Retreat to Your Root: Content, Classes and Community

One of my friends just asked me what really happens on Retreat to Your Root. She was on the fence about wanting to come to my next retreat offering (on Sept 27th, 2018!) and a little nervous about what a weekend focused on pelvic health might look like. She was looking for a behind the scenes scoop before she decided if it was a good fit for her. I took a moment to reflect on what is it really that happens on these retreats I hold. I realized it all boils down to: Content, Classes, and Community.

Content

Every retreat is a little different when it comes to content depending on the participants, however there a few key aspects I always include. For every retreat day there is a basic schedule. There’s a lecture component where I discuss a topic in depth, a movement-based class to facilitate the assimilation of that content into the body, a group discussion or activity, amazing food, and time spent in nature. The core curriculum includes in-depth lectures covering the anatomy/physiology and function of the core and pelvic floor, common pelvic floor related problems or diagnoses, and lectures on the energetic system (specifically the chakras) as it relates to the pelvic floor and core.

Classes

There are at least two movement-based classes on all full retreat days- 1 in the morning and 1 in the late afternoon or before bed. I’ve designed these classes to specifically reiterate and incorporate the content we discussed for the day. Movement and incorporation of the body into the learning process has been an invaluable tool. My “Yoga for Pelvic Pain/Awareness” are classes that I’ve tailored for a very specific population (namely my patients with pain), however I have found that these classes allow anyone (not necessarily just the patient crowd) to access their pelvic floors and bodies in new profound ways. There’s usually a short meditation component with breathing exercises in each class. On my last retreat we also incorporated core fitness, strengthening, and belly dancing which really added to the fun of movement-based healing and learning.

Community

This is why I do what I do. My number one passion is to give women permission to express the experiences or emotions they’ve been holding onto regarding their pelvises in the presence of other women. It becomes clear very quickly that there are many women who have had similar experiences... we are all just too scared or embarrassed to talk about it! I hold an opening circle where we all get a chance to share about why we’re there... sometimes I think that if I did nothing else but bring these people together into this circle my work would be done. There are some group discussions and activities to facilitate getting to know each other, but honestly the downtime and chats around the dining room table are really where the magic of friendship and community is built. It’s my favorite part!

Hopefully that gives you (and my friend) a little clarity around what Retreat to Your Root really is. If you have more questions check out the other blogs on this site, explore the retreats, or contact me!