Description
Want to go vegan or raw but not sure how make it happen? Learn from a master with holistic nutritionist and raw-food chef Grace Van Berkum. In this enlightening hands-on retreat, you’ll discover clean, delicious, raw, and vegan recipes in the kitchen to nourish, energize, and rejuvenate to look and feel your utmost best.
Inspired by the center’s majestic surroundings, you will integrate the basics and foundations of raw-food and live-food eating and preparation from a holistic, healing standpoint to move you toward wellness. Through practical nutrition lectures, raw-food chef demos, and recipes, you will emerge a raw- and live-foods genius in your kitchen.
In this dynamic retreat, you will:
- Explore the benefits of raw- and live-foods and their nutritive qualities
- Embrace life-changing nutrition wisdom for your best health
- Experience hands-on demonstrations of live- and raw-food prep
- Cultivate a deep understanding of food as medicine
You’ll leave with an enhanced wisdom of raw-food benefits for your body, an online cookbook, and the confidence and skills to pull it all together in your own kitchen.
This retreat is appropriate for all.
Presenters

Grace Van Berkum
Grace Van Berkum is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, detox nutritionist, raw-food chef, and author of three cookbooks. Grace facilitates GLO Cell Health Retreats and spreads the message of self-love and plant-based nutrition around the world. In her international business, she promotes the importance of unadulterated fresh foods, connection to nature, a yogic lifestyle, and the importance of daily mindful physical movements. She believes that whole foods and plant foods in conjunction with a balance of heart and mind can help heal the body and world of disease. By embracing healthy, plant-based anti-inflammatory, chemical-free food, many of her clients have reported to have become symptom-free of serious disease.
Find out more: www.gracevanberkum.com
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.)
Shared Hotel Room (2 People)
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As a precautionary measure, shared housing options are available for friends and family only. If you are coming alone, please book either a Private Hotel or Private Retreat Room.
Shared Retreat Room (2 People)
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The shared retreat room has twin beds, a private bath, and complimentary high-speed WiFi.
As a precautionary measure, shared housing options are available for friends and family only. If you are coming alone, please book either a Private Hotel or Private Retreat Room.
Shared Retreat Room (3 People)
|
As a precautionary measure, shared housing options are available for friends and family only. If you are coming alone, please book either a Private Hotel or Private Retreat Room.
Schedule
GLO Live Nutrition & Raw Food Chef Course
September 15th-20th, 2019
Your Program Session Times (subject to change)
Arrival Day 7:30-9:00 pm
Daily 9:30 am-12:30 pm; 2:00-4:00 pm
Departure Day 9:30-11:30 am (Room check-out is 11 am; Luggage can be held at reception)
General Guest Information
We hope you enjoy your stay with us at the Art of Living Retreat Center. While here, we invite you to immerse in the quiet peace of the Blue Ridge Mountains and connect with yourself. Apart from the activities in your program schedule, there are also opportunities to join daily yoga and meditation classes, restorative Ayurvedic spa treatments, guided hiking trails, pottery classes, evening Kirtans, the outdoor labyrinth or the weekly Bonfire. Here are more details for your stay:
Arrival Day
3:00 pm Check-in begins; Rooms are ready by 3:00pm, but if you arrive early we will hold luggage at Reception.
6:00-7:00 pm Dinner
7:00-7:20 pm Guest Orientation Session (Venue: Dining Hall)
Optional Complimentary Activities (Please join only if above mentioned Program schedule permits)
7:30-8:30 am Hatha Yoga Class (Venue: Geeta Hall) During Program Dates only
9:45-10:45 am/4:15-5:15 pm Hatha Yoga Class (Venue: Geeta Hall)
11:00 am-12:00 pm Mind and Meditation Session (Venue: Geeta Hall)
1:30-2:00 pm Yoga Nidra (Venue: Geeta Hall) Saturdays and Sundays only
2:00-3:15 pm Property Tour (Starts at Reception) Saturdays only
1:30-2:30 pm/3:00-4:00 pm Guided Nature Walk (Starts at Reception) Saturdays only
5:30-6:00 pm Guided Meditation Session (Venue: Geeta Hall)
7:30-8:15 pm Meditative Chant/Kirtan (Venue: Geeta Hall)
8:30-10:00 pm Bonfire (Below Veda 2; Weather permitting) Saturdays Only
Mealtimes
7:30-9:30 am Breakfast
12:00-2:00 pm Lunch (included on your departure day)
6:00-7:30 pm Dinner
Ayurveda Spa Appointments
We invite you to also make reservations at our award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Spa before arrival, in order to ensure availability. Please call (828) 264-8382 for details.
Our Clay Studio is open Thu-Sun; Hand-building classes and Throwing classes are available by appt. Clay pieces can be glazed and shipped back as well. Please contact our front desk to make an appointment.
Actual schedules and venues may vary; Please confirm with Front Desk upon check-in
Location
639 Whispering Hills Rd, Boone, North Carolina 28607
Discover deep rest and rejuvenation in our tranquil sanctuary set amidst 380 pristine acres high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina—the perfect place to begin your journey to wellness.
NOTE Avoid using GPS—it will take you up a private road to a locked gate. Please use the directions provided on this site.
Distance from Nearest Airport
Two hours by car without traffic
FAQs
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.