Heart Wisdom: Yoga + the Sacred Mayan Calendar / Michelle Margaret

Integrate the heart wisdom of the Maya into your daily life!

We’ll gather for a week of intentional learning while cultivating mindfulness, joy, gratitude and peace in a small group setting.

We’ll deepen our yoga and mindfulness practice and study the basic elements of the sacred Mayan calendar through dynamic fire ceremony, sweat lodge ritual, yoga workshops and personal readings of your Mayan cross (the numbers and symbols that you bring).

The Mayan Cosmovision is a worldview that explains our interdependence with all of nature through the wisdom of the sacred Mayan calendar and the cycles of the day count.

We’ll begin each day with a guided meditation to connect with the energy of the day in the Mayan calendar and a rejuvenating yoga class and let this guide us into a natural creative flow. These practices will open you up to a new perspective on life and facilitate a deeper connection with yourself and a natural unfolding of your projects, purpose and inspiration.

This retreat is unique in its offering to bridge yogic discipline with traditional Mayan wisdom.

Our opening and closing Mayan fire ceremonies will be led by a Mayan Ajq’ij (spiritual guide). I have worked with Tata Thomas for many years and have interpreted dozens of his ceremonies for retreat groups. Thomas is a Tz’utujil Maya day counter and wisdom keeper who carries profound yet simple and practical heart medicine.

Mid-week, you’ll have the option to participate in a sweat lodge ritual where we experience the heart-opening medicine of cacao and song as we celebrate the four elements of life—earth, water, fire and air. My dear friend and soul sister Paola will lead this incredible ceremony and afterward anyone who wants to can jump into the lake for a dip. We’ll give gratitude to Great Spirit and all our relations and emerge reborn with new skin (thanks to a scrumptious salt scrub followed by aloe vera).

Benefits

• Learn practical ways to integrate the energies of each day in the sacred Mayan calendar into your everyday life
• Unwind, strengthen, balance and center yourself with daily yoga and meditation practices
• Open up to the deep magic and medicine of the Mayan lands and the healing waters of Lake Atitlan
• Understand your energies, gifts and soul path through Mayan readings

Retreat Outline

Day 0: Arrival/check-in 3:00-5:00 pm, Dinner 6:30, Opening circle (yoga + intention setting)
Day 1: Yoga, Breakfast, personal Mayan readings, Lunch, Free time, Workshop: introduction to the Mayan calendar and cosmovision, Dinner
Day 2: Breakfast, opening Mayan fire ceremony, Free time, Lunch, Forest Bathing, Yoga + writing workshop, Dinner
Day 3: Breakfast, Yoga and guided meditation with the Mayan energy of the day, Optional trip to San Juan/San Marcos, Dinner
Day 4: Yoga, Breakfast, Free time, Lunch, Free time, 2:00 pm Optional sweat lodge ceremony, Dinner
Day 5: Breakfast, Yoga, Free time, Lunch, Free time, Yoga + writing workshop, healing sound bath to connect with the Mayan energies of the day, Dinner
Day 6: Breakfast, closing Mayan fire ceremony, Free time, Lunch, Free time, Closing circle, Dinner
Day 7: Breakfast, Farewells, Check-out 11:00 am

What’s Included

• Course tuition
• An illuminating 1-hour Mayan Astrology reading
• Two Mayan fire ceremonies
• 7 nights of accommodation in a deluxe room (private and shared options available)
• Daily vegetarian meals and unlimited self-serve local Guatemalan coffee, herbal tea and drinking water (vegan and gluten-free options available; fish/chicken may be ordered for an extra fee)
• Use of the fabulous Villa Sumaya facilities (pool, hot tubs, lounges, hammocks, temples, etc.)

Not included: transport, staff tips, optional ceremonies and activities