Hi yogis,
I feel more than a little bit weird sending out an email about yoga retreats when it feels like the whole world, and certainly the US, is going to hell. Am I really suggesting we all go on a yoga vacation and do downward dog while the world burns?
Of course not. I am, however, acutely aware of how much so many of us are taking on and feeling; of how exhausted and overwhelmed so many of us are; and of how restorative and connective these retreats can be.
And so I am sending this email, weird feelings aside, because I believe we all deserve to feel good in our bodies, to flex our creative muscles, and to take pleasure where we can get it. And I’m sending these emails because past retreats have been truly magical spaces for people — mostly women and female-identified people, but definitely more than a few good men as well — to gather with other feminist and progressive-minded folks and not just commiserate, but embark on a totally new experience. Every retreat, new friendships are forged; creative projects expand and spring to life; the WhatsApp group chats buzz on months and sometimes years after.
And so I am pressing on with these gatherings, even though I feel weird about it.
The next yoga + writing retreat I am co-hosting is in Nosara, Costa Rica from February 27 - March 4, 2023. I’m hosting it with my friend and teacher Emily Shapiro (the inspiration for this post, if you follow me on my main Substack). We stay at the absolutely gorgeous Harmony Hotel in two private villas, and we are lucky to be the only yoga retreat they host all year. The Nosara retreat is 100% chill vibes — there’s surfing if you want it, the beach is right there, a private pool to relax by, healthy food all day long, a lovely spa, and the best smoothie and juice bar Nosara has to offer. Plus, of course, daily yoga with Emily, daily writing workshops with me, and as much yoga and writing on your own as you can fit in. All information including pricing can be found here.
Nosara, Costa Rica
The next 2023 retreat will be in Kenya, an incredibly country I was lucky to call home for a few years, from March 17-26, 2023. I’m co-hosting that one with my friend and award-winning National Geographic photographer Nichole Sobecki, who has lived in Kenya for a decade. This retreat will be yoga + photography + writing (when else do you get to go on safari with a Nat Geo photographer?), and we’re taking you to our favorite places in the country, which are largely off of the standard tourist path. We’ll start in Nairobi, Kenya’s humming capital, and then head out to safari in Laikipia where we’ve rented out a whole camp just to ourselves, and it’ll be wildlife galore. After that, we’ll fly to the coast and stay in a fishing village in Lamu, truly my number-one favorite place in the entire world (words just cannot express how special it is). This retreat is a long one — 10 days, and we pack a lot in — and it’s more than halfway full, so if you’re interested, let me know ASAP. The Kenya retreat is all adventure and awe: You’re going to see something new, incredible, and breathtaking each and every day. Full information including pricing can be found here.
On horseback to see the world’s last Northern White Rhinos, Laikipia, Kenya. (Yes, you can do this on the retreat).
Coming later in 2023: Greece, Tuscany, and (tentatively) Croatia.
Also: If you want to come to write or take photos but have zero interest in doing yoga, that is totally fine. This is all very Choose Your Own Adventure, and nothing is required and no one will think you’re weird if you skip yoga class to nap or watch TikTok videos or whatever.
Questions? Want to sign up? Just hit reply to this email.
I hope to see some of you somewhere in the world. And wherever you are, I hope you’re taking deep breaths, feeding yourself well, and tending to your body and spirit. If we’re going to be in the fight for the long haul, we need to stay in fighting shape.
xx Jill