Unwind in beautiful Ojai, CA, and work out the aches and pains you haven't known what to do with! 

We learn about the nature of fractals, your anatomy, and how this understanding helps you pinpoint where your physical aches and restrictions come from and how to alleviate them without strain. 

Increase mobility, free up blood flow, and strengthen your immune system! You will leave this retreat full of vitality with a grounded method you can integrate and work with to keep your body healthy and flexible. 

We will also have Heather Hollander offering a remarkable class experience of Ariel Somatics to support your growing awareness of release as you deepen the connection with your body's wisdom and reset your nervous system.

Although this is a 7-day intensive, there will still be time for hiking, journalling, or resting in the beautiful and sacred Ojai Valley. 

On our last night, we also have a remarkably inspiring musical guest flying in specifically for your 'graduation night'  to dance the ease and joy of the full embodiment you have uncovered throughout the week's retreat!

Partial Scholarships are available - please contact Meredith directly at sands@somaticstretch.com.

These retreats are kept small, allowing all students to receive the attention they need to release, integrate, and understand the connections they are making to their bodies. 

No single day, drop-in students are admitted to ensure a safe and secure space as students release tension, and sometimes, the emotions that govern them. 

From our June 2023 trip in Southern France: 

"I loved the fact that it was a small group and that Meredith was able to directly answer our questions relating to how we were applying the practices internally - being such a subtle art it was invaluable to have the week to deeply explore within and having Meredith's experience and knowledge was a great help to my individual journeying within my own felt sense physically and spiritually"

"The sessions were long enough to go deep into the stretch...being regularly reminded to relax and not to reach for anything...Meredith and Wendy were very present with every student and offered help where needed...The space they held felt very safe and free of any form of judgement so it was easier to relax and to allow the body to release and go with it whatever came up...It felt quite self-empowering that we were always reminded to follow the needs of our own bodies instead of following the teacher.It felt so good to just be in the body, observing without having to perform or reach for anything!"

"Maybe the biggest obstacle for many, or at least me, is to actually wind down enough to get in touch deeply with myself. I was partially exhausted before coming to the retreat, so that made an impact in that it took a while to wind down. So, I felt the length of the sessions suited me really well for this purpose. Also, the good instructions and the aid in finding the right spots for each person were very impactful in learning how to lean in at the right angles in the body to allow release to happen. For me it took a while to figure out my own hip and this retreat gave several new aha´s to that. Meredith is great at holding a space for everybody, which is not an easy role and the sessions were really impactful and opening in a heartfelt way. I am still integrating the whole experience:)"

"I appreciated the small group size and the individual tips to improve our access to the stretch release. I appreciated the variety and pace of the content. I really enjoyed it."

"The rhythm and deepness of the work! Your body just falls into it!"

"(What I liked the most was) the space and time to go slow and deep into the stretches. And Meredith's attentive and wonderfully intuitive guidance and personal support to hold space for release."

"I felt I really let go of a lot, and my posture had changed. Felt my whole nervous system more relaxed even after all the travelling to get home. People noticed the shift!"

"I feel more "space" and openness in my pelvis and in my hip joints, more softness and flexibility while walking or other daily movements, I am much more aware of my body scanning it regularly for muscles I can relax more....I am standing and walking with more awareness, feeling a new strength in my lower back and belly... Instead of judging my body for what it cannot do, I am much more grateful for what is there. In general I feel more calm, relaxed and joyful, as with the release of physical tensions, some emotional tensions seem to have evaporated too..."

"My hip has been almost pain-free since, which is something not even doctors or physiotherapists have been able to do. The only time I experience pain now is by sitting in an overly forward-leaning position (really bad I know!) and bending down towards the floor for work for several hours. On the last day in the retreat I had a big release which I have since felt made a huge difference in my physical body (e.g. my hip) but also emotionally in that I am lighter and feel more at peace within. Also became more aware of my lock in the chest for further work and release."

"I felt much more physical ease in my body, I experienced a lot of unwinding internally and felt more expansive. Emotionally, I felt lighter and easily able to access gratitude and connection. It also opened up more creativity in me, an ease of expression."

"Prospective students should know that this is very deep work and that strong emotional releases can come with physical releases and can be quite uncomfortable. And that this is nothing to be afraid of as there is every support needed."

A non-refundable deposit of $499 is required to secure your participation. However, if cancellation is made 45 days before the beginning of the retreat you will be gifted a year-long subscription to the Somatic Stretch membership in place of a refund. 

Full payment is required by January 8th, 2024. 

Cancellations before January 8th, 50% cancellation fee.  After January 8th, there is no refund. 

Click here to find the perfect spot to nest within as you embark on your embodiment journey! The sooner you book, the sooner you can lock in good rates in an otherwise expensive town, and ensure you are just where you want to be. 

All hotels and nourishment suggestions are within walking distance from the Sane Living Center where we will be held throughout the weeklong retreat. You can find the exact location of the Sane Living Center here. 

While Friday is not the beginning of the retreat, you will want to arrive today, get settled into your accommodation and have a good dinner and wander around this beautiful town before we get started in the morning!

The journey into your Body begins! You will start to discover, very quickly, how little is required to feel 'stretch' in your body and we begin to track the patterns of sensation to take you deeper into your own physical 'programming'.  Classes will usually run from 9:30-12:30 and 2:30-5:30 pm. 

The Sunday morning market is a lovely adventure to enjoy while in Ojai. We will start class at 10:30 a.m. instead of 9:30 to give everyone time to go early in the morning. Class will continue after lunch to the end of the day. 

On Monday we will have a full morning class and an afternoon option of a hike, a session with Meredith (only 4 available), or personal time.  Our teaching Assistant, Wendy Wier will be with us in every class throughout the week, holding the sacred space and propping knees as she helps each student find their new place of relaxation they never knew they had...

We continue learning more from our body's wisdom, tapping into the feelings that govern our physical tensions and letting them melt as we soften into the reality of our emotions that are held in the safe sanctuary of our circle. 

Another day to deepen this process, allow the releases to happen, and surrender to the new energy coming in as the old energy lets go. After morning class and lunch, you will have the option to rest, journal, relax, or go on a local hike with your group. You can also book a private session with Meredith. 

Meredith with be offering only two sessions per day, so book soon to ensure your spot. The hike can easily take up to ten per day. Each day you will hike somewhere different so you may want to go twice! 

What a power day of Embodiment for your final day in the journey!! We will begin the day with a Somatic Stretch morning and after lunch, we will be treated to a special class to regenerate the nervous system with Heather Hollander. 

Heather developed the “RADIANCE COCOON METHOD” from intelligence gained in her personal miraculous journey of reclaiming her radiant health. This method is highly strategic, holistic, and Divinely guided. The process is a rhythmic weaving of sound therapy, acutonics, bio-resonant technologies, image medicine, custom detox protocols, mindset clearing, environment optimization, and Aerial Somatics. 

This will leave your body and mind wide open to explore and express yourself in our evening musical event with Cornflower! Wowwww.... what a great day and amazing finale to our time together!

If you have not had the experience of this man's magical music, you're in for a big treat! Cornflower studied with Bobby McFerran and is a musical genius in his own right. A solo performer, he creates everything with his voice and loops it into a mystical journey of sound, voice, and elevation. 

I am flying him in from Tennessee, especially for you to celebrate your bodies on this last night! Move in joyful sound healing and experience all the beautiful expansion you have created in your body this week! Take a look at what he weaves here. 

Friday morning we will gather in our final circle to sit in council and complete our journey as we walk into a new body of life, inside and out!

For those wanting to stay an extra night - and this is encouraged - you have the option of coming to a two-hour vocal playshop with Cornflower to release your voice and open your body even more joyfully before you return home! 

There is a nominal added fee for this event that you can book as you check out. 

No voice experience is necessary and you will not feel embarrassed at all if you are shy to use your voice - it's very empowering and very fun! You can choose this as an add-on to your itinerary for the retreat or pay the day of the event. 

Here is some more inspiration to take you into his magic!