving earlier than 4pm or leaving later than 3pm, we can give you some tips on how to spend the time well rather than hanging out at the airport. There are lockers to leave your luggage, so you can move around more freely. If you spend time before in Lisbon, please come back to the airport for the shuttle, we don’t do pick ups in any other place.
If you arrive later and don’t make it to the shuttle at 5pm please contact us so we can give you tips on how to get here. The main possibilities are a private cab/uber or taking the bus. Please note that arrival at the retreat after 10pm is not possible, since we start the program at 7:30am on Monday morning.
You can find more about this in our retreat info pdf that we will send you after your booking.
We can accommodate vegan and gluten-free diets (25€ per person).
If you have other allergies or intolerances, please contact us before booking so we can clarify whether we are able to support your needs.
Meals are prepared as a shared vegetarian menu, and we are not able to cater to individual preferences or dislikes.
Our classes are suitable for beginners. We teach in small groups (less than 10 people), so we can address different levels and needs.
Morning practice is based on traditional Hatha Yoga. Sessions include postures, breathing techniques, and moments of stillness, with a steady and accessible pace.
During the week, we also offer one aerial yoga session, using suspended silks to support and explore the poses from a different perspective, and one evening Yin Yoga class, a slower and more meditative practice.
You can book directly through the link under this FAQ section. We require a deposit of around 30% to fix the booking, the remaining amount will be due upon arrival. The deposit can be paid via credit card or PayPal. The remainder can be paid in cash (Euro), by bank transfer or via credit card (Visa and Master).
If you must cancel your attendance 30 days prior to the retreat start date you can reschedule or receive a voucher for the entire amount. If you wish a refund of your deposit, we will refund you the amount minus a small service charge (15€) for bookings made directly through our website.
If you cancel less than 30 days prior to the retreat start date, a refund of the money is not possible. You can read all the details in our Terms & Conditions.
No. We'll run the retreat even with one guest. If this is the case, we'll let you know beforehand so you can decide.
No, we provide yoga mats and props like blocks, belts, bolsters and blankets. If you prefer to bring your own mat, please feel free to do so.
No. The Human Design workshop is designed to be accessible whether you are completely new to it or already familiar with the system.
We introduce the foundations in a practical way and relate them directly to everyday decisions and patterns. Each participant receives a personalized printed report, which we use as a basis for reflection.
To create your individual report, we will ask for your birth date, exact birth time, and place of birth after booking.
Yes. Two cats (Freddy & Shanti), 8 chickens, and Nina, the small friendly dog of Pedro's parents.
Optional 1:1 sessions like massage or a personal Human Design reading can be booked on site if you want to deepen your experience.
The week follows a steady rhythm, with a balance between structured sessions and spacious free time. While some days include excursions, others remain more open for rest and reflection.
A sample day may look like this:
07:30 – Morning yoga (breathwork, postures, and relaxation)
08:45 – Optional ocean plunge
09:30 – Breakfast
10:30 – Practical mini workshop: Yoga beyond the mat
Late morning – Guided walk or Human Design workshop
13:00 – Lunch
Afternoon – Time for reflection, journaling, or rest
18:00 – Meditation
19:00 – Dinner
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