A Yoga and Writing Retreat with Jeffrey Shoaf & Joan Mullin

Cleaning Out Your Somatic Attic:
Removing Obstacles to Presence, Pleasure & Peace
in
Marrakech, Morocco; October 19-26, 2024

The body (soma) does keep the score, and, for too long, often keeps everything else we put into it, what we see, hear, taste, touch, feel. Often serving us in the moment, experiences also can pile up like dust, accumulating in our corners when no longer needed, serving as obstacles for new ways of being, moving, experiencing.

Using writing, meditation and yoga asana we’ll activate the body, as kinesthesia, as connector to the presence of “this.” Peering through the looking glass of time-bound-mind’s illusion, of the continuum of stories we tell ourselves, we’ll move differently into sensation, into experience, into doorways not often visited since our time of pre-language, when every moment was an endless state of wonder.

We invite you on this seven day journey, to clear out your somatic attic, stretch and rest your body, and recover the child-like pleasure and peace that movement and presence brings.

Where and Why

Morocco, Tangier, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech. Immerse yourself in the colorful souk (market), smell orange blossoms and spices, dream through the morning call of the muezzin, take in the sensory delight of the sea and the mountains. Moving into a culture other than your own clears the eyes, helps us see ourselves from another angle, especially in a land so familiar and yet so different as modern Morocco. Yet in this historical crossroads of cultures, beliefs and practices, you can always be sure of a welcome smile, and a cup of brewed, fresh mint tea. This Moroccan ritual calls you to “rest here;” “share;” “sit for a moment together, in peace.” Join us with a cup in this unforgettable country; explore the pleasure of being “here,” together; find your peace.

Our Yoga Shala, Bab Zouina, Morocco

Our peaceful and unique retreat center, Bab Zouina, (“Open Door”) is built in the traditional Moroccan style. Located between Marrakech and the Atlas mountains, the center provides everything you need for our yoga practices and your comfort. Together we’ll venture into the Atlas mountains and visit an artist’s unique multimedia-garden, but you’ll also have time to process your yoga and writing practices by resting at the pool, walking through gardens, olive groves, or to a local village–or by booking a two-hour Hammam experience (a Moroccan spa & massage like no other).

What’s Included:
Prices (in USD), Discounts & Optional Adventures

Included:

All yoga mats and props for the practices;
Accommodations for seven nights, and surroundings to support your slower pace of life (ok,, there is Wifi);
Linens, towels, and onsite crafted orange blossom & argan oil soap;
Daily housekeeping;
Three meals a day (from the retreat hosts’ vegetable garden) showcasing Moroccan, Middle Eastern & European cuisines to suit modern diets, along with daily fresh-baked bread;
Fresh squeezed juices, coffee, tea available all day, as well as fresh and dried fruits;
Daily practices that include a balance of yoga, breathwork, therapeutic movement, meditation, writing, reflection;
Use of the pool, gardens, tennis and pétanque courts;
Transportation from Marrakech Bab Zouina if on the pre-trip, or from Marrakech airport to Bab Zouina on the day the retreat begins;
Transportation to Marrakech/the airport from Bab Zouina or after the post-trip;
Guided tour to the Atlas Mountains;
Transportation and admission to multimedia artist André Heller’s famous Anima Gardens;
Special pricing for optional pre and post retreat adventures.

Not Included:

Airfare from/to Marrakech & your home city;
Transportation outside of that arranged by the retreat hosts from Marrakech (e.g., if you drive on your own);
Travel insurance (recommended);
Ground transportation outside scheduled times;
Any meals or optional experiences outside those listed as “Included.”

Two Optional Experiences

Click "Upgrade Your Experience" for information and to book directly with our tour operator.

Pre-retreat: Two-night Marrakech stay and tour (October 17-19) gathers us together and eases you into the week with an airport pickup and transport to the hotel so you can refresh, relax, sit by the pool, get a massage, wander through gardens and adjust into the new time zone. Includes breakfast and a tour on the 18th. You’ll have time to shop and wander the morning of the 19th, to visit one the many museums such as the Museum of Art and Culture, Musée de Parfum or the Yves St. Laurent Museum, or wander through one of the famous gardens such as Le Jardin Secret or Jardin Majorelle. Return to the hotel by 2:15 for our group transport to the retreat site!

Post-Retreat: Join us in an unforgettable, post-retreat, Sahara desert excursion: Enjoy the peace of the desert by retracing ancient desert trade routes, watching stars like never before, visiting a women’s carpet weaving co-op, enjoying a sunset camel ride and so much more! You’ll visit a centuries old Kasbah and spend the night in an oasis, then two nights glamping, one night in Ouarzazate, Morocco’s Hollywood in the desert (as in Game of Thrones), and a final night in Marrakech before flying home. Includes all transportation, meals, snacks, water, camels–and Marrakech airport transport.

UPGRADE YOUR EXPERIENCE

Moroccan desert excursion, 2022, © J A Mullin

RESERVE YOUR SPACE

Retreat Cost & Discounts:

Double occupancy: (ensuite or private bathroom): $2870/pp.

Single rooms w/ shared bathroom (limited number available): $2850/pp plus $100 single supplement.

1. To secure a preferred room with our group, fill out the registration form below.

Scroll Down to view pricing options

2. Then choose the appropriate "Pay" button to submit either your deposit or to pay the full cost of the retreat now: (Does not include upgraded experience; for pre and post trip click here.)

A. Submit a non-refundable deposit of $750 by clicking on the Pay Button:

B. Double occupancy: (ensuite or private bathroom): $2870/pp. if paid in full.

C. Single rooms w/ shared bathroom (limited number available): $2950/pp if paid in full.

Final balance for all participants is due by June 30, 2024. Any final payments not received by June 30, 2024 cancels the reservation and forfeits any payments; the room will be allocated to the wait list or put back on sale. Registrations after June 30 may incur an upcharge to accommodate changes.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT

Check-in for the yoga and writing retreat at Bab Zouina is at 3pm on October 19, 2024.
If you are not on the pre-trip, plan to arrive in Marrakech at least by October 18. This allows you to adjust to the time zone, anticipates any airline glitches, and ensures you will catch the free transportation to the retreat site on the 19th (and won’t have to pay for it yourself).
Check-out from Bab Zouina on October the 26th is by 10:00 am—no exceptions. Please plan your departure flights accordingly. On the other hand…. you can continue traveling with us in this beautiful land, or we and your hosts can make suggestions about places to visit.

CANCELLATION POLICY

In the event you need to cancel your trip, all money paid towards your remaining balance will be refunded, minus your deposit, if the cancellation is made before June 30, 2024. Past this date, we are not required to offer any refund or credit; any refund or credit will be dependent on the sole discretion of Jeffrey Shoaf and the circumstances surrounding the trip. In certain cases, he may permit the transfer or your trip to someone else. No partial refunds or credits will be given to participants who arrive late to the retreat or depart early. Remember travel insurance is strongly suggested for your financial protection as we cannot be responsible for transportation failures and emergencies. In the event that the hosts need to cancel the event, your deposit and any other payments made will be refunded to you in full.

Questions?

Contact Jeffrey Shoaf at jbshoaf113@gmail.com