Grief is Love

Living with Loss and Opening to Joy
TUITION
$340
per person—plus room/meals & tax
Reviews
4.9/5
SEPT 22–24, 2023

MARISA RENEE LEE

MARISA RENEE LEE

SEPT 22–24, 2023
TUITION:
$340
per person—plus room/meals & tax
SEPT 22–24, 2023
Retreat Type
Creative ExpressionCreative Expression
Family & RelationshipsFamily & Relationships
Must Be 18+Must Be 18+
Self-DiscoverySelf-Discovery
Retreat Goals
Calm & Clear MindCalm & Clear Mind
Personal DevelopmentPersonal Development
Self-CareSelf-Care

What is grief? Grief is all about love at its core, and because those we love are no longer here to love us actively, we feel pain. While grief is different for everyone, there are core elements to healing that can benefit almost everyone. And what does healing from it truly require? 

Writer, speaker, and grief expert Marisa Renee Lee has crafted a workshop that isn’t about getting over it when you lose someone you love, but about learning to live with it and allowing yourself to authentically experience joy. 

Offering unique insights about the intersections between grief and identity (What does grief look like for a Black woman or a trans man?), Marisa helps you navigate the complicated and challenging emotions faced when experiencing loss utilizing research-based advice and wisdom from her best-selling book, Grief is Love

Through guided writing exercises, private and shared grief processing sessions, and group discussions, you experience

  • Clarity on what grief really is and how it shows up
  • Insight into how to permit yourself to grieve
  • Guidance on handling difficult emotions associated with grief and loss
  • Insight into what it means to LIVE with loss
  • Definitive ways in which you continue to love the person you lost
  • Guidance on how to care for yourself as you navigate life without your loved one.

This weekend of restoration, reflection, and healing is for anyone who wants to learn to navigate grief with clarity and courage and welcome joy back into their lives.

Presenter

Marisa Renee Lee 2023 Headshot Bio

Marisa Renee Lee

Marisa Renee Lee is a called upon expert in coping with grief and author of the national best seller, Grief is Love, Living with Loss. In 2008, after a lengthy and courageous battle, she lost her mother to cancer. This loss transformed her life and led her to question what grief really is and what healing truly requires. In Grief is Love, Marisa utilizes research-based advice and wisdom to help others navigate the complicated and challenging emotions we face when experiencing loss, offering unique insights for women and Black communities.

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

$389 per person/per night + tax
  • King bed or two full beds
  • Flat screen TV
  • Refrigerator
  • Private bath
  • Hair dryer
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily delicious vegetarian meals
  • Complimentary tea/coffee & fresh fruit
  • Daily yoga & meditation classes
  • Access to fitness & steam rooms

Shared Hotel Room (2 People)

$278 per person/per night + tax
  • Twin Beds
  • Flat screen TV
  • Refrigerator
  • Private bath
  • Hair dryer
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily delicious vegetarian meals
  • Complimentary tea/coffee & fresh fruit
  • Daily yoga & meditation classes
  • Access to fitness & steam rooms

Private Retreat Room

$263 per person/per night + tax
  • Twin beds
  • Private bath
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily delicious vegetarian meals
  • Complimentary tea/coffee & fresh fruit
  • Daily yoga & meditation classes
  • Access to fitness & steam rooms

Shared Retreat Room (2 People)

$215 per person/per night + taxper person/per night
  • Twin beds
  • Private bath
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily delicious vegetarian meals
  • Complimentary tea/coffee & fresh fruit
  • Daily yoga & meditation classes
  • Access to fitness & steam rooms

Shared Retreat Room (3 People)

$188 per person/per night + tax
  • Twin beds
  • Private bath
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi
  • Daily delicious vegetarian meals
  • Complimentary tea/coffee & fresh fruit
  • Daily yoga & meditation classes
  • Access to fitness & steam rooms

Schedule

Grief is Love

Living with Loss and Opening to Joy

September 22–24, 2023

Subject to change.

Friday 7:30–9:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am–12:30 pm and 2:00 pm–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)

Actual schedules and venues may vary; please confirm with Front Desk upon check-in.

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 |  Thu–Sun
  • 11:00 am–12:00 pm  Mind & Meditation |  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 |  Wed–Sat
  • 5:30–6:00 pm  Guided Meditation |  Wed–Sat
  • 7:30–8:15 pm  Meditative Chants/Kirtan |  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
  • 11:00 am–7:00 pm Friday & Saturday
    Hand Building $55 | 1 hour

Hours

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

We encourage you to also make reservations for consultations, therapies, and treatments at our award-winning Shankara Ayurveda Wellness at least two weeks prior to your arrival date to ensure availability. Please call 828.264.8382 for details. Additional cost.

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 15 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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.
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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.  

Talk to an Ayurveda Specialist

TUITION
$340
per person—plus room/meals & tax

Art of Living Retreat Center

Google Reviews

465 Reviews
4.9/5
- Leslie E.
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"If you want to relax, recharge, and find yourself again, this is the place!"
- Vasily T.
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"A magnificent place for a refreshing retreat. So peaceful and close to nature as it can be."
- Becca N.
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"Excellent food, spa, tons of activities outside of program warm environment for growth Thank you!"
- Rob H.
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"The techniques I learned here have literally transformed my life."
- Michelle L.
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"Excellent program, beautiful surroundings. Wonderful setting for deep connection & reset."
- Dan V.
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"I did not know what to expect. I am very pleased with what I have learned and excited to bring back home."
- Bonnie M.
Read More
"Beautiful grounds with wonderful, genuinely loving instructors. This was a life changing experience!"
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Weekend of Creativity Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Plan your special day over a delicious whole-foods breakfast.
  • Walk our beautiful labyrinth or hike one of our scenic nature trails and reconnect with your inner self.
  • Express your creativity and have some fun playing with and shaping clay in your pottery class.

AFTERNOON

  • Mingle with like-minded visitors over lunch in the Dining Hall.
  • Cook up something new together in our Ayurveda cooking class or get clever on the canvas in a painting class.
  • Unwind with a relaxing spa treatment. Choose from a warm oil massage, energizing facial, or rejuvenating Netra Tarpana treatment and let our professional therapists pamper you. (Additional spa treatments available here.)
  • Recharge in the steam room.

EVENING

  • Browse our shop for crystals, jewelry, scarves, and more.
  • Nourish your body with a healthy dinner.
  • Take in the spectacular sunset or join the fireside concert.

Discover Ayurveda Solo Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Energize your mind, body, and spirit with morning yoga or meditation class.
  • Savor a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
  • Self-reflect as you leisurely walk our beautiful labyrinth.
  • Rest, replenish and rejuvenate with Abhyanga therapy—a detoxifying warm oil Ayurveda massage that incorporates warm, aromatic oils, rhythmically massaged into your body, cleansing, relaxing, and re-energizing the body and mind.

AFTERNOON

  • Grab some delicious chai and relax in our cafe or take in the majestic views on our deck.
  • Plan your afternoon over a nourishing lunch.
  • Connect with nature while hiking or walking one of our many breathtaking mountain trails.
  • Return to the spa for a Basti session to rejuvenate your joints! Stiff joints are bathed in warm medicated oil and massaged to deepen the therapeutic effects that increase lubrication and promote smooth flexibility and mobility.

EVENING

  • Get creative and have fun in our painting studio or kitchen.
  • Refuel your body with a tasty and healthy dinner.

Rejuvenating Bliss Solo Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Gaze at the sunrise while filling your lungs with fresh mountain air and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
  • Sow a new level of calm and balance into your life with a Yoga or meditation class.
  • Enjoy a delicious whole-foods breakfast.
  • Cleanse your soul with a leisurely walk on one of our beautiful nature trails.

AFTERNOON

  • Nourish your body with a healthy and nutritious lunch.
  • Make a new memory with a cooking, painting, or pottery* class (*additional cost).
  • Choose from the widest selection of Ayurvedic therapies in the US for whole-body nourishment and renewal and let our professional therapists do all the work while you relax and rejuvenate.
  • Unwind in the steam room.

EVENING

  • Stop by our bookstore and explore our collection of new and classic self-care and spiritual resources.
  • Grab a fresh, calming herbal tea and curl up with a good book in your cozy room.

Mother-Daughter Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Plan your special day over a delicious whole-foods breakfast.
  • Retreat into relaxation with a mother-daughter spa treatment. Choose from a warm oil massage, energizing facial, or rejuvenating Netra Tarpana treatment and let our professional therapists pamper you. (Additional spa treatments available here.)
  • Recharge in the steam room.

AFTERNOON

  • Enjoy a decadent Mexican hot chocolate and reminisce in our cozy cafe.
  • Browse our shop for crystals, jewelry, scarves, and more.
  • Mingle with like-minded visitors over lunch in the Dining Hall.
  • Explore our captivating campus or head out on one of our guided mountain trail hikes.
  • Cook up something new together in our Ayurveda cooking class.
  • Self-reflect as you leisurely walk our beautiful labyrinth.

EVENING

  • Feed your body with a healthy dinner.
  • Take in the spectacular sunset or join the fireside concert.

Girlfriends Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING
  • Energize your mind, body, and spirit together with morning yoga or meditation class.
  • Catch up over a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
  • Connect with nature and reminisce while hiking one of our many mountain trails.
AFTERNOON
  • Plan your afternoon over a nourishing lunch.
  • De-stress with a girlfriends spa treatment, like our relaxing signature massage, hydrating facial, or energizing Marma session, and let our therapists work their magic. (Additional spa treatments available here.)
  • Get creative and have fun in our painting studio or Ayurveda food kitchen.
  • Grab some delicious chai and relax in our cafe or take in the majestic views on our deck.
EVENING
  • Plenty of time for bonding during a dinner.
  • Visit our shop and grab some souvenirs, rejuvenating herbal supplements, and restorative health products from Shankara’s all-natural beauty line.
  • Dance and sing at Kirtan.

Couples Wellness Escape

(Sample Schedule)

MORNING

  • Gaze at the sunrise while filling your lungs with fresh mountain air and reminisce on the moments that connected you.
  • Bring a new level of calm and balance to your relationship with a Yoga or Meditation class.
  • Enjoy a delicious whole-foods breakfast together.
  • Walk or hike one of our beautiful nature trails and reconnect with each other, nature, and oneself.

AFTERNOON

  • Share a healthy and nutritious lunch.
  • Make a new memory by taking a workshop or educational class, or create a new experience together with a pottery*, watercolor painting, or cooking class (*additional cost).
  • Reduce tension and stress with a couple’s or individual Ayurveda spa treatment. Choose from the widest selection of Ayurvedic therapies in the US for whole-body nourishment and renewal.
  • Unwind in the steam room together.

EVENING

  • Stop by our bookstore and explore our collection of self-care and spiritual resources or spend time reading in the cafe.

Small Group Inquiry Request

Note: You will receive an email confirming our receipt of your inquiry.

Our peak season runs April–November, so space fills up quickly during that time.