Elements of the Azores | A Yoga + Āyurveda Retreat at the Edge of the World
w. Kara Aubin . E.RYT, PAC, AYT

The Azores are among the most geologically alive places on the planet. Nine volcanic islands rising from the middle of the Atlantic, they were once called the edge of the known world. In Ayurveda, we speak of the five great elements as the building blocks of all life. In the Azores, they are not abstract. They are the landscape itself: fire in geothermal pools and volcanic calderas, water in crater lakes and black sand shores, earth in ancient cloud forests, air moving without obstruction across open ocean, and the vast quality of space that is rare and unmistakable.

Over seven days and six nights on the northern coast of São Miguel Island, Kara Aubin will guide a small community through daily Yoga and Ayurveda practice woven into the elemental medicine of this remarkable place. Mornings begin in a shala perched above the ocean. Evenings close in the slow, unhurried rhythm of island life. In between, the land itself becomes teacher.

This retreat is designed for those who want to go deeper, not just go somewhere. It is an invitation to step fully out of ordinary life and into a container of practice, community, and rest. The kind of deep rest that comes more easily when you are far from home and held by something larger than your daily routine.

what you'll experience

• Daily Ayurvedic Yoga practices including asana, pranayama, meditation, and yoga nidra

• A hike to Sete Cidades, a volcanic crater holding two lakes, one blue and one green, set within ancient caldera walls

• A guided food tour through the cobblestone streets of Ponta Delgada, exploring Azorean culture through its markets, flavors, and traditions

• Three nourishing meals per day sourced from the resort's organic farm and the surrounding sea

• Free time for optional wellness treatments, beach walks, kayaking, horseback riding, whale watching, or volcanic hot spring soaks

• Evening reflection and community gathering within a small, intentional group

Kara Aubin . E.RYT500, CAP, AYT

Kara Aubin is the founder of the Ayurvedic Wellness Center. She is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, ParaYoga teacher, Herbologist, and Holistic Health Coach based in Kalamazoo, MI. With 20 years of experience and training in the sciences of Yoga & Ayurveda with master teachers, Kara weaves the teachings of yoga, ayurveda, and holistic living into her clinical practice, group classes, workshops, and private sessions to share radical wellness with you.