SACRED PAUSE: Yoga Retreat on the Beach

There was, and still is, a lot of hype about how transformative 2012 is expected to be. We are only half way through, and I have to agree – 2012 is turning out to be a powerful year full of positive shifts and long lasting changes. It is exciting and inspiring – spirituality and healthy living are no longer seen as “trendy” or “fads.” We are waking up and realizing that our “no pain, no gain,” “push to get to the top,” “go, go, go,” “you aren’t good enough, try harder” mentality is no longer working for us. It isleaving us tired, stressed, sick and drained. I am excited to be at the age I am this year and even more excited that I am a yoga instructor during this shift.

One of the many highlights of 2012 for me will be hosting my first yoga retreat. This is the realization of a dream that I didn’t think would be a reality for many years to come. This retreat is even more special because I am hosting it alongside my mother, Dawn Nickel, and beloved family friend, Sharonlee Latham. To learn more about them, please visit http://www.sherecovers.co/about/ 

Most of us are recovering from something: stress, addiction, alcoholism, cancer or other chronic illness, overwork, codependency, trauma, grief, our childhoods, losing our jobs, our homes or our marriages.

We warmly invite women recovering from these or other life challenges to join us at A Sacred Pause: Yoga and Recovery on the Beach. The retreat will be held at the Shambala Petit Hotel in Tulum, a sacred spot on Mexico’s Riviera Maya. We will have the entire retreat to ourselves (20 women) and there we will offer a seven day respite from our lives - seven days of female energy, yoga, extreme self-care, healthy gourmet food, sun, sand and sea.

So far, the women who have registered (we are half full, so register ASAP!) all come with long backgrounds in various recovery backgrounds. It is going to be a very inspiring group of women – and a powerful week.

Nutritious meals and yoga classes will be the only specifically scheduled items in a daily schedule intended to allow each participant to spend time exactly as she wishes. I will lead the group through morning and evening hatha yoga classes.

The focus of our yoga practice, and of the retreat overall, will be to relax, reflect, and refocus. For the first several days we will relax and unwind from our busy lives and learn how to breathe again. The next few days will be a period of “reflection” as we examine where we are in our lives and recovery and where we want to go next. In the final few days I will help us “refocus,” to set our intention for what we want to create when we return home. Please note, beginners are welcome, and classes are not mandatory. I will meet you “where you are” in your yoga practice and adapt poses and sequences for individuals as required.

Included

• 7 nights’ accommodation in casitas right on the beach • 3 gourmet meals per day (dietary requests possible) • All non-alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee • Hatha yoga at sunrise and sunset • Morning life coaching workshops (optional) • Evening sharing circles • Full moon celebration on November 28th (Some of you know my fascination with the energies of the moon – I cannot wait for this!) • Group tour of Tulum Ruins • She Recovers gift

Retreat Schedule

• Gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner at set times (vegetarian and fish, other dietary requests possible) • Sunrise and sunset yoga classes on the beach or in oceanfront Yogashala • Morning life coaching workshops for those who wish to participate • Relaxation, beach walking, swimming • Evening sharing circles including a full moon celebration on November 28th • Kayaks, boogey boards and Snorkel gear available (no charge) • Excursion to Tulum Ruins • Free time arranged excursions of your choice (She Recovers will organize excursions for participants at an additional cost)

Accommodation

• Each casita has two single beds (can be put together into one king if preferred) • Eight of the ten casitas have private bathrooms, the two budget-conscious casitas share a bathroom • All casitas are equipped with a ceiling fan, mosquito net, bathroom towels and beach towels. • Wireless internet is available • Blow dryers are not permitted (they will blow the generators)

Optional

• Round trip airport transfer between the Cancun-Airport and Shambala Petit Hotel • Private yoga lessons • Private life coaching sessions • Reiki/massage/reflexology treatments • Guided snorkel tours • Visit to jungle wildlife and marine habitat of Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve • Swim or dive in the cenotes, the sacred waters of the Riviera Maya

It is going to be an amazing week. I am looking forward to seeing the transformation before and after the retreat. We would love for you to join us For more information, please check out the website www.sherecovers.co

Feel free to email questions to sherecovers@shaw.ca

CLICK HERE to join the retreat facebook page.