Welcome
to our fifth retreat at Aldermarsh, on Whidbey Island, a beautiful, quiet, wooded, sacred site close to Seattle and Everett, but feels remote amidst splendid nature setting. It has everything we look for in a retreat center: 1) outstanding, sacred yoga space, 2) beautiful land and grounds, 3) lots of room options, 4) awesome Japanese soaking tub and great sauna, 5) wonderful hosts to welcome us, 6) nice kitchen to prepare you great meals, 7) nice hiking trails within walking distance, and even singing frogs and owls!
Aldermarsh
is both a beautiful wetlands and a human-created space where community, collaboration and sustainability thrive. Aldermarsh is dedicated to educate and inspire spirit and soul-based stewards of the Earth. We host programs and retreats for individuals, groups, and organizations who share our commitment to deeply listen to and steward Earth and human communities in sustainable ways. All who come to Aldermarsh become part of the expression and co-evolution of this environment and contribute to an energy that nourishes this community for future generations.
The theme of this retreat
(Sauna pic at left). The theme will be “Compassionate Acceptance”. We will utilize the healing energy of the Aldermarsh environment to nourish our sense of accepting what is, as well as gratitude. Acceptance is not a wimpy surrender, but a courageous trust, with the option to take appropriate action from a compassionate and courageous center. We will create a safe environment to explore what is within us awaiting our discovery and acceptance so we can be whole, compassionate and loving of ourselves and others.
Schedule
Please plan on arriving any time after 2pm on Friday. We will have a gentle, meditative yoga class at 5:30 for those who can make it by then. If not, try to arrive for the dinner at 7pm, followed by meditation, intros, and sacred circle. We finish around 2pm on Sunday.
What else will we do
Besides twice-daily yoga, we will do some hiking in beautiful, bug-free forests. We will do some breath and meditation playshops, as well as kirtan (call and response chant-song) to help us connect on all levels.
Aldermarsh is managed by a volunteer-led nonprofit organization. Our inspiration and guidance comes from the spirits of the land, our hearts, and our community. Community support is essential for the long-term sustainability of Aldermarsh
Kirtan (call and response singing or chanting)
is an easy way to calm the mind and access higher energy vibrations.
From Peggy Black (channeling The Team): There have been many suggestions and methods offered as to how to access the higher dimensions. We will always recommend the use of sound vibrations. Sounds and sound vibration always alters consciousness. Breath and breathing techniques will allow you to travel consciously, just as meditation and many forms of yoga will support your shift.
Accommodations
Aldermarsh on Whidbey Island is a beautiful accommodation with good energy and various room situations, from individual small cabins, to rooms with up to 4 or even 5 people.
Who attends
You! We usually have about 15 people, a chance to make new friends and connect, but also quiet time to read, relax, and rejuvenate. You are invited to do as many or as little as the classes and activities as fits you and your needs.
Dates: March 25th-27th, 2022
Price
Most rooms are $450 per person, shared bath:
✓ Room with private bath, two beds, lots of light, the only room with private bath for two people, for $550 per person.
✓ Tiny cabin in woods, with one double bed, sink, use shared bath, a walk down the path. $450 per person (for 2).
✓ Tiny cabin in woods with lots of quiet privacy, two twins, as above, short walk to bathroom and shower. $450 per person.
✓ Room with 3 beds, and private bath, with ladder to two additional beds in loft, 3-5 people. $450 per person.
✓ Room with 3 beds, and semi-private bath, fairly large room, lots of light, 3 people. $450 per person.
✓ Room with 3 beds, near bath, which is connected with other room with 3 beds, quiet, a bit quirky. $425 per person.
Includes
Two nights shared room lodging, organic, delicious meals, yoga, meditation, breath classes, playshop, nature meditation walks, kirtan, community & more.
“The whole weekend was an individual journey opening up to strangers that became so dear to me drawing me closer every minute. I didn’t want to leave the retreat because the magic spell would be broken. I now seek ways to open my world to the magic of that connection to others … to keep it going. I feel peaceful. I feel unhurried. I feel more love than at any time in my life.” – Margo, 2015 Peaceful Mt Retreat attendee
About the instructors:
Liz Gross: “I believe all healing involves alignment of the soul with the body.” Liz is a gifted sound and vibration healer, and teaches with Roy on retreats. Liz teaches yoga, meditation, Oneness and often does some of the cooking on our retreats. “When you’re consciously in touch with the life energy within yourself, you have awareness & communication with the flow of energy that connects you to spirit. I feel very passionate about Vibrational Medicine and love working with others in this way & helping others to connect with their purpose and passion in life. Vibrational Energy Medicine brings the physical, emotional, mental, & spiritual bodies back into balance, which opens the way for rebuilding the healing systems of the body.”
Roy Holman: I am a 500 hour Certified Yoga teacher, in the Viniyoga tradition. I teach a safe, gentle, body-friendly, grounded, breath-connected, meditative, flowing traditional hatha yoga – a meditation in motion really. I like to move slow, give time to breathe deeply and savor the poses. I also teach breath-work (pranayama) and meditation, and also try to incorporate the many aspects of emotional healing and balancing I have learned. The meditation is a mindfulness style, with focus on breath awareness, heart opening, body senses, emotional clearing, and connection on all levels (body, breath, emotions, Earth, Spirit).