Embodiment Through Change: A Women's Yoga and Writing Retreat

The middle passage of life and its inevitable instability and unpredictability amid wild cultural changes has left many of us feeling disconnected from our bodies, from each other, from our individual purpose, and from Spirit. This fall retreat is designed for women in midlife (known as the pitta stage of life, from childbearing years to the phase of the "crone") who long for reconnection--to their own nature, bodies, spirits, sense of self, and community--and seek to share in the wisdom and experience of like-minded seekers. Drawing on Ayurvedic tools, including immersive yoga practices (gentle movement, guided breathing, and relaxation), coupled with carefully designed, complementary writing exercises, we will drop into the body and connect to the deepest parts of ourselves to discover and share the powerful truths and healing that emerge from and are written on the body. Between facilitated sessions during this powerful weekend of the Vernal Equinox, participants will have time for solitude, reflection, and play in nature on the sacred grounds of beautiful GilChrist.

About the Facilitator

Marin Heinritz, PhD, ERYT-500, has been facilitating groups, teaching classes, and working one-on-one with clients using writing and yoga for healing, embodiment, and spiritual development for more than a decade. She is a published writer and Professor of English at Kalamazoo College where she has taught creative writing, literature, and journalism since 2003; and she teaches yoga classes as well as offers private yoga, writing, and cooking sessions virtually and in Kalamazoo. Writing and the body are inextricably linked in her work on the page and in the studio/classroom, and helping others fulfill their potential through both endeavors and live fully embodied lives is, for her, a spiritual practice.

Retreat Schedule

The retreat will open on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in WindHill and end Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. with morning (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) and afternoon (3:00 – 6:00 p.m.) sessions on Saturday, and a morning practice followed by closing circle (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) on Sunday.

Registration and Lodging Details

First, email Marin (click here) to register for the retreat. Early bird registration for the retreat program is $350; on September 1, the cost increases to $385. Space is limited. Please inquire about options for financial accessibility. 

Once you have registered and paid for the program with the facilitator, Marin will direct you to contact GilChrist to reserve your cabin using the online registration form (or by calling the main office at 269-244-1130 with any questions). Lodging is $60/night per person in addition to the program fee. Participants will check into their cabins between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 19 at a time you communicate via your cabin reservation. Cabin check-out is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 21. See the complete GilChrist FAQ for more information about the facility.