Awaken to Your Full Potential
What if you could open into a natural flow of wisdom, compassion, and joy in any moment? This possibility is closer than you might imagine.
Rather than concentrating to calm and focus your mind, we will learn to intentionally shift into open-hearted awareness, which is already calm, loving, and effortlessly mindful. Loch will share his unique integration of wisdom practices, neuroscience, and psychological research that supports awakening as the next natural stage of human development.
In this Workshop, You’ll Discover
- The “off-switch” for your chattering mind
- “Awareness yoga”, moving awareness throughout your body and mind in the midst of your daily life, to live from a natural flow state
- Unique modern versions of ancient wisdom practices to directly access your true nature
- Effortless mindfulness, nondual awareness, embodied presence and heart mindfulness
- Ways of liberating difficult mental and emotional states by discovering the resource of open-hearted awareness.
We will learn simple “mindful glimpses” that you can take home and practice with eyes open in the midst of your day-to-day life.
A Retreat in the Mountains
During your stay, you have time for personal R & R also. 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
Features
Open into a natural flow of wisdom, compassion, and joy in any moment.
In Tibetan Buddhism, effortless mindfulness is sometimes called non-meditation because we discover the spontaneous flow of wisdom and action. Effortless mindfulness is compatible with an active, engaged life since it can be practiced with eyes open, anywhere. Essentially, every body part is revitalized and nurtured providing you with more energy and mental clarity.
Discover "awareness yoga" and how to live from a natural flow state.
Access your true nature and ways of liberating difficult mental and emotional states. Loch will share his unique integration of wisdom practices, neuroscience, and psychological research that supports awakening as the next natural stage of human development.
This program may be particularly of interest to yoga teachers and healthcare workers.
The Way of Effortless Mindfulness: A Revolutionary Guide for Living an Awakened Life
Best Spiritual Books of 2019: Spirituality & Practice
Gold Medal Winner: Living Now Book Awards
Learn how to enter an optimal flow state, access peace of mind, and live from open-hearted awareness—in the midst of your busy life. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and ancient wisdom traditions, award-winning author Loch Kelly's newest book, The Way of Effortless Mindfulness, offers a practical guide to experiencing the next stage in the ongoing mindfulness revolution: effortless mindfulness.
Your Program Session Times (subject to change)
Friday 7:30-9:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am–12:30 pm and 2:00–4:00 pm
Sunday 9:30–11:30 pm (Room check-out is 11:00 am; luggage can be held at reception)
Arrival Day
3:00 pm Check-in begins; Rooms are ready by 3:00 pm, but if you arrive early, we can hold your luggage at Reception.
6:00–7:00 pm Dinner
7:00–7:20 pm Guest Orientation Session (Venue: Dining Hall)
Presenter

Loch Kelly, M.Div., LCSW, is the author of the best-selling The Way of Effortless Mindfulness.. He is a licensed psychotherapist and international leader in the field of mindfulness. Loch is the founder of the non-profit, Open-Hearted Awareness Institute and has worked in community mental health, established homeless shelters, and counseled family members of 9/11. Loch graduated from Columbia University where he received a traveling fellowship to Sri Lanka, India and Nepal. Loch collaborates with neuroscientists at Yale, UPenn, and NYU in the study of how awareness training can enhance compassion and well-being. effortlessmindfulness.org
Reviews
Rooms & Pricing
All options include daily vegetarian meals from dinner on the night of check-in through lunch on the day of check-out. (Rates below are Per Person)
Shared Hotel Room (2 People)
- King bed or two full beds
- Flat Screen TV
- Refrigerator
- Private Bath
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
- Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
- Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
- Access to Gym & Steam Rooms
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)
- Twin beds
- Private Bath
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
- Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
- Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
- Access to Gym & Steam Rooms
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)
- Twin beds
- Private Bath
- Complimentary Wi-fi
- Daily Delicious Vegetarian Meals
- Complimentary Tea/Coffee & Fresh Fruit
- Daily Yoga & Meditation Classes
- Access to Gym & Steam Rooms
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
THE WAY OF EFFORTLESS MINDFULNESS
Awaken to Your Full Potential
June 11–13, 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 Times (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)
Mealtimes
7:30–9:30 am Breakfast
12:00–2:00 pm Lunch (included on your departure day)
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.)
7:30–8:30 am
Hatha Yoga Class | Gita Hall; during program dates only.
9:45–10:45 am and 4:15–5:15 pm
Hatha Yoga Class | Sattva Studio
11:00 am–12:00 pm
Mind and Meditation Session | Sattva Studio
1:30–2:00 pm
Yoga Nidra | Sattva Studio; Saturdays and Sundays only.
2:00–3:15 pm
Property Tour | Starts at Reception; Saturdays only.
1:30–2:30 pm and 3:00–4:00 pm
Guided Nature Walk | Starts at Reception; Saturdays only.
5:30–6:00 pm
Guided Meditation Session | Sattva Studio
7:30–8:15 pm
Meditative Chant/Kirtan | Gita Hall
8:30–10:00 pm
Bonfire | Below Veda 2 Weather permitting; Saturdays only.
Optional Activities with Additional Fees
To ensure a space, please register for these activities by calling 800-392-6870 prior to your arrival.
Mindful Painting (1 hour) $25 Sunday Only
Express your creativity through art therapy as you connect your emotions to the art of watercolor painting.
Ayurveda Cooking Class $25 (1 hour) Thursday and Saturday Only
Learn how to best nourish your specific body type and thrive in every season.
Pottery Class $30 (1 hour) Thursday to Sunday
Explore your creativity. Get hands-on experience in throwing on the wheel, hand-building and decorating handmade pots.
Ayurveda Spa Appointments (Additional Cost)
Hours: 9:00 am–6:30 pm daily
We invite you to also make reservations at our award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Spa 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.
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.

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.