Recharge and Renew with contemplative movement, breath work and guided meditation. Enjoy the profound experience of practicing noble silence so you can truly listen to the whispers of the heart.

For many years, I’ve been making regular trips to explore the sparse beauty of the Big Bend area of West Texas. At some point in my travels, I discovered Chinati Hot Springs, an incredible oasis in the Chihuahuan desert. Each time I stay on this sacred land, my shoulders and neck unwind, my belly relaxes, and I sleep incredibly well. I come home feeling refreshed and closer to the Earth. This environment provides the perfect container to explore contemplative practices. There is nothing to do and no where to go. The land supports deep internal exploration. Being in community of like-minded women provides safety and ease. This is The Journey Inward.

Chinati Hot Springs has the feel of an off-the-grid place with the luxury of running water and electricity. Springtime in West Texas is beautiful---the cacti are blooming, and often there are wildflowers dotting the landscape. The days are comfortably warm, the nights are cool, and the stars are resplendent. During this 4-night retreat, we'll have the entire property to ourselves, sharing only with the property operators and their cat, El Jefe.

Traveling to this part of the state is truly a journey. The remoteness makes it special. I've designed this retreat as a pilgrimage inward especially for women, who are generally conditioned to look outward to the needs/expectations of others. Each day I will facilitate contemplative practices that move us from an awareness of the physical body into exploring the subtle layers of our being and eventually to the experience of Self falling away and pure awareness. I am your outer guide, but you'll learn to trust your own inner wisdom.

*Please note that this is a alcohol & drug free retreat*

Kim Schaefer (she/her), is an integrative psychotherapist, Somatic ExperiencingⓇ Practitioner, and yoga & meditation teacher with a private practice in Austin, Texas. Her work focuses on the intersection of embodiment, emotional health, and contemplative practices and how these support the healing of trauma in a relational way. You can learn more about Kim at www.mindbodywellnessatx.com

Chef Amanda Koeppe has been a health and wellness based chef for over 10 years. She graduated from The Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts where she learned a variety of healing modalities including Ayurveda and Macrobiotics. Her most memorable cooking experience was catering to a group of 150 campers in the Grand Canyon at Havasupai Falls! She works as a personal chef in the Austin area and also caters wellness retreats around the state. 

*Please plan your own transportation to/from West Texas. If you'd like to carpool, contact Kim for help with arrangements.*

The group will plan to meet in Marfa at 3pm on Monday March 15 for a caravan together to Chinati Hot Springs, which includes 7 miles of travel on a well-maintained dirt road. It takes between 1.5 to 2 hours to drive from Marfa to Chinati Hot Springs. 

Getting to Marfa, TX:

• From Austin Bergstrom Airport (AUS): 433 miles, or about a 6.5 hr drive. 

• From El Paso Airport (MAF): 190 miles, or about a 3 hour drive. 

• From Midland Airport (MAF): 182 miles, or about a 3 hour drive.

*PLEASE ARRIVE IN ALPINE, FT. DAVIS, or MARFA Saturday or Sunday March 13 or 14*

Consider a Star Party at the McDonald Observatory near Ft. Davis on the weekend before or after retreat! https://mcdonaldobservatory.org/

I recommend participants plan to travel to Alpine, Ft. Davis, or Marfa this weekend. Enjoy the charm of Alpine, the art in Marfa, and/or a star party at McDonald Observatory just outside of Ft. Davis.

Explore the area on your own and travel to Marfa to meet the retreat group at 3pm on the Courthouse lawn. A retreat alum will meet the group to caravan to Chinati Hot Springs together. Dinner will be provided along with orientation to the space and our time together.

Enjoy Contemplative practices and deepening into your inner experience. Participants will practice noble silence from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday midday.

All meals/snacks are provided while we are at Chinati Hot Springs.

Pack up and depart Chinati Hot Springs after our morning practice and breakfast. This concludes the retreat.