Enliven your body and rejuvenate your spirit with 4 days and 3 nights of embodied presence at the Mount Madonna Retreat Center in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Cultivate authentic movement and freedom in your practice with daily yoga, dance, breathwork and meditation. Create space for freedom, spontaneity and self healing through somatic awareness. Explore connection while staying fully yourself through partner yoga, contact improvisation and Thai massage. Above all, embody the knowledge that you are whole exactly as you are, playing and practicing for the joy of experiencing your vitality.

Enjoy free time soaking in the hot tub, swimming in the pond or strolling along the 355 acres of lush forest. Nourish your body-temple with delicious organic, vegetarian meals, and engage with your soul through time in nature and space for quiet stillness. Find your level of comfort with multiple accommodation options: bring your own tent, stay in your vehicle, bunk with a friend or take solace in a private room.  Invite inspiration, joy and light in your life by allowing movement, music and community to move you, and embracing the natural transformative rhythm of springtime! 

• Daily yoga, dance & meditation 
• Partner yoga, contact improv & Thai massage
• Intuitive movement & somatic awareness training 
• Authentic communication & consent practices
• Sound healing, live music & song circle
• Hiking, swimming & hot tub available
• Free time for reflection & relaxation
• Opportunity for private somatic movement therapy & Thai yoga massage
• 355 acres of beautiful redwood forest & trails 
• Organic vegetarian meals
• Multiple accommodations options 

• Check in is at 4 pm on Thursday.
• Check out is at 1 pm on Sunday.
• Join our Retreat FB group to stay connected and consider carpooling to the venue. Connect with a friend and help us be more sustainable:
• Be prepared to leave your cell phone OFF for the entirety of your stay, give yourself a digital detox!
• If possible, arrange your schedule so arrival back home on Sunday is gentle and smooth. Perhaps schedule less the first few days of the week after returning to allow integration. 
• San Jose (SJC) is the closest airport which is about a one-hour drive from the center (49 miles). San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK) are both about 1.5 hours away (70 miles).

• Any personal yoga props: mat, block, blanket, meditation cushion, strap, etc.
• A reusable water bottle ideally stainless steel (no glass by the spa). Please no plastic water bottles.
• Any regular medications and toiletries.
• Clothing for all types of weather: rain coat, comfortable hiking shoes, sun hat, extra layers, comfy clothes for movement, dance and yoga.
• Swimsuit, as the hot tub and pond require clothing.
• A tarp if you are camping in a tent, for the ground and in case of rain.
• Earplugs to ensure you sleep soundly.
• Spending money for the Ocean View Bookstore or the Āñjaneya's World Cafe (serves hot and cold drinks).
• Double and Single rooms include linens; if you camp in your own tent or vehicle you provide your own bedding

• Outside food. All our meals are vegetarian prepared by the Center's chefs, fruit and tea are available 24/7.
• Drugs, alcohol, pets, incense, candles or other flammables.
• Scented body products, as these cause severe toxic reactions in some people.

Mount Madonna Center provides delicious and nourishing 100% vegetarian meals. They use organic ingredients as much as possible, and always provide a vegan and gluten-free option. Their food is high vibe, nutritious and phenomenally delicious! 

James Kapicka (E-RYT 200, RYT 500) is a movement facilitator, Thai massage therapists and affection advocate with a passion for bringing people together to move, explore and connect. A student of eastern and western philosophy who studied psychology in undergrad and counseling in graduate school, James is inspired by the wisdom teachings of Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Bhagavad Gita and the Tao te Ching. James offers sacred somatic ceremonies, leads embodiment retreats, and teaches yin trainings to inspire personal freedom and support community connection. Through sincere and heartfelt guidance, he creates an environment that empowers students to trust their intuition and listen to their heart. This approach promotes curiosity, creative play and authentic expression, and allows for a deeply resonant relationship with self, others and our planet.

Grounded in awareness, connectivity, and flow, Matthew Nelson takes an ecstatic and scholarly approach to being at home in our bodies. Matthew brings over 20 years experience on his path as an artist and therapist, achieving qualifications that include an MFA in Modern Dance, and certifications in Laban Movement Analysis, Massage, and Pilates. He breathes embodiment as ground zero for the critical realization that we are living systems, made up of living systems, and participating in living systems.  His presence is compassionate, his spirit playful, and he is forever curious.

Winter Jendayi is a passionate songstress, ceremonialist and yoga instructor (RYT-700) residing in the Sierra Foothills where she is co-creating a conscious community and retreat center, The Confluence, and holding a variety of monthly yoga classes, ceremonial circles and offerings. Music is the heart in all Winter shares as she allows the sounds and vibrations to inspire and facilitate healing. Winter has spent the last five years in countries and communities around the globe where she received teachings from elders and experienced many traditional forms of healing. From this work she has found inspiration and guidance for holding space and using music as medicine. Inspired by sacred plants, indigenous practices and prayer, Winter strives to weave her visions, experiences and the wisdom she receives, into her music and work, guiding listeners to become aware of the sacred space within and of our deep connection with the earth.

Thursday: 

• 3:30-4:30pm Arrival 
• 5 pm Dinner
• 6:30pm Open Circle & Evening Practice

Friday: 

• 7 - 8 am  Morning Practice & Meditation
• 8:15 - 9:15 am Breakfast 
• 10:30 -12:30 pm Mindfulness Hike -Embodied Ecology
• 12:30 - 1:30 pm Snack
• 2 - 3:30 pm Pleasure Spine
• 3:30 - 5 pm Embodied Yin w/ Live Music
• 5:30 - 6:30 pm Dinner
• 7 pm Community Song & Share Circle

Saturday: 

• 7:30 - 9:30 am Morning Practice & Meditation
• 10 - 11 am Brunch
• 12 - 2 pm Euphoric Contact Dance
• 3 - 5 pm Yin-Thai Yoga Massage
• 5 - 6 pm Dinner
• 7 pm Ecstatic Dance Ceremony 

Sunday: 

• 7:00 - 8:30 am Morning Practice & Meditation
• 8:30 - 9:30 am Breakfast
• 9:30 - 10:30 am Pack Up 
• 10:45 - 12:45 pm Closing Movement and Sharing Circle
• 1 pm Depart