After breakfast, you'll meet up with other retreat participants and take a two and a half hour drive through the Guatemalan highlands to the shores of Lake Atitlan. A private boat will bring you to Villa  Sumaya Retreat Center, an oasis of peace and tranquility that has received accolades in Tashen's Great Yoga Retreats as well as in the Yoga Journal. We will enjoy lunch overlooking the lake and then will have the afternoon to relax and explore the gardens, paths, and views that make Villa Sumaya so special. We’ll gather for an opening ceremony that will help us settle deeply into our retreat experience.

Start the morning with gentle movement overlooking the lake, and then after breakfast we'll receive an orientation from the Villa Sumaya staff.  Later in the morning, we'll gather in our exquisite practice space and allow ourselves to be nourished by one another and the beauty around us. After lunch, explore all the retreat center has to offer.  You could relax in the tropical gardens, swim in Lake Atitlan, read by the dock, take in the volcanoes, schedule a spa treatment, rent a kayak, or hike nearby. We will practice yoga in the afternoon, and our evening program will include time for reflection,  connection, and gratitude.

We’ll welcome the morning by connecting deeply with our breath and body, and then we’ll head up to the village of Santa Cruz to meet with leaders of Amigos de Santa Cruz.  Women from the community will teach you how to bead your own bracelet, weave a scarf, or cook a three-course Guatemalan meal. After lunch we'll tour the village, learn about Amigos’ programs, and visit their handcraft shop. We'll return with enough time to relax at Villa Sumaya before dinner. Our day will close with a gentle yoga practice. (Photo by Amigos  de Santa Cruz)

Our morning will start with gentle yoga and then those who are interested can continue their practice with a "mindful meander" along the shore of Lake Atitlan.  After our mid-morning session, you are encouraged to soak up the beauty of the area in ways that make you feel most alive. Create the perfect day for yourself! Consider strengthening your connection to the natural world by going on an optional kayak and hiking group tour, or you could: relax in the gardens, paddle on the lake, explore the many walking trails in and around Santa Cruz, or simply be present to the magic at the retreat center. In the afternoon, we’ll gather in the the open-air Diamond dojo for writing, sharing, and movement. After dinner, we will explore the Mayan understanding of time and creation and you will learn your nuhaul--a symbol of your energy.

Immerse your senses and play with creative expression today with early morning writing, mid-day art-making, and an afternoon temazcal (wood-fired sauna) ceremony. You could  also arrange a tour with Villa Sumaya (for an additional fee) or simply hop on a public boat and visit some of the towns around the lake. After dinner, we’ll gather for a grounding movement session in our beautiful  studio space.

After breakfast, we’ll take a private boat to the artistic community of San Juan where we’ll browse the many market stalls, visit a weaving cooperative and check out some of the murals that depict scenes from daily life. You could take the boat back to Villa Sumaya for lunch or stay longer in San Juan and hike up to the mirador. During our evening program we’ll integrate our experiences through journaling and conversation.

We will savor our outdoor morning meditation. Breakfast will be early so that we can gather together in appreciation and participate in a Mayan fire ceremony.  Fire ceremonies, often considered to be the heart of Maya spiritual practice, are beautiful two-hour events, full of color, fragrant incenses and flowers, and rich words. After the ceremony, we'll gather at the edge of the lake to begin to integrate the gifts of the week. You're encouraged to relax before we come together again for our last group session. You might want to schedule a massage or healing treatment, spend some time in the hot tub, hang out in your hammock or swim in the lake.. After dinner, we will honor our final night at Villa Sumaya and  celebrate all that we have received.

We’ll have our final yoga + movement session at Villa Sumaya and then it will be time to say goodbye to Lake Atitlan. A private boat will take you back to Pana where you will meet a shuttle which will take you to your hotel in Antigua or in Guatemala  City. You could spend the afternoon visiting the Antigua handcraft markets and walking the cobblestone roads of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Or you could relax by the pool at the hotel in Guatemala City and  begin to integrate the gifts of the retreat.

With a full heart, you’ll travel back home. The retreat experience doesn’t end when you leave Guatemala. Over the next few weeks and months, you’ll receive tools and support to explore how your time away can inspire and inform your way forward.