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The Founders of Shadow Yoga

Emma Balnaves

Emma Balnaves is an initiate of Sundernáth and co-founder and teacher of Shadow Yoga. She was introduced to yoga in her early teens when she became intrigued by the mystery of the practices and the feelings they evoked inside her.

After studying visual communication, majoring in photography at university, and working in the creative arts in Sydney, New York, and London, Emma committed herself to a life of teaching yoga. With decades of in-depth study and research in yoga, Ayurveda, and other internal arts, Emma began incorporating the full spectrum of the yogic process in her teaching.

In 2019 she completed her first film Agniyogana, which she was inspired to create as a way to share the essence of these teachings and bring a better understanding of all aspects of the practice.

Sundernāth
Sundernāth (Shandor Remete) was fortunate to be born into a household at the southeastern tip of the great Hungarian plain where the art of yoga was a daily presence. From this seed, his destiny on the path of yoga unfolded. He is an initiate of the Kanpatha Hatha Yogins of Nepal, descendants of Sri Gorakhnath, and his Guru Sri Matsyendranath. These great Yogins were the forefathers of Tantrik Hatha Yoga, the heart of which is Hatha Yoga – the science bestowed upon humanity by Adinatha (Lord Shiva).

_The teachings of  Shadow Yoga are steeped in the Hatha yogic traditions of the Nath sampradaya whose forefathers are Guru Matsyendranath & Guru Goraknath.

The evolution of our Logo

Emma Balnaves made the image of the body while she was in Hokkaidō, Japan in 1999. Emma was studying Japanese calligraphy at the time and brushed this while observing Sundernath meditating after his sadhana. The characters contained in the body were also of Japanese origin. A few years earlier Sundernath had met the Japanese sword master Taisaburo Nakamura. Sundernáth was so impressed by Nakamura Sensei’s profound energy and spontaneous (sahajavastha) spirit that when the logo was being designed he asked Nakamura Sensei to brush the characters for shadow (影) and hara (腹) to express the essential qualities long dormant in Yoga that he wished to rediscover. The characters were enclosed in circles located at the heart and abdominal centres.

Twenty five years later, with the maturing of the shadow yoga community, Sundernath is beginning to teach the Khechari Sadhana – the culmination of the Nath Shadanga Yoga path. It is fitting that this crucial moment is reflected in a change to the logo. Emma’s depiction of the body remains essentially the same but the new free standing characters (the circles have gone) were brushed by a student of Nakamura Sensei (John Evans) in the Siddham script. This ancient form of Sanskrit, written with a flat brush, reflected in its angular shapes, is used in India, Tibet and Japan to write bijam (seed syllables). The character in the heart is HAṂ with the symbol for the nasal ending (anusavara) carried up into the head. The lower character is SA. HAMSA (swan) is a key term in the Shadanga yoga of the Naths and carries many layers of meaning. Hamsa is the ajapa, the unspoken spontaneous mantra and also anahata – the unstruck sound of the heart. Hamsa is the cosmic resonance that pours forth unceasingly from the great void. When the breath moves in the body this resonance carries the sound Ham during the exhalation and Sa during the inhalation. When physical respiration ceases it manifests in the core of the body as the chitra-nada (the sound of the cricket) heard in the inner ear and carried in the Chitrini nadi through the innermost part of the Sushumna channel.

The sole purpose of the khechari mudra and the preparatory activities that precede it is to gather this pulsating Chitra nada into a single point so that the energies of the ears, eyes, and tongue unite in what Goraknath terms the ‘piercing of the one-pointed sound.’ When this is achieved one becomes a yogi or yogini and also a khechari – one who flies in the void free from the burdens of the constructs of the mind and body. It is the extraordinary ability of the swan to fly as high as the Himalayas that reveals the true meaning of Hamsa.

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Shadow Yoga is concerned with the social and environmental impacts of industry and the marginalisation of various groups. We have pledged 1% of sales to help fund diverse grassroots organizations and appreciate the support of our community.

In 2002, Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, created 1% for the Planet and started a global movement. “The intent of 1% for the Planet is to help fund these diverse environmental organizations so that collectively they can be a more powerful source in solving the world’s problems."

Finance terms

If you wish to take advantage of interest-free terms, please email guiding@shadowyoga.com once your application is approved.

For the first course, payments will be due as follows:

  • Four weeks from your request (latest mid November): Eu1,360
  • Mid January 2026: Eu800

Booking COMO

The offering from COMO Uma Ubud.

Please email Wira Setiawati directly to make your booking or for further information

Group Name: Shadow Yoga Retreat
Accommodation for 6 nights from 30 November to 6 December 2025 
Package Rate: Based on 10% discount from published rates.

Terrace Room USD2,442 Single or USD1,565 shared, per person

Garden Pool Villa USD3,026 Single or USD1,857 shared, per person

Uma Pool Villa USD3,661 Single or USD2,175 shared, per person

If sharing, you must book for both people at the same time.

Inclusions

  • Daily usage of yoga studio includes set up on 1-5 December 2025 
  • Daily fruits and juice refreshment set up at Uma Bar after class 
  • Daily brunch at Kemiri Restaurant
  • Complimentary daily replenished in-room fruit basket. 
  • Complimentary WIFI access in the room and certain other areas of the hotel. 
  • Complimentary scheduled shuttle to Ubud area. (Up to Museum Puri Lukisan) 
  • Complimentary use of the steam, gym and swimming pool 
  • Rates are inclusive of 21% government tax and service charge 

Terms & Conditions

  • Extra person will be charged additional USD78net per person per night on extra bed include breakfast
  • Maximum one (1) extra person in the room. Ubud Room and Terrace Room are not suitable for an extra bed. 

There is a Children’s Policy – if this is applicable to you, please check with Wira.

Check In & Check Out

  • COMO Uma Ubud requests that guests check in after 2pm on day of arrival and check out by 11am on day of departure. 
  • Any early check in or late check out request will be an additional charges and subject to the availability to be confirmed one day prior to arrival

BOOKING STATUS 

  • First payment of 50% of the total invoice to be paid upon making the reservation 
  • Balance Payment to be paid 30 days prior to the arrival date. 
  • Other expenses will be charged upon checkout 
  • All payments should be received as per above timeline, otherwise rooms will be subject to cancelation. 

CANCELLATION POLICY 

  • Cancellations made before 60 days prior to arrival date, no cancellation will be charges.
  • Cancellations made between 60 days to 30 days prior to arrival date will be subject to 50% of the total invoice.
  • Cancellation made between 30 days to 7 days prior to arrival date will be subject to 90% of the total invoice.
  • Late arrivals, no-shows and early departures will be charged 100%.
  • Cancellation must be received in writing by the hotel or its representative. Late arrivals, no-shows and early departures will be charged accordingly.

PAYMENT 

Payment can be made via Credit Card or Wire money transfers. 
For Credit Card process, payment link will be sent. Please advise if required. The amount charged will be in Indonesian Rupiah, using the daily exchange rate on the date of process. 
For bank transfer, please use below account details: 

ACCOUNT NAME

PT VILLA BUKIT LESTARI 
Bank Name: Bank Central Asia, Ubud Branch 
Bank Address: Jalan Raya Ubud No.10, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia 

SWIFT: CENAIDJA 
Account Number: 135.0219711 (for payments in US Dollar) 
Payment via wire transfer must be settled in full amount without any bank fee deduction. 

FORCE MAJEURE 

  • Neither party shall be held liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations under this Agreement to the extent that such failure or delay is caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, earthquake, fire, flood, epidemic, pandemic, labor disputes, governmental acts, and any other events that are unforeseeable and unavoidable ("Force Majeure Event"). 
  • In the event of a Force Majeure Event, the affected party shall promptly provide written notice to the other party detailing the nature of the event and the expected impact on its performance under this Agreement. 
  • During the period in which a Force Majeure Event prevents the affected party from performing its obligations, the time for performance of such obligations shall be extended for a period equal to the duration of the Force Majeure Event. 
  • If a Force Majeure Event continues for a period of 30 (thirty) days, either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the other party, without incurring any liability.

Shadow Yoga Cancellation Policy

Perpignan Information

Access
By plane:

Various budget airlines (Transavia, Ryanair) have direct flights to Perpignan from Paris, London Stansted, Amsterdam, Dublin among others.

There is a shuttle service from Perpignan airport to the town center.
More information here 

The closest big international airports are Barcelona and  Toulouse. Depending on where you are coming from, these airports mights be relevant: Girona, Montpellier, Bezier and Carcassonne. 

By train

From Barcelona Sant station: Both RENFE and SNCF travel by fast train to Perpignan train station (75min) From Paris Gare de Lyon: Direct fast train with sncf/renfe (5h) 

By bus

From Barcelona Int Airport, Toulouse Int Airport, Girona Airport
Flixbus travels direct to Perpignan train station

By car

From Barcelona airport (2h)
From Girona airport (60min)
From Montpellier airport (90min)

Where to stay
The best areas
  • The Old Town (not all, see below) 
  • Torcatis 
  • Les Poètes 
  • Les Fleurs 
  • Clemenceau 
  • Les Platanes 
Please avoid
  • St Jacques 
  • St Martin 
  • St Mathieu 
  • La Real 
  • La gare (except along the quai, Place de Belgique and around Place Catalogne) 
  • St Assiscle (except around the studio but not the best area) 
Finding accommodation
  • Airbnb 
  • Booking 

Low budget option

  • Appart’city & Appart-hotêl 
Food / Drinks 

Fresh local organic products

Restaurants / Brunch/ coffee 

For further more specific advice, Valérie Sanzey has offered to assist : info@yogamandapa.com

Important Retreat Information

Included in your fee
  • Accommodation for the specified nights. We will do our best to provide your choice of accommodation
  • Three vegetarian meals a day
Airport taxi pickup and drop are available.
Approx US$30-$50 depending on how many travelling.
When you know your flight details, please advise directly to Veronica referencing ‘Shadow Yoga 21–28 June’
 
We regret that the Teacher’s Discount is not available for the retreats.

Meditations of the Thunder Dragon (Taranyali Dhyanam)

with Sundernath

Over the past twenty years, we have introduced and taught all the preparatory practices required to cultivate the subtle energy and initiate the gathering of vital power that leads to the spontaneous or natural state of Sahajavasta which is the highest peak of meditation.

These practices and technical tools were laid out in Sundernath’s book Taranyali Tridha Dhyanam in the chapters on Krantam and Kriya. In the last chapter, he introduces the principles and characteristics of the final phase to which they lead – the acquisition of Shambhavi Mudra. These properties can be summed up in the term prasādājñā which implies that this mudra has a double nature – Rudra Shakti, the command of authority for the removal of impurities and Kundalini Shakti, the command of grace. When these two energies are drawn together into a single point the portal of transmission is opened. In this explanation I gave enough for genuine seekers to gain some sense of the path ahead and the demands that it would make.

The time has come to teach those individuals who are suitably prepared and open, by practical steps and in a systematic manner, the complete process through to this final stage.

This will be undertaken in four stages as follows:

  1. The Sheathing of Thunder and Lightning
  2. Stabilising the Thunder and Lightning
  3. Opening the Sky and Flooding
  4. The Arousal of Hamsah – the Anahata Nad, (the unstruck sound of the heart).
    Shambhavi Mudra

Each stage will consist of three-weekend workshops, each weekend consisting of three sessions. Between these stages, the students will be given suitable time to practice and absorb what they have learned before proceeding further.

Copyright © Shadow Yoga. All rights reserved. No part of these teachings may be reproduced, distributed, recorded or transmitted in any form or by any means, including, recording, or other electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of Shadow Yoga. All advice given is strictly in confidence.

Vitry-lès-Cluny

About the region

Tourism center information

Close by: Remember to call ahead for visit conditions

Roche de Solutré: Not to miss, on the Great Site of France Solutré Pouilly Vergisson

Musée de préhistoire: Jardin archeological and botanical garden, the Maison du Grand Site to complete the tour.

Château De Pierreclos: In the midst of organic vineyards.

Chateau De Berze-Le-Chatel: Historical monument, one of the most well-preserved medieval fortified castles of Burgundy (where Ridley Scott shot ‘The Last Duel’!)

Chapelle Des Moines: In Berzé-la-Ville (the next village!)  – not to be missed.

Château De Cormatin: (only possible to visit its magnificent garden) Between Tournus et Cluny.

Les Communs: Local ceramists.

Chapaize – L’église Saint Martin & L’église De Lancharre: The village offers bed and breakfasts, 3 restaurants a Sunday organic market, an art gallery, and artists’ ateliers.

Grottes D’azé: Earth under life: in -350 000, a primal man appeared in the cave, then rhinos and antique elephants…the prehistorical cave and the underground river hide one of the largest European cave bears fields.

Grottes De Blanot

Château De Saint-Point-Lamartine: If one appreciates the writer

Solornay sur Guye: The neighbouring town – includes a restaurant, small food store, salon de thé – pâtisserie 

Cité- Abbaye De Cluny: The Benedictin Abbaye Of Cluny Shined On The Whole Middle Age Europe, Being The Widest Of Western Christianity Before The Building Of Saint-Peters In Rome.

Communauté De Taizé: Christian Ecumenical Community Founded In 1940 By Brother Roger.

Abbaye Saint Philibert – Tournus: One Of The Largest French Monastic Cities.

Important Information

Inclusions

  • Accommodation for the specified nights. We will do our best to provide your choice of accommodation
  • Vegetarian meals catered by local chef with local produce.

If you are flying to Auckland, when your flights are confirmed, please pass the info to Jaymin Gansell who will co-ordinate transport to the retreat on the Tuesday. This will be an additional shared cost. If you are already in Auckland you are welcome to contact her too.

Discounts

  • 5% For EarlyBird booking and full payment received before 15 July will be applied at checkout.
  • We regret that Teacher’s Discount is not available for this retreat.

Cancellation Policy

  • After 15 August: Cancellation fee of 20%
  • After 15 September: Cancellation fee of 40%
  • After 15 October: Cancellation fee of 100%
  • We will do our best to replace your booking in which case the fee will be halved.

Limited to 20 participants. We expect places to fill quickly.

Important Retreat Information

Included in your fee

  • Accommodation for the specified nights. We will do our best to provide your choice of accommodation
  • A consultation with the Vaidya (Ayurvedic doctor)
  • Treatments as specified
  • Three vegetarian meals a day with two beverages (ideally herbal tea if not, tea/coffee) and fruit bowl
  • One group session on Diet and Ayurveda

Exclusions

Extra meals, fruits, tea, coffee & juices

Extras

  • Airport taxi pickup and drop are available (see below)
  • Additional specific treatments are available
  • Astrology Session – INR4,000

We regret that Teacher’s Discount is not available for the retreats.

Venue information

Poonthottam

Closest domestic airports (in order) are Kozhikode, Cochin, Coimbatore.
Cochin takes longer because of very heavy traffic. The asram will help organise a taxi for you – see contact details below.

Contact

For taxi bookings and information about additional treatments or extending your stay, please contact Jishnu Ravendranath
WhatsApp is prefered +918075435242

Cancellation Policy

  • After 15 September – Cancellation fee of 30%
  • After 15 October – Cancellation fee of 60%
  • After 15 November – Cancellation fee of 100%

Limited to 20 participants. We expect places to fill quickly.

Meditations of the Thunder Dragon (Taranyali Dhyanam)

with Sundernath

Over the past twenty years, we have introduced and taught all the preparatory practices required to cultivate the subtle energy and initiate the gathering of vital power that leads to the spontaneous or natural state of Sahajavasta which is the highest peak of meditation.

These practices and technical tools were laid out in Sundernath’s book Taranyali Tridha Dhyanam in the chapters on Krantam and Kriya. In the last chapter, he introduces the principles and characteristics of the final phase to which they lead – the acquisition of Shambhavi Mudra. These properties can be summed up in the term prasādājñā which implies that this mudra has a double nature – Rudra Shakti, the command of authority for the removal of impurities and Kundalini Shakti, the command of grace. When these two energies are drawn together into a single point the portal of transmission is opened. In this explanation I gave enough for genuine seekers to gain some sense of the path ahead and the demands that it would make.

The time has come to teach those individuals who are suitably prepared and open, by practical steps and in a systematic manner, the complete process through to this final stage.

This will be undertaken in four stages as follows:

  1. The Sheathing of Thunder and Lightning
  2. Stabilising the Thunder and Lightning
  3. Opening the Sky and Flooding
  4. The Arousal of Hamsah – the Anahata Nad, (the unstruck sound of the heart).
    Shambhavi Mudra

Each stage will consist of three-weekend workshops, each weekend consisting of three sessions. Between these stages, the students will be given suitable time to practice and absorb what they have learned before proceeding further.

Copyright © Shadow Yoga. All rights reserved. No part of these teachings may be reproduced, distributed, recorded or transmitted in any form or by any means, including, recording, or other electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of Shadow Yoga. All advice given is strictly in confidence.

Vitry-lès-Cluny

About the region

Tourism center information

Close by: Remember to call ahead for visit conditions

Roche de Solutré: Not to miss, on the Great Site of France Solutré Pouilly Vergisson

Musée de préhistoire: Jardin archeological and botanical garden, the Maison du Grand Site to complete the tour.

Château De Pierreclos: In the midst of organic vineyards.

Chateau De Berze-Le-Chatel: Historical monument, one of the most well-preserved medieval fortified castles of Burgundy (where Ridley Scott shot ‘The Last Duel’!)

Chapelle Des Moines: In Berzé-la-Ville (the next village!)  – not to be missed.

Château De Cormatin: (only possible to visit its magnificent garden) Between Tournus et Cluny.

Les Communs: Local ceramists.

Chapaize – L’église Saint Martin & L’église De Lancharre: The village offers bed and breakfasts, 3 restaurants a Sunday organic market, an art gallery, and artists’ ateliers.

Grottes D’azé: Earth under life: in -350 000, a primal man appeared in the cave, then rhinos and antique elephants…the prehistorical cave and the underground river hide one of the largest European cave bears fields.

Grottes De Blanot

Château De Saint-Point-Lamartine: If one appreciates the writer

Solornay sur Guye: The neighbouring town – includes a restaurant, small food store, salon de thé – pâtisserie 

Cité- Abbaye De Cluny: The Benedictin Abbaye Of Cluny Shined On The Whole Middle Age Europe, Being The Widest Of Western Christianity Before The Building Of Saint-Peters In Rome.

Communauté De Taizé: Christian Ecumenical Community Founded In 1940 By Brother Roger.

Abbaye Saint Philibert – Tournus: One Of The Largest French Monastic Cities.