“Soul & Savor: A Retreat on Mindful Eating”

Jul 31 — Aug 3, 2025

Menla Retreat Center, Catskills, NY

Are you someone who craves a deeper connection between your mind, body, and the way you eat?
Break free from mindless eating and rediscover joy in every bite.

Experience a retreat that nourishes the body and soul, leaving you refreshed, inspired, and empowered to live with greater mindfulness and joy.

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soul & savor: a retreat on mindful eating

Immerse yourself in a rejuvenating journey of self-discovery and nourishment at the serene Menla retreat center in the heart of the Catskill Mountains. “Soul & Savor” blends the wisdom of yoga with the art of mindful eating, creating space to reconnect with your body, mind, and spirit. 

Over four transformative days, Michelle and Sommer will guide you through a combination of invigorating and restorative yoga practices, insightful workshops on mindful eating, and nature-infused activities designed to awaken your senses and deepen your appreciation for the present moment. Leave with tools to foster a more balanced relationship with food, cultivate inner peace, and savor life in every bite.

“…The setting was absolutely magical…The Yoga was great. My practice was deepened just by signing up. At the retreat I was challenged and felt ‘accomplished’ at the end of each session…”
~ JV, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

“I love the Menla environment and feel it is truly a special place. The retreat schedule was great – a good mix of instructors and classes. And a good group of people just topped it off. Michelle is a wonderful yoga instructor, very kind and fun.”
~ Abbe B, Douglaston, NY

INCLUDED:

• 4 days / 3 Nights Accommodations, Deluxe Queen or Double, with Private Bath & AC
• 8 Delicious, Locally-sourced Meals
• Mindful Eating Foundations
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Pool
• Sound Bath
• Bonfire
• Stretch
• Journaling
• Nature Exploration

NOT INCLUDED:

• Transportation to/from Menla Retreat & Dewa Spa, Phoenicia, New York (carpools available from NYC/Long Island)
• Spa*
• Private Sessions*^
• Additional food and drinks not included
• Gratuities
• Travel Insurance (recommended)
  
  *Additional fees / Pre-registration required / ^Reservations available upon arrival.

Tibet in the Catskills. Retreat center, spa and resort. Menla Retreat is a part of Tibet House US, the Dalai Lama’s cultural center in North America. Surrounded by thousands of acres of Catskills forest preserve, Menla’s magical mountain valley features a stunning retreat center & destination spa that offers annual wellness and spiritual retreats, custom personal getaways, and full service group retreat hosting. Menla’s facilities include deluxe private and standard shared accommodations; a world-class Tibetan destination and day spa offering a full menu of services and specializing in ancient Tibetan and Ayurvedic therapies; two yoga studios; a meditation sanctuary; and the largest conference center in the region.

Discover the ancient restorative therapies of Tibet at Dewa Spa, Menla’s world-class healing spa and one of the few places in the West where you can experience the Tibetan Ku Nye massage.
The Dewa Spa also offers a wide range of Eastern and Western spa treatments including personalized well being massages, deep tissue, Ayurveda, Shiatsu, acupuncture, reflexology, herbal baths, energy healing, customized facials, sound therapy, intuitive readings, as well as saunas and steam rooms to stimulate and detoxify your system.
Dewa’s selection of treatments and journeys are a unique experience that will leave you feeling thoroughly renewed and regenerated.

ITINERARY
Day 1 (Thu, Jul 31): Arrival & Grounding

• 12pm – Optional local LUNCH with retreat hosts*
• 1:30pm – FREE TIME / Spa* / Pool / Explore
• 3pm – CHECK-IN
• 4:30pm – INTENTIONS and INTRODUCTIONS
• 6pm – DINNER
• 7:30pm – Evening YOGA & GUIDED MEDITATION

Day 2 (Fri, Aug 1): Mindful Nourishment & Connection

• 7am – YOGA
• 8am – BREAKFAST
• 9:30am – WORKSHOP: The Foundations of Mindful Eating
• 11am – FREE TIME / Spa* / Pool / Explore
• 12:30pm – LUNCH
• 1:30pm – FREE TIME / Spa* / Pool / Explore
• 4pm – GUIDED STRETCH & JOURNALING
• 6pm – DINNER
• 8pm – SOUND BATH w/ special guest artist: Jennifer Muir

Day 3 (Sat, Aug 2): Exploring the Senses

• 7am – YOGA flow
• 8am – BREAKFAST
• 9:30am – WORKSHOP: Transforming Thoughts and Beliefs About Food
• 11am – OUTDOOR MEDITATION
• 12:30pm – LUNCH
• 1:30pm – FREE TIME / Spa* / Pool / Explore
• 3pm – WORKSHOP
• 4:30pm – YOGA
• 6pm – DINNER / group photo
• 8pm – BONFIRE

Day 4 (Sun, Aug 3): Integration & Farewell

• 7am – YOGA
• 8am – BREAKFAST
• 9:30am – WORKSHOP: Take-home tools for mindful living
• 11am – CHECK-OUT
• 10:30am – 12:30pm – PRIVATE SESSIONS*^
• Until 2pm – FREE TIME / Spa* / Pool / Explore

*Additional fees / Pre-registration required / ^Reservations available upon arrival.

“This is a beautiful retreat center complete with spa nestled in the lush green countryside of the Catskills. Peace and tranquility are the first to greet you upon arriving at Menla.
The staff is warm, professional, and helpful. I have had a couple of massages with hot rocks by a very competent and knowledgeable massage therapist. BEST I have ever had, and I highly recommend going to Dewa Spa at Menla.”
– Diane Boehm

“Michelle, your approach to yoga reminded me why I love to practice. Your sessions helped me focus on what’s really important to my yoga practice. I can’t tell you how much I needed the lessons and guidance you provided. Thank you, Michelle. …I love your focus, your deep understanding of the body and its limits, your acceptance of all bodies!”
~ YSK

“Sommer provided tangible tools and skills I could incorporate to improve the trajectory of my thoughts; therefore also improving my own actions and relationships with others… refreshingly honest without being blunt or indifferent. Her amicable personality and coaching style will have you laughing, thinking, and relating to others on levels you might not have thought you could. I highly recommend Sommer… Your future really will thank you.” 
~ Elizabeth S, NY

“Menla is so breathtakingly gorgeous, situated on an indigenous sacred land where its magnetic field is very strong. I have so many beautiful photos of the campus from my hikes at dawn on the property, mostly photos capturing the sunrise and the light rays shimmering iridescently on various aspects of nature. I took almost a thousand photos in my short stay there! Truly breathtaking! I even captured the miracle of having a doe and her fawns surrounding me just several feet away from me!”
-Priscila Espinosa