Celebrate You!
Step into the embrace of the inaugural Yoga Retreat for Women of Color®, making its debut at the Art of Living Retreat Center. Led by the visionary Maya Breuer and the insightful Kiesha Battles, this transformative journey invites you to embrace balance, harmony, joy, consciousness, and peace.
Experience a weekend dedicated to awakening the spirit within, exploring soulful living, and elevating your energy to embrace your fullest life. Delve into the sacred practices of yoga, the art of breathing, and moments of serene relaxation, all woven into a tapestry of sisterhood bonding through ancestral stories and folklore.
This gathering is a celebration of you—your voice, your dance, your prose, your artistry, and your stories. Bring along your sister, mother, aunt, grandmother, or closest friend, and immerse yourself in a space resonating with truth, healing, and rejuvenation.
Join us in creating sacred moments through group discussions, mindfulness practices, dance, journaling, creative exercises, and heartfelt one-on-one connections.
This is a space designed for community, where you can nurture your yoga practice, explore physical and emotional healing, bask in positive energy, embrace fresh perspectives, and uncover the transformative power of meditation in the company of like-minded women of color.
FAQs
What defines a Woman of Color? Who can participate?
Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latina, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders are all considered women/people of color.
Presenter
Maya Breuer
Maya Breuer is Head of Research and Yoga Advancement for Yoga Alliance, where she is developing the Yoga Alliance Think Tank and offering a monthly International Gathering Sangha. …
Kiesha Battles
Kiesha Battles, E-RYT 500, creates, teaches, and leads yoga programs and retreats. She is co-director of the Yoga Retreat for Women of Color and owner the IAMYOGA studio and yoga school. …
Reviews
Schedule
The Yoga Retreat for Women of Color®
Spirit, Soul & Energy
April 26–28, 2024
Subject to change.
Friday 7:30–9:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am–12:30 pm | 2:00–4:00 pm | 7:30–9:00 pm
Sunday 9:00–11:00 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 - 9:00 | 10:45 am Sunday
Wheel Throwing $75 all guests; glazing and shipping are included | semi-private class | 75 minutes
Hours
Wednesday 11:00–8:00 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.
Rooms & Pricing
Private Hotel Room
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.)
- 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
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/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.
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.