Deep Rest: therapeutic Yoga Retreat
OCTOBER 3-7, 2024
with Melissa Shah + Guest teacher Rabia Meghani
at ojas retreat center in Southern California
Early Bird Registration Is Now Open ($200 discount!)
Are you seeking an immersive, intentional space to deeply rest?
Image of a bright indoor yoga pavilion at Ojas Retreat Center. The room has an angular wooden beam ceiling and floor to ceiling windows. There are 15 black yoga mats laid out in rows on a beige floor.
The need for rest and to nurture the process of letting go is critical to sustain your spiritual path and activism.
Have URGENCY and HYPER-PRODUCTIVITY taken the front seat for you?
This October, you’re invited to join a 4 day therapeutic yoga retreat at Ojas Retreat Center, led by Melissa Shah and guest teacher Rabia Meghani! Together, we’ll dive deep into our yoga practices, connect over nourishing meals, and bask in the beautiful outdoors on Luiseño land in Southern California. Ojas Retreat Center is just 2 hours southeast of Los Angeles, nestled in the mountains in an ecological reserve.
Join daily therapeutic yoga classes that incorporate breath-led asana, pranayama and meditation.
Allow daily sound and mantra classes to nourish your spirit and support connection with self and in community.
Nourish yourself with daily, homemade Ayurvedic-friendly vegetarian meals made with love and care.
Nurture the process of letting go through intentional time in nature, optional hikes, and deep, luxurious rest.
Rest in a supportive environment that is rooted in body-affirming, queer and trans* affirming, anti-casteist, and anti-racist values.
Image ID: A white plate of delicata squash filled with beans and veggies, and purple cauliflower and a green sauce. There are rows of identically filled plates on table. This is a photo of one of the daily lunches at 2023’s Deep Rest Retreat.
WHAT’S INCLUDEd?
3 daily therapeutic yoga and mantra classes, with full access to mats and props
Evening yoga nidra and restorative classes with poetry led by Rabia Meghani
Discussions on practical Ayurvedic tools to support rest in daily life
Deep inquiry into how hyper-productivity is affecting our ability to heal collectively
Daily vegan and Ayurvedic-friendly nourishing meals made by an experienced personal chef
Organic breakfast fruit plates, tea, and coffee
Delicious snack plates (veggies, crackers, homemade dips + more)
Lodging in bright, rustic rooms with thoughtful, luxurious touches
Full access to center’s ground and amenities, including a hot tub and pool
Easy access to majestic hiking trails right off of the property
Opportunity to explore 40+ hiking trails in Santa Rosa Plateau and Ecological Reserve
Gift bags filled with Ayurvedic products to support your practice
A supportive space and community to foster your rest and nourishment
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
Transportation to and from Ojas Retreat Center.
Spend time close to nature, and listen to what it has to share with you.
Connect with a community of people who are creating ripples of change in their communities and the world.
SETTLE YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM AND GAIN CLARITY.
retreat CENTER amenities INCLUDE:
Spacious Hot Tub
Cold Plunge Pool with Lounging Area
Indoor and outdoor dining spaces
Spacious terraces to read, relax, and connect
Gorgeous, expansive views to enjoy the sunset/rise, the mountains, and unique SoCal flora in the Santa Rosa Plateau
Natural bath products and towels stocked in each room’s bathroom
Unlimited tea and coffee
Cozy beds with soft linens in bright, rustic rooms
Explore even more of what Ojas Retreat Center has to offer by clicking here
Mountainview Room
PRICING:
Deposit: $250 (not available for early bird rate)
Early Bird: $1425 (until May 15)
Standard Rate: $1625 (after May 15)
BIPOC + LGBTQIA+ Rate: $1525 use code REST100
*Note: all rooms are shared with 2-4 beds in each room. 4 of the 6 bedrooms have en suite full baths, and the other 2 bedrooms share a bathroom and hallway. Explore the retreat’s site to learn more about the accommodations. Once you register, you will be asked to fill out a form to share any roommate preferences. Email directly to inquire about single occupancy.
*Cancellation Policy:
If cancelled 90 days before the retreat, your payment will be refunded in full minus a $250 deposit.
If cancelled within 60-90 days before the retreat, 50% of your payment will be refunded minus a $250 deposit.
If cancelled less than 60 days before the retreat, no refund will be given, but you can forward your $250 deposit to a future retreat led by Melissa.
QTBIPOC Scholarships
Scholarship applications are now closed.
In alignment with our values at Find Your Breath of dismantling barriers to accessing being well, and to build more equitable spaces, these partial scholarship spots are available for those who identity as Queer and/or Trans* Black, Indigenous, Person of Color / People of the Global Majority.
If you do not identify as QTBIPOC and are resourced, please consider scrolling down to contribute to our scholarship fund!
donate to the QTBIPOC Scholarship Fund
In alignment with our values at Find Your Breath to create more equitable wellness spaces, two partial scholarships will be offered to QTBIPoC folks, the most marginalized identities in Western dominant culture.
Please donate to the solidarity fund to make these scholarships possible and to increase access to rest and wellness for QTBIPoC communities! This is a great way to practice solidarity and redistribute wealth within the wellness industry.
This year, a total of $1625 is needed to make these scholarships possible. We have $1425 left to raise!
What people are saying about RETREATS led by Melissa:
“I'm so grateful for this space to witness South Asian greatness. The expansiveness of this group uplifted dreams and emphasized rest in a way I've never seen before.” - Aditi
“At a time in my life when stress is high in my family, at work, and in witnessing atrocities around the world, rest can seem like a luxury, not something we all deserve. I am beyond grateful for this deep rest experience to step away from the grind and get clarity on how I want to show up differently moving forward.” - Jessica
“Aside from making community connections, I really enjoyed the group yoga practices and how they contained movement, chant, abhyanga, and meditation. It’s been so long since I’ve practiced yoga in person with a group of people that I had forgotten how good it could feel to be in sync with those around me and surrounded by everyone’s energy.” - Rupa
“Melissa's retreat was beyond anything I could imagine. I felt a deep connection to nature, my ancestral roots, spirituality, and an authentic yoga community. It was something different than anything I have experienced before. There were many intentional aspects that made this retreat so incredible, like Melissa's thoughtfulness in creating a space that felt safe and like home. For me, being in a majority South Asian space that is welcoming, non-judgmental, and authentic to our lineage created a secure foundation for me to exist as myself. I felt like I was able to invite in everything we practiced -- the asana, mantra, meditation, etc.-- without resistance.” - Gauree
Check out our rest-filled snapshots from Deep Rest Retreat over the years!
Melissa is standing against a gray concrete wall wearing a black tee, smiling at the camera with their teeth showing. Their hair is down and they are wearing a brown mala and a gold mangal sutra around their neck.
MEET mELISSA, yOUR RETREAT FACILITATOR
Melissa (she/they), founder and owner of Find Your Breath, is a certified yoga therapist and long-time student of yoga. She is skilled at adapting yogic practices to the individual, and works to decolonize how we practice yoga through their regular offerings, workshops, collaborations, and uplifting the incredible work of South Asian and BIPOC wellness leaders. With 2000+ of consistent study in yoga and yoga therapy and over 10 years of teaching experience, she has been leading therapeutic yoga retreats since 2019, where their aim to create immersive experiences that are accessible and feel like home. Their work has been featured in NBC Asian-America, Yoga Journal, Anti-Racism Daily, and SHAPE magazine.
Image description: Rabia is seated on the ground dressed in a black and gold salwar kameez in front of a white background. She gazing at the camera and her hair is down and draped over each shoulder
Rabia Meghani (she/her) is a Medical Researcher, Behavioral Therapist, Educator, Yoga Therapist and a student of Kathak dance. Rabia’s formal education is in public health, epidemiology and education. Merging her knowledge of disease and education with the ancient science of Yoga and Ayurveda, Rabia aims to make these practices accessible to the masses while honoring the roots of the science. Her passion lies in integrating yoga and mindfulness in K-12 and higher education spaces.