Disconnect, Reconnect, and Write

A Weekend of Focus, Friendship, and Finding Direction

JEDIDIAH JENKINS

Tuition

$365 per person—plus room/meals & tax

FEATURED GUEST PRESENTER

Disconnect, Reconnect, and Write

…amidst the stunning, natural backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Find new levels of calm and energy for life.

JEDIDIAH JENKINS

Clear your mind to find what you really want and where you’re headed.

October 17–19, 2025

A STructured
2-Night/3-Day Retreat

• Creative Expression
• Outdoor
• Self-Discovery

• Calm & Clear Mind
• Cleanse & Detox
• Personal Development

Plug In to Your Best Life

Amidst the relentless pace of modern life, finding moments of true connection and clarity can feel nearly impossible. Escape the daily grind and immerse yourself in a revitalizing weekend retreat nestled in the serene Blue Ridge Mountains with renowned two-time New York Times best-selling author, Jedidiah Jenkins. This retreat offers a sanctuary from the digital noise, inviting you to unplug from phones and emails to reconnect with nature, yourself, and the inspiring company of fellow attendees. Prepare to embark on a journey of personal growth and inner discovery as you embrace the simplicity of being fully present.

Recommended: Please bring a notebook and pencil.

Reserve Your Spot Now

We recommend registering promptly to ensure your spot in the program and secure your preferred housing accommodation.

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

Retreat Benefits

Ignite Potential

Discover the power of unplugging from your daily stresses and surrendering to the moment, here and now.

Enhance Creative Skills

Develop and refine your writing skills through dynamic exercises and expert guidance.

Increase Self-Awareness

Shift the way you respond to yourself in times of pressure, stress, and anxiety.

Personal Freedom

Rewrite thoughts and perceptions with insights rooted in self-awareness, healing, and compassion.

Practical Writing Tips

Acquire actionable strategies and techniques that you can apply to your writing projects beyond the retreat.

Newfound Friends

Forge lasting, meaningful connections with like-minded individuals.

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

Are you ready to unplug from modern life and reconnect with nature, yourself, and your purpose?

WHAT TO EXPECT

Clarity and Renewed Purpose

Immerse yourself in a series of enriching experiences that facilitates profound self-discovery and rejuvenation. This experiential retreat blends introspection with interaction, offering a holistic approach to personal growth. Engage deeply with your inner self and surroundings to gain valuable insights and a renewed sense of purpose. By the end of the weekend, you’ll emerge with a revitalized outlook and practical tools to navigate your life with clarity and balance.

1. Inspirational Talks

Gain valuable insights from expert-led discussions that ignite your passion, unlock fresh perspectives and broaden your vision.

2. Guided Writing Sessions

Receive expert guidance to delve into your inner world and articulate your thoughts and emotions.

3. Revelatory Journaling Exercises

Explore reflective journaling techniques that reveal deep personal insights and breakthroughs.

4. Insightful Group Sharing

Participate in stimulating conversations that deepen your understanding and foster meaningful connections.

5. Soul-Reviving Nature Walks

Reconnect with the natural world on serene walks that refresh your mind and rejuvenate your spirit.

Reserve Your Spot Now

We recommend registering promptly to ensure your spot in the program and secure your preferred housing accommodation.

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

Transforming Lives

Jed commands a room. Brings you from tears to laughter on a whimsical sentence of love like a warm safety blanket. He is a porch swing on a calm Sunday morning.

Jed set the tone long before any of us arrived. Despite each of us arriving as strangers, he planted in each of us the trust and the expectation that soon to be dear friends awaited us. Jed invited, and gently nudged, each of us to connect with what makes us most ourselves. Whatever comes next for each of us will be a better, more courageous, more resonant expression of what makes each of us individually and collectively human souls.

Jed is amazing and so humble and approachable! What an amazing experience he provided and opportunity for all to gather. Wonderful event and wonderful venue!

Warm, friendly, funny, positive. Provided lots of activities. Jed was sensitive to how people were paired up; you didn't have to search for someone to be pair up with.

Every moment with Jed was pure magic. His mind and his words are truly transformational.

Excellent program because Jedediah set the tone for an incredible weekend. Not having our phones available was a big part. The writing prompts were so helpful and the people were absolutely amazing. The beautiful space nestled in the mountains made everything come together.

Presenter

Jedidiah Jenkins

Jedidiah Jenkins is a professional adventurer and best-selling author known for his transformative journey from Oregon to Patagonia, which he undertook by bicycle after leaving his corporate job at 30. Inspired by his parents’ legendary walk across America, Jedidiah set out to explore the world and, in the process, discovered deeper insights about human purpose and fulfillment. His memoirs, To Shake The Sleeping Self and Like Streams to the Ocean, reflect on these themes, offering readers a profound meditation on meaning, ego, love, and adventure. An engaging speaker and conservation advocate, Jenkins encourages others to pursue lives full of wonder, authenticity, and environmental stewardship. He is also the co-founder of Byta, a sustainable product company aimed at reducing disposable waste. Through his travels and talks, Jedidiah inspires audiences to take bold steps toward their dreams and embrace the transformative power of nature.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Disconnect, Reconnect, and Write

This experiential retreat offers a well-balanced schedule that combines structured educational sessions with flexible time blocks – ensuring you have ample opportunity to engage in learning while also allowing personal time to explore the retreat center, participate in activities, and enjoy moments of reflection and relaxation.
(Program schedule subject to change.)

Check-in Begins
4:00 pm

Dinner
6:00–7:00 pm

Property Orientation
7:00–7:20 pm

Session 1
7:30–9:00 pm

Breakfast
7:30–9:30 am

Session 2
9:30 am–12:30 pm

Lunch
12:30–1:30 pm

Session 3
2:00–4:00 pm

Free Time
4:00–6:00 pm

Dinner
6:00–7:00 pm

Breakfast
7:30–9:30 am

Session 4
9:30–11:30 am

Room Checkout
11:00 am
Luggage may be held at Reception.

Lunch
12:00–1:30 pm

Session 1
The Secret of the Breath
7:30–9:30 pm

Session 2
Morning Yoga
7:30–8:30 am

Session 3
The Rhythms of Life
10:00 am–1:00 pm

Session 4
Deepening Our Experience
5:15–6:30 pm

Session 5
Morning Yoga
7:30–8:30 am

Session 6
New Start: Home Practice
10:00 am–1:00 pm

Breakfast 7:30–9:30 am • Lunch: 12:00–1:30 pm • Dinner: 6:00–7:30 pm

Optional activities include
Yoga • Meditation • Kirtan • Bonfire • Labyrinth • Nature Trails

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

UPGRADE OPTIONS

Extend your Stay and Don't Miss a Thing

Add a day to enjoy R&R activities!

Free activities include
Interactive Nature Hikes
Cooking Demos
Meditation & Movement Classes
Wellness Workshops

Paid activities include
Pottery Classes
Ayurvedic Wellness & Healing Arts Treatments

Nourish Your Body

Take your rejuvenation to another level with a soothing Ayurvedic treatment.

Call to check availability during Shankara business hours:

Wednesday 11:00 am–8:00 pm
Thursday–Saturday 9:00 am–6:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am–2:00 pm

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

THE ART OF LIVING RETREAT CENTER

Scenic. Serene. Inspiring.

The perfect place to begin your journey to holistic wellness.

Since 2012, the Art of Living Retreat Center has offered wellness retreats featuring meditation, yoga, and Ayurveda. The Center is high in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina, surrounded by 380 acres of pristine forest. Beauty, nature, and time-honored architecture create the perfect setting that is authentic, not extravagant.

“You drive up this mountain and it’s instant, total bliss. It’s beautiful. Everything about it is magical.”

—Chelsea H.

1000+ enthusiastic Google reviews

PRICING & ROOMS

All-Inclusive Accommodations

Prices 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
$885 to $955

Shared Hotel Room (for 2)
$745 to $845

Private Retreat Room
$745 to $846

Shared Retreat Room (for 2)
$665 to $765

Shared Retreat Room (for 3)
$595 to $695

1-Bedroom Apartment
$1,095 to $1,195

1-Bedroom Apartment (w loft)
$1,235 to $1,335

Save $100 by registering 14 days in advance

Private Hotel Room

$1,310

Shared Hotel Room (for 2)

$1,170

Private Retreat Room

$1,170

Shared Retreat Room (for 2)

$1,090

Shared Retreat Room (for 3)

$1,020

TRAVEL INFO

We are remote—yet easy to get to.

The Art of Living Retreat Center offers the right balance between serenity and easy access.

Fly into Charlotte, NC—Two hours away by drive.
Check-in at 4:00 pm first day—eat dinner shortly after that.
Leave after lunch the last day—schedule your flight anytime
after 5:00 pm.

Transportation Options Between Charlotte and the Center

Hickory Hop Shuttle Service
Book online

hickoryhop.com

High Country Limo
828.898.9595

highcountrylimo.com

High Country Black Car
828.387.1977

High Country Black Car

Oscar’s Car Service
704.965.5800

Edwardo’s Car Service
704.949.6775

Blue Bird Transportation
828.989.7286

Blue Bird of Boone

Abby Cab
828.475.2988

abbycab.com

Uber or Lyft
Book in app on arrival

Service

Phone

Website

Hickory Hop Shuttle Service

Book online

hickoryhop.com

High Country Limo

828.898.9595

highcountrylimo.com

Oscar’s Car Service

704.965.5800

—

Edwardo’s Car Service

704.949.6775

—

Blue Bird Transportation

828.989.7286

Blue Bird of Boone

Abby Cab

828.475.2988

abbycab.com

Uber or Lyft

Book in app on arrival

—

Are you ready for a transformational experience?

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

Great experience, great people, great food, great place to unplug from the hustle & bustle of everyday life and relax.

SAVE! Add a day or two and save 20% off our R&R rates. Select your added day(s) on the Registration page.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We are here to help.

What is your cancellation policy?

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/per person processing fee) up to 15 days before your program or stay.
Nonrefundable credit toward a future AOLRC program or stay (less a $50/per person processing fee) is available if you give notice between 14 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.

Are there any age restrictions?

Unless otherwise indicated, our programs are open to participants 18 years of age and older.

Is your property meat-, alcohol-, and smoke–free?

To encourage a healthy environment we ask that guests not consume alcohol or meat in our public spaces, however, guests may enjoy these items in their rooms.

Our property is always smoke-free.

Can I eat there given my food allergies

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.

Is your property ADA-compliant?

We do have lodging and event venues that are ADA-compliant. Due to the topography of our mountain campus, some are easier to access than others, so please speak to Guest Services (800.392.6870) prior to registering to ensure we can best accommodate your needs. We also have shuttles that run frequently throughout the campus.

How safe is the property?

We are committed to the safety of our guests and staff. Our mountaintop location and the surrounding areas are spacious, remote, safe, and secure.

It is safe to leave your windows open—and necessary for proper airflow!
Nature surrounds our campus, and it’s common to see rabbits, deer, gophers, wild turkeys, and other small animals. Please give them space, and they’ll do the same for you. We’ve never had a safety incident with animals on campus.

You can help!

If you come across an animal on campus or a trail, give it space, and please do not attempt to pet or feed it.
There’s no need to bring valuables to the retreat center; leaving them at home is best.

Location

639 Whispering Hills Road
Boone, NC 28607
800.392.6870

Discover deep rest and rejuvenation on our tranquil mountaintop campus set amidst 380 acres of pristine forest in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Boone, North Carolina.