On this all-inclusive retreat, you'll claim your calm and enter a deep state of rest. Nestled in a verdant Portuguese valley, you'll spend 6 days and 5 nights with like-minded peace-seekers. You'll engage with nervous system soothing practices + embody tranquility such that you can successfully integrate stillness practices once back home. You will:

*Restore through stillness-based yoga asana such as Restorative yoga, Yin yoga + Yoga Nidra (see description below)

*Calm through daily sound bath meditations and breath work practices

*Unlock your inner wisdom through chosen stillness practices such as intuitive journaling, meditative nature walks, or afternoon siestas

*Connect to yourself and your community through ceremonies (examples: dance, fire, moon, cacao)

*Pamper your body with nourishing, chef-prepared, farm-to-table, vegan meals

*Understand Nature is for everyone + tune into its healing frequencies through nature hikes, meditations, or simply by uniting with the peace of this exquisite valley.

*Experience deep rest in your body and understand you are capable and deserving of stillness. 

*Become motivated to establish stillness practices in your daily life. 

Each one of our yoga and sound practices has a common intent: to get you to do less and relax more. In fact, the more you let your strong muscles go, the more you soothe your nervous system and benefit from the practice. The yoga asana (postures) we practice are accessible to all people - even if you have never practiced yoga before! Guided yoga pranayam (breathing) and gentle,  guided sound meditation exercises will help you sink even further into your intentional stillness. All of these slow practices help you experience rest in your body, heart, and mind. Once you experience deep rest through these powerful practices, you will never forget it. 

*Restorative yoga is practiced largely on the ground with the support of nourishing props. 

*Yin Yoga is a type of yoga asana that targets your myofascial tissue. Postures are supported and held for longer amounts of time so the myofascial tissue can relax and release tension.

*Yoga Nidra is often called 

Because resting is radically important to our personal and physical well-being. And yet:

*We don’t give ourselves permission to slow down.

*We don’t know how to slow down.

*We don’t prioritize slowing down.

*We don’t stand for a slow-down even when we know we need it. 

*We exist in grind culture + spend significant time operating at an unforgiving machine-like pace.

The Radical Rest retreat will help you take charge of your well-being. In this retreat, you are not Resting so you can return to your daily life “stronger” and able to produce more for the systems that grind forward despite your exhaustion. 

*You are Resting for your self-care.

*You are Resting for community care.

*You are Resting to hear your thoughts.

*You are Resting to connect to your body. 

*You are Resting to connect to your heart.

*You are Resting to revel in your creativity.

*You are Resting to learn what supports you + your uniquely beautiful self.

When we operate under a chronic state of stress, the risk of heart attacks, weight gain, insomnia, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, and menstrual problems increases exponentially. Plus, the more drained we are, the more we experience a decrease in our zest for life, libido, and sensuality.  

Radical Rest is a retreat to help you interrupt all this and learn to prioritize intentional stillness. 

Radical Rest is a welcoming retreat for all people. This means that adults of all shapes and sizes and folks of all ages, races, sexual orientations, genders, and backgrounds are welcome here. We see you, honor your life experiences, and are committed to a holding space in which you can feel safe enough to explore deep rest. Radical Rest is a retreat for you if:

*You want help + unconditional support in claiming your lifelong Radical Rest journey

*Your life’s work is centered on giving to others + you are feeling depleted 

*You find yourself exhausted by the current state of the world or your lived experiences

*You work in a high-stress, high-demand field + need to schedule time for yourself

*Your work-life balance is off + you want structures for finding it

*You enjoy community but also crave time to yourself

During this peaceful week, you’ll slow down your mind and tune into what nourishes your body + heart. You will understand that Rest is the ultimate form of Self Love and you’ll learn to:

*Prioritize your well-being + commit to rest as a non-negotiable

*Release what no longer serves you + clear a pathway to calm

*Affirm yourself + use your inner dialogue to stand tall 

*Communicate + stand for your needs with those around you

*Be equipped with meditation, gentle movement + intentional stillness practices to keep your rest practice going once back home.

Intentional stillness is the ultimate form of self-care. You are entitled to rest, and Radical Rest's yoga, sound meditation, and breathing exercises are a magical elixir that will help you connect with the power of slowing down and tuning in. Even if you have never practiced or liked yoga, the asanas (postures) we practice are for you! Supported yoga postures will help you relax your body,  guided yoga pranayam (breathing) will connect you to your heart, and sound meditation will help you slow your over-thinking mind. 

Each yoga type we practice has a common intent: to get you to do less and relax more. In fact, in these practices, the more you let your strong muscles go, the more you soothe and benefit your nervous system. 

*Restorative yoga is practiced primarily on the ground with the support of nourishing props. This practice is all about helping your body let go and experiencing the sensation of deep relaxation.

*Yin Yoga is a yoga asana that targets the myofascial tissue. Postures are supported and held for extended periods of time so the myofascial tissue can relax and release tension.

*Yoga Nidra involves "nesting" into the most comfortable position you can and following guidance into a deep state of relaxation. Practitioners often describe this yoga asana as a "waking sleep." It is a profoundly therapeutic practice that helps you reclaim your dream space. 

Lauded as one of the top 5 retreats in Europe, Vale de Moses will play a pivotal role in claiming your Radical Rest. This sanctuary is tucked off the tourist track in the forested foothills of Portugal’s Serra da Estrela mountains + is has been internationally recognized by each of these publications for its peace-supporting environment:

*National Geographic 

*Forbes

*The Guardian

*The Telegraph

*Yoga Journal

*OmYoga Magazine

The country's center isn’t as well known to those outside Portugal. Amieira/Oleiros is 2.5 hours from Lisbon or Porto and is quiet, humble, and beautiful in its remoteness. 

At every turn, you'll connect with nature and yourself here. The shala is suspended across the valley, serving breathtaking views during your yoga and meditation practices. A natural spring plunge pool invites you for an afternoon dip, and endless options for nourishing nature walks connect you to Mother Earth in the best possible way. 

You’ll arrive with your to-do lists, technology, and swirling mind. In your own time, you’ll put all that down and step into your unwinding. 

Hi! I'm Tara, and, like you, I’m up to big things in my life. In my career, I’m a licensed educator, social-emotional learning coach, and registered yoga teacher. I'm also a certified sound meditation facilitator, mindfulness facilitator, and writing workshop facilitator. In my personal life, I’m an avid solo traveler, a mom to two beautiful grown humans, and a person deeply committed to equity + loving kindness. Over my 15+ year career as an educator and social-emotional learning specialist, I've guided thousands of individuals of all ages to find their unique well-being signatures. My approach is equitable, trauma-informed,  and anti-racist. This means the spaces I hold are inclusive, brave, and affirming.  

No matter where you are in your life's journey, I look forward to holding space for you + your unfolding story.

Each day, you will rise to the rhythm of nature and dwell in community silence until breakfast time. You'll engage with an offered morning practice (ex: meditation, nature walk, gentle rise and shine yoga asana), or maybe you'll opt to pamper yourself with a slow rising. The choice is yours! After your chosen morning activity, you'll nourish yourself with soothing beverages, a hearty vegan breakfast, and conversations with Radical Rest community members.

In the afternoons, you'll experience a combination of nervous system soothing activities such as restorative yoga practices, meditation offerings, creative activities, journaling, or time in nature. A hearty vegan afternoon meal will await you after practice.

Each evening, we will enjoy a simple, delicious meal together and have time to process our day. Sometimes, we will meet during the later evening for a communal event such as star gazing or a community ceremony. Other evenings will be yours to fill on your own.

The community activities or ceremonies are important moments for marking your progress and reveling in the beauty of our stillness-based community. 

Please note: You should plan to arrive by 10 am on arrival day. Refreshments will welcome you, and then programming will begin around 10:30/11:00 am. We will have an opening ceremony followed by lunch, an afternoon stillness practice, and an evening meal. On departure day, if you are taking a coach bus to Lisbon or Porto, you will rise early to eat in the nearby village before departing for your final destination city. If you have rented a car, you can leave later, but breakfast will not be available at Vale de Moses.

Arrival options: 

Programming begins around 11:00 am on the retreat starting day. The following options will get you to the retreat on time on the starting day: Traveling from Lisbon, you can take a 7 am bus on the retreat starting day (around $30), hire a private taxi for an early morning departure to the retreat on the starting day (around $200), or rent a car, leave early in the morning, and arrive on the starting day (prices vary).  If you choose to, you can take a bus or taxi during the weekend and arrive early in Olieros. You would need to rent an Air b n B to stay in for the weekend. 

Traveling from Porto, you can take a bus the day BEFORE the retreat (due to the bus schedule from Porto, you CANNOT take a bus from Porto on the starting day of the retreat!!), hire a private taxi (around $200) for an early morning drive to the retreat center and arriving on the starting day, or rent a car to arrive on the starting day (prices vary). The taxi or rental car will get you there on the day of the retreat. The bus would get you there the day before the retreat starts. If you choose to arrive the weekend before in Olieros, you will need to rent an Air b n B to stay in for the weekend. 

On departure day, you can take a coach bus to Lisbon or Porto. Of course, you could also hire a private taxi or use your rental car to return to either city, as well.