FAQ

Great question. It’s a solo retreat for individuals within a group setting. In other words, we will have about 8-10 participants in The “Me” Retreat, but outside of a group opening and closing session, everyone will get to experience their own solo retreat. The opening session will focus on an introduction to the program and to each other, plus an opportunity to share individual intentions for the retreat. The closing session will give individuals an opportunity to share any insights or experiences from their solo retreat.

There will also be a group space/cabin made available for group members who may want to get together, talk with each other, socialize, or simply hang out.

As mentioned, we expect about 8-10 participants for The “Me” Retreat. Since we will be retreating at the Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa, other guests who are not part of our retreat will also be there.

It should be noted that once we’ve received deposits for all our available spots, we’ll create a Waiting List for additional interested participants.

A silent retreat is a solo retreat with the addition of complete silence, and that includes electronic devices. Those are very powerful retreats, but this is not one of those. Each participant has complete freedom to create their own solo retreat experience the way that best suits them. If listening to music or sending an occasional text or checking email at the end of the day is important to you, then do that. We just ask that you be sensitive and to the people around you and respect the journey they are on.

The “Me” Retreat is for people who want to take a time-out in life to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate. So, as you can see, it’s a broad target group. With that said, this retreat works especially well with individuals who appreciate time alone for reflection. It’s not a requirement by any means, but it’s like putting a round peg into a round hole.

If you are not sure at this point, we encourage you to read some of the latest blogs on this website and consider checking out some of the resources on the site as well. That should add some insight. Another option is to have a conversation with Geese and talk it out. Why not, what do you got to lose?

It’s going to be different for everyone. That’s why we’ll be encouraging every participant to establish some initial goals or intentions for their solo experience ahead of time. Once you are able to clarify what it is that you want from the experience, you’ll have more focus during the retreat to obtain that goal or intention. The best way to begin is to identify some pressing questions that you would like to spend time answering during your solo. You can preview the Thought Provoking Questions tab to get started.

Our job as facilitators is to provide a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for you so that you have the best possible solo experience. The rest will be up to you. Your ultimate success will be based on how well you did on meeting your goals or intentions.

Getting away from all the busyness is part of the reason you’re considering this retreat, right? Typically, you’ll experience three phases during a solo retreat: Phase 1: Pure relief and joy from being away from the constant activity in your life. Phase 2: Once the novelty wears off, get ready for struggle (and possibly boredom) to emerge as you’ll discover you don’t know how to spend the time or what to do with it. Part of this comes from an uncomfortableness with truly being alone. And yet it’s important to embrace the uncomfortableness and find peace with it. Then, and only then, will Phase 3 kicks in. This phase is where you begin surrendering to the silence and start to connect more deeply with your surroundings as well as with yourself. Once this occurs, you’ll begin to notice things moving at a much slower pace, causing you to experience a wonderful peacefulness. It’s pure bliss. And it’s likely you’ll be in such a comfortable place that you won’t want to leave.

Think of The “Me” Retreat as an introduction to the solo retreat experience. We’ll provide a recommended process, but ultimately you’ll get to create the experience that best meets your needs. For some, the time will primarily be spent on the solo experience,  while for others, it might consist of a combination of solo time and activities, including social time.  It will be different for everyone. Work with Geese in finding the perfect blend.

All you have to do is ask Geese for coaching during the retreat. You can even do some coaching with him in preparation for the retreat at no additional cost. Once at the retreat, Geese will regularly be checking in with participants and participating in evening social activities as well.

Coaching is also available following The “Me” Retreat for a nominal fee.

The deadline to sign up is July 1st. If you’d like the Early Bird price however, you’ll need to sign up by June 15th. There is also a discount if you share a room.

It’s very possible to create your own customized solo retreat, including a shorter time frame. Read Geese’s blog on The Solo Retreat to get some ideas. There is also a great book in the Resources section called, DIY Solo Retreats. It has multiple solo formats you could try. And lastly, talk with Geese about some of the keys to creating your own retreat. He’s done it for over 20-years and can be a great help.

As we get within 30-days of the retreat, we will send out a roster of participants and help coordinate any travel communications between members. Travel distance from Denver to Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa is about 170 miles, or 3-hours and 40-minutes by car. It’s a very beautiful drive through the Colorado Rockies and we consider that drive to be a significant part of the solo experience.

You are more than welcome to stay additional nights at Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa. As you might expect, you’d need to coordinate any additional nights with Joyful Journey yourself. Contact them at 719-256-4328 or email at reservatons@jjhotsprings.com.

If your friend or spouse or partner is also registered for The “Me” Retreat, you are more than welcome to attend together and even stay together in the lodge or in a yurt. Every room, be it in the lodge or yurt, has an extra bed. Again, because the focus of this retreat is around taking solo time, we’d ask that you carve out enough solo time during the three days to make this retreat truly worthwhile for both of you. Either way, let us know your plans when you register.

Most of these kind of questions can be answered on the Joyful Journey website under FAQ. The elevation is at 7700 feet. Warm days and cool nights. Expect to bring comfortable clothes, tennis shoes, a light to medium jacket, swimwear for the hot springs, shorts, sunblock, etc. We’ll also send out more details to participants on what to bring as we get closer to the retreat.

The “Me” Retreat covers:

• Two nights in either the lodge or in a yurt at Joyful Journey.
• Two meals per day. (In our case, it will be dinner on the first day, two meals on the second day, and breakfast on the third day. We should have access to a kitchen in Geese’s cabin for any additional eating options).
• Complimentary coaching.
• Access to the hot springs and pools.
• Use of the labyrinth.
• Access to meditation hill.
• Afternoon and evening yoga classes, and
• Any additional activities put on by Joyful Journey.
• All other expenses, including travel, would be up to each participant.

The yurts offer a comfortable and fun overnight stay. Many people refer to sleeping in yurts as ‘glamping’. Each yurt is fully furnished with bedding, blankets, a table, chairs, a fan, and a heater. It’s like camping inside a shell instead of a tent. You’ll be able to watch the stars while you fall asleep with a large open sky light, available in most yurts. With that said, you need to know that the yurts do not come with individual bathrooms. Instead, there is a group restroom facility that you’ll use for all your restroom and shower needs.

We have reserved 5 yurts and 5 lodge rooms. When you sign up for the retreat, you’ll be able to pick which accommodation you prefer, based on available. Switching spaces may be possible, depending on available accommodations.

We recently created The “Me” Retreat and still have a lot of work to do to develop it, market it, and manage all the logistics. Plus, the Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa is a very popular destination that requires plenty of advanced reservations.

Our goal is to eventually offer multiple Me Retreats in different locations. But for now, we are solely focusing on the August 2023 Me Retreat.