LIFT YOUR BUTT TO NEW HEIGHTS
Strengthen your arm balance and piking practice in this 8-Day Pike Camp at Buckhorn Springs in Ashland, Oregon, taught by Heidi Sormaz and Catherine Allen. Since we spend the majority of our time standing on our feet or sitting on our butts, arm balancing and piking are difficult feats for a lot of us. Heidi and Cat will take you through effective yoga practices and techniques and meditations that prepare you for piking. You will receive personal guidance and skillful partner spotting to help you establish the focus and connections for piking. Each day will intentionally build upon the skills you learned in the previous day. This continuous learning will bring your practice (and your butt) to new heights. You will leave this retreat knowing how to lift your ass if nothing else!
Why Pike?
Bottomline is – It’s fun! Piking is difficult and strange, but that makes it all the more fun when you rise above the difficulty of it and ask yourself What Part of This Can I Do? It raises endorphins. It gives you opportunities to find out what works, celebrate your wins, and expand your limited beliefs. Piking isn’t the only way to reap these benefits in your life, but the journey to piking is a way! And it’s definitely an exciting way.
Why a Retreat?
You may wonder…why a retreat and not a traditional series of workshops at a yoga studio? The retreat setting is absolutely key to helping you pike. Here are the main reasons for having this training at a retreat:
- Relaxation: You will learn how relaxation is essential for piking. Excess tension in your muscles and connective tissue and restricted breathing weigh you down and make it harder to use your core muscles to lift your butt in piking.
- Nutrition: You will be fed nutrient-dense food. The quality of your nutrition greatly influences your stress and strength levels. The home-cooked professionally prepared meals will reduce your stress and boost your strength.
- Community Energy: The bright web of energy that will be created by the people around you will help boost and brighten your own energy. Pleasure and positivity are the energies that literally lighten you and help lift your ass.
- Focus: For 8 glorious days, you get a chance to put down old habits and energies that drag you down. You have the opportunity to focus on and commit to yourself and your piking practice without the usual life distractions. You will return to your normal life feeling recharged with a wider perspective.
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is for ANYONE who wants to learn how to pike or arm balance. You don’t need to have an arm balance practice, and you definitely don’t need to have a piking practice. We suggest that you know how to do Dolphin with hands clasped in order to participate in the piking exercises. (Dolphin is like Downward Facing Dog, except the forearms are on the floor.)
What is a typical day like in this retreat?
A tentative schedule will be published. But here is a summary of what a typical day would be like:
- Wake up to a light and nutritious breakfast. Vegan plus eggs offered.
- Led Morning Meditation Session. Meditation practice is essential for piking. It builds focus and helps you ally with your mind and the rest of your body.
- Yoga Workshop, taught by Heidi and Cat, that will focus on building resilience and connections for specific aspects of piking.
- Yummy vegan buffet lunch, laughter with friends, and get some fresh air around Buckhorn Springs. Hike and keep an eye out for deer!
- Afternoon Lecture and Q&A on topics specifically related to piking or Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. Yin Yoga is excellent for helping you to release excess tension that inhibits piking.
- Float off to a delicious home-cooked dinner freshly prepared and served on-site. Vegan and meat/fish options at every dinner.
- Star-gaze before bedtime.
Check-in starts 14:00 on May 25. The yoga workshop will start at 16:00pm on May 25.
Retreat will end at 11:00 in the morning on June 1 with breakfast and lunch served that day.
Buckhorn Springs is ENCHANTING!
A historic setting for contemplation and restorative experiences.
A 124-acre inholding of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in the Ashland Mountains in Ashland OR. An enchanting place where one feels connected to the land beginning with Indigenous People who gathered on this ground for peace and healing centuries ago.
Buckhorn Springs provides a unique environment nestled in its own small valley with a creek, old oaks, ponderosa pines, tall aromatic cedars, and open meadows.
The historic Buckhorn Springs Resort in Ashland, Oregon, is located within the ancestral homelands of the Shasta, Modoc (Klamath), Takelma, and Cow Creek Umpqua peoples who lived here since time immemorial.
The land upon which Buckhorn Springs resides includes mineral springs which the indigenous tribes referred to as “Hi-U- Skookem” medicine. Tribes from all over the region referred to as “The Land of Many Lakes” would bring their sick to these mineral springs for healing.
We honor and acknowledge the legacy of those who stewarded this land for many generations before being displaced by colonization, treaties, and other violent acts.
Today, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians are living descendants of the Shasta, Takelma, and Cow Creek Umpqua peoples of this area. The Klamath Tribes are the living descendants of the Modoc Nation in Southern Oregon.
To learn more about the native lands that you reside on, visit https://native-land.ca/.
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- Welcome!
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- Stunning view of Ashland mountains
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- Hiking Trail at Buckhorn Springs. Look for deer!
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- Deck of the Lodge
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- Cabins
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- Cabins
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- Cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in a cabin
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- Room in cabin
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- Room in cottage
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- Room in cottage
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- Room in cottage
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- Room in cottage
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- Room in the Lodge
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- Room in the Lodge
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- The Lodge
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- Lodge Dining Area
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- Living Area in the Lodge
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- Dodecagon where we’ll practice yoga
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- Dodecagon ceiling
What You Get
- 8-day/7-night retreat
- 7 yoga workshops with views of the gorgeous Ashland forrest and sometimes family of deer
- 5 afternoon sessions that include lecture, Q&A, Yin Yoga, and Yoga Nidra
- 33+ Hour Training
- 3 professionally catered meals a day (in addition to vegan menu, meat or fish offered at dinner). Dinner on first day and breakfast and lunch on last day.
- accommodations in one of Buckhorn Springs’ clean and cozy rooms
- Access to hiking trails at Buckhorn Springs
- free wifi in the Main Lodge (wifi might come and go in the forest)
- Certificate of Completion
FAQs
What airport can I use? Where is it? How do I get there?
The nearest airport is Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR). MFR is about 30 miles away from Buckhorn Springs (40-minute drive). You will need to arrange your own ground transportation. Around March 2024, you can connect with fellow retreatants via our private Facebook group for car pooling.
Here is a list of transportation services:
Ashland Taxi
Cascade Shuttle
What does tuition cover?
Residential tuition is all-inclusive. It covers all your meals, training curriculum, and lodging.
Meals: Vegan breakfast (plus eggs) and lunch. Dinner will have vegan and meat/fish options. The meal schedule is:
Dinner on Day 1 (May 25)
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on Days 2-7
Breakfast on Day 8 (June 1)
What are check-in and check-out times?
Check-in starts 14:00 (2:00pm) on May 25. The training will start at 16:00 (4:00pm) on May 25.
Retreat will end at 11:00 in the morning on June 1 with breakfast and lunch that day. Check out by 15:00 (3:00pm) on June 1.
What is the daily schedule?
This is a 33+ hour training that encompasses a daily 3.5-hour morning yoga workshop followed by a 2.5 to 3.5-hour session most afternoons. The daily training schedule will most likely be this: 9:00am-12:30pm morning yoga workshop > 3:00-6:00pm afternoon session. It is subject to change a little. We will dedicate one afternoon to free time so that you can explore the land or relax. On the first day (May 25), training starts at 16:00.
What are accommodations like?
You will be staying in the beautiful Lodge or individual cabins. You have the option of staying in a private bedroom or double room. Some bathrooms are shared, and some are private.
Single Room + Private Bathroom: no roommate and private bathroom in your own unit
Single Room + Shared Bathroom: no roommate and shared bathroom with housemate
Single Room + Shared Bath House: no roommate and bath house seconds away
Double Room + Shared Bathroom: 2 roommates in one room, separate beds, shared bathroom in your unit
Double Room + Shared Bath House: 2 roommates in one room, bunk beds (full mattresses), and bath house seconds away
Spots are limited for each type of room. Each room is unique and is cozy and clean. Cat Allen stayed here for a 10-day retreat and fell in love with the accommodations and land. See pictures in photo gallery above for examples of rooms at Buckhorn Springs.
Can I stay an extra night?
Mostly likely not, but maybe. Feel free to inquire with Buckhorn Springs and ask if it’s available for booking.
Can I smoke? Have a beer?
No smoking, recreational drugs, or alcohol on the retreat property during the event.
I can’t do a Handstand. Can I come?
You don’t need to have an arm balance or inversion practice to participate in this retreat. We ask that you know how to do Dolphin with hands clasped or Downward Facing Dog if you want to participate in the piking. You will do practices that open and strengthen your core, sharpen your focus, and help you relax, whether or not you want to pike. Everyone will be offered appropriate alternatives for poses they don’t want to or can’t do.
What yoga props should I bring?
The yoga props you’ll be using in this training are: 1 yoga mat, 2 large yoga blocks, 1 yoga blanket, 1 rolled up mat or large beach towel, 1 strap, wristwrap gloves for wrist support, a pair of WHITE socks and a back brace. If you have a bolster, bring it; you will use it. The gloves and back brace can help support your wrists and back during partner spotting. Masking is welcome.
Registration Information
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
To reserve your spot, a non-refundable deposit in USD currency is required for each person that is attending the retreat. That includes a non-refundable deposit for each partner, each friend, etc., even if all of you are planning on staying in the same room.
Early Bird Rate is for anyone paying the non-refundable deposit by August 25, 2023 September 1, 2023.
Regular Rate (additional $500) is for anyone paying the non-refundable deposit after August 25, 2023 September 1, 2023 or pays full balance late.
The due date for full remaining balance is February 1, 2024 or when the retreat sells out, whichever comes first.
Tuition covers all meals, training curriculum, and lodging. It doesn’t cover airfare, ground transportation, or gratuities.
Residential Tuition – Early Bird Price: (includes training, meals, accommodations, and non-refundable deposit)
Single Room + Private Bathroom: $3490 $2990
Single Room + Shared Bathroom: $3390 $2890
Single Room + Shared Bath House: $3290 $2790
Double Room + Shared Bathroom: $3190 $2690 per person
Double Room + Shared Bath House: $3090 $2590 per person
Cancellation/Refund Policy
This following cancellation/refund policy is strict, no exceptions.
*90+ days prior to retreat: Full refund of monies less transaction fees and non-refundable deposit.
*less than 90 days prior to retreat: No refund. No exceptions.
If you have made payment but need to cancel your attendance, you are welcome to transfer your spot to someone you designate to attend in your place.
How to Pay
To hold your spot, you must pay a non-refundable deposit. The amount for the deposit is determined by what kind of room you want.
LINK TO PAY HERE: www.catallenyoga.as.me
The due date for full remaining balance is February 1, 2024 or when the retreat sells out, whichever comes first.
If you pay after the due date, you will be charged the regular rate (additional $500).
Payment is accepted via Paypal (US residents) or Wire Transfer (non-US residents). Contact Cat at catherine [at] yoga sublime [dot] com for wire transfer details.
