a life-changing week to return to source
Aliveness Retreat
Join us in one of the most stunning and peaceful places on earth — to feel, expand, and align with the infinite potential of your being.
with Dory Walker & Rory Viggers
23-30 May 2026 | Lake Garda, Italy
This Is Not Your Average Retreat
It’s a return to your deepest self.
This retreat goes beyond rest, relaxation, and a temporary reset.
This one invites transformation at the root level.
Rooted in the ancient paths of Hatha, Raja, and Jnana Yoga, and combined with the transformational power of group maturation coaching and ontological practice, this retreat awakens change through direct insight — not just into your mind, but your whole MindBody.
We don’t simply gather to recharge and expand our practice.
We gather to unravel what’s false, release inherited identities, and realign with the truth of who you are — in body, mind, heart, and spirit.
This is for you if you’ve ever felt:
Like your practice has plateaued, even though you’ve been consistent
That your truth is just beneath the surface — and you’re ready to meet it
That you're craving more than relaxation — you're craving realignment
The truth is: the mind cannot resolve what the heart hasn’t fully felt.
And looping thoughts don’t dissolve through more analysis — but through embodied awareness, attunement, and the kind of presence that lands in the body and stays.
The Aliveness immersion will support you to:
Shed performative versions of self
Be seen and met at a soul level — without masks
Name and dissolve protective identities that no longer serve
Expand your capacity to receive, lead, and express clearly from your inner being
Work much deeply with Yoga practices and experience a higher level of support
The group becomes a mirror. A field. A frequency amplifier.
It draws forth truth and potential that simply don’t emerge when you’re navigating alone.
This is deep work.
It’s for humans ready to stop striving for self-improvement — and instead, begin remembering who they are. And this retreat is ALL IN for that.
A Week That Changes Everything
This 7-night immersion blends traditional and contemporary yoga practices, group coaching, curated excursions, and time in nature — all within the setting of a peaceful villa on the lake. We LOVE this lake.
Your days are thoughtfully structured to support full ALIVENESS:
Asana, breath-work, meditations & Energetic Practice
MindBody Inquiry & Group Coaching (ontological, somatic & soul-based)
Workshops, ceremony, bespoke practices
Special excursions, treatments and time to just be
Delicious meals designed by our incredible private chef with locally sourced ingredients
You’ll be guided with precision, humour, and warmth, by two seasoned teachers and space holders who’ve walked this path for decades.
You’ll leave changed — not because you tried to become someone new, but because you’ll remember who you actually are.
The Magic of Lake Garda
After the first instalment of the Aliveness Retreat in India, this next evolution calls us to Italy’s enchanted lake…
Some places in the world carry a special kind of enchantment—a frequency, a subtle power that’s hard to name but undeniable once you’ve felt it.
Lake Garda, in Northern Italy, is one of those places.
We absolutely LOVE this place. And we’re SO excited to bring you here too.
We’ve returned here twice a year for the past 15 years to study with our incredible teacher, Dona Holleman — a pioneering authority on yoga, the body, embodiment, and the art of being.
Her teachings always take us deeper — beyond technique, beyond mind — into true self-experience.
But it’s not just the teachings.
The land itself seems to participate.
There’s a clarity in the lake, the air, the mountains — a living presence that draws something ancient and alive out of you.
We cant explain it. But every time we return, something new opens:
Not just in our practice, but in our relationships, our work, our way of being human.
This place has shaped us.
It’s held tears, joy, insights, and a community that stretches far beyond a single week.
That’s why we’re returning — this time, with you.
We’re not just creating a retreat.
We’re creating a living field — where deep presence, precise practice, and shared inquiry can open the portal to what it truly means to live a full-spectrum human life.
If you feel the call, we can’t wait to welcome you
To walk beside you in this unfolding, and anchor together in the infinite potential that lives in each of us.
Your Retreat Home
You’ll be staying in a beautiful villa on the edge of Lake Garda, nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps with views of the lake and surrounding countryside.
The villa is surrounded by olive trees, flowering gardens, and peaceful walking trails. It includes both shared and private rooms, a dedicated practice space, a swimming pool, and its own private beach — perfect for quiet reflection or a refreshing dip after practice.
There’s ample space to rest, journal, swim, or simply be — in sun or shade, alone or with others.
We chose this venue not just for its comfort, but for the frequency it holds.
There’s something about this land that amplifies presence and supports real change.
Your Guides: Dory Walker & Rory Viggers
With over 40 years of combined experience, we’ve been guiding transformational Yoga, movement and coaching experiences for humans ready to wake up and live from depth.
We teach from the Centered Yoga tradition of Dona Holleman — a direct transmission lineage grounded in precision, presence, and the ancient roots of yoga.
Our work is also shaped by:
Ontological MindBody Maturation coaching, trained by Nicky Clinch
Somatic practices
Decades of inquiry into the art of becoming fully alive
Our work is trusted by hundreds of students & teachers across the world seeking depth beyond the mat. We are partners in life, business, and practice, and it’s our deepest joy to share this work and walk beside others on the path of remembering.
Words From Past Retreat Guests & Students
“Dory holds space like no one else. She doesn’t just teach from knowledge — she teaches from lived experience. Everything she shares is embodied, precise, and deeply felt. While others speak from memory, Dory speaks from truth.”
— Gale, Business Coach
"There are Yoga teachers and then there are teachers of Yoga. Rory belongs to the latter group…Rory has a wealth of knowledge of the human body that he’s most skilled in articulating and sharing for a more embodied way of being in the world”
— Retreat Participant
“Learning with Rory and Dory feels like learning with old friends... they offer challenge when you need it, but it is always a relaxing experience.”
— Rachel, Yoga Student
“Both Rory and Dory are such exceptional teachers; their knowledge, wisdom and understanding shines through.”
— Tabitha, Yoga Teacher
Practical Information
🗓️ Dates: 23–30 May 2026
🏞️ Location: Lake Garda, Northern Italy (nearest airports: Bergamo, Verona, Milan, Venice)
👥 Group Size: Intimate and limited to support depth
🧘♀️ Includes:
7 nights' accommodation (shared or private)
8 Day Aliveness Programme
Selected group excursions (including thermal spa)
All Daily meals (vegetarian/vegan options catered with love)
Use of all villa facilities (practice space, pool, private beach, gardens)
💷 Investment:
£2664 shared room (Early Bird — increases to £2997)
£3333 private room (Early Bird — increases to £3997)
pay plan options below
✈️ Travel not included — you’ll need to arrange your own flights and transfers.
Full travel guidance provided on booking.
Our Gift to You
We believe your transformation begins before the retreat — and continues long after. That’s why we’ve included these extras to support your full journey:
✅ Pre-retreat group session to set intentions
✅ Post-retreat integration circle
✅ Complimentary treatment when you book during the Early Bird window
A Threshold, Not a Luxury
It’s easy to put off the deep work — but in our experience, the soul doesn’t stop calling.
It’s not about waiting until you’re ready. It’s about answering the call now.
Ready to Step In?
Spaces are limited — and when they fill, they fill.
If this retreat calls you, we’d love to welcome you.
Book Your Place or Reach Out with Questions — we’re here to help.
Let this be the week you return to your Self.
Early-bird ends 4/8/25
Save £664 off Single Room / £333 off shared room
Single Room
One payment: £3333
*2 pay: 2 x £1667
*4 pay: 4 x £834
Full price: £3997
Shared Room
One payment: £2664 pp
*2 pay: 2 x £1332 pp
*4 pay: 4 x £666 pp
Full price: £2997
*pay plans: Full balance due 10 weeks before retreat
Retreat FAQs
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Weather is unpredictable and we make no guarantees, but the weather in Lake Garda at this time of year is generally warm and sunny.
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In addition to clothes, toiletries, and other things you would normally pack for a retreat, we recommend you bring the following: yoga mat, yoga clothes, comfortable walking shoes, water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, light jacket (please check the weather report and plan accordingly!), umbrella/rain jacket, bathing suit, flip flops (you’ll need these for the spa).
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Description You can read the full terms and conditions here. There is a non-refundable 50% booking. In order to secure the venue and programming, Yogakutir is required to enter into binding contracts with 3rd parties that do not allow for refund or cancellation in except for limited instances where “acts of god” render the entire event impossible. For example, if the hotel must close down, then we would be able to get a refund and refund all ticket holders. Otherwise, unfortunately, we must enforce a strict cancellation policy. You may transfer your ticket under certain conditions. Also, purchasing trip insurance to protect yourself is required.
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Depending on the payment option you choose during check out, remaining balances are required 10 weeks before the retreat starts. If you have selected a 3 part payment plan, the second payment is due by 1/12/25.
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This is possible! On the booking form you can add who you’d like to share a room with and note any other details.
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This retreat is suited to all levels of practice. If you are unsure, please email booking@yogakutir.com to ask any questions.