Questions about the venue

 

Where is the retreat?

The retreat is being held just outside the idyllic town of Daylan in Turkey. The centre is about a 25 minute walk into Daylan (or a 10 minute cycle. There are one or two bikes for use at the centre available to guests)

 

Are flights included?

Participants must make their own flight arrangements for getting to Turkey. This is not included in the price of the retreat.

 

What is the nearest airport?

The nearest airport is Dalaman which is about 30 minutes away by car. There are flights by several airlines to Dalaman with times and prices to suit all. Skyscanner.net often is a good place to start to look for flights.

 

Are transfers included?

Transfers are not included but we can arrange for you to be picked up and/or dropped off from the airport. Just ensure you provide us with details of your flights. Approximate cost for both trips is around £40.

 

How do I get to the venue?

The best way to get to the venue is to arrange for a transfer. If you let us know we can organise this for you.

 

Is there WiFi?

There is WiFi in the venue in the communal areas and some people may be able to get a signal in their rooms. It’s offered for use for casual surfing and email and not for watching movies or downloading.

 

What is the accommodation like?

The accommodation is simple and clean. Each room is poolside and has an en suite. Most of the rooms are single occupancy, with some being twin. The centre itself is set among nature and is only recently been built. It has a pool, yoga hall, cafe/reading area, library of books and two wonderful hosts.

 

Will I have to share a room?

This depends on when you book. There are 9 single rooms and 3 twin rooms available. Please email retreats@thethoughtgym.com to enquire about availability of single rooms.

 

Are there any double rooms?

There are three twin rooms (2 beds) although there is the potential to push them together and put a foam mattress on the top making a super-king sized bed. Please enquire about this at retreats@thethoughtgym.com if you are in a couple and would like to explore this option.

 

Can I come with a partner?

Yes, you may come with a partner if they are also participating in the cleanse. It is best for all participants that everyone staying is completing the cleanse to create a sense of community and support. As such, partners are welcome if they are also doing the full program. There are only three twins rooms, so if none of these are available, but there are two single rooms, then this could also be an option. Please enquire at time of booking to ensure the option you want is available.

 

Is it by a beach?

There is a gorgeous beach not far from the venue. It’s about 20 minutes on the bus or you can also take a boat and walk (about 45 minutes). During the cleanse we will be conducting educational talks and workshops, but there will be time after the cleanse to head to the beach.

 

Is there a pool?

Yes there is a large pool for both swimming and relaxing in with the lush Turkish scenery as a backdrop.

 

How hot will it be?

At the time of year we are going it should be warm and pleasant. September has lows of 16 degrees and highs around 31 and October between 12 C and 25 C, so you can expect a range somewhere between there.

 

Is the venue only for people on the program?

Yes, the venue on our trip will only have fellow participants on our program. The ‘Detox with a Difference’ participants will be the only ones staying in the venue. It’s not open to the general public or even partners who are not on the program.

 

Do I need a visa?

Yes, depending on where you are from. Best to check the Turkish site https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ . If you hold a British passport you will need a visa. It's $20 in advance or £20 cash on arrival.

 

Questions about payments

 

How much is it?

The price for the retreat is £1,150 (GBP).

 

How much is the deposit?

A non-refundable deposit of £250 (GBP) is required at time of booking to secure your spot.

 

How do I pay?

Express interest and book on by emailing retreats@thethoughtgym.com. We will then confirm there are spaces still and provide you with bank details to transfer the money into.

 

When do I need to pay by?

The date for all payments to be received by is 18 September 2014. All payments must be received by then or you will lose your place and your deposit.

 

Is there an installment plan?

Yes. You can pay the non-refundable deposit of £250 and then make two payments of £450 each or a single further payment of £900. All installments must still be received by 18 September 2014.

 

Can I pay in full at time of booking?

Yes. If you prefer you can pay the complete balance of £1,150 at the time of the booking.

 

Are there any refunds?

Provided you give us at least 4 weeks notice we can refund what you’ve paid minus the non-refundable deposit of £250. Unfortunately the deposit is non-refundable.

 

Can I pay online?

You can pay using a direct (TT) transfer from your bank into ours. We do not accept online payments via the web or via PayPal at this time. Once you book on, we will provide you with the sort code and account number for you to be able to transfer the money.

 

What happens if I can’t make it after paying my deposit?

Provided we are given at least 2 weeks notice (i.e. informed before 15 September 2014) then we can pay back any money already paid, minus the non-refundable deposit of £250. For example, if you have paid in full then you will receive £900 back, or if you have paid only the deposit and one additional payment of £450, you will receive the £450 back.

 

What happens if I can’t make it after paying in full?

Provided that you give us 8 weeks notice (i.e. let us know before 28 August 2014), then we will refund the money paid, minus the non-refundable deposit of £250.

 

Can someone else take my place if I can’t make it?

Provided they meet the criteria stated in the terms and conditions sections e.g. are over 18 years old, have no serious health challenges, are not on medication, then we can certainly look at that possibility. Please contact us to clarify the situation.

 

Can I change money in Daylan?

Yes. There are banks and ATM’s in Daylan. Banks do sometimes have different opening times so it’s worth checking with us before heading out.

 

What is the currency in Turkey?

The Turkish currency is the Lira.

 

Questions about the cleanse

 

What will we have during the cleanse?

During the 5 day cleanse you will have a variety of freshly extracted vegetable juices (with a small amount of fruit), the odd smoothie or soup, herbal teas, fresh spring water, nutritional supplements and fun!

 

How long will we cleanse for?

The cleanse will be for 5 days (starting on the Tuesday morning) and we will end the cleanse on Sunday.

 

Will I feel hungry?

Most people report that they do not actually feel hungry and this has been our experience too. You may get feelings of hunger to begin with but these should subside after a couple of days. The retreat schedule and training (in NLP) is designed to help you make this easy for you.

 

What will I feel like?

Everyone is different. In the first couple of days (usually the hardest for most people) you may have your body experience the effects of a detoxification process. This could be anything from mild/severe headaches, tiredness, grumpiness, frustration, irritation, hunger to nothing at all. It depends on many factors including the level of toxicity in your body (often worse if you smoke, drink, eat processed foods, eat sugar, drink carbonated soft drinks, eat meat or dairy, are stressed), how healthy you are and what you think about. We’ll all be there to support each other though and others will be going through the same thing as you, so you won’t be alone.

After the first two (or sometimes three) days, you will start to feel a renewed sense of energy and vitality. Your cells will start to feel alive, the whites of your eyes will start to shine again, you may find old chronic aches and pains disappearing. You may feel great clarity and concentration. Everyone has different experiences but once you’re through the first couple of days, it will be easy to finish the 5 days and after the fifth day you may even feel like you can go on for longer!

 

Can I come if I’m on medication?

Please contact us (retreats@thethoughtgym.com) to discuss what kind of medications you’re on and your specific condition.

 

Can I come if I’m pregnant?

Unfortunately we do not accept women who are pregnant on to this particular retreat.

 

Will I lose weight?

Most people will lose weight during this process, however the goal of this program is primarily to show people how they can lead a fit and healthy lifestyle which will enable them to get to and maintain a healthy weight for the rest of their lives.

 

Can I do it if I’ve never done a cleanse before?

Yes, if you’ve never done a cleanse before you are more than welcome. In fact we encourage first timers.

Questions about the program

 

I’ve never done yoga before. Is it for me?

Yoga is for everyone, whatever your starting point. On this retreat the yoga will be gentle and designed to complement the cleansing and detoxification process. Our wonderfully experienced teacher, Celest Pereira, will always be able to provide alternatives and support for any moves you may struggle with.

 

Will the exercise be intense?

No. During this retreat the goal is not to be supreme Ironman triathletes. The focus of the exercises will be to wake your body up, move the lymph fluid (the body’s sewage system) around and get oxygen into the cells.

 

Will there be any free time?

We want to give you as much value as possible so there will be a full schedule of things to do, including yoga/general exercise, health talks and discussions, NLP training, educational videos, meditation and of course drinking our juices. There will however be some free time each day and on the Sunday as well.

 

What is NLP?

NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming. It is a field of human understanding that focusses on the process behind why people do what they do. It’s now a very expansive field of neuroscience compared to it’s beginnings in the 1970’s when John Grinder and Richard Bandler created it. It is a tool for affecting (often rapid) change in people for all manner of things from phobias to confidence levels, for communicating better to achieving success in whatever field you’re committed to.  You don’t need to know much more than that, other than it’s been used by top athletes, top communicators and businesspeople for years and it can be used to help you ensure that when you leave the retreat you have some new tools and concepts that will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

 

Do I need to consult a doctor before coming?

If you have (or have had in the past) serious health issues, then please disclose these to us and also consult a health care partitioner (e.g. your GP) prior to booking with us. If you are in generally good health (but not outstanding and fantastic health!), then you should be fine to join us.

 

Who are Hari and Celest?

Hari and Celest are two people who value their health and have made it a living practice to understand more about how to improve their lives by focussing on their minds, bodies and spirits. Hari is an NLP Master Practitioner who believes that before training the body, you must first train the mind. Always a keen and active person, it wasn’t until only a few years ago that Hari really decoupled this idea that 'being fit' = 'being healthy'. Having undergone his own experimentation with his diet/nutrition and exercise regimes, Hari is confident that his approach works. Hari is a coach and author of the well received book “The Thought Gym” where he shares his approach to health and wellness. He is the founder of www.thethoughtgym.com.

Celest is a full time yoga teacher who teaches internationally and is currently an ambassador for lululemon (yoga clothing brand) and Ananda Soul Creations (ethical jewellery). Celest gained her BSc. (Hons) degree in Physiotherapy so is somewhat unique in the yoga community for being a yoga teacher with such an in-depth and formal education around the mechanics of the body. Having experienced her own health challenges in the past, Celest has also used a combination of nutrition and exercise to overcome these. Celest runs the www.cityogi.com brand and teaches both classes and private lessons in London.