Inviting Spaciousness: A Mindful Living Retreat

Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love,
it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.

– Jon Kabat Zinn

Join Kay Stewart at the beautiful Elohee Retreat Center as we invite spaciousness by mindfully slowing down to the rhythm of life.  We’ll listen deeply to ourselves and each other as we explore ancient and enduring practices for individual and collective well-being including mindfulness meditation, gentle mindful movement, poetic inquiry, and self-reflection. 

The poet Rumi reminds us, “Out beyond wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field.  I’ll meet you there” … Kay invites us to meet in that field, grounded by her experience with the principles and practices at the intersection of Jon Kabat Zinn’s teachings in mindfulness and Parker Palmer’s circle of trust retreat approach.  Our unhurried time on retreat will allow us to be guided by what is deepest within us, regardless of what we name that deepest part – soul, true self, inner teacher, spirit – opening us to embody qualities of wholehearted, mindful living, learning, and relating!  

We’ll turn to nature for insight and inspiration, with ample time to relax and enjoy the beauty of Elohee.   Whether hiking on lovely, well-marked trails, strolling peacefully through the woods, or simply sitting and breathing it all in, you’ll be surrounded by the serenity and healing energy of this oasis in the mountains of North Georgia.  

This Mindful Living Retreat is all-inclusive including:

• Two nights’ lodging in Elohee’s cozy, comfortable cottages.
• Delicious meals provided from arrival day dinner through departure day lunch.  All meals are prepared by a local chef using freshly-prepared ingredients. 
• A 24-hour tea house, always open for relaxing and enjoying a cup of tea
• A gentle rhythm of invitations to group sessions including guidance in mindfulness meditation, mindful movement/yoga, poetry, self-reflection, journaling, and small and large group conversations
• Bonfire/star gazing (weather permitting)
• Guided hike as well as unguided hiking on well-marked trails (weather permitting) 

Optional Additional Cost:

• Massage/Reiki Services  

Retreat Schedule:  

This is your retreat, so feel free to find your own rhythm! Unless otherwise noted, our group sessions will meet in Forest Studio throughout the weekend.

Friday 

• 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm-  Arrival and Check in with Elohee staff
• 5:00 pm -6:00 pm – Opening Circle  in Forest Studio – Inviting Spaciousness 
• 6:00 pm -7:00 pm- Dinner
• 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm- Settling, Listening, Opening, Wondering

Saturday

• 7:30 am-8:00 am – Optional morning meditation
• 8:00 am -9:00 am- Breakfast
• 9:00 am-11:00 am – Coming to Your Senses
• 11:00 am – 12:00 pm – Mindful Dialogue inspired by poetry and presence
• 12:00 pm -1:00 pm –  Lunch
• 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Optional guided nature hike
• 1:00 pm- 4:00 pm Resting in Loving Awareness … unhurried time to just be 
• 4:00 pm -6:00 pm – Opening and Softening –  Gentle Mindful Yoga and Body Scan (Pavilion) 
• 6:00 pm -7:00 pm – Dinner
• 7:00 pm – 8:00 am – Bonfire & S’mores  – Tending the Heart
• 8:00-8:30 – A bedtime story … and gentle, restorative yoga

Sunday

• 7:30 am -8:00 am – Optional morning meditation
• 8:00 am -9:00 am- Breakfast
• 9:00 am -10:00 am – Waking up and walking in the full presence of life 
• 10:30 am -12:00 pm  – Closing Circle – an invitation to ongoing practice
• 12:00 pm -1:00 pm – Lunch 
• 1:00 pm – 2 pm – check out
• This is your retreat, so feel free to find your own rhythm! 

Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” — Viktor E. Frankl

For more information, contact Kay Stewart at kstewart@shallowford.org.

Check out Elohee’s Guest Information FAQs here.