Fall Meditation Retreat: Find Inner Calm
November 1 - 3, 2024
Menla Retreat Center and Spa in the Catskills, New York
Feel into autumn fully as you re-energize physically, mentally, and emotionally.
You are invited to a special Fall Meditation Retreat in the Catskills: Find Inner Calm.
The goal of the retreat is to help you feel connected to yourself, your practice, your strength, and nature. From there we'll access a deep inner calm.
Each day you’ll enjoy meditation, compassion practice, and mindful movement.
Together we will:
Meditate
Drink apple cider
Light a bonfire
Take forest walks
Do meditation for change
Go deeply inward
Play board games
Sit there watching the leaves
Read poems about autumn
Do body scans
Candlelit heart practice
Enjoy each other’s company
Eat three healthy meals a day
Access deep relaxation
Listen to autumn-themed classical music
Explore legends about the fall
Join us in upstate New York in the Catskills at Menla Retreat Center during one of its most glorious seasons.
Host:
Happiness Sangha
Created and Facilitated by Elizabeth Pyjov
You’ll leave feeling refreshed and ready to take on anything!
GETTING THERE
We will connect you to other attendees so you can coordinate rides together.
From NYC:
2-hour drive by car. (3-hour bus ride also possible).
From Boston:
3.5-hour drive.
From Washington DC:
5-hour drive.
You can find directions here.
The road over is beautiful and will get you in the autumn mood.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
All meditations and activities
Room and bathroom at Menla retreat center
Dinner on Friday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday. Breakfast and lunch on Sunday
A playlist of autumn classical music to enjoy
A booklet of autumn poems, hand-picked by Elizabeth Pyjov
The fee for the retreat is $750. All meals are included.
Accommodations are booked separately through Menla, so you can pick the room that works for you. You’ll get a special link from Elizabeth.
WHAT WE’LL DO
3- 5 pm: Arrive, explore, and settle in. Check in to your room and enjoy the property.
4 pm: Optional first leisurely hike on a scenic trail.
5 pm: Official welcome and introduction to the retreat, and each other.
6 pm: Dinner.
7:15 pm: Candlelit heart practice, mindful listening of classical music, and autumn poetry.
Friday, November 1
Saturday, November 2
7 am: Gentle yoga, deep breathing, and body scan to start the morning.
8 am: Breakfast.
9:30 am: Walking meditation and sitting meditation.
10:30 am: Free time to visit the vintage country barn or move your body in the fitness facility. Perhaps time alone to meditate, nap, create, or journal.
12:30 pm: Lunch.
1:30 pm: Free time for spa treatments or hiking
4:30 pm: Meditation on change. Special talk on how to access inner calm and what to do during the holiday season.
6 pm: Dinner.
7:30 pm: Bonfire, autumn legends, and board games.
Sunday, November 3
7 am: Gentle yoga, deep breathing, and body scan to start the morning.
9 am: Breakfast. Time to pack up.
10:30 am: Walking meditation and sitting meditation.
11 am: Compassion and self-compassion practice. Closing.
EXPERIENCE CURATED BY:
ELIZABETH PYJOV, J.D. MTS
Over 12 years of experience teaching meditation
Facilitator for international and national retreats
B.A. Harvard College, Romance Languages and Literatures
Certification Stanford Medical School, Neuroscience, Philosophy, Pedagogy of Compassion
J.D. Harvard Law School
MTS Harvard Divinity School, Theology Degree
New York City Bar Well-Being Committee Member
Faculty at Loyola University Chicago
Let's center, ground, and access our freedom before the holidays start. Let's welcome the season and the transition into our hearts!
LOCATION
Blessed by the Dalai Lama, with its magical valley setting deep in the Catskills and just two hours from New York City, Menla Retreat Center and Spa is located in the Catskill Forest Preserve.
It offers a wide range of comfortable accommodations, including deluxe private rooms . The eco-friendly guest rooms are decorated with Tibetan accents and provide a restful atmosphere for the retreat.
The 360-acre land property has plenty of hikes of different lengths and delicious healthy cuisine three times a day.
Facilities include a meditation sanctuary, a world-class destination spa, hiking trails, a swimming pool, a fitness room, tennis courts, and fire pits.
Property amenities free parking, free high-speed internet (WiFi), shuttle bus service from Phoenicia, and the opportunity to be immersed in nature.
Registration
How to Join - Space is Limited
Please use this link to complete the $750 retreat fee. (Includes 3% platform fee).
You can also Zelle Elizabeth Pyjov at 650-922-4262.
You can also Venmo @Elizabeth-Pyjov.
Accommodations are booked separately through Menla Retreat and Spa. We have a separate block of rooms near each other: Elizabeth Pyjov will send you the link to book.
You can pick the room that works for you.
Rooms range from $298 - $380 a night.
Feel free to call or text Elizabeth Pyjov at
(650) 922-4262 if you have questions about the retreat.
DETAILS
Dates: November 1 - 3, 2024
Place: Menla Retreat Center and Spa in the Catskills, New York
Facilitator: Elizabeth Pyjov
Host: Happiness Sangha
Directions: More information here.
Why: Health, happiness, connection, relaxing, shift in patterns, strengthening of meditation practice, opening the senses.
Register: here
