PILGRIMAGE
TO THE HEART:
retreat+reiki 1 training
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HEART:
retreat + reiki 1 training
September 21st - September 28th, 2019
Villa Sumaya Retreat + Wellness Center
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
CLICK HERE FOR INFO BOOKLET + schedule
How is your heart?
Deep in your heart, what do you long for?
How are you cultivating a heart-centered life?
The heart is the seat of the Spirit and the residence of the Divine within the human body. It is the place of LOVE, connection, embodied knowing, vision, intuition, and trust in the great order of the universe. It is where we simultaneously surrender and blossom into who we truly are.
This retreat's intention is for you to have the space and time to listen deeply to your heart's callings through contemplation, writing, ritual, ceremony, energetic self-healing, and connection to nature. Every heart longs for its own dreams, so leading a heart-centered life is naturally a unique, individual pilgrimage of self-discovery to be honored and celebrated. By nourishing and listening to our physical, energetic, and spiritual heart, we are able to arrive at our own personal truth about ourselves, our health, our relationships, our work, and our path.
Living a heart-centered life also means cultivating an intimate connection with your heart and body through daily wellness practices and intuition. Through the Reiki 1 training and attunement, you will learn to feel, direct, and channel universal energy for self-healing. Connection with ourselves and the world around us begins at the subtle level, and this retreat will empower you with a basic energetic vocabulary to utilize Reiki as a tool for self-love, self-inquiry, and regeneration.
Additionally, participants will explore wellness tools and practices like meditation, movement, plant-based eating, and intentional resting so they can build and sustain new habits long after they've returned home.
Our retreat will take place on Lake Atitlan, the center of the universe in Mayan cosmology. Situated in the Guatemalan Highlands of the Sierra Madre mountain range and flanked by three volcanoes, it is the deepest lake in Central America and an energetic vortex. Lake Atitlan is the perfect balance of the four elements - the watery lake, the fiery volcanoes, the earthy mountains, and the wind that comes and goes on a whim. Not only is Lake Atitlan stunning, but it's also an ideal location to connect with your heart and subtle body due to its both amplified and nurturing energetics. It also happens to be the retreat leader's home and favorite place in the whole world. <3
Join us this fall equinox as we take a pilgrimage into our heart on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
In this retreat, you will:
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Embark upon an individual and collective pilgrimage back to your heart
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Lean into your heart's desires, and prioritize joy + pleasure
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Gather with other humans in the spirit of inquiry, exploration, and vulnerability
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Feel and direct your own energy for self-healing through the Reiki 1 training and attunement
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Receive healing through group acupuncture sessions, Reiki practice, and optional spa services
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Tap into your intuitive knowing through energy healing, guided meditations, and workshops
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Connect with your Spirit guides, angels, and ancestors
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Learn to use healing tools like crystals, pendulums, feathers, and plants for self-healing
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Engage heart-centered practices like meditation, yoga, dance, and cacao ceremony
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Reclaim your unique voice through writing, council circles, + movement
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Cultivate new habits and strengthen morning/evening practices
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Surrender into trust and step into presence
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Arrive and be accepted as you are <3
Sample Retreat Schedule*:
*For PDF with full retreat schedule, click here.
Guests will arrive on Saturday, September 21st at noon to rest and settle into Villa Sumaya (followed by lunch, opening ceremony, dinner and light evening programming), and the daily retreat flow will begin on Sunday, September 22nd.
Sunday, September 22nd
7am - Morning Meditation + Movement
8:30am - Breakfast
10am - Workshop #1: The Heart as Compass: Embodied Wisdom, Core Values, + Deep Desires
1pm - Lunch
4pm - Reiki 1 Training (Part 1 of 3)
6:30pm - Dinner
8pm - Evening Meditation + Group Acupuncture Session
Writing and council/talking circles will be woven in daily throughout the retreat. Variations in the daytime schedule will accommodate activities like the fall equinox ritual, excursion to San Marcos and San Juan, and optional kayaking, sightseeing, and shopping adventures. Variations in the evening schedule will include group acupuncture sessions, and the closing ceremony with cacao ceremony.
During scheduled afternoon free time, participants are welcomed to receive a spa treatment, dip in the hot tubs, nap in a hammock, take a swim in the lake or the pool, detox in the sauna, and/or enjoy the stunning views of the lake.
Retreat Highlights:
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Opening and closing ceremonies
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Reiki 1 training, attunement + certificate
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Four heart-centered wellness workshops
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Fall Equinox ritual + herbal bath
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Cacao Ceremony
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Two community acupuncture sessions
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Daily morning meditation
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Daily movement practices (yoga, dance, kayaking)
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Daily council (talking) + writing circles
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Daily free time to rest, rejuvenate, and explore
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Excursions to San Marcos La Laguna + San Juan La Laguna
Amenities:
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8 days/7 nights of beautiful, deluxe accommodations at Villa Sumaya
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3 delicious, abundant vegetarian meals per day
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Daily meditation, teaching, and ceremony in the beautiful Tara Temple
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Access to meditation cushions, yoga mats, blocks, straps, and eye pillows in the Tara Temple
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Unlimited self-serve local Guatemalan coffee, herbal infusions, and purified drinking water
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Access to solar-heated, stone hot tub
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Majestic open-air lounges and docks
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Stunning lake-front views all day, every day <3
Not included:
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Roundtrip airfare to La Aurora Airport, Guatemala City (GUA)
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Transportation costs (shuttles from airport to Villa Sumaya and back)
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Optional tours (approx $30-60 each) and spa treatments ($75/hour or $100/1.5 hours)
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Meal add-ons (fish or chicken for $7/meal)
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Tips to Villa Sumaya staff
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Wifi ($20/week)
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Travel Insurance
Logistics:
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Arrival is Saturday, September 21st at noon. Lunch will be served at 1pm, and the retreat begins at 3pm in the Tara Temple.
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Check-out is Saturday, September 28th at 11am.
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Registered participants are strongly suggested to purchase their tickets as soon as possible for best prices. If departing from LAX, we recommend Delta or Avianaca's nonstop, overnight flights on Friday, September 20th, arriving the morning of Saturday, September 21st. If arriving before the 21st, we suggest you stay in Antigua, Guatemala (45 minutes out of Guatemala City). Hotel recommendations can be given.
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Shuttles will be pre-arranged for participants to be picked up from the airport or Antigua, and transported to Villa Sumaya on Lake Atitlan (3hrs from Guatemala City, 2hrs from Antigua). Shuttles will also be arranged for transport back airport or to Antigua at the end of the retreat.
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Shuttle costs are not included in the retreat fee. Also, if you are arriving at an odd time and need a private shuttle, please note that prices are significantly higher.