I said this a few years back, and I am expanding upon it now, but we can learn something to evolve our health and life in every person or place we encounter. The trick is to take what resonates and leave what doesn’t, and to be aware enough to know the difference. 

This year, I have become almost uncomfortably aware of the vast differences in how we approach and talk about our health in different regions of the United States. I took this a step further, exploring Guatemala through my first yoga retreat. My goal for sharing all of this with you is to help you gain a few tangible concepts to further your health journey, think a little differently, and just maybe join me on the retreat next year. 

First, let’s set the stage for the retreat:

This yoga retreat was through Yoga on the Beach, owned by a past coworker in Chicago, Jonathan. About 6 years ago I’d often take his classes at the health club we both worked at before my workday.  A turn of fate led to a global pandemic, a period where the health club shut down and we were both unemployed, and eventually entrepreneurship for both of us. From then on, I’d often take his classes on Saturday morning on the Belmont Harbor “beach” with arguably the best view of the skyline. Since I don’t live in the area anymore and can only come to the classes when I visit, I thought it was time to take my practice internationally and cross yoga retreat off my bucket list. 

The retreat was located directly overlooking Lake Atitlan at a retreat center called Arco Isis Sanctuary. Feel free to take a look around the site to see more of the facility/ views, although it’s really hard to do it justice unless you are there. Lake Atitlan is a stunning (and honestly- magical) lake in Guatemala surrounded by Mayan towns, the Sierra Madre mountain range and volcanos. There’s also even an ancient Mayan city submerged in the lake and to some it is considered a spiritual portal. Personally, I could feel an energetic shift simply being around the lake. 

I was warned that getting to the retreat center would be a challenge and it certainly lived up to that expectation. The retreat center is located on a mountain with one of the best views of the lake, but the caveat is you have to climb up the mountain to get there. We arrived right after dark on our first night, so I was able to pay the staff to help carry my luggage up for safety purposes. I personally liked having to work for the awe-inspiring views. The retreat center in itself had a room with bunks where I stayed, different tree houses, a “tea” house for tea ceremonies, sauna, fire pit, and a main area to lounge, read, connect and eat. 

Some Bright Spots and Takeaways from the Retreat:

The Food

I’ll be honest, after hearing the food at the retreat center was vegetarian I was a little worried about potentially smaller portions and lack of protein. This was not the case, and as a dietitian that works with some vegetarians, it would have been a meal plan similar to what I recommend. There were 3 full and colorful meals daily with protein sources such as eggs, beans, chickpeas, quinoa and yogurt. They were also great about dietary restrictions and could even add in animal protein upon request. This was actually the first time in my adult life where I didn’t really have to plan or think about my daily meals, and they were all hearty, healthy, delicious and full of fiber. All of the food was grown locally and has to be carried up the mountain for us to enjoy it (props). We also had the opportunity to try an authentic Guatemalan meal in the city and could try restaurants in Antigua before and after the retreat. Casa Escobar and Frida’s were the two that were the most memorable.

Beverages

If you work with me you know I am all about hydration, and there was a great supply of clean, filtered water at Arco Isis. Guatemala is also known for its coffee, and each town had a wide array of coffee shops with traditional and craft coffee options. Arco Isis also had just finished the construction of their Mountain Tea Temple before we got there, and we were able to enjoy the views as well as a ceremony dedicated to the Chinese tea arts. We also took part in a cacao ceremony to celebrate a common plant medicine of Guatemala known to open the heart chakra. 

The Wide Array of Healing Modalities

Each day, we participated in 2 hours of yoga first thing in the morning. They varied in type/ intensity and Jonathan was great at adapting to how we were feeling that day. We participated in sound healing as well and got to know the different instruments popular in the area. On one of the last nights, we had an ecstatic, or open and free form, dance. All of these healing modalities fed into each other, and I felt more opening and connected to myself by the end of the retreat.

Adventure

During the retreat, we had two days where we could check out the different towns surrounding the lake. One day included a nature center that had a 40 ft. platform where you could jump into the water. As a former self proclaimed adrenaline junkie- I loved it. There were a few hikes around Antigua, where I stayed for a night before and after the retreat. My biggest regret was not hiking to the Acatenago Volcano, which is a two day hike but looks extremely worth it. 

Putting it all together
This was truly a one of a kind experience and a monumental stepping stone in my healing journey. Sometimes my traveling is hectic to say the least, but this trip I came back revitalized and ready to step into the next year on the right foot. The good news is that this retreat is already planned again for 2025 and I will most likely be there! Retreat details can be found here. If you mention my name, you will get $100 off, and I would be happy to set up a phone or zoom call with you to answer any questions and talk further about my experience.