Dream Yoga
& The Art of Conscious Dying
7 DAYS OF SPIRITUAL EXPLORATION
yoga | meditation | culture
Connect to Your true nature
Join us on Lago Atitlán in Guatemala, in the heart of Mayan Culture, as we deeply explore the two natural and unavoidable occurrences that we experience daily as sentient beings: Dreaming and Dying.
Drawing from lineage based traditions, J.Yochanan will present the practical teachings and methods on how to awaken consciousness in the dream-time-space, in order to prep us for the inevitable transition of death. Set in the mystical Guatemalan highlands of Lake Atitlán, also known in the Mayan tradition as “Eden on Earth,” energy specialist, Kimberly Hofner, will lead our journey inward with daily yoga, meditation, and chanting. We will nourish and explore our spirituality through five heart expanding experiences including a traditional Mayan Fire Ceremony.
Overlooking the expansive volcanic nature and healing waters of Lago Atitlán, our private boutique accommodations are the ideal setting for true relaxation and deep personal connection to nature. Each day is filled with nourishing meals, prepared with loving care in the local Mayan tradition.
This experience is created specifically to help you awaken consciousness and empower you on your spiritual journey. Enjoy a morning dip in the silky waters and listen to the sunrise over the mountains from your kayak. Move with ease and explore authentic Mayan culture. Allow space to breathe, relax in a hammock and just be.
THE DETAILS:
SLEEP | 7 nights in a luxury boutique paradise
YOGA | Daily asana yoga classes, meditation, breath work, chanting
EAT | 3 daily organic Mayan inspired meals
SERVICE | Tour of local nonprofit Ecolibri
TREK | Explore the Mystical Mayan Ruins of Iximche
Hike Sacred Indian Nose Peak
Kayak stunning Lago Atitlán
EXPERIENCE | Shamanic Sound Healing Journey
Traditional Mayan Fire Ceremony
Sacred Cacao Ceremony
DATES:
February 16 - 23, 2019
LOCATION:
Anzan Atitlán, Guatemala
Cost:
$2100 Shared Suite
$2300 Single Suite Deposit: $500
Holiday Special! $1500 Shared Suite (limited availability)
*Airfare not included. Shuttle services are available, and advised, for guests from Guatemala City to the Good Hotel in Antigua. We can arrange this for you at an additional cost, once your air travel is confirmed. We will meet up February 16/17 at the Good Hotel depending your arrival date. We leave for Lake Atitlán on Feb 17 via Iximche. All transport thereafter is provided and included in retreat cost.
YOGA
Beyond the symbolic language of dreams and their meanings, Dream Yoga teaches the practitioner how one can Awaken the Consciousness and navigate the inner worlds with exact intention and volition for the alleviation of suffering, Self-Realization, and to rehearse the Art of Conscious Dying.
Due to the close relationship between Dreaming and Dying, it is vital to learn how to navigate the two with mastery, in order to guide the migration of soul consciously during transition stages.
During this Retreat Immersion you’ll learn:
Keys to Awaken Consciousness in the Waking State
Keys to spark Lucidity while Dreaming
Keys to initiate Astral Projection/ Out of Body Experiences (OBE’s)
Teachings from the Bardo Thodol “Tibetan Book of the Dead”
Keys to learn how to generate the Rainbow Body/Merkabah/Solar Bodies
Each day we will have two yoga sessions: in the morning to prepare us for the day before us, and in the evening to wind down and reflect on the experiences we will have shared.
Morning Yoga: Meditation, asana to awaken senses, and mantra chanting for the heart
Evening Yoga: Yoga Nidra, mantra chanting for the heart
INSTRUCTORS
J.YOCHANAN RUSSELL
J. Yochanan Russell is the founder and herbal formulator of Ancient Medicinal Herbs LLC in Eugene, OR. He is a longtime student & practitioner of Universal Gnostic Dharma, Ayurveda, Herbalism, Mantra-Yoga, Cha Dao, Deity-Yoga, Raja-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Vajrayana-Tantra, Mahamudra and Dzogchen, which he teaches world wide.
As a recent cancer survivor he compassionately shares his healing journey through educational talks on holistic wellness, effective employment of spiritual practices, and how to sustain one’s vitality and heal with medicinal cannabis.
Yochanan is a lover and player of Sacred Music and enjoys participating in the cultivation of Mantric Music/Kirtan for the healing, spiritual development upliftment and empowerment of humanity.
He is founder, Editor in Chief & Head Columnist of Pranava Magazine and offers 'Pranava Reviews: The Art and Culture of Kirtan in the West', which can be read in LA Yoga Magazine.
J. Yochanan teaches and lives with a loving mindful presence that invites you to be your authentic self, move with ease and deeply honor life in and all around you. His sense of humor, genuine care and timeless wisdom allows harmonious space for you to awaken your true nature and vibrantly live from the center of your heart.
Kimberly Renee Hofner
Kimberly Renee Hofner is the founder of Energy Medicine Goddess Design & Consulting in Minneapolis, MN. She specializes in energy design, diagnostics, and management for events, businesses, families, and individuals.
As a lover of life she deeply cares for your heart by creating sacred space to journey into healing, awakening, and transformation. Kimberly was magnetically drawn to the art and science of Yoga and consciously connecting with the breath saved her life. She gently guides a meditative experience that invites you to just be and breathe.
Her offerings are intricately woven with smudging, mantra chanting, self-inquiry, slow vinyasa flow, reiki, medicine buddha love, and sound healing. Typically you will find her with a singing bowl, drum and palo santo in hand. She facilitates individual and group ceremonies with sacred Cacao medicine.
Kimberly hosts healing community Kirtan gatherings which help support Prison Yoga Project and provide musical instruments to underserved youth. She is on the design team for the annual Minneapolis Yoga Conference and provides shamanic drumming for Yoga & Music festivals and Full Moon ceremonies.
Kimberly teaches and lives from her heart and invites you to cultivate the rich, tender soil of your own. She invites you to pause and listen to the communication of your body and intuitively move with your breath into spaciousness and bliss.
dESTINATION
Lago Atitlán is the deepest lake in all of Central America and is flanked by three towering volcanoes – Tolimán, San Pedro and Atitlán. There are many Mayan villages surrounding the lake, each with their own flavor of commerce and life. Any day of the week you can see fishermen in rustic crafts ply the lake's aquamarine surface, while indigenous women in multicolored outfits do their washing by the banks where trees burst into bloom. Fertile hills dot the landscape, and over everything loom the volcanoes, permeating the entire area with a mysterious beauty. Mayan tribes have lived around the lake for millennia, worshipping the healing qualities of the deep lagoon. Known in the Mayan tradition as Eden on Earth the elements of nature present in this sacred place teach and guide us into the space between breaths wherein lies the remembrance of who we are.
EXPERIENCES
trek
Hike Indian Nose Peak
Experience one of the world’s most surreal sunrises as we hike Indian Nose Peak in the mountains gracing the indigenous villages of Lake Atitlán. The peak is an ancient sacred site rich with prayers and ceremonies of the Mayans.
Explore the Mystical Mayan Ruins of Iximche
Iximche is a small Mayan archaeological site in the western highlands of Guatemala. This hidden gem holds vital history of modern Central America and Guatemala. Experience upgrades and be captivated by whispers of wisdom as we journey the mystical powers of the ancient ones.
culture
Shamanic Sound Healing Journey
Join Yochanan and Kimberly for an evening of music and healing as they guide a one of a kind meditative journey through sacred sounds creating space to deeply awaken our innerconnectedness to life and one another.
Traditional Mayan Fire Ceremony
Dive deep and experience a ceremony that has been part of the living Mayan culture of the Central American highlands for centuries. Discover the healing arts of the Kachiquel Maya.
Sacred Cacao Ceremony
Nourish your heart with the loving Spirit of Cacao. This sacred plant medicine known for its potent healing properties and health benefits has been honored in ceremonies throughout Mayan culture for thousands of years. Cacao gently guides us into a deeper and wider connection with the healing our hearts need. Experience the Love you are!
service
Tour of Ecolibri
Join Anzan owner and guide Dita on a tour of Ecolibri a non-profit organization supporting the indigenous communities within Lake Atitlán through a range of responsible projects including: child sponsorship, sustainable stove construction, music projects and an international artist residency program. Their small team works hard to realize creative and respectful endeavours.
They are partnered with Inka Foundation, the leading Czech institution for the sustainable development in education in Latin America, to enhance the reach of their work. Guatemala has one of the highest illiteracy and lowest school enrollment rates in Latin America and we will meet with the local children Ecolibri sponsors from the poorest families around Lake Atitlán giving us opportunity to be of selfless service in this compassionate project.
aCCOMMODATIONS
We will be staying at the beautiful Anzan, a private and unique paradise set on the shores of Lake Atitlán. Anzan’s luxury boutique stay overlooks the expansive volcanic nature of the lake, with spectacular weather, unique contemporary architecture and unrivaled quietness. From the resort, you can easily travel by boat or walk to explore the history of local towns, enjoy a cooking class, day tour, volcano hike, kayak journey and art class. Offering massage treatments, and organic food, and the ideal atmosphere for our daily yoga practice, Anzan is a unique place to stay to retreat, heal and relax on the most beautiful lake in the world. Derived from the Ancient Buddhist word for ‘peaceful mountain, Anzan is the ultimate retreat destination.
LOCAL CUISINE
FEATURING SEASONAL, SUSTAINABLY SOURCED INGREDIENTS
A single flavor can define a moment, a destination and culinary experience or season. Anzan’s unique culinary experience is based on inventive contemporary and traditional Guatemalan cooking techniques, utilizing simple, locally-sourced ingredients. Anzan celebrates this art form with masterful simplicity, tuned in to the seasons and placing the quality and freshness of ingredients and their ethical sourcing above all else.
TRAVEL
We are partnered with a premier travel agency that will make your travel planning stress free. Exito is 100% focused on air and is the leading flight consolidator for the adventure travel industry. For over 20 years, they have specialized in bringing a personal and seamless experience to booking international flights. At no extra cost to you, they can assist you in finding the routes and flights that best fit your needs. Click their logo below to fill out an inquiry form.
In preparation for your trip, please read our Travel Planning Guide for important tips and information.
Life Force can help you with booking information for the best travel and flight itineraries, hotels, restaurants, and activities during your stay in Guatemala. Airfare not included in retreat cost. Shuttle services are available, and advised, for guests from Guatemala City to the Good Hotel in Antigua. We can arrange this for you at an additional cost, once your air travel is confirmed. We will meet up February 16/17 at the Good Hotel depending your arrival date. We leave for Lake Atitlán on Feb 17 via Iximche. All transport thereafter is provided and included in retreat cost.
Flights to Guatemala City can be found on most major airlines including United, American, Copa, and Spirit Airlines from most any major city in the US.
A valid passport is required for all foreign visitors to Guatemala. An entry visa is not required for American or Canadian nationals. Please inquire with the nearest Guatemalan consulate for entry requirements for other nationalities.
In preparation for your trip, please read our Travel Planning Guide for important tips and information.
SOCIAL
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