Xinalani Yoga Adventure…Winter 2018 

Delve into your practice more deeply than ever before. We will rise to Salute the Sun and the sea each day with a vigorous, creative and powerful vinyasa practice married with dynamic music. Enjoy the moving meditation that ensues. We will end the day with a practice that soothes the soul, massage the muscles from the inside out and breathes life into our bodies right where we need it.

“One word: Moving.  That is how I would describe my time in Mexico with Jill.  Jill possesses a special gift for reading the energy of a room. All week long, she sensed when the group needed more invigoration and when we needed more child’s pose! Her musical selections also matched this and many of us found ourselves singing along during many of the flows!  Her classes are never formulaic or scripted which I appreciate and she has a way of connecting with each of her students that is honest, genuine and loving. Each day I stepped into the studio, the light in Jill’s eyes conveyed warmth and safety, as if to say, “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”  As a result of that support, I was able to reach new heights in my practice that I didn’t realize were available to me. Things I always feared like handstands, and some of the more difficult balancing poses, are things I’m now trying to incorporate more and it feels great to have that confidence!

In life, there are teachers that are gifted in their content area but struggle with being able to impart their knowledge in a meaningful way to others. There are also teachers that view teaching merely as a job and often lack inspiration. In my opinion, Jill truly embodies the definition of teacher: she knows her yoga, lovingly imparts and shares her knowledge, and is always striving to give more to her students. She loves what she does and that love shines through in each of her classes! Thank you for an amazing week!”

-Julie Miller, Attended Prana del Mar Yoga Retreat November 2013

Jill Knouse Yoga.

About Jill…

Nine years ago, Jill Knouse left the corporate world behind to pursue her love of yoga full-time.  She is passionate about sharing the beauty of Vinyasa Yoga. Jill joyfully creates powerful and flowing sequences, linked together by breath and great intention. Her mindful teaching style naturally leads students to a state of strength, balance, flexibility and overall well being. While Jill’s classes may be challenging, she makes them accessible to everyone.  Jill strives to support her students in cultivating a devoted practice infused with immense joy.

Jill has completed and led numerous teacher trainings.  In 2012, she successfully launched a mentorship program for new yoga teachers called Elevate Yoga Trainings.  She is a dedicated teacher determined to help her students discover what makes them feel truly ALIVE.  As a practicing massage therapist, anatomy, safe alignment, loads of hands-on assists and nurturing support are a huge part of her classes.  She teaches at a handful of wonderful studios in Portland, Oregon, leads trainings + workshops, participates in conferences + festivals and leads incredible group yoga adventures, like this ONE, twice a year!  Jill’s enthusiasm, intuition and inspiration pour from her heart and into every one of her classes and trainings.

This amazing group of people joined Jill’s Prana del Mar Retreat in Mexico!  See below to hear what participants had to say about their experiences…

More Testimonials from November 2013 ADVENTURES…

“It may sound trite to say that Jill’s yoga retreat changed me, but it did (so I am saying it anyway). I came to Prana del Mar to get away from the stresses of life (probably why most people decide to go on a retreat) and  I left feeling energized, recharged and ready to take on anything.

I signed up for Jill’s retreat having never taken a class from her previously. After the first day’s practice, I knew that the week was going to be amazing. Jill’s loving and caring personality coupled with her heart opening practices and vibrant energy makes for an ideal leader to take you on your yoga retreat journey.”

–Ali Zarrow, Founder of Clearly Kombucha

“Heading off to my first ever yoga retreat I felt some anxiety and worry.  I was flying off to spend a week with a lot of strangers doing more yoga than I had ever done.  From the moment I saw Jill’s supportive and loving smile I knew I had made the right decision in coming to her Prana del Mar yoga retreat.  Jill is a master at creating a warm, inclusive, supported and loving environment.  Her laugh is genuine and contagious.  Her yoga is challenging and empowering.  I learned more than I ever could have imagined, I feel stronger physically and emotionally, and I met some wonderful new friends!  I can’t wait for the next one…”

-Mara Mackie

“I have practiced yoga for over 10 years and have been Yoga Alliance certified for over 8 years. I love yoga but I don’t give rave reviews often. My recent retreat to Prana del Mar with Jill qualifies as a “top” experience. The food, facilities, and service were excellent, but most importantly, Jill’s classes were fabulous. I especially enjoyed her sequencing and gentle adjustments. Her laughter and spontaneity were infectious. There were a wide-range of experience level and capabilities, but I think everyone felt welcomed and successful.”

– Carol Ann Marusiak

“Jill’s retreat was equal parts reflective, connective, energizing and relaxing.  She has an amazing ability to read the energy in the room and deliver just what is needed.  She allowed a supportive and accepting environment where I was able to explore new depths of my practice.  I was actually surprised at what my body was able to do!  The facility was impeccable, food amazing, and adventures thoughtfully vetted and planned.  To me, it was a perfect vacation.”

-Melissa Hurley

“I had the amazing opportunity to go on my first yoga retreat with Jill and I can assure you it won’t be my last! Everything about it was amazing- the serene location just outside of the city of Cabo where we practiced gazing towards the ocean, the delicious food, the amazing group of yogis, and of course, getting to practice with Jill herself. Her classes were beautifully sequenced with wonderfully thought out themes, fun, and had the perfect combination of lightheartedness and challenge. I am looking forward to my next retreat with Jill!”

-Liesa “L” Steiner

“I have been on about a dozen yoga retreats over the last 15 years, many of which were led by “celebrity” yoga teachers. So I think I have a pretty good feel for the range of different experiences that are available.

That said, I can say with all sincerity that this was my favorite. The yoga classes were fantastic – but it was so much more.  Jill does a great job of building a community, making sure everyone is getting what they need, and holding a place that feels authentic and nourishing for all. Not an easy task but she excels at it. I had a wonderful time on and off the mat. The week that I spent at Prana del Mar was truly an exceptional one.”

-Kelly Blunt

“I’ve practiced yoga off and on for 10 years and the only routine I have is that there is no routine.  At times I’ve gone weekly and then long stretches where I don’t practice for months and months.  So signing up for a week long yoga retreat was a bit out of my comfort zone but from the beginning I felt completely at ease and confident that I could stretch my boundaries.  Jill created an experience that was welcoming and inclusive regardless of what our yoga background was.  The week was a beautiful balance of rigorous yoga and playful movement. Always focused on what we needed and our energy for each class, Jill changed her approach and adapted the flow to fit what felt right.  We stopped mid vinyasa to watch whales breeching.  As someone who hadn’t taken a yoga class in too many months, I wasn’t sure how I’d respond to the twice daily 2-hour classes, but I felt completely capable the entire week.  It wasn’t until the last day that I realized how proud I was of myself – each day, class, pose had added up to this amazing experience.   Thank you Jill!”

-Maren Elliott

“There are no words to describe how exceptional Jill Knouse is as a yoga teacher. I have been trying to find the words for this review for the last 4 months….so here it goes. This past November I ventured on a journey to Mexico for one of Jill’s Yoga Retreats. I have been practicing for 7 years and  have always wanted to go, in 2013 I was finally at a good spot in my life to commit to the trip. The only problem was, I had fallen out of yoga and hadn’t really practiced in about 1 year. I had been missing my yoga practice, but whenever I went it just wasn’t the same, there was no connection and I felt broken. There are many situations in my life that transpired and led to this “rock bottom” yoga state, one of which was a extremely painful foot injury another was a divorce. One day it occurred to me that I should still go on the retreat, if a week in Mexico with Jill couldn’t fix my relationship with yoga then nothing could. After months of anticipation I arrived at the yoga retreat and began the journey back into my practice. The first couple days were rough and it still felt forced, however something clicked around the middle of the week. Jills classes were so filled with her own heart and passion, I started to find my passion for yoga again through her carefully crafted and passionate classes. I really believe Jill gives everything to each of her classes and to her students (I don’t know how she does it)! Everything from the carefully selected sequences to the perfected playlists create an experience where you feel loved and supported. In that type of environment you can relax into your practice and truly find yourself. Without Jill I I would likely still be struggling to find myself again, my passion for yoga and my happiness. Jill saved me in a way, she gave me back my love for yoga and I cannot thank her enough for that. I highly recommend Jill’s yoga retreats, classes and any other services provided. Portland is lucky to have Jill in it’s yoga community!”

– Trisha Bennett

Don’t miss out!  Namaste.