Winter Solstice Weekend Retreat
2-day weekend
Not Available at this time.
Solstice means “to stand still.” This special weekend at our beautiful new Gaia House Retreat will provide you time and experiences to connect with the stillness within you, just when the earth itself pauses to turn in a new direction. As we celebrate the returning of the light and longer days of sun, we can reflect on the year just passed and what the light of the new year might hold.
Inner reflection will be balanced with outer movement over this actively calm weekend — through a guided nature walk, fire ceremonies, meals and other times together, energization exercises, yoga, meditation, and the space and time to quiet your mind.
ALL participants should bring one or more inspirational readings for Saturday night.
You will enjoy a class explaining the Yugas – the fascinating cycle of time that the earth goes through over 24,000 years. Learn more...
We’ll participate in a wonderful Sharing Nature walk experience called The Trail of Beauty.
This weekend will be hosted by Timothy Hickey, the General Manager of The Expanding Light Retreat and his wife Lalaan. Lalaan is a gracious hostess, and Timothy tries not to cause too much trouble.
Friday, Dec. 17
Early bird arrival option:
Check-in after 10:00 a.m. Settle in to your room, enjoy a cup of hot cider, take a nap or enjoy a pre-scheduled massage. (Contact the Center for Radiant Health)
12:30 – 1:30 Buffet lunch available at Gaia House
For all:
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. A simple and nutritious buffet-style dinner
7:30 Welcome and orientation by your hosts Lalaan and Timothy, to include participant introductions, a bit about Ananda, an overview of the weekend, and a preliminary look at the cycles of time—including the annual earth cycle and the long planetary cycle called the Yugas.
8:00 (or so) We’ll enjoy a brief guided relaxation and the first of three fire ceremonies. This is a time to offer up the year gone by, with all its successes and challenges. In short – let go of the past.
Use the rest of evening as you choose. If anyone would like a lesson on how to meditate, Maria Antonia will lead that at the end of the evening’s other activities.
Then you can sleep in peace in your lovely room at Gaia House.
Saturday, Dec. 18
Staying silent until breakfast
6:15 Coffee and tea available in the Gaia kitchen
7:00–8:15 Morning Sadhana – Guided Energization Exercises, yoga, and meditation – led by Maria Antonia
8:30 Breakfast buffet
9:30–11:00 The Cycles of Time and Consciousness - led by Byasa
11:10 Brief exploration of how this connects with the annual cycle and other cycles in our lives
11:30 Break
12:15 Carpool to Expanding Light Dining Room
12:30 Lunch at The Expanding Light
2:00–3:30 Trail of Beauty walk - led by Sundara
3:30 Help prepare dinner or rest, read, explore Ananda Village, visit with others, watch dinner be prepared
4:30 Carpool to The Expanding Light (if you wish)
4:45–6:30 Sadhana (Guided Energization Exercises, yoga, and meditation)
6:30 Return to Gaia House
6:45 Solstice dinner at Gaia House
7:45 (or so) Share inspirational readings. Then join in our second fire ceremony. This fire ceremony will help us center in the stillness at the present time — and let go of blocks that keep us from feeling peace.
End the evening quietly, and sleep in peace.
Sunday Dec. 19
Staying silent until breakfast
6:15 Coffee and tea available
7:00 Energization exercises and meditation – led by Maria Antonia
8:30 Breakfast buffet at Gaia House
Final group gathering and sharing
9:40 Leave for Expanding Light Temple for Purification Ceremony and Sunday Service
10:00 Third fire ceremony for purification – and to offer the next year and our aspirations into the hands of the Divine.
11:00 Sunday Service
12:40 Lunch at Expanding Light Dining Room
Return to Gaia to pack
2:30 Check out
Your Hosts:
Lalaan and Timothy Hickey. Timothy and Lalaan moved to Ananda Village in 2007. They have been joyfully married for almost 25 cycles of this planet around the sun. On this weekend, they will share, for the first time at Ananda, a practice they enjoyed with friends for many years – having a simple meal together on the Winter Solstice, and then having each person do a reading that they find inspiring.
Maria Antonia Garcia Galindo
Maria Antonia is currently living at Ananda Village and serving at The Expanding Light for six months. A Spanish citizen, this is the third spin around the sun during which she has spent extended time at The Expanding Light, studying and serving. Maria Antonia is a graduate of Meditation Teacher Training, Yoga Teacher Training, and numerous other programs both here and at Ananda Assisi.
Receive monthly news and inspiration.
