Get Out.
Escape despair (and the cold). Come with me to write, connect, and move.
Well, it’s been a week.
You’re certainly getting your election news elsewhere so I won’t get into all of that here (that’s what my other newsletter is for). What I will say is that in these moments when I am most despairing, I try to look out and reach out: I read what smart people write, I bitch to friends, I commiserate with comrades, I throw money at the organizations that aim to solve our biggest problems, and I try to carve out little spaces of pleasure. Among those spaces are the writing and yoga retreats I’ve been co-hosting for several years, and will be hosting again in 2025. I hope you’ll come with me.
I came to these retreats somewhat by accident. I messaged Emily Shapiro, who had taught me yoga in New York for many years, about attending a retreat of hers in Costa Rica, and she invited me to co-host it and teach writing at it. I did, and wow what a joy. From there, we expanded into Tuscany, and then Greece, and then Kenya; last year we went to Scotland and Morocco, and this year we’re heading to Norway. One of the absolute best parts of these retreats is that many participants come back again and again; another is that new people join at each one. Over the years, a really incredible network of women, non-binary people, and a small but notable number of excellent men has emerged. At each retreat, retreaters mix and match and meet each other, and often form friendships that extend far beyond the retreat week. As the results of the election came in last week, many past retreaters and our retreat group chats became sources of solace and connection and commiseration and much-needed humor. Almost by accident, these retreats have moved from fun one-off to core component of my work life to deeply valued source of community.
All of which is to say: I hope you’ll join us on a retreat in 2025. It can be really hard to make new friends as an adult. It can be harder still to find a group of people with whom you can explore a beautiful corner of the world while also talking about ideas and honing your creative practices. I’m really proud of what Emily and I have built with these retreats: The movement that feels so good, the discussions that stoke imaginative fires, the beautiful pieces of writing that emerge, the ways in which so many people have found their people.
Our 2025 retreats are detailed below. They include Kenya, Norway, Greece, and Tuscany. I hope you can come. And if not, I hope you’re hanging in — and finding little bits of pleasure and camaraderie where you can.
If you want to join on a retreat, just hit reply to this email for more info.
Kenya Writing + Yoga Retreat, March 14-23, 2025
Join me and yoga teacher Emily Shapiro on a 10-day creative journey through city, safari, and sand as we return to my former home in Kenya. I love this retreat because I get to take people to my very favorite places — the places I used to go regularly when I lived in Nairobi, and that are off of the typical Kenya tourist track.
We begin in Nairobi, Kenya’s humming capitol, where we’ll meet some baby elephants, visit a giraffe sanctuary, and explore the city’s culinary delights. Then we’ll be off to Ol Pejeta in Kenya’s Laikipia region for four days of safari, yoga as elephants stroll by, meditation, visits with the world’s last Northern White Rhinos, sundowners, and more. Finally, we will head to Lamu on the Kenyan coast for poolside yoga, fresh-caught seafood, evening dhow rides, long beach walks, and the ability to explore one of the most stunning and special places in the world.
Throughout the retreat, Jill will lead writing workshops focused on effective storytelling. Emily will teach daily vinyasa yoga classes in extraordinary settings. This is not your typical drop-into-a-beautiful-place yoga retreat: Jill spent several years living in Nairobi, will be taking you to her very favorite places that may not be on the typical tourist agenda. And she will work with you individually on your own story-telling project.
Full details of the Kenya retreat, including pricing, can be found here.
Norway Writing + Yoga Retreat, June 6-11, 2025
Does sailing away to a remote and private 15-acre island in the fjords of Norway sound like an absolute dream? Then join us on Manshausen Island in Norway for six days of writing, yoga, and outdoor adventure in the Scandinavian north. Think sea, mountains, a sun that never sets, and spectacular views from the Scandi-design island cabins. This is guaranteed to be a unique and special week.
Full details of the Norway retreat, including pricing, can be found here.
Greece Writing + Yoga Retreat, June 15-21, 2025
We’re going back to Greece! I’m very lucky to have gotten to spend quite a bit of time in Greece, and nowhere in the country is quite like Folegandros, the Cyclades’s best-kept secret and the island where we host this retreat. It’s small — there’s just one road — without an airport, which keeps it just the right level of touristed: Enough to sustain a bustling and vibrant main town where cafes and restaurants spill out onto the cobblestone streets, but never over-crowded (there is not a selfie-stick-wielding influencer in sight). Donkey trails lead down to nearly-empty cove beaches, and the water is as clear and blue as anything I’ve ever seen. Plus: The food, omg. The Greece retreat is a sun-kissed reset in a place you won’t forget.
Full details of the Greece retreat, including pricing, can be found here.
Tuscany Writing + Yoga Retreat, September 8-14, 2025
Do I really need to sell you on Tuscany? Ok I will, because this version of Tuscany is pretty special. We host this retreat on a woman-owned organic farm (the farmer who owns it joined us on our first-ever retreat in Costa Rica) in the Maremma region, which is a less-explored corner of Tuscany. The farm is a real working farm, not a tourist fantasy (although it’s my personal life fantasy). The food and wine are hyper-local, super fresh, and made by some of the best chefs in the region. We go wine tasting and cheese tasting; we eat lots of pasta; we explore a beautiful medieval town that overlooks the sea; we hang with the farm animals; we ride bikes to the beach (yes, there is a beach!). This retreat is all pleasure and indulgence and full bellies.
Full details of the Tuscany retreat, including pricing, can be found here.
I hope to see you somewhere in the world in 2025… just hit reply to this email and make it happen.
xx Jill