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"Max is like a diamond in the desert. I don't know how we got him here in this funny little town we live in but he's great...I found that yoga has made a huge difference in all my other activities and my state of mind."
Cal Gerberding, student at Living Yoga of the Desert,
Yucca Valley, CA |
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| "I should also give kudos to Max and Robin; staying with them is like staying with good friends. If you need help or a recommendation, they're there, but if you want to bask in solitude, you won't see them. I did take a yoga lesson from Max, and it was wonderful -- it really started my day, and I'm now interested in learning more about yoga." |
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Private Yoga Retreats
with Max Thomas |
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| "Yoga is the art and science of bringing
conscious awareness to everyday living." |
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| From the moment you drive through High Desert Eden's stone pillars, you will know you have arrived at a safe haven, a peaceful sanctuary for the spirit. This is a place for communion with the earth and the glories of nature -- from the tiniest "belly flowers" (so small you must lie on your belly to see them) to the 360 degree sweep of mountains, volcanos and magnificent flat-topped mesas. On your weekend retreat, every one of the yogi's senses will be satisfied. The sounds of the city are all gone out here. No traffic, no sirens, no white noise. |
| Only wind in the trees, a chorus of songbirds, frogs croaking, and distant howling coyotes. To please the eye, the Southwest casita with its gentle curves and arches is filled with fine art, luxurious furnishings, and rich, colorful textiles. This slice of the high desert is uniquely graced with an abundance of vegetation - wildflowers, ancient trees, and a vast biodiversity of shrubbery - so the fragrances, though subtle, are fresh and delightful. Amazing sunrises, sunsets, and gazing at the night skies famous the world over inspire quiet contemplation. The 22 acres, bounded on two sides by Wildlands Conservancy, is filled with dozens of secret hiding places and "little altars everywhere" that you can make your own. Healthy meals, lovingly prepared with your personal preferences in mind, are an epicurean delight.
But the best is yet to come...the reason you've chosen a private retreat at High Desert Eden -- yoga tailored individually for your needs with acclaimed yoga master and healer, Max Thomas. With 35 years of experience and wisdom at his command, Max offers his own eclectic and non-dogmatic style of yoga to everyone from raw beginners to seasoned practitioners. Taught in the most beautiful and comfortable surroundings (indoors or out, weather permitting) you can choose gentle, restorative sessions to promote healing from specific injuries or illness, basic to more complex breath-work, or learn how to use "Yoga as Preventative Medicine." Yoginis and yogis might wish an energetic workout, to refine or redesign his or her current practice ...or even create a personal practice from the ground up. And there's no one better than Max at just "playing yoga" with kids from 9-90. You will leave High Desert Eden refreshed and invigorated...and raring to come back! |
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Max Thomas, healer and veteran of the ancient art and science of yoga for over thirty years, received his initial teacher training certification from Ganga White of The White Lotus Center for Yoga in Los Angeles in 1978. He later served there as director, senior teacher, and trainer of teachers. Max traveled to Pune, India to personally study with B.K.S Iyengar, and returned home to continue his studies with many of the world's yoga pioneers.
He has taught thousands of students and teachers at every level - from raw beginners to professional athletes, working with Oscar and Emmy winners, western and alternative health care professionals and healers, and Native American elders.
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One of the murals at Living Yoga of the Desert,
by Los Angeles Artist, Tom Ellis |
Max has taught retreats and workshops throughout California, teacher training programs at two of his Los Angeles studios and at White Lotus Foundation's Santa Barbara Retreat Center, and developed a yoga curriculum for Joseph Heller's Hellerwork Training. From 2003 - 2010 Max's studio, Living Yoga of the Desert in Yucca Valley, served the communities of California's High Desert.
Max developed a program for schizophrenic teenagers at UCLA Medical Center , worked with HIV patients at Aids Project L.A (APLA) , and the CEO of City of Hope Cancer Center. He taught breathwork classes at the 2010 Bhakti Fest in Joshua Tree, CA.
Max's experience in massage and deep tissue bodywork laid the foundation for his profound interest in therapeutic yoga. He creates personalized programs for private clients on referral from medical doctors and chiropractors.
In 1997 Max and his wife, author/screenwriter Robin Maxwell, created the critically acclaimed home video "E-i-E-i YOGA," and as "Yogi-Okie-Doki" Max introduced kids and their parents to yoga in a colorful barnyard scene, set to foot-tapping bluegrass music ("Four Hooves Up!" - Richard Rosen, Yoga Journal). It was featured on national television and in articles in the The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Fit Magazine, and Malibu Times. |
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| WEEKEND YOGA RETREATS |
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You'll arrive Friday afternoon and depart on Sunday afternoon. Included are lodging at the casita; four yoga session s of your choice with Max; and four healthy gourmet meals (two dinners, two breakfasts, and fresh fruit available all day). Max will also guide you around High Desert Eden sanctuary so you can find your favorite places for private time and meditation. |
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