The HAPPY ME RETREATs: 2020

Azores, Portugal

MS
5 reviews
Oct 23 - 28, 2020
Group size: 6 - 16
The HAPPY ME RETREATs: 2020
Azores, Portugal

5 reviews

Oct 23 - 28, 2020
Group size: 6 - 16

About this trip

IF YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TRULY MEANINGFUL AND RESTORATIVE THIS IS IT!
Join Transformational Life Coach, Maria Salomão-Schmidt and Yoga Guru Rimi Chakraborty for a uniquely exquisite 6 day/5 night retreat to Azores, Portugal, where you'll experience the culture, taste and feel of this absolutely stunning sub-tropical island. Get to see and experience the things that few people ever will!


Funny thing... The HAPPY ME AZORES RETREAT we had in 2019  was supposed to be a one-time thing.... BUT it was sooooooo very magical and meaningful to everyone involved, from those who attended to the staff and leaders, that we knew we had to do it again... This time with the magical island Yoga Guru Rimi, who is also one of the co-owners of this paradise! 


March your calendar... October 23-28, 2020!


The Azores are a magical, volcanic land, full of natural, raw beauty, a temperate climate and endless amazing activities. Truly a paradise, and under 5 hours from Boston! There will also be plenty of time for respite and retreat amongst the beautiful fruity orchards of Quinta Minuvida,. 


A Foodie's Heaven... The meals will give you a true taste of delicious Azorean fare, because they are made from fresh local ingredients, lovingly made from scratch. Our accommodations feature lovingly renovated suites, each unique and gorgeous, with its own private bathroom.

The Happy Me Retreat is limited to 16 yummy people. We anticipate this retreat selling out so please reserve your spot ASAP if you’re interested in joining. It's Time For Some Deep Happiness...

Cool Activities & Sites

This is our second year doing this. This trip will be completely different than the other one. We are not boring people and cannot repeat the same trip twice. It's time for some wonderful new adventures and experiences! Our days will include the following activities and sites:

  • Daily yoga and meditation in a way that feeds your soul and unlocks your stuck points
  • An orchard tour by the owners of Quinta Minuvida, João & Rimi
  • Hikes and nature walks in some of the most pristine nature you've ever experienced
  • A wonderful mix of free time and structured activities so you won't need a retreat, after your retreat
  • Incredible evening dinner excursions in neighboring towns, with time to explore new places
  • Walking on "canadas", old farming roads that look a lot like you are in Ireland.
  • Optional massages at Quinta Minuvida
  • Personalized morning hot drinks made by the wonderful Luis
  • Visit beautiful natural parks filled with breath-taking views
  • Swim in volcanic hot springs which is fabled to be the fountain of youth
  • Free time for outdoor activities for the true adventure junkies ~ canyoning, whale & dolphin watching, mountain biking, surfing, etc
  • Optional private one-on-one coaching with Maria
  • Wonderful surprises at every turn
  • Our days will include the following activities and sites:

Connection: To Yourself, Others & Nature

Our fast-paced digital lifestyle is draining us more than ever before. Unplug from your daily grind for a few magical days that will help you get back into your FLOW. Truly recharge your body, mind and soul. Whether it's with nature, with yourself, or with like-minded people, this retreat offers you the opportunity for true connection.

Heart-Centric Lodging:

Our home away from home will be Quinta Minuvida, a beautiful orchard lodge nestled on the slopes of the Fogo Volcano. Quinta Minuvida is centrally located, only 15 minutes from the airport and about 30 minutes from most attractions. The lodge features five thoughtfully appointed suites, large outdoors pool, yoga studio, guest kitchen, fireplace living area, outdoors grills, fire-pit, observatory tower, organic vegetable garden and one acre of orchards. We are close to beaches, walking trails, hot springs, bike paths and the largest Azorean fishing port. An added bonus is spending time with very special and friendly residents - the dogs Biscoito (Biscuit) and Moo... Get ready to fall in LOVE! You've been warned! :)

Discover The Island

Our week will include opportunities for deep connection with the senses in nature. There is no better to get to know and feel a place than through the locals. We partner with local guides to explore the island and aid you in your journey of self-discovery. Discover some of the most pristine corners of the island during our hikes. Breathe and feel the breeze on your skin, smell the mineral-rich soil, step on the black sand beaches and verdant green hillsides and taste the ocean air. You'll also have free time for your own adventure or exploration... For those real outdoor enthusiasts, flights on SATA/Azores Airlines include a free piece of checked sporting gear - so you can take a bike or surfboard along for free! For something even more out of the ordinary you can commune with nature on horseback. 

Map It

The Portuguese Azores Islands are a magical, volcanic land, full of natural, raw beauty, a temperate climate and endless outdoor activities. They are located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal. Truly an adventure lovers paradise, that is under 5 hours from Boston.

Who Is Mariaaaaaa?

Your HAPPY ME RETREAT: AZORES is the brainchild of international Intuitive Life Coach Maria Salomão-Schmidt, MBA. Other HAPPY ME RETREATs have happened in Vermont, Boston, Lisbon/Sintra/Estoril/Cascais (Portugal), Napa, Cape Cod and San Francisco. This is the third one in Portugal, and the second one in the beautiful Azores, or Açores (in Portuguese). 


Maria is a passionate tsunami of love who entertains as she teaches! Her life's purpose is to create tools that help you live a MUCH BETTER LIFE! Why? Because Maria believes that if each of us lives FULL of our authenticity, the would bring more peace to our world. 


Maria was one of The Oprah Show’s very last guests. Maria’s gift is to cut through the crap and get right to the heart of the matter with her unique brand of humor, intuition and zaniness. She's a powerful Intuitive Life Coach, Speaker and Author. Her life’s research, to find ways to activate people’s life purpose through their spiritual DNA, has given her the ability to develop ground-breaking methods to ignite her clients’ authenticity. Clients include: Jane Goodall, Maya Angelou, Mikhail Gorbachev, Yahoo!, Delta Airlines, Chicken Soup for The Soul, CBS and MathWorks. Maria is a graduate of Boston College, Simmons College Graduate School of Management and the Rhys Thomas Institute of Energy Healing. She is also a Reiki Master Teacher and expert in several other modalities including NLP, EFT (tapping), Chakra Balancing and Full Spectrum Healing. 


Her best-selling book on how to use your energy to dramatically shift your life, Finally Full of Yourself: Unlocking Your Spiritual DNA hit Amazon's TOP 100 BOOKS ON HAPPINESS. Maria loves languages, yoga and meditation. She lives outside of Boston and Portugal with her husband Douglas, their five children and their four rescue dogs. Her next book, a workbook to accompany her first book, comes out May 2017. Maria loves languages, yoga and meditation. She lives in Boston with her husband Douglas, their five children and their four rescue dogs. They are moving to Portugal this summer to live their European dream because life is short… and to be used all up! 

Who is RImi?

For nearly 20 years Rimi Chakraborty has built a career in leadership spanning the environmental insurance and management consulting industries, continuing with hospitality entrepreneurship and personal development.


An MIT Sloan grad, Rimi is a co-founder of MINUVIDA AZORES, LDA a travel business based in the Azores islands of Portugal offering a novel, indulgence-free, sustainability and spirituality based approach to hospitality. As such, Rimi has organized and hosted over 30 group and yoga retreats at Quinta Minuvida Orchard Lodge and Retreat Center.


She is also developing a burgeoning yoga and mindfulness enterprise in the Azores, garnering a dedicated following of local yoga students and travelers seeking a more spiritual immersion. Rimi draws from her 20 years of yoga practice and has completed teacher trainings in Forrest and Yin Yoga as well as in Energy Medicine. Rimi is also a Reiki practitioner with Reiki 1 and 2 certifications. 


You will LOVE checking out her secret library! 

The Amazing PBS Connection...

The place where we are staying was featured in a PBS show with my amazing friend, the  international best-selling cookbook author Maria Lawton! 


Here's a link to the show that features some wonderful shots of Rimi and João, our retreat hosts and the kitchen where your meals will be cooked! This place and its people are truly amazing!... Click here

What’s included

  • 5 Nights/6 Days lodging
    Quinta Minuvida, a unique orchard lodge surrounded by gardens, fruit orchards (help yourself!), a saltwater pool, and plenty of private areas for relaxation, journaling, meditating, reading... being!
  • Group Coaching
    Daily aha-filled, super-fun, sacred and powerful group coaching workshops led by Maria that align your life's energy systems. Worked based on the best-selling book, FINALLY FULL OF YOURSELF.
  • Most Meals
    all meals except two lunches on free days.
  • Wonderful Fieldtrips
    Excursions to some of the island's best hikes, relaxing volcanic hot springs, and local towns - all guides and transportation to and from group excursions are included. Each week is unique.
  • Daily Yoga & Meditation
    Rimi is an incredibly gifted yoga and meditation teacher. She gently guides you to the next level of your heart. Maria will be doing some of the meditations too. You get the best of both! All levels!
  • Happy Human Actions
    Sacred actions will be included in this magical trip. We will be doing yoga, meditation and sacred rituals, including a volcano/lava meditation
  • Ride To & From Airport
    One group roundtrip airport transfer from Ponta Delgada Airport (PDL) to Quinta Minuvida and back (about a 15 minute ride each way).
  • Wonderful Surprises
    Be ready for some wonderful surprises that will give you a lifetime of the most incredible memories!

What’s not included

  • Airfare to Ponta Delgada
    We will provide you with info on which exact flights to book. Currently, they are $600 via SATA (Azores) Air.
  • Additional Alcohol
    You will get a glass of wine at each dinner on us. Additional alcoholic beverages (one is included with each dinner)
  • Some Lunches
    We have provided free time for a few lunches so that you can explore the Azorean restaurants and local cuisine at your leisure.
  • Trip Insurance
    In life unpredictable things happen. We have a zero-percent refund policy so we high advise your getting full-coverage trip insurance. This way if anything comes up you are covered.
  • Extra Transportation
    Transport or taxis for additional excursions on free days or during free time. In additional, airport transfers are not included for those not traveling on the group flights.

Available Packages

Shared Room Accomodations
$2,222
Single Room Accomodations
$3,199

Available options



Your Organizer


MS
Maria Salomão-Schmidt
5 reviews
Maria Salomão-Schmidt, MBA was one of The Oprah Show’s very last guests! Maria’s gift is to cut through the bullshit and get right to the heart of the matter, through her unique brand of humor, intuition and zaniness. This powerful international life coach, speaker, author is also a Reiki Master Teacher and expert in several other modalities including NLP, EFT (tapping), Chakra Balancing and Full Spectrum Healing. Her book Finally FULL Of Yourself: Unlocking Your Spiritual DNA and hit Amazon's top 100 books on Happiness!

Reviews

Maria Salomao Schmidt led us all on an amazing journey of discovery and self-discovery! The setting was lush and inspiring. It was the perfect blend of group coaching activities, active trips to beautiful sights and plenty of fresh, healthy and authentic food. I experienced a peace I hadn't felt in a long time, new connections to my inner heart and made new friends that "get me". I highly recommend Maria as a life coach who intuitively guides each person to where they need to be. Apr 04, 2019
By Andrea G for The HAPPY ME RETREAT: 2019 - SOLD OUT! on Apr 04, 2019
JG
Magical! This was a most amazing week of magical moments, incredible beauty, fanyastic food, rich relationships, exceptional experiences, and personal growth. Maria faciliated what can only be described as a perfect retreat. Work sessions and "fieldtrips" flowed seemlessly and our hosts were an ideal complement to Maria's work. "Yes, please, may I have another?!"
By Julie G for The HAPPY ME RETREAT: 2019 - SOLD OUT! on Apr 03, 2019
Since retreat Maria has not returned my messages. So sad.
By Maria T for The HAPPY ME RETREAT: 2019 - SOLD OUT! on Mar 29, 2019
JG
Wow! We all need to absorb more of this - the beauty of nature, the passion to help one another, the freedom to be yourself while connected to all. Experience this for your body and heart!
By Julie G for The HAPPY ME RETREAT: Vermont 2018-SOLD OUT! on Oct 25, 2018
This was a fabulous, life changing experience for me! The location was beautiful and relaxing - it definitely added to the experience. The food was delicious and lovingly prepared. I have zero complaints and would highly recommend this retreat to others.
By Laura R for The HAPPY ME RETREAT: Vermont 2018-SOLD OUT! on Oct 23, 2018