A Yoga & Nature Immersion
Return to the wild and natural state of being. Retreat to the sky islands of Mount Lemmon and wake up to a day of soulful adventure and yoga amidst the ponderosa pines. For 4 days and 3 nights we’ll gather with the natural world to explore inner and outer landscapes. We’ll drop into the rhythms of the wild, rekindle practices of intuition and invite play into our bodies. Through daily yoga & meditation, guided workshops and immersion in Nature’s beauty we’ll explore the ecosystems of our lives, our relationship to the land, each other and the taproot of our enlivened selves.
Retreat to the Sky Islands
Adventure into the wild & natural terrains of Mount Lemmon’s “sky islands” in the Santa Catalina Mountain Range. Rising majestically above the Tucson skyline, Mount Lemmon is the tallest peak at an elevation of 9,159 ft and boasts cool and delightful temps for a summer escape. Catch the clouds and explore the rugged landscape that is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna.
Yoga In Nature
Nature offers a place of refuge. Experience the magic of practicing yoga in nature. Each day, we’ll begin with a 90 minute solar yoga asana practice infused with intention, mindfulness and alignment principles. The yoga practices are designed to bring us into connection with the home of our bodies and hearts.
Whether you are a seasoned yogi or stepping onto the mat for the first time, you are welcomed here. With nearly 30 years of collective teaching experience, Jenn & Gaby aim to provide personalized attention and support to nurture your practice. Variations will be offered to ensure an enriching experience that allows you to explore & progress at your own pace.
Yoga schedule is as follows (exact times TBD):
Thursday evening - Grounding Ayurvedic Vinyasa with Gaby
Friday morning - Awake & Align with Jenn
Friday evening - Restorative Yin & Yoga Nidra Sound Bath with Gaby
Saturday morning - Kriya Vinyasa with Gaby
Saturday evening - Slow Yin Flow with Jenn
Sunday morning - Awake & Align with Jenn
Wilderness Explorations
We will have ample time to soak up the medicine of Nature. Each afternoon, you will have a few activities to pick from. We’ve scoped out some of the best hikes nearby that invite a sense of ‘choose your own adventure’ in that it can be long or short.
Camping in the Ponderosa Pines
Our home for the long weekend is Shower Points Group Campground, nestled in the cool shade of tall ponderosa pines and gambel oak trees. Perched at 7,700 feet, our base camp overlooks the Palisade Canyon and is a short walk to some of the most majestic vistas of the Santa Catalina mountain range and the Santa Cruz Valley stretching towards Mexico. We’ll have the entire campground reserved for our group.
Amenities include
Please note, no RVs or trailers are allowed.
The ritual of coming together to feast and appreciate nature’s bounty is one that keeps us grounded and in connection with each other and the earth. Expect to be nourished with wholesome, nutritious meals all weekend from Thursday night dinner until our Sunday send-off brunch! We will honor each person’s dietary needs and preferences, so that everyone will be fully nourished. Lunch will be “served” as a buffet style, make-your-own-to-go-lunch station, where you’ll find options like sandwich fixings, fruits, and miscellaneous snacks (bars, meat sticks/jerky, etc.).
All meals are ayurvedic-inspired, thoughtfully sourced, crafted with intention and embrace the energetics of the season. Expect campout classics, foods cooked over fire that are simple yet wildly nourishing. Organic ingredients will be used whenever possible, and complete protein options will be available at each meal. And yes, there will most definitely be campfire s’mores!
Topics may include, but are not limited to:
7:30 AM Coffee & Tea
8:00 - 9:30 AM Solar Asana & Meditation
9:30 - 10:30 AM Breakfast/Create your to-go lunch
10:30 - 12:00 PM Wellness Workshop
12:00 - 6:00 PM Free time: Hiking, Climbing, Rest, Journal, Hammock & Hang
6:00 - 7:00 PM Nourishing Dinner
7:30 - 8:45 PM Lunar Asana or Meditation
8:45 PM Free Time & evening campfire
Check-in: 3:00 PM Thursday // Checkout 11:00 AM Sunday
Jenn Choi Bemis Bio
I took my first yoga class in college in 2005, but it wasn't until 2008 that I became obsessed with hot yoga. The physical, athletic aspect of asana is what drew me in, but I started to learn that there is much more to yoga than the exercise aspect. I dove deep into the scriptures, stories, and the philosophy of yoga, and it started to unlock a path to a deeper understanding of myself; helped me identify my core values; and began to shape who and how I wanted to Be in this world.
I truly believe that the practice of yoga is a gracious opportunity to cultivate awareness—in our bodies as well as in our hearts and minds—so that we can manifest practices of mindfulness, compassion, patience, humility, and Love off of our mats, in our daily lives. I have studied with various teachers in different schools of yoga including Anusara, Vinyasa, other Hatha forms, Yin, and yoga therapeutics. Most recently, my fascination with the human body and biomechanics has led me to study the fascial system and functional movement (mobility and strength training). My classes are laden with precise alignment cues interwoven within creative, mindful, intentional sequences—all the while keeping and respecting the tradition of classical yoga whenever possible.
My classes are infused with detailed alignment cues and intentional sequencing; a combination of traditional yoga postures and new, explorative approaches of isolated movements/exercises to achieve mobility (flexibility and strength) and body awareness—all packaged within a fun, safe, and thought-provoking environment.
Gaby Colletta Bio
Gaby is a Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation Teacher with over 15 years of practice in integrative wellness and healing arts. She facilitates nature-based retreats, guides mind-body courses and coaches individuals on how to create an ecosystem of internal resources that increase resilience and unveil intrinsic potential. Her teachings weave together the Ancient traditions of Ayurveda, Buddhism and Tantra, alongside modern-day neuroscience, somatic psychology and Earth wisdom. Through the tapestry of mind-body practices, Gaby shares tools for deeper intimacy and understanding one’s intuitive abilities, mental powers and pathways to freedom.
Gaby began her formal yoga teaching in 2014. She received her Ayurvedic training at the California College of Ayurveda in 2017 with additional study under Dr. Lad. Gaby is faculty of the Lakshmi Rising School of Yoga and Wellness. She is a Somatic Therapist with a Masters degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from CIIS, and a Bachelors degree in Media Culture and Communication from NYU. Gaby is also co-founder of ClimbWell, an organization devoted to exploring the intersection of rock climbing, mindfulness and personal development.
A $300 non-refundable deposit secures your reservation or you can pay the full amount upon booking.
All final payments are due 30 days prior to start of retreat. If you'd like a payment plan, please inquire and we can set this up for you.
Cancellations made within 60 days or less of arrival are 100% non-refundable. If you cancel more than 60 days before the retreat start date and you have paid the full booking amount in addition to the deposit, you may request a partial 50% refund.
All initial deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable.
There is a perfect flat platform area for yoga at the campground. BYOM—bring your own mat! :)
Topics TBD. See above for possible topics.
A deep restful evening practice that will be extra special under the stars!
Hang out in the woods; journal, draw, relax in nature; go for a hike/trail run; drive to vistas for epic views; rock climbing—Mt Lemmon offers so much for everyone!
To/from Showers Point Campground. Although if needed, we will likely set up a car pool from the base of Mt Lemmon in order to abide by the 15-car maximum rule at the campground.
Recommended.
This will be an add-on service with an extra cost, provided by a local guiding company with certified professional guides. No experience and beginner friendly, and no equipment of your own needed.
