double early bird Registration open feb 1- March 1.
The Simplify Retreat
strong practice | opeN space | fresh mountain air
modern, minimalist luxury in the great outdoors
Thursday october 24-sunday october 27, 2024
It has been life changing. I will miss the everyone in our community. My heart is open and the gratitude is flowing. I hope we all meet again.
- Gayle, Maryland
You don’t have to go far to get away.
Do less.
Receive More.
Open your perspective.
Restore your inner flow.
Soak it all in.
Don’t forget to look up.
Enjoy four days of all-inclusive yoga, meditation, nourishment, and nature.
Under vibrant fall foliage, crisp mountain air, and vast starry skies you will
Slow down through intentional practices.
Create structure and simplicity: every yoga pose, meditation, even the architecture of our lodging, dining cabin, and vast practice barn is oriented around an intentional structure - all you need to do is show up and be held in deeply intentional space.
Ground and open to the big perspective as you reconnect to your place within the natural world.
Release what is no longer yours to carry and emerge feeling peace in your heart.
Rewild allow the poetry of the mountain land and crisp fall air to stir the wildness within your soul and point you in the right direction towards the pulse of your creative aliveness.
Your retreat rate includes:
✓ 4 days and 3 nights lodging in your own Zen Pod or Glamping Yurt with electricity and stove
✓ Stand into your power with fiery Morning Vinyasa Yoga Flow
✓ Guided Morning Meditation
✓ Embrace tranquility with afternoon Somatic Movement Practice to deepen awareness, rediscover root movement patterns, and release strain and stress trapped in our tissues
✓ Healthy, nourishing breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Daily prepared lovingly by our onsite chef and enjoyed in good company.
✓ Daily Happy hour with Sangria and Beer and fruit infused waters in an 1807 log cabin
✓ Gather around nightly Bonfires with S’mores
✓ a guided hike is included in your rate, sharing the history of the land we are retreating on - from learning about past indigenous cultures that tended the land to exploring the history of the Underground Railroad that weaved through the property
✓ Access to Cedar spring-fed Hot Tubs
✓ Access to 150 acres of hiking trails through forest and wetlands, Sweet Root Creek, and Dewey's Pond
✓ Time to chill out in a hammock forest: lounge, sway, forest-bathe, and read
✓ Filtered Water Bottle Filling Stations, Fiber Wi-Fi Internet, Shampoo, Conditioner + Shower Gel, and Free Parking
✓ Bedding, Linens + Towels, and daily room service
✓ The Simplify Retreat tote bag with artwork by Baltimore Yogini Liz Ragland
COST:
DOUBLE ZEN POD $975
SINGLE ZEN POD $1,275
QUAD YURT $1,175
DOUBLE YURT $1,475
WHEN:
October 24-27, 2024
DETAILS:
WHERE:
Allegheny Mountains EVERETT, PA
Release to recharge.
After the final no there comes a yes.
And on that yes the future world depends. —Wallace Stevens
This retreat is for practitioners who are craving an intentional pause as we move towards Fall to set down the busyness and responsibilities of life at home, ground and commune with nature, and drop into heart wisdom. As the natural world shifts from the buzzing, bursting, humid, sweet fullness of summer into Fall’s crisp, dry, golden-hued, shorter days and starker shadows you might notice the pull within yourself to clarify perspective on your path. To shift from the playful, chaotic, and expansive energy of long summer days to the organized, internal, and contemplative pace of Fall. Fall is the season of the harvest - the inner processes and external projects we have planted and tended, consciously or unconsciously through the vibrant play of summer emerge whole and ready to be culled.
On retreat you have space and time to gather, slow down, and go deeper. Your yoga practice helps you to ground and awaken, to take stock, and to reflect on where it is most vitalizing to focus your energy and where you are ready to let go.
In the morning, expect Lily’s signature strong, playful, life affirming vinyasa practices with a dazzling fall view to inspire. Fall is a great time to build heat with long holds and deep intentional breaths. Body warm and mind settled, morning fiery flow will melt into spacious meditation and self inquiry.
Afternoon yoga is an invitation to all levels of your Being to slow down. I am thrilled to share Somatic Movement practices with you designed to nourish your nervous system, re-awaken neural pathways, and facilitate efficient and potent movement pathways. These practices are all experienced low to the ground on a mat covered in a yoga blanket, gently and fluidly. Somatic Movement practice feels akin to vinyasa in the linking of breath and movement, yin yoga in the the deliberate slowing down and attuning to deeper held sensations, Yoga Nidra in the dive under the radar of habit and forcing, myofascial release in the integrated opening of large swaths of fascia that run congruent through the body, and akin to Feldenkrais in the rehabilitative and healing for joints, nerves, and deep foundational patterning of movement.
Cultivate inner and outer spaciousness, creating a ripple effect long after your retreat is over. Fall is the perfect time to nourish yourself with extra space for practices to facilitate letting go. Decrease stress, awaken to your inner creative flow, balance your body’s natural energy, improve your quality of sleep, decrease muscular and postural tension, and envelop body and mind in deep and lasting grounding.
LOCATION
Our retreat home is centrally located in south-central Pennsylvania. We are tucked away from it all so that the stars shine bright and you can breathe clean crisp mountain air, but close enough to major cities (Fly into BWI and rent a car if you are coming from out of town) that it is a convenient spot to gather.
Our retreat center is located
2 hours from DC/DMV/Baltimore
3.5 hours from Philadelphia
5 hours from New York
2 hours from Pittsburgh.
Resting on 150 acres, our retreat center is bordered by Sweet Root Creek, Warrior Ridge and Tussey Mountain. The property boasts stunning spaces designed for reflection, mindfulness, and communing with self, friends, and nature. Nestled within this property lies an expansive restored heated barn yoga studio, main lodge that houses an additional yoga studio, outdoor creekside yoga platforms harmoniously placed amidst the captivating fall foliage, spring-fed cedar hot tubs for relaxation, a hammock forest, communal dining tables housed within an 1807 log cabin, and numerous hiking trails waiting to be explored.
This exquisite setting strikes the perfect balance between luxury amenities and mountain wilderness, inviting your wild spirit to roam freely.
Circadian rhythm cabins
The zen pods are housed within a circadian rhythm cabin designed by award-winning architecture firm GWWO in Baltimore, these Circadian Rhythm Wellness accommodations are oriented to realign guests to the body’s natural rhythm. Rise with the sun shining through expansive floor to ceiling windows, fall asleep nestled in your glamping pod, and rest easily from nature's calm. The thoughtful design reduces stress, enhances creativity and clarity of thought, and increases your connection to the environment.
Modern Zen pods ensure each guest has their own space to unwind while together. They are the best of both worlds - together, with space. Each main cabin room has two shared bathrooms and houses 10 zen pods. Each zen pod has a cabinet with a lock, light, and plenty of floor space for bags and personal items. A thick privacy curtain closes the door of your pod.
the Glamping Yurts
Or choose the Glamping Yurt for a bit more privacy. The glamping yurt features 2 queen beds, electricity, a pellet stove, outdoor seating, heated blankets, fans, and a skylight to the stars. There is a bathroom and showers within a 1 minute walk from the glamping yurt.
Join Lily Dwyer Begg for a deeply grounding yoga retreat to simplify and recharge. Pause to release what is no longer serving you as we move into the golden months of Fall - the season of letting go. Nourish mind, body, and spirit through yoga immersion, time in nature, and the sweetness of our thriving practice community.
Lily is a world-class yoga instructor with over 20 years of experience teaching in various locations. She has led yoga retreats across the world and worked with students ranging from an NBA Basketball Team to professional dancers to expecting mothers and private clients around the world and yoga teachers in training. Lily runs a thriving virtual yoga studio, allowing students to experience her classes before signing up for a retreat.
MEET YOUR GUIDE.
"Lily has an almost prescient way to meet her students 'where they are' with respect to language, modifications and assists. I came away from the retreat feeling stronger in my practice, yet content with where I am and with a clear path to how I might get there."
-Karen McKenna, Maryland
choose your path.
It’s sweater weather! Sip your morning coffee with a view of autumn leaves in the crisp mountain air before our fiery vinyasa flow. Brunch awaits after yoga, and an afternoon to explore the property, take a hike, soak in a cedarwood hot tub fed by one of 14 springs on the retreat property, or take a quiet moment to read in the hammock forest. Your picnic lunch is available at the old log cabin and you can sit at a picnic table overlooking the fields and valleys, a crackling fire in the lodge, or escape to the woods to picnic under a canopy of fall colors. There is plenty of unstructured time to rest and digest before afternoon yoga.
Float out of our afternoon somatic movement session for a nightly happy hour to connect with friends new and old. In the evening, we meet for a delicious farm to table dinner served communally in an 1807 historic log cabin.
Each night offers the chance to gather around a bonfire and toast s’mores. Slow down and look up to the starry sky overhead. The starry skies away from city lights are a sight to behold!
pack your bags for the great outdoors where we will:
nourish with farm to table meals: 3 daily meals included in your rate
RELAX in a cedar Soaking hot Tub fed by natural springs on the property
gather around nightly campfires, s’mores included for your delight
REJUVENATE during Yoga in a Heated Barn, lodge studio, or meadow platform
rise and shine to enjoy your coffee with a view of autumn leaves
simplify in modern minimalist design accommodations
AWAKEN on a Refreshing nature Hike immersed in fall foliage
Double your savasana - as you Float in a hammock forest
FIND PEACE forest. bathing in the Quiet and Stillness of Nature
This retreat was transformational for me - mind, body, and spirit. Lily’s energetic and compassionate presence along with her incredible knowledge and teaching abilities allowed for this transformative experience.
-Becky, Maryland
Nature is limitless, but retreat rooms are not!
Book today to secure your spot.
GIVE ME ALL THE DETAILS!
All you need to book with confidence and clarity.
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All prices listed are per person, USD.
A non refundable deposit of $500 pays towards the full rate and secures your space.
All payments are due in full by 7/15/24.
Double EarlyBird Rate/EarlyBird Rate/Regular Rate
Double EarlyBird Rate: Save $300 2/1-3/1 ONLY
EarlyBird Rate: Save $150 3/1-6/1
Regular Rate: After 6/1.
Registration closes 10/17. Payments received after 7/15 must be received in full.
Double Occupancy Zen Pod in the Meadow Cabin or Main Lodge
$975 Double EarlyBird / $1,125 EarlyBird / $1,275 Regular Rate
Single Occupancy Zen Pod in the Meadow Cabin or Main Lodge
$1,275 Double EarlyBird / $1,425 EarlyBird / $1,575 Regular Rate
Glamping Yurt Quad Occupancy
$1,175 Double EarlyBird / $1,325 EarlyBird / $1,475 Regular Rate
Glamping Yurt Double Occupancy
$1,475 Double EarlyBird / $1,625 EarlyBird / $1,775 Regular Rate
Glamping Yurt Single Occupancy
$1,675 Double EarlyBird / $1,825 EarlyBird / $1,975 Regular Rate
What is Included in your rate
4 days and 3 nights accommodations
Fiery Morning Vinyasa Yoga Flow
Afternoon Somatic Movement and Yoga Nidra
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Daily (after check in 3 pm and before checkout 11 am)
Daily Happy hour with snacks, Sangria, Beer, and Mocktails
Nightly Bonfire with S’mores
A guided hike with a historical tour of the indigenous cultures who tended this land and the pieces of the underground railroad that passed through this property.
Access to cedarwood spring-fed Hot Tubs
Access to 150 acres of hiking trails through forest and wetlands
Access to a hammock forest to lounge, sway, forest-bathe, and read
Sweet Root Creek,Dewey's Pond
Filtered Water Bottle Filling Stations
Fiber Wi-Fi Internet
Bedding, Linens + Towels and daily room service
Shampoo, Conditioner + Shower Gel
Free Parking
Sturdy canvas tote bag with artwork by Baltimore Yogini Liz Ragland
What is not included in your rate
Transportation to River Mountain Lodge
Travel insurance to protect your retreat investment
Additional optional activities like massages, canoe/horseback riding/bike/fly fishing excursions, visit to nearby wineries, honey tour and tasting
Gratuities for staff to be left at your discretion via cash when you check out.
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Remote yet easy to access:
2 HRS TO D.C.
2 HRS TO BALTIMORE
2 HRS TO PITTSBURGH
3 HRS TO PHILLY
5 HRS TO NYC
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THE NOT-SO-AVERAGE DAY AT A GLANCE
(subject to change)
Thursday, October 24
Check in is anytime between 3-7 pm
4 pm Opening Circle and Practice
6 pm Dinner
Welcome Campfire - Intro + Intentions
Friday, October 25
Help yourself to fresh coffee and take a forest bathing walk to ground and open to the beautiful day ahead!
8-10 am: Vinyasa Yoga and Morning Meditation
10 am: Hearty Continental Breakfast
11:30 am Guided Hike and Historical Tour detailing the Indigenous Cultures who lived here and Underground Railroad that passed through here
1 pm: Picnic Lunch
Midday/Afternoon: Afternoons are wide open and open to your design! A few options: take a hike, replenish in the cedar hot tubs, read a book in the hammock forest.
3:30-5 pm After the midafternoon downtime we reconvene for a Somatic Movement Practice
5 pm Happy Hour
6 pm: Dinner Time
Stargazing Stroll
7:30 pm: S’mores and Bonfire
tuck into your pod and read until you fall asleep.
Saturday, October 26
Help yourself to fresh coffee and take a forest bathing walk to ground and open to the beautiful day ahead!
8-10 am: Vinyasa Yoga and Morning Meditation
10 am: Hearty Continental Breakfast
1 pm: Picnic Lunch
Midday/Afternoon: Afternoons are wide open and open to your design! A few options: take a hike, replenish in the cedar hot tubs, read a book in the hammock forest.
3:30-5 pm After the midafternoon downtime we reconvene for a Somatic Movement Practice
5 pm Happy Hour
6 pm: Dinner Time
7:30 pm: S’mores and Bonfire
tuck into your pod and read until you fall asleep.
Sunday, October 27
Help yourself to fresh coffee and take a forest bathing walk to ground and open to the beautiful day ahead!
8-10 Vinyasa Yoga, Meditation, and Closing Ceremony and Group Photo
10 am Hearty Continental Breakfast
11 am Checkout
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May Change with the Season and Availability
accommodations made for allergies and dietary needs.
ARRIVAL DAY
3-COURSE SIT-DOWN DINNER
Guest Favorite Chickpea Coconut Curry, Vegan | Basmati Rice | Naan | Mixed Greens Salad |
Dessert | Iced Tea | Sangria | Draft Beer
DAY 1
RISE & SHINE CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
Hard Boiled Eggs | Oat Milk Overnight Oats | Fresh Fruit Salad | Vanilla Yogurt | Coconut | Granola
| Brown Sugar | Golden Raisins | Coffee Cake | Cran Date Toast | Gluten Free, Vegan Whole Wheat
Toast | Local Jams | Orange Juice | Coffee | Hot Tea | Half and Half | Oat Milk
PICNIC LUNCH
Southwest Wrap, Vegan - Roasted Corn | Black Beans | Green & Red Peppers | Avocado | Corn
Tortilla Chips + Pico | Iced Tea
3-COURSE SIT-DOWN DINNER
Seared Ahi Tuna | Sous Vide Beets, Vegan | Tri-Color Quinoa | Edamame | Avocado | Seaweed Salad |
Mixed Greens Salad | Dessert | Iced Tea | Sangria | Draft Beer
DAY 2
RISE & SHINE CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
Hard Boiled Eggs | Oat Milk Overnight Oats | Fresh Fruit Salad | Vanilla Yogurt | Coconut | Granola
| Brown Sugar | Golden Raisins | Coffee Cake | Cran Date Toast | Gluten Free, Vegan Whole Wheat
Toast | Local Jams | Orange Juice | Coffee | Hot Tea | Half and Half | Oat Milk
PICNIC LUNCH
Med Bowl, Vegan - Garbanzo | Roasted Red Peppers | Kalamata | Quinoa | Falafel | Hummus |
Tzatziki + Feta Side | Iced Tea
3-COURSE SIT-DOWN DINNER
Sous Vide Herb Chicken | Grilled Portabella Mushroom Caps, Vegan | Truffle Fries | Walnut Pear
Salad | Dessert | Iced Tea | Sangria | Draft Beer
DEPARTURE DAY
RISE & SHINE CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
Hard Boiled Eggs | Oat Milk Overnight Oats | Fresh Fruit Salad | Vanilla Yogurt | Coconut | Granola
| Brown Sugar | Golden Raisins | Coffee Cake | Cran Date Toast | Gluten Free, Vegan Whole Wheat
Toast | Local Jams | Orange Juice | Coffee | Hot Tea | Half and Half | Oat Milk
ADD-ONS
Charcuterie Board - $8 per person
Chips + Salsa - $6 per person
Crudite, Naan, Hummus Board - $6 per person
Birthday Cake - $24
Cookie Platter, 2 Dozen - $30
Bottle of Wine/Champagne - $20
Mocktails - $6/person
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Meals
Our rate includes lodging, yoga, daily breakfast, lunch, happy hour, farm-to-table dinner, and bonfire s’mores. Dietary restrictions and food allergies will be graciously accommodated and there is always a vegan option.
Can I come if I’m pregnant?
Yes! I am also a Prenatal Yoga Teacher and I will support you with modifications to best support your body, mind, and spirit during this magical time. Pregnancy and yoga are a match made in heaven!
Packing Suggestions
Fall is a beautiful time at our retreat home!
Be sure to bring all-weather footwear and an extra pair of shoes. During hikes, your shoes might get wet, and it’s always nice to have an extra pair of shoes to put on at night.
Below is a list of items we suggest bringing for your trip!
Refillable water bottle
Hat/Headband/Ear Covering for Cold Weather
Mittens/Gloves for Cold Weather
Raincoat for rainy weather
Hiking/Walking Shoes - A pair you're ok with getting wet or muddy.
Headlamp
Swimsuit
Yoga Clothes and warm layers for mornings on the outdoor platforms
Extra Pair of Shoes - A pair to change into if your other shoes get wet or muddy.
Socks - Thicker socks for cooler weather; an extra pair if others get wet.
Clothing Layers - Remember, we're in the mountains and it's cooler up here, especially at night.
Warm Coat
Note: Linens and Toiletries - our retreat center provides all linens, blankets, pillows, and towels. There is shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in the showers and daily housekeeping.
Note: You can, but do not need to, bring your own yoga mat. Our retreat center provides mats, blocks, bolsters, and yoga belts.
If you would like to use a hairdryer while on-site, please bring one. There are not any hairdryers on-site. All of our bathrooms have convenient outlets to plug into.
Check in and Check out Times
Check in is any time between 3-7 pm on October 24. (Our opening circle is at 4 pm.)
Check out is anytime before 11am on October 27.
Wifi and Cell Service
Our retreat location is remote. There is little to no cell service at the retreat center or in the surrounding area. However, there is fiber Wi-Fi throughout the property so please plan on enabling Wi-Fi calling and other Wi-Fi based communication apps (Zoom audio, Facetime audio, WhatsApp, iMessage, email, etc) during your stay.
Yoga Mats and Props
Our yoga shalas are fully stocked with mats and all the props.
Tips and Gratuities
At the end of the retreat, you can leave a tip for the lodge staff in cash. I generally recommend $5-10/day at your discretion.
COVID
You agree to be fully vaccinated 2 weeks prior to trip departure.
Exemptions to the vaccine requirement will be considered for individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from being vaccinated and for individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs that prohibit them from being vaccinated with an agreement to a rigorous plan for testing. If this applies to you, please email lilyyoga@gmail.com to coordinate a plan to keep you and everybody safe and well.
We will provide no refund or other reimbursement to you if you are unable to participate in the Yoga Retreat due to illness such as COVID 19 prior to trip departure or during the Yoga Retreat but reimbursement can typically be sought from most travel insurance policies. If you test positive for Covid while on Yoga Retreat, you agree to obtain your own private room to quarantine. For these reasons, you should inquire as to your coverage regarding Covid with your travel and health insurance carriers.
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Be sure to review all our Terms and Conditions outlined in our Yoga Retreat Contract. You will both initial the contract with your online purchase to indicate you have read and accepted the terms and you will receive a legal signature document with your Retreat Welcome Email the week after purchase.
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Cancellation Policy
Your $500 Deposit is Non Refundable and Non Transferrable. Please be sure to read your Retreat Contract for our full Cancellation Policy. Since third party vendors and resorts are paid in advance, we must adhere strictly to this policy to maintain the exceptional standards of our retreats.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and highly recommended. You are responsible for purchasing your own travel insurance policy for the retreat, all corresponding travel expenses, and medical care abroad. If you cancel due to unforeseen illness or personal or family emergency before or during the retreat (including COVID 19, pregnancy, surgery or injury), miss part of the retreat due to travel delays, lose luggage or have a delayed luggage, or require medical care abroad, we cannot reimburse you, however your personal travel insurance policy typically can.
Please note many travel insurance companies require you to purchase a policy within 14-21 days of any initial deposit for the trip.
Is this right for you?
If you are reading this, it is probably meant to be. But if you’ve got a specific question, or you’re just curious if this is the right fit for you, drop us a note and Lily would be happy to answer any questions!
ready to retreat?
earlybird prices increase by $300 on 3/1/24.
Space is limited, book today!
Photo by Julie Hove Andersen