What Awaits You
Autumn is nature's invitation to let go, slow down and tune into your innate wisdom. This retreat offers the space to release what weighs you down, reconnect with what matters most, be deeply soothed by the pulse of the season and find peace within the present moment.
FRIDAY
Participants are invited to arrive anytime after 3pm. At 5:30, our journey begins with an opening circle and all-levels Yoga class, followed by a healthy, home cooked meal and quieting evening ritual to invite a night of deep rest.
SATURDAY
The garden dome opens at 5am for an optional unguided personal practice. A beautifully guided Hatha Yoga class begins our day together at 7:30am, followed by breakfast and a guided, contemplative hike. After lunch and a break, an optional Yoga workshop for deep exploration will round out the afternoon. After dinner, the evening will conclude with a restorative practice, Yoga Nidra, and a sacred fire ritual under the stars.
SUNDAY
An optional early-morning Kundlaini Yoga Sadhana will raise the energy and meet the day with sanctity. A 7:30am Hatha Yoga practice will lead us into a delicious breakfast and connection. We'll seal in our time together with a crystal bowl soundbath and closing circle.
You'll leave Aviva Shanti feeling grounded and connected, with your lungs filled with mountain air, your body nourished and alive, and your heart deeply tethered to the divine experience of you.
Allan Werthan (Menka): Since his first experience in 1974, Yoga has been an integral and defining emphasis for Menka's daily life. He is a certified Integrative Yoga Therapy instructor and teaches Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Therapeutic Yoga, combined with Mindfulness Meditation and Pranayama. "A long-time and beloved Evergreen community member, wondrous story-teller and dedicated Yoga teacher, Menka truly embodies Seva (service), and generosity of joyful spirit and spiritual presence."
Laura Doss has been a committed practitioner of Yoga for over 25 years. Classically trained in the Sivananda lineage in 2005, she has since collected thousands more hours of training and teaching experience in ashrams and studios around the world. The demands of early motherhood brought her to Kundalini Yoga ("the householders Yoga") and she later advanced her studies in Ayurveda to become an Ayurvedic Health Coach. Laura teaches Hatha and Kundalini Yoga classes in Evergreen; her classes are shaped by her roots in classical Hatha Yoga, a deep appreciation of integrated alignment, the heart and rigor of Kundalini Yoga, and the wise, life-giving tools of Ayurveda.
Details
Yoga and Meditation in the Garden Dome
The enchanting garden dome is the heart of Aviva Shanti, a light-filled geodesic sanctuary where each day begins and ends with Yoga and meditation. Surrounded by windows that frame the forest and the peaceful trickle of water from the indoor fountain, you'll move and breathe in harmony with the natural world.
Contemplative Hiking:
Guided, contemplative hiking will invite you to move mindfully, breathe in the crisp mountain air, reflect deeply and align with the rhythms of nature.
Nourishment and Community;
The communal spaces invite conversation and connection over delicious, nourishing meals and shared experiences. You'll feel held by both the land and the loving community gathered here. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated.
Cozy Accommodations:
Aviva Shanti offers cozy and welcoming rooms- each uniquely designed with rustic charm and thoughtful details that make you feel instantly at home. Natural light, handcrafted wood, and soft linens create the perfect environment for rest and restoration.
KING ROOM WITH PRIVATE BALCONY: Single occupancy $425. Double occupancy $625
QUEEN ROOM EN-SUITE: Single occupancy $ 375
QUEEN ROOM: Single occupancy: $350
QUEEN ROOM: Single occupancy: $350
Fire Ritual to Invite Change:
Gather under the stars and open sky for ritual and release. Let go of what no longer serves you into the flames, and invite the clarity, courage and renewal you seek this season.
Crystal Bowl Sound Bath:
Allow yourself to be bathed in the vibrations of crystal singing bowls, harmonizing body and mind and inviting profound relaxation and healing.
Outdoor Hot Tub Under the Stars:
Slip into the bubbling hot tub and soak beneath the open mountain sky, feeling the warmth of the water and the crisp autumn air on your skin as you melt off tension and open your heart.
Quiet Reflection:
Carve out time to be still. Whether journaling, meditating in solitude, or simply sitting among the trees, these quiet moments invite you back into the gentle presence of your true self.
The Sanctuary of Your Surroundings at Aviva Shanti Retreat Center
Aviva Shanti is special. Not just a "place", but a feeling. An experience. Tucked away on the mountainside, this hidden gem is a sanctuary of peace, beauty, garden critters, and crystals. And stories. Lots of stories unfold among these towering pines, shimmering aspens, and golden light. During the day, you’ll enjoy the quiet whispers of nature, the kiss of the mountain sunshine, opportunities to connect with breath, body, mind, and heartfelt community. At night, twinkling lights guide you through gardens where pathways lead to quiet nooks for reflection, and the open night sky reminds you of your deepest expansion. Here, the land invites you to breathe deeper, rest fully, and remember yourself.
Previous retreats gallery
Photographer Lisa Eiersebner from Rhythms of Nature Yoga
Sarah's Way Scholarship
Sarah Beechler
In the serene embrace of Aviva Shanti,
Sarah Beechler’s legacy will live on.
Her presence at the first-ever Aviva Shanti retreat was of great impact and purpose. Sarah was devoted to embodying yoga as a lifestyle through teaching and being forever student.
She was such an incredible friend, daughter, teacher, student and being of light.
Through her unwavering support for the community and the boundless exploration of the self, Sarah touched our hearts, and left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege to know her.
We pay tribute to Sarah’s legacy - a legacy of love, courage, and relentless pursuit of dreams -by creating this scholarship program.
The scholarship stands testament to her supportive and loving spirit, offering support to those embarking on their own journey of self-discovery.
In the heart of every retreat, in the embrace of every seeker, Sarah’s essence lives on, inspiring us to embrace life fully, to embrace the beauty of the unknown, and to never falter in our quest for growth and fulfillment.
As we tread the path she once walked, may we carry her light within us, illuminating the way for others as she once did for us. . .