How Mandala Project blends yoga, sound therapy, and reconnection to nature
When you take part in a Mandala Project retreat, you quickly notice that it’s not just about unrolling a mat. Yoga is lived as a way of life that dialogues with music, breath, and nature. Mélanie Elbaz and her team imagined a path based on three pillars: conscious movement, sound therapy, and immersion in the environment. Together, they create an alchemy that soothes the nervous system and awakens creativity.
Yoga as an anchor
Each day begins with a postural practice. Depending on the group’s needs, we alternate between gentle Hatha, energizing Vinyasa, or regenerative Yin. The goal is to balance the physical body, soften the mind, and prepare the ground for the sensory explorations that follow. Sequences are co‑created with guest teachers: some come from India, others from Spain, but all share a pedagogy rooted in presence. We combine postures with pranayamas that regulate energy: Nadi Shodhana to harmonize, Bhastrika to activate, Ujjayi to soothe.
Sound baths as vibrational medicine
After movement, it’s time for sound. Sound baths are led by therapeutic musicians who use planetary gongs, crystal bowls, shamanic drums, and voice. Participants lie in savasana, wrapped in blankets. Vibrations pass through the body, inviting deep release. We observe tangible effects: slower breathing, relaxed muscle tension, emotions that emerge then dissolve. Sound therapy acts as a bridge between conscious and unconscious. It releases accumulated memories, often without words.
To amplify the impact, we sometimes pair sound with a collective intention. During a gong bath in Kerala, we invited the group to visualize a lotus opening at the heart; the feedback was powerful. Some felt waves of warmth, others experienced luminous memories. It’s this capacity of sound to touch the individual and the collective that fascinates us.
Reconnecting to nature
The third pillar is nature. In Ibiza as in Kerala, each retreat includes time outdoors: sunrise meditation, silent forest walk, ritual sea swim. We ask the group to observe the sky, trees, animals — not as decorations, but as teachers. When we slow down enough, nature reminds us that everything is cyclical. This awareness dissolves the pressure to “do it right” and invites us to simply be.
We also organize workshops in herbalism, wild cooking, or land art. The goal is to restore a tactile bond with the living world. Picking flowers to create a mandala in the sand, preparing an herbal tea with plants found on a walk… These simple gestures resonate long after the retreat.
A virtuous triangle
Yoga, sound therapy, nature: this trio forms a flexible canvas. Some days, we begin with sound to release before moving; other times, we end with a sea immersion to ground. What matters is listening to the group. Mandala Project is organic, able to adjust. “When you truly listen, you know what the group needs,” Mélanie summarizes.
To extend the experience, we offer playlists, sound rituals to redo at home, and tips for creating a sacred corner in your house. Sometimes all it takes is a candle, a Tibetan bowl, and five minutes of breathing to awaken the energy felt on retreat.
If you’re looking for a practice that embraces body, heart, and soul, this yoga + sound + nature combination may become your new essential. Mandala Project awaits you with open arms.