I signed up for this retreat mostly because I loved the location! Land of Medicine Buddha felt like exactly the place I wanted to spend a weekend, and I completely lucked out with Nicole, The Pad, and the most wonderful group of women. This was my first official yoga retreat, and I went with one of my dearest friends to celebrate our 20-year friendship and this beautiful new chapter in our lives. It ended up being exactly what we needed: grounding, nourishing, spacious, and genuinely sweet. Nicole created a lovely container. The yoga felt accessible and thoughtful. The weekend's pacing allowed for both connection and rest, and the entire experience had a very warm, unpretentious quality. I especially appreciated how easy it felt to arrive as we were: no performance, no pressure, just practice, nature, good company, and time to exhale. The setting was beautiful, the group was amazing, and I left feeling grateful, restored, and very glad I said yes. Such a special weekend!

A lovely experience in the beautiful redwood forest. The yoga and special sessions were wonderful for the body and mind. Other yogis were genuine and many heartfelt discussions were had. Much gratitude to the wonderful cooks who prepared fresh delightful meals. The Medicine Buddha and beautiful woods truly worked their magic.

Nicole has a near-mythical ability to make the practice simultaneously approachable and deep... not to mention a stellar instinct for pairing roommates :) so grateful for this magical weekend in this magical place. It felt like a spiritual camp in the best way.

I love yoga retreats, it’s a time to focus on yourself, nature, and your intentions. I have been going to the pad for yoga & really loving Nicole’s classes. Her class is so fluid, positive, and she speaks from her heart & soul. I also love hands on assist. When I heard there was a Santa cruz retreat, I was very interested. The place in Santa Cruz is magical. We are surrounded by redwood trees, fresh air, sunshine. The rooms are cozy, space is easy to get around. There is a pool & sauna. The food is all vegetarian so bring your own snacks & meat, it is a bit bland. There are condiments but bring your favorites. Coffee you can make yourself before class. We did 4 classes & had a welcome circle. Nicole feels out the energy of her class to see how it should flow. We had a few additions to the retreat like signing up for group acupuncture with her dad which was amazing. I was so relaxed, I slept for most of the session. Signing up for bodywork in a yurt. A cacao ceremony to examine your deepest thoughts. You leave with new friends and a feeling of returning back to you. I recommend this reset & Nicole is an amazing yoga teacher.

The whole retreat was absolutely lovely. I would sign up again in a heartbeat. I felt nourished in body, mind and community. Nichole is an incredible instructor with grounded style- drops a graceful F bomb every now and then just the way I like it.