Restorative nature retreat
September 21-24, 2023
gather. share. receive.
FOrest Bathing, eco yoga, shamanic journeying and more…
thu 9/21 4pm - sun 09/24 11am
Maintain Your Zen Retreats
Mancos, Colorado
Near Durango, Colorado
Located on the west side of the La Plata Mountains on the native traditional land of the Ancestral Puebloan tribe.
Join certified Forest Therapy Guides Susan Allen and Summer Lajoie for a weekend lovingly designed for anyone seeking peace, comfort, and restoration in nature while deepening our relationships with the More-Than-Human-World.
Starting at $450
“The Forest is the therapist, the guide opens the doors”
Feel the support of being held in a safe and supportive space with guided nature-based therapies and joyful gatherings, while being surrounded by the breath taking beauty of the Rocky Mountain autumn color change!
tentative AgendA
Thursday, Sept 21:
3:00-4:30pm: Arrivals. Check in at the barn and pick up your welcome gift
5:00pm: Opening circle ceremony and introductions at the Juniper platform with views of Mesa Verde
6:00pm: Dinner — make your own in one of the communal kitchens or enjoy a catered meal in the barn
7:30pm: Sunset gathering on the main deck with gorgeous mountaint views, complimentary tea, sparkling water and kombucha
8:30pm: Campfire social near the barn with complimentary s’mores (per local burn restriction regulations) or under the solar Moroccan lanterns in the nearby garden
Friday, Sept 22:
8:00am: Breakfast — make your own in one of the communal kitchens or enjoy a catered meal on the main deck with complimentary coffee and tea
9:00am: Modern ceremonial grade Cacao experience — at the Juniper platform
10:00am: Eco-Nidra — a blend of guided Yoga Nidra Meditation and Forest Therapy helping us to feel deeply relaxed and connected with the Earth
11:00am: Nature Medicine Wander — an invitation for quiet, contemplative wandering and resting on the land
12:00pm: Lunch — bring your own or register to enjoy customizing your own at our sandwich bar in the barn
1:00-6:00pm: Free time to hike the grounds, relax in the hammocks, or craft at the art station. Adventure off-site with a drive into the quaint town of Mancos or explore one of the nearby State or National Parks. Or treat yourself to an on-site therapeutic healing session with one of our retreat facilitators or a mini photography portrait with Summer.
1:00-3:00pm: Optional hot tub soaking with mountain views
4:00pm: Optional Eco Yoga — an outdoor guided session to boost your mental well-being, be one with nature, and intake your Vitamin D
6:00pm: Dinner — make your own in one of the communal kitchens or enjoy a catered meal at the barn
7:30pm: Sunset tea ceremony and community Earth altar ephemeral art project at the Juniper platform
8:30pm: Optional star gazing in the meadow adjacent to the Juniper platform — dress warm and bring a hot beverage
Saturday, Sept 23:
8:00am: Breakfast — make your own in one of the communal kitchens or enjoy a catered meal on the main deck with complimentary coffee and tea
9:00am: Guided Forest Bathing in the colorful Aspens of the San Juan National Forest — experience the wellness practice of a Shinrinyoku Nature Therapy walk.
12:00pm: Picnic in the Forest — bring your own or register to customize your own from our sandwich bar to enjoy at our Aspen location
1:00-6:00pm: Free time to hike the grounds, relax in the hammocks, or craft at the art station. Adventure off-site with a drive into the quaint town of Mancos or explore one of the nearby State or National Parks. Or treat yourself to an on-site therapeutic healing session with one of our retreat facilitators or a mini photography portrait with Summer
1:00-3:00pm: Optional hot tub soaking with mountain views
4:00pm: Optional Introduction to Shamanic Journeying — with Special Guest Shamanic Practitioner and Nature-Based Psychotherapist Kris Abrams. Learn about the powerful practice of shamanic journeying with two short, facilitated shamanic journeys: one to connect with a spirit in nature, and one to connect with your own Spirit Helper. For more information please visit: www.cedartreehealing.org
6:00pm: Dinner — make your own in one of the communal kitchens or enjoy a catered meal at the barn
7:00pm: Saturday night social — bring your own beverages, fun party garb, musical instruments, favorite tunes and anything else to light up the night with laughter and cheer!
*Optional local vintner wine tasting in the barn
Sunday, Sept 24:
8:00am: Breakfast — make your own in one of the communal kitchens or enjoy a catered meal on the main deck with complimentary coffee and tea
9:00am: Closing circle, optional group photo and contact exchange
10:00am-12:00pm: Departures any time prior to noon
Accommodations
Sitting on 13+ acres of coniferous forest, Maintain Your Zen Retreats offers plenty of space to explore and find solitude among the trees, as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor communal spaces for socializing.
Enjoy the vast, sweeping views of Mancos Valley, Mesa Verde and Sleeping Ute Mountain from the main deck and hot tub area.
Find comfort in the luxury cabins located down the hill from the main house, with ample indoor and outdoor seating areas for gathering, relaxing and dining.
Choose from a variety of sleeping accommodations listed below, from budget friendly tent camping to having your own private bedroom.
Luxury cabins
Maintain Your Zen Retreats has two cabins, each with three sleeping areas, one private bedroom, and a pull out couch and a cot in the living room. These sleeping areas are available to reserve and are first come first serve starting at an additional $100.
Each cabin is equipped with a full kitchen and bathroom with showers.
Please note that the cabin bathrooms are the only bathrooms available for all retreat attendees. Both the cabin kitchens and the bathrooms will be common areas for all retreat attendees, and anyone can use them at any time throughout the retreat, with quiet hours in mind.
Tent Camping
Dispersed tent camping is available to all attendees. Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag and any other camping gear that you will need to sleep comfortably outdoors.
Tent campers will have access to the cabins’ kitchens for food storage and preparation, as well as access to the cabin bathrooms and showers.
Vehicle camping is permitted by special request only.
Yurt Camping
Yurts are available at the Mancos State park approximately .5 miles from the Maintain Your Zen Retreat Center. Each yurt is $80 per night and sleeps up to 6 people. The yurts must be reserved ahead of time and they often go quickly this time of year. Please reach out as soon as possible if you wish to reserve one!
You will be responsible for the additional payment of renting the yurt and transportation to and from the retreat location. We advise that you gather a group of 6 or less to share the cost, we can help you gather these folks. Please be advised that sleeping linens are not provided and yurts are not heated, yet there is a bathhouse with restrooms and showers available for your guests.
catered meals service
Eliminate the worry of preparing your meals by adding the catered meal service to your reservation for only $150!
Enjoy daily nutritious, homemade meals prepared on site with organic and locally sourced ingredients, where possible. Gluten free and vegetarian options are available for each meal.
*Please select from menu tabs below to toggle between the Breakfast/Lunch Menu and the Dinner Menu.
Additional therapeutic offerings
Please see pricing and details below.
Acupuncture
Experience the in depth healing effects of traditional Chinese medicine by a licensed Acupuncturist. *Only available on Friday.
Thai mAssage
Deeply relax with ancient Reflexology or a full body Thai massage by a master massage practitioner.
Photography service
Book a mini photography session with Summer during your stay!
Please see pricing and details below.
Meet your hosts
Susan and Summer met at the October 2021 Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guide training certification in Prescott, Arizona. They began conversations then about creating retreats such as this! Now the vision continues with this retreat in the fall of 2023!!
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Certified Forest Therapy Guide and Founder of Maintain Your Zen Retreats in Mancos, CO.After retiring from nearly three decades in corporate management, Susan set out to create a healing environment where people can reconnect with themselves through being in nature.
Maintain Your Zen is located at the base of the La Plata mountains on land originally inhabited by the ancestral Puebloans. We welcome you to visit and find sanctuary here!
You can learn more about Susan at www.maintainyourzenretreats.com
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Certified Forest Therapy Guide, Founder and CEO of Listening Pines, Photographer, Artist and Educator.Summer lives and works in Colorado Springs, Colorado offering monthly Forest Baths at Bear Creek Nature Center and working in partnership with several local non-profit organizations to bring the benefits of nature and art therapy practices to her community.
As a creative entrepreneur, Summer advocates nature relation practices through guided experiences, workshops and creative expressions.
You can learn more about Summer at www.ListeningPines.com
Additional Information
The Main House on the property is a private residence and is not part of the retreat with the exception of the back main deck area for breakfast and sunset hour.
Days are typically sunny and warm this time of year, and the night temperatures drop down to cool/cold. We are at 7800 feet elevation, so please ensure you hydrate! We will provide drinking water to fill your own water vessels.
Please reach out to Susan or Summer with any questions or concerns!
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW:
We require a liability release signature from every retreat attendee.
Both of your hosts are Wilderness First Aid certified and will have first aid kits on hand.
To minimize waste please bring your own reusable drinking vessels and dining kits.
Highlights from our last retreat
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![Group having a picnic in a meadow with fall foliage in the background]()
connect
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energize
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![People sitting around a campfire at night in a grassy area with a house in the background. There is a tent nearby and trees surrounding the scene.]()
Gather
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![Red pot with dark sauce, wooden utensils, star anise, turmeric, bay leaf; basket with wooden bowls.]()
nourish
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![House exterior with a large shaded porch, wooden beams, patio furniture, and flowering plants in the foreground.]()
relax
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![Green teapot surrounded by wooden cups and yellow leaves on tree roots.]()
receive
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![Outdoor breakfast setup with coffee dispensers, instant pot, condiments, and baskets of bananas and bread on a patio.]()
enjoy
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![Group of people outdoors in front of a cabin, smiling, with some standing and others crouching on grass, surrounded by trees.]()
bond
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![Person arranging autumn leaves and flowers on a wooden deck]()
create
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![Group of people standing on a wooden deck in a wooded area, engaged in conversation and holding papers, with the sun shining through the trees.]()
share
testimonials
“It was exactly what I needed and more!”
“This was such a gift in many ways. I know you both invested enormous time and caring into creating such a meaningful retreat".
“What a magical weekend of nourishment, community, nature, and rest.”
“Susan and Summer cultivated such a beautiful held space, that allowed everyone's hearts (and the forest) to be the guide, for relationships to flourish, and hospitality that brought rest and restoration. Upon the conclusion of our time shared, I came away feeling full in my heart, centered, and grounded in self, with clarity for living my intentional authentic self. This retreat may last for a weekend, but it transforms the inner world for days and weeks beyond.”
“I felt it was a very thoughtful experience. From the big details like offerings and walks and circles, to the small things like make your own tea bags and cacao at breakfast.... It felt thought-through and nurturing.”
“Every part was lovely, from the location, the pace, the freedom of invitations, the company and conversation.”
“I felt like the quality of the events were above and beyond!”
“This was such a great opportunity to connect with other like minded individuals! It was an opportunity to slow down and receive, as well as to share our own personal gifts and offerings with the group. It was nice to connect to guides that had been trained over a wide number of years to compare older/newer styles, invitations, and to see how everyone makes this practice their own. Exactly the glow-up my guiding needed!"
“I felt welcomed and warm by both Susan and Summer!”
“Beautiful setting and accommodations; fabulous food! Creative and thoughtful program; attention to details to make everyone feel welcome and valued and inspired and calm; delightful mix of ages and stages on the guide path; nice small group size; extremely affordable.”
“Thank you again to both of you for all of your hard work and effort to put this together. I can't wait until the next one!”
“So grateful for the time we shared and I believe this is just the beginning of some beautiful relationships to continue to form beyond the retreat setting. Thank you for holding space for this experience to be the experience that it was.”
Restorative nature retreat
Restorative nature retreat
Ticket Information
Retreat Registration Fee -$450: Includes all complimentary refreshments and activities listed above. *Offsite accommodations and onsite tent camping is included in this price. Please see below for indoor sleeping pricing and other additional costs such as catered meals.
Earlybird Discount: Receive 10% off your registration fee when booked before July 21st.
Deposit: 50% of your full retreat ticket cost including any add-on extra costs is due upon registration. The additional 50% is due 30 days prior to the retreat start date by August 21, 2023.
We will collect your payment upon receiving your RSVP bellow through email communication.
Cancelations: Registration may be canceled with a full refund before August 21, 2023.
Full refunds will be issued if the retreat does not fill by August 21, 2023.
Any cancelations post this date will be non-refundable to cover the cost of retreat planning, host travel fees, etc.
additional pricing:
Treehouse Cabin Private Room with Queen Bed: $325
Upper cabin. Shared bathroom.
Garden Cabin Private Room with Queen Bed: $275
Lower cabin. Shared bathroom.
Pullout Sofa: $175
2 available, one in each cabin. Located in a shared living room area.
Floor Space in Treehouse Cabin Living Room: $100
Extended Stay: $25/night
Arrive a night early or stay an additional night -please note that there will be no retreat activities, catering or other offerings outside of the agenda listed above.
Catered Meals: $150
All meals prepared for you, with gluten free and vegetarian options. Please see the menu detailed above.
Wine Tasting: $30
Taste a fine selection of local wines from Sutcliffe Vineyard presented by a special guest wine vintner.
Acupuncture: $80
Book a private one hour session with Megan Slater with Enlevin Acupuncture:
Thai Message Service: $60
Book a private one hour session with Theresa Simmons with Hara Healings:
Photography Service: $50
Book one 15 minute professional mini photography portrait session with your co-host Summer Lajoie with Listening Pines. Includes one set of 5 digital images that will be emailed to you within 14 days post the retreat. Booking is required and space is limited:
FAQ:
How many people will attend? No fewer than 6 and no more than 15.
What should I expect after submitting an RSVP? Once an RSPV is submitted we will reach out to you via email within 2-3 business days. It will include a registration form link, our required liability waiver, and payment instructions
What should I expect after I register? Upon completed registration you will receive an email within 2-3 business days containing your detailed retreat information packet.
Can we share sleeping spaces? Friends and family are welcome to share a private room or pull out sofa upon request.
Can I bring my children? This is an adult only event.
Can I bring my pets? There are dogs that live on the premises and therefore, no other pets are permitted.
Is alcohol permitted at this retreat? You are welcome to bring your own alcoholic beverages to be consumed or shared during the evening events. We ask that you please drink responsibly and respect our scheduled quiet hours.
What is not included? Transportation to and from the retreat. As well as cost any other food and beverages not provided by MYZ retreats.
RSVP
RSVP
This webpage was created with love by Summer Lajoie with Listening Pines.
