2012 Mountain Spirit Retreat – April 19-22, 2012

As of right now, the Mountain Spirit Retreat is Cancelled this year, as I am taking time for deep healing and slowing down. There is a potential for another retreat like this later in the Spring or early summer. Stay tuned to the newsletter (link above).
April 19-22, 2012
On the wonderful convergence of burgeoning Spring, the Aries New Moon (new beginnings), and Earth Day, the April 19-22, 2012 Mountain Spirit Retreat will convene for four days in the heart of the sacred Blue Ridge at Waterfall Mountain Reatreat. Join creative and unconventional yoga instructor, musician, and host of Full Lotus Kirtan Show Blake Tedder from Chapel Hill, NC and professional modern dancer, choreographer, and integrative body instructor Karen Harvey from Brooklyn, NY as they combine their unique approaches to embodiment, self-care, self-acceptance, and spiritual growth. The retreat will include yoga, meditation, dance, communion with nature, and speaking truth with each other.
Blake’s Deep Roots Yoga is a healing perspective of hatha yoga. It utilizes ritual, learning positive self-talk, themes from the natural world, nurturing of the lower chakras (energy centers in the body), loving support, and an honoring of the animal body within all of us. Blake incorporates vinyasa (linked poses with breath), restorative poses, yin poses (long and deeply held), isometric toning, partner work, body explorations, meditations, and various kinds of music based on the weather, time of year, mood of the class, needs of students and intuition. His approach is aimed at releases very physiological and emotional components of The Fear held deep in our bodies. Read more about it here.
Karen’s Love Your Body sessions integrate modern dance techniques, exercise science and deep relaxation to create a dynamic, challenging, enlivening yet centering experience. Her classes develop the body in a natural way, utilizing repetition and full range of motion of all of one’s joints and body parts. They help people to access power and strength while letting go,  for greater effortlessness and release within motion.  Karen also works with people on the practical application of having a loving and nurturing relationship with their body and themselves as a doorway to greater freedom, enjoyment and well-being. No dancing skills are needed, all levels can participate with ease.

See the MSR flyer (.pdf) Mountain Spirit flyer PDF

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About Blake & Karen

Blake Tedder is a yoga instructor, radio show host, and musician based in Chapel Hill, NC. Native and proud North Carolinian and Southerner, Blake has created a style embodiment and spiritual practice that draws primarily from deep traditions of hatha yoga yet honors the part of the earth on which we walk and live here on Turtle Island. Blake has BA’s in Psychology and Anthropology from The University of North Carolina, is an Eagle Scout, and is a mountain plane-crash survivor. His perennial interests in navigating the inner-workings of our minds, connecting deeply to the natural world and Spirit, desire to honor the ‘old ways’ of indigenous cultures, and need for his own deep healing has created a teaching style, practice, and person that is as unique as can be found. Deep Roots Yoga is this unique and healing approach and you can read more about it here. He received primary yoga teacher training from Ti Harmony in 2009-2010, and he is a registered Relax and Renew Restorative Yoga Trainer with Judith Lasater. Beyond these two stellar teachers, his teaching is primarily influenced by Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten, John Friend (Anusara Yoga), Gary Kraftsow (Viniyoga), BKS Iyenger, Swami Satchidananda (Integral Yoga), and Paul Grilley/Sarah Powers (yin yoga). Blake is adamant about becoming free and happy and wants to be of service to all who are ready to take it on themselves to be happy. He is especially honored to put together this retreat with Karen and bring people to the beloved mountains where he once lived and visits regularly.

Karen Harveyis a Choreographer, professional Modern Dancer and Integrative Body Instructor based in Brooklyn, NY.  She was born and raised in Knightdale, NC where she first connected with her love of dance, yoga & meditation through several inspiring teachers such as Kirstie Tice (NCDI), Mary May (Ballet) and Deirdre Smith (Open Heart Yoga).  In 2004 she graduated with a BFA in contemporary dance from the University North Carolina School of the Arts.  Since moving to New York City, she has undergone a challenging learning and personal growth process which led her to the style and method of teaching she shares with her students that’s accessible, warm, lighthearted, self-loving and toward freedom of each individual to be unique expressions of the divine.  She loves to perform regularly in New York and her choreography has been shown in places such as the Lincoln Center, Center for Performance Research, Ananda Ashram Yoga Society of New York, Famoso Festival, Dumbo Dance Festival and White Mountain Summer Dance Festival among others.  She has had the pleasure of being a member of the Neta Dance Company since 2005 and has toured, setting Neta’s intricate work on High School students.  She currently holds regular meditation classes for dancers/artists/musicians and friends, teaches private Integrative body sessions (a holistic approach to fitness) and offers a three month “Be Inspired” course online each spring and fall.  Karen is happy to be coming home to her favorite childhood mountains to be a part of this retreat.

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AccommodationsThe 2012 Mountain Spirit Retreat is taking place at Waterfall Mountain Retreat (waterfallmountainretreat.com) in Warrensville in northwestern North Carolina. The cozy cabin is nestled near the New River in the sacred Blue Ridge mountains and has plenty of land with rolling hills, big rocks and a beautiful 20′ waterfall. Program activity will take place in the big common area downstairs and outside (depending on the weather). The chef will prepare delicious meals in the kitchen in the common area and they will be served in the common area, the covered back porch, and outside. There are 12 single beds in the cabin divided into 3 rooms: 4 beds in one room downstairs, 5 beds in an upstairs room, 2 beds in the loft that overlooks the main space, and a cozy single bed tucked beneath a big window in its own open space upstairs. Once everyone is registered, Blake and Karen will assign beds considering sex of individuals and roommate preferences. There is a bunk bed, please let the facilitators know if you do not want to be on a top bunk. Also, if you prefer to room with a friend or group of friends, let the facilitators know and they will try to honor your requests.

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Meals Vegetarian meals will be lovingly prepared on-site for this retreat. Dinner on Thursday. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday. And Breakfast and Lunch on Sunday. Please let Blake or Karen know if you have any dietary restrictions as soon as possible. top

Daily Schedule (proposed) Thursday April 19, 2012 3:30-5:30 Arrive at Waterfall Mountain Retreat, meet and greet, set up living quarters 6:15 Suppertime / Meet & Greet / Orientation 7:30 Circle 8:30 Introductory/gentle Movement session 9:45 Meditation 10:30 Sacred Silence until after meditation tomorrow Friday April 20th, 2012 (New Moon) 7:00 Arrive in the main room 7:30 Meditation (silence until breakfast) 8:30 Breakfast > Reflection/conection time, walk around, shower, etc. 10:15 Deep Roots Yoga 12:30 Lunch 2:00 Circle 3:30 Rest/Reflect 5:30 Love Your Body session 6:30 Suppertime 8:15 Freedom Dance 9:30 Meditation & Satsang 10:30 Sacred Silence (until after meditation tomorrow) Saturday April 21st, 2012 7:00 Arrive in the main room 7:30 Meditation (silence until breakfast) 8:15 Breakfast 9:30 Mountains field trip – Blue Ridge Parkway, Grandfather Mountain, hiking, meditating, Deep Roots Yoga in nature 4:30 Rest, reflection time back at cabin 6:00 Love Your Body session 7:00 Suppertime 8:30 Freedom Dance 9:30 Meditation & Satsang 10:30 Sacred Silence (until after meditation tomorrow) Sunday April 22nd, 2012 (Earth Day) 7:00 Arrive in the main room 7:30 Meditation (silence until breakfast) 8:30 Breakfast > Pack and gather things 10:00 Deep Roots Yoga and/or Free Yoga and movement, exploring together 11:15 Circle – Closing Session – Giving our gift to land and to spirit 12:15 Lunch 1:15 Depart top

Travel You are responsible for your own travel to the retreat, though most people will be coming from the Triangle, so carpooling options will be available. Please let the facilitators know if you are willing to carpool. Nearest airports: Charlotte-Douglas International Airport – CLT (2 hrs) Tri-Cities Regional Airport in Blountville, TN – TRI (2 hrs) Asheville Regional Airport – AVL (2.5 hrs) Raleigh-Durham International Airport – RDu (3.25 hrs) [potential carpool opportunities] top

Cost $450.00 includes single accommodations, 3 meals a day, and all program activity. $200 deposit will hold your spot. It is non refundable after Feb 17th.  Full amount due by March 17th, refundable up until Apr 9th (10 days prior to retreat). Go to the Paypal page

Pay With Paypal (Credit Card)

Pay With Paypal (Credit Card)

Checks, cash, credit cards, or combination gladly accepted. Please do not send cash by mail. Either give to Karen or Blake in person. Please make checks out to “Blake Tedder” and mail to: Blake Tedder Attn: Mountain Spirit 2400 Wheelwright Cmn Chapel Hill, NC 27516

You are registered when deposit is received.

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