“Into our inner being
The riches of the senses pour.
The Cosmic Spirit finds itself
Reflected in the human eye,
Which ever must renew its strength
From out that spirit source.” -Rudolf Steiner

Radical Self Love. Inner alchemy. Stillness & Exploration. Life as a Ceremony.  

These are the themes we will be working with on this beautiful journey together to the sacred lands of Bahia, Brazil. Let the richness in colors, culture & nature inspire you to take a deep dive within and explore the inner terrain of your BEingness. This journey is an invitation to level up your connection with God (your Higher Self) and to allow yourself the time and space to journey through the many layers of consciousness. What story(ies) do you still tell yourself that your heart no longer believes? Are you ready to commit to this inner alchemical process in order to create lasting change, essentially repatterning your thoughts/beliefs, and ultimately, changing the direction of your life for the better? The only way to alchemize yourSelf is to take the leap of faith and have the courage to journey into uncharted territories within. This is where the deep healing occurs. 

Join Lindsey for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to the tropical coast of Bahia, Brazil! The vibrancy in culture, land and people is palpable. Lindsey considers Bahia her second home and it's also the birthplace of her husband, so she feels very honored to be bringing her community to a place near and dear to her heart. You can know that by joining this retreat you will be supporting Lindsey & her family to take one step closer in achieving their bigger visions to create a wellness center in Bahia :)

The little beach town of Algodões is on a large peninsula (Costa do Dendê) 6-hours South of Salvador, the capital city of Bahia. Algodões runs along the same "parallel of light" (Earth meridian) as Machu Picchu, which is known to have powerful healing and creative energies present. There are many unique and beautiful places to explore along the Maraú Peninsula and we will have the opportunity to do so. 

There will be plenty of time for deep rest, relaxation, introspection, inner alchemy, disconnecting from the grid & regular routines, connecting with nature, community, local cultural immersion, yoga & sound healing, ceremony, adventure, nourishing food and so much more!

Obrigada e bem-vindo! 

Travel:

The closest airport to Algodões is Ilheus, Bahia (IOS). You can take a taxi/shuttle directly from the airport to our pousada (approximately 2-3 hours, depending on road conditions). 

If you have extra time for travel, I highly recommend flying into Salvador, the capital city of Bahia to get a taste of the deep roots and culture of this part of Brazil. If you do this, you can take the ferry boat from Salvador to Bom Despacho, Vera Cruz. From here you can either take a taxi to Camamu, or a bus to Camamu. From Camamu you take a "lancha" boat directly to Barra Grande. From Barra Grande you can take a taxi directly to our pousada. This entire route is much more of an adventure (and longer), but it is so fun to get even more of a taste of Brazil and all its magic. There may also be an alternate route from Salvador to where we are staying, so be sure to do some research if needed (or you can ask me). You can also opt to fly into Ilheus for the retreat, and then fly out of Salvador, so you have time to explore the capital city on the way out.

There are many different routes you can take, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

Where We Are Staying:

Pousada Na Villa Dos Algodões

Rua Beira Mar Lotes 5, 6, 11 e 12 Algodões, Maraú - BA, 45520-000, Brazil

Booking Your Flight:

Make sure to book your flight for July 13th, 2024 (at the latest) so that you have enough time to arrive on-time for the retreat. If you are flying in from the states and going directly to the retreat center, it is good to give yourself about 24-hours of travel time to arrive in time for dinner & opening circle. 

When booking your flight, be sure to leave a minimum of a two-hour window between layovers. This will ensure that there is enough time to catch your connecting flights.

International Travel Disclaimer:

Please know that when traveling to foreign countries it's important to take into consideration the differences in culture, timing, operations of logistics, etc. Sometimes things don't operate on such a "timely" manner than we are used to in the US, so I would just like to encourage you to embrace all the possible changes, differences and the possible differences in standards of service than you may be so used to here in the US (for example, slow wifi connection, hot water going out, electricity flickering, slower service, etc.). I invite you to embrace it all as one giant adventure that will ultimately add to the beautiful memories you will carry with you forever. 

It is also possible that there could be a slight shift in our regularly scheduled retreat activity schedule due to something out of my control. If that is the case, I will always be sure to provide a modification to our itinerary that is of equal value in experience. 

One thing to note about the road along the peninsula is that it is NOT paved. Therefore, it is quite a bumpy and slow ride to get to Praia de Algodões once you exit the main highway. That being said, it's actually quite the adventure and just adds to the charm and fun that we will be enjoying in a more secluded & "off-the-grid" location. The taxi/shuttle drivers are very familiar with these roads and know how to safely navigate them. 

We will be staying in a beautiful, clean and comfortable pousada. We will also be staying in a place immersed in the elements, so it's important to remember things like mosquitos in your room, other interesting bugs hanging around, etc. are a possibility. Everything has a solution, so in the case of mosquitos, just be sure to close the doors/windows to your chalé by around 4pm when they tend to come out (around dusk).

The water in this entire region has a slight odor because it is rich in iron and manganese, but the water from the well is drinkable, filtered and treated in the water tank - super healthy for general use - but depending on the rain, it may have a little odor.

Group Retreat Support:

In an effort to keep communications streamlined for our group of participants I will be creating a Whatsapp (app) group for us to all stay connected. In there you will be able to connect with the other group members and communicate about travel logistics (travel buddy anyone?), local activities, etc. I will also be able to communicate directly with you all to make any special announcements, coordinate logistics, etc. 

Yoga, Sound & Ceremonies:

These classes/events/ceremonies will take place in a beautiful Oca (a traditional Indigenous Brazilian structure). The Oca is located on a small lake about a 20-minute walk from where we are staying. You can either opt for a beautiful rising walk with tea/coffee before practice each day, or you can hop on a quad! There will be an option to rent quadricycles (additional cost which can be split if you want to share one with another retreat participant) if you would like to use one for the week we will be there. It is what many locals use as a form of transportation to get around and explore the peninsula. I HIGHLY recommend this option so that you have the ability to go on adventures and explore beyond where we will be staying. 

All ceremonies are optional. I highly recommend participating in the daily yoga classes. If you can not make it to a group activity please let me know. 

There will also be a plant medicine 🍄 & sound healing ceremony as an option separate from the regular retreat schedule. If you are interested in more details you can reach out to me. Cost is sliding scale, approx. $30-$50/person and can be paid directly to the medicine facilitators on site.

Food:

The food in Bahia is delicious!! It is truly a mix of African, Indigenous and Portuguese roots. Our pousada will be serving us predominantly vegetarian meals with options of meat & fish to add to our lunches & dinners. Our private chefs, Maria Luiza & Antonio Cicero, will be sourcing as much local and organic ingredients as possible. 

Weather in Bahia:

July is considered "winter" down in Brazil, however, in Bahia it's never cold! We will be arriving towards the end of rainy season, plus 2024 is supposedly an "el niño" year, meaning much drier weather for that region. Temperatures generally hover around the low 80's (high's) & low 70's (low's) in the evenings. It's always great to pack for slight variation in weather. 

What to Bring (What I personally recommend, but there may be more you want to consider for your own personal comfort.):

Passport (Make sure to check your passport expiration date as soon as possible to make sure it doesn't expire while you are traveling in Brazil.)

Copies of Documents (This is not required, but I always recommend having copies of you passport and your state ID. It's a good idea to keep them stored in a place separate from the originals just in case anything were to come up.)

Cash (Make sure to bring USD so that you can exchange it for Brazilian Reals at the airport upon arrival. Please keep in mind that we will have limited access to atms/banks while staying at our pousada, so try to bring enough cash to cover any additional costs that you may incur while on the retreat.)

Cash for gratuities (Please be sure to plan ahead for this and bring cash with you. I will have an envelope to pass around at closing circle where we can all place what we felt was a fair amount to offer those who contributed to making this experience truly special.)

Travel Insurance (This is not required, but I recommend it in case anything were to come up beforehand, or while abroad.)

Journal & Pen

Yoga mat

Beach towel or sarong

Water bottle

Comfort items/snacks/Headphones/Downloaded music & movies for the plane ride/taxi/etc. 

Sandals

Tennis shoes or hiking shoes

Swimwear

Light and comfortable clothing for yoga, ceremonies & lounging

One nice outfit for our dinner out

One warmer outfit for the airplane (it usually gets cold on planes)

One lighter sweater/jacket in case the temperature cools in the evening

Rain poncho/rain jacket (in case it rains and you don't like getting super wet)

Sunglasses/Hats

Mosquito repellent

Sunscreen 

Aloe Vera Gel (in case you get a sunburn)

Medicines/Herbs/Homeopathy/etc.

Misc. Toiletries

Cancellation Policy:

The initial $500 deposit is non-refundable. The retreat is fully refundable 90-days before the retreat start date. The retreat is not refundable after 90-days before the retreat start date, unless your spot can be filled.