Meditation & Mindfulness
Self-Discovery
Spiritual
Personal Development
Thrive After Life-Altering Loss
We all suffer loss in our lives. No matter who we are or what our circumstances, it’s likely each of us will encounter challenges dealing with the inner experience of heartbreak, grief, and the sorrow of losing someone close to us. For most of us, this experience is difficult and something we naturally try to avoid. At the same time, facing the impermanence of things around us can actually open doors to our own fulfillment and self-knowledge. This is when the opportunity for transformation occurs and we get down to something that’s much more fundamental or essential.
This program will help you find the courage to embrace loss and as a result discover what really matters to you. Join grief and anxiety expert and author, Claire Bidwell Smith; death doula, attorney, adjunct professor, and ordained minister, Alua Arthur; and physician, author, and Mettle Health founder, Dr. BJ Miller, for a life-changing weekend exploring life, love, and loss.
We’ll explore questions such as
- How does loss help us create a more meaningful life?
- How does facing major transition and even death give way to peace and transformation?
- How do we process all that we learned and all that we grieved in 2020 and turn it around in a way that helps us live more fully?
In this Workshop, You’ll Discover
- Tools to enable regret-free living and the courage to live your life true to yourself
- Communication exercises to express what we don’t want to say but need to so we are not haunted by it when we or a loved one dies
- Practical life-planning tools to ensure you are prepared for the end, but free to live the happiest life possible
- Lessons from those who have faced death to help you live your life to the fullest.
Through group discussion, journaling, one-on-one sharing, and nature exploration, you will navigate through life-altering loss with grace and courage, and integrate new found inner peace into your life.
Features
A Retreat in the Mountains
During your stay, you have time for personal R & R. Whether you want to explore forest trails and bask in the fresh mountain air, enjoy a pottery or watercolor painting class, release stress with a therapeutic spa treatment—the choice is yours. (Additional fees may apply.)
Make Your Retreat Extra Special
Combine your retreat with authentic Ayurveda for rejuvenation on all levels, body, mind and spirit. The recommended Ayurveda treatment for this retreat is an Abhyanga massage (“Abby” for short), followed by a relaxing steam to further release stress. Pre-requisite: 18 years of age or older.
Presenter
Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist specializing in grief and the author of three books, The Rules of Inheritance, After This: When Life is Over Where Do We Go? and Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief. Claire offers numerous experiences with grief, and fueled by her work in hospice and private practice, Claire strives to provide support for all kinds of people experiencing all kinds of grief. …
Alua Arthur is a death doula, recovering attorney, and the founder of Going with Grace, an end-of-life planning and death doula training organization that exists to support people as they answer the question, “What must I do to be at peace with myself so that I may live presently and die gracefully?” …
Bruce (BJ) Miller, Jr., MD, is a longtime hospice and palliative medicine physician and educator. He currently sees patients and families via telehealth through Mettle Health, a company he co-founded with the aim to provide personalized, holistic consultations for any patient or caregiver who needs help navigating the practical, emotional and existential issues that come with serious illness and disability. …
Reviews
Rooms & Pricing
All options include daily vegetarian meals from dinner on the night of check-in through lunch on the day of checkout. (Rates below are per person.)
Private Hotel Room
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- King bed or two full beds
- Flat Screen TV
- Refrigerator
- Private Bath
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Delicious Vegetarian Meals
- Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
- Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
- Access to Grounds and Facilities, including Gym & Steam Rooms
Private Retreat Room
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- Two Twin Beds
- Private Bath
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Delicious Vegetarian Meals
- Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
- Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
- Access to Grounds and Facilities, including Gym & Steam Rooms
Schedule
WHAT REALLY MATTERS
October 15–17, 2021
Subject to change.
Friday 7:30–9:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am–12:30 pm and 2:00–4:00 pm
Sunday 9:30–11:30 am Room checkout is 11:00 am; luggage may be held at Reception.
General Information
All times are Eastern Standard Time (EST) unless otherwise noted.
Arrival Day
4:00 pm Check-in begins; Rooms are ready by 4:00 pm, but if you arrive early we will hold your luggage at Reception.
6:00–7:00 pm Dinner
7:00–7:20 pm Guest Orientation Session (Venue: Dining Hall)
Dining Hours Purna Dining Hall
7:30–9:30 am Breakfast
12:00–1:30 pm Lunch
6:00–7:30 pm Dinner
Optional Activities
Apart from the activities in your program schedule, we offer the following optional complementary activities. (Please join only if your program schedule permits.)
9:45–10:45 am Yoga | Sattva Studio | Thu–Sun
11:00 am–12:00 pm Mind & Meditation | Sattva Studio | Thu–Sun
1:30–2:15 pm Guided Hike | Assemble at Shankara Reception | Sat
2:30–3:45 pm Ayurveda Cooking Class* | Tulsi Kitchen
Thu: Sweet Treats • Sat: Chef’s Seasonal Recipe
4:15–5:15 pm Yoga | Sattva Studio | Wed–Sat
5:30–6:00 pm Guided Meditation | Sattva Studio | Wed–Sat
7:30–8:15 pm Meditative Chants/Kirtan | Sattva Studio | Wed–Sat
Saturday kirtan is outdoor by the bonfire; weather permitting.
*Included with Wellness Escapes and R&R; Other participants: $35.00/per person
Clay Studio
10:00 am–6:00 pm Saturday
Clay Handbuilding $30.00 (1 hour)
Throwing Wheel $45.00 (2 hours)
Shankara Ayurveda Wellness Appointments (Additional Cost)
Hours: 9:00 am–6:30 pm daily
We invite you to also make reservations for consultations, therapies, and treatments at our award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Wellness prior to arrival in order to ensure availability. Please call 828-264-8382 for details.
Actual schedules and venues may vary; please confirm with Front Desk upon check-in.
On-Campus Program FAQs
For room reservations, Ayurveda Wellness Retreats, and Art of Living Retreat Center (AOLRC) signature retreats, we have the following cancellation policy:
- Refunds are available (less a $50 processing fee) up to eight days before your program or stay.
- Nonrefundable credit toward a future AOLRC program or stay (less a $50 processing fee) is available if you give notice between seven and one day(s) before your program or stay. Credit may be applied to any AOLRC program or stay for one year following date of issue.
- No credit or refund is available if you cancel on the arrival day, if you do not show up, or if you leave an event early for any reason. No refund will be available if you attend a program and are dissatisfied with its presentation or content. AOLRC reserves the right to cancel a program at any time. If AOLRC cancels a program, you will receive a full refund. Some programs may have special cancellation policies; see individual workshop descriptions. For all other retreats, please be sure to check the registration page specific to that retreat.
To encourage a healthy environment we ask that guest to not consume alcohol or meat in our public spaces, however, guests may enjoy these items in their rooms.
Our property is always smoke-free.
Yes, we ask that guests with food allergies simply inform us so we can communicate those needs to our chef. Typically, we label potential allergens such as gluten, dairy, and nuts.
Location
Discover deep rest and rejuvenation in a pristine natural setting in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina. Set amidst 380 acres of pristine forest high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains is a tranquil sanctuary.
