I initially booked this Mt. Shasta trip because I desperately needed to rest and recharge after a busy work season. My main goals were to get out into nature, drastically cut my screen time, and figure out how to build some sustainable habits for my day-to-day life. This journey delivered all of that. Maari made sure we were well prepared for the trip with informational sessions covering all the logistics up front (eg shared room, vegetarian meals) and a group meet up was wonderful to get to know everyone in advance so we didn’t show up as strangers. Maari is a fantastic guide. She holds the right energy for everyone to fully enjoy their experience. She’s very nurturing, grounding, and attuned to everyone’s individual needs. I really appreciated how she made it clear that we could just show up and be present without having to worry about managing anyone else. The pace of the trip worked well, full days but never hectic and with enough alone time to recharge. I also enjoyed the activities with personal favorites being the morning sunrise on the mountain, exploring the unique energy of Shasta in the woods, and star gazing on the mountain. The sound bath we did was also super unique with an awesome combo of instruments and voice. I was a bit intimidated going in to the trip, but the vibe was fantastic. There was a great group with different perspectives and intentions, which made it really interesting. The trip and activities allowed us to get to know each other, and the whole group was so welcoming and supportive. Since coming home I told everyone at work my zen-ometer was at 100 when I got back. Being able to completely turn off distractions during the retreat was huge for my energy. I’ve also been able to carry the foundation of healthier habits home with me, keeping up on morning meditation, journaling and quiet time reading every morning. Maari did a great job creating a unique and rejuvenating experience.

I arrived to this adventure with an open heart, an open mind, and with zero expectations of the experiences I may have. I can honestly say that I was blown away from the first moments. The view from the porch of The Venusian house is spectacular! The house is more than a place to lay your head. It is warm, inviting and comfortable with many little extra touches and details that are so meaningful! All of our vegetarian meals were absolutely delicious! They were prepared by Jen with love and care for all of us, with our various diet restrictions. Maari curated our day/evening trips with an incredible amount of thought and didn’t disappoint or miss a beat, even with the minor cool weather hiccup! Paul is a phenomenal human being with a heart of gold! He has so much wisdom that he is willing to share! He made sure that he was available to us on an individual basis to help further our understanding or help us with our own clarity at every gathering we had. Sitting on the porch in the evening, after a long day at one of the lakes or on Mt Shasta, was my favorite time of the day. It provided a beautiful place to reflect on the activities/experiences of the day, delight in the views of Mt Shasta and then the stars! OMG…I have never seen SOO MANY STARS! It was magical! I am thankful and blessed to have had this experience with such an AMAZING group of individuals! Maari puts her heart and soul into creating a safe, beautiful space for us to explore our souls together and share our experiences if felt called to. It was a soul healing journey that I will NEVER forget! 🤍🤍🤍

The sacred journey begins before you even step foot on or lay eyes on the mountain. From the time you say yes in your heart to the journey, you are being prepared. The informational Zoom Maari hosts opens the container space and helps set the foundation for what we would experience, while the group Zoom gave us an opportunity to meet and hear from fellow travelers before we arrived together. Even before meeting in person, the synchronicities began. It was as if we all had a linked purpose and experience that was already unfolding. Arriving at Mt. Shasta begins with the accommodations. The views from the Venusian allow you up close and personal time with the mountain and the stars. The food is prepared with care by Jen, you can taste the Love. The itinerary Maari put together offers experiences with different parts of the mountain and we connect in a unique and personal way. The Gift of Sight flourished for me in our private group time with Paul of Venus, a kind Soul. He offered insight to special sites and assisted in holding space for us to connect with the mountain, each other, and beyond. I came to understand that I wasn’t simply receiving from this journey; I was part of it. My willingness to be open, present, and engaged allowed me to experience the mountain in my own way while also contributing my energy and perspective to the group. There was something uniquely powerful about experiencing a sacred journey alongside others who were each having their own deeply personal experience. We were able to honor our individual paths while still sharing a collective space of connection, discovery, and transformation. The trip is paced and accessible for many levels, all one must be is open. Maari is available to answer questions and offers insight to what each day will cover. There is time to decompress and recharge built into the schedule. Mt. Shasta offered me space to grow spiritually, a place to release and leave old burdens that I no longer need to carry, and opportunity to exercise my spiritual gifts. So many questions were answered and things that I was confused about before somehow worked themselves out. My time sitting and journaling at the Temple of Love allowed answers to flow in and out onto the pages. When I returned home, I could still feel the love and clarity I tapped into on Mt. Shasta. I truly am a different person and continue to link back to the mountain when I meditate. The work continues and Mt. Shasta supports.

I've always been spiritual and deeply connected to nature, but I'm relatively new to actively and fully engaging with that part of myself. I'm also redefining my life, with sobriety and spirituality at the center. I showed up open and curious, but with a very logical brain that doesn't surrender easily. Mt. Shasta met me exactly where I was. I arrived with one core intention, but as the trip unfolded, I realized I didn't need to chase it. I just needed to show up. Somehow, every intention I had considered before settling on that one was touched. Everything and every person...the meditations, forests, sound bath, meals and conversations...felt exactly as they were meant to be. It was the alchemy of all these things coming together that made it so extraordinary. But most importantly, I felt so supported exploring things that were new to me. I never felt like I had to believe something or leave my skepticism at the door. I could bring my hyper-logical brain along...and that actually made it easier to let go. If you're newer to exploring your spirituality, as I am, this trip is a beautiful and supported place to begin. You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you believe or what you're supposed to experience. That may actually be the point. I came to Mt. Shasta thinking I needed to define what I wanted from the experience. I came home spiritually shifted, wholly more me, deeply grateful and understanding that sometimes the most powerful thing I can do is simply: Show up. Stay open. Allow. (credit to a fellow traveller who instilled ALLOW in me 🖤)

My journey to Mt. Shasta, organized and supported by Maari and the Inner Alchemy group was everything, and more, than I had wished for. My intention at the start was to have an experience of clearing and filling; looking at and clearing old patterns in myself, and then being filled with new thought and awareness of how to move forward in ways that serve myself, and hence allow me to serve others. During the introductory Zoom call, and in-person meeting it was evident that the participants were all eager to fully embrace the sacredness of this trip and were open to the experiences ahead. And from the moment I met Maari about a year ago, I felt a deep sense of integrity in her, and a trust being in her presence. So knowing she was our guide for this sacred journey created in me a sense of physical, emotional and spiritual safety that stayed with me the entire time. I felt seen by Maari and held within the container of her care. We were given clear outlines of what our time on the mountain would include, and with allowances for what experiences might arise as the days unfolded. There was time for events, plus mystery, and this resulted in some deep, beautiful moments that we got to share. And there were spaces within each day for quiet times of integration, grounding and group circles to be witnesses for each others experiences. The group circles deepened our connections to ourselves and each other, and added to the sacred aspect of the whole trip. I was deeply impressed and honored to be working with Paul, of Venus. His knowledge of the sacred spaces on the mountain, and his empathic abilities, assisted me with feeling seen, understood, and of having a spiritual, and human, companion along the way. It is now a week since our journey has ended and I am still noticing the need for quiet, and at the same time an excitement to be reconnecting with the other group members here in our local community. There is joy in me knowing we are connected at a new level of spirit. I am looking forward to my next sacred journey experience with WeTravel, Maari and the Inner Alchemy community. D Kramer