Big Magic Spring Renewal: a retreat to reclaim embodied creativity

This retreat is designed as a spring renewal for those who long to return to their bodies and fulfill their creative potential. The seasonal shift is an ideal time for reconnection to Self spiritually, physically, and emotionally. After a long winter, we may feel stagnant and disembodied, seeking spiritual and creative practices that guide us to remember who we really are and connect to the Big Magic that is our birthright. As artists and dreamers of every ilk, we must tend to our bodies and spirits and discover the balance between rest, renewal, play, and creative challenge so that we may tap into and channel something larger than ourselves. We must also learn to tune out the voices -- both real and perceived -- that tell us we can’t, in order to allow our genuine, glorious voices to ring out.

This weekend retreat will draw on the traditions of yoga, and we'll work systematically with the chakras, energy centers of the body, as well as the koshas, our layers of being. There will be abundant opportunities for truly nurturing, restorative, and generative practices geared especially to those who may feel their creativity and/or voice has been stifled or neglected and create a sacred space in which our inner joy and creativity can be reclaimed. Offerings will include yoga, meditation, writing and reading, drawing, music and dance, self-care, and time in nature connecting to earth and to Self. Come explore what’s possible when you give yourself what you truly need and leave rejuvenated, with tools to sustain a richly creative life.

About the Facilitator

Marin Heinritz, PhD, ERYT-500, is a published writer and Associate Professor of English at Kalamazoo College where she teaches creative writing, literature, and journalism; and she teaches yoga classes as well as offers private yoga, writing, and cooking sessions virtually and in Kalamazoo. Writing and the body are inextricably linked in her work on the page and in the studio/classroom, and helping others lead richly creative lives is, for her, a spiritual practice.

Retreat Schedule

The retreat will open on Friday at 6:30 p.m. in WindHill and end Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Sessions will take place in the morning (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.) and afternoon (3:00 – 6:00 p.m.) on Saturday, and a morning practice followed by closing circle (9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) will take place on Sunday.

Registration and Lodging Details

First, email Marin to register for the retreat. Early bird registration for the retreat program is $350; on March 1, the cost increases to $380. Space is limited. Please inquire about options for financial accessibility.

Once you have registered and paid for the program with the facilitator, Marin will direct you to contact GilChrist to reserve your cabin using the online registration form or by calling the main office at (269) 244-1130 with any questions. Lodging is $60/night per person in addition to the program fee. Participants will check into their cabins between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 26 at a time you communicate via your cabin reservation. Cabin check-out is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.