A KYN Wellness Retreat: Reflections
On the North East shore of the Dominican Republic, where ocean and beach meet the wild and lush mountains, our backdrop was set for a beautiful 4 day, KYN wellness retreat.
Just 2 months ago, we had the honor of hosting 4 women for an intimate and immersive long weekend on Rancho Magante. Our days started with a vinyasa yoga class at the beach palapa, overlooking the ocean, followed by a nutritious and tasty beachside breakfast and wellness talk. We ventured between our beach location, where our guests were accommodated, to the mountain side where we toured the farm, the cacao plantation and chocolate shop. We hiked on trails through the mountains, catching views of the countryside in all directions. Each day, we enjoyed a healthy and fresh lunch and dinner at the farm’s restaurant, where we had time to share knowledge, exchange stories, ask questions and really get to know each other a little more.
Afternoons were for relaxation, either enjoying a massage, walking the beach, having a swim, or simply resting with a book or journal close by. We held restorative yoga sessions each afternoon to deeply stretch our bodies and quiet our minds, incorporating breath-work and meditation practices into each session. Our days were closed with a tea circle - a delicious cup of tea and maybe one or two chocolates, alongside a guided meditation or introspective journaling session. At the end of a full day, with hearts open, we found these evenings to be quite a sacred time where our guests really opened up and shared their own musings in a safe space.
On our final evening we closed our retreat with a magical cacao ceremony, sipping chocolate, releasing what we needed to (into a giant beach bonfire) and inviting in new goals and intentions, all under a starlit sky, plugged into the nature of this special place.
In reflecting on our first Know Your Nature retreat on Rancho Magante, it was truly, just as it should have been. We had a relaxed group of women open to all the experiences. We were able to adjust and shift the itinerary based on the vibe of our group, as needed, and we gained so much insight around how or what we may do differently for the retreats to come. This new venture is a living, growing, and evolving exploration for KYN and we are so excited for the many iterations to come.
Some words from our wonderful women who joined us:
“I am so very pleased that I came to this retreat, and I enjoyed it all!”
“The retreat was perfect to let go of three months away, and step home without baggage.”
“I’m still experiencing a wonderful high from our retreat - what a terrific experience! Upon my return home, I was buried in an avalanche of work commitments, requests, etc…and thanks to you all, none of it bothered me.”
“Lindsay and Laura, you are both very special ladies. Thank you for your care, teachings, delicious food, guidance and for sharing with us your incredible location in the DR.”
“I liked the informal talks. It felt natural as we all had questions that we wanted to ask. I also enjoyed the tea time and the fun we had with the tarot cards.”
“I’m feeling a lot better - I never realized I felt so poorly. I’m having a hallelujah couple of days!”
“I am 43 days eating healthier, post retreat! You saved my butt.” (the after effects of the retreat experience from one guests perspective)
