Awakening Retreat

May 20th - May 24th, 2027 | with Kelley Gardner

Awakening: The Embodied Journey Retreat
A women’s retreat for returning to yourself

Five days of rest and meaningful connections with other awesome women. 
Yoga, meditation, laughter. 
Incredible food - organic, Ayurvedic, local, prepared by our personal chef. 
Hiking, saunas, hot tubs, and cold plunges. 
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Layered into it all is thoughtful study designed to invite deeper reflection, embodiment, and awakening. 
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The Invitation to Reflection‍ ‍
We'll engage 2 themes over the 4 days
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The Stories We Inherited
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How do our cultural and familial narratives shape our identity and who we believe we're supposed to be? And when challenges arise in life, what parts of you run the show? We'll examine the gifts and limitations of the identities we’ve learned to inhabit. All in a group of authentic, interesting, women with rich, varied histories. 
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Reconnecting with Inner Wisdom
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We will explore the true cost of stress and nervous system dysregulation. Stress affects how your internal biological processes like heart rate, digestion, and hormones function. We'll work with the cost of stress, what you value most, and what is worth your stress response. And we'll dig into what becomes possible when we move beyond willpower to trust our intuition and the wisdom of the body.
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Our study will draw on themes from Ayurveda, Yoga philosophy, Cultural Myths and Fairy Tales, The Biology of Trauma, Polyvagal Theory, Somatics & Parts Work. 
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You'll return home with renewed clarity and a deeper trust in yourself to meet the beautiful complexities of your life. 


2PM - 4PM - ARRIVALS
5PM - EVENING PRACTICE
6:15PM - DINNER

Thursday, May 20th

Friday, May 21st

7am - COFFEE/TEA/SNACK
7:30AM - FOREST WALK WITH GAVIN
9AM - MORNING PRACTICE
11:15AM - COLD PLUNGE
12:15PM - LUNCH AND TOUR OF PROPERTY
1 PM - EXCURSION*
5PM - EVENING PRACTICE
7PM - DINNER

Saturday, May 22nd

7am - COFFEE/TEA/SNACK
7:30AM - FOREST WALK WITH GAVIN
9AM - MORNING PRACTICE
11:15AM - COLD PLUNGE
12:15PM - LUNCH 
5PM - EVENING PRACTICE
6:30PM - DINNER

Sunday, May 23rd

7am - COFFEE/TEA/SNACK
7:30AM - FOREST WALK WITH GAVIN
9AM - MORNING PRACTICE
11:15AM - COLD PLUNGE
12:15PM - LUNCH 
3PM - CHECKOUT
6PM - OFFSITE DINNER OR PICNIC

Monday, May 24th

7:30AM - MORNING PRACTICE
10:30AM - 12:30PM - Departures
*Available at an additional rate.

Meet Kelley Gardner

Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda. For over three decades these have been cherished teachers that meet me exactly where I am on any given day. They offer me opportunities to peel back and explore the many layers of my self and how I move through the world. What is most precious to me now is the ever-evolving practice of awareness, the art of remaining curious, and embracing the extraordinary mystery of it all.

Along the way I’ve owned two yoga studios (Lake Norman Yoga Center and The Bindu) and co-own Rasika Yoga School with my friends and colleagues of 25 years, Stacey Millner-Collins and Sarah Faircloth. The pandemic years ushered in a shift to online yoga teaching, which I continue today.

My respect for functional alignment for any age, and especially for healthy aging, is anchored in being a certified Anusara Yoga teacher (2005-2014). I am grateful to Anusara Yoga for introducing me to many renowned yoga philosophy and meditation teachers with whom I continue to study today.

As a certified Ayurvedic Digestion and Nutrition Coach, I educate clients on the Ayurvedic perspectives of digestion, how to recognize signs and symptoms of imbalance in the body and mind, and how to make diet and lifestyle choices that restore and maintain optimal health.

I enjoy creating special and memorable group experiences and cultivating lifelong connections through Curious Wise Women groups, travel opportunities, classes, workshops, and retreats. Past yoga and group travel destinations include Greece, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, and Belize.

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