Deep Rest: therapeutic Yoga Retreat
NOVEMBER 5-9, 2026
with Melissa Shah + Guest teacher Rabia Meghani
at ojas retreat center in Southern California
Are you seeking an immersive, intentional space to deeply rest?
Image of a Deep Rest attendee resting and reading on a lounge chair amidst the diverse ecosystem of Santa Rosa Plateau, where Ojas Retreat Center is located.
The RIGHT TO rest and to nurture the process of letting go is critical in sustaining your spiritual path, health, and activism.
overwhelm and confusion thrives off of a constant loop of URGENCY and HYPER-PRODUCTIVITY.
yoga therapy + intentional community offer a path where patterns of rest, clarity, and digestion can be your guiding force.
This November, during the Beaver full moon, 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 holistic yoga and Ayurveda practices, engage in deep reflection, 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 on an ecological reserve.
Image of a bright indoor yoga pavilion at Ojas Retreat Center with a circle of mat, props, and gift bags. The room has an angular wooden beam ceiling and floor to ceiling windows.
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.
Let go with evening yoga nidra, restorative, and reflective writing practices.
Nourish yourself with daily, homemade Ayurvedic-friendly vegetarian meals made with love and care.
Hone your creativity with optional art + community activities like collaging, painting, games, and music making!
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, all bodies-welcoming, and anti-racist values.
***This retreat is open to femme, women, nonbinary and trans* folks!
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 2024’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, gluten free + Ayurvedic-friendly nourishing meals made by an experienced 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
Luxurious amenities like: oversized hot tub, pool, infrared sauna, and cold plunge
Easy access to majestic hiking trails right off of the property
Opportunity to explore 40+ miles of 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
Swimming (non-heated) Pool with Lounging Area
Cold Plunge Tub
Infrared Sauna
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:
Early Bird Registration: $1485 (until July 10)
Standard Registration: $1650
2 partial scholarships are still available for QTPGM folks (Queer, Trans People of the Global Majority) Apply here!
*All rooms are shared with 2-4 people per room. Please email Melissa at melissa@findyourbreath.net to inquire about booking a private room.
donate to the QTPGM Scholarship Fund
Help us fund two QTBIPOC partial scholarships for this year’s retreat!
Hair Maalish session (Hair oil massage) at 2024’s Deep Rest Retreat. Leaf is seated in a chair wearing a red top, massaging oil into Shivanie (wearing a white top and green pants) hair. There is sunlight trickling into the space, with a stone wall background and gray tiled floors. Learning ancestral healing practices is a quintessential part of the Deep Rest Retreat ethos.
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. In the last 4 years, we’ve offered 12 partial scholarships to students from across the country — all thanks to your support.
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. We are raising $1650 to make these partial scholarships possible.
We still need $800 to make these scholarships available!
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
I’ve always been hesitant to go on a yoga retreat. I knew it needed to be with the right teacher— which is why I was so excited to learn Melissa was offering one! I loved how “rest” was woven into every part of the retreat— from the daily structure to reflection questions to asana, and beyond. Slowing down and learning mantra together was so meaningful. And the food was beyond delicious. Most importantly, the community was so welcoming, loving, and intentional. I got to connect with old friends and meet new ones. Can’t wait for the next one.
“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!
LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR RETREAT FACILITATORS
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+ hours 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.