The Inner Balance - Pilates & Yoga Retreat

Join Mareile Paley and Mary Chan for a week of tropical bliss in a Buddhist inspired boutique resort. Daily yoga and Pilates classes, delicious vegetarian meals and a magnificent white powder beach, set the scene for a unique retreat experience.

Dates: February 25th - March 3rd 2012:
The week will kick off with a delicious, home-cooked welcome dinner before we start classes early Sunday morning. And for this retreat, we have decided to extend our usual one-on-one assessment into a 45-minute private for each participant. Included in the price
• 7 nights accommodation in charming casitas right on the beach
• 3 delicious home-cooked healthy meals daily (vegetarian option available)
• one-on-one assessment
• 45-min private session with Mareile or Mary
• two Pilates & Yoga classes per day
• hands-on Pilates/Yoga workshop (all levels)
• round trip airport transfer between Cancun and Shambala Petit Hotel optional activities
• additional private sessions with Mareile or Mary
• explore the Mayan ruins of Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza
• visit the jungle wildlife and marine habitat of Sian Ka'an Bioshere Reserve
• swimming or diving in the cenotes, the sacred waters of the Riviera Maya
• kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, sailing
• spanish lesson / cooking class

• spa services / energy healing / sweatlodge ceremonies

Sign up before December 1st and receive USD100 off the retreat cost. Visit www.pilatesretreatasia.com for more details (link also at top of this page)

Mareile Paley is a classically trained Pilates instructor, personal trainer and founder of Pilates Retreat Asia, bringing her love for Pilates, Yoga and a holistic approach to life all over the world. Leading and hosting retreats since 2009, her retreats have been featured in PilatesStyle and Asia Spa Magazine. From early age, Mareile had a zeal for being active and trying new things. Ballet, Jazz dance, Judo, Tap dance, and Basketball filled up her busy childhood schedule.

At age 20, she left her home in Germany to study Communication Design in New York, a career that she loves and actively pursues to this day. Believing that there is a deep connection between creativity and physical wellbeing, Mareile continued her sportive endeavors through Snowboarding, Kiteboarding, Yoga and finally Pilates. When she took her first lesson back in 2004, she immediately took to it and never looked back. Her passion for the method motivated her to pursue it professionally and she earned her teaching certificate through Core Pilates, New York City in 2007. Since then she has practiced and taught Pilates all over the world, including New York, Hong Kong, Munich, Paris, Istanbul and even Khorog, a small town in the remote mountains of Tajikistan. She also had the privilege to work with some of the industry's great masters, such as Carolyne Anthony, Elizabeth Larkam and Tracey Mallett.

Based in Istanbul, Mareile continues to integrate her passions for travel, design and Pilates into her busy life as a wife, business owner and mother of two adorable boys. Mary is a native of Hong Kong. After earning her bachelors degree in Political Science at the London School of Economics, she went to New York City in the early 90?s to study dance. While she was receiving her Pilates teacher training, she discovered yoga and was convinced right away that yoga was not just a physical exercise, but a powerful practice that could lead to self-transformation. Since then she has studied from numerous teachers, earning her teacher certifications from Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center in 1997 and Jivamukti Yoga Center in 1998. Combining the disciplines of yoga, pilates and dance, Mary teaches a breath-inspired vinyasa style class that balances movement and flow with alignment and precision. For the last 15 years Mary has taught yoga at a myriad of places such as Jivamukti Yoga Center, the Shala, Random House and Doctors without Borders. In addition to teaching she was featured in yoga videos, Puma catalogues, the New York Times and on MSNBC. With the arrival of her daughter in 2006, she received her certification in prenatal yoga. As a teacher, she feels very fortunate to have worked with kids, teenagers, seniors, pregnant women as well as people with injuries and special needs. Her greatest inspiration is to walk into every class and be able to make yoga accessible to all.

Early Bird special until December 1st gives you USD100 off. Regular Casita (based on double occupancy) USD1650*

Each Casita is a little different, but all breezy and most open out to the beach. You can either request to share with a friend or we will be happy to pair roommates of the same gender.
Casa Albaba USD1800* - one spot availabe. For those wanting a bit of extra space, this casita will feel like living in a comfortable tree house. You'll have an ocean view from the window of the bedroom and a charming bathroom with bamboo walls and mosaic floor.
Casa Eolo USD2070* - booked out. This casita is larger than the others and comes with a cozy living room decorated with a mix of minimal indian and modern decor. The sliding french doors opening right out to the ocean giving you a front row view, which you can enjoy right from your bed. (there is an option for 3 friends sharing, which would reduce the cost, feel free to ask us about it)
Casita Krishna USD1400* - booked out. If you are on a tighter budget, there is a little cozy and comfortable casita with shared bathroom.

Well known by the Yoga community and booked out months in advance, the Shambala Petit Hotel is a true gem when it comes to retreat locations. It's right on the beach, surrounded by nothing but the turqoise Caribbean Ocean and a few shade-spending palm trees. The cabanas are each different, all built by hand and "with love" as Roberto, the owner, likes to point out. The Yoga Studio with its sliding French doors, is located just a few steps from the sea front and we are already looking forward to the sound of the waves being our natural soundtrack during lessons. Find some quiet moments for reflection during long sunset walks along the beach or team up with your teachers Mareile & Mary to explore the Mayan ruins of Tulum, Coba and Chichen Itza. Besides your daily Yoga and Pilates classes, you will have plenty of time to go swimming and snorkeling, to enjoy a massage or energy healing session or to visit the nearby villages and local restaurants.

There are daily flights to Cancun (from where we will pick you up - 80 miles from Tulum) from most American cities. For the best deals, try www.kayak.com and www.jetblue.com