Roots & River Yoga Retreat / Machelle Lee
November 9, 2024 - November 16, 2024
SOLD OUT!
Machelle Lee invites you to join her and her husband, Eric, in a unique personal and cultural experience that you will remember for a lifetime. Beyond the studio, dive into new depths of your being and your yoga practice in the spiritually charged highlands of Guatemala, often referred to as “the land of eternal spring.” Immerse and nurture yourself in natural beauty, daily rejuvenating yoga, garden-to-table cuisine, special rituals, mind broadening cultural exposure and so much more.
This 10 day/9 night adventure will begin on Thursday, November 7th with two nights in the old capital city of Antigua, built in the 1500s, and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will stay at the charming Hotel Soleil la Antigua. You will be able to explore Antigua’s cobble stone streets that are lined with preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced homes and buildings, colonial churches and ruins. You will be free to wander this small city to admire its historic architecture, enjoy incredible cuisine, experience open air markets, and people-watch in the Parque Central (central plaza).
On Saturday, November 9th, the group will take a private shuttle through the mountains to the magnificent Lake Atitlan. Surrounded by three giant volcanos, Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro, Lake Atitlan is massive crater lake formed approximately 84,000 years ago as a result of a volcanic eruption. The lake measures over 11 miles long and is more than 1000 feet deep!
We will arrive in the quaint and bustling town of Panajachel where Eric lived for several years and Machelle has visited many times. From “Pana” we will catch a lancha, for a spectacular 10-15 minute boat ride to the yoga retreat center, Villa Sumaya, near the lakeside town of Santa Cruz La Laguna. There we will settle in for the remaining 7 nights, giving you time to truly dial down your nervous system and renew your body, mind, and spirit.
Built into the side of a mountain on Lake Atitlan’s shore, Villa Sumaya is an ideal sanctuary, whether you are looking for quiet time for introspection, community connection, or time to adventure into the surrounding towns or outdoor activities.
At Villa Sumaya, Machelle will lead 1-2 yoga classes per day from the Blue Tiger Temple, a private studio space with incredible views of the lake and volcanos. Practices will be a mix of Yin Yoga, Gentle Joint Care, Morning Slow Flow, and Yoga Nidra. You will be served three incredibly delicious vegetarian meals each day, with vegan and gluten-free options available, (fish or chicken available for $8/meal).
Some days will offer special rituals or ceremonies or outings you can join. You will also have ample free time to create the retreat that you desire, whether you wish to rest deeply or dive into a good book. There are spa and wellness services at the retreat center that include massage, energy balancing, astrology reading, and sound healing. Each day, you will have the opportunity to swim, hike, take a kayak out, or explore the unique towns and ecosystems that surround the lake. The incredible staff of Villa Sumaya, as well as Machelle and Eric, will be there to assist you in creating a most meaningful retreat for you.
Machelle Lee, MA, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Founder of Roots & River Yoga Studio, Machelle has 30 years of experience as a yoga teacher and massage therapist. She holds a Masters Degree in Mythology and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and earned 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training in yoga psychology.
Machelle leads weekly classes, workshops, guest lectures in 200 and 300 hour Yoga Teacher Trainings and international retreats. Her passion and specialty is Yin Yoga, its theory and practice both for joint and fascia health, but also as a form of self-acupressure in line with the teachings of traditional Chinese medicine energy lines.
Committed to serving students in a way that best fits their unique abilities and anatomic structure, Machelle combines anatomy, storytelling, archetypes, poetry, neuroscience, psychology, and Five Element Meridian Theory across a variety of yoga styles in a way that is aimed at facilitating a creative and grounded approach to self-development.