International Retreats
Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
March 16-23, 2024
“A Journey to the Self”
This journey to Guatemala will be a transformational adventure.
Witness the Mayan way of life and enjoy stunning views from the natural sanctuary of Villa Sumaya on Lake Atitlan.
Experience a Mayan Fire Ceremony, Chichimeca Sweat Lodge, Shamanic Sound Healing and Cacao Ceremonies, a Mayan Marketplace, kayaking on Lake Atitlan, hiking to local villages, and immerse yourself into Raja and Kundalini yoga classes focused on asana, pranayama, and meditation. There will also be quiet time scheduled for silence, contemplation and journaling at our beautiful all-inclusive retreat. Our hope is for you to disconnect for a week from work, technology, and all responsibilities to truly be present on this journey back to the Self. We hope you say YES to this transformational body, mind, and soul retreat.The mystical lake offers unparalleled natural beauty. You will see beautiful blue water drifting peacefully past local villages with huge volcanoes towering in the background.
Our accommodations are at the stunning all-inclusive Villa Sumaya. It is a retreat and wellness center located in Santa Cruz la Laguna on Lake Atitlán. Here they are dedicated to rejuvenating holistic practices and healing modalities as well as preserving Mayan traditions and helping to facilitate outdoor adventures.
Our goal
Our goal for the week is for you to find a deeper connection with yourself and a rejuvenated sense of wellbeing. We will be offering yoga twice a day that will include asana, pranayama, and meditation. There will also be quiet time scheduled in the itinerary for silence, contemplation, and journaling. Our hope is for you to disconnect for a week from work, technology, and all responsibilities to truly be present on this journey back to the self.
Along with beautiful accommodations, the following are included:
- Three delicious, home-cooked, well-balanced, vegetarian meals daily (chicken and fish available)
- Twelve yoga classes (Raja, Kundalini, and Restorative Yoga) in the beautiful studio
- Solar heated hot tub and wood burning sauna
- Optional treatments at Harmony Spa including massage ($75 for an hour), facials, consultations, esoteric readings and more
- Lush gardens, hammocks and cozy shaded or full sun sitting areas
- Fair-trade boutique stocked with local treasures and custom designed Eco Sumaya crafts
- Healthy snack and juice bar offering delectable raw treats, exotic smoothies, and homemade kombucha
- Unlimited tea, coffee and purified water service at the 24/7 beverage bar
- Four magical ceremonies listed below
- Two local excursions
- Roundtrip tansportation from Guatemala City (GUA) to Villa Sumaya 3 l/2 hours
In Sanskrit, Sumaya means a long-awaited dream come true, while in Arabic it translates as a little piece of paradise. This retreat will be a transformational experience in our own dream paradise. Along with all the amenities included above, you will also participate in these incredible ceremonies below.
In traditional Mayan day-count fire ceremonies, beautiful offerings are created and consumed by the fire, invoking awareness and connection with all that is.
The Maya remind us to dwell in the innocent heart of the child, prompting us to leave behind our busy minds and conditioned concept of self.
Mayan Fire Ceremony
Cacao Ceremony
In the spirit of the ancient traditions, this sacred circle and celebration centers around the sharing of a cacao elixir, known as the “food of the Gods.”
Chichimeca Sweat Lodge Ceremony
Traditional Chichimeca purification ceremony offers ritualized practices and connection with Great Spirit. Songs to open the heart and specially prepared herbal teas help clear and lift the emotional body.
Shamanic Sound Healing Ceremony
Experience a profusion of vibrational sound waves that will help release stored tension and emotional baggage while balancing the emotional body. Allow the harmonic intelligence and the power of shamanic healing to sweep away all that no longer serves.
Included Excursions:
Chichicastenango Market
Visit one of Guatemala’s most famous marketplaces, known for its colorfully and brightly dressed Quiche Maya. Starting with a short boat ride to Panajachel, you will be picked up by a private van and drive for an hour through the Mayan highlands, passing through fertile countryside. In Chichi, browse through the marketplace for handicrafts, candles, flowers and incense. This is the place to find that special keepsake or simply enjoy the action of this highland town on market day. Thursday 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Kayak Paddle & Hike
For kayak enthusiasts and hikers, this trip will be the perfect way to spend a day. We will begin from the dock and paddle to San Marcos (1 to 1.5 hours). Walk around the village and eat your packed lunch or dine at a local café. Either take a public boat back to our center or embark on a moderately challenging, 3-hour guided hike back to Villa Sumaya. Tuesday from 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
There are also local 20 minute to one hour walks from Villa Sumaya.
Last but not least!
Giving Back to the Local Mayan Community Peace through Yoga Foundation welcomes donations to support Mayan mothers in the local village of Santa Cruz La Laguna. 100% of the proceeds go toward providing families with fresh fruits and veggies from the market. Providing this kind of help gives individuals a sense of connection with the indigenous Mayan community and a deeper retreat experience. $15 buys a Mayan family a week's worth of veggies and fruit that they choose themselves. Prior to departure Peace through Yoga Foundation will also provide a list of needed items from those familes for those you might be interested in bringing school supplies or other requested items.
The package does not include:
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Flight to Guatemala (GUA) from your hometown
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Tipping to local guides and hotel staff ($7-10 per person per day)
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Alcoholic beverages or other personal expenses
TO BOOK YOUR SPACE: Call PTYF Reservations Manager, Susie Morwick at 317-544-8391 or email susie@peacethroughyoga.org
Price Per Person:
$1899 per person double occupancy
$500 single supplement (limited)
A $500 deposit is due per person upon booking. The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.
Cancellation policy: $250 is charged for cancelling up to 90 days prior to departure; 100% cancellation fee is charged after 90 days.
Recommendation: Due to the changing air fares in the airline industry, we suggest you book your flight to the destination once you confirm your land arrangements with PTYF.
Your Trip Leaders/Yoga Instructors
Sally Bassett
Sally Bassett, Ph.D./E-RYT, has been teaching yoga for over two decades. As well as being a yoga instructor, Sally is a humanitarian, world traveler, seeker, and founder of Peace through Yoga Foundation.
Sally has led groups to over 120 countries as a result of her 40+ year career in the travel industry where she went from flight attendant to CEO. Sally’s yoga journey has included a 12-year ownership of two yoga studios before selling in 2014, teaching yoga and philosophy as an adjunct professor at Butler University for seven years and co-founding the Yoga and Spirituality program at Christian Theological Center in Indianapolis, IN. Sally teaches at Blooming Life Yoga in the village of Zionsville, IN and leads retreats around the world. Her favorite quote is by Helen Keller, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
Karla Becker
Karla Becker, E-RYT, has been a yoga teacher for over 20 years. She is a life-long yoga student, practicing and teaching Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga, and then Kundalini Yoga when she was introduced to it in 2001.
Karla felt she had returned to her youth when practicing Kundalini Yoga due to its intensive breath practice, energy work and dynamic movement that reminded her of being a kid again. She’s been trained by internationally renowned teacher, Gurmukh, and has been traveling back and forth to California over the years for training. Karla is a board member for Peace through Yoga Foundation and has been involved since its inception in 2005. She has a Master of Science degree from Indiana University in Education and has a life-long love of teaching. Karla looks forward to being part of helping make this trip to Guatemala a truly transformational journey.
Peace through Yoga Foundation developed, built and supports a Girls for Success School in the rainforest of Costa Rica. PTYF also started two libraries on the island of Dominica (one for teen girls and one at a preschool) and supports a women’s shelter in Morocco.