Eight Celtic festivals a year – and a house that celebrates them all
The Seezeitlodge on Lake Bostal follows the Celtic wheel of the year. Mabon, the festival of harvest and balance, takes place at the end of September. It is precisely during these days that the autumn yoga retreat begins there.
Autumn is the season of bountiful harvests. Of colourful forests, crisp mornings after the summer haze, and the first evenings by the fire. The Celts celebrated this: no fewer than three of their eight annual festivals are dedicated to the harvest.
The Seezeitlodge on Lake Bostal has made this calendar its own. Not as a theme for the menu, but as a guiding principle by which the lodge operates – from its architecture and cuisine to the way it is organised. Mabon, the autumn equinox, takes place at the end of September. And it is precisely during these days that the autumn yoga retreat takes place, from 24 to 27 September.
A place chosen by the Celts themselves
The house stands on a wooded headland overlooking Lake Bostal, in the heart of the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park. This area was once a Celtic settlement; the Otzenhausen ring wall – one of the largest Celtic fortifications in Europe – lies just a few kilometres away. Anyone building here is building on 2,500 years of history.
The Seezeitlodge takes this heritage literally. Trees from the Celtic tree circle are planted throughout the grounds: a willow grows by the main entrance as the house’s ‘birth tree’, whilst oak, ash and birch symbolise strength, energy and light. And the building itself is aligned precisely with the path of the solstices, following the Celtic model.
This is made visible by a gleaming brass strip in the floor, which runs through the interior and exterior spaces and marks three axes. The winter solstice axis runs through the lobby and ends at the fire pit on the terrace. The summer solstice axis runs through the long communal table in the LUMI restaurant, follows the topography of the grounds outside and finally rises into the sky like a ray of sunlight. And the NOX bar – the name means ‘night’ – lies exactly on the equinox axis. There, you’ll find signature cocktails featuring Celtic herbs and the in-house gin, EquiNOX Yggdrasil. You might think of this as a bit of a gimmick. But it’s one that’s in the building plans, not just in the brochure.
Mabon: the festival of balance
The Celtic annual cycle comprises eight festivals. Four of these are linked to the sun and have fixed dates: Ostara at the spring equinox, Litha at the summer solstice, Mabon at the autumn equinox and Yule at the winter solstice. The other four are based on the moon: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh and Samhain, which marks the beginning of the Celtic year.
Mabon falls at the end of September, coinciding with the moment when day and night are of equal length everywhere on Earth. It is one of the three harvest festivals – the festival when the storehouses are full and thanks are given for what has grown. Above all, however, it is a festival of balance: a day when light and darkness are in equilibrium, before the year enters its quieter half.
This idea – pausing, gathering one’s thoughts, finding balance – is around two and a half thousand years old and fits remarkably well with what modern training theory knows about recovery. Without deliberate periods of recovery, exertion does not lead to progress. The Celts needed a festival for this. We take a long weekend for it.
The Yogalodge: four days in tune with the rhythm of the house
From 24 to 27 September, Stefanie Dell will be leading the autumn Yoga Lodge. The programme has been deliberately designed to be varied, alternating between challenging and calm sessions: powerful Vinyasa flows, mobility and balance sessions, somatic movement and breathwork on the one hand, and relaxing Yin and stretching sequences on the other. This is complemented by meditation, time spent in nature and atmospheric rituals, including a light bath.
Anyone who has ever been on a retreat knows just how much this variety makes a difference. It is exactly what makes for a good week of training: a mix of different experiences rather than four days of the same thing. And it leaves room – for the spa, for a walk by the lake, for a bit of downtime in between.
Stefanie Dell herself describes her approach as follows:
“For me, yoga means consciously attuning myself to the rhythm of life time and again. It is a vibrant, multifaceted process full of experiences – sometimes light and flowing, sometimes challenging and intense. On the yoga mat, I tap into my inner strength and learn to trust my own rhythm, my own powers and my inner wisdom.”
The rhythm of life – this brings us full circle to the Celtic cycle of the year, in which the Celts also timed their festivals to coincide with sowing, harvesting, the phases of the moon and the positions of the sun. Story and practice mean the same thing.
What lies behind the story
The cycle of the seasons is a beautiful story. Equally interesting is the focus of the lodge’s programme: under the name ‘Seezeit re.connect’, the Seezeitlodge brings together its offerings with a focus on health, longevity and mental balance, and is a member of The Longevity Hotels. The Celtic narrative is the form; longevity is the content.
This is also evident in the spa. Spanning 5,000 square metres, the rituals are organised into four themed areas: building strength, activating the foundation, releasing energy, and strengthening the mind. Ancient herbal knowledge meets modern treatments. There is also an outdoor sauna village, steam baths and relaxation areas overlooking the water.
The same philosophy applies in the kitchen. Breakfast is served until 11.00, which, after an early session on the mat, is not just a minor detail but the difference between rushing about and truly settling in. Smoothies at lunchtime, home-baked cake and the resort’s own herbal tea blend in the afternoon, and a multi-course menu in the evening. A delight, without leaving you feeling sluggish the next morning.
Four days that sum up the year
The autumnal Yoga Lodge is ideal for anyone who doesn’t just want to passively accept the change of season, but wishes to experience it consciously – through exercise, relaxation and a few days in a landscape that is at its most colourful in September.
Four days and three nights in a room with a four-poster bed, full board, the full programme and plenty of time in between for the spa and the lake. Groups remain small. The date is set – Mabon cannot be postponed.
Stefanie Dell was born in the Saarland and is a qualified yoga teacher; she teaches the Seezeitlodge’s signature yoga style, which is characterised by flowing movements in harmony with the breath. Her repertoire extends beyond the mat: as well as classic exercises, she also teaches aerial yoga and SUP yoga on the water. And she is not merely a guest teacher, but the driving force behind the programme: the Yoga Lodge is one of the hotel’s signature experiences and is designed as a retreat under her direction – she always incorporates elements of the season. She also writes regular posts for the hotel blog, such as reflections on the Advent season or book recommendations.
“For me, yoga means consciously attuning myself to the rhythm of life, time and again. It is a vibrant, multifaceted process full of experiences – sometimes light and flowing, sometimes challenging and intense. Through the combination of movement, breathing, meditation and mindfulness – and, very importantly, the values associated with yoga – a space is created for me in which I can connect with myself. Yoga helps me both to pause and listen inwards – to be present with myself – and to express myself outwards – to be myself. On the yoga mat, I tap into my inner strength and learn to trust my own rhythm, my strengths and my inner wisdom. Yoga reminds me to treat myself, the people around me and my environment with care; to cherish health and life as a gift; and to consciously shape my own path. It teaches me to maintain trust even in turbulent times, to let go, and to follow the natural flow of life with growing serenity. And so I practise being present, anchoring myself time and again in the here and now, and approaching life – with all that it entails – with openness and curiosity. All these experiences are allowed to continue to grow – step by step, with patience, dedication and a great deal of joy in learning and sharing this wonderful gift that yoga is for me.”